How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers

Book Description

For anyone, young or old, who has ever wondered, how do they make those?-here is an entertaining, illustrated exploration of the process behind the manufacture of everyday items.

What are bulletproof vests made of? How do they get lipstick into the tube? How much brass does it take to make a trumpet? The answers-and so much more fascinating information-can be found in HOW THINGS ARE MADE, a behind-the-machine look at everyday objects of all kinds, from guitars, helicopters, and compact discs to lawn mowers, running shoes, and chocolate.

Each page of HOW THINGS ARE MADE features informative, step-by-step text along with detailed illustrations, diagrams, and sidebars to tell the stories behind the things we sometimes take for granted but often wonder about. Did you know that Edison didn't really invent the light bulb? Or that the first bar code was on a pack of Wrigley Spearmint gum? Find out these answers and much more in HOW THINGS ARE MADE, which has a cover made of real denim with a pocket.

Customer Reviews:

A book about how some things are made.......2007-06-28

As the title of this book said, this hardback book contains many items and how they are/were made. The book does not contain every item in the world, but the ones the author chose to explain were fun to read.

PS: ...The book's cover is just amazing! The heavy-duty cover is made from thick denim with a pocket in the front. So, if you are giving this book as a gift, and the information does not impress, then the cover sure will.

Simple minded.......2007-01-20

Lots of interesting explanations. Poor pictures. Total lack of detail to make room for quantity. Cute but no big deal. To the point of boring.

interesting and informative.......2006-08-02

Excellent reading - easy to read a little, stop and come back (like read a section before bed at night) Answers a lot of question in an understandable way!

For the enquiring mind.......2004-01-02

If you enjoy learning about how things are made and how they work, then you will find this book a treasure trove of information. It goes beyond the more elementary "How Things Work" series, because it also covers the history, manufacture, materials, quality control, future evolution, and additional reading for many common household and technical objects. Behind its clever denim jeans pocket-clad cover, the book presents an alphabetical arrangement of items from airbags to zippers, including pencils, salsa, tires, helicopters, compact discs, lightbulbs, and many more.

Besides the basic information mentioned above, there are sidebars and boxes containing additional fascinating facts about the products. Here are some examples:

- The YKK symbol you see on most zippers stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, the manufacturer of most zippers since 1939.
- The "pearl" in pearlized nail polish is actually produced from small pieces of fish scales and skin.
- A guitar craftsman is known as a "luthier."
- The largest consumer of rubber bands in the world is the U.S. Post Office.

Not only is this a valuable reference for specific items you want to learn about, but you will enjoy opening it at random for the pleasure of discovering something new about something very ordinary.

Book Description

The past 30 years have witnessed a dramatic decline in the number of U.S. students pursuing advanced degrees in science and an equally dramatic increase in the number of professionals leaving scientific careers. "Leaving Science" provides the first significant examination of this worrisome new trend. Economist Anne E. Preston examines a wide range of important questions: Why do professionals who have invested extensive time and money on a rigorous scientific education leave the field? Where do these scientists go and what do they do? What policies might aid in retaining and improving the quality of life for science personnel? Based on data from a large national survey of nearly 1,700 people who received university degrees in the natural sciences or engineering between 1965 and 1990 and a subsequent in-depth follow-up survey, "Leaving Science" provides a comprehensive portrait of the career trajectories of men and women who have earned science degrees. Alarmingly, by the end of the follow-up survey, only 51 percent of the original respondents were still working in science. During this time, federal funding for scientific research decreased dramatically relative to private funding. Consequently, the direction of scientific research has increasingly been dictated by market forces, and many scientists have left academic research for income and opportunity in business and industry. Preston identifies the main reasons for people leaving scientific careers as dissatisfaction with compensation and career advancement, difficulties balancing family and career responsibilities, and changing professional in! terests. Highlighting the difference between male and female exit patterns, Preston shows that most men left because they found scientific salaries low relative to perceived alternatives in other fields, while most women left scientific careers in response to feelings of alienation due to lack of career guidance, difficulty relating to their work, and insufficient time for their family obligations.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Higher Education, published by Ohio State University Press on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 976 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Leaving Science: Occupational Exit from Scientific Careers.(Book Review)
Publication: Journal of Higher Education (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: Ohio State University Press
Volume: 76 Issue: 2 Page: 240(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Leaving scientific careers.(Leaving Science: Occupational Exit from Scientific Careers)(Book review): An article from: Monthly Labor Review

