Exemplary Economists: Introducing Economics of the 20th Century (Elgar Monographs)

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"Through the game," writes New York Times sports columnist Ira Berkow about basketball, "I have an unusual opportunity to look into the soul of others, as well as, the spirit and wisdom willing, my own." At 52, following a knee injury, he was told he would never hit the hardwood again. Four years later, he exposed his soul--and knee--to tests of self-discovery in pick-up games from Manhattan playgrounds to California beaches. The mid-life memoir, filled with wisdom from unusual places, is about far more than a game: "Autumn," NBA legend Oscar Robertson tells the author, "happens to everybody," and Berkow discovers much that is moving, exuberant, and beautiful in his personal change of seasons.

Book Description

Mr. Berkow steps out from behind his New York Times reporter's notebook to spin the tales of his life as a pickup basketball player. To the Hoop tells the story of a year in his basketball life, as he resolves to enhance his game and stave off the ravages of time. Berkow is one of the best sportswriters around, so it is no surprise that his basketball odyssey is one of the best sports books of this or any other year. --George Plimpton

Customer Reviews:

one of my favorite books.......2007-08-29

I had first read the great chapter on Oscar Robertson's Cincy pickup game excerpted in the Sunday NY TIMES Magazine and eagerly awaited the book's arrival. I was NOT disappointed in the rest of the author's work here.

Ira Berkow weaves a moving portrayal of his own physical "autumn" and of his late awakening to what truly are the most important things in life. Given his life has revolved around basketball, as both journalist and participant, he easily relates why continuing to play such a physically demanding game remains such a pure joy and a worthy life pursuit for so many.

"To The Hoop" always strikes the right tone, whether relating events of the great '70s Knick teams of Bradley, et al or Berkow's families' stories from mid-century Chicago. If you play sports, enjoy the athletes who do or find yourself looking back longingly at your athletic life highlight reel, there's much you'll connect with here.

In the end, this is a very moving and very inspiring book I can easily recommend.

Chicken Soup for Anyone Suffering with Hoop Junkie's Disease.......1997-07-18

If you're addicted to "the greatest game ever invented," whether or not you play it well, you'll love "To the Hoop." It has insights and anecdotes from the famous and the unknown players Berkow has encountered in his checkered basketball career. Anyone who has played pickup basketball on a consistent and regular basis has their own memory bank of unusual characters and incidents. Berkow just packages and weaves his stories together in a way that grips the reader. Added to the mix is the emotional tale of alienation and reconciliation between brothers in the context of a life threatening illness. Aging baby boomers who are struggling to deal with the deterioration of whatever athletic talents they may have believed they once had, are the perfect audience for this autobiographical tale.

Self-absorbed, with occasional interesting moments.......1997-06-10

I bought this book on the strength of an
excerpt in the New York Times Magazine,
which detailed a pickup basketball game
Berkow played with Oscar Robertson.
Unfortunately, most of the book is a self-
absorbed account of the writer's basketball
career -- his opinions of his high school
coach, accounts of his best games in high
school and a Division III college. He even
went back and looked up his old press clips,
such as they were, in the Chicago papers.
He devotes a fair amount of space to
recounting, in detail that verges on parody,
his ability to make a shot when dared by
Magic Johnson.

The book does have some interesting passages,
but not enough, in my opinion, to make it
worth buying. The Robertson pick-up game
story is a good, short read, available in the
NYT Magazine. There is a genuinely amusing
story involving Bill Bradley and
Dave DeBusschere. That's about it.

Put this one low, low on the priority list,
unless the life and times of a New York Times
sportswriter interests you.

Dale Wetzel Bismarck ND dewetzel@btigate.com

Book Description

"All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun".

-Jean-Luc Godard

An integral part of today's culture, film has become a major frame of reference for architects, artists, writers and cultural theorists. Following up on the popularity of the 1994 issue of Architectural Design, 'Architecture and Film I', this title takes a multi-faceted look at the representation of architecture through the big screen. Examples are drawn from a wide range of cinematic periods and genres - early Noir, Soviet cinema, Jacques Tati, Mall Movies, Los Angeles disaster movies, cyborg and sci-fi, horror movies and James Bond. The association between architecture and film is explored from every angle, architecture is looked at as setting and scenery, and as subject. Film-makers give their account of making architectural documentaries; the evolution of cinema buildings from sideshow to arthouse is examined; the architect-turned-director Patrick Keiller is interviewed; and film inspired architectural projects are featured.

