Amazon.com
Celebrated economist Jeffrey Sachs has a plan to eliminate extreme poverty around the world by 2025. If you think that is too ambitious or wildly unrealistic, you need to read this book. His focus is on the one billion poorest individuals around the world who are caught in a poverty trap of disease, physical isolation, environmental stress, political instability, and lack of access to capital, technology, medicine, and education. The goal is to help these people reach the first rung on the "ladder of economic development" so they can rise above mere subsistence level and achieve some control over their economic futures and their lives. To do this, Sachs proposes nine specific steps, which he explains in great detail in The End of Poverty. Though his plan certainly requires the help of rich nations, the financial assistance Sachs calls for is surprisingly modest--more than is now provided, but within the bounds of what has been promised in the past. For the U.S., for instance, it would mean raising foreign aid from just 0.14 percent of GNP to 0.7 percent. Sachs does not view such help as a handout but rather an investment in global economic growth that will add to the security of all nations. In presenting his argument, he offers a comprehensive education on global economics, including why globalization should be embraced rather than fought, why international institutions such as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank need to play a strong role in this effort, and the reasons why extreme poverty exists in the midst of great wealth. He also shatters some persistent myths about poor people and shows how developing nations can do more to help themselves.
Despite some crushing statistics, The End of Poverty is a hopeful book. Based on a tremendous amount of data and his own experiences working as an economic advisor to the UN and several individual nations, Sachs makes a strong moral, economic, and political case for why countries and individuals should battle poverty with the same commitment and focus normally reserved for waging war. This important book not only makes the end of poverty seem realistic, but in the best interest of everyone on the planet, rich and poor alike. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
A landmark exploration of the way out of extreme poverty for the world's poorest citizens
Among the most eagerly anticipated books of any year, this landmark exploration of prosperity and poverty distills the life work of an economist Time calls one of the world's 100 most influential people. Sachs's aim is nothing less than to deliver a big picture of how societies emerge from poverty. To do so he takes readers in his footsteps, explaining his work in Bolivia, Russia, India, China, and Africa, while offering an integrated set of solutions for the interwoven economic, political, environmental, and social problems that challenge the poorest countries. Marrying passionate storytelling with rigorous analysis and a vision as pragmatic as it is fiercely moral, The End of Poverty is a truly indispensable work.
Customer Reviews:
Read with a grain of salt. .......2007-10-05
This book covers some concepts that at face value and first read - especially people like me who are not economists - seem quite enlightening. But the more you read, the more you have to question how it seems that the view he presents is a seemingly simplistic solution to what is in reality a complex problem. One of the reviews on here talked about how it is not "infrastructure" that is key to solving the problems, but rather an access to market. I'd have to agree. Companies are not flocking to sub-Saharan Africa to utilize the labor there. Companies are moving to China and India. This is not a simple matter of infrastructure, but a matter of economic policy and much more.
The book points to some villages in rural Africa where things appear to be improving - a choice village or two where Jeffrey Sachs and the Earth Institute at Columbia pour in their resources (these are subsequently called Millennium Villages to coincide with the Millennium Development Goals) - and it makes you think that he might possibly be making some sense. However, what about generalization to a whole country? Of course if you take all your resources, all the scientific knowledge accessible to you from the Earth Institute, and then some, and pour these into a village, what village will not transform? But is it sustainable? Is it generalizable to the whole country? Change needs to occur at the policy/governmental level concurrently, in order for real success and improvement.
While this book may be interesting, it is important to remember that it is not THE way; it is A way, and along with it, it has its flaws. Ask some other economist what they think - I did, and got an earful. The opinion was that Jeffrey Sachs is just recycling his ideas that he used decades back during the 80s, and that to counter this viewpoint, I must read William Easterly. I'm sure there are others out there to read. But again, one good read does not solve all the world's ills. If you don't have access to an economist, read ALL the reviews on here because there are some other points that need to be considered. And I don't appreciate the impression I get that ideas for solving poverty in places like sub-Saharan Africa comes from a simplistic seemingly-enlightened Westernized view of "this is what is wrong with Africa".
We need to end poverty.......2007-09-28
The book is great. It puts the poverty of the world, including America into light. It lets the reader know that poverty can be ended in our lifetime. It is very serious topic and book. We have the opportunity to end poverty, but will we be the generation that sits by and watches our fellow humans starve and die of disease or not?
The book got to me in a very timely manner and was inexpensive.
Using American Wealth to End Poverty.......2007-09-18
Eradicating global poverty is a concern that Christian missionaries and activists now share with a growing number of global economists and even rock stars like Bono. The gulf between incomes in the West and developing countries complicates the missionary task, yet missionaries often have little understanding of how the global economy works.
Jeffrey Sachs is well qualified to interpret globalization since he has worked in over a hundred nations, analyzing and offering advice on national economies. He was an economics professor at Harvard University and is now Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He was an economic advisor to Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to Bono.
In The End of Poverty, Sachs outlines a plan to end global poverty by 2025. He is not only a visionary but also an excellent teacher on the fundamentals of global economics. He distinguishes between three degrees of poverty: extreme poverty, representing one billion people who literally struggle for survival every day; moderate poverty, representing 1.5 billion people who live just above subsistence level; and relative poverty, representing 2.5 billion people. Sachs shows how the world economy has changed dramatically since 1980, with over half the world making economic progress. Only Africa has experienced a general increase in extreme poverty in the past 25 years. When Sachs speaks of eradicating poverty, he means primarily ending only extreme poverty by 2025.
Sachs criticizes the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for failing to represent the interests of the poor and advocates "clinical economics" which gives a scientific diagnosis of each nation's economic problems with a prescription for improvement. He believes that if every wealthy nation committed just 0.7 percent of Gross National Product (GNP) to foreign direct assistance, global poverty would end. The United States currently gives only 0.15 percent of GNP in such aid, far below all other wealthy nations.
Sachs offers deep insights into globalization. He states that his worldview is from the Enlightenment, so he advocates "Enlightened Globalization," meaning that he believes scientific rationalism combined with compassion can solve humanity's problems. He also sees American wealth as the key to ending global poverty and discounts the effects of differing cultures as being part of the problem. Sachs does not answer all questions about the sources and solution of poverty, but he sheds some needed light on the subject.
Another impartial diagnosis of poverty.......2007-06-21
For some populist reasons, many pundits think that poverty in poor countries, notaby in Africa, is the result of the lack of investment or commitment of western nations. Unfortunately, Dr. Sachs is one of them. In this book, he only stresses the external factors deepening extreme poverty in Third World countries, not the significance of domestic variables like the obvious lack of commitment and weak incentives to eradicate poverty. The latter is a confluence of factors, both indigenous and external. Using history as our guide, one can almost certainly say that growth has failed because of weak domestic incentives. Failing to recognize that and calling for a large-scale investment in poor countries is an unadulterated promotion of utopianism. Without prior government commitments( not those based on short-term policy reforms but historical performance), all prescriptions will be worse than the desease.
i really do like it.......2007-06-16
if you think about how stinjy (stingy) the 1st world is, it makes you sad. but if you read this book, you'll at least realize that something can be done. hopefully it'll make you feel a little bit better ^_^
Amazon.com
Mary Pipher, author of the bestselling and groundbreaking Reviving Ophelia, which charts the troubled passage of girls into adolescence, has nimbly covered yet another psychological passage: that into old age, which May Sarton called "a foreign country."
