5 comments about When a Butterfly Sneezes: A Guide for Helping Kids Explore Interconnections in Our World Through Favorite Stories (Systems Thinking for Kids, Big and Small, Vol 1).

1. "When a Butterfly Sneezes" uses stories to help introduce the basics of systems thinking. This book was written for parents and educators as a guide for helping children gain a richer and deeper understanding of the world around them through their favorite stories. This is a much needed book for parents who enjoy reading to their children and for educators, particularly those who work with students in the K-4 classroom where there is a focus on literacy. "When a Butterfly Sneezes" is a first of a kind book on this subject and at this level. It offers parents, teachers and teacher educator's a practical means for introducing systems to young minds. I will use this book in teacher education courses and recommend it highly to others.



2. The mark of a great story is that it plants a deep seed in ones psyche that penetrates and grows slowly but oh so steadily. Like a koan, it imbeds itself and connects the limbic system with the neo-cortex, the emotions with the intellect. As one encounters the world, the story keeps resurfacing just when appropriate, deepening ones learning. Linda Booth Sweeney has found magical ways to plant seeds in kids (young and old), about critical messages of connectedness and life, and elegantly woven ways of learning that are ancient and current. Readers are in some ways left with a living question in their hearts and minds: What is life asking of me now?



3. I have used some of the same stories described in Linda's book in training courses with environmental professionals from many countries as well as in introducing systems thinking into my own organization. There is a universal appeal to stories by Dr. Seuss, for example, and much wisdom hidden just behind the wild drawings and imaginative language. Linda's unique contribution lies in showing teachers and parents how they can use a wide range of enchanting stories to tap into this deeper meaning in order to improve problem solving abilities in everyday life. The book's recommendations on using stories can easily be applied to improving our parenting and teaching skills by listening more carefully to the stories children tell, asking better questions, and sharing responsibility with our children for interpreting the answers.



4. I have used some of the same stories described in Linda's book in training courses with environmental professionals from many countries as well as in introducing systems thinking into my own organization. There is a universal appeal to stories by Dr. Seuss, for example, and much wisdom hidden just behind the wild drawings and imaginative language. Linda's unique contribution lies in showing teachers and parents how they can use a wide range of enchanting stories to tap into this deeper meaning in order to improve problem solving abilities in everyday life. The book's recommendations on using stories can easily be applied to improving our parenting and teaching skills by listening more carefully to the stories children tell, asking better questions, and sharing responsibility with our children for interpreting the answers.



5. Systems thinking provides structure to understanding our complex world. Stories, whether our own or selections from literature, offer a powerful hook to recognition of the interconnectedness within a system.

   As an educator, I've been intrigued with the idea of systems thinking, but somewhat intimidated by its complexity. After reading and rereading WHEN A BUTTERFLY SNEEZES, I have a far deeper understanding of its power.

   I''ve long believed in the power of story to enhance understanding. This little book affirms that belief.

   Thank you, Linda Booth Sweeney, for this fine work.

5 comments about CD and DVD Recording for Dummies, Second Edition.

1. I am not a beginner, yet the new CD and DVD Recording issues have become part of my world. I am thrilled with the opportunities it presents to Dummies like me. So when selecting something easy, I thought the Dummy books were right up my alley. I was right. This book talks in a down to earth style that doesn't intimidate me. It makes me think I'm not such a dummy after all. Now when I purchase DVD Plus and Minus R and RW I have a better idea what to buy.



2. This information is very helpful and especially understandable. My only problem with is was that there is too much information and sometimes that causes confusion



3. You have to be a real dummy to get this book. If you have the Internet you can get this book for free (File-Sharing,) or just google it and check out some sites. I'm still cussing to this day for getting this junk. This book doesn't tell you anything that the burning software of your choice won't tell you. If you think I'm lying then fine, get the book but, be ready to start cussing. Hell I'm cussing as I type...



4. For someone who is a real novice I suspect that there is a lack of basic information to get that person started. For someone who is a step above a novice the book (latest edition) is already badly out of date and still doesn't cover popular software written years before the publication data (e.g., Pinnacle Clean). It does not cover any of the problems one encounters with music recording. It simply tells you how to transfer files from your computer to a CD or DVD and because that is simply a matter of clicking on buttons for software included on most computers it doesn't help.



5. This book goes into great detail but only if you use Roxio. I don't and the book doesn't really go into detail about how to use the information with any other software. Pretty much useless in my case. I gave it two stars because I did learn a little by looking through it. Not enough, however, to make it worth the purchase.

