Book Description
Analyzing Performance Problems gives you a step-by-step process for solving virtually any performance problem you face. Instead of guessing at solutions that won't work, you can save time, money, and frustration by finding the true cause of the problem and identifying the best and most economical way to solve it. You'll learn to:
- Identify the true causes of performance problems
- Determine if you can use "fast fixes" (solutions that are quick and easy)
- Identify realistic, economically feasible solutions
Customer Reviews:
A Training and Management Requirement.......2006-08-17
There are two books written my Robert Mager that I highly recommend for people in the field of training. This is one of them.
Having been a training specialist for more than fifteen years, I have, on occasion, tried to convince managers and chiefs why training was not a panacea, a be-all, end-all to their performance problems. If they had read a book like this, many of our discussions would never have taken place.
Mager and Pike have created an advanced performance flowchart from previous editions which enable the trainer or manager to first identify if a problem exists, it's importance, and then what to continue to do from that point. The result will be selecting the appropriate strategy to solve the problem. You end up with a detective story filled with clues to help you find out the true culprit hindering expected performance.
I offer this book to any new training manager who lacks a background in training.
This book is easy to read, and takes an afternoon to get it done. The Performance Flowchart is one you want to hang in your office.
Like "Preparing Instructional Objectives," also by Mager, this is a keeper.
The reason why I'm a performance improvement specialist.......2005-08-29
This book was first introduced to me during my Master's degree studies and has stayed with me ever since. It's an entertaining and easy read that helps you identify and tackle just about any performance problem that may come your way.
Mager and Pipe provide a number of performance problems in brief case studies as they guide you through the Performance Analysis Flow. Is training the solution to a problem in the workplace? Not always. Mager and Pipe will show you how simple solutions can make a world of difference.
This is one book I feel every training or performance improvement professional should have in their professional library.
A step by step approach .......2005-06-01
I have heard supervisors and managers say over and over how much this book helped them resolve work performance problems without creating hostility. I know it has helped me work through some difficult supervisory challenges. But I also want to note that employees--not just supervisors--have reason to be thankful for it as well.
Mager's approach speaks directly to the issue of not making the assumption that a performance discrepancy is the fault of the employee. Neither is it always the fault of a supervisor or the result of lack of training. Mager and Pipe's book reminds you that there are many reasons for work performance issues, and it is crucial to know the reasons before we order "Improvement, or else!"
Let me also comment on the reviews that refer one instead to Covey and others. Those are fine books and certainly have their value. But they do not tell you how to actually deal with an employee's performance issue when the problem has gone on forever and no one seems to have handled it successfully. Those books inspire you to want to do something and to want to use good methods while doing it. Mager's book, however, tells you, step by step, how to analyze a performance issue and how to work with others to correct it. While you are doing that, you could certainly use Covey's thoughts, One Minute Manager concepts, Who Moved My Cheese principles and anything else that you think will add to your effectiveness.
Robert Mager has a droll style that I find appealing and Peter Pipe adds his well-organized thought processes too. This isn't a feel good book, although it is certainly not a stick and carrot book, as implied by others. It is rather, a toolkit to help supervisors and managers intervene when work is not being done as it should be done, find out why there is a discrepancy, and work with the employee to develop methods for improvement.
Yes, there is a bottom line: At some point work has to improve, or else. But that is one of the things I like about the book: It is realistic and addresses the fact that once barriers to performance have been removed, there is only so long that an employee can be allowed to do substandard work. If you use the flowchart and the material in the book, it isn't likely to come to that point--and that is another reason employees as well as supervisors and managers should appreciate this inexpensive guide.
Good information, but a bit basic.......2004-04-29
Mager's book provides some great foundational information on performance problems in the workplace. However, it seems a bit basic and common sensical when compared to the new books being written on the subject. I looked to this third edition thinking it would have more up-to-date information and revisions and was disappointed when I found that it did not.
If you are into carrots and sticks... this is for you.......2003-05-25
This book has some wonderful ideas contained between its covers. The underlying assumption is that people are either motivated by rewards or punishment. There is a flowchart that helps you understand how to influence (read manipulate) people into behaving as you want them to.
The author gives many examples that make it seem as though his method of dealing with people is the most effective one. There are more aspects to leadership and management than he describes, and I can just picture in my mind's eye a person with no people skills trying to apply these techniques to his work. Then I get scared.
I would suggest reading books by more principle centered authors first - such as the various Covey books or other ones. If you are just looking for a new perspective, buy it. If you are frustrated because nobody seems to listen to you and you want to manipulate them all to do your bidding - please quit your job. This book wont help you.
