Product Description
“Not a day goes by when I don’t wake up and think, just for a second, usually between taking a leak and brushing my teeth, what the hell happened?”

Eight years ago, Tom Green lived in his parents’ basement in Canada. He spent his time skateboarding, making funny videos with his friends, and dreaming of hosting his own talk show. MTV saw his low-budget public access show and brought him to New York, and Tom’s next few years in show business were a bizarre roller-coaster ride. Not only did he achieve his dream with The Tom Green Show, but he launched a movie career and married a Hollywood actress. Then the tide turned. Their house burned down. Tom was diagnosed with testicular cancer (and recorded his surgery in a hysterical, oddly moving documentary for MTV). He endured a highly publicized divorce. All of a sudden, he went from media darling to media punching bag.

Hollywood Causes Cancer, now in paperback, is the full story of Tom Green’s wildly entertaining trip to celebrity. It’s an absorbing and revelatory look at a dramatic, excessive, ruthless place called Hollywood, and how one man survived his journey into the heart of it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Love It.
I've always been a fan of Tom Green. On my list of heroes he's riht under Bill Hicks..

I think Tom Green is a genious, does that make me a moron?
Just thought I would redo my previous review. The main reason I got this book was because I got interested in Tom Green after watching Freddy got fingered. I think that film is possibly one of the funniest movies ever made, although I know quite a lot of people disagree with me on that one.

In my previous review I kind of referenced Howard Stern's private parts. In a sense they are somewhat similar. Both books deal with the theme of a somewhat ordinary guy rising to fame in a funny and lighthearted style. Green's book is a bit more personal though, dealing with both his illness, marriage and fall from grace.

There are some insider tidbits about other celebrities, although it is mostly nice stuff. The celebrities being painted the worst are probably Martin Short and Courtney Love. There is a segment about Courtney heckling Green's father during his speech at the Barrymore-Green wedding. I guess no-one would really contest the validity of that happening.

I don't think the parts pertaining Drew Barrymore are at all negative nor ill intended. Green's namedropping seem to not really be trying to capitalize off certain people's fame.

I think even people, even the ones that detested Green's other works, will find the book interesting. Especially if they would like to get an inside look at the Hollywood-elite's society. And the fans get an inside look at how some of the classic moments like i.e the moose humping and the bum bum song got created.

Excellent Autobiography
I couldn't be more pleased with the book, there's so much more depth to this man then most people realize. If you're even a casual fan of Tom Green's, this book is well worth picking up.

So much better than you'd expect.
If you like Tom Green, read this book.If you hate Tom Green, read this book.Tom is a genuine talent.Amazing.I was riveted by Tom's story.I read this in one day.

My Favorite Book
Wow, this is now my favorite book, (Although that isn't saying much, I rarely read) It is a funny, but also serious book about Tom Green's life. I read this book in 1 day (I got home from a friend's house a 12 AM and read until 5 AM, went to sleep, then woke up and finished it) I just couldn't stop reading it. This is a great book whether you are a fan of Tom Green or not. ... Read more

Product Description

In this book, you'll learn:

• How to create effective animations using the new Motion Editor and animation tools
• How to use the new 3D features to animate objects in 3D space
• Best-practice tips and techniques from some of the top Flash practitioners on the planet
• How to create captioned video and full-screen video, and deploy HD video using Flash
• Techniques for using the Flash UI components as well as XML documents to create stunning,interactive presentations

If you're a Flash designer looking for a solid overview of Flash CS4, this book is for you. Through the use of solid and practical exercises, you will soon master the fundamentals of this latest edition of the Adobe Flash authoring tool. Using a series of carefully developed tutorials, you will be led from basic Flash CS4 techniques to the point where you can create animations, MP3 players, and customized Flash video players in no time. Each chapter focuses on a major aspect of Flash, and then lets you take the reins in a "Your Turn" exercise to create something amazing with what you've learned.

This book focuses on the core skill set you need to feel at home with Flash CS4, and also introduces you to some of the biggest names in today's Flash community through interviews and actual "How To" examples, so you can learn from the masters. You will start by studying the Flash CS4 interface, and while you're at it, you'll be guided toward mastery of the fundamentals, such as movieclips, text, and graphics, which will lead you into some of the more fascinating aspects of Flash, including audio, video, animation, and 3D transformations.

By the time you finish, you will have created an MP3 player and a Flash video player, been introduced to the basics of ActionScript 3.0, learned how to combine Flash with XML, styled Flash text with CSS, created animated scenes, and worked your way through a host of additional projects. All of these exercises are designed to give you the knowledge necessary to master Flash CS4 from the ground up. If you're already a seasoned Flash designer, this book will get you up to speed with the latest version in relatively short order.

This book covers all of the new Flash CS4 features, such as the new animation and 3D tools, the new Adobe Media Encoder, and a pair of the coolest new additions to the Tools panel: a Spray Brush tool and a Deco tool.

