The Modern Ark: The Story of Zoos : Past, Present and Future

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Perhaps the question is so obvious that we seldom ask it: Why zoos? But wildlife journalist Vicki Croke provides answers in The Modern Ark, a fascinating history of zoos, the animals they house, how they reflect changing attitudes, and what their future may be. Croke traveled widely to conduct prodigious reporting--interviewing humans and spending time with some amazing members of the animal kingdom--and she offers an enlightening look at zoos. Some of it is funny, some of it's disturbing. All of it is interesting.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating look at our zoo system!.......2002-01-08

Vicki Croke does an absolutely fabulous job of completely sucking into the zoo world. She does not take away the mystery and awe that the zoos now provide for us. She gives us a seemingly unbiased factual look at how zoos were formed, how they are becoming better for animals and people alike, and what they are moving towards. Anyone who has ever been interested in visiting zoos really need to read this book because it will completely change your zoo perspective as it has mine. Thank You Vicki for such a great book!!

A fascinating look at the concept of "captivity".......2001-05-16

I really enjoyed this book! If you have an interest in animals in general, especially wild animals we will likely only see in zoos or on TV, then this is a great read. Despite a somewhat weighty topic, the book flows well in an easy to read style, packed full of examples and anecdotes. The chapters on how zoos are progressing from the cages and bars of the past to the "natural habitat" format are extremely well presented. Also of particular interest were the sections on how animals react when confined, and how zoos are experimenting with changes in the environment to stimulate the animal's mental health, with mixed results. Overall, this is a great book, and the author has done an exceptional job at presenting the topic. It will change the way you think about zoos, and the animals that inhabit them. Buy the book if you can find it.

An interesting essay of zoos with many real-life anecdotes.......1998-08-19

As a frequent zoo goer, I was able to identify with the facts mentioned in this book from my past zoo experiences. The Modern Ark provides many stories from zoos all over the world (some of them might be located near you) and the animals they house. Enjoyable reading for those who care about the well being of animals in zoos, as well as those with a general interest in zoo animals.

Book Description

This book covers the basics of human biology from three integrated perspectives: health, homeostasis, and the environment.

Customer Reviews:

Environmentalism propaganda masquerading as human biology........2005-07-11

I am very interested in learning about human biology and ordered this book on this site. Boy!, was I disappointed! This book is more intent on propagating the global warming myth and other Chicken-Little-the-sky-is-falling-hysteria. There is not very much on simply human biology.

This book is going straight to the trash. It's a total waste of my money.

Interesting note: The author lives in Evergreen, CO and works at Denver University. Evergreen is in the mountains west of Denver. DU is in southeast Denver - a long commute - something like 30 miles. If the author is really concerned about global warming, then why doesn't he live closer to work?

Customer Reviews:

Five Stars for Montaigne, One for Screech.......2005-12-17

Over the years I have kept a copy of the Essays by my favorite reading chair to be enjoyed at random, particularly in the middle of the night when Entropy seems to hold the upper hand. They exercise a remarkable calming effect.

Seduced by the idea of having a complete set of all the Essays, I initially opted for the complete Screech translation, but found it wooden and pedantic. I moved to the Cohen translation, which does not include all of the Essays, but has all of the major ones and is far more enjoyable.

Wherever we read we meet the man .......2005-10-27

Montaigne goes on his adventures of mind, and explores worlds seemingly far from his own , and yet always somehow leads us back to himself. His digressions and his ramblings in thought mark a new stage of discovery in the human mind's quest to know and understand itself. Like his great contemporary Shakespeare he belongs to an old world dying, and a new world not yet quite born which he in straddling makes anew.
Whatever the subject he opens up for those who come after a new way of thinking and exploring.

Pleasurable read.......2000-06-22

Montaigne was neither master of Science or Art, nor was he accomplished in Religeon or Politics in such a way as to be renowned through the ages. Though hardly a commoner by class, and well educated, he was essentially Joe Blow 16th century, writing not for Academic applause or controversy, but because it gave him pleasure and release (his works were, however, well received by many all over Europe). He was a philosopher as Schopenhauer defined it: examining the world around him as he saw it and defining it in relation to himself and how he acts within it, not preaching unattainable fancies that he does not live himself. Unwittingly (perhaps) Existential, this book shows that human nature is not what changes throughout the centuries - Montaignes observations of the world not being as alien as one would think 400 years ago plus would be. This book is an insight to the mind and world of a man in the renaissance, not a renaissance man. Well worth the read.

