5 comments about Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas.

1. This is a good field guide at the telescope. I like the layout and the information contained within it. Spiral bound is a plus, allowing you to lay it flat and not loose pages after a few weeks. However, I know it's a pocket book but its not! It's a little to big to be a pocket book and to small for easy identification of stellar targets. The size is just wrong! Bigger and it would be awesome, smaller and it would be very handy, as it is I use an old 1970s Patrick Moore book that is pocket size.



2. I purchased this book based on all the positive reviews. I thought it would be good for a beginner stargazer like me. This book is very confusing. Page after page of dots connected. I'm not sure where to look in the sky, what the constellations are, when to look. Help!! Maybe when I get better at finding constellations I will appreciate this book more, but in the meantime it has me puzzled.



3. I wasn't sure what this atlas would be like. I mean, how many stars could you pack into a "pocket atlas". The answer - a lot. This atlas, in fact, does a very good job at putting most of the important stars and deep sky objects found in the 2000 sky atlas. The thing that impressed me the most, however, was the layout and organization of the book. After struggling for years with trying to find the right page or chart to see a particular portion of the sky, this atlas makes that job easy. It's opened up an whole world of casual sky browsing. Of all the atlases and guides I own (about 10), I like this the most.



4. Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas has a unique and easy to use layout. The small size of the book makes it excellent to carry along on stargazing outings. It has helped me greatly



5. Really good for intermediates. You need to know the constellations to make this useful.

5 comments about Streetwise Washington, DC Map - Laminated City Street Map of Washington, DC.

1. This was the best source for helping us maneuver through the maze of buildings, monuments, and memorials in Washington, DC. The map is very functional. Flip it one way and you see the Metro, flip it another way you see the mall, still another and you have a DC area map. Since it's laminated, I kept it in my pocket while walking around and didn't worry about it getting sweaty or damaged. I really like the detailed names of the buildings and monuments near and around the national mall. Metro stops and streets are well marked. The next best thing to GPS.



2. We used this guide everyday of our trip to Washington, DC. The subway guide was especially useful. I never felt lost, and didn't waste any time trying to figure out where to go. It was such an important thing to have each day, we double checked each time we left the hotel to make sure we had it. I highly recommend it.



3. This is a nice map because it is plastic coated. It is normal map size which makes it a bit big to carry but has all the landmarks noted pretty well.



4. This map is very easy to read, and a great tool for getting around DC. The laminated cover keeps it durable, and the size makes it easy to pull out and look at anywhere. I recommend it highly.



5. Perfect for carrying around for quick reference to the DC area. It is sturdy, and won't rip apart. Having the metro map is a huge plus.

5 comments about The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism).

1. Christopher C. Horner begins his polemical "The PIG to Global Warming" by letting the screeching cat out of the bag: "Green is the new Red." The full cast of environmentalists, UN leaders, heads of industry, think tanks, and a certain American past presidential candidate-cum-pantheist guru are now today performing what the Soviet Comintern failed to accomplish back in the 20th century. Looking at how Al Gore currently strengthens his spiritual `oneness' with Creation (his annual electricity use in Nashville rose 10% in 2008, source: The Daily Telegraph) and works to reduce his `carbon footprint' while simultaneously jetting around the world on carbon-belching planes, I think skepticism is a healthy first-step before one blindly accepts Mr. Gore's often fabled `truths.' You certainly will not get skepticism and critical thinking from the likes of CNN, MSNBC for FAUX (Fox) News.
   
   The mainstream media shy away from accurately portraying the global warming issue, instead opting for alarmism, the parroting of falsehoods and outright lies, and the sucking up to powerful elites like Al Gore. This book is a welcomed relief, a near 300-page work of logical reasoning, sound scientific methodology, and careful political analysis. Horner documents environmentalism's ties with communism (Mikhail Gorbachev is a major player in the UN and `climate change' movement), the science behind global warming, the real profits and political ambitions that lie beneath the surface, and the destructive costs of global warming policies to the American consumer and economy.
   
