Ike, 1890-1990: A Pictorial History (Commemorative Edition)

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Jihad is back, says Paul Fregosi, but this current incarnation has a long history behind it. From the start, Islamic fundamentalism has intended to expand the Muslim religion to encompass the entire world through conversion, or, in many instances, violence. Yet until now it has lacked a general historical narrative: "The jihad has been the most unrecorded and disregarded major event of history," writes Fregosi. Jihad in the West attempts to describe the history of Islamic and European conflict over 1,500 years, including moments such as the climactic battle at Tours (if the Moors had won it in 732, much of Europe might be Muslim today), the sieges of Vienna, and the Barbary Corsairs (the battle U.S. Marines refer to when they sing about "the shores of Tripoli"). Such a sweep necessarily sacrifices detail for breadth, yet it still provides a helpful backdrop to understanding a religious movement that has played a prominent role in late-20th-century terrorism. Many Muslims will quarrel with Fregosi when he compares jihad to a Christian sacrament, and the book would benefit from footnotes. Jihad in the West nevertheless is a good introduction to an often-ignored topic. --John J. Miller

Customer Reviews:

Important but Unbalanced.......2007-06-15

In scanning the reviews it is obvious that people love the book or hate.
it. While I agree with the view that jihad has had, and is having, a pernicious effect on civilization, and it is important to include chapter and verse thereon, Mr. Fergosi's comparison of 1300 years of jihad with "less than 200 years" of the Crusades is specious and superficial. I suspect the reason to be that Mr. Fregosi is telling about jihad from a Christian viewpoint.

It is not merely the Crusades but the conquests of the post-Constantine Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Christian spread throughout the Middle East, Europe and Asia, including the Inquisition, that should be compared with Jihad for a balanced view.

I am no expert on Christian "jihad" but it obviously should have been addressed more accurately in all fairness. Even so I imagine that Jihad would win in ruthlessness and brutality hands down even for Jews who suffered from the Crusades (and Inquisition) probably more than Muslims did.

Name your poison; beheading or being burned at the stake.

UNDER ATTACK FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS.......2007-04-20

In the introduction, the author says that this book is the first to examine the history of European-Muslim conflict in its entirety. Three stars should be given for that alone. It begins with a brief description of Muhammad and then covers the conflicts and strugges that have been going on for over a thousand years. The rivalry did not start with the crusades, Fregosi points out, but in Islam's early years of conquest. He also argues that while Christians have committed many atrocities, these are inconsistent with the faith. The same is often not the case in Islam.

I wish more of this book had been devoted to Christian life under Muslim rule. How, for instance, did Christianity fare in this environment? What were relations between the faiths like? As it is the book concentrates almost solely on battles and campaigns.

I also take issue with Fregosi's claim that the Jihad was in fact a fraud, because soldiers and rulers frequently sought gold and loot more than conversion. After all, if the Jihad was a fraud, why be so afraid? All armies and rulers, like the rest of us, want money. What makes the Jihad so scary is that so many were willing to die for it, believing they would be whisked to paradise. That many looked for worldy wealth in conquest says little.

I was also a bit disturbed by the language used throughout. Some books come off as too verbose and intellectual, and suffer for it, but this one had the opposite problem. It is filled with words and phrases that don't belong in a serious work, giving the text the feel of a college bull session at times, and giving some the impression it is not to be taken seriously.

An excellent history of European Jihad.......2006-06-21

Fregosi undertakes what turns out to be a prodigious task, describing jihad by the Muslims against Europe since the inception of Islam. He confines himself exclusively to Europe, but due to the relentless and unrelenting nature of jihad this book ends up being a rather superficial treatment of European jihad. This book was written before 9-11 and its politically correct perspective reflects that pre-911 mentality. Fregosi bends over backwards to treat both sides even-handedly at times even going so far as to draw a moral equivalency between the two. This despite the fact, in his own words, "Muslims who kill are following the commands of Muhammad, but Christians who kill - and there are many - are ignoring the words of Christ. Therein perhaps lies one of the basic philosophical differences, as well as one of the basic ethical differences, between Islam and Christianity." Perhaps?! Just perhaps this is one of the basic philosophical differences?!

Despite Fregosi's reluctance to call a spade a spade this remains an excellent catalog of Islam's ruthless supremacist imperialistic ideology. For at its heart Islam is an ideology rather than a religion. In assessing the nature of Islam William Gladstone put it best: "They [Muslims] were, upon the whole, from the black day when they first entered Europe, the one great anti-human specimen of humanity. Wherever they went, a broad line of blood marked the track behind them, and, as far as their dominion reached, civilization disappeared from view. They represented everywhere government by forces opposed to government by law."