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Leaving scientific careers.(Leaving Science: Occupational Exit from Scientific Careers)(Book review): An article from: Monthly Labor Review
Ronald Johnson
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Monthly Labor Review, published by Thomson Gale on June 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1087 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Leaving scientific careers.(Leaving Science: Occupational Exit from Scientific Careers)(Book review)
Author: Ronald Johnson
Publication: Monthly Labor Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 129 Issue: 6 Page: 59(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Although together for only five years, The Yardbirds exerted tremendous influence on the music and style of the '60s and for decades beyond. Their impact has been felt throughout the rock genre, from psychedelia to blues-rock, heavy metal, and the music of today's jam bands. The Yardbirds came from middle-class England, embraced the soulful music of the African-American South, and helped re-import it back into the States as the embryo of heavy metal music. In the process, the band produced three guitar greats: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Every fan of The Yardbirds, or of '60s-derived music in general, will revel in this book (which includes more than 50 photos from the group's heyday, plus a detailed diary of every gig, recording and broadcast they did) and enjoy reading the stories - old and new - as much as Clayson enjoys telling them.

Customer Reviews:

Dull.......2003-08-13

Conveyed new information, so was worth the read for an avid fan, but it dragged on and on.

Too Much Monkey Business.......2003-05-02

I didn't really learn anything new about the Yardbirds after reading this. Considering they were one of the most exciting and important bands in rock history, I would have expected more 'meat'. I felt Alan Clayson's writing style got in the way at times, distracting somewhat. However, the photos are really outstanding, particularly the cover shot showing them at Studio 51 in London (I think). What a classic moment frozen in time. Glad I read it. Any Yardbird book is better than no Yardbird book, however, there are better ones.

Review of Clayson's THE YARDBIRDS.......2002-12-23

With great anticipation I ordered Mr. Clayson's book, however having finished it last evening I would have to say that I am somewhat disappointed.

There is certainly no lack of research or knowledge on Mr. Clayson's part, but perhaps it was his style of prose that put me off. He writes not necessarily in a high-minded manner, but perhaps it is English dry-wit which makes it hard for an American to slog through; in many cases I could almost picture Mr. Clayson and another UK resident nodding and winking at each other across the bar. Annette Carson's JEFF BECK: CRAZY FINGERS was written in a much easier-to-digest style.

The Yardbirds were known, at least in my youth here in the USA, as a band much better seen in person than to hear on record. Mr. Clayson certainly explains to the reader why that is so. The description of life on the road, for The Yardbirds, should be enough to put off any youngster with delusions of trying the same; that is, if he could get through to that point in the book.

Being somewhat of a "gearhead," I missed discussion of the bands' equipment or more technical side. The photographs printed in this book are quite wonderful though, and to a degree appeased my appetite; Chris Dreja certainly went through some guitars! It is just a pity that things such as this were not spoken of in the text.

I can see where this book would appeal much more to the English market than the American, given the discussion of musical groups never heard of here, and in that way the work is much like Mo Foster's 17 WATTS, where one must sort through that tedium.

All in all, not a bad book, but not an easy read. That said, the overleaf shows that Mr. Clayson has published many works on music of the era, so he certainly has the authority of his research behind him. THE YARDBIRDS and his other work are surely the "go-to" source for any trivia you may wish to ferret out.

Beat Merchant.......2002-09-10

High class bio of the Most Blueswailins, immaculately designed with dozens of rare photos (though precious little of the LITTLE GAMES era band). Author Alan Clayson makes it clear his book is a stylized, highly-personal take on the band, so it came as no surprise the pages were filled with empurpled hipster prose. Yet Clayson succeeds in eliciting trenchant quotes (both archival and new) from each member of the group, and captures the band's seat-of-the-pants creativity with eloquence and humor. On the downside, Clayson can't maintain a narrative and wastes too much ink on irrelevent details about other artists---especially aesthetic peewees like Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich and the Downliners Sect, both of whom make the Seeds look like the Beatles. There are also a number of factual errors (though only a pedant would care that Keith Relf didn't write "Shapes In My Mind") and a puny chronology almost entirely cribbed from Greg Russo's superior (though more workmanlike) ULTIMATE RAVE UP. The biggest problem with the book is Clayson's unwillingess to allow the band's story to unfold on its own. Virtually every paragraph is crammed to the gills with snoozy hyperbole that says more about the writer's fascination with his prose than it does about the subject. Nevetheless, it's a worthy pick up for fans of the Yardbirds, who have waited eons for the kind of journalistic respect accorded to the Who, Cream, Beatles, Stones and their other rivals. Where before we had to trawl through [the webites] to hunt down a battered copy of John Platt's 1983 book and pay [good money], now we have two quality reads---and despite his pretentions, Clayson's love for the band that gave us "For Your Love" and "Shapes of Things" shines through brightly. I can't knock him for that.

