Political Competition: Theory and Applications

Book Description

In this book, John Roemer presents a unified and rigorous theory of political competition between parties. He models the theory under many specifications, including whether parties are policy oriented or oriented toward winning, whether they are certain or uncertain about voter preferences, and whether the policy space is uni- or multidimensional. He examines all eight possible combinations of these choice assumptions, and characterizes their equilibria.

He fleshes out a model in which each party is composed of three different factions concerned with winning, with policy, and with publicity. Parties compete with one another. When internal bargaining is combined with external competition, a natural equilibrium emerges, which Roemer calls party-unanimity Nash equilibrium.

Assuming only the distribution of voter preferences and the endowments of the population, he deduces the nature of the parties that will form. He then applies the theory to several empirical puzzles, including income distribution, patterns of electoral success, and why there is no labor party in the United States.

New quantitative methods in conflict resolution: application of analysis to military, political and other forms of competition (858): five-day short course, Jan. 13-17, 1969

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New quantitative methods in conflict resolution: application of analysis to military, political and other forms of competition (858): five-day short course, Jan. 13-17, 1969
Thomas L Saaty
Manufacturer: University of California Extension
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Written for software managers, Managing Your Move to Object Technology clearly defines and illustrates the management implications associated with the transition to object technology. Although other books may cover the technological benefits of OT, this is one of the few to address the business management issues associated with new technology and the corporate environment. It covers what OT will do to the corporate culture, not simply what it will do for it. In frank and concise terms, the author answers questions about how an organization needs to change to make a successful migration to object technology. This book is also invaluable to organizations that have experienced difficulties with the introduction of OT. This book should be required reading for all IS and IT development managers, project leaders, and team captains who want to improve the effectiveness of the software development staff. It is also ideal for CIOs or Managing Directors who are considering object technology for future product or system development. As with any new technology, the challenge does not come from the methods or the toolsets but from an organization’s ability to embrace a new approach.

Book Description

Surveying the night sky, a charming philosopher and his hostess, the Marquise, are considering thep ossibility of travelers from the moon. "What if they were skillful enough to navigate on the outer surface of our air, and from there, through their curiosity to see us, they angled for us like fish? Would that please you?" asks the philosopher. "Why not?" the Marquise replies. "As for me, I'd put myself into their nets of my own volition just to have the pleasure of seeing those who caught me."
In this imaginary conversation of three hundred years ago, readers can share the excitement of a new, extremely daring view of the uinverse. Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds (Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes), first published in 1686, is one of the best loved classics of the early French enlightenment. Through a series of informal dialogues that take place on successive evenings in the marquise's moonlit gardens, Fontenelle describes the new cosmology of the Copernican world view with matchles clarity, imagination, and wit. Moreover, he boldly makes his interlocutor a woman, inviting female participation in the almost exclusively male province of scientific discourse.
The popular Fontenelle lived through an entire century, from 1657 to 1757, and wrote prolifically. H. A. Hargreaves's fresh, appealing translation brings the author's masterpiece to new generations of readers, while the introduction by Nina Rattner Gelbart clearly demonstrates the importance of the Conversations for the history of science, of women, of literature, and of French civilization, and for the popularization of culture.

Customer Reviews:

