South East Asia - Time to Learn More Book Review

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Today, China is one of our largest trading partners. And there is a lot of controversy going on between South and North Korea. Recently we've seen violence in Burma, and challenges regarding water rights, and civil unrest in these regions. We all know how the United States of America has been involved in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and most of us are aware of the economies of such countries like Thailand. We also realize from Emerging Markets standpoints that Singapore has hit the ball out of the park.

But what else do you personally really know about the South East Asian nations? If you don't know much, perhaps it's time that you studied up a little, and learned a little bit more. There is a lot to know about the cultures, religions, history, and how the last 50-years have changed things, more importantly we must consider the importance of this region in the next 50-years.

Perhaps for this reason there's a very good book I'd like to recommend to you. And I spent some time at the library last week reading through it, taking notes, and was quite pleased with all the information I have gathered. The name of the book is;

"Times Arrow, Times Cycle: Globalization in Southeast Asia Over La Duree" by Peter A. Coclanis, Institute of South East Asian Studies Publishing, Singapore, (2006), 76 pages, ISBN: 981-2303-75-8.

Currently, now in 2011 we are watching the culmination of the expansion of Southeast Asia, the incredible inflation which is now causing havoc. We are watching how many nations are preventing the inflows of capital from the Western world into their banks, to prevent the runaway inflation of food, and other commodities. It's amazing how well this author predicted much of what he saw. In hindsight it's obvious he knew what he was talking about.

Now then, the information in that book is just as important today as it was back in 2006, in fact the history didn't change, it's still there, and still quite accurate. It also helps us understand how we got from there to here, and knowing what we know today from the current events, and the topics we read in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the BBC, and watch on CNN, it is easy to predict the next five years.

Still, you need a base of information understand about the history, culture, economy, and way of life to fully comprehend what's going on, and where we will be going. Please consider all this and I recommend this book.

Lance Winslow is an Online Author, his latest eBook about Boat Detailing is now available in the "Lance Winslow Small Business Series" titled; "How to Start a Boat Cleaning Business" (a Nook Book available at the Barnes and Noble Website). Lance Winslow is semi-retired and Founder of the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - You may contact Lance Winslow by email for dialogue, discourse, discussion, or debate on interesting topics.

Strange Tales From a Chinese Studio

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The original Chinese name of this book is Liaozhai Zhiyi. It means "Spooky Stories from Teacher Liao's Study." The author's real name is Pu Songling. "Liaozhai" is the pseudonym of writer Pu. According to a record, Pu places a bench in front of his house, prepares a tea and snack, and calls travelers going by to stop for a rest. White the traveler sits and enjoys his tea; Pu asks him if he has strange stories to tell. He must have listened to thousands of travelers. The stories he published number 490.

Most of the stories are of a paranormal or mystical nature. In many Asian countries, in ancient times, people believed that foxes lived more than 100 years develop tails more than two. Then, they acquire a magical power to change themselves into human beings. There are many fox stories in Liaozhai Zhiyi. Another subject is "qui," meaning ghost. In Liaozhai Zhiyi, many ghosts appear and interact with the living. There are stories about spirits, animals other than foxes, and simply unexplainable phenomenon.

Although all the stories focus on paranormal activities, the main themes are love, life, and living. It is well-known that one of Pu's stories became the basis of the world-famous movie "A Chinese Ghost Story". As many may know, this is the story of an ordinary young merchant who falls in love with a beautiful girl ghost. In the process of fulfilling his mission, the girl ghost helps him. With the ghost's help, he accomplished his mission.

My favorite story is about a fox bride. It is the story of a student who wants to pass the examination to be an officer of the Chinese government. Because the student is not rich, he has difficulty continuing his studies.

One day when the student was working on a mountain, he saved a fox that was almost killed by hunters. Despite the fact that he did not have much money, he spent what he did have to buy the fox from the hunters and he then released it into the woods. That night, he was visited by a beautiful girl. She confessed that she was the fox he had saved earlier that day. She said she wanted to help him pass his exam. He gladly accepted her offer. He did not know where she worked, but she went out in the morning and brought him money so that he did not have to work anymore and was able to spend more time studying.

