Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry

Book Description

With a New Afterword by the Author

Slaughterhouse is the first book of its kind to explore the impact that unprecedented changes in the meatpacking industry over the last twenty-five years—particularly industry consolidation, increased line speeds, and deregulation—have had on workers, animals, and consumers. It is also the first time ever that workers have spoken publicly about what's really taking place behind the closed doors of America's slaughterhouses.

In this new paperback edition, author Gail A. Eisnitz brings the story up to date since the book's original publication. She describes the ongoing efforts by the Humane Farming Association to improve conditions in the meatpacking industry, media exposés that have prompted reforms resulting in multimillion dollar appropriations by Congress to try to enforce federal inspection laws, and a favorable decision by the Supreme Court to block construction of what was slated to be one of the largest hog factory farms in the country. Nonetheless, Eisnitz makes it clear that abuses continue and much work still needs to be done.

Customer Reviews:

Words Can't Describe.......2007-10-19

I am a Federal Inspector and was saddened and angered after reading Ms. Eisnitz's Book. I was touched after reading the material and felt compelled to order multiple copies to give to my co-workers and others for enlightenment. Words can't really describe the emotions felt while reading this. For the sake of the children, its time for a change! This Material is more than Highly Recommended, it is a must!

All I can say is WOW. I had no idea fresh meat was so filthy........2007-09-29

As others have already stated....I stopped eating meat completely after reading this book. The inhumane treatment of the animals was bad enough. To discover that rotten meat was ground up with fresh meat for baby food was just too much. The unsanitary conditions in these factories is shocking. It makes me wonder when the last time any of the equipment was even hosed off...much less throughly cleaned. Probably never since that would cause the line to stop and they might lose a buck in profit. I first read a book called "Skinny Bitch" and the writer's of that book recommended "Slaughterhouse". I had already toyed with the idea of cutting meat out of my diet. The information in this Slaughterhouse book just confirmed that it was a sound decision. This book shows that the USDA stamp means nothing. I now don't trust anything stamped USDA inspected. It seems that every slaughterhouse has had their own stamp made and has the capacity to stamp thier own meat and the USDA looks the other way. That is truely disturbing. Yep...I'm a non meat eater now. Organic foods are my friends.

Great info in meat (if you eat it), disease, and the pain of the process........2007-06-13

This book is pretty informative. The writer risked her life by exposing daily occurences in slaughterhouses across the country. If you're unaware of how huge the meat and dairy industry is, you will surely become informed after reading this book. It's a very important book to read if you still eat meat and feed it to your children, as e. coli and it's affects on people are described also. Very informative. Some of the book is repetitive, but so are the painful processes in a slaughterhouse as TIME really IS money and "humanity" is a word you check at the door if your working there.

Unbelievable.......2007-05-25

A truely great book everyone must read. Whether your a vegetarian, vegan, or meat eater. This book is very well written. It changed my life, thank you Gail for letting us the public know about what is really going on in our slaughterhouses.

A must read for vegans/vegetarians.......2007-04-28

In my mind, much better (and much more shocking) than Fast Food Nation. This book is a must read, and belongs in every animal lover's library.

Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases

Average customer rating:

Revisiting high interest cases.
Wonderful Overview of Cases and Introduction to Concepts
HOKEY
What Seemed Obvious Was Completely Wrong
A Must For Lovers of CSI

Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases
Cyril H. Wecht , Greg Saitz , and Mark Curriden
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591024854

Book Description

A lifeless newborn baby is found discarded in a motel dumpster. Authorities quickly arrest the infant's teenage parents, charging them with murder. Did Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson, in fact, murder their own baby? When Tammy Wynette died suddenly at a relatively young age, why was no autopsy performed? Was someone trying to hide the real cause of death? Did Sam Sheppard (who later served as the basis for the television series "The Fugutive") really kill his wife? And if not, who committed the murder?

Things are not always as they appear, as world-renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht shows in this riveting behind-the-scenes look at nine famous cases. Drawing on police reports, depositions, trial testimony, and autopsy reports--as well as his four decades of experience--in MORTAL EVIDENCE Dr. Wecht, with the assistance of coauthors Greg Saitz and Mark Curriden, raises important issues and offers fresh perspectives on each case. In the nationally known baby case involving Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson, Dr. Wecht reviews the evidence and comes to a startling conclusion. In fascinating detail, he demonstrates how the tools of forensic pathology often uncover murky, long-hidden secrets that track seemingly unsolvable crimes.

Writing in the first-person, Dr. Wecht leads readers into the heart of the investigation, focusing each chapter on a single engrossing drama. He reveals the most startling evidence that shows why, in his professional judgment, JonBenet Ramsey's killer most likely came from within her home. Dr. Wecht also offers insight into the O.J. Simpson trial and the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, and shocking revelations about Robert Berdella's conviction for grisly torture and sex-abuse crimes against young men. Other cases covered include the drug-related death of casino magnate Ted Binion; the 1982 showdown between religious sect members and police in Miracle Valley, Arizona; and Robert Curley's death by long-term, methodical thallium poisoning.