The Plurality of Worlds........2006-12-18

_Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds_ is a translation of the work _Entretiens sur la pluralite des mondes_, first published in 1686, by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle. Fontenelle (1657-1757) was a fascinating figure of the French Enlightenment, who was among the first to popularize scientific ideas. Fontenelle was critical of much of religion and superstition (for example, he wrote critically of people who lived in fear of comets). At the time Fontenelle wrote, religious conflicts existed between Protestants and Catholics; however, Fontenelle faced the possibility of censure in that he maintained that the earth was not the center of the universe. Fontenelle was heavily influenced by the "modern" philosophy of Descartes (particularly Descartes' theory of vortices), as well as the heliocentric astronomy of Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Kepler, and the ideas of Galileo (including Galileo's use of the scientific method and his use of the telescope for studying the night sky). Fontenelle also entertained more modern "enlightened" ideas regarding the place of women (he places a woman in a central position within these dialogues showing his belief that women could indeed be scholars). However, perhaps most interesting of all are Fontenelle's speculations concerning the plurality of worlds, life on other planets (and moons), and the possibility of other solar systems surrounding other stars (and life on them), as well as the interesting idea that man would someday learn to travel to other planets (or the Moon) by means of flight (far ahead of his time!). Ideas such as these influenced many subsequent writers and thinkers, including the early science-fiction of Jules Verne as well as subsequent utopian literature. Religiously, Fontenelle has proven difficult to pin down given his rejection of superstition and his hostility towards clericalism, leading some to suggest that he was in fact a "pagan". The _Conversations_ presented here were continually updated by Fontenelle throughout his life (and a sixth dialogue was added to the original five, though it does not appear in this edition). This edition features an Introduction by Nina Rattner Gelbart, which explains the context of this book and presents the life of Fontenelle. Further, there is a Translator's Preface by the translator H. A. Hargreaves, which discusses the life of Fontenelle as well as notes some of the peculiarities of the editions of this work and the difficulties in translating the work. This book has proven to be a difficult one to translate and some of that difficulty may be seen here.

Fontenelle's book begins with a preface where he compares his situation in putting forth a book of popular philosophy to that of Cicero who wrote in his own tongue. Fontenelle also explains the characters who appear in his dialogues, including the Marquise (the female character in the dialogue), and why he has chosen to place a woman in the dialogue. In this preface, Fontenelle also considers the possible objection that the inhabitants of the Moon would not be sons of Adam (being that the sons of Adam would presumably have never made the journey from the Earth to the Moon). He concludes that the inhabitants of the Moon need not be like men in any way and that he cannot know what they would be like, and that further he is not being entirely serious in this book. Following this, Fontenelle addresses the book to a Monsieur L___, and then begins with the first dialogue which takes place on the first night. During the first evening, the Marquise and the philosopher appear and looking up at the night sky, the philosopher begins explaining the nature of the heavens to her. To begin, the philosopher explains the nature of Natural Philosophy (at that time including Physics and Astronomy within its purview), and notes how "nature has become mechanical" since the time of the ancients, comparing nature to a watch. The philosopher then notes the positions of the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, the planets, and the "fixed stars" in the night sky, and he explains how originally the Ptolemaic view held sway (with the Earth at the center of the universe) only to be replaced by the Copernican view (with the Sun at the center of the solar system and the Earth revolving around it). The philosopher explains how the Earth passes through each sign of the Zodiac as it turns around the Sun, and he answers several objections the Marquise has to this theory, explaining how the heliocentric theory is more parsimonious than the Ptolemaic system. The philosopher ends by making a comparison between Copernicus' views and those of Tycho Brahe and then they adjourn for the evening. The second evening finds the philosopher making the astonishing admission that the Moon is a world just like the Earth and that the Moon is likely inhabited. The philosopher reasons that since the Moon resembles the Earth it must be inhabited like the Earth in this respect. The philosopher goes on to explain various aspects of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth, and then goes on to explain how the inhabitants of the Moon are in a similar condition to the inhabitants of America and the New World before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. In answer to the question as to how the inhabitants of Earth would ever meet the inhabitants of the Moon, Fontenelle proposes this startling account: "We're beginning to fly a bit now; a number of different people have found the secret of strapping on wings that hold them up in the air, and making them move, and crossing over rivers or flying from one belfry to another. . . . The art of flying has only just been born; it will be perfected, and some day we'll go to the Moon." Surely such prophetic remarks (written in 1686!) show that Fontenelle was far ahead of his time. The third evening has the philosopher take back his remarks about inhabitants on the Moon, only to be re-convinced by the Marquise. They also discuss the Sun and Venus. The fourth evening has the philosopher explain the inhabitants of other planets (making note of their different periods around the Sun), including Mercury and Jupiter (and making note of the moons of Jupiter as well), as well as explaining the theory of vortices. It is during the fifth evening however that the philosopher makes perhaps his boldest claim. He contends that the fixed stars are really suns, and that they may contain solar systems of planets just like our own Sun. From this he argues that these planets may each be inhabited. However, he cautions, "Well, if you grant a mathematician the least principle, he'll draw a conclusion from it that you must grant him too, and from that conclusion another, and in spite of yourself he'll lead you so far you'll have trouble believing it." These thoughts disturb the Marquise, but the philosopher ends on a positive note by bringing up the fact of beauty (and her beauty).

