I picked this book up because I was looking for something "fun" for Valentine's Day. This is a really creative book to get "good" and "bad" ideas for a romantic evening- with alot of humor mixed in for good measure. Two thumbs up!

This book was hilarious. And it made me feel dirty in all the right ways. By the end, I found myself exclaiming, "My word, I'm feeling both naughty AND nice. I wonder if that's what the authors intended?" One look at the title was enough to tell me I was right.

If nothing else, Boyd Geary is one sexy [person]. If that's not reason enough to buy this book, I don't know what is.

What an excellent collection of ideas to get you and your lover started once the dinner-and-a-movie routine has run it's course. I actually read all the right-hand pages first (that's the naughty stuff) but found myself drawn to the nice side, too. There's great inspiration here for rekindling romance, or sparking it in the first place if you have a hard time finding your partners soft spot. We don't take the book literally like an instruction manual but instead springboard off into our own fantasies. It's a welcome way to start a conversation with your lover over a "touchy" subject. Enjoy!

This book skips the jargon and spells everything out -- Yet has key details for intermediate or advanced readers.

I found this book very informative, a great resource on any IP QoS related topics, including very thorough explanations of how different protocols and parts of theirof came about. It is remarkably comprehensive and free of little typos and inconsistencies that seemed to have become almost a rule, based on my other recent readings.

I highly recommend it for anybody who is working in the IP networking environment.

The book - Networking Quality of Service and Windows Operating Systems provides an in-depth introduction to Quality of Service followed by a set of theoretical applications of QoS mechanisms to network engineering scenarios.

The beginning of the book contains the requisite presentation of QoS queuing mechanisms, and IETF work in both the Integrated and Differentiated Services areas. There is also a good discussion on the issues surrounding policy management in QoS enabled networks.

However this books' primary value (and worth its price alone,) are

1) it's discussion of the Quality of Service implementation on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform. It is essential for anyone developing and hosting QoS enabled applications on the Windows platform. It provides in-depth discussion of the Windows Generic QoS API, QoS Service provider, as well as the traffic control API, and traffic control components including a great discussion on the internal queuing for QoS enabled applications. In the final chapter, the author covers Microsoft value added services for Quality of Service with a discussion of the Access Control Server (ACS) and Subnet Bandwidth Manager(SBM).

2) the authors' intimate knowledge and vision really show with his introduction of a Quality/Efficiency Product (or Q/E product) for QoS enabled networks. This idea is outlined in chapter two, and further referenced in threads throughout the remaining chapters of the book and provides a measurement tool for determining the efficiency of the network over differing QoS mechanisms. The Q/E product - if automated - would go a long way to providing networks with dynamic tools for near real-time QoS provisioning processes inside the network. The Q/E product could provide the foundation on which policy automation and dynamic resource reconfiguration could take place. The Q/E product for a network could be adjusted when promoting applications into or demoting applications out of the QoS space in a network. The impacts of which would be known to existing network SLA's. Although this idea is in its infancy, it provides food for thought to those doing future network research and development in the area of QoS tools and automation.

I highly recommend this book to Networking Engineers, Application and Network Developers, as well as Network Performance and Management planners.

I bought and read this book in preparation for moving from San Diego to Norfolk...I wanted to get a flavor of the area. What a pleasant surprise! A fascinating read and one that will make you want to visit the area to see where ESB lived, and where she had such influence in preserving historical Richmond.

Knowing a bona fide eccentric, especially a benevolent one, is simultaneously an entertaining and exasperating experience. Sharing that experience with others is usually daunting. Either the essence of the person being described becomes lost in a jumble of amusing but disjointed anecdotes or eccentricity overwhelms the eccentric, rendering a flat, one-dimensional cartoon in place of a complex, multi-faceted portrait.

In Never Ask Permission, Mary Buford Hitz tackles this daunting task head on, the subject of this memoir being her mother, Elizabeth Scott Bocock or, as she often signed herself, ESB. Rather than take a sequential, "I-am-born" approach, the author chooses to devote separate chapters to different aspects of her mother's personality, each chapter a self-contained essay, overflowing with anecdotes, quotes, and, perhaps most illuminating of all, snippets of ESB's autobiographical sketches. (Most of these autobiographical excerpts, by the way, come from essays ESB wrote during her college years, which began after her sixty-seventh birthday.) Just as a puzzle becomes a picture as each piece falls into place, so does ESB's complex character come into focus, chapter by chapter, with a poignant, but essential clue to this charming, but undeniably complex Virginian saved until the very end.

