Carpe the Friday Night Club

The Friday Night Club
By: Jacob Nelson Lurie
ISBN: 9781439262474Think of a cross between The Breakfast Club (the "College Years" version) and "How I Met Your Mother," with a lot more imbibing of alcoholic beverages and gratuitous sex thrown in for good measure, and you might get some glimmering of an idea about the awesomeness that is the plot line of The Friday Night Club by Jacob Nelson Lurie. The book's first person narrator, Davis Robertson, takes a nonlinear look back on his college and post-college years, eventually leading up to his wedding day, and contemplates everything that defines himself and his friends and has brought him to be willing to get yoked to one woman for the rest of his life. Though he loves the woman he's going to marry, Pamela, he can't help but think about the wild times and numerous sexual conquests he's had in the past, and wonder if he's doing the right thing.The novel has a fairly large cast of characters, with probably the most interesting one being Davis's good friend, the actor Peter Carter, who the narrator describes as looking "...a lot like a young Matthew McConaughey." The way the narrator admires Carter and looks up to his wealth, carefree manner, ability to drink like a fish, and womanizing skills reminded me a bit of the way the narrator of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby admires the title character of that novel.The novel is liberally laced with humorous moments and musical and cultural references. Besides the reference comparing Peter to Matthew McConaughey, another of Davis's friends, Jonesy, is described as resembling David Bowie, and another character, Thomas Divan, is described as "...looking a lot like a young Steve McQueen." There are many other references, from Bible quotes to Pink Floyd's line from the album "Animals," "...dragged down by the stone." The characters are, after all, a product of the times they live in. One of the pleasures I got from reading the novel was thinking about the references myself, and the meanings each had for me and the people I knew while growing up.The Friday Night Club is made up of the narrator and his friends. They meet every Friday night and have parties where the beer and other alcohol flows freely, and they all, in general, have a lot of fun taking a break from their studying and classes at the University of Colorado. They even have a set of three Commandments each member must adhere to, such as Commandment #1: "No band or any earsplitting music that shakes the fillings from your mouth or the neighbors from their slumber." The club fills a social need in their lives, providing them with a break from the mundane, and a chance to philosophize and shoot the bull with each other. As the narrator puts it: "We six lost circus performers were simply in need of an escape from the daily dullness of classes and studying."It's a coming of age story, a novel of becoming adults, of settling down into married lives and raising families, on one level. But it is a novel that is full of life and the promise of living each moment to its fullest, also, while one is still young, and it is vibrant and will cause you to look back fondly on your own college years. The club is very important to everybody who is a member of it. As Jonesy says, it and the people he met as a result of the club made "College the best four years of my life." He goes on to say:"The Friday Night Club was the one thing I could look forward to if the week was bad. It was the dry blanket and bottle of whiskey after walking in a rain storm of shit. But...if the week was good..goddamn, that party was the icing on the cake. It was my home away from home. It was my sanctuary. No, it was our sanctuary...our church."The Friday Night Club speaks to all of us, whether you're currently in college, are looking forward to attending one, or are long out of it and are firmly ensconced in marital bliss and are looking back on your past, like the narrator. If you enjoy reading humorous novels about drinking, partying, having sex with as many people as possible while you're still young, and lots of alcohol-induced - but still insightful philosophy - on life, then The Friday Night Club is the book for you.--Douglas R. Cobb-- dr seuss cat in hat quotes

Where the Heart Was Written by Glenn G Boyer

When I tackled this book I thought I would never get finished reading it. The size was humongous! But, as I read on I discovered there was very little the author could have left out of his story. "Where the Heart Was," tells a family linage story that goes from the 1800's through Pearl Harbor in 1941. It is told in a memorable way that probably would align with many of our own families if we went back far enough. The descriptions that the author ingrains in your mind will not leave you whether they are happy, sad, or just simple occurrences. The characters can be pictured as you read each page. You will travel with some of history's well-known people such as Abraham Lincoln, General Grant, and other famous military figures on and off the battlefield, and someone that could have been your grandpa or grandma while they remember those famous people they knew, or knew of, from history. Some in war, some in peace, some deep in Indian territory, some while courting, some in saloons or whorehouses, or just riding in an old automobile on roads so rough that your insides might move around a lot. Falling in love usually started quite young and, as today, some lasted and some didn't.You will be on the field when Custer made his last stand; when Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address; when Sitting Bull and other great Indian leaders ruled the range; when men were called to war in several periods of history; when men flew "by the seat of their pants" in old cloth covered biplanes; be aware of change of seasons in various areas of our nation; when you hear stories of your forefathers and live as they did; live through the great depression while your life becomes dependent on little or nothing, sometimes scratching for the simplest of food and supplies to live; visiting battlefields where your early families describe what occurred and who they lost or almost lost due to injuries; live in a medical area where no anesthetic existed and limbs were severed in great pain; learn how to milk a cow properly or kill it for needed food; walk through a meadow or glen and take in all the scents; cross rivers that routinely flood; you will live many days in your forefathers stead as they lived and carried on regardless of pain until their body could not take any more.I could go on and on with this great story but I think you have a good idea by now what Glenn Boyer's story is telling. You won't forget it and you will greatly appreciate what your past generations went through and how good a life you have thanks to them regardless of the problems you might have during your living years. You will appreciate the huge and dramatic improvements those former families gave our generation. As I said, do not be wary of the size of this book because it tells a story of history that needs a book the scope of this one. dr seuss cat in hat history

Staying Safe - The Complete Guide to Protecting Yourself, Your Family, & Your Business by Juval Aviv

Juval Aviv is a former Israeli Counterterrorism Intelligence Officer and his book "Staying Safe: The Complete Guide to Protecting Yourself, Your Family, & Your Business" is full of practical advice and strategies to keep yourself and those you care about safe.The book focuses on staying safe from terrorism a bit more than for crime, but many of the strategies work for either situation. The book is divided into three main parts. Part One focuses on protecting yourself and your family. Chapters include becoming security-minded, survival and escape strategies, cyberterrorism and internet security, and mail handling guidelines. I think the introduction and first chapter are so important. I agree that a person chooses to stay safe, and by implementing the tips and suggestions in this text, one can increase their safety by quite a bit.The second part of the book focuses on travel safety and includes chapters on travel guidelines and concerns and airline safety. There are sections on avoiding danger, carjacking survival, kidnapping survival, tips for women, flying smart, and much more.The third part is on safeguarding your identity and protecting your business. One chapter is on protecting against fraud and identity theft with some very good advice on keeping your identity more secure. The final chapter is on protecting your business and buildings and may not be as relevant to the small storeowner as it is to the larger corporation that may be the target for bomb threats and other terrorist activity. There is also a very useful appendix with many resources listed.All through the book there are big check marks besides important points. There are also a bunch of points that you should not do. I found much of the book to be very good. There are a few things I might disagree a bit on, but that is more because of the back ground I have. This book was not necessarily written for someone with a military, martial art, survival, firearm background. I also believe that everyone must analyze their own threat level, as Aviv suggests right in the beginning, and then implement the safety strategies more relevant to their own situation and circumstances. That does not mean don't do something because it is inconvenient, but to be honest about yourself, your circumstances, threat and risk levels, and how you can then remain safe.I do believe it is up to each and every one of us to account for our and our loved ones safety. Minimizing risks and avoiding dangerous situations is always preferable to having to fight back or deal with an emergency. The information in this book can definitely help a person minimize risks against today's threats and stay safe. dr seuss cat in hat book

A Quick Review of Step-By-Step Concepts of Complete Hypnotic Induction

Every one of use in this busy and monotonous world wants to make better decisions, have a happier relationship and achieve greater success in business. All these can be brought in to the life's by using a technique called as hypnosis. In hypnotism, the subconscious mind is brought into the level of the conscious mind level.Some benefits that are achievable by hypnotism are stress can be reduced, immune system is strengthened, aging process can be slowed down, intuitive abilities are developed, helps developing and living your purpose in life.The hypnosis book also teaches on not only what to say but also how to say and not only what to do, but how to do it. It is written as an aid to the professional worker in the psychosomatic and medical field. This book is excellent for class work, because explains step-by-step the concepts of complete hypnotic induction and suggestive techniques in correct form, but it also explains how many such techniques that may be useful in the course of hypnosis may be correctly prepared.In addition to the book also covers chapters on dentistry, anesthesia, doctors and training for natural childbirth. This book has helped so many amateur hypnotic practitioner to gain speed in the subject and also to apply various techniques to help them grow as an expert. One can also learn to hypnotize strangers without even realizing it. One can easily hypnotize groups, individuals or yourself and wake them up instantly. It helps induce intense hallucinations in the subject, cure any form of mental illness.With the help of the techniques learned from this book one can hypnotize a patient before medical purposes like surgery. However hypnotism when used in right fashion will help cure many illness but when used wrongly adverse effect results. dr seuss book collection

Law School Essay - This is Your Personal Statement

A law school essay is a personal statement about yourself. Of all the requirements and documents that will be submitted with your law school application, this is the one that you have the most control over.This is where you can have a direct influence on what the admissions committee will think of you and why you should be chosen over all the other candidates. This is not a rewriting of your resume or a summary of your transcript; this is your opportunity to prove to them why you would be a great lawyer.Present the facts about yourself and give overpowered reason on why you should be in their educational institution. Prove you can contribute to your class and those around you.One of the best ways to get your point across is to know your target audience. This will be a group of people that are reviewing many applications every day. Explain in detail why you want to become a lawyer and your life experiences that can contribute to your success in this field of study.You should also have some real life qualifications with law. This does not include being arrested, but possibly working with a free law clinic or assisting lawyers in some other way. Explain your experiences, but get to the point. Remember, these reviews do nothing but read applications all day. Do what you can to set yourself apart without boring them.If you have a disability or of a persecuted minority, exploit it for all that it is worth. Separate yourself from the masses and stay focused so the essay will be a compelling read.Your law school essay is your best chance to shine. Make the most of it. seuss book collection sets cat hat

