An excellent account of some very important and under-discussed issues. Sincerely wish it would get suitable attention.

Ed Baker's book is a superior examination of the notion of a free press and its relationship to market regulation and democratic values. Baker studiously and carefully lays out one of the finest critiques I have ever seen about the limitations of markets for democratic communication. I cannot exaggerate my enthusiasm for this book.

This book evaluates the role that government regulatory power can play in ensuring a free and dynamic press, using economic analysis and Bakerian democratic theory. I found the book to be very interesting, exceptionally well written, and singularly rectangular. The author has a deft touch and keen sense of his audience.

A review of Carlyle's Past and Present written in Carlylese (he's much better at it than I am...)

This book could change the whole Western world, if only men would read it, and believe it! -We could have several Utopias springing up in North American and throughout Europe within the space of five years! So here you are. In this work, Carlyle criticizes the social, economic, and political arrangements in England of the 1840s. I will not bother to explain what those arrangements were; I will only say that his criticism is as relevant to us now as it was to the people of his own time. My friends, very simply put, then as now, we have 'parted company with the eternal inner Facts of this Universe, and followed the outer transient Appearances thereof...[we] have forgotten the right Inner True, and taken up with the Outer Sham-true.' Yes Carlyle's English is a bit strange, but try not to be distracted by outer appearances, that is his point! In many aspects of our Western life, we have forgotten what is true and at the heart of the matter, and taken up with superficial nonsense.

Let's begin with economics. In Carlyle's day, the Industrialists were trying their damnedest to figure out a way to make the production of cotton cheaper. This is a sham! Instead, figure out a way, with all your cotton cloth, to 'cover all the backs of England.' How like our present day Global Economists, wracking their brains trying to get the poor fools of the Third World to buy our products. Why don't they stop a moment and see if everyone at home is yet sufficiently provided for. Do your own fellow citizens need what you are producing, or have they enough of it, need they some other product which it is in your power to produce? And what is this of Advertising? Carlyle remembers a hat-maker who built a seven-foot hat of wood and plaster; wheeled it about the streets of London to attract customers to his shop. Does this improve the quality or utility of your hats, man, or does it only fool people into thinking that you have done honest work? I begin to think that more money is made in Advertising in these times of ours than in any other enterprise. What are our cities but places to tack up Billboards, to display Clothes in shop windows, to produce commercials for television, all to fool people into buying rubbish they don't need. Don't Advertise, Just Work!

Religion? Why all the silly ceremonies, the controversies, feuding between different sects. Do we need absurd ceremonies and idolatrous rituals to believe in a Divine Power? True Religion is 'Moral Conscience, Inner Light' 'All Religion [is] here to remind us, better or worse, of what we already know, better or worse, of the quite infinite difference between a Good man, and a Bad, to bid us love infinitely the one, abhor infinitely the other, to strive infinitely to be the one, and not the other.' A Religious man is he who makes his whole life an appeal to Heaven, to Divine Justice, to Goodness, and who cannot be happy if he do not always choose the right thing for his family, his country, his God and himself.

Politics? Why do we continue to elect Bill Slicktons and Tony Blears, vicious Garry Condits and brainless Bushes, when these rotten Governors have in their own souls nothing to govern by. They are play-actors, nothing more, and very poor ones at that. Behind the smile, the make-up, the $400 hair-cut lies only one thing: 'impudent dishonesty--brazen insensibility to lying and to making others lie' Look into the souls of such men and what will you see: 'a general grey twilight, looming with shapes of expediencies, parliamentary traditions, division lists [like opinion polls], election-funds, leading articles...' The true leader, on the other hand, is a hero: he wants none of our material rewards, fears none of our punishments, believes that there is such a thing as eternal justice, will stop at nothing until he has made life better, happier, more fruitful for his fellow citizens. How do we elect such a man, instead of another politician, that is, another professional liar, wood and plaster dummy? We as voters must cease to vote wrong! How is that to be accomplished? Well that is not so easily done. We must all awaken from this state of enchantment, says Carlyle, must begin to learn to distinguish just and unjust, admirable and despicable in our fellow men, and in ourselves. READ THE BOOK!!!

