Bugs in the System: Insects and Their Impact on Human Affairs (Helix Books)

Customer Reviews:

makes fleeting nuisance of bugs very very interesting.......2006-12-21

In "Bugs in the System", Berenbaum sets out to counter the common perception of bugs as boring and icky. "There is no other life form on the planet," she writes, "whose lives are as inextricably bound up with our own....most people are completely unaware of the extent to which life and culture are shaped by insects." With masterful storytelling and flashes of wry humor, Berenbaum explores the role of insects in the human economy, in the disasters of war, and as the unseen, though vital, architects of our ecosystem.

Tropical ants, for example, sometimes function as the "gardeners" of rainforest canopy biota, where they cultivate and guard the plant species on which they depend from predators and other competitors. Pollination, of course, is the most important contribution of insects to human society. Migratory bee keepers - a huge agricultural industry - follow the seasons to keep their bees busy year round; for a fee, they fertilize fruits, beans and many other staple crops, in addition to producing honey. Without them, countless plant species would fail to reproduce.

Less well known are the roles of termites and other detritivores, Berenbaum writes, "spectacular consumers of dead, decayed, or otherwise seemingly inedible foodstuffs." They help to prevent wood, leaves, and animal products from collecting as toxins in the ecosystem. The introduction of cattle into Australia, for example, disrupted the recycle role of outback dung beetles, who had evolved alongside the marsupials. Soon "cattle dung accumulated at an alarming rate", which spawned huge populations of pest flies and choked the land. Only the introduction of forty-four non-native species - in the Dung Beetle Project - allowed the cattle and dairy industries to thrive in Australia.

Unfortunately, Berenbaum says, insects are perhaps also man's worst enemy. Many insect parasites have developed clever survival tactics. Lice and fleas, for example, have unusually tough exoskeletons, and are often flat, almost two dimensional; this way, they can withstand our efforts to crush them. To anchor themselves on the skin of their hosts, they have backward-pointing spines, which are surprisingly resilient barbs. On the other hand, mosquitoes and horse flies are extremely nimble navigators, expert at frustrating our slapping hands.

As the vectors of disease, parasitic insects have had an enormous impact on human history, which Berenbaum chronicles in fascinating detail. In the Fourteenth Century, the flea-borne pneumonic plague decimated Medieval Europe, eventually killing a third of the population. Because the supply of labor fell so low, Aristocratic landowners were forced to pay higher wages and grant other concessions to serfs and laborers; they never fully recovered their power. Labor, it seems, owes one of its great early victories to bugs. During times of war, concentrated groups of soldiers became an ideal breeding grounds for lice, the notorious carriers of typhus. Napoleon lost over 300,000 troops to typhus, Berenbaum reports, a decisive setback in his Russian campaign; similar losses of life, rivalling those from war wounds, occurred during the Crimean War of 1854 and during World War I.

One secret of insect success, according to Berenbaum, is their extraordinary diversity. Because insects breed quickly and prolifically, the natural mutations of successive generations make them into veritable evolution machines. Whatever environmental challenges (or opportunities) they face - cold weather, pesticides like DDT, or the sudden scarcity of traditional food sources - insects eventually find a way to survive and thrive. While their vertebrate competitors, including humans, can take decades or centuries to evolve genetically, insects can adapt in only months, perhaps even days. As supremely imaginative survivors, it is the insects who may one day inherit the Earth.

Written at about the undergraduate level, "Bugs in the System" is an excellent introduction to the scientific study of insects. Berenbaum spins countless tales of insect esoterica, from the artful description of insect genitalia - a tool to distinguish related species - to the many fruitless attempts to develop effective, though environmentally safe pesticides. She also explores the history of human perceptions and uses of insects, including a lengthy treatise on the varieties of gourmet bug dishes.

While Berenbaum is a talented writer and competent scientist, she rarely ventures to the frontiers of her field. I frequently found myself hungering for more detail, and hoped to discover some provocative thesis behind her stories. Instead, she chose to ignore the new theories on collective intelligence - the "hive mind" - of insect societies that computer scientists and complexity theorists are developing, or the impact of the gaia hypothesis on the study of insect ecology.

Recommended.

