The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Listening for Life in the Cosmos (Wiley Science Editions)

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Louise Young, a geophysical scientist, is a lover of islands. Faced with a life-threatening illness 35 years ago, she vowed to throw herself into far-flung travels, to collect exotic places that still "retain a distinctive personality or whose story illuminates a significant aspect of man's relationship with nature."

The fruit of those travels is this fine book of essays, part memoir, part travelogue, part natural-history commentary. Young opens with an overview of island geography, noting the ways in which islands form in geological time and how the mere fact of isolation has both spawned wondrous life forms and inflicted "the unfavorable results of genetic inbreeding," one of the factors responsible for species extinction. She travels to places such as Easter Island, a study in what happens when humans too vigorously disturb ecological balances, in this case through deforestation that resulted in soil erosion and changed climatic conditions; the gold- and spice-rich islands of Indonesia; Mauritius and the Seychelles, the former habitat of the unfortunate dodo and fabulously rare sea coconut tree, which produces the heaviest seeds of any plant in the world; and the Bahamas. Her book, a must for fellow island lovers, closes with a careful examination of the myth of Atlantis, and with a call for humans to be more watchful of sensitive ecosystems everywhere on island Earth. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

"Once you have slept on an island, you'll never be quite the same," begins an old verse. Places of dreams and desires, islands have long held a primal sway over our hearts and imaginations.

Islands is a series of beautifully written and illustrated essays that explore some of the most fascinating of these isolated landscapes, particularly those whose stories address the delicate balance that exists between the land, the people, and other living beings. An environmentalist and geophysicist, Louise Young describes the unique history and personality of each island-its birth and evolution, geological makeup, flora and fauna, and human inhabitants.

From the volcanic origins of Sri Lanka's spectacular jewel mines and the remarkable plant and animal life of Madagascar to the mysterious statues on Easter Island and the earth-splitting geology of Iceland, Islands takes readers on a breathtaking journey to some of the smallest, yet most impressive, places on the planet.

The stories behind these miniature worlds are as varied as their exotic landscapes, some are tragic, others are hopeful, but they all reveal important messages about preserving ecological balance and the consequences of how we exploit or nurture the larger island of Earth itself.

Customer Reviews:

fascinating review of islands.......2000-12-07

The book gives a great overview of a variety of islands, their habitats and wildlife, and the challenges facing them.

Don't bother.......2000-07-26

Actually, 1.5 stars is probably more appropriate because (a) the book does contain some interesting natural history factoids and (b) it is not as bad as "Paradise for Sale", another recent book about Islands.

The book consists of a series of travelogues full of the author's random observations about a number of islands: Iceland, Bermuda, Crete, Bali, Lombok, Madagascar, etc. As a clue to where the book is headed, the last chapter is about "earth". Yes, as you might guess from that fact, a principal theme is all the terrible things people (western people, mainly) are doing to the earth, as is evidenced by developments in individual island communities.

As mentioned above, there is some interesting canned natural history type information interspersed throughout the book, but there is very little structure - mostly whatever happened to strike the author at the time of her visit, or whatever random information she had about the destination that she assumes readers will not have. The chapter on iceland swings between recent volcanic activity and the fact that there used to be european colonies in Greenland and Leif Erikson discovered North America (i.e., rather than Columbus or the people who already lived there).

Her observations about the societies in the islands she visits are worthless and are almost a parody of well meaning but condescending and clueless western intellectual attitudes to non-western societies. One island has experienced improved economic development "because women have entered the work force and been freed of never ending childbirth and virtual slavery at home". As with most of this book, this is an unsupported assertion. Then, in Sri Lanka she is pleased by the sight of women laboring in the tea plantations "in their brightly colored sari", while the men do the "fun" jobs of fishing and digging for valuable stones (covered in mud in deep pits; sounds like fun, hey guys?). Bali and Lombok have happy, multicultural societies (laughable, given recent events in Indonesia). Ancient Minoan aristocrats led elegant lives, wore nice clothes and lived in nice houses (this is far enough in the past that the slavery, etc. part of that culture gets filtered out). Some statements are just plain idiotic: the people of Bali live "pleasant and enjoyable lives" - is the author giving up her culture to join them? I bet many of them would gladly trade places with her. "Simple devices made of aluminum foil can be used to cook food using sunlight instead of cutting down trees for wood". Is the author using this device every day at home? At night? On rainy days?

