Be aware that this product is 25% information and 75% sales catalog. It provides a brief overview of a particular technology and then presents the reader with many pages of products addressing that technology. Whilst this is a useful introduction to (say) wind generators for home use, $... is a lot of money to charge for a catalog. This book/catalog tries to address everything from passive solar to hydro-electric power generation, but doesn't really do a great job on any of it. Not a bad introduction, but certainly not a "must have' kind of book.

At least for anyone looking to cheese off the oil and power companies!! I'm not a bleeding heart, but I do kind of have to live on this planet! If I can do so without mucking it up, well, that's probably a good thing. This book made it easy to clean up at least my own act!

This book has paid for itself a dozen times over in the money I have saved in electrical costs! The tech chapters were over my head, but my electrician understood them and (thank God) was willing to try something new! A fine book!!

From novices to pros, this book explains Renewable energy and efficient building practices. Great reference to start design and cost estimation from each section. One of the best features of this book is the addition of the National Electric Code for RE systems. It's possible to pick a building material to build a house, design a solar electric system, decide on appliances, determine the use of a greywater system, and more from 562 pages. No more looking up pages on the net!

The Wealth of Choices is a very entertaining, highly readable introduction to how the internet will impact individual's lives. I would recommend this book if your have not read on this topic previously and would like to get your feet wet. The clear message that Murray delivers is that, for better or worse, your number of choices and responsibilities is going to explode in the future. He does this through numerous anecdotes in areas ranging from choosing your electricity supplier to choosing your hospital to choosing how to manage your retirement savings. Refreshingly, Murray notes not only the positive aspects of this increase in choices and responsibilities but also the downside (do you really want to spend a day figuring out who is lowest cost electricity provider?).

However, what this book does not provide is up-to-date practical advice for how to deal with the increase in choices. For example, the section on internet shopping is particularly dated, and fails to discuss tools such as price comparison shopping bots. Similarly, I would not base any financial decisions on the chapter on investing in the new economy. Much more thorough information on investing for the novice can be found in sources such as W.J. Bernstein's The Intelligent Asset Allocator, Siegel and Bernstein's Stocks for the Long Run, J. Bogle's Common Sense on Mutual Funds : New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor or even online.......... This is probably the biggest flaw in The Wealth of Choices-there is no major listing of additional references to get more detailed information on any of the topics.

In short, borrow The Wealth of Choices from the library, get some ideas, but spend your money on more thorough books for a reference that you will return to over and over.

Alan S. Murray's book delves into the well-worn themes of globalization and digitization, but manages to differentiate itself from the rest of the New Economy flotilla by offering up specific, practical suggestions on how consumers and business owners can cope. Many of Murray's major points have been presented more effectively in other books, such as Tom Friedman's The Lexus and the Olive Tree. That said, his advice on health care, education and career advancement in the New Economy is useful and easy to understand. So we at getAbstract recommend this book less for its broad overview of the Internet Economy and more for its common-sense wisdom for daily life in a dotcom world. (One caveat: as a result of the recent technology slump, some of Murray's analysis is already somewhat dated.)

"It's a great moment to be alive. Make the most of it."

The book's basic premise is that the economy has changed so much that you have to change your assumptions in order to prosper in terms of your health and money.

The first chapter, Not My Father's Economy, sets this up by sharing the advice his father always gave him and suggesting that these rules no longer apply.

The second chapter is a quiz that lets you test how well you have adapted to the new economic realities. The quiz is on the main points in the rest of the book, so if you do well in any part of that section, you can skip the material on that subject when you get to it later on. A strength of this structure is that it customizes the book for each reader, regardless of how savvy or out of it they are about the new economy.

Then, he shares hiw own experiences in how the new economy has changed for him in chapter 3. You will meet many famous and fascinating figures, such as the Gardner brothers of Motley Fool fame.

Chapters 4-12 are devoted to shopping, health care, education, work, how to spend your time and attention, investing, starting a business, retirement, and privacy (one per chapter). In these chapters, he gives you tips for each area, on-line sources you can access to keep up-to-date, and suggests key operating principles.

Here's a summary of his perspective on the economy: "Today, the basic market principles of competition and choice have swept into every aspect of American life." "The world has gotten smaller; competition has gotten more intense; choices have become more plentiful." "Globalization, deregulation, and digitalization are turning the entire world into a modern version of the Istanbul bazaar." " . . . The power balance, for the first time in the history of capitalism, has shifted in the consumer's favor." He has trouble defining the new economy, and does so with a series of negatives. It isn't very effective, but a definition probably isn't very important for achieving the book's purposes.

For those who like their economics in a qualitative form and in an abbreviated journalistic style, this book will be an excellent source of why the economy has and is changing.

