Palms in Forest Ecosystems of Amazonia (Ecological Studies)

Book Description

This book draws a picture of the palm communities in the main forest ecosystems of Amazonia, taking into account their geographical variability. In particular, the major trends of adaptive radiation of palms as well as their role in forest functioning are analysed and answers to the following questions are given: - How many palm species are there in Amazonian forest ecosystems? - Is palm species richness equal throughout the basin? - Which are the palm-richest ecosystems? - What about density and life forms, structure of the com munities, palm productivity, relationship with animals, and with humans? - What is the palms' economic potential? - How to use the natural populations of palms for forest management? A supplement to the text offers a practical key for the identification of palms with an elementary description of each genus based on the characteristics of Amazonian species, and the most vernacular names.

Book Description

The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is a crown jewel in the National Trail System, but it's seldom fully enjoyed by the hikers who live nearest to it. Why? Because at 2,650 miles, it's just too daunting. Most guidebooks to the PCT focus on mile-by-mile descriptions of the entire trail, from Mexico to Canada-ideal for hikers with weeks or months to spend exploring significant portions of the trail. But such long-distance hikers comprise a tiny percentage of the entire hiking population. If you have limited time, The Best of the Pacific Crest Trail: Washington gives you the information you need to enjoy the beauty of the PCT- on a short day hike, an overnighter, or a week-long outing to explore the most remote areas of the trail.

Customer Reviews:

Great way to enjoy the long trail in short bites.......2006-03-29

A wonderfully helpful guide to the beauty of the PCT

Customer Reviews:

Bibi, will we see you again?.......2001-10-25

This book is a great book on the former PM of Israel. It gives an inside look into his life and gives the reader a close up of the Israel political scene and how things are done. At times, it also steps into his bedroom and examines his relationship with his wife, at times giving the reader details that Netanyahu probably would not want made public. He was and still is an important man in Israeli politics and the role he will play in the future, if any, is still unknown, but this biography is the only book on him available in the US. It is written so well that there is no need for any other and if you want an inside look at the man known as "Bibi" or you just want to learn more about Israeli politics, pick up this book.

Fascinating and Insightful Book.......1999-07-06

A fascinating and compelling book, whick brings to light the personality and political motivations of one of Israel's most controversial leaders. As you read about Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's early life you can't help to have some admiration for the man. How he overcame obstacles and possessed a vibrant determination in his youth is inspiring. It also helps explain many mysteries about the Netanyahu and his political views. It also contains many interesting tidbits about Netanyahu's personal life and his three wives, and his tendency to be unfaithful. An all around facsinating and entertaining books whichs finally explains Benjamin Netanyahu, and inspires one at the same time. If you are interested in the middle east,politics, or judaism I strongly recommend this book!

An excellent book........1999-06-05

This is a well written book on Binyamin Netanyahu. It provides anyone interested it the Middle East a basic understanding of Mr Netanyahu. Reading this book helped give me a better understanding of where he stands on certain issues.

Bibi Netanyahu, Israel's first American prime minister.......1998-11-14

This fast-moving book offers a profound insight into the character of Israel's Prime Minister. As well as exciting accounts of his army service in the prestigious General Staff Reconnaisance Unit the book describes Bibi's less than successful business career.Kfir and Caspit depict Bibi Netanyahu as an opportunistic rabble rouser, who rose to power in the aftermath of the Rabin assassination and the book gives graphic accounts of the atmosphere leading to the assassination and Bibi's part in the incitement. The book describes his relationships with his three wives and supplies a chilling analysis of his latest wife, former air hostess, Sarah Netanyahu, and the power she has over him - with juicy accounts of her tantrams and hysterics both at home and abroad. An excellent read for anyone interested in politics in general, in Israel and in the middle east. But it is also a fascinating biography in its own right.

Juicy page-turner about the politics of kingmaking........1998-09-26

I like pulpy life stories of famous people, so this hit the spot. Netanyahu's military career reads like an action movie. Especially interesting is the look into the machinations of government in Israel and the politics of kingmaking. The chapter on Arthur Finklestein, the political advisor who engineered Netanyahu's victory, is one of the best accounts of campaign strategy I've ever read.