Selections from the Essays of Montaigne (Crofts Classics)

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A sense of modernity

Selections from the Essays of Montaigne (Crofts Classics)
Michel De Montaigne , and Donald Murdoch Frame
Manufacturer: Harlan Davidson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 088295105X

Book Description

This practical, easy-to-use guide provides answers to the most common problems encountered by students in the writing of history research papers. It employs a practical approach beginning with the first task, selecting a topic, and takes the student through how to prepare a bibliography--without becoming bogged down in the nature and philosophy of history. Included are three student exercises designed to improve techniques in locating library resources, using historical criticism, and preparing footnotes.

Customer Reviews:

A sense of modernity.......2005-10-09

Michel de Montaigne is considered by many to be the inventor of the literary form of the essay, so the collection from which these excerpts come is important in several ways. Montaigne was a humanist and a skeptic in his philosophical approach, and essentially looked at his own experience as the first topic for examination always.

The book of Essays was one he worked on periodically throughout his life, issuing different editions, the first of which appeared in 1580. Montaigne's style of writing is sometimes stream-of-consciousness, sometimes structured in more formal styles.

Montaigne's stated task in his preface to the reader is for self-examination, but it becomes very clear that Montaigne sees himself as an 'everyman' character. He strives for full-disclosure; indeed, he writes that were he another culture 'which are said to live still in the sweet freedom of nature's first laws', then he might have appeared naked.

The particular essays included here are as follows:

* Of Idleness
* Of the Education of Children
* Folly to Measure True and False by Our Own Capacity
* Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions
* Apology for Raymond Sebond
* Of Repentance
* Of Husbanding Your Will
* Of Physiognomy
* Of Experience

Montaigne's essays show a pessimism and skepticism, perhaps based on the kinds of conflicts between Catholics and Protestants going on, in France and elsewhere, as well as the periodic flare of plague. He was a humanist who saw cultures as having value internal to themselves and preferred to not universalise morals, laws and other ideas.

Montaigne was sometimes conventional in thought (seeing marriage as necessary for children, and distrusting the idea of romantic love), but other times he was very much a free thinker (particularly when it came to religious dogma or absolutist kinds of philosophical paradigms). Montaigne had respect for those who followed religious codes and ways of life, but distrusted those who tried to impose such ideas upon others.

Montaigne added to his essays twice in major ways, but did not strive for consistency or systematic ways of thinking - he declined to remove previous essays if they contradicted new writings.

Montaigne is perhaps the most important French philosopher prior to the Enlightenment. His essays remain popular because they have a sense of the modern and the current about them.

Selections from the Essays of Montaigne (Croft Classics)

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Selections from the Essays of Montaigne (Croft Classics)
Michel Eyquem De Montaigne
Manufacturer: Appleton - Century - Crofts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L33EA4

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Selections from the Essays of Montaigne
Donald M. Frame
Manufacturer: Appleton Century Crofts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BMYU3A

Essays: Selections (The Great Books Foundation)

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Essays: Selections (The Great Books Foundation)
Michel de Montaigne
Manufacturer: The Great Books Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007H6NQ6

The Great Books, Fourth Year, Volume Five (Montaigne: Essays, Selections; Shakespeare: The Tempest)

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The Great Books, Fourth Year, Volume Five (Montaigne: Essays, Selections; Shakespeare: The Tempest)

Manufacturer: The Great Books Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

Montaigne's Essays and Selections, and Shakespeare's The Tempest, in one volume.

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Montaigne Selections from the Essay
Frame Donald
Manufacturer: Appleton-Century-Crofts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NYCWUE

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Montaigne Selections From the Essays
Montaigne
Manufacturer: NCC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NSE3G6

Montaigne: Selections from his Writings with an introductory Essay by André Gide.

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Montaigne: Selections from his Writings with an introductory Essay by André Gide.
Michel de Montaigne
Manufacturer: New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company 1964.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L65B98

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Montaigne: selections from the Essays
Donald M. Frame
Manufacturer: Appleton-Century-Crofts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V9NN5Y

Amazon.com

Become a fly on the wall at the Mind and Body Conference III, and eavesdrop on the world's leading Western physicians, psychologists, and meditation teachers as they discuss the mind-body connection with the Dalai Lama. East meets West in this important melding of contemporary research on the interrelationship between emotional states and physical well-being with the ancient Buddhist thinking on this obvious connection. Contributors include Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., author of Emotional Intelligence, Jon Kabat- Zinn, Ph.D., author of Wherever You Go, There You Are, and Francisco Varela, Ph.D., director of research at the National Center for Scientific Research, Paris.