Book Description

After the extraordinary social and political upheaval of the 1960s and 70s, African American culture splintered in the “post-soul” decade of the 1980s. Black entertainers, athletes, politicians, and spiritual leaders enjoyed unprecedented prominence and influence while at the same time drugs and crime ravaged once-vital black neighborhoods. Michael Jordan dominated basketball and Michael Jackson swept the Grammys, but rage and desperation ruled the streets. In this fascinating history, Nelson George, one of the country's leading black cultural critics, chronicles the African American 1980s in all its excess, creativity, and despair.

Sifting through the media, popular music, the arenas of sports and politics, cultural trends, street slang, and the changes that rocked Hollywood, Washington, Wall Street, and Madison Avenue, Post-Soul Nation will further confirm George as one of our most dynamic and original cultural commentators.

Customer Reviews:

Who Takes The Blame?.......2006-08-13

In February, 1969, a study titled "Black-White Contact in Schools: Its Social and Academic Effects" was published by Purdue University sociologist Martin Patchen. In it, he concludes "Available evidence indicates that interracial contact in schools does not have consistent positive effects on students' racial attitudes and behavior or on the academic prformance of minority students." In March, it was declared that the AIDS virus started in Africa and on the Caribbean island, Haita and spread to the United States via tourists. Get this! Susan Sontag decided in 1988 that "the virus was sent to Africa from the U.S. as an act of bacteriological warfare" as a conspiracy.

July, 1985, a survey conducted in New York City using the HIV antibody test finds that of frequent drug users, 87 percent carried the infection. The majority of the addicts were black and Hispanic. In August 1988, on Zachary's birthday, Jean-Michael Basquiat died in New York village of a heroin overdose at the age of 27 (Zach was 26 then). He was a graffiti artist whose pieces sold for $50,000 at the time of his death. There was a lot of debate about his artistic worth.

This book traverses the years 1979 to 1989 in America and is mostly about the singers and groups in the entertainment area but also writers which proliferated during that time. It is the time of affirmative action and Clarence Thomas who was married to a Causcasian woman but courted the office girls and almost lost his nomination. I watched it all on t.v. The girl took all the blame, and she was honest and above-board, blameless. The results of overcompensation has caused much turmoil for us all in America and some are deceitful by trying to pull the wool ober the eyes of political figures to the detriment of everybody.

80's Sampling Shows Deeper Truths.......2004-05-22

"Post-Soul Nation..." samples high profile stories from 1979 to 1989. Each chapter covers one year and opens with a 2-3 page, relatively in depth, summary of an issue. George writes clear and concise, and covers a lot of ground in 2-3 pages. (For example, he guides from Reaganomics to crack in an amazing 1 page... like a sockless Tyson with no BS going straight at you). After each chapter's 2-3 page intro, George writes 1-2 paragraph "sample" mini-stories. Each "sample" is in order by date: A key event from January 22 is followed by February 11, then March 3, etc. The "samples" can rekindle memories of the event -- most were high profile stories at the time. Offhand, I'd say these themes appear most, in descending order; rap/hip hop (from inner cities into the suburbs), politics (black mayors, Jesse, Farrakhan), show business (Spike Lee, Eddie Murphy, Cosby, Oprah etc), writers (female especially), academia, and business.... The bigger personalities and issues (Oprah, Eddie, Aids, crack) are weaved into the mix, appearing at various points from year to year.

In the broadest sense, George replays the big scenes of the 80's, with crisp and flowing language. It may be a sign that this "white boy" (me) found the book almost coincided with my "80's big picture." Add a little new wave music and some Larry Bird :-), and the picture is near complete. This partly reflects George's view that the *big name* African Americans were quite dominant in 80's culture. Another of George's themes is that, under Reaganites, inner city folks were worse off. Two possible theories are: 1)When social services and affirmative action were scaled back, whites accepted black stars more. Like, "Hey, 'they' *earned* it." Or, more likely, as George suggests, 2) major black figures were simply too good to be denied.

