Introduction to Life Underwriting, 11E

Book Description

This recently revised course contains easy to understand explanations of traditional and nontraditional types of insurance products, including universal life, variable life and variable universal life insurance policies as well as variable and equity indexed annuities. The course also guides new agents through the life insurance sales process, encompassing prospecting, selling and servicing clients. Introduction to Life Underwriting gives new agents the knowledge necessary to generate sales ideas and such skill in organizing and presenting those ideas that prospects will be led to the conclusion, "Yes, I’ll buy."

If you are taking this course for CE, the CE exam will automatically be added to your basket when selecting CE credit. Certain states require that a proctor or monitor supervise the exam taking process.

Book Description

This book shows how finance and taxation are key to an understanding of the distribution of social and political power in central Europe from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century.

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The New Paradigm in Macroeconomics: Solving the Riddle of Japanese Macroeconomic Performance
Richard Werner
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Macroeconomics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Princes of the Yen: Japan's Central Bankers and the Transformation of the Economy (East Gate Book)

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Traders, Guns & Money: Knowns and unknowns in the dazzling world of derivatives

ASIN: 1403920737
Release Date: 2005-05-19

Book Description

A growing literature on information imperfections, credit markets and non-Walrasian outcomes poses a significant challenge to traditional approaches in economics. This book unifies key aspects of these challenges in the formulation of a new macroeconomic paradigm. Its validity is tested using data on Japan, one of the biggest empirical challenges to the "old" paradigm. In the process, a contribution is made towards a better understanding of the many "puzzles" or "anomalies" of the Japanese economy of the past decades. However, the new approach is applicable far beyond Japan.

Book Description

This book explores the evolution of 19 intriguing artists bred by the unique 1960s music scene, and traces the musical and cultural threads that gave birth to their electrifying innovations. From folk-rockers to blue- and brown-eyed soulsters to rock satirists and beyond, acclaimed rock author Unterberger uncovers the lives and music of the key visionaries in a mesmerizing decade, including: The Pretty Things, Tim Buckley, Arthur Brown, The Fugs, Bobby Fuller, The Bonzo Dog Band, Fred Neil, The Beau Brummels and many more. Includes cool photos throughout, and a sampler CD highlighting the sounds of some of the featured artists. "Comprehensive and engaging. Clearly, Unterberger has done his research." - Billboard

Customer Reviews:

The Other Side of the 1960's.......2006-11-05

This could be considered a follow up to "Unknown Legends of Rock 'n 'Roll" but this volume is more devoted to the British and American performers of the 1960's that stayed around the fringes of success. And the only reason I rated this a 4 is that I wished it had been 400 plus pages like "Unknown..."
Again, Unterberger has that approach where he seeks out the artist(s). In many cases, because alot of 60's bands are discussed, he got viewpoints from 2 - 3 members, which broadens the story. There aren't quite as many black and white photos in this book but the chapters are longer. Only about 20 artists are profiled but these names may ring bigger bells... The Beau Brummels, The Electric Prunes and the Pretty Things... to name a few.
This parallels Unterberger's previous book, in that he looks at these innovative groups at the height of their potential, yet because of choices made, accident, death, politics, lack of promotion, distribution or sheer arrogance, one or two hits was all the world heard. Most of these people at that time still kept making music - it was just never heard beyond a certain area.
To help with hearing these sounds now, Unterberger has at the end of each chapter "Recommended Recordings", which are mini reviews in themselves as he lists records and/or CDs that are readily available or may be very hard to get.
A compact disc is found at the back of the book with notes devoted especially to the tracks. This, however, is not as expansive as the disc found in "Unknown..."
In the chapter about Arthur Brown (Crazy World of) I was surprised that his work with The Alan Parson's Project went unmentioned. His vocal on "Tales of Mystery and Imagination Edgar Allen Poe", specifically, "The Tell-Tale Heart" is very dramatic in showing off his dynamics and range.
Yet that chapter is one of the more personable ones in the book, as the author describes meeting Arthur Brown at the train station, learning of the death of Screaming Lord Sutch, and having a small tea together.
There is alot more to music than the Top 40 or Hot 100 - no matter what year it is. This book relates that struggle for many artists of the 1960's; that having the talent to create sometimes meant more than having that hit. Sometimes having that hit was the beginning of the end of the bands's careers.
Ritchie Unterberger approaches each artist with sincerity and this is felt in reading about what happens or didn't happen. Also to add perspective, he tells what the artists are doing now in music - or not in music. Again, this is an enjoyable reference book he has created and a serious rock music library should not be without it.

