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Memories of Underdevelopment and Inconsolable Memories (Rutgers Films in Print)
Tomas Gutierrez , Edmundo Desnoes , and Michael Chanan Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0813515378 |
Book Description
Memories of Underdevelopment was the first great international success of Cuban cinema. The film provides a complex portrait of Sergio, a disaffected bourgeois intellectual who remains in Havana after the Revolution, suspended between two worlds. He can no longer accept the values of his family's reactionary past and yet boredom and the conditioning of his early life prevent him from committing himself to the new revolutionary society. Sergio's story is played out in the turbulent period of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the 1962 missile crisis, events he can only watch on his television screen or from his apartment balcony. The film, initially banned by the U.S. government as part of its trade quarantine of Cuba, was shown here five years after its original release. But American critics responded enthusiastically to it and the National Society of Film Critics bestowed an award on its director. This double volume includes the complete continuity script of Memories, as well as the complete novel, Inconsolable Memories, upon which the film is based. An interview with Alea is reproduced here, as well as documentation of the political controversy that surrounded the film in this country. Michael Chanan's introduction places the film in the context of Cuban political and cultural history. The volume also includes a biographical sketch of Alea, a chronology of the Cuban Revolution, reviews, commentary, a filmography, and a bibliography. Michael Chanan lives in England, where he teaches and writes on film. He is the author of The Cuban Image: Cinema and Cultural Politics in Cuba.Customer Reviews:
Good Book for cinema's students.......2007-08-15
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The Science Wars: Debating Scientific Knowledge and Technology (Contemporary Issues (Buffalo, N.Y.).)
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 1573929948 |
Book Description
Does science provide objective, impartial knowledge about nature and reality, or do social and cultural influences determine its course? Are scientific claims, practices, and theories contrary to religion? From creationists on the right to postmodernists on the left, intellectuals are waging war over the role and future of science in our society.In SCIENCE WARS editor Keith Parsons presents the best arguments that science critics have presented and the spirited rebuttals offered to counter them. In addition to presenting the conflicting viewpoints of advocates on various sides of the debate, this anthology includes essays that go deeper to discuss the underlying issues. Some conservative thinkers charge that many scientists follow a dogmatic naturalistic philosophy rather than truly objective standards. Sociologists of knowledge claim that scientists "construct" scientific facts rather than "discover" them. And some feminists see patriarchal bias in traditional scientific ideals of method and rationality. In conjuction with a comprehensive overall introduction, Parsons also provides section introductions that outline the specifics of each issue covered. Study questions help readers to gain perspective and examine their own views. Suggestions for additional reading are also provided.
This engaging collection presents a balanced approach to the variety of perspectives offered as society remains intensely engaged in debate over the role that science does and should play in an age when scientific knowledge and discovery are experiencing exponential growth.
Included are selections from such distinguished scholars as Matt Cartmill, Martin Gardner, Paul R. Gross, Donna Haraway, Sandra Harding, Phillip E. Johnson, Robert Klee, Ellen R. Klein, Bruno Latour, Norman Levitt, Robert T. Pennock, Cassandra L. Pinnick, Simon Schaffer, Steven Shapin, Steven Weinberg, and Steve Woolgar.
Customer Reviews:
What science wars?.......2004-05-16
The debate from many sides.......2004-03-22
Parsons has taken a good selection of essays from both sides and arranged them topically. Perhaps it represents his editorial point of view that the format is attackers first, followed in each section by defenders. This format works fine for me. I think the selection is a fair one, and he has presented what the authors see as their main arguments. There does not appear to be any attempt to give us only the most bizarre essays available (as in Sokal and Bricmont). It is probably an honest attempt to give both sides their say.
Specifically, the first section is on constructivism, the idea that scientific facts are actually social constructs, with no claim to universal truth at all. The work of Bruno Latour is prominent here. He is the sociologist who worked at the Salk institute disguised as a day laborer (I not sure what), observed the scientists, and then reported that science is just a bunch of people consulting wavy lines on funny machines, consulting scientific holy texts, inscribing patterns on paper, and then declaring themselves wise, sort of like witch doctors or shamans would go through some religious rite. Needless to say, there are rebuttals to this sort of thing.
The next section is feminism. Sandra Harding's writing provides the main attack, though her "attack" is probably less so than for others. She promotes the idea that feminists must by necessity be more objective than ordinary oppressors who do science. Parsons does not mention whether she is the same feminist that called Newton's Principia a "rape manual". Unlike many of the attackers, Harding does seem to want to improve science, and does not deny its benefits and uses. But there are rebuttal essays to what she does say.