For those who want to know how to get the best deal, this book is invaluable. While all of the other books about the Internet primarily focus on building a business or investing, this one shows how to use the Internet for everyday benefits for everyone. I am sure that many books will follow in this vein, but this is the first one I have seen done from this perspective. He also offers a web site where you can keep up-to-date on on-line sources.

But the real benefit is in helping you see where you may have stalled thinking about what you should be focusing on. The book is highly effective in showing you where to look and what questions to ask. For example, if 88 percent of mutual funds underperform the market averages, why do you own one that is not an index fund? I would give the book more than five stars if I could for this aspect.

The book's main weakness is that you cannot teach someone everything they need to know in each of the areas in a few pages. His reach exceeds his grasp in areas like investing, starting a business, privacy and retiring. Each subject area requires many books to fully understand. You should go find those books and study them. Don't take the advice here too literally.

I also thought that he misunderstands about education. He suggests going for the 'best' education, but seems to automatically equate that with 'brand name' education. Be a little more skeptical than that about the 'brand names' in education. Their product is not what it once was.

After you have read and absorbed the book's lessons, ask yourself how much of your time you really want to spend on making all of these new choices. Then decide which areas you will spend that time on. Even with the tips in this book, you will still find that you will have to ration your attention. I suggest you focus on health care, education, work (or business), and use whatever is left for shopping. But you should decide for yourself!

What a timely and inspiring book. It's a practical and profound guide on how to nurture and develop the spirit at work. I particularly benefitted from the exercises and tools for implementation.

It's not easy to distill the wisdom of great spiritual teachers and make engaging and relevant examples of how to apply that wisdom at work. I highly recommend this book - whether you work for a company or not.

I am Servant Leadership Specialist in a Catholic Hospital setting in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. This health care campus is part of a 12 Hospital system. My short comments are premised upon a retreat in Vancouver with the authors for five days, their highly useful work with our staff of 600 on site a year ago, and my experience as an Ethicist and teacher of theology.

A reviewer suugested that this book's premise is yet another medal given to those who sell themselves to the institution. But this is not true: the outcome of using these thoughts and the assumptions of Servant Leadership (Robert Greenleaf Center, Indianapolis, Indiana} helps the colleagues in a really growth enhanceing environment take ownership of the relationships and policies in their own setting. If the effort is made in good faith by all, the result is a workplace that is peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and above all productive. I strongly recommend the principles developed by Klein and Izzo. They flow from their deep exprience with several of America's best and largest corporations, from their own humanity and from the most thoughtful consideration they have given to creating truly humanizing and productive workplaces.

I offer a word of caution however: if you still believe that just another set of words and ideas can give you a new result, this approach would be no more than just another 'canned program'. When you decide to recreate your workplace on honest relationships, not power, and want to create a new work system that has both power and peace, then you are ready to begin the long-term effort of rebuilding the world of work in which you live. This is a guidebook for those who have the idea of a better way to work and live. This small book is not a panacea; it is a map for a long journey. We have invested 9 years in this effort in our health care setting, and both patients and staff know and happily acknowledge that with persistence, we are growing into what is envisioned here.

A practical note: We are now at the point of attracting people who think in this manner into our most responsible administrative and service areas and we have many very long term employees. People love to work where they known, respected and part of the decision making process. We have had great and competent help from Klein and Izzo in creating a caring corporation, and in incorporating our own Christian values and Catholic traditions.

Having read Corporate Soul a while ago,I am really quite surprised by how much I continue to refer to it and be inspired by it in my work in higher ed administration. The four paths to corporate soul outlined in the book are thought-provoking. They provide a good way to organize one's thinking about how to bring greater meaning to one's work and that of coworkers. The book is also full of good stories from spiritual traditions, which are worth the read in their own right. Finally, the book is practical enough to convince a reader (well, me at least) that one can actually do something about this stuff and not just feel good about it.

Be the person you want to be by John J. Emerick is a fantastic book about getting congruent with yourself and other people you deal with. I like the test near the front of the book. It gave me an opportunity to really take a good look at myself and for me to decide if I am in fact, the person I want to be. It is a great book because it is easy to read, understand and apply. I've recommended the book to several friends who had very little knowledge about NLP. The feedback I have received is very good, and they all have said they understand the principles and could instantly apply the methods to their lives. I think the book is stimulating, I am a certified trainer of NLP, and even the most advanced of NLP practitioners or trainers can get much value from the book. I was never bored with it and often times had a hard time putting it down. It's one of those books I'll be reading again and certainly recommed it to anyone who has an intrest in bettering their life.

Most NLP books are unreadable.

NLP is supposed to be about the study of excellent human performance, and how to model it. However, most NLP books get caught up in issues like hypnosis and therapy, and are written like psychiatric textbooks: bore, snore.