Winston Churchill said, "The influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled - the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome."

William Durant in his "The Story of Civilization" succinctly stated, [Islam is] "probably the bloodiest story in history." He called it a "discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization is a precious good, whose delicate complex order and freedom can at any moment be overthrown by barbarians invading from without and multiplying from within." The bitter lesson, Durant concluded, was that "eternal vigilance is the price of civilization. A nation must love peace, but keep its powder dry."

Despite the bleakness of his topic Fregosi manages to be funny at times and at others waxes poetic. Though Fregosi refuses to draw undeniable conclusions from his own material this is an exceptional book and an excellent description of Durant's "bloodies story in history," Gladstone's "broad line of blood," and Churchill's "militant and proselytizing faith." I strongly recommend this book.

Good read - important read.......2006-04-19

For an ordinary history of wars, rulers and kingdoms, this
book is a remarkably good read. It's fun and easy reading,
that's hard to put down. I found myself thumbing through
the book when I had finished, disappointed that there was
no more, looking for perhaps some part of a chapter that
I had missed. The author has wonderful sense of humour.

At the same time, he's presenting the 1300 years of history
of almost unrelenting war, driven by Islam's efforts to
conquer and convert Europe and Chistianity. The war has
ebbed and flowed over the centuries, and is ebbing again,
funded by oil. This is history we must know, to understand
where we are now, and how brutal we will need to become,
before we push back this latest onslaught.

The death toll for this latest round in a war of civilizations
lasting over a millenium has hardly begun to be taken. Islam
is a cancer on human civilization. We might have thought we
were in remission, but oil money has reinvigorated the cancer,
and a shrinking world means that no place is a far away place
anymore.

The best about Jihad against Christianity.......2006-02-21

I bought this book from Amazon.Even having take a look inside it,I bought it and I read, here in Brazil.
From the beginning, until almost our times, Paul Fregosi, tells the battles and facts between Islam and freedom.Jihad victory is also victory of tirany, poverty, ignorance and Dark age's law.
Having beeing published about 8 years ago, this book is becaming outdated, and about XX Century's jihad, it's a little weak.
Here in Brazil, any publishing house, have ever published any book even similar to this book.All brazilians book about Jihad are weak, compared to this book.Fregosi wrote what was ned to write.

Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries.(Review)(Brief Article) : An article from: Journal of Church and State

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Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries.(Review)(Brief Article) : An article from: Journal of Church and State
Nikolas K. Gvosdev
Manufacturer: J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Church and State, published by J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State on September 22, 1999. The length of the article is 500 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries.(Review)(Brief Article)
Author: Nikolas K. Gvosdev
Publication: Journal of Church and State (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1999
Publisher: J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State
Volume: 41 Issue: 4 Page: 832

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Understanding Nanotechnology, a compilation of articles from Scientific American

Nanostructures Boast Superior Results

A good introduction

An excellent introduction for the new technological bang

Good book for starters who are interested.

Understanding Nanotechnology
Scientific American , and editors at Scientific American
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nanotechnology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
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Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea

Nanotechnology for Dummies (For Dummies Series)

Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology: Science, Innovation, and Opportunity

Nanofuture: What's Next For Nanotechnology

ASIN: 0446679569

Book Description

Everyone in the modern world knows what technology is. But what is nanotechnology? Taken from the Greek, nano means "one billionth part of" a whole. In modern parlance, it means very, very small. Nano-tech is the next step after miniaturization. Cell phones are miniaturized versions of traditional landline phones. Wristwatches are miniature versions of clocks. Desktop computers are miniature versions of the original analog calculating machines. Miniaturization is commonplace in today's world. In tomorrow's world, nano-tech will be the new common technology. It will affect everyone on the planet, and may change civilization as it is now known.Scientific American's UNDERSTANDING NANOTECHNOLOGY presents the cutting edge of a new technology that will find usage in medicine, space exploration, communications, manufacturing, and almost every other aspect of modern society. Imagine getting an injection of "smart" molecules that can seek out cancer cells and destroy them without harming any of the surrounding tissue. Imagine a simultaneous space launch via the Shuttle of thousands of robotic probes, each no bigger than an insect, and each programmed to do a single task in concert with all of the others. And that's just the beginning.