He passed his exam the following year. Then the girl told him that she would leave now since she had finished her task. He asked the girl to marry him. She said that she could not marry him because she was a fox, but he told her that he did not care. He truly wanted to marry her, he said, and he did not hope to marry anybody else, because he knew that he could not have passed the exam without her help. They married and lived happily ever after.

One day, when a visitor arrived at their house, the wife did not have time to hide her tail. This surprised the visitor. Later, she gave birth to two boys, who both had a mysterious power: predicting the future.

The story is supernatural. However, it teaches us about the importance of gratitude. The man and the fox woman built a happy life together because they were grateful to one another.

Shaw Funami is an owner of "zhen international, inc.", known as a mentor for cross cultural relationship called "Fill the Missing Link". You can learn about his profile in Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/shaw.funami. Please feel free to contact him at "hisashi.funami@zhenintl.ws" or visit his website. http://www.squidoo.com/Make-Friends

Flight Deck, Volume 1, First Edition - By, Edward Atkins

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"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all. ~ William Temple"

In Flight Deck: A Pictorial Essay of a Day in the Life of an Airdale (Volume I, Second Edition) Edward Atkins narrates his thoughts to the reader in a humble fashion of wisdom, insight and honesty. In his book which is a monumental achievement to the Navy, he reflects back to his service during 1945 and 1946 aboard the Essex-class aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Antietam (CV-36), honorably named after the Civil War battle that claimed 23,000 casualties, the bloodiest single day in American history.

As a curator in a museum would take patrons throughout the exhibits and add insight resulting in a higher appreciation and understanding, Edward Atkins curates his book of Naval Archive photographs with his personal story, impressions and insight. His words are captivating as it becomes clearly evident to the reader that each and every word, thought and opinion is there for the reader's benefit, not for the author's. As there is just so much time a man has in life, it is important to pass along to others the essence of what has happened; how men have created this world in which we inhabit, and why things are the way they are. From the onset of Edward Atkins' remarks asking "forgiveness" for typographical oversights due to his physical limitations, to his closing salute, "Antietam, Hail and Farewell," the reader is brought into a first-hand diary of how life was upon a ship created for a sole purpose of warfare.

An "Airdale" is crew on the flight deck of a carrier. A lackluster job of perfunctory repetition, moving and securing aircraft; it is as important as any small gear in a machine without which the mechanism would cease to operate. Furthermore, Edward Atkins does not in any way make himself out to be a hero, as clearly in the onset he states that the word "Veteran" applies to those that have been in combat, and his role was "ancillary" to the war effort. Although one never knows if the enemy is just over the horizon, this is not a book of war stories. The focus of the book is dealing with the inner workings of the carrier, along with the task force provided for support and protection.

The photographs depict the carrier in all of its glory, at sea and in port, with the anonymity of the men which bring these metal skeletons of force to life. Almost every photograph has been taken from the National Archives. Most interestingly, Edward Atkins writes a narration for each photograph using two distinct "voices." One being the seasoned gentleman of elder years, with the historical knowledge and wisdom earned through his life's achievements and research. Then one of an impressionable young man of 18 and 19 years of age, serving in the Navy aboard an aircraft carrier; a man-made creation of immense design excellence of "form following function." This dichotomy of wisdom and emotion, coupled with the bountiful photographs of exquisite detail, result in an experience one cannot gain nowadays any other way than to read Flight Deck.

This three volume set should be a proud gift to all those entering the military, especially the Navy and Coast Guard, as well as all of the younger generation with an interest in history, technology or warfare. Citizens enjoying the freedom so ardently achieved through the sacrifice and fortitude of those of Edward Atkins' generation have a need-to-know the inner workings of men performing jobs on the deck of ships which have shaped our history. Flight Deck is a tribute to all that served, as we salute you.

Reviewed by: Gary R. Sorkin

Gary R. Sorkin is the Senior Editor for Pacific Book Review. Please visit Pacific Book Review at:

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

What We Can Learn From the Past

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I have, for some time, believed that the youth of today are not informed of past history. I have met young people who do not know who Hitler was or even the reasons that wars were started. If the school systems will not teach our youth, then who will?