Pipher reveals that the greatest shame for today's elders--most of whom survived the Depression--is not being self-sufficient. The majority of them stoically prefer to keep their feelings to themselves, and this is why it's so difficult to convince older parents to accept or even discuss such issues as physical and mental health, finances, eldercare, or living wills. This directly conflicts with the openness of their children, who grew up in the era of "free love" and were influenced by society (and the advent of psychology in the 1950s and popularization of therapy) to talk frankly about emotions. While a boomer can easily talk with a friend about marriage difficulties or even surgery, an elder is likely to find admitting such "weaknesses" abhorrent.
Another Country includes excerpts of sessions with dozens of Pipher's psychology patients, interspersed with not-so-obvious advice for sensitively communicating with the elderly. Some interviews are grim: one woman hallucinated that rodents were running through her house; she was so desperate for company from her family, but too proud to ask them to stop by, that she invented her own visitors. But the breakthroughs in communication Pipher is able to accomplish, sometimes with the help of grandchildren as intermediaries, are startling and thoroughly encouraging. (For example, the animals the woman was imagining disappeared after she received company regularly.)
Pipher cared for her dying mother for a "horrid," guilt-filled year while this book was being written and says that she wanted "to help others in my situation feel less alone." She also aims to help each generation understand the other. In these goals she's succeeded brilliantly. Any adult struggling with issues with their parents, especially mortality, will find Another Country an indispensable source of suggestions and support. --Erica Jorgensen
Book Description
Mary Pipher's phenomenal New York Times bestseller-a book about us and our parents...
"[Pipher] ventures into communities and then returns to explain their truths and ways of being to the rest of us in clear, clean English. Totally accessible...[Another Country] is a compassionate...look at the disconnect between baby boomers and their aging parents or grandparents." -USAToday
There are more older people in America today than ever before. They are our parents and grandparents, our aunts and uncles and in-laws.They are living longer, but in a culture that has come to worship youth-a culture in which families have dispersed, communities have broken down, and older people are isolated. Meanwhile, adults in two-career families are struggling to divide their time among their kids, their jobs, and their aging parents-searching for the right words to talk about loneliness, forgetfulness, or selling the house.
Another Country is a field guide to this rough terrain for a generation of baby boomers who are finding themselves unprepared to care for those who have always cared for them. Psychologist and bestselling writer Mary Pipher maps out strategies that help bridge the gaps that separate us from our elders. And with her inimitable combination of respect and realism, she offers us new ways of supporting each other-new ways of sharing our time, our energy, and our love.
"In Another Country, [Pipher] observes that to grow old for many people in today's fragmented, age-phobic, age-segregated America is to inhabit a foreign country, isolated, disconnected and misunderstood."-New York Times
"Pipher explores how today's mobile, individualistic, media-drenched culture prevents so many dependent old people, and the relatives trying to do right by them, from getting what they need...her insights will help people of several generations."-The Washington Post
"[Pipher] wrote [Another Country] to help Boomers like herself better understand their parents and grandparents and to glimpse what might await them in their old age."-Chicago Tribune
"Mary Pipher urges baby boomers to stay in tune with their elderly parents' needs...With average life expectancy now in the mid-70s and 2 million Americans turning 65 each year-a number that will skyrocket as the baby boomer generation ages-the stakes are raised for families and societies alike."-People
"The author of Reviving Ophelia unflinchingly takes us into the heart of this largely uncharted territory."-Rocky Mountain News
"A field guide to old age, combining personal stories with social theory."-Boston Globe
"Dr. Pipher sees aging from a broader perspective. [She] emphasizes the need for the elderly to become elders-people who can help us find a deep structure for our communities-[and] she makes a persuasive case for roots."-Christian Science Monitor
"This is a book that thoughtful Boomers can embrace as their own...Another Country looks at issues like care-giving, death, generational relations and the resiliency many elders display in old age. It offers advice on improving our relationships with other generations and with understanding our own passing years."-St. Petersburg Times
"Rich in stories and full in details....For people wondering about their parents' or more poignantly, their own aging."-St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"[Mary Pipher] comes across as neither saint nor scold. [Another Country is] not a how-to book, but a how-to-think book."-Minnesota Star Tribune
Customer Reviews:
Well worth reading.......2006-01-09
The author of the bestseller Reviving Ophelia this times takes us on a journey through the lives of our elders. Following the lead of Bernice Neugarten at the University of Chicago, she distinguishes between the "young-old" and the "old-old". This book focuses mainly on the later, telling the stories of people who are coping with loss and illness.
While individual differences are always present, Pipher see trends among those in the "old-old" group, as well as among their families and children. Being able to anticipate and appreciate these commonalities, she believes, will ultimately be our best route to communicating with and honoring our elders.
She calls cultural differences between the generations time-zone problems. Some are obvious, such as differences in attitudes towards authority. Others seem obvious only when she points them out to us, such as the fact that our parents' generation was "pre-irony". Without recognizing these differences, we are bound to be frustrated with each other.
In what she calls "the saddest chapter in this book", the author compares the old-old to victims of chronic post traumatic stress disorder, people overwhelmed by inevitable multiple losses and threats. It is a uninviting concept, one we would prefer to discard or at least put a positive spin on.
Yet the trauma of old age can also be the catalyst for our ultimate growth and integration. Pipher tells us that "each of us will experience our ship going down...From our responses come the best and worst stories".
Even in her stories of those elders who end their lives bitter and aggrieved, there is sometimes healing in those who are left. Adult children reconcile with siblings and with themselves. Teenage grandchildren come into the circle.
And in many heartwarming stories of resilient, courageous elders, the author helps us come to appreciate the dignity and peace that can exist alongside the losses.
The book is practical as well. Facilities which have successfully integrated the care of the young and the old are described. Programs which have paired schoolchildren with elders come to life with personal stories. Tales of foster grandparents make us realize how little we have utilized these powerful resources so far.
There is much starkness here, but also much hope. Hope that we can do a much better job addressing the needs of the old-old members of our tribe. Perhaps the demandingness of our baby boomer generation will serve us well in this regard. We're all heading in the same direction.
Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders.......2005-08-19
This book is written in a readable style that holds your interest. I bought it to help understand my elderly father who is suffering from dementia, but I found it told me a lot about myself and what I will want and need in the next 20 years. Mary Pipher's insightful and easy to understand.
Another country: the tourist perspective.......2003-11-29
Not being "old-old" myself, with both parents dead, I picked up this book out of curiosity. Piper does not mince words. She says at the outset, "Old age is not for sissies," and she goes on to describe life as an old person in a country designed for the young. It's an apt metaphor: the old learn a new language and a new terrain.
Pipher offers creative solutions that are not always easy, as she herself is the first to admit. Not everyone is equipped to be a caretaker. And as a society we do not have the infrastructure to deal with the challenges that increase daily.
