Customer Reviews:
Outstanding - and see also...........2005-09-03
This is an outstanding book that opened up the whole idea of basing economics on the living sciences rather than physics...
If you find this book interesting, you should also look at the more recent (2004) book "Economia" by Australian scientist Geoff Davies. The book is unfortunately not listed on Amazon, but a search on Google will turn up numerous reviews and an excerpt for those interested.
Still relevant after all these years.......2002-12-30
This is one of the seminal works of the new economy long before the internet exploded and the term was coined. It is a landmark synthesis of technology and economics that remains unmatched 10 years after its release. A long list of industry heavyweights praised this effort at the time, it continues to merit this praise today. Here is an excerpt in Rothschild's own words:
"Capitalism, or the market economy, or the free enterprise system-or whatever you choose to label it-was not planned. Like life on earth, it did not need to be. Capitalism just happened, and it will keep on happening. Quite spontaneously. Capitalism flourishes whenever it is not suppressed, because it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. It is human society organizing itself for survival in a world of limited resources..."Having said all that, it is obvious that what the author presents is a very interesting set of ideas as opposed to a 'movement' of sorts. You can find faults with his technical analysis and conclusions and still come away with some genuine pearls.
This book is excellent........2001-07-26
This is a wonderfully rich book in describing modern economics using the principals of the biology. It makes the most basic economic principals understood by using the theories of evolution. It should be required reading for Economic students (it would have been great to have this book in my Econ classes). The book also provides some excellent history of economic thought, the history of evolution, history of the stream driving motor, and more.
I would highly recommend it even though there are some parts where Rothschild uses slightly bias language to make his points (particularly about the saving rates in the U.S.). I have the version that was written in 1990. It was be especially interesting to read the updated version, especially given everything that has happen during the 1990s.
Rothschild, Congratulations on an excellent book. -matthew@mkaz.com
Wrong model for progress........2001-05-15
I learned some interesting things from this book, especially about the role of the Experience Curve in dramatically driving down the prices of new products.
Unfortunately the overall view seems to offer wrong-headed advice for solving our problems.
One, in nature ecosystems don't grow productive without limit. Liebig's Law constrains how much biomass a given environment can support, beyond which there can be only change within limits (or drift between attractors, in chaos theory terms), but not "boundless expansion." Presumably people who want to find a model for economic progress wouldn't want our economy to top off at some level of production and then stagnate, which is what we see in natural ecosystems.
Two, while Rothschild presents the Experience Curve as a refutation of the Principle of Diminishing Returns, in reality it is just a delayed form of that dismal principle. You might drive down the cost of a new product quite easily through several doublings in the experience you've acquired in producing it. But most of the products we depend on -- especially electricity and fossil fuels -- have such enormous amounts of experience behind their production already that you'd have to wait for many decades or even centuries before the next doubling has accumulated and worked it cost-reducing effect. Instead we see a diminishing return on cost reduction from each unit of experience, at least on the kind of timescale we have to deal with today.
Three, Rothschild apparently has no clue that in the real American economy, the overwhelming majority of people don't produce or handle tangible goods for a living, but instead work in non-productive, or worse, counter-productive, "services." Retail clerks and restaurant workers outnumber factory workers in the U.S. these days, yet these personal-service jobs don't create real wealth, and resist becoming more efficient because of the nature of human social interaction.... Presumably a bionomic view of the economy could account for parasitism, as in natural ecosystems, yet Rothschild doesn't seem to understand how serious a threat the "service sector" is to genuine progress.
And four, the libertarian cult status this book has attained among "New Economy" cranks probably has contributed to the mess the U.S. economy is in now. (The first edition was published in the early 1990's, just in time to wreak its intellectual and practical damage.) Between the anti-progress successes of the Left, and the Right's taxophobic, anti-government agenda and infatuations with meretricious New Economy and globalist free-trade theories, the U.S. has begun the New Millennium with a rapidly deteriorating infrastructure, energy shortages, deindustrialization and other problems that a reasonable grasp of reality could have prevented....
Eye opening.......2001-02-07
I had the chance to stumble on this book 5 years ago (1996) while attending business school, and it was just an amazing intellectual experience.
The book helps you make sense of not only the business world, but life in general. The essential message I took from it was that you don't have to reinvent the wheel everyday, most answers to social, economic or technological problems can be found in nature.
After this book you won't look at a tree the same way you used to. A must read for any business student or decision maker.
