No comments about Professional Practices in Association Management: The Essential Resource for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations.

No comments about Strategic Career Management: Developing your talent (The HR Series).

No comments about Your Veterinary Practice ~ Buying, Selling & Merging.

No comments about Essentials of Modern Business Statistics with Microsoft Excel - Textbook Only.

3 comments about Own The Forest, Delegate The Trees.

1. Excellently done. The tone of book is exceptional, conversational and clear. The stories are great - short, concise and to the point. There's a little teeny kick in the pants here and there.
   
   You'll see from the big picture all the way down to the details. Chapters, pages and paragraphs are well defined so it's easy to find what you want and need, when you want and need it. The book ends with summaries that are succinct and ready to be used.
   
   This whole book has a Barack Obama and an Eckhart Tolle feel to it. Wow! Well done!



2. Ms. Pratt - I have begun to read Own the Forest, Delegate the Trees and am discovering how much I have to learn about Project Management. Here's what I love so far:
   
   The conversational tone........I felt I was talking to you in person!
   The candid truth telling......the real story about relationships that we must navigate
   The organization of the material makes it so easy to absorb
   The graphics!!!



3. Here is my official testimonial for Own the Forest, Delegate the Trees:
   > "This book is the ultimate guide for Project Managers and for aspirants
   who desire to excel-a true blueprint for success."
   >
   > CMDR R.R. Meardy, US Navy, Retired
   
   > =>Really good, enjoyed reading it
   > =>Usually people find things out through experience, they don't have
   > this first hand knowledge to begin with =>I particularly like the
   > "world class" comments, strategies. They're big thinking =>Shows PMs
   > how to stay above the fray =>It's Big Picture Practical; Very helpful
   > success strategies =>Professional help; doesn't pull punches about
   > what to do, very straight forward =>I like this for Project Managers
   > to not just about their job but looking ahead, looking at the big
   > picture =>You can easily go to different sections, sections you want
   > to learn about, read about at any given time =>It's about Leadership
   > & Delegating. It's like reading a life story.
   > Different situations, delegating jobs, getting things done - covers
   > the gambit small to large, large to small =>People who have been PM's
   > need something like this.a blueprint for how to do it successfully.
   > Any PM who wants to do their job better, then this is the text for them.

5 comments about The Word of Mouth Manual: Volume II.

1. First of all, I'm a BzzAgent.
   
   I wouldn't pay more than $45 for this book, but it worth downloading. It would probably be a bore for people who aren't interested in marketing, studying social behavior, or who aren't a BzzAgent.
   
   The focus of the book was on paid/awarded Word of Mouth marketing. The author made many arguments why companies should have word of mouth campaigns and how to manage those effectively.
   
   The many humorous stories make this a quick enjoyable read.



2. I find word of mouth to be an interesting topic (being a Bzzagent and all) and this book did a great job at giving me a glimpse into the aspects that define what word of mouth is and how to best utilize it. It was a fun and easy read, very well-written. The book is full of familiar examples that help to explain what makes word of mouth a successful marketing tool and why people and companies should include it when trying to sell a product.
   If you're interested in word of mouth, marketing in general or maybe you have something to sell, I recommend reading the book. You can't go wrong. You're sure to find some useful information and be entertained at the same time.



3. I am also a Buzzagent, however even if I wasn't I would try and get my hands on a copy of this book.
   
   I have a business. I have been in business for over five years now and marketing is the hardest part. I'm not a sales person at all. Some people have the ability to sell snow cones to Eskimos (to coin a phrase) but I couldn't sell a glass of water to a dehydrated man in a desert! I'm THAT BAD of a sales person.
   
   I was totally amazed by the stories of fantastic marketing referenced in the book, such as the whole Tickle Me Elmo craze which reminded me of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze from years and years ago (ok, more like decades ago). My sister HAD to have one of those dolls SO BAD that we had to employ our cousins in the United Kingdom to find one and when they did we had to pay to have it shipped to us in the United States. All this for a silly $30 doll which she doesn't even own anymore.
   
   It's amazing how people are so skilled at making their product a MUST have, regardless of price or anything else.
   
   I have a business. And I struggle daily with marketing my business and making myself stand out from the crowd. This book is a powerful tool that will help guide me on making such a frenzy about my products that people will be tripping over each other to make their way to my website (ok... I dramatized it a bit much... ha ha).
   
