A Strategic Profile of Netherlands Antilles, 2000 edition (Strategic Planning Series)

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A Strategic Profile of Netherlands Antilles, 2000 edition (Strategic Planning Series)
The Netherlands Antilles Research Group , and The Netherlands Antilles Research Group
Manufacturer: Icon Group International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 074182311X

Book Description

Netherlands Antilles has recently come to the attention to global strategic planners. This report puts these executives on the fast track. Ten chapters provide: an overview of how to strategically access this important market, a discussion on economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources). Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given.

Book Description

This IAS Special Publication contains 17 of the papers presented at the IAS International Workshop on Reefs and Carbonate platforms in the Pacific and Indian oceans held in Sydney (July 1995). This is the first book to summarize the current state of knowledge about reefs and carbonate platforms in these oceans where there are a great diversity of carbonate systems in various tectonic settings. Papers concern both processes operating in reefs and carbonate platforms and case histories (platform and oceanic reef case histories). Case histories range from the Lower Cretaceous up to modern reefs and most concern outcomes from recent ODP legs in the Pacific. The volume covers a broad spectrum of disciplines related to carbonate geology: sedimentology, geochemistry, geophysics, reef ecology, and modelling.

Book Description

RF photonic components, transmission systems, and signal processing examples in optical fibers are reviewed by leading academic, government, and industry scientists working in this field. This volume introduces various related technologies such as direct modulation of laser sources, external modulation techniques, and detectors. The text is aimed at engineers and scientists engaged in the research and development of optical fibers and analog RF applications.

Download Description

In many applications, radio frequency (RF) signals need to be transmitted and processed without being digitalized. Optical fiber provides a transmission medium in which RF modulated optical carriers can be transmitted and distributed with very low loss, making it more efficient and less costly than conventional electronic systems. This volume presents a review of RF photonic components, transmission systems, and signal processing examples in optical fibers from leading academic, government, and industry scientists working in this field. It also introduces the reader to various related technologies such as direct modulation of laser sources, external modulation techniques, and detectors. The text is aimed at engineers and scientists engaged in the research and development of optical fibers and analog RF applications. With an emphasis on design, performance and practical application, this book will be of particular interest to those developing novel systems based on this technology.

Amazon.com

Written in the gloaming of their college days, just before they started National Lampoon, Douglas C. Kenney and Henry N. Beard wrote Bored of the Rings. It's dated--references to Nixon, drugs, and consumer products circa 1969 crowd every page--but darn it, Bored of the Rings is still funny nearly 30 years later: "'Goodbye, Dildo,' Frito said, stifling a sob. 'I wish you were coming with us.'

'Ah, yes. But I'm too old for that sort of thing now,' said the old boggie, feigning a state of total quadriplegia. 'Anyway, I have a few small gifts for you,' and he produced a lumpy parcel, which Frito opened somewhat unenthusiastically in view of Dildo's previous going-away present [the ring]. But the package only contained a short, Revereware sword, a bulletproof vest full of moth holes, and several well-thumbed novellas with titles like Elf Lust and Goblin Girl..."

Place yourself in the hands of these professional humorists: you won't be disappointed.

Book Description

For everyone who has delighted in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy masterwork-or anyone who's just looking for a good laugh-this is the million-copy selling comic extravaganza that will convince lovers (and haters) of fantasy that they've finally experienced it all, and that they'll never need to read another fantasy parody again.

Customer Reviews:

Bleh...Yuck...Ick..........2007-08-23

I did not like this book at all. I'm not a fan of Tolkien's trilogy (though I loved The Hobbitt), but loved the movie trilogy. I found the writing in this to be sophomoric and many of the lines to be idiotic. I don't recommend this for anyone who is NOT a fan of the written version.

hilarious.......2007-07-23

So much fun and so silly! AT the same time, it's off color enough, I'd keep the kids away. (After the movie release, these LotR fans seem even younger, huh?) Long live the veggie puns!

