Book Description
A mericas favorite investigative reporter, John Stossel, tackles our favorite myths in his characteristic style and challenges us to look at life differently. Myths and Misconceptions covered in the book include: lIs the media unbiased? lAre our schools helping or hurting our kids? lDo singles have a better sex life than married people? lDo we have less free time than we used to? lIs outsourcing bad for American workers? lSuburban sprawl is ruining America. lMoney makes people happier. lThe world is too crowded. lWere drowning in garbage. lProfiteering is evil. lSweatshops exploit people. John Stossel takes on these and many more misconceptions, misunderstandings, and plain old stupidity in this collection that will offer much to love for Give Me a Break fans, and show everyone why conventional wisdomeconomic, political, or socialis often wrong.
Customer Reviews:
Do you know what you know you know.......2007-09-24
I work in a major book store and have only read a small fraction of the book -- particularly on global warming. However, his staement on the melting of the icecaps makes total sense -- if you fill a glass with ice, then fill it with water and set it down, letting the ice melt, does your glass of water overflow? NO! It doesn't. About three quarters of each and every iceberg is under water, so if they all melted at once, how much would that effect the water level of the oceans/seas of the world? Zero!
I will read the remainder of the book at some point, because of that one entry. Yes, we the depletion of the world's foiliage threatens our extention, but we haven't used more than a quarter of our forests, so I do not buy all the tree-hugger's nonsense. Stossel was dead-on with his exert on the icecaps, so that's reson enough to read onl
He's right about education........2007-09-18
John Stossel is right about education in America. Compared to many other countries, our college-level education is equivalent to a high school education. He's also right that schools don't need more money to teach. A lot of the money they already have is being paid to the teachers who don't teach anything. These teachers have tenure; this makes it very hard to get rid of them, even if they are terrible teachers. I know this from experience. And many other people can probably remember at least one teacher like this, ones who don't do their job but get a check anyway because they're tenured.
I think it's pitiful that so many students graduate from high school without having learned to read. This is not a joke that Stossel made up. I have been out of high school for four years and can remember many students who couldn't read at their own level. I recently learned that it is illegal to hold back a student until they get to the third grade in Kentucky. This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. A friend of mine who is an elementary education major told me that in a class of twenty-five third graders, only a few of them could read. The rest were able to read words like "the," "and," and "but." I don't understand why they wait until the third grade. They should tackle the problem immediately. Apparently, this idea is from the No Child Left Behind campaign.
Stossel's book could've been better if he had used more schools as examples. Using primarily South Carolina and New York as examples was not the greatest idea. He could've examined several more schools across more states.
Brandon Simpson
Some good, some bad: use discretion.......2007-09-15
Stossel brings us to many topics where conventional "wisdom" is less wise or true than most think. This is a good thing! His goal of exposing truth is laudable; however, his performance is mixed.
The good: He does a good job of exposing certain scams and myths in our society. For example, his history of how diamonds became popular is fascinating and seldom-told. It makes you rethink your opinion of those sparkly little rocks. His "consumer cons" section is the best part of the book by far; if you only have time to read one part, read that chapter.
The bad: His arrogance wears thin very quickly. Also, some of his arguments are unconvincing; he often takes examples (which may or may not be extreme) and uses them to formulate his entire argument. We often do not hear what experts on various sides have to say. The book has a wham-bam feel that doesn't delve deeply into any particular issue, so don't let your research stop with this book.
Finally, I quickly got tired of his way of describing others. He uses very little nuancing, nor does he substantiate many of his descriptors. For example, he derisively calls college-student activists "rich" without presenting any proof. (Hey, you might say, he just means that they are richer than sweatshop laborers. Well, he should say that, then, because it sure sounds to me like he's just using "rich" to discredit them in the eyes of the public by making them seem like pampered idiots.)
Overall, just remember that Stossel is not a neutral party; he picks what information to include, which arguments to showcase, and what direction or slant to take that material. That's simply the nature of this genre. Be suspicious of his loose descriptors and his smug perspective, but be open to his ideas- they may surprise you and change your thinking!
Stossel for President.......2007-09-09
I have always admired and respected (not always agreed with) John Stossel's observations. After reading (and verifying) many of his observations and claims in this book I'd be willing to vote for him as Commander-in-Chief (a Libertarian - for the first time in my 54 years). Keep up the excellent reporting and writing - the mirror you hold up reflects all of us at our most stupid and inane. You prove (yet again) that Common Sense is an uncommon commodity. U.S. Voters - Get Out the Shovel!
perfect gift........2007-09-09
Every High school, & collage student going out into the world NEEDS this book! Great for weddings too!
John nails the myths, and explains the truth about life, in a clear & entertaining way.
see also;
The Fair Tax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS
The Fair Tax Book II: The Critics and the Truth
Book Description
For baseball fans young, old, and in between, the ultimate guide to the new statistical thinking that's revolutionizing the game.
The revolution in baseball statistics that began in the 1970s is a controversial subject that professionals and fans alike argue over without end. Despite this fundamental change in the way we watch and understand the sport, until now no one had written the book that reveals, across every area of strategy and management, how the best practitioners of statistical analysis in baseball think about numbers and the game.
Baseball Between the Numbers is that book. In separate chapters covering every aspect of the game, the experts at the Baseball Prospectus examine the subtle, hidden aspects of baseball, bring them out into the open, and show us how our favorite teams could win more games. This is a book that every fan, every follower of sports radio, every fantasy player, every coach, and every player at every level can enjoy and learn from.
