Green Books

It is great to have a look into Mao's China from the eyes of a child. I agree with many of the good things said, and just want to say this is a great book. Lyric, and a child's view, and great insight.

It's one thing to read the history of China's Cultural Revolution, quite another to see it through the eyes of a little girl who lived through it. In "Little Green," Chun Yu, born the year the Cultural Revolution began (1966), chronicles the first ten years of her life, from the revolution's inception to its ending with Mao's death.

What's startling about "Little Green" - the title comes from Yu's childhood nickname - is not just the vivid clarity of her memories but the beauty of her words. Written in verse, the book has the crystalline luminosity of Peter Matthiessen's prose and David Whyte's poetry. On one page Yu will speak eloquently of the gift of a blue silk ribbon; on another she'll share her pain - without being overly sentimental - at having her family's garden torn out after the state decided that private gardens were capitalistic.

"After a whole spring and early summer
of planting and watering,
the tomatoes were just starting to ripen under the green leaves.
Some melon flowers were still blooming on the fence.
The biggest melons had grown to the size of my little fists.
The sunflowers along the roadside
were only a couple of feet tall,
with tender yellow flowers following the sun around.
Nainai [Grandma] sighed.
'It hurts the conscience to destroy these crops.
What crime did the plants commit?' "

In this slender volume, Yu shows how her family is affected by the Cultural Revolution. Her mother, a teacher, becomes a target of the anti-intellectual movement; her father is sent for several years to a reeducation camp. In "We Saw Baba Only Twice a Year," Yu writes:

"Baba lived in May Seventh Cadre School,
where he was being reeducated.
The cadre school could only be reached by boat,
slowly moved by a long bamboo stick.
It took a whole day each way.
We saw Baba only twice a year,
in the summertime
and Chinese New Year.
After not seeing him for a long time,
it felt so strange to call him 'Baba' again."

The cover quote, from Maxine Hong Kingston, calls "Little Green" a "miracle" which initially sounded a bit over the top. But as I read the book and learned Yu's story, I didn't find this to be an exaggeration. For someone who learned English as an adult and spent much of her time in this country studying science, "Little Green," written with elegant simplicity in English, truly is miraculous.

I found "Little Green" so enjoyable that I began rationing it, reading just a few pages a night, to make it last. Thankfully, this is the first book of a trilogy, and Yu says she's already finished the second volume. I'll eagerly await its publication. Until then, I'll return often to Little Green's clear, bright lines.

Little Green is a wondrous work of art, like an ancient Chinese painting brought forward into modern time. Where a Western painter might fill up the entire canvas with paint, traditional Chinese painters used sparse brush strokes to vividly illuminate the very essence of their subject. So does Chun Yu use her poetry to bring to life the world of a ten year old child in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Like the unfolding of a Chinese scroll, to read her verse is to journey across the landscape of that time. We see her family, other children, revolutionaries and "counter-revolutionaries," political struggle meetings, war trainings, cold streams, warm meals, forbidden ancient poetry, and the sound of snowflakes falling past her ear.

Little Green is suitable for all ages, both children and adults. From her readings in the San Francisco bay area, I also learned that this book is the first in a coming trilogy. I give it five stars.

This book powerfully tells what life was truly like under Mao and his cohort. Chun Yu brings a new voice with an amazing ability to enable the reader to imagine life inside China during the Cultural Revolution.

This is a fresh and new voice to the history of that era.

PS I am not a kid although submitting a review as a child is easier as there is no password stuff to climb through.

Chun Yu's "Little Green" is a great corrective to much of the highly effective propaganda that emanated from China during Mao Tse-Dong's Cultural Revolution. Chun Yu has achieved this with a unique voice and with a unique literary form that is unusually poetic and that is not in itself a propaganda piece.

I believe that "Little Green" should be classified as suitable for all ages. While children will undoubtedly enjoy and learn from "Little Green," I think it ought more properly to be included with literature also intended for adults.

I heart this book! It's not your regular Amercian Abe Lincoln Log Cabin type of book... lots of international examples and a great little history in the front. I reference often when scheming about my vacation home I'll someday have!

Received the book in the time limit specified. It arrived packaged well and in excellent condition as stated by the seller. I am very pleased with the book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this seller to my friends, or to do business with them again in the future.