Goodness.......2006-02-21

The product arrived on time and it was exactly what I ordered. It was also for a very good price. It was in perfect condition.

Great Source of Insect Facts.......2003-07-20

This book is the best source of insect trivia that I have ever seen! I have used it as a source for questions for the Entomological Society of America Linnaean Games for several years, while I served on one of the ESA branch Linnaean Games committees. It is simply great!

May Berenbaum has a very informal and humorous style that appeals to both the public and students. If, after reading her book, you still think insects are icky or uninteresting you are certainly made of stone. The number of little known facts in this book is simply huge. If you use just one book for reference on insects, Dr. Berenbaum's book would be a very good candidate. She treats everything from the invasion of the cotton boll weevil and the mysterious extinction of the Rocky Mountain locust to insects in movies and as human food.

If you do not like insects or are afraid of them, you really should read this book. It will go a long way toward desensitizing you and make you fascinated with insects instead.

I recommend this book highly to everybody from elementary school to retirement.

I Didn't Know That.......2000-12-19

So you've been asked to make a presentation on pest control to your local school,Elk Lodge , or Chamber of Commerce. You want to make a good knowledgeable presentation but where can you go to get good yet digestible information with a bit of humor? I recommend "Bugs In The System" from Perseus Publishing by May R. Berenbaum. This book time and time again has proved an invaluable resource for many projects. May Berenbaum is head of the Entomology Department at the University of Illinois so the scientific aspects are quite sound. What makes this book unique is the portrayal of various insects and their march through time along with us. Classification or "A Rose-chaffer by any other name...." is the first chapter which is then followed by sex , bugs and rock and roll. Each chapter is scientifically accurate but is written with the intelligent general populace in mind. The book is further enlivened with insect quotes , such as "More courtship lives in carrion flies than Romeo" William Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet and interesting as well as humorous photos. As the book progresses the chapters on Parasites and Hosts as well as History of Pest Control offer a real sense of purpose and perspective to our mission in the management of those insects which society has deemed pests. On insects such as mosquitoes a wonderful historical perspective is given on these vectors effect on history and disease. On the other hand we are reminded of the majesty and importance of insects throughout the book especially in the final chapters , Appreciating Insects and Equal Time. Upon concluding the book one truly gains some insight into the various systems that make up our environment as well as the evolution of knowledge in the field of Entomology and Pest Control. The book is excellently laid out in terms of progression from biology to human interaction to pest potential finally concluding with a sound and ecologically balanced view. Each chapter carries plenty of references and the appendix is an excellent key to insect orders. As a resource as well as a requirement I heartily recommend this book.

Fantastic bug book w/ bit of humor.......1998-06-19

This book was so good! It provided me with everything I wanted to know about the insect world. It also included some humor (i.e. Reproduction chaper intitled "Sex, Bugs, and Rock & Roll). I recommend this to everyone who wants to know about how precious insects are to our life.

The Genetic Gods: Evolution and Belief in Human Affairs

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Musings on Selfish Genes
Engaging exploration of genetics and attendant ethical issue

The Genetic Gods: Evolution and Belief in Human Affairs
John C. Avise
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

Organic | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0674005333

Book Description

They mastermind our lives, shaping our features, our health, and our behavior, even in the sacrosanct realms of love and sex, religion, aging, and death. Yet we are the ones who house, perpetuate, and give the promise of immortality to these biological agents, our genetic gods. The link between genes and gods is hardly arbitrary, as the distinguished evolutionary geneticist John Avise reveals in this compelling book. In clear, straightforward terms, Avise reviews recent discoveries in molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, and human genetic engineering, and discusses the relevance of these findings to issues of ultimate concern traditionally reserved for mythology, theology, and religious faith.

The book explains how the genetic gods figure in our development--not just our metabolism and physiology, but even our emotional disposition, personality, ethical leanings, and, indeed, religiosity. Yet genes are physical rather than metaphysical entities. Having arisen via an amoral evolutionary process--natural selection--genes have no consciousness, no sentient code of conduct, no reflective concern about the consequences of their actions. It is Avise's contention that current genetic knowledge can inform our attempts to answer typically religious questions--about origins, fate, and meaning. The Genetic Gods challenges us to make the necessary connection between what we know, what we believe, and what we embody.

