The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with images)

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with images) Review

I am a history bug and I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. I read it on my Mac with the Kindle application and enjoyed it so much that my wife bought me a Kindle for my birthday. Amazon has many titles at no charge. Some are so so, but for me, this was a great trip back in time with one of the most gifted minds of the enlightenment.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with images) Overview

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs. Although it had a tortuous publication history after Franklin's death, this work has become one of the most famous and influential examples of autobiography ever written.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 02, 2010 14:20:04

Little Women

Little Women Review

My first actual introduction to Little Women came from watching the Winona Ryder version of the film on a snowy, beautiful day in New England during my sophmore year of high school. I immediately fell in love with the movie and tracked down the book in my library. I read a few pages of it, couldn't get into it, and brought it back to school unread. And that was that (sadly this happened with a few classics that weren't required of me). I ultimately decided that I should give Little Women another shot due to my love of the film. I'm so glad I did.

Okay, sure some of the views in this book (one being that a woman's worth was determined on how well she kept house) did prick my feminist nerves a little bit, but I did keep in mind that this was a wildly different time than the one I live in now. The book was a bit on the preachy side, but Little Women had such a humble and homey feel to it that I really didn't mind being preached at most of the time.

Now, on to The Little Women...I was endeared by all of the characters in this book (Marmee, Hannah, etc.), but of course I was mostly endeared by the little women (and Laurie). I just loved Meg, Beth, Jo, and Amy (to some extent, at least). My favorite was definitely Jo. She was just so strong, independent, and marched to the beat of her own drum. And I adored her relationship with Laurie. When I finished the film, I remember thinking (HUGE SPOILER FOR THE END HERE) "Laurie ends up with Amy?!??!? What a rip-off!" Even while reading the book, I kept hoping that I would turn the page and Jo would end up with Laurie.

On the one hand, I thought that Jo and Laurie were perfect for each other, but on the other hand, I loved that they had such a strong friendship that not even unrequited love could ruin it. However, I still don't like that Laurie ended up with Amy. Out of all the sisters, she was the one I was least endeared by. I would've loved nothing more than to drop her down a peg or two (or six). However, nothing can be done about it at this point. The fact that I'm so into whom should end up with whom just shows how attached I am to Little Women. (END OF SPOILER)

So, I absolutely loved and adored Little Women. I found it to be one of those classics that's just incredibly easy to read that even those whom don't have much experience in reading classics (like me) can understand the language without much difficulty. Little Women was just an adorable and sweet book that I know I'm going to re-read this book for years to come.

Little Women Overview

Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy manage to lead interesting lives despite Father's absence at war and the family's lack of money. Whether they're putting on a play or forming a secret society, their gaiety is infectious. Written from Louisa May Alcott's own experiences, this remarkable novel has been treasured for generations.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 02, 2010 10:14:05

24 Hours

24 Hours Review

Some writers, like Robert Ludlum, can blow you away with the sheer force of their narrative powers, and Iles is in that category. This story has some cliched elements (damsel in distress, captured child, gentle giant), but Iles puts it all together and makes it work. It's like the Saturday afternoon matinees I remember as a kid--you pretty much know how it's going to turn out, but you still root for the heroes, curse the villains, and cheer at the end. This is the perfect book for a rainy summer day in a cabin in the woods. Chills and thrills guaranteed.

24 Hours Overview

24 Hours begins with the perfect family. On the perfect day. About to become trapped in the perfect crime. Will Jennings is a successful young doctor in Jackson, Mississippi, with his whole life ahead of him. He has a thriving practice, a beautiful wife, and a young daughter he loves beyond measure. But Will and his family are being watched by a con man and psychopath. A man who has crafted the unbeatable crime. A man who has never been caught, and whose victims have never talked to the police. A man whose life's work strikes at the heart of every family's nightmare: the unstoppable kidnapping.

But this man has never met Will and Karen Jennings.

"Iles tells a riveting tale . . .Here is a major talent strutting his considerable stuff." - Denver Post

24 Hours Specifications

This explosive suspense thriller gets off to a blistering start: the kidnapping of a little boy--in eight breathless pages--that culminates with the child's safe return and the disappearance of the successful kidnappers. That sets the stage for the book's centerpiece, the abduction of little Abby Jennings, daughter of Will, a successful physician, and Karen, a slightly dissatisfied suburban woman who's wondering where the passion in her marriage went. The criminals' modus operandi is established early on. They target the progeny of Mississippi doctors, demand a reasonable (to an affluent M.D.) ransom, release the child after it's paid, and promise the victim parents that if they ever breathe a word of the incident to anyone, their kids will be taken again and killed. The kidnappings are carefully set up, targeted to take place when one parent is out of town at a medical meeting or convention, thus ensuring the cooperation of the other. And the victim is held by a sweet, slightly retarded but humongous and powerful man whose loyalty to his cousin, the mastermind, is unquestioned.