Whether you find the fictional plots of such dramas as "C.S.I." and crime scene documentaries exciting or you are just fascinated by true crime investigation, you'll be amazed by the true stories Dr. Wecht has to tell in this amazing real-life thriller. As this intriguing page-turner proves, the science of forensic pathology has changed the face of detective work forever.

Customer Reviews:

Revisiting high interest cases........2007-06-11

Sometimes we read in great depth the details surrounding high interest crime cases and they become overwhelming because of so many opinions, both in reporting and in conjecture. It takes a book such as The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases to put each of these cases in proper perspective. I actually finished the book in one evening. Couldn't put it down!

Wonderful Overview of Cases and Introduction to Concepts.......2007-04-12

Dr. Wecht has spent years in various positions within the criminal justice system. During his time he has worked on such celebrated cases as the Chappaquiddick case, which involved Send. Edward Kennedy and more recently on the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

The book follows the investigation and details of the forensics used in nine cases, some of which are new and others which have faded a bit into history. He discusses the obvious cases that seemingly every forensic expert has an opinion on, namely JonBenet Ramsey and O.J. Simpson. But he also goes back farther into time and brings to light things about the Sam Sheppard case. His case was the inspiration for The Fugitive TV show and movie. Dr. Wecht also was asked to look into the death of Tammy Wynette, one of country music's favorite stars and this case gets a treatment as well.

Throughout every case, Dr. Wecht not only gives us some details about the forensics involved, but he also stops and takes the time explain what some of the medical terms used actually mean, in layman's terms. What this gives us is a Cliff's Notes type of medical dictionary that we can take with us as we read more cases, so that we increase our understanding of the terms used in autopsy reports and other medical evaluations.

His reports are clear and concise, with no wasted words. This is not to say he does not fully the cover the material, he just does not drone on about things that do not pertain to the case. I also like his style of writing. he uses a host of medical terms, but never does it seem that he is trying to overwhelm or prove his intelligence. He is, I believe, trying to give us the jargon used in his line of work so that some of the mystery is removed from the legal documents when read in the future.

To me, this book serves two purposes. It offers a glimpse inside some of the most interesting investigations in the past 30 years. But it also serves as a mini-dictionary of forensic terms, so that you can take the knowledge with you into more reading and investigation. I highly recommend this book and look foward to hearing more from Dr. Wecht.

HOKEY.......2006-05-20

Anyone who says the OJ Simpson case was correctly decided in the courtroom deserves neither my money nor respect. Plus, add on the fact that he was friends of the so-called "Dream Team" makes that even more laughable. This book is a joke - I borrowed it from a friend - and she asked me to throw it away after I was done. So now it's at the bottom of the landfill - where it belongs. IS THERE A MINUS RATING POSSIBLE FOR THIS BOOK? Giving it one star is an insult to stars~~~~~~

What Seemed Obvious Was Completely Wrong.......2005-01-23

Cyril Wecht MD, JD has performed more than 14,000 autopsies and overviewed another 35,000 examinations in his more than 40 years of experience. Wecht studied the autopsy records of JFK and concluded that the single-bullet theory just couldn't be true (p.13). The forensic evidence says that Sirhan was not the killer of Sen. Robert Kennedy. Wecht was involved in eight of the nine cases in this book, except Jon-Benet Ramsey (p.15). Wecht is a commentator for CNN and other television networks. Some of these cases are well-known.

Chapter 1 tells about the "Teenage Baby Killers" who faced a first-degree murder charge. These cases happen more often than people imagine. Post partum depression is a legal defense in many countries (p.22). Wecht explains why the infant was stillborn (pp. 35-36). Chapter 2 considers the unsolved murder of Jon-Benet Ramsey based on his review of the medical facts. A supermarket tabloid sent him pictures of the body (p.47). Page 71 has the comments from the profilers. Wecht's conclusions are on page 80. Chapter 3 tells of sex, drugs, and money in Las Vegas. [Was this used for a story by the TV drama "CSI"?] Pulmonary edema is common for a drug overdose death. The interaction from multiple drugs can result in a fatal dose (p.112). [Were Murphy and Tabish convicted by their life-style?]

