Public Policy Books

Telemedicine and Telehealth is a timely and useful book. As a Physician and Consultant, Teleheath provides a soup to nuts discussion about the issues relating to telehealth.
The first chapter details basic definitions of the field. The next five chapters deals with the patient, physicans, Healthcare in general, and lastly specific telemedicine services. The authors suggest the formula for telehealth success as improved quality and access to care at a lower cost and without raising professional objestions.
I found the chapters developing the business case for Telemedicine and telehealth services most compelling. These markets are still in their infancy and are still struggling to develop their potential. The authors share with us their strategy for selling Telehealth services (page 157).
Telemedice and Telehealth, also provides a cautionary note. The authors indicate that to date they were not aware of studies demonstrating a viable telehealth model with the current legislation and reimbursement structure. Further issues such as licensure, quality assurance and backup systems remain to be clearly defined.
This book is an excellent read. Concise, articulate and timely. I would recommend this book to any one intersted in Telemedicine or Telehealth.

Conceptually, the answer to many of health care's challenges lie in the use of new information technologies. Knowing this is the case and making it happen are two very different entities. This book ably bridges these two entities. The devil, as always, is in the details and the authors deftly elaborate the problems and provide solutions. I recommend this book to practitioners, administrators, managers and policy makers who are energetic and enthusiastic about the future direction of health care. Errol L. Biggs, Ph.D., Director - Programs in Health Administration, University of Colorado

As a software developer and member of the American Telemedicine Association, I found this book to be a very valuable reference. Our company is developing software solutions to allow patients and health care providers easy, secure access to medical information. This book has helped us understand how telemedicine is developing and how it will be used, so that we can see the developing niches for our products. This book provides the larger view of this developing field and gives readers inspiration to enter the exciting field.

Review of: Telemedicine and Telehealth by Adam W. Darkins and Margaret A. Cary

This important book begins the necessary critical conversation of defining the fundamental of concepts and terms, as well as those areas of current and future applications, involved in the merging of health care delivery and high technology systems. The authors wisely suggest using the term Telehealth to address the broad range of health applications which high technology, the Internet in particular, can greatly impact.

These concerns are set in the context of both a historical view of health care and society, particularly in the more technologically developed societies of the U.S. Western Europe and Japan, and these societiesÕ current and future trends toward change of lifestyle driven by their adaptation of new technologies. These are vital concerns, both within health care delivery in particular, as well as within the economic and social evolution of these societies in general.

Their book focuses on the patientÕs experience of health care service as facilitated by this new technology rather than being yet another discussion of the fascinating innovations within the technology itself, a very important distinction.

Being physicians themselves, authors Darkins and Cary have professionally grown up through the very cusp of change they are defining for us; they know the pre-high technology delivery of health care and have been witness to, and advocates for, the introduction of high technology to the health care systems in which each have worked, both in the U.S. and England.

Their book is both comprehensive in its discussion of the issues involved as well as being detailed in its coverage of those particulars necessary to see the overall picture clearly.

Because of the timeliness of this merging of high technology and healthcare delivery, one wishes this book could be made more available to a wider reading public through a greater promotional effort by the publisher.

As a practicing physician with a keen interest in information technologies and their applications in healthcare, I always approach books like this with some bemusement. In turn, I was pleasantly surprised by my delight with this book. To succeed in the charge to bridge the digital divide and to eliminate health disparities, we physicians and managers will have to arm ourselves with timely solutions which are informed by experience and science. Coupled with the practical and the "how to" make "Telemedicine and Telehealth" a valuable resource for anyone interested in creating the future healthcare system. It connects and transcends the important elements and issues rather than just regurgitating the problems we've heard over and over again. If you believe, as I do, that the future of healthcare will be greatly enhanced by the new information technologies, this book helps to put the present and future in perspective. Darkins and Cary absolutely succeed!

I read this book in the early 90s when I was working for an organization that served food to people with late-stage HIV disease. As I write today to an old friend about the path my life has taken, this book (and Sandra Lipsitz Bem's Lenses of Gender) comes to mind as being absolutely critical to a shift in my political perspective and life choices. Specifically, I moved from social service to social advocacy work because this book made clear the role of welfare institutions in the maintenance of social, political and economic inequality. Frankly, reading the book while working in such a context made me absolutely sick to my stomach (in the way that awakening to your sucker-hood usually does). I recommend the title enthusiastically. (And note that so much still needs to be done.)

This book offers a rare first hand glimpse into the welfare experience, and in doing so exposes many hypocrisies and problems within it. MUCH has been written about welfare, but rarely has anything been written regarding how welfare recipients see themselves and the system. Therefore, this book is a must for anyone who thinks they know everything about how the welfare system operates, or how it should be run.

The book starts off with Funiciello's experiences as a welfare recipient, including her decision to go on welfare, and her attempts to find a job which should have been able to break her out of it. She then talks about her experiences with a welfare rights organization in New York. She tells stories of women who were trying to navigate their way through the welfare bureaucracy with varying amounts of success. She then goes on to give her opinions about what is wrong, and why we have yet to come up with a satisfying solution.