   "Green" environmental movements suspiciously coincide with the political elites' plans for global government. According to Paul Johnson's April 23, 2007, article in Forbes, "The Menace of the Lobby," the number of "Greens" in Great Britain may well be in the millions. What exactly are their plans? For one, the denial of man-made climate change, according to environmental activists, would be considered a criminal offense on the scale of denying the Holocaust. Another sought-after goal is the subjecting of financial penalties on any particular activity that cause an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. These environmentalists all have the blessing of the Royal Society, Britain's most influential and prestigious scientific institution. Will these policies set sail for American soon? With "Sustainable Development," a UN/US program for governmental control over land, water, housing, and food, progressing without opposition in the United States, they may well already be here.
   
   Al Gore receives his own chapter in this latest edition of the "PIG" series. Although Mr. Horner decimates the shoddy arguments, half-truths, and outright falsities of "An Inconvenient Truth," the author largely ignores the fact that Gore's crusade shelters deep spiritual and religious zeal conveniently wrapped inside the name of science. Gore's first book, "Earth in the Balance," gives headway to the idea that Gore's message is intensely religious. His earth-centered spirituality calls for "saving the planet" to be the "central organizing principle" of government. "[A] panreligious perspective may prove especially important where our global civilization's responsibility for the earth is concerned.... Native American religions, for instance, offer a rich tapestry of ideas about our relationship to the earth....'All things are connected like the blood that unites us all.'" ("Earth in the Balance, pg. 259) Al Gore's pantheism is a perfect accomplice to the UN agenda of creating a universal spiritual outlook.
   
   The next time you fill up your gas tank in order to make the commute to the job that pays for that fuel and puts food on the table, remember that it was Al Gore and your member of Congress who refused to allow drilling in ANWR and offshore locations near Florida and California. It was not Greenpeace or any other environmental group. This inaction led to the energy catastrophe now hitting America (and expected to get worse). "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism" factually documents the powerful forces behind this movement, who desire a one-world government, increasingly large energy costs, "carbon taxes" and dastardly cap-and-trade systems, all in the name of "protecting the environment." However, a proper response cannot be issued without educating yourself (by reading this book) and educating your elected representatives and senators. If they are voting for the devastating consequences described in this book, vote the bums out and elect new members who will represent the American people. Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that when government pursues destructive ends without the consent of the governed, it is the people's RIGHT (not option, but RIGHT) to alter and abolish it, and to institute new government. Be thinking of those words when you go to the ballot box this November.



2. Finest book published on the subject and a must read for anyone voteing this November!!!!!!



3. This is a shrill and near-libelous diatribe against greens, environmentalists, the media in general, and Al Gore in particular.
   Its only redeeming feature is the last two chapters that actually give some reasoned information about why the Kyoto Protocol might be counterproductive.
   
   If you can get that far without going postal, I salute you. These two chapters are the only reason I give this book two stars instead of one.
   
   Charles Madden



4. Let's see, should we believe the 95% of climate scientists and the IPCC reports on global warming? Or should we believe a man who works for the "Competitive Enterprise Institute", a conservative think tank funded by oil companies like Amoco and Texaco?
   
   Wake up people--global warming naysayers paid by oil companies are hardly credible sources of information.
   
   If thousands of astronomers from around the world said that an asteroid would hit Earth in 30 years, would you believe them? Or would you believe a handful of pseudo-astronomers (paid for by special interests) who claim otherwise?



5. Another example of how, as the saying attributed to Benjamin Disraeli goes, there's "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics". Like many things ( or I should say most things ) when one "follows the money" it often leads to the perpetrator. I remember when my children were small and had all those "why" questions they always do. Other than "why is the sky blue" type questions, the answer, as any good detective will tell you, is usually because of money. Make no mistake, "Global Warming" is about two things, politics and money.
   