Average customer rating:
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Managing Worker Safety and Health for Excellence (Occupational Health & Safety)
Margaret R. Richardson
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ASIN: 0442023936 |
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II exposure to health and safety hazards in the workplace can be prevented. But only if the systems for initiating and monitoring controls are as carefully planned and implemented as the controls themselves. For proof of this, look no further than the participants in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). Meeting the VPP requirements and following guidance provided by OSHA's onsite evaluations, VPP members maintain comprehensive, practical,verifiable safety systems involving employees and managers at all levels. The results have been spectacular—members routinely report lost time injury rates of 50 to 80 percent below industry averages. These remarkable voluntary programs were developed and managed by Margaret Richardson for OSHA. Now Richardson uses her experience with VPP Star sites and clients pursuing excellence to take you beyond the VPP requirements to levels achieved by the best of the best. is the first how-to guide to establishing effective management systems for achieving excellence in worker protection from workplace hazards-a chance to benchmark the industry leaders from the comfort of your favorite chair. is based on OSHA guidelines for managing worker safety and health and on Richardson's considerable hands-on experience with OSHA and Department of Energy Star sites, as well as client worksites in some of the largest firms in the world. Step-by-step, the book shows you how to Achieve a closed safety management loop with clearly established policies, goals, objectives, assignments, and accountability procedures Ensure total worker involvement by fostering a "safety culture" where employees feel ownership of the safety/health program Identify and control hazards with a "hazard inventory" plus other reports, investigation techniques, and analyses to pinpoint all kinds of problems—even those that often elude controls Train all levels of employees, from workers and supervisors to middle and top managers, to understand their crucial roles in the program Better safety management up-front means fewer on-site accidens and work-related illnesses plus improved employee morale, more efficient operations, and better public relations. If you are responsible for creating, teaching, managing, or monitoring sophisticated safety systems, or if you serve on a safety committee overseeing safety systems, provides the information you need to do the job right.
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Encyclopedic Dictionary of Plant Breeding and Related Subjects
Rolf H. G. Schlegel
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ASIN: 1560229500 |
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Encyclopedic dictionary contains clear and useful definitions of the terms associated with plant breeding and related scientific/technological disciplines. Provides helpful tables, examples, and breeding schemes to make the data easy to access and utilize.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology, published by Thomson Gale on June 1, 2006. The length of the article is 607 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Encyclopedic Dictionary of Plant Breeding and Related Subjects.(Book review)
Author: Rainer W. Bussmann
Publication:
Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13
Issue: 6
Page: 457(1)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Galaxies are perhaps the most popular of all visual targets that are sought after by visual observers. At present the only way to get up-to-date information, is to query various (often highly technical) speciality books or digging deeply into the Internet. This can be a time consuming and often frustrating task, as the data aren’t often compatible. This book satisfies the need for a modern, comprehensive review in combining the three major aspects: the physical background on the nature and data of galaxies, the relevant instrumentation and viewing techniques, and finally the targets and their individual appearance in telescopes of various apertures. To illustrate the latter, a comprehensive sample of galaxies, including quasars, groups and clusters of galaxies is presented. This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical information guarantees successful observing sessions. The book could become a standard source on galaxy observing for all kinds of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced.
Customer Reviews:
A very good book.......2007-10-04
It is excellent writting, comprehensive, analytical and all subjects well presented and in the appropriate order.
most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing.......2007-08-13
Wolfgang Steinicke was the leading author of the german "Praxishandbuch Deep Sky"(Kosmos 2004), which I like very much. So I started reading his new book on Galaxies with high expectations...and I was not disappointed :
I believe this is the most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing - satisfying a very broad range of interests.
In three major sections, the authors not only address the needs of the most ambitious observers, but frequently add encouraging hints for beginners as well.
I recommend it A) as a reading book to gain a broader knowledge
and B) as an excellent planning guide when you want to observe MUCH MORE than the most commonly known galaxies.
SECTION I (70 pages) provides a basic understanding of the different types of galaxies and clusters, plus all those data that are important for visually observing them.
Chapter 1 explains different galaxy classification schemes, special cases and pecularities - then chapter 2 introduces pairs, groups and clusters of galaxies and shows their place within the hierarchy of the universe.
Chapter 3 presents a well structured overview for many different types of galaxy catalogs, containing galaxy data and nomenclatures. Advantages/disadvantages of these catalogs are discussed and their data quality is critically judged.
I strongly recommend to study this chapter 3 on catalogs first, because the same presentation structure is followed in the later SECTION III on observing programs.
SECTION II (33 pages) covers the Technical Aspects on observing galaxies.
Key technical instrumentation aspects are only summarized briefly (chap.4), but the Theory of Visual Observation (chap.5), together with practical recommendations on observing, star hopping and observing logs (chap.6) demonstrate the authors very broad experience in finding, identifying faint galaxies and documenting them.
SECTION III (110 pages) on "What to Observe? - The Objects" contains the largest, most valuable part of the book.