This book was a breath of fresh air for me, and forced me to reconsider much of what I thought about welfare, it's role in society, and the treatment of its recipients.

Shortly...I enjoyed this book enormously. Ms. Funiciello is a concise and clear writer. She writes about welfare from the recipient's point of view, revealing the absurdities and cruelties without getting sesationalist. A very good read.

Theresa Funiciello used her own (and her friends) experiences on welfare to show readers what being on welfare is really like. No cash cows existed for these women, they were at the bottom rungs of an 'affluent' society.

She argues that big corporations receive their own welfare in the form of tax subsidies. However because they are rich in a capitalist society championing the accumulation of wealth as success, we are not supposed to view this arrangement as being 'lazy' or 'lacking a work ethic'. Attacking low-income women who cannot write a multimillion dollar check is considered politically safer.

Funiciello is also wary of liberals who claim to support welfare mothers, but are too busy talking about themselves to hear the women themselves(pp. 212-255). She takes the Catholic Church to task for claiming to organize against poverty, while it is simultaneously one of the country's largest land holders (p. 226-227) and now appears more interested in self-preservation than alleviating human suffering. She also dislikes non-profits which don't eliminate poverty, but somehow are eager to have that one additional charity ball where they can don diamonds and eat caviar.

Funiciello believes that it is the American system itself which puts American women and children in poverty. She is savvy enough to recognize that some so-called 'do-gooders' whose own income depends on working in anti-poverty programs are not eager for a real socioeconomic revolution to occur. Then these 'colleagues' would have to see Funiciello and her sisters as activist equals instead of victims or cases. Even some social workers who started out with good intentions became burnt out from their own time spent trying to decipher the mysteries of American social services.

Contrasting, Funiciello's social justice calls for a universal guaranteed income which would prevent people from becoming poor. Funiciello says the success of this program would ultimately rest on initial and subsequent program appropriations, but provides European evidence to document these programs do work and people do not stop working with a guaranteed adequate income (pp. 300-302).

Instead, it can actually open up paid job hours for more people in a society (pp. 304-305) and eliminate the corrupted social service professionals from the field by virtue of a greatly reduced clientele base.

Funiciello also provides a concise synopsis of inner-city and older suburban neighborhood deterioration. Neighborhoods do not simply deteriorate on their own, the best and brightest in a community move away from an area which they sense is becoming neglected and those who cannot move away are left to attempt muddling through as best they can. The closure of stores and banks inadvertently prompts some of those remaining people to legitimize the underground economy as being their only means for survival.

Funiciello writes on a very timely topic with focused indignation. Her personal convictions are based upon experience, but she recognizes the dangers of drowning arguments in emotion. Because this book lacks an index, the prospective reader must commit to reading the entirety of this title and will find it very difficult to 'jump' around in the text.

Funiciello has spent time on both sides of the welfare system and within which found an undeniable constant...the desparate need for change. In her informative masterpiece, she creates three short books. A personal account as a welfare receipient, the reality of non-profit organizations, and a look at possibilities in welfare reform. Each section is written with remarkable insight and is teeming with pertinent information. The most inspiring trait to this piece is that Funiciello, even at the darkest of moments, remains a glimmer of hope for the men, women and children struggling to survive in the most powerful country in the world.

I needed to have background knowledge of the Emerging Markets and this book was recommended by a colleague.

One of the most common (mis)interpretations of the east Asian currency crises of the late 1990s is that they were caused by George Soros and other speculators, hedge fund principals for the most part, who shorted those currencies and the respective bonds in order to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I was happy to se that Mr. Pettis knows better. He writes that he was in regular contact with three large macro hedge funds in 1997, in his capacity as an emerging markets specialist for Bear Stearns, "including the most famous of these, and our discussions about Asia generally centered on ways to gain protected access to LONG rupiah positions. There was very little interest in shorting the currency."

Indonesia and its rupiah provides a particularly vivid example of the capital structure trap that Pettis adumbrates so admirably in this book.

This book completely transformed the way I think about sovereign financial crises. Michael Pettis creates a simple yet elegant framework by which to think of sovereign crises, the fundametal problems which precede them and potential solutions. This book should be every finance minister's primary reference tool for the development of sovereign capital structure.

Michael Pettis has succeeded in mystifying the collapse of EM economies. His approach is new and indeed very methodical. I found the book intellectually challenging and have learned quite a lot reading it. I highly recommend it for those who want to understand how LDC economies rise and fall. Having a background in corpporate finance is crucial to enjoying the book though.

This is a MUST READ for institutional investors worldwide! For the first time I have a confident sense of what is at the core of emerging market instability. Now if only some government policy makers would read this (even they would understand it!), the causal conditions might start to improve.

Giroux follows his typical train of thought in this criticism of the role of securitized discourse and fear in shaping American domestic and foreign policy. This time he focuses on how culture (the media, etc.) affects the educational spheres of America, most specifically its effects on children and those involved in higher education.