24 Hours is a version of the locked room school of kidnap mysteries and a very good one indeed, especially when Will turns the tables on the kidnapper and takes control of the situation. Abby's diabetic condition (she needs lifesaving injections on a regular basis) notches the suspense up one last turn. It's a well worked-out plot, the pacing is terrific, and the characters likable and attractive. Iles is a master storyteller, and this one has big screen written all over it--with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as the Jennings, if we're lucky. --Jane Adams

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 02, 2010 05:01:05

Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity

Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity Review

Lots of good information, but there are no descriptions for any software or how to get the reports seen in the book. I am trying to recreate these reports using Google Analytics, Coremetrics and Omniture. It seems that most of the reports are the standard reports out of Google Analytics, but I am having a difficult time recreating some of these with other software.

I think this was a great book, but I have a few things I disagree with:

Page 85, he says if he could only have one report, it would be Outcomes by All Traffic Sources. This report shows Goal Conversion Rates, but he does not describe what these are. In Google Analytics, these are custom, so this could be anything.

I am disappointed, he does say it is important to measure ROI, but does not talk about how to do this. The author says that you can do this by comparing the data from Google to your campaign data. It is not that easy. You have to know how much was spent, and you have to know how much incremental revenue came in from SEO/PPC efforts. It is not an easy task. Test and control or some other method should have been addressed. In calculating ROI for PPC in chapter 11, he assumes that all visits from PPC are ones you would not have without the ad. Not necessarily true.

In Chapter 7, testing is finally addressed. I disagree with his method of testing the impact of PPC by turning it off and on completely; this does not take into account any seasonality that may occur naturally in web traffic. This is also a problem if there is a lot of variation in web visits and sales over time. Why not try test and control markets: turning it off in some regions and have it on in others? This method would allow you to compare the on and off markets and find incremental sales.

In the marginal attribution model from page 368, you change the spending for one type of online marketing, then attribute any sales higher than last month sales to the additional marketing. In my experience, web sales tend to have a large variation in sales from month to month making it difficult to say what the cause of any increase is without any kind of confidence bounds.

The "controlled experiment" on page 375 is a really bad example. The ad is run at the same time in all markets and then compared to pre and post ad time periods. What if at the same time as the ad, some celebrity tweeted that they loved your product or some news program aired a warning about your product. There are too many uncontrollable situations to compare pre and post ad sales. You should have test and control markets to compare sales in the same time period.

On page 377, the Author says: "The analyst at Walmart.com can use the previous URL to track how many people use the website and then visit the store." A view the store locator on the web does NOT equal a visit to your store. In his example, a user on walmart.com views a camera and then the store locator. It is very possible that the customer viewing the camera at walmart.com may also go to target.com and find the same camera at a similar price and find that the target store was much more convenient to visit. There is no way in this case to tie a store locator and product page view to an offline purchase. Using a discount code or unique offer would provide a better method of tracking online to offline behavior.

In Chapter 14, the BMI is introduced. But on page 419, the author says this method is preferred because it has a scale of 0 to 100. It actually has a scale of -100 to 100.
If 5 responders all gave a Not Satisfied or a Not At All Satisfied, the score would be [(0+))-(5):]/5*100=-100. The other method, weighted means can also give a scale of -100 to 100 if the right weights are used.

Not Satisfied At all:=-1
Not Satisfied =-.5
Satisfied=0
Very Satisfied= .5
Extremely Satisfied= 1

With these weights the scale is also -100 to 100.

Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity Feature

• ISBN13: 9780470529393
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity Overview

Adeptly address today’s business challenges with this powerful new book from web analytics thought leader Avinash Kaushik. Web Analytics 2.0 presents a new framework that will permanently change how you think about analytics. It provides specific recommendations for creating an actionable strategy, applying analytical techniques correctly, solving challenges such as measuring social media and multichannel campaigns, achieving optimal success by leveraging experimentation, and employing tactics for truly listening to your customers. The book will help your organization become more data driven while you become a super analysis ninja!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 01, 2010 23:27:04

