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A quiet revolution has been occurring in post-World War II Europe. A world power has emerged across the Atlantic that is recrafting the rules for how a modern society should provide economic security, environmental sustainability, and global stability. In Europe's Promise, Steven Hill explains Europe's bold new vision. For a decade Hill traveled widely to understand this uniquely European way of life. He shatters myths and shows how Europe's leadership manifests in five major areas: economic strength, with Europe now the world's wealthiest trading bloc, nearly as large as the U.S. and China combined; the best health care and other workfare supports for families and individuals; widespread use of renewable energy technologies and conservation; the world's most advanced democracies; and regional networks of trade, foreign aid, and investment that link one-third of the world to the European Union. Europe's Promise masterfully conveys how Europe has taken the lead in this make-or-break century challenged by a worldwide economic crisis and global warming. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Get out before I croak
My main concern is to add another '5' to the evaluations of this fine book.All politically concerned Americans should read this book to learn that there is a viable alternative to the dead-end politics as usual which characterizes the US.Unfortunately, as Hill suggests, America's antiquated constitution, blinkered individualist ideology, biased media, and corporate dominance make it unlikely that the US will turn toward the European Way.The US is rather a spectacular slow motion train wreck, complete with rock stars, athletes in tights, an Air Force fly-over, and well-advertised corporate sponsorship.Thus my goal is to emigrate to Europe before I die. I hope that my children and grandchildren do likewise.

Excellent Perspective, Flabby Content
Steven Hill produced a readable analysis of the strengths of the European economy and approach to the well being of their citizens.His facts and analysis are excellent for correcting the misimpressions about Europe and the overconfidence of many Americans in the American Way as the best of all possible worlds.However, his writing gets a bit flabby as he repeats his main points too often and spends too much time making his arguments about the deficiencies of various American approaches.He needed to explain in greater detail the practicalities of the proportional representation system.That is a very important concept in the case he is making, yet it is so little understood here that readers will have trouble accepting his assertion that it is superior to the system used in the USA.His chart comparing the two systems toward the end of the book is an excellent of summarizing and emphasizing his points.

a lot to learn
excellent book.lays out dramatically how far europe has advanced in handling issues while the usa seems incapable of dealing with our problems.Europe has taken action while the Us is mired in media/political distractions.

U.S. Wake-up Call!
Steven Hill's 'European Promise' is an excellent, well-documented book. It gives long-needed understanding and honesty in comparing our U.S.-style of doing things with the U.K's. Living in Europe as I do I have sent several copies to family and friends in the U.S. hoping they will better understand my excitement with how well Europe is using 'smart power' and 'social capitalism' to care for its member states and draw more and more of Europe into the E.U. Many other countries and regional clusters are studying Europe's model very closely. Great and informed 'read' although Hill's enthusiasm will sometimes seem 'over the top' for many of my fellow U.S.-Americans.
-- Lloyd Auchard, West Sussex, England transplanted from San Francisco

Isn't it about time we rethink and reboot? A look at Steven Hill's eyeopening book
I generally don't write to this site, but the ideas Steven Hill discusses in his book are too important for us Americans to ignore.

Since the days after World War II, when the US showed Europeans a peaceful way forward, I think we've increasingly lost our way.

We've become embroiled in one fortune-squandering war after another, from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, and we're on track to get bogged down in even more such destructive wars in the very near future.

In contrast to Europe, we've outsourced millions of our good-paying, productive manufacturing jobs to China, India, and elsewhere around the world, and now millions of hard-working Americans are left to scrape by with minimum wage, non-union jobs at Wal-Mart, McDonalds and countless other such enterprises, often working two and three jobs just to get by.

Since Reagan and Bush, we've deregulated just about everything that was running well in our country, and imposed instead what its advocates adoringly call "self'regulation" - of the financial markets, the banks, the brokerages, the oil corporations, and yes, of the drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico, coupled of course with regulatory capture, i.e. the takeover, by the regulated industries themselves, of our formerly functioning regulatory institutions such as the S.E.C. (for Wall Street) and the M.M.S. (for the Gulf oil drillers).

I'm surprised to read in some of these reviews comments carping about sensible European regulations as "overbearing", but praising our deregulation as the trademark of "dynamic free markets" of a "free people" - that after Main Street has just been wiped out by greedy, essentially unregulated Wall Street, and the entire Eastern Gulf of Mexico has become an oil disaster zone thanks to greedy and essentially unregulated oil executives.

Let me just add one perspective here that the readers of these pages may not be aware of, regarding health care in Europe, which has been mentioned by several reviewers, because this does go to the core of Steven Hill's theses, and is a good indicator for how a society values its people.

As a US citizen, and a medical doctor living in Germany, one of the many European countries where health care is universally available for its residents at affordable rates, I might have some perspectives you haven't yet run across.

