5 comments about Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country.

1. "Secrets of the Temple" is a book that discusses the interaction of the Federal Reserve and Government economic policy. This book is basically a detailed analysis of the Reagan administration and the Volcker chairmanship of the Reserve.
   Once again Mr. Greider teaches us how the "clock" works by taking us on an intimate tour through the internal mechanisms of the "clock". This is the hands on approach to learning. I like it. Mr. Greider takes us on a tour of the factory - from assembly to design and through sales and advertising.
   This book is nearly 800 pages long. It's a bargain. If I had any negative criticism it would be that it contains too much information. But that seems to be Mr. Greider's style - no one is going to accuse him of not "doing his homework". This book is not a "read"; it is a "study".



2. Tom Potts of Ottowa chose to review this book, and he erroneously comments that:
   "The Federal Reserve is a 100% privately owned corporation, carefully set up to appear as though it is an arm of government. It was created solely for the benefit of it's shareholders, a significant proportion of which are foreign. Greider could have mentioned this extremely important fact at the outset. Instead he deliberately helps perpetuate the myth that "The Fed" is public."
   That short paragraph is simply not correct. Please understand that as a libertarian, I have no reason nor any desire to favor the Fed. But, I do favor getting the facts straight, and, in just the snippet quoted above, Mr. Potts' has more than one or two facts incorrect.
   The 12 Federal Reserve banks, facially organized like a private corporation, do indeed issue shares of stock to "member banks." But owning such stock is NOT like owning stock in a private corporation. To start with, member banks have no choice - they must both "own stock" and they also must have reserves on deposit with the Federal Reserve Banks. Yet their "stock" can't be bought, sold or pledged as security and memeber banks get no interest for the funds must they must have held in reserve by their Federal Reserve bank. And, the dividends paid are limited to, at most 6%, which is supposedly partial compensation for the fact that no interest is paid on the amount the member banks are required to have on reserve. And, if you review the weekly statement or balance sheet the Fed issues, you'll see the "total capital" which, you might say represents the Fed's "profit." The Fed's excess capital is then paid over to the U.S. treasuery.
   So, to say that the Federal Reserve was created solely for the "benefit of is shareholders" misstates the situation.



3. The Wall Street collapse in October 1987 was an unusual event. This book explains the political struggles that led to this financial crisis and how the Federal Reserve controlled our economy. Since 1912 the activities of the Federal Reserve have generally been kept secret from the people by the policies of the corporate media. People can't judge or complain about things that are unknown to them. Greider said Paul Volcker, the Fed chairman, controlled our economy through the Reagan era with tight money and high interest rates. Does the Federal Reserve Act turn over Constitutional powers to a private bank so they enrich themselves and disadvantage the people? I think the answer is "Yes". These facts are mostly censored from the censored from the history taught in schools. Corporations have vast influence on the universities and colleges in this country.
   
   The income and payroll taxes withheld from your weekly paycheck do not go directly to the government. They are deposited in a Federal Reserve bank, and then loaned to the Federal government at interest. Every 3 months this money is turned over to the Federal government. The paper dollars (Federal Reserve Notes) are borrowed by the Federal government at interest. JFK ordered the issuance of Treasury Notes in 1963 to cut this cost of interest. After he was removed from office this policy was stopped. If this is all news to you, just where are you getting your information?
   
   Greider points out that 19th century Americans fully understood the politics of money (p.246). Modern Americans are more ignorant ("dumbing down"). The gold standard of the 1880s was a policy to extort money from the people who had to pay paper money debts with over-valued gold (p.247). The gold standard did not guarantee stable prices. Cycles of price inflation and deflation were part of world commerce, whether the currency was gold, silver, or copper (p.248). The current problems with an unstable money supply go back to Renaissance times (p.249). Capitalism requires instability. A period of inflation to stimulate growth and wealth followed by deflation to consolidate this created wealth (p.249). No popularly elected government can have a stable price system since that leads to economic stagnation (p.250). Usurious lending was a means to expropriate land from small farmers (p.251). Chapter 8 provides a history of America you won't learn about in school books.
   
   This 800 page book contains many other interesting facts and history in explaining the Federal Reserve. Since WW I the activities of the Fed were followed by the destruction of small and mid-size businesses. Around 1950 most small businesses in a town were locally owned and operated. Since then they are mostly chains of a large corporation or a franchised agent. Profits are taken by the few from the many. More people are wage-earners than owners of their own business.