   If you have a business, or are thinking about starting a business, this is a MUST READ!



4. Like many of the other reviewers, I am also a bzzagent. Because the title contains the word "manual", I thought this book was going to tell me how to create some word of mouth buzz. I was rather excited, thinking that I would pass this information on to some of my friends who own small businesses or do home party type things. However, that's not really the aim of this book. This book does not outline how someone can successfully create some word of mouth buzz. What this book does give is some fairly interesting history and other information on the word of mouth marketing strategy. It also shows how the bzzagent system got it's start and how it became successful. So if you're looking for some background information from a marketing perspective, you'll probably enjoy this easy to read, entertaining book. However, if you're looking for specific ideas on ways to generate word of mouth advertising for your business, you're not going to get many concrete ideas--although, the last section of the book does give some general info.



5. I am also a Bzzagent. I downloaded the free version of the book--not sure if it is worth paying the $45. The book has some funny parts to it, but I don't think the WOM concept was applicable to me as I am not a marketing/advertising professional.

5 comments about The Real Life Investing Guide: How to Buy Whatever You Want, Save for Retirement, and Take the Vacation of Your Dreams While You're Still Young.

1. If you're a twenty- or thirty-something looking for an accessible, useful guide to investing, look no further. This is a great how-to guide to the markets, written in an inviting yet not condescending style. Buy it. Read it. Tell your friends.



2. There is absolutely no better tool in the market today. It's a great handbook for those sophisticated Generation X'ers, and an even a better tool for that worldly, younger new generation who are blazing trails right behind the X'ers.

   Hey Boomers, your children, the N'Gens, are going to take the world by storm. With your ideas and their cohesive, cooperative energetic spirit, there isn't anything that they won't accomplish.... But without the financial skills so wonderfully illustrated in this book, your child will be left behind the pack. He or She will fail to live up to their unbelievable potential.

   As an owner of this book, I can honestly attest to its value. I think it should be part of every high school senior's core curriculum! It is the only book that can make sure your child is ready to assist his/her peers in shaping the future of America and the World.

   If your school board has not yet adopted this text, then please makes sure before your son or daughter goes off to college this fall that they have this guidebook to the world of life. America and for that matter the World will be grateful.

   A Financial Analyst and Real Estate Investor (Cincinnati, Ohio)




3. This is an excellent book. It makes so easy to understand - all those complicated stock terms, author makes use of beautiful examples from time to time. It is a must have for every person who wants to invest money in stocks etc. (may be, except the ones, whose primary carrier is stocks or stock trading). I myself bought and sold stock over the last few years but never understood the terminology completely. It is nice to have it in my library - Thanks to the authors.



4. Before I bought this book, I was probably like a lot of young people out there... ya get paid from work and you go blow it on the weekend with your friends at the mall. You just manage to get your bills paid off, and wonder why you can never seem to get a decent amount put away in your savings account? People, wake up! This is the time you should be saving for your future, or you'll regret that you didn't when you get older! I bought this book with determination not to spend every dollar I make and how to put my money towards my future. The book gives excellent explainations on the stock market and how it works, and even explains all those Wall Street symbols in a way that it's actually fun to read! It explains everything from savings accounts, to stocks and bonds, to IRAs! When I was finished reading the book, I was so glad I had read it when I did, because the later you wait, the more you're wasting time! I recommend this book to all! Read it and you'll be glad that you did!



5. Ever traded baseball cards or comicbooks? You?ve taken your first step in investing!

   This book succeeds where many others fail: It does an excellent job of breaking into layman's terms the most complex investing and financial concepts, while at the same time making the whole thing completely relatable for someone who knows *nothing* about investing. That is a talent many wish they had. This is no mean feat when you consider all the jargon you have to learn. Now, imagine having fun while doing it! Wow! Eric Tyson, eat your heart out!

   Sure, it?s been a while since this book first came out, so you know it needs a little updating...get over it! I still give the book five well-deserved stars. I appreciate the authors for writing such an awesome little book, as reading a book is a big investment of time, and reading this book was definitely worth it.

   Share it with a teen or twenty-something you love, and give them the gift of setting them on the path to becoming investors.

5 comments about Acres of Diamonds.

1. Poor copy of a great text. Author's name is misspelled on the cover. How could that happen? Text looks like a computer copy with spacing problems. Choose a different edition or publisher.