What I find most astounding about our US health care system is not only how many people don't have coverage (some 46 million, and going up). But rather, how fragile and precarious health care coverage is for so many people who think they are well insured.

How does our US health care system compare? Let's go through some important points in the universal health care system in Germany, which I'm very familiar with, having worked in this system for some 17 years:

Here in Germany you are mandated to have standard comprehensive health insurance: your employer pays half the monthly family premium, you pay the other half,

*you don't get rejected because of any previous condition,

*you don't pay more or less working for a large or small business,

*you don't pay more or less if you are male or female, black or white, German or foreign born, gay or straight,

*the rates don't go up if someone in the small (or large) business gets sick,

*health insurance is not a consideration when changing jobs or careers because you take the policy with you,

*you don't lose your policy if you get sick, if you become unemployed, or even if your employer goes out of business,

*you won't be billed for "out of network" services in hospitals or elsewhere - these services are part of your coverage, no matter which hospital or team of doctors treats you,

*you don't have annual, lifetime, disease-related, or disease-recurrence caps,

*you won't be billed at 20%, 30% or more for expensive medications ("price-tiered" pharmaceuticals), because there is no "tiering", legally approved pharmaceuticals are fully covered when you need them, even if they're very expensive,

*nor will you ever go bankrupt due to unpaid and unaffordable medical bills piling up, - that simply doesn't happen - you enjoy completely comprehensive coverage.

*Also, forget expensive copays ($48.00/year max. for doctor visits @ $12.00 per quarter, a few dollars per prescription, a minimal meals expense during a hospital stay.

*Forget too the denials, the constant slog of endless 0800 calls (yours and your doctor's) to your insurance company for requests for coverage or adjustments, wasting huge amounts of people's time, energy, and productive capacity every business day - this doesn't happen in Germany, because this is a comprehensive coverage system (which is an important reason why it's so efficient).

I might add that Germany is a democratic country with a freely elected government; its residents are free people - this is not "Russia". In fact, this is the country with long stretches of Autobahn without speed limits, right? (Here, it's your responsibility to drive safely, and most do.) People here freely change jobs, careers, and locations without regard for health insurance, and live free of the fear of going bankrupt or losing their homes or life's savings if they were to get seriously ill, because their comprehensive insurance protects them from that!

Germany and its residents are not going broke paying for this, either. On the contrary, this fair, efficiently run health care system costs roughly a third less per person than the US system - that's right, about 1/3 less per capita - despite (or because?) everyone is on board and receiving comprehensive health care.

That figure doesn't come from rationing, long waits to see a doctor, or long waiting lists to get an operation, either - that doesn't happen here. What that figure does reflect, however, is just how much waste, duplication, and gouging of consumers must be taking place in the US health care system every day.

My point in describing the German health care system is not to encourage you all to move to Germany, but to prove to you, that for one-third less money than you currently already spend, you should be getting comprehensive, universal health care, like every resident of Germany does (yes, including all immigrants!). But you're not, and if the health care reform law should be repealed or overturned by Tea Party Republicans, or ruled "unconstitutional" by the Roberts Supreme Court, tens of millions of Americans won't have access to universal healthcare in the future, either.

Isn't it time to face up to our national challenges as adults, and finally join the peoples of the 17 (seventeen!) other advanced democracies (not "Russia", but, yes indeed, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, Australia, Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, etc.!) around the world, who already enjoy the benefits of universal, comprehensive, and affordable health care? Isn't it also time for us to start taking effective steps to ween our economy from the Oil Age? And isn't it also time to institute strong financial reforms to keep Wall Street greed from destroying the our, and the world's, entire economy yet again in the coming years?

Inform yourself, read Steven Hill's book, discuss it with friends in livingroom get-togethers, in classes, forums, and seminars. Get these facts, ideas, and models for moving our country forward out to your friends and neighbors. Let's learn the lessons from the disasters we've just experienced, and let's help get our country moving forward again. The choices are ours to make.

