Product Description
Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin have years of experience leading travelers deep into the wildest cities and most rugged backcountry of the Third World. In this book, they help you recognize and minimize the many risks that come with venturing way off the beaten path so that you can come home with stories the average tourist will never be able to tell. The authors' hard-earned secrets for staying healthy and happy in remote and dangerous places include researching your destination the right way before you depart; arriving in your host country safely and with all your gear intact; acquiring guides for forbidden travels without getting rebuffed or shot; bribing and smuggling as last-ditch survival tools; dealing with the many and varied temptations of city and nightlife; being safe and self-sufficient while journeying deep in the bush; and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Off the beaten path adventure travel.
The authors are not your typical backpackers. They have hands on experience leading groups into uninhabited parts of Third World countries.

They teach you how to research and prepare for your trip. How to get around and where to stay when you get there. How to deal with foreign governments, police and the military. How to enjoy a safe social life. And most of all, how to prepare for and travel in extreme environments where tourists don't go.

If you're a seasoned traveler, but have never been to a tropical country, then you may find that all your gear will be useless when you get there. I have researched all the gear the authors recommended and compared it against everything else out there, and found that they know exactly what they are talking about.

I noticed that some reviewers stated that you can find all the same information in this book online for free. I would disagree on that. In fact I spent a whole day trying to find the same stuff and could not. The unique thing about this book is that it is not only written for those who want to backpack around Third World countries, but also for those who want to travel off the beaten path and into the jungles and mountains where tourists have never set foot.

Those of you who want to mount major expeditions into the jungle or just travel from locale to locale, may tend to disagree with some of the things in this book. But even then, one should be able to pick up lots of tips on how to make their adventure safe, healthy, fun and fulfilling.

I Used This Book When I Was In The U.S. Marshals Service
Prior to my recent retirement from the above agency, I had frequent occasion to familiarize myself with the goings on in the more dangerous parts of the world. And not just to familiarize, but how to survive these parts. Although the U.S. State Department web site has some valuable information, NOBODY had the quality, reality based third world survival oriented information that Jeff Randall does. In fact I purchased one of these books for my office operation. Jeff Randall met an operational training team of mine in Colombia, and I gotta tell you that he made a more favorable impression on them than any of the many Spec Ops types they have met down there.He is truly the real deal.

if there were ANY other book on the topic, I'd never bother
This book is only of any value since nobody has any real alternative in finding this type of information elsewhere.The writing is quite poor, the text is disorganized and the authors often foolishly overgeneralize and at times hint at their ignorance of the host countries.Overall this book is a pretty pathetic attempt at a serious guide for travelers outside W.Europe and N.America, but, then again, there are almost no other books on the topic, so it looks like we're stuck with this.

Don't get me wrong, there are some useful tips, but the authors dance around going into detail on articulating a lot of very important points, especially with respect to staying out of trouble, establishing rapport with your hosts, etc, etc.Thus, unfortunately, a lot of the most important topics only receive cursory mention and/or little explanation.Some of the 'tips' aren't even well thought-out.One example comes to mind: "use dog tags on your luggage so you don't have to fill out an ID tag every time you fly.That'd be great if you were going to France or the UK, but if you're trying to get over the Colombian border or whatever, the LAST thing you want on your pack is a set of military dog tags.

If you're going to be traveling in the developing world, and you feel like you absolutely MUST have a book on the subject, you might want to buy this book...used if possible.Mostly though, this information could be gleaned from a couple hours spent on a good web search.

I give it two stars, one of which comes from authoring one of almost no books on the subject.

Well written and detailed
An amazing book and easy to follow. This book is required reading for anyone who ventures into foreign lands.

I read it twice before my trip to Indonesia and applied the principles while there. It forces you to be more aware of your surroundings and adds a layer of protection for even the most mundane things Americans do while traveling over-seas.

In today's world of kidnapings and terrorism, this book and Robert Pelton's Dangerous Places book are essential tools for the foreign traveler.

I look forward to next book by the authors.

