The Bridges of Washington County: Spanning Work and Nature

Book Description

The reader of the book will have the opportunity to pass through two centuries of American history seen through the eyes of the Scottish Presbyterian Bridges Clan. Robert Ferguson Bridges emigrated from Scotland in 1816 and settled in the small mountain town of Hancock, Maryland. He struggled to find his way as a farmer, and he was one of the founders of the Hancock Presbyterian Church in the tradition of his forefathers from Scotland. His son Robert Bridges formed his own destiny in the cement business through the turbulent years of the Civil War. In 1878, Robert became an important entrepreneur and founded an American industry in the mining of silica glass sand. Upon his death he was the wealthiest man in Western Maryland and the father of eleven children.

The epic continues with Henry P. Bridges, his son, an acclaimed industrialist and conservationist. Bridges is credited with building a NYSE traded company called Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation, the largest supplier of silica sand in the United States. Bridges' true love was with the Wild Turkey, and he raised over 60,000 of the birds at the world renowned Woodmont Rod and Gun Club. The Club was founded in the 1870s and was hunted and fished by five American presidents, Babe Ruth, Gene Tunney and Amos & Andy. Bridges' life was dedicated to repopulating the Wild Turkey in North America, and his story is virtually unknown. Archibald Rutledge said of Henry P. Bridges book The Woodmont Story, "A fascinating and valuable contribution to the history of American wild life." Now for the first time the family epic is told from 1816 through 1957, a lasting reminder of from where America has come over the last two centuries.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating historian tells all.......2003-09-03

David Bridges has diligently collected an amazing array of information about the renowned Woodmont Rod and Gun Club in Hancock, Maryland. Six U.S. presidents, Babe Ruth, Amos & Andy and Gene Tunney were among the many luminaries who hunted wild turkey there. A terrific book!

Customer Reviews:

Some points...........2005-07-26

... he have, but overall he complains to much. What he has to give up, Ferguson yells, Keane says that....bla bla bla - and of course Stam never/selldom does wrong in/outside the pitch.

Over paid and over rated.......2002-01-12

Whilst the book itself is quite well written the contents reveal a professional footballer expecting sympathy for the fact that he has to travel long distances for out of season friendly matches and he had to sacrifice a lump sum payment to play for one of the best teams in the world. There is little real insight into the professional game or recognition that the top players are priveleged individuals who are extremely well paid but who have responsibilities to their adoring public. The book fails to provide a good insight into the pleyers views on the key issues facing the sport. It is a major disappointment.

A quick read albeit too focused on ManU.......2002-01-09

I have always wanted to know about the behind-the-scenes world of football and this book does the job. It drags on at times and is way too focused on Manchester United but Jaap gives a pretty decent account of his 3 years in english football.

Book Description

Lewis introduces Australian films from the 1920's and 30's and then focuses on thirty films produced between 1975 and 1987. He suggests that part of the reason for Australia's film success may lie in America's identification with a simpler culture and the portrayal of "wild west" type territory which is often found in Australian films. He also points out that various aspects of American culture have seeped into Australian culture and now appear in their films, making them more appealing to an American audience. He concludes this insightful study with a projection analysis for the future of Australian cinema. With its up-to-date content and analytical approach, this book will be valuable to anyone concerned with mass communication and society, cinema studies, media, or U.S.-Australian relations.

Customer Reviews:

Criticism and Nothing But.......2004-12-22

If you want to get an understanding of how the American dream relates to Australian cinema, this book is not as good a bet as it sounds, as it only touches on that idea a few times. The bulk of the book is basically standard, not even particularly academic, though up to a Pauline Kael caliber, film reviews. Lewis restricts his criteria for inclusion to only the top ten grossing films for each three year period. The majority of these reviews don't address the book's main theme, which is largely restricted to the first and last chapters, and even then, it leaves you wanting more, because he isn't giving you what he promised. As a collection of film reviews, it's not bad, but Lewis does not successfully do what he sets out to do, namely, to relate Australian movies to the American dream. If you want an overview of high-grossing Australian films, this may be helpful, but aside from documenting a few differences between Australian and American culture one could find anywhere, this really will not help you if you are interested in an approach with which to address other films, cultural attitudes, etc., all of which the opening chapter, not to mention the promotion implies that Lewis will do. The fact that this guy has a Ph.D. is most astonishing--he does what graduate students are always told not to do.

