Digital Books

This is my first purchase of an Amazon short story and I couldn't have chosen a better one. The title is a good preview of the content, but this author still surprised me. It's a great combination of entertainment and humor infused into an underlying commentary (and maybe not a flattering one). When I say "to the heart", it's not meant in the sentimental way. The pace is swift and refreshing.

I won't say much more, because the recommendation shouldn't be longer than story itself. It was 14 pages for my printout but read super fast. You won't regret this purchase.

I read 50-100 science fiction books a year and it's been ages since I've read a book this outstanding. As soon as I finished, I jumped on Amazon so I could buy and read every book that Matthew Jarpe ever wrote. I guess this is his only novel but I will sign up for notification of every book he writes in the future.

I'm not a sci fi fan, but this one sounded interesting so I said why not, it's only 49 cents as a previous reviewer mentioned. I wasn't disappointed. I'm hoping for a conclusion or better yet, the novel that picks up where the author left off.

This tells the story of what happens to some cryogenically frozen people in 300 years.

As Matthew Jarpe's wife, I'm probably not the most unbiased reviewer... But, this has always been my favorite story of his. Enjoy. Heck, what do you have to lose? 49 pennies!

What a great formula for business success! I love the philosophy behind this wonderful way to run a company and a career. Laughter is definitely more than the "Best Medicine" as this book shows....it can lead to higher profits and a real jump up the ladder of success!

When I was 10 years, I wrote Bill Veeck--the innovative baseball
promoter--a letter . . . he responded, and that began a period
of occasional letters that ended when he died several years
later . . . his creativity inspired me then--and still does to this day.

I still chuckle at some of the things that Veeck did to enliven
the game . . . he introduced exploding scoreboards, popularized
postgame fireworks and provided nurseries at the ballpark for
children . . . in addition, he staged special nights for every
group imaginable and was the first to popularize ballpark
giveways.

His son, Mike Veeck, has carried on his legacy with a series
of equally unique promotions that he writes about with co-author
Pete Williams in FUN IS GOOD . . . but you don't have to be a baseball fan to love this
book, in that the ideas contained can be applied to any
profession . . . or as the subtitle points out, you'll learn
HOW TO CREATE JOY & PASSION IN YOUR
WORKPLACE & CAREER.

Many times, authors promise outrageous things in their
titles and/or subtitles . . . this is not the case here;
Veeck and Williams actually show you how this can be
done in a step-by-step approach that's both easy to
follow and apply.

I kept jotting notes down as I read FUN IS GOOD, which is
always a good sign . . . it means that I plan to go back to use
much of it . . . the only negative to this practice is that it makes
it difficult to choose just a few ideas to share in this brief
review, in that there were so many . . . yet that said, these
tidbits did stand out:

* If you're someone still trying to find your way, let your passions
serve as your guide. Look for environments where people are having
fun. When I hire people, I seek out passionate folks with an array
of interests, no matter how eclectic. If I need an accountant, for
instance, I don't look for just someone with the proper credentials.
I go in search of an experienced accountant with other interests,
someone I know might not only be fun to be around by perhaps
have non accounting skills that might be valuable. Perhaps this
person is a fly-fisherman or guitar player. That kind of focus
and creativity manifests itself in the workplace

* Jim Lucas, who was the assistant general manager of our Charleston
RiverDogs team a few years ago, issued pins to 10 or 15 fans before
each game, with instructions to give them to employees who
provided great customer service. The 3 employees who collected
the most pins at the end of the season received cash prizes.
These pins cost us only about 60 cents apiece, but you would have
thought they were precious gemstones. Employees proudly
displayed them on hats and worked tirelessly to obtain them.
Since nobody knew who had the pins, everyone was treated
extraordinarily well by employees with upbeat attitude.

* You don't need a ballpark to try things like Mime-O-Vision. [Veeck
hired a bunch of mimes to reenact plays before instant replays
became popular.] Years ago, people would win shopping sprees
where they had 90 seconds to grab whatever they could. Pizzerias
would award a year's worth of pizza to the winner of a pie-eating
contest. My dad used to say that it's barely noteworthy to give
one bottle of beer to each of a thousand fans, but it's a big deal to give
a thousand bottles of beer to one lucky winner.