Long live the Bonzo Dog.......2005-10-29

What I care about, what's important to me, is that the Bonzos are here. Anything that keeps the Bonzos, especially Vivian Stanshall, alive in any way, is a-ok in my book. Is this book a good book? I wouldn't really know, not caring much for books of this sort. I bought it for the Bonzos.

Ol' Reliable: He's Always Wrong!.......2005-09-13

I love Richie Unterberger. He can usually be counted on to get the facts straight but when it comes to critical evaluation he's always wrong! If he thinks something is impenetrable or unlistenable -Scott Walker's "Tilt" comes to mind- chances are it's worth checking out. He's tone-deaf when it comes to nuance, as witness his review at All Music Guide of -just off the top of my head- Susan Pillsbury's sole record. He's the Roger Ebert of music criticism, a man with a tiny bit of street cred which he uses mostly to endorse a comfortably "alternative" canon, one that excludes really challenging, innovative or unclassifiable accomplishments.

A little more interesting than Unterberger's previous work.......2002-12-22

I had found The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll an interesting source of reference, but one which revealed relatively little that cannot be found in the writings of some eccentric critics or in books such as The MOJO Collection.

This book is somewhat different instructure from Unterberger's previous work in that it is focused on many fewer artists and allows each one much more space. This really does benefit the book because the reader can know each artist mentioned much more than in The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll. One gains a true understanding of each artist, the people who formed them, their ideals and the music they made in a way one does not with The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll.

Moreover, Unterberger tries to explain the fact that there are so many undiscovered gems from the 1960s in terms of the culture of the decade. On the whole, he is fairly successful, even though he is careful to avoid claiming that the bands discussed were better than such acts as the Beatles, Rolling Stones or Velvet Underground. He is very successful, though, in explaining what has attracted certain groups of people to the undiscovered music of the 1960s, and tries to avoid the very common critical viewpoint that only those sixties bands who were predecessors of punk and new wave (Velvets, Stooges, MC5, Beefheart and the garage bands) are important today.

Some of the artists did actually have a major hit or fair success on album charts, unlike The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll, where there are very severe qualifications for inclusion. Such artists are re-evaluated in terms of other work that did not succeed of the charts. Distribution was not as regular in the sixties as it is today so that many bands could have had a hit locally that never became a hit nationally. This was particularly true of some "blue and brown eyed soul" groups such as Thee Midniters and The Rationals, the latter of which could never break out of their hometown in the era before the "Detroit sound" of the Stooges, MC5 and Alice Cooper became established.

As mentioned earlier, the artists mentioned receive a good description and one is able to track what the members of each groups discussed were doing (or collaborators in the case of artists like Tim Buckley) and to the way in which they evolved throughout their careers. This is, I feel, a better way of doing thins than the brief profiles of The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll, and gets into one's mind more easily. At the same time, it is no more revealing for some who reads incessantly about music than The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll, and the artists do not require as much to be written about them as the artists in The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll (Unterberger admits this).

On the whole, this is worthy reading and rather better presented than The Unknown Legends Of Rock'n'Roll.

a superb book!.......2001-02-01

unterberger is probably my favorite music writer, his tastes most closely resemble my own. he's right when he says that there were many, many great groups in the 60's that DIDN'T make it. there were (in my estimation) very very few truly bad bands in the 60's and early 70's- most groups had something going for them. if you like this era, you should also try mr. unterberger's other book on obscure rock greats. this book profiles interesting to sublime performers like the bonzo dog band, tim buckley, and fred neil, to name just three. hopefully unterberger will continue to produce books on musical figures from this halcyon period.

Book Description

Arguing against prevailing wisdom that the media's influenced has increase in the past decade, West cites current research and carefully selected case studies to support his controversial thesis. Covering over 200 years of American history, this brief text, with its lively case studies, will engage students at all levels.

Rise and Fall of the Media Establishment

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Rise and Fall of the Media Establishment
Darrell M. West
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTM1BI

Book Description

Absolutely Fabulous is a phenomenon. Millions have tuned in over the last nine years to watch the outrageous antics of Edina and Patsy, and the familiar cast of regulars. This book is a celebration of all four series of the hit show, written by Jennifer Saunders herself with input from the entire cast. It includes original photos, handwritten script notes, interviews with the cast, personal anecdotes, and monologues about the characters—a truly must-have accessory for any self-respecting Ab Fab fan.