   The liberal scare mongering left would want us all to believe that without more government intervention ( which always translates into higher taxes and costs ) we will never survive the latest world ending tragedy upon us. Or as the author humorously notes, their publications about the end of the world always seem to have an annual renewal card enclosed ! The author develops a great case how the Kyoto Protocol is really about controlling Energy Policy. It was rejected by the US and 155 other countries, representing the majority of the world's economic activity and its population. It is a European treaty with one dozen others of which NONE are in fact currently reducing their emissions. How do the BRIC countries feel, Brazil, Russia, India and China ? They are all for having these major countries sign on. Why ? The cost to meet these impossible standards are of such staggering proportions that they gleefully declare "you, but not us". We would only become even more non-competitive with these countries as we are forced to raise our prices astronomically to adhere to the treaty. If you think you have seen jobs lost to overseas countries recently, just wait. "Cap and Trade" is a direct result of this policy, showing us once again how great sums of capital can be realized by producing nothing. I give credit to the people who dream these schemes up though, enriching themselves greatly while impoverishing others. Hey, just another day in the boardroom. OK I admit it, I'm jealous, I actually have to work and produce to earn a paycheck.
   
   And of course, let's not forget, George Bush, who is evil incarnate. He is solely to blame for all the world's problems ( I know this because my liberal friends tell me so, he was even responsible for hurricane Katrina ! ) but none of the positives that may have come about, such as the recent handing over of Iraq's Anbar province to its people, or the successful foiling of terrorists activity within our country's borders. Just a minute while I count up how many attacks since 9/11. Oh, that was easy, it would be NONE. Then we have Nancy Pelosi ( the failed author now ) who is "Trying to save the planet " by refusing to act in the interests of the American people( I thought that was her job )and allow any drilling which would go a long way in helping America become more energy independent. Just as a side note, why haven't any more of those annoying actors and other celebs left the country yet anyway ? They did promise if Bush won a few years back didn't they ? OK, there was Johnny Depp, now living in France. But other than J.D. could it be the simple fact that because it is better here than anywhere else ?
   
   Now, how are the statistics used to prejudice facts you may ask. On page 40 the author explains- "A combination of the absurdities occurred when President Bush introduced his 'Clear Skies Initiative'. This set of regulations aimed to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by a projected 73 percent, mercury by 69 percent, and nitrogen oxides by 67 percent. Natural Resources Defense Council and their cohorts decried this policy as an increase in pollution. They charged that Bush's policy would triple mercury emissions and increase sulphur by 50 percent. You see, the greens were advocating even stricter rules promising even larger emission reductions, enabling them to characterize 'Clear Skies' as an 'increase,' if only relative to the plans they had drawn up in their fancy offices".
   
   Now I am weak in math but I believe their logic goes something like this - I ( the greenie ) ask for a 60% reduction, and you ( the evil Bush ) want to give me ONLY 40%. Therefore you are giving me an increase of 50% ( add 50% of 40, or 20, to the number 40 and it is now 60 and VOILA - since I wanted 60% and I only got 40%, so you have given me an increase of 50%, not a decrease. This is ENRON type math at the very best. Apparently the facts don't matter when dealing with these people.
   
   Statistical Example #2- the greens would have you believe that based on weather station reporting that the earth's mean temperature is warming. The definition of mean will play no factor in their number. Why ? Because they fail to include the fact that reporting weather stations that were once included were in very cold areas of Russia. As the country began falling apart economically, they took those stations offline, thereby removing those LOW numbers that used to be included, thereby leading to higher overall numbers. Using my weak math skills again, I believe it's like this. I have a series of 20 numbers - 10 are 10 and 10 are 6. The average is 100+60 = 160, now divided by 20 = 8. I introduce the new weather readings( excuse me, numbers ) and have the following after taking the lower reporting stations offline ( sorry, I mean lower numbers out ). I now have the following set of numbers - 10 are still 10 but now only 6 are now 6. This gives me a total of 100+36 = 136. Divide 136 by 16 and the number is 8.5. Oh my word, the temperature of the earth has risen - based on my ( faulty ) SCIENTIFIC METHOD by .5 degrees or statistically by 6.25%. The result is a catastrophic scenario and a huge problem as my "statistical research" just "proved"
   ( actually, it's only a problem for those interested in keeping the "scientific method" scientific however ).
   
   By the way, the above mentioned 6.25% is an example of how one uses statistics to "prove the point", or as more intelligent, unemotional, nothing financially to gain people may say - "Lie".
   
