Russian Forestry and Timber Industry Directory (Us Governmen Agencies Business Library)

Amazon.com

Next time you fly, take an informal poll of the people sitting around you and you'll find everyone's paying a different fare. Those who plunked down the most will burn with shame and/or hostility--no one wants to pay through the nose for the same uncomfortable seat you paid less for--while whoever paid the lowest will beam with a victor's triumph, winner of the airfare game. It's not a way to make friends--only one fare wins--but it's instructive to learn how many different fares are available for the exact same flight seats.

Flying is now part of life, but high fares don't have to be. Matt Wunder and Joel Leach explain all the tricks of the trade when it comes to saving money on airfares. With comprehensive information on air couriers and consolidators, European AirPasses, buying tickets in "Airfare Havens," using "hidden city" destinations, and finding promotional fares, the airfare portion of your future trip budget can be significantly reduced. This plus the useful chapters on Internet travel sites and the appendices on passport and visa requirements, immunizations, fees, embassies, airline codes, and all airline phone numbers make Airfare Secrets Exposed a great value for anyone who flies. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

Save hundreds of dollars when you fly domestically or internationally, for business or pleasure! Save 20-50% by using consolidators and bucket shops (nationwide list included). Learn which day of the week airlines post discount fares. Also learn all about: flying as a courier, Air Passes, Airfare Havens, Ticket Auctions, Status Fares, Charters, Internet shopping, and more! One entire chapter dedicated to Tips, Tricks, and Secrets the airlines don't want you to know. Nine appendices full of helpful information.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing new.......2006-07-30

I must agree with Elizabeth; there is nothing in this book that a casual search on the internet couldn't find. As for the other two who gave the book a five star rating, they (for some strange $reason$) give five stars to everything they review.

Don't waste your time.......2001-07-14

Nothing you wouldn't find out on your own by looking around the web.

Air Travel is More Fun When You Pay Less.......2000-10-06

There are two types of people who pay full fare when traveling by air: those with too much money and those who have not read this book.

Air Fare Secrets Exposed describes how to fly as a freelance air courier, buying tickets from consolidators, flying on charters, getting air passes, cashing in on frequent flyer programs, getting compensated for being bumped, finding travel information on the Internet, and a bunch of hidden airfare tips. The Appendix covers passports, visas, immunizations, fees, embassies/consulates, foreign entry requirements, non-fare travel tips, airline telephone numbers, and airport codes. This is an air travel encyclopedia.

Matt Wunder is an intermediate school administrator who lectures on discount travel. Joel Leach is a licensed travel agent who escorts tours worldwide.

As an author, publisher and speaker, I travel a lot. I can testify that this book will save you thousands of dollars. Saving money on travel makes it much more fun. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com.

A premiere, one-of-a-kind travel book........2000-04-06

Now in an updated and expanded third edition, Airfare Secrets Exposed is a premiere, one-of-a-kind travel book that explains in practical detail how to find and book incredibly low airfares and buck the high-priced rate for air travel so commonplace today. Joel Leach and Carey Christensen have uncovered dozens and dozens of ways to save up to 50% or more on an airplane ticket -- regardless of destination. Of special interest is the chapter devoted to exposing how airlines set prices so the reader will learn to save by buying on a particular day of the week (a day which varies from airline to airline). another chapter explains about consolidators and bucket shops that sell tickets for 50-70 percent less than the airlines themselves charge. There is even a state-by-state list of consolidators along with instructions on how to shop them competitively for the lowest rates. Airfare Secrets Exposed explains such little-known strategies as using Group Inclusive Tours, Hidden Cities, Promotional Fares, and Tour Discardments. There's even the latest information about Senior Airline Coupons and tricks for maximizing Frequent Flyer points. In just one trip, readers will make back far, far more than the cost of this invaluable, money saving, get-you-there-and-back-for-less-money air travel guide.

Book Description

The corporate tax policy of the European Commission has proved one of the major failures in the history of the European Community (EC). Despite efforts by the European Commission throughout the thirty years of its existence and pressure from the business community, little progress has been made in harmonizing corporate taxation in the European Union; the Commission's proposals have almost always been turned down at the Council level. Yet harmonization is a crucial step in establishing a common market in Europe. Towards Corporate Tax Harmonization in the European Community examines the efforts of the European Commission to achieve harmonization, basing its analysis on the study of theoretical economic models of corporate tax systems which meet the requirements of a common market and avoid economic inefficiencies, as well as on an examination of the US federal tax system. Through the examination of theoretical models as well as practical examples, the author studies why the repeated harmonization attempts have failed and concludes that they must take into account not only economic aspects, but also political and legal factors. Harmonization of corporate taxation is not only a legislative exercise. Other institutions, like the EC Court, have an important role to play in the harmonization process, as the US federal experience suggests. Towards Corporate Tax Harmonization in the European Community concludes with a model for corporate tax harmonization which takes into account both economic theory and the realities of the political and legal process. Practical features enhance the accessibility of the material and include * an introduction and conclusion for every chapter * a bibliography * a table of cases, including extensive references to EC Court and US Supreme Court jurisprudence. This work's thought-provoking conclusions and its comparative approach assist the reader in gaining a better understanding of the problems posed by company taxation in the EC as well as federal forms of government in general.

