The Direct Investment Tax Initiatives of the European Community

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BAMBI UNLEASHES HER FURY!

Transnationalism Run Amok and an Anti-Heroine

Bambi And Her Pink Gun Volume 1
Atsushi Kaneko
Manufacturer: Digital Manga Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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BAMBi And Her Pink Gun Volume 2 (Bambi)

Robot Volume 2 (Robot)

ASIN: 1569709416

Book Description

The word is out on the streets: a reward of five million dollars to the opportunist that wastes the courier calling herself Bambi and returns her living cargo. Chainsaw-swinging psychos, gold-toothed Elvises, Derringer-packing grannies, and all the other scum in these badlands could care less whether Bambi is kidnapping this toddler she christened "Pampi" or if she's snatching him back from his captors. With a pink gun in one hand, and a leashed Pampi in the other, can antihero Bambi's huge ego and formidable gun skills hold off an army?

Customer Reviews:

BAMBI UNLEASHES HER FURY!.......2006-04-20

Bambi and Her Pink Gun...I mean the title alone insists that you pick it up and check it out. Do it and you are in for one of the most inventive Manga titles in quite some time. Bambi is...well a hot, punk, pink-haired, killing machine with a pink gun. Bambi has kidnapped a small boy with orders to deliver him to the mysterious "Old Men". Who they are and why they want the boy are not revealed, not yet anyway. But someone else wants the boy back. The word goes out to professional hitmen and two-bit slime balls all over the country...they are to kill Bambi and bring back the boy unharmed to collect a 500,000 Yen reward. Pretty soon every pro and amateur hitman is on Bambi's trail looking to take her out as she encounters Yakuza hoods, skull masked assassins, a deranged serial killer teacher, and gunslingers in cowboy outfits...all looking to send Bambi six feet under.

The mysterious man who wants the boy returned is a slavering, fat-Elvis looking pop-star called the Gabba King who needs the boy to maintain his vitality and he will stop at nothing to get him back. What transpires is a non-stop ride that seems in part inspired by films such as "Kill Bill" and "Natural Born Killers" as Bambi severs heads, blows out brains, and stomps butt in one of the most violent books you've ever read. But while it is violent, it's Tarrantino-esque, over-the-top violence that will make you laugh. Who is Bambi? How did she become such a skilled killer? We will have to keep reading to find out.

Bambi is a health food nut who's not above slamming someone over the head who tries to serve her junk food and mess up her pristine body or who dares to smoke in her presence. She also happens to loves a kids TV show about a talking bear named "Pei" and don't get in her way when she's watching it...or else!!! Meanwhile the boy who she names Pampi,does nothing but eat junk food, never speaking and constantly annoying Bambi with his disgusting habits. Atsushi Kaneko has created and uproariously aggressive and hilarious story. His art is not traditional Manga style as it is less `cartoony' than most types of Manga and complements the story quite well. Great Fun!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Transnationalism Run Amok and an Anti-Heroine.......2005-08-13