How to Play Guitar by Roger Evans

A guitar is a more amicable instrument than any other string instruments. Once a person masters few basics he/ she will be able to create tunes and notes out of it. However it might take a year or two for a very passionate player to master the basics itself. The learner will also have to exploit the instrument to its fullest capacity to learn the basics.How to Play guitar by Roger Evans explains instructions for all level guitarists. This book has been developed after a period of research and has a wealth of information and inspiration. No matter what the player wants to expertise pop, folk, country, rock, blues, jazz, classical or any other style of music.This book consists of basic techniques without tedious drills and exercise. This book introduces a new technique of using real music and a step by step approach to how to play guitar. It also helps buy a correct tuner, how to read the guitar tabs, place the fingers on the frets, strum with the other hand etc...This books helps a player in choosing a Guitar, tuning the instrument correctly, reading sheet music, guitar music and tabulator, playing melodies and chords, Finger picking, Mastering left-hand techniques, including sliding and bending notes, transposing melodies from one key to another and many more.This books also gives few tips and techniques for players for instance, For players who have difficulty in playing the chords and difficulty in forming chord shapes with fingers it is better to start with learning songs that have single notes or power chords. By following these technique the fingers will get strengthened and the player will also get familiarized with the usage of the chords and the instrument as well. This reduces stress and frustration on the player and will enable him/ her to learn guitar effectively. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

Berlitz Self Teacher - A Quick Review

Learning French was never an easier task to anyone until they lay their hands on the Berlitz Self-Teacher: French by Berlitz Editors. It is told by many users that it is one of the best books for a beginner to learn French. If the learner is going to follow all the instructions given in the book he/ she will be able to speak French effectively and with more and more practice this learner can gain command over the language.There are a total of 41 lessons in the book and each lesson must be read out loud by the learner so as to learn and correct while making mistakes. The nouns that are covered are very basic for the beginners to understand. Grammatical concepts are explained in a very simple way to help learners. At the end of each lesson there is a column called the "Think in French" exercise for practice that contains practice questions from the preceding lesson. If a learner works on the exercise with sincerity one can get hold of many grammatical concepts with ease. The answers for the exercise questions are given at the back of the book.This book was first published in the year 1949 and can even today make beginners learn the nuances of the language. By learning French with the book a person will be able to pick up French conversations quickly and without any grammatical errors. The phonetic pronunciation system that is used in the book helps learners learn the language with ease especially for those who are more used to English language.However few people say that the book follows ancient styles and visual layout throughout the course material. This book makes a learner learn a most formal speech form of French. This book is suited for beginners to get their sentences and basics correctly. dr seuss cat in hat history

Requirements For Law School - Get it Right

Like in other courses, there is a different set of requirements for law school and each of which also has different admission requirements. The competition to get into is fierce. There are more numbers of applicants than there are seats. To get accepted into law school, you would have to have done well in your undergraduate coursework, your standardized tests, and your personal statement.Your Law School Admissions Test or LSAT score is a critical factor. Be sure to take your LSAT in your junior year to ensure that you have time to retake the test. Consider taking as many practice tests as possible. A score of 120 is the lowest you can get and 180 is the highest. Most LSAT takers tend to score in the middle which puts them at a score between 145 and 160. Obviously, the better you do on the LSATs the better chance you have of getting into a really great school. There are many schools that will only take students who score a certain score or higher on their LSATs.Law schools look for specific courses on your transcript like political science, philosophy, sociology, and history. However, it is just as important to be a well-rounded individual. Schools like this also look for applicants with quantitative courses such as economics, business, math, and finance. Once you are done with school, you will be dealing with the business world daily and you will need to understand it.Carefully consider the courses you take at the undergraduate level. While your LSAT score is critical, a commendable GPA and course load are important. An admission board is more likely to look favorably on an applicant that has double majored in biology and philosophy with a GPA of 3.25 than someone who majored in political science with the same GPA.The admissions committee will know who you are through your personal statement. Tell them about your significant achievements and what sets you apart from the other applicants. Your personal statement is the admissions committee's true first impression of you so you better make sure it counts a lot. It is best you choose tough reviewers who will truly critique your essay when you are done writing it.Many schools have started reviewing applications in November. Know your requirements and get your application in early. dr seuss cat in hat book

Review - "The Second-Half Adventure" by Kay Marshall Strom

Paperback: 208 pagesPublisher: Moody Publishers (October 1, 2009)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0802478751ISBN-13: 978-0802478757Whoever you are, the skills and experiences that you've gained in your life can be used to help change the world. Author Kay Marshall Strom encourages the reader to explore the possibility of using those skills to better not only the world around you, but all over the world.Working with The Finishers Project, the The Second-Half Adventure will help you to analyze where you've been, and where you want to go in the second-half of your life. You'll also learn how to start preparing today for where you want to go tomorrow. This book isn't only for people who want to do this full time, it encourages people from all walks of life and with all types of commitments to explore this type of retirement activity.I have been really searching for what I want to do with my time and energy since I am back at home and this book gave me some excellent ideas! I've been struggling to not just fill my time, but to fill my time with something of substance. By using examples of other people who have followed this path, the book helps you to spark your 'second-half' years with purpose and significance.This book was an eye opener as to how many opportunities there are for those who are entering the 'second-half' of our lives. While the book is definitely written from a Christian perspective, there are any number of activities that would appeal to anyone looking for a way to go out and change the world even in a small way. I've already gone to The Finishers Project ( http://finishers.org ) and filled out the questionnaire and I encourage all of you to do the same. We all have skills and passions that could be put to use in ways we can't imagine!Please consider this book as a gift to everyone you know that is approaching that 'second-half' of their life...and even those who have been in it for a time. It would also make a wonderful addition to the library of every Pastor, both for himself and to aid in counseling others.This is a great resource for planning your 'second-half adventure'! dr seuss book collection

Linchpin by Seth Godin and Drive by Daniel Pink - Two Books, One Message

Maybe it's because I read both at about the same time. But Seth Godin's book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? and Daniel H. Pink's Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us are eerily similar in the overall message. This is no accident. We are moving toward a more intrinsically motivated world of work and their simultaneous parallel messages are a sign of a growing trend.Both Godin and Pink agree that in this new world of work, intrinsic rewards, such as enjoyment of the task at hand or creating joy, will far outweigh the influence of extrinsic rewards including money and perks. In fact, many will pursue their life work for no pay or low pay just to gain these intrinsic rewards. Pink refers to this as Motivation 3.0.Examples given by Pink include open source projects such as Wikipedia and Linux in which contributors do not get paid, but may be rewarded by the sheer joy of doing the work or by knowing they have contributed to the community in some way. Similarly, Godin says that the reward is in creating and sharing your art, whether it be visual arts, music, a perfect recipe, or a great stock tip.So have these Theory I workers (Pink's term for those who are "intrinsically" motivated) taken vows of poverty? Here is where the authors have slightly different approaches. Pink believes that those who pursue their work for no pay or low pay may do so to enhance their reputations in the community and sharpen their skills, thereby making them more employable and sought after.Godin, in a somewhat related way, also discusses how creating and sharing art can enhance influence, but looks at it as Circles of Gifts. In the first circle, you share art with your family, friends, co-workers, and those close to you. The second circle is your circle of commerce which includes your customers who pay for your art. The growing third circle which includes your followers, fans, and "friendlies"--including social media spheres--is where your new source of revenues will be generated. And your third circle will grow based on the quality and quantity of art you share.The one question that kept droning through my head while I'm reading both books is, "Will everyone want to be intrinsically motivated?"Pink recognizes that there will be mundane tasks for which rewards and punishment compensation schemes will work in the short term, but which will fail miserably in the long run. More enlightened education focusing on intrinsic rewards, as opposed to extrinsic motivators such as test scores, and employment that includes emotionally satisfying work will foster higher performing societies and organizations. He suggests that "scaffolding" efforts will be needed to help employees transition from controlled work environments into those with greater autonomy and intrinsic rewards. Otherwise they'll struggle.A bit more pessimistically, but practically, Godin recognizes that there will always be people who want maps and checklists. He describes them a "factory workers," no matter if they hammer away at steel or a keyboard, who want to be told what to do. Surprisingly, he also suggests that high-performing "linchpins" take advantage of this fact and hire plenty of these folks who are willing to cheaply surrender their labor to achieve the linchpin's grander goals.While I do think we should all work towards providing and pursuing more purposeful employment, there will always be work for those who do not wish to expand their horizons or influence. Linchpins who can hire according to employees' particular motivations and the tasks at hand--and have realistic expectations for both intrinsically and extrinsically workers--will be most successful in the brave new world of Motivation 3.0. seuss book collection sets cat hat