Best for those who are familiar with the basic tenets of critical pedagogy, the nuances of security literature, and who share a more liberal political ideology.

This was a decent Smart Rant. I agree with Giroux so it made it an (mostly) enjoyable read. I would not recomend this book for anyone who is not already on board with a far left agenda. It will just be frustrating. It would be like me reading a book by Rush Limbaugh. Giroux's rant is full of tricky rhetoric that sits well with his allies, for the most part, but would be unbearable for his enemies.

I would say that if you are interested in learning more about the Far Left, don't read this book unless you don't mind weeding through rhetoric. If you are in Giroux's camp and are looking for somthing to get you angry and fearful enough to participate in forms of activism, this will be a good book for you. If you are an enemy of the Far Left and want something to sink your teeth into so you can tear it apart, this will be like shooting ducks in a barrel. You'll love how easy it is to get annoyed with his rhetoric.

For those of you who don't find yourself as any of these people-types, well, your on your own. Maybe one of the other reviews will help you out.

Henry Giroux writes with a level of compassion, insight, and clarity that informs, astonishes and inspires. In these times of despair, deceit, cynicism, and war, Giroux provides probing and thoughtful analysis, sobering and searing revelations, and, perhaps most importantly, always a sense of hope in and for humanity. His latest work "Abandoned Generation" should be required reading for teachers at all levels, and educators in all domains, as well as every citizen who cares about the future of our youth, the future of education, and the possibilities for a more meaningful, engaged, caring and participatory democracy.

Once again, Henry Giroux stands up to be counted. In his insightful analysis of post 9/11 America, Giroux is unafraid to
challenge the anti-democratic policies of the Bush Administration. He does NOT buy into the belief of the Bushies
that if you repeat the lies often enough, people will begin to
believe them. He rightly suggests that the policies and priorities of the "War on Terror" have had both a chilling effect on the public discourse regarding what it means to live in a democratic society as well as dramatic real-world effects on the lives of many less-fortunate Americans.
Further, he uses popular culture to demonstrate the pernicious
effects the ideology of entertainment can have on the public imagination. Giroux's call for investment in the future security of America by building human capital (via education, health care, and other social services) is one that is not heard often enough. Perhaps if we have enough brave souls like Giroux willing to stand up and state the truth again and again, the public will be better able to distinguish between the truth and the oft-repeated pronouncements of the Bush Administration.

Michael J. Ludwig, Hofstra University

In The Abandoned Generation, Giroux goes beyond asking those who are already in the same political camp to agree with his study. Giroux asks everyone to reflect on what has been central to America's beliefs about democracy, question those features in our current society that undermine those beliefs, and envision how we can build on the democratic legacy that made our country great in the first place. Unfortunately, all three of these objectives often require time, deliberation, and explanation beyond the 10-second soundbytes that we get as pre-regurgitated pablum on the daily news and thus might require someone, such as Giroux, to devote his/her time to engaging citizens in thoughts and sentence structures more complex (and interesting) than those we would find in a Jane and Dick book. Time, deliberation, and explanation are, indeed, difficult in our age of quick fixes, and using them is often traded for the ease with which we would rather lay blankets of blame on the most vulnerable parts of the population, as opposed to lifting the reactionary quilts that try to cover the causes of our crisis.

With theoretical rigor, practical examples, such as in the use of Hollywood movies, and a desire for a better world that is steeped in the democratic tradition of thinkers like Jefferson and Dewey, Giroux takes on issues ranging from the continued assault on public schools that is partially backed by Bush's No Child Left Behind testing/choice schemes and the incredibly shrinking democratic functions of higher education to the utter disregard for children and youth, in particular, and public life in general. Further, Giroux uses front-line insights from various fields of study, not just like-minded left-wingers, who are either heavy-handed, academic, or dogmatic. In the least, Giroux offers hope and a map with which we can begin to work ourselves out of the current crisis in our country, and he also demonstrates that it is important that "academics" take on public issues, and that by doing so, "academic" issues can be seen rightfully as matters of public concern and the vitality of our democracy. The Abandoned Generation is a must read for citizens concerned about the safety and well-being of the U.S.-and its children-in this time of economic turmoil and global crisis.

An excellent cast of authors and leading thinkers cover many aspects of how current forms of market fundamentalist oligarchic corporate interests shape a form of globalisation that limits the benefits and exascerbate the challenges posed by the changes brought on by globalisation. In stark contrast to the media's portrayal of knee jerk reactions to modern realities this book presents a very deep understanding of the challenges and the opportunities before us. It offers alternatives at a time when prevailing dogma has it that there are no alternatives and that the ills we see around us are inevitable and for the better good. It also points out the tremendous cummulative danger of the current direction many international developments are taking. It is not a book about going backwards but about moving into new territory beyond the deadlocks of the past.

