Factor

"The Oil Factor" is an economic analysis of two parts.

Part 1 evaluates the effect of oil costs upon economic conditions. This analysis has determined that US economy has been a benefactor of low-cost energy, and thus has literally had the fuel for growth.

However, due to the effects of worldwide supply peaking in 2010+/-10, coupled with quickly rising demand (especially from China), the price of oil will soon start on a long uptrend that will create an inflationary cycle possibly a lot worse than the 1970s period.

Part 2 evaluates the effect that an inflationary cycle will have on asset valuations. The authors describe why this cycle will have the effect of driving down equity P/E ratios (from lower profits - the authors detail the reaons for this change). However, they also describe exactly what asset valuations will actually benefit from these changes, and offer specific recommendations of how, why, and when to adjust asset allocations.

The main component for the economic evaluation, and resulting asset protection mechanism is a formula that the authors call "the oil indicator". This indicator is intended to provide a simple and clear "positive signal" or "negative signal", and certain assets should be re-allocated at the time these indicators signal future economic results.

I believe that these authors are absolutely correct on the economics of oil, especially as to future dramatic price rises and the results of high inflation. Also, the resulting investment advice is soundly backed by economic and political analyses.

This book is an easy read, and not technically based. If you are
looking for the statistics underlying the economic analysis of oil you will not find it in this book. Rather, the authors are presenting the big picture of finished analysis.

Investors are strongly advised to read and retain this volume.

There are many excellent books on the approaching peak of oil extraction (by Deffeyes, Heinberg, Goodstein, Youngquist, to name a few), but none of the books on this subject so far addressed the consequences of a permanently declining world oil production for the financial markets. The book under review is the first book to explore this topic in greater detail. In the first part, the book reviews the geological constraints underlying the coming peak of oil production (expected to hit the world within the next 6 years). A review of alternative energy sources (from natural gas and coal to fusion and solar energy) follows ending in the conclusion that no real substitute for oil seem to exist. The authors then explain why the economy needs to grow in the future in order to be able to service the huge debt loads dominating the world economies. Taken together, they conclude that inflation is the inevitable fate of the world economy. In the second part of the book, the authors discuss various investment strategies designed to take advantage of these trends. Overall this is a very important book which should be welcomed by all investors who are concerned about the long term safety of their retirement savings. I see its main value not in the specific portfolio recommendations given in the second part, but in the more general speculations (outlined in the first part of the book) about the forces shaping our economic future. The book is not perfect but I give it 5 stars mainly because this extremely important subject is not discussed in any other investment book. I am quite sure that many more books on this subject will be published in the coming years. This book is the first one in a long series of books to come.

if you were worried about the USA's energy problems you probably should NOT read this book! this is a real wake-up call for our elected officials and for all you SUV drivers out there. the message is pretty simple - we're running out of oil and not doing anything about it!

I happeded to have picked this book up because my son was reading it and finished it and it was just lying around and I had nothing else to read. I was not really expecting anything very good and science fiction and futuristic adventure stories arenot really my favorite. However, this book blew me away. It was so sophisticated in it's plot, twists,turns and final conclusion which included romance, adventure and treachery. You should definitely read this book. I was so shocked that it was so good and would recommend it. It spans age and gender; and holds you on the edge of your seat until the never expected final plot twist.Leaving you breathless and with a renewed hope for the future of all mankind.

What a great read. This book is a must have. DiChiara really has a knack for telling a great story. He has the details like Clancy....the character development of King but adds his own unique story telling style that is truly refreshing. Destined to be one of the next great Sci-Fi writers.

This book was a breathe of fresh air. It was truly gripping from cover to cover. If you want an escape from the run of the mill stories these days......I strongly suggest this book! I am already looking forward to his next piece.

Churchill was, without question, a fine man and example for us to follow. Learning more about Churchill, what made him great, and how he influenced history is a worthy endeavor.

Being motivated and inspired to pursue higher objectives in life, to really make a difference in the world is also a worthy endeavor. Emulating features of Churchill's life to craft your own success is also worthwhile.

As I began this book, I found myself reading sections to my wife. Good stuff here! The author's own words as well as the quotes from Churchill and other luminaries were getting my attention. I began to understand why several of my friends are such devoted students of Churchill and his influence. The first 37 pages were great.