George calls the 80's "Post-Soul Nation," meaning the 60's/70's soul-power era was over. (So the 80's is defined for what it *isn't*, its complexity reflected in the book's long title). In short, the book is great for triggering a series of flashbacks.... Then when you put it down, all those samples in your mind start to form a greater whole. Food for thought.

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Tarot & Qabala

Tarot of the Sephiroth

beautiful deck

Great meditative tool

Guide to the Tarot of the Sephiroth
Josephine Mori , and Jill Stockwell
Manufacturer: U.S. Games Systems
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Tarot | Divination | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1572813261

Book Description

The ancient wisdom of the Tree of Life is revealed to those who seeks its truth in the Guide to the Tarot of the Sephiroth. The Tarot-Qabalah connection is brought to life through a diagram of the spheres and paths that embody the mysteries of the universe and the creation process.

Customer Reviews:

Tarot & Qabala.......2007-02-06

The "Tarot of the Sephiroth" was created with two premises in mind: to update the imagery for a new era, and to highlight the connection between the Tarot and the Qabala. It has served its purpose well!

In highlighting the connection between Tarot and the Qabala, Staroff made use of the Tree of Life imagery ... its spheres, paths, and associated colors. The color coding on the cards has been placed to make it easy to place the cards together in a way that, in the end, cards form a living Tree of Life.

The format of this deck is traditional: the Major Arcana carry traditional titles and numbering, the suits are titles Wands, Cups, Swords, and DIsks (Pentacles), and the Court Cards are entitled King, Queen, Prince, and Princess.

The art style is two-dimensional, with a very "futuristic" look to it. Some of the cards in the deck reflect an Egyptian theme. The cards themselves are 3" by 4 1/2", on good quality, sturdy card stock. The back of the cards shows a dark background color, with small, light colored "stars" covering it ... remniscent of the night sky. It would not be possible to tell if a card had been drawn in the upright or reversed position.

I found this to be an interesting deck, but one that would require at least a minimal background in the Qabala to be worked with to best effect. For those that wish to work with updated imagery, or who want to study/work with the Qabala, this deck is a good choice.

Tarot of the Sephiroth.......2004-02-26

This is a wonderful deck. I've had it only 3 or 4 days, but I can already tell this is a new favorite. The pictures are very detailed and informative. They are also very well done, and the colors are bright and vivid.

If you are looking for a new deck to add to your collection, or if you are new to the Tarot, this is an excellent deck. Great images -- informed correspondences. Again, well done!!!

beautiful deck.......2001-08-11

This is my first tarot deck; I chose it in part for the strikingly beautiful artwork and in part because I am somewhat familiar with Kabalah (or Qabalah, as most new age/Pagan sources seem to spell it). Disks replaces Pentacles, Princess replacing Page, and Prince replacing Knight.

The Major Arcana are richly detailed, retaining much of the original symbolism of the Rider-Waite decks. Also, each Major Arcana card is drawn taking place over the appropriate path between Sephiroth, along with the appropriate Hebrew letter and astrological sign. The included book indicates that all 78 cards can be arranged in a Tree of Life, but I didn't get the feeling that would work or be very attractive to the eye if it were done as I've messed around with the deck.

Details on the Minor Arcana are somewhat sparse; usually a simple figure constructed with the number of the suit symbol, and the appropriate astrological sign somewhere. The circular border color is appropriate to the Sephiroth within Briah (as should be expected). Almost all of the Rider-Waite details are abandoned in the Minor Arcana, which will either suit you or not depending on whether you choose the Qabalistic interpretations or the traditional Tarotic interpretations.

The court cards can be arranged in such a way as to construct the lower four sephiroth, all the Princesses combining for Malkuth, for example. Otherwise, some people may be offended by the propensity of the artist to display breasts hanging out of clothes wherever possible (mainly Princesses and Major Arcana, the Queens given a sort of additional respect in additional clothing). At first I found it somewhat awkward, but it was easy to get used to.