Great study guide
for anyone who travels into remote areas of developing countries. this book has been valuable to my work in colombia. highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
From his first day in journalism nearly fifty years ago, when he put the wrong caption on a picture of Deanna Durbin, Mike Randall's career has been one of ups and downs. In 1965 he was named Journalist of the Year and congruently the "Daily Mail" which he edited was named Newspaper of the Year. Randall discusses the curious dynamics of policies and personalities that have boosted and undermined circulation figures over the years, of newspapers such as the "Daily Mirror" and "Sunday Times" and newspapers now laid to rest like the "Daily Sketch" and the "Sunday Graphic". He writes about the people he met such as Wilson, Macmillan and Harold Evans, about the pitfalls of weekending with Viscount Rothermere and about lunching with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. ... Read more

Product Description
The Southern Advantage details why doing business in the Southern U.S., which now ranks as the world's fourth-largest economy, creates competitive business advantages. This book tells Dixie's amazing story of progression from poverty to prosperity, presenting sound logic as to why you should consider moving your business and family to the South. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Book Undressing Many of the Myths about the South!
It's easy to fall into stereotypes, but this book provides a lucid education on the truth about the nation's economy and the Southern participation in it.Highly recommended!

The book is well-written so that anybody (even the non-economics types) can understand what is happening in today's economy and society.If you are deciding on a book that might really open your eyes and help you understand the nation's economy, then strongly consider this one! ... Read more

Product Description
Nymphs make up 90% of a trout's diet and, once mastered,nymph fishing is the most effective angling method.Fortunately,nymph are the simplest flies to tie, and with over 800 full-colorstep-by-step photos Randall will show you how to tie 22 patterns.With this information you will be able to contruct all 125 nymphpatterns detailed in this book.This book also includes history,techniques, angling experiences, and more, beginners and experts alikewill enjoy this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Must For Experienced & Beginners
Randall Kaufmann has a way of teaching anyone how to tie flies.Not only is his personal presentation easy to understand, but his books are just as easy.In "Tying Nymphs" he uses color photo's and explains eachstep in detail. My 14 year old son who has never tied a fly, sat down andfollowed the instructions and tied his first "Sparkle Quill CaddisPupa."The book also details tying equipment and supplies.This bookis great for anyone who doesn't tie as well!It explains the importance ofNymphs in the food chain as well as other important information.

Excellent book for beginning or veteran fly tyers
Randall Kaufmann's fly tying books are the standard for which all others should be judged.The book is superbly illustrated, from pictures of materials and tools to the step-by-step instructions for the listed patterns.Kaufmann brings the entire fly tying experience together in a concise, easily read book.I have tied flies for years and own approximately 20 books on the subject.I find myself reaching for "Tying Nymphs" or "Tying Dry Flies" more than any of the others. ... Read more

Product Description
Bonefish are sleek, silvery fish that inhabit some of the most stunningly beautiful tropical waters on earth. They are designed to feed on bottom organisms in extremely shallow water. Crustaceans are their primary food source, which they seize on or near the bottom strata, crushing and pulverizing prey in their powerful jaws. When bonefish feed in water of 14 inches or less, their tails may protrude above the water's surface. Like a signal mirror, bonefish tails provide an unmistakable flashing beacon for anglers.

Remarkable eyesight, acute hearing and mind-boggling speed are their main survival mechanisms. Bonefish are also masters at disguise and blend amazingly well into their transparent, skinny water habitat.

Fly fishing for a bonefish is not difficult. It is much less complicated than fly fishing for trout. Bonefishing is as much a game of hunting and stalking as it is fishing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Addiction
This book saved me when I needed to hear the truth. Now I'm buying it for someone else, and it was in really great shape. Also, shipped super fast. thank you!

Some Sat in Darkness
Contrary to some popular misconceptions that persist even to this day, the bottom line in CR (chemical recovery) ministry is very intense discipling. I believe the CR ministry is the most outward-focused ministry in the church: Over three thousand people in New York have been baptized by people that have been helped by the CR ministry.

The chemical recovery ministry is not a benevolent outreach program. It is not a social program. It is church. It is discipleship. With God we have found the most effective way of dealing with drugs in the world. It is a unique ministry and it hasn't just helped us in New York; it has saved thousands in other cities who I am confident would otherwise be lost. I believe the time is right for the CR ministry to become a presence all over the world. I believe this book will go a long way toward helping bring this about.
--- from book's back cover ... Read more

Product Description
This interactive guide uses anecdotes, and end of chapter questions, to jumpstart the process of retirement visioning and create focus for the dreams/goals of retirement. It's a precursor to, and tool for, successful retirement financial planning. Bonacorsi draws on his 20+ years as a Certified Financial Planner, to offer sound financial advice. He uses a humorous style to bring general interest readers in touch with this sensitive subject, helping them make progress in retirement planning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Get Ready for Your Retirement
We're all going to face it at some point: the last day on the job. What follows may be 10, or 20, or even 30 years of retirement. What will we do and how will we finance it? That's what this book is about.

The first third of the book focuses on our dreams: now that I've finished my 9 to 5 years, what will I do with my time? Will I just veg out? Will I travel? Will I write the Great American Novel? Will I need to take another job? What will I do to keep in shape physically? And mentally?