   Follow the money. Many of the people pushing this agenda also have much to gain financially as new regulations are put into effect. Just look into how much Al Gore has at stake as these regulations become legally mandatory. In case you were not aware, Al Gore has joined Silicon Valley's Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Venture capital firm. As luck would have it, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers specializes in alternative energy investments. So Al is in a position to greatly profit by the efforts to offset the disasters that are attributed to Global Warming.
   
   The author also discusses that while there are some glaciers receding there are also other glaciers increasing. For some reason we never hear about that but instead get pictures of a polar bear "stranded" on a block of ice floating in the middle of nowhere. Great picture, and really was worth a thousand words but sorry, I was under the impression that polar bears could somehow swim ? ( They can by the way, regardless of what others may try and tell you ). Besides, I have it on good authority that particular bear was simply tired and took a rest by hitching a ride to his next stop. And those great pictures showing the large slabs of ice falling off the icebergs, more "proof" the planet is heating up - or not. The scientific term is "calving" and the author explains how it happens because the iceberg has actually gotten to large to maintain its size so these pieces breaking off happen as a normal course of events and are in no way related to "Global Warming".
   
   If they can keep us in fear, we can be told to turn to them ( government ) for more intervention and regulation to help solve the problems. After all, we all know it worked out so well with their handling of social security and the national debt.
   
   Finally, one of the things the green machine really hates is for someone who decides to learn about this subject to bring up the fact that wasn't it just recently they were predicting we were going to perish from a new ICE AGE ? Or as stated by Nigel Calder in International Wildlife, June of 1975, " The threat of a new ice age must now stand alongside nuclear war as a likely source of wholesale death and misery for mankind". And there was Paul Ehrlich who stated in his 1968 book, "The Population Bomb" that " the battle to feed humanity is over. In the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now". Where did they hide all those bodies anyway ? Oh, I forgot, we are facing a population explosion as well as increased obesity epidemics. But don't ever let the facts get in the way of a good story.
   
   
   
   
   EXAMPLE - please read the few RECENT short articles below regarding global warming at links below. The Science strongly disputes what the Eco's would have you believe
   
   [...]

5 comments about National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition.

1. I've had the new atlas for 60 days and find myself looking something up every 2-3 days. It's really been fun looking up remote places like Palmyra Atoll, Kerguelen Island, the Fly River and other obscure places I read about.
   
   And now I've found an interesting use for the password protected online atlas as well. The online Atlas gives you high-resolution access to all the Atlas map plates. You can print, copy or email maps or portions of maps. I expect the online Atlas to come in handy for school projects.
   
   If you've read through the reviews you'll know the Iranians are upset about the "renaming" of the Persian Gulf. OK, since I'm at work, I'll log in to the password protected Atlas website, pull up Plate 75 and take a look. The Persian Gulf is labeled "Persian Gulf" but underneath it in parentheses is the label "Arabian Gulf". Apparently "Arabian Gulf", even in parentheses, is an affront to Iranian pride.
   
   I want to be fair on this so I decided to check out some other atlases at my local bookstore to see how they handle the Gulf label. Most of the atlases use the term Persian Gulf by itself, but several prominent, highly-rated Atlases use the label "The Gulf" with no Persian or Arabian modifier, so there is legitimate debate in the cartographic world about how to refer to this body of water. For nationalistic reasons the Iranians want it only to be called the Persian Gulf, but I suspect the other countries bordering the Gulf would disagree. Most people will continue to call it the Persian Gulf, and the NGS Atlas appropriately uses that name as the primary label.
   
   However, Iran does not own the Persian Gulf, and if a different name is now used by millions of people, then you have to admire the NGS for including both labels and not bowing to pressure from any political group, unlike the Atlases that meekly call it "The Gulf". I sympathize with the Iranian's anger over what they perceive to be psychological warfare by the Arabs, but I would still prefer to know if an alternate name is in use locally, and that is what the NGS atlas provides. Geographic names evolve, and the NGS continues its strong history of providing up-to-date cartography.
   