You can discover more about this book, download source code, and more at the book's companion website: www.foundationflashcs4.com.

Summary of Contents

• Chapter 1: Learning the Flash CS4 Professional Interface
• Chapter 2: Creating Artwork in Flash
• Chapter 3: Symbols and Libraries
• Chapter 4: Actionscript Basics
• Chapter 5: Audio
• Chapter 6: Text
• Chapter 7: Animation
• Chapter 8: Animation, Part 2
• Chapter 9: Flash Gets a Third Dimension
• Chapter 10: Video
• Chapter 11: Building Interfaces With the UI Components
• Chapter 12: CSS
• Chapter 13: XML (Dynamic Data)
• Chapter 14: Building Stuff
• Chapter 15: Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies

Customer Reviews (8)

Hardly got a chance to use
As soon as my son showed up for class the professor said that CS5 had just come out and he was making the newer book the class text.Wow!So, it was fun while it lasted but the textbooks can't keep up with the technology and we're on to the next before he had a chance to look through the last.Wonder what CS4 is lacking?

Decent Book on Designing on Flash CS4
This is a decent book on learning how to design on Flash CS4. While there is some Actionscript code interspersed throughout, the comments help explain the code on somewhat readable terms. (I loved the XML chapter, though!)

The book starts off with an introduction in using graphics, art, symbols, movieclips, and more in the Flash CS4 authoring environment. There are step-by-step examples that allow the reader to follow along and grasp such concepts vital in using Flash CS4. Then, the books delves into more complex activities, such as audio and video, text, and creating animations. Admittedly, I found the book's coverage on topics brand new to Flash CS4 such as Inverse Kinematics (bone-based animation) and 3D to be somewhat difficult to follow.

The money chapter is in the final chapter; it actually provides a couple of real-world examples of what you can do with Flash CS4, such as creating a slide show, a MP3 player, video controller, and dynamic loading. I found the chapter on optimizing and publishing Flash movies to be very useful.

One thing that was disappointing was its coverage on adding captioning to Flash video files. I found it somewhat confusing, especially using XML captions. I would have liked to know how to create cue points and how to create 'Timed Text' files.

This book provided excellent coverage on the basics of using Flash. However, I felt that it got a little bit more difficult when advanced concepts were discussed, such as 3D or IK. Granted, these advanced concepts deserve a whole book on their own, so condensing them to a chapter or two would be a difficult undertaking, I'm sure. I would have liked more coverage on Actionscript, beyond an introductory chapter. But, there's books on Actionscript, and the book's main focus is on using Flash CS4 from a designer's perspective.

Great Book on Flash CS4
Flash CS4 has been greatly updated from previous versions and this book written by Tom Green and David Stiller has updated all the new features in CS4 and explains it very throughly in an easy-to-understand manner.

Chapter 1: Learning the Flash CS4 Professional Interface
Chapter 2: Creating Artwork in Flash
Chapter 3: Symbols and Libraries
Chapter 4: Actionscript Basics
Chapter 5: Audio
Chapter 6: Text
Chapter 7: Animation
Chapter 8: Animation, Part 2
Chapter 9: Flash Gets a Third Dimension
Chapter 10: Video
Chapter 11: Building Interfaces With the UI Components
Chapter 12: CSS
Chapter 13: XML (Dynamic Data)
Chapter 14: Building Stuff
Chapter 15: Optimizing and Publishing Flash Movies

Lots of interesting topics you will learn from this book which includes creating effective animations using the new Motion Editor and animation tools; how to use 3D features to animate objects in 3D space; how to create captioned video and full-screen video, and deploy HD video, how to use Flash UI components as well as XML documents; create interactive presentations.


The author setup the book in sections using a series tutorials which explains basic Flash CS4 techniques to the point where you can create animations, MP3 players, and customized Flash video players. Each chapter has a "Your Turn" exercise to review what has been taught and helps the reader create something real-life useful for your own flash website.

This is a book that is not only constructed for the beginner flash user to the exisiting flash user who wants to quickly update their skills from older versions of flash to the latgest CS4 version.

A great book and something that should be in your library.

Good book.Good delivery.
Yeah, just like the title explains, I liked it and I was happy with the turn around time.What more can I say?