Book Description

Transactions and Encounters examines a diverse range of emerging technologies in the Victorian era. Such topics are explored as the popular craze for microscopes; the uncanny possibilities of the telephone; the jostling for authority between literature and science, with scenes by and including Dickens and Lewes, Huxley and Gosse; the weird imaginary around androgynous barnacles; and the competing versions of a mind-reading act. These essays combine to produce an invigorating and involving attempt to re-cast understandings of 19th century encounters between the cultural and scientific spheres.

Average customer rating:

This was a great book! I couldn't put it down.

The worst book I have ever read!

Was there a worse book ever written?

Oprah! Up Close And Down Home
Nellie Bly
Manufacturer: Books on Tape, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0736630201

Customer Reviews:

This was a great book! I couldn't put it down........1999-05-15

Great book! That's all I can say, great

The worst book I have ever read!.......1997-07-31

Unfortunately, there is no negative rating available, as I would truly give this book less than a 1. This book is a cruel joke on the book-reading public. My husband and I could not believe how poorly written it was. I am scared for the others about whom this "author" has written and gotten paid good money. What a horrible excuse for a book and an incredible waste of paper and ink! If the author wants to make comments, I welcome them. I dare someone to defend this book.

Was there a worse book ever written?.......1996-12-09

I really give it a negative number, but that wasn't among the choices. This was perhaps the WORST book my husband and I have ever read. Besides various misspellings, there were exact passages repeated on other pages. I should have asked for my money back. We couldn't believe how poorly this rag was written. We cannot blame the author for using an alias. We wouldn't want to be identified as the author of this junk either. WARNING! Don't buy this book. There were a lot of other choices for Oprah books. All have to be better than this trash!

Average customer rating:

Oprah!: Up Close and Down Home
Nellie Bly
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRCN02

Book Description

Instants Access! With this unbeatable A-to-Z reference, you can zoom in on any topic and get just the information you need to solve a problem or perform an operation. From creating a new field to setting up shared files, you get clear, succinct directions on how to make the most of every Access feature immediately !

Customer Reviews:

Access 200 - for dummies.......2001-08-06

Book was well organized, and delivered promptly.

However, was disappointed in that the book did not address many areas of interest for me, such as setting up security, protecting against errant/accidental data entry into exisitng records.

Book would be useful to user with very little experience.

Book for my Family.......2000-06-23

My family wanted to try out the different software on thier new computer. They had a sparked interest in Access. I use Access at work on a dily bases, so after many nights of phone calls I bought my parents this book. My parents, who have never used Access, are able to create tables, queries, reports and forms with ease. All I have to worry about now is them applying for my job.

Microsoft Office 2000 for Windows for Dummies Quick Reference

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PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies
PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies
Microsoft Office 2000 for WIndows for Dummies

Microsoft Office 2000 for Windows for Dummies Quick Reference
Doug Lowe
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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ASIN: 0764504533

Amazon.com

"A yellow cover slapped on a lukewarm regurgitation of common Office tasks."

The Dummies Quick Reference series is the only good Dummies series knockoff, and with good reason: The books fill a necessary void. They look and smell like Dummies books, but they contain concentrated bits of how-to information. At least that's what the covers promise.

The most revealing thing about this book is that it's "revised" by Bjoern-Erik Hartsfvang, which is the most interesting name I've typed this year. (Well, next to Sanky Winkervan.) The book doesn't exactly explain what was revised, so I was eager to determine whether any of Doug Lowe's familiar and clever writing snuck through Hartsfvang's revision. Apparently, and to my regret, none of it did.

Honestly, there's nothing obscenely wrong with this book. It documents most of the major things you can do with the popular Office 2000 components: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and Publisher. There's a general introduction chapter that explains many of the common Office activities. Then the book breaks out into chapters covering each Office application. Still there's nothing special. It's just average information bobbing in a sea of mediocrity.