Then Chapter 5 hit me like a bucket of ice water. I discovered to my astonishment that the author is also a distributor of behavioral style learning materials produced by Inscape Publishing. Most of the balance of the book is a description of the four principal behavioral styles and how various aspects of Churchill's attributes relate to the styles. I was tempted to toss the book away as a blatant commercial for Inscape products. There was nothing on the cover of the book, in the introduction, or in the title that suggested that this was the kind of book I discovered . . . unless you look closely at the category on the back cover and note that the words "SELF HELP" follow "BUSINESS."

The four behavioral styles of drivers, influencers, supporters, and conceptualizers were each presented with some explanation. Churchill's traits were related to each, apparently to validate for persons with each style that they, too, can be like Churchill. I felt some were rather force-fit. As a disclosure, I have used Inscape instruments and behavioral style knowledge for two decades and am a former national contract trainer for the company; I am quite familiar with the products and their philosophies.

At the end of the book is a blatant promotion for a wide range of Inscape products. For those readers who are interested in learning more about behavioral styles, it's helpful to have this catalog available. For those who were really interested in what made Churchill great-from an author touted as a Churchill expert, it's offensive.

I almost rated this book with three stars instead of four (out of five), but there is some good content. Kryske does relate some strong material, particularly in the forepart of the book before he got into the behavioral styles. The book is heavily seasoned with quotes (as call-outs); there's a quote from someone on almost every page. Many of the quotes are from Churchill, but also cited are other historical figures and present-day motivational speakers.

The Churchill Factors: Creating Your Finest Hour was very easy to understand. The message was simple, clear, and practical. Too many self-help books are mumbo-jumbo consultant hype about approaches that never really work. I found this book was honest and extremely usable. Everyone will be able to identify with at least one of the styles in the book. There are several chapters for each one. By applying the Action This Day questions at the end of the chapters helped me to overcome some of the obstacles I deal with at work and at home. I definitely was surprised that this was more than the usual leadership book about a famous person. The Churchill Factors made it easy for me to see why Winston Churchill was such a multi-faceted personality. Everyone would benefit from using his methodology. It's worked for me!

I am a high school senior who had to write a report on a famous leader. I selected Winston Churchill. I didn't really know much about him but found exactly what I needed in this book. I ordered it online and it arrived three days later! The book told me how I can become a leader. I could identify with some of the problems Churchill had during his life. His life was full of problems but he was still able to be successful. I think this book will help me when I go on to college next year. I already have some new ideas I want to try out at work. I would really recommend this book to others.

I bought this book while living in Boston more than 6 years ago. While still a student and eventually a young professional, I found myself experimenting with SPACE and BUDGET year after year (sometimes several times a year). This book is the perfect gift/buy for anyone who's lived in subhuman conditions ranging from 200-750 square feet. There are many books out there that claim to solve all your SMALL SPACE problems but everything they show include homes with well over 750 square feet (not too small in some cities)!

Anoop Parikh clearly shows you the basics and has TEXT that you actually want to read! The pictures are great although some show the fanciest of facilities and furniture ($$$ most certainly helps make small spaces nicer), but they give you a very good DESIGN sense & HOW TO information for very small lofts and studio apartments. The side bar notes are great short cuts if you haven't the patience to read everything. They outline all the basic rules to opening up your humble abode.

This book has given me MANY ideas I still stick with today. I've lent this book out to siblings, future homeowners and friends from all walks of life and income brackets. They always return it with a "Cool book, got some good ideas from it" type of comment.

I still whip it out today and use it to refresh my memory every time I move into another NEW small space. From a Boston studio in the Back Bay to a Santa Monica bungalow this book has followed me cross country and back and now sits on my shelves in my new 700 square foot home in New York.

This book lives up to its name in Making the Most of Small Spaces. How else has it survived this long in a market so flooded with nice coffee books with no content?!

Although this book is small, it delivers a lot of punch! It's a great starting point when determining what is possible when you have major space restrictions. I appreciated the variety of styles and situations represented.