Customer Reviews:

Must have!.......2003-09-04

This is a must have book for the hardcore Abfab fan! That's all there is to say really! With great pictures, notes from cast members, jennifer saunders scribblings and info on shooting the episodes it is Absolutely Fabulous!

Good memories but little "real" content.......2003-05-07

This is a fun picture book that walks us down memory lane for this cult classic. The outrageous costumes and make up are fantastic. There are a few excerpts from the various shows, but many are handwritten and not easy to read. I think they could have added more "real" content, like detailed biographies of the cast members and some trivia facts about the episodes.

Die hard fans should love this, but they'll still feel something was a bit missing.

Sweetie Darling!!! Fetch me a kniting needle!!!!!.......2002-12-08

Yeah haw!!! The girls of ab fab are back and in color!!!! Love the behind the scenes pictures and info!!!

Absolutely Fabulous Sweetie Darlings!!!.......2002-03-23

Wow...Absolutely Fabulous Continuity, is one of the best books that I own...I love all the letters from the cast members to Jennifer.Even though I cant completely read all the handwritten notes,but I would definately Recommend this book to any Absolutely Fabulous Fan!!!!Great Work once again Jennifer!!!!!

Ab Fab Must-Have!.......2002-01-16

"Continuity" is a must-have for an AB FAB fan. Written by the show's writer/creator/star Jennifer Saunders, it provides an in-depth look into the funniest, most politically incorrect T.V. series of all time. Full of backstage pictures, tons of input by the cast, and hand-written notes by the show's stars, "Continuity" is the perfect book for the great T.V. series.

Book Description

Microsoft Office is a powerful bundle of software: You can write a report, make a spreadsheet, design a database, organize a presentation, create a Web page, and do much, much more. The interface now includes something known as the task pane, a mini-window where you can search for files, import clip art, and perform other tasks as well. You can use foreign-language text and even make translations. You can create Web pages much more easily, and trading data between Office programs now goes more smoothly. You find common tools all across the board in the Office programs.

Office XP 9 in 1 Desk Reference For Dummies serves as a reference for all the great things (and maybe a few not-so-great things) that you may need to know when using Windows or any of the Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, FrontPage, and Publisher. This book shows you how to get up and running fast so that you have more time to do the things that you really want to do, such as

Creating awesome documents and spreadsheets
Building dependable databases
Putting together engaging, attention-commanding presentations
Getting your e-mail and schedule in order
Pumping out professional-looking brochures and Web pages

Each of the nine minibooks in this indispensable resource includes a Contents at a Glance section and its own index. Expect to explore

Windows 98 and Windows Me – from taskbars to toolbars, dialog boxes to menus
The powerful Word 2002 word-processing program
Excel 2002, the spreadsheet wonder
Databases galore with Access 2002
Communication and calendar-keeping possibilities with Outlook
PowerPoint 2002, your pal for presentations
Web page creation with FrontPage 2002
Desktop publishing made fun and simple via Publisher 2002
Common Office techniques that you can use in all or most of the programs

If your goal is to get stuff done without giving away hours of your time (and large portions of your patience), Office XP 9 in 1 Desk Reference For Dummies is all you'll need to work magic with Microsoft's powerful bundle of software products.

Customer Reviews:

A good reference.......2003-03-11

Covers all the applications of Office XP in a single book. Good index helps me find quick answers to most of my Office questions quickly.

Clunky, Cutesy, and Unhelpful.......2002-07-21

This book covers basic tasks and troubleshooting but little more. It may be useful for users completely new to the Office programs, but for all the problems I needed help with this book left me hanging.

More irritating than its content limitations is the book's precious and trying-so-hard-to-be cute writing style. Every section begins with a smirky little paragraph which manages neither to amuse nor inform. Not for me.

Book Description

Some 84 of the 250 Hornets committed by Central Command to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) proudly bore MARINE titling on their rear fuselages. A further 14 were marked with the distinctive kangaroo roundel of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The exploits achieved by the units that flew these jets into combat is detailed in this volume, the third of three titles published in the Combat Aircraft series on what has been dubbed by many TACAIR insiders the 'Hornet's War'. Although the bulk of this book deals with the major hostilities phase of OIF I, which ran from 20 March to 20 April 2003, the decade of pre-war OSW missions and ongoing post-war OIF II operations are also covered in significant detail from the Marine Corps perspective. Profusely illustrated with rare frontline photography and more than 30 specially commissioned colour artworks, this book also features the combat experiences of 24 pilots and Weapons Systems Officers.

