Verb Natures (Actar's Boogazine)

Book Description

Buildings and cities grow, are transformed and dissolve. How can this evolution be generated, controlled, enhanced or imagined? Is our environment programmable? How does the fusion of natural and artificial materials produce new architectural organisms, new environments, new natures? How does technology animate space and how do users and programs animate matter? Because everything grows, especially cities, the fifth volume of Actar's Verb series looks for a new definition of the organic through architecture, graphics, and photography as well as visual and digital art. Verb Natures follows Verb 1, Verb Matters, Verb Connection and Verb Conditioning.

Customer Reviews:

Some interesting approaches to the 'organic' in architecture.......2007-05-22

Fifth in the Actar 'boogazine' series, Verb Natures is a search for the natural or the organic in architecture. The selected works are as varied as the approaches or design methodologies demonstrated. Certain projects strive for that 'simple' complexity that is often found in genuine natural conditions. Manuel Gausa's 'Land-Arch' project, for instance, explores the ease in which natural systems lend themselves to shifting between scales. Gausa shows the flexibility inherent in natural systems by extending their influence to general program organization and envelope articulation. In contrast is Hitoshi Abe's AIP French Restaurant that choses to simulate nature through the use of imagery and modern fabrication processes. With a thoughtfully articulated screen, Abe manages to create a natural sensibility as it relates to a quality of light rather than structure.

The 'natural' in architecture, as frequently depicted in this book, seems largely informed by mathematical processes. Various algorithms or mathematical expressions are created or utilized as generators of form or structure. The goal often appears to be auto-generative architecture with the intention of removing the influence or 'hand' of the designer. Arguably, this isn't easily accomplished as one has to make certain decisions related to the creation, manipulation and implementation of such processes.

The occasional interviews with the designers are quite interesting and provide excellent insight into the ideas driving each project. This is another well-crafted Actar publication with generous photos, drawings and text.

Average customer rating:

"The Skin Of The Serpent" ~ A Peek Behind This Earthly Illusion
An Available God
Great Guidance, Well written!
Loved this book!
Excellent Intro to Kabbalah

God Is a Verb
David Cooper
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1573226947

Book Description

Embraced by celebrities from Madonna to Jeff Goldblum to Elizabeth Taylor, covered extensively in the pages of Time and Entertainment Weekly, Kabbalah--a Jewish mystical tradition dating back centuries--has taken its place alongside Buddhism as a spiritual practice for modern Western seekers. This book--written by the rabbi who authored the bestselling audiotape series The Mystical Kabbalah--is the first to bring Kabbalah to a wide audience. Earning great praise from critics, God Is a Verb promises to do for Judaism what The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying did for Buddhism, infusing an ancient tradition with new life and popularizing its ideas among an entirely new generation.

Customer Reviews:

"The Skin Of The Serpent" ~ A Peek Behind This Earthly Illusion.......2006-02-23

Rabbi David A. Cooper's, 'God Is A Verb' succeeds in being both a highly accessible primer for those uninitated into the kabbalistic mysteries while at the same time containing enough depth of material to attract the attention of the well-trained practitioner.

This 333 page paperback takes the reader on a wonderful mythic journey through 3,000 years of haggadic tales and imagery. The mystical understanding you will glean from these ancient myths and legends of the Jewish faith will become the essential building blocks to your mystical understanding of the cosmos. Come climb the 'Tree of Life', the adventure awaits!

A must read for the novice mystic and a valuable refresher course for the adept.

Highly Recommended!

An Available God.......2005-09-20

I always hoped that my personal experience of mysticism might be part of my Jewish tradition. David Cooper's book has assured me I am on track. I am delighted with its clarity, wisdom, practicality and authenticity. For me, it's water in a desert.
I don't think I need another book on Kabbalah. This will last me for the remainder of my life.

Great Guidance, Well written!.......2005-09-05

I have been a student of the Kabbalah for the past 12 years. Rabbi David A. Cooper's Book is a great light in the sea of confusion which the study of Kabbalah can bring. It allows for the seeker to find understanding with out the costly classes which some perscribe. The book allows one to gain a deep understanding into the Kabbalah on a personal level and clears much of the haze which a paradoxical system can cause.

Loved this book!.......2005-08-06

Rabbi Cooper has written a wonderful---and very useful---book. His explanations are clear and the meditative exercises are great. Read it and it just might change your life!

Excellent Intro to Kabbalah.......2005-01-25

Rabbi Cooper's book is the finest intro book on Kabbalah I've read. This book is not for those interested in an indepth understanding of theoretical, speculative Kabbalah. However, most people get so bogged down in theory that 10 years and 20 books later they still have no real idea WHAT Kabbalism means or how to apply it. So if you want to actually learn how to APPLY Kabbalah in your daily life, and not just learn to spout strings of esoteric jargon, buy THIS book.