Globalisation is one of the most complex and influential movements of our time. Driven by major corporations in the West, it seeks to operate financial and commercial transactions to the benefit of all humans. In practice, there are few winners except the transnational corporations themselves. Having monopolised markets and financial institutions, corporations have also drawn up legal procedures whereby they can bypass even the nation state itself. The effects on poorer countries of the planet are devastating.

The impact of globalisation touches the lives of everybody on planet earth today. We need to be aware of how it works;only then do we stand any real chance of challenging and redirecting its movements. Among the many books on the subject, few are as simply but comprehensively written as the present volume. It provides an excellent overview with some valuable suggestions on how we can work together to create alternative startegies for a more just and equitable world order.

We live in a world dominated by corporate superpowers that have no regard for the long-term welfare of the people, the economy, or the environment. These large transnational firms are reshaping the world and perpetuating a mass homogenization of cultures around the world. Many of the largest conglomerates in the world are American-owned. They export products and images that promote their bottom lines, not the welfare of individual countries or people. They covertly shift billions of dollars between different countries overnight or build retail chains that desecrate local economies. The sheer size and power of these organizations leaves many of us paralyzed with a lingering sense of disempowerment and an inability to imagine effective solutions.

This book offers us concrete answers and a list of actions we can take. The topical chapters allow you to go straight to the information you want and discover both grassroots and legislative solutions. As an additional bonus, a panel of experts in the various fields back up their perspectives with solid facts and figures. This is a indispensable book for any concerned citizen and an engaging read from cover to cover.

Caution: If confronting a nauseating reality is not in your agenda, turn back now. Alternatives to Economic Globalization exposes the consequences of the current corporate driven expansion era. Third world countries, bountiful with natural resources, are being exploited by Corporations. The rules of the globalization game are corruptly favorable to the rich foreigners. If you like to read scholarly books on economics, business, the environment, world injustices, the future, humanity and most importantly the truth, I'd say its worth your money and time.

This book addresses many significant problems in the world today (2003-to present) from the vantage point of the capitalist critic. It preaches localization of centralized governments in third world countries as alternatives to the dominating presence of the WTO and ICC. Although these organizations allow impoverished countries to create jobs, in many instances the respective jobs come at the expense of the entire communities' well-being (water privatization). The text ties pollution problems to the need to maintain the economic machine. If you see anything on your TV news source (CNN, FOX News) about WTO protests in large cities, and seem troubled, then read this book. It will explain why the people marching on your TV screen are so angry.

If you had suppositions about how you thought the world was, this book brings to light that we are in an emerging age of the politicization of the world. The ushering out of the old Cold War mentality is now being replaced by a new awareness of self beyond borders and a higher conversation of how to achieve balance in the world. It is a stand that democracy cannot survive if it is militarily forced upon people, but instead, with alliances, can be allowed to take seed and to flourish. And that the United States is still capable of creating balance in the world, instead of the division caused by the mis-step of the War in Iraq. And it is written to the democratic and republican nominees for President of the United States. Well worth your time, Senator McCain and Senator Obama.

There is something about this book that compells you to stop reading it for a second and to go to Amazon.com to say "something."

I love the format. You feel like you are sitting with Brzezinski, Scowcroft and Ignatius just listening as a child who seemingly should be in bed would sit on the stairway listening to grownups talk about important issues in the living room below.

What I especially like is the way you can stop and ponder what they are saying, or look up a point that is unfamaliar to you on the internet. I am new to foreign policy, and I'm hooked. A glossary or endnotes and a map would have been nice since many events, terms, etc. are new to me (what is the "green zone" or the "Perm Five", etc.) but this should not deter anyone.

I also like the gentlemenly way they discuss differing points of views as well as how they agree with each other. And you can almost smell the leather chairs... Enjoy!

--Leah

I have not finished the book yet, but near the end. I just had to say something about this extraordinary book. This book just gets one in the right frame of mind, for the coming of real change and hope in America. I was so engrossed in it, and flying along with the positive and true message of hope this book gives us, here in America. Fellow readers, you will feel instantly that all is not lost in America after reading this book. Bush, Cheney, Rice and Co., may have made America a laughing stock to the rest of the world, but Dr. Brzezinski, and Dr. Snowcroft give you a feeling that their is someone out their with common sense, even reasoning and backbone. As you read, page after page, you find yourself saying over and over again: Yes, yes, yes,i.e., there are people in America that see real problems and have real centered and even answers. I need to get back to this book. It is awesome and very necessary, right about now, to say the least. I'll be back to elaborate on the book. I hope Brzezinski and Snowcroft are writing their next book and go on a book tour! You really feel, as though, Brzezinski and Snowcroft are looking out for Our/America's best interest and safety first. I gotta' get back to this book - it's a real page turner. Even though Bush has taken America to a low and humiliating point in her history - a change for the better is brewing - and the recipe is in this book. Thank you gentlmen and true scholars. Feel rejuvinated and optimistic for a "change." Read this instant classic! !Volvere!

"America and the World" is built around a series of non-partisan foreign policy discussions between (D) Zbigniew Brzezinski and (R) Brent Scowcroft, led by reporter and author David Ignatius. Both were very knowledgeable and rational. Following is some of their comments.

