I'd like to mention a book that came across my desk a couple weeks ago, Photoshop Channel Chops by David Biedny, Bert Monroy, and Nathan Moody.

I see a lot of Photoshop "how to do this and that" books, and usually it's beyond me why anyone bothered to write and publish them, since Photoshop comes with a perfectly good manual. This book caught my eye though, because it seems like I never know everything I think I should about complex channel operations, masking layers, compositing, and the like.

The book has a lot of good discussion of basic concepts of color and image density and how they relate to combining image elements with matting, keying, and mathematics. The book derives its authority from the fact that the writers are real world power users of the product, and so their attention is focused on operations that really matter, rather than a bunch of cutesy effects.

The book is written around Photoshop 4, but it's pretty much all applicable to version 5. If t! hey update it, I hope they'll use a slightly larger type font to go with the full color illustrations; I had to squint a bit to read it. But that's a small quibble. Recommended.

David Biedny and Bert Monroy are a couple of Photoshop gurus, and in this book, they team up with Nathan Moody to bring you the definitive book on using the venerable program's channel operations. An entertaining and educational introduction by Biedny discusses pre-digital compositing technology, a history of Photoshop, and includes sections entitled Why Are You Reading This? and Monkeys Push Buttons, Humans Push Their Brains. The chapters proper cover channels, alpha channels, layers, calculations (Biedny hates what Adobe did to calculations in version 4, so uses a hypothetical Calculations box for part of the chapter), paths and blue screen/green screen. At 226 pages, it doesn't seem very long, but it's got more good stuff than many books twice as long, including lots of groovy color illustrations.

David Biedny and Bert Monroy are a couple of Photoshop gurus, and in this book, they team up with Nathan Moody to bring you the definitive book on using the venerable program's channel operations. An entertaining and educational introduction by Biedny discusses pre-digital compositing technology, a history of Photoshop, and sections entitled Why Are You Reading This? and Monkeys Push Buttons, Humans Push Their Brains. The chapters proper cover channels, alpha channels, layers, calculations (Biedny hates what Adobe did to calculations in version 4, so uses a hypothetical Calculations box for part of the chapter), paths and blue screen/green screen. At 226 pages, it doesn't seem very long, but it's got more good stuff than many books twice as long, including lots of groovy color illustrations.

I loved the book, more important, my son who is Bipolar loved the book. He was very interested in what people's responses to Matt were. The best part about this book is that those responses are realistic. People get frustrated and irritated when stressed out.
My son loved the fact that Matt's Mom was so loving and understanding and the rest of his family wasn't. It was a good reflection of his own situation. Another good thing about this book is that it allows the Bipolar child to see their own over-reactions to situations, without getting angry themselves. I love this book, It's going to help alot of children.

Matt the Moody Hermit Crab is a very good book for explaining to children and adults alike just what it is like to be living with a Bipolar child. Our boys thought it was great that someone had written a book about a crab that behaved similar to how they behaved at times. I think the book helped them realize that they are not alone with this thing called Bipolar. There are others out there that face the same problems that they do.
This book is short enough that most adults or children should not have a problem with reading it in a short time. It will help give family, friends and teachers a idea of what Bipolar children and their parents face on a day to day basis.

I have adoped two children with mental health problems and am always looking for ways to help the children and their frinds understand Bipolar.
Matt the Moody Hermit Crab, tells this story in a way that children (and adults) can understand how the world seems from the family and ill child feels living with this illness 24/7.
I would recommend this book to anyone that knows someone with bipolar and wants to better understand the illness.
My 12 and 7 years old really enjoyed the book and were better able to understand their illnes.
We plan on buying a copy of this book for the school library.
The author is a mother of a child who has to live with this illnes 24/7 and was able to tell this story in a way that only a person living with this illnes could. I am glad to be able to know this author if only through the internet and her wisdom on the support group we belong too.
The cover attracts attention and the drawing inside are wonderful.

New convert or seasoned Christian, serious seeker or casually curious -- this is a fine Bible to own and to read. The genuine leather edition is supple and well made. The spine is Smythe-sewn, not stuck together with glue, as many Bibles are today, even expensive ones. Because the signatures are sewn together at the spine, this Bible will lie flat when it is open. The text is printed in clear, readable type that is large enough to read without squinting. The notes are generous and are likewise set in larger type than the majority of study Bible notes.The only weakness I see worthy of comment is that this edition does not have the helpful translators' notes in the margins. But all the other fine features are there. It has the finest book outlines, both at the introduction of each book and repeated as headers throughout the text, that I have seen in any other Bible.