The author encourages us to block out our retirement in 5-year segments, and to prioritize our goals. If I want to climb Everest, I'd better block it our earlier rather than later. Worksheets are provided to help us come to grips with what has to be thought about.

Most of the book deals with that indispensable ingredient: money. Can I afford to retire when I'd like to? Will I be able to enjoy the standard of living I've had? This is a book to help us get ready for retirement--hopefully starting decades early. It helps us take inventory of all the assets we'll have when we retire. It looks at all the ways to save money in preparation and how to keep the taxman from grabbing what should be ours and our children's.

I'm a Canadian, so a few of the chapters on finances didn't 100% apply to me--but they are right on for American readers. Social Security and Medicare, for example.

This isn't a big book, but it is comprehensive. It's a book to make you think--to make you get out pen and paper and start getting practical. Anyone is going to benefit from this book--that is, anyone who follows the suggestions, fills out the worksheets and starts getting pragmatic about their retirement. I'd recommend it.

The subtitle says it all: "Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, & Preparing for Your Future."

Retirement Readiness
Mike Bonacorsi gave you the book!This is the first book that I have read on retirement that doesn't have me closing it immediately. It is very professional, very thoughtful and most of all easy for us Boomers to understand.It is a reality check and we all need that, but along with that he gives some great tips that I will be using immediately.

Retirement is not about your neighbors or your friends lives, it is all about yours.Mike focuses you on YOUR dreams, what are they? I never thought of sharing my dreams with husband, I guess I assumed by osmosis, that he will know what I am looking for in my retirement year.

You really need to spend
Reviewed by Danelle Drake for Reader Views (11/08)

The day marked in red.Just the sound of it makes you a bit nervous.That day in red marked in your calendar, pinpointing the day of your retirement, will be one words cannot describe.As when you enter the wonderful world of adulthood/employment you are embarking on something that is unknown to you.Preparing to exit the workforce is just as important as when you were preparing to enter it.

"Retirement Readiness; Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, & Preparing for your Future" is a guide to get you thinking, preparing and planning.

Jumping into Chapter 1, "See Your Future," enables you to focus on your dream asking what plans you have for your day in red and the ones that follow.Many years ago people did not live for as long as they do now.The retirement lifestyle of today is very different from it was years ago.People are focusing on their health and now do way more than rock on the porch in a rocking chair watching traffic go by.About 80% of people today say they will continue to work after retirement - choosing what they would like to do.My father chooses to hand out grocery samples since his day in red.He was a business man at the local paper mill and had worked there since he was 21-years-old.Why did he work after retirement?He didn't have to do anything; he was financially secure, and has more than enough money to last way beyond his years.He likes talking to the people in the store, for so many years he only talked business, now that he is retired he can talk to people for pleasure.

Chapter 2 lays the groundwork to "Create a Plan."Chapter 3, "Take Inventory," covers how you can estimate the amount of money you will need to work your plan.Your plan could go on smoothly for years, but as life, you will, at some point have problems.Chapter 4, "Bumps in the Road." prepares you for the unexpected.And, when the time comes, Chapter 5, "Make Sure It Goes Where You Want It To Go," gives you the information you need to begin planning your estate for when you are no longer with us.

In the concluding Chapter 6, "Now that I have Your Attention," Mike Bonacorsi states: "This is what I want you to get from this book.As you get close to retirement, I want you to put together a plan and communicate with your mate.Understand what issues apply and what decisions have to be made and how they will affect your lives."

You should really spend the $14.95 to purchase this book!

Just as the author intended, "Retirement Readiness" is a great item to get you thinking about your retirement.Easy to read and understand with worksheets throughout I would highly recommend this to people in their 30s and 40s so they can better prepare for their future.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to make sure their future stays as planned
To be free of work, to spend one's life doing what they want. "Retirement Readiness: Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, & Preparing for Your Future" is a guide to planning for one's retirement so one can spend it how they dreamed themselves spending it. One spends up to four decades of one's life preparing for it, and Mike Bonacorsi has advice to make sure it is not floundered. "Retirement Readiness" is highly recommended for anyone who wants to make sure their future stays as planned. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A must read for every student of the Bible
The author does an exceptional job detailing how Baptists differ from Protestants and Catholics. A very short easy read, only 64 pages, but all of the facts are organized and well presented without all of the fluff and filler so common in theological books. I recommend this book for every student of the Bible. We have broken the writing down into 10 lessons and use it as small group curriculum. ... Read more