These conversations are an important part of the history of science. They offer the reader a unique glimpse into the mind of a true visionary who saw far ahead into the future. They have played a unique role in the development of scientific ideas (as well as the creation of science-fiction) and offer us hope that some day we may come into contact with other intelligent life in the universe.

An important and appealing work in the history of science.......2000-11-06

We in our modern age are accustomed to thinking about topics such as space travel, life on other worlds, Martian meteorites, and all manner of other modern scientific ideas. This charming translation of a charming and important work in the history of science shows us that our ideas may not be quite as modern as we think they are.

First published in 1686 (that's right, 1686), Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds discusses how the stars in the night sky are other solar systems, probably with planets and people of their own, and that we may visit them, or they us, one day. What makes the work so charming, and of lasting literary as well as scientific value, is that it is written as a dialogue between a philosopher and a lady as they spend several evenings walking together in the lady's garden. "What if," asks the philosopher, the travelers from other worlds "were skillful enough to navigate on the outer surface of our air, and from there, through their curiosity to see us, they angled for us like fish? Would that please you?" "Why not?" the lady replies, "I'd put my myself into their nets of my own volition just to have the pleasure of seeing those who caught me."

If you have any interest in the history of science, or science fiction, or astronomy and space travel, you will enjoy this volume.

Fabulous read.......2000-05-29

I read this book for a class I was taking over the history of scientific thought and dreaded it due to the bland nature of the other works the class had looked at. I was proved very pleasantly surprised, though. Wonderfully written and very sweet, this book is surprisingly forward thinking in many of it predictions for our modern knowledge of the cosmos. The romance added in with the scientific discussions adds a wonderful touch, as do the insightful comments into the human experience and psyche.

Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds

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Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
M de Fontenelle
Manufacturer: Thomas Caslon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000UDLITO

A week's conversation on the plurality of worlds

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A week's conversation on the plurality of worlds
Fontenelle
Manufacturer: Printed for M. Jones
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00089EHDE

A week's conversation on the plurality of worlds: To which is prefixed, A Memoir of the author's life and writings

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A week's conversation on the plurality of worlds: To which is prefixed, A Memoir of the author's life and writings
Fontenelle
Manufacturer: Printed by J. Orphoot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00089EHDO

America's Favorite Backyard Wildlife
Average customer rating:

excellent book for any wildlife enthusiast

America's Favorite Backyard Wildlife
George Harrison , and Kit Harrison
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Living with Wildlife: How to Enjoy, Cope with, and Protect North America's Wild Creatures Around Your Home and Theirs

National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation) National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)

ASIN: 0671639722

Customer Reviews:

excellent book for any wildlife enthusiast.......2004-01-03

My uncle lent me this book and I have enjoyed every page of it. The Harrisons do an excellent job enlightening the reader about the basic wildlife species found in most any backyard. In addition, if you don't have these species showing up around your bird feeder, bath or in the trees, and meadows and the like around your home, they give hints to help you attract them. If you enjoy wildlife and want to learn as much as possible about the species that inhabit the treelines, sub divisions, marshes and gardens that surround you, this book is a must read.

