Average customer rating:
- This is an outstanding book
- A very ineteresting and informative work
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Henry E. Huntington and the Creation of Southern California (Historical Perspectives on Business Enterprise Series)
William B. Friedricks
Manufacturer: Ohio State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0814205534 |
Customer Reviews:
This is an outstanding book.......2000-10-27
This is an outstanding book. It is superbly written and thoroughly researched. If your interested in the Pacific Electric or Southern Pacific, this book is a valuable addition to your bookshelf.
A very ineteresting and informative work.......2000-02-04
Huntington is a household name for anyone in Southern California. The name is everywhere in Los Angeles due to the tremendous influence this metropolitan entrepreneur had on the development of one of America's largest cities.
His start in big business was with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, where his uncle served as the company's president. He showed tremendous skill and quickly ascended in the business world to become one of the most powerful businessmen in the United States.
Although he only had a high school education, Henry Huntington possessed incredible business savvy. He succeeded in almost everything he attempted, but his work in Southern California was the crown jewel.
Friedricks points out each of the major events in Henry Huntington's life, both at the personal and professional level. He discusses both Huntington's amazing contributions to Southern California and his scandalous personal life.
The book is balanced. It keeps the reader interested. It is a definite "must read" for anyone interested in the history of Southern California or the story of a major leader in the business world during the era of American industrialization.
Average customer rating:
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Pete Rose, Baseball's Charlie Hustle (Achievers.)
Nathan Aaseng
Manufacturer: Abdo Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0822504804 |
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Pete Rose: "Charlie Hustle" (Sport Stars)
Ray Buck
Manufacturer: Childrens Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
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ASIN: 0516043293 |
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Charlie Hustle
Pete Rose
Manufacturer: Prentice-Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B0006WYT3Q |
Customer Reviews:
Super bio!.......2004-01-08
I loved this book and thought it was very interesting. I have been a Cincinnati fan since the 70s!
Great bio.......2003-02-20
One of the greatest sports biographies of the later half of the 20th century. This book is a personal diary of the entire 1974 (Big Red machine) season... The book gives a fascinating inside look into the game of baseball by one of its most controversial, famous and accomplished players.
Book Description
From the 1970s cult TV show, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, to the current hit musical Spamalot, the Monty Python comedy troupe has been at the center of popular culture and entertainment. The Pythons John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam are increasingly recognized and honored for their creativity and enduring influence in the worlds of comedy and film. Monty Python and Philosophy extends that recognition into the world of philosophy. Fifteen experts in topics like mythology, Buddhism, feminism, logic, ethics, and the philosophy of science bring their expertise to bear on Python movies such as Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Flying Circus mainstays such as the Argument Clinic, the Dead Parrot Sketch, and, of course, the Bruces, the Pythons’ demented, song-filled vision of an Australian philosophy department. Monty Python and Philosophy follows the same hit format as the other titles in this popular series and explains all the philosophical concepts discussed in laymen’s terms.
Customer Reviews:
A book for Bruces, not for Gumbys.......2006-09-28
I must preface my comments with the following disclaimer: I've always been a huge Monty Python fan; and I've always had a strong interest in philosophy (in fact, I minored in Philosophy in college). I've read and enjoyed other volumes in the Philosophy and Modern Culture series ("The Simpsons and Philosophy", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy", and "The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy"). And I've always felt that Monty Python's humor was deeply philosophical. So, perhaps I am predisposed to loving this book. Please take my biases into account when considering my recommendation. If you aren't a Monty Python fan, don't even bother with this book -- you won't get it. Likewise, if you don't have a serious interest in philosophy, this book is probably not for you.
This is a book of serious philosophical essays, written by serious philosophers, only one of whom is actually named Bruce. Of course, just because the philosophy in this volume is "serious" doesn't mean that it is not also funny. The book is filled with Pythonesque humor. (Philosophers, as a rule, are a silly bunch.) But this is real philosophy, inspired by Monty Python; it is NOT a parody of philosophy written by the Pythons.