Looking for an idea holiday gift this upcoming season? You
certainly won't go wrong giving FUN IS GOOD to somebody
you care about . . . or want to inspire.

This book was penned by the man who was lambasted for his Disco demolition stunt in Cominsky Park. In the middle of a doubleheader, the promoters put a box of disco records in the middle of the field with a bomb. When it exploded, fans ran onto the field and commenced creating their own disco record explosions. This eventually caused the cancellation of the second game is considered a travesty in baseball lore.

However, it has become part of baseball lore. From a marketing standpoint, it was brilliant. How many marketing stunts have 25th anniversary DVDs?

This is a book about embracing failure, laughing, trying something new, and of course having fun. The book largely follows Mike Veeck and his father's philosophies and antics with baseball (and a few other businesses they tried). It's a fun book that those who are a little disgruntled or inspired with their workplace should read. Surely, you will find something that will make you laugh and improve your own workplace.

Baseball and writing about baseball are my passions and being passionate about something is the heart and soul of the new book by Mike Veeck (and Pete Williams), "Fun Is Good: How to Inject Joy & Passion Into Your Workplace & Career" published by Rodale Press and to be released early next month. The book is part business philosophy, part autobiography, part confessional, part homage to his late father Bill Veeck, part salute to his 12-year old daughter who is fighting blindness as the result of retinitis pigmentosa, part a baseball love story and all fun. Because fun is what Mike, like all the Veecks, is all about.

Mike writes, "Somehow in our haste to seize the American dream, we've sucked the fun, passion, and creativity out of the workplace." How many of you feel that way? I guess that's why so many people say that work sucks. But as Mike points out, "Fun isn't just good; it's a necessity." "If you're not having fun, it's nearly impossible to project the upbeat, positive attitude necessary to service clients effectively."

We know that's the trouble with baseball, don't we? Somehow it has becoming way to much about greed. We could handle it if were about drugs, sex, and rock and roll, at least that's fun. Mike writes that when his father Bill Veeck died in 1986, "we had him cremated so he wouldn't constantly be rolling in his grave."

In the workplace it's about passion, the right attitude and being happy at what you do. Mike encourages change and risk taking because if you're unhappy you can't afford to stay where you are. In addition, your role whether you are an Indian or a chief is to help create a workplace atmosphere that is fun, positive and risk taking. He writes, "How effectively you interact with coworkers sets the tone for the organization," because if you take a genuine interest in the people around you, you never know where it might lead.

I was particularly struck with this philosophical statement, "If you approach things with optimism and with the mentality that any obstacle can be overcome with good humor, preparation, brainpower, and a little bit of luck, nothing is outside the realm of possibility." It is that statement that clearly drives Mike's wonderful daughter. The book is filled with interviews and vignettes from business leaders in which they express, in their own words, how the importance of a "Fun is Good" philosophy has driven the success of their company. None is more powerful or moving than the section written by Rebecca Veeck who truly sums up much more than the philosophy of the book when she writes, "Fun is Good because that's the way life is supposed to be. It's the main feeling that we're supposed to have. I mean, if you're not having fun, what's the point?"

I will be giving this book to my daughter Elizabeth on her birthday on April 11 (the same date as Veeck's eldest, Night Train Veeck) because as she prepares to graduate college and face the real world she needs to know that if you treat every day like Opening Day than life will be fun, and fun is good.

Rolland Love has the rare gift of making experiences come to vivid life. His story of a boyhood fishing trip is a treat for readers of all ages.

Rolland Love is a master story teller. This coming-of-age short story immerses the reader in a sense of place on a stream in the Ozarks. He is skillful in his alternate use of narrative and dialogue. The reader is invited along to experience giggin'for Suckers with a boy and his dad. The wooded setting, the solitude, and the night adds a sensual quality to the story telling, and becomes a character in this story. Giggin is a special kind of fishing done with a spear and the author introduces the reader to colorful fish such as Redhorse and Hog Suckers. The boy is fearful that he won't be able to spear enough fish to feed the group waiting at the cook-out. His father leads the way and shows hom the skill of giggin'. There is a mishap toward the end, an accident which reminds the reader how fragile boys can be, but the story ends well and leaves the reader with a sense of well being.