Customer Reviews:

Musings on Selfish Genes.......2007-01-16

John Avise presents a review of contemporary molecular biology which is quite accessible to the 'lay' reader with some prior exposure to the general area of evolutionary-genetics. The discussions are somewhat philosophically charged (i.e. they do not remain necessarily technical) and touch upon social, emotional, and theological issues too. However, there is no attempt at actively engaging the theistic implications of modern genetics; the book remains focussed on the biological & behavioural aspects.

Avise basically elaborates on notion of the "Selfish Gene" which seeks to 'immortalize' itself by using individuals as 'ephemeral' vehicles for perpetuation. Using this point of view, the book reviews the basic doctrines of genetics & evolution, the genesis & replication of life/genes, genetic disorders & benefits, gene replication strategies (including sexual reproduction & death), nature vs. nurture issues, and gene-therapy.

Avise's style is engaging, clear, & succint - and never pedantic. The accompanying glossary is very useful for non-biologists to fallback onto when reading the more technical sections. I only wish that the notes for each chapter had been foot-notes rather than being located to the end of the book (but this is a purely personal preference).

Overall I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in acquainting herself with recent advances in molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, and genetic engineering - and its implication to modern human thought, philosophy, and civilization.

Engaging exploration of genetics and attendant ethical issue.......2001-07-21

John Avise's engaging book is both an overview and an introduction to recent genetic research as well as an assessment of the social, ethical and religious ramifications stemming from our manipulation of the genetic code. The terminology is a little formidable in spots, and there is perhaps more genetics being explained here than most general readers would want, but these are minor obstacles when one considers the reward: listening to an expert talk about what's happening in genetics today while considering the implications. I was very impressed with Avise's level-headed and balanced assessment of the controversies. This is a sophisticated book, deeply considered and carefully expressed.

The author is the distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of Georgia and an evolutionary biologist who really knows his stuff. "The genetic gods" in the title is a metaphor of course--he even refers jokingly to "protein angels" on page 208--his point being that we are to some very real extent at the whims of our genes, just as the Greeks once thought they were at the whims of the gods on Mount Olympus. However don't imagine that Avise is presenting a genetic-centered reductionist approach in this book. He wants to emphasize that the genes are subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, influencing our lives, but that is far from the whole story. Avise suggests that the proper way to look at the culture verses genes debate is to think of culture as an "epigenetic phenomenon...itself a product of biological evolution," and that "genes and culture coevolve" (pp. 158-159). The environment shapes us, but we in turn condition the environment. As Avise expresses it, "the individual's mind to a considerable extent creates itself through the environments it conditions" (p. 159). In our attempt to understand how the mind works and to account for human behavior, Avise's states that a "myopically reductionist approach that neglects multiple levels of biological, personal, and social causation" is inadequate, as are "uncritical holistic approaches alone" (p. 165).

This just makes sense and it also makes moot the sometimes heated "culture verses genetics" debate, which is similar to the old "nature verses nurture" false dichotomy. Quite simply, how can we separate the effects and influence of the environment and culture from that of the genes, and vice versa?

Professor Avise does not shy away from a position on whether we should intervene genetically when something is amiss. While some people believe that "developing embryos are governed by intelligent and caring supernatural forces," Avise insists that "they are governed by natural gene-environment interactions that unfortunately can" go horribly awry as in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome or in Down's syndrome (p. 199). In such cases, he asks, "Should we then take the reins?" His careful answer on the next page is yes, but with the understanding that "the interests of the individuals most closely involved...should take legal precedence over those of more distant parties."

Avise believes that ethical questions about genetic engineering should be considered by all members of society, not just scientists or theologians or lawyers (p. 202). He believes in a case-by-case appraisal (p. 201). "The only approach," he avers, "is that in which the moral authority of a god is asserted." He wryly observes, that since there is such a diversity of opinion, "any supernatural deity either has been strangely silent on such issues or else has conveyed vastly different messages to different listeners."

Book Description

The unique contribution made by biological anthropology to human welfare lies in the fundamental understanding it can provide of the dynamic interrelationships between physical and social factors. By understanding these patterns, we can interpret the significance of variation in such measures of human well-being in terms of the incidence of disease and mortality rates. Topics covered in this book include reproductive ecology and fertility, nutritional status in relation to health, and the effects of pollution on individual growth. In later chapters, the concepts of physiological adaptation and Darwinian fitness and their relation to individual physical fitness are explored.

