error Books

These two handouts are excellent brief comparisons of world teachings and religions, from a Christian perspective. We have early issues, from the 1980's I believe, and they are all but unreadable from wear. My wife and I were delighted to find them still in print, as they are very useful references when discussing different beliefs with others. We are now ordering our fourth package (ten per package). The feedback we receive from others is likewise very positive. These are a couple of the most useful handouts we've seen.

It is an excellent book. The author takes enough time to explain in a very simple manner how to adjust data. Great reference.

Not a Trekkie? Wondering why all these crazy people care so much about a dumb TV show? Alan Manning reveals the secret in Supposition Error.

But you don't have to be a Trekkie to be captivated by this book -- packed with ideas (based on C.S. Peirce's turn-of-the-century philosophy) about everything from TV shows to alternate realities to time travel to truth, and full of humor, wonderful characters, and a great plot, Supposition Error is hard to put down.

This book is a new English translation of Gauss's profound andpractical work on the Method of Least Squares for readers whosereading ability of Latin is limited (who can read Latin nowadays?). It is fascinating to read Gauss's original work, which is striking in its originality and depth.

G. W. Stewart has done an excellent job for the most part. The English translation is easy to follow and flows naturally. However, Mr. Stewart has engaged in some idiosyncratic choices. For example, he insists on translating "valor maxime plausible" as "most reliable value" rather than the obvious "most plausible value" commonly used both in English and German (by Gauss himself, I might add). He digresses in his Afterword about Laplace's "chutzpa" (what is that about?). At one point he says that a certain proof is "Gauss at his grimmest--a forced march from hypothesis to conclusion..." Isn't all of mathematical proof a steady progression in a beeline toward the Q.E.D.?

The low-water mark of Stewart's gratuitous insults to Gauss is his parting shot: the final sentence of his Afterword, and of the whole book. He says, "What is certain is that Gauss can be as enigmatic to us as he was to his contemporaries." How he can justify this hatchet job is hard to imagine, since any fair-minded reader of this book will be astonished at the clarity of Gauss's thought and exposition.

It is supremely unfortunate that the editors at SIAM chose a translator, skilled though he is, who has a personal antipathy toward one of the great mathematical minds of all history. In spite of the injustices done to him in this volume, Gauss's thinking and achievements shine through, and quite simply dwarf those of his small-minded translator.

Schlegel and Pérez have put together an outstanding introduction to turbo codes, by way of the basic elements that go into those codes. Although the presentation proceeds in a careful and methodical way, it is intensely mathematical.

In retrospect, if not in their initial development, turbo codes follow naturally from earlier foundations in coding and communication. These authors roughly trace that path. The first steps along the way introduce basic concepts in communications, including the constellation encodings used in modern electronic signalling. As the book moves through traditional convolutional coding we see how the code takes advantage of the constellation to create "coding gain" on the channel - a way of equating raw signaling power to the mathematical power of the code. Moving forward, the authors touch on decoding algorithms of many kinds, block codes, and performance, all with equal thoroughness. The next topic addresses low density parity-check codes, a concept introduced back in the 1960s, but that had languished for lack of avaliable computing power. Next, we see the turbo codes themselves, and all the pieces come together, not just in the encoding but in the distinctly non-classical "soft" decoding algorithms. Remaining chapters explore alternative encoding and decoding techniques.

This is not a reference for all purposes. The treatment assumes relatively little background in coding or communications, but assumes a lot in mathematical preparation. Theory wins out over practice throughout the text. The meticulous reader comes away with deep understanding of the fundamentals, but will still be a long way from creating commercially useful systems. Decide what your needs are - this book addresses some readers and their needs thoroughly, passing completly by other readers (and needs). If you're in the mathematically oriented target audience, however, and are willing to put the time into picking apart the equations, you'll come away with a good understanding of turbo codes, their development, and the theory underlying their performance.

-- wiredweird

by the Author in the Introduction:

Since its founding at the beginning of the 20th century, the American Civil Liberties Union -- best known by its popular acronym: the ACLU - has been the center of a storm of controversy. Through its policy pronouncements, legal initiatives, educational programs, and political lobbying, the organization has thrust itself onto our culture's enter stage through a dramatic transformation of our judicial and societal ecologies.

This short study is a cursory exploration of that cultural dynamic. Thus, it contains an abbreviated analysis of all those policies, legal actions, educational efforts, and lobbying activities. The book's primary emphasis, however, is on the philosophical underpinnings and mainsprings of the organization. In other words, I have tried to discover - and then report - what the ACLU is and what it believes rather than simply what it says and does. I wanted to get to the root of the controversy over the ACLU not merely reiterate its salient points. I wanted to effectively and accurately portray the long-term impact of the organization on our society - on our individual families and on our nation - by uncovering its deepest and dearest intentions.