Ironically, she notes that having a purpose in life will keep us young longer: the 85-year-old woman with an overaged dependent son may seem indulgent to outsiders, but she has a reason to get up every day. Yet at the same time, challenging work and respect from the community -- the source of purpose for most of us -- will be denied by a society that worships youth.
Pipher seems to be selling us on the importance of caring for the elderly. It's a way our own children will learn respect for the family and for us, she says. Yet many of us will not have children of our own. Today something like one-third of households have only one member. Being single or childless is no longer "odd." And sometimes a parent disappears from a child's life, only to re-appear in a time of need. There's no basis for a relationship -- it's not about healing but about building a relationship with a stranger .
Pipher does not address these topics, but the thousands of midlife adults who face aging parents will say she's offered more than enough to benefit her readers.
Baby Boomers' Guide to Aging Parents.......2003-03-01
They raised us on Dr. Spock. Not the pointy-eared Nimoyian character on Star Trek! Dr. Benjamin Spock, the Baby Doc! And Mary Pipher has done for the children what Spock did for our parents - answered perplexing questions like "Why do they do that?" and "What can I do?"
Pipher's thesis is that "Knowing when people were born allows us to predict attitudes and behaviors. A person from a specific era will have a certain `collective consciousness.'" She explains that we dwell in "different cultural time zones." This explains, for instance, why Mom and Aunt Em save all those few tiny bites of leftover food that they then leave in the refridgerator to turn green - the hoarding tendencies wrought by the Great Depression and rationing on the Homefront during World War II.
I am currently moving my parents to an Assisted Living Facility and this book is an important resource. I highly recommend it. Reviewed by TundraVision.
Don't Wait Until Later....Read it Now!.......2000-10-04
I cried, I laughed and I sighed at the grim truths and revelations in Mary Pipher's book on aging and the place held in our society by our elderly citizens. I folded so many page corners over for review that the book looks like a favorite old cook book. I wish I had read this book before my parents entered old-old age. I was not raised with any grandparents nearby, so had no examples for what to expect and how to deal with and care for aging parents. Growing old with dignity and dealing with declining health and eventually death is the hardest passage of our lives. None of the other passages as individuals, parents or spouses can compare to these challenges. Adolescence, puberty, child-birth, child-rearing, divorce...all seem like a walk through the park in comparison.
Having said that, we all need to read the book before our parents reach the old-old phase (although who knows exactly when that might happen). If you're in your 40's or 50's, chances are you should be reading this book. Although the book doesn't provide any recipes or procedures for dealing with the issues of the aging, it does provide valuable insights and suggestions into attitudes, fears, and concerns of both the aged and their care-givers.
We just assumed that mother would ask for help when she needed it, but her pride, reluctance to communicate and fierce need to be independent would not allow her to admit how needy and frail she had become. We finally discovered how badly she had deteriorated (although she still wouldn't admit it), and are still regretting that we didn't intervene sooner. She's now in a convalescent hospital, sometimes stoically accepting her condition, but sometimes angry, depressed and resentful. I'm sure I'll pick up the book and read it again as we find our way through this passage. And then when I become a young-old and finally an old-old, hopefully I'll be able to remember the valuable life lessons I'm acquiring now.
Book Description
In his first novel, Dave Eggers has written a moving and hilarious tale of two friends who fly around the world trying to give away a lot of money and free themselves from a profound loss. It reminds us once again what an important, necessary talent Dave Eggers is.
Customer Reviews:
Only Made It Halfway.......2007-04-26
I ordered this book because I had read AHWOSG and found that pretty good. I was surely dissapointed in this book. The story just drags on and on and on and never really goes anywhere. I made it about halfway through before I decided to stop wasting my time with a "story" I didn't really care about. It seems like it could be a really good book but falls so short of its potential.
painful.......2007-04-10
very
hard to beleive this endless story is by the same author who wrote his other engaging novels
Good, but not great.......2007-01-23
As others have said, there are parts of this book that are so original, they blow your mind. But, Eggers is so self-conscious in his writing, for every clever plot twist, the reader can almost envision Eggers, the wheels of his brain turning as he writes what he considers to be extremely clever passages. It gets old. As with HWOSG, the book is far better in the first half than in the second. It was a good read, but not the great read I had hoped.
Loved it!.......2007-01-19
This book was just a straight up fun read. Eggers is a very talented, lively, provocative writer. His story follows two friends on their week-long trip around the world giving away $32,000. The resulting story is laugh-out-loud funny and poignant at the same time and it leads the two to learn things about themselves they never would have thought true. I would say this book had more contour and shape than his previous "Heartbreaking Work..." and also had more to say as a literary piece. I don't know if I would recommend this book to older readers though. I think Eggers tends to appeal to young-adult audiences and anyone much older than 30 probably will not connect with this book on the same level. Nevertheless, I think it's a great piece of contemporary literature with a lot of depth and will stay a favorite of mine for a long time.
An enjoyable read .......2007-01-04
Dave Eggers is wonderful in "You Shall Know Our Velocity". The book is very comical and sensitive. I have laughed outloud several times while reading. A great book for those interested in travel and those just looking for a engaging, humorous, and sensitive human story. Also suggest reading " A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Eggers. It's brilliant!
Book Description
In this powerful indictment of George W. Bush's White House, environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., charges that the administration has taken corporate favoritism to unprecedented heights -- threatening our health, our national security, and our democracy.
Kennedy lifts the veil on how the administration, in order to enrich its corporate paymasters, has eviscerated the laws that protect our nation's air, water, public lands, and wildlife. He describes the White House doling out lavish subsidies and tax breaks to energy barons while allowing the corporations to profit by poisoning the public and eliminating security at the more than 15,000 nuclear and chemical facilities that are prime targets for terrorist attacks. He shows how right-wing White House ideologues have taken the "conserve" out of conservatism and trampled the free-market democracy in favor of a kind of corporate-crony capitalism that is as antithetical to democracy, efficiency, and prosperity in America as it is in Nigeria.
Crimes Against Nature is a book for both Democrats and Republicans, people like the traditionally conservative farmers and fishermen whom Kennedy represents in lawsuits against polluters. "Without exception," he writes, "these people see the current administration as the greatest threat not just to their livelihoods but to their values, their sense of community, and their idea of what it means to be American."
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"
In this powerful and far-reaching indictment of George W. Bush's White House, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the country's most prominent environmental attorney, charges that this administration has taken corporate cronyism to such unprecedented heights that it now threatens our health, our national security, and democracy as we know it. In a headlong pursuit of private profit and personal power, Kennedy writes, George Bush and his administration have eviscerated the laws that have protected our nation's air,water, public lands, and wildlife for the past thirty years, enriching the president's political contributors whilelowering the quality of life for the rest of us.