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Biology and Human Affairs.
GEORGE H. KIEFFER
Manufacturer: Stipes, Champaign, IL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TCFUU4

Biology in human affairs, (Essay index reprint series)

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Biology in human affairs, (Essay index reprint series)
Edward M East
Manufacturer: Books for Libraries Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0836927907

Botany: Plant Biology and Its Relation to Human Affairs

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Botany: Plant Biology and Its Relation to Human Affairs
Jean H. Langenheim
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Genetics in Human Affairs
Wendell H. Mckenzie
Manufacturer: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Loose Leaf

Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Genetics | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Human Trials: Scientists, Investors, and Patients in the Quest for a Cure

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Blends science with medical insights
A Thrilling Journey into the War Against Disease
Facinating look into clinical trials

Human Trials: Scientists, Investors, and Patients in the Quest for a Cure
Susan Quinn
Manufacturer: Merloyd Lawrence Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Research | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Research | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0738201820
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Amazon.com

Human Trials tells the life story of an unusually dedicated contemporary scientist who strove to revolutionize his field with his innovative ideas, and whose story is far from over.

Susan Quinn, biographer of Marie Curie and Karen Horney, focuses here on Dr. Howard Weiner and his belief in oral tolerance--"the long-held observation of systemic hyporesponsiveness to an antigen fed prior to immunization." He believes that compounds based on oral tolerance can be used to successfully treat autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis. His attempts to prove this belief and bring such a compound to market are told as representative of what all scientists, investors, and patients involved in drug discovery must endure. This approach yields interesting observations regarding clinical trials in general. Most notable among them is that the trials are designed to treat large populations in the future rather than the individuals enrolled in them today.

Human Trials is a heartbreaking book. All the characters--the researchers in Dr. Weiner's laboratory, the executives in his fledgling biotech company, and especially the patients he treats--are sympathetic, and there are no happy endings for any of them. But Dr. Weiner still believes in his idea and is still toiling to prove it. Let's hope that one day we will read about how he fulfilled his life's ambition and cured MS. --Diana M. Gitig

Book Description

A gripping investigation into the world of experimental drug trials and the scientists, venture capitalists, and patients whose careers and lives are on the line.

A Merloyd Lawrence Book.

Over fifty million people suffer from some form of autoimmune disease-multiple sclerosis, arthritis, lupus, and other afflictions in which the body attacks itself-none of them with a lasting cure. Susan Quinn has investigated the worlds where new autoimmune drugs are being developed: the research labs, the drug-company boardrooms, and the clinics where patients become "subjects" in the search for new medicines and treatments. Her exciting story is one of real people: fiercely competing scientists, ambitious venture capitalists, and, above all, anxious, sick human beings. She takes the reader inside these otherwise closed worlds, into the lead investigator's diaries, the tense closed-door meetings with investors, and the hopeful or heart-rending encounters in doctor's offices. Hers is the archetypal story of all medical research: the roller-coaster trip from the lab bench to the medicine cabinet, in which only a very few new drugs and treatments survive. Susan Quinn, author of the acclaimed biography Marie Curie, catches the hopes, triumphs, and crushing failures, the greed and the idealism in these dramatic human trials.

Customer Reviews:

Blends science with medical insights.......2001-08-11

Susan Quinn's Human Trails blends science with medical insights as it draws unusual and important connections between scientists, investors in scientific and medical research, and how drug trials are financed and conducted. Hers is written from lead investigator diaries and closed-door meetings with investors, offering more than an outside look at the facts.

