Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World Culture (Contemporary Film and Television Series)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Music and Musicians in Early America
Irving Lowens
Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Inc (Np)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0393097439

Average customer rating:

Music And Musicians In Early America
Lowenstein
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JE3ZOA

Music and Musicians in Early America Aspects of the history of Music in Early America and the History of Early American Music

Average customer rating:

Music and Musicians in Early America Aspects of the history of Music in Early America and the History of Early American Music
Irving Lowens
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RROI68

Average customer rating:

Life in early America, the musicmakers
Patricia L Faust
Manufacturer: Early American Society]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00072RP7C

Book Description

This is the ultimate guide for players and Gamemasters who wish to build custom starships for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. In addition to newly expanded rules to enhance starship combat, this guide contains new ship types, templates, and powerful systems to add to your character's ship. Covering everything from laser cannons to defensive shields, it has what your character needs to make your ship a heavy cruiser or a nimble fighter.

Customer Reviews:

Mediocre at best.......2003-05-09

I never truly enjoyed this book, and even though Amazon doesn't carry it any more, I feel compelled to write a review of it for the sake of completeness. If you're looking at it now, the main reason to get it would be as a reference tool for the wide variety of starships described within. It is, at least, useful for that purpose. There is also a rule system that one can use for custom starship construction, and while it is overly complex, at least it's available.

Unfortunately, Starships of the Galaxy stops delivering about right there. Not only is it softcover, a fact that I despise, but all of the content within is in black and white. At least the old Alien Anthology, a book cut in the same mold which I also disliked, was full-color. The interior artwork is composed mostly of rough sketches showing several ships squashed together in the same frame, leaving the reader to determine which vessel is which. No offense to the artist, Matt Hatton, but he has really done much better work elsewhere. There are a few new feats and a few new prestige classes, but none of them really stand out as anything special. It's also important to note that this book uses the older rules from the Original Core Rulebook, not the Revised Rulebook. If that doesn't turn you off even further, then there is a PDF rule update for the prestige classes on the Wizards of the Coast website, in the Star Wars RPG section archive.

In short, unless you are really dying to get at this book, I'd suggest spending your money elsewhere. While there was a point two years ago where this book might have been considered merely adequate, it was never much better than mediocre, and has now fallen far into obsolescence. Of course, that is merely my opinion. In the meantime, we can only hope that at some point in the future we see an improved, revised version of this book that succeeds in taking advantage of the topic's potential.

A very useful tool. Though out of date now..........2003-05-06

It is out of date. The Starships of the Galaxy worked with the original rules for Star Wars RPG d20. Since the revised rule book came out, many of the things in this book are no longer valid, just as the range increment or even the Starship record sheet. But is it still worth it? well that's for you to decide.

I write many different types of campaigns, and one of the types i write cater towards those people who put a lot of points in Pilot and Astrogate skills, as well as those who ventured into the Ace Pilot or Jedi Ace prestige classes. With this book i have managed to come up with so many varieties of craft and made so much available to my heroes. This book gives you guidelines for creating small craft (starfighters and transports) capital class (Star Destroyers, Frigates) and space stations (Executor, Hosk). It comes in very handy when for a reference on how to modify a craft. I use it a lot when writing these types of campaigns to try and provide a craft for the heroes on a budget. It list out many things about creation of starcraft that i wouldn't be able to write these modules without it.

It lacks in many departments as well, partly due to the outdated rules it was based off of. First of all, the combat system for space combat and airspeeder combat has changed dramatically, from abstract to a grid. So range increment is no longer needed and now the Speed needs to signify how many squares the ship can move. Since Ramming is the fastest Ion engine in this book, you're left wondering why a Ramming-class ion engine in the X-wing only moves 10 squares while the Ramming-class ion engine in the Millennium Falcon moves 12 squares. (RCR p 277 & 230). There is no clarification for this. As well many craft have a different atmospheric speed, this book doesn't even mention that. Another smaller problem are the prestige clases, they're outdated and you have to get the official Errata from WoTC.

Final verdict? I use it a lot when writing. I use it for the creation purposes of starships, capital to small, and even installations. I've already created my own starship record sheet. See if you can find this book for a cheaper price... becuase right now it really isn't worth what many places are asking for it...

Not Worth the $... i paid for it........2003-02-06

Where to Begin...
This book is not what you want. Granted, this book has About 150 or so Spaceships described, With Basically full stats and a short biography for each, There are very few inaccurate pictures of Each. Each picture may contain up to 7 ships, with merely a sidebar to say what ships are included in the picture.
While i don't actively play The Star Wars RPG, I am interested in simply learning the rules so that it may be adapted to D&D, or some other RPG World. This is Not what i expected. I expected More ships to be explained, More pictures, and better descriptions. If your looking for an indepth book thats worth the time to invest money in, Look somewhere else.

Useful Reference.......2003-01-10

This could have stood to feature more starships, but it is useful for a lot of GM NPC ships and the like. The new combat system is confusing, but my RPG group ignores it anyway, and uses the original system from the Core Rulebook.