Book Description

A young man finds adventure in the South Seas -- heart-stopping encounters with crocodiles and giant lizards, sea gypsies, smugglers and a shipwreck -- it's a feast of adventure, and all true!

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The Islands of the Sulu Sea.
Kurt. Rose
Manufacturer: Glencannon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VPXL82

Pilot #33 : EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO PILOT VOL I : Comprising the Phillippine Islands ( with the Exception of the Western Coasts of Luzon and Palawan ), Sulu Sea, Sula Archipelago, and the North - East of Borneo

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Pilot #33 : EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO PILOT VOL I : Comprising the Phillippine Islands ( with the Exception of the Western Coasts of Luzon and Palawan ), Sulu Sea, Sula Archipelago, and the North - East of Borneo
Hydrographer of the Navy
Manufacturer: Admiralty Hydrographic Department
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KEW8YW

Aerial survey for schooling pelagic fish in waters of the South China Sea and Sulu Sea adjacent to Palawan Island: A report : Philippines (Working paper ... and Coordinating Programme ; SCS/76/WP/43)

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Aerial survey for schooling pelagic fish in waters of the South China Sea and Sulu Sea adjacent to Palawan Island: A report : Philippines (Working paper ... and Coordinating Programme ; SCS/76/WP/43)
John A Maynard
Manufacturer: South China Sea Fisheries Development and Coordinating Programme
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006CZKSO

Asia, Philippine Islands, southern part including adjacent islands and north coast of Borneo (SuDoc D 5.356:92006/999)

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Asia, Philippine Islands, southern part including adjacent islands and north coast of Borneo (SuDoc D 5.356:92006/999)
U.S. Dept of Defense
Manufacturer: The Agency NOAA Distribution Division, N/ACC3, National Ocean Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

The Islands of the Sulu Sea: A True Adventure

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The Islands of the Sulu Sea: A True Adventure
Kurt Rose
Manufacturer: Glencannon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 9637586016

Philippine Islands, Palawan--east coast, Puerto Princesa (SuDoc D 5.356:92529/998)

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Philippine Islands, Palawan--east coast, Puerto Princesa (SuDoc D 5.356:92529/998)
U.S. Dept of Defense
Manufacturer: The Agency NOAA Distribution Division, N/ACC3, National Ocean Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000113Z6E

Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island and Tapul Group (SuDoc D 5.356:92240/998)

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Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island and Tapul Group (SuDoc D 5.356:92240/998)
U.S. Dept of Defense
Manufacturer: The Agency NOAA Distribution Division, N/ACC3, National Ocean Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000113ZGY

Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island to Basilan Island (SuDoc D 5.356:92220/998)

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Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island to Basilan Island (SuDoc D 5.356:92220/998)
U.S. Dept of Defense
Manufacturer: The Agency NOAA Distribution Division, N/ACC3, National Ocean Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000112AR4

Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island to Pilas Island (SuDoc D 5.356:92230/996)

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Philippines, Sulu Archipelago, Jolo Island to Pilas Island (SuDoc D 5.356:92230/996)
U.S. Dept of Defense
Manufacturer: The Agency NOAA Distribution Branch, N/CG33, National Ocean Service, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Philippines | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00010RCU0

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Zoo U News.......2002-02-21

This is a good book. It lays out the groundwork for the survival of several species in a way that might not immediately have occurred to you. It explains in plain and readable English what zoological breeding programs are like, how they are administered and coordinated and how they really are the only hope of preserving some animals now tentatively upon this earth. The title comes because not all threatened species can be saved. This book may change the way you look at zoos and breeding programs.

A Crowded Ark the Role of Zoos in Wildlife Conservation

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A Crowded Ark the Role of Zoos in Wildlife Conservation
Jon R. Luooma
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NLBP6O

Book Description

Starlancer is the first, highly anticipated title from Digital Anvil, the makers of Wing Commander. In the tradition of Wing Commander, Starlancer offers players the chance to pilot a series of futuristic spacecraft and engage in complex space-based missions. This official guide, produced with the full cooperation of the game's developer, features detailed walkthroughs of every scenario, comprehensive strategies for all ships and weapons, and hardcore multiplayer strategies for head-to-head combat. Each copy also includes an exclusive full-size, full-color poster.