5 comments about Car Stereo Cookbook (TAB Electronics Technician Library).

1. I took a pretty optimistic approach when reading this book, waiting for the meaty stuff to begin...i was still waiting when i got to the index!
   
   It's a pretty good book if you've got a basic understanding of how to wire the stereo components, and what you want to achieve by modifying your stock car audio system. But if you're looking for specific information of how best to use T/S parameters for desigining the optimum enclosure for your new sub - or choosing one that best meets your desired application, then I dont think i'd worry too much about this book. There's some graphs and tables in there that will point you in the right direction in terms of enclosure design/size/style but dont expect much more than that.
   
   In summary, if your the sort of person happy to accept what you're told with out additional inquiry then this book will suffice. Otherwise, you'll need something more basic to provide more definitions, and then once you've got the hang of that, you'll be needing something much more complex to test your new skills. Overall an ok read, but this book will never make it to 'workshop reference' status.



2. I've started a car audio retail business with my brother. He's the technical guy, and I'm the business guy (working on my MBA now). I thought that learning a lot more about the technical aspect of the business could be nothing but good for me, so I picked up this book (the only book on car audio that Border's carried). The book is organized like this:
   
   1) Here's an audio problem
   2) Here's a single componant from a single manufacturer that will address the problem.
   
   Instead of telling *you* how to fix or avoid the problem, you get to read whatever the top technology was 4 years ago to address it. As a previous review pointed out, Crutchfield is also a big theme in the book (don't know what speakers fit your car? Go to Crutchfield.com and they'll tell you! God forbid you measure the opening.).
   
   The best advise I got from this book was to hire a guy to create a PHP search database on my company's website to mirror what Crutchfield does, so my customers, too, can search for what specific componants fit their cars. I guess that was helpful.



3. I ordered this book from one of the Amazon partners and received the 1998 edition of the book.
   
   Let me just say that A LOT has happened on the car audio scene since 1998, like: Video, multi-channel audio, navigation systems, rear-view cameras, DVD Video, iPod, MP3, Dolby Digital 5.1, DVD-Audio, etc.
   
   In other words, the 1998 edition is not even a good doorstop at this point.
   
   Sure, the basics of pulling cables, using the correct connectors and speaker installation is still useable, but to read about the wonderful opportunity of adding a CD changer or replacing a factory tape deck with a CD head unit is a bit out of date.



4. This book provides excellent background info, good design criteria, and photos illustrating similar installations to those discussed in the different sections. I found the book quite helpful.



5. I started this book with a mild understanding of car stereo's and installation and by the time I was done I was customizing my own stereo with ease. Highly recommended for anyone with a desire for good sound in there vehicle a lot of easy tricks that make a whole lot of difference

5 comments about Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook, Fourth Edition.

1. The book is very deep in some topics but is very poor in design formulas. The formulas should be included, explained and can be skipped by the readers who are not keen on mathematics.
   Some schematic diagrams are simply not readable as the printing size, or the book format, is too small.



2. This is the third edition and so the reviews prior to 2002 are for earlier editions. The author makes equipment for recording studios.
   
   The book discusses the different alternatives for circuit topologies used in audio amplifiers and their advantages and disadvantages. There are many SPICE simulation graphs with associated discussions.



3. I purchased this book along with High Power Audio Amplifier Construction Manual by G. Randy Slone.If you want to read about
   300 pages of information you can obtain free from Mr. Self's website then buy all means by this book because it is a repeat of the blamless amplifier theory, however if you really want a design book with the whyfore's included Mr. Slone's book is the book for you and should rate 10 stars for audio design. I really don't understand why Amazon hyped this book. I should have saved my money I expected more from Mr. Self.



4. This book is a complement for a previous one also bought from Amazon. Very interesting, a lot of information compiled in a comprehensive text. Not too much mathematics, it is practical. A book to have as reference for Audio design or DIY. I recommend.



5. I had previously read this book at the library and it was excellent. Even the smallest details could be read. This print has a problem with any drawings that have been scanned in. The following pages have problems: 77, 116-118, 179, 194, 332.
   
   Doug Self is a true audio genius.

5 comments about Instant Vegas Movie Studio + DVD (VASST Instant) (Instant Series).

1. There is a problem in getting an easy tutorial for Vegas Movie Studio but this is not it. The book is full of jargon and not too helpful in learning. The examples are woven into the text making it difficult to follow explanations.
   