Book Description

Can the mind heal the body? The Buddhist tradition says yes—and now many Western scientists are beginning to agree. Healing Emotions is the record of an extraordinary series of encounters between the Dalai Lama and prominent Western psychologists, physicians, and meditation teachers that sheds new light on the mind-body connection. Topics include: compassion as medicine; the nature of consciousness; self-esteem; and the meeting points of mind, body, and spirit. This edition contains a new foreword by the editor.

Customer Reviews:

conversations with the dalai lama.......2006-11-06

This book is a series of conversations with the Dalai Lama on the topics of human sensitivities. parts of this book can be classified as excellent sna dothers the book drags and I wondered why I picked it up.

Transpersonal Psychology the Eastern Way.......1999-06-22

Dan Goleman has done it again. A highly readable book rooted in scientific research - just like his two books on Emotional Intelligence. Compared to other edited Mind and Life Conference books, this one describes the conversation in an extremely lively manner with explanations on Buddhist and scientific concepts presented as footnotes, and as a result making comprehension possible even with some abstract concepts unfamiliar to novice like me.

The enthusiasm shown by Dr. Goleman in the ability of mind over body can be found throughout the book (especially in the chapter presented by him where H.H. the Dalai Lama commented "You've just given me a lot of ammunition). This is probably due to his own knowledge and keen interest in the Eastern psychology and meditation.

Book Description

This is an exciting and realistic anthology of experiences of members of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard during World War II as told by the men that lived through them. With more than 80 photos and 400 pages, the reader is taken through the life stories of U.S. Navy sailors who served in "the forgotten service."

Book Description

In recent years, stories of reckless lawyers and greedy citizens have given the legal system, and victims in general, a bad name. Many Americans have come to believe that we live in the land of the litigious, where frivolous lawsuits and absurdly high settlements reign.

Scholars have argued for years that this common view of the depraved ruin of our civil legal system is a myth, but their research and statistics rarely make the news. William Haltom and Michael McCann here persuasively show how popularized distorted understandings of tort litigation (or tort tales) have been perpetuated by the mass media and reform proponents. Distorting the Law lays bare how media coverage has sensationalized lawsuits and sympathetically portrayed corporate interests, supporting big business and reinforcing negative stereotypes of law practices.

Based on extensive interviews, nearly two decades of newspaper coverage, and in-depth studies of the McDonald's coffee case and tobacco litigation, Distorting the Law offers a compelling analysis of the presumed litigation crisis, the campaign for tort law reform, and the crucial role the media play in this process.

Customer Reviews:

Objection Sustained!.......2007-05-21

After having read Stephanie Mencimer's "Blocking the Courthouse Door" I became more interested in the arguments against "tort reform." However, this book did little to enhance that interest.

In defense of the authors, Haltom and McCann, they have presented a thorough discussion of the topic as it relates to politics, media and the litigation crisis, just as the subtitle says. There are chapters for pro-business tort reformers, plaintiffs and sociological scholars opposed to it, newspaper reporting and information selection, the story of "the McDonalds Hot Coffee Lady," tobacco litigation, and a final chapter, which I confess, I had no idea what they were talking about, mainly because I had lost interest. Their analyses are so in depth that they would probably even have John Stossel scratching his head.

My hypnotic trance was due to the academic presentation of information. In fact it was so dry, it almost gave me the Heaves. I object to this for the person who wants to learn AND be entertained. The objection is overruled for the reader who wishes to pursue serious academic study of the tort misinformation from different directions. For the latter, it is at least four stars. Either one will be better informed, and may God have mercy on your soul!

For me, it was a solid three, only because I wanted to find the information interesting.

Can I sue Amazon for this?

Runaway jury awards ... and other made-for-media myths.(Distorting the Law: Politics, Media, and the Litigation Crisis)(Book Review): An article from: Columbia Journalism Review

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Runaway jury awards ... and other made-for-media myths.(Distorting the Law: Politics, Media, and the Litigation Crisis)(Book Review): An article from: Columbia Journalism Review
Michael Schudson
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Columbia Journalism Review, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1523 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Runaway jury awards ... and other made-for-media myths.(Distorting the Law: Politics, Media, and the Litigation Crisis)(Book Review)
Author: Michael Schudson
Publication: Columbia Journalism Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 44 Issue: 2 Page: 69(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Distorting the Law: Politics, Media, and the Litigation Crisis

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Distorting the Law: Politics, Media, and the Litigation Crisis
William Haltom
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OP2HYS

Book Description

An Air That Kills is the horrifying true story of the decades-long poisoning of a small town and the definitive exposé of asbestos in America-all told by the prize-winning journalists who broke it.

