This book is the best introduction to world cultures and world missions for children ages 3-10 that I have found. The artwork creates interest and curiosity in small children and the simple text gives older children a starting place for beginning research. The people groups are presented with accuracy and dignity. This is a great book to begin helping children think outside of their own culture and their own backyard. My children and I use it as a world prayer guide.

Finally, a interesting piece of history documented with todays resources. Enjoyable for advocates of L & C and those who would want a GREAT photography table book.

In this book you'll find all you need to know to start your own fruit garden. Hill explains evrything in an easy to read, smooth flowing format. You'l love it.

This collection is a Harlequin two-for-one book (...).

The first book, Full Bloom by Jayne Ann Krentz, is a reprint of one of her short contemporaries (55,000 words or so) from 1987. If you never read it, it is one of her better works of that genre and well worth having.

Emily Ravenscroft is tired of her rich, domineering parents overseeing her every move. And she is equally tired of the interference of Jacob Stone, the tough, sexy troubleshooter her family has sent after her for years to make sure she stays out of trouble. Jacob has been extremely attracted to Emily since the day he met her, but as far as he's concerned, she is strictly off-limits as the daughter of his employers. Unfortunately for his determined vow, Emily has recently decided she is tired of being dutiful, and fiercely protests when her parents sic Jacob on her once again. She doesn't want Jacob as a watchdog, she wants him for a lover, and this go-round, she's determined to change the status quo.

This sprightly book is full of Krentz's trademark, witty sparring between an ultra-masculine, independent hero and a feisty, determined woman. I love the way the two of them battle each other, are equally stubborn and intelligent, and the way all of these elements together make for very hot sex. However, the sex is, thank goodness, also very loving. You can count on Krentz to never dump a hero and heroine into sordid, "let me use you for a while" sex. Her powerful protagonists are always discriminating lovers with strong ethics of generosity and loyalty.

The second book, Compromising Positions by Vicki Lewis Thompson, is a brand-new contribution to her lucky fans. Thompson has written a lot of short contemporaries, and this book definitely fits into that category being about 55,000 words or so. She has a strong feel for the requirements of this popular subgenre of romance, and always respects her fans by lovingly crafting her books.

Mick Farrell has been in business only one week with a brand-new bodyguard business, and he is desperate to get it off the ground. While waiting around for the phone to ring, his younger sister's best friend, Stacy Radcliffe, shows up. She wants to be his assistant, but Mick has no intention of hiring her. He's always been attracted to the beautiful, lively Stacy, but he has no desire to get romantically involved with a woman who shares every tidbit of her life with his baby sister! Unfortunately, his well-laid plans are thrown into a cocked-hat when a former lover of his shows up needing his professional services. As much as he needs her business, the lady is a tiger, obviously after far more personal attention than money can buy from poor Mick. Suddenly he decides he's going to need a bodyguard of his own to ward off the predatory woman, and Stacy is just what he needs to fill the bill.

This story is an excellent pairing with the Krentz book. Like Krentz, Thompson is excellent at getting a story off to a running start. Stacy and Mick collide by page three, begin to strike sparks, and don't stop blazing until the very end. They are a very good match for each other, each attractive, intelligent, ambitious, forthright, more than a little brash, and looking for work they can really sink their teeth into. Of course, work isn't the only thing they want to gnaw on! These two are a combustible combination serving up lots of exciting love scenes.

Not all double books are worth the extra cost, but I don't believe you'll be sorry if you give this one a try.

I have an interest in ohio history, aspeacialy frontiersmen. The accounts represented in this book are the most accurate Ive read anywhere. The accounts of Lewis Wetzle are the most consistant ive been able to find anywhere. it makes very good reading and I use it for references as well. If you want to learn more about actual events and not just made up story lines then this is the book for you!

In the theory and practice of democratic governance, Ted Becker and his colleague/wife, Christa Slaton have come up with a benchmark study. In wholly three distinct but interrelated areas. First with respect to our changed cosmological worldview, they argue the case that our post-Newtonian worldview demands an entirely new set of principles for the discipline of political science. Second, in the specific venue of scientific deliberative polling, they document their own empirical findings as well as those of others and present conclusions squarely at variance with those of mainstream political scientists. Third, in the role of the futurist, they chart a future that should be welcomed by the portion of our citizenry which remains disenfranchised, as well as those disillusioned, and alienated. On any one of these parameters of exploration, this is a book well worth delving into by that spectrum of the electorate which is looking for something simply sane in politics.

With respect to the first realm of their exploration (Part I), the authors hold to the view that the paradigmatic shift in the view of Universe and ourselves in this Universe--born of the 20th century discoveries of relativity, quantum mechanics and chaos theory--shows that mainstream political science is out of date by two centuries. Worse still, it is not just irrelevant but systemically dysfunctional and counterproductive. In getting to this position, they use as one of their points of embarkation the view of a Harvard professor of government of some 70 years ago, William Bennett Munro. They cite him as “quantum political science’s first voyager” (p. 38).. Munro in 1928 they point out “chided American political scientists, political commentators, leaders and gurus for continuing to be ‘in bondage to eighteenth-century deification of the abstract individual man’ ” (p. 39). From Munro’s view as well as other visionaries such as Buckminster Fuller, Eric Fromm and Hazel Henderson, Becker and Slaton then move into the principles and theory for “modernizing the marriage between physics, politics and the science of government (p.. 21). Here in their first area of exploration these modern day voyagers provide the reader with a pioneering draft of a quantum politics, a quantum political science. Mind-expanding stuff worth pondering.