Many CEO's could learn from ESB's capacity to set goals and achieve them. As ESB emerges from the pages of this lovingly crafted book, the reader meets a determined and creative thinker who probably would not have been impressed with "left-brain/right-brain, lateral thinking, creative problem-solving, if you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem" lingo, but who embodied the positive persona such jargon seeks to describe. With one foot firmly planted in late Victorian America and the other constantly, restlessly forcing her into the future, she was a visionary with an astonishing ability to get things done.

If you enjoy biography, if you are fascinated by Virginia, if you want some side-splitting laughs, or if you are just interested in a good read, this is the book for you.

If the moral of Never ask permission lies in the title, I will jump to the front of the line to praise it. The narrative careens around corners and bounces over bumps so merrily that the reader has only fleeting moments to enjoy the insiights and hoot at the comedy while holding on tightly to that pale yellow tailgate.

Light-hearted and deep. Lucado's intelligence and humor fail to mask an underlying gentleness of spirit. His imaginative pseudo-physical depictions of God enliven the serious discourse. If enough readers discover it, it could become a classic.

Never Too Busy For You" is a unique book. Author
> Scott Lucado is simulataneously bold but humble,
> sassy
> but wise, light and heavy as he provokes the reader
> to
> think and feel about the meanings of life, death and
> time. Psychologists and philosophers are likely to
> find a useful story here somewhere---so will
> plumbers
> and musicians and teachers of all flavors. Scott is
> perceptive, revealing and amusing in the way he
> writes
> light dialogue that covers deep subjects of religion
> and spirituality. A Christian lens is clearly
> visible,
> but I am not Christian and still found the stories
> and
> ideas interesting and accessible. This is a keeper
> for
> me.

This is a very personal and inspiring peek at the other side of death, and it is filled with interesting notions about our relationship to/with the cosmos. It includes discussions with God, a difficult thing to contemplate, and approaches the great question of existence with both humor and ennui. Few books contain ideas that keep me up at night, thinking, wondering, but this is one of those rare tomes that kept my mind spinning long after I had closed the cover. In fact, it was so interesting that I know I'll read it more than once.

This book gives an excellent overview of the coin grading and the attempts to artificially alter coins to enhance their apparent value. The book is organized in essay format, with good flow between chapters. Numerous diagrams make this an easy read. As might be expected in a general work, some aspects of the work deserve a more complete treatment than they receive here. This is a good read, and a worthwhile introduction. I am not a "coin person", but I found this quite diverting.

This is a real good book I would recommend for anyone. There is a whole lot in this book to explore. Sometimes I almost think it is WAY TOOOOO BIG!!! But it isa wonderful book, and it is at a WONDERFUL price here!! Pick it up! It is a good book!

There is more knowledge packed in this book than any 10 coin books combined. I now know the standards involved in Mint State grading, although the average collector like myself should understand that you probably won't be able to sit down after reading this book and tell the difference between an MS-64 and an MS-65 if you couldn't before. Still, I am much more comfortable now in all stages of grading, and much more confident when buying and selling coins. The counterfeit detection part is probably not relevant to the average collector, but it is interesting information that adds to your knowledge of the hobby and the enjoyment of collecting.

I wish more books were this concise and to the point. Very deep, very interesting, and worth every penny.

One of the best! Scott has a remarkable way of drawing your attention to what is really important, this moment, the only moment you truly have. It is amazing that such a small book can be so filled with wisdom. A book that I have read and enjoyed many times and look forward to reading and enjoying again.

In my lifelong search for truth and wisdom, Scott Morrison's work has been pivotal for me. His sincerity and depth of understanding are stunning, and Open and Innocent will make your heart glow with happiness and loving kindness. There are so many wonderful surprises in this book! Like an old friend, he gently encourages the reader to abandon the arrogance and pretense of opinion and knowing in advance, and to discover firsthand the wonder and beauty of this present unknown moment.

This is a great story for anyone that is into imagination! Let Earl take you on an adventurous journey! The Trees have them down and out Blues and to resuce is no other than Outer Space Earl.

This book was exciting from the start! Earl and Grandpa are out to help save the tress because of their "Blues!" For my younger child the book was a great tool for helping her learn how to read, and most importantly she had enjoyed it!

This book is very well written and so much fun. Grandpa and Earl really keep you entertained with their silly tactics, and we cannot wait for the next adventure that Outer Space Earl takes us on! Love this book and these characters!

I admit, it's been a long time since I've picked up a science fiction book with the intent of reading it. I've been disenfranchised with the entire genre as a whole since I tried stomaching a few bad novels. But, lo and behold, this one made me sit up and take note! There is hope yet!

This novel in particular I was pleased with because of its historical accuracy to the Renaissance period while being unafraid to drop in a bit of alien involvement here and there. The main character, John Dee, is also particularly endearing. While he's easily recognizable as the protagonist and the one who is supposed to "save the world" (such as it is) he's still a bit of a scoundrel and a villain. I would, without a doubt, recommend this novel.