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.
The first Flash CS4 book I read was atrocious; the second one was good but still left some gaps (from other authors). This book has blown me away. It is excellent and complete. The authors (Tom Green and David Stiller) meticulously describe every facet of this program and leave no stone unturned. I have read many other books in general on graphics and thought I knew it all. Tom and David showed me things that were never mentioned in other books.
Not only are these guys very knowledgeable in this subject, they are expert at teaching too, something that is rare these days.
Marc
... Read more

Product Description
Product Description
Everything has a beginning. None was more profound and quite unexpected than Information Technology. Here for the first time is the untold story of how our new age came to be and the bright boys who made it happen. What began on the bare floor of an old laundry building eventually grew to rival the Manhattan Project in size. The unexpected consequence of that journey was huge what we now know as Information Technology. And even more unexpected: trying to convince someone, anyone, that information was the key to most everything else. For sixty years the bright boys have been virtually anonymous while their achievements have become a way of life for all of us. Bright Boys brings them home. By 1950 they'd built the world's first real-time computer. Three years later they one-upped themselves when they switched on the world s first digital network. In 1953 their work was met with incredulity and completely overlooked. By 1968 their work was gospel. Today, it's the way of the world.Special Foreword by Jay W. Forrester
Includes notes by chapter, bibliography, index, and portfolio of archival photography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A riveting read of technological history, highly recommended
The twentieth century had untold growth and advancement in technology. "Bright Boys" tells the story of one group of individuals who were driven to push these ideas further and spurred the technological development of the nation following World War II. Working with next to nothing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, these college students brought forth the beginning of many of today's technical ideas. "Bright Boys" is a riveting read of technological history, highly recommended.

If I teach the history of computing again, this book will be required reading
In general, when the history of computing research is studied, the majority of the ink is spent describing Xerox PARC. Rarely is there a significant mention of what was done in a research lab at MIT. This is unfortunate as it was there that a group of imaginative thinkers, referred to here as the "Bright Boys", completely revolutionized the preparation for warfare and ultimately society.
It all began in 1946, immediately after the end of World War II, when the United States had dramatically demobilized its' powerful military and the Soviet Union was absorbing countries. Recognizing that the Germans had a great deal of advanced technology, the United States sent teams of experts to identify, interpret and transfer the technology to America. This needed to be done under the Soviet spy apparatus and had to include the movement of the proper scientists to the United States.
As the military and political leaders attempted to counter the multiple threats from the Soviet Union, it was clear that only a very advanced information gathering network could provide the data that would allow the United States to recognize and respond to any attack. From these initial beginnings rose the concepts of Information Technology (IT) and networked computers.
A great deal of the work was done at the Barta building, where a collection of very imaginative and bright young men set out to invent digital computing technology. Nearly everything had to be built from scratch, both the theory and practice. There was no library of research papers or bank of software that could be consulted or used, it all had to be put together and made to work. They were extremely successful, nearly everything we take for granted in computing today can have its' roots traced back to their work.
This book is the story of that unheralded band of technical wizards, they invented digital computing and they also provided the infrastructure that allowed the United States to have a credible defense against any mass attack. Since this was the only effective deterrent to such attacks, their efforts had a significant contribution in making the Cold War survivable.
It took decades before the practitioners of these arts received their due rewards of the National Medal of Technology. Now that this book exists, their achievements can become part of the historic lore of the computing profession. If I teach a course in the history of computing again, this book will be required reading.

Tom Green managed to make this exciting story a bore.
The history of the transition from analog computers to digital computers should have been an exciting page turner, but somehow Mr. Green turned it into a boring list of names, places and dates.

I was interested in this book because it mentions ERA our local computer heros where Seymour Cray got his start before founding Control Data and Cray Research.

I wanted to learn about the technology of Whirlwind and other digital computers, but there's very little description of just what went into designing and building these fantastic machines.

If you want a timeline of the names, places and dates of the events surrounding the building of the first digital computers, this is a good reference.

If you want an exciting book describing the details of designing building and getting the first digital computers to run, you'll likely be unhappy.

The Story of The First Real-Time Digital Computer & The First Computer Network
Tom Green a professional storyteller in theater, television, radio and print has brilliantly told the story of the first Real-Time Digital Computer,
the first Digital Network and the predecessor of the minicomputer revolution, as well as that of real-time air-defense and air-traffic control.
He has done this in the context of the revolution in electronics immediately preceding and for a decade and a half after the Second World War.The story is centered on the development of the Whirlwind Real-Time Computer at MIT, and the subsequent birth of SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) that served as the premier digital information network (and gave the modem to AT&T) and to all subsequent Military Command and Control Systems.

I initially purchased this book both because it mention's my manager at Arthur D. Little, Inc. Norman S. Zimbel (one of the Whirlwind pioneers) and because I am a fan of the history of Information Technology.But, I came to appreciate this book's excellence in portraying the technologies and human pioneers who gave us the Information Age, Personal Computers and the Internet.It tells their personal stories in a context that allows a general audience to appreciate the sources of innovation that led to so much we enjoy in the Modern Age.