The essays in this volume deal with philosophical issues such as: Why "The Life of Brian" is heretical, but not actually blasphemous. Why the explosion of Mr. Creosote from "The Meaning of Life" is funny, not just disgusting. What the Piston Engine sketch tells us about language and meaning. Why an Argument Clinic might actually be useful. Whether God is British (and what this implies for the eternal fate of Python fans). The feminist subtext of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". What "The Meaning of Life" tells us about transcendentalism. And much more.
Especially recommended for college-level readers reluctant to enter the world of philosophy.......2006-09-07
Gary L. Hardcastle and George A. Reisch's Monty Python And Philosophy is for any Python fan, whether or not they like philosophy. Here professional philosophers and amateur Python fans celebrate and discuss the unlikely intersections of humor and philosophy, with comedy blending to metaphysics and ethics blending into TV and film insights. Especially recommended for college-level readers reluctant to enter the world of philosophy.
Thinking and Laughing, Laughing and Thinking.......2006-05-21
Continuing their great series on Popular Culture and Philosophy, the assembled contributors look towards one of the great sources of laughter - Monthy Python. Python is one of those shows/movies that can be viewed on many levels, as these authors show, disentangling philosophical lessons and examples from the work of the British comedians. Wonderfully, the chapters draw upon numerous different areas of the Phython's work for examples, from the earliest moments of their first television broadcast to their last movie together. Unlike other volumes that have looked at more limited source materials (one film for the Matrix and Philosophy, and 6 films for Star Wars and Philosophy) there is a greater spread of the work examined, showing some alternative meanings in much of the work done by the troupe.
The first part of the book follows the successful formula of the series by looking at a variety of examples to reflect philosophical meaning and examples in the work of Monty Python. The second part is a new direction for the series, and delves into philosophical aspects of the Python's work, and then in the third section reverses the mirror and looks at the Pythonic aspects of philosophy or trying to show how some aspects of philosophy can be viewed in a Pythonian way. It is here that the book starts to slow down. These essays admirably look at philosophical themes and how they are reflected in Python's work, using small snippets of Python to illustrate points. These essays delve deeper into philosophical writings than those in the earlier section and are tougher to get through. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing - philosophy should make us think. Finally, the third section with Pythonian aspects of Philosophy tries to launch into areas of philosophy and show some strands to be seemingly silly and python-esque and read much more like an essay you would find in a philosophical publication, not as much a book on popular culture and philosophy. However, if you are more serious into philosophy, I believe that you may enjoy these areas.
Overall the series continues to move along, and with so much of Python's work left unexamined, one can hope that there might be a second volume to continue on these philosophical themes.
Brilliantly conceived and wonderfully executed.......2006-05-10
This is a wonderful collection of philosophical essays relating to Monty Python. It appeals to fans of the Pythons, but also philosophers of every stripe --essays range from analytical 20th century philosophy to Buddhism and all points in between. Well done!
Some of the other reviews here at Amazon, almost read like Python sketches. Totally nonsequitur! Let me add my own irrelevant comment: In addition to the terrible treatment of Richard Pryor herein, one wonders why there is almost no mention of Eskimo people in the text. Why do the authors hate the Eskimos? The book is an outrage to all decency! Etc. etc...
I think this book is indeed taking SERIOUS advantage of the late Richard Pryor.......2006-05-09
I am not sure but I believe the part in the book about Pryor being influenced by Monty Python was written only AFTER Pryor died late last year. I have been everywhere on Google trying to find evidence of Pryor being influenced by Python and could find none. RichardPryor.com shows no evidence of this alleged influence. I believe the writers of this book just included that in to make Python sound more influential than it really was and to appeal to african-americans more too. I believe the book's statement on Mr. Pryor to be totally false!
And to the poster named Spiney. I am not kidding at all when I say I believe the book is indeed taking bad advantage of a dead celebrity in a vain attempt to appeal to african-americans.