Amazon.com
Many Americans have wondered why prescription drugs have become so expensive while advertising for those drugs seems to grow exponentially. Former New England Journal of Medicine Editor Marcia Angell has some answers. The pharmaceutical industry, according to Angell, is fraught with corruption and doing a disservice to customers, the federal government, and to the medical establishment itself. In The Truth About the Drug Companies, Angell explains how a huge portion of the revenue generated by "Big Pharma" goes not into research and development but into aggressive marketing campaigns to sell their product. She describes how, even though the drug companies claim that it costs them an average of 802 million dollars per drug to develop new medicines, that figure is obscenely inflated since it factors in marketing as well as expected interest the company would have received had they invested the money in the open market. Meanwhile, Angell says, most of the R & D work is done by colleges and universities funded by the government. There are also problems with the drugs themselves, Angell indicates, since a majority are "me-too drugs", slightly modified versions of existing products which meant to address concerns of consumers most likely to spend money on pharmaceuticals. Thus, the market is filled with remarkably similar drugs to treat depression and high cholesterol while potentially life-saving medicines for diseases afflicting third-world countries are discontinued because they aren't profitable. In the books most damning passage, Angell tells of the high-priced junkets offered to doctors, ostensibly offered as educational opportunities that seem to constitute little more than bribes. The prognosis for reform is a grim one, Angell indicates, due to the massive cash reserves and lobbying efforts of "Big Pharma." Indeed, that lobby was hard at work trying to discredit her claims immediately upon the book's publication. But for anyone who's paid a pharmacy bill, The Truth About the Drug Companies is a fascinating read. --John Moe
Book Description
During her two decades at The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Marcia Angell had a front-row seat on the appalling spectacle of the pharmaceutical industry. She watched drug companies stray from their original mission of discovering and manufacturing useful drugs and instead become vast marketing machines with unprecedented control over their own fortunes. She saw them gain nearly limitless influence over medical research, education, and how doctors do their jobs. She sympathized as the American public, particularly the elderly, struggled and increasingly failed to meet spiraling prescription drug prices. Now, in this bold, hard-hitting new book, Dr. Angell exposes the shocking truth of what the pharmaceutical industry has become–and argues for essential, long-overdue change.
Currently Americans spend a staggering $200 billion each year on prescription drugs. As Dr. Angell powerfully demonstrates, claims that high drug prices are necessary to fund research and development are unfounded: The truth is that drug companies funnel the bulk of their resources into the marketing of products of dubious benefit. Meanwhile, as profits soar, the companies brazenly use their wealth and power to push their agenda through Congress, the FDA, and academic medical centers.
Zeroing in on hugely successful drugs like AZT (the first drug to treat HIV/AIDS), Taxol (the best-selling cancer drug in history), and the blockbuster allergy drug Claritin, Dr. Angell demonstrates exactly how new products are brought to market. Drug companies, she shows, routinely rely on publicly funded institutions for their basic research; they rig clinical trials to make their products look better than they are; and they use their legions of lawyers to stretch out government-granted exclusive marketing rights for years. They also flood the market with copycat drugs that cost a lot more than the drugs they mimic but are no more effective.
The American pharmaceutical industry needs to be saved, mainly from itself, and Dr. Angell proposes a program of vital reforms, which includes restoring impartiality to clinical research and severing the ties between drug companies and medical education. Written with fierce passion and substantiated with in-depth research, The Truth About the Drug Companies is a searing indictment of an industry that has spun out of control.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Your Life depends on this information.......2007-09-03
The media in general and the medical industry in particular do not want you (patient) to read and be informed about what you are being prescribed and the consequences. They also are dealing with symptoms instead of causes. Prevention is not in the medical dictionary terminology. Drugs do not heal! Drugs should be a short term interrupter and not a progression from one prescription to another and another. Pharmaceutical companies are gaining more political power through Federal legislation of Congress, which results show in company coffers. Read and be informed.
The truth isn't pretty.......2007-06-26
This excellent book which shines a bright spotlight on the industry. This is an industry which (mostly due to its actions) is ready to implode, and I fear that it may take us physicians right along with them.
a must read.......2007-05-13
The message is clearly spelled out in the first few chapters.American consumers need to be aware of how we are being ripped off by the drug industies.This is a must read and extremely well written
Careful what you put in your mouth!.......2007-05-06
At the same time people are dying from this disease, and that, Big Pharma maintains it's strangle hold on research in our Medical Schools, and the treatment of diseases. Why the Diabetes industry alone worldwide is a 4 billion dollar a day industry. Not to mention herpes, asthma, AIDS, cancer, and the like. The afore mentioned diorders are said to be incureable. Why? Well when research is geared to profit, and not a cure, one begins to understand why. No cures unless there is a profit to be made. So what if people die, it controls the population.
It has been more than 100 years or more since a real cure for a specific disease was discovered. There is more of a profit in making a crutch, than an actual cure. Because once that disease is cured there is then very little money to be made. We have diseases hanging around forever, and when they say there is no cure, they mean we have not made enough money from this disease. In short there is no profit in a cure. Profit is of main concern here. Not you or your family.
Ms. Angell has a blueprint or an inside look at the process of the how and why things are the way they are. Money, money, money. The Love of money is the root of all evil. Money before people. This book is an eye opener, and like the people who rang the bell before 9/11, if no one listens, no good can come from this book. Ms. Angell is giving us a look from the point of view of a former insider, and very well bares listening to. Read this book and become pro-active about the healthcare of you and your family.
She Bashes Pharma.......2007-03-09
This a an attck on big pharma and a well rounded one at that. In the end Angell proposes a plan to lessen the power of the pharma companies.