Most NLP "poobahs" thumb their nose at Anthony Robbins; let's face it, his works are popular because they're about self-improvement and are east to read. This book by John Emerick is along the same vein, but with more specific how-tos, and less cheerleading, than the Tony Robbins books.

Rather than spend hundreds of dollars on NLP and NLP-related books looking for a guide for specific self-improvement, buy this one.

As you may surmise, I am fairly self-confident and do not generally ask for help. Fortunately, my wife purchased the book for me to read. I have learned that what I already knew needed to be re-awakened in the form of a new presentation. With simple examples I could relate to my own , ahem , short comings. There are a number of techniques that we all can use to help in our business and personnal relations. The book is must reading for anyone that deals with a multitude of personalities and would like to be appreciated by them.

This is a very intense book. Although there is a lot of information here, it seems the author is writing something to open up people to Kundalini for the purposes of obtaining psychic and magical power. This focus can be dangerous because the emphasis seems to be very much on the 'me' rather than how can my service to humanity be achieved using these methods.

You probably want to start elsewhere and then browse through a copy after you have studied chakras and kundalini for awhile. Not beginner material.

as a how to book for the more esoteric practices of yoga not bad,simple and direct explanations & exercises. and yes it is intense but doable.what I find skrewed is mumford's explanation of the yamas and niyamas they are little off. I would refer you to the yoga sutras or the thirumandiram. both are much better guides on the philosopy. bisides that overall a good book

nanmaste

This book is a bit complicated and rather intense, but not impossible. I would only recommend it for those who seriously want to pursue the exercises in the book; those who are not particularly interested in setting aside the necessary time probably shouldn't bother.

When I first read this book in the early 80's, it profoundly changed my life. The idea that there is an innate body wisdom that guides us, physically as well as ethically and spiritually, was a revelation to me. And the fact that this body wisdom could be known through objective means was a real eye (and heart!)opener. Dr. Diamond's pioneering work with the thymus gland is the basis for much of current immunology as well as mind-body therapy and interpersonal ethics. This is a classic that everyone interested in holistic health should read -- as well as everyone who practices holistic medicine or purports to to use kinesiological testing therapeutically.

This book is a classic of its kind. Although it is probably best known for its discussion of the kinesiological muscle test, it is ultimately more important for showing that stimuli, whether physical or otherwise, effect our Life Energy constantly for better or worse. Furthermore, these effects tend to be the same for all observers: uncousciously, this painting, that food and so on all effect us the same, regardless of what we think in our conscious minds. This, of course, is a remarkable discovery, and the implications of it have been explored more fully by Dr. Diamond in many of his subsequent works. In short, this has to be one of the most important health books of the twentieth century.

I first read this book in the early 1980s, and I have referred to it ever since for its highly practical suggestions on ways to reduce stress and enhance creativity. I have also used Diamond's discussion of "Stress and Cerebral Balance" as a text in teaching communication in college courses. While I understand that the use of kinesiological testing by those not professionally trained has turned out to be a more difficult and complex matter than suggested in this early work, the results of Dr. John Diamond's research are as relevant today as they were when this book was first published in 1979. This book truly laid the groundwork for Dr. Diamond's wonderful subsequent writings, which have developed and refined his work. And here, as always, Dr. Diamond's prose is wonderful reading -- robust, down-to-earth, and entertaining!

For those inspired by the Razor Edge Systems catalogue: don't expect a single word about hollow grind straight razors in this book because you won't find it; in general, the care for this type of grind could have been treated in more detail.So far the missing star. But it offers simple and no-nonsense techniques to sharpen axes, knives, arrowheads, chisels or chainsaws yourself. It will keep both dummies and experts from bringing their tools to the local store for sharpening.

This books slashes through the old wive's tails and misinformation in which the subject of knife sharpening has been known to be shrouded. Juranitch teaches with authority, and gives specific instructions which with a little practice make it fairly straight forward to get knives amazingly sharp. He also recommends the guides and hones manufactured by his own company. Though a little skeptical, I bought some equipment and found its performance to bear out his claims. Amazon has been indicating for quite a while that the publisher is out of stock, however the book is available from the Razor Edge Systems website. (Amazon frowns on URLs in reviews so I won't include it, but you can probably get it on your first guess. Otherwise use a search enginge.)

If you have a hard time sharpening your knife to a razor edge like I did, then this book will teach you. It goes against some things you've been told, but don't worry. John Juranitch knows the edge like nobody else. Get this book.

This little book reminds me of the old Readers' Digest digests that one left on the commode. If you're in a hurry, and seek only the most ephemeral of companionship with THAT, then this book is for you. Otherwise, keep on shoppin'....