4. An informative and entertaining book. It explains how the the Federal Reseve operates and control the money supply; but this information is mingled with the events of the the 1980's. My main motivation for reading this book was to acquire this knowledge. It was very interesting to learn what happened behind the scenes in the White House as it struggled with
   the 1980's recession. The book, however, gives too many examples of how
   people reacted, essentialy repeating the same message. This book could
   have been half as long without losing any of its value.



5. This book gives out no secrets - it is more of a fanzine. Don't waste your money. The Creature From Jeykl Island is better history and Web of Debt is better current events.

5 comments about Search Engine Marketing, Inc.: Driving Search Traffic to Your Company's Web Site (2nd Edition).

1. I purchased this book 2 months ago with the intention of trying to move my website up in the search engine rankings. I think every person that is responsible for search engine marketing dreams about what being ranked on the first page of Google would mean to your respective business. When I started this book my website was not ranked within the top 100 results on Google. Now we are on the first page for our targeted keywords. There is no question that optimizing your web site for the search engines is a lot of work and that it takes a very diligent effort to do it the right way. Showing you how to optimize your site the right way is what this book is all about. In truth, to me the book is worth 10 times what I paid for it. If you are interested in setting your web site up for success then this book is a must have.



2. This book is great for both the corporate marketer with big resources AND the small business trying to grow big on the cheap (that would be us). Includes explanations of terms, sources for web tools, walks you through how to measure the success of your campaign efforts and even rationale for gaining buy-in in the corporate setting. Yes, it is detailed and comprehensive (off-putting for some) but simply focus on the issues of importance for you. Our website, [...], could be better, but we did avoid many pitfalls of internet marketing thanks to this book. It also helped us in working with our outsourced webmaster, who is not an SEO expert. Also check out Do It Wrong QuicklyDo It Wrong Quickly: How the Web Changes the Old Marketing Rules (IBM Press), which I am reading now.



3. I started a consulting business months ago, and before I created a web site for it I read much of this book. I expected that many of my clients would find me by using Internet search engines, so I minded some of the techniques and principles explained in this book as I designed my web site. And boy did it pay off. Using a simple, forty dollar application, I created and published a web site that quickly jumped to the top of Google's search results for key phrases that prospective clients have been using to find a consultancy like mine. I bet my competitors who had been around much longer than my business must have been P.O.'d big time. But I suppose that's what they get for failing to do their homework!
   I'd elaborate on the content of the book, but other reviewers have done that; and ultimately it's the results that count, right?
   I can honestly say that buying this book has been the most profitable investment I've made in my business thus far.



4. this book is very complete, going from overall strategy to details in HTML coding.
   if you are planning a web campaign in Search and want to go over your website before by optimizing it, this book will give you all the keys to success.
   
   
   Jean-Marc T.



5. This is a very comprehensive book that could be used as a text book for teaching Search Engine Marketing. It takes a very dedicated reader to get through the hundreds of pages. I'd give it 5 stars if it was consolidated a bit more so pages and information could be gleaned faster. It leaves no questions unanswered and explains everything in great detail and in an organized fashion.

5 comments about Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the Worlds Most Admired Service Organizations.

1. This book hardly needs my imprimatur, but I thought I would share my feelings about yet another customer experience book. Just when you thought there were more books on the topic than you could possibly explore, along comes one that I think is unique. Some may think this is just for health-care professionals, but I believe it includes powerful lessons that transcend the industry. The nicest aspects of this book are the stories about just what it takes to establish and maintain great service, even when you're one of the most respected 'brands' in the world. I used to live in Rochester, NY, and once made the dopey mistake of flying from O'Hare to Rochester, MN. I thought, 'Since I'm here, I might as well go to the Mayo Clinic, which I have always wanted to see.' This book makes that stupid airplane flight totally unnecessary. Anyone involved in dealing with the public should read this book. Maybe the lessons aren't totally fresh, but we need to be reminded of them constantly. Isn't that why we go to church on Sunday?



2. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is akin to Donald Trump giving tact lessons Bill Clinton and John Edwards giving Monogamy Lessons and Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney giving effective War strategy lessons. Mayo Clinic is the New York Yankees of Medicine. Like the Yankees of this decade and the Soviets of the 1980's, Mayo is its own 'Evil Empire' of the Healthcare business. Like the Soviets of the early 80's and the present day NY Yankees, Mayo's deep pockets and exorbitant spending make up for more than its share of Management mistakes. Its Assembly line heathcare model and constant harping about expenses hardly makes it a needs of the patient come first healthcare organization. Like so many other businesses including the 'evil' Insurance Companies, it is all about the bottom line at Mayo. Many former Physicians and staff have said so. When you have a management and decision making system that closely, if not identically, resembles Washington DC, you are if for trouble. Layer after layer of bureaucracy, committees, sub-committees, focus groups, polarizing board members, and the like are firmly embeded in the Mayo Culture. As Washington DC is broken, so is the Mayo Management and decision making model. I'm not saying you should not read this book, I think you should read it. If I am a young Program Director, Manager, Administrator, Nurse Manager, Supervisor, Department Head, etc. I would read this book and then immediately read 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis, and Rule #1 Investing by Phil Towne. I would look at the Mayo way and do just the opposite whenever and wherever I could. Many if not all Healthcare Institutions can't compete with Mayo's deep pockets, so if you do business and run your ship like they do, you are doomed. There are inefficiencies in any market, you just have to work hard to find them and take advantage when you do. Look for ways that the conventional wisdom is wrong and do the opposite. The two books mentioned above will help you do this. Take a Paul Volcker approach to your healthcare management decisions. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Mayo Clinic has bad healthcare providers, bad technology, bad equipment, bad people, etc. I'm saying it is a bogged down, social engineering, bueracratic nightmare. Mayo better hope there is not a Billy Beane or Phil Towne of healthcare lurking on the horizon in another competing organization. If there is, they better adapt quickly or they will be in trouble, big trouble.



3. This is an excellent book for a Manager in any industry. It's a MUST READ for a Manager in Health Care!



4. There are only two categories of those who will benefit exponentially from this excellent book-those who work in health care and those who don't. For those who work in health care, the work that Dr Berry and his colleague have written is without peer. Len has been a seminal voice in how service is best provided for over 20 years and his insights have been invaluable to anyone who has sought to find practical solutions to the vexing issue of service. Many have written philosophically on the topic, but Dr Berry writes almost exclusively with practical solutions, applicable at the bedside. It has been my privilege to have contributed, in some small way, to the literature on health care customer service. I am, quite frankly, in awe of what this book has done. Everyone involved in health care should read it. Why? Because it will make their incredibly difficult job much easier-and let's be clear, health care is a very, very tough place to 'get customer service right.'
   If you don't work in health care, this book is essential, because, let's be honest, if you can get customer service right in health care, you can get it right anywhere. No matter what business you are in, this book has insights which will be beneficial to you.
   
   Finally, perhaps the most important category of those who should read-and benefit-from this book are those who will use the health care system, because it will tell you that must seek out health care systems and providers who understand that making the right diagnosis and offering the right treatment are simply not enough anymore in our health care system-you must do so in an environment that not only values, but treasures a culture of service.
   
   By the way, that last category-those who will eventually be users of health care-is every single one of us...
   
   Great book-I only wish I had written it!
   
   Thom Mayer, MD, FACEP, FAAP



5. As professors of marketing at the University of New Mexico, OC and Linda Ferrell recommend this book to anyone that manages a service organization. In addition to being one of the most renowned healthcare facilities in the world, the famed Mayo Clinic is also a highly successful business. With its motto "putting the needs of the patient first" guiding its every move, Mayo Clinic has built a large and loyal customer base. In their book Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic, marketing professor Leonard Berry and former director of marketing for Mayo Clinic Kent Seltman take readers inside this longstanding and venerable institution. Through eloquent prose, this book chronicles Mayo Clinic's history from its beginnings in Rochester, MN to its current status as one of the largest not-for-profit medical group practices in the world. This book is more than a mere history, however. It provides readers with practical standards that can be applied to both large and small healthcare settings. The book goes beyond the reputations of Mayo Clinic and offers general principles regarding customer service and other areas that will be useful to managers in many different fields.
   