If you like girls with large eyes in pastel colors or cute animals, you'll hate "Bambi." If you like/understand Japanese social criticism, you'll love it. "Bambi and her Pink Gun" is not a nice story - pink-haired punk Bambi has to get this kidnapped idiot child to the Old Men while avoiding bounty hunters who want the 500,000,000 yen reward on her head and while simultaneously offing an amazing collection of genuinely evil folk. I've read commentators who say that "Bambi" is like a Tarantino film for sheer violence and is mindless - but not so. A lot lurks below the surface of "Bambi." --- The story is set in a Japan that has almost totally been destroyed culturally by transnationalist American uglification. Air polluting factories, gas guzzling cars, nearly toxic junk food, a villainous rock star built like an aged and perverted Elvis, hideous signs in English - traditional Japan is gone. The driver's seat isn't even on the right anymore - instead, cars and roads have become Americanized. The kindly elementary school teacher is a serial killer by night. Into this depressing mess comes Bambi - pure and serene, and a killer, though perhaps "assassin" is a better word. --- She manages to slaughter off an impressive array of gangsters, perverts, and thugs, all of whom are out to kill her for the 500,000,000 Yen reward. One warty-faced yakuza gangster has an ashtray with an almost naked girl inside, so you can grind out your cigarette on her body if your perversions run to such things; Bambi kills him by managing to get some assassins in an RV to run into a steel stanchion holding a giant Americanized grinning child, which gets knocked over and bashes the yakuza's brains and warts into mush. She mows down a diner full of thugs emoting happily over a televised boxing match where the loser is visibly having his head beaten into bloody pulp. She and the kid - whom she names "Pampi" - watch a televised kiddie show that stars an overstuffed teddy bear who eats hallucinogenic mushrooms. At least the bear is minimally cute - he's all that remains of Japanese kawaii art. The rest has been swamped by globalization run amok. --- As the story proceeds, "Bambi" mobilizes the reader's hatred against the enemies Bambi slaughters off. One can claim, as one commentator did, that it's all mindless, but it isn't: "Bambi and her Pink Gun" is fury directed at the dehumanizing uglies that globalization has brought to Japan. If "Bambi" were an American comic, its political and social premises would be blindingly obvious, but, because it's Japanese, it can be harder to see the criticisms Atsushi Kaneko levels against modern Japan and, by extension, against all soul-destroying modernization, particularly that associated with a corrupt and decadent America. In the last episode of Volume 1, an old woman guns down a man using a heavy automatic rifle. Then she gives Bambi a new gun plus ammunition and tells Bambi to find her own pathway. --- Don't buy "Bambi" if you want cute girls and baby deer and adorable little animals. But if you want a sense of the targets of social criticism in Japan, indeed, in the world, then "Bambi and her Pink Gun" is superb. Take that, McTokyo.

Book Description

Shoot Me
Independent Filmmaking from Creative Concept to Rousing Release
By Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli

When the script says "shoot me" and Hollywood says no, your only alternative is to raise the money and do it yourself. Here's how screenwriters Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli used digital video to do just that.

Witty, original, and ruthlessly on the mark, this unvarnished look at independent filmmaking chronicles both the creative intricacies of collaboration and the tricks of staying in budget and out of court. The authors compare notes as they describe the entire filmmaking process, with coverage including:

* Targeting the audience for the script—and tailoring the script for the audience
* Raising money—your friends, your family, and the millionaire next door
* Casting—names, no-names, and personality nightmares
* Locations—finding them, securing them, and sometimes even stealing them
* Producing—creating a budget, scheduling the shoot, and dealing with unions
* Directing—working with actors and protecting your vision
* Editing—or dropping that scene you thought was a gem
* Celebrating, publicizing, and distributing the finished product

Adding to the authors' testimony are interviews with notable independent filmmakers Ted Bonnitt (Mau Mau, Sex Sex), Michael Ellenbogen (producer, Margarita Happy Hour), and Richard Dutcher (God's Army and Brigham City), who hone in on such issues as digital distribution, the indie film scene in New York and Hollywood, and the niche audiences who could make or break a film.

For any film student or indie buff seeking an insider's perspective of the art and business of independent filmmaking, it doesn't get any closer than this.

Customer Reviews:

Found this "Shoot Me" review on indieWIRE.com:.......2003-04-18

indieWIRE's Bookshelf: Collette, Hoberman, Simonelli, Frumkes & More -- by Brandon Judell -- Rocco Simonelli and Roy Frumkes both teach film at New York's School of Visual Arts. They also wrote the screenplays for "The Substitute" and "The Johnsons." Frumkes additionally helmed "Document of the Dead" (1989), a not-bad documentary about George Romero that compares the King of the Living Dead to Hitchcock and other masters. Now the duo have teamed up and scribed "Shoot Me: Independent Filmmaking From Creative Concept to Rousing Release" (Allworth Press; $19.95). This might be their most successful partnering. After all, every one of their students will have to buy copies, plus Wes Craven has already raved that the authors "know the film business like Dante knew hell." Thankfully, Wes wasn't bull-----ing us. "Shoot Me" has to be one of the best books out there right now on making an indie film from scratch. We get to experience each anxiety-filled moment as Rocco and Roy put together their independent feature, "The Sweet Life." We get to see an actual "collaboration agreement." We learn how to budget a film (working in digital saved the project $750,000) and why storyboarding is so important. But there are little tidbits of info you might not ever think of asking, like how to raise money to make an unprofitable short? For first-time filmmakers, offer "a potential investor points not only in your short thesis/independent project, but in the first feature you produce, so that for the money they invest in the short, they go along for the ride and benefit down the road of your career." There are also unpleasant surprises: "At least during production, shooting in digital video did not lessen the need for a full crew." Written in an acceptably "one-of-the-guys" lively manner, "Shoot Me" is a top candidate for being the filmmaking bible of the moment.