Chapter 4 deals with the famous prosecution of Dr. Sam Sheppard for the murder of his wife Marilyn. Their son published a book in 1995, and tried to get his deceased father proven innocent (p.122). This crime scene was not secured (p.124); the coroner assumed Dr. Sam did it. The pervasive and unfair publicity told of his guilt before the trial. F. Lee Bailey gained national fame in 1964 when he got Dr. Sheppard a new trial. Chapter 5 has the story about the killing of members of a religious sect in 1982 Miracle Valley Arizona. Forensic evidence can determine what happened, and exclude other claims. The events leading to the killing are on pages 160-161. Were Cochise County officials trying to run off the members of the Christ Miracle Church (pp. 165-166)? The lesson learned here could have prevented the Waco Texas massacre of 1993 (p.154). Chapter 6 wonders if Tammy Wynette died of natural causes or as a result of her pain-killers. An immediate autopsy could have provided an answer (p.194).

Chapter 7 discusses the Trials of OJ. Wecht believes the verdicts of both trials were right (p.197)! Was this a "great trash novel come to life" (p.199)? Was the continuing coverage just a way to fill up cable broadcasting? Wecht was a friend and colleague of the defense lawyers and expert witnesses. [Was this case famous because so many knew the answers but not the facts?] The timeline for the murders is on pages 222-223. Note that the limo driver did not see or hear any car arrive between 10:22 and 11pm. F. Lee Bailey's cross examination was "most brilliant and devastating" (p.235). Dr. Cyril Wecht now believes the police fabricated the evidence against O. J. Simpson (p.237). [Could Wecht's involvement with TV show business have prevented him from realizing this earlier?] Chapter 8 tells of a Kansas City serial killer who preyed on drug-addicted drifters. None of his victim's bodies were ever found, except for a couple of skulls, the photographs, and Berdella's diary. An insurance company would be liable if these deaths were accidental (p.243)! They settled out of court (p.270). Chapter 9 tells about Robert Curley's poisoning with thallium, which was overlooked in testing for heavy metals (p.272). Poisoning is one of the most difficult crimes to detect (p.277). The hair of the victim was analyzed as a timeline to the poisoning (p.279-280). Who benefited from his death? His wife, who alone had the access during the time he was poisoned (p.285). She wanted the insurance money (p.290).

A Must For Lovers of CSI.......2005-01-06

I just love CSI and I think forensics are absolutely fascinating. This book has an amazing attention to detail. It's a book that really gets you thinking. Wecht truly reveals some gripping discoveries in these cases. A worthwhile read.

Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity

Average customer rating:

Good, but not great...
What? No Tesla?
Shockingly Common
Yet another book that proves any subject can be made interesting
Ambitious Title for a Lightweight Book with some Interesting Facts

Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity
David Bodanis
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400045509
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Amazon.com

Despite the fact that our lives are powered by electricity to an astonishing degree, most of us have little or no understanding of how or why it works. Instead, we rely on a blurry notion that it flows--like water--through wires to turn on our appliances. In Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

In his bestselling E=mc2, David Bodanis led us, with astonishing ease, through the world’s most famous equation. Now, in Electric Universe, he illuminates the wondrous yet invisible force that permeates our universe—and introduces us to the virtuoso scientists who plumbed its secrets.

For centuries, electricity was seen as little more than a curious property of certain substances that sparked when rubbed. Then, in the 1790s, Alessandro Volta began the scientific investigation that ignited an explosion of knowledge and invention. The force that once seemed inconsequential was revealed to be responsible for everything from the structure of the atom to the functioning of our brains. In harnessing its power, we have created a world of wonders—complete with roller coasters and radar, computer networks and psychopharmaceuticals.

A superb storyteller, Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through lucid accounts of scientific breakthroughs. The great discoverers come to life in all their brilliance and idiosyncrasy, including the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system, and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York City on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not great..........2007-09-18

I found Electric Universe interesting, but lacking in certain respects. Granted, I listened to the abridged audio, CD version of this book, and my background is in Electrical Engineering, so I'll try to not to judge harshly because it was a good book. I would certainly recommend this to anyone new to the history and principles of electricity and electronics. It is a good starting point, in that it's very comprehensive, meaning it covers most of the big ideas and important people and puts these into a historical perspective that anyone can easily follow. A little more detail and focus would have been nice at times, but again, maybe that's just me. I'm a little disappointed my favorite EE wasn't mentioned in the book, Nikola Tesla, but I should expect that by now (forever an underrated geniuses). With that said, I'd certainly recommend Electric Universe, and I'm certainly glad I experienced it, but it probably won't crack my top ten anytime soon. Coolest parts of the book, Faraday, Turing, and finally, an accurate portrayal of Edison.

What? No Tesla?.......2007-07-19

For the critical thinker who studies the history of science or history in general it is often most instructive what an author leaves out. Somehow Bodanis managed to tell the "true" story of electricity without mentioning Tesla once. WTF?

Shockingly Common.......2007-05-14

You won't learn much about electricity by reading this book. Oh, there is the odd, interesting snippet here and there, but by and large the book is mostly a recounting of the lives of the British wing of electrical research over the past several hundred years. Missing is Benjamin Franklin. Missing is Nikola Tesla. The story is grossly incomplete.