   The new NGS World Atlas is among the top two or three World Atlases available, and the discounted price from Amazon makes it a relative bargain, especially when you consider you also get an online Atlas that mirrors the printed edition.
   
   I for one feel the maps in the NGS World Atlas are as accurate and beautiful as you will find anywhere and now they're available online as well. This is a great family resource.



2. In December 2004, National Geographic (NG) updated the Persian Gulf plate (Plate 75) to accomodate the controversies surrounding the place-names used in the 8th edition.

   Here is my understanding of the changes made:

   1. The term "Arabian Gulf" in parenthesis has been deleted. Instead, there is a small note that reads: "Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is also referred by some as the Arabian Gulf."

   2. Persian names of all Iranian islands are used. (Kish instead of Qeys, Lavan alone instead of adding Sheykh Sha'eyb in parenthesis)

   3. Deletion of "Occupied by Iran (Claimed by U.A.E.)" in reference to the islands Abu Musa, and Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

   These changes already appear on the website (www.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine) and will apply to further printings or editions of the NG Atlas. Also, on the password-protected website for NG Atlas owners, there is a "brief summary of the historical origin of the term Persian Gulf". There is also a note on the place-naming policy of NG. (The online update feature is great - you can download and/or print updated plates and put them in your atlas. This not new for NG Atlases, except that they used to send updates by mail.)

   Overall, I am impressed with NG's response to this situation. I am also very impressed with the quality of the atlas and its contents, except for the outermost/superficial binding paper. I have had the atlas for about 6 months, and with moderate use, the paper around the bottom of the spine has frayed. The binding itself is intact, though.




3. This is a wonderful full-color book on the geography of the world.
   The atlas has the following features:
   - a map relief for all the major mountains
   - green fonts for forestry
   - highlighted waterways
   - the ocean major currents
   - bays highlighted
   - the Isles of the Pacific i.e. Palau, Manihi, Lialtuka, Hiya Oa,
   Santa Cruz, Kosrae
   
   The North and South Pole is highlighted together with the
   East and West Antartica and separate reliefs for the oceans.
   The coloring is spectacular. This book would be perfect for the
   student in your house.



4. All the family look at this often. The kids like all the country facts. If you want an atlas that is affordable with lots of detail, this is a good choice. Looks very nice in it's box on our coffee table.



5. National Geographic have compiled the most comprehensive blue-print of planet Earth and its surroundings. (the moon, mars, milky way etc) The book is well designed aesthetically and practically, beautiful in it's complexity but organized in a way thats easy to follow. it doesn't get any better than this.
   
   Most guests at my house notice the giant blue book pretty quickly and have shown nothing but amazed impressions.
   
   I definitely approve of this (honestly) hefty purchase. It's worth it

5 comments about Streetwise London Map - Laminated City Street Map of London, England - with integrated London Underground map including tube lines and stations.

1. You're going to need a map in London. This is a well crafted graphic, easy to read and understand, and appears to be constructed well enough to withstand lots of references, and probably lots of exposure to London weather.



2. Although this small, laminated, folding map will fit in you pocket or bag it was hardly ever there. On my recent trip to London I usually had it in my hand along with the London Mapguide. It is perfect for tourist wanting to see as much as possible within the city. It is very detailed with all the famous landmarks highlighted & color coded. It also has a list of the streets & other places of interest in ABC order with their position on the map, along with a subway map. Highly recommend!!!



3. This is a good, detailed and waterproof map. It is quite helpful for the heart of London. It is however small and a little hard to read. I am here as a tourist and when I reach in to my bag I always pull out the free tourist map that the hotel gave me. The free one is easier to read and marks the tourist sights a little better. If you are just coming for a short holiday, you really don't need to get a map in advance. Get one from your hotel when you check in. If you are moving here it is a good quick reference, but many Londoners use the more extensive A to Z.



4. This handy maps are great. Be sure to review them before you leave to be sure they cover the area you will be in because they are limited to city center and specific highly traveled areas around city center but these compact maps are durable and have all the detail needed. They also include public transit. I would buy these for all my city travels.