Linchpin by Seth Godin - Book Review on the Powerful Culture of Gifts

When Seth Godin speaks, I listen. His no nonsense, thought provoking insights into marketing are business changing. So you can imagine when given the opportunity to do an advance review of his book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, I said "yes" immediately.Like his other works, Linchpin doesn't disappoint. There are so many nuggets of wisdom packed into 230 or so pages, I could write several reviews, each focusing on a different concept.What is different about this book from Godin's previous works is that it focuses on you, the individual. Not your company. Not your products. Not the way you do business. But there is no doubt it will affect your company, your products, and the way you do business. The premise is that the more unique, the more connected, the more giving you are, the more influence and success you can enjoy.Almost counterintuitively, Godin suggests that the more you give away your "art" (whether it be advice, music, insight, or literally art) for free, the more likely it is that your boss, your customers, and your fans will stay loyal. In fact the "Givers Gain" message was so entrenched into the book I thought I was at a BNI (Business Network International) meeting or reading Bob Burg's The Go-Giver. Not that there's anything wrong with that. There isn't. And I have seen this principle work for me on so many occasions, I can vouch for its usefulness.In Godin's discussion on The Powerful Culture of Gifts, he notes there are three ways people think about gifts: 1) "Give me a gift." 2) "Here's a gift. Now you owe me big time." 3) "Here's a gift, I love you." I think it's very easy for people to slip into the second mode of thinking upon reading about the gift economy. We see this all the time with "free seminars" or "free networking" that are nothing more than sales pitch events. This is NOT giving away your art.So how can you expect to make a living giving away art for free? That's where the Circles of the Gift System come in. Godin's theory goes that in the First Circle of true gifts you give away your art for free to family, friends, co-workers, those that you are close to. The Second Circle is the circle of commerce made up of those who pay for your art, your customers. And now with the rise of the Internet, a huge Third Circle has emerged which is that of your followers and fans--"friendlies"--who can become friends. This Third Circle helps expand the circle of commerce, as well as help you influence and improve the lives of even more people.I am just beginning to tap into this world of the Third Circle and it is truly an amazing new frontier. Within less than a year, I have made scores of new friends (especially my Twitter "twibe") and gained so many new resources, I can't even imagine my future without it.After reading Linchpin, you understand why Godin was giving us advance reviewers a chance to read and comment on the book. He was demonstrating what it truly means to be a linchpin. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - A Review

Percy Jackson is like and young teenager living in New York, except for the fact that his father is the Greek God, Poseidon. Being the son of the lord of the ocean and of earthquakes has some great advantages, like the ability to manipulate and control water. The downside of this is that since he has come of age his is now a prime target for the enemies of Greek Gods, namely any monster from Greek Mythology that you can think of. And they are all pretty scary.Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is the first in a series of 5 books called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It centers around Percy and his discovery that he is a half-blood, or demigod, the son of a human and a god. He discovers that there are others that share this trait and they gather together in a place called Camp Half Blood.Percy meets with fellow demigods, centaurs, satyrs and other very-much-alive creatures of Ancient Greek Myth and even manages to rub shoulders with a few gods and a rather intimidating prophecy. Soon after he arrives at Camp Half-Blood however things start to fall apart. Percy is accused of stealing the God Zeus' master lightning bolt. After he proclaims his innocence his is given 10 days to prove it and return the bolt to Mount Olympus.Like any first book in an ongoing series, The Lightning Thief has to not only have a compelling story, but it must also set up the characters and more importantly the world which the characters inhabit as engaging and ultimately convincing. Riordan does so deftly.The premise that Greek Gods are alive (so to speak) and living in New York City, is delivered with great conviction and pacing. The story concludes wonderfully, offering a whiplash ending which will not only get young readers back for more but perhaps also get them interested in the mythology behind the story.A highly recommended read for tweens, teens and adult readers. The movie adaptation comes out early February so check that out too. dr seuss cat in hat history

"Tigres of the Night" - Author Robert W Howe - Book Review

The life of an Amazonian tribal community is brilliantly brought to understanding by the writings of Robert W. Howe as he followed the true story of Juan & Amalia Arcos, lay-missionaries and naturalists living in the rainforests along the Amazon.In the mid 1900's Juan Arcos studied to become a priest under the direction of Father Peter Vosa, a man who had guided him for the past fifteen years of his life. With much prayer and careful consideration, Juan eventually decided not to become a priest. This decision was difficult for him, but God lead him to become a teaching missionary instead. He felt strongly that God wanted him to work with the local tribal people called the Shuar, because he had already learned their language as a child and felt connected on a spiritual level.Juan and Amalia's goal was committed to lead a life dedicated to God and His people, the Shuar. They are simple, humble people. Being once thought as violent, they are in fact generous givers, welcoming and kind. In Howe's book he describes how the Shuar talk with the dead, balance the needs of their men and women, keep peace or wage war, practice the ancient art of shamanic journeying, and learn from the sacred teacher plants (ayahuasca, datura, chicha, and tobacco) and many more tribal customs. He provides a view into the lifestyle of a culture from another time, in a distant place, the lives within the Amazon jungle.Tigres of the Night really has some powerful messages that are most welcome at a time when we all need to feel a sense of strength, courage, healing, and love. While the book's vivid imagery invites us to experience the lush, tropical splendor of the Amazon Rain Forest, the real value lies in the rich wisdom imparted by the Shuar people.It is very appropriate to have picture of a cascading waterfall on the front cover of this book. To the Shuar people, waterfalls are sacred. If you need strength, answers, or wisdom, a man will visit the waters in order to get in touch with his soul and find direction.Robert W. Howe's writing tells of indigenous wisdom, different ways of life, and is especially focused for those who are already missionaries or those who wonder if God may be calling them. This book would also be a great resource for your pastor and your Church's library. He created a masterpiece that lives on in one's heart for a lifetime. For the Shuar, their homeland is a place of wondrous beauty and great danger. It's a place where anacondas lurk in the rivers and jaguars prowl at night, Tigres of the Night is a book that tells their story. You will find that "Tigres of the Night" includes author's notes, an appendix, and a bibliography for further reading.Title: Tigres of the Night
Author: Robert W. Howe
Publisher: Xlibris Publishing
ISBN-10: 1413415024
ISBN-13: 978-1413415025
Pages: 373, Paperback & Hardcover
Genre: Biography/Non-Fiction/SpiritualityReviewed by: Nicole Sorkin, Pacific Book Review dr seuss cat in hat book

"Yours, From Wyoming" Author Robert W Howe - Book Review

Some people simply breathe the air; others savor the aroma and fragrance in each and every breath. Some people look out at a landscape and see mountains, fields and streams; others see minute details of weather, life, beauty only a trained eye such as the curator of a museum would depict from a masterpiece. Some people would say "Hi" and smile at a stranger in passing, others lock eyes and share grinned greetings forming an intimacy and thus getting to know the person during the encounter.To Robert W. Howe, the latter comes naturally, instinctively, and passionately. In his book entitled Yours, from Wyoming he ardently comprised scores of life's observations, meticulously articulated, in letters he wrote to others over years past. He weaved his experiences into a fabric of a description of humanity with almost divine grace and understanding. A fabric that can be woven into a poncho, draped over a cowboy mounted on horseback, to keep the chill off from the prevailing winds in the wilderness.Categorized in seasons and months, his book brings the reader into his life, his world, his beliefs and most impressively as seen through his eyes. More so than most authors, Mr. Howe's excellent writing and skilled observations create a voice in a reader's mind of a humble man of extraordinary genius, a follower of God's teachings, a master of communicating, and a deep romantic lover of people. His unpretentious skill of gaining respect from others by giving the utmost respect transcends just humans, but in a cowboy sense cascades to horses, livestock, pets and the wildlife he encounters. With the honed skills of a mountain man, he is a polished gentleman just the same. A person the reader will want to get to know, whilst reading begin to know, and when finished remember him as a friend they knew.I found this book to change me, perhaps the highest compliment I could give to a literary piece. It made me appreciate so much more by slowing down time, and undoing knots of confusion and pressures one faces to get to a pace of cowboy time, shepherd time, wildlife time, seasonal time, or even geological time. Uniquely printed using a landscape binding with portrait pages imprinted, yielding 4 pages per view, its published style somehow physically reminded me of trips to the wide open vistas of mountainscapes, fields and plains, rivers, and large sections of sky. The writing is gilded with a beautiful portfolio of illustrations by Vel Miller.Like a song or a scent can trigger memories, for me landscapes now will trigger in my mind's eye a higher appreciation of the minutia of details, thanks to my new wonderful mentor, Mr. Robert W. Howe.Title: Yours, from Wyoming
Author: Robert W. Howe dr seuss book collection

"The Universes" - Author Marla A Martin - Book Review

From the start Marla A. Martin's book, "The Universes", takes off on an adventure through wormholes of hyperspace. When reading this, I was at first startled given my sci-fi curiosity of what new physics and projected scientific advancements might have taken place with mankind to make a voyage such as this possible. Realizing that no minutia of detail is given, it became apparent to me Martin's here to provide a story about the people and not the technology. So accepting this premise I relaxed and read the book, not looking to critically burst bubbles of technical inconsistencies, but to totally enjoy the adventures of the well developed characters and just going along with the scientific assumptions.So off to new worlds inhabited by strange humanoid types possessing various technological achievements and alien powers in an effort to find a suitable planet to relocate the population of Earth I went. A nostalgic sci-fi adventure indeed, reminiscent of early Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, mixed with a bunch of Louis L'Amour types of characters, in Frank Herbert's kinds of worlds, without Arthur C. Clarke's attention to detail. Even the size of the book, a 205 page paperback, is printed with an easy reading layout and with a chapter title font bringing up old sci-fi book memories. The cover art depicts angelically winged aliens with antennae capturing an Earthling in front of a uniformly shaped background landscape ~ clearly setting the reader's imagination into a Zen of curiosity.Martin writes a truly enjoyable and fun book. I gravitated to picking it up as often as I could to savor the storyline, and upon finishing it I felt very impressed with her sense of adventure and creativity. This book is a perfect companion on an airplane, or by a pool, or tucked by a fire at a ski resort. We are not alone!Title: The Universes
Author: Marla A. Martin seuss book collection sets cat hat