Dr. med. Frederick B. Lacey Jr.
Frankfurt am Main, Germany

... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Provacative Book - challenge your beliefs
First the upsides.A thoughtfully written book that challenges some long held beliefs, such as "The Founding Fathers were perfect and there is no need to change anything about the way we do things".Yes, they were innovative, but even they knew they were not perfect and thus left the Constitution open for ammendment.Here, Mr. Hill comes up with 10 ideas that he thinks will improve our system of government.In my opinion, his ideas range from brilliant, to so-so, to downright poor.In spite of that, the over-riding message, "can we do things better?", is excellent.Too many people hold the founding fathers to be prophets and the Constitution divinely inspired and second only to The Holy Bible.On the downside, if you're a Republican, you cannot miss the fact that he lays most of the blame for problems on the Republicans.He makes a weak effort, at times, to try and sound unbiased, but he's not.Second, he can be inconsistent when dealing with the rights of those in the minority on an issue.He makes the case for proportional representation by bringing up people who live in an area that is over-whelming in support for an opposing party as having no real representation because of where they live.He then asks why those in the low population states "should be protected by the will of the majority" by their equal representation in the Senate.Well, some people who live in the low population states (Wyoming) will NEVER have close to the representation of a state like California.Isn't it possible that a rancher in Wyoming or a farmer in Nebraska will have a different set of priorities and a different view on things that people in CA?By the nature that they are primarily agricultural states, won't they ALWAYS have a lower population, and thus representation?Should they be forced to do the will of the majority BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY LIVE?
Overall though, it is a good book.Please don't let his bias prevent you from getting it, just be prepared.Also, don't HAVE to agree with every idea to like it, let it just make you think about how we can do better.As for what I think are the great ideas, I'd recommend it based on the ideas of Proportional Representation (PR), Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)and a National Election Commission on it's own!Get it even just to read about those three ideas alone.

"The Nation" gives glowing review of "10 Steps"
From George Scialabba's review of "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" in The Nation, January 29, 2007 issue:

"...We now have a bit of breathing space, thanks to the midterms. It's time to consider how the right got away with it and how to prevent it from happening again. The most useful of these books...is Steven Hill's 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy...Hill's recommendations invariably hit the mark...Hill's book is a no-brainer--there's simply nothing in it to disagree with."

Complete excertps:

...We now have a bit of breathing space, thanks to the midterms. It's time to consider how the right got away with it and how to prevent it from happening again. The most useful of these books (along with Sirota's splendidly hard-hitting and extraordinarily well-documented Hostile Takeover) is Steven Hill's 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy. "To ponder the shortcomings of our political system is to court despondency," Hendrik Hertzberg observes in his foreword. The Electoral College, the Senate, the disenfranchisement of the District of Columbia, the two-party duopoly, the winner-take-all principle, partisan redistricting, 95 percent incumbent re-election rates, media concentration, Buckley v. Valeo, the K Street Project, voter turnout below 50 percent, shortages of voting machines and poll workers--this is a functioning democracy? If these travesties of logic and fairness promoted majority rule rather than prevented it, they would doubtless have been abolished long ago. Hill's recommendations, beginning with proportional representation and instant-runoff voting, invariably hit the mark, and each of them is accompanied by links to groups already on the case. Perhaps his most radical notion--as he says, it goes "to the very heart of our political system"--is that representation should no longer be based on geography. Because of partisan residential patterns, more and more election districts are noncompetitive even without gerrymandering. Tens of millions of votes in American elections don't really count; and, perhaps as a consequence, millions more are never cast. Making representation correspond to what voters think rather than where they live is now perfectly feasible, as Hill makes clear. When (if) the Democrats regain the electorate's trust, they should consider proposing that, procedurally speaking, the United States join the modern world.

Hill's book is a no-brainer--there's simply nothing in it to disagree with.

... But in a democracy, if a large enough majority of citizens want economic populism plus cultural conservatism, isn't that what there ought to be? And if that's not what there is, then it's not much of a democracy, is it? What these truisms imply is that perhaps the right thing for progressives to do is not hire ever cleverer triangulators but, instead, first make sure American democracy works (for which, see "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy") and then get most Americans to agree with us.

[...]

clearly needed reforms clearly explained
If the trappings of American democracy seem increasingly spurious to you this book explains why in a calm, straightforward, non-partisan way. A real eye opener for those unfamiliar with how actual democracies in other countries work. Committed curmudgeons should avoid as it's liable to inspire optimism.

Stop reading right now and buy "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy"
The short form of my argument is that a surprisingly large fraction of the political and policy problems of the US are indirectly caused not by bad people or a system gone wrong, but by a bad system. The US hasn't been losing its democracy so much as its once state-of-the-art democracy has been obsolete for a long time. Our electoral and governmental systems have been showing their flaws more and more as the world changes. Our system unnecessarily encourages otherwise decent people to do bad things, and that's tragic.

First off, stop reading right now, and buy "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" by Steven Hill (only $11). The flaws in our democratic systems are no mystery; political scientists have known about them for decades, and in some cases, centuries. [Why they haven't done anything about them is another matter. Maybe it's because America has always been good to its elites. Maybe too many political scientists augment their incomes through political consulting and helping politicians game the existing system ;-)]

Let me indulge in a little intellectual laziness myself and point out that the 10 steps outlined in Steven Hill's book are absolutely necessary to fix the problems and keep them fixed:

Secure the vote
Expand voter participation
Increase voter choice with Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)
Scrap winner-take-all elections: use Proportional Representation (PR) for legislatures
Scrap the electoral college and elect the President via direct IRV election
Overhaul the US Senate
Reclaim the publicly owned airwaves and make sure they serve to educate our citizens
Minimize money's role in politics
Reform the Supreme Court
Restore faith in government

Steven Hill has backed up these basic goals by documenting concrete proposals that are either already underway or are obvious next steps. Now it's up to you, me, and everyone to start doing the hard work needed to fix our country. Hint: the answer is NOT simply to elect Democrats. We need to elect candidates who demonstrate awareness of the underlying problems facing us and pledge to advance the right systemic solutions.