2. First given as a lecture at the beginning of the 1900's, the inspirational thoughts contained in "Acres of Diamonds" are still as relevant today as ever.
   
   
   
   
   Consider how the following passage plays into today's headlines, "I hear sometimes of men that get millions of dollars dishonestly.
   
   
   
   
   
   But, they are so rare a thing, in fact, that the newspapers talk about them all the time as a matter of news until you get the idea that all the other rich men got rich dishonestly." The Reverend Conwell of the Baptist Temple Church in Philadelphia was so successful in attracting people to his "Acres of Diamonds" lectures that he made enough money to found Temple University.
   
   
   
   
   
   How Religion and Capitalism work together and how money could be made right in one's backyard if a person knew of a need and did something to meet that need were the tenets of Conwell's lectures. Conwell's inspirational examples of success are worth a look.
   
   
   
   
   
   Spend a lunch hour, a commute in or back from work or another quiet break in the day to read Conwell's stories of those who missed finding diamonds and gold in their own backyards because they were too busy focusing on finding their fortune in faraway lands. Since the book is under 100 pages, even if you don't find your eyes have been opened a little wider, at least you haven't wasted much time giving the stories a try.



3. Timeless wisdom. Proves once again the principles of success do not need to be re-invented. Everything needed to be successful in life has already been written, and is available to all of us! Excellent



4. At 64 pages from cover-to-cover, "Acres of Diamonds" is probably the shortest book I've read in a long time. Written by Baptist minister and founder of Temple University, Russell H. Conwell, this book originated as one of his sermons, which was so popular that it was published as a book.
   
   "Acres of Diamonds" is based on a parable told to Conwell by an Arab guide during a trip to the Middle East. The parable tells the story of a man who sells his farm to search the world for diamonds. The man dies in poverty and wretchedness far from his home, not knowing that his farm sat on the richest diamond mine in the world.
   
   It is easy to think that great things are only accomplished by other people in faraway places. Conwell argues that we can all accomplish great things wherever we are. He gives many examples of regular people who accomplished great things. After all, he says, even a great man like Abraham Lincoln was just "Abe" to his neighbors.
   
   I believe this book was first published in the early 1900s, so the writing style is kind of old-fashioned and Conwell refers to people and products that were prominent during his time, but have less meaning to people today. There are no chapters or other structure to the book (of course it's only 64 pages long).
   
   Despite these minor complaints, the book has a great message. You can accomplish great things where you are right now. You don't have to move to New York, Los Angeles, or Paris. Whether you're in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland or Shreveport, there are "acres of diamonds" below your feet.
   
   ----------------------------------------
   Michael Mihalik is the author of Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money. Learn how to gain control of your finances, pay off your debt, and create financial security!



5. This book is highly Recommended! Very Inspiring!
   
   It reveals to the reader the treasure that is within, if you would but search a little deeper instead of looking else where or to others. It causes you to really think and tap into the hidden gifts and potential that is on the inside of oneself. 5 KUDOS!!!
   
   Lanesa Stubbs

No comments about Fundamentals Of Litigation For Paralegals - Textbook Only.

5 comments about Investing in College Basketball.

1. This book is great. I love college basketball and this book describes exactly how to win by spending more time on your passion.
   
   I love the concepts. Imagine a stock market where you know more about the stocks than anyone else. Where most of the other investors are amatuers, not professionals. Where there are few frauds like Enron, Marsh, WorldCom or HealthSouth to tank your portfolio. Where investment gains come immediately, not after years. Where there are dozens of brokers keeping commissions low.
   
   Well, this book describes college basketball betting as just such a market. College basketball "investing" offers all of these, plus none of the disadvantages of large and public betting markets such as stock market, or even the NFL or NBA. The book is a how-to-guide for those who want to gain an advantage and have the discipline to invest the time and effort.
   
   The book is heavy on concrete descriptions on how to gather and use information. It describes strategies for each part of the season, the advantages of specializing in a conference and how to choose one, and the key factors in game analysis. The methods seem to require a lot of work and very disciplined selections, but remember, we're talking about college basketball here. This is fun analysis.
   
   This book is completely unlike "The Odds," which came out about three years ago. The characters in that story were gambling, something this author would probably never do. He has written a book that teaches, rather than just entertains.