But as important as these various tasks may be, I knew that I couldn't just stop there. And so, the book goes on to briefly propose solid Biblical solutions to the problems and dilemmas raised by the ACLU - as well as the American legal system that it has effectively recreated in its own image. I have outlined a possible agenda for positively reclaiming our schools, courts, and communities. Thus, I have attempted to shape the book so that it also can serve as a practical tool in the hands of faithful men and women - a tool to help them effect those solutions and that agenda.
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Trial and Error contains true stories which chronicle the way the ACLU has carried out its policies. True accounts that tell the real story. In his Familiar, thorough style, George Grant methodically uncovers the ACLU's founding, strategy, and undeniable track record. You may already think that you know something about this powerful organization. This book is guaranteed to reveal that you probably don't know enough.

Typographical Error elevates the literary spectrum to new heights of sensuality. This author has the amazing ability of allowing the reader to "feel" the actions the characters experience. While Typographical Error is the first literary effort of Rob Heart, his words show a unique knowledge and the prowess he posesses in the erotic genre. Reading this book alone will stimulate the reader into self-gratifing action. Reading it with another will lead to sense of arousal that must be tamed. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who has lost that loving feeling.

This is an illuminating study of the social hierarchy of computer knowledge and how the lowest class, the "User," was constructed. The author puts forth that technological advancement has, instead of liberating the User, subjected him to greater bondage as he becomes a slave to technology and a pawn in informational politics. Why are Users compelled to pursue needless upgrades? Is there really a need to expose children to technology in elementary school? What's behind the software makers' ostensible interest in their users' needs? These are among many questions that Rose addresses in her thought-provoking analysis.

This book will be a revelatory read for many people who work directly with "end users" in the information technology field. This book is *not* for self-important technicians who already relentlessly despise the User for his ignorance -- if that's you (you know who you are), you will probably learn nothing here. But if you seek a deeper understanding of why people interact with technology the way they do, you'll gain a lot from this book.

My main complaint is that the author employs long, burdensome sentences that make the book read like a thick college text. A more succinct style would have made it much more enjoyable.

Whether one believes acting stupid to be the antithesis of acting smart or intelligently [most of us?], or perhaps prefers to regard stupid behaviour as foolishness in the face of misplaced wisdom [Sternberg], this volume brings together a rich diversity of approaches and opinion to one of life's persistent questions. Some 15 authors gather here in an attempt to inform the reader what stupidity and smartness consist in, whilst providing a breadth of examples from both the empirical literature (laboratory studies, psychometric survey) and the popular press (typically involving embarrassed politicians). Over the course of some eleven chapters, a number of recurrent themes and proposals address the ways in which stupid behaviour might best be characterised, identified or defined, but of more interest (at least to me) was to also find a number of attempts to explain the behaviours so described. A number of the contributors point (directly or indirectly) to particular instances of `stupidity' which may well have been construed as having demonstrated adaptive, rather than maladaptive behaviour under different circumstances. In this respect, the reader is repeatedly lead to the view that personal trait labels such as smart, intelligent or stupid, should be viewed as context dependant terms, if not entirely context-specific, characterisations of human behaviour. In short, what might be considered stupid behaviour under one circumstance, might well be considered smart behaviour in another. So, why do these authors think that smart people can be so stupid?

Whilst psychometric correlates of the `smart' and `intelligent' are cited throughout the book (high IQ, high `G'-factor, either high or low scoring on various personality inventory components), no convincing data is presented in an attempt to directly correlate any independent measure of `stupidity' with psychological theory. As a result, perhaps, a significant number of this volume's authors sought to explain `stupid behaviour' as a person'sfailure to adapt to novel circumstances. However, this does little more work than to merely restate the antithesis: that `good' intelligence ontologically scaffolds in response to the need for increasingly flexible, dynamic behaviours in the face of challenges beyond the ken of one's current (and likely more reflexive) response repertoire. Using examples from business and industry, at least two chapters [Wagner and Austin & Deary] remind us that circumstances involving unfamiliar, ill-formed or poorly-defined problem spaces will more likely result in decisions thought stupid in hindsight, but they also point to conflict management as being a significant variable. Such findings serve to inform us that our attempts to transfer template problem-solutions (or indeed any previously successful habits of mind) to novel situations may later prove to have been a poor strategy (think Chamberlain & Hitler), or even complete folly (think Clinton & Lewinsky). Sociopersonal factors were also frequently cited as being of importance in explaining stupidity, with managerial incompetence in particular being shown to correlate with the (personal) emotional stability of managers, as did their degree of insensitivity to the needs and expectations of their subordinates and co-workers.