An instructive combination of "photo/textual" descriptions presents a large number of objects in the most "objective" way :
Not counting individual galaxies inside groups or clusters (though mentioned in the tables), a total of 500 objects are listed in data tables - following that same structure introduced in SECTION I. Each data table is immediately followed by a separate table with textual descriptions. Around 600 such descriptions are given, based on the visual appearance of each object with different instruments: 1. binocular (if possible),
2. medium aperture telescope(6-10"), 3. large telescope(13-20", sometimes larger).
All these observation descriptions in chapters 7 to 10 stem from renowned observers; e.g. Steve Gottlieb, Steve Coe, beside the authors.
Chapter 7 suggests a variety of Observing Programs, based on
a) M-, NGC/IC- or UGC- CATALOGS
b) Sky Areas and constellations
Chapter 8 suggests selection criteria which are dependent on the characteristics of the individual galaxy; i.e. by sorting them by their distance or by their appearance.
Chapter 9 concentrates on Groups and Clusters; i.e. by listing a) pairs and trios, b) small groups and chains, then c) clusters.
Chapter 10 finally suggests interesting targets "off the beaten path" or in the category of "ultimate challenge".
My reason for mentioning all these details is to demonstrate that this book is quite well organized - especially for all those readers with a minimal amount of patience and learning will.
There is only one unfortunate omission : Springer printed the 1.edition of this unique reference book without a page index !!!
However, after I emailed the author, he swiftly produced an INDEX OF ALL OBJECTS (xls), which can easily be downloaded
from the (Homepage Wolfgang Steinicke).
A Wealth of Information, Poorly Organized.......2007-04-17
This book is filled with a lot of really interesting information on galaxies. However, it is extremely disorganized. My copy of this book is now full of bookmarks to help me find information later. Why? This book has no index. Let me repeat that--this book has NO INDEX. This is an unforgivable sin for any reference book! Furthermore, the subtitle is "and how to observe them." There is not a clue about how to observe galaxies. Instead, the pictures of galaxies are taken through large professional telescopes that for the most part are not even identified. There are observer's descriptions for some galaxies, but most of these are through 20" and larger telescopes. Only a few descriptions are for telescope sizes you might be likely to own.
On the plus side, there are a number of pointers to more information sources, but often these are given in large, undifferentiated lists, instead of the authors making specific recommendations.
Some of the descriptions of galactic structure and evolution are extremely sparse. You won't find a clear definition of Seyfert galaxies, for example.
If you're looking for a definitive work on galaxies, this isn't it. But if you want to learn some interesting facts, you might find this book a fun read. You'll probably come away with some observing ideas as well, but stock up on bookmarks!
Book Description
ASTRONOMERS’ OBSERVING GUIDES provide up-to-date information for amateur astronomers who want to know all about what it is they are observing. This is the basis of the first part of the book. The second part details observing techniques for practical astronomers, working with a range of different instruments. Star Clusters and How to Observe Them is a mine of information for all levels of amateur observers, from beginners to experienced observers. It begins with a detailed yet easily assimilated description of star clusters, how they were formed as our Milky Way galaxy evolved, and how they are classified. The latest research has revealed a vast amount of fascinating information about the clusters, along with some spectacular photographs. Modern commercially-made telescopes enable amateur astronomers to see a surprising amount of detail, and to record – using CCD cameras, video, webcams or even film – some remarkably beautiful and detailed images. There is detailed information on using refractors, reflectors, SCT’s (like Meade and Celestron) and computer-controlled telescopes The book includes an Observing List cataloguing star clusters to be observed or imaged using a variety of different instruments, all of them available commercially to amateur astronomers.
Customer Reviews:
A Rare Breed!.......2006-07-18
Books specifically about Star Clusters are a rare breed (there are 2, Archinal & Hayes book AND this one!) So I ordered this book with bated breath.
I am glad to report that it did not dissapoint. The scientific data is fresh, non-technical and bang up-to-date and covers all types of clusters including remnants, extragalactic clusters and asterisms. The observing guide and object list is thorough and accessible, and unlike most general deep sky books, the content is geared specifically towards star clusters. Would I recommend this book to cluster enthusiasts and beginners? You bet!
Fascinating and Informative Book.......2006-07-04
I am an amateur living in suburban conditions, so star clusters are ideal targets for my small scope. I found this book invaluable. It gives not only up-to-date information on all aspects of clusters - but in an easy to read format, and no maths in sight. I also found the observing guide and 'hit list' very useful. In my humble opinion, this book is worth every cent.
