Overrun

Are there demons behind every tree? It would seem so according to some people. Every problem is caused by demons some say.

The problem is that blaming demons for everything shifts the responsibility to someone or some thing else instead of taking personal responsibility for our sins and problems.

Robert Dean handles this topic very well. He identifies the true culprit for our problems, ourselves. While the devil is active and powerful, he cannot make us do anything. We make our own choices. If we blame Satan, we are just reacting to circumstances rather than living in reality.

The book is quite funny, but displays the author's bias for government work. As a development manager/implementor, I have seen some of these 77 sins, but others are rather esoteric and limited to the author's domain. Purchase it for a laugh, to educate the ignorant, or to know you are not alone.

As a project management trainer, I often work with IT folks who are struggling with too many projects and not enough time to complete them. Typically IT people don't take the time to reflect and document management practices that drive them crazy and kill their projects. Instead, they just leave the company! In this rare book, two veteran soft developers irreverently vent their frustrations and provide plenty of insight for anyone wanting to better manage software development teams. While they provide a bunch of items related to technical and programming management issues, the also share some management-related sure-fire ways to kill a software project. Some hightlights from their list of items include: #13 -- Begin design while requirements are fluid. #18 -- Make developers fight for every purchase. #28 -- Concentrate on cosmetics, not functionality at inspections. #33 -- Forgo prototyping. #41 -- Give everyone beepers [... so they can be reached even in the middle of the night about cosmetic problems.] #47 -- Schedule as many meetings as possible. #58 -- Jump on the process improvement bandwagon. #59 -- Create lots of TQM groups. #60 -- Hire a TQM expert from outside the company. #68 -- Require overtime work without compensation. #70 -- Hire temp programmers [and pay them for all hours, even overtime, at a rate higher than staff] #73 -- Give humiliating performance reviews. #74 -- Get rid of developers over 40 [years old]. #75 -- Refer to people as "units."

This book is clean, crisp, and fun to read... and might well generate some valuable discussions in your organization that could improve the effectiveness of your projects!...

I have begun to use the third edition of this book in my introductory marine science course. I have to say that the Castro and Huber have taken a professional, effective approach to covering a diverse subject. The book takes a typical approach. Part 1: The nature of science and the physical environment. Part 2: Life in the marine environment, starting with physiology and moving on to diversity. Part 3: Ecology, covering basic principles and exploring various arine habitats. Part 4: Man's impact on the sea. Things that I like about this book include: the excellent illustrations, both photographs and diagrams; box readings on special topics; and the chapter self reviews. Things that I do not like include the failure to put the various groups of animals in evolutionary relationships. There are two chapters on marine organisms, vertebrates and invertebrate. This arrangement fails to recognize the over all diversity of these groups and frequently unrelated groups are piled together for no reason but convenience. I think perhaps a simple appendix of cladograms of the various groups would address this. There is also a companion web site that I have not had the time to explore.

In all, it is an effective introduction to marine biology. I am enjoying incorporating it in to my class. I also think that it would be a fine choice for persons who want to study marine biology on there own. It is written at such a level that a person with a high school education can understand it with only a few references to the glossary or other books.

I am a high school student and this is a college course, and the only reason I am bought this book was because my school can't afford to supply the students with it. This book is great and is going to almost guarantee me a passing grade in my Marine Biology class. Although this is just an introduction book it is full of information and it is and interesting subject to study. Coming from a student I recommend this book to any Marine Biology teacher. This subject is overall fun and even if you are expecting to be something non-related to this subject when you choose your career this is still very educational.