Customer Reviews:
loved it.......2007-09-21
I do not subscribe to the Prospectus, so I found this book to be incredibly fascinating. So much so I have passed it around to several friends who have also found it fascinating.
Although one can say a great many things with stats, this book presents some surprisingly sound arguments against many commonly held beliefs. ( and had a couple I don't necessarily agree with but that doesn't make the book wrong) I do admit that a couple of the chapters I didn't care about and therefore glossed over, but still I give the book a excellent review overall.
Thanks to this book, I, and several of my friends, now call Derek Jeter "Pastadiving". You'll just have to read that chapter.
A new way to look at old strategies.......2007-09-05
I've watched baseball since I was a kid 40 years ago. I'd heard of Bill James and kind of knew about saberemetrics, but had never taken the time to learn anything about the new numbers.
This book was a great introduction. The concepts are explained well, and all are tied to real world examples I could understand so it wasn't like reading a statistical treatise.
Some of the concepts confirmed things I already knew, like how silly it is to rely on batting averages. Then there were other topics, like why it's not always a good idea to bunt that I had heard other people espouse, but conflicted with my traditional baseball thinking. After reading the chapter on it, I'm convinced.
Finally, one of the things I most enjoyed about the book was the many ways they compared current stars to former stars and current teams to past teams. That's one of the richest areas of baseball debate, and it's always been totally subjective. And it gets a little stranger when people arguing for the 1930s Yankees are two generations removed from ever seeing them play. But the authors lay out very reasonable statistical measures of how to compare players and teams across time. It certainly won't end debate--this is baseball we're talking about. But it adds a splendid new dimension.
Five Stars for Content.......2007-08-13
Nice book and just what I needed so I now know why I can not make sense out of the baseball business that is so much about what we see on field now. And why baseball is no longer my grandparents or parents game of baseball. We will all lose interest even with a book explaining why and how about what and what is really what about baseball and what most influences the game besides playing a decent game of baseball for the fans and followers of a game that use to be a game enjoyed not a game that has to be enjoyed because of investments. The investment in the price of a ticket and a day at the ballpark is the fan's investment. No longer affordable because everyone deserves to be huge personalities making millions yearly. Just like we all should be multi-millionaires by now. Most people making money off of baseball have never stepped a foot on the field and probably only check in occasionally to check up on their money.
So we all will be just as saddened about what baseball is now and wait for it to end while giving our attention to the next sport that begins before the baseball season ends. What began as not a kid's game but a professional game for adults and what adults could enjoy and be entertained by is now like most of what influences our daily lives IT IS all about the BIG money supporting a game and process that use to give us all great games of baseball and an outing with friends or family.
The fun and enjoyment is almost all gone when the game became untrustworthy and dishonest and only credit card affordable.
A game of baseball is where we could escape to and find some enjoyment and not worry about being scammed. The enjoyment of baseball is almost gone, so very sad and unnecessary. I wanted this book so I could see the facts. Business is business and baseball business is the same.
Now our cherished pastime, national game is nothing more and mostly nothing more that BIG BUSINESS and becoming exclusive and what was once for all Americans, has become like so much else only for those who can afford to be Americans.
GREAT BASEBALL BOOK.......2007-06-27
I bought this book for my husband, a true baseball fanatic, and he loves it.
There is more to the game than a boxscore.......2007-05-27
Some of us like to actually watch and enjoy the game of baseball. Baseball Prospectus and their attempted empire do their best to ruin the enjoyment of watching games and players.
The title of this book is so incredibly arrogant. They want us to ignore pitcher's wins and runs batted in as if they are totally meaningless. I do not turn my nose at a twenty game winner, nor do I ignore that fact that some players considered knocking in baserunners to be an important accomplishment. In fact, Hank Greenberg often chided Charlie Gehringer for clearing the bases and not leaving any for him.
Instead, they offer complex formulae that tell us who we should consider to be the best. If I prefer Mays over Mantle or A-Rod over Jeter, I do not want someone to come along and give me their definitive answer.
What these pencil necked geeks refuse to admit, as anyone who plays with numbers knows, is that the answer is frequently set when you set up the parameters. No matter what BP says, they cannot answer whether good pitching beats good hitting. It cannot and should not be resolved.
Book Description
Enjoy what you eat.
From the author of the national bestseller The Culture of Fear comes a rallying cry to abandon food fads and myths for calmer and more pleasurable eating.
For many Americans, eating is a religion. We worship at the temples of celebrity chefs. We raise our children to believe that certain foods are good and others are bad. We believe that if we eat the right foods, we will live longer, and if we eat in the right places, we will raise our social status. Yet what we believe to be true about food is, in fact, quite contradictory. Offering part exposé, part social com-mentary, sociologist Barry Glassner talks to chefs, food chemists, nutritionists, and restaurant critics about the way we eat. Helping us recognize the myths, half-truths, and guilt trips they promulgate, The Gospel of Food liberates us for greater joy at the table.
Customer Reviews:
real science.......2007-06-04
if you want real science about food, not rationalizations to keep eating junk, read instead books like these:
"The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health" by T. Colin Campbell
...ISBN-10: 1932100660 Price:$11.53
or
Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss (Paperback)
by Joel Fuhrman MD (Author), Mehmit Oz ISBN-10: 0316735507 Price:$10.19
This book really covers the subject.......2007-04-20
Barry Glassner really knows what he is talking about. I lost 32 pounds eating Irish potatoes!!! I also avoid organic food like the plague. I do know something that he doesn't mention. It costs as much to get a new pesticide on the market and takes at least as long as it does to get a new medicine on the market. Therefore any agriculturalists who are still in business use pesticides as little as possible because every time they use one it subtracts from their bottom line.