Amazon.com
Ounce for ounce and dollar for dollar, the Pocket Consultant series from Microsoft Press is one of the best values around. The editors do a good job of recruiting competent authors and having them comply with well-thought-out style and formatting rules. Microsoft Windows XP Professional Administrator's Pocket Consultant is one of the gems of the series. Author William Stanek has spent time working with his subject--this book wasn't rushed to market to match the Windows XP release date--and he's good at revealing its administrative procedures clearly and concisely. The book is nicely indexed, so locating the section you need takes very little effort. This book--slightly larger than a paperback novel--is ideal for a harried administrator responsible for many different software products, as well as for consultants who need to learn how to use Windows XP Professional in a hurry.
A particularly nice characteristic of Stanek's style: His skill at combining straight procedures ("Just follow these steps and it'll work") with supplementary information about options ("On the other hand, if you're doing something unusual, you might need to modify the standard procedure a bit"). As no real-life installation of Windows XP ever seems to match authors' ideas of normalcy, the supplementary information is critical. Screen shots are nicely handled as well. Their presence helps clarify what the text means, but they're not so large as to waste space. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, as system administrators need to understand it. The author explains hardware installation, permissions setting, network security zones, and several kinds of network connectivity. Coverage of the specific requirements of mobile users--including virtual private networks (VPNs) and dial-up--is particularly welcome.
Book Description
Ounce for ounce and dollar for dollar, the Pocket Consultant series from Microsoft Press is one of the best values around. The editors do a good job of recruiting competent authors and having them comply with well-thought-out style and formatting rules. Microsoft Windows XP Professional Administrator's Pocket Consultant is one of the gems of the series. Author William Stanek has spent time working with his subject--this book wasn't rushed to market to match the Windows XP release date--and he's good at revealing its administrative procedures clearly and concisely. The book is nicely indexed, so locating the section you need takes very little effort. This book--slightly larger than a paperback novel--is ideal for a harried administrator responsible for many different software products, as well as for consultants who need to learn how to use Windows XP Professional in a hurry.A particularly nice characteristic of Stanek's style: His skill at combining straight procedures ("Just follow these steps and it'll work") with supplementary information about options ("On the other hand, if you're doing something unusual, you might need to modify the standard procedure a bit"). As no real-life installation of Windows XP ever seems to match authors' ideas of normalcy, the supplementary information is critical. Screen shots are nicely handled as well. Their presence helps clarify what the text means, but they're not so large as to waste space. --David WallTopics covered: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, as system administrators need to understand it. The author explains hardware installation, permissions setting, network security zones, and several kinds of network connectivity. Coverage of the specific requirements of mobile users--including virtual private networks (VPNs) and dial-up--is particularly welcome.
Customer Reviews:
XP best quick reference source.......2007-05-04
This book is essential for XP administrator or user. Simple and Easy to understand. Good to reference for daily job with XP computers.
Excellent book filled with useful and understandable information.......2007-01-09
I really found this book to have great content with logical organization. My only complaint is that the quality of the binding on this book is poor.
This is a shame because it is the type of book you will want to refer to often.
The Best.......2005-10-25
Windows XP Administrator's Pocket Consultant 2nd edition is a little over 500 pages (504 to be exact). It is well written, easy to understand, and the best I've found. My copy has so many dogears and highlights. This book is worth it and then some.
Not just for administrators.......2005-09-20
Out of 5 Windows XP Prof. books this is the one I use the most. This book is packed with useful information, well written, excellent details. By the way, contrary to many other publications that claim to be up-to-date with the latest software version, this book was REALLY written about Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Best of Breed.......2005-07-20
This book is very well written. Stanek does a great job of balancing the need to be consise and yet throurough. This one is definately worth it's cover price.
Book Description
In the first two volumes of this work, Paul Ricoeur examined the relations between time and narrative in historical writing, fiction, and theories of literature. This final volume, a comprehensive reexamination and synthesis of the ideas developed in volumes 1 and 2, stands as Ricoeur's most complete and satisfying presentation of his own philosophy.