I should also point out that there are a very high number of typographical errors, even by Praeger standards, which suggests that Lewis did not re-read his text before he sent it to the publisher, which might explain why this book is so slight. He explains that criticism has always been more accepted in America than theory, but that doesn't excuse a book that sets out to be about a specific topic to be just a set of film reviews. I did love the way he makes John Milius look stupid at the end, though.

Australian Movies and the American Dream

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Australian Movies and the American Dream
Glen Lewis
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR0ULS

Book Description

Imaginary Bodies is a collection of essays that offer a sustained challenge to traditional philosophical notions of the body, sex and gender. Moira Gatens explores alternative positions to dualism by exploring psychoanalytic, Foucaultian and Spinozist notions of embodiment. The book traces a largely neglected geneaology of philosophers from Spinoza, Nietzsche, Freud, Foucault and Deleuze and sets this tradition against that of the Enlightenment. What emerges are new ways of thinking those aspects of life which Gatens calls "imaginary."

Confining herself to neither philosophy of "the subject" nor an ahistorical philosophy of "the body" at the expense of broader ethical and socio-political issues, Gatens shows the many connections between theories of bodies politic and the (sexed) individual. She compellingly, lucidly, and trenchantly engages with the ethical, legal and sexual relations between men and women which are placed in its proper historical and political context.

Customer Reviews:

Looks fun but..........2007-09-21

I have one word for this game...hard! Deffinatly not for noobies at roleplaying. For those of you who are confident that you can understand this game, go for it! You get to play several types of elves, dwarves and men (Silven elves, half dwarves, half elves). I studied this book for months and couldn't get the concept down.The spell list seemed overly complicated to me. I can tell you though if you are able to understand it you'll have a blast!

Other Books.......2007-09-03

Middle-Earth Role Playing is a very detailed game and game setting, it probably is too much if you just want to grab something quick and fun for a dungeon bash, but if you want something a little deeper or more serious, or use some of the setting information, it would be ok. Some complex and lethal mechanics here.

RPG for middle earth.......2001-04-14

This is an RPG system based on the world of Tolkien's middle earth. It uses a simplified rolemaster system with basic D&D type classes. It uses a level system and magic is well developed and has great flavor. This captures the feel of tolkien and of RPGs well. I would recommend it for anybody who enjoys RPGs and either wants to use middle earth (there are many quality supplements though most are out of print)or new material to incorporate into an existing RPG (as I have done with the material in this product).

Excellent, detailed roleplaying in Tolkien's vast realm.......1999-07-23

I love this system, it captures the flavor of Tolkien while making for an efficient roleplaying system. Great for fans of Tolkien, even if they aren't interested in roleplaying. The supplements for this game are some of the best RPG supplements I've seen. Loads of fun!

This is my favorite RPG system, a complete masterpiece!.......1999-01-17

This is one of the most comprehensive and realistic RPG systems I've encountered. I love it, and not just because it lets you adventure in the amazing realms of Middle-earth. The system is detailed and difficult to get to grips with at first but it is certainly worth the effort.

Isengard & Northern Gondor (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP)

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Isengard & Northern Gondor (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP)
Christian Gehman , Terry K. Amthor , and Peter C. Fenlon
Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0915795116

Treasures of Middle-Earth (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP #8006)

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Treasures of Middle-Earth (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP #8006)
Wolfgang Baur
Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 1558060480

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

ArcGIS.......2007-09-28

The Book is perfect. I received activation and registration from the publisher the next business day for starting use the software. I am perfectly satisfy with the product.

Worthwhile.......2007-09-14

Very through tutorial. Successfully completing the lessons in this book would probably be worth 4 semester units if it were a college level course.

It can be a little obtuse at times therefore 4 stars not 5.

The perfect guide to learn ArcGIS.......2007-08-27

Complete, easy to use and with a lot of color illustration step by step, the best guide for a software i have ever read...

Not with Vista.......2007-08-10

This is a good book for learning ArcGIS. Just don't expect to run the provided software, ArcVIEW 9.1, on Windows Vista. Some features work fine, others crash the program.