Average customer rating:

Frustrating for someone who birds or has birded.
Peter Peters Out
An enjoyable read about birds, birding and birders
Verb implies action and it is missing in this book.
A Splendid Book for Birders and for Fans English

The Verb To Bird
Peter Cashwell
Manufacturer: Paul Dry Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1589880013

Book Description

All around the world, birds are a subject of intense and even spiritual fascination, but relatively few people see the word "bird" as a verb. Peter Cashwell is one who does. This is a whimsical and critical book about his many obsessions, including birds, birders, language, literature, and pop culture. It begins with an irreverent examination of birding as a historical, cultural, and even religious phenomenon and describes how a thirty-something student of academic and popular culture ends up an active participant in organized bird counts. Birding alone is compared to birding in company, and the pleasures of feeding birds outside are contrasted with the irrational terror of encountering them indoors. It also includes a birder's travelogue in which the author recounts the high (and low) points of trips all around the nation: from Virginia, where geese of unusual size appear out of nowhere, to South Carolina's Low Country, home to some of America's most beautiful birds and most ravenous biting insects; from Long Island, where, against all odds, nature still exists, to the river, city, and state of Iowa, where nomenclature is in short supply.

Customer Reviews:

Frustrating for someone who birds or has birded........2006-09-24

Mr. Cashwell's stories were cute and some of the bird info was mildly interesting but this is not a worthwhile read unless you know nothing about birds (but then why would you be reading about them?) Ah, you want to know more about birds? Stick with Dunne or Kauffman. Those guys know what it's like to really bird. Cashwell is only casually engaged in birding and it shows in this book. The title makes it seem like he's some sort of authority.
Even though he isn't, he still wrote a book that was entertaining at first. Then I got annoyed and thought that many of my birding adventures were just as funny. When I realized that I was no longer enjoying the read, and not learning anything, I really lost interest.
I did like the list of bird flock names in the beginning. I wanted to read more from someone who shared this passion. However, this book didn't make me want to bird more and wouldn't be very interesting to a potential birder. Again, learn the birds from the field guids and GO BIRDING...don't stay home reading this book.

Peter Peters Out.......2006-04-16

This book began great. I was thinking I should get a copy for everyone who cares about me so they can get a better perspective on what this geat passion of birding is like. I was laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying the read. But after about half way through the book, I began to lose interest. It seems as though Cashwell had some good ideas at first, but then he still needed to come up with filler for the rest of the book. By the end I was so frustrated with his mundane and frequent asinine observations that I finally had to put the book down without finishing it. His glibness went from entertaining to irritating to the point of unbearable by three-quarters of the way through. I did manage to get the part where he said he had about 250 life birds. I'm not sure how a person living in the Eastern US could have such a small life list and feel good about writing a book as though he's an expert on the topic. I know people who can log that many species in one day on the East Coast. So, if you get this book, stop after the story about the Christmas Great-Horned Owl. That was the last good story in the book.

An enjoyable read about birds, birding and birders.......2004-08-31

A well-written book by someone who enjoys birding, but is far from obsessed by it (a lack of obsession is sometimes a good trait to have!). I found that I was able to relate to many of the stories; particularly those when he was searching out a specific species of bird, or the differences in birding alone or with a partner (I prefer the buddy system -- he comes around to it slowly).
Being a New Yorker (& living on Long Island specifically) I was somewhat offended about his (& his fellow southerners) belief that nature ends at the New York border. Fortunately his birding trip on a winters day to Cold Spring Harbor seems to have changed his mind (so might a visit to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge or even Central Park). His tale of birding in Iowa, in particular his experience with the Iowa Birding Hotline, was good for a few out-loud laughs.
I was less interested in his research of the naming of the cardinal, or his disdain (though I share it), for the starling.
All-in-all, a good read about the big (and small) pleasures to be found in the pursuit of birds.

Verb implies action and it is missing in this book........2004-03-15

Peter Cashwell never really captures the spirt and pleasure of birding in "The Verb to Bird". The book is more of a forced literary exercise than a story about birds, birding or anything else. A collection of anecdotes related to the author's occasional hobby, the stories are not compelling nor do they capture the imagination. Cashwell's fascination with the mundane is illustrated by his search for the origin of the name Cardinal. He is surprised when he finds the bird was first named by Spanish, Portugese, and French explorers as he is chauvinistic enough to think Anglo Saxon settlers were the first to see this bird in North America. Following the the tale of his discovery leads to some very boring reading, as is the case with the whole book. In the end I had to work hard to finish this book even though birding is a passion in my life.