"Vichy Water" Author Calvin Barry Schwartz - Book Review

Calvin Barry Schwartz emerges on the scene of accomplished novelists with his debut work entitled Vichy Water, a heavily dense interleaving story of childhood friends of unique backgrounds finding trust and friendship in a changing world.Schwartz draws from his personal life experiences many discombobulated accounts of places, events, cognitive development and spiritual awakenings and laces his characters with some, rather at times difficult to follow, ways of going through the world in their own set of reality. His work is very complex, often taking the reader on eddies of thoughts and events only to somehow tie together the prior experience in subsequent travels accounts. Having an intimate knowledge of Rutgers University, Schwartz sets many of the moments in New Jersey with the time period of the latter part of the past century, obviously from his personal recollection.His personal travels draw upon details of foreign places known only to locals or perhaps the most acute of travelers, with an uncanny amount of minutia, and he shares the details of many diverse locations to backdrop his characters. Vichy was the capitol of the French collaborationist regime during World War II, being located in the south of France, as Germany occupied most of northern France. The region has been known for centuries to have water and mineral springs thought to have healing powers and revitalization qualities. The spirits of the characters are metaphorically immersed into the innate qualities of such a bottle of water.Full of hidden meanings, intricate plots and subplots, views on scores of topics including sexuality, occult powers, extraterrestrial life, religious strengths and conflicts, racial and ethnic coexistence, and basic good versus evil, Schwartz weaves his views into a fabric of his interpretations. In a Herculean task of bringing his life experiences into the characters of Vichy Water, Schwartz carries the readers into his personal way of thinking. His thoughts are strung together as if on imaginary paths of logic, and he uses all opportunities to embellish the structure of the work to his fullest platform to articulate his experiences.The cover art showing an original composition of a bottle, with a sepia tone streetlamp, two mysterious characters on a park bench all through the distorted diffracted light of a clear bottle of water is a very appropriate piece of work for the novel, and cradles the 380 pages in the surreal world it creates. This book is for the seasoned reader looking for something different and challenging.Title: Vichy Water
Author: Calvin Barry Schwartz dr seuss cat in hat quotes

I Can Do Anything - Author Carolyn Mattocks - Book Review

"I Can Do Anything" focuses on helping young adults and students explore the many significant achievements of African American men and women have made in various career paths. Recognizable names such as Johnnie Cochran, the famous trail lawyer, and Maya Angelou, who published I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings, are highlighted. Also let us not forget Barack Obama who is our 44th President of the United States! The student will also read about other African Americans with not such prominent names, but nonetheless have certainly molded history and have paved a way for this time period and for generations still to come."I Can Do Anything" is a wonderful wealth of information written at a level that is easily read and interpreted by students. Each chapter ends with a self-assessment and skill assessment test. This technique enables each reader to come away with a different, personalized, suggestive career path to fit his or her preferences. It provides young African Americans choices, options and role models they can admire and feel proud of their heritage, hence, providing stronger self-esteem and higher self-confidence."I Can Do Anything" would make a welcome complement to all school reference libraries and a wonderful gift for young African Americans. Every child can be proud of his or her cultural and historical heritage in this country. This book is both enlightening and entertaining. You will also learn so much about the African American history in the United States.Title: I Can Do Anything
Author: Carolyn Mattocks dr seuss cat in hat history

"Flying the Edge of America" Authors - David Millett and Julia Buss - Book Review

Written in an interlaced diary format the stories of David Millett, the pilot, and Julia Buss, the intrepid passenger and companion, Flying the Edge of America shares the modern day adventure of touring the country in a self-piloted private airplane.Having a noticeably delightful charm from being of British decent, the co-authors take you on their journey circumventing America in a "pogo-stick series of encounters" dropping in at points hundreds of miles apart. Upon landing, the travelers are faced with logistical issues of touring the countryside by either renting a car, hiring a taxi or shuttle, or meeting friends to assimilate more closely into the regional culture. Nonetheless the combination of David's "Amelia Earhart seat-of-the-pants type" of commandeering and Julia's "Charles Kuralt journalistic style" seeking the color of the local story, takes the reader on an adventure only few are ever privileged to experience first hand. Throughout the journey, Millett's analytical mind continuously weighs thoughts of logical choices while Buss' feminine emotions tend to lean more to the feelings and impressions of the locals they encounter. Together they unfold a duet of trust, friendship and invite you into a love story while masking it as an adventure chronicle.Traveling clockwise along the perimeter of the Continental United States, from their origin and home in the San Francisco Bay Area, Millett and Buss encounter the threads of the sights and people that weave the fabric of America. From behind their sunglasses, caps, and casual clothing, Millett and Buss observe and experience the natural beauty of the country by hiking or taking excursions into the back country. They get a geological view of the terrain from the air. They seek out every opportunity to mix with the locals, and are truly appreciative of the kindness in others. They sample the delicacies of the local region or put up with the "burger, fries and coleslaw" just the same. Highlighted with Buss' photographic eye and full of many captivating photographs, the co-authors developed a see-saw style whereas Millett would write about the journey from a pilots point-of-view, and Buss would write about the history and present day circumstances on their score of stops along the way.I certainly would recommend reading this book as I have found Flying the Edge of America to be very relaxing and enjoy the non-presumptuous openness and honesty of both Millett and Buss.Title: Flying the Edge of America
Author: David Millett and Julia Buss dr seuss cat in hat book

"Last Night at the Claremont" Author Michaele Lockhart - Book Review

I imagined Michaele Lockhart's virtuoso fingers flowing eloquently over her keyboard typing as she "scored" her memorable character, Renata DiMonte, pianist extraordinaire. Her narrative character took form in my mind like a classical piece of music - first a prelude of description, then building with melodies of life encounters, finally to the soft harmonics of memories cherished. Her writing voice with words transcends sophistication with the understanding of the tempo and rhythm of human relationships.She talks how by playing daily at a posh piano lounge embellished her life with a candid influence to the lives of her clients, guests and staff at the Claremont Arms. Her book takes the reader nostalgically to ones past as does an old show tune from Hello Dolly or Cats, through love lost as Unchained Melody articulates, and classics from Phantom and Titanic round out the day for the variety of listening, or in this case, reading pleasure.One encounter of particular novelty was when a song from Camelot was requested and noticing Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in attendance she politely asked if playing it would be "difficult" for her to listen to. "Not at all," Jacqueline told her, "I like all of your music," but was impressed with DiMonte's kind thoughtfulness. Lockhart treats her readers as does her character with unique kindness and a polite style of respect.Finishing her book I felt the sustain pedal depressed in my mind, allowing for the stories to reverberate as long as possible only to become my memories as well. Bravissimo!Last Night at the ClaremontAuthor: Michaele Lockhart dr seuss book collection

"Tales of the Titmouse - One Woman's Journey Out of Darkness" Author Pamela Barrett - Book Review

Pamela Barrett writes about her personal struggles with drug addition and how she eventually was able to free herself from this destructive lifestyle in her book Tales of the Titmouse: One Women's journey out of Darkness.In the third chapter Pamela decides to be with Cristobal, a man whom she hardly knows but is very much connected in the drug world. She introduces Cristobal to her parents who quiz him up and down relentlessly about himself, his family and his past. Both parents are certainly not satisfied with the answers and do not trust Cristobal, but ultimately Pamela decides to start her life with him and they move to Mexico.This decision changes Pamela's life. Drugs become a part of her life. The more she is with Cristobal the more she begins to see maybe he isn't as honest as he portrayed himself. Cristobal makes big promises to Pamela. He said he would give her $20,000 to study hairstyling in France and she will be able to have her own hair salon. Pamela's life began to spin out of control with moving multiple times, breaking up then making up, studying New Age religious beliefs, and making poor decisions all influenced by drugs.Following Pamela Barrett through her struggle with addiction and her relationship with Cristobal is as heart wrenching as it is compelling. By revealing in detail her most inner thoughts and experiences, Pamela takes us on a harrowing journey through a relationship torn by drug addition, mental abuse and deceit. It is a long and painful process she and many others have been forced to endure. Pamela's eventual triumph over these issues is a testament both to Pamela's strength and her devotion to her values. The author's success, words of advice, and hope are an inspiration to everyone.Pamela would have never been able to conquer her addition if it were not for her faith in God and being obedient to His word. This book is both inspirational and educational.Title: Tales of the Titmouse: One Woman's Journey out of Darkness
Author: Pamela Barrett
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
ISBN-10: 1432748343
Pages: 234, Paperback
Genre: Christian Non-Fiction/Memoir/Self-Improvement/SpiritualityReviewed by: Nicole Sorkin, Pacific Book Review seuss book collection sets cat hat