Kennedy lifts the veil on how the administration has orchestrated these rollbacks almost entirely outside of public scrutiny -- and in tandem with the very industries that our laws are meant to regulate, the country's most notorious polluters. He writes of how it has deceived the public by manipulating and suppressing scientific data, intimidated enforcement officials and other civil servants, and masked its agenda with Orwellian doublespeak. He reports on how the White House doles out lavish subsidies and tax breaks to the energy barons while excusing industry from providing adequate security at the more than 15,000 chemical and nuclear facilities that are prime targets for terrorist attacks. Kennedy reveals an administration whose policies have ""squandered our Treasury, entangled us in foreign wars, diminished our international prestige, made us a target for terrorist attacks, and increased our reliance on petty Middle Eastern dictators who despise democracy and are hated by their own people.""
Crimes Against Nature is ultimately about the corrosive effect of corporate corruption on our core American values -- free-market capitalism and democracy. It is about an administration, the author argues, that has sacrificed respect for the law, public health, scientific integrity, and long-term economic vitality on the altar of corporate greed. It is a book for both Democrats and Republicans, people like the traditionally conservative farmers and fishermen Kennedy represents in lawsuits against polluters. ""Without exception,"" he writes, ""these people see the current administration as the greatest threat not just to their livelihoods but to their values, their sense of community, and their idea of what it means to be American.""
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Customer Reviews:
Which pill would you like to take the blue pill or the red pill(CAN).......2007-08-19
Metaphorically speaking, Do you live on in ignorance (The blue pill) or do you lead what Aristotle called 'the examined life'(Red Pill). Do you read CAN or do you live in ignorance?
Crimes Against Nature was a real eye opener for me. You have to read this book. So much of the truth that should be available to the American public is squashed by various laws and phony junk science produced by special interest groups who want to control what we think. This book is filled with the facts.
For years I have read in the paper or heard on the news how various Bush appointed people have revoked various laws that protect our natural resources. Then once I read this book it all made sense and fully list all of the damaging laws that have been passed allowing for destruction of our natural resources.
There are so many shocking things in this book. The fact that so much of our country is controlled by the people who give money to our elected officials. I was very surprised to read in this book that Condoleeza Rice has an oil tanker named after her.
If I were to have named this book, I would have named it "Organized Crimes against Nature". Because everything I read has lead me to the conclusion that the acts perpetrated upon our natural resources have been pre-meditated.
I strongly recommend reading this book. God Bless Mr. Kennedy.
Not only is Mr. Kennedy an excellent writer, but he is a great Orator as well. You can check out his speaches on YouTube:
[...]
My Eyes Were Opened To The Truth.......2007-08-11
I gave this book 5 stars, because this book opened by eyes to things that I had no idea were happening. I knew some of the things that were happening, but not to the extent that it is happening. I know in my heart that Robert Kennedy Jr is telling the truth about the true condition of this country.
I would encourage all people who are interested in the truth to read this book. I know that many people will feel that Republicans are being attacked, but I don't think that is the intent at all, but RFK jr is exposing the reasons why we as Americans are being mislead to voting for people who lie to us. When is the last time Americans were encouraged to be the best they could be and put what was best for this Country first and make a positive change? Now we have Americans who are being scared and out of fear approve of policies that have led to America being hated across the world. For those who would think I am a die hard liberal Democrat I am an Independent. I just believe in shining the light on the darkness and believe that America is fighting for her very soul and I want to see America saved for future generations. So yes, I agree with RFK jr on his accessment and encourage this book to be read and passed on so that more people will be awaken to the truth.
My Nephew is in Law School and will be an Enviromental Attorney in Hawaii and that is just one reason I have started to really look into the issues of global warming, the enviroment, etc. I wanted to be informed so I could with knowledge encourage my nephew to choose a path that makes a difference for good. I hope that when my nephew is graduated that he will follow in the footsteps of Robert Kennedy Jr who is fighting for the American people. I do not want my nephew join the energy companies or others who have no concern about the future of this country. Anyway, I plan to give this book to my nephew which I hope will inspire him to choose the right direction when he graduates next June.
This book also answered questions about the Media. I know in my heart he is telling the truth about that as well. With the end of the free press we are in danger of loosing our Democratic Republic. We no longer have an informed citizentry who votes from knowledge of the facts, but bases their decision on misinformation and sound bites.
It takes great courage to be willing to shine the light on the darkness. Robert Kennedy is doing that, not only with this book but with his life long work.
I look forward to reading more books on this issue and passing them on to my nephew while he is in Law School as he is making up his mind as to what direction he will go when he graduates this June.
Eating your own words.......2007-08-03
I loved this book when I read it. "Yes! Finally a real expose!"
But then I read Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound, which tells about how the Cape Cod elite, which of course includes the environmentally enlightened Kennedy family, and was appalled once again how NIMBYism could blind even the most devoted people.
Certainly read this book, because it is very much worth your time, but read Cape Wind afterwards, for even more insight into the politics of the environment!
impeach bush.......2007-07-03
If the allegations about corruption and lying described in this book are true, which they probably are because there where no denials from the white house, why is Bush still in office ? Why are the Democrats such toothless whiners, not taking action to rid the US of Bush and restore the values America was once respected and admired for? This Administration is kicking your values with their feet and is destroying your country and your kids heritage. Look at libby, why isnt there a huge Uproar in the US ? Be a patriot, impeach Bush !
Ground Zero.......2007-05-15
Why would I tell you this book is a bunch of liberal nonsense? Could it be that I am on the payroll of one of the plundering industries? Could it be that I think that a healthy economy is better than safe water or safe air? Could it be that I am one of the many many accused who have committed one or several of the crimes in this book? Could it be that I hold a position in government that is meant to serve you, but all I have really done is benefit a major polluter? Could it be that due to some toxic pollutant we are all exposed to thanks to wealthy profiteers that my thinking process is greatly impaired? Could it be that I just don't want you to know the truth? Could it be that I love Bush and worship the dollar? Maybe it could be one or all of these, that is if I were to tell you that it is anything but something you NEED to know.
This book will guide you to the real "ground zero". It will make you wonder who is the real "axis of evil". Should you be concerned? Let me put it this way, using the words of Benito Mussolini, "Fascism should rather be called corporatism, as it is the merging of government and corporate power."
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lists names of offenders and industries and what and how they have managed to screw you, everyone of you out of your right to a healthy environment and your taxes pay for this to boot. He exposes the "Wise Use" based environmentally "friendly sounding" organizations that have been spawned by every offending industry solely to deceive you and lull you back to sleep. To these wealthy criminals, you are nothing more than cattle to be slaughtered at the alter of profit. And to those who think this book is nonsense, all I can think of to tell you that might even remotely make any sense to you is "moo".
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A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
ASIN: 1931762481 |
Book Description
Sixteen Trends . . . Their Profound Impact on Our Future
Highlighting key factors which are destined to reshape the world, Marx is quick to identify how each of these "trends" will influence educational policy in various ways. With improving academic achievement for ALL students as the main goal, Sixteen Trends provides an enlightened look into the learning processes of the children of tomorrow. Some of the many issues discussed within its contents include:
-the shift in population demographics and its role in life-long learning
-the need for school curriculum and practices to reflect the dawning of the "information age"
-the importance of equilibrium and acceptance of divergent viewpoints in preparing for emerging generations
-how continuous improvement will replace "quick fixes" and challenge the status quo theory of education
-why the globalization of politics and the economy today will mandate the need for interdependence in educational practice
When asked about the importance of his book Sixteen Trends, author Gary Marx states, "Linear goals are not enough. Looking at tomorrow and seeing it only as a little bit more or a little bit less of today just won't cut it as we move into the future. Surrounded by a world filled with discontinuities, we desperately need to set at least a few audacious goals, the kind that took us to the moon and planets, reduced computers from a dozen racks of equipment to a single hand-held device, and envisioned educational opportunity for all. Much of what happens as we break ground on the future will come at us out of the blue. We are in a constant, unrelenting, and exciting race to lay the groundwork for an even brighter future for our children and ourselves."