A great observing guide!.......2006-05-24
This book is easy to read yet goes quite deep into star cluster science and physics - but with a down to earth approach. As a newcomer to astronomy, I found the observing guide very helpful. Even the sections on equipment and techniques were useful as they are geared to star cluster observation. The list of objects is thorough and well thought out - but It could have been larger!
The author states he is an amateur astronomer himself - and his passion for the subject certainly shows. Highly recommended!
An enjoyable and inspiring read.......2006-05-23
I found this book both interesting and factual. It does not contain any history of observing, or mythology but the author mentions that this was intentional. The book covers the science of star clusters very well and most of the latest discoveries are documented.
I did find a few small errors in the text but they don't distract the from the content too much, and I must admit that Springer books in general appear to have more typos than usual.
The sections on observing will appeal to beginners - though advanced amateurs may find these sections too simplistic - I guess the author is trying to appeal to all types of observer?
The list of objects is comprehensive and covers the range from very easy, to pretty hard - some are a little obscure - but at least this presents a challenge. The star charts are very clear - but some of the CCD images are a little ropey - but they are produced by amateur astronomers.
Archinal & Hynes book 'Star Clusters' is a much larger book and covers the history of star clusters and many pages are dedicated to its star cluster catalogues. But if you require a smaller book that concentrates on star cluster science and observing, then Allison's book will suit you better.
I would recommend this book to any star cluster enthusiast.
Star Clusters: The Missed Opportunity.......2006-05-22
I’m an optimist: I believe Man will wake up to Global Warming before we turn our planet into Venus, that there are some honest politicians, and that proofreading will return to the forefront of book publishing.
Alas, today is not that day. Allison’s book so badly needed a proofreader that a fifth-grade teacher, armed with a red pen, would have run out of ink before getting out of the first couple chapters. I think good writing should not only be engaging, but should be free from obvious grammar and spelling errors—it makes it easier to read for the inexperienced reader, and considerably less distracting for the experienced reader.
Allison’s book has so many errors in grammar, including punctuation and tense, that the book is quite distracting to read.
I admire the intent, though, and I would have grudgingly given a nod to the book were it not for the Fatal Flaw that seems to inhabit so many astronomy-oriented books these days: the inclusion of basic information unnecessary to the text or content of the book.
On point: does a book about the structure, history, and observing of star clusters really need basic information about finders, telescope types, Barlows, diagonals, and filters? If you think it does, because the book might be read by a novice stargazer who is not so familiar with the basics of observing, then why include information on cluster classification systems, stellar spectra, and hard-to-observe faint clusters that are test objects for large dobs? Does the reader who understands the science of stars and their classifications, or to whom the difficult clusters would be interesting challenges, really need a primer on finders and Barlows?
I think not. Perhaps the author didn’t either, but was asked to include this information by the publisher. Whichever is the case, it’s there, but it surely didn’t need to be.
Lastly, there is the “meat” of the book; its catalogue of 109 star clusters, replete with finder charts, photographs, basic data, and observation reports. This is the part of the book that might have, despite the other problems aforementioned, redeemed the book in the eyes of this 43 year veteran of star cluster observing.
It was not to be. I could not believe some of the sky’s most spectacular clusters, such as NGC 7789 in Cassiopeia, were left out, while truly difficult (and somewhat mundane) clusters, such as G1 in the Andromeda Galaxy, were included. If the intent is to inspire people to look at star clusters of all types and sizes, with all levels of difficulty, then a more comprehensive approach is necessary. If you compare this to “Star Clusters” by Archinal and Hynes (pub.Willmann-Bell), or “The Night-Sky Observer’s Guide” by Kepple and Sanner (pub.Willmann-Bell), or “Observing Handbook and Catalogue of Deep-Sky Objects” by Luginbuhl and Skiff (pub.Cambridge Univ.Press), the truly poor nature of this book’s contents becomes glaringly apparent.
I do not recommend this book without a major rewriting and the inclusion of a lot more star clusters. Save your money and get one of the books mentioned—your interest will be far better served.
Don Pensack, Los Angeles, May, 2006.
Book Description
Amateur astronomers – particularly deep-sky observers – are always on the lookout for new observing challenges. The Herschel Objects, and How to Observe Them offers the exciting opportunity of retracing the steps of the greatest visual observer and celestial explorer that ever lived. This is a practical guide to seeing the most impressive of Herschel’s star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
There has never been – and as of the time of submitting this proposal there still isn’t – an observer’s book devoted to the Herschel objects. The US-based Astronomical League has for several years sponsored a "Herschel Club", reflecting the interest amateur astronomers have in this important but less widely known listing. The Herschel Objects, and How to Observe Them covers more than 600 of the brightest of the objects that Herschel saw, with detailed descriptions and images of 150 to 200 of the very best for viewing with amateur telescopes.
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