   I would not recommend as a source of learning Movie Studio



2. I am stepping through Vegas movie studio 6 and into full 7.
   I'm right at the stage where I need someone to lay it all out for me.
   And since I'm on a small island on Alaska I thought a book would do.
   One of the first screen images in this book had "Vegas 4" on the title bar. The procedures and references are not up to date.
   I'm a bit of a writer and I was actually afraid to read the book so as not to be brainwashed of what I've got already.
   So I didn't read it. I sent it back. I need clarity. I think I'm going to buy
   Sony's "The Digital Video and Audio Production Book from Sony Media Software updated for Vegas® 7."
   It's on their site, couldn't find at Amazon.
   Amazon is great they even paid postage back.
   so the two stars are for amazon and for those who have just found a copy of V4 under that pile in the corner.



3. Rarely are software manuals written well or really address our questions, this book answers our questions. This book assumes you have some knowedge of editing, if you intend to buy this book and don't know basic editing there are many books on the subject. The software demands you have some basic editing skills, it has on-line tutorials that are good, but you have to know why your doing what your doing. It's an easy read, well worth you time and money.



4. At least for my simple mind. I don't take enough time to keep the knowledge fresh on my mind. If I spent a lot of time I'm sure that I could do well with the software. I need to find a book on Sony Vegas like "Vegas for Dummies" that starts at the absolute basics, then graduate to this book. This book would be fantastic for an experienced user that wants to take his skills to the next level.



5. I go this book when I first bought Vegas Movie Studio (ver. 5) a number of years ago and I found it extremely helpful in starting me off with video editing. I used the information I learned here to eventually graduate to Vegas Pro. I would recommend this to any Vegas Movie Studio beginner. It teaches the basics and gets you on the right path. BTW, the author is one of the premier instructors for Sony Vegas, so you know you are learning from the best.

5 comments about Wavelets and Filter Banks.

1. My first reaction to Professor Strang's superficially friendly, "just us folks", "you're gonna love this result" style was positive until I realized I wasn't absorbing anything. Could it be me? Well, yes, it is. I just am not a brilliant co-worker who can grasp Strang's giant leaps of intuition and say, "Wow, Gil, I see what you are saying, that really is neat!" This book is written in bursts of enthusiasm with little emphasis on details (like indices on summation operators) and little continuity. It appears to have a layered structure where Strang breezes through an introduction dropping all sorts of sophisticated concepts along with "don't worry, it will all become clear later". Unfortunately at the next layer Strang does not connect up with previous droppings but simply drops more. I am amazed that Matlab would attach this book to their wavelet toolbox, which by the way has a beautiful user's manual. An alternative to this book, "Wavelet and Wavelet Transforms" by Sidney Burrus and friends, is written in a clear step-by-step manner with attention to details (and with a reasonable step size). Upon reading Burrus's book I could go back to Strang's and figure out some of the things he was so pleased with (other than himself).



2. I just can't believe these reviews: "overall a good text" - doh! I was unfortunate enough to take a course about wavelets for which the professor used this book as the main text (btw the course was offered by Prof. Truong Nguyen, and yes he is one of the authors). After 3 months of painful !struggle! with this book I was sure about only one thing: I could not learn anything about wavelets. First of all, there is no logical flow, as a matter of fact there is no flow of any kind. The authors just leap forward and backward leaving lots of unanswered questions, which is in my humble opinion, a very annoying thing that should not happen while using a text book. Clear statements about what the hell is going on are very rare. Most of the time you are left with vague statements which tell only part of the story. Right now I am in the third year of my ph.d and I am yet to meet an electrical engineer who thinks this book is actually useful in some sense. Don't waste your money on it. Start with "Wavelet and Wavelet Transforms" Burrus, once you get the feel of it check the books that math departments use for teaching wavelets.



3. I bought this book with a great enthusiasm and hope to learn something about filter banks. Soon after I started to read it I figured that the book has a great deal of inconsistencies. To begin with the notation is awkward, and the dimensions of the vectors and matrices are often infinite! Clearly implying that the authors are not very practical after all... Chapter 4 on filter banks is more or less OK, with mentioning of many types and choices for filter designs but nothing deep and concrete (In Page 121 I couldn't find the reference "[VK]"). Chapter 5 is a disaster: Title of Section 5.2 should be "Orthogonal" instead of "Orthonormal", Page 148 says "presented below" but there are nothing "below", other mathematical proofs are sloppy and invalid. I recommend people interested in filter banks to read Vaidyanathan's book instead.



4. After reading several other books on wavelets, I picked up this one. On first inspection, it appears to be reader friendly and practical. It is neither! The presentation is disjointed, unclear, and lacks depth. I think it would be very hard to learn about wavelets from this book.