This features many lesser known vessels, including the recently-added Defender Star Destroyers, and offers some help for customizing and modifying vessels. For those who can't find the YT-1300, you are just too lazy to actually read the Core Rulebook. The YT-2400 is nice to see, but others like the older Clone Wars vessels, YT-2000 and YV-666 would have been nice to see. Overall, if you just want to yank a lesser seen vessel into an RPG, this is helpful.

Better than the hype, worth your while for a Space campaign.......2002-07-23

Campaigns set on one planet are fine, but what if you want to step offworld, or duke it out with Tie Fighters? You could hop into a Corellian YT-1300 or an X-Wing Fighter for the Nth time, but what if you want some spice?

Starships of the Galaxy gives you all sorts of options. That's what most of this book is about. There are a few new feats, the mandatory prestige classes, etc., but most of SotG is dedicated to building starships and giving stats to Established ships of the Star Wars Universe.

SotG is an excellent reference book, and great for building your own ships. The rules for modifications are scant, but they are there and can be worked with.

The new space combat rules are about 50/50--They can help as much as they hurt. It's nice to have the options, though, and they are strictly at the GM's discretion.

This is a must-have for any Star Wars D20 GM/Gamer who wants to keep it fresh or build their own ship for gaming purposes.

Average customer rating:
The Alien Prophecy, Revelations of a Galaxy Goddess

Manufacturer: Stanton Publishing Company, L.L.C.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Goddesses | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974980307

Product Description

A Metaphysical Autobiography culminating with alien intervention in 2076 when survivors of Earth's religious wars live in great fortified biospheres, having sacrificed freedom for security. Science fiction or fact? Whichever, this book's a great read. It'll take you from Sumer and Atlantis to Mars and the Earth's future...in a cubical "blue mist" starship piloted by gaseous entities...with a lot of sexy adventure along the way. Will religion ultimately destroy civilization, or will alien intervention transform mankind? Will there be an Age of Enlightenment in which religion is understood as the Dark Time in human evolution? An Age of Spirituality free of religion? Can anyone grasp a non-religious perspective of reality now when religion is all we as mankind know? Tinr points our that everything is religion and nothing is God. Could reality be neither, and more than either? Tinr's prophetic journal presents this profound possibility. Visit: www.TheAlienProphecy.com Hardcover w/dustjacket.

Average customer rating:

Another Classic from the Dean of Science Fiction
Lot Number Ninety-Seven....
They don't write 'em like this anymore
Classic Outworlds Adventure
Moieties, Pirates and Begging, Oh My!

Citizen of the Galaxy (Unabridged)
Robert A. Heinlein
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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ASIN: B000JJRW7G

Book Description

The ragged, starving boy, Thorby, stood on the slave auction block. Surprisingly, he is purchased by the crippled beggar Baslim. Thorby soon discovers that Baslim is no ordinary beggar but a superb teacher who leads him to adventures on the starship Sisu.

Customer Reviews:

Another Classic from the Dean of Science Fiction.......2007-09-26

Robert A Heinlein was not called the "Dean of Science Fiction" for nothing: like most (if not all) of his other books, in "Citizen of the Galaxy" he takes a concept - in this case slavery: deconstructs and analyzes it in many different ways, and presents his thoughts on each aspect of it to us in the context of a compelling and entertaining story.

The story centers on Thorby: a boy perhaps in his early teens, and of unknown parentage, who enters the story as a rebellious and angry young slave on the auction block. We follow his life through several major transitions as he is bought, then educated and finally freed by "Baslim the Cripple", a beggar with mysterious and very un-beggar-like qualities; through his escape from Baslim's murderers to live with the galaxy-roving "Free Traders". Then, after a brief stint in the military, he returns to Earth where he learns of his own origins and heritage, and eventually how and perhaps why he was sold into slavery. He also learns who Baslim really was, and finally takes on what he learns was Baslim's true mission as his own.

To me, like most of his books, one of the most interesting aspects of this story is how Heinlein illustrates and expands upon his central theme in so many different ways: At first we see Thorby in the role of a classic slave, with a master - Baslim, but with a twist, as Baslim is a man who bought Thorby purely because he detests slavery - and teaches Thorby that what makes a man free is his mind, not whether another claims to own and control his body in a physical sense.

Then, when Thorby finds his way to the Free Traders, we see a society that claims to be freer than any other in history - which is true in that they roam the entire galaxy at will - going where they want, when they want, without constraint. But, their life-long and crowded existence onboard their spaceships has created a society where tradition, familial, and social constraints limit them in ways more profound and limiting then Thorby had ever experienced before.

When he finally returns to Earth, Thorby finds that his place is at the pinnacle of power, wealth and fame - yet his wealth and power present new challenges: constraining his freedom in new and even more difficult to challenge ways.

In each of these situations, we see how Thorby uses the talents, skills and freedom he finds within himself, which Baslim had nurtured and trained, to overcome the challenges he is faced with: we also see how those around him are enslaved in ways both more subtle and more profound than Thorby had been when he had been "owned" by Baslim.