I would not reccommend this book except as an example of how a person with excellent literary credentials can take an intersting subject and make it quite boring. Perhaps if Cashwell would work more on building his birding skills he would be able to write better on the subject.

Sorry for the bad review. As Sandy Komito said: "In birding integrity is like virginity, you can only lose it once."

A Splendid Book for Birders and for Fans English.......2003-09-22

Peter Cashwell, an English teacher, has written a graceful book that discusses birding in a light-hearted manner. It will delight those of us who love birds and those of us who love the English language. I often laughed out loud at the various situations Cashwell creates for himself in the pursuit of birds. After reading it, I felt inspired to look at the visitors to my backyard far more closely.

Generative semantic studies of the conceptual nature of predicates in English

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Generative semantic studies of the conceptual nature of predicates in English
Masaaki Yamanashi
Manufacturer: Kaitakusha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Grammar | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0870404121

Verb Movement and Expletive Subjects in the Germanic Languages (Oxford Studies in Comparative Syntax)

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Verb Movement and Expletive Subjects in the Germanic Languages (Oxford Studies in Comparative Syntax)
Sten Vikner
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Linguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Rivers | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0195083946

Book Description

This book is the study of two different kinds of variation across the Germanic languages. One involves the position of the finite verb, and the other the possible positions of the "logical" subject in constructions with expletive (or "dummy") subjects. The book applies the theory of Principles-and-Parameters to the study of comparative syntax. Several languages are considered, including less frequently discussed ones like Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, and Yiddish.

The influence of semantic and morphological complexity of verbs on sentence recall: Implications for the nature of conceptual representation and category-specific ... [An article from: Brain and Cognition]

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The influence of semantic and morphological complexity of verbs on sentence recall: Implications for the nature of conceptual representation and category-specific ... [An article from: Brain and Cognition]
F. Mobayyen , and R.G. de Almeida
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR40MA

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Brain and Cognition, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
One hundred and forty normal undergraduate students participated in a Proactive Interference (PI) experiment with sentences containing verbs from four different semantic and morphological classes (lexical causatives, morphological causatives, and morphologically complex and simplex perception verbs). Past research has shown significant PI build-up effects for semantically and morphologically complex verbs in isolation (de Almeida & Mobayyen, 2004). The results of the present study show that, when embedded into sentence contexts, semantically and morphologically complex verbs do not produce significant PI build-up effects. Different verb classes, however, yield different recall patterns: sentences with semantically complex verbs (e.g., causatives) were recalled significantly better than sentences with semantically simplex verbs (e.g., perception verbs). The implications for the nature of both verb-conceptual representations and category-specific semantic deficits are discussed.

The precyclic nature of predicate raising

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The precyclic nature of predicate raising
Frederick J Newmeyer
Manufacturer: Indiana University Linguistics Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Grammar | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006W36V2

The syntactical nature of the deficient verb and its complement in Zulu

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The syntactical nature of the deficient verb and its complement in Zulu
J. A Louw
Manufacturer: s.n
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007JAIZG

Average customer rating:

A hidden gem

Shooting Portraits on Location: Professional Techniques for Photographing People in Their Surroundings
Lisl Dennis
Manufacturer: Amphoto
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0817458751

Customer Reviews:

A hidden gem.......2006-09-16

Lisl Dennis wrote this in 1985. On-location portraiture gives you a wonderful sense of the person in their surroundings. For example, a person with their collection of hats, or a little girl with her collection of dolls. There is even a portrait of Carly Simon with a great story about how Lisl got the shot for Town & Country magazine.

It has some great examples of how to bring out the person in their element.

For those situations where additional lighting is used, it has actual lighting diagrams, and most of the lighting setups use umbrellas (inexpensive) rather than fancy photo-strobe units.

A few of the images are too busy for my tastes, but that reflects the person in their element.

Topics Include:
Location portraiture
Styling elements
Personality of color
telling environments
still-live
creative composition
impromtu basics
thinking fast
...
kids
family
and many more...

A great gem for the price.

Shooting Portraits on Location: Professional Techniques for Photographing People in Their Surroundings

Average customer rating:

Shooting Portraits on Location: Professional Techniques for Photographing People in Their Surroundings
Lisl Dennis
Manufacturer: Amphoto
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NPGFTW

Book Description

This report provides a collection of statistical data and forecasts on the Self-Assembly furniture industry in Britain. It contains information on the value of manufacturers' deliveries for all sectors of this market. The report also covers distribution channels, advertising and trade exhibitions. Major important manufacturers are profiled.

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UK Market for Self-Assembly Furniture

Manufacturer: Aktrin Research Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Shopping & Commerce | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1894960475

Book Description

Hardbound.

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