I also think he has a very valid point about diets causing obesity. At least the diets that try to forbid you from eating certain foods. When I started losing weight I wasn't forbiding myself anything. All I was doing was trying to eat more of the fruits, vegetables and whole grains which are healthy for you and trying not to stuff myself.
Balanced approach to many food topics.......2007-04-20
I was hooked on this book after the first few pages and the discussion of "nonundelows" and the study where more nutrition was taken in by food enjoyed by subjects.
The book does seem to meander in the middle, taking so much time to talk about restaurant critics and expensive restaurants, but it ties together in the end somewhat.
Glassner goes to the sources of the "facts" quoted in many studies and finds them lacking or debatable or that the study never existed. The analysis of the studies and consideration of the reports so many "facts" are based upon makes this book worth reading.
Arguing for a balanced perspective ... and eating habits.......2007-03-27
"Call it the perfectibility trap, this impulse to idealize some foods while devaluing others that are plenty good for their intended purposes but don't further a pet view of proper eating." - Barry Glassner
Perhaps you know someone whom THE GOSPEL OF FOOD author Barry Glassner would call a "devotee of the doctrine of naught", i.e. one who eats food based on what it doesn't contain - too much in the way of calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, sugar, animal products, preservatives, genetic modifications, or whatever - rather than what it does. And once an acceptable foodstuff is decided upon, it's portioned and weighed and toted up for the day's ration. To such a person, mention of any yearning for a cheeseburger incurs a look of scornful contempt that would wither the most blithe of souls. Such a person is an unofficial member of the Food Police. ("Badges!? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!!")
Perhaps you're one of them.
A professor of sociology at USC, Glassner hopes to persuade the reader to accept a more balanced perspective of the food they eat that can perhaps be summarized as, "Eat what you want in moderation; eat food for what it is rather than what it's not; enjoy one of life's great pleasures because you've only one life to live."
Glassner is, of course, at odds with the hand-wringing government nannies and assorted self-proclaimed nutritional do-gooders that say you're too fat because you eat the wrong foods - especially fast foods - and are doomed to a premature death. With that in mind, perhaps the most interesting chapter in THE GOSPEL OF FOOD is "What Made America Fat", in which Barry examines the reasons ranging from the probable, such as the binge eating of constant dieters, to the interestingly plausible, such as adenovirus-36, to the downright improbable, such as inadequate breast feeding as an infant. Indeed, after referencing the iconoclastic book by law professor Paul Campos,The Obesity Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health- see my 6/14/2005 review entitled "Recommended reading for all past and present 'husky boys'" - Glassner reiterates:
"... not a single published study demonstrates that heart disease among the overweight and moderately obese results from their heft rather than from other factors that contribute to obesity and heart disease, such as smoking, poverty, stress, genetic predisposition, physical activity, depression, and quality of medical care."
I give my read books away to friends, usually in pristine condition. This one, I fear, has a stain of Secret Sauce and a smear of french fry grease on page 173 because I, like Glassner:
"... can't help but wonder how hundreds of millions of people have enjoyed fast-food burgers and lived to tell the tale if Mother Nature had entirely different plans."
On my death-bed - perhaps sooner, perhaps later - I may have cause to remember a particularly delicious meal I once ate. I can assure you that it won't be my dear wife's stir-fried veg with tofu chunks, which, bless her good intentions, is edible enough. Rather, it may be that deep-dish, pepperoni, sausage and mushroom pizza dripping with melted cheese and grease, and washed down with a cold beer, because, for an all too fleeting span of time, it contributed to a life worth living. I think Glassner would agree.
I devoured it........2007-03-03
This book is completely fascinating, and it has achieved the goal of actually changing the way that I think about food and eating. Not the way that I eat - that doesn't seem to be Glasser's aim - but the way I approach it. Glasser's approach seems to be that food is a source of pleasure from which society has stripped all pleasure. And in between visits to conventions and laboratories he finds time to rhapsodize about a particularly enjoyable dish.
Not only is the subject matter interesting, but Glasser avoids the irritating pitfalls of almost all nonfiction writers. On the rare instance that he does share his opinion, he actually manages to come across as nonjudgemental, and freely admits when he finds out he's been wrong. Glasser is never snide, avoids politics, and does an exemplary job of presenting balanced arguments. For example, while Glasser admits that he prefers organic foods, he states that this preference is based on responsible farming practices, etc., rather than the typical scaremongering tactics often employed by the organic food industry.
I can't wait to read 'The Culture of Fear' as well. I hope that Glasser's next book is about childrearing; I'd *love* to see him skewer our society's take on that.
Book Description
This book begins where You Are Being Lied To left off. Once again, an amazing group of investigative journalists, researchers, insiders, dissidents, and academics peels back consensus reality and shows us what's really happening. Hard, documented evidence on the most powerful institutions and controversial topics in the world. Among the revelations:
Antidepressants trash your brain.
China has repeatedly threatened to nuke the US.
Young people are less violent now than they have been in over 30 years.
Mad Cow disease is killing people in America.
Many disabled people don't want to be "cured" and don't admire Christopher Reeve.