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Celebrity Sampler of Decorative Painting (Plaid #8276)
Plaid Enterprises Staff
Manufacturer: Plaid Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9999868290

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Etc. Montreal, published by Revue d'Art Contemporain Etc. Inc. on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 2162 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: (Voir du voir) ou la deliaison du sujet dans le regard pornographique.
Author: Jean Dragon
Publication: Etc. Montreal (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2001
Publisher: Revue d'Art Contemporain Etc. Inc.
Issue: 56 Page: 33-5

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The great red dragon that was cast down from heaven and no millenium: A plain rational exposition of the prophecies in regard to the nations of the earth ... and early Adventists, sect. 3, reel 1:35)

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The great red dragon that was cast down from heaven and no millenium: A plain rational exposition of the prophecies in regard to the nations of the earth ... and early Adventists, sect. 3, reel 1:35)
R. B Bement
Manufacturer: Rosser & Bro., Printers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00087UOV0

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quotes, quotes, and more quotes

Fascinating tale of a deadly swindle

A good story?

A Lively History of a Swindle

The Greatest Con Man Of All Time

The Land That Never Was: Sir Gregor MacGregor And The Most Audacious Fraud In History
David Sinclair
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Making Friends with Hitler: Lord Londonderry, the Nazis, and the Road to War

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Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend

ASIN: B000H2NBLG

Book Description

Once upon a time, in the heart of Central America, there was a country named Poyais. It was exceptionally rich in resources, civilization, and culture and was ruled by the brave and enlightened Scottish soldier, Sir Gregor MacGregor, who became its ruler after his heroic exploits in the fight for South American independence. On a cold January morning in 1823, a group of Scottish immigrants looking for a new life set sail for this tropical Eden called Poyais. The only catch was that it didn't exist.

A month later the ship landed on the swamp-infested Mosquito Coast and the settlers realized that they had become the victims of one of the most elaborate hoaxes in history. The land they had been sold was nonexistent, the banknotes and guidebooks they carried with them were forgeries, their documents were worthless. Poyais was a fiction. The man responsible? Sir Gregor MacGregor. Who was this eccentric, scurrilous man? And why is he such a lovable rogue?

Customer Reviews:

quotes, quotes, and more quotes.......2007-06-01

The author makes a habit of extensively quoting other authors memoirs of the events surround the Poyais scheme. When he is not doing that he is listing loan interest rates and payment schedules involved in the plot and there is enough unnecessary number crunching in the book to teach an economics class with. It seems that the author had a hard time finding any new original material in his research and so what we get is a mix of speculation and facts that have already been arrived at by the authors Davis researched. But other than that I suppose this was an interesting story. I wouldn't say that Gregors Poyais scheme was the Most 'Audacious Fraud in History' by the end of the book even Davis agrees that the Poyais scheme barely supported his family.

Fascinating tale of a deadly swindle.......2007-03-05

Poyais was a lush Caribbean paradise - perfect climate for comfortable living and fertile agriculture, peaceful natives, and beautiful scenery. It was the perfect place to start a new living or simply invest in. The only problem? It didn't actually exist.

The Land That Never Was chronicles the life and times of Gregor MacGregor - one of the most outrageous, balls-out con artists of all time - who, in the early 1800s, tricked the world into believing he was an aristocrat, a knight, a hero of countless South American military campaigns, and the cazique (king) of an untouched, beautiful land. His powers of charm and manipulation were so great that even as his fraud was unraveled, he still managed to escape unscathed, legally and reputation-wise. Even the settlers of this new land - that is, those who survived the barren, disease-ridden nightmare of a place where they were dumped and abandoned - never blamed MacGregor, but the various intermediaries MacGregor had put in place.

The swindle was so well thought out and detailed that the fake land of Poyais had its own 300-page guidebook, Constitution, purchase orders for tracts of land, various other forged documents, and travel agencies throughout England and Scotland, that helped recruit hundreds of new settlers. The book begins with the predicament that these settlers found themselves in after arriving in "Poyais"; namely, having given up everything they had to die in a horrible place - and spending their life savings for the opportunity!