Bodanis' style is a little too cutesy, a little too formulaic. His analogies are sophomoric: "...these silicon rocks can shift electric currents through in one direction or another, and the rock itself doesn't have to move...The rock can simply sit there, Buddha-like..." And the construction of the book is odd, with five sections covering electrical properties from "Wires" to "Waves" and so on, each told with mini, mini biographies of some of the scientists, researchers, and inventors involved. Sometimes the chapters build upon one another, demonstrating a curve of learning across the decades, but then there will be a complete disconnect: The chapter on Heinrich Hertz is recounted completely with excerpts from Hertz' diaries--interesting if placed in context, but this chapter reads like a plaster patch placed in the middle of the book. Toward the end of the book an addendum, a chapter entitled "What Happened Next" follows the lives of some of the historical people recounted in the book after their great discoveries were made. Joseph Henry, it seems, became a friend of Abraham Lincoln, and died in 1878 wishing he had taken out more patents. Another ending chapter, "Mr. Amp, Mr. Volt, and Mr. Watt"...oops, Bodanis forgot to explain the basics during the course of the narrative--just stick it in here. And then on to the "Notes", wherein lies much useful information that should have been incorporated into the earlier chapters.

As a hodgepodge of information about electricity, "Electric Universe" could serve as a reasonable resource for primary or secondary school curricula. But in truth, this same information is readily available on Wikipedia if one trusts that source, or better yet, within a good, bound set of encyclopedias.

Yet another book that proves any subject can be made interesting.......2006-11-27

Electric Universe is one of those science books full of anecdotal details and the little stories behind the big stories. The book covers some of the big discoveries and inventions in the field of electricity. Lightbulbs, telephones and radar are among the big ideas that get mentioned.

The subtitle is meant more as a play on words than anything else, as there are no real "shocking" stories here, just a lot of interesting facts that make the book part science lesson and part history lesson in a format that is accessible even for those with no background or interest in science.

Reading (or listening as the case may be) to a book like this, one gets the feeling that one could write a nonfiction story on just about anything and make it interesting. After all, there is always a story of some sort if you are willing to dig. Whether it's a book like The Meaning of Everything about the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary or Salt about, well, salt successful books have been written on subjects that don't at first seem interesting. I'm waiting for Whirr: The Story of the Electric Can Opener and From Corncobs to Quilted Northerm: The Story of Toilet Paper. Hmm, perhaps I should be writing book proposals instead of book reviews.

Ambitious Title for a Lightweight Book with some Interesting Facts.......2006-09-20

The reader should understand that this author picked a huge subject and out of that book he follows a few interesting sidelights. The book's contents is like a rock skimming across the surface of a lake, Where the rock hits, there is an interesting story, but do I feel like I know about the lake? This author has an interesting style, his E=MC2 book dealt with a narrow subject (an equation). This book is a fast read with interesting facts, but of course it can not cover the scope of the title

Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food

Average customer rating:

Be careful what you feed your pets!
A MUST READ IF YOU HAVE PETS
A must-read, informative book
Believe it! They are dying!!
Food Pets Die For

Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food
Ann Martin
Manufacturer: NEWSAGE PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0939165317

Customer Reviews:

Be careful what you feed your pets!.......2007-09-22

I learned what's really in pet food (dry or canned), read it and you'll definitely change your dogs (or cats) diet...

A MUST READ IF YOU HAVE PETS.......2007-08-04

We read the labels on our foods, now we can read and understand the pet food labels. If you don't want to buy the book just yet, do your pet a favor and look up 'animal digest' (a/k/a digest) and 'sodium bentonite'. This book is worth buying.

A must-read, informative book.......2007-03-31

I agree with Sasha's comprehensive review - this is a must read book for ever pet owner. What you discover should get you to stop feeding your pets commercial dog foods.

In my opinion, there are better books on the market that detail how to feed your pets homemade meals. Other experts and vets disagree with the author's aversion to raw meat diets, yet most dogs thrive on such diets. If in doubt, find a holistic vet and work with him or her to transition your pet to an appropriate diet.

Believe it! They are dying!!.......2007-03-11

A must read!! Very informative ,factual ,easy to read and understand. I have read many books on the subject and I am very informed myself so I am confident Ms. Martin has done her homework and knows what she is talking about. With that said I don't agree with everything she says. She does not believe in feeding raw meats and bones. I do understand her points and anyone feeding raw meats and bones and processing it themselves is taking a chance. However there are companies that make patties that are completely safe. With that said I find her book to be well organized going over every detail so completely you will not be left wondering what it was about!!! Take chapter one for instance. "What Goes Into Commercial Pet Food." She covers EVERY ingredient you will find on a pet food label and breaks it down and explains exactly what it is. She does this throughout the book making it so easy to understand. My copy of the book is full of highlights!! Chapter ten "Recipes For Cats And Dogs." Recipes are well researched and are nutritiously complete but I would have liked for there to be more recipes included. All in all this is a great book even though the subject matter is so very heartbreaking.