Customer Reviews:

In-the-Cockpit View of USMC/RAAF Hornets at War!.......2006-09-18

Osprey's multi-talented editor/author Tony Holmes concludes his coverage of F/A-18s in action over Iraq with this volume covering Marine Corps and RAAF Hornets.

Holmes had unparalled access to Hornet pilots, WSOs and ground crew. As a result, this book, like the two preceding volumes on USN Hornet units in action, is brimming with first-person narratives of air-to-mud ops. Lots of color photos of aircrew and aircraft along with 10 pages of USMC/RAAF F/A-18 color side-views complement the text in typical Osprey style.

Good reading for those that prefer the current crop of fast movers!

Very Authentic.......2006-03-22

Tony Homes did a great job putting this book together. If you want a detailed, authentic account of what fighter pilots are thinking and feeling during combat operations, this is the book you need. The stories are accurate and straight from the aircrew's mouth.

Book Description

Once neglected, racial minorities are now the focus of intense interest among historians of the American West, who have come to recognize the roles of African American, Chinese, and Mexican people in shaping the frontier. Racial Frontiers is both a highly original work, particularly in its emphasis on racial minority women, and a masterful synthesis of the literature in this young field.

De LeÃ³n depicts a U.S. West populated by settlers anticipating opportunities for upward mobility, jockeying for position as they adapted to new surroundings, and adjusting to new political and economic systems. Minority groups discarded unworkable political traditions that had followed them from their homelands and sought to participate in a democracy that they trusted would see to their well-being. Many embraced capitalism in preference to the economic systems they had left behind but refused to give up their cultural traditions. The result was a U.S. West of many colors.

Known as a skilled writer, De LeÃ³n tells countless stories of the lives of men and women to guide the readers through his narrative. Personal histories and revealing quotations illustrate the struggles and victories of the newcomers, enriching our understanding of the settlement of the trans-Mississippi West since the middle of the nineteenth century.

Both a synthesis of the recent literature and an explanation of what happened when distinctly identifiable races interacted on the frontier.

Customer Reviews:

De Leon's American West..........2004-04-30

Arnoldo De Leon's book Racial Frontiers: Africans, Chinese, and Mexicans in
Western America, 1848-1890 is yet another academic book dealing with minority groups and
their role in the history of the western United States. The "races" De Leon
chooses to concentrate on consist of Africans, Chinese, and Mexicans. His
primary thesis: These three minority "races" either adapted or were pushed aside
by white prejudices and institutions in the burgeoning American west. In what De
Leon sees as an openly hostile and often violent environment, these "races"
competed with whites and each other while doing their best to cling to their
traditional values and cultures.

Under De Leon's model, the American West is not only viewed as an actual
frontier, but a "racial frontier" as well. De Leon's racial frontier is a place
where races and cultures meet. More importantly, it is a place where his three
target "races" interact with each other and what he generally presents as the
homogenous white race. De Leon sees this interaction in political, social, and
economic terms. Definitions aside, the American West offered many minorities the
opportunity to start their lives anew. African-Americans, Chinese, and Mexicans
all sought out the dream of the new frontier. In the face of racism and a
general distrust from the dominant culture, even disadvantaged groups found
advantages in the American West.

In place of celebrating obvious successes in early race relations in the
American West, De Leon attempts to place the square pegs of history in his round
multicultural holes. One of many glaring instances occurs in his description of
1880's Presidio County in Texas. He describes a community made up of whites,
blacks, and Mexicans centered around the military installation of Fort Davis.
This community lived as one, and intermarriage was not unheard of. De Leon's
explanation is presumptuous beyond belief: "Thus all three races had to modify
their imported identities to exist as part of a tricultural community" (p. 100).
What? How does De Leon know what their "imported identities" were? Could it
possibly be that these people were united by a commonality beyond their
nationalities and the color of their skin? Could it be that some "Anglo"
community leaders were not knuckle-dragging racist thugs? He even goes on to
admit that there is no historical evidence whatsoever to back up his claim, but
this seems to matter little to De Leon.

