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If you write a lot and are not an accurate, rapid typist, get speech recognition software. If you are fast and correct, keep on keyboarding. Dragon is good but you will have to make corrections. If you already make mistakes, it does not matter if you talk or type.
Dan Newman takes you step-by-step through using Dragon Naturally Speaking. (For coverage, click on Table of Contents in the left-hand column of this page.) He even includes trouble-shooting tips and resources.
Dan Newman is a great writer, gifted computer expert and a dedicated teacher.
As the author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has to write a lot. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.
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Then comes the good news. David goes into detail about how we create our own lives and our own experiences. This is followed by a very high level view of the world, all of existence, and the forces that are shaping the world toward a wonderful outcome. David invites us all to choose our own path and contribute to the high dimensional influences that are dramatically increasing the love in the world.
This book inspired me to immediately start operating in a new, much more relaxed, loving mode. I'm finally using information I've known for years. There is no need to wait. We can fully live our unique lives immediately. Everybody wins.
The Illuminati Manifesto makes public the secret of the Craft for the first time ever!
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Access is a must for serious biblical scholars. After all, why do we learn biblical Hebrew -- in order to read the Bible in its original language. Though the Biblia Herbrica is a faithful text, why should we rely on anything but the oldest available complete text?
The introductory historical notes and additional notations are invaluable as well. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK IN MY LIBRARY and probably will continue to be for many years.
In the previous review I wished to rate this book 4.5 stars, which i couldn't, and now I rate it 5 stars so that it averages to 4.5 stars.
You'll find the margins are not as wide as I said in the criticism below. Actually the whole margin area is barely the same as the text area. Margin of the original codex + a little margin of the photography + margin around the photo adds up to as wide as the area occupied by the text.
The reason that the black-and-white photo gets darker than the color plates might be that the photo films are less sensitive to yellow than to blue. Since the parchment leaves are somewhat tinted in light yellow, the photocopy couldn't help appearing darker than it actually is.
If I could make touch with the publishers, I would like to advise them to use special film more sensitive to yellow light when they make the revision.
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Different Worlds
Beginning with a discussion of planet hunters at the Lowell Observatory in the early part of this century (searching for Planet X, which turned out to be Pluto), the chapter introduces 'the family', all the planets of our solar system, the asteroids, comets, other local phenomena, and has a brief discussion of origin and formation issues (nebulae, supernovae, planetary evolution).
Moon
As our nearest neighbour in space, the Moon has pride of place in mythology, space exploration, and in this presentation of extra-terrestrial worlds. It is amazing--the Earth is the only inner, rocky planet to have a substantial moon; this chapter discusses the space race and politics as well as science in earnest terms. The discussion of the astronauts a la The Right Stuff is always an interesting read. What is the future of the moon and humankind? Some speculation is here, with renewed interest, as the possibility of ice at the poles gives new life to lunar settlement ideas.
Terra Firma
Looking at the worlds with hard surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), the chapter on Terra Firma shows the diversity of worlds that occupy the space so close to us. Each has been explored numerous times by probes; Venus has for the first time in human history revealed more than a glorious morning/evening star light, as probes and sensors have finally been able to break through the cloud cover. Mars, of course, has always held a fascination for us, particularly after the 'discovery' of 'canals' on the surface; renewed interest in Mars has been propelling NASA efforts. Included in this chapter is a brief description of some of the moons of the outer planets (Europa, Triton) which would, if not tied to a gaseous giant planet, qualify as planets on their own.
Giants
Within the past few years, humankind has finally reached all of the major planets, all of the planets known to antiquity, and all but Pluto. Even with the most powerful of telescopes, these planets never appeared as much more than blobs, save for Saturn, with her enigmatic rings (which have turned out to be far more intricate than ever before imagined or believed possible). The probes to the outer worlds showed that all have rings of some sort; all have more moons than previously known (and than are probably still known). There are worlds to explore still in our own back yard, even as we search for planets around other stars.