Game Change - The Audio Drama of a Presidential Campaign - Audiobook Review

Game Change, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin and narrated By Dennis Boutsikaris, had Washington shaking even before it went on sale. It reveals some shocking information about the 2008 presidential campaign. The authors went out of their way to find out the back story and gossip from numerous angles on the candidates and on others around them. Senator Harry Reid, leader of the Senate, was singled out for racially insensitive words about then Senator Barrack Obama.The authors leave no one out. They have written about Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards's wife, going into tantrums and swearing like crazy about him and his antics. The authors expose more about the Sarah Palin selection and how rushed the process was. Not only was no one in the Republican leadership consulted, but little thought and consideration appears to be given to the choice. The choice was a tactic to knock the Obama campaign off guard and that part worked until Palin self destructed in numerous interviews.Then Senator Barrack Obama is shown to be heavily staged throughout the campaign. They show the two sides of the man, calm cool and collected when on the stump, profane with flashes of anger off the stump. "This #@!% would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."--Barack Obama, September 2008Hillary and Bill Clinton take their lumps too. President Clinton's inappropriate comments and Obama's observation that Hillary could not control her husband. The book also covers Obama's hard sell to get Clinton on board for Secretary of State. The book opens doors into other mysteries from the campaign like Giuliani's Florida gamble and why he left the race.When listen to the book it's like living through the campaign once again, but you get to be the fly on the wall with inside view of what really goes on. You will get insights that will inform you, but also make you angry. This should have come out during the campaign, but the press was not doing its job well. Maybe that's the most damning insight of all. If you're a political junkie like me, get the audio book and enjoy the drama.Listen to the audio sample of the Game Change Audiobook. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

The Extramarital Affair of Warren Harding

It was in 1963 when a box of previously undisclosed love letters surfaced on a lawyer's kitchen table. The letters exhibited the extramarital love affair between Warren Harding, who would become the twenty-ninth president of the United States and Carrie Phillips, a staunch, pro-Germany, suspected spy. Spanning the years 1905 through 1920, the approximately 900 saved pages of the letters detail the strong emotional attachment and feelings of Warren Harding for Carrie Phillips.This book, The Harding Affair, is definitely a uniquely interesting historical look into the personal and intimate adulterous affair of a former U.S. president. The letters are a self-portrait of Warren Harding; he pours out his deep feelings, his love and his passion for Carrie Phillips.Through the author's meticulous analysis and documentation of the evidence within the letters, the author effectively weaves together his political historical knowledge of the world situation related to the world war and the extramarital affair, thus adding a new dimension to the knowledge base surrounding the life of Warren Harding and his relationship with Carrie Phillips.Warren Harding and Carrie Philips romantic relationship began in 1905. Both were married, the two families lived close to each other in the same Ohio city and the two families were friendly with each other. Over the years the couples took several vacation trips together, one of them being a two-month trip to Europe in 1909.The letters reveal an extremely passionate Harding:
*You are as physically beautiful as you are noble in character.
*It was so grand to begin the day with glorious kisses and caresses...I hurt with the insatiate longing until I feel there will never be any relief until I take a long, deep, wild draught on your lips and then bury my face on your pillowing breasts.
*My Darling: There are no words...sufficient to say the full extent of my love for you...
*...nobody ever wrote a page more aflame with love...There is no limit to the love and ardor you are capable of inspiring.
*You are the dearest goddess to love and worship that ever was or could be...It seems likely the most emotionally romantic and memorable sexual experience for Harding took place in Montreal as the old year, 1911, passed and the New Year dawned. A year later, Harding referenced his emotional and sinuous feelings when he described "the climax of their lovemaking." He referred to that love experience several times over the years. '"...on the New Year's beginning, when the bells rang the chorus while our hearts sang the rapture without words and we greeted the New Year from the hallowed heights of heaven...Fate times that marvelous coincidence....I count it to be one of the best remembered moments of my existence."'Through the years, Harding's personal life and his romantic relationship with Carrie became increasingly complicated and strained as Harding became more involved in politics, becoming an elected senator and then President of the U. S., at a time when the world was at war. A part of the complication involved the friction that developed because Carrie abhorred the political arena. The war issue, in particular, was especially wrought with friction mainly because of Carrie's pro-German leaning.During this time period there were approximately 20 million German Americans and many had deep pro-Germany feelings. The author paints a vivid picture of the fear within the hearts of people during the war years; people were suspicious of their German neighbors. Vigilante groups such as the APL, the American Protective League, organized and were active in hundreds of cities questioning and arresting people whom they suspected of being disloyal; members listened in on telephone conversations and intercepted mail.Just as America was preparing to finally enter the war after remaining neutral, Carrie, along with many other German Americans, was investigated and placed under surveillance. The previously rumored extramarital affair between Harding and Carrie spread and became conversation gossip.At some point in the later years of the relationship, Carrie asked Harding for money; she had been living beyond her means. Harding agreed and began to supplement Carrie's income, obviously realizing his life, and in particular his political life, would be ruined if Carrie betrayed him by divulging the extramarital relationship through the letters she had saved. At one point, she asked him for $10,000. In 1920, Harding offered to pay Carrie $5,000 each year he continued in politics if she returned all the letters he wrote to her. Apparently they reached an agreement. The last letter he wrote to her was in 1920.As the author so accurately and succinctly states, "Few figures in history have left such a rich record of ecstasy in a romantic relationship."This book is a captivating page turner and a must-read for anyone interested in history and, in particular, anyone interested in the lives of former United States presidents. The author brings a part of history to life through his descriptively detailed account. The reader is left with the desire to read the entire collection of letters.The Harding Affair by James David Robenalt, lawyer Palgrave MacMillan, 2009, 396 pages dr seuss cat in hat history

Acting Book Review - The Prophet

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a collection of teachings about life that a wondering stranger delivers to a town. While this may sound exceptionally mysterious, it is more or less a collection of life lessons that can be used in any facet of this life.The list of observations and teachings range from everything from love to death to work to children. These simple truths unveil the complexity of human existence and the fact that it is rife with seemingly connected opposing forces. None is better represented than when the stranger says that your joy is your sorrow unmasked. Another is that to be the most happy in love one must also be able to be the most hurt.While these teachings, at first glance, may fall upon an actor's blind eyes, they are totally applicable to the dramatic process. For instance, in the idea of bringing a villain to life as a character, the villain would not necessarily see themselves as a villain. Rather, they might see themselves as their own hero on their own journey to make the world into what they see it needing. Think of Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in The Dark Night or Al Pacino's Tony Montana in Scarface. One cannot help but to watch these characters.It is thinking like this that will allow an actor to assume a role and adopt a multidimensional perspective when dealing with his characters. Aside from the artistic possibilities that The Prophet offers, it is a pretty handy life manual. dr seuss cat in hat book

Rock Music Fiction

Looking for something different to read? Tired of the same old chick-lit, thrillers, romances, and teen vampire books? If you're like most people you listen to rock music-on the radio, on CDs, and at concerts. Believe it or not, there is a growing genre of fiction devoted to rock music and rock musicians.They aren't all just about sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll (although a generous sprinkling of these ingredients doesn't hurt!). Many rock music novels strive to capture something about the creative process, the everyday life of a musician, or the impact that rock music has on listeners. Here are a few choice examples of works of fiction that are based in the punk, pop, heavy metal, or rock genre.The Best in Rock Fiction (June Sawyers and Anthony DeCurtis, editors. Hal Leonard, 2004). This engrossing collection features short stories including T. C. Boyle's "All Shook Up" and Tom Piazza's "Burn Me Up," plus more than a dozen excerpts from published novels. Authors include Nick Hornby, William Gibson, Sherman Alexie (with an excerpt from Reservation Blues), Don DeLillo, Madison Smartt Bell, Jeffrey Eugenides, Rick Moody, and Scott Spencer. In "Ground Beneath Her Feet," Salman Rushdie explores the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in a rock 'n roll context.Carved in Rock: Short Stories by Musicians (Greg Kihn, editor. Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003). A collection of short stories written by some of the biggest names in rock including Joan Jett, Kinky Freidman, Jim Carroll, Richard Hell, Ray Davies, Graham Parker, Eric Burden, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Exene Cervenka, and Wayne Kramer. Given the success that many of these legends have as songwriters, it's no surprise that these engaging and varied tales open new doors of literary experience.Pistonhead (Thomas A. Hauck. Something.hot Communications, 2009). My own entry into the rock fiction arena. Pistonhead reveals the daily life of Charlie Sinclair, a struggling Boston musician who works in a factory by day and plays guitar for his band Pistonhead at night. He's stressed-out, confused, oversexed, underfed, has an apartment full of mice, and can't get rid of his overbearing ex-girlfriend who tries to make booty calls. When his life can't get much more depressing, he faces a personal crisis and it looks like his dreams of a career in music are over. They aren't--he just has to change his idea of success.High Fidelity (Nick Hornby. Riverhead, 1995). Although the protagonist is the owner of a record store (remember record stores?), this classic novel is the most successful of the rock music genre. We meet Rob Fleming, owner of a vintage record store in London, whose girlfriend, Laura, leaves him for another man. Rob realizes that he lives not for sexual conquest but for the monogamy that he, until now, dismissed as hopelessly square. The 2000 movie version starred John Cusack and Danish actress Iben Hjejle, and was nominated for a Golden Globe.Noise: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth (Peter Wild, editor. Harper Perennial, 2009). A collection of stories inspired, as the title says, by the music of punk rock legends Sonic Youth. The all-star contributors include Hiag Akmakjian, Christopher Coake, Katherine Dunn, Mary Gaitskill, Rebecca Godfrey, Laird Hunt, Shelley Jackson, J. Robert Lennon, Samuel Ligon, Emily Maguire, Tom McCarthy, Scott Mebus, Eileen Myles, Catherine O'Flynn, Emily Carter Roiphe, Kevin Sampsell, Steven Sherrill, Matt Thorne, Rachel Trezise, Jess Walter, and Peter Wild. dr seuss book collection