Greatest Parody of all times!.......2007-05-11

When in High School I first found this book and enjoyed reading it. Being a fan of Tolkien I couldn't help but love it. It is just the right mixture of silly jokes, gross scenes and real humor. Humor that makes me laugh out loud on the bus or train. There are lots of books out there trying to be parodies but many fail. Rereading it really allowed me to enjoy it again and, on some cases, allowed me to understand some of the jokes I had not before.
Being published in 1969 I do think some of the jokes are outdated and, frankly, I don't understand some of them. Never did. But the book is still ten [...] many fantasy books and reminds me a lot of the Hitchhiker's Guide in pacing and delivery. I love the character of Goodgulf the Wizard and his ways of dealing with people. You HAVE to have this book if you are a fan of fantasy.

A bit too gross.......2007-05-09

I like parodies as much as the next person, but this book is just too much of a gross-out to be funny.

My dislike for it has nothing to do with how big of a Tolkien fan I am; I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and I loved Star Wreck. I have a degree in English History, and I loved 1066 and All That. That's why I read this book, because parodies of things I'm extremely familiar with are the best kind! I was disappointed to find that this book goes for the lowest common denominator to get laughs: Dildo Bugger? Come on!

Bored of the Rings- Just what you'd expect.......2006-11-27

Well, if you're a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and don't mind poking a bit of tasteless fun at the classic literary genius of Tolkien, this book might just be for you. It needs to be read in smaller doses in order for the continuous barrage of bad puns and jokes not to get TOO old to you, but in such smaller bites the book is indeed enjoyable.

Some of the jokes are a bit dated (remember this book was written over 30 years ago) but you still get the drift. It's exactly what you'd expect from a "Lampoon" type of product. Overall I'd say this is worth reading. You'll at least get a chuckle or two if not full-on guffaws.

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

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The Harvard Lampoon's take on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
Harvard Lampoon , Henry Beard , and Douglas C. Kenney
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0451070542

Product Description

Parody of The Lord of the Rings.

Customer Reviews:

The Harvard Lampoon's take on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings".......2004-12-17

Despite a background in literature I actually remember very few lines of verse, but amongst those committed to memory are the lines: "We Boggies are a merry folk/who like to eat until we choke/loving all like friend and brother/and hardly ever eat each other" (which is followed up a chorus that repeats the word "gobble" a whole bunch of times). "Bored of the Rings," the Harvard Lampoon parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," was written by Douglas C. Kenney and Henry N. Beard at the end of the Sixties, right before they went off into the real world to found "The National Lampoon" and at a time when the Trilogy was required reading for fans of fantasy.

Of course, it goes without saying that much of what you will find in here will be grossly offensive and that if you are not well versed in Tolkien's Trilogy then the story of the ring that was given by Dildo Bugger to his nephew Frito, who then embarked with his servant Spam, his friends Moxie and Pepsi, Goodgulf Grayteeth the wizard, Stomper the ranger (a.k.a. Arrowroot of Arrowshirt), Bromosel, Gimlet the dwarf and Legolam the elf across Lower Middle Earth to the dark land of Fordor is not going to make much sense. For that matter you had better be well versed in the drug culture of the Sixties and the political machinations of Richard Nixon to get all of the references (I just realized: we need an annotated edition of "Bored of the Rings"). Even if you have seen the movies and recognize the lady Hashberry, you still need to have read the books to know who Tom Benzedrine is in the grand scheme of things.

My favorite scene are when the Ballhog shows up and when Goddam and the ring meet their final fate. This is a lengthy parody, necessitated by the size of the work that inspired this insanity. Despite the low-brown humor involved with the playful names, there is some college level sophistication to the parody as well. However, if you consider Tolkien to be sacred text, then do not go anywhere near "Bored of the Rings" because you will be grossly offended (and probably several other types of offended as well). I will still maintain that the wicked sense of humor here is inspired by an affection for Tolkien's work, but understand that there will be those who dismiss that idea.

Average customer rating:

funniest book you'll read for years
The Harvard Lampoon's take on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"
Henry N. Beard , Douglas C. Kenney , and Harvard Lampoon
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0451126548

Customer Reviews:

funniest book you'll read for years .......2005-01-27

if you are a tolkin fan or not , you owe it to your sence of humor to read this book. it is one of the funniest parodies i have ever read.
laugh out loud funny

The Harvard Lampoon's take on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings".......2004-11-01

I remember very few lines of verse, but amongst those committed to memory are the lines: "We Boggies are a merry folk/who like to eat until we choke/loving all like friend and brother/and hardly ever eat each other" (which is followed up a chorus that repeats the word "gobble" a whole bunch of times). "Bored of the Rings," the Harvard Lampoon parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," was written by Douglas C. Kenney and Henry N. Beard at the end of the Sixties, right before they went off into the real world to found "The National Lampoon" and at a time when the Trilogy was required reading for fans of fantasy.