Echo Prior .......2007-07-02

An earlier comment reported, "it doesn't address theory of GIS programs in general that well, and I felt like my hand was being held a little too much in some things." I certainly agree. The book is simply a series of examples. The examples are repetitive in part. There is very little explanation. Using up 10 pages to demonstrate drag-and-drop functions is really not necessary.

Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop: The Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo Updated for ArcGIS 9 - (Getting to Know Series Ser.)

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Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop: The Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo Updated for ArcGIS 9 - (Getting to Know Series Ser.)
Tim Ormsby
Manufacturer: ESRI, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0006875947

Product Description

With revised material and new exercises based on ArcGIS version 9, this updated work acquaints geographers and GIS professionals with the principles of GIS as it teaches the mechanics of using ArcGIS software. Conceptual material is followed by scripted software exercises. Necessary GIS skills are presented in a variety of areas--map symbology, data overlay, map projection, and data conversion--as the making of maps and the analysis of geographic data is conceptualized. Spatial modeling exercises using the Model Builder technology of ArcGIS version 9 are also provided. Other topics covered include organizing data, planning a GIS project, creating derived data, and presenting results. With revised material and new exercises based on ArcGIS version 9, this updated work acquaints geographers and GIS professionals with the principles of GIS as it teaches the mechanics of using ArcGIS software. Conceptual material is followed by scripted software exercises. Necessary GIS skills are presented in a variety of areas--map symbology, data overlay, map projection, and data conversion--as the making of maps and the analysis of geographic data is conceptualized. Spatial modeling exercises using the Model Builder technology of ArcGIS version 9 are also provided. Other topics covered include organizing data, planning a GIS project, creating derived data, and presenting results.

Book Description

A world-renowned tax authority, author, and economist shares lessons in life and observations on great men he has met and known.

In this detailed yet highly readable memoir, Walter H. Diamond tells how his prestigious career evolved and how he came to recognize - and cultivate - personal and intellectual traits that were crucial to achievement, such as perseverance, memory, and affinity for foreigners.

Diamond's work as a bank examiner for the U.S. Treasury led to new challenges in World War II. As an officer in the U.S. Navy he was involved in six military operations in both the Pacific and Europe, including D-day. He was asked to engineer the safe return of 1,800 survivors of a sunken flotilla. As trade and investment adviser at the U.N. he helped more than 100 world leaders - from kings to presidents, prime ministers to finance ministers - draft plans for fighting poverty. Now Diamond tells what he feels separates the great from the weak, which leaders have impressed him most, and why. Finally, he offers a revelatory assessment on terrorism, and a feasible route to world peace through trade.

Customer Reviews:

An Authentic Voice.......2006-08-07

Walter Diamond played a significant and enduring role in international finance in the latter half of the 20th century. Now with his wife and partner Dorothy at his side he tells the inside and exciting story of the role he played in establishing today's world trade system. The author also provides valuable insights on our international trade program and sage advice on how it can be made to work for world peace. In this book one hears an authentic voice.

A winning pair: Dorothy and Walter Diamond.......2006-07-27

The free world is so fortunate to have Walter and Dorothy Diamond. For the last 50 years or so, they have traveled the world at the behest of foreign leaders to help advise them on how can they better help their people. The countrymen of over 100 nations now can live better, more productive lives because of the tireless efforts of the Diamonds in establishing Free Trade Zones around the globe. This book, "One of a Kind" is an interesting, detailed account of the Diamonds youth, people they have met during their life, and their global travels. A fascinating read.

Bill Pearson Neiman-Marcus,White Plains, NY.

"White Space" canon.......2006-06-08

This reference canon about the activities of the authors identifies and initiates discussion about many of the otherwise undiscussed, unreviewed activities of the US Treasury in protecting and enhancing America during World War II and American business through 2006. The book includes insights that will clarify the thoughts of future researchers in US economic "policy making" in our new globally competitive commercial working environment. It becomes a book that must be read by the individuals who want to understand the practical implementation of American expropriation of non-allied assets during World War II and the advancement of American business after the war through the creation of tax-free commercial trade zones. It highlights how the "rubber met the road" through the identification of world leader's expectations. We should all be very thankful that the authors got these thoughts down on paper in an autobiographical format.