I am finding that although it is a beautiful deck to work with and the cards are well-constructed and rich in their own sort of symbolism, it is rather difficult to learn from them. I'll be purchasing the Light and Contrast deck soon, which seems to deviate less from the accepted standard of interpretation (Rider-Waite symbolism). I think that most people these days have a strong reaction against the Rider-Waite deck as ugly and encouraging a strong negative reaction in people, but the symbolism does seem to be valid and standardized for the most part.

Great meditative tool.......2001-08-08

Because the minor arcana are not very rich in symbolism, I am not sure how affective a divinatory tool this would be. However, as someone studying the Qabalah, the major arcana cards are excellent meditative tools for pathworking. Great deck.

Average customer rating:

Guide To the Tarot of the Sephiroth
Josephine Mori
Manufacturer: U.S. Games Systems
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7AVQ8

Book Description

Best-selling genius Herb Schildt covers everything from keywords, syntax, and libraries, to advanced features such as overloading, inheritance, virtual functions, namespaces, templates, and RTTI—plus, a complete description of the Standard Template Library (STL).

Customer Reviews:

Great product & service.......2007-09-21

This was my first purchase from amazon and I was totally impressed by the quality of the product and the service!

Very nicely done.......2007-01-16

Most of my work is done at a low level using C with occassional C++ work usually with certain parts of C++ heavily restructed due to performance and maintenance problems. So recently when I needed to brush up on all of C++ for some application level work where I knew I would be code reviewing and or writing using some of the more beastly aspects of the language I went through my 8 or 10 C++ books to pick one to spend some time with and remind myself of the particulars of things I don't normally use. I chose this book and was happily surprised. It is organized properly, clearly written, and accomplished what I needed it to do in a minimum of time.

Very good book.......2006-11-11

Nice book if you want to learn c++. I bought also thinking in c++ by bruce eckel but it is difficult reading and understanding. If you really want to learn c++ search no further, buy this book.

Like it so much, upgrading to 4th edition.......2006-10-12

I have the 1995 (Second Edition), and I like it so much I'm upgrading to the 4th edition. The 4th edition has 400 more pages and I can't wait to see what else has been included.

Excellent Reference.......2006-08-03

I had several C++ books left over from college that just weren't cutting it as references. After browsing several books I picked this one and it is all I wanted and more. I have yet to come up with a question this book couldn't answer, and it's easy to find too. Clear, correct, succint, and well-organized, what more can you ask for? Covers C and C++ equally well.

Book Description

284 b/w photos 40 drawings 7 x 9 . The 4th volume of Stantons uniform series, now in paperback Previously unpublished photos of mens and womens uniforms formal, work, field, dress Equipment, special-purpose uniforms, and battle gear U.S. Army Uniforms of the Cold War describes the evolution of Army uniforms in the quarter-century between World War II and the Vietnam War. Stanton traces and explains the different uniform systems from their conception through their actual field development and issue during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Photos illustrate the progression of uniforms, supplemented by drawings of clothing and combat field items. Also shown are special-purpose clothing and equipment for use overseas and in domestic security missions, including in American civil disturbances of the 1960s. Cold- and wet-weather clothing, protective suits, and parachutist and diving gear are also highlighted. An appendix covers barracks clothing and equipment inspection displays that were part of every soldiers life. Shelby Stanton is an internationally acclaimed author-historian of the modern U.S. Army. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland

Customer Reviews:

Definitive Developmental Study.......2000-10-07

The previous reviewers have elucidated the contents of this book. I wish to comment on it from two perspectives, as a specialist in this period and as a participant. I just recently reread parts of it.
And it brought memories of the "Stand Tall" peacetime Army with its "break starch" utility uniforms and spit shined boots. And summer khaki shirts tailored so tight that you could not sit down withought opening a button so you could naturally "spread". Guard mount uniforms were often worn with the pockets sewn shut so they would not gape. And no wallets surely! Some even had their shirts tailored so severely that the button placket was sewn shut and a hidden zipper put under the arm on the side.
We sure looked good standing tall but we couldn't move very well if we had had to go to war. :) Of course, the guard mount extra sharp stuff was immediately afterward shucked for something with a looser fit for standing around and pacing.
So this covers everything you might want to know except for cold weather clothing which is covered in the Korean War volume and tropical clothing in the Vietnam volume of Shelby's ouevre.