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Scientific American's UNDERSTANDING NANOTECHNOLOGY presents the cutting edge of a new technology that will find usage in medicine, space exploration, communications, manufacturing, and almost every other aspect of modern society. Imagine getting an injection of "smart" molecules that can seek out cancer cells and destroy them without harming any of the surrounding tissue. Imagine a simultaneous space launch via the Shuttle of thousands of robotic probes, each no bigger than an insect, and each programmed to do a single task in concert with all of the others. And that's just the beginning.

Customer Reviews:

Understanding Nanotechnology, a compilation of articles from Scientific American.......2007-01-03

"Understanding Technology", a compilation of articles from Scientific American, is an excellent book for the layperson to find out about nanotechnology. It's not too lofty or heavily technical - a big help in introducing someone to this field who might not have a background in science. Very readable and interesting. Unfortunately, the field of nanotech is changing so rapidly that many discoveries have been made since this book was first published.

Nanostructures Boast Superior Results.......2005-10-05

Nano structures boast superior electrical, chemical, mechanical, or optical properties. Improvements may include circuit lines less than 100 nanometers in distance and nanoelectronic devices replacing existing electronic devices.

In 1987, Theordore A Fulton and Gerald J. Dolan of Bell Laboratories constructed the first single electron transfer. It had the advantage of low power usage and heat leapfrogging past the 2014 heat problem. In 1998 Cees Dekker's group at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands created a transistor from a carbon nanotube. In 1999, James M Tour and Mark A Reed demonstrated that single molecules could act as molecular switches. Exxon Mobile created Zeolites, minerals with pores of less than a nanometer which serve as an effective catalyst to break down or crack large hydrocarbon molecules to form gasoline.

Nanotech's vision is to assemble complex machines and circuits atom by atom. The author predicts the top down approach will be the most likely method of choice for building complex devices (electronbeam lithography, Zyvex, Quantum Dot Corporation)

Nanomechanical signal processing is constructed from a million nanomechanical elements with the advantage of only dispating a millionth of a watt of energy. Low powered Nanomechanical devices will create a proliferation and distribution of cheap, ultraminiture smart sensors.

A good introduction.......2005-09-20

If you want to know what Nanothechnology is this book will tell you. It is aimed at the "intelligent layman" and as such succeeds rather well.

I found it easier going from a stylistic point of view than Ratner's "Nanothechnology: Gentle Introduction to the next big idea". If I were to buy only one of them I should buy this one.

An excellent introduction for the new technological bang.......2005-07-09

Materials Science usually offers an unique opportunity to test our scientific models. The search for new properties in the mesoscopic realm has open such expectatives in several scientific fields -from physics and chemistry to biology and medicine- that an introductory text is a great help in order to obtain a wide view of the next scientific and technological trends. Scientific American has made this recopilation of several essays that bring together the main ideas for the new technological revolution, at a level usefull for the expert and understandable for the lay man. As a Materials Scientist I enthusiastically recommend it.

Good book for starters who are interested........2005-05-16

I just finished reading this book, and i must say wow. Before i read this book i knew nothing about Nanotechnology. Now i have a basic idea of how this technology can change our future. This is a good book for people who are interested in at least getting a foundation about this stuff.

Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems (Mechanical Engineering)

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Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems (Mechanical Engineering)
Ben Rogers , Sumita Pennathur , and Jesse Adams
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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Nanotechnology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0849382076

Book Description

Although nanotechnology is a hot topic, the search for a true introductory textbook usually comes up cold. Students in a first course on nanotechnology come from a wide variety of backgrounds, so the text must not assume understanding of too much background material, nor be too focused on any particular area. And still, those students are capable of understanding the hard details of the science, so the text must not gloss over the rigorous scientific explanations. Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems fits perfectly between popular science books and high-level treatises, neither of which suit the needs of students approaching this field for the first time. Working from the ground up, this text provides a detailed yet accessible introduction to the world's fastest growing field. Through real-world examples, hundreds of homework problems, original illustrations, and a clear approach, the authors accomplish the delicate task of keeping the book engaging while not avoiding real explanations of complex concepts. They take a systems-based approach, demonstrating how an understanding of the various areas underlying nanotechnology come together to create systems with unique functions and characteristics. In every case, comparing nanoscale systems to macroscale systems reveals the complex and fundamental differences between phenomena at different scales and uncovers the specific challenges posed by nanotechnology. With comprehensive coverage conveyed in an engaging and entertaining style, Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems provides a gateway into the exciting and rapidly evolving area of nanotechnology.