Great info - fun to read.......2003-03-27

Would you build a house without a blueprint? Of course not. So don't even think about shooting your own independent feature until you've read this book. Laid out in a logical manner (and written in a witty fashion that I quite enjoyed), the authors walk you through the mine field known as Independent Filmmaking. From raising money, to casting, to production, to post-production and beyond, solid advise is offered - the fact that the authors are working professionals and not academics dispensing sage advise from some ivory tower, held much greater weight with me.

I am planning my own independent feature, and found the sections detailing the Business Plan and Memorandum invaluable - the actual document is reprinted in the book. Unless your independently wealthy and financing your feature with the family trust, you won't shoot one frame until you've raised some cash from investors. This book will show you how.

I look forward to seeing their finished feature, and hope it's as good as the book.

Great info - fun to read.......2003-03-27

Would you build a house without a blueprint? Of course not. So don't even think about shooting your own independent feature until you've read this book. Laid out in a logical manner (and written in a witty fashion that I quite enjoyed), the authors walk you through the mine field known as Independent Filmmaking. From raising money, to casting, to production, to post-production and beyond, solid advice is offered - the fact that the authors are working professionals and not academics dispensing sage advice from some ivory tower, held much greater weight with me.

I look forward to seeing their finished feature, and hope it's as good as the book.

Movie fans will enjoy this........2003-02-08

I like movies and everything to do with movies. But I especially like the "behind the scenes" stuff. That's why I liked this book. It is not a "how to guide", so if that's what you're looking for, go elsewhere. "Shoot Me" is a journey through the arduous process of indie filmmaking as seen through the eyes of both the director and producer. With brutal honesty the authors take you through the daily grind of movie making on a budget. It isn't always pretty but it is interesting. Though some chapters may be a little dry and seem to be directed specifically toward the serious filmaker, there's enough "gossipy" material for the rest of us to enjoy. So if you're a movie fan who likes to know the "backstory", you'll enjoy this book.

Unintentionally Good.......2003-01-03

I really, really tried hard to like this book. Really! But you know what? It didn't quite work out that way. In short, the authors came off sounding like whiny children rather than mentoring gurus.

There are many challenges in making an independent film, but most of them can be overcome with a certain amount of planning, thick skin, and a healthy attitude. These two did not seem to quite understand that. Let me quote directly from the book:

"To get our film completed, I lied to people, manipulated them, sacrificed my pride, and vitiated myself on an almost daily basis. And I don't apologize or make excuses for any of it."

Well, there you have it. Reading the book, which is laid out like two overlapping diaries thrown together, is like reading about a train-wreck in progress. You get to hear in painful detail how all of the things in the quote above came to pass, and so much more. I suppose if you really like daytime talk shows, this will be interesting material. But you won't learn how to make a movie.

If you are seriously interested in making a low-budget movie (the authors' movie cost them $200K), get yourself a copy of Rodriguez's Rebel Without a Crew.

So why three stars? Because this book unintentionally reaffirmed a number of things that you simply should not do when making a low-budget movie. Judging by the tone of the book, this was not their intention, but at least you can get something out of it...

Book Description

Drawing on a number of methodologies and disciplinary perspectives, this book boldly goes where none has gone before by focusing on the interplay between Star Trek, religion, and American culture as revealed in the four different Trek television series, and the major motion pictures as well. Explored from a Trek perspective are the portrayal and treatment of religion; the religious and mythic elements; the ritual aspects of the fan following; and the relationship between religion and other issues of contemporary concern.