As we contemplate the upcoming presidential election, it is crucial that we try to educate candidates about the solutions discussed in Hill's book. Not sure what to do? For starters, you could do worse than to buy "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" for your favorite candidate and a friend or family member. But don't stop there! There are a lot of organizations to plug into, and many more that need to exist but don't yet. Yes, we all hate politics, but Steven Hill's book shows us that it doesn't have to be that way.

Murphy

A brief introduction
I heard Steven Hill give a talk about his new book, "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy", in Cambridge recently.In his book and in his talk, Hill promotes reforms such as instant runoff voting, proportional representation, direct election of the President, public campaign financing, free media time for candidates, and so on. His "ten steps" are:
1. Secure the Vote
2. Expand Voter Participation
3. Increase Voter Choice with Instant Runoff Voting
4. Scrap Winner-Take-All Elections
5. Direct Election of the President
6. Overhaul the U.S. Senate
7. Reclaim the Airwaves
8. Minimize Money's Role
9. Reform the Supreme Court
10. Restore Faith in Government

Obviously, each of these slogans really involves multiple steps.For example, "Secure the Vote" includes securing voter-verified recountable paper trails; impartial and professional election officials; and open-source software for electronic voting machines. "Expand Voter Participation" includes universal voter registration; making election day a holiday; and enfranchising prisoners and ex-cons. And so on down the list.

Hill puts the most emphasis on scrapping winner-take-all elections in favor of moderate proportional representation, of the type formerly used in the Illinois state legislature.In moderate proportional representation, three to five legislators are elected from geographical districts three to five times the size of those that currently exist.Since candidates in such districts would need only 17% to 25% of the vote to win a seat, Hill argues that minorities (political and ethnic) would gain representation proportional to their numbers, and polarization between "red" and "blue" areas would be dramatically reduced.At the same time, since these 17%-25% thresholds are much higher than those formerly used in Italy and Israel, moderate proportional representation isn't vulnerable to the sort of instability that troubled systems in which candidates could be elected with as little as 1% of the vote.

Hill's talk was held in a church, and I felt a bit like the choir, since I am familiar with most of these proposals and have supported many of them for years, to the point of writing articles and collecting signatures for instant runoff voting and proportional representation."10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" is directed primarily toward those unfamiliar with these proposals, and seeing them for the first time.

Though Hill gives decent summaries of many of the issues and options, I personally would have liked more detailed discussions of the arguments for (and against) the various reforms proposed.I also would have appreciated more discussion on ways to work to enact these reforms -- all Hill does is suggest contacting the relevant organizations, which are listed at the end of each chapter.The writing was also tiresome on occasion, as several factoids, phrases, sentences and even a paragraph were repeated verbatim two or three times in less than 200 pages.

So although "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" wasn't all I was looking for, it can still serve as a brief introduction to reforms whose time has come, especially valuable for people who are fed up with business as usual but don't have any idea what to do about it.I already have a lengthy list of friends and relatives to loan it to. ... Read more

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This is book 2-unit 2 in the teacher edition of the student text: McGraw-Hill Reading Grade 2. The teacher edition is basically the student text with additional teaching materials. ... Read more

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Helpful practice tests for acing the fastest-growing standardized exam

The ACT is growing into the most preferred entrance exam by colleges and universities across the country. So if you want to get into the school of your choice, you need to achieve your best score on the ACT. You need the experts on your side!

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For the more than 1.2 million students who take the test-a powerful study tool from nationally recognized ACT experts

Once mainly known in the Midwest and South, the ACT is now nearly as popular as the SAT nationwide, with registrations in big East Coast states increasing dramatically. McGraw-Hill's ACT is created by teachers from Advantage Education, one of America's most renowned test-prep course providers. The newly revised 2009 edition is packed with all the sound educational features that you expect from McGraw-Hill, including in-depth instruction, smart test-taking strategies, and plenty of practice tests modeled carefully on the actual exam.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
This is a great book. It has a lot of really good practice tests and practice problems.The cd works great (doesn't work with Mac's though) :-( Really easy to understand and follow! ... Read more

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May Stevens' paintings weave themes of familial love and loss, societal ills, and the healing power of nature and the human community. This book surveys the full range of her remarkable lifework, from her early social protest paintings to her recent series of luminous, large-format images of lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. May Stevens offers an insightful, in-depth look at Stevens' career, drawing on her own recollections and rounded out by informed commentary. Images and text bring to light Stevens' personal history, her humanitarian concerns, and the social context within which her art evolved

Selected images in the book: Green Fields, 1988-1989 (cover); The Living Room, 1967; But That Was in Another Country, 1990; Missing Persons, 1990-1993; River Run, 1994; Big Daddy Paper Doll, 1970 (back cover); Big Daddy Draped, 1971; Pax Americana, 1973; The Artist's Studio (After Courbet), 1974; Fore River, 1983; Go Gentle, 1983; The Canal, 1988.

