Book Description
Tough Choices or Tough Times calls for first redesign of the American education system in a century. This report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce shows how the dynamics of the global economy will lead to a steady decline in the American standard of living if this country does not undertake the first thorough overhaul of its education system in a century. It shows how our country can graduate 95% of our students (not two-thirds, as it does now) after 12 years and the majority after only 10 years of grade school. It reveals how billions of dollars can be saved by changing the way students progress through the grades and how the money saved could be used to build high quality early childhood education systems, attract the best and brightest teachers, and provide the resources for even the most disadvantaged students to reach world class standards. This hard-hitting analysis describes the kind of economy needed to sustain our current standard of living and kinds of skills and knowledge that American workers need to make that economy work. It also details the dramatic changes in governance, finance, organization, and management of the American education and training systems that are needed.
Tough Choices or Tough Times was written for anyone concerned with the future of this country and the state of our schools and our job training systems. It provides a well-researched analysis of the issues and a compelling set of proposals for changing our system of education.
National Center in Education and the Economy (NCEE) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing young people with the world-class skills that will allow them to succeed in a global economy. The 26-member commission includes former Cabinet secretaries of labor and education, Senators, Members of Congress, school superintendents, CEOs of major firms, union leaders, and governors.
Customer Reviews:
Releiance on Objective Tests.......2007-02-20
This is an interesting and important document from a group who have had considerable influence on education policy. My largest disagreement is the emphasis on external testing rather than classroom assessment. Good art and music teachers both teach and assess creativty. There is no external test for this ability; whose importance is emphasized in the report.
A well-written wake-up call........2007-02-04
This book by the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce is well written in clear terms with summaries and simple graphics. It is a must read for anyone interested in the future of the US economy. The Commission points out the risks of our poor pre-university education to the US economy. India and China are now competing with the US in the high skilled labor market (not just low skilled) and at lower wages. With the Internet, many jobs can be done anywhere, and companies will hire the best at the lowest cost (Indian engineers make $7500 annually with the same qualifications as US engineers who make $45,000).
The Commission describes how US universities continue to be the best in the world, but grade schools and high schools have fallen behind. In the 20th century the US pioneered universal education, and received an influx of talent, from scientists fleeing Germany before World War II to a more recent influx of Asian students, who stayed and worked here. But now, other countries have passed us in pre-university education and many foreign students are going back to their own countries after graduating.
"A Nation at Risk" came out in 1983, saying "If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre education performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war." The Tough Choices Commission points out that since then we've had a more than doubling of spending on education (inflation adjusted) with only modest improvement. The Commission concludes that the main improvement, standards testing, turns out to be misguided because it is multiple choice, not essay, and thus doesn't teach the creative, out of the box thinking needed for the US to maintain its lead. Multiple choice tests are by definition "in the box" tests.
"A Nation at Risk" proposals in 1983 for merit pay for teachers were resisted, and teachers continue to come from the bottom 1/3 of University graduates. The Commission proposes merit pay for new teachers, with an opt-in choice for existing teachers, combined with higher salaries made possible by eliminating pensions and using 401Ks instead, like other professions. Other proposals include universal pre-school, school choice with funding following students, less bureaucracy and more independence for individual schools, adult education coordinated with the business community, and inter-city schools and supporting social services being coordinated under one person, such as the mayor. Finally, partial funding can be found by reducing the number of students in the last 2 years of high school by allowing board testing at the 10th grade, with those passing going to community college then a university, directly to trade school, or directly to work.
I have separately read that having funding follow the student to encourage competition among schools has been implemented successfully at the city level in San Francisco. The Commission shows that if pensions and vacation time are included, current teacher salaries are actually somewhat competitive. But talented young people prefer money now, and don't know that they would stay in teaching long enough to earn a pension. Thus, pension money could be moved to up front salary and portable 401Ks, with existing teachers having the option of opting in or staying with their pensions.
The proposal to coordinate social services with schooling to help the disadvantaged, such as by putting all under a mayor has been done in New York recently, with great success. By providing programs for kids until 5 PM, and help to their families, the disadvantages of a poor home situation can be addressed. The US economy is healthy because of the waves of immigration it has had over the past 15 years, and we can't afford not to train those immigrants so our business have a talented labor pool to draw on.
The board exams proposed at the end of the 10th grade will provide badly needed motivation to students, since they can get out of school earlier if they work harder, rather than marking time.
To cut bureaucracy, the commission proposed principals be given free reign on how to spend the money they get (which is based on the number of students). Also, school boards would not run schools, but would contract with others (such as private companies, groups of teachers, etc.). The school boards would then become performance contract managers.
Finally, the report proposes training of people in the workforce, since these people will be the largest part of our workforce for some time, and will need more advanced and creative skills.
Finally, a comprehensive strategy forward.......2007-02-03
Citing Winston Churchill, who said America always did the right thing after it had exhausted all the alternatives, the New Commission on Skills of the American Workforce calls for a complete overhaul of American education.
Unlike the Commission Report in 1990, which recommended that we improve our high technology skills and accept as inevitable the movement of low-skill jobs to global competitors, the current Commission draws our attention to the fact that we are losing high-skill jobs to global competitors as well. Such losses are projected to grow geometrically if we fail to act with an integrated whole system response.
The Commission recommends a major overhaul of American education to include how we define needs, develop curriculum, attract and retain world class teachers, focus scarce resources, assess stakeholders, and finance public education. All familiar words, I know, but the devil or angel, if you will, is in the details. Let's look at some of the most important.
Noting the poor scores made by U.S. students on international tests and the prospect that we will lose our leadership position in fields that require exemplary abilities in mathematical reasoning; scientific concepts; writing; creativity and innovation; self-discipline and organization; and teamwork, the Commission calls for regional economic development authorities. These authorities would be responsible for coordinating with existing institutions to develop goals and strategies that would serve as guides for local decisions and channel resources where initiatives contributed to the achievement of such goals and strategies.