Of course, it goes without saying that much of what you will find in here will be grossly offensive and that if you are not well versed in Tolkien's Trilogy then the story of the ring that was given by Dildo Bugger to his nephew Frito, who then embarked with his servant Spam, his friends Moxie and Pepsi, Goodgulf Grayteeth the wizard, Stomper the ranger (a.k.a. Arrowroot of Arrowshirt), Bromosel, Gimlet the dwarf and Legolam the elf across Lower Middle Earth to the dark land of Fordor is not going to make much sense. For that matter you had better be well versed in the drug culture of the Sixties and the political machinations of Richard Nixon to get all of the references (I just realized: we need an annotated edition of "Bored of the Rings"). Even if you have seen the movies and recognize the lady Hashberry, you still need to have read the books to know who Tom Benzedrine is in the grand scheme of things.

My favorite scene are when the Ballhog shows up and when Goddam and the ring meet their final fate. This is a lengthy parody, necessitated by the size of the work that inspired this insanity. Despite the low-brown humor involved with the playful names, there is some college level sophistication to the parody as well. However, if you consider Tolkien to be sacred text, then do not go anywhere near "Bored of the Rings" because you will be grossly offended (and probably several other types of offended as well). I will still maintain that the wicked sense of humor here is inspired by an affection for Tolkien's work, but understand that there will be those who dismiss that idea.

Bored of the Rings - A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"

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Bored of the Rings - A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"
Henry N. & Douglas C. Kenney Beard
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000K74TLE

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BORED OF THE RINGS A PARODY OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN S THE LORD OF THE RINGS
THE HARVARD LAMPOON
Manufacturer: THE HARVARD LAMPOON
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000RXZX0M

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Bored of the Rings A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"
Henry N. and Kenney, Douglas C.) The Harvard Lampoon (Beard
Manufacturer: NY Signet 1969.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000J5FYPM

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Bored of the Rings A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's the Lord Of the Rings

Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000HJN5VK

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Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
Harvard Lampoon , Henry Beard , and Douglas C. Kenney
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0451055888

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Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
Harvard Lampoon , Henry Beard , and Douglas C. Kenney
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0451137302

Average customer rating:

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
Harvard Lampoon , Henry Beard , and Douglas C. Kenney
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0451149742

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Founding Fathers of Pakistan
Ahmad Hasan Dani
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NP782K

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Founding Fathers of Pakistan

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Pakistan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000N5MGWW

Product Description

Nine biographical sketches by various authors.

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The Founding of Pakistan
Roger D. Long
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Pakistan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Reference | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0810835576

Book Description

Contains resources related to the founding of Pakistan, collected from the vantage point of the fiftieth anniversary of partition, August, 1997.

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Founding Fathers of Pakistan

Manufacturer: Sang-E-Meel Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Pakistan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9693508300

A study of the foundry industry (NDFC research report series)

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A study of the foundry industry (NDFC research report series)
Ghulam Kibria
Manufacturer: National Development Finance Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007BOG1Q

Book Description

Lauded for its contribution to the theory and conceptualization of the field of women's history and for its sensitivity to the differences of class, ethnicity, race, and culture among women, The Majority Finds Its Past became a classic volume in women's history after its original publication in 1979. This edition includes a foreword by Linda K. Kerber, introducing a new generation of readers to Gerda Lerner's body of work and highlighting the importance of the essays in this collection to the development of the field that Lerner helped establish.

Customer Reviews:

Women's History for New Students.......2002-04-07

This book was required reading for my first Women Studies course in college on the history of the female race. It was a truly eye-opening book at the time (1982) - and continues to be a great resource. Gerda Lerner is an admired figure in the American women's movement. She did the public a tremendous service in producing this book. Recommended for any library.

The Majority Finds Its Past. Placing Women in History.