--Ira Laefsky
MSE/MBA IT Consultant and HCI Researcher ... Read more

Product Description
Tom wrote this book in the 1970's to give his 600 man staff a sense of commonality. The book is written for 1st line supervisors. Those young people who have just entered the corporate world. It is a common sense guide to being a productive member of any organization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
This is a wonderful book for leaders, novice and expert. Very practical, grounded in the real world recommendations for how to be an authentic, respected leader who can produce results.No fluff, no fuss, just realistic & practical information for the real world. ... Read more

Product Description
Udder Insanity tells the story of Tom Green's life from his early beginnings as the host of the late-night Ottawa radio show Midnight Caller, through his transformation into a Juno-nominated rap artist, to The Tom Green Show's great success on the Canadian Comedy Network, and finally to his current incarnation as M-TV's renegade prankster. Described as the "Master of Mayhem," Tom Green has built an entire career on the vile and the vulgar: munching on a handful of gooey Vaseline-coated human hair, turning his parents' car into the now infamous "Slut Mobile" (featuring an airbrushed portrait of an explicit lesbian love scene on the hood), dragging a rotten raccoon corpse on to Open Mike, and getting up-close-and-personal with his bovine friends. As Udder Insanity reveals, it seems nothing or no one is above being sucked into the underbelly of Tom's demented and hilarious world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Blaaaahggghh
How could a biography on the funniest person in the world be udderly terrible rather than udderly insane?! By writing a terribly contradictory unauthorized biography with basically no quotes and possible inaccurate information. Also assumption of Tom going hollywood!This Book Blows

The tom greene review
one of the best books i have read with real life events. you do not have to be a tom greene fan to like this book. all you need to know is how to read and have a good sense of humor(and if you don't have one this book will get you on the right track). this book is filled with interesting facts on tom and his family.and i highly reccomend this book

It was a very good book for fans of the canadian episodes!
The book was very good...but I would have wished they could have had more on the MTV shows. I found the partes on his childhood very interestcing though. Also it didn't mention his testicluar cancer which was one of themost inportant events in his life...guess they didn't get it dont in time.But a great book for any Tom Green fan! ... Read more

Product Description
Save some green by going green with these environmentally friendly gadgets!

With concern for the future of our environment growing stronger and more serious every day, there has never been a better time to take a new approach to some of the most popular gizmos and gadgets on the market and learn how you can convernt to electronics that have minimal environmental impact.

Green gadgets encompass everything from iPods to energy-efficient home entertainment devices to solar laptop chargers and crank-powered gizmos. This helpful resource explains how to research green gadgets, make a smart purchasing decision, use products you already own in a more environmentally friendly way, and say goodbye to electronics that zap both energy and money.

• Explore the environmental and financial benefits of green gadgets with this friendly reference
• Discusses which gadgets save energy-and which ones create energy
• Learn ways to offset your carbon footprint when you can't reduce consumption
• Get tips for understanding products labels and avoiding "greenwash"
• Discover how to calculate the energy and money your gadgets consume

Get moving and start living green with this informative guide to environmentally and wallet-friendly gadgets!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The book every gadget geek needs to own!
This is an incredibly written and interesting book where the author takes you through how to find green gadgets, make the gadgets you already own run more efficiently, and what to do with them once they've run their course. Mix in great information with wit, humor, and a laid back attitude and this is THE book for any gadget geek to own. It'll help you save money from cutting out wasted energy and help save the environment. Well done.

Green Gadgets for Dummies
I will admit that I am truly a "Green Gadgets Dummy".With that said - I have found the book to be very informative and I know the advice will be very useful.Certainly a valuable reference book to keep near by.

Lessen your environmental damage and save money
Joe Hutsko gives instructions for conserving energy with gadgets you already have along with what to look for when buying new gadgets and how to recycle old, less efficient ones. The Dummies format is easy to read and follow and, as always, has tips that even those who thought they knew everything about the subject will find useful. Green Gadgets for Dummies is a handy book for anyone who loves gadgets and/or wants to have a gentler impact on our environment. ... Read more

Product Description
The amazing story of what Inc. calls "The coolest little startup in America."

While a freshman at Princeton, Tom Szaky co- founded a company that recycles garbage into worm poop, liquefies it, then packages it in used soda bottles, creating TerraCycle Plant Food. Five years later, this all-natural, highly effective fertilizer is available in every Home Depot, Target,Wal?Mart, and more than 3000 other locations. It's a thrilling entrepreneurial success story-and just the beginning of what makes Revolution in a Bottle fascinating.

Szaky argues for a new approach to business, an "ecocapitalism" based on a "triple bottom line." Every business, he says, should aspire to be good for people, good for the environment, and (last but definitely not least) good for profits. He shows how the first two goals can help the third.

Many companies brag about being environmentally-friendly. But no one does it as effectively as TerraCycle. Now they're also reusing garbage to create new products, from bird feeders to tote bags, and even engaging major companies like Kraft and General Mills to sponsor their waste streams.

In the spirit of TerraCycle, this book will be printed on 100% recycled materials.

About the Cover:

This may look like a book jacket, but it's actually your very own upcycling container. Tom Szaky, founder of TerraCycle, is dedicated to eliminating the concept of waste. His firm works with other companies to collect and reuse nonrecyclable packaging and upcycle it into eco-friendly affordable products. And they want your help.