This is for sure a great book, if you have the ability to concentrate for more than five minutes, unlike the majority of the Herd, in mean people, of today. If your intrest lies in the substance of this book, read some other review, I'm only going to tell you that, the (1909) publication, stinks; the so called book, is more like a oversized magizine, and the print is about the size of a footnote in the bible.

Widely known is the lucid and acid historic sense of Thomas Carlyle. This is what you will find in this book. More accessible than the monumental 'Sartor Resartus', but at the same high level. I strongly recomend that book as a way to enter into the vivid world of Carlyle.

Edwin Louis Cole has practiced what he has preached - in the gap and in the trenches, and he knows from where he speaks. All you have to do is meet him in the pages of his books and see and hear his heart. A Real Man - there's so much or should I say a lack of discussion today about this. Edwin reveals, by way of biblical examples, what it is to be a real man in today's society. In any society. Read it and begin the road to realness. Recommended.

THIS BOOK CAME INTO MY LIFE WHEN I WAS AT MY LOWEST,I FOUND IT ON A SIDEWALK.IT OPENED MY EYES AS TO MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A MAN OF GOD,AND HOW TO OBTAIN TRUE HAPPINESS,AND BECOME A TRUE FOLLOWER OF THE LORD,I THANK THE LORD FOR ALLOWING THIS BOOK TO COME INTO MY LIFE WHEN I NEEDED TRUE GUIDANCE,IT HELPED SAVE MY LIFE! , AMEN.

This book has been a True ministry to me and and is overflowing with knowledge, wisdom, truth, that ENLIGHTENS the reader," I didn't want to put it down!" It refers to the Bible a lot and applies godly principles to todays living. Any person who calls himself a "man of God", or would like to, should definately look into this book.

Of all of the English dictionaries I have encountered, this one is clearly the best value for the price of the [inexpensive] paperback dictionaries. It is one of the few paperbacks I have seen that covers etymologies.

It avoids the overly concise definitions found in other paperback dictionaries while still remaining compact and inexpensive. I consider it an alternative to a bulky hardback desk reference dictionary.

This is the best dictionary that I have found that weighs less than 20 pounds. This was highly recommended in my college English grammar courses, but I compared all of them myself. If you want a smaller volume, get this one. If you want a larger bookshelf volume, but not as large as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), get the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition). That, in addition to this book, would be an excellent combination. This book has good descriptions and comparisons of usage, exactly what college students need, especially if they want to fit it into their backpack of books.

I have been a dictionary freak for many years, but nothing matches the scribner bantam dictionary. written in beautiful english , its like reading a good book. My poor unabridged dictionary is collecting dust.
if you want to expand your vocabulary and get the correct word each time, buy this little treasure trove. you wont be sorry.

One of the great mysteries of the universe is the fact that this book is now out of print. Out of the pile of IS/IT strategic planning books that I've bought and read this one stands out as simply the best the best ever written in my opinion. It would take a book to describe why I feel this way, so I'll just hit the high points.

First, the author's approach is not only exhaustively complete, but is based on proven methodologies. The genesis of Mr. Tozer's methodology appears to be based in the U.K.'s CCTA guidelines for strategic planning, with a heavy emphasis on SSADM (Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method) and PRINCE (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment), which is the U.K. national standard for project management.

Highlights: (1) Not once in this 549 page book was a product or technology mentioned, making the book as applicable today as when it was first written in 1996. Contrast this with methods that purport to address strategic planning, but are thinly disguised rationales for a particular technology or product. (2)The author focuses on business requirements, dedicating a good portion of the book to discovering and prioritizing business imperatives that will drive how IS/IT evolves to support those imperatives. (3) The approach is realistic, which is evidenced by one of many interesting techniques the author provides: P.E.S.T.. This is a modified Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT)analysis that examines Political, Economic, Social and Technical dimensions of the enterprise. (4) The book is structured in such a way that it follows project phases and stages.

I like the way the author uses quantitative methods for project estimating and cost forecasting, and the numerous questionnaires and checklists provided throughout the book. I also like the excellent illustrations that depicted process flows, matrices, quantified data and comparisons - these added to the information that was provided in the body of the book. Also valuable is the nearly 100 pages of appendices, which include sample work plans, checklists and sample deliverables.