Food Pets Die For.......2007-03-10

Since I have performance dogs, I was interested to find out about the food I'm feeding. I am appalled to learn about carcasses being included. The only food I have fed is either Canadae or Solid Gold. This book helped confirm that I am doing the right thing for my animals. Have recommended this book to all of my dog friends. It is a must read.

Average customer rating:

The Shocking History of Phosphorus
John Emsley
Manufacturer: Pan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0330390058

Unsafe at any Altitude: Failed Terrorism Investigations, Scapegoating 9/11, and the Shocking Truth about Aviation Security Today

Average customer rating:

As impossible to put down as John Grisham.
A professional analysis
Read with Care
Billions wasted to look good
an important book to read

Unsafe at any Altitude: Failed Terrorism Investigations, Scapegoating 9/11, and the Shocking Truth about Aviation Security Today
Susan B. Trento , and Joseph J. Trento
Manufacturer: Steerforth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 158642128X
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Book Description

If you think you are safe getting on a plane in the United States . . . THINK AGAIN
Unsafe at Any Altitude reveals for the first time:
• That Saudi intelligence, on which the United States relied for information about Al Qaeda, was penetrated by the terrorist group long before 9/11. Information provided by the Saudis lulled the president and his team into believing they had Al Qaeda under meaningful watch.
• What the 9/11 Commission did not share with the public, including the probability that weapons were put on planes in advance by exploiting security vulnerabilities at airports. To this day, while passengers are forced to stand in line, hundreds of thousands of airport workers remain unsearched and unscreened.
• How the White House and Justice Department created a diversion to place blame for the 9/11 attacks and avoid the wrath of the American people.
• How a partnership the United States made in the 1980s with Iran and Hezbollah terrorists who killed and kidnapped hundreds of Americans and hijacked our planes contributed to a sequence of events that made 9/11 possible.
• That the FBI, CIA, NSA, and Department of Homeland Security refuse to give the airlines an accurate no-fly list, thereby allowing the world’s most threatening terrorists to continue to fly.

Unsafe at Any Altitude will help readers tell the difference between the eye candy of sharp uniforms on federal officers and what would amount to effective security at our airports.

We may be less safe flying today than we were before 9/11, and we have spent billions of dollars in tax money going backward. Unsafe at Any Altitude goes behind the scenes at our nation’s airports and penetrates the government to paint a picture of a Transportation Security Administration that is remarkably inept, and reveals the great lengths that U.S. carriers and their lobbyists have gone in order to make certain that serious airline security has not been instituted in this country. Susan and Joseph Trento also trace the evolution of security failures along a continuum that led directly to 9/11: the hijackings of passenger jets to Cuba decades ago, Iran- Contra, Hezbollah’s bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, its hijacking of TWA flight 847, the Pan Am Flight 103 Lockerbie tragedy. These and numerous other episodes exposed vulnerabilities in our nation’s policies and practices that we failed to heed.
9/11 has resulted in the creation of massive new law enforcement bureaucracies and programs, and a sense of vigilance has certainly arisen among the American public. The Trentos’ disturbing investigation reveals, however, that many key aspects of what went wrong on 9/11 have never been carefully examined, rendering meaningful reform impossible. For instance, the TSA was created to replace the low-wage private screeners who once guarded our airports. But no investigative body, including the 9/11 Commission, has ever concluded that the private screening firms contributed to 9/11 by failing to do their jobs, and this book reveals for the first time the breathtaking story of the Bush administration’s concerted effort to deflect blame onto those private companies. Inspired by the belief that true vigilance is impossible without an honestly informed citizenry, Unsafe at Any Altitude shines the bright light of truth on past and present practices that have remained in the dark for far too long.

Customer Reviews:

As impossible to put down as John Grisham........2007-09-03

This book is superbly written, the prose is gripping and hard to put down. I finished this book in one day and was drawn in page after page. It focuses a lot on Argenbright Security, the company which privately handled airport security in numerous cities before the invention of the incompetent TSA, and details how it was scapegoated for the incompetency of numerous federal agencies.
Further, it details the uselessness of the "No Fly" list which is as worthless as the Arizona Navy.
This book will challenge any notions of airport and airline safety you may have, this book carefully details the relationship of 80's Beirut, the CIA's complicit machinations in Lebanon and how it intentionally and inadvertently created the aircraft hijacking as a political tool by middle eastern terrorists.
If you think this sound ridiculous, challenge my characterization and read the book for yourself.