In referring to whites, or "Anglos" as Dr. De Leon sometimes calls them, he
shamelessly baits the reader into inferring that all whites held racist
attitudes: "...whites had constructed attitudes toward people of mixed ancestry
that argued unluckily for Mexicans" (p. 31). Really? Whites also "...meant to keep
the oppressed some distance from one another, lest they question white dictates
over jobs and wages" (p. 51). All whites? Additionally, whites "...saw little of
redeemable quality in the ways of Africans, Chinese, and Mexicans." (p. 68) If
not all whites, which whites is De Leon referring to? On nearly every page, De
Leon uses his broad brush to vilify and misrepresent an entire group. Isolated
acts of violence become the rule and successful interactions between groups are
downplayed by De Leon. Is he referring to native born American whites? Mexican
whites of Castilian or other European decent? Protestant or Catholic whites?

Pale, olive, or brown skinned whites? Or is it just anyone who qualifies as a
white oppressor in De Leon's scheme of things?

The author scornfully refers to Gaudalupe Vallejo as having tried to "pass
herself off" as white, but was she not? A cursory inspection of the globe
reveals that Spain is indeed located on the European continent and Spaniards are
indeed Europeans. Subtle differences in Mediterranean and Latin skin tones
aside, for the author to refer to Mexicans as a separate "race" is historically
inaccurate on nearly every level.

The author makes much of the frontier lynching of minorities and does his best
to emphasize the racist motivations behind them. Sing Lee, Chepita Rodriguez and
the legendary hanging in Downieville California are all cited as examples of
"...the victimization of helpless minorities" (p. 33). What De Leon fails to
mention is that racially motivated lynching was a relatively infrequent
occurrence in the American West, and that most of those found dangling at the
end of ropes were Caucasians. Considering that the most violent areas of the
West were populated by a generally young, male, and heavily armed population, it
is near miraculous that violence of this sort was not even more prevalent.
Regardless, as the population increased, collective violence declined markedly,
most notably because it was considered the lowest form of barbarism by the
dominant "Anglo" culture.

De Leon concentrates on the extremes in a turbulent and violent period of
American history. Rather than research the obvious unifying social factors and
cultural tolerance of millions of white Americans in the nineteenth century, De
Leon prefers to use a broad (and highly biased) brush to concretize his own
divisive and separatist views. Racial Frontiers is an unfortunate book. In the
books introduction, De Leon makes a strange disclaimer as to the accuracy of his
blanket statements regarding race: "As a matter of convenience, I have gone with
current trends..." (p. 3). But, if the current trends are wrong enough to merit
such a disclaimer, why write in such an obviously misleading fashion? While
solid in its thesis, Racial Frontiers descends into the modern politics of
collective guilt and blame.

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Racial Frontiers: Africans, Chinese, and Mexicans in Western America, 1848-1890.(Book Reviews)(Book Review): An article from: The Journal of African American History
Albert S. Broussard
Manufacturer: Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | China | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00082QCWK
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Journal of African American History, published by Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc. on March 22, 2004. The length of the article is 1200 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: Racial Frontiers: Africans, Chinese, and Mexicans in Western America, 1848-1890.(Book Reviews)(Book Review)
Author: Albert S. Broussard
Publication: The Journal of African American History (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2004
Publisher: Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc.
Volume: 89 Issue: 2 Page: 189(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Working with his remarkable invention, the Flowform, John Wilkes has uncovered the hidden secrets of water. Among those secrets, says Wilkes, is that water is the universal bearer of whatever character we put into it, and that for this reason the way we treat water is of fundamental importance to our health and to the well- being of our planet.

This lavishly illustrated book documents a lifetime of inquiry into the true nature of water. It includes a history of flowform research as well as the most important up-to-date developments in this research throughout the world. It also includes informative appendices on metamorphosis, flowform designs and applications, and the scientific and technical aspects of flowform research.

Book Description

Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, located in eastern Bolivia where the moist forests of the Amazon meet the dry forests of the Cerrado, contains numerous unique ecosystems and exceptionally high levels of biodiversity. This book presents the results not only of an intensive biological survey of the area conducted in 1991, but also of long-term research conducted from 1987 to 1995. Among other findings, the survey discovered 26 new species of plants, one new mammal species, and three new species of reptiles.

This report, with text in both English and Spanish, includes extensive data appendices, a large fold-out satellite map of vegetation, and conservation recommendations for the region.

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