Radek Kurzaj's lovely color photos compliments the first chronological survey of log houses designed in Europe and the U.S. from 1890 to modern times, and covers a vast range of architectural designs and builder innovations in the process. Libraries strong in woodworking or homeowner's titles, especially general-interest public library collections, will find LOG HOUSES OF THE WORLD an eye-catching display title that fulfills its cover attraction and promise with equally compelling interior photos. But don't think it's just a picturebook coffee table addition: it's packed by Architectural Digest magazine editor Richard Olsen's commentary and history as well. The depth and coverage can't be beat.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great insight into the world of the log house. This will shatter your preconceived concept of what a log cabin is, and show you what it can be. Very educational and beautifully photographed. A great addition to anyone's book collection who is interested in log cabins, architecture, or history.

I'm one of the architects whose work is published in this collection. At the risk of sounding preposterously self-serving, I wanted to chime in that I just received my copy of the book and I was very taken with it. It's a diverse collection of projects, nicely photographed, and in particular I found the writing to be refreshingly well done. The author captured the distinct elements of the built works and the narrative behind them very skillfully, and in my case, quite accurately. It's a great volume and I'm honored to be included in it.

The CD in the back of this book is worth the cost. The graphics are ingaging and imaginative. The poems of Rumi are inspiring as always and will awaken your spirit.

I was fortunate to be present at a live performance of the Illumination Band, and the initial distribution of One Song, at a conference in Haverford in 2005. I've since bought and given away as gifts at least 12 copies of Green's book, and I love the IB. I think the juxtaposition of Rumi to bluegrass is a great expression of the inherent crossover nature and humor of Rumi. By all means get it, read it, listen to it.
(Rev) Hank Galganowicz

Spectacular! I am a Rumi scholar and I learned a great deal more from this fabulous presentation of the thoughts and works of Rumi as brought over from Persian by Coleman Barks. Michael Green's illuminations and his thoughts on the insights of Rumi are profound and relevant to understanding our spirituality and our humanness. Fantastic!

Michael Green's mastery of graphic design is the perfect complement to Rumi's mastery of mystical poetry.

I highly recommend this to everyone who loves mystical poetry and appreciates illuminated design...

PS - I don't consider the musical CD much of a value-add, but even if you didn't resonate with the music (as was the case with me), the book is well worth the expense.

An absolutely beautiful book!
The combination of the prose and the illustrations makes this book a treasure for generations to come!

Doing a performance evaluation on an employee can be a real pain. I know from years of supervising employees and then from teaching the process in human resources management classes at universities for many additional years. That is why I really enjoyed finding "Painless Performance Evaluations" by Marnie E. Green. This book makes the performance evaluation process understandable and as painless as possible. In fact, after reading and studying this book, you will probably never dread doing performance evaluations again.

What I found important about this book was that performance evaluations are detailed as a central part of the whole human resources management process and not as an isolated event. By learning all of the aspects of working with employees, you can more easily deliver an accurate and helpful performance evaluation.

The book is written in a textbook format although geared to every supervisor, manager, and executive who has faced doing performance evaluations. The explanations are very clear about what to do while working with employees so an effective evaluation can be given. Exercises and case studies provide ample practice situations so the real thing won't have to cause a lot of stress. I found this book made a usually mundane topic actually quite interesting. It would be a great addition on the shelf of any professional involved in a human resource capacity in a business or corporation and would also be a great supplemental text for the college level class on human resource management.

This book is an easy read, and it is filled with practical information that can be applied immediately. You may be preparing for your first performance review, or you may have completed hundreds of performance reviews--read this book and you will walk away with a hands-on approach to performance management that will make a real difference in the performance of your team and the overall performance of your organization.
Susan Shoemaker, Head, Education Development Center, Ministry of Health, College of Health Sciences, Kingdom of Bahrain

Painless Performance Evaluations - A Practical Approach to Managing Day-to-Day Employee Performance is an excellent reference for easy-to-apply tools and ideas related to the dreadful subject of performance evaluations. Marnie Green's book successfully provides tips and guidlines that management can implement and follow, making the challenge of evaulating employees a positive experience!