The defining challenge of this century is the shift of power from the Atlantic world to the Far East and the surfacing of common global problems. Unfortunately, America has lost confidence as a result of 9/11 and now has a culture of fear. Instead, we need a stewardship based on an intelligent society that understands its responsibilities and is not terrorized into rash decisions demagogically justified that isolate us in the world.

Scowcroft reports that he saw our command and control operations in action on 9/11 (was aboard one of our specially outfitted aircraft) - "not a pretty picture." We then said "No, thanks" to NATO's offer of aid. Both are concerned we may get involved in Iran and then Pakistan as well as Iraq and Afghanistan, delighting Osama.

After we went into Iraq we adopted the notion of being a transformative power. Our belief that Iraq could be managed by us is contrary to the Israel experience vs. its Lebanon invasion in 1982. (Nothing like failing to learn from history!)

The U.N. no longer works well in a world of shifting power. Kofi Annan tried to reform the U.N. to make it more effective - the U.S. submitted over 700 amendments and was the primary culprit in sabotaging the effort.

About the only issue the two disagreed on was Iraq - leave or stay.

I was surprised to learn that Iran has the right under international law and the Non-proliferation Treaty to enrich. That doesn't make it a good idea - the major problem is that a number of other Mid-East countries will want to follow if Iran succeeds. Regardless, the U.S. "negotiating" position is a non-starter - "we'll negotiate if Iran starts by giving up enrichment - the point of the negotiations!"

Iran got involved in Gaza and Lebanon because of actions by Israel, not via an invasion. There would be a severe reaction if we bombed Iran.

The notion that we have to prove friendship to Israel by starving people in Gaza (non-cooperation with Hamas) is immoral. Palestinian refugee camps are a breeding ground for terrorism.

American cultural imperialism through democratization in the Mid-East was disowned the moment it was tested (Gaza). Sending Karen Hughes to teach democracy to Arabs makes us the object of ridicule.

We should restart training support for young Pakistani officers, thus making them less vulnerable to Taliban infiltration.

Taiwan and China have improved relations lately, helped by Taiwan's investments in China and tourism there; thus the "one China" issue has somewhat receded because the Chinese now see time as on their side. Much of the world looks at China and concludes there's a lot to be said for authoritarianism; the Russian embrace of democracy produced chaos and near economic ruin.

The U.S. exclusion of India's 14 reactors from international control damages our non-proliferation credibility. It is unclear what the purpose was, and we have now also upset Pakistan.

It is also unclear what the purpose is for a missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic. On the one hand we say Iran can't have nuclear weapons, and on the other act as if they have them. Further, the Europeans are not asking for protection, and the system is not viable vs. Russian missiles.

Foreign-policy areas for the next president to focus on in his first 100 days include climate change, the Palestine-Israel conflict, Iran and Iraq. The two also suggest he stop the competing/duplicated presidential and v.p. National Security Council staffs, and emphasize bipartisanship.

I had to make myself put this book down every so often as I wanted to read it all in one sitting. So far, I haven't finished the book yet but wanted to comment on it anyway. This is a non-partisan book containing much wisdom.

The authors are so knowledgeable and so wise about about how America can be a positive influence on world affairs (and how we have failed at times in the past). They both are highly critical of the attitude that America can push people around and go to war with anyone that we think is a threat.

They offer so much hope for our country and the world if we are led by people who truly understand the best way to go about our foreign poilicy. But to do that, we will need leaders who are willing to take the time to read and listen and be willing to explore a new way of being part of the world.

If most Americans would take the time to read and think about the important ideas in this book, we would have a so much better informed electorate when choosing those who will get our vote.

Having recently completed Mr. Coppes' excellent handling of precisely where America is heading financially (and otherwise to some degree), it is strongly suggested that completely irrespective of party affiliation, a sitdown session with this book is in order. The reader is wholly presented with a "fiscal revelation" you'll never, ever, hear on the 6:30 news or from any of the hopefuls for 2008. The stuff in this book is PRECISELY what the candidates should be head over heels to address, but expect not one twit from the Beltway that even touches on the extraordinatry slippery slope upon which we Americans, fiscally, both nationally AND internationally, find ourselves. It ain't pretty...

Well explained, in profuse historical detail, AND with replete references, you will learn what goes on behind the scenes of American economics, as well as in-depth detail on why (and because of whom) we have landed, economically, at the current precipice to which few refer, especially Wall Street. This no-nonsense exposition, written plainly for any reasonably intelligent American, patriotic layman will connect many of the dots referencing WHY the seemingly disjointed economic news we hear simply doesn't make much sense.

Oil--- a big-time player in current economic events, is especially well addressed. The author takes the reader back to western PA where the now-worldwide oil monster once began under the subsequent magic, as it were, of J.D. Rockefeller. Here's where much of today's oily issues once began; it's a history we all need to know IN ORDER TO understand today's economic events that so much center around world industrialization.

