In contemporary society, people increasingly rely on governmentto provide many goods and services. Those who champion governmentallocation of resources fail to consider both the effectiveness of government allocation and the moral questions involved. In the last century, resistance to government intervention, from paper money to economics regulation, was far more pervasive and effective than it is today. Indeed, today's Americans only have a faint understanding of the Constitution and its envisioned restraints on government activity. The Constitution and its philosophical underpinning are rarely taught and understood by most Americans. That is a remarkable change from the time of our nation's founding when a large percentage of Americans were conversant with the ideas of Locke, Cato, Paine and the Federalist Papers.

The Declaration of Independence, one of America's most important political documents, contains statements that are today greeted with hostility, or at best, viewed as extremist. The motif of America's inauguration has become too radical to discuss without extreme qualification, and those who want to use it to assail the present political process are labeled 'radicals.' Of course, the liberty-loving American founders also carried this sobriquet. Another characteristic of the modern age is that Americans have become carelessly oblivious to the historical struggle for the vast liberties they enjoy but the preservation of which they now seem to disregard.

Dr. Cobin's book is part of the growing literature of case studies legal-philosophical treatises that provide economic analyses of public policy. While many other studies about regulation have been produced, Dr. Cobin has provided a major contribution to local regulatory issues. Building regulation and the modern system of private property rights are areas which are taken for granted by most people. However, this book reveals that there are more than trivial policy defects in our system of private property rights. Dr. Cobin has established that there is a real need to re-examine how private property rights are regulated. In the same way that public choice theory has exploded the notion of altruistic bureaucrats and politicians, who serve the interest of the public to the disregard their private interests, Dr. Cobin's book unmasks local building regulations whose ostensible purposes are to serve the public interest.

The results of Dr. Cobin's work lead us into a new dimension of public policy deliberation, i.e., whether government regulations produce more or less safety than that provided through the market 'regulation.' If government regulations reduce the safety and quality of goods or services, then it is in the public interest to revise or eliminate such regulation. Dr. Cobin has also done a commendable job of demonstrating that market provision can produce efficient and effective regulation, even for informational services that are assumed to be public goods. After demonstrating the failings of government regulation and provision of information about quality, Dr. Cobin shows us that markets can do in building and safety regulations what it has done the rare coin and gemstone industries.

Dr. Cobin's work goes even further. In addition to suggesting an adequate policy alternative for a failing system of building regulation, he also resurrects an alternate legal philosophy of real property. This system, known as 'allodialism,' is not a novel concept but has deep roots in Western civilization. However, it has been obfuscated over the years in favor of feudalism. It may surprise many readers that the American system of real property, not to mention the rest of the world's is essentially feudalistic. This fact should be repugnant in America where the Founding Fathers sought to abrogate all fetters of tyranny and oppression. An allodial real property system would make private property rights absolute and not subject to any form of coercive taxation or regulation. Subsequently, allodialism would serve to secure rights to property as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.

Hopefully, this study will provide the impetus for scholarship, in both case studies of local regulation and renewed discussion and analysis of allodial property rights. Not only can this book be added to the annals of regulatory studies which support market over government provision, but its philosophical basis can be used in basic disciplines, including law, economics, philosophy, political science and history. Dr. Cobin has made an important contribution to an important public policy area in a novel and frequently overlooked way.

This book provides evidence that the state has failed to provide building safety regulation in the public interest. Useful market alternatives are suggested to replace government regulation. A must read for anyone studying urban regulation or interested in policy applications from free market economics.

Encountering John is an outstanding college level volume on the fourth Gospel. The book is Evangelical, conservative and scholarly. I found it comprehensive in scope, while concise in content. Kostenberger occasionally presents his personal bias but always supports his views with reasonable arguments. Each chapter includes an outline, objectives, key words, interesting vignettes, and study questions. I would highly recommend the book to the serious student looking for a concise and readable overview of John's Gospel.

Dr. Kostenberger has done a good job in his commentary on John. It is written at a level that would stretch Bible college students and would be comfortable for most seminary students. He is a very clear writer and he summarizes frequently and effectively to help the reader gain the most from this book. Most of the charts and diagrams are very helpful as well as the study questions. The appendices are exciting reading into some insights he takes into the Gospel.

Dr. Kostenberger takes the generally accepted conservative stance on nearly all controversial issues. He supports Johannine authorship, a seven-sign structure in the Book of Signs, and the general coherency of the text. He views are supported heavily from the biblical data.

This commentary would do well to any student of the New Testament wanting a good intermediate commentary that does not go into the Greek or much syntactical analysis.

I teach Critical Thinking at a junior college in central California. This is the only text for my class. I have chosen it over several others for the following reasons: ease of use, detailed explanations, MLA and APA format guidelines, and excellent readings that give both sides to current topics.