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The Majority Finds Its Past. Placing Women in History.
Gerda Lerner
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKE3FE

Book Description

A raucous tour of the fast-fading borderland between fringe and mainstream science.

In California, a woman desperately hoping to usher in a new spiritual age conspires with her scientist boyfriend to clone herself. In Massachusetts, the founder of a famous biotech company strives to deliver on the apocalyptic vision of human immortality. In Arizona, an iconoclastic billionaire establishes a handful of fledgling companies promising an enhanced human future and super-long life. Meanwhile, some of the world's most renowned scientists begin speaking openly about genetically engineering people and rebuilding human bodies. The two sides are merging, and Brian Alexander takes readers to the on ramp.

Alexander traces the story of William Haseltine, one of the most famous, and richest, of a new breed of biotechnology entrepreneurs. A former Harvard professor and now CEO of Human Genome Sciences, Haseltine is considered the father of "regenerative medicine." With his reputation as a biotech bad-boy and lover of controversy, he has become a high priest of the new biotech religion, looked upon by life extensionists as "a hero." Alexander examines his career and shows how little separates the science elite from the dreamers who believe a new human age is about to begin. Funny, bizarre, yet always fascinating, Rapture takes readers into the surprising stories behind cloning, stem cells, miracle drugs, and genetic engineering to explore how we got here and why we'll go where nobody thought we could.

Customer Reviews:

Nice cover. Nice concept. After that point...eh........2006-07-30

I wanted to like this book. However, I found the writing very droll. I just couldn't feel the emotion, the ideals, the "rapture" of the subject matter. Instead, the book is bogged down in endless and pointless biographical details...this person did this, and then this, and so on. Maybe I'm not giving it the benefit of the doubt, but there are other books on transhumanism I found far more interesting, informative, and readable.

What is the Next Stage of Human Evolution? "Rapture" Offers an Answer, Incomplete Though it Might Be.......2005-08-21

"Rapture" is a truly interesting book, and worthy of serious consideration. It explores the bio-utopian impulse in modern America, charting the last thirty-some years of research into human biology and how it might apply to a range of issues. These include not only the decoding of the human genome for the improvement of human life, but also the possibilities of life extension for decades and perhaps centuries. Those who advocate life extension see a "brave new world," pun intended, in which all are healthy, happy, and wise. They view it as the next stage in human evolution. It is a heady goal, one that has consumed some billionaires and fueled a revolution in bio-technology. Public advocates in the United States range from billionaire William Haseltine to Ray Kurzweil, but include thousands more in a subculture known to few.

Advocacy of bio-utopian ideas opens a wide array of ethical considerations, and opposition to it has ensured a rollicking debate between the extreme positions. The bio-luddites, in author Brian Alexander's parlance, question the morality of altering the human body through genetics, chemicals, or technology. They recall images of Nazi eugenics and the selective breeding of humans. Those in favor, of course, emphasize the positive results of intervention in whatever form it might take.

My own interest in this subject comes from my study of the past, present, and possible future of spaceflight. For instance, one of the truly fascinating developments associated with interstellar spaceflight is the possibility of a trans-human migration. In fulfilling the spacefaring dream, the intelligent life to leave Earth and colonize the galaxy may not be entirely human in form. Extensive discussions have taken place in recent years on the relationship between artificial computer intelligence, biotechnology, and human evolution. In spite of its obvious relevance to space travel, little of this has been extended to outer space, and it is not in "Rapture" either, but it offers a fascinating possibility.

The rigors of galactic flight that will likely confine humans to the inner solar system might not confine reengineered humans that have a cyborg quality about them. Given the great difficulties of interstellar flight, humans reengineered to withstand long duration space travel, possibly iwth technological enhancements might represent the future of spaceflight. The possibilities are truly amazing and somewhat weird, and as remote today from common experience as were the early images of space travel to the people who first envisioned them. Nonetheless, they are not wholly impossible. Because of current directions in technology, a trans-human galaxy is not beyond the realm of possibility. In one such vision, biological species become so technologically proficient that they cease to exist in purely biological form. The possibilities for trans-human evolution has the potential to radically alter the dominant paradigm of human spaceflight.

