Balance-of

One of the most interesting commentaries on the actions of the government I have ever read. What was revealing to me was the pinpointing of when and how the "hate campaigns" started in politics. Should be brought to the attention of anyone concerned about the way Government is headed today.

BALANCE: ART AND NATURE is a granddaddy of the Eco-art movement. Its text, full of richly ordered art-speak, articulates the need to tilt away from a market-driven art establishment, and seek the relocation of human culture within the context of nature. Eco-artists such as Anish Kapoor, Armand Vaillancourt, James Carl, Kevin Kelly and Antony Gormley rate stand-alone chapters. Grande, a Canadian by heritage, was born in Sri Lanka and developed his world view via postings in his diplomatic father's career to South Africa, Norway and Great Britain. The book marks the philosophical odyssey of an early ecological activist from the 1970's to the present and draws on a series of reviews and features that initially appeared in such publications as "Artforum International," "Canadian Forum," "Espace Sculpture," "International Sculpture" and "Vie des Arts." This Eco-art text contains 30 black and white illustrations, copious footnotes and a sturdy index.

An artist's legacy is of peerless value for the commercially encumbered artists. Andy Warhol, for example, has his very own museum in Pittsburgh. But for the environmental artist, near invisibility holds its own fascination. Grande recounts numerous examples to support his thesis. In a story about Andy Goldsworthy, animals run over, jump into, or actually nibble projects, thus forcing the artist to suspend his work. In another example, Austrian- and now New Zealand-based artist Hendrik Hundertwasser's organic petrol station in Vienna is cited. This colorfully painted station is located under roofs of grass and trees under which cars pull in and fill up. But perhaps First Nations artist Carl Beam's canvas says it best. Through "Burying the Ruler," Beam hopes to heal the wounds created by contemporary man's tendency to measure and quantify everybody and everything in today's society.

"Universal concerns with the environment, a resurgence of interest in mythology, and the need to replace outdated patriarchal models of society, are all coming into play as artists seek to nurture new forms of their art. Even art's own history is being rejected outright by feminist artists whose vision is not to fill their father's shoes, but to invent an entirely new kind of footwear." p. 23, BALANCE: ART AND NATURE

"The more self-sustaining and permanent a community is, the greater stake people will invest in those communities. Artists can improve our communities by creating interior and exterior fresco projects (a form of art that has not been fully exploited in northern climates)...as well as the preserved wilderness environments we will go to from satellite cities of the future." p. 99, BALANCE: ART AND NATURE

I first read this book when I was only 21 and getting started putting together my own investment portfolio. Not only was it a good, quick read that showed me how to organize my day-to-day activities, it also encouraged me to prioritize (and re-prioritize) each aspect of my life. Heneks draws on his own experience to assist the reader in locating the really important parts of life and focusing on those.

This is a must read for anyone who wants to put some more harmony in their inter-personal relationships, success in their investment portfolio, and balance in thier lives. But it is also for those who already have an organized life and just need an ever so gentle amount of pushing to re-prioritize once in a while.

In reading Mr. Vecchio's concepts, I am awestruck at his multidimensional awareness of humanity. He is truly making his mark with this book. The insight that he shares will reckon him as a psychological giant along with Jung and Rogers. One can extract from this book a life's guide where one can truly see one's footprints in the snow. I anxiously await new titles from this author.

If it is, this book is for you! If you are employed in the healthcare field as I am, this book is for you. If you work in the EMS field, it should be required reading!! Plus, it offers tips to individuals who have a spouse or significant other who works under great stress. And it is written in an easy-to-read manner and provides review and discussion topics at the close of each chapter. The book lists time-saving tips, things to consider before changing jobs, effective delegating skills, and many other ideas to help a person make positive changes in his/her life.

During last several years capillary electrophoresis, as an analytical technique, became a very valuble tool in many areas of human activity: pharmacology, biotechnology,forensic science. In this book, professor Righetti gave a perfect description of different types of capillary electrophoretic techniques and their application for separation of different classes of bilogicaly active molecules. I have read this book several times and think that it is well written, easy to understand and I think it is usefull not just for experienced electrophoresis practitioners, but for beginers as well. Students majoring in chemistry or biology would also find this book interesting and helpfull.

In The Check Book, authors Nicholaus and Lowrie, have produced an upbeat, entertaining collection of original inspirational suggestions for making the most of each day. The book will appeal to every reader who loves a quick, positive jumpstart to begin the day or a reflective respite in the midst of a busy one. The Check Book is an over-the-counter prescription for putting a smile back on your face and restoring your sense of wonder in the world around you.

Checks and Balances has served me well as a reading for my Introduction to American Government course at Augustana College. I find standard American Government textbooks to be dreadful and don't use one. I use this book as the primary reading for the institutions phase of the course (it does not cover courts, however).

The book is accessible and informative for the general reader.

The Alban Institute is a well-known and respected source of publications for clergy and congregations. Their many monographs deal with issues of vital importance to the well-being of the church in a clear, concise, and useful manner. The same is true of this text, Roy Oswald's 'Clergy Self-Care: Finding a Balance for Effective Ministry.' A senior consultant with the Alban Institute, Oswald combines authorial and parish leadership experience into a practical, and in many ways inspirational, guide. It is written with an ecumenical mindset, so ministers of any denomination should find useful information here.

It is somewhat ironic that those who go into the helping and caring professions of ministry seem to be the most likely to neglect their own needs in the process of doing their jobs. Oswald begins with the basic assumptions that health and wholeness on several levels (physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual) are both our business and our self-responsibility. An unhealthy minister lacks effectiveness in dealing with congregations and individuals in need.

Oswald looks at the issues of stress and burnout. Ministry is a profession with a high level of professional burnout. The stress involved in day-to-day ministry over time can be overwhelming, and the temptations toward becoming overcommitted and stretched too thin are great. Few ministers are good at saying 'no' - saying yes is, after all, what got them to where they are in the first place! The psalmist who talked about the cup running over could have been talking about the pace of ministerial life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries; the overflow is not always a good thing.

The bulk of this text examines strategies for self-care, in practical terms. The various aspects of life (physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual) are all taken into account, and different strategies developed to address the need for wholeness and completeness in life. These include things to be done individually (time out, letting go, therapeutic 'tune-ups', etc.) and things to be done in cooperation with congregation or community (support systems, detachment, etc.). Ministers need to become skilled at living with conflict and tension, as this will never go away. Ministers also need to be aware of what the best role for themselves is - perhaps ambitions for the bigger church, the higher office, etc. will not be the best outcome; as followers of gospel principles which include the appreciation of 'the least of these' and of servant ministry, ministers should examine their ambitions and hopes for proper grounding.

Oswald's final section looks at the kind of transformation possible with a congregation lead by ministers with an appropriate sense of self-care. Oswald gives examples of healing ministries and emphases on wholeness by clergy and parishes that are inspiring. As chaplain in a retirement community where healing is often a primary concern, this is the part that intrigues me most. More about practical steps for starting a ministry such as this would be helpful, but perhaps off-topic for the book as a whole.

In all, this is a tremendously important book for ministers, future ministers, family members of ministers, and congregational leaders to read, to examine their own roles in the ministry (as all have a role, explicit or not) and provide for the care not only of the priest or minister in charge, but for the whole congregation and community.

This book stimulates ideas and offers support and advice to people at all levels of business that would like to go about their work with integrity, however tough the competition may be. It poses controversial questions that are central to business and its place in society. Competition is complicated, tough and constantly demanding. This book is a map to flourishing in this area of constant challenge to corporate and personal ethics.