5. I have used many Streetwise maps throughout Europe, and they remain my favorites overall for ease of use and utility of information presented. Some have criticized this map as only being of central London, and that's true: that's also why the official name of the map is "Streetwise London Centre City." Certainly maps covering more of London exist, but they would be illegible if reduced to this size. Likewise, more detailed maps exist, but to retain the convenient size the area of map coverage would have to be greatly reduced.
   
   All maps are designed for a purpose, and in this case the purpose is for touring central London's major streets and attractions, and for that purpose this map excels. It is an excellent balance of comprehensive information and good legibility and should suit most tourists well. The map was revised this year (2008) and contains current information in my experience. I had no difficulty finding popular (e.g., Buckingham Palace) and less known (e.g., The Dali Universe) destinations alike with this map. Although I had several maps with me, after a day or so this was the one that I reached for first. The map does have an inset map of the London underground routes and stations, and the stations themselves appear on the main map as well. I recommend the "London Underground" map by Streetwise as well if you plan on making use of the tube a lot.
   
   I have used many brands of maps all over the world, but for ease of use, legibility, and durability, I prefer the Streetwise series of maps.

5 comments about Organize for Disaster: Prepare Your Family and Your Home for Any Natural Or Unnatural Disaster.

1. First - this is NOT a complete book on disaster preparedness. It is a book on how to organize your belongings and information in case of disaster - period. In that respect it is excellent. It is an essential part of a disaster preparedness library but you will need other books that cover other topics.



2. A lot of the information is common sense, but there were many suggestions that I had not thought of before. I would definitely recommend it to everyone, and will likely give this book as gifts this Christmas to my family members.



3. If you've done any research on the web about emergency preparedness, you already know much of what's in this book. It might be good for a family or individual with no prior consideration of the issue, however.



4. Bought this as a gift. Seemed to be appropriate. Easy to read and follow.



5. This was a nice light read but was still full of great information. I HIGHLY recommend it! It's a great comprehensive overview of preparedness, you could even call it a 'primer'. I found it to be a great book for someone just starting out. If you're experienced in preparedness that book may seem elementary to you but you also might find a few things you haven't thought of. It's certainly worth the investment
   
   Another big plus with this title is that it doesn't lean heavily on one area or another like so many other preparedness books. I have about a dozen different titles and some of them lean heavily on food storage or off grid skills.
   
   The type of information included does not get outdated. This is important to consider in preparedness books. I've seen several that were Y2K based (or other outdated concerns).
   
   Each chapter has a section at the end telling how you can involve children in the process which I found quite useful. There is also an appendix of about a dozen forms that will come in quite useful in your preparedness process.
   
   There are a few items that make this book worth holding onto long term as opposed to reading, assimilating the info, and passing it on.

5 comments about Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water and Space Heating Systems (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series).

1. Content wise this is an excellent book. The level is just right for individuals that need to make the right choices to provide renewable Domistic Hot Water and Space Heating for their homes without having to sift through many non insightful therory and math. It has good collection of rules of thumb for a quick design. I have one criticism for this book. In my copy pages 113-144 are printed twice. The book is really only 240 pages and not 288 as stated in Amazon by the publisher. Not that the 40 extra pages would have completed the book. The book is fairly well written and complete as it is. I am just for saving paper/trees.



2. This book is practical and written in a very easy to understand manner. The author has extensive experience in the area of solar heating of water and conveys that knowledge to the reader very effectively. This book goes beyond hot water for household use and into radiant heating with the use of a heat storage system using a large sand bed which is the GEM of the book! I am planning on building a cabin in the Colorado Mtns and wanted this retreat to be self-sustaining and not a warm cabin that was sucking power or energy while not in use. This book has inspired me to design into the cabin solar hot water for household and radiant use. Now if I could just find a decent book about radiant heating for less than $100...........