The subject of religion/myth/spirituality has long been a favorite of Trek scholars and fans; this book gives the subject the serious treatment it deserves. (Elyce Rae Helford, editor of Enterprise Zones: Critical Positions on Star Trek)

Customer Reviews:

Buy it, but read it back to front........2000-04-23

This book is an ambitious collection of theme-sorted essays, all relating various aspects of Star Trek to those of religious life. Most of the essays are considered and well researched, and the occasional good idea does creep in. Tagged throughout with Christian outlook, this rarely oppresses a reader not sharing that view, though the book might level better by adding input from other great faiths (many ayaat from the Qur'an make pertinent connections to Trek for example).

One problem I've found infecting similar attempts is a detectable bias of the author. Taken as a whole the work does not suffer this, although a few exceptions do greet the reader like a coffee table on the shins. (The title of my review reveals several such bruises; the original series is maligned repeatedly, with misquoted, selective evidence, as anti-theistic.) And this book does suffer from a plenitude of sloppy editorial errors, including a bibliographical howler - it *must* be a joke, right? - in misspelling Phil Farrand's name.

All in all though, this book remains an impressive achievement and a credit to the contributors. This one's worth the time and the purchase for the true Trekker.

Book Description

It’s not elementary, but you will need Holmes’s famed powers of deduction to solve these crafty puzzles. Here’s how it goes: at the end of each conundrum, you’ll find at least one condition—and sometimes more—that the solution must meet. For example, here’s the first, relatively simple problem:
Mr. Scott, his sister, his son, and his daughter are tennis players.
The best player’s twin and the worst player are of the opposite sex. The best player and the worst player are the same age.Which one of the four is the best player?
Did you figure out that Mr. Scott’s sister had to be the same age as his children?
A few of the puzzles demand a basic knowledge of algebra, and others feature drawings or diagrams.

Mensa Presents Lateral Thinking & Logical Deduction (Test your power of thinking with over 500 challenging problems and puzzles)

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Mensa Presents Lateral Thinking & Logical Deduction (Test your power of thinking with over 500 challenging problems and puzzles)

Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0760709955

Mensa Presents Lateral Thinking and Logical Deduction

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Mensa Presents Lateral Thinking and Logical Deduction

Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0760716889

Product Description

Test your powers of thinking with over 500 challenging problems and puzzles. Mensa, the international high IQ organization is known as a society for people who pride themselve on their ability to solve problems by the relentless application of intelligence. Logic is king in our world. But there are other kinds of problems that cannot be solved by logic alone, problems that require a few moments of consideration before an answer can be found. Mensa presents a collection of over 500 problems that require either logical deduction or lateral, imaginative thinking to be solved. To help you, the sections are divided so that you know what kind of thinking process is required. To hinder you, Mensa has come up with the most varied collection of problems, puzzles, and conundrums you could wish for.

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Good puzzles to grind your logic skills to a fine point

New Puzzles in Logical Deduction
George J. Summers
Manufacturer: Dover Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mathematical Brain Benders

ASIN: 0486220893

Customer Reviews:

Good puzzles to grind your logic skills to a fine point.......2001-02-12

Most logical puzzles are developed using a very old formula. However, that does not diminish their appeal. Logical deduction is a skill that should be used more in the world, as many errors would be prevented if more people would simply consider a few more of the circumstances before acting. These puzzles will certainly help you hone those skills to a finer edge.
The level of difficulty starts at a pretty low level, with some of the problems being solvable by a short inspection. However, that changes towards the end and I found myself really scratching my head trying to find a loophole through the instructions that could lead to a solution. Hints to the problems are given at the bottom of the page and they are inverted to prevent an easy peek. Complete solutions to all problems are given at the end of the book.
I found this a good book of problems to challenge me into thinking about the possible values and what the possible consequences of the parameters of the problem could mean. I recommend it to anyone interested in problems in logical deduction.