The study Bible is simply one of the best on the market. The running commentary is outstanding as Charles Ryrie tries to present fair and balanced notes as to what the verses or the text is trying to communicate. On some passages, such as Genesis 6, he will provide serval diferent understandings of the passage, giving a broad education to the reader.

"A Synopsis of Bible Doctrine" is this study bible's strongest suite. It is easy to understand and would be a plus for any new Christian who is unfamilar with Christian doctrine. Except for a couple of places, Ryrie tries to present an objective look at doctrines. The section "The Doctrine of Future Things" is really good considering that Ryrie was dispensationalist, yet, he provides a quick refernce for all the major views: Pre-,Post-, and A-, millennialists are described.

There are other sections which make this study Bible the standard which others should be measured: Sections on the meaning of salavtion, archaelogy, and church history are easy to read and yet very informative.

Simply the study Bible that set the standard for others to follow.

The Ryrie NEW AMERICAN STANDARD is the MOST ACCURATE English Bible that we have available to us to date. It is an excellent study Bible with a good concordance and much more. The most important feature of this Bible is that it is a "word-for-word" translation of the original manuscripts. It is easy to read, clear, and concise. Also, there are maps, word descriptions, references to historical events, and records that concur and validate the Word.

When I initially opened the title of "Come on Seabiscuit!" Your page said that hardbound editions were available for $$$...I clicked on it and the only options that were available to me was starting at $$$...this should be looked at and corrected.

With the current fame of Hillenbrand's book, I dug Moody's book out for my young nieces. As good as Hillenbrand's book is, Seabiscuit is somewhat lost in the story of the men around him (Howard, Smith, Pollard, Woolf). Moody's book is shorter and geared to a younger audience. Seabiscuit the horse shines in this story more than Seabiscuit the historical phenomenon. I read once that Moody knew about some of Pollard's secrets, like his vision problem, but he promised to keep the secrets as long as the main players were alive. Moody also emphasizes how good a racehorse Seabiscuit was, how the blood of Man O'War ran through the veins of his grandson even if Seabiscuit didn't look the part. Some of the newer stories talk about Seabiscuit's being lucky to win and being from the wrong side of the track, when he was actually blazingly fast (tied and broke a number of records, including in the match race with War Admiral) and had the bluest of Kentucky blood in his veins.
But put the politics aside and read this wonderful story - like the old saying goes - it doesn't matter who trains them, and it doesn't really matter who rides them, and it certainly doesn't matter who owns them, in the end, a Thoroughbred will run as far and as fast as he was bred to run - and Seabiscuit ran true to his grandsire's heart.....and to his own.

The story of Seabiscuit is the story of an underdog who succeeds. Seabiscuit was a grandson of one of the greatest racehorses ever, Man O'War. In spite of Seabiscuit's pedigree, he was not regarded as a promising winner. Misunderstood and overlooked, he was overworked when very young and nearly faded into obscurity.

An unlikely trio saw his potential and raised him to greatness. Charles Howard, a bicycle repairman turned wealthy automobile dealer and thoroughbred owner, purchased the horse. His trainer, Tom Smith, was a former frontiersman, who knew many secrets about training and doctoring horses. Red Pollard, a product of brush-league riding, became Seabiscuit's jockey. With the help of these three men, the outcast horse became a legendary winner on the track.

"Come On Seabiscuit" is written mainly for children, but as others have said, it is a good read for any age. It is an inspirational story about love, trust, friendship, and tapping inner potential in the face of obstacles. Having read this book as a child, I'm thrilled to see it reprinted.

If you like this book, another good one on the same topic is "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand. The Hillenbrand book is written for adults, and includes details about the rough realities of the racing world.

The story of Edgar Cayce's life will inspire, uplift, sadden, and enlighten you. Now known as the Father of holistic medicine - he relates that we are mind, body, and spirit - all which works together for good. Reading this book is the beginning of the rest of your life. Once awakened, you can never go back to the way you were. This book is an introduction to a man, his family, his life, but greater, the soul's journey through time. It's your journey. Read it

Conservative Christians who wonder about such seemingly unbiblical concepts as karma and reincarnation would do well to read this book. It could change their lives, much as Edgar Cayce (a conservative, biblically oriented Christian) found his own life changed once he had been introduced to Truth.

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This book will set the tone for understanding HOW and WHY Edgar Cayce was able to do what he did.

This book should be followed by Edgar Cayce's story of Jesus, and then the Edgar Cayce Ccompanion.