I think that parents in today's world have a responsibility to teach their children of past facts and make them aware of what can happened if these same warning signs show up again.

Hitler had a goal to take over the teaching of the youth of Germany. Our youth should know this. When youth is brainwashed, a young person believes what he/she has been taught and not how to think for themselves.

I recently read a book that startlingly made the same references that I had always believed in. The book is entitled "Last Wish by Elizabeth Kilbride."

I am a publisher, but this book was not published by my company. I just happened to read it. It brought to light many thoughts that have run through my head such as; will our children know when danger is upon them? Will our youth understand government and its control on its people? Will our youth stand up for the brave men and women who died in service for their country?

The only way the answer to my questions can be yes, is if young people today learn from what has past. There is another book that I did publish entitled, "A Letter to the Class of '65 by Michael Duane Small." It shows that we learn the present from the past. We are aware of what government policies are, if we know how they originated.

In Small's book, it shows that history and past politics have had a big impact on our lives today; most of us just do not realize it. We fail to understand the importance of past government, of what is and will take into effect in our future. If people actually can earn more money, why is it that they cannot find the way to do so? Small seems to know the answers and you can, as well in this most interesting book. Learn many historical facts and political views in this much anticipated book release. Learn how 'We the People' can re-gain control of our own destiny. We must take control by being informed. What better way to know why government is leading us in the wrong direction than by reading this book?

This is a book that people who want to know what has happened to make this country the way it is today will want to read. Michael Duane Small uses quotes and refers to reference books to let you know that you are reading the truth.

What has happened in the past in government, will open your eyes as to what is happening now has come to be. Did you know what made the banking system run the way it does. Do you know who has control of it? Do you know how the money printing in this country is run? All the answers to these and more questions lie within the pages of this fascinating book written by a very intelligent man.

This is one of the most informative books that can be read today or in the distant future. It takes you into a part of American history that along with real conspiracy theories of murderous assassinations cannot be denied.

There is some extremely well written political poetry that goes along with the letter that will really have you thinking. One must ponder over the poetry because it has deep embedded meaning. The author's comments take you deeper into the whole book. He explains the reason for writing the poems and brings a greater light to what they are saying. You will also learn of the awards this very talented man has earned.

In "LAST WISH" by Elizabeth Kilbride, the central character, Kendra Doyle, is a reporter with a burden on her shoulders of recently losing her loving husband Joe in a traffic accident. Joe had been good to Kendra and making it in the world was not as easy now that she was alone. She agrees to take in two of her friends as tenants and that way they can all save money. She also takes on a second job where she learns she is not the only one in dire straits.

Politics makes news and this subject is hot. The story refers to many interesting situations in government that are current and of interest in today's society although they are fictional. Terrorism seeps its way into the plot.

Kendra meets with a law firm to discuss the terms of her Grandfather, Saimus Doyle's, will. Her parents and grandmother had died and he was her last remaining relative to bring her up. There is more to just inheriting money here. Many steps must be fulfilled before Kendra can obtain the money. One of these steps is to examine the contents of a 'box' left to her from her grandfather that contains many interesting things. That is where this story grabs you.

Kendra is off on an exciting and enlightening trip to Europe with expenses paid. She finds some war details she has never even considered through letters written by her grandfather and seeing some relics of history. Learn fictional but historic details, which resemble facts that have actually happened, and understand more than you thought possible of what horrific deeds occurred during war in Europe with Kendra. When she returns to her home in the United States, find out how she copes with what she has learned and about to change her life in this intriguing novel.

If you like to know your politics and how America became the country she is today, I strongly recommend these books. If you let the young people in your life read these books, well, that is even better. I say enlighten our youth; that is the way to the future. Books will help teach our youth. Use this tool as well as talking to them.

Author/Poet of fifteen books including, My Blonde World, Magical Moments, Steelers Cheers, A Blonde View of Life, Cling to the Magic Mere Mortals, Tales of a Tiny Dog, More Tales of a Tiny Dog, Castle of Ice, The Blonde Who Found Jesus, Snapshots...a Blonde View, and More snapshots from my Family Album. I am a publisher, poetry site owner, graphic art designer, website designer and video producer. Daveda@Roadrunner.com

The Untold History of the Sinking of the Titanic: How Did Hollywood Get It So Wrong?