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke Review

I dont know why it took me so long to write a review for this book. But i think it means that much more to me in 2010 than it would have at the time I purchased this book in 2007. At that time, I was crawling my way to paying off my credit card debt, college loans and living above my means while working for a hardly-there salary. I had no savings, renting a plac and living paycheck to paycheck and going over it every month. It seemed as if only thing I had was stress that came with having no financial freedom. When i first received the book, i read it cover to cover, with the exception of the last 2 chapters(of 10)that dealt with owning a home and marriage. I never read the home chapter because it just seemed so out of reach! But I followed her directions and bookmarked her book all over the pages. I referred back to it all the time. Suze's very blunt and i needed that. Now almost 3 years later, I have savings, I'll be debt free this year, and above all, I was finally able to read her 9th chapter on owning a home and bought my own place. i guess i'm still saving the last chapter for when i get married. You may think your road to financial freedom is a long way ahead but for , this is one of the best guides that you can rely on to get you through the tough task. Stay positive but start getting real. It's not going to get done if you leave it alone, you have to take action. Good luck!

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke Overview

A financial guide aimed squarely at "Generation Debt'-and their anxious parents-from the country's most trusted and dynamic source on money matters

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke is financial expert Suze Orman's answer to a generation's cry for help. They're called "Generation Debt" and "Generation Broke" by the media-people in their twenties and thirties who graduate from college with a mountain of student loan debt and are stuck with one of the weakest job markets in recent history. The goals of their parents' generation-buy a house, support a family, send kids to college, retire in style-seem absurdly, depressingly out of reach. They live off their credit cards, may or may not have health insurance, and come up so far short at the end of the month that the idea of saving money is a joke. This generation has it tough, without a doubt, but they're also painfully aware of the urgent need to take matters into their own hands.

The Money Book was written to address the specific financial reality that young people face today, and it offers a set of real, not impossible, solutions to the problems at hand and the problems ahead. Concisely, pragmatically, and without a whiff of condescension,

Suze Orman tells her young, fabulous & broke readers precisely what actions to take and why. Throughout these pages, icons direct readers to a special YF&B domain on Suze's website that offers more specialized information, forms, and interactive tools that further customize the information in the book. Her advice at times bucks conventional wisdom (Did she just say use your credit card?) and may even seem counterintuitive (Pay into a retirement fund even though your credit card debt is killing you?), but it's her honesty, understanding, and uncanny ability to anticipate the needs of her readers that have made her the most trusted financial expert of the day.

Over the course of ten chapters that can be consulted methodically, step by step, or on a strictly need-to-know basis, Suze takes readers past broke to a secure place where they'll never have to worry about revisiting broke again. And she begins the journey with a bit of overwhelmingly good news (yes, there really is good news): Young people have the greatest asset of all on their side-time.

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke Specifications

If you are tired of struggling to make ends meet but don't know a 401(k) from Special K, this book is for you. Aimed specifically at "Generation Broke"--those in their twenties and thirties who are working yet buried in credit card debt and student loans--this user-friendly guide offers a clear introduction to practical investing and money management techniques that can turn even a dismal financial situation around. Bestselling author Suze Orman has a knack for taking the fear out of money matters, and in The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous &: Broke, she shows readers how to set priorities and achieve goals, whether it is to buy a house or save for retirement or pay for a child's education. She also offers inspiration to readers to face their financial problems and get started on a solution. After all, there is good news: young people still have the time to correct problems so that they will never be broke again. Readers who find terms such as diversification and IRA rollover scary--or worse, unimportant--will learn much from this book.

In these pages, Orman clearly and succinctly explains what a FICO score is and why it's so important, offers the lowdown on stocks and mutual funds, provides career advice, and offers lots of tips on dealing with student loan debt, saving money even when times are tight, debt consolidation strategies, and the safest way for newlyweds to merge their finances. She also offers information on credit cards, including why canceling cards is not a good idea, when it makes sense to use them, and the best strategies for paying them off. It may not be the only money book you'll ever need, but it's an excellent place to start. --Shawn Carkonen

All About Suze Orman

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke is financial expert Suze Orman's answer to a generation's cry for help. An Emmy-award winner, Orman is the author of four consecutive New York Times® bestsellers, The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, The Courage to Be Rich, The Road to Wealth, and The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life. The Money Book was written to address the specific financial reality that young people face today, and it offers a set of real, not impossible, solutions to the problems at hand and the problems ahead.