These three books in this order will give the mind a comprehensive understanding of HOW and WHY this man was called the "sleeping prophet"

*****

I'm so tired of Christian authors who fill up their books with fluff - having to sift through page after page of the same old Christian-ese, hoping that someday the author will get to the point. So I took a chance on Fresh Power (this being the first Cymbala book I've read). It only took me a few pages to warm up to his style. Cymbala doesn't mess around. He cuts right to the heart of the issue, and brings his years of experience to the table when comparing the early church to the trendy attitudes that have torn apart the Church in America today. He sorts out the different views that today's Christians have about the Holy Spirit, and how we need to compare our views to the written Truth - the Bible. I'm ordering the whole Fresh series right now!

Like its predeccesors Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and Fresh Faith, Fresh Power will stir your soul and cause you to say, "YES! That's what I need!" Fresh Power is a fresh look at the timeless and essential work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life. It is not some new twist on the Holy Spirit for the contemporary church, but a refocusing on the same Power who has always been available to every Christian just as He was to the apostles and all the believers in the first church. This Power changed lives by the scores and it is still changing lives when believers turn to the Him and allow Him to work in and through their lives. Cymbala once again fills his book with testimony after testimony to affirm these truths he is sharing, and these testimonies are as compelling as the stories recorded in Acts. This is the same Power who causes non-believers to stop and take notice, "Wow, there IS a difference when Christ enters a life." This is the Power who causes a fellow Christian to be able to say, "If she could get the victory then I know I can too! I surrender control to You, Holy Spirit." Every day God offers us Fresh Power through His eternal Holy Spirit ....read this book and you too will shout "YES" to His offer to fill you to overflowing with His fresh Power!

Having grown up in a church where we just didn't talk much at all about the Holy Spirit's affect on our lives, Fresh Power was certainly an eye- and heart-opener; A call to rely on the Spirit's leading in every aspect of our lives, from prayer to working through our struggles. If you haven't received the flood of the Holy Spirit, this book won't give it to you, only God can do that. But perhaps Fresh Power can help lead you in the right direction.

This book surprised me -- it was a real page-turner, well-written in a nice, casual style, and a nice mix of mystery and suspense. The cycling scenes are well-crafted, and the twists and turns of the plot are enjoyable, with a nice, cheeky sense of fun. The characters are also clearly drawn, for the most part, and there are funny moments for all of them. A pleasure.

I am a teacher, a writer--and a huge cycling fan. Two Wheels was a great summer read for me and had me turning pages much more quickly than I did while reading the literary novels I also consumed. Moody entertains while giving us a look at the world of professional cycling that I've never gotten anywhere else--even in (sorry!) VeloNews. His characters are bumbling, flawed unsophisticated and inept--just like we are!!! Everyone in my household, from my artist daughter to my mystery-loving son, read this book and loved it. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go order Moody's next one....

Greg Moody entertains us with a thrilling novel encompassing both the mystery genre and cycling world. Great characters leave us wanting more. The descriptions of bike racing make even the average reader want to get on the bike and start pedaling! This is entertaining reading for anyone who has ever watched races like the Tour de France. Viva Greg Moody!

The author contradicts himself in the first chapter. He writes about how incredibly wonderful it is on the 'other side' and how people who have NDE's very often become extremely angry and hostile when they are resusitated and brought back to this world.

Yet, a few lines on, he tells the story of a woman who asks the Being of Light if she can come back to Earth because she wants to go dancing! It can't be all that bloody great through the ruddy tunnel if dancing in this world is better. I have come across authors who have contradicted themselves, but never before in the same chapter!

Another thing that annoys me about this book is that the author is very selective when quoting research results to back up his theories. For example, in the chapter 'Explanations' he quotes from research by a Carl Becker who explains why the tunnel effect experienced by NDEers can not be explained away as a leftover memory from the experience of birth, as has been suggested by other scientists. However, he could just as easily have quoted from books by Brian L. Weiss M.D. who has regressed many patients who very clearly indeed recall their birth experiences, and in the greatest detail, all of which were proved to be true.

Other than the above, I enjoyed 'The Light Beyond' and would recommend it.

This work seems to be more complete and better thought out than Life after Life (which I rated high). Dr Moody has a way of presenting the information of NDE in way that allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusions. He does offer his own response to the phenomena and explains that he has been moved by the direct contact with NDE people. Dr Ring also stated a similar emotional transit by association (how could one not?). As suggested, the idea of spirituality being important as opposed to religion, to me appeals to the average intellect. To live ones life with the virtues of good and love being foremost because it is the right thing to do for yourself and the world around you, seems like a grand idea. I believe this book helps us in that direction. The opinion that there was not a wealth of new data or ideas does not seem important. What seemed significant was the maturing of the concepts and the slight contrast to the first books personality. You could feel a certain security from the author that he was now presenting us all with a great truth, rather than a new cult curiosity. In all-- well worth reading.