Book Description
Ask someone who works with horses how best to communicate with a balky colt and she will tell you that horses do not respond to human cajoling. To be successful the human must understand and work with, not against, the horse’s instincts, needs, and fears. When a trainer resorts to human teaching methods — reasoning, begging, bribing, even hugging and kissing — the horse will become confused and unable to respond appropriately. But if horses are treated respectfully with methods they understand, everyone involved — animal and human — will be happier, safer, and more productive.
Horse trainer and instructor Cherry Hill believes that every human/horse relationship benefits from a greater human understanding of what motivates horses, how they experience the world, what makes them happy, and what worries them. Journey through the equine mind with Hill as she explores all that makes a horse tick. How do his basic needs dictate his behavior and mood? What touches and tastes appeal to his senses? How does his “flight or fight” instinct dictate his response to sudden movements?
Hill offers interactive experiments — fun for both horse and human — that bear out her findings on horse behavior. And her final chapter presents simple training methods that draw from the insights and information presented throughout the book.
Customer Reviews:
Winifred's View.......2007-09-28
I have purchased many books on horses and riding, but Cherry Hill's "..Think Like a Horse" explained and reinforced so much more about what I was questioning and experiencing with my horse. It is certainly a wonderful resourse for "newbies" like myself who have discovered the wonders of horse at a late age, but I believe it also holds a lot of insights for the more experienced riders/owners who care about knowing their horses at least as well as they ride/show them. I was looking for something to explain a particular change in my horse's behavior (after eye exams, blood work etc turned up negative) and I believe I found it in Ms. Hill's book. Winnie and I thank her for sharing her knowledge and wisdom in a book packed with information.
If I were a horse.......2007-09-20
If I were a horse, I would want this author to be my "keeper." This book is written with keen insight and clearly communicated to anyone who owns a horse, rides a horse or has dreamed of galloping across a great meadow as free as the wind. I highly recommend this book along with another book that embraces horses: It's called On the Trail of the Pony Express and the book follows Cherokee author, Jerry Ellis, for 2,000 miles along the Pony Express Trail by foot, horse, covered wagon and canoe from Missouri to California.
Wonderful book!.......2007-07-15
This is a delightful book full of information and insight from an often under-appreciated trainer. Cherry Hill covers everything from development to grooming to behavior to training.
Information which is normally strewn across several horse books comes together in this single volume. This is a must-read for every horse enthusiast.
How to think like a horse.......2007-06-08
The book was very informative and easy to understand
How to think like a horse.......2007-05-29
Received the book in a very quick time....I love the book....finished it in 3 days....Thank You
Book Description
Bestselling author, psychologist, and world-renowned expert on dog behavior and training Dr. Stanley Coren presents the most informative, in-depth, fascinating book yet on dogs. Acclaimed for its solid scientific research and entertaining, eminently readable style, How Dogs Think gives you the insight that you need to understand the silly, quirky, and apparently irrational behaviors that dogs demonstrate, as well as those stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity that they also can display. It lets you see through a dog's eyes, hear through his ears, and even sense the world through his nose, as Coren presents a fascinating picture of the way dogs interpret their world and their human companions, and of how they solve problems, learn, and take in new information.
How Dogs Think also answers questions about our canine companions that have puzzled many: Can dogs count? Do they have an appreciation of art or music? Can a dog learn how to do something just by watching another dog or even a person do it? Do dogs dream? What is the nature of dog personality? Which behaviors are prewired into your dog, and which can you actually change? And, can dogs actually sense future earthquakes or detect cancer?
With sound behavioral science and numerous funny, informative anecdotes, experiments, and firsthand observations, How Dogs Think shatters many common myths and misconceptions about our four-legged friends and reveals a wealth of surprises about their mental abilities and potential. It will make you love and appreciate all dogs -- including your own -- in wonderful new ways.
Customer Reviews:
Not at all what I expected!.......2007-03-31
The book was not at all a fun read! Almost every chapter was boring and non informative. The book goes on and on and yet you still feel you have not read anything of intrest.
How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do.......2007-03-30
Fantastic Book! If you're a dog owner, dog lover or BOTH then this is the book for you. If you want to understand your dog like never before then do yourself a favour and purchase this book. It gives a wonderful incite through the dogs eyes how they see us and why they do certain things. This book certainly goes hand in hand with How to Speak Dog. A must read.
Questionable facts.......2006-03-29
The author cites research of mine on deafness, but gets the facts about my research wrong and gets the reference citation wrong. Hopefully he does a better job with the other research he quotes.
How Dogs (and Humans) Think!.......2006-03-05
This is an excellent book to give an overview of how dogs views the world as well as how that view compares to the view of humans. Dr. Cohen not only explains how dogs think but also how their senses work to perceive the world, again as compared to humans. The information is not just based on casual observations and anecdotal tales, although those are used, but also based on many laboratory studies over the years to give a good solid foundation.
This book is invaluable if you live with a dog, train dogs, work with dogs, or just love and admire dogs. I would consider this a must read for dog owners and especially trainers - after all you cannot teach if you don't understand how the mind receives and process the information you are trying get across. Dr. Cohen also does a beautiful job of dispelling many myths - like dogs don't see color - and provides the scientific proof to back it up.
Many of the studies used in this book go towards demonstrating how brilliant nature is in creating and how amazing the mind is - whether it is canine or primate!