One such company is Bear Naked(r), an all-natural food and lifestyle brand that has partnered with Terra-Cycle to operate the Bear Naked(r) Bag Brigade. This free program makes a donation to a school or nonprofit for every bag a participant collects. Now you can join in by using your book jacket as an envelope. See the back flap for instructions-it's easy. Then fill it with a used Bear Naked(r) granola bag and drop it in a mailbox to become a part of TerraCycle's eco- revolution! Bear Naked(r) will even donate $1 to plant a tree in American Forests, up to $5,000. Offer expires 12/31/09 or after the first 25,000 copies are sold, whichever comes first. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

PR disguised as a book
I was really disappointed.The book is basically one big ad for a company that isn't really doing anything to help the environment.More consumption is not the answer.

how a company made good use of the world as found......
and found ways to make lemonade of lemons.

It is an easy read, if a bit confusing/redundant with the buildup of anecdotes.

This book could be inspiring for anyone, on the importance of creative, new perspective thinking and never giving up.

I am glad this company is finding success- I hope as it continues to grow, it helps our country's companies find lots of ways to improve products & packaging BEFORE they cause garbage and health harm.

Good luck with continued success, one day may Tom Szaky become a fine Global Village Elder.

Hype in a bottle?
This was an interesting book and in many ways Mr. Szaky's mission is an inspiring one.That said, the book itself is light on content and heavy on irrelevant details.I think it would be enough if we all agreed that Tom Szaky is a really cool cat and then that was the end of it, freeing him up to deal with the real issues that are at stake here.Instead, be prepared to have your nose rubbed in it for the duration of the read.

Mr. Szaky's business model is an interesting one and he should be commended for what he has accomplished.One does wonder, however, if he is simply offering a cheap get-out-of-jail-free card to industries whose behaviors could and should be aggressively regulated by the state.

The cover of the book is cleverly designed to be folded and taped into a mail-in envelop that the reader can use to send his own collection of detritus to Mr. Szaky to be upcycled into a prom dress or a napsack or whatever.Unfortunately, the publisher saw fit to make sure that the book was supplied with two covers so that the reader could participate in the revolution without defacing the book itself, thus duplicating the environmental impact of this particular book cover and nullifying the underlying argument.This might be an appropriate metaphor for much of the environmental movement in the U.S. today--easy choices that look good and feel good but that don't, in the end, make a very significant dent in the underlying problem. Hopefully Tetracycle does better than this in their other business practices.

"More Like A Tree, Less Like A Fire"
Not since John A. Roebling made steel cables for the Brooklyn Bridge has Trenton, NJ fulfilled its motto: "Trenton Makes, The World Takes"... That is, until now.

Enter Tom Szaky and his recently formed, rocking fantastic eco-products company, TerraCycle, charmingly chronicled in "Revolution In A Bottle--How TerraCycle Is RedefiningGreen Business." In 2002 as a drop-out from Princeton Szaky formed TerraCycle to make a liquid plant food derived from organic liquid waste and packaged in reclaimed plastic bottles. Now TerraCycle innovates dozens of new products each year: vinyl LP wall clocks, milk-jug flower pots, wine-barrel composters, juice-pouch pencil bags, food-wrapper shower curtains--all made from waste, all marketed through major big box channels like WalMart, Kroegers, and Home Depot, all making practical sense as alternatives for materialism's detritus otherwise headed for landfills. Nearly 100 years after Roebling spun the steel cables that turned Trenton into an industrial powerhouse, Szaky seeks nothing less from his own Trenton base to turn the world to a new era of green business.

He might just succeed. I had the pleasure to serve as TerraCycle's first chairman. In avuncular roles as cheerleader, coach and curmudgeon, I was a first-hand witness to Szaky's uniquely captivating blend of creativity, chaos, charisma and commitment. This talented young business leader, more comfortable in T shirt and backward baseball cap, packs more savvy and sense than men in suits twenty years older. From shoveling you-know-what (literally) to rigging bottling machines to dumpster-diving for cast-off furniture to designing products to winning orders from WalMart, he does it all with a merry, impish charm that is infectious. Tom Szaky's young odyssey as eco-entrepreneur is a rollicking good tale.

Among the several insights Szaky has learned along the way, I was struck by one in particular. A true eco-company must be "more like a tree, less like a fire". Though his own imagination blazes with brilliant energy, Szaky is also firmly rooted in common sense. Being "eco-friendly" alone is not enough. No business can succeed in Szaky's view unless it delivers the best product at the best price for the customer. Getting product on the shelves at WalMart is a great achievement. Getting products off the shelves at WalMart is an even greater one. Unfortunately Szaky doesn't let on whether TerraCycle itself is achieving such sustainability. But we all hope it does, for the sake of propelling this futuristic business leader to yet new horizons of need--and for the sake of a materialist culture crying out for the kinds of eco-innovations he and his company can conceive.