A professional analysis.......2007-03-08

This book offers a professional analysis and it brings the aviation terrorism phenomenon into the front of the stage, by highlighting some evidence regarding some of the major aviation terrorism incidents of the pase decades. As an academic researcher of aviation terrorism, this book certainly may be useful for those who are interestd in the 'story behaind the story'.
Dr. Hillel Avihai

Read with Care.......2007-01-01

Much of the info in this book is fact. However, assumptions are made to fill in the fact gaps. Even what they call "truth" is sometimes assumption or just plain wrong. The authors offer some ideas on improving airport security, but you have to figure that they have already been considered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Billions wasted to look good.......2006-12-03

It costs a lot for responsible government officials to play the game: Don't blame me don't blame you -- blame that fellow behind the tree. The author's tell you how that game was played in respose to 9/11. And because this billion dollar game was played with the screeners at airports, the extra billions of dollars spent are not providing any more safety than before 9/11. But the mind set of the post 9/11 air traveling public must make us safer. The passengers now know if they fight for the control of the plane there is a chance for life -- if they don't fight death is certain.

an important book to read.......2006-10-10

I saw the advance publicity for the "60 Minutes" report last night and
went out to get a copy of "Unsafe at any Altitude," the book the report was based on. Not only did this book's authors, Susan
and Joseph Trento, obtain the copy of the no-fly list that "60 Minutes"
used as the basis of its report, but that list is only one of many interesting revelations as this book explores how flawed
our aviation security system is.

Hologram of Liberty: The Constitution's Shocking Alliance With Big Government

Average customer rating:

Bostons Best
Another home run by Boston T Party
An Important Book
Eye opening, and a great addendum to Goodbye April 15th!
Acorns to oaks

Hologram of Liberty: The Constitution's Shocking Alliance With Big Government
Kenneth W. Royce , and Boston T. Party
Manufacturer: Javelin Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1888766034

Customer Reviews:

Bostons Best.......2007-07-26

His best work and it will make you think. He effectively questions the lame assumptions, propaganda, and hero worship that were drilled into most of us in the government un-schools.

I had to read this one again almost immediately after I finished it the first time.

Another home run by Boston T Party.......2006-09-21

For years I have heard that the adoption of the Constitution was a victory of the wealthy upper class of the former American colonies over the common people. Liberals have used this fantasy to push their view of an "organic" Constitution that must change with the times - change in ways that promote a liberal statist agenda, that is. Royce shows that there is in fact much truth to the liberal claims - the Constitution was a clever shell game, designed to hoodwink most Americans into thinking they were getting a free democratic republic, while in actuality laying the groundwork for a strong, and eventually oppressive, central government. But Royce's conclusions are totally different from the liberal's - he persuasively calls for amending the Constitution to push the country back in the direction of freedom and individual rights. Royce also backs up everything he says with solid research and quotes from the Founders, both those who favored the Constitution, and those who opposed and feared it for the threat it posed to individual liberties (the latter included Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson). For those trying to figure out how we have strayed so far from the freedom that the American Revolution was fought for, Hologram of Liberty is a must read.

An Important Book.......2006-07-20

In the preface of this book, the author challenges us to find the inconsistency in the Constitution's preamble. He presents this truncated quote: "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." I'll admit I didn't see it, and even after Royce explains that "United States" has a considerably different meaning than "the United States of America," it still made no sense to me. (It's not easy to overcome a thorough public school brainwashing.) Only after reading most of the chapters did I finally experience an "aha!" moment, and I promise that by the end of this shocking book, you will, too. Highly recommended.

Eye opening, and a great addendum to Goodbye April 15th!.......2006-06-25

Author Royce has done a tremendous amount of research to back up his claim of that the Constitution will never restrain the powers of the ruling class. Well quoted and with incredibly relevant quotations of the the nation's Founders the case is well laid that the Constituion (of? or for?) the country is not and was never meant to be a serious leash on overbroad power.

A condensed and scholoraly work, well worth the time and effort to read it. And most definetely not for the timid of intellect or the intellectually cowardly.

It also segues wonderfully well with the Author's previous work Goodbye April 15th!, it fits as a addendum and clarifying work.

Acorns to oaks.......2006-04-20

Have you ever gone out in the evening and seen a full moon? It's been a few years, but while walking with a friend, he pointed up at the moon and asked if I could see the face of Marilyn Monroe. I laughed. He proceeded to point out her features, the line of her nose at six o'clock, her eyelids almost shut, "Isn't it delicious!" I've never looked at a full moon since without thinking about Marilyn Monroe and the night that a friend pointed her out to me, there all the time, though I failed to see it.

Reading Hologram of Liberty was like seeing Marilyn Monroe on the face of the moon, only it's our Constitution that makes me wonder if it is indeed, a hologram of liberty.