As an HR professional, I am constantly looking for ways to coach the management teams on performance management. Marnie Green does an excellent job of outlining an efficient and truly 'painless' evaluation process. This book not only gives good advice on writing evaluation comments, but also advice on how to effectively deliver evaluations. I look forward to coaching our management team using some of Marnie Green's techniques.

Marnie Green has written a well laid out and easy to use guide for anyone who performs employee performance evaluations. Employees dread their reviews, wondering what they could have done better and how they will stack up against other employees. They come to their evaluation with sweaty palms, a nervous stomach and high hopes. Marnie gives managers and HR professionals an easy, practical outline to streamline and create a positive evaluation experience for the manager and the employee. She helps you conduct an evaluation with confidence, build employee respect, understand that the evaluation is not just on past work, but to plan for the future and help employees succeed. This is a valuable guidebook that should be in every managers office and be required reading.

From the first few words in the introductory portion of this book you start to remember everything that was wrong with the approach of your past teachers. I once spoke about Galamian's teaching methods with one of his former students. I actually saw the notes that Galamian himself made in a notebook. For years I've wanted to get my hands on those notes again. And now I can.

This book is an "All-you-need-to-know" guide to violin playing and teaching. Every possible detail is mentioned and, what I love best about this book, references are given to etudes to apply them in practice.

Of course, as Galamian himself said, no book can replace a live interaction with a teacher. It can only help with ideas. Well, this book can help anyone find another approach to problems they may have.

I would recommend this book to any musician. Although it extensively covers bowing and left hand technique, the most important aspects are in how to practice and master your art. The variations suggested can be used by any musician on any instrument and will take you to a new level of technical control.

I would not suggest this book for a beginner, this material is best learned from an experienced teacher. Advanced students and teachers should all have this book in their book collections.

As a former violin student of 9 years who moved towards piano instead, I have found this book immensely valuable in helping me as a Suzuki parent of a young violinist myself. If you have a child moving into the Kreutzer etudes, or in Book 7 or later in the Suzuki series, this book is a godsend. At this point in your child's studies, you have no doubt been listening to many great artists, and wondering how they attain the immense variety in tonal coloring, or how they actually implement such amazing shifts, or complex bowing techniques. This book, with its pictures, is outstanding in deconstructing these motions. While it is highly analytical in parts, the book is also excellent in addressing the body's motion as a whole - in showing the coupling between the hand, elbow, shoulders, violin... using well known extracts from etudes, caprices, and solo works as practical examples.

It most definitely helps to be an advanced instrumentalist in reading this book, as the author certainly presumes that the reader has a trained ear. The sections on how to practice will also be appreciated by those who have worked in intensive Master Classes, and have carried back from these classes some improved practice habits.

All-in-all, this is book not to be missed, particularly by the supportive parents of maturing artists.

this is a MUST for any violinist who is serious about playing the violin. This book has solution to all of the problems that a violinist faces, in addition, this is a great leaning tool, lines from major concertos are used as exemples. again, this book is a must for anyone who's serious about playing the violin or even becoming a concert soloist.

Ivan Galamian (1903-1981) was one of the great violin teachers of the 20th century. He taught people like Perlman and Zukerman, as well as countless other professional players of today. This book sets forth the essentials of his method. The text was written by Elizabeth Green, herself a Galamian student and a noted author and teacher in her own right. But the ideas are Galamian's. The small number of pages (100+) is deceptive; every sentence is packed with information and must be read carefully lest some important feature be missed. Violin playing is a complex mental and physical activity, and to learn it well demands the ability to focus on many small details as one trains the ear and the hands. This book is not really intended to be a self-tutor so much as a reference for the teacher and the student who is advanced enough to understand what Galamian is saying. It is not for beginners. A beginner book might tell you where (approximately) to put your fingers on the string to get certain notes. This book tells you (in words and photos) what your finger looks like when it is on the string, what part of the fingertip is pressing on the string, how hard it is pressing, how fast it should be traveling as it hits the string, the musical effect of different methods of lifting the finger, and so on. And that's only a tiny bit of what is written about what the left hand and fingers do. This is followed by a complete analysis of the mechanics and musical effect of every conceivable bow stroke. Matters of bow speed, pressure and point of contact with the string are all considered in light of the effects they produce, along with many more ideas concerning placement of thumb and fingers on the stick, angle of bow to string, and more. The book concludes with an analysis of effective practicing and teaching. There is much useful material on the relationship between technique and artistic interpretation as well. The many excellent photographs and musical examples add a further measure of depth to the book.