Plus previously unpublished revelations about the International Monetary Fund, the Vatican Bank, the Olympic Games, Henry Lee Lucas, the drug war in South America, unpublicized accidents at nuclear power plants, and much more. Includes reproductions of rare documents and photos, including an unpublished eyewitness sketch of a mysterious third gunman at Columbine.
Among the 50+ contributors: Naomi Klein
Douglas Rushkoff
Arianna Huffington
Howard Zinn
Paul Krassner
Gary Webb
Howard Bloom
Noreena Hertz
Alexander Cockburn
Thomas Szasz
William Blum
James Ridgeway
Kalle Lasn
Wendy McElroy
Marketing Plans:
Heavy promotion on Disinformation site (500,000+ unique visitors/month) and Disinformation email newsletter (50,000+ subscribers).
Disinformation TV series will air nationally on Sci-Fi Channel during 2002; contains profiles of several of the book's contributors.
Marketing campaign by Green Galactic publicity agency.
Disinformation Books editor
Russ Kick has previously written two popular alternative reference books: Outposts and Psychotropedia. The Disinformation Company operates the most popular counterculture and alternative news site on the Web, Disinformation (www.disinfo.com).
Also Available:
You Are Being Lied To
TP $19.95, 0-9664100-7-6
CUSA
Customer Reviews:
Popular Postmodernism Repackaged!.......2006-02-15
I saw the title and said, "Wow, now there's a gutsy premise." Then I read the book.
In a nutshell, readers will endure a poorly compiled and inconsistently edited lesson in literary point-of-view. It does not (even argues that it cannot) point in the direction of truth and discovery as the title suggests.
Instead this book encapsulates the thinking of small minded people who think they are on to something big. While I wouldn't rate this as low as raw conspiracy theory, it doesn't deserve much better. Instead of reading this book, I suggest the reader of this review skip it but repeat aloud the following points (at least three times):
1) I will think for myself.
2) I will not believe everything I hear, see or have been taught.
3) I will try to think divergently (outside the box, in ways unlike those around me, creatively, philosophically, theoretically and/or extremely practically).
4) I will always consider the source as well as their information.
5) Why am I repeating something some stranger suggested in an Amazon book review?
6) If I really care, I will find out for myself instead of believing the things others tell me.
7) Everyone has an agenda (particularly politicians, media outlets, reporters & authors, wealthy or religious folks, radical idealogues, publishers and especially writers of book reviews.)
Welcome to enlightenment! (You're now ready to conquer the world.)
Keep throttling the gatekeeper's!.......2005-12-12
I just can't resist laughing in the face of someone that claims "there really should be limits to speech" when confronted with "Ideas" that conflict with so called solid research, solid science, etc. Anything that claims to say theories are solid proof because of the "scientific method" simply ignores exsistence and the fact that you can never know everything. That seems to be the biggest obstacle to most when presented with conflicting information, it's the fear that " I don't know any solid truths or facts after all". Usually the person runs off with the ball so to speak and never comes back to play, fear and it's lenghty history of control over mass populations does exist, it's not a conspiracy.
I've given this book out as a gift numerous times and love the sort of eager response that it gets. It's also worth mentioning I have read most of the DIsinfo collection and it's not at all liberal or conservative in it's approach, in fact I would consider the disinfonaughts politically athiest if such a term were to be applied with regard to politics. Anyone who tells you otherwise most likely has some sort of disinfo to spread themselves or just plain likes labeling everybody something that fits in with their "order" of things.
Disinfo does a great job of stepping aside, not defining itself, nor allowing others to slap labels upon themselves, in a sense the term disinformation employs a non-certainty that usually also makes religious or political nutcases or even liberal nutcases go wild with ecstatic fervor and anger. The gatekeepers love to hate stuff like this book, all the more reason to buy more copies and give them out to friends and family alike.
What They Can't Teach You in School.......2005-03-22
This book has 46 articles whose purpose is to educate you about some story that has been ignored, or is in error, by the Corporate Media. Its human nature to listen to gossip that pretends to give you secrets. Sometimes these facts can't be corroborated easily. So when you read these articles, consider that they may be one-sided. But you have to be one-sided to correct a widespread error. Anyone who's had years of experience with events in the news has figured out "you are being lied to".
The 'Introduction' mentions the censorship about various events. The contributors of these articles do not necessarily agree with each other. That is a sign of "objectivity", not printing to fit. The articles will challenge or educate you, they shouldn't bore you. You can decide which you like better. You are not likely to find them in your local newspaper or national magazines.
The first article "Burn the Olive Tree, Sell the Lexus" is a good overview on the disastrous policies of globalization. Arianna Huffington writes a good report on "Drug Companies". Is this why her column is no longer printed in NJ? Jonathan Levy's article will not be found in your local newspaper; stories like this are too hot to handle. Dominick Armentano's essay is an example of sophistry; don't believe him. It denies the history of the late 19th and early 20th century. Lucy Komisar explains how corporations and the rich avoid taxes by using secret offshore bank accounts. Taxes are for the middle-classes. Noreena Hertz tells how globalization has impoverished more people than before.
Mike Males' discusses the "Myths About Youth". They are not more violent, homicidal, criminal, suicidal, or smoking and drinking more. They are in general more responsibly behaved than their Baby Boom parents (p.115)! Special interest groups, like the Carnegie Corporation, are pushing an agenda to convince people that more repression is needed. Many of their claims are false and deliberately misleading, like "injury and violence have now replaced illness as the leading cause of death for adolescents". Many fewer teens die from the infectious diseases common before the mid 1950s! The truth is that poverty correlates to the problems of teens, but this fact is banned by the politics of those spreading fears. It would require changes that they don't want to discuss (p.118). "Toxic TV Syndrome" by Kalle Lasn explains why watching TV makes you sick: the more you watch, the more depressed you become (p.142).