About the Author: Patricia Hills is a noted art scholar. Her previous books include Stuart Davis (Abrams, 1996) and Alice Neel (Abrams, 1983). She is currently writing a book about the art of Jacob Lawrence. Introductory essay by Phyllis Rose, writer and professor of English at Wesleyan University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An exquisite, artbook presenting the life and works of artist, poet, teacher, and activist May Stevens
May Stevens is an exquisite, artbook presenting the life and works of artist, poet, teacher, and activist May Stevens, whose prestigious paintings are among the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Brooklyn Museum, and many more. Presenting a matter-of-fact "conversation" with May Stevens that reveals at length her history, motivations, styles, motifs, and other nuances side-by-side with a breathtaking gallery of black-and-white photographs and full-color plates, May Stevens thoroughly explores both the visual originality and the philosophical subtext of Stevens' art. Highly recommended!
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Was the lesson of Florida punch-cards that we need better machines, or that there's something deeply wrong with a system where the candidate with fewer votes wins the office? "Fixing Elections" shows why it's not just the Electoral College that's outdated, but our entire 18th-century Winner Take All political system, including the way we elect our legislatures.

While voter turnout plummets to single digits (even episodes of "Survivor" drew larger audiences than cast votes for either Gore or Bush), analysts have blamed the growing apathy of the American electorate. But as provocative political critic Steven Hill so eloquently argues, we're not a lazier, less civic-minded people than our grandparents. Voting just seems pointless to many citizens because they recognize the truth: their votes really DON'T count.

A vote for Nader may have been a wasted vote, but so was a vote for Gore in solidly GOP Texas, or Bush in Democratic New York, where the state's winner was a foregone conclusion. In legislatures, rigged district lines render impotent the votes of millions of Americans, Democrat, Republican and independent alike. Democrats in safe GOP legislative districts all across the West and South, and GOP voters in safe urban Democratic districts, have become "orphaned voters" with nowhere to turn, no less than third party supporters everywhere. Entire regions of the country are becoming balkanized political monocultures, dominated by one political party or the other as the political landscape fragments into the "Red and Blue America" that emerged from Election 2000.

Steven Hill argues our geographic-based, Winner Take All political system is at the root of many of our worst political problems, including:

* Single-digit voter turnout in elections all across the nation...

* A Congress that doesn't look or think like America...

* National policy dangerously adrift from public opinion...

* A president who won with less than a popular majority, and fewer votes than his main opponent...

* A growing divide between city-dwellers and middle-America...

* Bitter national division and regional fragmentation that hasn't been seen since the 1960s...

* Political consultants producing McCampaigns of poll-tested blandness...

* Campaign tricks and tactics (polling, focus groups, and the 30 second TV spot) sinisterly suited to Winner Take All's "divide and conquer" incentives...

* Undermining of campaign finance reform...

* An alarming loss of innovative political ideas...

These are some of the disturbing trends highlighted by this pathbreaking and challenging work of political analysis and deconstruction. In the face of cynicism about the American political system, "Fixing Elections" is a refreshing blueprint to resurrect our founders' democratic vision. It will change the way you think about American politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

The best book on politics I have ever read
I have a Masters degree in political science, and consider myself quite knowledgeable about politics. Yet I wish I had read this book when I was in college, because it really has (as the jacket flap says) "changed the way I think about American politics." It should be required reading for all political science students (and their professors!Can't believe that I got thru my political science education and not one professor raised the importance of the winner-take-all electoral system, and how profoundly it affects everything we know about politics). Having read this book, I now view politics in this country in a different way. Also, I found it to be delightfully written, even funny in places (for a political book), with a bit of an attitude that I found very engaging. I have already bought several copies and given them to friends, I was so taken with it.

It's fantastic -- I wish I had read this years ago
I have been a political junkie for many years.Yet this is the first book I have read that has helped me to understand what is really going on with American politics.This should be required reading for all Americans, or at least those who want to understand why our politics seems to be going nowhere fast.It helped me to understand why voter turnout is so low compared to other nations, why most of us are "orphaned voters" who don't have representation, why campaigns are so nasty and negative, and why ultimately policy seems so out of touch with the American people (at least, the people I know).Turns out our 18th century political practices, esp the winner take all system, are at the root of it.