Lately, I've been reading books on the topic of MAKING THE MOST OF SMALL SPACES, and Anoop Parikh's book is the best book on this topic I've seen so far. Different books will appeal to different people, but if you're female, with a studio apartment or small condo as your primary residence--or--own a vacation condo or keep an apartment in the city as a second residence, I think this book will give you many good ideas. Those who own condos and can make architectural changes will probably benefit the most.

The exquisite examples Parikh provides take advantage of color, light and texture, the three most important elements to consider when creating your home in a small space. Color can be used to brighten dark spaces and produce the illusion of depth or openness or warmth. Properly placed lighting ensures that arrangements that involve stacking (plenty of examples in this book) and/or low ceilings do produce black holes. Texture can be used to move the eye around what could be a dull room if it is painted a light or white color.

Parikh says before you begin to decorate, you should consider what you will be doing in your home. Do you eat out more than you eat in? If so, it makes no sense to have regular sized appliances that take up needed space. Maybe what you need is a closet kitchen with a small refrigerator, sink, microwave and hot plate. Parikh suggests one think about 1) whether or not you want your room open or cozy; 2) what you might use as a focal point (a piece of furniture, a screen?); 3) using the walls for storage and/or display; 4) hiding the bed; 5) keeping the cooking and eating areas close together to avoid accidents. This is a great book with an excellent price.

The book has inflammation as its central focus, and Dr. Meggs convincingly describes inflammation related connections amongst an amazingly broad spectrum of conditions, diseases, nutrients, attitudes, and other factors. As a non-medical lay person, my impression in reading the book was that the title is a bit inadequate. While the straightforward, lucid style in which facts and ideas are presented makes the book's inflammation related advice accessable in a pragmatic fashion, Meggs seems to cover so much territory with his recommendations that this work could almost be understood as a broad guidebook for living a healthy and happy life in general, albeit with inflammation as the book's raison d'etre.

Certainly I have wondered how and why various drugs functioned in my body, and I have learned a great deal on that subject here. The same can be said about foods, moods, and the air we breathe; it all gets clearly mentioned. Looking at the back portion of the book reveals the depth of research that went into the writing of it, and Dr. Meggs has not speculated with much of what he says - it's all backed up with facts that can be verified.

I enjoyed the book (it's a fun and easy read) and I highly recommend it. I was left with the impression that I was reading solid medical advice, not romantic fantasy. Buy this book.

This is a good book. It's an easy read and the author clearly understands the connection between inflammation and lifestyle choices. His advice is interesting and helpful.

I agree with the reviewer below; this book is broad-based and really doesn't address specific inflammatory issues. The point of the book is to recognize how pervasive inflammation is among various health issues and to learn to make beneficial changes in our lives.

My one criticism is: the author states, "There is no need to take supplements for vitamins B6 or B12". I absolutely disagree. As many vegetarians (especially vegans) have learned the hard way, sometimes vitamin B12 supplements are essential. The author recommends a vegetarian diet, yet apparently doesn't recognize that one of the most common risks of a vegetarian diet is insufficient vitamin B12 intake. The author is potentially putting people at risk by not recognizing the possible need for vitamin B12 supplements (totally supported by research on vegetarians and vegetarian diets).

The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec, and The Inflammation Syndrome by Challem, both appeared in 2003 and both discuss the role of inflammation in the major diseases of our time, and the things that one can do to limit the risk of diseases related to inflammation. Both books are easy to read. Which to choose? According to the prestigious Library Journal, "While Jack Challem's The Inflammation Syndrome covers similar ground [to the Inflammation Cure], his approach leans toward the faddish and sensationalist, while Meggs takes a more levelheaded approach, weaving the latest research on various diseases into a broad picture." The thing I most prefer about Meggs' book is that it takes a comprehensive approach (including diet) to the things that affect inflammation, rather than spending the whole book just discussing the role of diet as is done in Challem's book. Challem is a health reporter who writes and publishes The Nutrition Reporter newsletter; it is natural that he would stress diet and its consequences. But diseases are caused and controlled by much more than our diet. Meggs is a practicing physician who has a great deal of clinical experience with all aspects of inflammation, and who has woven many real-life cases into the book as illustrations. So, which book should you buy? I have little doubt that you will find The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec more informative and much more useful as a reference on your shelf.