Ricoeur's aim here is to explicate as fully as possible the hypothesis that has governed his inquiry, namely, that the effort of thinking at work in every narrative configuration is completed in a refiguration of temporal experience. To this end, he sets himself the central task of determing how far a poetics of narrative can be said to resolve the "aporias"—the doubtful or problematic elements—of time. Chief among these aporias are the conflicts between the phenomenological sense of time (that experienced or lived by the individual) and the cosmological sense (that described by history and physics) on the one hand and the oneness or unitary nature of time on the other. In conclusion, Ricoeur reflects upon the inscrutability of time itself and attempts to discern the limits of his own examination of narrative discourse.
"As in his previous works, Ricoeur labors as an imcomparable mediator of often estranged philosophical approaches, always in a manner that compromises neither rigor nor creativity."—Mark Kline Taylor, Christian Century
"In the midst of two opposing contemporary options—either to flee into ever more precious readings . . . or to retreat into ever more safe readings . . . —Ricoeur's work offers an alternative option that is critical, wide-ranging, and conducive to new applications."—Mary Gerhart, Journal of Religion
Book Description
In the first two volumes of this work, Paul Ricoeur examined the relations between time and narrative in historical writing, fiction, and theories of literature. This final volume, a comprehensive reexamination and synthesis of the ideas developed in volumes 1 and 2, stands as Ricoeur's most complete and satisfying presentation of his own philosophy.
Ricoeur's aim here is to explicate as fully as possible the hypothesis that has governed his inquiry, namely, that the effort of thinking at work in every narrative configuration is completed in a refiguration of temporal experience. To this end, he sets himself the central task of determing how far a poetics of narrative can be said to resolve the "aporias"—the doubtful or problematic elements—of time. Chief among these aporias are the conflicts between the phenomenological sense of time (that experienced or lived by the individual) and the cosmological sense (that described by history and physics) on the one hand and the oneness or unitary nature of time on the other. In conclusion, Ricoeur reflects upon the inscrutability of time itself and attempts to discern the limits of his own examination of narrative discourse.
"As in his previous works, Ricoeur labors as an imcomparable mediator of often estranged philosophical approaches, always in a manner that compromises neither rigor nor creativity."—Mark Kline Taylor, Christian Century
"In the midst of two opposing contemporary options—either to flee into ever more precious readings . . . or to retreat into ever more safe readings . . . —Ricoeur's work offers an alternative option that is critical, wide-ranging, and conducive to new applications."—Mary Gerhart, Journal of Religion
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant.......2005-06-14
Ricoeur, who died in 2005, had an obscure type of fame, but one that will grow exponentially as his ideas are understood more and more. This mind-blowing volume takes Augustine's and Aristotle's views on time and synthesizes them into a position on how narrative works. Great stuff.
Book Description
In 1945, when the Red Army liberated Berlin, they found in the Nazi capital a functioning Jewish hospital. In Refuge in Hell, Daniel B. Silver explores the many quirks of fortune and history that made the hospital's survival possible. His engrossing account of this little-known slice of history "reads like a novel imbued with the richness of a strong narrative and the depth of compelling characters" (Forward). Not since Schindler's List has there been such a wrenching story of personal sacrifice and triumph. Silver's narrative centers on the intricate machinations of the hospital's director, Dr. Lustig, a German-born Jew who managed to keep the Gestapo at bay throughout the war, in part because of his power over his staff and patients and his finely honed relationship with the infamous Adolf Eichmann.
Customer Reviews:
Astonishing Story.......2007-04-06
This true account about Berlin's Jewish Hospital that remained open and operational throughout the War is truly mind boggling. The author's explanation is that the hospital was subject to a kind of bureacratic oversight due to the wrangling amoung various German departments about it's ultimate fate. This apparently continued throughout the War while the hospital became a refuge for not only the sick but also those simply desperately seeking a place to hide. My only slight complaint about the book was that the writing was a bit dry and text-bookish and, at times, convoluted. I also wondered about the fate of many of those faces in the book's photos. The author doesn't tell us all that much about the nurses and doctors and what happened to them. I realized near the end of the book that there were transports to the death camps from the hospital staff; somehow this wasn't made clear. A few minor issues with a book that otherwise is one of those strange, miraculous stories that took place in wartime.