5. I have taken several courses on DSP. I found that this text takes topics that were presented, expanded them in great detail. It took some of the mystery out of my previous presentations. Anyone working with DSP should have this on their shelf!

5 comments about The Live Sound Manual: Getting Great Sound at Every Gig.

1. 250 8x11 pages without a single picture, drawing, image, graphic, table, graph or equation. Zero. Not one.

   The section on calculating the net impedance of speakers without an equation is hilarious: "This means turning each number on its head, then adding the numbers in this form, then changing the resulting number back to ordinary form."

   I bet you have never thought of an XLR connector as "three small round pins/holes forming a triangular pattern inside an 18mm diameter circle."

   There is also some questionable information, such as "the gain setting knobs [on an amplifier] should generally be set at maximum..." Never seen that one in print.

   Much better choices for an actual book are Davis: "Sound Reinforcement Handbook" and Stark: "Live Sound Reinforcement".




2. This book is the end all/be all of live sound. It covers everything you need to know...from what the knobs do, to what rooms have different sound qualities and how to adjust. It's perfect. As a professional touring musician, this is one of the most detailed books I've read on the issue. I highly recommend it.



3. Great Book with Great Information. I always say if I get 1 useful bit of info. then the purchase was worth it. This book gave more than just 1 bit of useful info!



4. A very informative read. I have been involved in bands for 30 years and it shows you can always learn something new..



5. This sound manual is the best reading for anyone who is just starting into the pro-sound business or has been doing it for years. The writer provide unlimited information on doing an excellent sound. His advice is indepth and consice. This is not a simple reading, the writer dives right into every technical aspect of doing a great sound live, and more. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to know more on doing a professional sound. I bought 4 copies to give to my sound crew.

5 comments about Auto Audio.

1. I'm new to car audio and this book doesn't teach me anything more than what I've learned from articles on howstuffworks.com, sounddomain.com etc. Besides, his overly use of not-so-funny jokes really drives me nuts (even the author admits his jokes are corny). I also picked up "The Car Stereo Cookbook", a book along the same line but a little bit more up-to-date and informative.



2. Believe me when I tell you I was a complete novice where auto audio is concerned. While I have setup several home systems, I have always got all of my cars' systems professionally installed, with the shop providing recommendations on what to buy, etc. I had no real understanding of amps, pre-amps, cross-vers, impedance, etc. I didn't even know what speaker specifications to look for.

   Also, if anything at all went wrong with my system, I wouldn't have known where to start to diagnose the problem.

   However, after reading this book, I can now say confidently (as I have proven by re-configuring my current setup) that I understand, not only the terms, but how everything fits together. I can now confidently (as I'm currently doing) shop around for my own components, without having to blindly accept what the dealer says.

   I even now have the confidence to install the system myself, although for that professional finsh, I may not. At least I can specify exactly what I want and can understand and challenge the installer, if appropriate.

   I very, very highly recommend this book. You will NOT be disappointed.




3. I would rate this book at 0 stars if I could, but 1 star is the minimum. Just think about the fact that this book has an infinite number of pages which narrate the history of car audio, the first amplifiers and how they worked, the first transistors,bla bla bla. - All of this without explaining some usefull information such as wire connections, amp channel manipulation, etc. I bought this book but I was very disappointed. I read a lot of books about auto audio, and I must say that this book is not usefull at all, especially to beginners. Dont repeat my mistake by buying this book.



4. This is the best book on car audio I have purchased or even read. I highly recommend it to anyone building a system or just replacing a head unit. It is well written, yes it does get rather detailed about things, but that is what I was looking for. Thanks Mr Yoder, Cliff "Cyclops" Bryant



5. I ordered this hoping that some basic questions would be answered, and many were, but this book is outdated. For example: Nowadays, the most common good quality car system uses a pair of component speakers, sometimes called "splits" plus a sub woofer. You wouldn't know it from reading this book though.
   
   Tuning your system? Doesn't even mention how to do this.
   
   Troubleshooting chapter? Nope.
   
   This book is pretty much all there is out there, and it will help with understanding many important things, esp if you are a complete novice. But because it is outdated, you will come away with some ideas that are not longer valid or important in helping you put together a system. You will need to supplement what you read here with info from other places.
   
   It is not a complete waste of your money, but if I were this author I would write a newer version, and pronto, and cover the sorts of issues people are bringing up on the car audio forums, where I have learned much more than what is given in this book. There is a real need for a good book on the subject.

1 comments about Systems Theory and Family Therapy: A Primer.