Product Description
The world's most famous superhero, Superman's adventures protecting Metropolis have thrilled readers worldwide for over sixty years! Introduced to the Superman mythos in the 1960s, the Phantom Zone is a mysterious realm where Kryptonian criminals were sent for punishment...along with Mon-El, Superman's Daxamite friend who can only survive in the Zone! This volume presents never-before-collected tales of the criminals in the Phantom Zone...and what happens when they escape! "Superman" co-creator Jerry Siegel is joined by a host of comics legends including E. Nelson Bridwell, Leo Dorfman and Curt Swan in telling these unforgettable tales! ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: June Jones, Tremayne Kirkland, Bobby Singh, Mike Erickson, Randall Woodfield, Neil Lomax, Daren Heerspink, Andy Ludwig, Tony Curtis, Darick Holmes, Jordan Senn, Shaun Bodiford, Clint Didier, Olaniyi Sobomehin, Terry Charles, Condrew Allen, Adam Hayward, Chris Burns, Brennen Carvalho, Brian White, Ted Popson, Dave Stief, Rashad Floyd, David Etherly, Dan Frantz. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 81. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: June Sheldon Jones, III (born February 19, 1953) in Portland, Oregon) is an American football coach, formerly with the Atlanta Falcons and the University of Hawaii. He became head coach at Southern Methodist University on January 7, 2008. Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon (19711972), Hawaii (19731974), and Portland State (19751976). It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot offense by Mouse Davis. It would be an offense that he would later champion throughout his coaching career. Thereafter, he entered professional football, playing for the Atlanta Falcons (19771981) of the National Football League and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (1982). In four seasons with the Falcons, Jones completed 75 of 166 passes for 923 yards with three touchdowns and seven interceptions. In 1983, Jones started his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Dick Tomey at the University of Hawaii. He then spent two years in the USFL, first as the wide receivers coach for the Houston Gamblers (1984), then as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Gold (1985). Following the demise of the USFL, Jones spent the 1986 season working as an offensive assistant for the Ottawa Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. In 1987, he got his first NFL coaching position serving ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1205487 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outstanding anthology of fiction inspired by Clark Ashton Smith
Lost Worlds of Space and Time edited by Steve Lines was published by Rainfall Books in the UK in 2004, and is a collection of almost all newly published works based on or inspired by the works of Clark Ashton Smith.It is a handsome trade paperback, I think with the typical feel and look of small press publications these days.The cover art and interior art is also by Steve Lines; at least the cover is based on works by Clark Ashton Smith.It is an interesting depiction of two aliens and some weird plant like things suspending human skulls.Attractive but no wow factor.I enjoyed the interior art; it added to the overall quality of the book.There is a brief introduction by the editor and a few authors' notes after some of the stories.Otherwise there is no description of the authors', minibios or their thoughts about CAS.Page count is 205, so I thought it was a generous sampling of stories and poetry.

Contents:
Introduction by Steve Lines
Pegana:
The Empress Ygloriane by Robin Reed
Atlantis:
The Departure of Malygris by Steve Lines & John B. Ford
Hyperborea:
The Fear of Liqoimkh by Laurence J. Cornford
The Pool Above Nraqlommbeth by Simon Whitechapel
In the Court of the Crystal Flame by James Ambuehl
Star Spawn of Hyperborea by John Fultz
The Exorcism of Igsat by Joseph S. Pulver Sr.
The Forgotten Ritual of Mnar by Joseph S. Pulver Sr.
Fire by Randal D. Larson
Averoigne:
The Circumstances of Ghostly Cats by Mike Minnis
The Butcher of Vyones by Mike Minnis
Unhallowed Ground, Unholy Fetish by James Chambers
The Passing of Belzevuthe by Simon Whitechapel
Unknown Realms:
The Sorcerer Returns by Richard L. Tierney
The Oldest Dreamer by Walter C. DeBill
Rescue by Michael Fantina
Castle Keep by Michael Fantina
The Silver Cup by Michael Fantina
Villanelle of the Necromancer to His Love by Michael Fantina
Dream Lover by Michael Fantina