Check the facts first.......2004-01-28
Fair play suggests reading a book before purporting to review it, especially when that review is accompanied by an unfavorable rating. If Rivka Elkin had read Refuge in Hell before writing her review, she would have seen that the author does not claim to have done the first historical research on this subject. To the contrary, Mr. Silver pays tribute to the work done by Ms. Elkin and the authors of Zerstorte Fortschritte and acknowledges that their efforts established the basic historical record concerning the Berlin Jewish Hospital during the period 1938-1945. The only claim of uniqueness made for Refuge in Hell is that it is the first English-language book on the subject. The book's contribution is to have made this story available, in a readable style, to a general readership in the English-speaking world and to have added to the work done by Ms. Rivkin and other earlier researchers additional information based on survivor interviews and on documents that only became available in the course of the author's own research.
Like Ms. Rivkin, Ms. Opperman deals not with the actual content of Refuge in Hell (which she appears not to have read) but with loose characterizations about the book made by reviewers. The author is unlikely to have had any control over what these reviewers said. His work should be judged on its own merits.
The opposite of good is good intentions (Tucholsky).......2004-01-03
The recent Jerusalem Post book review states:
<
< The bizarre tale of the hospital never received much publicity, and certainly never became a symbol of Jewish heroism like the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising did. >>
Rightfully so - theirs was NOT an uprising.
<
> (Jerusalem Post)
This statement is factually incorrect: The Frankfurt Jewish hospital, to name just one example, functioned until the deportations in the early 1940s diminished its staff (nurses and doctors) to the point where they simply could not care for the patients adequately. Walter Lustig's Frankfurt colleague, Herr Pfingst, remained on the job (he was also, incidentally, the brother-in-law of the last leader of the Frankfurt Jewish congregation, Louis Lerner) and was one of the last nineteen 100% Jews to be deported from Frankfurt when the Reichsvereinigung office was officially closed by order of the RSHHA in June 1943.
<
> (Jerusalem Post review)
Lustig was not
<
>, this position was held by Rabbiner Dr. Leo Baeck until January 1943. According to th Jerusalem Post reviewer and Daniel Silver, Lustig
<
> He was no different in that respect from other leaders of the Jewish congregations.
Another major misinformation conveyed by the author of this book is (p.184) the claim that the hospital administered the Heimeinkaufsvertrag: ALL Jewish agencies and congregation offices had to do this work. It was the Gestapo's official attempt to collect 25 percent of the remaining Jewish assets for their own pockets through their account at the Tecklenburg bank. This was part of the fierce internal competition between National Socialist agencies for Jewish assets which became almost open warfare among the German bureaucracy functionaries by the early 1940s.
I use this book with my students but find it frequently necessary to suggest that they use extreme caution . The author (Daniel B. Silver) is not very well informed.
Charlotte Opfermann
A must read.......2003-10-22
Daniel Silverýs book is meticulously researched, well written and in many ways awe-inspiring. He has preserved for all time, through personal interviews and an exhaustive review of historical documents housed all over the world, the unbelievable story of the only Jewish institution in Berlin to have made it through the Nazi regime relatively unscathed. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Holocaust and/or Germany!
Amazing history - told in a readable book.......2003-10-02
This story is amazing. There are few history books that are compelling reads, but this one is. I could not put it down. Surprising details of Nazi Germany abound in the book, and ultimately one is left with an amazing story. Many explanations, none of which can fully explain this miracle.
Book Description
Until 1997, few people had heard of the seasonal current that Peruvians nicknamed El Niño. But when meteorologists linked it to devastating floods in California, severe droughts in Indonesia, and strange weather everywhere, its name became entrenched in the common parlance faster than a typhoon making landfall. Bumper stickers appeared bearing the phrase "Don't blame me; blame El Niño." Stockbrokers muttered "El Niño" when the market became erratic.