A Thrilling Journey into the War Against Disease.......2001-08-10

I knew Susan Quinn's HUMAN TRIALS would be an engaging, informative inquiry into the intricate process of bringing a new drug therapy to market. What I didn't expect was that the book would read like the best of thrillers -- it takes the reader on the suspenseful and sometimes heart-wrenching journey into the very heart of the war against disease. HUMAN TRIALS is ultimately about the people who populate the closed society that chronic, degenerative illness creates (in this case, MS and rheumatoid arthritis): the patients and their families who suffer and hope, and the doctors, scientists, and investors who, from motives that mix intellectual egotism, financial gain, and selfless dedication, bring their best weapons of mind and spirit to the battle. Quinn does an admirable job describing and demystifying the strategy involved in one novel approach to conquering, or at least containing, MS and RA; the reader learns in compelling detail just what it takes to develop an untested theory into a viable, marketable protocol. However, HUMAN TRIALS goes beyond scientific process to tell a story of risk and courage on both sides of the line. On this particular journey, failure is simply a subset of perseverance, knowledge arrives in unexpected ways, and victory is really a matter of the heart more than the body.

Facinating look into clinical trials.......2001-05-31

This book grabbed me from the start since I also have one of those incurable, untreatable autoimmune diseases that rarely threaten your life, but certainly ruin it. Scleroderma patients had a recent, similar roller-coaster ride with what was thought to be a promising therapy. I could easily relate to everyone involved - patients, treating doctors, researchers, and investors. Ms Quinn took very complex material about MS and the research surrounding it and made it understandable, while telling an exciting and emotionally engaging story. Though it doesn't help me to cope day-to-day with my disease, it does make me understand the processes and people involved in the search for a treatment.

Performance-Based Management Systems: Effective Implementation and Maintenance (Public Administration and Public Policy)

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Performance-Based Management Systems: Effective Implementation and Maintenance (Public Administration and Public Policy)
Patria de Lancer Julnes
Manufacturer: AUERBACH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Human Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Public Affairs & Administration | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Expectations for performance management continue to grow in the public sector, but there remains little understanding on how to effectively implement and sustain these systems. Performance-Based Management Systems discusses the practical challenges involved in performance measurement efforts and provides context-sensitive guidelines to overcome these obstacles. This book presents theoretical background, empirical studies, and recommendations for theory and practice in order to support practical efforts to build performance management systems in public organizations. Developing a framework for analysis, this text offers new insight on the factors that affect implementation.

Science and Human Affairs from the Standpoint of Biology

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Science and Human Affairs from the Standpoint of Biology
Winterton C. Curtis
Manufacturer: Harcourt, Brace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K2IUXM

Book Description

The agility ladder maximized speed and reaction, concentration, balance and coordination. This book will help you get the most out of this popular training tool with several tested exercises from coordination training expert Peter Schreiner.

Customer Reviews:

Good but not Great!.......2006-06-21

A solid book that shows the basic moves on the speed ladder and has some good drills that can be done with the ball. However for better speed ladder workouts and overall speed workouts I recommend any of Vern Gambetta's speed books.

Customer Reviews:

Performance Writing Guide with Flair and Panache.......2000-08-18

"The Definitive Performance Writing Guide" is a book of key words and 'bullet phrases' for performance appraisals. If I ever get stuck for the perfect phrase to describe an employee's job performance, or if I'm writing my 15th appraisal in a row and the song 'Words, Words, Words! I'm so sick of words...' starts tying up my brain cells, this is the book I go to.

This book isn't quite as well organized as James Neal's "Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals", but it covers favorable and unfavorable reviews, while Neal's book neglects unfavorable reviews.

I also think Drewry's phrases have a bit more flair, especially in the "Complete the Phrase" section for "Below Average Personal Performance (Chapter 11). Here are some examples: "...Poor planner. Great hindsight."; "...Inclined to berate others when they fail to meet perfectionist standards."; "...Lacking in social grace and courtesy." While not quite as cutting as, say, "one beer short of short of a six pack", Drewry quite wisely reminds us that, "Unfavorable bullets are deadly. Use them carefully."

Exceptional book referencing everything and then some!.......1999-09-21

I made the mistake of loaning this exceptional book to my immediate supervisor who "inadvertently" took the book with him to Hawaii. Believe me, this book saved me time and effort in writing performance reports for subordinates that ranged between exceptional performer to satisfactory worker. Most of all, the book is divided in job performance setting, descriptive narratives, and similiar words that can either make your subordinate float on water, walk on water, or just prodding in the sands. This is a must-have whether you are writing on a civilian subordinate or a military personnel. Do not loan this out to anyone! Encourage them to get their own book, especially, since I eventually began placing notations on areas that interested me or have caught my attention.