Heinlein presents slavery as a great evil that must be conquered and eliminated, and as a societal disease that can and will take root and flourish in many ways, in almost any society. He also shows us that slavery is less about the physical constraints and more about the enslavement of one's mind and spirit.

Through the experiences of Thorby, Heinlein shows us that true freedom exists only when a person is able to free their mind and rise above the shackles and constraints their day to day existence places upon them. That slavery is not just about the physical enslavement and exploitation of one person by another, but about enslavement of the mind and spirit.

As a teen, I did not find this particular book as appealing as I did most of the other works of young adult fiction written by Heinlein in the 1950's, such as "Between Planets", "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", and "The Rolling Stones". Yet, now that I have re-read "Citizen of the Galaxy" as an adult, I find it to be a more mature, richer, thoughtful, subtle and thought-provoking work than many of his earlier work: I highly recommend it.

Lot Number Ninety-Seven...........2007-08-19

"Citizen of the Galaxy" is another fine edition to Robert A. Heinlein's series of `juveniles' he wrote for Charles Scribners Sons primarily in the 1950s.

We never find out what motivated the beggar, Baslim the Cripple, to buy the slave boy Thorby. In this distant future, mankind has spread out among the stars. The Nine Worlds do not even acknowledge any relationship to Earth and are not members of the Terran Hegemony.

Anyway on this frontier world, there exists the institution of slavery.

One thing becomes immediately apparent, Baslim is a lot more than a beggar. As their father/son develops, it is obvious Baslim is highly educated with a wide range of skills. It is also obvious, he is some sort of spy. Thorby doesn't care. Pops business was Pops business. Baslim raises and home schools his son.

Things come to a head years later when Baslim is found to be a spy. Thorby must flee for his life. However Baslim has foreseen this day and has prepared Thorby. Thorby is smuggled offworld and begins his quest for his true identity and completion of Baslim's mission.

The central theme of this book is the variation in human culture and the adaptability of man. Each group Thorby finds himself has it's own rituals and customs. Our hero is constantly required change, adapt and in the process grow as a man.

They don't write 'em like this anymore.......2007-07-17

Heinlein was a master of the noncondescending juvenile SF novel, and this is, in my informed opinion, the very best of the dozen or so he wrote during the 1950s. In fact, it's one of his two or three best novels, period. Thorby starts out a slave, purchased on a distant world by an old beggar (who, of course, is more than he seems) and becomes intimate with the underworld -- then finds himself aboard a Free Trader vessel with an extremely complex social structure, where he's adopted in and makes a new life for himself -- then finds himself a very junior enlisted man on a "space patrol" ship, where he makes another new life -- then finds himself the long-lost heir to an enormous fortune back on Earth, where the various plotlines come together and (yes) he has to try to make a new life for himself. Thorby is nothing if not adaptable. The narrative is straightforward, moving along at a nice pace, and there's very little of the overwritten preachifying RAH was prone to in his later work. The characters are based on `50s archetypes, so today's kids will undoubtedly be amused by the state of gender relations, and they've probably never seen a slide rule, but, hey -- read and enjoy.

Classic Outworlds Adventure .......2007-06-08

Citizen of the Galaxy is a very good classic science fiction work. It is the third Heinlein novel which I have finished. While it is in Heinlein's juvenile stories, the novel is a great adventure saga. I enjoyed following the main character Thorby through his life education and experiences. Unfortunately, the ending comes much too quickly and in too "neat" of a 1950's manner. It is suitable for readers spanning ages 11 to decades beyond.

Moieties, Pirates and Begging, Oh My!.......2007-03-09

One has to read Citizen of the Galaxy to understand the development of Heinlein's cultural themes and of his fascination with various forms of kinship and marriage as well as other aspects of social structure. Your first clue is that the anthropologist aboard the Sisu is named Margaret Mader.

Heinlein also takes on slavery in this book. And white collar crime. Plus there is a rapscallionesque lawyer who describes himself as "middlin honest". Coupled with a charming protagonist, ethical mentors and the Space Navy, all the elements of a great Heinlein adventure come together in Citizen of the Galaxy.

"Good Business".

Customer Reviews:

Don't Waste Your Money.......2005-02-25

This book is a complete waste of time and money. There is no useful information in it and it is very, very poorly written. I can think of no practical use for the contents of this book either by a technical person or a project leader from the business side.

High level perspective on R/3 implementation.......1999-06-09

Easy reading for the SAP neophyte. Concepts specific to SAP project management as well as issues related to SAP implementation and simultaneous calls for change management are described in plain language along with a concise but powerful description of SAP architecture and components.

Very good book.......1998-09-11

It is easy to read and understand. if you have less then two years with SAP you should read this book.

Excellent text for management staff.......1998-08-24

We're in the process of evaluating SAP, and I wanted to share this with the upper management team as part of our preparatory work for the '99 implementation. I found it to be well-written, and directed to the managers' needs as opposed to many of the other texts that are more technically oriented. I'm just disappointed that it's back-ordered!

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