Dog's don't think they are people, they think we are dogs........2006-02-06
In his usual thorough and "text-booky" approach, before he takes on the real question of how dogs think, Coren wants us to fully understand how information, used in the thought process, gets into the mind of the dog in the first place. To this end, he takes us on a detailed study of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch. Many implications for animal trainers are strewn throughout the entire manuscript. Along the way, he imbeds other useful suggestions for dog owners on how to get finicky eaters to eat, how to test your elderly dog's eyesight and hearing and how to compensate for weaknesses that commonly afflict elderly dogs. He even addresses the question of whether dogs have a sixth sense that allows them to predict earthquakes or anticipate exactly when their master will arrive home. Yes, I love the way he puts this section together and, no, I won't divulge his conclusion.
Did I say "text-booky"? How Dogs Think has been very thoroughly researched with over 241 citations. It would make a fine text book as part of an extensive canine trainer certification program like that offered by the Animal Behavior College http://animalbehaviorcollege.com for example. Coren can be rather technical at times, using and defining terms like "invisible displacement test", "implicit", "explicit", "episodic", and "semantic" memory. Bottom line, it's his approach that's both the good and the bad about the book. While it's what I was looking for, it may not be what you are looking for.
Finally, on page 290 (with less than 10% left to read), Coren asks the real question: are dogs conscious and do they have a mind similar to our own? His conclusion, they are considerably different from us in degree but not really all that different in kind. For example, although not necessarily something to be proud of, he cites evidence that dogs do lie. I've seen that myself.
One cold winter evening, our two youngest dogs were lying by my feet taking up all the high priced real estate. Their mother, who generally staked her claim first, came in and found her favorite spot taken. Her next step was to walk out on the back porch and bark "something interesting is going on out here".
< cite Coren > The young ones flew out to see what was going on and, while they were barking it up, mom came back in and lay at my feet.
Dogs are excellent keep-away players. How could this be so unless dogs are constantly working to figure out how we think? Empirical evidence says they play that complex game much better than we do. Coren's conclusion is that dogs understand how we think far better than we understand how they think. I'm willing to believe that.
He sites evidence that challenges many common beliefs. Dogs are not actually color blind but rather have eyes that evolution has optimized for hunting at dawn and dusk when color offers little survival advantage. Dogs learn very well from observation, particularly from watching humans. The "Theory of mind" actually does apply to dogs at least to some extent. This is so because the social brain of the dog is similar to that of a human in that both have evolved to solve social problems. Dogs can distinguish more from less, they can count, and even perform minimal addition. Finally, dogs can pass a very limited version of the Turing test.
Major author's message: dogs are much like we are. They are a little worse in some ways (dogs could never even come close to passing a eye test for a driver's license), but better in others (like hearing, smell, and seeing things in motion). Perhaps dogs don't so much think that they are people, but rather, think that we are dogs with some amazing strengths and some absolutely baffling weaknesses.
Amazon.com
A work of art in itself, The Architecture Pack is a highly sophisticated version of the beloved pop-up book that offers a unique, cross-cultural, three-dimensional tour of architecture through the centuries. By flipping the elaborately engineered pages, we learn what architects do, how they do it, and all about the great buildings of the world from antiquity to the present. It's packed with information and hands-on activities, models, fold-outs, pop-ups, and 3-D glasses; readers can even fold out a miniature version of the Colosseum in Rome or a French Gothic cathedral. There are discussions on the development of the dome, new materials and shapes, sculptural buildings such as those of Gaudi and Le Corbusier, and skyscrapers. Also included in the pack are a model (with assembly instructions) of Gerrit Rietveld's famous, flat-roofed Schroeder House; a glossary of architectural terms; a fold-out time line of the history of architecture and architects that runs from 2670 B.C. to A.D. 1997; and a cassette tape. This wonderfully accessible introduction to architecture is sure to generate enthusiasm from both children and adults, simply because people can have fun with it.
Customer Reviews:
Astounding Pop Up Book for Adults.......2005-03-09
I had just discovered this out of print popup book by chance just recently and I regret it had not been in existence when I was deciding on a career direction when I had waffled between career disciplines my tender years. This adult geared book successfully demystifies some intimidating structural concepts and introduces the reader to the important historical references and people in architecture. Architecture/structural engineering concepts are best learned in 3 dimensions as with the astounding popups, not with a flat one dimensional media. I agree with another reviewer who hopes for a second edition with added CDRom/DVD media to match up with today's technology.
Awesome!.......2004-07-25
This is one of the most awesome books I've ever seen. Lots of cool things to do. Well worth the money!
A Jewel Of A Book.......2001-05-11
If this book had met only 1/2 of my expectations, I would have been pleased. It exceeded them. Every page is a series of surprises and delights. Whether you're interested in Architecture, or just love classy gadgets, this is your book. I cannot imagine anyone who, getting this book as a gift, would not be delighted. Read the product description, and add 50%. The only down sides are the long delivery time, and the book's delicacy. One is torn between wanting to look at its contents repeatedly, and the fear that the book might be damaged by too much handling. Order two!!