Book Description

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has become the leading spokesman for the Bush administration on all matters related to the military and its prosecution of the war on terror. Midge Decter, an accomplished political journalist who has enjoyed over two decades of friendship with Rumsfeld, will answer the question of why and how he has come to play such a critical role.

Partly biographical and partly analytical, the book focuses on Rumsfeld's past and current activities as well as what he represents: an ethos of sturdiness, frankness, and resilience that has clearly resonated with the American public. Decter gained Rumsfeld's full cooperation, and she trailed him through the Pentagon and beyond as he prosecuted the war on terror and the military campaign against Saddam Hussein. The daily stresses of advising the president, handling the media, crafting military policy, and dealing with issues of life and death are examined from the inside – as they happened.

This book offers a dynamic, intimate, behind–the–scenes look at the biggest political star (apart from the President himself) of the Bush administration.

Customer Reviews:

exercise in shameless sycophancy.......2007-05-13

A reviewer for the American Conservative terms this book a biography of "shameless sycophancy". It is, like, Neocon meets Warmonger and promptly falls in love. To get this crappy piece of nonsense out of your system one needs to read the recently published antidote: "Rumsfeld, His Rise, Fall and Catastrophic Legacy."

A puff piece on Rummy........2007-03-15

Rumsfeld, along with McNamara will be one of the controversial SecDef for quite some time. He certainly has made his mark on American history and on the U.S. Armed Forces. This book was published at the height of Rummy's popularity. Since that time, the Iraq War has gone through endless issues as the U.S. has become bogged down in this country. Rummy has since been thrown out of his job.

The first four to five chapters are actually very informative. It is the last five that puff up Rumsfeld's image. Unfortunately, Rumsfeld did not quit in time. The last five chapters are hard to read. If you are a selective reader, check this book out and read the first five chapters.

Puff Piece.......2006-01-01

A very partisan puff piece. According to the author, Rumsfeld has no faults. Those who have criticized him suffer from either jealousy, sour grapes or knee-jerk orneriness. However it is an easy read and as an introduction to Rumsfeld for those who know little about him, it gives a good account of his background and accomplishments and of his management style.

Book Cherry Picks. Doesn't Present Complete Honest Picture.......2005-08-24

I read this book some months back. Reads more like a chronology, and an incomplete one at that. I didn't gain any insight into who this man really is by reading this book. It sugarcoats many of his actions (or completely omits them) and does not ask any hard questions.
This man's actions speak volumes more than the words that are written in this book.
Wouldn't really recommend. The title of the book is "Rumsfeld: a Personal Portrait". Nothing personal about this book. Just my opinion.

Yup, Rummy is a warmonger.......2004-10-14

Now that Donald Rumsfeld has admitted that he has never seen any strong evidence linking Saddam Hussein with Al Qa'ida, perhaps Midge Decter will acknowledge that it was always a lie. If there was never a link, did Rumsfeld tell Bush that there was? Then he was lying to the President, and lying the USA into an unnecessary war. Did he tell Bush that here was no such link? If he did, why did Bush say that there was, and take the USA into a war with no basis?
Anyway, why would a secular ruler like Saddam trust Al Qa'ida, who see him as a traitor to Islam? Why would Saddam risk everything, to give WMD (which he hadn't got) to his mortal enemies? Al Qa'ida attacked the USA; Saddam never did. So the right US response was to counter-attack against Al Qa'ida. They should have put ground troops into the areas of Afghanistan where bin Laden and his cronies were hiding, surrounded them and killed them. Instead of which, fool Bush attacked Iraq, where bin Laden wasn't! Doh. All the warmongering lies are now unravelling, and ordinary GIs and the Iraqi people are paying the price. Faith-based policies never work.