Average customer rating:

Useless now...

Boycott Sony Online Entertainment and Lucas Arts.

burn your money instead

This guide is outdated!!!

It isnt that bad

Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed (Prima Official Game Guide)
Inc. IMGS
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Strategy Guides | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided Quick Reference Guide (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Guide (Prima Official Game Guide)

Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures

Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience

ASIN: 0761542221
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Book Description

A Pilot’s Guide to the Universe
·Three new space professions
·Shipwright profession tree, with schematics
·Eight new space zone maps
·All the ship components
·Ithorian and Sullustan new race specs
·Includes updated SWG info

Customer Reviews:

Useless now..........2005-11-27

Sad to say, this guide is useless. The game, as many other have stated, has undergone many changes and even the Jump to Lightspeed side is now out of date.

IF the book was $1 it'll be a nice addition to a collection, but being a guide to SWG? Not at all. :(

Boycott Sony Online Entertainment and Lucas Arts........2005-11-18

I have played Star Wars: Galaxies for 782 days according to the /getvet command. I have purchased all of the expansions out to date. I was considering creating a second account. As of 11-17-05 my account is cancelled. The New Game, also known as the Starter Kit, is the third version of SWG and it is riddled with bugs and incomplete. It is a far inferior product to its previous versions as well. The NG was released after being kept secret for an unknown period of time and allowing players only a two week notice of it being published. Even less time was devoted to it being tested by sources outside of SOE. Trials of Obi Wan and the NG were released in such a manner as to call into question SOE's and LA's ethics. As represented by the employees who post to the forums SOE and LA are uncarring, glib, and/or vastly out of touch with the player community.

Most of these are not new complaints. However, with the release of the NG these problems have escalted to such a degree that the game is no longer playable. While some are content to merely switch games I am not. Simply changing the direction of the flow of money to SOE and LA will not get their attention. I am boycotting all products created by Sony Online Entertainment and Lucas Arts. I encourage others to do the same.

I do not think my actions alone with effect SOE or LA one iota. In fact, I doubt anything will change their policies. The fan base for Star Wars and other properties is sufficiently numerous to mitigate any discontent portion. While some have predicted that the NG will cause the collapse of SWG I believe otherwise. It will lose many current players but those will be replaced by SOE's and LA's new target market. SOE and LA will later use the negative comments and future subscriptions numbers to prove that they were right all along and to dismiss anyone who opposes them as being knee jerk reactionaries who are against change just because they don't like change. Because most likely the next expansion will also bring a new version of SWG as SOE and LA attempt to copy whichever game is doing better then.

burn your money instead.......2005-11-14

this is such a waste....heck, just send me your money and i'll burn it for you....bumm deal!

This guide is outdated!!!.......2005-07-22

I would highly recommend against purchasing this guide. In late April 2005, Star Wars Galaxies underwent what is called the "Combat Upgrade," which completely changed the way the combat system works, as well as many of the professions. In fact, even since the CU professions have changed even more. If you purchase this guide, it may be helpful for the Jump To Lightspeed portion of the game (space missions, etc) but will give you nothing but bad information in regards to the ground-based portion of the game. Hope this helps!

It isnt that bad.......2005-06-17

Ok combat upgrade was a big change into swg and i didnt really liked it in the beginning, I have 3 accounts and 4 chars.

One mainly used for crafting and business, one is a doc for buffing etc, my main char wich is combat proffs and my jedi character wich i unlocked after 16 months of playing.

Its been over 2 years i play swg and i thought CU was horrible when it came out, i thought about quiting the game but i didnt, i tried to get to the point as the whole game was 90% new and now et voila im enjoying it more than ever! before CU players can become almighty and nearly untouchable but now is quite more balanced so once u get used to it and u learn ll new abbilities and commands is not bad at all, just different.

I like more the old system but i still enjoy my time of play, im the guild leader of a PA and we have more people joining every week, we still have fun all together and believe me if youre a sw fan u cant miss it, try it if u like it go ahead i assure ull have fun and meet so many cool people, if u dont u havent waisted anything.
THe fact now is harder to level up has made many people go to other games but hey we have more content than any other mmorpg and we still have a huuuuuge community.

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