   This examination of the Mayo Clinic service culture is based on Drs. Berry and Seltman gaining an inside view of the operations and activities of their highly respected clinic. Guided by Dr. Berry's marketing background, research findings from personal interviews with physicians, nurses, managers, clinicians, staff and patients demonstrate the values, norms and artifacts of a complex service organization. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic does two things. First, it puts the institution in an historical context, providing detail on how the brand was created. It then provides insight in the culture that has allowed the clinic to expand far beyond its home base. From the start, Mayo has been based on traditional, practical values that have been upheld through relentlessly consistent application, even as its fame has grown by leaps and bounds. Stories from patients, providers, and Mayo staff give this book an intimate and accessible feel. While it is an entertaining and insightful read, Lessons from Mayo Clinic is also didactic. Each chapter provides important insights into the healthcare industry, and summaries that will prove helpful to managers in numerous disciplines.
   
   This book demonstrates how Mayo Clinic has combined medical competence with a patient orientation. Many organizations concerned about relationships with their customers can learn how to develop a culture that exceeds customer/patient expectations and earns loyalty from all stakeholders. While this is a book that is ostensibly for managers in the healthcare industry, the lessons offered will resonate across many fields. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is a page-turner that is valuable for the insights it offers into the healthcare industry, and for the lessons offered to managers of all stripes.

5 comments about ITIL V3 Foundation Complete Certification Kit - Study Guide Book and Online Course.

1. I bought The Art of Service's ITIL v3 Foundation kit some 5 weeks ago, in order to use it to prepare for ITIL foundation exam an get some introductory grip of ITIL framework. Combined with online resources (you receive an on-line portal access with complete training) it allowed me to quickly gain basic knowledge regarding ITIL concept and pass the exam. It is also a great resource for exam preparation, featuring sample exam, test questions and some good tips on how to prepare for exam. basically, it is "all-in-a-box" toolset foryour Foundation certification and entrance into ITIL. Highly recommended.



2. The purchase from Amazon was straight forward and the supplementary book was quickly delivered. The on-line program is easy to start and operate via web browser. The subject matter is presented in a logical, progressive manner. I've only been through a few chapters, but I feel like I am learning the material. The navigation in the on-line program is a bit difficult. Could not go back and review previous pages. I have only been able to re-start a whole chapter.



3. I bought to book to start learning about ITIL, after studying the book and doing the online tutorial for about 1 month. I took the foundations class and the exam and passed. Having studied this book really helped in the class.



4. Fantastic overview of the ITIL Foundation. They offer an online course combined with a study guide book. Online training is well presented and easy to follow. They also offer tests at the end of every section to assess your knowledge. For a complete certification kit this is a very reasonable price.



5. I cleared my ITIL V3 Foundation exam on my first try yesterday. Thanks to this book and the online course, I passed it with great score.
   
   Good luck everyone!

5 comments about Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work.

1. I found this book VERY helpful. In fact, I was so fascinated with it, I couldn't put it down. It was like a good novel. I immediately changed some of my thank you letters and re-did my Corporate request for funding letter. I will continue to use it's suggestions. The book is well written and not full of 'filler info', but very solid recommendations that one can put to use right away.



2. This guide to fundraising for non profits covers the newest strategy and grand writing plans that are needed in the future.



3. Highly recommend reading this book. It has great real-life examples and useful tips. Very easy to read and follow. I love how it allows you to be creative and realistic at the same time.



4. Just as money is the life-blood of governments and private enterprise corporations, so it is essential to carrying out the mandates of non-profit organizations as well. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, Effective Fundraising For Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work" by Ilona Bray draws upon her years of experience and expertise serving a variety of nonprofit agencies in every managerial capacity from development director and staff attorney to department manager and advisory council member to create a 496-page compendium of superbly organized and presented information, jargon-free advice, case examples, and illustrative comments from more than forty experienced and successful fund raisers who work in the non-profit sector. An ideal guide, readers will learn how to work with individual donors, plan special fund raising events, successfully compete in the solicitation of grants from foundations and corporations, obtain and exploit media coverage, utilize the Internet as a fundraising tool, start side businesses to create additional revenue streams, develop effective print materials (brochures, newsletters, annual reports), and a great deal more. Of special note are the eleven appendices offering fundraising worksheets for everything from sample cost analysis to press release templates. "Effective Fundraising For Nonprofits" should be a core reference work and a part of every community library and non-profit agency collection, and is an especially recommended study for non-specialist general readers having a responsibility to raise funds for their particular non-profit group.