Anyone over the age of fifty who has ever spent time on the clean clear waters of the rivers that flow through Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas will appreciate this yearn spun by Rolland Love. There is little doubt in my mind that Love's story is something that happened in his youth, maybe not exactly the way it's written, but pretty darn close. Love's colorful way of writing will appeal especially to young people who have an attraction to the outdoors and nature.

I have enjoyed the works of Rolland Love in the past and this one does is another winner. I am familiar with the river of which he writes and he has a knack for bringing those crystal clear waters home to the reader. I had heard of this fishing tradition but never knew anything about it. Now, through the eyes of the boy on the gigging trip, I feel like I was right there.

I enjoyed reading Mary's story about Gulli. It is poignant and moving. Worth the read.

Usually when you read about a person's life, you only get the hard facts, you don't get to read about a person's innermost thoughts and real personality, like you do in this piece. A poetic, well-written account of an otherwise no so uncommon immigrant's hard fought battle of life in America. I think this story is a lovely and fitting tribute.

Learn about your Mother/Father before it is too late. Know a bit about the person that brought you into this world. The Girl Known As Gulli is a poignant story about a grown daughter coming home to bury her mother only to have to finally learn about who her Mother really was. Death is final and the person can't tell you anymore about who they really were inside, so you (the grown child) have to learn by memory and instinct about who that person was in the glamorous picture that doesn't really resemble the one known as Mother in your mind. All people have so many differnt facets to them, many that we as children never start to understand until those loved parents are no longer in this world and our daily thoughts. Read this story and you will have a new appreciation of those people that we are sometimes prone to feel are a burden to overcome. The Girl Known as Gulli will give you a much deeper understanding of the lives and dreams that all people have before they become parents.

It made me cry because I never got to know my Mother at all as an adult person, only from a child's point of view as a parent who was always trying to make and mold me into the best I could become. I sincerely wish I would have been given the chance to know the real woman instead of just the Mother.

How can one not be drawn to the bait of the first paragraph when the child stammers "What is your name, anyhow, Mom?" The hook firmly set, I found myself deftly tugged by Mary Erickson's superb story telling skills into the second, third and fourth paragraphs, and onward to a fascinating journey of knowledge and self-discovery. It is a story written with love and humor. I adored "The Girl Known as Gulli," and so will you!

The voice of a true storyteller. After perusing several of these new short pieces, this is one of the more finely crafted I've run across - glad to see it's only part of a series.

...then this story is not for you. Everyone else should love it. It's fast, funny, and a whole lot of fun.

On second thought, even if you hate ostriches, buy it anyway.

This is an entertaining tale from start to finish. The characters draw you right in, and the situation, while - well - crazy, just doesn't seem all that far-fetched given the oddball history of our country, particularly way-out west.

Only Janet (in her inimitable style) could weave such an unlikely set of unrelated events into a coherent, entertaining, thought provoking and thigh slappingly entertaining whole.
Well worth the read ...as always.

A very touching story of a Mother trying to please her daughter. HER EFFORTS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY. Very well done!

A mother can only afford to pay $1 for her daughter's prom dress but she selects the perfect style and adorns it with her special pearls and an unseen love. The daughter feels that love and wears the dress with pride, looking beyond the cost to the true "pearl" of greater price. This story may sound familiar to a lot of us. I would have given it five stars had it entertained me a tad longer.

I have read all of Pierette Komarek's books. Each word has been taken from
deep within her heart. She shows the reader once again that true happiness
doesn't come from material possessions. The love that made this dress
showed me that true happiness comes from deep love and not from what money can buy.

The close relationship that she shares with her family is evident in this
story. I look forward to reading more of what this beautiful person has to share.

Helen Marie Daly, Author
"Expressions from My Heart"

So much love and warmth exudes from every written word. This story is charming and a delightful read. I have read Pierette Komarek memoir of her café in Algiers and have enjoyed her cook book with delightful family tales and wonderful recipes.

This author seems to still explode with energy at her age of 80 years and has an endless repertoire of stories. I hope there are many more to come.

I highly recommend this and all of her writing.

Anne Lebrecht, author.
"The Daughters Of Nora Crawford."
"Memories of a Forgotten Past"
"Discoveries of a Hidden Past"
"Simply Poetry"
Also six short stories on Amazon shorts.