Good coverage in one handy volume........1998-06-11

America's new global responsibilities, technological developments, and the usual peacetime bureaucratic impetus for self-justifying change produced an impressive variety of army uniforms in the Cold War period.
Stanton, an acknowledged expert, sorts out the changes in this fine addition to his series on Army uniforms, covering not only the field uniforms (ingeniously designed, soldiers noted, to be hot in the summer and cold in the winter), but also the whites, blues, the familiar khakis and OD's, and the new greens. Also included are special uniforms of all sorts, individual equipment, and women's' uniforms.
Stanton's works, always well written and excellently illustrated, are essential for anyone interested in the history of U.S. Army uniforms.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Good fill-in of normally undocumented military period........1998-06-04

This book provides some good photographic and written information on the period between the major U.S. wars. Some of the more obscure equipment is shown like gear worn by the supporting labs & departments of the military. It also has a good section on womens uniforms and equipment. It is all black & white which is a downfall. Overall though it is a good reference for the collector or historian.

U. S. Army Uniforms of the Cold War, 1948-1973

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U. S. Army Uniforms of the Cold War, 1948-1973
Shelby Stanton
Manufacturer: Stackpole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OKBAWI

Book Description

This is a study of how and why the Byzantine empire lost many of its most valuable provinces to Islamic conquerors in the seventh century, provinces that included Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia and Armenia. It investigates conditions on the eve of those conquests, mistakes in Byzantine policy toward the Muslims, the course of the military campaigns, and the problem of local official and civilian collaboration with the Muslims. It also seeks to explain how after some terrible losses the Byzantine government achieved some intellectual rationalization of its disasters and began the complex process of transforming and adapting its fiscal and military institutions and political controls in order to prevent further disintegration.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Excellent scholarship, poor writing.......2007-07-02

Kaegi's book is a landmark study of one of the most important events in the history of the Byzantine Empire. His use of both Arab and Byzantine sources and his insistence on military factors are crucial for treating this subject properly.

However, this book is almost unreadable. In several instances Kaegi repeats himself within a chapter, covering the same subject that he has already discussed as if one were reading a draft in progress. He also uses many infelicitious if not nonsensical phrases such as "victorious defeat" (p. 259). His brief, choppy sentences are frequently banal.

Balanced on historical accounts, attractive, appealing.......2000-03-27

Kaegi broke the habitual insights into the early breakdown of the Byzantine Empire that usually "blame" external factors such as Armenian disertion, Christian Arabs flight from the battlefield, or even natural catastrophy. The book points out that the Muslims have done everything to secure victory, they even played down the political traps neatly set by the Greeks. Also, the Byzantines' weaknesses and strategic flaws were thoroughly explained without the usual "blame-it-on-someone/something" basis.

A much clearer picture of what went on in the frontline (or rather front cities) and temporary Byzantine's headquarter at Antioch was presented excellently. Along with what the Muslims' Generals carefully thought about their disintegrating, once formidable, foe. A must for anyone interested on the field, a necessity for any researcher looking for a fresh approach on the subject

Average customer rating:

An excellent overview of its subject

The Early Islamic Conquests
Fred McGraw Donner
Manufacturer: ACLS History E-Book Project
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1597402001

Customer Reviews:

An excellent overview of its subject.......1998-10-18

This book was an excellent study of the subject, and is a good "base work" for anyone studying it. Sometimes the writing tends to repeat itself, but the sheer complexity of the argument may make this a positive. Good portrayal of the historical setting.

A Gateway to Hell, a Gateway to Paradise: The North African Response to the Arab Conquest (Studies in Late Antiquity and Early Islam)

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A Gateway to Hell, a Gateway to Paradise: The North African Response to the Arab Conquest (Studies in Late Antiquity and Early Islam)
Elizabeth Savage
Manufacturer: Darwin Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0878501126

The History of Al-Tabari: The Conquest of Arabia (S U N Y Series in Near Eastern Studies)

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The History of Al-Tabari: The Conquest of Arabia (S U N Y Series in Near Eastern Studies)
Fred McGraw Donner
Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0791410722

Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests. (book reviews): An article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society

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Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests. (book reviews): An article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society
Irfan Shahid
Manufacturer: American Oriental Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00096Q9OQ
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Journal of the American Oriental Society, published by American Oriental Society on October 1, 1996. The length of the article is 2814 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: Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests. (book reviews)
Author: Irfan Shahid
Publication: The Journal of the American Oriental Society (Refereed)
Date: October 1, 1996
Publisher: American Oriental Society
Volume: v116 Issue: n4 Page: p783(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests

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Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests
Walter E. Kaegi
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MU9C9I

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Calling it as he sees it.