• Listen to a special message from Suze Orman.
• Visit the Suze Orman Store

Suze Orman: The Bestsellers

The Courage to Be Rich The Road to Wealth The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life

Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom

Money Cards: Words That Lead to Wealth You've Earned it, Don't Lose It The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke, Audio CD

Build Your Own Suze Orman Library
The Essentials

The Laws of Money	The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom	You've Earned It, Don't Lose It
Money Cards: Words That Lead to Wealth	Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook	Suze Orman's Will And Trust Kit

Pep Talks: Suze Orman Audios

The Courage to Be Rich, CD	The Road to Wealth, CD	The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life, CD
The Courage to Be Rich, Cassette	The Road to Wealth, Cassette	The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life, Cassette

Bestselling Suze Orman Books on DVD

The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life, 2003	The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, 2004	The Road to Wealth, 2004
The Suze Orman Collection, 2003	The Courage to Be Rich	The Best of the Suze Orman Collection, 2004

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 01, 2010 17:48:05

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time Review

Jeffery Sachs seems like a perfectly intelligent man full of passion and legitamate concern for the severely impoverished persons throughout the world. This book is quite useful particularly the chapters detailing Sachs travels throughout the world assisting various governments with their economic problems. He has much correct about the economic problems facing the developing world, such as his notion that poverty cannot and should not be treated with a one size fits all approach and that there are no magic bullets when it comes to dealing with the problems of the world.

As I read this book, I couldn't help but think of Hannah Teeter-U.S. Olympic Snowboarder who won medals in Torino and Vancouver and the piece NBC did on her during the Olympics about her various charitable causes in Africa and other parts of the world including helping to provide clean drinking water and other facilities for a village in Kenya. Weren't various international organizations aware of these problems throughout Africa and other areas for years if not decades and it takes private citizens just to provide a well for basic drinking water and Sachs demands we give these agencies more money...uh huh yeah.

However Sachs solution of increasing foreign aid through the UN, IMF, World Bank, and other organizations would seem to be no solution at all. Need I remind Mr. Sachs of the numerous occasions in which the UN and its various agencies have let us down before including various genocides and other relief efforts. Pardon me if I don't have the greatest confidence in the international governing structure. Furthermore, what are we to do, if this big idea does not work? Another quibble is the notion of poverty, my mom makes about 14,000 a year...under Sachs definition we would only be moderately impoverished because we can afford basic needs and an occasional splurge, but I would certainly not call it comfortable knowing that if one thing goes wrong, maybe we won't be able to afford food...government assistance isn't that great.

That being said, Jeff Sachs does get many things right beyond a liberal or conservative bias. The lead-up to the idea is great because it provides a framework that allows the Western reader to see poverty as a worldwide concern that has a stake in the life of even the most jaded wealth possessed Western consumer. The so called solution though, needs work.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time Overview

Marrying vivid eyewitness storytelling with concrete analysis, Jeffrey Sachs provides a conceptual map of the world economy and the different categories into which countries fall, explaining why wealth and poverty have diverged and evolved as they have and why the poorest nations have been so markedly unable to escape the cruel vortex of poverty. Sachs plunges into the messy realities of economies, leading his readers through his work in Bolivia, Poland, Russia, India, China, and Africa, and concludes with an integrated set of solutions to the tangled economic, political, environmental, and social issues that most frequently hold societies back.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time Specifications

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

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 01, 2010 13:22:05

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Business Creativity

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Business Creativity Review

I've found this book to be an incredible treasure after I found it recommended numerous times on a blog called "Litemind." Michalko opens up by framing the philosophical and spiritual foundation from which he writes the book. After some introductory games and exercises to be used in helping to reshape basic life thinking patterns, the author delves into page after page of games and exercises. This is one of those books that people are likely to say is more like a DVD than a book. By this, I mean that it's not meant specifically to impart information. Rather, it is to serve as a guide for connecting information, thoughts, and ideas that are already in our heads. If explored, the information it is likely to impart is far greater than the words contained on its pages. More than a book, it's a tool for critical thinking. I especially liked that apart from the introduction, the author did not intend for it to be read in order page-by-page, but rather used as a reference, with each tool used as appropriate to the problem to be solved. I'd surveyed part of the book on Google books prior to purchasing it, and this book has not disappointed. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a toolbox of games and exercises for working through problems.

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Business Creativity Overview

Rethink the Way You Think
 
In hindsight, every great idea seems obvious. But how can you be the person who comes up with those ideas?
In this revised and expanded edition of his groundbreaking Thinkertoys, creativity expert Michael Michalko reveals life-changing tools that will help you think like a genius. From the linear to the intuitive, this comprehensive handbook details ingenious creative-thinking techniques for approaching problems in unconventional ways. Through fun and thought-provoking exercises, you’ll learn how to create original ideas that will improve your personal life and your business life. Michalko’s techniques show you how to look at the same information as everyone else and see something different.
 
With hundreds of hints, tricks, tips, tales, and puzzles, Thinkertoys will open your mind to a world of innovative solutions to everyday and not-so-everyday problems.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 01, 2010 09:14:07