All too often we look at the subject of technology as a complicated topic outside of our normal scope of activity. Sandy Berger shows how technology is meaningful and relavant to our daily lives. Suddenly the term technology has become a user friendly topic. this book has helped me discover ways to make my life more interesting and has made me more comfortable with computers and technology.

This book gave me the courage to finally purchase a digital camera/printer setup. Sandy gives you step-by-step insructions in PLAIN ENGLISH, no computer-ese. And just when you have a question, Sandy answers it -- she speaks our language (the Boomers!).

Berger talks in plain language, to demystify the use of various technical items. She writes for a still large crowd that is new to much of this. Naturally, the bulk of the book explains how to use the Web. She shows some of the myriad resources available, from geneology to sharing photo images.

For searching, she describes the main search engines, Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. For Google, she gives a sidebar on how the word derives from 'googol'. But, like so many other texts, it does not analyse this further. 'Google' is also a pun on 'goggle', where that means to look at something and gape. (Goggles are spectacles, in a related meaning.) Why is it that so many writers can't go beyond Google's official explanation of its name? The name is actually quite ingenious, and more so than just their explanation.

Anyway, on other topics, the book spends time showing how to use music, as in buying it online. Or in subscribing to satellite radio, say. Plus, she brings to your attention various sites that hobbyists might frequent, for such activities as scrapbooking and geocaching.

I just started reading this book and I can't put it down. I thought I knew a thing or two about computers, technology and the Internet already, but there is so much more. And I'm finding a lot of it here in this book. I just don't know how to find the time to play with all the new suggestions and ideas in here for me, and the whole family. I look forward to reading the other books in the series when they are released. Keep them coming.

This book grew out of my personal interest and enthusiasm for digital cameras. For the past ten years I've been a multimedia developer; making interactive projects of all kinds. Most of these have a tremendous appetite for images and other media, and I'm always in a hurry to get the things assembled as quickly as possible. Being able to take photographs of objects, subjects, materials and scenery and get them in to the computer immediately makes the process that much easier, so using a digital camera just makes a whole lot of sense.
Digital cameras have come a long way in the last ten years. Now, for less than $1,000 you can buy a camera that takes photographs good enough to print at 8 x 10 sizes. Resolution and image quality has improved dramatically, and the functionality of the cameras is improving too. If you've been thinking of buying a digital camera, now is as good a time as any.
This book covers the digital camera world, from how cameras work and how to make a buying decision, through using the camera and downloading images to a computer. Since a digital camera really only makes sense if you have a computer a lot of the book is devoted to dealing with images once you get them into your computer. From explaining resolution and color models, through how to edit images and the myriad of software applications available to manage, edit and massage your images. The chapter on printing covers the many issues involved in turning an image into hard copy form.
Since this is the age of the Internet, the book also covers the basics of Internet imaging; how to create a web page, how to upload images to a web server, and working with some of the popular auction web sites. The chapter on webcams covers setting up web cams and digital conferencing."

That's the end of the quote from the introduction because I don't want to go over the 1000 word limit for this. There's lots more in the book, and if you are interested there's a chapter index and the rest of the introduction posted at my website.

Despite the author's posting of three 5-star reviews of his own work, this is the best overall resource volume for beginning digital photographers that I've seen. Unable to find anything particularly useful about scanners at the library I picked up this book because it had a chapter on Adjusting Resolution on Your Computer that answered all my questions about why it's appropriate to print at much higher resolutions than the resolution of your original image.

I've been using a digital camera for several months and have just acquired a scanner that came with a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements. This is an application with a great deal of depth and I found myself wondering what the documentation was talking about regarding color correction, gamma, resampling, palettes, and many other technical terms. This book, besides giving a great deal of information about cameras, also gave me an understanding of all these things.

I would have given it five stars except for two things.

The illustrations are all black & white, making them meaningless in many cases where the subject was color. Even worse, there would be two B&W photos side-by-side purporting to show differences where the differences were totally invisible. A CD-ROM accompanying the book has color copies of all the illustrations, but this is not a convenient way to read a book.

The book was published in 1999 and the information in it is current only through some time in 1998. As fast as things move in the world of digital cameras this makes most of the specs for cameras way out of date. Today's high-end consumer cameras are far beyond those detailed here. The book could do with an update to the chapters concerned with specific models and their specs as well as features now available that you couldn't get five years ago.