One of a Kind: Learning the Secrets of World Leaders.......2006-06-05

I read One of a Kind: Learning the Secrets of World Leaders by Walter H. Diamond. This book was fascinating. I couldn't put it down. As an elected official in Greenburgh, NY I also was inspired by the book -- and learned alot about leadership and what it takes to be a good leader. The book should be required reading for everyone who holds a leadership position. PAUL FEINER Greenburgh, NY Town Supervisor

Service to Offshore Jurisdictions.......2006-04-16

Dorothy and Walter Diamond have been friends of mine since 1985 when I returned to New York from Liberia and was introduced to their work in signficantly helping advance the Liberian corporate program. Subsequently I was involved with the Nevis jurisdiction, and the contribution of Walter and Dorothy to this program was exceedingly worthwhile. Apart from these personal business connections, Walter's post-war assignments make compelling reading and would have an appeal to anyone interested in how foreign assets were dealt with after WWII. The book is fascinating and very relevant today to anyone interested in the global economy and the extent to which offshore jurisdictions play their legitimate part in our world economy.

Average customer rating:

Good historical overview

A very good introduction

A wonderful quick historical overview of corporate development....

More Business Study Than History

Who knew?

The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea (Modern Library Chronicles)
John Micklethwait , and Adrian Wooldridge
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Economic History | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
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Gangs of America: The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy (Bk Currents)

Financial Accounting (with Masters QEPC and Thomson Analytics)

Cases and Materials on Business Associations: Agency, Partnerships, and Corporations (6th Edition)

Personal History

Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist

ASIN: 0812972872
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Book Description

Chosen by BusinessWeek as One of the Top Ten Business Books of the Year

With apologies to Hegel, Marx, and Lenin, the basic unit of modern society is neither the state, nor the commune, nor the party; it is the company. From this bold premise, John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge chart the rise of one of history’s great catalysts for good and evil.

In a “fast-paced and well-written” work (Forbes), the authors reveal how innovations such as limitations on liability have permitted companies to rival religions and even states in importance, governing the flow of wealth and controlling human affairs–all while being largely exempt from the rules that govern our lives.

The Company is that rare, remarkable book that fills a major gap we scarcely knew existed. With it, we are better able to make sense of the past four centuries, as well as the events of today.

Customer Reviews:

Good historical overview.......2007-10-01

I liked the book overall. More or less I was just interested in the time period from the American Industrial Revolution on, so the first few chapters were somewhat lost on me due to presumptions the author makes about the readers general historical knowledge. But I still would recomend this title for anyone interested in knowing how business has progressed over time.

A very good introduction.......2007-02-06

If you are interested in business history this is the book to start.

A wonderful quick historical overview of corporate development...........2006-07-27

This really was a fascinating read into the evolution of companies into the corporations we know today. This gives the full global view of how stock holding companies became the modern corporation. Excellent!

More Business Study Than History.......2005-10-29

"The Company" covers the story of the joint stock company fRom its antecedents in the ancient world to its more modern incarnations. It is a combination of a study of the nature of business organizations and the history of their effects on the various economies and cultures which they have served. This book goes through the businesses of Rome and other ancient societies. The rise of the family firms of Renaissance Italy is shown as playing a major role in the flowering of culture. The stagnation of Chinese and Islamic cultures is explained as resulting, at least in part, from their failure to produce a long term, stable corporate structure. The stories of the colonial companies, such as the East India company, make for very interesting reading. The role of scandals in shaping the form of corporations from the Mississippi Bubble to Enron show that they have consequences beyond the affected companies and industries.

Throughout this book the authors do a good job at comparing and contrasting corporate structures in major countries such as the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Japan.

The various goals of the company, such as earning a profit for shareholders, contributing to the welfare of its employees and society and the development of the state are all considered. The goals of companies in different countries and times are contrasted. The sections on the interaction of companies and government makes for fascinating reading.

Who knew?.......2005-09-18

Well, this was an unexpected find. The Company provides a brief but well-presented history of these entities that we interact with every day but probably never thought much about. John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, both writers for The Economist (and it shows a bit), take us back to the early dawn of economic partnerships and trace the evolution into the modern form of the company today.