David T. Hardy reports the truth about the Waco Incident, when the ATF raided a communal church (p.183). It debunks the story in the Corporate Media. William Blum presents the censored facts about the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, "a mass of conflicting evidence" (p.190). Peter Gorman tells of the secret coup that overthrew the President of Peru, and how this relates to another secret war to seize control of the coca fields of Colombia. Are there hidden oil fields there?
Russ Kick explains why 9-11-2001 was not a surprise: there were many warnings that something was going to happen (pp.241-257). In Manila 1995 they found plans to hijack a commercial plan and crash it into CIA headquarters, the Pentagon, the White House, the Sears Tower, the Transamerica Tower, or the World Trade Center (p.246). Crashing a plane into a Tower was attempted in December 1994 (p.247). Were telephone calls being intercepted (p.249)? [But some of these stories sound like "urban legends" (p.253).] Was this attack as big a surprise as Pearl Harbor?
Howard Bloom's article on the Chinese Century is must reading! J. T. Gatto's hidden history of American education is very important for your understanding on how the system works. Before WW I "the Education Trust" was created to attack the middle-class of owner-operated businesses (p.274). Future generations were to be trained as economic serfs for the big corporations. Children would be deprived of the traditional education learned in farms and villages, and be told of what to think. Schools were like factories that took in raw materials and shaped them into finished products (p.275). The hidden policies created a rise in school violence and chaos due to the process of restricting the ability of teachers to control and discipline children. This created a market for drugs for kids. Big corporations would control schools and children, not the family and church (p.277). The literacy rate for soldiers in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam kept dropping; this measured the "dumbing down" in the education system (p.278). This was due to the "whole-word method" (p.279). Was the schooling of the masses aimed at destroying democracy (p.285)? Were today's high-cost, low-value schools created for big corporations (p.286)? What will be the effect of well-educated people who can't find work (p.287)? Can the perverse education philosophy of the last century be cured and corrected? Can we afford anything else? If illiteracy causes crime and violence, doesn't that make our schooling system responsible (p.279)?
Not bad, but could do with a new title........2004-10-22
Each essay is well written and most of the time an interesting argument is presented. You cant help but raise an eyebrow at some of the references though (or lack of them).
Unfortunately the book assumes that you are American, or at least in touch and in tune with a lot of what goes on over there. There are many political and social references made that I have never heard of.
So I think the book should be renamed
'Americans: Everything you know is wrong'
Interesting Assortment Of Censored Info & Views.......2004-10-05
This compilation of "Disinfo" challenging articles is varied and not directed toward any specific consensus other than the notion that various special interests manipulate information presented to the public for self-serving agendas. Some of the articles that challenge conventional views about social phenomena were very insightful, as was the section on the authoritarian socialist agenda guiding the educational system. The articles about political issues like 9-11 seemed rather short and could have dug deeper into these topics. Whether or not you agree with the various ideas expressed in this book you will find some things that challenge you to expand your views and understandings on some issues. Perhaps you will even take the time to research and explore some of the topics in greater depth in other sources. After all, if people made the effort to educate themselves and not rely on "experts" and "authorities" to tell them what to think then there might not be a need for a book that tells us "Everything You Know Is Wrong."
Book Description
Orgasms, sexual inventions, spirituality, high-tech porn, gender-blending, hustling, masturbation, politics, airplane sex, disabilities, sex magick, biblical erotica, advertising, first times, sex in space, asexuality, group sex . . . are you ready for Disinformation's look at the world of sex?
Master anthologizer Russ Kick has immersed himself in the many and varied worlds of sex writing, producing a definitive collection exposing reality that's way, way stranger than XXX fiction. Profiled in The New York Times as an "information archaeologist," Russ digs where others would not think to look for delicious details on the present, past, and future of sex, including:
The first-ever look at the FBI's porn collection (the Obscene Reference File), complete with reproduced documents
FAA reports about people having sex on commercial flights-the so-called "mile-high club"
A look at brilliant, kinky, and scarce sex-zines, such as Frighten the Horses, Taste of Latex, Future Sex, and Pucker Up, as well as Sexology, published by Hugo Gernsback, the father of science fiction
The forgotten sex books of Charles Atlas ("Hey, quit kicking sand in our faces, you bully!")
This massive, oversized anthology features a panoply of sexperts, everyone from prostitutes to professors, legends to newcomers, sexual revolutionaries to sexologists and beyond, providing a varied and unexpected look at sex, challenging our notions of what is possible and in turn exciting, enervating, frightening, and freaking us out.
Russ Kick is the editor of You Are Being Lied To, Everything You Know Is Wrong, and Abuse Your Illusions. He is the author of 50 Things You're Not Supposed To Know Volumes 1 & 2 and The Disinformation Book of Lists. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.
Customer Reviews:
A Challenging Review to Write.......2007-06-03
Oh what a hard review to write. I was going to start with the section headings, but that would get the unwelcome attention of the Amazon word filters. Then I was going to start describing highlights from the anthology but I ran into the same challenge. Then I looked at the other reviews and they were either pressed for time or ran into the same challenges as I did.