We at ERS are pleased to bring you the latest in Marx's groundbreaking series. According to ERS President Dr. John Forsyth, "Gary Marx's work provides an impetus for our educational community. The ability for ERS to share the information contained within Sixteen Trends is a positive and progressive step in ensuring that we are well-prepared in today's educational system for what the future holds."
Customer Reviews:
Trends in Education.......2007-09-12
Very good book if you are studying the future of education. The book is for all educators interested in looking ahead and finding the socio-political impact of education in the future. These trends are studied using a Delphi method.
How Trends Affect our Future.......2007-07-03
Great book. A must read for anyone interested in how the trends are going to affect our future. Thought provocking. Extremely interesting.
Amazon.com
Patrick J. Buchanan's contentious premise in The Death of the West is that the United States is no longer a healthy melting pot, but instead a confused, tottering "conglomeration of peoples with almost nothing in common." Relying on United Nations population statistics, and citing such diverse sources as Yogi Berra and Rhett Butler, Buchanan sees for America four "clear and present dangers": declining birth rates; uncontrolled immigration of peoples of "different colors, creed, and cultures"; a rise of "anti-Western" culture antithetical to established religious, cultural, and moral norms; and a "defection of ruling elites" to the idea of world government. His solutions include higher wages and tax breaks for parents than for singles, a dramatic rollback of immigration quotas, and a National History Bee. Buchanan's volatile, adamant book eschews any middle ground. Readers will either applaud his ideas or be repulsed by them. --H. O'Billovitch
Book Description
The West is dying. Collapsing birth rates in Europe and the U.S., coupled with third-world population explosions, are set to cause cataclysmic shifts in world power, as unchecked immigration swamps and polarizes every Western society and nation. The facts are clear: There are 30 million foreign-born people in the U. S. today, and there are more than nine million illegal immigrantsmore than the populations of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island combined Not a single European countrysave Moslem Albaniahas a birth rate that will enableit to survive in its present form through this century By 2050, only 10% of the worlds people will be of European descent America is losing the cultural war. Militant paganism is crowding out the old faiths. Separatism is triumphing over integration. The melting pot has become a salad bowl. And the impact upon American society, politics, and culture will be devastating.
Customer Reviews:
The Death Of The West.......2007-08-24
This is an excellent, interesting, thought provoking book. I enjoyed it so much I have read it twice and have discussed the issues raised in the book with many people. I recommend it as essential reading for any westerner.
An important trend that is often ignored by the mainstream media.......2007-07-02
If birth rates are the best indication of a how much a people values itself, it's customs and it's traditions, then certainly Europeans and White Americans are in the pangs of self-loathing and self hatred. Nations and cultures usually die from internal causes and certainly the European way of life is rotten at the core. Europe and the American culture inherited from Europe is literally suicidal. Bucahanan does an outstanding job of laying out all of the grim statistics. The most important statistic is this: birth rates are exploding in the third world and developing nations while birth rates are exceedingly miniscule in the most developed nations of Europe, North america and Japan. What this means for the future no one can be certain but it is certainly an important phenomenon (maybe the most important trend in all of sociology) and one that for politically correct reasons does not receieve its due consideration in the mainstream media.
A curious read and ominous suggestion..........2007-05-17
"Death of the West" is a prophetic look at immigration and the state of our nation. One does not have to look very hard to see that this issue is of paramount importance in today's day and age. Buchannon sounds the horn, but will anyone listen to the discussion.
AWESOME read!.......2007-05-13
I never knew Patrick Buchanan was SO versed in history! A highly involved and educational read.
Didn't read it when it came out as I had the preconception that anything a staunch "conservative" would write would not be of interest. The reason? The label "conservative" has been hijacked and warped by the Neocons into a "mislabel".
Mr. Buchanan understands what a true "conservative" is and in my opinion is a true patriot.
Excellent read !!
Dear Mr Buchanan, you've missed something.......2006-11-30
Pat Buchanan's book has the following quote. It is from Katarina Runshe's book "Empty Hearts Empty Homes":
"Feminism is a Darwinian blind alley. In biological terms, there is nothing that identifies a maladaptive pattern so quickly as a below replacement level of reprocuction; an immediate consequence of feminism is what appears to be an irreversible decline in the birthrate. Nations pursue feminist policies at their peril."
Buchanan adds: "In short, the rise of feminism spells the death of the nation and the end of the West." And a little later, he says: "...the decisions women are making today will determine if Western nations will even be around in a century, and Western women are voting no."
Gloomy thoughts indeed.
But this view looks at society matrilineally: "Western Society" is being identified primarily with its women: we men are not even in the picture. Consequently, it fails to see the obvious. If feminist Western women want to "not-breed" themselves out of existence, then let them do so. We patriarchal males shall start looking for non-feminist--if necessary non-Western--women, who can be our life-companions, and the mothers of our children. There are plenty of them out there. We don't have to marry feminists.
In fact, a declining birth-rate poses a huge problem for feminism itself. If feminism is to survive for much further into the 21st century, then it needs to be passed on to the next generation, and the next generation after that. ie down the family line, from father to son, from mother to daughter to granddaughter.But is this likely to happen? According to a recent survey, 25% of young women aged 16 to 24 never want children. An italian feminist magazine found that 52% were of this opinion. Increasing numbers of women approach the end of the childbearing years, childless. Those who do have children, have them increasingly late. So the rate at which modern women reproduce themselves has slowed down considerably. One is tempted to say, that feminism cannot be passed on, because, increasingly, there is no next generation to whom to pass it.
Low birth rates do not affect all women equally. Women who identify strongly with a religious community of some sort--christian, hindu, moslem, jewish, or whatever--seem to have no trouble reproducing. The "Fatherhood and Family" ethos is still strong in those communities; hence, motherhood is valued too. And those women who are not especially religious, but who are not feminists either, also seem to do better than the national average of 1.66 children per woman. So that figure of 1.66 is only a national average. My hunch is that for feminists, the figure is lower than the national average--maybe 1.1 or 1.2 children per feminist woman. If that figure is correct, then it is pretty ominous for the future of feminism. It may be that feminism cannot be passed on to future generations, because, increasingly, there is no next generation to whom to pass it.
"Ah!" I hear you say, "What about those feminist who do have children?" Well, it is difficult to imagine feminism being passed down the male line---from father to son to grandson. Can't see it happening. So that only leaves the female line, matrilineally. Mother to daughter to granddaughter. But is even this much guaranteed? Daughters don't always follow their mothers. Imagine--just imagine--if a "Fatherhood and Family" type of culture were to become very popular in Western lands. What would happen then? My hunch is that many young women would abandon the feminism of their mothers, and embrace it. It will be observed, that in those communities where fatherhood is honored, there is no shortage of young women who hope one day to be mothers.