As a Freshman Composition Teacher, I found it hard to explain the idea of argument using mainstream texts such as Axlerod and Cooper's St. Martin's Guide. The second edition of Everything's an Argument provides an accessible way to illustrate classical rhetorical ideas to the modern student. Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters provide a readable breakdown or Aristotle's concepts of Ethos, Pathos, Logos and Audience. Toulmin is also used nicely. The second edition also provides readings which are contemporary in nature and on intersting topics. There are the traditional readings on Title IX, Language and Identity, Free Speech and Euthanasia for the more conservative course instructors. In addition, this book ellaborates on topics which I will be excited to introduce into my course next semester: Technology's involvement in Conception and Birth, Intellectual Property rights, Genetics and Privacy Loss. While the content of the book is exactly what I've been searching for, I find the physical book design also appealing. The cover design and visual elements will demand attention from my students. While the compact paperback design will not break anyone's back, it has me a little concerned about how well it will hold up over a semester. This text should be a definite consideration for anyone who has been wondering for years how to work audience, argument, critical thinking and style into their course. My favorite part is the chapter on tropes and schemes.

Having decided to take some classes in electrical engineering, I had been looking for a book that I could use to refresh my knowledge of college physics. I first acquired Halliday's Fundamentals of Physics - a very good book indeed - however, as heavy as any stardand textbook produced in the US. I ended up acquiring Handbook of Physics out of pure curiosity, and to my surprise, it happens to be one of the best science books I have seen in years.

The authors are very successful in compiling every single piece of information on undergraduate physics. The concepts in the book are advanced enough so as not to make you feel as if you were reading some "Physics for Dummies" type of book. That's a perfect combination for people who are looking for practical applications of physical concepts (like engineers) but who already have a quite good grasp on those concepts. The authors also include a little bit of theory not usually found on traditional physics textbooks, such as mechanics of materials.

All in all, it's one of those books you would want to keep forever around. The book has 1000+ pages but interestingly it is not thick or heavy. It easily fits your backpack so that you can read it whenever you read an article about the latest NASA technology on the newspaper.

This is just a great book. In just under 1200 pages the authors manage to describe pretty much all of undergraduate level Physics in clear understandable language, with lots of illustrations and many practical examples and suggestions. For any student of physics (or simply someone interested in the topic) I think this is the most clear and concise book I've seen. A great reference book to keep close at hand, as it includes a fair amount of practical reference material as well.

The mathematical content is unusually well presented with all symbols defined as to units and quantity in a box with each equation, and the SI dimensionality of the result is indicated in each case as well.

The index is excellent.

I think if I could only own one book on Physics that this one might be it.

The author, John Walter, is a leading writer on military firearms. His other books include, 'Luger', 'The Luger Book', and 'Rifles of the World.'

The Luger pistol is probably the most immediately recognizable pistol in the world. I doubt if any silhouette is better known, unless perhaps it is the Colt .45 Single Action Army. The first Luger was produced toward the end of the 19th century, when Georg Luger came up with it as an improvement on the Borchardt pistol.

This book is an extensive history of the Luger, from its inception (and before) to the present. It will be of great interest to Luger aficionados, as well as to firearms enthusiasts who are merely appreciative of its unusual design.

The Luger is unlike any other pistol in current production. Yes, it is still produced and available from Stoeger Firearms Company, an American company that has owned the Luger name since the 1920s. As a matter of fact, I have one that was manufactured in Houston, Texas, of stainless steel, with a six-inch barrel.

The Germans do not call the pistol the 'Luger,' but rather, 'Pistolen-08,' because it was adopted by the German Army in 1908. The Swiss adopted it first, in 7.65 mm in 1900, with the first pistols arriving for service in 1901.

The German Army adopted it in the 9mm 'Parabellum' (for war) caliber.

The Luger is easily identified in silhouette by the unusual toggle action, on the top rear of the receiver, and the raked grip, which makes the pistol a 'natural pointer.'

This book, in addition to a detailed text concerning the history and variations of the pistol, also contains many fine photographs of specimens, many in a special center section on coated paper. There are also several detail drawings of interest, and descriptions of many of the markings of the various versions offered.

This is a book that will be especially of interest to people who are attracted to famous firearms, and of course to Luger collectors.

Joseph Pierre,
Author, Handguns and Freedom..their care and maintenance
and other books

The Luger Story covers the entire history of the Luger pistol, from the original design concept of the toggle action in the 1800's, to the last production run of pistols in the 20th century. A very interesitng volume for history-minded persons as the author includes biographical information about those persons associated with Luger development, as well as information about those companies pertinent to its manufacture. Also present is commentary on the times surrounding Luger advancement, and useful explanations are provided about what motivated development choices at particular times. The book includes an index of all Luger production runs, with relevant dates and other information, as well as a "rarity index." The result is a comprehensive volume about the Luger pistol and the facts relevant to its history.