With the authentically green endorsement by natural capitalist legend Paul Hawken, Revolution in a Bottle by Tom Szaky makes an inspiring read by a another natural capitalist in the making. Go TerraCycle!

Read in One Sitting / One of the World's Top Young Entrepreneurs
I read Revolution in a Bottle in one-sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are a number of other books written by young entrepreneurs, and characteristics that make this one unique are:

1. Tom's company truly has the potential to redefine what a consumer product is and its impact on the environment.

2. Tom's story is an example that successful companies aren't built overnight. Tom spent years of his life ardently focusing on the growth of the company and seeing it through times of near-bankruptcy. This book really gives a clear picture of what it takes to start and grow a company.

3. Tom's story is very entertaining. From gun shots into his house, near bankruptcy, coming up with his business idea from a marijuana plant, etc., this book is definitely a page-turner. ... Read more

Product Description
Fritz and Annie Lippe Family-German Cotton Farmers in Early 1900s Texas describes the childhood of Fritz and Annie beside the Brazos River in east Texas, their families' move west, their courtship and marriage, and the rearing of their eleven children on rented farms. In some years, the cotton crop was profitable. In other years, drought, boll weevils, or floods destroyed the crop. The children missed the first few weeks of school in the fall because picking the cotton took priority over education. The family raised most of their own food-vegetables from the garden; hogs for meat, lard, and soap; cattle for meat, milk and butter; and chickens for meat and eggs. They grew corn, grinding it into cornmeal to make bread. Money from the cotton sale was used to buy the few items that were not made or grown, such as coffee, sugar, and farm tools. Their many narrow escapes from death due to accidents, injuries, and illnesses are described here. It is amazing that all of the children lived to adulthood. Annie almost died after giving birth to one of the younger children, but she recovered and lived to the age of 103. Every Lippe son and son-in-law served in the military, some of them during World War II, some in combat. All returned safely. Several grandchildren and their spouses also served. Eight of the eleven children and the wives of two deceased sons contributed photographs and stories of life on the family farms. The author inherited many letters and photos from her mother, who was Fritz and Annie's eldest daughter. The book also contains stories of Fritz and Annie's children as adults. They all became hardworking solid citizens and remained true to the faith in God instilled in them by their parents. ... Read more

Product Description
THE WORLDWIDE BOMBSHELL of Brian David Mitchell, the itinerant sidewalk preacher who kidnaped Elizabeth Smart, finally brought the world’s attention to what Oprah Winfrey’sshow labeled as third-world Taliban-type abuses in Utah and Arizona. The entire world had been focused on publicity hungry Tom Green and his claim of a peaceful life as a polygamist, when Mitchell and his accomplice wife shocked the world by their crime against Elizabeth Smart.POLYGAMY expert and retired law enforcement officer John Llewellyn provides a dramatic inside look at each of the polygamist groups, how they began, how they rule their people, their beliefs, and how many are living off your tax dollars. He explores serious human rights abuses that occur in many groups such as forcing young girls to marry men old enough to be their father. A former friend of Tom Green, the author provides deep background on Tom’s life and polygamist activities. John explores the fascinating underground fraud by the various groups and evaluates Brian David Mitchell’s efforts to turn Elizabeth Smart into a compliant plural wife. FINALLY, he takes a hard look at the possible value of decriminalizing polygamy so that the many hidden abuses, including tens of millions of dollars of welfare fraud when polygamist wives pose as single mothers with children, can be brought out into the open and finally be dealt with realistically. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Polygomy under attack
Mr. Llewellyn does a great job of identifying the power players in the underground world of Polygomy.He gives an even handed presentation of the problems that abusive polygomy presents for government, wives, and children.It also presents the more idealistic polygomy that some people find fulfilling.
In todays politically correct world I see no way that polygomy can be condoned so it will continue as it is today.It will be ignored by government and it will continue to exist underground as an abusive sub-culture ... Read more

Product Description
This new handbook provides a detailed reference for environmentally concerned purchasers of building products, Invaluable for the speifier, this handbook will be useful to all interested in finding greener ways of designing and building. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn all about the compatibility of green anoles with other species of anoles and how to create a beautiful terrarium home for these popular reptiles.