So, how about a generic impression - a lame, toned down version of a beautiful, powerful, volume. It's a really good assemblage of the subject matter in first-hand accounts, studies, deviancies and vignettes. It gives the reader insight into the truths behind stereotypes and misconceptions. It gives the reader a glimpse into the minds of the real people who live lives different than the accepted norm. It's a great volume.
I recommend it.
- CV Rick
Spectacular.......2007-02-07
A wonderful collection of stories, and something new to learn almost every chapter. A must read for everyone.
The highs are very high indeed.......2006-09-15
Like any anthology, it's uneven. You'll love some of the stories, merely like some, and maybe even be indifferent to or hate a few. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll kiss 16 bucks or so goodbye. You'll be entertained, aroused, surprised, and squicked. The batting average is good, you get a LOT of reading for your money, and it covers ground that hasn't been visited by other anthologies of sex writing.
Great, hilarious, and distrurbing all at the same time.......2006-02-01
This book is amazing. It's a series of shorter stories/articles so you can always tell when something you aren't interested in will stop (instead of having to skim on and trying to find the end of the section). A lot of incredible information, some sweet stories, some funny, some that made me shocked, a great book!
Fun and Games!.......2005-10-25
While I wouldn't exactly call myself a Russ Kick fan, I love, love, love this book. By turns disturbing, funny and sweet, it's a super fun read. Even if you consider yourself a sexpert, I'm sure you will still learn a thing or two from this awesomely sexy anthology!
Book Description
This is a collection of myths, mistakes, and "lessons learned" from practicing engineers involved in the field of electronic equipment cooling. Through anecdotes and stories based on his experience at Tellabs Operations, Inc. Tony Kordyban covers basic dimensions of heat transfer concepts--mostly from real problems which were incorrectly solved at least once before a correct technique was applied.
The book's 31 chapters, each on an important and relevant topic, contain simple line drawings to help illustrate the basic concepts, while the text provides accurate and complete technical explanations. The book's case study approach makes it an extremely useful and handy reference--and Kordyban's clear and entertaining writing style mixes technical subject matter with humor and is both iinteresting and instructive.
Customer Reviews:
Hot Air Rises and Heat Sinks: Everything You Know About Cooling Electronics Is Wrong.......2007-09-10
A very good book for practical thermal engineer. I bought this book twice because the first one was lost.
Excellent resource for understanding/relating to a thermal engineers 17+ years of thermal experience .......2007-07-26
I read this book while on vacation. The font was big and has an "easy on the eyes" font type. It covers some of the basics and better yet provides some lessons learned from industry. As a mechanical/thermal engineer of 5+ years experience, this book was intersting/useful to me. It provided some insight into what another thermal engineer's experience in industry is like. Relating to similar work relationship(s)/topics also made this book enjoyable.
Highly recommend.
What's wrong with me ? I now find thermal flow interesting !.......2003-05-01
Curse Mr. Kordyban - he's get me all interested in thermal flow now. This book is great ! It flows [huh] really well, is relatively humourous (no, really), and gets across some basic lessons in electronics cooling. A must read for all you overclockers who are having to put bigger and bigger heatsinks on everything. I followed a few simple recommendations in this book, (just repositioning a few components and adjusting airflow) and now my computers run much cooler (and more stably). Now I can't walk into a datacenter without looking for the ac units, and checking for fans, drive positioning etc. This is a field that I'm convinced is going to be much more important in the future - this handbook is a great introduction to the field and some real practical things you can use right now. If you are looking for some honking big text book, this isn't for you. But who is ?
Great Read, Good Practical Information.......2002-07-22
As a practicing electronics design engineer I found the information in the book very interesting. So often the only way to really grasp engineering is through encountering real world problems and having to figure out what is going on. This "opps" engineering approuch is a slow one. This book takes a wealth of real world thermal engineering problems and presents them in a fun, easy to read format giving you the information so you don't have to make the same mistake. It also gives some history behind various industry standards and myths.
The only addition I would have liked would have been a discussion of horizontally mounted PCB's and how heat transfers from these boards.
A great read.
Refreshing Thermal issues.......2001-07-11
Started reading, simply could not stop. Direct and to the point, this book based on real facts is simply refreshing, a great source of valuable technical information presented in a very easy to understand and "humorous" fashion, that will keep you going and going and going.
I recommend this book to anyone brave enough to attemp thermal qualification of any type of electronic system, and many "real life" lessons are to be learned. A must in your collection of "got to have" titles !!!
Book Description
In the new mega-anthology from best-selling editor Russ Kick, more than fifty writers, reporters, and researchers invade the inner sanctum for an unrestrained look at the wild and wooly world of organized belief.
Richard Dawkins shows us the strange, scary properties of religion;
Neil Gaiman turns a biblical atrocity story into a comic (that almost sent a publisher to prison);
Erik Davis looks at what happens when religion and California collide;
Mike Dash eyes stigmatics;
Douglas Rushkoff exposes the trouble with Judaism;
Paul Krassner reveals his "Confessions of an Atheist"; and best-selling lexicographer
Jonathon Green interprets the language of religious prejudice.
Among the dozens of other articles and essays, you'll find: a sweeping look at classical composers and Great American Songbook writers who were unbelievers, such as
Irving Berlin, creator of "God Bless America"; the definitive explanation of why America is not a Christian nation; the bizarre, Catholic-fundamentalist books by Mel Gibson's father; eye-popping photos of bizarre religious objects and ceremonies, including snake-handlers and pot-smoking children; the thinly veiled anti-Semitism in the
Left Behind novels; an extract from the rare, suppressed book
The Sex Life of Brigham Young; and rarely seen anti-religious writings from
Mark Twain and
H.G. Wells.