What's behind this fascinating natural phenomenon, and how did our perceptions of it change? In this captivating book, renowned oceanographer George Philander engages readers in lucid and stimulating discussions of the scientific, political, economic and cultural developments that shaped our perceptions of this force of nature.
The book begins by outlining the history of El Niño, an innocuous current that appears off the coast of Peru around Christmastime--its name refers to the Child Jesus--and originally was welcomed as a blessing. It goes on to explore how our perceptions of El Niño were transformed, not because the phenomenon changed, but because we did. Philander argues persuasively that familiarity with the different facets of our affair with El Niño--our wealth of experience in dealing with natural hazards such as severe storms and prolonged droughts--can help us cope with an urgent and controversial environmental problem of our own making--global warming.
Intellectually invigorating and a joy to read, Our Affair with El Niño is an important contribution to the debate about the relationship between scientific knowledge and public affairs.
Customer Reviews:
The unwelcome Christmas present.......2006-11-23
El Nino may never have been known as a "charming Peruvian current" on Maui, especially Upcountry, where he is blamed for unwelcome dry spells.
It could be worse. According to Princeton meteorologist George Philander, predictions that an El Nino in 1997 would lead to drought in Zimbabwe actually caused more hunger in that already hungry land.
Worried about the predictions, banks were reluctant to lend money to Zimbabwean farmers to put in their next crop. An El Nino did develop, but unlike most others, it did not result in drought in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe's harvest, though, was down 20 percent. Not as bad as the racist dictator Robert Mugabe has managed to do since, but bad enough.
Readers expecting to learn much about El Nino himself will be surprised. In "Our Affair with El Nino," "the Child" serves mainly as a starting point for a long essay about how science works, particularly -- but not only -- the sciences of meteorology and climatology.
Reaching out to non- (or even anti-) scientists, Philander tells the same story successively from "The Perspective of a Painter," "
<\q>.
<\q>.
<\q>.of a Poet," and "
<\q>.
<\q>.
<\q>.of a Musician."
In another chapter, he personalizes a cloud to make another point.
How successfully this works perhaps depends on how skittish you are about dry science. I happen to like my science like a martini, but for those whose tastes differ, "Our Affair with El Nino" could offer a palatable summary of current controversies in climatology.
There is, of course, not a great deal of controversy about El Nino, although perhaps there should be more.
The tendency to blame everything that goes wrong on El Nino has led to a backlash. For example, in the big El Nino year of 1997-8 Clark Davis of History News Service began one report sarcastically by noting that, "Corporate downsizing has proved one aspect of American life apparently unchanged by El Nino."
The big controversy in climate is, of course, global warming, and Philander, who wrote an earlier book called "Is the Temperature Rising?: The Uncertain Science of Global Warming," is in the camp that says the globe is warming and, furthermore, we're warming it.
"It will be a while before the forecasts of future climate changes
<\q>.
<\q>.
<\q>. are as reliable as weather predictions are today," he says in his newest book. "We are therefore obliged to make policy decisions on the basis of uncertain and incomplete scientific information. How much scientific information do we need to start implementing effective policies?"
Perhaps surprisingly, considering his Zimbabwe example, Philander thinks that for global warming, we have enough now.
But he has another example -- India. El Nino conditions often, but not always, decrease rainfall in both India and Zimbabwe. (It almost always decreases rainfall in East Maui, too. Paradise is not exempt.)
The failure of the Indian monsoon no longer leads to famines "not because of advances in the prediction of the monsoons, but mainly because of critical political changes that facilitated the implementation of effective policies."
And so with climate change, he thinks.
One threat is clear enough. If the thermocline in the eastern tropical Pacific were to deepen (because of complicated events linked to human emissions of carbon dioxide), Philander believes there is a good chance the Earth could enter "permanent El Nino" conditions.