If you are only going to read one political book for the year, make this the one.It is wonderfully written, with a wry humor, and in its own way a page turner.

I agreed with both...
the positive and negative reviews of this book.The positive reviews correctly pointed out that Hill points out numerous flaws in single-member districting, such as the unrepresentation of demographic and political minorities and the dangers of gerrymandering.But the negative reviews correctly pointed out that the book includes lots of gratuitious conservative-bashing, thus limiting its appeal to anyone to the right of Ralph Nader.

Fundamental Sound. Editorially a Nightmere.
This book paints a very disturbing picture of democracy in America at the turn of the twenty-first century, but thankfully it paints an equally hopeful vision about how to fix it. The crux of the problem is that the electoral system the United States uses in its elections is over two hundred years old and needs to be updated to suit the times. In 1789 the American constitution was revolutionary, but now it has fallen behind nations like Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, and France in terms of ensuring representative democracy. In order to fix the problem, Mr Hill suggests the the US adopt some sort of proportional representation system to replace the winner take all system we have now. Under such a proposal, the number of seats a party wins in an election is tied to the percentage of the vote they received. So if the Green Party gets 9 percent of the vote, they will get 9 percent of the seats. Under the current system, 9 percent gets you nothing, you actually have to get more votes than anyone else in at least one district. Mr. Hill convincingly makes his case for proportional representation, however his style of writing nearly undercuts it. He feels the need to interject his opinions about all matters political, cultural, and religious into almost every sentence, rather than focus on the matter at hand. He clearly displays a left of center bias, which doesn't conflict with my politics, but I worry how a conservative might ignore his opinions on electoral reform because of Mr. Hill's gratuitous references to his support for leftist politics. Electoral reform shouldn't be a left or right issue. It is a matter of democracy and fairness. And although Mr. Hill admirably makes a logical case for electoral reform, he may have unfortunately drowned himself out with his pop-culture references and leftist din.

nice book

I started reading "Fixing Elections" already favoring proportional representation, I finished "Fixing Elections" with even more reasons to support this basic democratic improvement.

Hill demonstrates that PR can reduce negative campaigning and get more women and minorities elected.Hill demonstrates that PR can encourage more issue-oriented campaigns as well.

My one cavil with "Fixing Elections" is that Hill conflates the benefits of PR with the benefits of a parliamentary system.How is there any way to handle a presidential election in any way other than winner-take-all?

Overall, a good book. ... Read more

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A powerful study tool from nationally recognized ACT experts to help you achieve the score you want

McGraw-Hill’s ACT is created by teachersfrom Advantage Education, one of America’s mostrenowned test-prep course providers. The newlyrevised 2010 edition is packed with all the sound educationalfeatures that you expect fromMcGraw-Hill, as well as new enhancements such asmore level-appropriate math examples, clearer instructionallanguage, and more comprehensive explanations.

Customer Reviews (3)

The best reference on IDEF0 ever printed
In my opinion, this book is the best treatment of IDEF0 ever printed.

It is nicely arranged in three major sections.The first sets up context and utility for the technique, and the author positions IDEF0 very nicely.The second and third chapters read like a concise and easy-to-read instruction manual.

Section 2 presents a precise explanation of the technique. Chapters on getting started, building diagrams, defining activities and so on.It is all here in a very user friendly format.Section 3 presents a detailed case study, with the end of the book wrapping up loose ends.

The illustrations are numerous and helpful.My only complaint is that the title on the spine is printed bottom to top, so it looks funny on my bookshelf, but the contents more than make up for this minor cosmetic flaw.If you are an IDEF0 practitioner or a process mapping professional, I heartily recommend this book.

This book is not available!
This book is not available

Excellent for learning IDEF0 without the pain. Very readable
I was an IDEF0 novice but with this book and some IDEF0 software I had produced useful models within a matter of days.The layout is user friendly highlighting keys points and definitions. ... Read more

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We want to give you the practice you need on the ACT

McGraw-Hill's 10 ACT Practice Tests helps you gauge what the test measures, how it's structured, and how to budget your time in each section. Written by the founder and faculty of Advantage Education, one of America's most respected providers of school-based test-prep classes, this book provides you with the intensive ACT practice that will help your scores improve from each test to the next. You'll be able to sharpen your skills, boost your confidence, reduce your stress-and to do your very best on test day.

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Customer Reviews (10)

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
The main thing I was looking for when I went looking for ACT Prep Books were practice tests. They are no doubt the best way to improve your score on the ACT. I knew that The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Official Prep Guide From The Makers Of The ACT (which I also bought) was the only way that I was going to be able to get real ACT tests that had been used before. These are of course the best tests you can take, as other practice tests can sometimes be too easy or even too hard.