Even the environmental analysis is spotty and judgment-laden: slash and burn agriculture by substinence farmers is bad, land that has been cleared for tea plantations in Sri Lanka or terraced for mono-culture rice farming in Bali seems okay because they make the scenery pretty. Animals which float to islands on natural rafts in storms and adapt to the new environment are okay, but dogs brought by westerners and adapt by wiping out indigent species are bad.

The ironic thing is that in one of the last chapters about coral atolls, she notes that coral is already growing around the sunken ships in the Bikini atoll despite the area having been NUKED repeatedly. So much for the rest of her statements about all the terrible things western culture is supposedly doing to the "fragile" environment.

In closing she states that the earth is an island and "time is running out". Typical apocolyptic environmentalism by someone who clearly needs to believe that events she witnesses during her life time, and therefor her participation are somehow more significant than any other period of time.

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Islands: Portraits of Miniature Worlds
Louise B. Young
Manufacturer: W H Freeman & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OEKF48

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Islands: Portraits of Miniature Worlds
Louise Young
Manufacturer: W.H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K1OEEM

Book Description

The book offers a comprehensive and user-oriented description of the theoretical and technical system fundamentals of computed tomography (CT) for a wide readership, from conventional single-slice acquisitions to volume acquisition with multi-slice and cone-beam spiral CT. It covers in detail all characteristic parameters relevant for image quality and all performance features significant for clinical application. Readers will thus be informed how to use a CT system to an optimum depending on the different diagnostic requirements. This includes a detailed discussion about the dose required and about dose measurements as well as how to reduce dose in CT. All considerations pay special attention to spiral CT and to new developments towards advanced multi-slice and cone-beam CT.
For the 2nd edition many sections of this book have been updated. In particular, material on new x-ray technology, on 64-slice spiral and cone-beam CT scanning have been added.
The enclosed CD-ROM again offers attractive case studies, including many examples from the most recent 64-slice acquisitions, and interactive exercises for image viewing and manipulation.
This book is intended for all those who work daily, regularly or even only occasionally with CT: physicians, radiographers, engineers, technicians and physicists. A glossary describes all the important technical terms in alphabetical order.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent reference for Medical Imaging Course.......2001-02-09

I am teaching an Introduction to Medical Imaging Course at the 3rd to 4th year undergraduate level but also including some graduate students at an engineering school. I was looking for an up-to-date review of x-ray computed tomography. This book is it. It surveys the entire topic from historical events to the latest in multi-slice systems. One of the nicest features of the book is the included CD-ROM. It includes all figures used in the book, addition videos of recontruction examples, a case study folder, a multi-slice image (demo) viewer, as well as a demo version of program that calculates patient dose for CT proceedures. These additional tools have made my teaching preparation much easier. I highly recommend this book as a reference for undergraduate and graduate students, medical physicists, and medical students as well as those in the field that need an up-to-date review.

The Fundamentals of Imaging Physics and Radiobiology: For the Radiologic Technologist

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The Fundamentals of Imaging Physics and Radiobiology: For the Radiologic Technologist
Joseph Selman
Manufacturer: Charles C. Thomas Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0398069875

Book Description

Like its well-known predecessor, this new and expanded Ninth Edition presents numerous important changes, beginning with the title and continuing throughout the text. Drawing on current knowledge and his own extensive experience, Dr. Selman provides a thorough revision and overview of each previously included chapter. Definitions, foundations, and principles are presented along with changes in methods and procedures. The text presents five new chapters on computed tomography, radioactivity and diagnostic nuclear medicine, radiobiology, protection in radiology/health physics, and nonradiologic imaging. In addition, basic computer science, mammography, digital imaging, and the basic science of radiobiology are thoroughly discussed. This text continues to reflect the actual needs of students with more questions, problems, and sample solutions which are included at the end of every chapter. The index is user friendly to facilitate the search for answers. Concepts have! been refined, with old figures revised and new figures added where applicable. To improve readability, a double-column format has been adapted, bringing the illustrations closer to their explanation within the text. Each chapter begins with an outline of the contents guiding the student through the essential elements. This text continues to fulfill the existing need within the field for an up-to-date, precise, and comprehensive book detailing the development of skills necessary for professional work.