Chapters dealing with the European model for central banking, from where the Federal Reserve REALLY came, the global realignment of world power and planning/investing wisely in a transitory and uncertain world round out the gist of this excellent "documentary", really, on global economics that will certainly affect you and me.

Not for the faint of heart that wants the real truth, nor for a superficial reader; i.e., considerable detail. Your country, your money, your future.

JL

I have read "America's Financial Reckoning Day" and I highly recommend it!In its pages, one can finally learn why our once great nation is now in such a noticable decline and how the nation destroying economic and monetary policies of a small group of powerful men controlling our government have brought about that decline! Mr Coppes does a superb job of showing that both our dollar and all dollar denominated investments are dangerously close to collapsing and provides specific alternative investment suggestions for those seeking to preserve their money! Most importantly, the author clearly spells out how all that is happening in the world today - above all, an organized move towards a totalitarian world government - is clearly predicted in Bible prophecy! What really sets this financial book apart from others is the GOOD news the author offers! After presenting much sobering economic information and a way to protect ones assets, Mr. Coppes provides the best news of all! He tells us clearly how we can have inner peace and hope for the future in spite of what may happen financially and... how we can each be spiritually prepared for the future! This alone is worth the price of the book!

What a fantistic book! When I first started reading the book I started to think Mr. Coppes was an off the wall nut job but then his words and the power of his words drew me in deeper and deeper into his ideas. I am an easy-going, mellow, slow, low key Christian. I am a lazy Christian. Mr. Coppes is a very intense Christian who believes in fire and hell and Jesus might come again soon. He might be right. Jesus could come tomorrow or 1,000 years from now. I don't know and I am not concerned about when. I am concerned about now. I am concerned about paper money, government debt, trade, social security, medicare falling apart, crime, peak oil and my kids future. Mr. Coppes is a very, very smart cookie and knows a lot about these subjects I care about. Some readers might be put off by his intense Christianity. Don't be. Most people go buy books in which they know they agree with before they read it. Conservatives don't go buy liberal books, liberals don't go buy books by conservative writers. They want to read something that will support ideas that they already have. Challenge yourself and read Mr. Coppes book. It will make you think. It will challenge your ideas and give you tons of other references to check out. Most ecellent in a strange kind of way! Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

Having read this book a year ago, then again recently, Mr. Coppes has been amazingly accurate with the predictions he made regarding the finacial collapse of the USA. There is no way you can read this and not be prepared for what is to come. It's late, but still not too late to set yourself up to survive in what looks to be, well,for lack of a better description, a new world dis-order. He predicted the sub-prime/housing collapse. Order this book to find out what is coming next. It's right around the corner.

Great book with real insight. The author has done a very credible job of researching the subject and combining that wealth of knowledge with his own insights. I've bought copies for friends!

Great book. LaFeber is a great guy. I am Computer Science major, but I am now contemplating on doing policy!

La Feber is a very good historian who examines the diplomatic history of the United States from its beginnings into the late 20th Century.

The book delves into the issues of the foreign policy of the United States and the people who conducted the policy. One of the more interesting chapters in the book is where La Feber looks into John Quicy Adams (who La Feber believes is the greatest Secretary of State of all-time). The chapter looks at one of the seemingly forgotten statesmen who did many great things for the young United States.

The book is a very good general look at the foreign policy of the United States a must have for those Americanist who enjoy foreign policy. La Feber also does a good job weaving the domestic policy of the United States into the reasoning and the decisions make in foreign policy.

It was with great anticipation that I began reading Walter Lafeber's The American Age. After reading his Inevitable Revolutions, I instantly became a fan of his writings. In The American Age, LaFeber takes the issue of U.S. Foreign Policy and systematically analyses it with great clarity and focus. He has made effective use of primary sources throughout the piece and has clearly shown the different veins of U.S Foreign Policy that have arised, from the evasion of military alliances of the Washington Period, to Taft's Dollar Diplomacy. I felt that the usage of editorial cartoons throughout the text was an excellent idea, as it allowed the reader to have a sense of the public mood during the era in question. In sum, I would declare that The American Age is a must for any reader interested in American Foreign Policy, not only as a reliable guide for facts and figures but also for a thoroughly enjoyable read

I had this as a textbook for my foreign policy and decision making class last fall and found it to be a great book on the history of US foreign policy. It starts at the very roots of the history of the United States and continues to the present day, giving numerous examples of policy decisions. The book is laden with numerous political cartoons and even anecdotes from popular culture (including movies), to show how America's view of itself on both the international and national view has changed over the decades. Lafeber does not write in stilted jargon that only a true blue political science/international relations major can comprehend. This book is written in a professional yet enjoyable manner that does not get overtly dull. Read it for a good intro to America's foreign policy dillemas.

Walter LaFeber's masterwork, this text is a detailed, high-impact summation of American foriegn policy throughout our history. What truly makes the book stand out, however, is the fact that LaFeber evaluates foriegn policy with democratic ideals in mind. Rather than plunging off the deep end of ultraliberal America-hating, LaFeber evenhandedly doles out praise and criticism to foriegn policy actors depending only on which is deserved.