Specifically, this is a history of the development of the limited-liability joint-stock company. By limited-liability is meant that the investors can only lose what they put in. They are not liable for further losses. Joint-stock refers to the issuing of shares that can be purchased. From the start, the company faced an uncertain future. No one planned the creation of such a thing; they evolved, as do so many other institutions in a free-market economy.

From the start of the book, the authors take a generally positive approach to the moral issues that have always surrounded companies. But they are generally on firm ground. The practical benefits to such an arrangement are enormous. The issuing of shares makes the raising of capitol a rather straightforward task. And limited liability makes it easier to get funding for risky ventures. Why risk anything if a catastrophe means losing everything? But the key idea with companies is that they are legal entities, with many of the same legal rights and benefits of actual human beings. This, as it happens, took some time to get used to.

So what of the rise of the soulless corporate behemoth? That's covered too. From the earliest days of stock bubbles to the modern multinationals, companies have produced their share of troubles. Many are their own doing, others are not. It is worth noting here that modern criticisms of company economics are where the authors most often show their partisanship. The EPA and OSHA, for example, are both casually labeled as bothersome. But on the whole I think the presentation is brief and to the point. Where would society be without this particular economic and legal construct that is the company? Would we be better off? Would humanity have the means to otherwise shape its environment? No on both counts.

But primarily this is history, however brief, and not polemics. If the reader knows basically nothing about this sort of economic history (as was the case for me), then this should be a rather profound glimpse into an idea that surrounds us every day and shapes our lives, but remains virtually invisible by being in plain sight.

The Company : A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea

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The Company : A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea
John Micklethwait , and Adrian Wooldridge
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 1402544480

The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea (Unabridged) [Modern Library Chronicles]

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The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea (Unabridged) [Modern Library Chronicles]
Wooldridge, John, Adrian Micklethwait
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download

Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000AQQHJC

Book Description

Unexpected discoveries in nonequilibrium physics and nonlinear dynamics are changing our understanding of complex phenomena. Recent research has revealed fundamental new properties of matter in far-from-equilibrium conditions, and the prevalence of instability-where small changes in initial conditions may lead to amplified effects.

Customer Reviews:

Intuitive view about the emergence of complexity.......2001-04-09

It explains, mainly through examples in chemistry and physics, what are the required components for "complex behaviors" to occur within dynamical systems. It does not insist on the technicalities proper to the examples but rather tries to gather what one can learn from specific situations concerning the necessary components for complexity to arise.

Focus is on intuition and global understanding, not on mathematical aspects. However, some knowledge in math would certainly help...a first course in probability theory and some background in dynamical systems is a good idea (at the level of undergraduate courses in pure and applied sciences).

All explanations are not rigorous but the objective is to provide a good intuition about the mechanisms driving complexity. Recommended for all people interested in stochastic modeling and chaos theory.

Want to learn about complexity? Start at the source!.......1999-04-22

Since non-equilibrium science and complexity theory where actually shaped and influenced by the Brussels school, anybody interested in a concise -yet readable- introduction would do well to start with this book. Written by Nicolis and Prigogine, it will enlighten and entertain you. Some knowledge of math helps when reading this book, but the level is intermediate, thereby making it suitable for a rather large group of interested readers. I found myself reading the book in stages, taking the time to ponder various topics and issues before continuing again. It really made me wonder, and I learned a lot from it (ironically, I actually learned more from this book than from the -much- more advanced books by the author(s) that cover the same material).

Book Description

The revised and updated third edition of this cutting-edge collection brings together classic readings and important new material on global environmental politics. In selections chosen for their authority and edited to preserve their integrity, Green Planet Blues examines international environmental controversies from a diversity of viewpoints and value orientations, ranging from elite political actors and intergovernmental organizations to social-movement activists and citizens around the world. Paradigms of sustainability, environmental security, and ecological justice are used to explain topics ranging from deforestation, toxic dumping, and watershed degradation to transboundary pollution and the global commons.

Green Planet Blues is an essential part of any course in environmental studies and international relations. This third edition features new material on globalization and the environment, social movement activism, the World Bank, the WTO, 'stakeholder' approaches to international environmental cooperation, and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. Each section has been supplemented with critical thinking exercises; and a book-related web site provides links to a wide array of suggested readings and Internet resources.

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