As you can see, the stories are grouped together by the particular realm of CAS in which they are set or that inspired them.Right from the get go the editor acknowledges the one problem for this collection that cannot be surmounted.That is, all of these stories are written in the incomparable shadow of the prose of Clark Ashton Smith, an inimitable master.Anyone who tries to adopt his style can end up reading like a bad mimic.I have A Rendezvous in Averoigne, the hardback by Arkham House as my basic Smith collection.I urge all readers who have not done so to seek out this volume.It has a cherished place of pride on my bookshelf.Of course there is the Nightshade books 5 volume collection of Smith's fantasies that is slowly being released.If it is anything like their William Hope Hodgson collection, then it will have all of CAS' works edited in the context of the most up to date scholarship, in utterly beautiful hardcover editions.However the subscriber price is pretty expensive.Lost Worlds of Space and Time is not the first such CAS inspired anthology.There is The Last Continent, in a gorgeous hardcover edition by Shadowlands press edited by John Pelan.It has stories set in Zothique.I had read 2-3 stories in that when I loaned it away; it is now next on my reading stack. Rainfall Books, publisher of this volume, has an interest in CAS inspired fiction and releases a few chapbooks per year devoted to such stories.I am grateful for collections like this packed with brand new stories of weird and wonderful fiction.Overall I was favorably impressed with this book.Note that many of the authors here have also witten Lovecraftian and Yello Sign fiction.

Minor spoilers may follow.

The Empress Ygloriane by Robin Reed- Enjoyable tale of an empress who maintains her power and youth with noxious magics, and whose downfall is plotted by her servitors.Meanwhile a patient, unaware and indifferent sentience takes no notice of her comings and goings.

The Departure of Malygris by Steve Lines & John B. Ford - A strange and nicely creepy tale of how the ennui of an ancient sorcer is finally overcome, not to the betterment of the surrounding city.Very engaging read.

The Fear of Liqoimkh by Laurence J. Cornford- Never underestimate a magician!A bold and scheming bandit overlooks one of the basic maxims of being an evil overlord and leaves his enemy alive to gloat at him.An engaging read.

The Pool Above Nraqlommbeth by Simon Whitechapel - Forlorn love story, with hope and love intermingled with death and dispair.Another good read.

In the Court of the Crystal Flame by James Ambuehl- I have read this before and this time around I enjoyed it even more.It is a sequel of sorts to the well know story by CAS of Satampra Zeiros' adventures in the temple of Tsathoggua.If REH, Fritz Leiber or anyone else had created such a marvelous thief, they would never have just used him in one story.He simply cries out for his own series of tales.So James Ambuehl takes up the gauntlet.What really set this story into its proper context for me was the author's note, acknowledging the more appropriate antecedents of REH and Sword & Sorcery as opposed to CAS.Vivid and fun to read.

Star Spawn of Hyperborea by John Fultz- this owes as much to HPL as CAS, as a little band of adventurers tries to prevent Cthulhu from gaining freer access to our world.Perhaps the canvas is too broad or the story too long.Also owes more to REH than CAS.Still a decent read.

The Exorcism of Igsat and The Forgotten Ritual of Mnar by Joseph S. Pulver Sr.- I think these 2 were supposed to be like brief excerpts from the Book of Eibon.They did nothing for me.

Fire by Randal D. LarsonExcellent story!A sorceror reaches into our time to find an ally.

Averoigne - This whole section was highly superior, moving from strength to strength, with great plotting and prose.I won't go into details but all 4 of these were outstanding, and probably had the most CAS-like feel, particularly the story by Whitechapel.I am also a big Mike Minnis fan.

Unknown Realms - This was all poetry.I think writing poetry is terribly difficult.In school we are weaned on the best the English language has to offer.Thus I mostly don't enjoy mythos poetry.Maybe someone else will like it.

So in summary a terrific anthology.Reasonably priced, with good production values, I found it a great way to while away some hours lost in worlds created by CAS, a true master.I heartily recommend it to all readers.Best of all, it is volume 1.


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"RED WINTER"Date: December 1992 to May 1993Highlights: #50 Giant Size Last Issue Before Series Title Change To JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL!*** Contains Issue #'s 45-50 ***COMPLETE 6-PART STORY! ... Read more

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A comprehensive reference to HTML and web page creation for intranets covers database searching and access, security and access restrictions, corporate planning, facilitating user contributions, and plug-ins. Original. (Advanced). ... Read more

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Unbelievably thorough
This book is THE complete guide to building an intranet. Killer examples and techniques.

Killer compilation of Intranet Techniques
Very impressive compendium of Intranet information and the latest HTML techniques ... Read more

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"Teach Yourself Basic Accounting" is a complete, step-by-step course in elementary accounting. It gives clear and concise explanations of accounting principles and practice including PAYE, cashflow statements, accounting for share capital, accounting standards and non-financial reporting. No prior knowledge of book keeping or accounting is assumed. Clear explanations, diagrams and worked examples enable the student to master the basic principles then apply them to example problems."Teach Yourself Basic Accounting" covers the examination requirements of all first-level courses. ... Read more