Understanding Ultrasound Physics: Fundamentals and Exam Review

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short, sweet, and concise
Ultrasound Physics Made Easy
Makes it no harder than it needs to be
Simple to the point of no learning
A Very Focused, Easily Understood Physics Review

Understanding Ultrasound Physics: Fundamentals and Exam Review
Sidney K. Edelman
Manufacturer: Esp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0962644439

Customer Reviews:

short, sweet, and concise.......2004-11-08

i've attended an edelman seminar. he's a fine teacher and has mastered the art of concision and snappy presentations. this old (1996) purple book goes into no more detail than needed to pass the RDMS exam. at the seminar, edelman said "you need to master these concepts; the seminar isn't magic. don't memorize them, KNOW them." the book functions the same way, especially if you work with the questions on each section, which are excellent.

he has just published the new very expanded version for $79 at www.esp-physics.com. i'm sure it's good, but a whole sonography class at my school passed the RDMS board with the purple one.

if you want to find out how many pixels fit on the end of a pin, you could read the pegasus physics books. they are what my teacher had us get. we ALL (14 of us) hate them. i should sell my pegasus books on amazon.com, but i think i'd rather build a bonfire with them. i know frank miele's (the author's) physics is more pure and much less of a registry-driven package, but if you ask frank miele what time it is, he builds you a clock. and not just any clock, but an atomic clock, and then a grandfather clock, and then one of those ones out of paper you stack and fold, and then a swiss watch. i could get all this, perhaps, if the writing were better and the organization of the book were much more coherent BUT IT'S NOT AND IT'S NOT. REALLY not. so go with edelman. rah.

you ask sid edelman what time it is and he shows you his wristwatch. if you don't get it he quickly clarifies how to tell time. that's it.

Ultrasound Physics Made Easy.......2004-01-19

for those who wish to take the exam, and can not make an edelman seminar, i highly recommend this book. this book provides the necessary information to ace the exam.

Makes it no harder than it needs to be.......2003-11-19

The best! By providing information in a concise and straight forward manner, it is possible to understand ultrasound physics. As the other reviewer stated, Edelman's seminars are superb, this is the best book out there by far. It just can't compare with his seminars.

Simple to the point of no learning.......2003-02-19

At first it is appealing because of its simplist approach, but upon further reading it becomes apparent that this book tries to simplify the material to the extreme. The book suggests if you "just" memorize the anagrams and analogies you will pass the RDMS.... It doesn't care if you understand the principles and doesn't give you the information to understand the concepts -- just tries to give you simple examples for you to memorize. I take offense as this approach suggests sonographers are too slow to learn anything more than silly diagrams and memorization tricks.

A Very Focused, Easily Understood Physics Review.......2002-11-26

This text was the only book that I used to study for my physics
exam and I passed the first time! It was easy to understand and
the Q&A with explanations really helped me nail my registry. I
have recommended this text to my co-workers who are still trying
to pass the exam.

The Fundamentals of X-Ray and Radium Physics

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The Fundamentals of X-Ray and Radium Physics
Joseph Selman
Manufacturer: C.C. Thomas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Radiologic Science for Technologists Physics, Biology and Protection

ASIN: 0398058709

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Fundamental Physics of Ultrasound
Shutilov
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2881246842

Book Description

Based on lectures by the author, this volume is designed as a textbook on general ultrasonics. The text provides comprehensive coverage of the propagation of ultrasonic waves in media with different elastic properties and under conditions close to those encountered in scientific and practical applications of ultrasound. As well as classical material and data from original sources, the book includes experimental data on the velocity and absorption of ultrasound in liquids and gases and data on the velocity of sound in isotropic solids and crystals. Each chapter is complemented by problems and their solutions, making this a superb textbook in virtually any university setting.