It you want to adopt an IS/IT strategic planning methodology or a framework based on a business-focused approach this is the book to get. Even the most experienced consultant will learn a few new techniques, and those who are new to IS/IT strategic planning will learn how to do it the right way. Five stars and my fervent hope that this outstanding book will be resurrected with a reprinting. Until then it will be worth the time and effort it takes to track down a used copy.

I found this book particularly useful for keeping me on track while analyzing IT architecture and processes. It is a practical guide that is written clearly and is applicable to the real world. I recommend it as a "must" if doing IT consulting, especially for those just starting out in the field.

This book covers every aspect of the "art" of strategic IT planning thoroughly. The checklists presented in the book are invaluable to every practitioner (there are, also, MS Word and MS Excel templates available, by request, directly from the author). The methodology covered in the book, SP4IS, albeit not being commonly used, is well structured and complete, and its features and procedures are similar to most of this type of methodologies, making it adequate to every audience. Thus, if you're looking for an hands-on book on Strategic IT Planning, this is THE book for you.

This is an excellent book and anyone with an interest in the Viet Nam War should read it. The events of July and August 1964 are thoroughly examined and analyzed step by step. There are interviews with many of the people who were involved in the incident on both sides. It has a good technical discussion of the military equipment(ships and radar/sonar systems) that greatly contributes to an understanding of what happened on those "dark and stormy nights". This is definitely the best book about the Tonkin Gulf incident. The author is a History Professor at Clemson University and I had the priviledge of taking his Vietnam War and Modern Military History courses back in 1993. He told our class that he was writing a book about the Tonkin Gulf incident so it was great to finally read it after all these years.

Sometimes the details that matter aren't captured on videotape and broadcast around the world, like more recent events in the year 2001. What history doesn't have to show what was going on is a picture of how things were set up for this book. "Around noon on August 2, at the White House, President Johnson discussed the American response to the August 2 incident with Secretary Rusk, George Ball, Cyrus Vance, and Tom Hughes of the State Department; General Wheeler; Colonel Ralph Steakley of the Joint Staff; and Winston Cornelius of the CIA. At this meeting the president not only confirmed the decision that sent the Maddox back into the Gulf of Tonkin along with the Turner Joy, he authorized the continuation of OPLAN 34A raids (definitely the one scheduled for the night of August 3-4, and perhaps also those for the night of August 4-5; the procedure of waiting for the results of each raid to be evaluated, before approval of the next was initiated . . . would not have been practiced when there were to be raids on consecutive nights)." (pp. 103-4).

The amount of detail in this book could support a view that secret operations are those things which are not revealed in order to create the greatest spin in the direction of the psychological warfare advantage desired by whoever is keeping the secrets. To get a full appreciation of the kind of restraint which the American government displayed in this incident, the whole picture should be compared to how well the participants in World War II responded to the order given by the president in August, 1945 (a mere 19 years before the Tonkin incident) not to drop any more atomic bombs on people whose government exhibited any hostility toward military activities directed by the United States of America. President Truman's order was followed by massive conventional bombing, much as the history of American bombing in Vietnam shows how long a superpower can maintain a campaign of destruction against anyone who knows the truth about something which is supposed to be secret. This book shows great deference to the feelings of the anonymous secret operations experts who would never say anything that wasn't in the best interests of the powers that be. "Escalation" is an understatement for the overt actions taken against North Vietnam in August, 1964. Adopting a bombing routine as a conditioned response to false accusations in anticipation of making the bombing a regular routine, in the absence of any debate on why things happened as they did, was the real policy. Even now, most people who ought to know better are pretending that a lot of things revealed in this book are still secret. What people don't believe now is the preamble to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which stated that the United States was going to be maintaining peace there, where it had no territoreal, military, or political ambitions. My ambition was to get the Combat Infantryman's Badge without getting killed, so I could be the CIB who failed to agree with whoever thought this ought to be. Check the facts in this book for a truly tortured bit of not being able to see a forest because the treehouse doesn't have any windows, and the trap door in the floor is closed.

This excellent book demonstrates that the Gulf of Tonkin "incident" was not really an incident at all. It explains in detail the events that lead up to the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and the escaltion of the war that followed. My only complaint is that the author says that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was based on a "misunderstanding" and not "knowingly faked." Even if that is true, the fact remains that it was used as a convenient excuse to escelate war. In addition, the fact that there was no effort on the part of the government to determine the facts behind the Tonkin incident demonstrates that the government wanted war, and were just looking for the right excuse.