A Revelation.......2001-03-14
Contrary to other architecture books that are muddled with academicians' essays, which in turn are filled with architecture terms that amateurs like myself wouldn't possibly understand, this book or pack is informative, playful, and easy to understand. Just say that it's a crash course into architecture rather having you going thru 5 years training in a varsity with working experience. The pack guides you to the fundamentals of architecture like the origin of architecture, when is architecture becoming a distinctive profession as in miedevel time, architect is a stonemason, sculptor all blended into one; the influence of Classicim, unavoidabability of learning about Palladio and Vitruvius; structure and form; new materials & shapes; art & architecture blended as one; the changing city, influenced mostly by our usage of cars; the process, with Richard Meier's Getty Centre as a case study. To top this pack off, there a booklet informing readers of prominent &/or infleuntial architects & architecure terms commonly heard & used respectively(quite concise); timeline stipulating the architecture breakthrough since the beginning of time & where does those famous architects stand in the passage of time; a model of Schroeder house for us to build. The journey through this pack is simply a revelation, surprises everywhere & never failed to bewilder me. I'm adamant that the pop-up buildings is an art in its own rite & what about the enclosed "Mission Impossible" glasses that enable us to see the inner structure and exterior structure of buildings so that we would appreciate architecture more? Before I forget, there's also a cassette narrated by the author. Believe me, you will spend hours and hours immersing yourself in this pack forgetting how time flies when you are enjoying yourself the most. Highly recommended for architecture enthusiasts. A note of caution though, due to the fiddly but fine detailing in this book, readers are urged to handle the pack with utmost care, & it would be wonderful to have a second edition, continuing on where the author has left off in 1997.
Best Pop-up Book in the World.......2000-06-06
I have seen 100's of thousands of books, and this one is near the top of the list. Not only is it one of the best pop up books I have seen, it is very informative and educational. It is a great learning tool for most ages and it's alot of fun too. The price is worth the effort the publishers have put in. It also sub.'s as a great coffee table book as well.
Book Description
Brand-new chapter exclusive to the paperback edition
Colonel David Hunt has dedicated his career to fighting terrorism. A U.S. Army veteran for nearly thirty years, he has helped take out an active terrorist camp, trained the FBI and Special Forces in counterterrorism tactics, and served as security adviser to six different Olympic Games.
And Colonel Hunt is angry. Why? Because even after the attacks on our country and on Americans around the world, the people charged with protecting us—the politicians and the bureaucrats in the military and in intelligence—still aren’t getting the job done. In They Just Don’t Get It, you’ll learn:
• How many of the government’s recent “reforms” are actually counterproductive
• How we can fight this war and still safeguard our civil liberties and the American way of life
• What you can do to keep your family safe
• How to fix the intelligence disaster (and yes, the politicians in D.C. still haven't fixed it)
As politicians posture and pundits bicker, we’re losing sight of the problem: We’re still not equipped to win the war on terror. Hunt shows us there are changes we can make at every level—as individual citizens, as a government, and as a military power—in order to win the war on terror and ensure our survival as a free, proud, and strong nation.
Customer Reviews:
good, common sense-based book.......2007-09-05
Col. David Hunt's book is a good read. He is not the most polished writer around -- the book is written more like an extended conversation -- but he gets his points across. The book tends to get redundant at times, but it remains an interesting book to read which one can easily complete in one evening or two. If even a small fraction of what Hunt alledges is true, Americans should be very concerned about our safety and the glaring lack of leadership in our country.
They Just Don't Get It.......2007-06-12
Of the 30 books I've read over the last year, this is the worst. If I were to equate this with anything written in the last 5 years it would be the last book by Ann Colter. I'm glad I forgot the title of that book. An uneducated person may like books like this, but can come away from the experience with a pedestrian view of history.
Hunt Should Be The Secretary of Defense.......2006-09-14
Col. David Hunt has written a superb plan for fighting the war on terror. It is bold, decisive, and politically incorrect. It is also far better than what we are doing or anyone else is talking about.
The author traces the history of terrorism from the 1972 Munich Olympics through 9/11 and beyond. He shows how our leaders have been ineffective in responding. He is not partisan. He reviews botches by Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush.
He also critiques many problems with our current approach to dealing with terrorists. Some of those include the following: Failing to use the best troops (special ops.) effectively and fully, allowing Pakistan to harbor bin Laden, failing to secure the Iraqi borders allowing the Syrians and Iranians to continue to supply terrorists, continuing to be cozy with the Saudis in spite of their financing of terror, having too much bureaucracy interfering with decision making, and many more.
Along with the problems, the author also presents numerous solutions. Some of those are politically incorrect; Some may seem outrageous. Most are worthwhile and should be pondered and discussed. Some of his ideas (including some highly controversial ones) are as follows: a total reorganization of intelligence with unity of command, de-bureaucratizing the defense and intelligence arenas, creation of a 'Terrorist Killing Agency', mandatory national service (not necessarily military) as a way to overcome personnel shortages, and the elimination of the ill conceived and nonsensical color coding system that the Homeland Security Dept. created. There are many more as well.
While I certainly don't agree with all of his ideas, I do think that every American elected official and voter should read this book. Its ideas should be debated and considered. If several of these were implemented, we would all be much safer.
A Must Read To Understand Winning The War On Terror.......2006-08-26
In his mundane, conversational style, Colonel Hunt cites many of the terrorist attacks which have killed innocent citizens, profiles the killers responsible for these atrocities and offers political as well as logistical solutions to combat terrorists in this insurgent style of war.