Unfortunately, the problem of declining birth-rates is usually approached from the point of view of women avoiding motherhood. Men are excluded from the picture; the result is a picture which is only half-complete, and so the solution is not found. Here are some examples:
Fifteen years or so ago, the declining birth-rate in Italy became too serious to ignore. Pope John Paul was moved to speak publicly about it. He urged women to "rediscover the joys of motherhood". A very noble sentim,ent. But he didn't mention fatherhood at all. Or if he did, the media failed to report it.
The birth-rate in Britain has dropped to a record low. In september 2004 government minister Patricia Hewitt spoke publicly about this problem. She urged women to halpsolve this problem by producing more babies. "It is your national duty", she aid, to embrace motherhood. And no, she didn't mention fatherhood either.
I remember listening to a BBC World Service program on this subject. A study had discovered that 25% of young women aged 16 to 24 had decided never to have children. And the young men? What was their attitude to fatherhood? We were not told. No-one thought to ask the question.
All too often, in Western countries, there is a huge blank space, where fatherhood should be honored. Or at least mentioned. Maybe that's the real underlying problem.
Pat Buchanan, unfortunately, in his otherwise excellent book, does not explore that aspect of things. Maybe in his next book?
Book Description
250 Regional Recipes from the Kitchens of America
From coast to coast, America's favorite pastime is eating. But many of our most beloved foods aren't always good for the waistline--or our health. Now, the most trusted name in weight control re-creates more than 250 of America's all-time favorite dishes in healthy, tasty new recipes that will appeal to event he most finicky eater. From Cherry Pie, Red Flannel Has, and Lady Baltimore Cake to Seared Ahi Tuna with Mango Salsa, Steakhouse Fries, and Key Lime Sorbet, this cookbook is packed with delicious, low-calorie recipes everyone can enjoy without guilt. It includes:
- Great-tasting recipes that reflect our nation's growing interest in regional products, such as Washington State salmon and Maine blueberries
- A combination of classic recipes such as Yankee Pot Roast and Jambalaya and new cuisine dishes such as Spicy Asian Broth and Peppered Buffalo Tenderloin Steaks with Merlot and Cherry Sauce
- Easy cooking tips and fanciful American cooking lore
- Recipes featuring Weight Watchers' phenomenal 1-2-3 Success
Weight Loss Plan POINTS values
With these irresistible recipes for time-tested favorites, sensible eating has never been so delicious!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-01-09
This cookbook is excellent. It has recipes from all walks of life in the way of different cultures. I will surely be enjoying it for years to come with my weight loss efforts.
Great Cookbook!.......2005-07-28
This is an excellent cookbook. Meals are healthy versions of homecooked food from the main regions of the U.S. I have already cooked several recipes and my family has loved them all. I have served dinner guests with "untested in my kitchen" recipes. The meal was great! Tonight I am using a fish recipe. Can't wait to taste. With cooking like this, dieting and eating healthy is quick and easy.
A little disappointing.......2004-07-17
I have recently bought eight (!) Weight Watchers cookbooks from Amazon, and this is the first one I have been disappointed with. I have found it easy to buy or substitute ingredients called for in the other books, but less so with this one (elk steaks, anyone?) OK, it is an "All-American" cookbook, so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised. But this is a word of warning for would-be purchasers living outside the States. And it's puzzling that a few of the recipes call for vegetable shortening (copha). The last time I checked, this was a very unhealthy saturated fat, and definitely not recommend for anyone who is weight - or health - conscious. But my biggest gripe is that the few recipes I have tried so far have been bland or pretty ordinary - which has cetainly not been the case for the other Weight Watchers cookbooks. All up, not really recommended.
Best Southern Foods Section.......2004-07-05
I can't speak for all the regions, but the section on southern food is amazing. Having grown up in the South where comfort food is often deep fried, I have really struggled to find authentic lowfat recipes. I can honestly say that the foods in this section were staples growing up (rather than what non-southern people think is southern food). All the recipes I have tried this far have been delicious!
I would recommend this book simply for this section alone, but the foods I have tried from other sections have been excellent too!
A table of contents without page numbers????.......2004-02-17
The most frustrating thing about this book is that the table of contents has no page numbers. This makes this book particularly difficult to use since it is categorized by region and only categorized by type of food when you get to the regional chapters which -- if you didn't already understand my frustration -- were not numbered in the table of contents. I am really glad that this was a hand-me-down because I would have hated to have paid money for it.
Amazon.com
Water is a curious thing, observed the economist Adam Smith: although it is vital to life, it costs almost nothing, whereas diamonds, which are useless for survival, cost a fortune. In Water, Canadian journalist de Villiers says the resource is still undervalued, but it is becoming more precious. It's not that the world is running out of water, he adds, but that "it's running out in places where it's needed most."
De Villiers examines the checkered history of humankind's management of water--which, he hastens to remind us, is not a renewable resource in many parts of the world. One of them is the Nile River region, burdened by overpopulation. Another is the Sahara, where Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi is pressing an ambitious, and potentially environmentally disastrous, campaign to mine deep underground aquifers to make the desert green. Another is northern China, where the damaging effects of irrigation have destroyed once-mighty rivers, and the Aral Sea of Central Asia, which was killed within a human lifetime. And still another is the American Southwest, where crops more fitting to a jungle than a dry land are nursed. De Villiers travels to all these places, reporting on what he sees and delivering news that is rarely good.
De Villiers has a keen eye for detail and a solid command of the scientific literature on which his argument is based. He's also a fine storyteller, and his wide-ranging book makes a useful companion to Marc Reisner's classic Cadillac Desert and other works that call our attention to a globally abused--and vital--resource. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
In his award-winning book WATER, Marq de Villiers provides an eye-opening account of how we are using, misusing, and abusing our planet's most vital resource. Encompassing ecological, historical, and cultural perspectives, de Villiers reports from hot spots as diverse as China, Las Vegas, and the Middle East, where swelling populations and unchecked development have stressed fresh water supplies nearly beyond remedy. Political struggles for control of water rage around the globe, and rampant pollution daily poses dire ecological theats. With one eye on these looming crises and the other on the history of our dependence on our planet's most precious commodity, de Villiers has crafted a powerful narrative about the lifeblood of civilizations that will be "a wake-up call for concerned citizens, environmentalists, policymakers, and water drinkers everywhere" (Publishers Weekly).
Customer Reviews:
Good, but fails about Brazil.......2006-06-21
I'm an agronomist and I live in Brazil.I read this book, translated to the portuguese, here in Brazil.This book really has many usefull informations, about water suplly in the world.
China, Israel, Africa, USA, Mexico, India are some of the nations who are with water's problems and are focused in this book.
About Brazil this book is a failure.Brazil export far less paper and wood than Canada or USA, but we have far more forests than Canada or USA.And our forests grow far more fast than an american or canadian forest.And this book talks about ecomyths about Brazil.