Scholarship and Dogma

The Modern Day Galileo

Wow, just wow!

What an amazing book!

Seeing Red: Redshifts, Cosmology and Academic Science
Halton C. Arp
Manufacturer: Aperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0968368905

Book Description

Arp's new book is a frontal assault on the standard model of the universe, replete with anecdotes and illustrations, including 8 pages of colour plates.

"Seeing Red" represents a senior scientist's personal account of the crisis in moderrn astronomy. Dr. Arp presents observations showing that extragalactic redshifts are not caused by an expanding universe. He crafts up an empirical picture of the birth and evolution of quasars and galaxies, demonstrating that crucial observations have been ignored and suppressed by the astronomy community. Finally, he cites examples of how academic science fails its ideals and potential.

Customer Reviews:

Calling it as he sees it........2007-08-30

One of the greatest travesties committed in science in the last 100 years was the excommunication and banishment of professional astronomer Dr Halton Arp. In this down-home account of his 5-decades journey in astrophysics, Arp describes his observational discovery of objects that could not be explained within the context of prevailing cosmological doctrine, and gives a surprisingly evenhanded report of his apalling treatment at the hands of those in control of major US observatories and the journals of astrophysics. He must be angry, surely, yet he doesn't show it. Read my version of events in my new book. The Virtue of Heresy: Confessions of a Dissident Astronomer
Hilton Ratcliffe
Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

Scholarship and Dogma.......2007-07-22

It's an indictment on establishment science that a scholar of this calibre found it necessary to publicise his research and findings in book form in the public domain, rather than through the normal peer review channels.
However, this greater accessibility has been a bonus for laymen like myself. Arp's work is quite simply of profound importance in showing the serious problems underpinning current assumptions - and conclusions - regarding redshift, and cosmology in general.
This book, and his equally excellent earlier work "Quasars, Redshifts, and Controversies" are a 'must read' for anyone interested in astronomy based on true scholarship.
Apart from being textbook source material for astronomical studies, the books also provide a sobering insight into the unethical manner in which Arp has been treated by the establishment: from being a pillar of respect, he was treated like a pariah after pursuing observations and conclusions that were contrary to accepted models.

The Modern Day Galileo.......2007-07-09

Halton Arp is regarded as the Modern Day Galileo for good reason. His telescope time was taken off him when his observations contradicted theory, and he moved to work at the Max Planck institute in Germany, where the academic climate was more liberal. In Chapter 10 Arp likens Academic Science to the medieval church, as many now do!

Arp was a brilliant student of the famous Edwin Hubble, whose work is more palatable to the mainstream. Arp, however, has probably surpassed his mentor, and has effectively destroyed the theoretical basis for an expanding universe. Bye bye Big Bang, it was nice knowing you!

Oh, and by the way. This book is a great and fascinating read.

Wow, just wow!.......2006-11-23

I suppose as a relative layman I may not be qualified to assess the scientific merit of this book. However, Arp's no-nosense explanations both of the observations, the data and the politics leave little doubt in the mind that there are disturbing problems in "modern" science.

It is sad to see that science has become the very dogmatic expression of ideas that it was supposed to supercede.

Anyway, I guess I should say that the book is a great read. I made it through the intro and up to about page 25 before I even knew what hit me. If it wasn't for a call from an emphatic relative interrupting me with a phone call, I might have gotten half way through the book in one sitting.

For those unfamiliar with the technical jargon A) look it up (expand your mind) B) look at the various pictorial plates and their simple-language explanations. This book really can be good for both laymen and the more technically inclined. It does seem to be geared relatively well toward the lay reader. If you have a passing knowledge of the subject or are an amateur hobbyist, most of the concepts aren't so arcane that you couldn't look up definitions online and get a sense of what's being said.