Detractors will hurl insults at the messenger and his message to complicate his clearly stated, basic premise: This is not a traditional war. We must retaliate against these killers using our special forces, trained to defeat terrorist aggression without bureaucratic interference from politicians and the military hierarchy.
This book is must read for all who understandably feel confused by the doublespeak of our politicians, military leaders and journalists.
Good views expressed poorly........2006-08-23
Much of what Col Hunt has to say is quite interesting and I agree with his views and arguments, however, the book is more like a +200 page rant and rave than a well written book. I felt like he was just complaining most of the time about what's wrong with politicians and he offers "simple" solutions to all of our problems which are entirely unrealistic. It's a good example of why are our government is not run by the military and why we need civilians ultimately in control. A great man, who has served his country with great honor, but in my view is not a very good author. Ultimately, I did not enjoy this book, and struggled to force myself to finish it.
Book Description
No more politics—just the truth about what we can and must do to protect ourselves.
Fox News military analyst Colonel David Hunt has dedicated his career to fighting terrorism. A twenty-nine-year U.S. Army veteran, he has helped take out an active terrorist camp, trained the FBI and Special Forces in counterterrorism tactics, and served as security adviser to six different Olympic Games.
And Colonel Hunt is angry. Why? Because even after the terrorist attacks on our country and on Americans around the world, the people charged with protecting us—the politicians and the bureaucrats in military and intelligence—still aren’t getting the job done.
They Just Don’t Get It provides a much-needed wake-up call to all Americans. As politicians posture and pundits bicker, we’re losing sight of the fundamental problem: We’re still not equipped to win the War on Terror. In fact, the terrorist threat is far worse than we feared, as made frighteningly clear by the fifty pages of documents published here for the first time—including a shocking manual taken from the terrorists themselves.
But instead of just complaining, Colonel Hunt tells us exactly what we must do—without regard to political game-playing—to emerge victorious in the challenge that history has given us. These are changes we can make at every level—as individual citizens, as a government, and as a military power. As he shows in this book, while the government and our military lead the fight to protect us, ordinary citizens can and must contribute.
They Just Don’t Get It reveals:
• What you can do to keep your family safe
• How many of the government’s recent “reforms” are mere window dressing or, worse, counterproductive
• How we can fight this war and still safeguard our civil liberties and the American way of life
• How to fix the intelligence disaster (and yes, the politicians in D.C. still haven’t fixed it)
• How we got into this mess in the first place: it’s mostly because our government let the problem fester for three decades
Colonel Hunt is no cautious bureaucrat or finger-pointer looking for political gain. He is a straight shooter with deep insight into what’s happening in the War on Terror—on the ground and in the government. They Just Don’t Get It lays out in clear and compelling terms the steps we must take—all of us—to win the War on Terror and ensure our survival as a free, proud, and strong nation.
From They Just Don’t Get It
We’re fighting a war for our very survival, so we’d better figure out how to win. That’s why I’m writing this book—to show us how we can win, how we can protect ourselves. As a Fox News military analyst, I’m paid to offer insight into how our armed forces are conducting the fight against our enemies. But this book shows that to win the War on Terror we need to concern ourselves with more than just military tactics.
For one thing, we need to look at what our political leaders are doing. The sad truth is that they still don’t get it.
Then there’s intelligence. You’ve heard about our intelligence failures, but I doubt you know how bad it really is—even after the “reforms.” I’m going to tell you.
And another critical dimension to this story usually gets overlooked—what you can do. The fact is, you can do a lot. Hell, you must do a lot.
A selection of American Compass
Customer Reviews:
The REAL DEAL.......2007-05-12
Great book for those interested in reality, versus the political garbagr being spewed by our "representatives" in Congress and the stories being relayed by the media outlets...Colonel Hunt is correct "They Just Don't Get It"... and neither does the majority ...
Sometimes the truth hurts - Col Hunt beats you over the head with it!!!!.......2007-05-10
This is required reading for those who have doubts about terrorism and our ability to deal with it. This is required reading for those who believe we are doing what is necessary to win. This is required reading for the spineless masses following the "leadership" of this country (from both sides of the aisle) down a path of death, destruction, and failure.
Col Hunt's ability to speak frankly and lay it on the line in this very Non-PC manner really speaks to everyday Americans. It is boldly written, in your face, and so scary that it will leave you shaking your head in disbelief. His resume/qualifications to speak to this topic are above reproach, he's been there, he's seen it first hand, the good and the bad. 10-20 years from now, if things do not change, this man will be looked at as one of those bold enough to say what needed to be said. It will be a shame to allow his words to go unnoticed. READ THIS BOOK!
Required reading for every American.......2006-10-31
Easy to read, full of common sense, this book should be read by every American.
On the mark.......2006-09-11
I think that Col. Hunt has written a superb book of the challenges facing the US regarding the terrorist threats to us all. He writes in a very deliberate and to the point style that I find refreshing.
Fact vs fiction.......2006-04-26
Col Hunt spells out the truth of the war we're in as compared to the bias of the media.