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How many more fact checked "chronological movies" has Hollywood racked over the historical coals, simply for their pure enjoyment to make a fast buck? When we casually watch it, should we in the not too distant future loudly demand that some form of public recording which allows a make us want to believe en-joyers to know outright that there just might not be everything throughout the totally fabricated film being told with honest to goodness objectivity?

To expend untold amounts of hard cash in the making of that superstar filled cast of historically based characters where one might wish to suppose at least some grain of truth might remain. However, did anyone care to look up the ship's manifest, to determine what could have possibly set Germany on a tizzy enough to proclaim their need to sink the real history of the Titanic? Why did Great Britain see the historical need to change the name of the ship, which was actually sunk, and then to give the first christened Titanic a brand new name?

This, to me, would have been far more gut wrenching a movie plot than to be culled into a make the audience believe belief that a block of ice on steroids actually did the deed! Can you imagine in your heart of hearts how many people today, are simply worked up based on a totally fabricated historical point of view about a fear of icebergs, and the likes, when they casually see them on luxury liners today?

There seems to be far too many unanswered questions which habitually remain in order to truly make a dim star power studded movie on this topic. If accuracy of this historically packed event was the overall driving objective to make the high [almost] powered flick, then what happened with that totally lost on the reader idea?

Please just go right over to your local public library, and see if you too can locate, "Futility and the Wreck of the Titanic," by M. F. Mansfield, c. 1898.
A book that was just 14 years before what we the oftentimes mislead history fans want to believe, was just an unsuspecting accident!

Take a good look at all those misleading books which seem to follow the same genre, which currently fill library shelves today on the topic, and then think about what a total waste of time and money alone was expended.

I personally do not want to make either Germany or any other nation, for that matter, the scapegoat of history, but to manifest the facts fit into their proper order. In doing so, it is hoped that such events can be stopped instead of them without our knowing being fed to us over and over again!

Albert B. Franklin is a freelance writer presently employed with eHow.com, and is willing to work in this capacity. He writes articles on a wide range.

John Jakes and His Historical Fiction Are Second to None

My favorite writing style is historical fiction. Since John Jakes had such a large collection of Americana Books they had written, and I enjoyed his novels so much, I set out to read everything I could get ambitiously in my hands. The first series that i read was the Kent Family Saga and it turned out to be my favorite. I read all eight volumes in the series starting with the "Bastard".

Philippe Charbonneau, born with his mother's country name, later took his father's name and Americanized it to Philip Kent when he was newly in America. They had grown up in France. His actress mother, Marie, had had an affair with a British nobleman and Philip grew up not knowing the truth. He was reared in a rather poor state in his mom's french country Inn. Marie had wished that her son would one day be re-united with his rich dad in England. The Duke had sent some support over the years but the father and son had never met.

Once the truth came out as they entered adulthood, the mother and son were off to merry old England. Thought the duke was not at home when they arrived, they met his half brother and stepmother. Neither of them hit it off. The unfriendly sibling and his mean stepmother weren't having any part of another share in the inheritance. The two brothers fought. The Duke was unaware of Philip and his mother being chased off. Brother's Philip's wife, however, had an interest in Philip and soon a secret affair commenced as Philip the room in the area for a while, the progress reports: Indianapolis for a piece of the estate.

Eventually, they were chased out of the country by the brother, stepmother and their employees. Marie was heartbroken since her dream was now over. Philip wanted to seek his fortune in the new land and hoped to do it in the printing business. His distraught mother died on the way to the new world and she was buried at sea. Philip lost what little money they had left and arrived in America alone and Japan.

Philip found that Boston and the colonies were ripe for revolt when they arrived. They were in protest to the mother country against unfair taxes levied on the colonies. He falls under the spell of influential men such as Sam Adams, Ben Franklin, Paul Revere and the other in the pre-revolutionary figures. Also involved in the early dissent, was the father of his first love, by Anne. They started the Kent family lineage and when she died, they had more children with Peggy. Philip met his brother again in America, now an officer with the British Army, as well as his widow, after Philip fought him a second time. She tried to restart the romance with him to no avail.