Average customer rating:

Rumsfeld: A Personal Portrait
Midge Decter
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEX3RY

Average customer rating:

Rumsfeld: A Personal Portrait
Midge Decter
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF0GN2

Book Description

This book restores Aaron Burr to his place as a central figure in the founding of the American Republic. Abolitionist, proto-feminist, friend to such Indian leaders as Joseph Brant, Burr was personally acquainted with a wider range of Americans, and of the American continent, than any other Founder except George Washington. He contested for power with Hamilton and then with Jefferson on a continental scale. The book does not sentimentalize any of its three protagonists, neither does it derogate their extraordinary qualities. They were all great men, all flawed, and all three failed to achieve their full aspirations. But their struggles make for an epic tale. Written from the perspective of a historian and administrator who, over nearly fifty years in public life, has served six presidents, this book penetrates into the personal qualities of its three central figures. In telling the tale of their shifting power relationships and their antipathies, it reassesses their policies and the consequences of their successes and failures. Fresh information about the careers of Hamilton and Burr is derived from newly-discovered sources, and a supporting cast of secondary figures emerges to give depth and irony to the principal narrative. This is a book for people who know how political life is lived, and who refuse to be confined within preconceptions and prejudices until they have weighed all the evidence, to reach their own conclusions both as to events and character. This is a controversial book, but not a confrontational one, for it is written with sympathy for men of high aspirations, who were disappointed in much, but who succeeded, in all three cases, to a degree not hitherto fully understood.

Customer Reviews:

Rambling, badly written --only for readers who crave detail .......2006-11-19

This book has a beginning but not a middle or an ending. He skips, for example, Burr's final trial in front of Marshall that was the cornerstone of the Jefferson/Marshall antipathy. (There is discussion of the surrounds political background and a touch of the law involved, but no more.) I was, and still am, very interested in the character of our founding fathers, and this is what is promised. Other than Hamilton was a good guy (you won't find out why) and Jefferson was a scheming politician with an uncertain grip on ethical behavior (Kennedy is certainly not the first historian to think so), I don't know much more than when I started the book other than to follow Burr's ramblings around the country while he was searching for either treason or a life purpose. I certainly know nothing more about Burr. He is defended generally, but there is no factual skeleton to which these conclusions can be attached. Why did Jefferson so hate and distrust Burr? No clue. Did Burr have treasonous plans? Kennedy thinks not, but never proves it. We learn that Burr is educated, amiable and good company but always from indirect testimony of side characters whose lives are pursued in painful and unecessary detail. This book is for historians already familiar with the duel, Jeffersonian politics and with overview of the times, and already knows whether Burr was looking for land or adventure. Burr's motivations? Unknown. There is a list at the end of possible motives but they are not compelling argued--and nearly not argued at all. The detail is excruciating without being informative. Sometimes I felt as though I was reading another book altogether: lush descriptions of architecture or the landscape or side trips into historical detail that doesn't have any bearing on the character of anyone. Kennedy's word choices are certainly academic but often unecessary flourishes that detract from the flow of his text. The time line tangles. I had the sense he wanted to impress me with his erudition and slap around unamed but apparently competitive scholars--neither of which are reasons for reading the book. I still would like to read the book the title promises. This is just not it.

Misleading Title/Disappointing Content.......2005-10-20

If you are expecting to read about the influence these three founding fathers had on the development of early America, you will be disappointed. If you would like to learn about the backgrounds and development of character of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, again, you will not find that information in this book. However, if you intend to expand your knowledge of Aaron Burr and to reinforce any support you might have of the man and his politics, then this is the book to read.

The style of writing Mr. Kennedy presents as he attempts to study the "character" of these three founders is disjointed and difficult to follow. He initially writes about one of them and then continues on to the other two without any recognizable continuity of the point he is attempting to make.

Eventually, the book focuses exclusively on Mr. Burr and turns into nothing short of a complete endorsement of him, his personality, and his politics. Burr was definitely an intelligent and capable man, and he did not shy away from difficult assignments in the Revolutionary War. However, his personality defects, as well as his pursuit of power at all costs, have deprived him of an elevated status when compared to other founding fathers, particularly Hamilton and Jefferson.

To obtain clearer portraits on the character of Hamilton and Jefferson, I would recommend the books by Ron Chernow and Joseph Ellis. If you are interested in the life of Burr and support his politics, this is the book to read.

Complete Rambling.......2001-07-19

One of the worst books I've ever attempted to read. The author rambles from Burr to Hamilton to Jefferson with no thread between the characters or background. The author assumes you know all the background and gives you his opinions on it. Don't waste you time on this as I did!