Customer Reviews:
Sugars and Flours .......2007-07-27
Great book with real understanding of the nature of carbohydrate addiction. Lots of recipes, practical suggestions for shopping for a family, and fascinating scientific facts about the effects of sugars and flours on the organs of the body. I thought the food guidelines would be very restrictive, but I've been following the plan for 3 weeks now, and it's pretty easy to follow and live with.
An easy, eye-opening read!.......2005-07-22
This is a very eye-opening book! It show's what some of the "normal" things we eat are doing to us. It is written in very simple terms, not doctor "mumbo-jumbo." It has good shopping strategies and menu suggestions. I already feel 100% better and I'm only just starting to eliminate some of the "bad" foods. Great book!
If only we could get the whole world to read this book..........2003-04-22
I love what Ifland has to say, and I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that it is sugars and flours that are making us and our society sick and crazy. I had been thinking and heading this way for a while, and reading her book helped me to take the next step into freeing my body of these substances.
For my own first phase, I gave up obvious refined sugar and all wheat for Lent. I have never felt better, and plan to continue this way. I could never have done it a few years ago, when I couldn't digest a meal without the acid of a cola to assist me!
I gave the book only four stars because it is in dire need of a really good professional editor. (I would give it 4.5 if I could!) She tells you from the outset that she is just writing down her own experiences and ideas, and the casual style comes across all too clearly. This book is so important, and I think a good editor could clarify the information that is presented.
The second weakness is the recipes. Again, she warns you that she is deliberately vague with them, to give you the idea of how to cook this way rather than specific recipes. As something of a "foodie", I was very turned off by some of the recipes, and in particular by their general style. I could see that if you were really working to recover from a serious food addiction, you might need to take her rather austere route, but in general I really don't believe that wanting food that looks and tastes great is at all incompatible with eliminating sugars and flours from your diet. Quite the opposite!
I hate to be the only person to give a down note to the book. I do still highly recommend it - all my friends can attest to that! I'd just really like to see it produced more professionally. Do read the other reviews, they are quite inspiring.
Joan's Book Changed My Life.......2002-09-14
I sat down to read Joan Ifland's book with a king-sized Snickers candy bar in my hand--I was that helpless where sugar and flour were concerned. But two chapters in, I knew that what I was reading was going to change my life forever. Joan provides a blueprint for living a life free of binges, uncontrollable cravings, and raging. This book is not a diet book, it is a simple, straight-forward guide for a lifetime of good health, and all the associated benefits--including better self-esteem and personal satisfaction. Since I have eliminated sugar and flour from my diet, I have lost more than 70 pounds. My sleep apnea symptoms have disappeared, and I no longer snore! My knees can support my body without pain, and I no longer have to climb the stairs one step at a time. I believe I may have avoided a collision course with diabetes. But the very best part of Joan's program for me is the inner calm I feel where sugars and flours are concerned. I no longer worry and wonder and obsess about where my next sugar "fix" is coming from, and I am able to make rational decisions about what I need to eat and when. If you ever find yourself eating food that your body doesn't need, you will understand what I mean about being set free. Please give Joan's book a try. Her words are simple, but profound, and they can change your life. May you discover a new, wonderful way of living.
This book is for carbohydrate addicts...........2001-08-30
In this book Ms. Ifland describes what I did not recognize as my addiction to carbohydrates. While addiction may seem a rather strong term to describe anyone's relationship with food, Ms Ifland does a good job of detailing, and documenting, the pattern of compulsive and irrational eating habits that can arise as a result of the way the body digests and processes simple and complex sugars. In the same way that booze can trigger excessive drinking in an alcoholic and a drug can lead to uncontrolled using by a drug addict it is shown that carbohydrate metabolism in many individuals can lead to irrational cravings and eating urges -- even if an individual is not, per se, hungry. I had always thought that I could control my eating and lose weight "if I put my mind to it." While a person must always be ready to employ mental tools to combat compulsive eating, the elimination of carbohydrates from my diet has eliminated the overwhelming physiological urges that were almost unbeatable by sheer willpower. This food program takes away the offending substances that drove me to the pantry or the refrigerator. In my compulsion to reestablish my sugar levels, I would cram anything into my mouth -- from bread to candy to fruit to nuts. Once I started on this binge I would not stop, even when feeling full or when the symptoms of hypoglycemia had abated. Later, when my blood sugar levels had come down, I would resume eating in an attempt to get another jolt of sugar, or to insure that they did not dip down to low levels again. I did not know that I was being driven by my bodily cravings, until I read this book. I must say that within the first three days of eliminating sugar, flour and wheat I saw a dramatic drop in my craving for excessive food intake. It was such a liberating experience! If you think you might fit the description of one who struggles with carbohydrate addiction, give this food program a try. It is not as hard to give up these offending substances up as it may first seem. And you will not be sorry with the results. I lost 30 pounds without effort over three and one half months.
Book Description
Studs Terkel records the voices of America. Men and women from every walk of life talk to him, telling him of their likes and dislikes, fears, problems, and happinesses on the job. Once again, Terkel has created a rich and unique document that is as simple as conversation, but as subtle and heartfelt as the meaning of our lives.... In the first trade paperback edition of his national bestseller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel presents "the real American experience" (Chicago Daily News)--"a magnificent book . . .. A work of art. To read it is to hear America talking." (Boston Globe).