In the second vector of their voyage, (Part II), Becker and Slaton lay out the scientific findings from their own experimental studies as well as of others in the field of teledemocracy. The latter they define as “scientific deliberative polling + comprehensive electronic town meetings + the Internet”. [ + Voting] = deliberative direct democracy (p. 47). What they persuasively show here is that ordinary people no less than academics and other well informed citizens when provided with a full range of information and the opportunity to deliberate in a conducive context can move from unstable public opinion to sensible public judgment and do so with reasonable facility. Once again in trajectory two The Future of Teledemocracy is chock full of documentation for readers to immerse themselves in profitably.

In the third area of their voyage, (Part III), the authors project a scenario in which we in the 21st century are moving from an 18th century Newtonian hierarchical age of governance into a non-hierarchical, lateral and interactive deliberative democratic governance. Here more clearly than heretofore, they foresee, and yes, argue for Initiative and Referendum as integral if not centerpiece in “the Global Direct Democracy Movement (p. 158-165), But it is here also that Homer nods--not once but twice....

Their first nod occurs in their treatment of what they classify as one of those “extraordinary transformational ideas and recommendations about the citizens initiative process (p. 163)” This is Philadelphia II (P.-2). In my view P-2 is the most peacefully revolutionary plan of action on the horizon to bring about systemic change in governance: It is a project the authors point out created and “led by a former U. S. senator from Alaska (1968-80), Mike Gravel. Philadelphia II is bringing forward a “national citizens initiative” which the authors see as “within New Democratic Paradigm parameters” in light of “how to achieve it.” p. 163.

So far so good. Their first Homeric nod consists of a critically significant misperception within the P-2 Initiative process. They mislead the reader on how a projected federal agency-- designed to administer citizens initiative election--is to become enacted. They state: “Congress...[is] to set up something called ‘the Electoral Trust’ (ET). which would be a new, largely independent agency of the U. S. government.” Wrong! The people will directly enact the ET. Additionally, according to P-2’s Direct Democracy Initiative (DDI), “[t]here are hereby appropriated, from the Treasury of the United States...funds to enable the Electoral Trust to organize itself...and begin the performance of its duties.” .... The consequence of the authors’ s e mistaken view is they fail to present to the reader the political sovereignty that is implied and will come into play as a result of the creation of a “Legislature of the People” via Initiative. The partnership between the Legislature of the People and the Congress in the P-2 plan of implementation (and all other legislative assemblies) will be rightly ordered with the Sovereign, the People being functionally sovereign. Not so in Becker and Slaton’s mistaken description.

Their second Homeric nod occurs as a result of the authors’ failure to situate the “public opinion poll” for qualifying an initiative for a vote into the full context of the deliberative procedures included in P-2 (p. 191). When the associated P-2 deliberative support procedures is taken into consideration, one could argue that the end result will be precisely what the authors seek as their end game:: “‘scientific deliberative polls embedded within a comprehensive Electronic Town Meeting process“ as described in Chapter 5)” (p. 38).

Setting aside these two missteps, I heartily endorse The Future of Teledemocracy.....

This calendar brings joy to my heart. Miss Lewis captures the playful spirit of cats in a garden. Her garden colors are vibrant, clear and uplifting. A very well crafted product.

The biography, although not totally accurate when reciting Raft's early existency (no Raft biography is), is heartfelt and insightful in explaining the motivations behind one of the most interesting figures of the 21st century. You see George Raft as he was, a sweet, charming "gentle"-man who's rise to fame was fueled by feelings of inadequacy. Mr. Yablonsky's has done a masterful job in bring the real George Raft to life; in contrast to the mean-spirited attempt by James Robert Parish. Please visit the George Raft Family and Friends Memorial Website to share your feelings and sights about George Raft.

Chuck Lewis, Sr. has hit on possibly the most effective technique to deal with anger, in me and in others, that I have ever known. Seeing anger both as a positive force of change and the very reason we have survived to be here today, his techniques harness the energy of our primal chemistry of adrenalin (fight or flight) in a positive way to open dialogue and keep it open. Not only do my own needs get met, I have the power to influence others to do the same. Chuck has clinically studied human behavior for over 40 years as a leader in the L.A. County mental health system and his experience culminates in this book.

One more thing... if anyone has ever studied karate, they will know that the better they get, the less likely they will use it. The same hold true for Chuck's techniques:) -DBD

I have to confess that I seem to be about the only person on the face of the planet who's not a big Mark Twain fan. But after the Enron debacle, and in light of the affluenza sweeping our consumerist society, I recently went back to reread *The Gilded Age*. The more things change, the more they stay the same! Twain's dissection of unscrupulous tycoons wanting to get richer, corrupt senators jumping in bed with the tycoons by cutting them sweet political deals, and get-rich crazy middle class types who kiss up for their cut of the pie could've all been taken from last night's news. A brilliant and occasionally hilarious portrait of what happens to individuals in a souless age mesmerized by the almighty buck. A good warning to us today. I wish it could be required reading for everybody coming of age in these fast-paced times. (It's probably too late to do much good for Enron-type execs.)

One of the bonuses of this Library of America edition is that it includes *The American Claimnant,* a sequel to *Gilded Age*. I'd never heard of it before, and in all honesty didn't enjoy it as much as *Gilded*. But it's a good read for anybody with an afternoon of leisure time.