2. This book is pretty interesting. On the one hand it does a good job outlining the hard work necessary to win betting on college hoops, and even outlines some nice methods. But all that is almost entirely nullified by the horrendous "money management" advice Seidel gives. He sounds like a tout when he says things such as "if you can't win 60% you should be doing something else". He goes on to talk about how a 75% winning percentage seems to be attainable and gives advice for using bet sizes of over 10% of your bankroll. I can not begin to tell you how bad this advice is. It basically brings into question the rest of the book and how long Seidel has actually been involved in sports betting. His money management advice reaks of someone who had a very nice season betting basketball and doesn't have an appreciation for the swings that are inherent in betting sports. Because even the most successful sports bettor in the world would eventually go broke putting that much of his bankroll at risk. For better money management advice look into classic books such as "Insights into Sports Betting" and Beating the Professional Football Point Spread". I could only recommend this book to people who are seasoned sports bettors with their own set money management ideas and REALISTIC expectations, but are interested in reading about some good approaches to college hoops. Because there is some good advice in the book, just some very bad advice as well.



3. This is the single best book I have read on handicapping NCAA basketball. His methodologies for analyzing teams, and setting spreads and totals are both fascinating and deadly. This treatise has a lot of solid theoretical content which I observed in the 2004 season, and it worked in application.
   
   This is not a gambling treatise - while his analysis of basketball is superb, his ideas on money management and risk analysis are borderline catastrophic. However, if you are already an intermediate to advanced gambler, and you ignore all the material on bet sizing, the handicapping material is first rate (and would warrant a 5-star rating).



4. Wagering on CBB for the past 5 seasons, I decided to pick up this book to see if it had anything new to offer that I had never thought of.
   
   Turns out, almost everything I did to handicap games was in this book. So if you are just beginning to handicap CBB, this book would probably help a lot more than it did me. Either way, it was nice to see that Larry handicapped games similarly to me. Even the opinion that I have that NCAA tournament time is NOT the time to bet is held by Larry.
   
   Something though that did open my eyes a little bit was the conference specialization. Picking a conference and only betting those games has it's advantages and disadvantages. If you don't have a lot of time though, I think it may be better to specialize in a conference than to just know some stuff about a lot of teams.
   
   I enacted this strategy for the last month of the season last year with rather strong results to show for it.
   
   As I mentioned, the money management section to me is poorly written. I may think this because I don't believe in what he said to do. The mantra I follow is "don't bet it unless you think you see value and thus an easy cover".
   
   He says you should bet more on some games that show more value. Well experience shows you that some games you think have more value turn into non covers and vice versa. Betting this way is an easy way to cause a huge variance in the bottom line. I used to do that and it caused a variance of profit of over 300%.
   
   Easy example: Over a 50 game stretch you bet between 10 and 60 dollars and finish down 100 with a .500 record. Average bet was 30 per wager. You could have bet 175 per wager and would have only been down 100 dollars as well. If you had bet the same 30 every time, you would have only been down 26 and change.
   
   Wagering the same amount on each game keeps this variance from happening and you can worry more about hitting above 55% and not from that hole you just dug because you upped the amount on a certain game because of "perceived value".
   
   All in all, a good book except for the money management section.



5. I bought this book along with author Seidel's companion book, Wagering To Win, during a dry spell in my basketball betting. These books continued the drought.
   
   The only pearl of wisdom from this title was concentrating on a local conference, finding "live" teams or dullard squads that the bookie may have under-priced or over-priced as the circumstances dictate.
   
   Hey guys, don't you already do that in your gambling routines? Seidel then tries to masquerade this thin exercise with a return-on-equity discourse, in an apparent attempt to convince you that you are really investing rather than betting.
   
   The problem is: those propositions are past history. The new season brings new challenges. You cannot rely on the past to give you insights into the upcoming season.
   
   
   I'll save you some bucks with this advice: bet on a roadie at your own risk. If there was ever a live proposition in gambling it has to be the homey, especially a home team dog. Home teams cover at a near-60% clip.
   
   One of the best sources for up-to-the-minute basketball information are individual webpages from informed locals. Your problem is to find these pages, knowing that they are typically set up by fans at various campuses. None last beyond five years in duration, but I've found valuable gems of data from them. I've learned who was flunking out, rumors of team dissension, who was contemplating leaving campus for the NBA draft, what players were in the doghouse, etc. The UseNet newsgroups are the best place to start.
   
   Sports betting is hard work. Research is vital. You won't find much of it in Seidel's book.
   
   Take the points and skip the books on dinosaur history.