The Berlin airlift was one of the watershed events of the twentieth century. Had the Soviet Union expelled the Western powers from Berlin, history might have taken a different course. There might have been a third world war or all of Germany might have been drawn into the Soviet orbit.
Author Edwin Gere helped avert these potential disasters. He flew in the airlift, but this is not a memoir of his 184 trips down the corridors. Rather, it is one pilot's tribute to those he calls "the unheralded"--the thousands of people outside the cockpit who made those flights possible. The heart of the book presents the personal stories of dozens of Britons, Americans, and Germans who contributed in one way or another to the airlift's dramatic and unexpected success. Although Gere tells each individual's story simply, without hype or spin, the cumulative effect is tremendously moving and inspiring.
Historians like to argue whether great leaders or impersonal forces control events. Heartwarming, stimulating, and informative, "The Unheralded" vividly recreates a time when ordinary people overcame an extraordinary challenge and changed the course of history.

"The Unheralded" fills a gap in the literature related to the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. The book advances on a single theme - the resolve of nations and people who are caught up in great events and epic times. The author divides the manuscript into three essential parts: review of the period, personal sacrifices by the British and American participants along with the plight of 2.5 milion Berliners, and finally the future. This book should be of special interest to those who follow the history of the period, foreign relations, and personal sacrifices during periods of international upheaval.
Ed Gere, airlift pilot, Professor of International Relations, and Historian, has written a seamless account of one of the great humanitarian events of the 20th Century. The Berlin Blockade and Airlift was an epic undertaking that turned on the national resolve of the governments of Great Britain and the United States and the resolve of individuals.
The author opens with the final stages of World War II with a review of the conferences at Teheran, Yalta, and Potsdam. The period was characterized by the naive hope that the Allies could work at the problems of peace in the same spirit they had used in winning the victory. Gere notes that this simplistic notion of "Trusting the Russians" failed as the Allies watched the Soviets plunder their occupation sectors of Berlin and Germany.
Several sections of the book focus on "The Unheralded," or a sampling of stories everyday service men and women from Britain and the Dominions, the United States, and the Berliners who chose to stay during this period of uncertainty, had to say of their experience during the airlift. These are the memories of "little "people" and not of Generals and Pilots. These are memories of those who loaded and unloaded the coal, fueled the aircraft, sentries who walked their posts in freezing rain, and the Berliners who refused to abandon hope for a better life. Ed Gere also devotes space to those who paid the supreme price: Commonwealth, German, and United States casualties are written in detail.
The author wraps up the book on the 50th anniversary of the end of the blockade and beyond - what was gained? As President Truman said in the beginning as he wrote in "Years of Trial and Hope," this was not a struggle over Germany. In a larger sense it was a struggle over Europe. It was won by the thousands of nameless and faceless men and women from the Commonwealth, the United States and 2.5 million Berliners.

If you are interested in history, especially WWII and the beginning of the cold war, this is a great read. The author gives voice to the many unsung heroes of the Berlin Airlift, and chronicles in a remarkable way each of those who died in the endeavor. Gere provides a fascinating insight into the politics of the time and the personal stories of those who helped alter the course of history. The author, who flew in the airlift, is too modest and leaves out his own story. Still, a great piece of history.

I bought "Willie" years ago (and I like the old cover with the flag..don't know why they changed that) It's a big, thick book that's just crammed with proof that real life - if it's Willie's - is a whole lot better than any fiction novel. I loaned my copy out one too many times and it came up missing, so was glad to see it on here so I could get another one...only I had my old one so dog-earred, highlighted, etc...I hate having to go buy all those markers again, to do over;) When you get your copy, go to the index and ck it out....grab that highlighter pen before you even get started, here. I'm a truck driver, so I read this and that and here and there, before having a chance to read cover to cover. Then it turned into a reference book of Willie's Wisdom and all sorts of good stuff to good to forget. I kept it handy just to re-read some parts over and over. It's more than one book, somehow or other...yes, it's his autobiography - an All-American tale of rags to riches and all that; but, it's a whole lot more than that, too. If you like Willie, buy it. If you don't, I don't know why you're in here looking at it...but, if you like a dynamite story, or to read real-life accounts at all - you won't put this down, easily. What leaves me amazed is how anyone could cram that much living into the time period that book covers...he's lived nearly 20 more years since then...so I bought his new one, "Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes", to see what he's been up to since the "Willie" book. It's a hoot..sort of a grass-roots type of wisdom, interjected with lots of "mind-f.r.ts" and takes on his varied accumulation of friends and family, to date. Better buy it too, while you're at it...for dessert.

