Contingency

I have to agree with the reader who said this was very basic information, much of which is available elsewhere for free. But those who would really benefit from this book/CD -- beginners -- wouldn't know that, nor where to look. So this would be an excellent reference for them.
Unfortunately, it really wasn't worth the investment for me. I already have the background, I know where to find a great deal of information. I was enticed by the inclusion of the CD with pre-defined forms. Honestly, that was the greatest disappointment. Some of these 'forms' were nothing more than an MS Word document filled with lines. Yes, just lines. Example: The "Project Objectives" template contains the phrase "Project Objectives", followed by 30 lines of, well, lines.

I'm not here to say this book doesn't have value. I think it will be of monumental value to someone who is just starting out and/or putting together a BC/DR plan for a small to medium sized company. But anyone with a decent working knowledge of BC/DR principles should look elsewhere. There will be nothing new or particularly useful here.

Your book and its step-by-step approach is just what we needed to get our plan together. The steps are logical and easy to follow. Thank you. Dolf Stebbin, Stebbin Financial Services, Pittsburgh, PA

Mr. Fulmer's guide has given a strong start to our company, in our progression through this planning process. I still have a lot of work to do on our assessment and plan but with this tool, we are well on our way to having an effective protection of our business future. LPlummer-Energy Conservation Consultants, Inc.

The author obviously experienced severe trauma as a child, because this is one of the most disturbing subjects I have ever had the misfortune to read.

This book is a mostly "tongue in cheek" look at the world of cannibalism for survival. While it is darkly humorous, It's rough and raw and covers topics like "Does it taste like chicken?, What will my friends think? etc...

Shiguro also takes a look at cases where cannibalism actually occured, such as the ill-fated Donner party, the stranded Uruguayan rugby team and several other case histories.

While meant totally as a humorous book, it has some serious undertones.

Okay, my title isn't exactly accurate, but I just had to go for the lowbrow humor. Honestly, though, the book was entertaining at first, and was also fairly informative: it did actually answer most of the morbid questions I had about cannibalism. But I found the book a bit lacking for a couple of different reasons. First, the humor got on my nerves after a while. It's essentially one joke: "I like eating people." Second, the real information (history, facts about cannibalism, etc.) kinda stops 2/3 of the way through the book, and is replaced with more "humor" like recipes and such. Anyway, think of the book as "Cannibalism for Dummies" and you won't go too wrong...

I have many criticisms to make about this book, but I will limit myself to the following points. Although Zizek makes an effort to be understood, Laclau and Butler compete for showing who is more obscure and pedantic. In spite all the apparent erudition of the authors, or rather because of it, the issue of hegemony is not well-focused. Certainly Gramsci was quite concerned about providing a philosophical dimension to his social reflection, but Laclau, Butler and, to a lesser extend Zizek, bury the social reflection under tons of excessive philosophical references. The lack of sociological dimension is particularly noticeable regarding Laclau's discussion of contigency. The blending of Kant, Hegel, Lacan, Saussure, to mention the main characters, is simply theoretical over-killing. It will take an article to show how shaky the theoretical connetion between hegemony and universalism is. It is my impression that Gramsci would not recognize his work in this academic potpourri. I bought the book, read carefully from cover to cover, and I strongly dislike it.

A difficult book to read. It is composed of interrelated essays and brings poststructuralist analysis of the current political situation to the fore. Very good for scholars dealing with the desection of the postmodern but offers little advice to those struggling for a better life.

This book represents an attempt by (the) three social thinkers of our time to bring their differing views of what is to done together by beginning with what it is that they have in common, namely: Marx (and Gramsci), Lacan, and Derrida. Although all three critique the above figures, they could not do what it is they do with them. This book provides a much needed companion to Laclau's (w/ Mouffe) "Hegemony and Socialist Strategy" and Zizek's "Ticklish Subject". It also helps towards Butler's "Gender Trouble" but I feel that her approach has matured a great deal from that mostly obscure book. Zizek and Laclau are on their game and their detailed responses back and forth really help in understanding what is at stake. I like Butler but it seems that she is out of her league and element. That being said, I think that there are nuggets of greatness in her writings, one just has to look extra hard to find them. My only criticism for Zizek is that sometimes his examples skew to the shallow side, but this negative is overcome with the remainder of his work.

There are some interesting ideas presented by Mr Myers in this book. But, for the most part the concepts are too old-school, naive and simplistic. Truth is, it would be hard for most modern day corporations using ERP systems, automated production and other technologies to apply the principles of this book.

Nonetheless, this book might be worth it, if one is starting on a BCP project and is open to an alternative viewpoint. However, it is so redundant, that there is really no point reading beyond the first twenty or so pages. To make matters worse, the information is presented in an endless array of bullets, exhibits, tables, numbered lists. All different from one another, yet presenting the same material again and again.

Even for a dry business subject, this is a frustrating, unenjoyable read. Worth only one star.

While this book addresses contingency planning across the enterprise I found it extremely useful for a much narrower scope, which is assuring applications and systems availability, and service delivery.

The book focuses on quickly developing and implementing a basic contingency plan. The approach set forth is straightforward and covers the basics of contingency planning: problem framing, impact analysis, developing the plan and testing/validating the plan. At 234 pages it is not a comprehensive text for disaster recovery or business continuity planning professionals, but for managers who see gaps or are exercising due diligence, this book covers all of the basics in sufficient detail.

What I like most is the simplicity of the approach, which will give you a starting point for implementing business contingency and continuity plans quickly. Once implemented in accordance with the approach set forth in this book you will have a working plan that covers response strategies and roles and responsibilities that can be built upon and refined. The most valuable chapters in this book address telephone communications, computer processing and vital facilities, all of which are critical to business operations. Also pay careful attention to the beginning of the book because it clearly describes management's responsibility and culpability for having a viable plan in place.