3. Very good and useful book if you want to understand/evaluate offers/tenders of companies that will construct your solar water heating system. Contains all the rules of thumbs and all the subjects really you need to know (system components, scaling of the system, types of solar water heating systems, system maintenance, system installation, cost calculations, etc.). My only real disappointment is the pervasive use of non-metric units (btu/therms, feet, gallons) throughout the book. This makes it hard to read for non-American readers. There is a unit conversion table, but it would have been better to include the second unit system between brackets or just to use the international metric system. Also a decision diagram/tree for helping to decide what type of solar heating system you would best go for depending on your climate/freezing conditions or not, etc. would have been a useful addition. This information, though, is in the text, but you just have to read it all.



4. This is a very well written book. Bob Ramlow has done a lot of work on the subject of solar heating and makes the subject fun to read. I highly recommend that if you are interested in solar heating you also read "Build Your Own Solar Heating System" by Kenneth Clive. Build Your Own Solar Heating System



5. After reading reviews for this book I made the purchase hoping to have the basics of solar water heating covered. The book does that very well. Like most of us I'd love to see a book covering a detailed step by step installation with tools, equipment, costs, etc. But people with a handy man ability or a bit more like myself (builder)can figure things out pretty easily. Over All an excellent resource!

5 comments about GIS Tutorial Updated for ArcGIS 9.2: Workbook for Arc View 9, second edition.

1. My book got here on time for me to turn in my assignments for school and in perfect condition.



2. I bought this book as an alternative to a workplace-offered course that was going to cost me $300, and I'm glad I did. This book took me about a month to get through, working on in my free time, as opposed to the 2-day class, but I've come away with a much more extensive grasp of how to use GIS. The book is quite extensive in what it introduces you to, and is great for referencing if you're already an experienced ArcGIS user. It's obvious the book was originally designed to be used as a college textbook.
   My two main complaints are: some of the assignments require downloading information off the web, and it's extremely difficult to locate the information required for the assignment, and in several cases, was impossible, due to the ever-changing nature of websites.
   My other complaint is that there is no index, so you have to be very familiar with the textbook and table of contents to know what you're looking for in terms of referencing.
   I highly recommend the book, but I would suggest to ESRI to incorporate an index and dedicated companion website for it in future editions.



3. This manual is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to learn the ArcGIS enviornment. I teach this professionally, and often recomend this as a good source for material. I highly recomend this to anyone who is starting out in the GIS field.



4. This book is a complete and easy to understand tutorial for beginners or self-study readers, it explains through examples, so readers can easily understand the subject. Full of graphics, step-by-step instructions, CD data for working with the tutorials, and 180 days trial ArcView 9.2 Software, make this book a complete tutorial book. Highly Recommended.



5. 
   I am using this to get up to speed for a class next month. I expected a simple introduction, but it seems to go pretty deep with a lot of detail. This is my first time playing with GIS, and I am sold on ArcView.
   
   One comment about the book is that sometimes the directions are not accurate, which actually helps me learn the program a little more intimately. For example, when changing an attribute the directions say "Click Okay," but I needed to click "Apply" first. This is no big deal and actually makes me think a little bit more about what I am doing and why I am doing it.
   
   Overall, this is a good deal, especially getting a six month trial of the software, which will get me through next semester for less than half the price of the academic version.
   
   I also like that the practice excercises allow me to use a little of my own discretion. Again, this might not be a big deal for others, but I hate getting micro-managed. I tend to shut down and not realy learn a whole lot, until I start experimenting on my own, but the book's format allows me to make enough of my own decisions that I don't feel like I am trapped. I realize that this is probably more of a personality issue, but if you need to learn some GIS fundamentals and hate authority then this book might just work out for you.

5 comments about Anastasia (The Ringing Cedars, Book 1).

1. After "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch these books are perhaps the best I have ever read. The book describes the philosophy of Ananstasia - a spiritual hermit who lives in the woods of the the Siberian Taiga. She presents a very positive and spiritual life style with which humans can achieve happiness and live in harmony with nature. If you are looking for a positive and joyful perspective on life this is the book for you.