not only do I dig&respect Willie Nelson as a Artist but also His Down to Earth Vibe.this Book Reflects on that&so much more.He has a Mellow but to the point way of saying stuff like He did in this Book.He is a song within a Song in this Book.

Like Outlaw Willie himself this book does not stick to conventional writing; rather it is structured like a song, with the "melody" supplied by Willie and the "chorus" by his friends. May the publisher see fit to put it back on the shelves someday soon

This just might be the best single book a serious player should own, regardless if your handicap is 3 or 30. The insights into the game and the simple techniques Penick suggests are just plain right most of the time. If Penick is good enough for Crenshaw and Kite, it's worth the time - it's quick anyway.

For us average golfers the tips are worth 5 strokes a game. I now understand more about the mechanics of the game after reading Harvey's books, than from all the instruction tips in monthly golf magazines. An entertaining and helpful book for weekend golfers. A must read for young and new golfers. Great for both men and women.

This book provides the best of Penick's great anecdotes. He has so many golf related stories from his days of teaching, coaching, and assisting, and each one sheds a new perspective on this timeless game. His best contribution to golf writing is his ability to provide clear visuals in association with sound golfing principles. He doesn't leave the reading wondering how to implement an idea, but puts it in concrete terms by providing examples from his own life as well as the people he coached. Apart from the wonderful golf tips, this is just a plain good read, which borders on an autobiography. If you love the sport and you love life, you will truly enjoy this book.

Although I completely agree with the previous review, I would like to emphasize how well this book is written. This book is part of Twayne's Evolution of American Business Series and, as such, does not hide raw data from the reader. However, one can easily ignore the tables and skip a few paragraphs in each chapter and still feel very satisfied with the book.

I orginially purchased the book to learn the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. What I gained was a thorough review of the amusement park history from the 12th century Bartholomew Fair to Universal Studios Florida in 1990 (the book was published in 1991). From trolley parks to Coney Island, from Disneyland to Cedar Point, Ms. Adams covers all the bases.

A wonderful book!

This is a wonderfully researched, thoughtful treatise on the amusement park industry. It is not for those who want a pictorial history, or a romp with colorful characters like George Tilyou. Tilyou is here, but he is surrounded by demographic charts showing the age breakdown of the New York City population during Coney Island's history. There is a great deal of financial information, as well, such as consumer spending on 23 recreational products or services for the years 1909-1923. You get the idea--it is an academic book (but there are some photos, mainly historical).

But as such, it's awesome. There is probably no other book like it. Many academic books are not only dry, they are poorly written, but this one is neither. Here is a sample (since this is the first review and there is little here about the book):

"The major historian of the amusement industry, William F. Mangels, author of "The Outdoor Amusement Industry from Earliest Times to the Present" (1952) was himself a carousel manufacturer. In 1907 Mangels patented a device that imparted an improved, smooth, galloping motion to the horses and in time became common on all carousels. He and his carver, Marcus Charles Illions, produced finely carved carousels, including the Feltman merry-go-round at Coney Island. This man, who in 1912 also created the first wave machine for the swimming pool at Palisades Park, New Jersey, preserved the heritage of the amusement industry in America by organizing and developing the American Museum of Public Recreation."

For the same reason, here is the Table of Contents:

1. The Origins 2. The Form Emerges 3. Coney Island and the Enclosed Park 4. From Trolley to Automobile 5. The Disney Transformation 6. Theme Parks 7. Walt Disney World Resort 8. Overview and Postscript

A: Some Parks That Established the Traditional, Pre-Disneyland Culture B: Industry Associations and Publications Chronology Notes and References Selected Bibliography

Index

As Mark Twain once said, "If you enjoy this sort of thing, this is just the sort of thing you'll enjoy." I found the book's precision and well-supported opinions very entertaining. Perhaps you will, too.