One of the best books EVER written, along with Dr. Moodys Life After LIfe and Reunions

I am too, very interested in predictions about how the manufacturing will be in not 2020 but even in year 2010. With his impressive credentials Mr. Morley could be one of the best persons I would look up to. Oh boy, was I wrong? As another reader put properly, all you hear is "look how good I am. By the way, do you know who my co-author's father is?". Yes, there are few good ideas sprinkled all over the book. 127 wild card predictions authors make for future are wild speculations. To mention few, they predict that a disposable, pasted toothbrush will be available. You don't have to wait any longer, stay in Hampton Inn you can have one today. They say, PLC's will be here in twenty years from now, of course PLC is Mr. Morley's baby. And, programmers will be gone too. Who am I to disagree? but, I bet you for a cup of coffee PLC will be reduced to an embedded processor and will be in all appliances and tools, of course that is if PLC was a computer. You say, what about Programmers? Well , with all embedded processor and larger computers around, who do you think will do the interfacing? Interfacing is, even today, the biggest problam with ERP implementations. You need human programmers to do that. Computers will not run the humans, humans will run the compuiters. This book is at its best a poorly written science fiction. A huge disappointment coming from a legend like Mr. Morley.

Whether you love him or you hate him Richard Morely is the kind of writer who is hard to forget. The 127 wild card predictions in chapter 2 cover the price of the book. This book covers deals not just with the technology of manufacturing but the social process which will have to accompany these changes. There will be a new world order and Engineering Breakthroughs will lead the way...

Presents a vision of the future in which fewer people and plants are needed to satisfy demand, bringing vast changes to work and lifestyles. Beyond their "wild card" predictions, the authors also provide guidelines for those who want to be winners in the future. This is a stimulating and very interesting book. Forecasting that the 2020 manufacturing facility will be a twenty-four-by-seven capable operation with superbly qualified, lean staffs, - that teleconferencing and portable manufacturing combined with aligned customers and suppliers and well documented process controls, will make producing things incredibly simple-present some potent, transformational implications for society and work. But, glib forecasts aside, there is no mention of societal challenges in terms of work. We looked for the terms work, careers or jobs in the index and found none...except for Jobs, Steve. The is a A BOLD & IMAGINATIVE VISION OF A VIRTUAL CORNUCOPIA. Recommended. Reviewed by Gerry Stern and Yvette Borcia, founders, Stern & Associates and HR Knowledge Network, authors of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits.

Enns does an excellent job in taking a very complex subject (namely, theology) and breaking it down into a very readable format. While he certainly has his personal theological bent, it is not very apparent throughout much of the book, as he seems to honestly tackle the different styles and beliefs of doctrines. He is very effective in objectively (as far as it can be done) describing the various systems of belief. Numerous charts found throughout the book accentuate the discussion of the different chapters. The glossary in the back includes 1-2-sentence defintions, and while this is perhaps too simple, I could see this being advantageous for a beginner who is easily overwhelmed. For someone who would like an overview of theology, I would think this book should be a most valuable research tool.

Paul Enns writes in a style easily read by most high school "B" students. This book is rather comprehensive in subjects, and covers most subjects rather well. It speaks to opposing (theological) views and explains the differences very well. It will introduce and explain issues related to basic subjects that, unless you've attended in-depth theology classes, you will not even know existed. Subjects include the Bible, God, Salvation, Church, Future Events, etc. It also includes many tables to provide the big picture very quickly.

For basic theology books, it is one of two books I recommend for everyone. (The other one is "Practical Christianity" by Floyd Barackman.) Neither of these books would serve well as seminary text books, but rarely are we looking for such material anyway! If you want to get a good understanding of a doctrine in 30 minutes, either of these two books are very good choices. (This is using the book as a reference book, not for general reading. One could certainly simply read the book, but my guess is most owners use it in reference style instead. It has a good index, etc.)

I have read many "theology" books, and this one rates among the best. This book goes into depth that will assist someone in full time ministry, but the material is explained in a way that anyone else can easily comprehend it. Paul Enns did an outstanding job at organizing truths and principles found in the Word of God into easily understood topics. The material is rock solid, since it is based entirely on the Bible itself. This book is a necessity for addition to anyone's library.