But if there is a recipe here for our avoiding stupid behaviour, such may be derived only from our interpreting the combined arguments and views put forward over the entirety of the volume. If it is true that we become good at what we spend most of our time doing (as I'm fond of telling my students is indeed the case) then this book suggests that we should devote a fair proportion of our time to recognising the significance of all our inter-, intra-, and extra-subjective personal circumstances. We need to be alert to identifying the critical changes in our situation(s) [Halpern]. We also need to be prepared to adapt to such changes (possibly in novel ways) without recourse to reflexive habit and reward by immediate gratification [Ayduk & Mischel]. Furthermore, we should strive to consider the power of uncertainty, such that we might then learn what might be (rather than concentrating our attention upon what one thinks currently `is') the case [Modeoveanu & Langer]. Furthermost, we must continue to construct and reconstruct past scenarios in such a way as to only attach to them, the theories and constraints that do the most explanatory work for us [Stanovich]. Without wishing to offer any guarantees here of increasing one's intelligence, the ideas circulating this volume nonetheless provide the reader with a window through which we might see a means of understanding, whilst reducing the frequency of, both our own and others' acts of stupidity.

First of all, it's hard to figure out who the heroine is, since there's two of them - Molly and Fran. It seems like Molly is the heroine, then suddenly it's Fran. Then it's Molly again. Even though she's weak and insipid and can't wait to kill herself.

The start of the book is fake, with Molly getting out of jail and returning to a house that somehow was paid for and maintained miraculously for 5-1/2 years while she was in jail. Everything is spic and span, no problems whatsoever, house was never broken into, appliances are all working perfectly, there's hot water, furnace works great, etc. No 3-foot high grass in the yard either, or piles of junk mail or rodents nesting in the house. And of course somehow the utilities are all turned on. Some of this was done by the previous housekeeper, who just happens to be sitting around available with no job even after 5-1/2 years and who no doubt doesn't mind putting all the utilities in her own name, paying the deposits, etc.

The rest of the book was ok, with a kind of convoluted plot that was overall sort of interesting. I never could like Molly though, she was such a weak spineless wimp. Of course, even though she was completely boring and lifeless, everybody wanted to visit her every day and she usually had about 19 guests over. Like nobody else had a life of their own but just existed to worry about Molly.

Anyway, I liked Ms. Clark's earlier books a lot better.

Some years ago I was discussing reading habits with a friend. I told him that I enjoyed Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, P.D. James and a few others. He told me, "I don't read mainstream fiction".

I couldn't understand the man. We were a similar age. I did not consider him to be intellectually superior to me. Why then would he turn away from books read by millions of people?

The answer, I found, lay in the pages of books like "We'll Meet Again" by Mary Higgins Clark. Many times reading this book I was tempted to toss it across the room. The writing was just bad - simplistic, no character development, too many unimportant details such as catalogue descriptions of every bit of clothing worn by every character in the book.

As is my usual habit, I was reading another book while I read this one. That book - "Promise Not to Tell" by Jennifer McMahan - was an enjoyable read. McMahan's book is also a mystery but her book is well written. Her prose is rhythmic and sensory in its detail. If she describes what someone is wearing - "She wore a stained pink T-shirt with the same corduroy pants she'd had on for days." - it is done to help develop a character not just to pad pages.

I will finish "We'll Meet Again" because I find myself unable to leave a book unfinished once I start it. But in the future when somebody asks me what I read, like my friend, I will reply, "I don't read mainstream fiction".

MHC happens to be one of my favorite writer. I find most of her books fast paced, packed with interesting characters and of course a good mystery. Therefore I couldn't agree with one of the reviewer when he couldn't detect any mystery in this book. The story takes place 6 years after when Molly is out of jail on parole. She asks her friend Fran to investigate the murder of her husband. As Fran's investigation progresses, many hidden secrets began to surface. The ending was good too because I couldn't guess who the killer was till the final chapter. In my opinion this book deserves 5 stars.

I have always enjoyed Mary Higgins Clark's books, and this one is a real page-turner. But the audio version is a different story. It is hard to concentrate on the story as so many words are mispronounced. Greenwich, CT is not "Green-which," but "Grenn-ich." "Brusquely" is not "brooske-ly." And "been" rhymes with "bin," not "bean." The list goes on. (And then there is the reader for Sara Paretsky's Chicago-based mysteries who pronounces Chicago Cubs icon "Harry Caray" as "Harry Cuhh-RAY. Sheeshhhh......)

The story centers on Molly, a physician's wife who is accused of murdering her husband. As the story unfolds
thru the eyes of Fran, who is an investigative reporter, the possible killer takes on many possibilities. In the
end, the health maintenance organization, which is rife with deluded egomaniacs, who end up murdering
their Physican colleague, in order to cover up their criminal behavior.
Fran, of course, gets thru the maze of deceit, and exposes these scoundrels. Molly is exonerated, and
Fran gets the scoop, which ends up as a presentation of the truth for her investigative TV show.
As the mystery unfolds, the story captured my interest, and left me with a strong desire to finish the book
in one sitting. I will be reading more of the authors mysteries!