That said, if you know what Arp is talking about, it's a real page-turner. If you're unfamiliar with Arp's work and how it has been suppressed and marginalized in mainstream circles (ostensibly ignoring solid scientific data), it's something of an eye-opener.

At what point does a series of "just one more isolated incidence" translate into a landslide of technical data that SHOULD overwhelm and overturn the rickety old boat known as the Big Bang theory? If just a small fraction of what Arp suggests is accurate (redshift =/= recessional velocity =/= distance), it would mean the death of the Big Bang theory, and hopefully the rise of a newer, better, observationally sound theory. As Arp says, theory should be fitted to the data, NOT the other way around. Observe first, theorize later. Otherwise, you're looking through the wrong end of the telescope and telling us only what you "imagine" you see.

This book should be a wake-up call to the scientific community. Anyone who hasn't read it, should. Even if you don't become a convert, it is sometimes good to be able to look through a "new"/"different" set of eyes. You just MIGHT, then, learn something.

What an amazing book!.......2005-03-30

As recently as the the era of Galileo in the 17th century, the dominant human institution was the Roman Catholic Church. Today, 400 years later, the world has changed greatly, yet we humans are very much the same. Human nature has changed little, if at all. The contemporary Church, of course, is a dead or dying echo of its former self. The dominant institution today is the scientific establishment: now manned by an elite priesthood of technocrats, most of them specialists who know more and more about less and less. World class maverick astronomer Halton Arp, who spent a career studying emerging galaxies in the deep ranges of space, compares the lot of them to the medieval Church. Arp has it exactly right. Oh ecce homo: The more things change...

Our biggest problem today is a science establishment that has made a number of erroneous fundamental assumptions about the natural order, assumptions that are comparable to the religious doctrines of the medieval Church. The public is generally unaware of these assumptions. They are so much a part of the fabric of science itself as to be all but invisible even to scientists!

Arp deconstructs one of these in this amazing book: the red shift. Arp piles up case on case, example after example, until the sheer weight of evidence becomes overwhelming. Yet Arp was rewarded for his trouble by having his telescope taken away!

Obviously the creme de la creme of modern science, the Big Bang astronomers, are so full of their own mathematical hubris and grand theory of all and everything that they wouldn't know how to interpret raw observational data if it slapped them cold in the face. It's one thing to examine a world of data and arrive at a hypothesis that explains the data. It's another to treat assumptions as if they were conclusions, meanwhile, tossing out as junk all of the anomalous material that didn't know it was supposed to fit the dominant Big Bang theory. Sad to say, this is the condition of astronomy, today.

All of which matters greatly because in 2005 we are staring down the barrel of peak oil, now just over the horizon and bearing down on us harder every day. The likelihood looms of a world economic meltdown. As the drama unfolds across the world stage the US colossus seems hell-bent to hasten and deepen the crisis by intervening militarily to protect America's privileged access to and sacrosanct control over the oil markets.

In a word: we face an energy crunch, and the growing likelihood of regional and world war fought for oil. We need a science that can help us out of this mess. And the picture one gets from Seeing Red is not encouraging. Credit Halton Arp for telling it like it is. This is an extremeing well written book -- though not an easy read. It took me 2 months to get through it, but it was well worth the effort.

If Arp is right, our current science model is NOT going to be able to deliver an abundant and clean energy alternative. These guys don't even know which end of a telescope is up. Obviously, we need a paradigm shift in science! Bravo to Arp for sounding the alarm and asking the appropriate questions!

Book Description

Many countries have areas with special natural qualities characterized by the harmonious interaction between resident populations and the land. This book sets out the varied approaches to establishing such areas as protected landscapes. It provides guidance on criteria for selection of landscapes, implementation, management and the legal measures involved if protection is to be achieved.

Protected Landscapes : A Guide for Policy Makers and Planners (The Iucn Conservation Library)

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Protected Landscapes : A Guide for Policy Makers and Planners (The Iucn Conservation Library)
P.H.C. Lucas
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUH7G8

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