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America's Favorite Backyard Wildlife
Kit Harrison
Manufacturer: SIMON AND SCHUSTER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OKT2VE

Book Description

Arizona Day Hikes is two books in one: a hiking guide featuring 100 of Arizona's best hiking trails and an authoritative guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon State's landscape.
Dave Ganci provides a comprehensive overview of Arizona's three natural "provinces" - the Southern Deserts, the Central Mountains, and the Northern Canyons and Mesas - and shows the reader how to take a naturalist's approach to exploring scenic wonders. His knowledgeable discussions of landscapes, native species, and local conditions, accompanied by thirty line drawings, help hikers learn to identify and appreciate each region's geology, weather, plants, and animal life. Along the way, he teaches the best techniques for day-hiking and shows how the entire family can travel and enjoy each hike to the fullest.
Trail descriptions are graded for difficulty and organized geographically, from the Tucson and Phoenix areas to regions surrounding Prescott and Flagstaff. Also included are hikes starting at both rims of the Grand Canyon. The trails profiled here range from a half-hour to several hours in length, and all are easily accessible by car, making Arizona Day Hikes a passport to some of the most rewarding hiking opportunities in the American West.

Customer Reviews:

Great Intro. to Hiking Book.......2007-08-14

I've used this book so many times over the last 10 years, it's wearing out. Great hike descriptions for many areas of Arizona. My only gripe now is that the book is hopelessly outdated and needs a reprint. So, if you choose to buy the book you should double-check directions and call that District's Forest Ranger for updates on that trail. We've added many freeway miles since 1995 and there may be a faster way of getting to your favorite hike now. Happy trails!

Concise and interesting guide.......2004-02-27

Arizona is a great state to hike. Even without the magnificent hikes in and around the Grand Canyon, there are plenty of other trails to explore and enjoy. This book does it all! It is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a color map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive.

Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. I enthusiastically recommend this gem!

Ganci prepares you for the hikes before the descriptions........1999-01-01

The first 62 pages are devoted to preparing the hiker. A complete listing to get you started. Descriptions of geology, climate, animals, and plant life prepare you for the environment you will be hiking. I really enjoyed the geology information. Each hike is rated by time, distance, elevation gain plus an effort rating. Areas of the entire state of Arizona are covered. Less popular hikes rarely published are included too. Well done!

Dictionary of the Holy Quran
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Best dictionary, must have

Indispensable Companion to the Qur'an

A Needed Assistant

Ahmadiyya

Great Book

Dictionary of the Holy Quran
Abdul Omar Mannan , and Abdul Mannan Omar
Manufacturer: Noor Foundation International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

General | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Quran | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Quran | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran

Arabic Through the Qur'an (Islamic Texts Society)

The Holy Quran, Seventh Edition

An Introduction to Koranic and Classical Arabic: An Elementary Grammar of the Language

An Introduction to Koranic and Classical Arabic: An Elementary Grammar of the Language Key to Exercise

ASIN: 0963206796
Release Date: 2005-01-28

Product Description

This is the 3rd edition of this valuable historical work ever published.

Customer Reviews:

Best dictionary, must have.......2007-08-06

Its one of the best dictionary that i every had, a must buy for a new learner.

Indispensable Companion to the Qur'an.......2007-06-14

Book for the Layman: For the student and layman, whose mother tongue is not Arabic, the "Dictionary of the Holy Qur'an" (Arabic-English) by `Abdul Mannan `Omar is without doubt an intimate and indispensable companion book to the study of the Qur'anic Text. This dictionary is especially geared to the novice, student, and layman, and even to serious scholars studying classical Arabic.

Debt of gratitude: Without hesitation or reservation, i have to state that we are deeply indebted to the venerable Mannan family, who have published and facilitated publication of several scholarly works on Islam. I pay special tribute to the author of this dictionary for his dedication to Arabic scholarship by virtue of this book, which accents the beauty and magnificence of the Arabic Qur'an.

Best Single Volume: This book is the best single volume dictionary available on Qur'anic Arabic outside of the respected and popular E.W. Lane's "Arabic-English Lexicon," which comprises several volumes. Another book, different but to a extent complementary, is Hanna E. Kassis "A Concordance of the Qur'an." The latter of course, is an English-based volume, requiring no knowledge of Arabic, but it does provides arabic roots for all English-based words, traced to various Qur'anic translations. The prime difference between Mannan's dictionary and Kassis' concordance is that the former requires elementary knowledge of the Arabic aphabet, while the latter does not! Both are equally accessible to the layman.