The Quick & Easy series features educational, value-priced books. All pet owners will benefit from reading the wide variety of titles in this series, each offering an abundance of advice in a delightfully concise format. ... Read more

Product Description
This report presents a new approach to assessing natural gas and oil resources that is intended to help guide strategic land use planning by expanding the scope of these assessments to include eonomic and enviromental considerations. ... Read more

Product Description
Offering breakthrough video capabilities and powerful run-time effects, Macromedia Flash Professional 8 is poised to upend the Web video market, posing a serious challenge to Microsoft, RealNetworks, and Apple’s efforts in the process. Here to make sure you’re ready for it–and can start taking advantage of its creative tools, authoring power, flexibility, and rich video capabilities immediately–is the official Macromedia training for the program. Through 20-plus hours of project-based instruction, you’ll learn how to program for the enhanced Flash Player; use ActionScript to create dynamic interactivity; take advantage of new Flash 8 features like the improved script editor (which includes a visual interface), revamped library interface, and new Undo feature; and more. Simple step-by-step instructions peppered with plenty of visual aids and a CD that includes lesson files and a trial version of Flash Professional 8 leave you with a solid understanding of Flash development and the techniques required to tap your creative potential by producing dynamic, interactive content. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Not the way to learn Flash 8
i found this book very frustrating as when I did get something to work, I did not how to do it differently the next time. They take you down one specific path, and if you make make it through, you then did not know how or why yougot there. There are much, much better dooks out there. Try the "for dummies" first.

Found an error, like the others
Like the other reviewers, this would have been good if not for the errors. I was working lesson 2 making a dynamic TV remote and was frustrated that it didn't work. Well, I did my own troubleshooting and found that on pg.59 they refer to a movie clip titled "cableBox_mc" when their demo file has the clip named "cableBox" and so it doesn't work. On top of that, the dynamic text field is defaulted to black text on a black background, so even after I found the first bug, the text didn't show right. Once I changed the dynamic text attributes to white text instead of black, the code worked fine. However, I am a beginner (like the other reviewers), and shouldn't need to troubleshoot my teacher's code.

Damn, I wish I'd read the reviews first!
Just like one of the other reviewers I was appalled to find that the files referred to in chapter 1 of the book were not on the training disk--and that the author referred to an as-yet unstarted exercise as a starting point. Well, I tried...I tried to deconstruct--to pick the files out of the finished piece, and reconstruct---but nothing worked---layers, evverything--not the right information. Do these books and training disks get revised contantly, independently, independently of one another? Or is this miserable book part of the dissolution of Macromedia as it merged with Adobe. Book sucks!

AWFUL...AWFUL....AWFUL!!!
Do not buy this book!!!I was naive to believe that because this was coming from Macromedia that it would be worth the $40+ dollars to get "Training From the Source".It wasn't!!It is hands down the worst instructional book that I have ever used and would strongly recommend that you do not waste your money.

I am a fulltime graphic designer who has used Photoshop, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, etc. for years.I am not new to web, but had very little experience with Flash.I was hoping to become more flash savy, but I don't even know if I can make it through this entire book.The author doesn't always remember to tell you what project you are opening up, doesn't call buttons in the toolbar by correct name, fails to tell you to switch from one layer to another...and in general makes the entire experience a confusing guessing game.

I'm amazed that this book was actually edited, published and then that Macromedia put thier stamp of apporval on it...wow what a disaster!!

AWFUL!
Did anybody proofread this book?If Macromedia had bothered to have someone unfamiliar with the book work through the exercises they would have discovered that just the first chapter has more errors than you can shake a stick at.The book refers to files on the disk that don't exist.You're told to load a file that 'you created earlier in this lesson' which has never been mentioned before.It's as though entire pages have been deleted from this book, yet the information on those pages is refered to later.After a few very frustrating hours with this book I'm ready to pitch it out the window.

This is one of the most poorly edited books that I've ever seen.Macromedia should be embarrassed to have their name on it.It is a total waste of both your money and your time. ... Read more

Product Description
Director is the market-leading multimedia solution for creating engaging, rich corporate media presentations, e-merchandising applications, and entertainment. It is quickly becoming a widely used technology for the development of Web-based multimedia. However, most corporate users and graphic artists don’t want to spend the time learning programming. They would rather just look at the code and take it from there. MacromediaDirector 8 and Lingo Fast & Easy Web Development does this by giving you the basic skills and knowledge necessary to go to the next level in Director. It can benefit such users as Web developers, corporate and student users, Web design firms, and game companies.ItemID: 0761530495 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

fast and easy, but too many mistakes
I got this book because I figured for a fast and easy read, which was true.I was through the first 200 pages in one day, and finished the book in three days.I will say that it got me up to speed quickly and I feel comfortable moving around with the different elements of Director.

Now the bad:There were way too many mistake.The dir files that came with the CD were not in the format they were supposed to be in according to the book.They were either already completed, or missing parts that were supposed to be there.That made it quite hard to go through the examples because I had to delete some of the scripts or sprites in order to work with the author.

Also, the code in the book is TINY!!They say, copy this lingo script and attach it to your movie, well I would if the lingo script wasn't written in a 5 point font.I needed a microscope in order to follow the projects and this was the case from chapter 5 on.Also the lingo script wasn't explained very well.If you are going to put "Lingo" in the title, it should have better explanations.

I am happy that the book got me up and running, but all said, it really only replaced about two chapters from the next book that I buy.