Understanding Carbon Nanotubes: From Basics to Applications (Lecture Notes in Physics)

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now comes the hard work

Understanding Carbon Nanotubes: From Basics to Applications (Lecture Notes in Physics)
Loiseau A.
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540269223

Book Description

This volume presents the foundations of carbon nanotube science including the most recent developments and the prospects for technological applications. Each chapter begins with a tutorial introduction to the relevant interdisciplinary topics from physics, chemistry or materials science. These summaries of the essential background knowledge are followed by detailed presentations of specific issues. The latter include: polymorphism of carbon and the microstructure of its phases; synthesis methods and growth mechanisms; structural analysis by electron microscopy; spectroscopic methods; electronic structure; transport; mechanical and surface properties of nanotubes and composites. All readers, be they students or experienced researchers, will come to appreciate how progress in nanotube science is intimately linked to advances in experimental and computational tools.

Customer Reviews:

now comes the hard work.......2006-11-11

Now comes the hard work.

Several years ago, in the 90s, carbon nanotubes were first seen when C60 (fullerenes) were made using electric arc discharges. The exciting potential for nanotubes was quickly recognised. It is part of the road to this still hypothetical future that this book is devoted. It draws together ideas from chemistry, physics and material science.

Hence, one synthesis method uses Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD), which is a longstanding idea used in making surface films. But the book also looks at possible ways by which the nanotubes actually grow, at the atomic level. Researchers want ways to precisely control the nanotubes that are made.

The physics is also interesting. A nanotube can be a quasi one or two dimensional structure. Very useful for investigating quantum phenomena, as well as larger scale properties like electrical and thermal conductivities.

Techno Vision II: Every Exectuive's Guide to Understanding and Mastering Technology and the Internet

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The basic hypothesis of this book- the problem of disconnect
useful summary of current IT topics for CEOs

Techno Vision II: Every Exectuive's Guide to Understanding and Mastering Technology and the Internet
Charles B. Wang
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Innovations | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0070681694

Book Description

This edition of the bestselling technology guide for executives-from one of the preeminent experts in the field-now expanded to cover all the new and exciting developments on the Internet. The book allows the reader to get inside the mind of industry leader Charles Wang, who shares his vision, a vision that sparked the creation of a $4-billion software development firm, Computer Associates International, Inc. Filled with new case studies, tips, and insights, this edition explores how the World Wide Web is transforming commerce and business. The result is a resource that prepares decision-makers to not only understand the cyber-revolution, but profit from it.

Customer Reviews:

The basic hypothesis of this book- the problem of disconnect.......1998-11-20

The first edition of this book was published in 1994 but 'Techno Vision II' has been fully updated to incorporate the revolution impact of the Internet. The basic hypothesis of the book is the problem of disconnect. In most organisations, there is a fundamental disconnect between 'techies' and the rest of corporate management - a mismatch that is caused by disparities in training and temperament. Disconnect is so ingrained that few recognize it, despite it being one of most profound limitations to achieving improvements in productivity and competitiveness. The book examines in considerable detail the causes of disconnect and possible solutions. Bridging the gap between 'techies' and the rest of the corporate hiearchy is critical to the future of many organisations.

useful summary of current IT topics for CEOs.......1998-04-27

Wang tells of how CIOs and CEOs suffer from a communication disconnect, and ways to connect. He also introduces the reader to several current IT topics. I found parts of the book a thinly-veiled marketing tool for Computer Associates, the author's company. He also mis-formats URLs.

Video Leadership Seminars: Understanding Nanotechnology Related Legal Issues With Chinh H. Pham of Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Video Leadership Seminars)

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Video Leadership Seminars: Understanding Nanotechnology Related Legal Issues With Chinh H. Pham of Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Video Leadership Seminars)
Chinh Pham
Manufacturer: ReedLogic Studios
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1597011541
Release Date: 2006-09-30

Product Description

The goal of this Video Leadership Seminar is to provide lawyers with critical information on nanotechnology related legal issues. The DVD is viewable on any computer or iPod (that supports video) and features 30 minutes of live video with Chinh H. Pham of Greenberg Traurig sharing his knowledge on what every lawyer should know about legal issues surrounding nanotechnology. The Video Leadership Seminar provides essential information for negotiating legal issues, including the steps to take and what to avoid, as well as an overall framework of legal issues encountered by nanotechnology companies. Topics covered in the Video Leadership Seminar include: - Legal strategies for protecting intellectual property in nanotechnology cases - Complexities of the nanotechnology landscape - Essentials for understanding the process of licensing technology - Financial concerns - Laws that govern nanotechnology related issues - Case Studies of specific situations and what you can learn from them

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Understanding Nanotechnology
*
Manufacturer: Time Warner Books UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K2J5LS

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