I checked this book out at my public library and didn't note that it was published by Weight Watchers until I got it home. I don't have one particular thing against Weight Watchers but I don't particular care for them either hence I tended to ignore them altogether. This is 193 pages of lots of good, solid info on exercise, diet, vitamins and food plans. Having said this I would tell anyone that has had the opportunity to read any other popular fitness book not to get this book as it would definitely be a waste of your time.

There are drawings showing one exercise each for each body part. They are all fine but you definitely would need more exercises if you want to see any real benefit. There are some good drawings of stretches for each part of the body. The book does a credible job explaining the benefits of both weight bearing exercises and cardio exercises along with suggestions for a fitness test. There are also some meal plans in the back but beware they all use the Weight Watcher's point system.

My overall feeling is that if you are a novice to the exercise world then this is a good book to start with. It's well rounded, full of factual info and has just enough to get you interested. If you have been into reading fitness books, already started an exercise program this very basic info won't help you, it'll bore you as it only covers the starting fundamentals.

As someone whose weight has gone up and down since I was 12 and being an on again off again member of Weight Watchers for the past 3 years, I found this book to be very motivational. It provides great information about what a big role exercise plays in dropping pounds and staying healthy, as well as providing great recipe ideas and menu plans that follow the Weight Watchers points plan. I have read this book about 2-3 times and I find it extremely helpful anytime I need that extra push in the right direction.

If you're overweight and out of shape and are serious about doing something about it, this is an excellent book to start off with. The information about the wonderful benefits of exercise were motivation enough for me to get started. I'm not sure why "jess" has a problem with Weight Watchers, since their program is very healthy and more practical to follow than anything else out there. For someone like me, who is new to exercise, it's just what I needed to read.

*****-MENTAL ENEMA-***** (Destinction Speciale Classique)(TM)

1. Give your thyroid a break! If you found this one then the book 'Fluoride: Drinking ourselves to death?' by Dr. Vyvyan [something - I forget]

2. Just type in npwa into google, it may or may not be available from the amazon UK site or even npwa, allegedly. It may be a British book, allegedly.

3. I'm not allowed to give availability information according to the rules so I cannot say whether or not it is available, so paragraph 2 entirely fictional and bears no resemblance to reality.

This book is excellent for pointing out the fradulent studies that were done and which were used as a basis for duping dentists and other health officials into promoting fluoridation. Dr. Yiamouyiannis outlines the history of the fraud and how promoters abuse their power to ruin the professional careers of opponents, especially if those opponents are credentialed. Chemical and Engineering News of 8/1/88 Vol. 66 and Newsweek Magazine of 9/14/92 p. 63, address this and other issues. This is must reading for those who are disciplined to think for themselves as opposed to those who just accept the word of indoctrinated individuals who are beholden to the power structure (e.g. ADA, AMA, USPHS). The "power structure" can never admit they were wrong in promoting the practice, because to so, would be to open themselves to untold levels of liability.

I read this book a few years ago and as I remember, it was very enlightening. It was clearly written and undestandable. It discusses much more than just aging. I am now reading much research that proves what I read there. I am currently lookng for a copy to replace the one I loaned.

The title for this review is not a typo, nor is it redundant. Read "The Helix Factor". Internalize the principles.
Ask yourself and your organization the same questions that Michael Wood identifies in his book. Prepare your organization to benefit continuously by continuing to improve your business processes that tie directly to your business objectives.

If there is a missing link to Six Sigma, it is found in this book. This a "must read" for the business executive looking to take his company to the top. For those that feel they are at the top, you had best read this to stay there! And, more importantly, if your company faces seriuos business challeges, you may begin to map your renewal by adhering to the Helix Methodology.

Thank you Michael for a methodology that makes a difference!

Finally, someone has taken common sense and applied it to business process improvement. Michael's methodology is very easy to follow and will allow those that don't want to dedicate their organization to Six Sigma or other complex programs, the ability to make tremendous impacts on the performance of their business. Excellent book, but would also recommend his second edition of the Helix factor, "The Implementation Guide," soon to be out in bookstores. This book takes The Helix Factor to a new level by providing a step-by-step guide to implementing this methodology, complete with all the documents as well as how to facilitate and analyze the information. This it the book most consultants are afraid of publishing, as it will allow one to execute a project on their own, without paying large consulting dollars for tremendous results.