Book Description

Software programs are complex, the books that explain them shouldnt be. This thoroughly illustrated, full-color guide explains everything you need to know to get up and running quickly with Combustion. Get a jump-start learning the major features or the software without bogging you down with unnecessary detail.

The author shares his professional insight and extensive training experience to ensure you'll get the most out of all the professional paint, animation, editing and 3D compositing tools Combustion offers. Also featured are many workflow tips which show how to tap into the full power of Combustion 4 in your effects and motion graphics work.

For useful tips and tutorials, visit the book's companion site at www.focalpress.com/companions/0240520106

* Unique, fast introduction to Combustion 4, but relevant to all versions
* Concise color coverage, written by an experienced professional and trainer
* Ideal for professionals, new users and those migrating to Combustion from other compositing or effects packages
* Companion site with useful tips and tutorials can be found at www.focalpress.com/companions/0240520106

Customer Reviews:

Great book but the graphics........................2007-09-11

Great book, I imagine it would be hard to write any book on such a complex program. My only gripe is the screen shots. Combustion's normal interface is black background with grey text, which is legible on a monitor, but almost unreadable in a book. So, next edition, use a different color scheme please!

More of an instruction manual, than a how to book.......2007-01-07

This book tells you what the various features are, but spends almost no time showing you how to put hem to any real use. I was hoping for a book full of tutorials, instead I got a little orange owner's manual for the software. It tells you how to do a few small excercises here and there, but by and large this is more a collection of features, than it is a book of instructional tutorials.

Great wide range manuel.......2006-11-06

This is a book for a tekie who wants to understand what options are available in Combustion and how they can be connected together. I am not in the field but am familiar with the terms and techniques used; this book is the best tool I've found for a simple "this is how you make it do this" explanation.

Great, but as good as identical to the Focal Easy Guide to Discreet combustion 3.......2006-09-13

I got this revised Edition from a Library to compare it with it's predecessor which I own, and there are no new chapters at all. Some revisions have been made however. The book has maybe six pages more than the previous edition did. So, if you already own the Focal Easy Guide to Discreet combustion 3 don't buy the revised edition. If you hope to find any insights on new Features of Combustion 4 like Capsules you will be disapointed as there are none. If you don't own the predecessor this book is highly recommended.

The Focal Easy Guide to Discreet Combustion 3 .......2006-02-22

I have been using Combustion for years and I found this a must book to keep by my computer while working in Combustion.When I recived the book I started to read it and could not put it down.At about four in the morning I finished it. This book has so much information in it I sure wish I read it all those years ago because it sure would have made my Combustion experince easier and I sure would have been years ahead by now. Also my customers would have been happier also. Buy It! You Will enjoy even if you are an old hand at Combustion. I sure will buy more od gary's books.

Book Description

Early Modern England 1485 -1714 is the first new survey of the Tudor -Stuart period in a quarter century. Written by two leading scholars and experienced teachers of the subject, it assumes no prior knowledge of English history. The text is broken up with reader aids including maps, illustrations, and genealogies.The narrative shows how, under the Tudors and the Stuarts, England transformed itself from a feudal and relatively minor European state into a constitutional monarchy and the wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth. The story of struggles over governmental and religious policies is enlivened by snapshots of how social and cultural changes affected ordinary English men and women. The authors also cover developments in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales that are relevant to English history.An introduction sets the scene, providing students with an overview of the physical and mental geography of early modern England. Opening and closing chapters explain how the events covered in the book fit into the course of English history.

Customer Reviews:

Good Text.......2005-03-14

I'm a returning college student and using this as a text for the study of the Tudor and Stuart reigns... it is concise and informal, with a definite sense of humor... debunks some of the myths relating to these reigns and definitely one of the more readable textbooks that I have come across... clear and consise..