Customer Reviews:
Book was STOLEN from Chicago Public Library.......2007-01-17
The book was in great condition, with one MAJOR catch: it had a Chicago Public Library bar code on it. I called the library, read them the bar code, and they asked me to please return it, as it had been taken without their permission. Amazon kindly sent me another book, and the stolen edition goes back to the library!
how people see their job tells a lot about them.......2007-01-14
What's engaging about this is the stories. Studs is known for his work getting people to tell their stories. This is one of his contributions to the cultural history of America, told first person, in a way that is timeless and just as relevant today as when it was written. One way to sum it up might be to say this is about what people learned from their work, and about themselves and others in the process. The subject might sound boring, but it's alive and seething with emotions.
On the face of it this is a dated survey of Americans and how they feel about their jobs. While there's some nostalgia in here in the attitudes and jobs of eras past it's also a fun read and one that I would recommend to teens, college students and anyone interested in perspectives about work and how we see ourselves and others.
We all know that most people hate their jobs. Work is seen as something we have to do, and few of us seem to find a job that we like or enjoy. How we feel about work, and what we do for a living, in many ways defines who we are. Seeing people share their their perspectives on this helps us see ourselves in a different light, and taken as a whole this book helps us see a perspective of America's history.
One thing I found interesting in this was the work ethic people found even in jobs they hated. Work ethics seem to be less clearly defined today in a world where ethics have gone astray, and where people tend to care less about what they do and how they do it. Seeing the pride a man took in his work, even if he hated it, tells us something about the character of a person. It's also interesting to see how people who had jobs you would assume they would have hated were content in their roles and saw what they did as a service even when others might look down on them.
The construction worker who wants to make sure his son doesn't have to do what he does was one I enjoyed and remember. An airline stewardess in an era dominated by of bigoted males... the stories this books tells are about relationships and attitudes, and in a way it's still very vital and contemporary.
It's about relationships with work, family, with other people, and with ourselves and or past and future. You'll probably see yourself and people you know in the attitudes within this book. In that way it's timeless, candid and informative, and touching.
an epic of America--.......2006-04-05
This is a fascinating book. Filled with brief, antecdotal stories of people narrowing down their lives to reflections on their jobs, the very souls of many of these people shine through. People good and bad, generous and selfish, greedy, self-absorbed, charitable and open-hearted, Terkel has captured more than just an historical document chronicling the present-past-tense viewpoints of a handful of citizens, but has exposed a universal understanding of differences of opinion throughout the nation. People speak, sometimes angry, often full of regret and a sense of meaninglessness or loss, and they tell the story of human aspiration and dreams. For all the increasingly irrelevent references to issues and phenomenon of the early 1970s, for every comment on times gone by dimming increasingly into the past, there remains a profound relevence for every civilization to come (and no doubt every one that preceded the subjects) regarding the very search for meaning in our lives.
I could rarely recommend a more powerful book dealing almost esclusively with the conscience and so I urge you, when times look either up or down, to browse through this rather hefty tome and think deeply down into yourself and wonder if you are truly pleased with the direction of your life. Herein some of the most brazenly arrogant and humbly neglectful people relate both their triumphs and regrets. Somehow master-interviewer Terkel was allowed access to all of these demons pigeonholed beneath the romanticized personas people tend to put on when attempting to define themselves.
Buy this, read this. Now . . .
MAGNUM OPUS!!.......2006-03-31
Studs Terkel wanted to write a book about working for a living. So he sat down with a grocery store cashier and interviewed her about her job. He didn't ask very many questions; he just turned on a tape recorder and let her pour her heart out. She explained what she did for a living, how and why she came to do it, what she liked and disliked about her job. She talked about the little dramas and boredom that filled her working hours and the toll it took on her private life. When she was finished talking she had created a vivid "snapshot" with words of what it's like to work as a grocery store cashier.
Then Studs interviewed a bartender, a teacher, a pro athlete and dozens of other people from dozens of professions. They each created in their own words unique self-portraits of themselves at work. The book Working is like an art gallery filled with these detailed self-portraits.
And just like strolling through an art gallery looking at paintings will give you a feel for the visions of a variety of artists, reading Working will give you a taste of the flavor of the working lives of it's subjects.
The dreams and experiences of ordinary working folk.......2005-06-05
Labor history students will easily recall Studs Terkel's Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day And How They Feel About What They Do to be a landmark charting the dreams and experiences of ordinary working folk: add a new foreword by Adam Cohen of the New York Times to Terkel's classic and you return an important reference to modern times, with over a hundred interviews with working folk as relevant today as when it was first done.
Book Description
Applies principles and concepts of popular education to evaluation?a critical piece in program development and training with adults. Using real-life case studies, the book shows how the model works in a variety of settings to help trainers evaluate adult learning.
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Books Index
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General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Preparing Instructional Objectives: A Critical Tool in the Development of Effective Instruction
Goal Analysis: How to Clarify Your Goals So You Can Actually Achieve Them
Performance Management: Changing Behavior that Drives Organizational Effectiveness
Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong (SAGE Series in Interpersonal Communication)
Measuring Instructional Results (The Mager Six-Pack)