This interesting popular history of the trans-human movement is an important statement of an evolving debate in modern American society. We see vestiges of it in everything from the controversies over stem cell research to the fight over cloning. While I await a scholarly history of the trans-human movement, this work by Brian Alexander is a fine addition to the literature.

Excellent Book - Noteworthy History of Transhumanism.......2003-11-12

This book has got the buzz and the facts clear. It is a book about the "pioneers" of transhumanism and what they did early on that has set the pace for the futurists today.

Who else is going to tell the story but a writer that admires the ideas of transhumanists and also can laugh with us? If you cannot laugh at yourself, what is the point of living a long and enjoyable life? There isn't, and this is to Brian Alexander's credit.

We owe a lot to the Los Angeles Transhumanists - FM Esfandiary, Natasha Vita-More, Eric Drexler, Max More, Ralph Merkle, Greg Fahy - the entire gang.

If you want to read a book that literally gets you to go to the frig and get a beer, kick back on the sofa, and dream of a long life - this is the book!

Left of Center - but thinking toward the future.

Jason Jefferson

A brilliant history of scientific & spiritual thought.......2003-10-27

I know many of the people outlined in this book and am deeply involved in cloning. Alexander's portrayal of me and my activities was accurate & pithy but was unduly one-dimensional.
However, this is a brilliant work which ties together ideas that have combined within the past decade or so to become a movement called Transhumanism.
By connecting the thoughts of early scientific dreamers with the realities of modern day biotechnology, Brian Alexander deserves the glowing cover blurb by Glen McGee:
"Brian Alexander has turned the most important scientific revolution since Galileo into an adventure story that touches your mind and soul. No writer has ever dug this deep or looked forward this imaginatively. With Rapture, Alexander has become the voice of biotechnology for the 21st Century."
As a cloning activist, I usually end up debating McGee on the air. However, he is right on target here. Alexander is quite right that science and biotechnology have become a new religion for disparate groups that believe in cryonics, cloning, life extension, etc. Many don't like the label "religion" because religionists are usually the ones persecuting them. The historic philosophical roots of this religion versus science debate provide a useful perspective to the new debates we are having in this new age.
If I could give it ten stars, I would. It is really the most informative "connecting" book I have ever read.

It's not "religious" if you can do it.......2003-10-23

Brian Alexander writes about many people I happen to know. In fact, his description of the Extropian movement in the early 1990's made me rather nostalgic.

But he doesn't seem to understand why people would want to conquer aging and death, and he performs a disservice by characterizing the movement as a "religion," by which he means a belief system that's impractical or lacking factual support. Scientists have radically extended the lives of certain species of laboratory animals in apparent good health. Because of the conservative nature of the genome across species, similar biochemical pathways probably exist in humans that we might be able to use to retard aging and greatly extend our healthy lives well past 120 years.

Religions, by contrast, don't have anything like an animal model to demonstrate that their beliefs can send animals' "souls" to otherworldly heavens, much less human "souls." So comparing physical immortalism with a religion is patently absurd.

Still, I gave the book three stars because Alexander provides some valuable information and historical insight into a social movement that promises to revolutionize the human condition, unless the Kassian "Yuck" faction succeeds in suppressing it.

Book Description

Former Senator Paul Simon delivers stirring eveidence of a catastrophic water crisis which will explode upon the global community unless drastic measures are taken in all corners of the world, including in our own backyards.

Customer Reviews:

A Powerful Call to Action.......2001-11-28

Wnen it comes to water and environmental issues, the United States looks much more like a third world banana republic than a first-world, top-of-the-heap military and economic superpower. Years ago, former US senator Paul Simon alerted our government to a problem that could be mankind's undoing: the uneven distribution and wasteful consumption of water for agriculture, industry, and urban consumers across the nation and the greater world. His book, Tapped Out not only explains the problems associated with world supply, it also engages the average the person to contribute to the solution.

Water is the only resource for which there is no substitute. The world's water resources are plagued with a great variety of problems, and they typically fall into one of five broad groups- availability, quantity, quality, distribution, and competing agendas. Rich countries are increasingly finding themselves pitted against poor countries for limited water resources. In many instances, large and wasteful consumers are taking needed, precious quantities from others to slake their insatiable demand. Furthermore, more societies are reaching farther and farther to acquire this precious and critical resource.