Mr. McAfee cleverly takes all the supernatural out of the Siddhis and reduces them to every day occurances. Explaining away every extraordinary ability as just a shift in perception of what Patanjali was really meaning. For instance in sutra 3.21 of becoming invisible. He takes this meaning to be that we let go of our self-centeredness and identity of ego and in doing so we become "invisible". In sutra 3.23 attaining the foreknowledge of death, he says we already do this by planning our life around the fact that we will die sometime in the future. We make wills and buy insurance so he says that Patanjali meant we should live our life as if each day was the last day or that our death was upon us. Living this way we would act very differently in our reality. McAfee explains everything in a logical shift your perception manner. I cannot disagree that we should look at life in some of the ways he has suggested but I strongly disagree that there is no higher abilites being described here. THERE ARE he simply just doesn't want to accept that. At some point in the human experience we so completely anchor spirit in the material plane that we begin to develop "Abilites" that seem to defy known laws. That is because we do not understand these universal laws which make it possible for us to levitate, dematerialize, and do many other things. For further understanding of these abilites read: Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence by Godfre Ray King. Also read Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East by Baird Spaulding.

Without a doubt the most intense and incisive book about Patanjali's Sutras. The author's approach is unexpected and almost unbelievable, yet the first few pages reveal an undeniable truthfulness; a view of the siddhis so brightly illuminated that there can be no doubt as to the authenticity of the author's viewpoint.

If you want to have your world turned upside down, then I highly recommend this little book. If you want to continue the sameness of your existence, then avoid it at all costs.

i dont see anything common about these phrases. there is a useful item for daily use here and there but for the most part heres what you get. ex-since this event unfortunately coincides with the arrival of the U.S. president, im affraid many of you may have been inconvinienced by security checks at train stations or on the streets. thank you for putting up with all the bother it has taken to be here. ive only lived in japan for 3 months but i highly doubt thats a common japanese phrase. i did however like the in depth descriptions of when to use the said phrase

Mastering set phrases is definately very essential to achieving fluency in Japanese. The fact that this book focuses on that idea alone makes it worth reading through. But don't expect this book to provide a comprehensive foundation of common set phrases. For one thing, you'd need a much bigger book, and for another, this book focuses almost exclusively on formal, and often stiff Japanese. That isn't to say that the phrases introduced aren't useful, just that they aren't universally so. If you are a diplomat, you'll find the perfect expressions appropriate to making speeches and conducting courtesy calls. If you are an exchange student and use these phrases on your host family and classmates, you'll come off as very polite at best and absurdly stodgy at worst. That said, I do recommend that beginning-intermediate students of the language read this book. The title of the book (for the most part) tells the truth: the phrases introduced are common and therefore it will do you good to learn them.

nicely presented, easy to read with a lot of fine explanations to understand really the use of the phrases. It is worthwhile if one is interested in patterns (which helps a lot)

First of all, let me say that I liked the book and highly recommend it. That said, the problem I had with it is that I'm from Louisiana, Shreveport, to be exact, which is due west of Monroe, where Dufresne's novel is set. I've been to and through Monroe several times, and, to my knowledge, it is nothing like what Dufresne has described. Dufresne should have set his story in Gonzales or Napoleonville or some other small town in southwest Louisiana, where the bayous are and Cajuns live. People who are not from Louisiana tend to think of the state in terms of either New Orleans (a country all its own) or Cajun (coonass) country, which is really in the southwest part of the state. Monroe is in the northeast corner.

The book is funny, and having read almost everything John Irving has written, I can see some parallels there. I would just hope Dufresne, an excellent writer, would do his homework a little better--go visit the locale, John! Of course, if Monroe has bayous and Cajuns that I haven't seen in my admittedly brief visits, then I apologize for this review.

About a third of the way through this book, you may feel as I did - is this a satire of Southern writing, or is it a genuinely bizarre story about a hapless last descendant of a town's mad family, Bobby Wayne Fontana? The story, set in Monroe, LA, combines Gothic elements of religion, fate, and human failings with a modern setting and a diverse cast of characters, including a Pakistani hotel owner, a naive and simple-minded young woman, and assorted Southern characters out of O'Connor, Faulkner, and the rest. The humor is present throughout, yet it's couched in a kind of pathos that can't help but strike a chord in the least of us who has ever felt at the hands of Fate. Though there are parts that go on a bit longer than they might, this is a fine example of modern Southern fiction. The new South has arrived.

Most writers today have difficulty finding a totally original voice. Many that do merely have several pieces of other writers in them. When looking back over the history of American Literature we see where new movements came from.

Dufresne's writing is new altogether. Not that there aren't others out there with similar styles, but nothing quite like this. Funny (in a disturbing way that I am almost afraid to admit I can relate to), grotesque, depressing, and at the same time enlightening.

If you like Dufresne, I suggest you also read Ed McClanahan (especially Congress of Wonders, My Vita if You Will), another southern writer. Upon first reading Dufresne I wondered if these two may have met in some backwoods revival meeting or moonshine festival.