2. It was recommended that I read this series of books and so I bought the first 6 all at once. I have almost completed the 3rd book in the series, "The Space of Love". Thankfully, the writing has improved somewhat and the concepts put forth are beginning to gel. But this work seems neither channelled nor inspired from any higher source other than an "aware" human being. I slogged through the first book and it's constant references to the "technocrats" of Russia and it's new "entrepreneurs". I thought I had entered some kind of time-warped and yet oddly "Twilight Zone" way of thinking that smacked of the cold war wordplay of past decades. 1984 anyone? If this were truly information that was divinely inspired, there would not be the endless references made to a particular culture, but rather it would be more inclusive of mankind's experience as a whole and each citizen of this planet. There are interesting insights that actually address some issues discussed in "Conversations with God", but the Ringing Cedars books can in no way be compared with Neale Donald Walsch's series. On the one hand these books are curiously 101-er, and at the same time, if the reader does not have a certain level of understanding of metaphysics in general, they might get lost pretty early on. Since I have 3 more books, I will complete them. At this point I am just plain curious what is coming up next. Better recommendation, Ekhart Tolle's "The Power of Now".



3. I am up to book 7 of the series, and can understand some others' frustrations with the writing style. Vladimir, the author, is one person, Anastasia is another. Vladimir gets annoying, as he has no spiritual background and so doesn't understand some of the things that Anastasia tells him. But there are enough footnotes and mention of real people that I am convinced that Anastasia is a real person. If you read the books with that in mind, she is an amazing person and they are worth reading to see an example of what the full human potential really is. She also has some good pointers for people to realize the full potential of their gardens and home spaces. Her points on raising kids are highly important and something I haven't come across in standard U.S. spiritual books.
   
   The books are from Russia and they describe a spiritual awakening happening in Russia. Some of it is not completely relevant to the U.S., but it was interesting to read just for that glimpse of spiritual awakening happening in other parts of the globe. Americans are notorious for being ignorant of anything happening anywhere else - here's your chance to remedy that! It could well happen that America loses its place as 'super-power', in which case these teachings may become more relevent. These books bring us back to a life that is love.
   
   My main complaint about this series of books is that to really get anything out of them, you need to read at least half of the series. The price tag adds up - an abridged version where you could get more of just Anastasia and less of Vladimir in one or two volumes would be a better value.
   
   I also had a problem with the 'everything is for Man's benefit' theme - I don't see the reason for mosquitos and wasps, for one thing!! But I think her point is that Man is a powerful creative force, and with great power comes great responsibility. As Barbara Hand Clow says, Man is keeper of the 3rd Dimension. Anastasia show us what that can look like.



4. Out of all the books I read this one probably has had the biggest impact on me so far. It doesn't matter if the story described in the book really took place or if Anastasia really exists. It is Anastasia's viewpoint on God, Nature and Man's destiny what really matters. Direct answers are given here to these eternal questions by down-to-earth personality of a woman living in the depths of taiga. It is totally up to you to agree or not to agree with her viewpoint, but they are life's most important questions and the book gives you another chance to think about them. More so, to think about them in the uplifting and positive way. I highly recommend the book.



5. I have to report that this book is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. It reads like a middle-aged man's fantasy of a young, beautiful, innocent-yet-wise woman who will have sex with him, show him the wonders of her world, and frolic in the forest like a wood nymph (she is forever twirling around, leaping, diving into the water, and treating the animals like how you would see a Disney princess treating them - like subservient placid pets (even wild wolves and bears!)). The character Anastasia seems to be based on the character Ayla from the Earth's Children series by Jean Auel. Those books are a much better read, don't waste your money on this one.

5 comments about National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals (National Audubon Society Field Guides).

1. I was really excited to buy this book, but it wasn't as great as I was expecting. The pictures are deceiving to me. I can't really use this book to identify rocks in my collection.



2. We are avid rockhounds and have been looking for a book to help identify some of what we find. This book had great photos and descriptions. I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone.



3. The National Audubon Field Guides are all great and the clear pictures make rock and mineral identification much easier.



4. I love the pictures, even though I did notice the pictures and the corresponding text are in different parts of the guide. The small size allows me to take the book with me anywhere.



5. As a Library Media Specialist, I receive requests for all sorts of books. This one was a request from an earth science instructor for a book that gave some really good examples of rocks and minerals --in color.