Tapped Out has a number of favorable attributes. The book introduces the reader to the problem in an easy to understand manner. All technical terms are clearly defined as they are presented, and the book succeeds immensely in achieving its stated goal- eliciting the reader's interest in water issues. Moreover, Mr. Simon goes beyond lamenting the situation, and offers practical solutions to the problem. Finally, Mr. Simon shows the reader how the average person can be part of the solution to the problem. The reader is not left feeling overwhelmed and powerless in the face of the sheer magnitude of the problem. As such, the book is a good call to action overall.

However, there are a few moderate demerits, primarily structural, to the text. First, Mr. Simon cites too many examples in the first half of the text. These examples, while informative, come one after another and at times made the reading rather plodding. Instead, each major point should have been isolated, described in general terms, and then two to three examples which elaborate on each point should have been cited. That way, the reader gets a true sense of the problem while at the same time learning and more importantly retaining the pertinent facts. Second, the book relies too much on text, making the book very monotonous at times. Pictures would have added considerable value to the text. In addition a global map that explicitly displayed the distribution of the world's water resources, as well as the areas where water shortages are a problem, would also have been helpful. Moreover, the inclusion of graphs depicting trends in population, water supply and water consumption would also have been useful. Finally, future editions of the text should include a more balanced discussion of the technical challenges associated with water purification, desalination, and energy requirements and costs.

While I agree in principle with many of the points that Mr. Simon raises in his book, I have very strong reservations about Mr. Simon's solution to the water supply problem. Unfortunately, American bays, coastlines, rivers and lakes have earned the dubious distinction of becoming our nation's `Great Toilet'. Mr. Simon has very high hopes that one day in the near future, we will desalinate the dirty water from this make-shift natural toilet for the purposes of human consumption and agricultural production.

Given the current state of the art, it may not be possible to use reclaimed water or seawater on any appreciable scale to avert water shortages. Traditionally, wastewater treatment is used to bring microbial and organic loads down to a `safe' level so that the wastewater can be discharged to natural water systems. These natural systems then do the rest, primarily via dilution, entrapment, and degradation processes. Considering the deplorable state of the nation's waterways and coastlines, a desalination plant on the coast would have to be immediately adjacent to and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant. Moreover, each step in the process would create waste- effluents that would either have to be disposed of or put in some way to use. Finally, the process would also require a dedicated energy source. Desalination schemes currently require large amounts of energy for their operation, and as they are envisioned, will require huge energy input. As such, I am afraid that these schemes will ultimately play into the already strong hand of the energy companies. Solar energy, while a possibility, depends on area, and a given area, usually quite large, is required to satisfy a very limited water demand. Should demand increase, one would have very little maneuvering room when looking to scale up a solar-driven process. Therefore, solar-driven processes may be extremely limited, leaving only fossil fuels and nuclear power to provide the necessary energy. As a result, the cost of desalinated water if deployed on a large scale would inevitably track the cost of energy very closely. Thus, I suspect that energy companies are salivating at the prospect of such large-scale desalination schemes becoming reality.

In conclusion, this book, along with J R McNeil's Something New Under the Sun, has forced me to seriously consider the social, ecological, and environmental consequences associated with the adoption and deployment of any techno-economic process. After reading this book, I am now one more person who is strongly motivated to work towards a practical solution to a problem that affects all of us in the global community.

A compilation of quotes.......2000-04-05

"Tapped Out" is a good primer for those just beginning to study the issue of water scarcity, but there is little new in the book. Simon has taken quotes from news articles and studies and compiled them into a fairly credible call for action, however most of the information he references in the book dates from the early to mid-90s and is pulled from news sources. He calls for more development of desalinization technologies and more conservation, but his suggestions lack insight into the biggest problem facing the world--too many people seeking the good life where adequate water is taken for granted. In the US, where the problem is related to a growing population, and primarily to the country's addiction to water-wasting recreation and industry, he addresses water restriction almost as an afterthought. "Tapped Out" should be just the beginning of an investigation into the future of a thirsty world.

Finally,dams are being removed.......1999-06-03

Some progress in saving water resources is being made by removing dams-up to & including Glen Canyon Dam. Follow Simon's requests--last 3 pages-take action,this forboding crisis will be exacerbated by Y2K....

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