A Secret Service "Tell All" Tale

Book ReviewIn the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protectby Ronald Kessler(Crown Publishers, November 2009)The people who serve in the United States Secret Service seem to live in an alternate universe. They stand erect, almost motionless and devoid of any facial expression. Their astringent demeanor is all that is necessary to broadcast their purpose for being who they are, why they are, where they are.These are men and women who represent the most pure kind of service one could ever imagine: In any moment they would throw themselves in front of the President of the United States to stop a bullet, using themselves as human shields.Talk about sacrifice!With a title like, In The President's Secret Service, I expected to learn more about the men and women who choose to give their lives for our highest elected officials. As much as I would like to believe each and every agent is a paragon of virtue, I'm adult enough to know we are all mundane in many ways and lack the sustainability to never fall beneath wheel of the commonplace.However, with all my adult wisdom, I was not prepared for what was waiting for me between the front and back cover of Kessler's latest book. The latter part of the title, Behind the Scenes With Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect should have been rewritten to accurately describe what this book really is about: Behind the Scenes With Agents Gossiping About the Presidents They Protect.There is little to admire here. Instead of casting an astute eye on what could have been remarkable insights into the decision making process of a Secret Service agent, we are offered page after page after page of adolescent gossip by dozens of former Secret Service agents who seem only too eager to snicker behind the backs of their former charges. And of course, we get a rerun of the all too well known shenanigans of presidential philandering.Kessler begins his book with some truly interesting and worthwhile background on the beginnings of what we know as the Secret Service, starting with President Lincoln's negligent bodyguard wandering off to get drunk, leaving the president unprotected. We all know how that went.There historical information in Kessler's book that is worthwhile reading. We are treated to a tale of would-be assassins during President Harry Truman's term. Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, two Puerto Rican nationalists looking to draw attention to the cause of separating from the United States, decided to go after Truman and raise awareness to their cause.The hapless pair bought German pistols in New York, rode a train to Washington, D. C., and took a taxi to the White House. Collazo and Torresola learn, to their chagrin, that President Truman was staying at Blair House across the street as the White House was undergoing renovations.What follows is a shootout between Collazo and Torresola with Secret Service Agent Floyd Boring and White House Police Officer Joseph Davidson. Also on duty were White House Police Officers Leslie Coffelt and Donald Birdzell as well as Secret Service Agent Stewart Stout and Vincent Mroz inside Blair House.Kessler writes that the Nov. 1, 1950 shootout at Blair House was the biggest gunfight in Secret Service history. As the story is told, twenty-seven shots had been fired in forty seconds, leaving Torresola and Collazo dead at the scene and officer Coffelt dead four hours later at the hospital after surgery.It's too bad Kessler didn't stay with more of these meaningful stories as he moved forward in history. Instead, his book dissipates into nothing more than unsubstantiated disparaging of past presidents and their families.The disappointment extends beyond the author and his choice of subject matter. Without the willing contributors of the Secret Service agents who were on duty for Presidents Kennedy, Carter, Nixon, and Johnson, Kessler would not have had half of the aspersions he generously quotes from his interviewees.It is impossible to know if what these agents said is true or where these stories really came from, because Kessler offers no source material or attribution anywhere. Another hard question is why these former Secret Service agents choose to go so public with dirty details they claim to have observed. There were several salacious remarks about President Lyndon Johnson made by Secret Service agents whom Kessler sometimes quotes directly and other times anonymously.An example of this is a comment from a former agent assigned to President Johnson: "I tapped on his bedroom door," the former agent says. "Lady Bird said to come in." 'He's in the bathroom,' she said. I tapped on the bathroom door... Johnson was sitting on the can. Toilet paper was everywhere. It was bizarre. If Johnson weren't president, he'd be in an insane asylum," former agent Richard Roth says he thought to himself when he was occasionally on Johnson's detail."Kessler's book is lacking any professional documentation for comments, opinions, or statements he puts forth as fact. His publisher, Random House, partners closely with the media company, NewsMax, where Kessler is on staff. This partnership could account for the reason why the book is lacking any sources or attribution.In his acknowledgements, Kessler wrote, "The Secret Service agreed to cooperate on this book, the only book about the agency to receive such cooperation." However, the cooperation did not extend to Kessler secretly procuring the Association's entire directory. Without the Association's acknowledgement or approval, Kessler called all former agents in the roster, according to Ike Hendershot, president of the Association of Former Agents of the U.S. Secret Service. Hendershot said Kessler abused their trust by going beyond the names made available to him. Unfortunately, he said, there was lack of professionalism on both sides of this project.Yet, in keeping with the name of the organization, any chastisement has been kept "in-house."Whether it would have made a difference is hard to know. One wonders, though, about Kessler's approach to saving the Secret Service from calamity, as he says in his book at the end of the acknowledgements. Did it occur to him that by airing all this dirty laundry from these former agents that it might cause current and future presidents to be less trusting of the agents guarding them now?However, a subject as important as the behavior, reactions, and motives of the Secret Service are very serious. Placing agents in situations, after the fact or not, requires serious research as these events are recorded forever. In that regard, Kessler's account of Sara Jane Moore and her assassination attempt on Gerald Ford is completely and totally without fact.On Page 50 of Kessler's book, he wrote that Oliver Sipple, a disabled former U.S. Marine and Vietnam veteran pushed Sara Jane Moore's arm as she aimed her gun and shot at President Ford. He also wrote that the bullet flew several feet over the president's head and Secret Service agents Ron Pontius and Jack Merchant pushed Moore to the sidewalk and arrested her.Sipple did grab Moore's arm, but not until after she got off her first shot, which missed Ford's head by only six inches. Sara Jane's own gun had been confiscated the day before, and she bought the.38 she used that day the same morning not knowing the sight was off.1.As the crowd gathered to see Ford, no one was looking at Sara Jane Moore. As President Ford emerged, he stood still for a moment deciding whether to cross the street so that he could shake hands with people lined up on the north side of the street.2After her first shot, people realized something had happened and Sipple, being a Marine and a hero, lunged at Moore and fouled a second, potentially deadly, shot.Another factual error in Kessler's account refers to Agents Pontius and Merchant. Kessler said they tackled Moore to the sidewalk and arrested her.Agent's Pontius and Merchant were assigned to guard Pres. Ford and were standing with Ford across the street from Moore. They did not leave Ford's side. In fact, they grabbed the president and pushed him into the limousine and sped away.3.SFPD Officer Tim Hettrich is the law enforcement officer who subdued Moore. Hettrich was assigned to crowd detail and was stationed on the sidewalk near Moore. Hettrich pulled the gun from her and handed it over to Secret Service agent Dotson Reeves, who grabbed Moore from the sidewalk.4.Kessler's book may be interesting to some, and there are passages that appear to be accurate in the historical sense. As for the remarks in quotations and editorial comments that lack attribution, it will be up to the reader to decide if this book is worth the time to read or to accept as what it is: unsubstantiated entertainment. seuss book collection sets cat hat

Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird

Summary of Chapter 8: The Coldest Winter Since 1885For the first time in Maycomb's history, the town experiences the coldest winter since 1885. The light snowfall makes the school decide to close for a few days, which is a very rare incident that can happen in Maycomb. The events as well as the snow on the ground make Scout think that it is already the end of the world.The Snowman and Mr. Avery:In this summary of to Kill a Mockingbird, Jem decides to build a snowman and invites Scout to gather as much snow from Miss Maudie's place as she can. However, the snow that they can gather from their place and their neighbors' place is not enough to make one big snowman. Jem decides to make a snowman from the combination of snow and dirt. He covers the dirt snowman structure with snow to make it look like a full pledge snowman. The snowman figure resembles Mr. Avery. Mr. Avery is a very unpleasant neighbor who lives down the street. Atticus sees the likeness clearly and demands that they disguise the figure. Jem puts the hat of Miss Maudie over the snowman's head and put her hedge clippers on the snowman's hands.Miss Maudie's House Burns Down:Atticus wakes Scout. He tells her that the house next door is on fire. Miss Maudie's house is on fire and they need to get out of their house too. The neighbors help Miss Maudie save some furniture while they watch and wait at the driveway of Boo's house. Miss Maudie's house all burned up but the fire truck arrives in time to prevent the fire from burning the neighbors' houses.Boo, Scout, and the Blanket:The children spend the night at the driveway. During the commotion, someone put a blanket over Scout. Scout was horrified. She certainly has no idea who draped the blanket over her. Jem later realized that Boo put the blanket over her, which also explains the puzzle of the knothole treasures they receive from him. This includes the mended pants. In this summary of To Kill a Mockingbird, we also learn that Atticus asks the children to keep the event a secret. Scout later realize that Boo is right behind her while they are in the process of figuring out the blanket and the treasures, which almost make her throw up.Miss Maudie's Reaction:They see that Miss Maudie is still happy despite the fact that she loses her house. She tells them that she wants a new smaller house anyway with a bigger garden. She hates her old house and is excited thinking of building the new one. She sighs expressing her desire to catch Boo putting the blanket over Scout.This was a summary of To Kill a Mockingbird, specifically Chapter 8; there are 31 chapters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Hopefully, this summary of To Kill a Mockingbird has helped you gain a better grasp of the basic plot. However, it ought not be used as a substitute for reading the actual novel text. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