I went looking on Amazon for some more practice books and this one literally jumped out at me on the list. TEN ACT PRACTICE TESTS!?!?!? TEN?! TEN!?!?!?!. I knew I had to get this book if it was going to give me ten whole practice tests that I could work through during the the three to four times I was planning on taking the ACT. So, I bought it, and I would advise that you do the same.

The great thing about this book is that it has 10 whole practice tests. I would definitely say that they are a little on the easier side compared to the real thing, but if you want practice, then its worth it for the fact that it does simulate the Real ACT.

For an example of how it is easier than the Real ACT: I bought this book and got an ENGLISH: 33MATH: 29 READING: 31 SCIENCE: 31 COMPOSITE: 31. That made me pretty happy, as I was aiming for the 30s. However, when I took the actual test I got an ENGLISH: 33MATH: 29 READING: 26 SCIENCE: 27 COMPOSITE: 29. As you can see, my reading an science scores were significantly higher on these practice tests than on the Real ACT, and my composite went down by two points. So, in general, I would say that these two sections (reading & science) are easier on these than the real thing. I've even taken a practice reading out of this book and gotten a 35 (that gave me a real shock!) and then got a 25 on the actual test (that shocked me even more!). However, in general, your practice composites will be within 1-3 points of your actual.

Overall, whether you're shooting for the 'teens' the low, mid, or high 'twenties' or even the low 'thirties', this book is worth the 10 or so bucks. However, if you're looking to achieve anywhere from a 33-36, this book isn't going to do much for you, and instead I would recommend Barron's ACT 36: Aiming for the Perfect Score.

SO, if you're looking for some decent practice tests, and NOT a 'learn how to do well on the ACT' book, then this book will pretty much do it for you. It's got 10 full practice tests along with decent explanations of the answers.

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NOTE: If you are the kind of person that generally scores in the high twenties to low thirties, then DO NOT follow the scoring procedures in this book. Instead, count how many you got right and go to the scoring tables in The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Official Prep Guide From The Makers Of The ACT and find where your raw score matches on an average of the three sub scores it gives you there. This will be MUCH more accurate.
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Filled with innaccuracies
I am an ACT Tutor who used this book for students.This edition is chock full of discrepencies and is very poorly edited.The answers keys are often just wrong, or the explanation offered for the answer doesn't make sense.It's a shame, because this is the only book that offers 10 tests.

Waste of Money
I have done almost every test in the book and have found it to be extremely inaccurate. Some questions have multiple answers and some don't even make sense. I have scored 30+ in every other ACT book but only a 25 in this one. The English sections feature run-ons and incorrect usage of commas, while the math section is way too easy to be a real ACT test. The science is also too easy. Overall, the book is full of errors and cannot help anyone raise their score.Use THE REAL ACT PREP GUIDE, made by the official ACT makers.

SCORE!
In depth detailing to help you understand the how's, why's, yes' and no's. Perfect for the adult going back to school!!!

Helpful
My daughter used this book to help her prepare for the ACT test.She indicated that is was very helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
WE WANT TO HELP YOU SUCCEED ON THE ACT* VERBAL SECTIONS

• 9 full-length practice tests with complete explanations
• Hundreds of sample questions just like those on the real test
• Strategies for answering every question type: grammar and usage, punctuation, paragraph organization, reading comprehension, and more
• 18 sample ACT essays with scoring explanations

  *ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

  ... Read more

  Customer Reviews (2)

  Best book you can buy!!!
  I purchased several books on this topic for my high schooldaughter who is a C student. This was the only book she used to study for the ACT.This book is the best of the bunch! This book is straight foward, and well written. Answers are easy to understand and clearly explained. Note: this book is written for the typical high school student. If you are "superstar" trying for a perfect 30, try McGraw-Hill'sTOP 50 SKILLS FOR A TOP SCORE.

  GREAT BOOK
  the english section is really good, reading part is seems a bunch of practices.
  
  ACT english score increased. although I just did half of that. ... Read more

Product Description

We Want to Help You Succeed on the ACT

We've put all of our proven expertise into McGraw-Hill's ACT to make sure you're ready for this difficult exam. With this book, you'll get essential skill-building techniques and strategies developed by professional ACT instructors who have helped thousands of students just like you to succeed on this important test. You'll get online help, 8 full-length practice tests, model ACT essays, hundreds of practice problems, and all the facts about the current exam. With McGraw-Hill's ACT, we'll guide you step by step through your preparation program-and give you the tools you need to succeed.