Stars
Beginning, obviously, with our own sun, as the guiding physical force behind almost all in the solar system, the sun has variously been regarded as a god and a demon. Yet, for all its power and prominence, the idea that it, and not the Earth, was the centre of the universe was able to cause a stir (largely theological and philosophical) that would dominate learned and popular discourse for some time. Ironically, while the Church worked to silence Galileo and Copernicus who would suggest that the sun was centre stage, they applauded when Fr. Secchi, director of the Vatican Observatory 200 years later, announced the discovery that the sun was in fact a star, like other stars, and that not even the sun was at the centre of the universe. Solar flares, storms, composition and power are all discussed.
Atmospheres
Atmospheres are thin veneers that coat some planets. These are barely worth mentioning in planetary composition terms, but, without it, no life would exist, and worlds would be very different places. The issue of atmosphere is important from the standpoint of life and space exploration. Atmosphere makes it interesting, or boring. Of course, the gaseous giants have more than their fair share of atmosphere, which again makes a difference in exploration terms. Storms are frequent on giant Jupiter, and can last for generations. Not only planets have atmosphere: Titan, a moon of Saturn reminiscent of Venus with unbroken cloud cover, is perhaps the most enigmatic and interesting world in the solar system today, with a predominantly nitrogen atmosphere (hey! like earth!) and organic chemistry (hey! like earth!)--what's going on here? In 2004 we may have a glimpse, as the ESA probe Huygens reaches the moon, and dives in, snapping pictures all the way down.
Life
Are we alone? Is there life on Mars, or indeed, are we Martians? Is there life on the moons of the giants? How does life arise? Well, this book discusses, if not definitively answers, these questions. Discussing observations and probes, experiments and speculations, the idea of life in the solar system (in smaller forms, alas, no green men here) is fully developed. Looking to harsh areas on earth which nonetheless have life forms thriving, the idea that these same inhospitable earth-based climes are no different from the better areas of other worlds takes hold. Just what is life, anyway?
Beyond the Sun
And what else is out there? Other worlds in other systems? When Voyager turned its camera around to take a snapshot of the 'family', Mars and Pluto were too faint to show up, and Earth, as a pale blue dot lacking detail, was in the midst of a 6-metre long photograph. Out among the stars, there are stellar incubators (nebulae) which grow both stars and planets; the way stars die is also presented.
An extra plus for Yale Press for keeping British spelling and punctuation conventions throughout the text.
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You get a look at towering mountains & magnificent nature made stone sculptures. Cascading waterfalls, meandering steams, peaceful snowscapes, brilliant autumn leaves, beautiful flowers & endless skies take your breath away.
Muench is a master at capturing detail and light, and this setting shows off his talent to the maximum. A narrative by James Lawrence provides a history of the area and conveys the feelings inspired by this natural wonderland.
Some images have small quotes & poems under them. In the back, each photo is shown in miniature with comments from photographer and technical details. This book provides a beautiful world to get lost in.
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I've used this book as one of my main texts for teaching myself to play this wonderful instrument. I also found the presentation of the TAB system to be useful as I have branched out into writing music of my own.
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Actually, my wife and I ended up taking MORE than 6 months off (by 2 months, to be exact). During our time off, we were on "Leave Without Pay" from our jobs, which we negotiated with our employers, but were still covered by health insurance. Mainly, we traveled: around Central and South America, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. We also took immersion Spanish classes and lived with local families in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, took some time to travel the United States (mainly through Kentucky, Tennessee, and down the Mississippi River to New Orleans). We rented out our condo, put our stuff in storage, called the IRS to find out what we needed to do as far as taxes were concerned, and found someone (my father) to handle our finances/personal affairs while we were gone. In all of this, Six Months Off was a great help in planning, as well as in knowing what to expect in terms of expenses and a million other things, including adjusting back into the "real world" when our sabbatical was over! Budgeting (we didn't go broke) is important, of course, as is health care, insurance, and having a job when you get back (although some decide to just wing it and look for a job after -- or more accurately, IF -- they come back).
Basically, we probably could have figured most of what we needed to do on our own, but Six Months Off (and other resources, like friends) were extremely helpful in making things go more smoothly. Many people dream of taking time off to pursue a dream, but very few actually do it. Six Months Off shows you how you CAN do it, and leads you through it step by step. I strongly recommend this book, and I strongly recommend taking Six Months Off if at all possible! What an amazing experience!