Early Modern England, 1485-1714: A Narrative History.(Book Review) : An article from: Albion

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Early Modern England, 1485-1714: A Narrative History.(Book Review) : An article from: Albion
Michael J. Galgano
Manufacturer: North American Conference on British Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Albion, published by North American Conference on British Studies on September 22, 2004. The length of the article is 845 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: Early Modern England, 1485-1714: A Narrative History.(Book Review)
Author: Michael J. Galgano
Publication: Albion (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2004
Publisher: North American Conference on British Studies
Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Page: 503(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

Most books about the sinking of Titanic go out of their way to honor the somber occasion, but somber is not the style of the Complete Idiot's Guide series. This is one perky account of calamity, with hundreds of punning headlines ("Cruisin' for a Bruisin'"), a "riveting" account of the ship's construction, and cartoons such as one depicting Death examining a cargo checklist: "2,000 people. 1 iceberg (to be picked up)." It's a treasure-trove of trivia (and significa), with a zillion bite-size bits neatly organized in sensible categories: historical overviews, wreckage exploration, entertainments inspired by the disaster. Strewn throughout the book like orderly flotsam are boxed items featuring fun facts grouped under five rubrics: "Blow Me Down!" (bizarre coincidences and other eyebrow raisers), "Catch the Drift" (definitions of specialized terms), "SOS" (various problems faced aboard the ship and after the fact, including myths and fallacies), "Ahoy There!" (firsthand accounts), and "Lifesavers" (upbeat items--acts of heroism and good things that came out of the wreck, such as Bob Dylan's allegedly Titanic-inspired tune "Desolation Row" on Highway 61 Revisited).

And that's just a drop in the bucket of the lore in this book. Did you know that the wreck launched the career of a New York high school dropout and 21-year-old nobody who beat all the newspapers to the story via the newfangled technology of wireless radio? The kid, David Sarnoff, became president of RCA and the patriarch of television at NBC. For a book smaller than a steamer trunk, the Complete Idiot's Guide packs an impressive load. (For a booklike object literally shaped like a steamer trunk, try The Titanic Collection: Mementos of the Maiden Voyage.) --Tim Appelo

Book Description

With the blockbuster successes of James Cameron's Titanic, its best-selling companion book, and the Broadway musical of the same name, it's clear people have an insatiable appetite for all things Titanic. This fascinating work tells newcomers all about the ship-from its inception, to its building, to the media hype surrounding its fatal maiden voyage, to the passengers aboard, to an up-to-date explanation of how it is believed the iceberg crash caused the ship to sink, to the chaos that ensued, to survivors' stories, and more. This thorough retrospective also contains information on recent underwater recoveries, quotes from survivors, ample illustrative material, and even insights into the Titanic's impact on contemporary pop culture.

Customer Reviews:

Overrated historical event that shouldn't be remembered.......2004-10-10

The Spanish Influenza Pandemic killed 40 million people. The sinking of The Titanic killed around 1500. To the reviewer Piper. You wasted 15 years of your life studying this worthless Titanic event?

A terrific ready reference but needs a slight updating........2001-08-06

For those who do not need love stories or socialogical studies, this is a terrific reference book. It is touted as trivia, but it is much more than that. It is also very accurate except for the final analysis of iceberg vs. rivets. For years I never believed that the iceberg ripped a gash in the ship like a knife. That could not happen simply because ice is much, much softer and much, much more brittle than one-inch thick steel plates. But the iceberg is massive, several times heavier than the ship. So it was just a matter of weight that pushed the shell plating in and ripping open rivet seams like zippers. This book addresses some of those findings and misses the final analysis by only a split hair when it mentions the possibility of inferior iron in the rivets. In fact, William Garzke of Gibbs and Cox (see his and Dunlin's books on Battleships) analyzed the few rivets that were recovered from Titanic and found them to be highly contaminated with carbon inclusions. It is apparent then that rather than being forged from high quality steel bar stock (as the High Tensile Steel rivets were for American warships) the rivets were quickly cast in multiple molds for fast production. The reheating and driving of the rivets did not restructure the grains of the alloy to give the shank maximum resistance against shear as a forged rivet would. Hopefully the next printing of the book will include this finding.