A field-tested approach to learning Director
If you are looking for an easy to read, clear and concise guide to Macromedia Director, this book is for you. Tom Green has been teaching multimedia production for over 10 years at Toronto's Humber College. The clever organization of this book reflects his experiences teaching Director to adult learners. ... Read more

Product Description

Leverage the power of Macromedia Studio MX to design and build attention-grabbing dynamic web sites on time and under budget. This is the only book on the market that shows readers how to use Macromedia Studio MX (Dreamweaver MX, Fireworks MX, Flash MX, Freehand 10, and ColdFusion MX) and SiteSpring to design, build and manage web sites quickly and easily. A one-stop approach to the use of the key features in each of the applications and clear instructions regarding how they come together in Studio MX.

Using the newly released Macromedia Studio MX, which includes Dreamweaver MX, Fireworks MX, Flash MX, Freehand 10, and ColdFusion MX, the authors follow the creation of a fictional online clothing catalog. The book begins by teaching solid planning and content management practices with Macromedia SiteSpring, then moves on to developing the site concept, testing ideas, and getting client approval. The content development process forms the bulk of the book, showing readers how to take advantage of the tight integration between the Studio MX products to put together an attractive site that incorporates art, animation, and dynamic pages. The web site will provide the working prototype that is built in the book, as well as all code and extensions referenced in the book.

Customer Reviews (17)

Comprehensive!
Macromedia Studio MX. Building Web Sites with Macromedia Studio MX is more than a how to book. Tom Green, et al writes a comprehensive book which covers all the information you need for achieving the right results using Macromedia Studio MX. As well as defines processes for solid planning and content management practices though to client approval process. Processes necessary for any serious designer / developer.

Neither here nor there, and no bang for your bucks
I agree with the recommendations of some of the previous reviewers to consider Amazon reader recommendations carefully before you purchase this book.

If you are expecting a practical "how to" guide that will get you up and running with the MX Studio applications, a handy reference that will live along side your computer that's full of carefully detailed explanations, or a guide to efficient workflow by sharing tasks among the applications, then either "The Macromedia Studio MX Bible" or "Dummies" guide will give you so much more in terms of information and advice.

The focus of this book is more about working with a team of developers, each of which talks specifically about an application or two, rather than the nitty gritty of how to get a lot of tasks accomplished yourself. But when it comes to process analysis and integrating motion and static web design with database and content management, Hillman Curtis' "MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer " is a much more thorough and in depth analysis of both the creative, development, problem solving aspects of interaction design.

For the same price or for less money, any of books I mentioned above will give you much more information in a more logical and practical format, than this book.

This book broke my heart
What is more exciting than learning how to build killer websites and impress your friends and family?
(nothing - that's why I bought this book)
In short I strongly agree with my friend mxreader from Queensland. This book is for those who want to integrate their workflow in a corporate level webhouse. If you pick up this book knowing next to nothing about Dreamweaver, Fireworks or Flash as I did, spend too many hours reading and then skimming through hundreds of pages, you'll put it down, if you're lucky, knowing one new thing about each program.
Is this an acceptable return on investment?
Is this the way to learn these programs and put a website up from scratch?
Is this the way to impress the three f's (friends, family and fiance)?
No. No. and No.
I am returning it. Thank goodness for amazon. They deserve their reputation for the best service company in existence.

Much more than I expected.
Every author will tell us his or her book is excellent for both beginner and expert alike. They'll say this, and they truly believe it, but have you ever actually bought a book and found such a claim to be true? I usually find myself either tediously pondering through page after page - screen shot after screen shot - or wildly flipping pages looking for something I know should be there but, it's just not where I'm looking. Well, Green, Chilcott, and Flick have actually done it. This volume (massive as it is at over 750 pages) is EQUALLY USEFUL AS A QUICK REFERENCE AND AS A TUTORIAL, moreover they've added/inserted the connecting material that makes it easy to track their SUCCESSFUL approach to the DESIGN process itself. --VERY USEFUL-

As the managing site designer for HPMA, I'm not bad with Dreamweaver but I'm a "newbe" when I try to use it seamlessly with the rest of the studio. This book is exactly what I needed. I can wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone, regardless of background or skill level. - A REAL FIND --

Should have read the reviews more carefully
I was expecting to learn more than just about how a group of web designers build websites with StudioMX.This book got high marks from the other reviewers, but in my opinion the marks were for what it teaches about "work flow" and team work.If thats what you are looking for then great.I ranked this book based on its worth for teaching about the software.

Overall it is verbose, wasted much valuable time and not a good teaching book (not to mention typhos).If you are looking to learn more about Dreamweaver or Fireworks or Flash or Freehand, this book is not for you.Better to spend the cash on dedicated books even though you may spend more in the end (but you will likely learn more thoroughly too).For me this book has not been a good investment of time and money.

This book is probably better suited for those that are working as a team with the different skill sets and interested in figuring out how Studio MX can fit in as a tool. ... Read more