And as is too often NOT the case with history books, LaFeber also aviods the pitfalls of taking in too broad a sweep of subjects. Despite America's great strength, LaFeber does not pretend we are omnipotent or that our attitudes and values define the whole world's. Rather, events and actions that have the most impact on people and their lives are camly and deliberatly traced, described, and evaluated. Also to his credit, the author introduces the myriad of characters, places and ideologies that the topic demands be addressed with dashing flair and memorable phrase. While the vastness of World War Two quite nearly bests him, LaFeber, with determination and thorough scholarship, manages to write altogether servicable chaptes on the immense conflict.

One wishes only for another edition, so that the same steady hand of diligent scholarship might come to balance and explain the too-tumultuous happenings of our late era. As a former foriegn policy student, I urge other students to keep the book after the class you use it for ends. LaFeber's worth and insight will likely long continue, and the perspective he provides will help anyone better understand the current foriegn policy mess we're in, and what our priorities should be.

What is a hotspot and why do I care? Why should it matter to me where money is spent in finding and protecting the earth's resources? These questions, for me, were answered in John Charles Kunich's book "Ark of the Broken Covenant". In words and phrases aimed at dissemination of information, John Kunich allows the gentle reader to enter into a world of Global warfare. `To maintain the legal status quo for the hotspots is to sign a death warrant.' Issues that up to now were not in the forefront of the mind are explained in such a way that by the time you are finished reading you also are ready to take up the cause to make sure that no more of our precious resources are decimated. Everyone needs to know what we are allowing to go to extinction because of our ignorance. You need to read this book. You should have read it yesterday.

This is the most important book I have ever read. The future of
life on Earth is at stake, and John Kunich brilliantly explains how the law has been unable to stop the mass extinction now underway. He painstakingly describes the international laws and the laws of dozens of foreign nations that attempt to preserve biodiversity, and he leaves no doubt that all these laws have failed miserably. But more than that, Kunich has a proposal for how law can still save the day, and the planet. I've never seen anything in print as phenomenal as the concluding chapters where
Kunich makes the case for his alternative legal approach. Sheer
genius!

"Ark of the Broken Covenant" is an in-depth examination of the world's biodiversity "hotspots" and why current international mechanisms fail to protect them. The book lays out a practical approach to minimize future species extinction.
In the book, Professor Kunich persuasively argues for a shift from a worldwide species-based strategy to a prioritized location-based strategy as a means to have the greatest effort with limited resources. Going beyond the normal academic approach of stating a generalized solution to a problem, Professor Kunich offers a complete solution, starting with proposed legislation, to a viable means of implementing the strategy in the U.S., to workable incentives for third-world nations to support it.
"Ark of the Broken Covenant" should be the game plan for preserving endangered species. It is a must read for environmentalists, lawyers, scientists, poltical leaders, and concerned citizens.

Ark of the Broken Covenant

Reviewer: Professor Richard Lester from Montgomery AL

John Kunich has done it again! In this superb book, Kunich presents a fascinating and extraordinary map, guide and survival manual for protecting the worlds' endangered biodiversity. In more than any work on the market today, Kunich has written a most important and well-balanced book on this timely subject. He clearly explains how environmental neglect is destroying our quality of life and polluting us to death. His explosive, blockbuster style details the wasteful exhaustion of the world's natural resources. The issue addressed is a megaton bomb ticking. This is a must read. John Kunich's book is clearly a most intelligent, compassionate and totally understanding publication on this most important subject of universal interest. It demands our attention. If the academy had a Mount Rushmore for authorities on protecting the world's biodiversity hotspots, John Kunich would be up there.

I thought before I read Ark of the Broken Covenant that extinction can't possibly be legal. Especially not the extinction of thousands, even tens of thousands, of species in the world. But this book proves that all the laws on the books are not preventing the 6th massive extinction in Earth's history.

If that doesn't get your blood boiling, you're probably already extinct yourself. The last couple dozen pages in this book are the most amazing thing I've ever read as a plan to save our environment. I only hope enough people read them, before it's too late forever.

Utah's acceptance of the 2002 winter games seemed to prove the soundness of Colorado's decision to reject the games decades earlier. As has now been well documented, the award touched off a cascade of corruption, from outright bribery of the International Olympic Committee to various land swindles. It was a seismic event in the rural West, creating a shock doctrine all its own. Here at long last was the perfect excuse for wholesale development at nearly any cost. Honorable state and national legislators morphed into eager enablers.

Steve Trimble wisely opted out of trying to thoroughly assay the political scheming and environmental consequences played out in a spectacular crucible. But he has done something far better. He tracks one emblematic deal -- the transfer of a great swath of prime public land to a driven man who was already one of the largest landholders in the country. Bargaining For Eden is not just another depressing illustration of the corrupting influence of power, but a vibrant montage of unusual suspects expressing quirky aspects of individualism, camaraderie, and Western ethos. The author himself does not stand aside in judgment, but, in going the extra mile for the truth, explicitly implicates himself -- almost shamefacedly detailing his own micro-land development.