I tried posting an author comment months ago, but for some reason it never appeared, so I'm going to try this method of adding an author comment instead... So the following is from the introduction to the book:

"This book grew out of my personal interest and enthusiasm for digital cameras. For the past ten years I've been a multimedia developer; making interactive projects of all kinds. Most of these have a tremendous appetite for images and other media, and I'm always in a hurry to get the things assembled as quickly as possible. Being able to take photographs of objects, subjects, materials and scenery and get them in to the computer immediately makes the process that much easier, so using a digital camera just makes a whole lot of sense.
Digital cameras have come a long way in the last ten years. Now, for less than $1,000 you can buy a camera that takes photographs good enough to print at 8 x 10 sizes. Resolution and image quality has improved dramatically, and the functionality of the cameras is improving too. If you've been thinking of buying a digital camera, now is as good a time as any.
This book covers the digital camera world, from how cameras work and how to make a buying decision, through using the camera and downloading images to a computer. Since a digital camera really only makes sense if you have a computer a lot of the book is devoted to dealing with images once you get them into your computer. From explaining resolution and color models, through how to edit images and the myriad of software applications available to manage, edit and massage your images. The chapter on printing covers the many issues involved in turning an image into hard copy form.
Since this is the age of the Internet, the book also covers the basics of Internet imaging; how to create a web page, how to upload images to a web server, and working with some of the popular auction web sites. The chapter on webcams covers setting up web cams and digital conferencing."

That's the end of the quote from the introduction because I don't want to go over the 1000 word limit for this.

I tried posting an author comment months ago, but for some reason it never appeared...then I tried a review, but I included a URL and they say they don't like that, so here's my last attempt at posting this information

The following is from the introduction to the book:

"This book grew out of my personal interest and enthusiasm for digital cameras. For the past ten years I've been a multimedia developer; making interactive projects of all kinds. Most of these have a tremendous appetite for images and other media, and I'm always in a hurry to get the things assembled as quickly as possible. Being able to take photographs of objects, subjects, materials and scenery and get them in to the computer immediately makes the process that much easier, so using a digital camera just makes a whole lot of sense.
Digital cameras have come a long way in the last ten years. Now, for less than $1,000 you can buy a camera that takes photographs good enough to print at 8 x 10 sizes. Resolution and image quality has improved dramatically, and the functionality of the cameras is improving too. If you've been thinking of buying a digital camera, now is as good a time as any.
This book covers the digital camera world, from how cameras work and how to make a buying decision, through using the camera and downloading images to a computer. Since a digital camera really only makes sense if you have a computer a lot of the book is devoted to dealing with images once you get them into your computer. From explaining resolution and color models, through how to edit images and the myriad of software applications available to manage, edit and massage your images. The chapter on printing covers the many issues involved in turning an image into hard copy form.
Since this is the age of the Internet, the book also covers the basics of Internet imaging; how to create a web page, how to upload images to a web server, and working with some of the popular auction web sites. The chapter on webcams covers setting up web cams and digital conferencing."

That's the end of the quote from the introduction, but here's the chapters:

INTRODUCTION
1 Stumbling Through Digital Imaging
2 How To Buy A Digital Camera
3 How A Digital Camera Works
4 Working With A Digital Camera
5 Connecting To A Computer
6 Adjusting Resolution On Your Computer
7 The Digital Darkroom: Image Editing
8 Color
9 Printing
10 Accessories
11 Other Uses
12 Interviews
13 File Formats
14 Saving and Archiving
15 Immersive Imaging and 360-Degree Panoramas
16 Introduction To Web Graphics And HTML
17 Useful Software Applications
18 WEBCAMS
19 Animation
20 DIGITA Operating Environment
21 Copyright
22 High-End Cameras
23 Troubleshooting
24 Camera Specifications
25 Future

Hope this was of use to you.

I went to school for video so a majority of the book was review. There were aspects I found useful. There are some differences in video production for the web. This book clearly identified them. Very useful tool to have beside the computer.

Do you ever published video online using Flash? Do you ever used Flash Media Server and don't know where to begin? Do you know how to make your videos look gorgeus online?

The response to all this questions (and much more) are beautifully explained in this book.