One small quibble: I don't think he spent enough time discussing how to play in tune. What he does say is all correct--he mentions that one must "think the sound" of the desired pitch as well as mentally prepare the hand and finger motion--he is speaking of shifting--but thinking the pitch needs to be stressed more, I think, and extended to thinking the actual sound of a beautiful violin tone as well.

This is a book for teachers and players who are advanced enough to know the areas they need to work on. It is considered one of a handful of classic books on violin playing, which include the famous treatises by Leopold Mozart, F. Geminiani, and Carl Flesch. First editions of this book (1962) are scarce and cost anywhere from ..., which says something about its importance, I think.

Red or Green: New Mexico Cuisine
Once again, Mr. Casey has encapsulated the diverse - complexity of New Mexico Red and Green chili into authoritative simplicity. Mr. Caseys' refinement of organization with explanation of history, process and selection of fine New Mexico products is a real winner. A absolute requirement for the novice or culinary professional.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy Clyde Casey's latest cooking book:
1007 - Red or Green New Mexico Cuisine is Clyde's newest publication. It is superb, interesting, scholastic, educational and very informative --- It is just outstanding.

The author has a way of making you want to read his descriptions of New Mexico cooking - clear-cut and succinct. I especially enjoyed the section on New Mexico wines. I particularly got a kick out of his suggestion to keep ice cream along with milk and yogurt handy for those over zealous cookers.

I probably would have said "it can't be done - if someone was to tell me that Clyde had published a new cooking book or New Mexico and those wonderful Southwestern flavors.

- 1997 - Sassy Southwest Cooking - Vibrant New Mexico Foods.
- 1994 - New Mexico Cooking - Southwestern Flavors of the Past and Present.

All three books are a must for your Southwestern cookbook collestion.

Finally...a cookbook that captures the utilitarian essence of New Mexico cooking!! If you are looking for a book full of presentation photos or recipes that must be followed precisely, move on. The author, forgoing these parlor tricks, has chosen instead to focus on the reader's personal taste. In doing so, he encourages the flexibility and experimentation that is the root of this cuisine's popularity. In keeping with that premise, he has sprinkled informative facts and historical tidbits throughout his basic guide. This further inspires the user to create individualized versions, tempered to their own palate. A marvelously flavorful way to travel to the Land of Enchantment inexpensively and as often as your taste desires.
Todd & Terry~

I've lived in New Mexico 16 years and never could tell one chile from another! Now I get it, thanks to Mr. Casey. And, like the other reviewer, I didn't know a thing about wine. I always had to tell the waiters whether I wanted dry or sweet, and they had to recommend something. So I've learned about two things of which I've been totally ignorant!

The bonus is all the wonderful recipes--favorite foods to order in a restaurant can now be prepared at home, such as chile rellenos and sopapillas!

Thank you, Mr. Casey!

This was such a well written and concise book to follow. I really enjoyed the wines area and the history of New Mexico foods and beverages.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to get a 'flavor' of the state!

This book is perfect for a first six sigma book.
There are no negative points.

It is amazing book for study six sigma. Good explanations and practical examples in combination with Minitab software. For those who are dedicated in learning six sigma, this book can offer enough information and practice.

I was surprised by the well balanced and complete coverage of the Six Sigma methodology from DMAIC, including managerial steps, all the way to statistics up through Design of Experiments. The all inclusive topics seem to parallel full Black Belt training. I would expect green belts to be offered selections from the book in a standard course. I would say no other book has this "textbooky" look and feel (that is not meant as a criticism). At the end of chapters find Minitab instructions including screen shots. The material is well written, hence understandable, hence I think this is one of the best overall introductions to the subject without slamming the reader with high levels of mathematical theory.

I think this book is an excellent resource for experienced Six Sima managers. However, if you want to buy this book as a study guide for the SSGB certification test, or as an introduction to Six Sigma, it isn't going to help you out much. I guess my lowered rating is due to the fact that the book didn't meet my expectations as it was described on the Amazon site.