Co-authors Armin Shimmerman and Michael Scott have done an *excellent* job in creating a believable, though often bleak, view of Earth's near future. This is good, solid science fiction, with aliens, advanced technology, societal commentary, the threatened end of the world as we know it -- all the best SF elements. Better still, the characters and dialogue are *fantastic* -- especially the hero, Dr. John Dee. An incredibly complex person, admirable yet by no means a saint, strong and self-sufficient yet sympathetic. The supporting characters are also intriguing and well developed. If this could be a series of novels, I'd love to see and learn more of Dr. Dee... on the other hand, after his amazing feats of derring-do in this book, any further adventures would run the risk of feeling anti-climactic! The "Star Trek" references scattered here and there through the story are certainly fun -- but you don't have to like "Trek" to appreciate this book. It's a though-provoking, self-contained story in the best traditions of classic SF -- and Dee is a unique, exciting hero. Don't miss this one!

I think this book is the best I've read in a longtime. Fans of Armin Shimerman will love this. It is his first I've read outside of his Startrek books, but it won't be the last!

This is a great book, easy to read and packed with ideas to help individuals make their mark. Until reading MicroBranding, I had never thought of myself and how others see me as a brand. Yet I am amazed at how T. Scott Gross' information pertains to all areas of my life. In both my career and personal relationships, I have unique qualities and I need to be able to articulate them to others if I am to be successful. T. Scott Gross also recommends that we develop personal mission statements to keep ourselves focused on our goals in life. He gives lots of examples and stories and is quite entertaining. Lots of great networking tips and ideas too!

A "microbrand" is a product brand that is related to, or which sits atop the foundation of, a larger national or global product brand name. Micro Branding: Build A Powerful Personal Band & Beat Your Competition by microbrand expert T. Scott Gross is a straightforward, step-by-step, "how to" guide to building a profitable local or personal microbrand brand. How to manage and uphold the good reputation of the newly established microbrand, the option of adopting a theme, training employees, gems of advice and much more make Micro Branding a superbly presented and highly recommended business reference. Scott Gross' basic message for the entrepreneur and corporate manager is "Don't *try* to be the best brand in the world. Be the best brand for the world, and the market will reward you richly." Reading Micro Branding will show you how to go about doing just that!

As with Mr. Gross' previous book Positively Outrageous Service, I found Microbranding to be extremely well-written. It is not only grounded in apllicable, impactful content, but also written in a manner that is entertaining and fun!

In my business (and my personal life), I have found that we often complicate issues until they either become too big to tackle or lost in the confusion. In MicroBranding, Mr. Gross clearly explains that this need not be the case when building a personal or local brand. Using real-world examples, he illustrates that building a powerful microbrand is both attainable and necessary. Understanding that you simply do not need a global brand to compete in your niche is one of the powerful pieces of information I gained from reading this book.

I'll admit up front that I purchased this book because I am familiar with the author, having grown up in the same neck of the NJ woods as Mr. Bowen. If that makes me bias, so be it. Let me also say that the only fishing I have ever done is for sunnies, and that was many, many moons ago. I think I used a stick with a string and God only knows what kind of bait -- not exactly high tech gear, even back then. Despite my inexperience, I found these stories charming, witty, and down right enjoyable. The "Midnight Fish," "The Fishing Son," and " Mudfish" were my favorite tales. I highly recommend this book to anyone, and look forward to future works from this author.

This book is fantastic. Every fisherman should have this book in his library and read it before the first trip each year. Bowen's work is inspiring. Bring us more!

Scott Bowen has written a gem of a book. The Midnight Fish and Other Stories is more than a collection of tales about fishing. He uses fishing as a base for exploring human relationships, among family, among friends, among strangers. That is not to say that the excitement of fishing is neglected. The author thoroughly knows his business, whether it's surf-fishing, trout fishing, small-mouth-bass fishing, stripper fishing, inlet fishing, or deep-sea fishing: the authentic details are all there. You know the author has stalked these fishes himself. He knows the language, technical and emotive. And fishing provides the line that ties all the stories together. But the reason I prize these stories is for their quirks and twists concerning human relationships and character. There's Uncle Jake of "Jake's Arm," who converts the narrator from Zebco spin casting to fly fishing--but the story is really about how Jake lost his arm, and the consequential complications caused in a family relationship. Then there's the one about John Irving--not the real John Irving, but some folks think he is. There's the animal-rights, neo-hippy of "Mudfish," who throws a hitch into a good day of fishing in the Swamp. Then there's Uncle Seamus.... I could go on--there's a marvelous menage of characters inhabiting the book. But you need to get the book yourself and see just how good it is.