1. The Becvar's once again offer top-notch explanations of a sometimes difficult subject. This book is a must read for all individuals interested in integrating strong systems thinking and intervention into practice.

5 comments about Microsound.

1. Firstly I would like to disagree with the reviewer who said granular synthesis was not musical. I use it a musical way quite often. It can make very interesting sounds if you give it a go. I was hoping for a guide to granular syntheis, its implementation in some kind of program like Max or SynthEdit or Reaktor but this is not the book for that. Basically it covers a wide range of slightly different types of Granular Synthesis. Approx 2-5 pages are spent on each type. But as the tpyes are so similar bar the size of the windows or perhaps how the windows are selected it makes the book feel very same throughout. The intro chapter covers the history which is informative and interesting. Although the book covers a lot of ground nothing is covered in terms of practical application. No real reference to use is covered, no real description of how to create granular synth modules and no real description of musically useful approaches. He does let you hear some of his composition that he used for public performances but he doesn't really explain why he thought that particular type f synthesis worked well for that performance. I learned a little more about GS from Microsound but to be honest his Computer Music Tutorial is much better and the description of GS in the CMT is almost a good. Save your sheckles and buy the big brother Computer Music Tutorial.



2. A really excellent book. It is highly scholarly, yet easy to understand. He articulates concepts I have thought about for years, but was never able to express adequately. Roads has a talent for organizing very complex material within a perspective-oriented framework making the macro concept very easy to grasp.
   
   It would be extremely helpful to all serious composers of electronic/computer music.



3. This book will change how you make music and listen to music. There is no turning back.



4. Many people today seem to be obsessed with recreating 'classic' sounds, whether it's Minimoogs, TB303s or even traditional orchestral instruments. So it's refreshing to find that there are still people out there intent on pushing the boundaries of synthesis further and creating new sounds. Curtis Roads has done more than most in this field, and this book on granular synthesis that he has authored is a fairly comprehensive guide to the subject.
   Roads' involvement with granular synthesis began in 1972, and his research in the field has resulted in him eventually developing his own software. Granular synthesis deals with sound at a 'quantum' level: the sonic atom being the individual sample (any one of the 44100 taken in a second at the standard sampling rate). To be audible as anything other than a click, samples need to be grouped together to form grains of sound. These grains are typically anywhere between three and one hundred milliseconds in length. Granular synthesis is concerned with the organization and processing of both samples and grains to create sounds that are often far beyond the range of more traditional methods of synthesis.
   The technology and software required to manipulate sound at this level is now commonly available. Popular programs like Chaosynth and Max/MSP offer in-depth granular facilities, and Roads' own programs, Pulsar Generator and Cloud Generator, are, as you might expect, specifically designed for this sort of application. Although this technology has made it possible, granular synthesis remains a complex process. Microsound is perhaps the best theoretical and practical guide to date, its 409 pages concisely and fluently written throughout. The first chapters outline basic time scales in musical structure and the history and theory of microsound. Chapters three to six deal with the theory and practice of granular synthesis, examining everything from the organisation and processing of grains to the implementation of micro-scale transformations. The later chapters explore the implications and aesthetics of composing with microsound. The book concludes with a brief chapter about the future of granular synthesis. If there is any fault with this book, it is that it may be rather academic in tone for some readers - it is not a 'how to' book. However, if you are seriously interested in exploring granular synthesis, and understanding the principles behind it, then this book is ideal.
   For those readers who would like to get their hands dirty themselves and try programming granular synthesis compositions, you might want to look up Jass and jMusic on the web. Jass is a unit generator based audio synthesis programming environment written in pure Java. Jass requires Java 1.5. jMusic is a freeware API that supports both real-time and non-real-time granular synthesis. jMusic has extensive tutorials and example programs available online.
   I notice that Amazon does not show the table of contents for this book, so I do that here:
   Introduction **
   Acknowledgments ix
   Overview **
   1. Time Scales of Music **
   2. The History of Microsound from Antiquity to the Analog Era 43
   3. Granular Synthesis 85
   4. Varieties of Particle Synthesis 119
   5. Transformation of Microsound 179
   6. Windowed Analysis and Transformation 235
   7. Microsound in Composition 301
   8. Aesthetics of Composing with Microsound 325
   9. Conclusion 349
   References 353
   Appendix A: The Cloud Generator Program 383
   Appendix B: Sound Examples on the CD 389
   NOTE: Sections marked by "**" have sample chapters available at the book's website at MIT Press.



5. Read this book - comes with an enveloped-cd inside. It approaches to the sound from the scientific and really interesting angles.