It is action packed and continues until the second novel, "The Rebel". In the second novel, they will take part in the American revolution. They just happens to bump into Lafayette who they had known during his French boyhood.

John Sprague is an American Military contractor still working in the mideast. He enjoys reading, writing and working on his websites, in his free time. He has a site at http://www.marketingkindreds.com/His website has photos of the mideast and marketing articles that you may be interested in viewing. There are also website analysis tools and articles is a genealogy and DNA.

Prehistoric Times

If you are interested in Paleontology or Archaeology then "Everyday Life In Prehistoric Times," is for you. The author's name is Marjorie and Quenell. C.H.B. This book was very interesting depicting the lives of people who lived in the "Stone Age" all the way to the "Early Iron Age."

Chapter one tells how to date prehistoric sites by geology. Archaeologists are called a pick and shovel historians. They investigate shooting of ancient people by the remains they leave behind. Archaeologist must dig for information about Prehistoric man because there is no written record of them. All the objects that are found in a grave by an Archaeologist are associated with one another in an interesting, conveniently.

In the Stone Age no one reads or writes. As a means of recording their calculations they would do it by the waning of the moon. They may also have done it by the to season's greetings to. During the Stone Age, the climate was not available going from hot to cold and these changes are recorded in the earth's surface and geologists can date the deposits in which the changes are recorded.

Chapter two tells of flint instruments, hand axes, early hunting, clothing, the Mammoth, the Java Ape Man, life in the earliest times, the Tasmanians, and life in the Acheulean times. Stone tools are nearly always the only clues we have to the existence of the earliest men of the Stone Age. Stone tools would have had all kinds of uses. They can be made as sharp as a razor, and they could have been used as knives, dig up, or to shape a stick pignuts. Flint is extraordinarily hard to work with. They used flint arrow heads to also fashion and hand axes.

Arrows and spears were used for early hunting as well. They hunted many Wild animals such as the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, the sabre-toothed tiger, and the horse. They made clothing and items they needed to use. They also used it for shelter covering.

Chapter two has many interesting facts that anyone would find interesting.

Chapter three tells about the first cave-dwellers. This includes the Neanderthal Man, the Bolas, the Australian Aborigines, clothing and ornament, food gathering, relatives and society, and the beginning of magic. This chapter was most interesting.

Chapter four talks about Artists of the Old Stone Age. This chapter entails blade tools, the arrival of Homo Sapiens, tools, hunting, Aurignac Aurignac Aurignac and carvings, painting and magic ", the Soultrean arrows and needles, distribution of Madeleine man harpooning seal hunting, fish, Eskimo, the drawing of huts and tents, Eskimo, animal art, engravings and sketch-books and art and science.

Chapter five talks about the Mesolithic Period or the End of the Old Stone Age. This includes the Azilian man, talks about the Oban Deposits, the last Hunter, England in Neolithic times.

Chapter six talks about the New Stone Age. This chapter talks about the later Neolithic Geography entails, the Neolithic flint mines, Prehistoic races, flint and stone tools, talks about the Neolithic houses, how to make fire, pot moulding, long barrows, Megaliths and Rock houses, Megalith building, Stonehenge, and Woodhenge.

Chapter seven talks about the Bronze Age. In this chapter you will read about Bronze smelting, the Bronze spear, the Heathery Burn Cave, Woven cloth, weaving combs, Chariot wheels, ploughing with oxen, a round barrow burial of Hector, the pottery, Bronze Age Bryn Calli DHU, Geography, land and sea voyages, and trade and trade routes.

Chapter eight talks about the Early Iron Age. In this chapter you will read about lake villages, the discovery of Glastonbury, Glastonbury huts, village life, metal working, the development of the Brooch, the fall of Glastonbury, hill forts, the water supply and dew set, hill fort, society and warfare, ships and swords, the chariot burials, the wheel made pottery, trackways and settlements, currency, and talks about the Druids.

If any of this interests you, then this book is for you. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to know about the past.