Also valuable are the appendices, which include case studies, sample computer contingency plan and sample business continuity strategies. These samples illustrate how these important documents should be structured.

This book does not eliminate the need for professional assistance as the plan takes shape or after a baseline plan has been implemented. Indeed, prudence and due diligence should guide you to seeking the services of certified business continuity planners or disaster recovery professionals, either as consultants or in-house staff positions. However, this book does provide a starting point, especially for smaller businesses that do not have a formal plan in place.

This book is a complete waste of time. I understand the author's intentions in trying to create a 'cost-effective' and 'efficient' guide but I think he is totally out of grip if he thinks that an eight-day start-up period is an acceptable time-frame to get a technology dependant company back up and running after a disaster. An internet reliant company can lose significant market share after only hours of downtime! I understand that in some companies Dr planning doesn't recieve the attention it should from top management but that doesn't excuse the lame grovelling and coddling that this book suggests Dr planners should employ to further their agenda

For the money, Myers's book on contingency planning should be on every BCP/DR manager's shelf. Its layout allows for quick review and easy reference, and the sample plan that can be used as a foundation to build your own plan. While nothing new comes out of this book, it is refreshing to see good, cost effective and logical fundamentals being written about. It's a back to basics approach to getting everyone educated and involved. The simple wording allows for the "not so computer savvy" manager to understand the issues. The only thing missing that I was hoping to read about is how BCP implementation & documentation will improve the day-to-day efficiencies in the workplace. He alludes to this fact, but should explore how to use this information to help sell the overall program.

Briefly, Depuydt's work makes a solid contribution to the study and clarification of some elements within Late Egyptian and Coptic verbal structures. He does occasionally refer to other languages in a comparative sense. Though somewhat theoretical, Depuydt insists that the concepts of "conjunction", "contiguity" and "contingency" are valid within these verbal systems. His work herein validates this. This work adds insights into the RELATIONSHIPS that exist within the verbs in numerous passages. He cites numerous texts, some Biblical (gospels only) and has sufficent indexes. One notable flaw is the failure to use Coptic fonts for the Coptic words, he does use Hieroglyphic fonts, with fine transliteration. Additionally he does not provide a transliteration table for his use of the transliterated Coptic words, such a table would greatly prevent any confusions. Physically, the text is well laid out and is finely printed. The binding is a cheap glue injection, not sewn, thus the book does not lie open -- which it should do for the high price of eighty dollars. Useful primarily for specialists and interested linguists who want to examine internal Egyptian language relationships. Mr. Gary S. Dykes (Sept. 1999)

Ian Hodder has written a quite interesting book arguing that the early phases of neolithic Europe was dominated by an ideology which he calls "domus" and was characterized by a focus on women, nurturing and the houses. This was later replaced by an ideology he calla "agrios" which was characterized by a focus on men, aggression, weapons and the wild. He had some minor references to Gimbutas in his book but he never admits that the whole structure is taken from Gimbutas theory on the matrifocal Old Europe and the patriarchal Indo-European warrior societies that replaced it. Every single society which Hodder place in the domus category is societies which Gimbutas thought belonging to Old Europe and every society which Hodder defines as an "agrios" culture is Indo-European and patriarchal according to Gimbutas. And, of cource, Gimbutas theory is from 1974 and Hodder's from 1990.

I think the greatness of Gimbutas theory is clearly shown by the fact that even an archaeologist like Hodder are using her model, although he don't seems to admit it, when he creates a theory of his own. Of course, he states that "I certainly cannot say whether these societies were matrilineal, matrilocal or matriarchal" but at least "certain aspects of being a woman was conceptually central" (p. 68). Hodder's fascinating book is, whether he likes it or not, encouraging for those who thinks that there is evidence for a Goddess Cult and a matrifocal society in the neolithic. He had realized that the symbolism indeed was centered on women. He didn't draw the logical conclusions, but there are other people who can do this...

I discuss this book, as well as a volume on Iraq's military confrontations with the West, in an essay in the November 1998 British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.

don't ever buy or read this book. it is incomprehensible and boring. reading it is a waste of your life. trigger is an awful writer.

This book is an insightful commentary on socio-cultural evolutionism as an intellectual construct. This book examines evolutionism from a number of perspectives, and explains the role of this concept in the discourse of the social sciences, especially archaeology and anthropology. This book is both well written and well thought out, and is a valuable tool for anyone interested in social theory.

I am really unimpressed with the quality of the binding of this title, which is not typical of most Wiley textbooks I own (this one is actually printed and bound by WILEY EASTERN New Delhi, India). It has a fairly strong, irritating chemical smell that is giving me slight headache even as I type this. The pages seem as if they are about to drop out of hard cover because the spine appears to be substantially wider than the number of pages inside. (the book, when open, definitely lays flat). The paper is not very opaque. The text lettering is not crisp (almost as if printed with an ink jet printer). Some pages are printed lightly, others pages are printed darker and a bit blurry. Given the large number of minor flaws, I'm skeptical this is a fluke and for the list price and year of publication (1995), I think the book should have seen much better quality control.

The text comes with a "statistical program package SAND" written in GWBASIC that runs on MS-DOS machines. However, the diskette is the large 5 1/4" 360Kb floppy, making the software virtually useless to many/most users in the US. Again, for the price, this is inappropriate. The authors' work appears to be a fairly admirable attempt, but the smell keeps me from concentrating on it closely. My copy will go back, but I hope a future reviewer with more patience than me can give the actual contents more thorough study.