Ease of Use: Mannan's dictionary follows the same method of use as any standard English dictionary. It is arranged in Arabic alphabetic order, following the sequence of fathah, kasrah, and dammah, in Index 1 (282 pages).

Authoritativeness: finally, this dictionary permits the student/researcher to access the "classical" root meanings of all Arabic words used in the Qur'anic Text due to the fact that its very contents come from the best extant classical Arabic works, including Al-Mufridat, Lisan al-`Arab, and Taj al-`Arus.

Without hesitation, I strongly recommend Mannan's dictionary for anyone interested in a casual or serious study of the Islam's sacred text.

sincerely,
Mohamad K. Yusuff

A Needed Assistant.......2007-05-13

In Quaranic studies it is not always possible to know exactly what a word or a phrase in the Qur'an may mean. Some people have other translations of the Qur'an for the purpose. But other translations may not clear up the problem. The Dictionary of the Holy Qur'an makes the work much easier and allows for quick references. It is definitely a part of my desk reference works.

Ahmadiyya.......2006-11-05

One of the comments prompted me to investigate further after which I found out that the author Abdul Mannan Omar had passed away on the 28th of July 2006 (96 years old) as his obituary appeared on The Light, a London-based Lahore Ahmadiyya community monthly publication. Hence the interpretation that Jesus died of natural death as had been proclaimed by the founder of this movement in 1891, where he claimed to have received revelation from God about the death of Jesus.

While the other entries are remarkably accurate as the references that he used were very much authoritative of the Arabic language, his opinion, creed and interpretation of the Quranic verses will raise a flag within the mainstream Muslim community.

If I can give Edward Lane a 5 star for his voluminous Arabic Lexicon, I should be able to give Mr Omar similar rating for his work. I don't subscribe to his faith.

Great Book.......2006-08-04

This dictionary has been developed with great deal of effort and is of immense benefit to anyone who wishes to learn the meaning of holy Quran. I strongly recommend it to all novices.

Dictionary and Glossary of the Holy Quran

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A Dictionary and Glossary of the Quran
A guide to learn Quran

Dictionary and Glossary of the Holy Quran
John Penrice
Manufacturer: Kazi Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Quran | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Quran | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0934905096

Customer Reviews:

A Dictionary and Glossary of the Quran.......2000-06-29

I have just received this book I ordered from the Amazon. While I value this book so high for my learning of words from the Al Quran, I would like to make a few remarks for the future publication.

The book, hard cover, 166pp, by John Penrice, first published in London in 1873 (i.e., 127 years ago) but was not mentioned the name of the original publisher. The book then Republished as a New Edition in 1971, Reprinted in 1976, and Newly Revised in 1988 (the copy that I have) by the Library of Islam, Des Plaine, IL (USA). While I am happy to have this book but I am disappointed by the way this book republished and "new revised" three times after 123 years. The new revisers didn't bother to include any additional information about what was being revised and to guide the readers or end users. It only contains a preface by the original author 123 years ago.

For the next publication they should include a Guide and Reference of at least a list how the abbreviations should be understood or at least a list of abbreviations used throughout the book, such as aor. i. and o; aor a and i; etc. A glimps of reference to the grammar such as a short list of at least Form I, II, .... X at least should be included in the next publication.

The pages are also being cut very close to the edge of the pages which might endanger of losing some words toward the edge. This should also be fixed.

Sincerely,

Sjamsir Sjarif Santa Cruz, CA, USA June 28, 2000 hambo@zzyx.ucsc.edu

A guide to learn Quran.......2000-06-08

A good Quran Dictionary is the need of the hour as lot of people is interested in learning the Holy Quran. Since Quran's literary beauty is almost totally lost in all translations, studying the Quran in Arabic will help in appreciating its true beauty. If we count the actual number of root words in Quran it comes around 1873 words. I believe that any person interested in learning Quran's word meaning can do it in around 2 years since Quran is really made very simple. I think this book will help the students of the Holy Quran in learning Quran's word meaning.

Book Description

A beautiful and informative book, this is a remarkable social history of men and women at work during the Middle Ages.

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