Next up is postmodernism. This is where things really get wild, since one of the features of postmodernism is a denial of, well, pretty much everything. Refuting postmodern writers is hard because first, they won't say anything is certain, and second, they cloak every thought in multiple layers of jargon, doublespeak, and gibberish (see Sokal and Bricmont for more on this). It was, in fact, Alan Sokal's famous hoax of sending a parody article full on deliberate nonsense to the postmodernist journal Social Text that started one of the fiercest battles in the science wars when the editors failed to notice it was a joke and published in. The largest selection of essays in this section are devoted to this event and how various people felt about not only the hoax, but about other people's responses to the hoax.
And finally we get to the conservatives. Lest anyone has forgotten the continual Darwinism versus creationism debate and tensions between religion and science, they are brought out here.
For a short book, don't expect anything too long and detailed. There is a lot of ground to cover here, and this selection can do little more than scratch the surface. But if you would like an intellectually honest attempt to identify the major (defined as popular) arguments against science, this is a good choice. Parsons introduces and summarizes each subject, letting us know what the topics are. The reader may then read and learn.
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Heroes of Might and Magic III : Prima's Official Strategy Guide
Tom Ono Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0761512470 |
Amazon.com
Another great strategy series, the Heroes of Might and Magic games are the type that suck you in for hours on end--the sun is up when you start a game, but is inexplicably gone by the time you pull back from the PC. The third installment in the series is the most impressive so far, and Prima's guide to the game should help players battle their way to supremacy in Erathia. As the name suggests, heroes are key to success, and the book begins with a rundown of the different types of heroes and their abilities. Magic is also discussed in detail (being one of the major abilities available to heroes) and the fine art of town building is also explained. Each of the many creatures in the game is described in table form (though the images are too small to do the in-game artwork justice) and a lengthy section on combat can help you figure out how best to employ the creatures under your control. Following a brief chapter on general game strategies, you'll find a breakdown of each scenario in the game. The book does not provide step-by-step walkthroughs for these scenarios, but then again this is not the sort of game that lends itself to walkthroughs. Instead, you'll get an overview of each situation and some tips for emerging victorious. The book closes with an extensive (but difficult to read, due to the tiny type) table on magic items and artifacts.Book Description
Complete item, resource, and treasure tablesCustomer Reviews:
An Ode to Heroes Of Might And Magic 3.......2000-09-13
Insightful in some parts, but much of the book is fluff........1999-04-15
In some ways I was disappointed: much of the information can already be found in the manual; many of the strategies are commonsense.
If you really love Heroes 3, or are having a hard time with one of the maps, it might be worth your time to pick up the book. Otherwise, you can probably find the useful data you're looking for on the web.
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Heroes of Might & Magic IV (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Greg Kramer Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0761537988 Release Date: 2002-04-09 |
Customer Reviews:
eh.......2004-07-15
Worth it if the price is right... as in free........2003-11-12
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Heroes of Might & Magic: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series.)
Jeff Hoff Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items: ASIN: 0761501738 Release Date: 1996-02-14 |
Book Description
New lands have been discovered in the realms of Might and Magic, and you must rise to the challenge of conquering them. But the road to domination is fraught with peril, and many will test your leadership. Only those who have Heroes of Might and Magic: The Official Strategy Guide will survive the battles that lie ahead and reign supreme.Customer Reviews:
All in all, a good buy.......2000-08-31
This book rocks!!!.......1998-08-24
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Heroes of Might & Magic ll: The Official Strategy Guide (New World's Might & Magic Series , No 2)
Joe Grant Bell Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0761508635 Release Date: 1996-12-04 |
Amazon.com
Heroes of Might and Magic II is a rich game with countless paths to victory and even more to defeat. There are no simple formulas to assure a win, so you have to use your head. What Joe Grant Bell gives you is a grasp of basic strategy and a firm knowledge of your resources--as well as those of your enemy. You get guidance on how to create your heroes, detailed information on troops, artifacts, magic, and treasures, plus the ins and outs of the various playing options. That plus guts and brains may get you the crown. Go for it!Book Description
Hero or villain? You decide.Customer Reviews:
THE definitive guide to Heros of Might and Magic II !!.......1998-04-01
This is a MUST PURCHASE for any serious HOMMII gamer!
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Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death, Prima's Official Strategy Guide
Russ Ceccola Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items: ASIN: 0761528407 Release Date: 2000-04-10 |
Book Description
Death casts a long shadow.
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Heroes of Might & Magic II: The Price of Loyalty: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series.)
Rod Harten , Michael Knight , and Joe Grant Bell Manufacturer: Prima Games ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: 0761511458 Release Date: 1997-05-28 |
Book Description
To thine own self be true.
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Introducing Maya 7: 3D for Beginners
Dariush Derakhshani Manufacturer: Sybex ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0782144349 |
Book Description
"If you're just beginning to dive into the world of 3D, this is the book for you."Customer Reviews:
Maya for the beginner.......2007-03-09
Very Meh........2007-02-26
Not for beginners!.......2007-02-26
Introducing Maya 8.......2007-02-21
great book for learning 3D.......2007-02-01
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