The topics aren't covered in real depth, which makes sense given the book's teensy size. There are step-by-step lists, but no inside hints, tips, or tricks. Often a table is presented as a solution without a real explanation of what the problem is. So, this book is more of a regurgitated manual than the kind of information I would expect to find. Despite the promise of Doug Lowe's name, this book is a disappointment. --Dan Gookin

Book Description

Time to make the jump to Microsoft's Office 2000 suite of productivity tools? No time to slog through pages and pages of user manuals? Cut straight to the heart of things with Microsoft Office 2000 For Windows For Dummies Quick Reference, your fast and friendly fingertip companion to getting up and running with the latest versions of Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Publisher.

Dive right in and emerge with the information you need to complete whatever task you have at hand. Inside Microsoft Office 2000 For Windows For Dummies Quick Reference, you'll find clear, no-nonsense explanations of all the Office 2000 features and commands in an easy A-to-Z order, and you'll discover how all the programs work together in one integrated suite. Review common chores used in all Office applications; use the powerful Office Wizards to save time and headaches when creating files; share data across applications, projects, or workgroups; and master the fine art of desktop publishing with Publisher 2000, the newest tool in the Office 2000 Professional Edition.

With its spiral, lay-flat binding for quick reference and its low price, this book will become your desktop companion.

Customer Reviews:

PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies.......2001-04-16

This book is organized into 20 chapters beginning with a very basic to advance. PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies delivers fast and friendly advice on how to: Master the PowerPoint basics and start creating great-looking presentations today. Use PowerPoint's slide masters, templates, and macros to save time and develop a consistent look. Select a color palette that maximizes the impact of your presentations; and create graphics, tables, and charts that drive your message home. Speed up production with Tri-Pane view, the new feature that lets you toggle between slides, outlines, and notes. Dazzle your audience with clip art, sounds, video, and other cool multimedia effects. Make sure everything runs smoothly when you're broadcasting slides from your laptop. Save your presentation in HTML and post it on your Web site. Those are a very interesting topics that covered in the book with very detail of "how to". The book is also organized in a very easy way in which you can use it as a reference. For example, if you want to have sound effect in your presentation you just jump right into the chapter that discusses how to create sound for your presentation without having to go through the whole book.

I found this book very helpful. I think this book would be an excellent book for college students. I highly reccommend this book to teachers because they can teach their students how to do PowerPoint presentations by just follow step by step as to what the book says.

PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies.......2001-04-16

Not artistic? Not techno-savvy? Not a problem! Create effective, eye-catching presentations that will blow your audiences away. This is the main theme of the book which I reviewed "PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies". With the expert advice of PowerPoint pro Doug Lowe and the know-how packed inside this plain-English reference, you find out how to organize, illustrate, and deliver your ideas with maximum impact and a minimum of headaches by using PowerPoint's powerful built-in features. Whether you're preparing a slide show for a conference room, a sales presentation for your laptop, or a demo for your Web site, the tips and tricks you find inside PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies will leave your audiences clamoring for more! This book is organized into 20 chapters beginning with a very basic to advance. PowerPoint 2000 For Windows For Dummies delivers fast and friendly advice on how to: Master the PowerPoint basics and start creating great-looking presentations today. Use PowerPoint's slide masters, templates, and macros to save time and develop a consistent look. Select a color palette that maximizes the impact of your presentations; and create graphics, tables, and charts that drive your message home. Speed up production with Tri-Pane view, the new feature that lets you toggle between slides, outlines, and notes. Dazzle your audience with clip art, sounds, video, and other cool multimedia effects. Make sure everything runs smoothly when you're broadcasting slides from your laptop. Save your presentation in HTML and post it on your Web site. Those are a very interesting topics that covered in the book with very detail of "how to". The book is also organized in a very easy way in which you can use it as a reference. For example, if you want to have sound effect in your presentation you just jump right into the chapter that discusses how to create sound for your presentation without having to go through the whole book.

I find this book very helpful for college students. If I have read this book prior to any of my PowerPoint presentations, I think my presentations would look really awesome. From this book, I've learned how to add graphics, graphs, and charts. Also, I highly reccommed this book to any teachers because they can teach their students how to do powerpoint presentations by just followed step by step on what the book said.

Microsoft Office 2000 for WIndows for Dummies.......2000-04-14

Great book. This is the book for anyone looking for quick reference about Word 2000, Excel 2000, Powerpoint 2000, Access 2000, Outlook 2000 and Publisher 2000. This is only a quick reference. For in-depth understanding you might need other books.

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