This is the story of miners who were unaware of the toxins they took into their lungs, then brought home in their clothes-infecting their families. It is the story of the ongoing use of asbestos in products ranging from insulation to cat litter. It is the story behind the George W. Bush administration's successful campaign to cover up the full extent of the post-9/11 asbestos problem in Lower Manhattan. But it is also the story of the townspeople and government workers who took on the government in Washington to demand justice for those who died-and those who are still dying-of preventable exposure to asbestos.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Compelling but One-Sided Story.......2007-03-04

The plight of the people of Libby and the other sites around the country is very sad and you want to hate WR Grace and the previous mine owners and operators. While their reponsibility is not in doubt, the book could have been improved by more information about what exactly they knew and when. I'm sure Grace et al. did not cooperate with the authors, but the extensive litigation should have made some of this information available.

A True Account of Lethal Deception for Profit.......2005-09-17

The author Andrew Schneider tells the story of uncovering a scandal of major proportions. It is a frightening, chilling story of hidden dangers allowed by government officials whose jobs are to keep us safe. It is the story of a mineral still used in our country whose lethal dangers were recorded by Pliny the Elder. Asbestos cannot be safely used in any manner.

Who should profit?.......2005-06-23

I am in the middle of this book and I find it very compelling. I was interested in customer reviews and when I read the last review on how the story is not yet complete because many of the victims of this scandal do not have health insurance, I felt compelled to write.

Everyone will be making a profit on this story. WB Grace made their money and now the media will make their money. While I agree that the authors have done a wonderful public service uncovering this environmental disaster, I would like to suggest that a substantial amount of the money made on this book (and the perhaps subsequent movie) could be donated to the victims. If not for their illness, there would be no story. I was recently appalled to learn about the monies that were made by media stars on the Watergate scandal while Deep Throat (whoe courage made it all possible) was not doing quite as well. For the media to make money off these stories without providing for the victims is not right either.

Truly shocking! Superbly written!.......2005-01-25

This book is a masterpiece of investigative journalism - well written, throughly researched and truly in the interests of the public.

The authors do a superb job of combining all the science and politics with a touching picture of the real Americans who ultimately paid and are paying the price for corporate greed and governmental push-overs.

If you read just one book this year, this should be it!

Actually, a Real Page-Turner. This book deserves to be read!.......2004-05-08

I want you to read this book. It is important to you and your family. I consider myself a knowledgeable person and I don't remember this scandal when it came out in 2000-2001. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I live in southern CA, but the problems with asbestos effects all of us in the US. Attic insulation, talc products and even gardening/soil products have asbestos risks that have been used and available for sale up into the 1990's and beyond.

I must have read a review or heard one of the authors in an interview...but somehow this book made it onto my "Must Read" list. When I received the book, I questioned why I had gotten it, having forgotten what motivated my interest in the first place. But I started reading and have found this book to be a treasure.

The story is one of deception, corruption and greed on the part of Big Business, in this case the mining business. The owners and executives misled their workers, investors and the government agencies that regulated them into turning a blind eye to the dangers of asbestos in their products.

While the deception of the miners in Libby was unconscionable, the book goes on to document the Bush White House withholding information that the air in and around the World Trade Center was not healthy! Can you imagine, after a tragedy like the WTC disaster, that your own government, that you rallied round to give support, would turn on you and withhold information that the air that you breathe is full of cancer causing dust? Which tragedy is worse?

The book is truly a must-read.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Trial, published by Association of Trial Lawyers of America on April 1, 2004. The length of the article is 920 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An Air That Kills: How the Asbestos Poisoning of Libby, Montana, Uncovered a National Scandal.(Book Review)
Author: Kate Gordon
Publication: Trial (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2004
Publisher: Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Page: 68(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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An Air that Kills: How the Asbestos Poisoning of Libby, Montana, Uncovered a National Scandal.: An article from: Environmental Health Perspectives

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An Air that Kills: How the Asbestos Poisoning of Libby, Montana, Uncovered a National Scandal.: An article from: Environmental Health Perspectives
Howard M. Kipen
Manufacturer: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000ALVBWA
Release Date: 2005-07-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Environmental Health Perspectives, published by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences on August 1, 2004. The length of the article is 791 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An Air that Kills: How the Asbestos Poisoning of Libby, Montana, Uncovered a National Scandal.
Author: Howard M. Kipen
Publication: Environmental Health Perspectives (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2004
Publisher: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Volume: 112 Issue: 11 Page: A650(1)

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