Inside you'll find:

• 8 full-length practice ACTs-5 in the book and 3 more on CD-ROM
• Tips for writing an outstanding ACT essay
• Hundreds of sample questions with explanations
• Strategies to help you answer every type of ACT item
• Effective study plans tailored to your needs
• Online help including practice ACTs, test-taking tips, and more
• CD-ROM with practice ACTs

Customer Reviews (1)

A slight case of quantity over quality
8 practice tests make for plentiful study material. I actually learned a trick or two from the tips and strategies section. HOWEVER, the book is riddled with typos and errors. I have taken the first four tests and I found at least one error in each, particularly in the math sections.

I haven't seen another book with as many tests as this, but the buyer should understand that these typos may affect his performance when taking the tests, by making him lose time poring over a flawed question he cannot solve. ... Read more

Product Description
For more than 30 years, novice to expert climbers around the world have relied on this book as the leading textbook on mountaineering skills, techniques, and equipment. Useful as both an introductory and advanced text, this completely revised and updated edition includes sections on new techniques, outdoor fundamentals, first aid, and more. 420 illustrations. 18 photos.Amazon.com Review
This sixth revised edition of the mountaineering classic is anessential reference for novices and experts alike. Chapters aredevoted to in-depth discussions of outdoors fundamentals; climbingtechniques for rock, snow, and ice; safety procedures and emergencyresponse; geology and weather; and appendices for climb ratings andsupplementary reading, among other topics. Detailed sections onnavigation, ropes, knots, and protection include drawings, diagrams,and maps. Enjoy the freedom of the hills to the fullest with thisthorough guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (89)

Five Stars
This is the only book that one should refer to in case one has no idea about climbing mountains. From socks to summits, this book covers it all. The bible of Mountaineering.

There's an 8th edition now!
Freedom 7 was the best all-around mountaineering/climbing how-to there was...until a few weeks ago when MOUNTAINEERING: THE FREEDOM OF THE HILLS, 8TH EDITION was released. See the listing for the new (50th anniversary) edition here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-50th-Anniversary/dp/1594851387/ref=pd_cp_b_1

good
I was looking for a beginner book on mountaineering, and this seemed like a good one.It is detailed information, it also has wonderfully illustrated pictures to help you out.

Exactly what everyone says it is
The end-all, be-all of knowledge needed for mountaineering.I got this book in preparation for a glacier mountaineering course with Mountain Madness, and it has provided a valuable foundation.

I also work at a rock climbing gym and have found the relevant sections spot-on!The explanations and depictions of proper grips and techniques are great, offering not only the way to hold the rock but how to plan your moves on the rock.

All around a great book.

Best Information for Backcountry Travel - Needs More on Rescue
This book was the primary text for an Intermediate Backcountry Skills course at Saratoga, California's West Valley College. If you're just starting to explore the backcountry and need an all-inclusive primer, it's pretty complete. The first 130 pages set the stage for beginners, and they're a good refresher for experienced backcountry travelers.

The climbing sections complement live instruction in belaying, rappelling and footwork on faces and cracks. They also give a clear explanation of knots for rescue and climbing. Course instructors provided no guidance on footwork and climbing skills since the course was aimed at backcountry rescue, so the book was a great help for a beginner to climbing.

The Glacier Travel chapter discusses useful self-rescue techniques that will get you out of trouble on rock as well as on glaciers. The Alpine Rescue chapter shows basic anchor construction, with diagrams much clearer than those on roped rescue with mechanical advantage systems in the Glacier Travel chapter.

There's also a good description of rope ascent with a Texas Prusik system.

There is no mention of brake/rappel racks, the best device for rappelling. The book presents the Figure Eight and the Munter hitch instead. Both are useful in rappeling, but a brake rack is the best way to control descent with a patient. A Rescue Eight (Figure Eight with ears) is easier to tie off than a basic Figure Eight, which also isn't mentioned.

Nowhere does the book explain principles of mechanical advantage systems. You'll need to take the word of the book that they just work, until you construct and use them in the field. As a former engineer, I wanted to know how.

There's a little better explanation in Tyson and Loomis' Climbing Self Rescue: Improvising Solutions for Serious Situations (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) - it explains friction losses and the effect of moving pulleys in a mechanical advantage system, but could be clearer.

Overall, Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills is the backcountry traveler's bible. You'll want additional information if SAR is your interest, but it will get you started. ... Read more

Product Description
The songs and poems of 2007 Texas Poet Laureate Steven Fromholz tell of a life that began with "bikes and trikes and kites and trees" and has progressed through fatherhood and many days and nights spent on the road.

Fromholz's poetry and lyrics evoke the western landscape, capture memories of the past and plans for the future, and plumb the depths and heights of feeling engendered by life as a touring musician. Despite a stroke, which felled him for a time, Fromholz still acts a whitewater guide on the Rio Grande, still performs, and still writes the poems that caused the State Legislature to name him Poet Laureate of Texas for 2007. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more