Subtitled, "The Constitution's Shocking Alliance with Big Government," Hologram of Liberty is, as title and subtitle indicate, an unambiguous critique of the forging of our Constitution. The author, a.k.a. Boston T. Party, shares a quote from Lysander Spooner's, No Treason (1870): "The Constitution has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it."

In the preface, Royce writes that Hologram of Liberty is his "most exciting, yet depressing, work" He writes about being surprised, puzzled, exhilarated, and horrified. Royce writes with energy, and his writing is often like the chop of a sharp axe in oak wood on a cold morning. You'll be puzzled, surprised, horrified, and in the end, probably energized.

Royce writes in the preface that he wants his "unorthodox point illustrated (if not proven outright) through orthodox works." The footnotes are right there, in the text. The last couple chapters offer some tantalizing ideas concerning how one could begin to prune the "oaks of oppression under which we now suffer", as well as provide the reader with some historical facts about a "missing 13th amendment" and a sham 16th. At the back of the book, an appendix includes the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for the United States of America.
And like the moon, it has taken on an entirely new look.

Dead Center: The Shocking True Story of a Murder on Snipe Mountain

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Incredible true story
great read
hunting season, big game
Exciting and Fascinating Read
INTRIGUE, SUSPENSE AND JUSTICE

Dead Center: The Shocking True Story of a Murder on Snipe Mountain
Frank J. Daniels
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425208478

Book Description

The shocking true story of murder on Colorado's Snipe Mountain.

Struck by three rifle bullets, newlywed John Bruce Dodson supposedly died in a hunting accident. But District Attorney Frank Daniels suspected Dodson's wife-and would stop at nothing to prove his suspicions before another man suffered the same fate.

Customer Reviews:

Incredible true story.......2004-01-05

There have been stories like this before, but they are very rare, and incredible when told. It is the tale of a black widow murderess who kills her husband for financial gain. Often stories of this ilk rise to national consciousness because it's so astonishing when a woman kills in such a cold-blooded manner. Usually the MO is poison, but not so for Janice Dodson the central character in this murder. She shot her husband on Snipe Mountain in the Colorado wilderness with a high powered hunting rifle, dead center in the chest.

What makes this story so intriguing is the perspective from which it is told. The author is the prosecutor of this case, and he recounts in great detail the complete investigation and subsequent trial. The reader gets a sense of the incredible amount of work and dedication it took from law enforcement and the DA's office to bring this case to trial. That it even came to trial is remarkable, and a true testament to the dogged determination shown by the author and others over a five year period.

All in all, a fascinating narrative of an incredible story and a great read.

great read.......2003-11-09

This book is a great read. You really get the feeling of the hard work and long hours put into investigations, even if arrests are sometimes a bit slow in coming (at least in the minds of us outsiders). I definitely recommend Dead Center.

hunting season, big game.......2003-09-18

Dead Center is a well paced and descriptively vivid and evocative tale of murder on the high plateau. The reader is drawn into the ambiguities of a capital case. Of particular fascination is the ability of the prosecution on behalf of the People to win a first degree murder conviction without a murder weapon and also without specifying whether or not the defendant acted as the principal (pulled the trigger) or as a complicitor. The Colorado Court of Appeals has affirmed the verdict in a case that was extremely difficult to prove.

Exciting and Fascinating Read.......2003-09-14

This book gave me insight to the details of a killer's mind. Janice is someone who could walk amongst us on any given day yet her greed made her take that extra step into evil that most of us are able to resist. The description of the gathering of evidence and of putting a case together so that Janice would not get away with this murder is presented in an organized and exciting way. I highly recommend this book to everyone from those unfamiliar with the investigation and court system to the trial lawyers.

INTRIGUE, SUSPENSE AND JUSTICE.......2003-09-11

My husband and I both enjoyed reading this book. Having been to the Uncompahgre Plateau several times, and having lived and worked in the same area that the main characters in the book lived and worked, it brought the entire story to life for us. We remember when it happened, although we knew none of the characters in the book. It is very well written, easy to follow, and although detailed about firearms, Mr. Daniels wrote an easy book to read. I highly recommend the book.

Water: The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life

Average customer rating:

Water
Water-The Shocking Truth
Misleading title
Don't waste your money
Reader beware! Good topic, bad book.

Water: The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life
Paul C. Bragg , Patricia Bragg , and Paul Chappuis Shocking Truth About Water Bragg
Manufacturer: Bragg Live Foods
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0877900639

Book Description

Water is the key to all body functions!

Customer Reviews:

Water.......2007-01-13

You will never look at water in the same way after reading this book. It has helped change my life, along with all the
Bragg books

Water-The Shocking Truth.......2006-02-25

Received the book in just a couple of days and the book was in excellent condition. The information in this book is an eye opener. I could not put the book down. So much information!