A guidebook to narrative therapy that has to be one of the most straightforward on the subject. Walter and Peller have taken the best from their previous work on solution-based therapy and blended it with narrative therapy to come up with a down-to-earth guide that changes how we conceptualize brief therapy and counseling. Unlike the expert model that still dominates much of psychotherapy, Walter and Peller emphasize conversation as a collaborative approach to helping clients reshape, reframe and retell the stories that guide how they think, feel and act. The five basic inquires that are used to maintain this special conversation are explained in separate chapters and illustrated with supporting case examples. The book isn't just for therapists--I think you'll find it helpful if you are in any people-helping position.

When John Walter and Jane Peller wrote Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy they gave the therapy profession an invaluable basic handbook of solution-focused therapy. I learned a great deal from it; so have my students and trainees. In Recreating Brief Therapy, Walter and Peller tell us about the evolution of their ideas and techniques, offering clear, practical suggestions for moving beyond the basics. Recreating Brief Therapy is essential and exciting read for all clinician, brief or otherwise, interested in taking the next step in learning to host therapeutic conversations that can make a difference for our clients. Phillip Ziegler,co-author of Recreating Partnership: A Solution-Oriented, Collaborative Approach to Couples Therapy...

This book is THE complete guide to building an intranet. Killer examples and techniques.

Very impressive compendium of Intranet information and the latest HTML techniques

With an excellent array of notes explaining his decisions in translating the thirty-one chapters of Book One of Irenaes's Against the Heresies, Unger has produced an admirable and accessible scholarly edition. Any translation is simultaneously an interpretation, and Unger has elucidated his choices in a minute and clear manner. Moreover, his introduction is quite helpful in setting the scene regarding Irenaeus's audience, style, and purpose.

To anyone interested in reading up on the earliest of heresies, this is the book for them! Heresy is when a post-baptized Catholic, in Christ, turns from the original teachings of the Catholic church of Christ, and decides to accept the man-made doctrines of other denominations by excluding the Sacred Traditions of our fathers (appointed by Christ). The bible warns of man-made doctrines! Protestantism and it's branch offs, accepts man made traditions (ie. scripture only). In turning to these new, truly man-made doctrines, they have chosen to divorce the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that is Christ's. To be Catholic and then turn from it, is divorce. Protestants of course allow members to divorce and remarry. It's ironic that this is how their church was started. Rather than staying in the marriage and fixing it, divorce is chosen. However, Jesus promised HIS church to be one and united. For those in search of the real truth, the true Church of Christ, one needs only to search the history of the first actual, physical church of Christ to accept the Sacred value of the Catholic Church traditions. This book is just what the physician (Jesus) orders. Find out where the traditions came from and how Heresies began. In this book, Irenaeus proceeds to list the succession of the Bishops of Rome to his own day! He adds that "in this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical TRADITION from the apostles, and the preaching of truth have come down to us" I say, the study of Church history, is the end of Protestantism! Read! Your salvation depends on it!! The Catholic Church is the ONLY church NOT founded by a sinner! Do the research! Start here!

Walter Hilton's massive undertaking (the first thorough treatment of ascetic theology in the English language) is as rewarding for those today as in his own era - and a careful reading makes one realise that he was treating many of the same difficulties we would find in our own time. This is by no means light reading, but the lawyer's mind, theologian's precision, and pastoral father's homely charm are a winning combination. (How can anyone resist one who, after giving an explanation of sin so with the lawyer's accuracy that one nearly searches for the section on plea bargaining, then tenderly reassures his reader that God is most generous with forgiveness or "heaven would be much too empty?)I would recommend it (if not require it) of anyone with an interest either in ascetic theology or fourteenth century England.

Author Peter Ackroyd (The Life of Thomas More) says that Hitlton's "Scale of Perfection" and Kempas'"Imitation of Christ" are part of the broad tradition of late medieval Christian piety. Both books played a central part of Thomas More's life. Scale of Perfection is concerend with the active Chrictian life in the world. Hilton also wrote a volume entitled "The Mixed Life."

Aces In Command: Fighter Pilots As Combat Leaders is a superbly researched and written military history of combat aviation leadership. Aviation historian Walter Boyne details the careers of four legendary aces (Eddie Rickenbacker, Hub Zemke, Boots Blesse, Robin Olds) who went on to using their leadership skills in positions of command in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Although the advances in military aviation were rapid and transformative, the qualities that each of these men exhibited in their respective eras is nothing short of fascinating. Painstakingly researched, Aces In Command combines the best qualities of superb scholarship with a flair for narration that is an entertaining as it is informative. Aces In Command is "must" reading for all military aviation history enthusiasts.