It covers from capturing video, creating a 3 point light studio for maximizing the quality and size of the compressed file, to the deployment of your solution using Flash Media Server. It's full of real world examples that you can use right out of the box.

Really really good book for starters. And if you want more, look for others titles of Focal Press.

This is an excellently mastered book. The writing style is clear. The step by step examples are appropriately illustrated. There is source video and a plentiful supply of links for needs. The illustrations are appropriate and carefully selected for the key points.

If you are a FMS (Flash Media Server) administrator or programmer, you will find answers to those user inquiries why their video looks poorly. You will have intelligent responses and tools to analyze the problems likely caused by the capture and prepartion of the video.

For videographers, this is your bible on how to capture video for Flash.

For video editors, this is your bible on how to prepare and compress the files.

For newbies to Flash video, you have the soup to nuts book that breaks it down into nice chunks with examples.

Very impressive part of the text is that many assertions are supported with research from many major video publishing entities.

Finally there is a thread throughout the book that provides the market and industry information to help you assess your choice of Flash video as a web video platform.

You will learn the specific steps in major digital video software packages such as Adobe Premier and Final Cut to fix issues.

You can learn how to set-up a recording set with the correct lighting that will be best for Flash video format.

You can learn to install the Flash Media Server (free) and use it and not be a programmer, but willing to download example files needed. Or if you are interested in programming FMS, this gets you started.

The Hands-On Guide to Flash Video if full of good information for anyone interested in streaming video on the Web. For those interested in using streaming video for anything from professional level videos to those who just want to get something on YouTube, this book is a gem. Ranging from those who know absolutely nothing about Web video to those, like myself who need to learn more about taking videos and some of the technical characteristics of digital video, such as interlacing, you'll find this book invaluable.

The 19 chapters are written in a friendly and accessible style covering 1) Creating video, 2) Preparing video for the Web, and 3) working with Flash, including a clear introduction to Flash Media Server. Having worked with Flash Media Server (FMS) since it's inception, I have found that one of the best tricks for saving on bandwidth is good lighting and good sound, both of which are covered in this book. Likewise, for those new to streaming video, you will find how to set up a progressive download that you can set up on your hosting server without having to use FMS if you choose.

Among the many other topics I found revealing are the following:
1. Chroma keying - removing parts of a background so that any background can be inserted. Best known for weather reports on TV.
2. Cue points - adding triggers in the video that can be used as events. Cue points are very useful for adding information,
3. Interlacing and Deinterlacing in video files
4. Decision-making in setting video parameters
5. Optimizing light and sound for streaming video

An area that is in need of serious help is provided by the introduction to Flash Media Server. This will help in developing FMS2 applications for those who are new to open socket server technology. So for newbies to FMS, this will come as a welcome addition.

One of the interesting (and I think correct) decisions the authors made was to use the Flash CS3 platform with ActionScript 2.0 instead of ActionScript 3.0. Here's why. It will be at least a year or so before a significant number of users will have the Flash 9 plug-in for their browsers. Yesterday I bought a new iMac, and the Safari browser that comes with the Flash plug-in is still using Flash 8. (I found that out when I tried to play one of my apps built with AS 3.0.) What's important is that On2's VP6 technology started in Flash 8. So, no one is missing a significant video element using ActionScript 2.0 as would be the case with Flash 7 or earlier. [...]

Many people have written books on hell over the years based mainly on their own philosophy of life and personal emotions. Here is a book that examines closely the Biblical record and "tells it like it is" from the Good Book's point of view.

This Book is a "MUST" to read, if you are serious about your destiny. YES! we all have a destiny, earth is merely a transit lounge. This incredible book, written by VAL WALDECK, clarifies the destiny of the human race, using scripture.

You cant afford NOT TO READ THIS BOOK
KEITH BLOND
South Africa

I have read all of Val Waldeck's book and have to say that I find them so Inspirational & Spiritual. She is an amazing teacher and has special insight into everything that she writes.
I look forward to more of her wonderful books being published.

Val Mitchell
Durban, South Africa

People have weird and wonderful ideas about this topic. "Hell, the Unspoken Truth" examines the Biblical teaching about Hell in an easy-to-read, yet very challenging way. The facts within these covers will give any individual cause to rethink their stand on this issue. Everyone will face the truth of death - it is not an option. Make sure you have learned all there is to know before you encounter the inevitable!