Excellent.......2001-01-25

This book has been given quite a good number of reviews on this site, so I would like to merely add some pertinent points. In my opinion, the format that Kennedy used in this book, zooming backward and forward in time, and in and out from one scenario or character to the next, was wholly appropriate given the task he set for himself. Kennedy did not intend, nor claim to intend, to review the full chronological history here. His intention was to zoom in on what he saw as the salient elements of the characters of these men. This style should not be confusing to one who has read previous biographies and histories of these men. I found the book immensely gratifying. I have been a "student" of Burr history for over twenty years. The truth is, there are a tremendous number of discrepancies in prior accounts of Burr, which no previous scholar has resolved. Kennedy has pulled together a massive amount of material to bring together the facts which lead to his insights, and I believe that those insights are dead-on right.

Burr beats Hamilton again, and Jefferson for the first time.......2001-01-03

Roger Kennedy freely acknowledges at the beginning of this study that he has a point of view: Aaron Burr had a greater character and value to our nation than his reputation provides, while Hamilton and Jefferson had lesser character and value to our nation than their reputations. This book is a clear and concise defense of Aaron Burr, amply annotated, easily read, and quite entertaining. On a larger scale, the study gives reason to contemplate the formulation of reputation, especially historically. Had not Burr's daughter perished at sea with all his notes and letters, we might have a much greater opinion of Burr. Any fair reader of this book will come to a much deeper appreciation for Burr, the man, and the failures and shortcomings of Hamilton and Jefferson. I highly commend this book to your attention.

Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character.

Average customer rating:

Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character.
Roger G. KENNEDY
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, 2000.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JVYS8K

Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character.(Review) (book review): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly

Average customer rating:

Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character.(Review) (book review): An article from: Presidential Studies Quarterly
Robert P. Watson
Manufacturer: Center for the Study of the Presidency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Presidential Studies Quarterly, published by Center for the Study of the Presidency on June 1, 2000. The length of the article is 819 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: Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character.(Review) (book review)
Author: Robert P. Watson
Publication: Presidential Studies Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 2000
Publisher: Center for the Study of the Presidency
Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Page: 401

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson a Study in Character
Roger Kennedy
Manufacturer: Oxford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000X62O0U

Burr, Jefferson, and Hamilton: a Study in Character

Average customer rating:

Burr, Jefferson, and Hamilton: a Study in Character
Roger G. Kennedy
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKJ9LC

Book Description

In a small neighborhood, atop a hill in Pittsburgh, thrives a world where neighbors don't move away, where friends become family, and where community takes on a deeper meaning. Welcome to the inviting and intriguing neighborhood of Troy Hill. Unlike nearby towns, the families of Troy Hill have lived in the same neighborhood for generations, providing continuity in these women's lives and depth in their relationships. They christened babies, raised children, and even buried their loved ones together. Now in their seventies and eighties, the women of Troy Hill form a community of independent souls, who find joy in each other and solace in service. Troy Hill and these women resonate beyond this hilltop, providing insight into bonds between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and friends. From them we learn to shape our lives with love and humor.

Veteran reporter Clare Ansberry brings to life these vibrant women, and offers some invaluable lessons about acceptance, faith, and family. A portrait of American life and a hymn to the durability of the human spirit, The Women of Troy Hill is an inspiration for us all.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I expected...but the last chapter made it worth it.......2001-09-27

This book was not what I expected. I was looking for either a story about each individual women or how they all interacted. The book just seems to jump from one story to the next. All the names were so similar that it was hard to keep track of who was from each family. I never did quite get how they all interacted. I know that they all knew each other from living on Troy Hill, but other than that.....

That being said, these women were all amazing. They did was has to be done and didn't complain. In reading this it was easy to see my own grandparents and understand a little better why they do the things they do....why relationships and family is so important. The last chapter kind of made the book. It talks about the vitures of friendship and how these women have been friends for so long that they wouldn't know what to do without the other. It is rare to find a friendship like that in today's society. Friends and Family are the world to these women....maybe we can all learn from that

Not What I Expected..............2001-06-07

Maybe it was the writer's fault, but this story just wasn't presented the way I thought it would be. It turned out to be more of a travelogue of this little neighborhood than individual stories about the ladies themselves. I couldn't finish it.

Lives well-lived.......2001-02-22

The Women of Troy Hill chronacles the lives of a group of women who have lived on Troy Hill, not far from Pittsburg for most , if not all their lives. It follows family's immigration to this country, settling down, and the changing roles of women in America throughout the 1900's. These women are strong, faith-filled and examples of lives well lived. This is a delightful book, and a tribute to these wonderful women.