I'm grateful that Steve Trimble volunteered to guide us through this minefield of desires and improbable outcomes. His softspoken integrity puts the reader at ease. His own contemplative adventures are mingled deftly with the big doings of "operator" Earl Holding -- a man who, despite the author's careful rendering, seems more bulldozer than flesh and blood. This, above all, makes the book compelling. It is surprisingly easy to read, in spite of the messy wrangling for wilderness and luxury it reveals. In the end, I could not escape the feeling that the author's essential honesty and kindness overshadow even his larger-than-life subjects. He would never concede the point, however. He maintains that we are all Earl Holding, to some degree. That perspective is, at least, instructive and useful for bridge-building. Steve Trimble is harder on himself than on anyone else in this book, and that's saying something. It is therefore the one book about the changing West that every American should read.

"Bargaining for Eden" is really two books in one. The first book, and the one that has garnered the most attention, is about self-made billionaire Earl Holding and how he finagled, with the help of powerful friends, to add over 1,000 acres of public land to his Snow Basin ski resort in advance of 2002 Winter Olympics. It's an interesting tale, and author Steve Trimble tells it with careful, well-researched precision. Trimble, a self-avowed environmentalist, treats all sides of the controversy fairly, as witnessed by the reading he gave at the Salt Lake City public library where one of Earl Holding's minions, who probably didn't care much for the book, complimented Steve on his good writing and accurate quoting.

The second book within the book is, to me, really the more important one, because it's about all of us who love and live in the West. As Trimble writes, "On some level I am Earl [Holding]--we are all Earl." Here, Steve chronicles his own adventures as a small-time land developer in Utah's redrock country, and what he thought about and considered as he built a second home for his family on a previously-undeveloped piece of land. As I read this I thought about myself, the places I've lived in Utah, Oregon, and Montana, and how I've impacted those places. I doubt few of us have considered our own impacts and worked to mitigate them in the way Trimble did. I know I haven't.

The last chapter of the book, "Credo: The People's West" is something of a non-sequitur. It's Trimble's rules for living in the West, and it clearly draws on more than what's in this book. I agreed with some of parts of the credo; disagreed with others. My credo would be different from Steve's. So would yours, I imagine.

Overall, the book is fair and even-handed, possibly to a fault. It is not a rant and it steers clear of the self-righteousness so common in environmental tomes. Buy it. Read it. Think about it.

Steve Trimble's latest book is a compelling look at the tensions between private mega-enterprise and public interests. If you care about the future of open spaces (and not just in the American West), if you care about the future of community, if you care about how to tend to democracy in an age of fracture and fracas, this is a sobering look at a battle in Utah that can stand in for many such battles across the country. Refusing to give into cynical preaching, Trimble offers a nuanced look at his own complicity in questions of ownership and activism, which makes this book even more important. It ends with a hopeful, necessary "Credo," which also was recently published in High Country News. A fine naturalist, photographer and writer, Steve Trimble is a treasure. This book demands to be read, understood--and its lessons put into action by thoughtful citizens everywhere.

Stephen Trimble tackles the paradox of the modern west: how do people inhabit and develop a rapidly vanishing landscape? Trimble weaves the important tale of public land transformed into a commercial ski resort with his own construction of a second home near a national park. This juxtaposition elevates the book from polemic to a serious discussion of the many facets of land development. Trimble recognizes that there are no easy answers, but argues convincingly that wise land use policy requires the contribution of all of the stakeholders in the landscape: developers, environmentalists, long-time residents and the public in general.

What sets Trimble's book apart is his obvious affection not just for the land, but for the people who have lived on the land for many years. His interviews with men and women whose families have lived on the land for generations provides the reader with an often neglected perspective on the west. Trimble has an ear for the ironic poignancy of how development displaces those families who have lived and loved a particular place for generations, even as that landscape is changed by their own decisions regarding its value and use.

Highly readable, Trimble's natural storytelling ability comes through to illuminate a transformative moment in western history. As a native Montanan and long-time resident of Utah, I recommend it to all those who seek to understand a sense of place.

Trimble tells the story of reclusive oil executive Earl Holding and his struggle to develop a wild mountainside into a an elite ski resort, using the Olympics as a cudgel to overcome passionate local resistance. This is a compelling story that has not been covered outside of Utah. It is a shocking example of how the powers-that-be facilitate destructive and one-sided land use and how common citizens who personally know thew land and love it resist. The book then takes an unexpected twist: Trimble builds a second-home in a wild canyon in southern Utah and realizes he is becoming like his nemesis, Holding, just on a different scale. This confessional realization makes him dig deeper. Ultimately it is our own human nature he uncovers.

Why do we violate the integrity of ecosystems and habitat and how can we stop ourselves? these central questions are not resolved here. Trimble's book is both a heartfelt and intelligent invitation to public discourse on these critical questions. The reader could not get a more honest or wise guide than Trimble.