A Good Book for Titanic Fun Facts.......2000-09-24

This book has the basic facts about Titanic, but it also has some really cool facts about the ship and the people on it. It's a great reference book if you need to look up a fact, instead of trying to read every single detail about the ship in a big book. (I've tried it) But if you do want a more detailed book look some where else. My favorite things about this book are- The appendixes, the good layout, and all the weird facts (I like the chapter Deep Prophicies)

Someone missed the boat.. so many inaccuracies.......2000-05-07

I have studied the wreck of the Titanic for over 15 years and I've found this book to be lacking some of the basic details. For example, the book stated that all the women and children from First and Second class survived. This is not true. The book also mentioned the Navratil boys (the Orphans of the Deep) who were misnamed Lolo and Momon in the book. The boys' real names were Edmond (2 years old) and Michel (4 years old). Aside from the trivial facts, I feel that the book makes light of this horrendous disaster with the cartoon characters. The book was confusing because it didn't follow any chronological order before or after the accident. This might be difficult to someone who doesn't know much about what happened on 14-15 April, 1912. The book mentions a color photo spread in the middle of the book, but these photos can be seen anywhere and add little, if any, historical significance. {For example: There are a few pictures of the mostly intact bow, but none of the severely damaged stern. The picture spread consists mostly of still frames from several movies that have been done about the Titanic). This book might be entertaining to those who want to be somewhat enlightened about the disaster; however, those who have studied the Titanic in detail should probably pass this one up. Those who might read it for fun should be aware of the many inaccuracies contained in this book.

Easy to Read & Nicely Sectioned.......1999-10-13

It's not hard to see all the mistakes in this book, because I had been reading about Titanic (along with a few other wrecks) for the last 16 years. It's not quite proper to see the cartoonish characters on just about every page, but it seems to be "The Complete Idiot's Guide" series' style and trademark. I hate to see those mistakes in there, but nonetheless, it is a pretty "complete guide" to this grand dame named Titanic. It's filled with vast information divided in small sections that reading it is not hard at all.

Complete Idiot's Guide to TITANIC (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

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Complete Idiot's Guide to TITANIC (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
Alpha Team
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8WP2Y

Amazon.com

In this work of scientific journalism, Osha Gray Davidson surveys the condition of the world's great coral-reef systems, which offer habitat to countless diverse species of marine life. Many of those systems are now threatened by development--some, ironically, by the construction of resorts for the ecotourism market. Others have been destroyed by the fishing industry's use of dynamite and cyanide to bring in catches. Some 10 percent of the world's reefs, we learn in Davidson's pages, are already damaged beyond recovery, and another 30 percent are in grave danger of joining them. Combining firsthand travel narrative with abundant documentary research, Davidson makes a good case for the importance of conserving the reefs that remain. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

"There is a word for what Darwin and the rest of us have felt when in the presence of the reef: 'awe.' Confronted with the reef, awe is the most appropriate response. It is probably in our nature. It is also, apparently, in our nature to destroy that which we hold in awe." —from The Enchanted Braid

Of the myriad ecosystems populating the underwater world, coral reefs are by far the most complex. While their stunning beauty has been extolled for centuries, the intricate workings of reef environments remained largely hidden from view. In fact, until the advent of scuba diving just fifty years ago, corals have been among the last natural histories to be extensively explored. The high passion with which scientists have greeted this particular investigation —beginning with the foundational theories of Charles Darwin in 1842—is perhaps unprecedented, but hardly difficult to understand. A phenomenon of both awesome beauty and vital importance, the coral reef is home to the most diverse range of species of any environment on the planet, including fish, shrimps, worms, snails, crabs, sea cucumbers, sea stars, urchins, anemones, and sea squirts.

The crux of reef life, scientists have discovered, lies in nature's most intimate example of symbiosis: the mutually beneficial relationship between the coral polyp and its "tenant," the zooxanthellate algae. Davidson's history begins with this deceptively diminutive hybrid, the engine behind the construction of the limestone-based coral structure. Together, the three elements comprise a unique zoophytalite (animal-plant-mineral) form, or an "enchanted braid."