Review - The New Arthritis Cure

The New Arthritis Cure: Eliminate Arthritis and Fibromyalgia Pain Permanently, Dr. Bruce Fife, 2009, ISBN 9780941599825This book asserts that there is such a thing as a drug-free cure for arthritis and fibromyalgia. This is not just pain reduction, but elimination.According to the author (and new medical research), the cause of arthritis is due to infection, either viral or bacterial. The first place to look for a cause, especially if you have had a root canal. It is very hard to clean all of the bacteria out of a diseased tooth, so if the root canal was done improperly, it is very possible that some of that bad bacteria will enter your bloodstream through a cut or scrape in your mouth. The bacteria will travel to someplace safe, where there is little blood nearby, like a bone joint. That is why the usual drugs have little, or no, effect, as the bacteria eats away at your cartilage.So what is the answer? Coconut oil. Teeth are very porous, full of tiny tubules, where the bacteria can hide. Brushing and flossing won't clean out those tubules, but coconut oil will. The book goes into detail about why coconut oil is so healthy. Take a teaspoon or two, and swish it around your mouth for several minutes. Don't gargle, and don't swallow (spit it out when you are done). You don't want to draw all those toxins out of your mouth, and deposit them in your stomach. Coconut oil can be also used in cooking, and taken internally as a dietary supplement. Do it everyday, and, after a couple of weeks, even the most extreme cases will show improvement.Is that the whole story? No. After cleaning out your system, change your diet by a lot. Everybody says that, but consider this: After going to all that trouble, and eating all that coconut oil, to clean the arthritis infection out of your body, do you really want to let it back in with an unhealthy diet? Think about taking a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin to rebuild those damaged joints. Exercise will help limber up your joints, so get moving. If the pain has limited your mobility, start with something you can do (even simply standing and bouncing on one of those mini-trampolines). If you are overweight, lose some of it. Every pound lost decreases the stress on your joints.You're thinking: Not Another Miracle Cure, right? If the best the medical profession can do is to hand you a bottle of painkillers and tell you to live with the pain, or schedule you for a joint replacement operation, what have you got to lose? This method is easy and drug-free. This book is full of success stories, and is extremely highly recommended. dr seuss cat in hat history

Critical Book Review - No BS Sales Success by Dan Kennedy

In spite of the somewhat simple title, Dan Kennedy presents 15 strategies that require effort along with some reflective thinking in order to achieve exceptional success in sales, persuasion and negotiations. A lot of people believe they write without a lot of superfluous words. In the case of this book, the strategies are direct and straight foreword.Kennedy also includes within this book his 12 eternal truths specific to selling and business, a short index for quick reference, a chapter resource directory, some additional excerpts from other books and a summary of key strategies. By providing this additional information, the reader has the ability to quickly locate information specific to his or her needs.To begin this path towards sales success without a lot of unnecessary words Kennedy writes about understanding the importance of this one word - No. He provides 8 basic steps for getting past the no. At the end of the chapter, he stresses what I have always believed that those who focus on closing probably opened the sales process poorly.Chapter Two or the second strategy of The Positive Power of Negative Preparation delves deeper into how to turn the negative into a positive. Again Kennedy gives the reader 6 steps on how to implement this type of thinking.Use Listening to Influence People is the third thought process. Communication especially listening is probably the weakest sales skill set. As Mark Twain and others have been so often quoted: If the Good Lord wanted us to talk more than to listen, we would have been given 2 mouths and only one ear.Toward the back of the book, Kennedy uses an acronym for LISTEN.
L = Like
I = Interest
S = See
T = Touch
E = Engage
N = Need
These are some simple actions to improve active listening skills.Each chapter presents excellent knowledge and practical advice on how to win more sales and create your own road to selling success. In almost a toggle approach to learning by switching back and forth between different aspects of selling, the reader receives a far bigger picture of what needs to happen.Successful salespersons must understand how to walk between what I call "Sea Level" where you are engaged in the day to day activities and "See Level" where you must be at the 30,000 foot viewpoint. Both perspectives are absolutely essential in today's global sales marketing. Dan Kennedy provides ways for you to be able to bridge those two perspectives from his own unique viewpoint. Some of what you may read has not been said by others and some of it is often repeated using different words. This is a relative quick read and is appropriate for both the novice and experienced sales professional. dr seuss cat in hat book

Meeting Wayan From Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love"

The book Eat, Pray, Love, topped the New York Times best seller list for a year. Author Elizabeth Gilbert writes about her quest to 'find herself' after a devastating divorce. She spends four months in Italy eating fabulous food, four months in India meditating in an ashram and four months in Bali finding love and contentment. I read Eat, Pray, Love just before my trip to Bali.Wayan was my favorite character in the book. She's the proprietor of a small healing shop and restaurant in the city of Ubud. Elizabeth Gilbert is riding her bicycle in Ubud and falls injuring her knee. She goes to the shop for some ointment to heal her wound and ends up making friends with Wayan and her cute, irrepressible daughter, Tutti. Wayan has left an abusive husband and is having difficulty surviving on her own, since in Balinese culture divorce carries such a strong stigma. Wayan is often forced to move her business from one rental site to another and so has trouble holding onto enough established clients to be financially successful. Elizabeth Gilbert puts out an appeal to American friends to donate money to buy Wayan her own shop. It doesn't take Gilbert long to collect $18,000. Before she leaves Bali, Gilbert sees Wayan established in a mortgage free two-storey building.It isn't hard to find Wayan's shop. Gilbert's book says it is a few doors up the road from the Ubud post office and that is exactly where my friend Kathy and I found it. The hand painted sign out front invited us in to have a massage, learn Balinese dance, buy medicinal plants, eat a healthy Vitamin Lunch or be healed of whatever ailed us. Huge pots on the shop's front patio contained various herbs like ginseng, jasmine and aloe vera. Each pot had a sign that told you what illnesses that particular plant could help to cure.We wandered inside. The restaurant had three tables. Wayan met us and after escorting us to the one table available asked if we had come to eat or be healed. We told her we were hungry after a morning of wandering the shops and galleries of Ubud and so she and her assistant began bringing food to our table. They grated tumeric and mixed it with ginger, honey and water to make a delicious juice. They brought us three kinds of seaweed, each flavored in a different way. We ate uniquely spiced melon and tomato served on banana leaves. We had rice and salad. As each dish came to the table Wayan told us whether it was good for our stomach, kidneys, hearts or love lives.Wayan said for only a small, added cost we could have a healthy body check at the end of the meal, but she was very busy when we finished eating doing body checks for a group of French women sitting at another table. I noted one of them had a French copy of Eat, Pray, Love tucked into her bag. The book has been translated into more than thirty languages.Since Kathy and I knew our husbands would already be waiting for us back at our hotel we decided to leave. We bid Wayan farewell.One of the things I like to do whenever I travel is read a book set in the country I'm visiting. It makes the place come alive for me. I don't always get a chance to actually step into the pages of the books and meet one of the characters I've read about. Happily I was able to do that in Bali. dr seuss book collection

Novel Review - Elements of Drama of Winston Groom's Forrest Gump Novel

Theme The theme of this story is about an unusual man who does a lot of unusual things.Main Characters
Forrest Gump
Forrest's mother
Jenny Curran
Sue
Summary of the story (plot)This story tells about a man who was born an idiot but he was cleverer than people thought. He could think things OK, but when he had to say them or wrote them down, sometimes they came out all wrong.He moved to some schools many times. He went to an ordinary school for a year, no body wanted to be his friend but Jenny Curran. Then they put him into another kind of school, there were some strange boys there. He stayed in that school for five or six year. He grew very fast, by the time he was sixteen, he was bigger and heavier than other boys in the school.One day, a football coach called Fellers asked him to play football and got him out of school so he moved to a new high school. At first every body underestimated him, but after he practiced it, he could play well. He met Jenny Curran again in that high school, he started to like her.Then he got a letter from a university that asked him to play in their football team, so he got to the university, but he could not stay for a long time at the university because he was not clever enough at the lesson.He got another letter that asked him to go in the army. He and a lot of new young soldiers went to Forth Benning. He learnt how to shoot guns, throw hand grenades, and move a long the ground on his stomach. He got very terrible war. After the war was over he met the president of the United States who gave him a medal because he was very brave.He met Jenny in a club was playing in a group. While he was waiting for Jenny, he played his harmonica which was given by his friend in university outside the club, he just listened to the music that was playing inside and after a minute or two, he began playing with it. Jenny saw that he could play harmonica, so she asked him to play with her group. It went well, and he played with them every night after that.One day, the doctors in a hospital decided to send him to NASA - the space centre at Houston, in Texas. They thought he was just the kind of person that they were looking for. NASA sent him on a journey into space with a woman and an ape. He became a spaceman. All kinds of things went wrong because of that ape, when they returned, the space ship came down in the jungle somewhere, and it was four years before the NASA people found them.After he got back to America, he looked for Jenny but she had moved to Indianapolis, so he went there. He met her and stayed in her flat. One day he went to a bar and he got into the wrestling business, many people wanted to try arm-wrestling with him but none of them won because he was too strong, he earn some money from it. Someone named Mike told him to play in a real wrestling that can make a lot more money, Jenny was not happy about the wrestling because he cheated in playing it. Jenny got really angry so she went and left him.On the way home to Mobile, he saw some people who were playing chess in a hotel, he watched a little old man who was playing chess with himself at a table near the door, the old man asked Forrest to play with him and Forrest won that chess game. The old man got impressed and took Forrest to a big chess tournament in Los Angeles. There while waited for the tournament, they saw some people who were making a film then the film maker saw Forrest and asked him to play in that film, they made the film in the jungle and Forrest met Sue, the ape. Things did not go well, he always made a mistake, so they three ran out of there.Next day was the big chess tournament. Forrest won the first game and the next and suddenly he was in the final, playing with a Russian, Honest Ivan. But just when Honest Ivan seemed to be winning, Sue ran across the room and jumped onto the chess table. Honest Ivan fell of his chair and everybody started screaming and running everywhere, they three got out of there. Then Mr. Tribble gave Forrest half of the money that he won and took Sue back to Alabama with him and started shrimp business.After went home, he started the shrimp business, he work hard and his business made a lot of money but he still thought about Jenny, so he looked for her, but her mom said that she was in North Carolina and she had married two years ago.Time went on. He got old and the business was doing well, but he did not know what he was doing all this for, so he decided to leave it all and get away. He and Sue went to Savannah, he met Jenny and her son there. She named her son Forrest because in fact he is Forrest's son.After that, he phoned Mr. Tribble and told him to give some of his money from the shrimp business to his Mom, and some to Bubba's daddy and sent the rest to Jenny and little Forrest. He finally understood that it was better for the boy to be with Jenny and her husband, and not to have an idiot for a father.Setting (time and place) and Atmosphere (dominant emotion which pervades the story)
Setting: Alabama, Vietnam, USA, Boston, Los Angeles (place)
Year is not mentioned.
Atmosphere: the atmosphere of this story is sadness.
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Novel Review - Elements of Drama of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Novel