Neighbors as teachers.......2001-01-19

I enjoyed this book because it's the story of so many women's stories: nurturing to many and being a good neighbor. None of these women thought themselves worthy of a memoir because they led and still lead "normal" lives and were just doing what they were supposed to do: be respectful, be humble, be truthful, be genreous, be loyal, be caring, be loving to one another. Ms. Ansberry writes well of ordinary lives that makes you think they are extraordinary. One line that I recall was that, "men worked, but women neighbored." Oh, to have neighborhoods that care and teach us like this!

A trip back in time.......2000-12-31

I am 77 years old and I found this book transporting me back to youthful days. The ethos of the women of Troy Hill was the ethos of my youth. The simple virtues of faith and friendship as described in the book reminded me times gone by and wished for again.

The Women of Troy Hill: the Back-fence Virtues of Faith and Friendship

Average customer rating:

The Women of Troy Hill: the Back-fence Virtues of Faith and Friendship
Clare Ansberry
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N782IW

Average customer rating:

Women Of Troy Hill:The Back-Fence Virtues Of Faith And Friendship
Clare Ansberry
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJDVIK

Book Description

Now in Paperback! J.J. Johnson, known as the spiritual father of modern trombone, has been a notable figure in the history of jazz. His career has embodied virtually every innovation and development in jazz over the past half-century. The first comprehensive biography, filmography, catalog of compositions, and discography of J.J. Johnson.

Customer Reviews:

Trombone lovers unite!!!.......2007-10-17

I bought this book for my son. He is doing a research paper for school and his topic is J.J. Johnson. It is a very comprehensive text and has been his primary source. He is thoroughly enjoying it. The price was a bit offsetting but since my husband is a trombone player and band director I felt it was a worthwhile resource for him, too. I was right. He said he has never seen a more thorough book on Johnson and it is full of great information on the trombone music of the 50's and 60's and on into the 90's. It also has a wide sampling of musical score illustrations for a good playing challenge. If you are a trombone enthusiast this book is a must-have for your reading collection.

Brilliant bio of a brilliant musician.......1999-11-03

The in depth look at JJ's Hollywood career and his work with Q. Jones and I. Hayes is amazing and seldom mentioned outside of this book. Every aspect of this bio of the greatest jazz trombonist ever is fantastic.

At last, a book about the father of modern jazz trombone........1999-10-20

With the bookstores bulging with titles on Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, its about time that someone covered the modest master of the modern jazz trombone, J. J. Johnson. The discography alone is fascinating, listing numerous early Benny Carter and Count Basie sessions that J. J. played on. The only quibble on the discography is the scant information on the rare, recorded in the U. S., only released in Japan, album with Kai Winding called Stonebones. That and the numerous later listings of private audience tapes that most of us have never had the opportunity to hear.

All of J. J.'s long career is here. The early years as the prototype bop trombonist, his association with Kai Winding, his time in the Hollywood studios as a composer for TV and film. There is even a description of J. J.'s home studio and his personal collection of sheet music and records.

You can also find transcribed J. J. solos and excerpts from his original compositions throughout the book.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on December 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1054 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: The Musical World of J. J. Johnson.(Review) (book review)
Author: James Wheat
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2000
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 2 Page: 417

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This is a pioneering study of the nineteenth century Hasidic movement as shown through the life of one of the most controversial and influential Hasidic leaders, Rabbi Israel Friedman of Ruzhin (1796-1850). The dramatic episodes of his life—including his involvement in the murder of Jewish informers, his imprisonment in Russia, his subsequent escape to Austria where he successfully reestablished his court—are echoed by the contradictory and highly critical opinions of his personal character and his role as leader of one of the largest and most opulent Hasidic courts of the nineteenth century.

Nineteenth-century Hasidism has been a comparatively neglected topic in Jewish historiography largely because of the traditional view that the movement was in a degenerate state during this period. The natural interest that scholars found in the eighteenth-century origins of the movement, alongside their personal dislike of the nineteenth-century Hasidic courts and their machinations, led them to concentrate on the earliest years and the more recent phases of Hasidism.

The book is in four parts. Part I draws on surprisingly rich non-Hasidic sources as well as on Hasidic materials to recreate the early life of Rabbi Israel from his childhood to his leadership of a Hasidic community. Part II concentrates on his activities as a famous spiritual leader, his adventures in Russia, and his final years in Austria. In Part III, the author analyzes major aspects of Rabbi Israel’s career and thought as a Hasidic leader and public figure, with emphasis on his approach to materialism, wealth, and luxury. Part IV describes in detail the royal Hasidic court of Rabbi Israel and his sons—its formation, buildings, economics, social structure, functionaries, and administrative organization.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books