The book then looks at MacGregor's colorful past prior to the Poyais scheme, spending much time on his cowardly misadventures as a soldier for fortune in South America. The narrative then focuses on the second half of his life, as he sought every which way to make money off of a complete fantasy, even bankrupting and killing hundreds of innocents in the process, and always staying one step ahead of the law.

This is a fascinating story of chutzpah and creative swindling, and of a delusional man who may have even began believing his own tall tales. The only drawback to the book is the lack of broader research during MacGregor's wartime years, of which a good portion of the book is spent: most of the research is from the memoirs of a disillusioned colonel that served with MacGregor (though his version of events are likely more accurate than MacGregor's, who would have you believe he single-handedly liberated South America!). All other aspects of the book are great: it is richly detailed and engaging, and a must-read for anyone interested in the lesser-known annals of history.

A good story?.......2006-12-22

The biggest thing to jump out at me, was why all these different people kept getting suckered in by this guy, it became more frustrating than entertaining.

A Lively History of a Swindle.......2004-01-13

You will not find the land of Poyais on any map. A guidebook in 1822 described the South American country in glowing terms. It had good soil, timber, gold, a healthful atmosphere, and a work force eager to bring the country into modernity. Descriptions of Poyais made it especially attractive for the times; there was speculation that a canal would be dug to unite the Atlantic and Pacific, and the region was going to be a new world economic center. The Cazique (Prince) of Poyais himself was in London and Paris in the 1820's, and he and his wife were was greeted by the rich and powerful, and bankers and investors were eager to befriend him by making money from his country. Ships carrying immigrants to the new land were chartered and sailed off. The problem was that Poyais never existed. In _The Land that Never Was: Sir Gregor MacGregor and the Most Audacious Fraud in History_ (Da Capo Press), David Sinclair has told an extraordinary tale about an amusing, and deadly, hoax; it is a rattling good book of history and human folly.

MacGregor was the Scottish son of a merchant family, who had an undistinguished spell in the British Army. The most distinguishing thing he did was to become obsessed with uniforms, niceness of rank, and honorary badges. He served in the Venezuelan army, and had some success, and some claims to heroism, but also took every chance to puff those claims. He also repeatedly ran away from action. He was good at devising uniforms, honors, and military protocol. He returned to London in 1821 and he explained that he had been created Cazique by the grateful and anglophile King George Frederick of the Mosquito Shore and Nation. The title brought with it thousands of square miles in the Territory of Poyais, and as Cazique, he was required by the King to govern the territory in the interests of its native inhabitants. As Cazique, he had instituted a rudimentary civil service, a beginning army, and a democratic government. He had come to London for the coronation of George IV, because his Poyasian people had long been attached to the British monarchy, and he hoped to develop interest in Poyais during his visit. He succeeded. Investors bought his bonds, and immigrants sailed to the new land. They found nothing like he had described, and most of them died. Those who returned, astonishingly, blamed administrators and ship captains for their plight; some even officially signed a document that freed the Cazique from all blame. He got no legal punishment, and retired to Venezuela on a military pension.

Sinclair's entertaining history raises the slightest of possibilities that MacGregor was merely a fantasist who began to believe in his own pretensions. He might have thought he could really become a Cazique if he could settle the territory. He had drive and a skill for self-promotion that could, in other circumstances, have made him a leader of settlers to the territory. He proved to be more interested in the superficial trappings of power, and in the prospect of gaining quick riches, but it is not at all impossible that he could have become just as rich if he had told the truth. There have been other hoaxes, bubbles and vaporous dotcoms, but this is the only one that traded on fantasies of an entire simulated country. MacGregor's story, told here with verve and good humor, is a rousing cautionary tale.

The Greatest Con Man Of All Time.......2004-01-11

P.T. Barnum may never have heard of Sir Gregor MacGregor, but he no doubt had his type of personality in mind when he coined the immortal phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute." David Sinclair's new book, "The Land That Never Was," presents the story of MacGregor and the greatest confidence scheme that ever was...the mythical Central American land of Poyais. In the early 1820s, MacGregor persuaded hundreds of his fellow Scotsmen to abandon their lives, homes and property to sail across the Atlantic and begin new lives in Poyais, which he ruled over as "Cazique."