Michael Wood's "The Helix Factor" wonderfully mixes pragmatic advice with empirical evidence. Seldom is a management book so soundly based in reality, and backed up with solid, workable concepts. "The Helix Factor", and accompanying workbook, provide step-by-step realization of business goals by aligning IT implementation strategies to the needs of the business. Michael's visionary, yet approachable, techniques are understandable, educational, and rewarding. A must read.

I enjoyed this well written book, but I hope that the character of Dixie's boyfriend is not allowed to turn Dixie into a driveling wimp. Many a good independant heroine has been ruined by a "concerned" man.

Dixie Flannigan thinks she has it all, job she loves to do, great family and a man she thinks she can have a long relationship with; that is until Lawrence Coombs enters her life and turns it upside down. He beats her up when she tries to bring him in when he didn't show up for court, he then beats the crime he was charged with which enrages the vitims. A group of 'aveneging angels' take over where the courts fail and give him a piece of his own medicine. But they don't stop with Coombs and they move on to others who were let off making Dixie wonder if the ADA and her friend Brenda is involved with the street justice being dished out.

In the meantime she is babysitting the daughter of an actress who has been getting threatening letters in the mail. As she has her hands full with work the man in her life Parker Dann, wants her to find a job with less risk and will have her home at a regular time.

I do agree it was a bit predicable, but it was hard to put down some nights and go to sleep. I'm looking forward to read the next book in the series and hopefully there will be more to come.

I picked this book up after reading a referral here on amazon.com. Let me just say that if you want an EXCELLENT read that will be running through your mind long after you are finished reading, then this book is IT! It holds your attention through the entire book, and is truly one that kept me on the edge of my seat. I will be reading others by this author for sure!

I grew up in what new urbanists would probably call a paradise. It was a real community in which neighbours were really neighbours. People did sit on their verandahs and converse with their neighbours on the street. There was an understanding that one could borrow things if the owner wasn't using them. It was considered polite to tell the owner if he was there but if he was away one could just borrow the thing and tell him when he came home if one was still using it. In short it was everything new urbanism wants. This was in a moderately large city in Canada.

There were two things wrong with this paradise:

a) it was not about verandahs, facing the street etc. It was about control and conformity. The neighbourhood protected itself by frowning on unexpected behavior. There was an expected range of interests and an expected range of activity. If someone went out of this range, one could expect social sanctions unfailingly. The dark side of Jacobs 'eyes-on-the-street' is Foucault's 'gaze.' The neighbourhood worked as an exercise in power. The verandahs and street life were instruments of that power. Heaven help anyone who had non-standard interests.

b) the neighbourhood was unsustaining. With the growth of the personal rights ethos, the ability of the neighbourhood to control its inhabitants fell away. No longer could the neighbourhood fathers take action to control petty teenage misbehaviour. Instead personal rights and social policy took these controls away from the neighbourhood and gave them to government agencies. As a result the neighbourhood is now perhaps not unsafe but definitely uncomfortable. No one leaves tools or equipment out now in case a neighbour needs to borrow it. Everything is locked up. The doors are firmly closed and neighbours now complain to the police instead of discussing thier joint problems.

New urbanism seems to miss this point. Neighbourhoods are about local power. For some people this produces a comfortable paradise. For those slightly different it creates a jail of conformity. Some people thrive in it. Some peole will be stifled. Neighboourhoods are an exercise in hopefully beneficent control. Architecture does not create this control. It can destroy it certainly and make it impossible but it cannot create it.

I have only had the book a day and already it has given me great pleasure and joy. I love the fantastic pictures and diagrams. The computer digitalizations on a few existing towns today and what they could be like were truely fasinating. I couldn't help not liking the indepth descriptions of numourous cities, towns, and villages from around the country and canada as well. This book had colorful photos and diagrams, this book to me is pure genus!

A very good appraisal of design examples of new communities with also a consistent theoretical approach to New Urbanism concepts. This is a necessary reading to those that want to be updated with the best design practices of integrated urban spaces.