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Sad but true picture of Indian life in many former reservations

Good native saga

a great read

A Wonderful Historical Novel

Buy the Chief a Cadillac: A Novel
Rick Steber
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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River of Renewal: Myth And History in the Klamath Basin

The Road from Coorain

The Other Boleyn Girl

ASIN: 0786716398

Book Description

In spare, honest, and picturesque language, Rick Steber sets this Spur Award-winning novel on the Klamath Indian reservation in 1961 just days before the tribe's "termination" by the U. S. government. Each tribal member received a $43,000 settlement from the government in return for the Klamath's 1-million acre reservation and the end of the Klamath's tribal status. Buy the Chief a Cadillac explores life on the reservation for three brothers—the alcoholism, violence, greed, and madness—brought on by the white man's treatment of the tribe, and each brother's response to the termination settlement. Creek, college-bound and disgusted with reservation life, wants to take his money and run toward success in the white man's world. Chief, who represents the worst of reservation life, plans to spend his money on a new Cadillac and as much booze as he can possibly drink. Pokey, keeper of the Klamath traditions, plans on refusing the government payout and staying on his people's land. The brothers' separate plans send them on course for a deadly collision when the government money finally arrives.

Customer Reviews:

Sad but true picture of Indian life in many former reservations.......2007-08-23

Since I grew up in an area near an Indian reservation in central MN, and now live in an area that was formerly a reservation in central OR, I had to read this book by Rick Steber about his viewpoint. It brings us great sadness to realize how difficult it's been for the American Indian population to assimilate and succeed in our current culture, and why alcohol plays such a great role in their attempts. I did enjoy reading 1491 which documents their predecessors' success in living a better life as the early natives to this continent. I'm glad to hear we're beginning to see the necessity for restoring the prairie grasses and conservation practices of burning, etc. that were successful for the early forestation and conservation of our country.

Good native saga.......2007-08-05

As I lived close to this area during the time of this book, it was thrilling to read Rick Steber's view of the happenings at that time.

It supposedly is not based on facts. I remember too well the incidents and the stories of the law enforcement officers relating to the "trouble with the natives". Humourous as it was at the time, it is truly a sad tale of loss of another one of our native American tribes and the plight the white man has brought to them.

a great read.......2006-09-03

The characters in this book are drawn deeply and realistically. I could not put this book down.

A Wonderful Historical Novel.......2005-06-28

Buy the Chief a Cadillac is indeed a wonderful historical novel, although fairly recent history, as the time period of the book is in the early 1960's.
The Klamath Indian tribe, living on a million acre reservation in southern Oregon, is about to be terminated. The government passed a plan where they would pay each Indian $43,000 and in return, the reservation would be no longer. This novel is set in the days just before and immediately after the Termination Act took place.
Full of well fleshed out characters, mean drunks, crazy cowboys, whisky swilling loggers, lawmen both good and bad, this book is a darn fine read. It is historically correct and explores clearly one of the last really big rip-offs of the Indians by the US Government.
Buy the Chief a Cadillac is fueled by 60's rock and roll, a river of potent booze, hopped up hotrods, guns, chaos, greed, murder and abundant mayhem. We meet and journey with each of the many and varied interesting characters from their own point of view, something that works very well.
The book is tight, keeps the reader turning the pages; the writing is crisp, clean, and clear, and has a definite ring of authenticity about it. This is the first of Rick Steber's books I've read and I plan to read more of them. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading about the West, for those interested in American history, and think it would make an excellent book for professors to have their students read in classes that deal with the American Indian, the reservations, the 1960's. A terrific book by a talented writer.

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Buy the Chief a Cadillac a Novel
Rick Steber
Manufacturer: CARROLL & GRAF @ PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SID5KG

Average customer rating:

Buy The Chief A Cadillac
Rick Steber
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFS1J8

Average customer rating:

Buy the Chief a Cadillac

Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1419354531

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