They had been attracted by promises of a land mild in climate rich in natural resources, of a capital city and government on the European model when they would feel at home, and easy wealth with only moderate effort. The harsh reality, of course, was that Poyais only existed in MacGregor's mind.

In the opening section of the book, Sinclair introduces us to some of MacGregor's victims as they set sail with high hopes only to find a jungle nightmare on their arrival at their new "home." When things seem to be at their worst for the group, Sinclair leaves them to tell MacGregor's tale. We follow him through his exploits as a soldier of fortune in South America, where he fought alongside the likes of Simon Bolivar. But his military record was never as glittering as MacGregor would present it in later years. Ironically, when he was forced to engage in battle, he displayed both intelligence and bravery, but he only took this step when all other alternatives (including letting others do the fighting for him) had been exhausted.

Sinclair follows MacGregor back to London, where he launches the Poyais scheme, playing on the explosion of interest in South America as a untapped market and resource. When we rejoin the settlers, or at least the ones who managed to make it home with their lives, what I found the most amazing portion of the book begins. Apparently MacGregor's personal charisma was so persuasive that he managed to persuade many of his followers, and others as well, that he was not the perpetrator but the victim in this scheme. He had simply placed his trust in the wrong subordinates, and given the opportunity, everything could be straightened out.

MacGregor always seemed to stay one step ahead of the truth, and the law, until the latter caught up with him at his next stop, Paris, where he tried to stir fresh interest in Poyais. He was imprisoned and brought to trial, but leading the charmed life that he was, he was soon back in London, still working to entice people to put money into the land that didn't exist.

Sinclair's narrative is fairly straightforward, and given to nice ironic touches at times, such as a description of MacGregor as not the sort of man to "let a good idea wither away because of a few technical difficulties." This is a entertaining and enlightening read.--William C. Hall

Sir Gregor Macgregor and the Land That Never Was

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A good read for latin americanists
A must read for History buffs, the often hilarious account of a psuedo- Cazique

Sir Gregor Macgregor and the Land That Never Was
David Sinclair
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

A good read for latin americanists.......2006-11-08

Story of a 19th century Scots fraudster, Gregor MacGregor and his scheme to make a fortune selling land in a non existent country in central America. The tale is an interesting one covering the MacGregors exploits in the Americas (where he fought alongside Miranda and Bolivar) and Europe as well as in Britain. Ultimately MacGregor is presented as being a deluded fantasist rather than an outright conman but more judicious editing (especially of the independence campaigns MacGregor actually fought in) with a greater use of footnotes might make it both more useful to historians and efficient to read. Such editing would make it ***

A must read for History buffs, the often hilarious account of a psuedo- Cazique.......2005-10-02

The land of Poyais was one of those eighteenth/nineteenth century land bubbles which burst with massive loss to a number of people. In this case the poor settlers who were drawn to the salubrious conditions promised by the purported Cazique of this country, Gregor MacGregor.

David Sinclair's book is an immensely readable acocunt of how so many were drawn into the lure of this lush new land where property was cheap and fertile, labour was easily available, and all but flowing milk and honey seemed to be promised. Despite earlier lessons of the South Sea bubble and the similar Mississippi bubble, people of the 1820's were willing to believe the promises and made the trip to the land on the Caribbean side Central America. With often disastorous consequesnces.

What I loved best about this book is that Sinclair takes time to really put the issue into context of the time. How Macgregor managed to convince the rich and noble in London of his claims, how he managed to get so many settlers to make the trip there. Even the launching of the boat delayed during extraodinary storms, is put in context.

Sinclairs book is well written and well researched. I am surprised that this book has not acheived the popularity of others. It is a great subject, well written and clearly well researched. It is a good easy page turning read with enough excitement and comic touches to keep amused - usually the snobbery of the Cazique - and the ability of society in London to be fooled by anyone in fancy clothes and a title.

It would be of great interest to those who enjoy Regency and georgian historical period, it is whole new aspect of this period I don't think many will have read about before.

If you enjoy reading books by Giles Milton, Deborah Cadbury or small histories you should give this a try.

The land that never was : Sir Gregor MacGregor and the most audacious fraud in history

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The land that never was : Sir Gregor MacGregor and the most audacious fraud in history
David Sinclair
Manufacturer: Review, London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZQ0KS

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