Misleading title.......2005-11-08

The book ought to be called "Flouride, Calcium and Toxic Minerals" or something and not mention water on the front of the book since there are approximately 2-4 pages about water and how it works inside. Water is mentioned repeatedly in conjunction with so-called information about "inorganic minerals" which are blamed, together with but not separately from toxins in our waters, for many health problems; but very little about water on it's own. The Messages in the Water guy, Masaru Emoto, says the most healthy living water has evaporated, precipitated through clean air, filtered through clean earth and percolated back up through mineral rich earth's crust; yet this book claims only distilled water is naturally healthy. My common sense balks at the claim that steam distilled water is 'natural', for a start. This book is more sensational than informative. Not for the serious student of water, IMO. Also reads more like a magazine ad, if that's any consideration.

Don't waste your money.......2004-07-24

This book is full of information that is one of the following: plain wrong, stretching the truth (sometimes severely), highly controversial, implications of falsities, but occasionally you may happen upon a basic fact that scientists generally agree about. Those that actually want to look into the issue should seek out double-blind scientific studies, not books with advertisements for the author's products. It is a bit odd that there isn't a single formal reference to a single study anywhere in the book since there is such scientific gospel between the covers. A quote from the book that is typical of all the information inside - "The only scientific way to free the necessary quantities of fissionable Uranium 235, buried in the inert mass of its parent U-238, is to force uranium hexaflouride gas through many acres of porous barriers. The next part of the process gradually concentrates the elements, creating a deadly hazard from radiation. 'Hex' is what they named this vicious stuff." The author decides to mix fact and fiction by giving an impressive-sounding fact, and then adding something completely false. She proclaims that chemists call uranium hexaflouride gas "hex" because of the negative implications of the word (from the German hexe meaning witch). It must have slipped the author's mind that the prefix is not "hex", it is "hexa", a Greek word meaning six, ie hexagon, hexadecimal, etc. The word means that there are six atoms of flourine in one molecule of uranium hexaflouride. If the author did not know that (which I'm sure she did) she should not be writing this book. For the icing on the cake, she implies that flourine is inherently radioactive because it can assist making the atomic bomb. She must not have heard of the H-bomb, made with hydrogen, the same hydrogen that makes up 66% of water. I've only mentioned one instance, but anybody buying this book should only do so for a good joke, this book is full of them. People may be impressed people by scientific jargon, but please realize that there is no mandate that even scientists (much less people trying to sell a product or idea) have to be honest. Honest science is a very good thing, but nearly all the time the only message heard comes from those that have the money to put it forth, and that certainly isn't research facilities. Research before you believe.

Reader beware! Good topic, bad book........2002-03-25

The fact that this book includes advertising for the publisher's other, completely unrelated products should be a clue that the information is heavily biased. I bought this book, along with a few others on the same subject, because it was highly rated by other reviewers. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed, which compelled me to write a review of my own.

One of the main tenets of this book is that beneficial minerals, like calcium, should be ingested from organic sources like vegetables, not from inorganic sources like non-distilled water. The Braggs suggest that inorganic minerals in our drinking water contribute to hardening of the arteries and a host of other ailments.

This theory, which is stated as a scientific fact, is hardly established within the medical or scientific community. This, and much of the other material presented in the book, is quite controversial, and the Braggs never acknowledge any opposing views, presenting their opinions as gospel.

While I actually agree that distilled water is healthy, there are a few issues that the Braggs never even discuss. One: the possibility of distilled water leaching essential minerals from your body. This is easily addressed, since the amount of mineral loss you can expect is easily compensated for by a healthy diet. Two: the importance of storing distilled water in an "inert" (e.g. glass) container, since distilled water is "aggressive," meaning it tends to leach possible toxins from plastic containers.

These are just two examples of glaring omissions that the uninformed reader might never realize. This book makes a lot of amazing claims. Just remember, if it seems too good to be true, you should be suspicious. If you want to read a good book on water contaminants and water purification, buy "The Drinking Water Book" by Colin Ingram.

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Shocking Science: Fun & Fascinating Electrical Experiments
Shar; Johnstone, Leslie Levine
Manufacturer: Sterling Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0439168236

Product Description

Find out why electricity experiments are among the most exciting science activities you can do by performing these easy and safe ones. Most of the supplies you need can be bought at a local store or found around the house. Unlock the mysteries and magic of electricity: Create your own bolt of "lightning." Get a spark using the same tools as your ancient ancestors did - rocks. Turn a lemon into a battery that lights up an LED. Put together a galvanometer that can detect and measure small electric currents. Make a very simple kind of motor. Use them as a basis of a science fair project, or just for fun. Whether you try an experiment with static electricity that's a hair-raising experience or construct your own circuits, you'll be fascinated by what you're doing right from the start!

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