In fact, this book sometimes reproduces, the ridiculous lies from "green eugenicists" or ecologists.
A real eye opener.......2005-05-03
This is an excellent overview of the water problems plaguing the globe at the moment, as Marq de Villiers travels far and wide to show just how precious a resource water really is. Most importantly, he does so in a very accessible style of writing that personalizes so many of the issues surrounding the rapid depletion of aquifers by drawing on childhood memories of his home farm in South Africa and first hand sources in the current geopolitical battles.
Of note is the Middle East and North Africa where the battle over water is entertwined with the ongoing political disputes. He notes how carefully Israel has managed its water resources yet is heavily reliant on sources in the West Bank to sustain its agricultural industry. Needless to say this has made the issue of Palestinian statehood that much more difficult. He also explores the thorny relationships along the Nile where downstream Egypt has threatened to go to war with the Sudan and Ethiopia over any divergence attempts with this great river. And, Kaddafi's attempts to create a massive underground river from aquifers deep below the Sahara to coastal Libya, in order to restore badly depleted sources.
But, even in seemingly water rich nations like the US and Canada, water battles persist, mostly to do with the contamination of rivers and aquifers that are the result of industrial waste and poor farming practices. More thorny are precious water rights in dry states like Wyoming and Montana that often end up in court and sometimes settled using frontier justice.
For those not familiar with the looming water crisis, this book will be a real opener, for others it will provide valuable information regarding disputes from the Yellow River in China to the Colorado River, which has long since quit flowing to the Gulf of California. While de Villiers avoids being the doomsayer, he does make one exceedingly worried about the future of this most precious resource.
A Non-Fiction Page turner (!).......2005-03-21
This book is by far one of the most interesting, can't-put-it-down non-fictional books I've ever read. I know, I'm speaking in superlatives, but I can't say enough about this book.
I made my thesis topic water-related after I read Water. And yet Water reads like a novel, even though it's packed with information and statistics; de Villiers does an amazing job of making the scientific research information palatable to the average (non-science inclined) reader by weaving in his own experiences and stories.
You can feel his passion for this issue come through in his writing style. He integrates quotes very well and makes the subject come alive. For example, when writing about a severe chemical spill along the Rhine River, he quoted Bertram Muelle, saying: "The river ran red... Otherwise, it looked no different...But I knew that as I watched, its creatures were dying. It was the most terrible feeling. I was frozen, sickened..."He makes turns a very technical and scientific topic into a page-turner. A must-read! P.S. Pay attention to the Canada-US Great Lakes issue, along with the Rhine and Danube Rivers (the subject of my thesis!).
Lacks focus.......2004-04-03
This a fascinating book about a fascinating (and critical topic). But in appealling to the general reader, Mr. de Villiers inserts too much (for my taste) personal anecdote. A regrettable travelogue quality permeates the narrative.
This is unfortunate, because there is much of value here. In particular, the discussion about the sources and uses of the Jordan River, Isreali concern with controlling its water supply, and water problems of the immediate Arab neighorhood, opened my eyes to an aspect of the current intractable problems of the Middle East.
My advice is to read this with pleasure, but don't be afraid to skim if you find some portions of the narrative uninteresting.
Easy to Swallow, but with No Additives.......2002-09-12
This easy to read and conversational book can be used as an introduction to the fate of water supplies around the world and their impact on human societies. de Villiers takes us on a chapter-by-chapter dissertation first on the technical aspects of water issues, such as the mechanics of groundwater and dams. Then we proceed to selected examples of water crises around the globe, such as China's dilemma of having too much where it's not needed and too little where it is needed, or the hideous catastrophe of the Aral Sea in the former USSR.
The author takes an admirably middle-of-the-road stance here and usually lets the facts speak for themselves, with just a little bit of opinionating. But his opinions are still quite moderate and level-headed, as he doesn't align himself with either unyielding environmentalists or extreme free trade proponents, both of which he accurately condemns as having very narrow outlooks on the real world. Some of de Villiers' key observations concern the water wars that will probably start erupting in coming years in dry regions of the world. Two countries will probably spend more money in a single day of war than it takes to improve water supplies for both of them for decades to come. Also, de Villiers drives home the point that the worrisome decline of fresh water around the globe is not due to greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, or greens who refuse to let it be used. It's just the natural outcome of humans living like humans. Therefore real human cooperation across all societies is necessary to address the problem.
Unfortunately, the author's chapter-by-chapter approach serves only as an introduction to separate topics of interest, without very much substance behind each one. Also, this subject requires harder economics, politics, and sociology than de Villiers provides here. Therefore this book can best be used as an introduction to these issues before you dive into much more specific books like "Rivers of Empire" by Worster or "Cadillac Desert" by Reisner (focusing on the American West), or the works of the Worldwatch Institute for the international story.
Book Description
Here’s the real history of our country. How Capitalism Saved America explodes the myths spun by Michael Moore, the liberal media, Hollywood, academia, and the rest of the anticapitalist establishment.
Whether it’s Michael Moore or the New York Times, Hollywood or academia, a growing segment in America is waging a war on capitalism. We hear that greedy plutocrats exploit the American public; that capitalism harms consumers, the working class, and the environment; that the government needs to rein in capitalism; and on and on. Anticapitalist critiques have only grown more fevered in the wake of corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom. Indeed, the 2004 presidential campaign has brought frequent calls to re-regulate the American economy.
But the anticapitalist arguments are pure bunk, as Thomas J. DiLorenzo reveals in
How Capitalism Saved America. DiLorenzo, a professor of economics, shows how capitalism has made America the most prosperous nation on earth—and how the sort of government regulation that politicians and pundits endorse has hindered economic growth, caused higher unemployment, raised prices, and created many other problems. He propels the reader along with a fresh and compelling look at critical events in American history—covering everything from the Pilgrims to Bill Gates.
And just as he did in his last book, The Real Lincoln, DiLorenzo explodes numerous myths that have become conventional wisdom.
How Capitalism Saved America
reveals:
• How the introduction of a capitalist system saved the Pilgrims from starvation
• How the American Revolution was in large part a revolt against Britain’s stifling economic controls
• How the so-called robber barons actually improved the lives of millions of Americans by providing newer and better products at lower prices
• How the New Deal made the Great Depression worse
• How deregulation got this country out of the energy crisis of the 1970s—and was not the cause of recent blackouts in California and the Northeast
• And much more
How Capitalism Saved America is popular history at its explosive best.
Customer Reviews:
Debunking myths about capitalism........2007-08-23
DiLorenzo tells the great story of how capitalism has always been a benefit to everyone and about how some have always wanted more. Politicians and their Big Business-buddies always were there to take power and money from society to grant themeselves great privileges and thereby to destroy the prosperiy, harmony and peace that capistalism brings. DiLorenzo takes on a lot of myths, and even provides a nice list of books for those who want to read more about why building (rail)roads is better left to the market, why unions destroy jobs of non-union members and cause a lower living-standard for all, why anti-trust laws destroy the competitive proces on the market or why every intervention in the marketplace is destructive.
After reading this book you will think differently about the way government runs things and finds excuses for ruling others.