This book was well worth my time and money! Being a Six Sigma beginer, I found this book to be easy to follow and comprehend.

Explained is the DMAIC process model, Voice of Customer (VOC), Voice of Process (VOP)and Design of Experements (DOE) in clarifying detail. Best of all, it includes step-by-step explanations of project experiments and the statistical analyses from the expereiments using Minitab 14!

Whether you want to learn the basics of the Six Sigma process (Chapters 1-8) and / or basic Six Sigma statistical tools and methods (Chapters 9-15), I highly recommend this book!

Note: Minitab 14 (Statistical software)is free for 30 days and the associated minitab-formatted excercise worksheets are down-loadable from the publisher's website.

I read this book for an MBA class I'm taking and I was pleasantly surprised! Usually when students have to read textbooks for a class, they are boring and rarely keep your attention. This was not the case with Stand Your Ground: Building Honorable Leaders the West Point Way. My fiance used to be in the army, so I've heard a lot about the honor that is instilled in its members. However, I never fully understood that honor until I read this book. Much of the information is common sense, but you would be surprised how many people are not honorble. Dr. Offstein breaks honor down in such a way that you fully understand it and want to apply it in your own life. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in becoming a productive, successful, and most importantly, honorable leader.

Offstein's book is incredible. It really doesn't matter what you do for a living, leadership will always be critical in your life. Stand Your Ground is about understanding HONORABLE leadership. Offstein uses the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the honorable leadership that is honed there as the blueprint for leadership and success. Like a book fables, there are hundreds of snippets from personal experience and well-known events to illustrate the importance of honor in leadership. If you want to one day be an effective leader in your own life, who is respected and admired, you have to read this book.

We highly recommend Evan's book. As the largest contingency placement firm that specializes in placing military job seekers into Corporate America, we know that companies recognize the advantages of the leadership lessons imparted at the service academies and via the military at large. The quality of this training, coupled with the high caliber of the individual, is what makes these military leaders so valuable, whether they are serving our country, or whether they are making important contributions in the private sector after their service.

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) - Delivering Military-Experienced Talent to America's Top Companies

Quite simply, Evan Offstein just nails his thesis: truly successful individuals, leaders, and their organizations are based on a deep reservoir of moral/ethical grounding that help them to make the right decisions every single day. His numerous, down-to-earth examples hammer it home from multiple angles, and you can't help but be convinced that he's on to something here. Dr. Offstein has a gift for writing prose that is personable and easy to read. It's as if he's talking straight to you through the pages of his book much the same way he might deliver a lecture at his university.

Perhaps my favorite lesson from his book is the chapter on lifelong preparations for a MOMENT (heck, multiple MOMENTS). It reminds me of what one Army General said one time: "Your integrity will be challenged in small ways every day." it has proven absolutely true over the years, and the daily struggle continues to make sure we do the right thing by our coworkers, our kids, our wives, our friends, etc. Those who can make the RIGHT ethical choices on a day-to-day basis will be slowly building the bedrock of their organizations to guard against the Enrons, Tycos, NCAA scandals, etc. of the world.

Most of the so-called "leadership" or "management" books you'll find wasting shelf-space at Barnes & Nobles or Book-a-Million wish they could lash onto some of the truths that Dr. Offstein lays out in his concise book. Highly recommended!

I first approached this book with a bit of skepticism, as I thought its focus would be upon the "grandiose" merits of the West Point experience (which I shared elbow-to-elbow with the author, my classmate). I was greatly relieved to discover that this work is actually a testimonial to the necessity to BE a good person and leader, so important (and foreign) in a day and age where corrupt individuals realize incredible personal gains while simply paying lip service to such lofty ideals as honor. This book explains both the origin of corporate corruption and the way a leader SHOULD behave to ensure that this phenomenon does not continue to grow in scope.

I was happy to see that Dr. Evan Offstein was able to distance himself from our shared Cadet experiences and approach the book in an organized, thoughtful, and systematic fashion. He explains that good leadership begins with an honorable character and THEN extends into the leader's expertise and skill sets. I always struggled to quantify the almost intangible quality which caused me and my West Point classmates to react in horrified disbelief when we encountered corrupt individuals with an almost limitless propensity to harm and defraud employees and stakeholders. Evan has finally defined this lineament: honor, and the overwhelming need for an individual to BE a good person, rather than simply KNOW the "acceptable" or "expert" manner in which to proceed and to "DO" only what needs to be done to temporarily satisfy personal and shareholder demands.