5. This is an excellent textbook and reference book on fundraising for non-profits. I recently joined the board of a non-profit and knew nothing about fundraising, but this book got me up to speed very quickly. The author treats you like a reasonably intelligent person, in contrast to some other primers that are too cutesy, and she writes in plain English and avoids jargon. It's packed with information, web sites, references, real-world examples, and recommendations. And it's up-to-date. If you're working for or with a non-profit, you need this book.

5 comments about War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated Soldier.

1. War is a Racket is one of the greatest anti-war book ever penned. As a Marine veteran of Iraqi Freedom it is easy to disregard this a commi-b.s.propaganda , but looking further into what is "the war to make the world safe for democracy" ( not the infinite war on terror, but The Great War, WW1) We can see the true propaganda of business corrupting our sovereignty. The first casualties of war are common sense and open discussion. It is almost impossible for America to be truly attacked; if our forces were at home it would be virtually impossible to sustain any large force , even if it were, the Unorganized militia would crush them, providing we have not been disarmed by all the gun-grabbing cowards like Socialist Billy Bob Clinton and Mr. Fascist Patriot Act Bush. Wake up, learn from one of our most decorated warriors and open your mind to something other than "the terrorist are gonna get us if we don't go fight them in the sandbox". Gimme a break.



2. 4 Stars not 5 because of Intro (not written by Butler). Butler reveals an impassioned hatred of war because he is a human being with a conscience. It is so sad how indifferently governments and nations treat their soldiers and how ignorant and willing people are to rationalize inflicted death.



3. This is an interesting book that was initially written in 1936 by a Marine know as "The Fighting Quaker". It's still relevant today.
   I learned of this through a Peace and Justice seminar given by a local college. The speakers were two IRAQ veterans who were essentially anti-war protesters. I was impressed with their passion.



4. This book is so brief that Mr. Steele practically reprints it in his review (see the first review on this page). He hits the highlights that I wanted to mention, but the lesson we all need to learn here is that...WAR IS A RACKET! Here's why: War benefits the elites and their agenda for expanded markets; the masses are NEVER told the REAL reason for the war (we only hear the lies-not endemic to the Iraq War, but to ALL US wars); the masses PAY for the war in taxes and lives. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their lives, or had their lives ruined by war, over the years and NOT ONE benefit to them can be named! If you read Tocqueville and use your common sense you will realize that there is NEVER a reason (valid) for the US to go to war. IT'S ALL A RACKET, as explained in this pamphlet by Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler, a true American Patriot.



5. I found that Butler's sentiment in this book is not exactly "anti-war" in the sense that he disagrees with war. He does not. Clearly there are circumstances in which he believes war is legitimate. The only sense in which he is "anti-war" is if you are talking about unnecessary wars that America fights only to further enrich the powerful and wealthy, or to use a contemporary euphemism, "protect the American way of life."
   
   The reviewer who stated that this book is surprisingly anti-semitic needs to provide specific examples, as there are no identifiable anti-semitic statements made by the Butler. Only if you view as anti-semitic Butler's desire to do nothing about Hitler since he was not, at that time, a threat to the United States can you possibly come to the conclusion that this book contains those sentiments.

5 comments about Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business.

1. I've just read this book and it left me a good taste of mouth. However it would be great that the book (or any book related to this topic) talk about the latin american Social Webs. I'm from Mexico and unfortunately I haven't found any book and/or article that talk about blogging, forum, among other social web in latin america.
   
   This book gave me a lot of tips and an excellent starting point to begin my research in latin american market.



2. I spend a great deal of time presenting social media concepts to marketing and agency professionals. This is a great book to help marketers build a solid understanding of key concepts and be prepared to make informed decisions. Marketing to the Social Web is an important tool for the arsenal.



3. Executive Summary:
   The book would be more appropriately entitled: "An introduction to Web 2.0" There is very little marketing advice, and the information in this book might have been cutting edge in 2002-3 but in 2008, it would only appeal to beginners, or non-tech oriented people. If you don't know what a "Blog" is, then this book is for you. If you do know what a blog is, I would go elsewhere.
   