On the other hand, if without extra carbon dioxide emissions we are about to enter another Ice Age -- which history suggests might be so -- the prospect that the most productive parts of the globe might be sealed under a mile of ice does appear to be the kind of change that even "effective" governmental policies would be unlikely to mitigate.
Philander acknowledges the prospect of a coming Ice Age but for unstated reasons considers it to be thousands of years, rather than tens or hundreds, away.
Ice Ages are an unusual phenomenon in the long stretch of global history. Philander asks, "Is there a risk that the current rise in carbon dioxide levels could return us to the warm world of more than 3 million years ago?"
Or is the greater risk that it would not?
Tough choice.
The romance of wind and wave - and us.......2004-10-31
This beautifully conceived and rendered account of global weather systems is the best currently available. Philander is able to mix scientific and artistic elements with fluid elegance. He observes that recent intense El Nino events have led to a new awareness on this phenomenon. The focus, however, is both too limited and has been distorted by media. People have been led to believe that the sudden warming of waters off the Peruvian coast is an abnormal phenomenon. He points out that the El Nino and its obverse, La Nina are manifestations of a long-term oscillatory pattern. Neither are "deviations" from some perceived norm.
In explaining the Southern Oscillation of shifting warm and cool waters in the Eastern Pacific, Philander turns to various art expressions. Weather predicting is often the butt of jocularity - we remember incorrect forecasts readily, blithely ignoring the recent advances in accuracy. He recognises this tendency, but reminds us that our growing population, illogical placement of urban centres and vested economic need to have good science applied to anticipating weather trends and events. Weather prediction, rarely, if ever, considered a "hard science" has made tremendous strides. The tricks nature can play on us means that we must extend our thinking beyond solid mathematics. We must utilise the techniques of the painter, the poet and even the musician in considering weather and climate.
Forecasting the weather had flimsy beginnings. A thoughtful observer in one location might make accurate records. If nobody in neighbouring regions matched the work, it proved of little worth. The telegraph immeasurably added to the creation of communication links, as did the reports of ship captains bringing observations from long voyages. It was the integration of these bits of information through the intuitive methods of music or art that began to force new, expanded views of weather conditions. The local scene was too limited to provide a complete picture. Philander uses a musical metaphor to compare the weather in the British Isles with the California coast - a high-pitched violin or flute as contrasted with the notes of a cello or bassoon. Conditions in other areas, he says, push aside single instruments, stating "only a huge symphony orchestra can do justice to the music of this planet".
Predictability, common in most "hard" sciences, must give way to the many forces that contribute to our weather. From the deep, cold currents moving at the sea bottom to the cycles of heat exchange in the atmosphere, subtle change can evoke monstrous events. Such occurrences are more common along our inhabited coastal areas, but may reach far inland. A long-standing sequence of disastrous famines in India led to one of the first investigations of just how the monsoon was generated. Although the first attempts to understand it failed, it led to better assessments of the roots of weather patterns. Many of these, including the monsoon, still defy full description. Philander urges more investigation, although he recognises that those providing funding are still looking for quick, decisive answers. These won't be easily forthcoming, he notes, but increased effort must be made.
Philander has been a major voice in helping us to understand the vagaries weather investigators must endure. He wants us to recognise that cyclical events like El Nino and its counterpart will continue. We must be aware that hard and fast predictions are unlikely, and that we must prepare long-term plans to cope with changes. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Average customer rating:
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Current thinking.(Climate)(Book Review): An article from: American Scientist
Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
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ASIN: B000849WBG
Release Date: 2005-08-01 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Parks & Recreation, published by National Recreation and Park Association on April 1, 2005. The length of the article is 2808 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: Wood-be alternatives: new wood preservatives offer choices and challenges for park and recreation professionals.
Author: Richard J. Dolesh
Publication:
Parks & Recreation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2005
Publisher: National Recreation and Park Association
Volume: 40
Issue: 4
Page: 54(6)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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