Further topics include exorcisms, religious curses, Wicca, the Church of John Coltrane, crimes by clergy, death without God, Christian sex manuals, the "ex-gay" movement, failed prophecies, bizarre theology, religious bowling, atheist rock and roll, "how to be a good Christian," an entertaining look at the best (and worst) books on religion, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Very entertaining coffee table book.......2007-09-30
This book, like the whole series of disinformation books, is very interesting and makes for good, entertaining reading. But don't expect it to be a fact-filled reference book. "Everything You Know About God is Wrong" has a definite bias against religion. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I would have preferred a more rounded approach. It's really nothing more than "preaching to the choir" (or preaching against the choir I suppose.) Atheists will love the book, religious fundamentalists will despise the book, and open-mined people such as myself will be entertained by the book but disappointed at it's one-sided approach.
A crushing indictment of popular misconceptions about religious belief........2007-09-02
Everything You Know About God Is Wrong is a crushing indictment of popular misconceptions about religious belief. Composed of a wide variety of articles, each by a different author and attacking a different "sacred cow", Everything You Know About Religion denounces hypocrisies, outright criminal behavior perpetrated in the name of religion, horrific statements from the Bible and more. While some articles are written by freethinkers or nonbelievers and reveal a decidedly atheistic perspective, others are by believers seeking reform, justice, or a better understanding of various negative aspects of different religions. Indeed, the introduction remarks that "no contributor necessarily agrees with the other contributors... inclusion is not an indication of collusion." The articles range from "Sandman" author Neil Gaiman's graphically illustrated, adults-only comic of the soul-destroying Biblical story of Judges chapter 19 (in which a host turns over his daughter and his guest's concubine to be gang raped and murdered, in order to protect the guest); to the under reported tale of Magdalene Asylums run by the Irish Catholic Church that used women for profitable slave labor, for alleged prostitution or adultery, being victims of rape, or simply looking too pretty; to the merciless feudal virtual slavery inflicted by the temple theocracy upon the serfs of Buddhist Tibet prior to the Chinese occupation (runaway serfs would often be blinded, have their noses or tongues cut off, or be amputated); the story of a man who believes in Judaism and his struggle to engage in a public dialogue about Judaism and Israel, only to be shut out by Institutional Judaism; and much more. Highly recommended
Book Description
Rob Stevens explodes the myths about dieting and reveals the truth about weight loss. If diets don't work long-term, what does? Tapping into your thintuition and never dieting again. Thintuition is about giving your body exactly what it needs, no more and no less. You can succeed permanently with it because it is in harmony with your basic nature.
Customer Reviews:
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-08-30
I Have Been On A DIET Every Year Since 1980...Lost,Gained,Lost,Gained...I Read The Book June 19th And Started To Use My Thintuition On June 20th And As Of Today I Am Down 44lbs!! I Eat What I Like, Exercise Only Three Times A Week And No Longer Feel...FAT, FULL, HUNGERY Or GUILTY!! I Have A Way To Go But I Can Easily Do It Now!!!!
New Perspective.......2007-08-07
This book takes "Diets Don't Work" a step further than the book by that name did a few years ago. I read the other book many years ago and it made sense but I was unable to follow through because I wasn't ready or didn't connect with the author. This book I think delves more into the psychological aspects of overeating and doesn't have the workbook stuff in it that wasn't helpful to me. Anyway, this author has a more authentic history of a lifetime struggle with obesity and, being the same way myself, I connected with him and have started to change my relationship with food like I never could before. He also has a website:
www.thintuition.com. No I don't work for this guy but this the best book I have ever read that examines how it's not about what/how much you eat but why and how it is your mind and the culture that causes an unhealthy relationship with food. By the way, if you go to the website you can get a free E-copy of the book. Good Luck
WOW!! It Really Works!!!!.......2007-02-27
I'm so thankful that I came across this book ( along with the Weigh Down Diet), it has really help me realize many of my own pitfalls that I've dug for my own self. However after taking the advice in this well written manual, I've lost 8.6 pounds in one week. It's the most I've ever lost in 7 days, so I'm really hyped. This is one of the first times I've used a plan like this that I actually knew that I could make it a "lifestyle-plan." I don't have to buy Lean Cuisine meals, or 100% whole wheat bread (which I hate with a passion). I just eat whatever I want when I'm hungry, and stop when I'm satisfied.
I would have given this book 5 stars, if Rob Stevens would have explained a little more in debt how waiting for hunger helps burn off the excess fat, however, that's only my opinion, and it does not take away from the sucess the book has generated. If you are like me, and fed up with WW, Atkins, and The Cabbage Soup Diet, then you are ready for this book.
Don't knock it before you try it!!
The Overfed Head.......2007-02-19
The Overfed Head is a great way for people to get to the root of understanding the differences between hunger and appetite. While the book explains the practices of people who practice "Thintuition," using the website as an additional aid is indispensable for daily accountability and journaling. The beauty of the program is that there are no guilt trips, no "taboo" foods, plus there is an adventure into understanding ourselves in a new way. I highly recommend this book and the website.
It is working so far .......2007-02-17
I bought this book because he described the same experiences I have had. I started my first diet at 12 years old at 220pounds and yo-yo'd my dieting weight to 416. At 49 I went on one more diet, lost 40 and gained 50 and decided I could not afford to diet again. Now at 50 this title caught my eye.