   Full Review:
   I have read about a dozen books on marketing/advertising/community building on the web. Perhaps I didn't realize the scope of this book. First, if you are reading a review for what this book is about, you are probably more technologically advanced than anything this book has to offer...(IE: The "Social Web" as he puts it, Or Web 2.0, can affect hearts and minds. For example, you are reading this review before purchasing this book for some insight.)
   
   To me it seemed as if the book was written for very large company's marketers who are 60+ years of age and are not familiar with the internet, or at best don't think there has been any evolution of the internet in the past 14+ years since it has gone commercial. I don't mean to be rude, but this book really seemed like something that would have had an impact and would have been interesting in about 2001. The fact that this book was written and released in the last year honestly amazed me, as I was certain that it was just re-released based on the material.
   
   To be slightly more specific, the book concentrates heavily on not trying to hurt the ego's of marketers who have not been keeping up with the Internet by saying "Some of your old marketing knowledge is still useful." a bit too often. While true, it just seemed a bit overboard. Another quick example of the target market is that the book took about 4-5 pages in describing what a blog is. This is all well and good for an "Intro" book, but it is indicitive of the audience this book was meant for. I found this book too generic to be useful. It lacked specifics, strong case examples, adequate statistics, etc. If you are 60+ years of age and really aren't aware of what social communities are, or message boards, or online reviews of products (Oh the irony), I would recommend this book. Also, if you don't believe that having an online voice is relevant in today's global market, and are looking for a strong case to show you why it is, I would recommend this book. If you have ever participated on a message board, read a blog, posted/read an online review, etc...this book won't tell you anything that you don't already know.
   
   However, if you are looking for effective ways to market to the "Social Web" AKA Web 2.0 by the rest of the world, go elsewhere. This book is too generic to be useful IMHO. I gave this book two stars instead of one because it was well written, and unlike EVERY other marketing book I have ever read, it didn't remind you to go to the author's website every other page (In fact, I don't even remember him naming his website in the book, which is to be applauded, as you can tell this info was legitimately designed to help the reader, not just another marketing tool by the author as many marketing books are). Also if you do want a BEGINNERS' book to what Web 2.0 is, this would be tough to beat. The author puts everything in non-techie terms, and is very thorough at explaining some of the core/basic concepts of Web 2.0.
   
   BOTTOM LINE:
   The people who could best be helped with a book like this are intelligent people who don't keep up with technology, but know the basics. I found this more as an introduction to what Web 2.0 was than a "How to" book which is what I believed the book to be about based on the title.
   If you are looking for valuable "How to market to the Social Web" info, this book will GREATLY disappoint you.



4. There are many books out there about social marketing. I think is is like the rest. You won't really get anything new out of it, but just another opinion on a way to look at it.
   
   I think though this one is one of the better ones that exist out there.



5. I believe the person that might benefit the most from this book is someone from a traditional ad/marketing agency that has some experience with social media (they know what a blog, Facebook, and user generated content is), but needs additional exposure and ideas about ways to apply.
   
   I might have been the wrong audience.
   
   For me, there were some interesting case studies and it does a good job of connecting ideas, but I didn't feel like I got much out of it. I think I would describe it to someone as:
   
   Introduction to Social Web Marketing: A Traditional Marketer's Primer
   
   Overall, it just didn't grab me, but there are a lot of people that seem to love the book, so take it with a grain of salt.
   
   -Marc Crudele
   Atlanta, GA

5 comments about The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century.

1. This book is long on illustrating a make-believe world that the author desires, and short on facts.
   Very short on facts.......
   
   The author manages to insults virtually every racial and geographic group - except for his own, of course.
   
   Honestly, save your money, this book is a waste of time!



2. I'm posting this mid-October 2008, in the midst of the global financial crisis. Here's a phophetic excerpt from The Long Emergency that was written in mid-2004:
   
   "By the time you read this, it is very likely that the housing bubble will have begun to come to grief... The economic wreckage is liable to be impressive. If house owners cannot make their mortgage payments, Fannie May and Freddie Mac, and by extension the federal government, would be the big losers. The failure of [Fannie and Freddie] would make the Savings and Loans fiasco of the 1980s look like a bad night at poker... It could easily bring on cascading failures that might jeopardize global finance. This time, the American public will feel the pain... Our desperate problems with oil and gas will effectively shut down the growth of our industrial economies, and with that our expectations for economic progress, as we have known it... The transient and ephemeral condition of industrial hypergrowth that the world has known for just over 200 years will be over. Energy will be at an extreme premium, and human survival skill will be the new capital. What it may be like to live later on in the 21st century ("The Long Emergency") is the subject of the next chapter."
   