Aided by an eight-page, full-color photographic insert demonstrating the incredible intricacies of the reef and its unique inhabitants, The Enchanted Braid identifies the approximately 240,000 square miles of coral reef on the planet today as indispensable not only to the livelihood of the oceans but also to humans. The reef is, after all, the "soul of the sea," the spawning ground for tens of thousands of marine species. As sources of food (many islands rely on reefs for all their protein), medicine (corals are used in bone grafts and to fight cancer and leukemia), and detailed insight into the history of climatic conditions, coral reefs are critically important to human life on Earth. However, in a world of oil tanker disasters, global warming, and dwindling natural resources, they are also in grave danger of extinction.

Osha Gray Davidson's urgent clarion call to halt today's man-made degradation of coral reefs is both alarming and persuasive, effectively underscored by the rich historical context of passages from Darwin's captivating diary of his seminal work on reefs 150 years ago. Like the coral reef, The Enchanted Braid is itself a rare hybrid, a graceful combination of aesthetic appreciation, scientific inquiry, and environmental manifesto.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for a layman!.......2006-09-23

Although I've been an avid scuba diver for twenty years, I've never really studied the scientific aspects of the coral reefs that I dive on. I hoped that this book would be a good introduction to coral reefs without getting too bogged down in textbook-level details, and it was all that I hoped for and more. The author, Osha Gray Davidson, knows his subject, and he knows how to write. Even though I have dived many coral reefs, I learned a lot of fascinating details about how coral reefs are built, how they reproduce, and how they are sustained. There are also many fascinating tidbits about the behaviors of reef fish and reef invertebrates.

The first half of The Enchanted Braid is about coral reefs and how they work. The second half is about the current state of coral reefs and the many threats to their continued existence. It gets pretty gloomy, reading about the worldwide decline of reefs and how much humans have contributed to this decline. There are some hopeful notes, but overall it's pretty depressing, which is probably the message that we need to hear if anything is to be done to preserve these magnificent creations.

A superb book for anyone who has an interest in coral reefs or oceanology but doesn't want to wade through a college textbook.

Every marine life and coral lover should read this book.......2006-08-15

I rarely read nonfiction in bed because I fall asleep too quickly. Not so with this book. Davidson's writing is compulsively compelling. Though the book details the disturbing trends affecting the health of coral reefs worldwide, it also offers hope by describing in vivid and accessible detail how corals have survived for millenia. Though they haven't survived rapidly warming surface temperatures like we're seeing today.

Davidson describes coral reefs as "the soul of the sea" and aptly describes their biology and importance to the ocean and to humankind. The book is simultaneously a travel narrative, scientific and environmental treatise, and philosophical look at why we need to take better care of coral reefs and other precious ecosystems. Though the messages in the book are clear that coral reefs are in trouble, Davidson's writing is not filled with gloom and doom and somber predictions of a coral-less ocean. By putting coral reefs in the context of survival, he inspires hope for their future. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Excellent read.......2002-11-27

Even if you have no prior knowledge about reefs, this book explains and makes sense of the entire reef ecosystem. I would highly reccommend it, especially for teenagers with an interest in coral reefs and thier preservation, to spark thier interest in environmental issues.

Great book! Educational and engaging........1999-11-11

I have read hundreds of articles and books about coral reefs, "The Enchanted Braid" offers one of the best introductions you could ask for into the world of coral reefs. The book features both biological and historical descriptions of coral reefs as well as reporting on what is happening today to coral reefs around the world. It is clear, well written and easy for us "non-scientists" to understand. SCUBA divers, snorkelers and anyone else who loves the ocean should read this book.

A great book for the sport diver and reef lover........1998-07-21

A book well written and researched for the layman. The Enchanted Braid describes the addiction to the sea that many sport diving enthusiast experience. It provides a global perspective of the mysterious plight of our coral reefs. I read the book while in Bali, Indonesia. The well travelled author's feelings about the plight of the reefs is true to form from my perspective. The message is one we all should read and heed.

The Enchanted Braid Coming To Terms with Nature on the Coral Reef

Average customer rating:

The Enchanted Braid Coming To Terms with Nature on the Coral Reef
Davidson Osha Gray
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

about a book.......2000-04-12

it is good it has cool pics and it is thorough

Average customer rating:

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ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Endangered Species | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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