WHAT CAPITALISM IS, AND ISN'T.......2007-06-15
This book provides a great look into how REAL capitalism took root before and during the American Revolution, how it was instrumental in making America an economic model of prosperity, and how it eventually was distorted, twisted and almost destroyed by Hamilton, Clay, Lincoln and their corporate welfare cohorts. (The Republican party still today is the WORST defender of free-market capitalism - they haven't a clue as to what it really is and even less how to practice it. The damage they've done to capitalism alone is staggering - and the shame of it all is that most people believe the GOP IS Capitalism, R-Ron Paul being an exception).
Dilorenzo also explains what capitalism isn't, using the railroad industry of the late 19th century as one example with all of it's government granted protectionism.
"How Capitalism Saved America" is a great book for clearing the air on the historical context of capitalism in America. I would highly recommend it for high-school and college students who have been fed myth after myth of lies and distortions about free-markets and deregulation. This book sets the record straight, clearly and efficiently.
A Story that Needs to be Told.......2007-05-13
A contrarian point of view is very much needed because the media has reached a conclusion about the role of government or entrepreneurial activity and the economy. I am always concerned about what I read in the media. Few if any journalists understand the topics of business, finance, or economics, let alone what the free market is. Yet the media commonly presents as facts things of which they have little understanding or practical knowledge. The media in America would have the average American convinced that Rockefeller or Gates are robber barons, the Great Depression was caused by too free of a market, too much competition is somehow bad, and the energy crisis of the 1970s was real.
When compared to our popular notions of the free market and the role of capitalism, DiLorenzo's arguments cut cleanly across the grain of conventional economic wisdom. He deftly explains that what most Americans understand as the free market is hardly that at all. Having worked on Capital Hill, his explanation of how our `trusted' politicians in Washington (or elsewhere) distort, even while claiming to deregulate, the market place for their own gain is spot on. The American economy has becoming increasing mercantilist as a consequence.
Even if you are of a liberal political strip, I recommend this book if just to get a different perspective. Emotion free, the book is not written with technical jargon. It is a very accessible read.
Worth reading.......2007-01-09
Interesting read. I enjoyed this.
Dilorenzo introduces some interesting ideas. This should be required reading for any business or marketing major.
If you enjoyed 'The World is Flat' you would enjoy this.
Finally, a little something positive from T.J.D........2006-12-21
Economist Thomas J. DiLorenzo's two books on Abraham Lincoln are based on slipshod research and written in popular style to put forth his Libertarian political and economic philosophy. History they are not. Here, however, he is on the topic of economics, and that is in his area of expertise. Oh, he still takes up a chapter with tired arguments why the Devil should assign Abe Lincoln a special place in hell, and the title is misleading - it should be called How Anti-capitalists are Trying to Destroy America. At least on economic matters there is some reason to believe him. "Some," I said. He again oversimplifies, and heaven forbid that he should ever present both sides of an argument. It's the Dilorenzionian way or the socialist highway. But he ends the book hammering on excessive litigation and Michael Moore's untutored displays of ignorance and bad taste, so you know he can't be all bad. He is just not great.
Book Description
The unholy alliance of the Political Right and Religious Right threatens to destroy the America we love. It also threatens to generate a popular aversion to God and religion by identifying religious values with a pro–war, pro–business, pro–rich, anti–science, and anti–environmental stance.
In the past few decades, the Republicans have achieved political dominance by forging a union with a Religious Right that provided a sanctimonious veneer to policies that help the rich get richer while ignoring the needs of the middle class and the poor, dismantling environmental and civil liberties protections, and seeking global domination. The Right champions the materialism, and ruthless selfishness promoted by the global competitive marketplace, and then laments the moral crisis when the values that people have learned all day in the world of work gets carried home into personal life and contributes to family instability and a culture of loneliness. Enter the Religious Right with nurturing communities for the faithful and a culture that blames liberals, activist judges, and all secular people for the moral and spiritual emptiness so many Americans experience. The Left, on the other hand, remains largely tone–deaf to the spiritual needs of the American people. It is the yearning for meaning in life, not just the desire for money or power that is at the core of American politics.
Customer Reviews:
empty secular society and overly absolute religious attitudes are shared problems.......2007-10-08
What do the Left and the Right have in common? A sense of meaninglessness in what is called the "real world"--work--unites us all. So Lerner begins his examination of the spiritual ills that unavoidably shape our politics. Lerner does not give a solution, only hints, for this longing for meaning, raising the question of why more of us don't do more to change the work world--namely, fear.
One of Lerner's main themes is the nature of two voices we all must deal with, that of fear and that of hope. Ironically the voice of fear usually results in efforts toward what he calls the more aggressive and adamant right hand of God, the voice of hope allows us to stay with the more ambiguous, seemingly weaker side, the left hand of God.
So throughout this book Lerner shows all too often not only the political right by also the political left giving in to fear and choosing the right hand. Lerner presents some helpful history. At the very least read the chapter "The Religion of Secularism and the Fear of Spirit." He has had a lot of exposure over the years in his activism to those who are determined to exclude all religion from the political sphere. Also be sure to read "Elitism on the Left." His analysis rings true and is gentle yet sophisticated.
I couldn't help but feel Lerner is less a writer per se than a leader, organizer, spiritual director, and activist. His discussion will make you want to join his larger support group or spiritual network. At first I thought this was a kind of informal church of Jew, Christian, and any other religion or spiritual searcher, that I would love to have joined, but it appears to be wholly spiritual--you won't meet in person, unless you become involved in some of Lerner's activism.
Thank God for Rabbi Lerner. I think we need to support his voice and presence as spiritual leader in the political sphere. His web site is impressive and inclusive.
When do the religious cross the line in politics? On a somewhat humorous note, in a long footnote Rabbi Lerner reveals a time when I think he crossed it: Bill Clinton had given a speech that was clearly using Learner's unique language of "meaning." (Oddly when the president uses your writing without acknowledgment, this is a compliment; anyone else and it's called plagiarism.) The White House then asked Lerner to consult with them before saying anything more. Lerner agreed! I couldn't help but think of the Hebrew prophets. I don't think they would have agreed -- they wouldn't have been allowed to say anything significant!
Intriguing.......2007-07-09
Repetitive. The whole thing could have been condensed to one chapter. After a certain point, I couldn't read anymore. Nevertheless, the concept is inspiring.
Mercy to balance Severity.......2007-05-04
in flipping thru television channels last night
i arrived at one of those strange stations with the
very high numbers that is not standard viewing.
This rabbi was speaking, and I wouldn't normally
have paused my remote control scan for a religious
speach, but he was speaking a message that was so
compelling that I listened to the rest of his talk.
in terms of Kabbalah,
if we imagine God having a right hand of Severity,
of the manifest destiny of America's military might
and the right winged Fundamentalist Christian support
backing up the Republican agenda,
we can also imagine God having a left hand of Mercy,
of social reform, of diversity being not only allowed
but encouraged, of charity, of the socialist agendas
of the left winged progressive liberal Democrats.
the good rabbi w
The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good
Development as Freedom
Globalization and Its Discontents
Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits (Wharton School Publishing Paperbacks)