The book is straightforward, easy to read, and informative without possessing an air of pretense or superior knowledge. I am firmly convinced that if leaders the world over would read this tome and apply its principles, corporate scandal would disappear, replaced by increased levels of profit, worker motivation, and customer/shareholder satisfaction. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

Kenneth Green has written a practical, entertaining book. 300 A+ Students would be a great gift for a college student.

His book is cleverly organized: for instance, the section on test-taking is divided into before, during, and after tests, and covers everything from the importance of getting enough pre-exam sleep to bringing Black Forest gummy bears for a break during a long test. Techniques for approaching all varieties of exams are shared.

The conversational tone of the book, one of sincerity and immediacy, comes from students' own voices. One college student describes her "thesis police," a group of friends she enlisted to bug her frequently about how her writing was coming along. She said the motivation was most effective.

High school kids are not always tempted to read the book themselves (like who wants to be an A+ student anyway??), but teachers, parents and grandparents can read it and pass along valuable nuggets. As a college student, I would have glommed onto it immediately and then remembered where I put it.

One look at the table of contents reveals what a raft of help this book can provide. It's easy to dip into and out of. A great find!

I loved this book from front to back! I read the book in three days and couldn't put it down. I think that it is informative and entertaining at the same time. I especially liked the list of things to do before the academic term begins. It tells you what to do before you even get to the first class.

As the title suggests, SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS, interviewed students from all over the world who were considered "A+" students and compiled their responses, tips, and strategies into this book. The book is divided into several sections that tell what to do before, during, and after class to ensure success. It offers test taking tips, ways to deal with stress, time management, etc. , in addition to a section for educators on how to organize and improve their classes. Also included is an appendix that includes the survey questions and several other academic resources.

Although SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS is geared toward college students, it includes a little something for everyone. I was impressed with the clear and concise advice the book offers. The author, Kenneth Green states that all of the tips may not work for everyone, but instead the book is a guide to allow you to find the methods that work best for your needs. This is an excellent resource for all students.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The A+ students in this book are from a variety of backgrounds and each presents his/her own way of arriving at excellence. Despite differences, there are general themes that they have in common with each other. Kenneth Green does a good job of describing these common themes and messages.

Ken Green's book is a must for any student in high school, college and beyond. The insights
of 300 A+ students can help anyone move to the head of the class. The book gives advice on
everything from picking classes, to note taking, to exam preparation. It's an excellent
comprehensive resource and one that I would highly recommend to any student hoping to get
the most out of their academic experience.

Wonderful concept. I love the fact that the grade book and the lesson planner are in the same book. My only complaint, and it's a small one, is that pockets are not sturdy. They always seem to break apart before the year is over. But, other than that, it's a great product.

I love this planner. It is all that the other reviewers said it was. It's very easy to use.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this planner! It has nice space for writing lessons (blocks for making notations about the day like for meetings, etc.) room for 8 lessons a day, a chart for computing grades based on the # of items and # wrong, charts for states, presidents, and stuff like that, place to keep data about problem kids (like # of times you've called home and notes from those conversations), pockets in the front and back that i keep the school schedule and my advisor paperwork in. I have now used this for more than 4 years (sometimes the color of the cover changes) and it is reliable every time.

Having a planner with space for lesson planning & grades is awesome! The built in grader for quick reference is handy, too. The pockets are a big bonus for all the many papers a teacher must carry around.

This lesson planner/record book is excellent for general ed and or special ed or single subject teachers...
great simple layout, student roster, seating charts, substitute info, class lists, tips for communicating w/parents, lesson planner, 4-yr calendar, year-at-a-glance, percent finder for grading, grade records, national standards,reference pages etc. etc. etc! 184 pgs, pocket in front and back cover, and pages for parent contact info, behavior/incident reporting/documenting. This is my 5th year with this book, I taught special ed. and now am a resource specialist with many different groupings and subjects. places for daily notes, attendance you name it. And no silly icons, or distracting information!