His basic "eat what you what, when you want, as long as you eat "only" when you are hungry" is a simple method that takes some internal awareness but is all that is needed for success.
I have been doing this for 3 weeks now. I have lost 23 pounds (10 + 8+ 5). I have eaten pizza, fried eggs, drank whole milk and nibbled on candy guilt free for the first time in my life. I have no more cravings.
Every day, as I see foods I want to eat that I used to call "bad", I am making informed decisions. Do I want it? Am I hungry now? If not now, when will I eat it?
I am erasing a lot of old mental tapes that say these foods are bad. When I am full I am leaving the rest of the food on the plate. I am learning how to listen to my body's needs. I have found that fast food joints include way to much food even in the regular sizes. I eat a lot JR and kiddie meals. The portions are just too large now.
This is not a full blown habit ... yet. But, as long as I listen to my body as he has described, all else is falling in place and it will become natural and second nature in a few months.
I HIGHLY recommend this book -- Yes it is this simple as long as you are really ready to say "No More. I am full" When you are full--- Old habits die hard ... be patient. And as he says be kind to yourself when you mess up. If you overeat for a meal - you know what really happens? Your body is not hungry for a while. So I had no guilt over a bit of fun at the SuperBowl party. Be rational and reasonable and this will work.
Kim from Dallas
Book Description
Contrarian, in-your-face advice from two masters of crisis management
Much of the conventional wisdom about damage control and crisis PR is self-serving, self- congratulatory, self-deceiving—and flat out wrong. And no one knows it better than Eric Dezenhall and John Weber, who have helped countless companies, politicians, and celebrities get out of various kinds of trouble.
If you're facing a lawsuit, a sex scandal, a defective product, or allegations of insider trading, other PR experts will tell you to stay positive, get your message out, and everything will be just fine. But happy talk doesn't help much during a real crisis, and it's easy to lose sight of your real priorities. In a trial, for instance, you might want the whole world to think you're a wonderful person, but all that matters is whether twelve jurors think you're guilty.
Dezenhall and Weber are especially dismayed by flacks who compare every problem to the famous Tylenol/cyanide episode of 1982—supposedly proof that making nice, admitting fault, and taking immediate corrective action is all you need to do. In reality, Tylenol's situation was nothing like the typical corporate crisis.
The authors share many powerful lessons, including:
• the difference between a nuisance, a problem, and a crisis
• when you can't get them to like you, get them not to attack you
• it's not about facts; it's about symbols
• the best case studies are the ones you'll never hear about
• good deeds won't position you out of the line of fire
Damage Control will reveal what works, what doesn't, and how to really survive a career- threatening situation. It will be the definitive book on this subject for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Insights.......2007-09-20
This book contains some very interesting and informative views on crisis handling. Whilst I don't buy into their generalised view of PR professionals (or the thinly veiled self promotion) I would certainly recommend it as a must read for communication professionals.
Welcome to the 21st Century.......2007-08-29
Mr. Dezenhall's book should be required reading in every public relations, business and government administration college programs. The concept of what is a 'crisis' has changed substantially in the past 10 years, especially with people communicating problems and/or urging others into action through their Web connections. In the 21st Century, our assumptions of how to deal with management crisis are outdated. Dezenhall's book is essential in helping administrators re-think their strategies.
This book was weak.......2007-08-25
I was expecting more from this book than I actually got. This book is filled with a lot of possible steps you can take but nothing procedural truly in terms of ways to analyze a situation and make an intelligent decision about how to react to a problem. It offers up a lot of options without telling you how to determine which option you might take in a situation. I wasnt expecting a decision tree. However I was expecting something more procedural and this book did not deliver.
The Bottom is Out of the Tub.......2007-08-03
A concise set of thoughts laid down on modern crisis management by two informed participants. While the authors sometimes drift close to self-promotion, it is a worthy book to read by corporate managers and others who may ever face an adverse high-profile media issue.
It is definitely better to read this short book than the standard three-ring binder--usually quite dusty--jammed with a given corporation's formal crisis plan.
For one reader who has had direct experience with such things (the Alar chemical scare involving apples), the key points of advice all ring true.
A deep breath of fresh air.......2007-07-04
I watched an interview with Eric Dezenhall and made a mental note to buy this book, but I didn't follow up right away. I finally met my obligation, and I am very glad I did. I frequently negotiate large contracts. The information here has proven to be very helpful.
Customer Reviews:
realistic inside the circle .......2007-06-22
just the book I was looking for. curious about what could have happened with Michael H. I thought it was written with out fluff and in a compassionate tone to all persons.
Books:
- Nikola Tesla: Colorado Springs Notes, 1899-1900
- No Laughing Matter
- No Place Like Home: A Novel
- Ovarian Cancer (Atlas of Clinical Oncology)
- Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon
- Patty's Toxicology, 8 Volume + Index Set
- Possible Side Effects
- Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989
- Something the Cat Dragged in
- Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Game and the Glory
- Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Lawrence Sanders: Three Complete Novels
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: Geometrical Methods for Engineers and Scientists
- National Geographic Guide to America's Outdoors: Pacific Northwest: Nature Adventures in Parks, Pres
- Sharing the Pie : A Citizen's Guide to Wealth and Power
- From Making a Living to Having a Life
- The New Retirement How To Secure Financial Freedom And Live Out Your Dreams
General
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Godless: The Church of Liberalism
Give Me a Break : How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media...
Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies: Issue by Issue Responses to the Most Common Claims of the Left from A to Z
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism)
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37)