ThemeIt was about the travels of Gulliver to the wonderful lands, Lilliput and Brobdingnag.Main Characters1) Lemuel Gulliver: He was a young doctor who had married and had a family. His own ambition was to travel and had become a ship's doctor. His father was a land-owner in England. He also had four brothers.2) The King of Lilliput: He was a king of Lilliput Kingdom. He was half an inch taller than the other Lilliputian. He had strong and manly face. He also had graceful and kingly movements. He was an ambitious man.3) Glumdalclitch: She was nine years old. She was a daughter of Gulliver's Master in Brobdingnag. She was very good-tempered and rather small for her age as she was not more than forty feet high. She was Gulliver's nurse and Gulliver's teacher.4) Gulliver's Master: He was a farmer in Brobdingnag. His daughter was Glumdalclitch. He was an ambitious man in money. He had forced Gulliver to work in entertaining Brobdingnag people to get money for himself.Settings1) Setting of time: Around the year of 1699.2) Setting of place: England, Lilliput and Brobdingnag lands.Summary of The StoryLemuel Gulliver was a ship's doctor. His ambition was to travel around the world. He had married and had family. His father was land-owner in England. He also had four brothers. He liked traveling and had left his family just to go abroad with the ships.Gulliver's travel began in May, 1699, when the voyage began the journey was going to well. He traveled many months and halfway round the world coast of Sumatra. But then the luck changed, there was a terrible storm which had attacked the ship and all the crew died. Gulliver was safe and could find an unknown land to stay. It was Lilliput land.Lilliput was a strange land. Its people was tiny and less than six inches high. In this county, Gulliver took care the country from its enemy, Blefuscu land. The king of Lilliput was very nice at first and served Gulliver as well as possible. The Lilliputian called him a "man-mountain". Then the king asked Gulliver to help him to attack his enemy, the Blefuscu land. But then, the king become ambitious and tried to destroy Blefuscu, but Gulliver did not want to do it and escaped to England.His next journey was to Brobdingnag. Brobdingnag was an unusual land, its people had very big size body. In this land, Gulliver was found by a farmer who forced him to work hard to get money. Then Gulliver was given to the king of Brobdingnag and taken care by the Master's daughter, Clumdalclitch.Finally, after long stay, Gulliver could escape from the land and back to England. Its both were very unusual and amazed and wonderful travels which Gulliver had ever had. He was back to England safely and back to his family. But perhaps, his journey still continued.Moral MessageThe moral significance of the story is that we can't always get what we want and we do not have right to force somebody to do something. Sometimes, we have to bear what we want and don't be very ambitious, especially in bad things.The psychological significance of the story is that we have to manage and struggle to get what we want, but don't regret if we don't get what we want. And do never give up and try as hard as possible. It was done by Gulliver to escape from the lands.The social significance of the story is that, we have to help and love each other and we don't need to fight each other. There must be no wars and we have to live together with love and togetherness. We can't live by ourselves. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

Book Review - Peter Kelder's "The Five Tibetan Rites"

Peter Kelder wrote a book in the 1980s about the secrets he learned from Tibetan monks. This book that he wrote tells of their ancient secrets about the fountain of youth. He narrated his experiences and also shared the skills he acquired so that many people will also learn about these secrets. This book was called "The Five Tibetan Rites" and does not only share the secrets on how to look young but also offers to give much more than that including an inner sense of peace. Other techniques will also help people get a more rejuvenating sleep. It also offers to share secrets on how to get the most out of your day.In the book, a comprehensive guide to chakras is discussed. Kelder informs the reader how the different chakras work to help the various systems in the body. He explains what a chakra does to help a person look younger and also how it can help to achieve a better quality of life.The book also includes the five (5) Tibetan rites that Kelder has learned. First he says to check with a doctor should you decide to begin the exercise program to make sure that you are in shape to embark on the program. The book shows clear pictures of the techniques to be carried out. A video is also available which shows the different steps of the exercise.A second book is also available which offers more details on the basic techniques. It also presents other ways of doing the techniques. To help achieve many benefits from the techniques, warm-up exercises have also been included. The Tibetan secret about the ancient fountain of youth can help a person look younger. It can also help in achieving a more productive life. It has been known to Tibetan monks for many centuries and now that the secret is in the open it can be yours too. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning about this part of Tibetan culture. dr seuss cat in hat history

Those Who Loan Money to Those With a Poor Lending History

If you don't have luck with a loan because of bad credit, you haven't been searching in the right spots. The large banks and recognizable brand names are the first place most people look, if you have bad credit, you going to want to start with the bad credit lenders.Why Banks Avoid Those With Bad Credit (For the most part).The banking industry is all about risk. They do not like being exposed to significant financial risks. Some people may say that is now false, taking into consideration that banks open themselves up to lots of large mortgage-related debt over the last ten years.. For this reason, lenders rely heavily on credit scores and histories.Bad credit lenders on the other hand specifically help those who have trouble getting mainstream loans by obtaining financing from additional sources. The requirements for obtaining a loan through these lenders vary depending on your individual situation, but the lenders of the worst credit can help you get a car loan, mortgage or refinance an existing loan, but you will almost always pay higher fees and rates.Try not to avoid the higher rates, eventually they may create an even larger balance that you will have to pay back. Just like the big banks, these lenders are going to look into your credit history. They will already know you have a less than stellar credit history since you're going to them in the first place.Where to Find Loans For Bad Credit.In the information age, the best place to start is probably the Internet. But you must be careful where you walk because there are still some predatory lenders out there who will look to fleece you instead of help. There are resources available from a wide variety of websites that can help you locate and contact the lender that can help you get a loan even with a high risk profile. Contact your real estate agent.Use Caution.You should find a solution unless you have incredibly bad credit histories. You should be careful of banks, because they are trying to close their loans at the highest rates they can. This can cause you even more financial stress in the long run. Make sure that you have sufficient income and means to repay the loan before engaging any bad credit lenders. dr seuss cat in hat book

Top Secret Fat Loss Secret by Suzanne Gudakunst

Top Secret Fat Loss Secret is a rather unusual book about fat loss, generally because it's not just about a specific diet, or any precise exercise regime. It does get into both of those things but the factor the writer, Suzanne Gudakunst, introduces as a big element in weight loss is body plaque.'Dr Suzanne' is a Chiropractor from Atlanta, most celebrated for her use of research into the human colon and digestion working in tranquility with nutritive absorption to arrive at some rather startling conclusions.It's all in Suzanne Gudakunst's Top Secret Fat Loss Secret.You may have heard of it, you may even have read a Top Secret Fat Loss Secret review. If you are like me, you though the reviews you read weren't written very well, which is why I'm writing this. Anyway, here's what it's about.One method of becoming fat is consuming too many calories every day which our body reacts to by storing the surplus calories as fat. If this is all that's going on, the way to lose weight is simply reduce you calorific intake and exercise a bit.But we have all had the experience of doing precisely that and not seeing the weight coming off.What's going on?In the water we drink there is lead, chlorine, and then there are all of the impurities from the environment that find their way into what we consume.Also, there are parasites that are living in our viscera because the beef and fish we eat is typically not cooked well enough and the small beasts set up shop in our bowels.The liver is the organ basically accountable for cleaning and one of the techniques it deals with the heavy levels of all these impurities and poisons is to increase our subcutaneous fat to contain them, and forestall damage to other organs and the vital methods of your body.Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst has figured this out, and she suggests the most effective way to lose weight is to 'first' clean out all of the parasites, poisons and impurities that have accumulated inside you. Purge yourself of the parasites and the disgusting sticky muck that lines your guts, then, when your bowel is clean,'then' start following a sensible, healthful diet.Top Secret fat reduction Secret is only 49 pages, but it packs plenty of useful info inside it's pages. So what's in it?One of the first things Dr Suzanne covers is Identifying Your Metabolic Type. This is significant because we all have a singular metabolic type, like our fingerprints, and once you know your metabolic type you can then plan your diet most effectively for fat loss. The strategy Top Secret Fat Loss Secret gives you for discovering your Metabolic ratio involves 'listening' to your body while you eat, but once you have it you're ready to proceed.And then, she offers a link to a special quiz, which tells you what type of metabolic type you must go for and improve on. Nice.There is her highly vaunted three day detoxification plan which shows you a way to cleanse your colon with all natural products. One thing that shocked me about detox was a lot of the first large losses of weight ( 20-50 lbs ) people experience following this program comes from removing the large quantities of unseen plaque from your intestines.Then there is her diet plan, which is fascinating because it shows how specific sorts of protein don't go even with the healthiest of fiber rich vegetables and fruits, and if they are taken together they can create issues in your psychological clearness and energy levels. dr seuss book collection