   I haven't read the next chapter yet, though unfortunately I have a feeling we're all about to "live" The Long Emergency instead of "read" it.
   
   ~mark~



3. Kunstler has formulated a vision of the future that is very frightening to those of us who have only known a cheap-oil world. The problem is not just global warming, but the breakdown of just about every product and service that we have come to rely on. The analysis of just how much we depend on fossil fuels is alone worth the purchase price.
   
   I would be very interested to read a counter-point to this book. That is, what is an alternative, more hopeful outcome for the world when oil production begins to decline? Is there one? I would like to compare the plausibility of the future described in 'The Long Emergency' with a more optimistic one. I have a feeling, however, that Kunstler's pessimistic view of the future would be a lot more believable.
   
   Anyway, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in energy issues. But since energy use underlies almost everything in our modern world, this book would be of interest to many. I highly recommend it.



4. This book gives a lot of interesting historical and current information, but is a little too "doom and gloom" and repeats thoughts a little too much and also is too emotional for a nonfiction book. However, hopefully enough people will take notice of the message and start doing things differently.



5. I don't know what's scarier; the doomsday scenarios laid out in this book that totally ignore and/or dismiss the human ability to overcome problems, or that this was assigned reading at my University. In the first five pages of the book, the author basically admits he is a member of the "die-off" crowd; the crowd that believes we are rapidly running out of oil and that civilization will self-destruct in our lifetime. He thinks that vast portions of the population will die off because the oil-free Earth cannot support them, that the United States will break up into regional territories, that we will be forced to revert back to 19th century pre-industrialized ways, (with maybe a few exceptions in medical knowledge retained) and that the suburbs will be abandoned and become the new slums, unfit for human habitation. He mocks those who believe that humanity will find another source (or sources) of transportation power. He is definitely skewing the argument in his favor, sometimes completely ignoring developments, such as advancing hybrid technology, and rapidly developing plug-in cars such as the Volt that GM is working on. You can't really blame him, though. Alarmism is the way to sell books. Would this book sell worth a darn if it were titled "The Temporary, Passing Emergency?" No. But, it's not all doom-and-gloom rubbish. I agree with him when he says that we need to get over our stupid fear of the nuclear boogeyman and start ramping up nuclear power again. The French get most of their power from nuclear; why aren't we? Has anyone in the United States EVER died from a nuclear power plant accident? (No!)
   Anyway, I think I'll keep this book instead of selling it back to the bookstore at the end of the term. That way in 20 years when my kids come home teary-eyed from college, convinced that we only have a few years of civilization left, I can pull out this bad boy and show them this type of alarmist propaganda is nothing new.

No comments about The Coming First World Debt Crisis.

5 comments about Effective Phrases For Performance Appraisals: A Guide to Successful Evaluations (Neal, Effective Phrases for Peformance Appraisals).

1. At my company we have been using this book for years. We recently hired 3 new managers and secretaries and we ordered these books for them. They love them. I personally use the book almost on a daily basis. Not only for writing performance reviews but also for everyday memos. The book is broken up in different sections depending on what type of review you are writing. I don't know what I would do with it.



2. Great book - should save me tons of time when it comes time to review my staff.



3. If anyone is going to buy "only" one book to write effective rating evaluations, then this is the book you need. I highly recommend this book it's quick and to the point.



4. I have 13 performance evaluations to complete; and 10 are for the same position. It's challenging to make them unique; but this book helped me tremendously to find the right adjectives to describe each person uniquely; as well as cutting the time in half that it normally takes to write a review. I ordered 3 more books this year to share with other managers in my department because they kept borrowing mine.



5. This book is a must-have for anyone who does reviews and evaluations...either for your employees or yourself. It provides terminology, wording, phrases, and thoughts for every possible work skill, talent, function. Trust me...you need this book. And, for "extra credit", but one for your manager too