The Commission calls for significant changes in school governance. School boards and districts would find their role focused on policy making, facilitation of educational networks, operation of support service centers, reporting, and writing performance contracts with those who operate the schools. Schools would be operated by independent contractors and would have complete discretion to determine spending, staffing, calendar, organization and management ---- all subject to the same safety, curriculum, and testing standards as other schools. States would recruit and train teachers; build standard curriculum and assessment agencies; investigate, review and approve networks; contract for special services; and develop statewide schools to serve gifted children.
Teachers would be employed and licensed by the state. Their compensation would shift from current practices, which are back-loaded to emphasize pensions and defined health care benefits, to one which is front-loaded to emphasize cash compensation. Under a front-loaded approach, pay for beginning teachers would be $45,000. Competent academic-year teachers could receive $95,000 and competent calendar-year teachers as high as $110,000. In addition, incentive pay would be paid to teachers willing to teach in remote areas, tough urban areas, and in fields with labor shortages like math, science, language, and special education. The objective of all these changes is to recruit, develop, and retain individuals who had graduated from the top third of their high school graduation classes.
To discover where much of the money is coming from to pay for these changes, you have to examine their recommendation in the area of assessment. Essentially, the Commission wants to shift American education from a system that is time-based to one that is based on merit, using Board Examinations to control progression. They would allow high school students to sit for the initial board examinations at the end of their sophomore year. If they score well enough, they will be allowed to begin a two-year technical training program or to enter a four-year degree program. Those who scored less well would remain to prepare for the second board examination which, when passed, would allow them to attend a state college or university. Neither progression would permit remediation at the next highest level. In short, no one would be allowed to progress unless they are ready and no one would be held back based on a scheme that honors time more than it does competence. The Commission expects this progression scheme to save $67 billion.
In addition to teacher compensation, the Commission would spend part of the savings on high-quality, universal early childhood education for three and four year olds. Supplemental funding would be made available to help schools with high concentrations of disadvantaged students, e.g. screening and diagnosis, tutoring; community involvement, etc. School financing would be a state, rather than a local matter. And the state would use a uniform funding formula that emphasizes equity over equality. New Federal money would be sought to fund interest-bearing Personal Competitiveness Accounts. These accounts would be funded by the Federal government with a $500 deposit at birth and annual contributions made to age 16. The fund would accept tax-free contributions from employers, states, and individuals. From these funds, individuals could draw to improve their education and skills as adults.
Reactions from the educational establishment have been mixed. Predictably, all favor high-quality universal education for three and four year olds and for injections of more money into the educational system. No one, however, wants to support recommendations that would require substantial changes for their membership. The National Education Association (NEA) doesn't want to support the shift in compensation because their current membership favors back-loaded systems. Neither the NEA nor the National School Boards Association wants to give up local funding and operation of schools. Finally, the National Association for College Admission Counseling cautions against using Board Examinations if they are built on the foundation of European models.
All stakeholders need to realize that the situation has deteriorated to such a point that anything less than a major transformation of American education risks being characterized as rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. As the Commission emphasizes, this is not a set of recommendations to be cherry-picked. Instead, they require a thoughtful, soul searching reflection and authentic dialogue to meet the challenges that are quickly coming into view.
It's Time to Put the Professionalism in Teaching.......2007-01-29
While there are some debatable aspects of the TOUGH CHOICES OR TOUGH TIMES report, the call to elevate teaching to the professional level it deserves is certainly long overdue. One problem the report doesn't explicitly mention is that our education system right now is a two-tiered heirarchy in which educrats--the professional ruling class of policymakers, administrators, and midlevel bureaucrats who don't actually teach--wield far too much power and often earn staggering salaries, while teachers are treated like common day-laborers, underpaid and (often) undermined by the flaky, self-serving policies that educrats impose on them.
The report recommends raising teacher salaries to attract the best and brightest, i.e. those who would otherwise be doctors, lawyers, and other ambitious career professionals, by doing away with current teacher-retirement systems in favor of higher up-front cash rewards and 401(k) packages. Astonishingly, the NEA and other powerful teacher unions are opposed to this. But the fact is our schools are failing us, in part, because teachers are not treated like professionals. Yes, there are plenty of attractive benefits to teaching already, like summers off and seniority-based salary schedules. But the trade-off is that many teachers are willing to give up intellectual authority over their profession and allow themselves to be infantilized by condescending educrats. This is a Faustian bargain, and it's time to break it.
If the commission's compensation plan were implemented, more young and bright professionals would be drawn to the classroom, and they'd (hopefully) stay there rather than hopscotching up to an administrative desk job as soon as they could. They would be unafraid to challenge the bad policies of educrats, and they would serve their constituents (the students and their parents) in far more creative and effective ways, because real professionals do not allow themselves to be bullied. Teachers would finally have intellectual authority over their profession, the same way that doctors, lawyers, and other true professionals do. It may mean sacrificing some comfort and standing up to our own unions, but the long-term results would be well worth it. Independence, as we already know, sometimes comes at a high price.
Creativity and Innovation.......2007-01-24
This report, the result of the second Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce in thirty years, represents "the canary in the mine." It is a warning to law makers, educators, students, parents and business people that we must overhaul the American educational system. Emphasis on creativity and innovation needs to be added to student learning and assessment as well as high levels of critical thinking. Instead of pushing toward analysis, teachers need to devise ways in which students can synthesize their learning; for example, thematically combining the content of a World Civ class with scientific breakthroughs. Creativity and innovation is the only way in which we can claim U.S. superiority in the fast approaching future. Countries like India and Japan are already ahead of us. We need to catch up quickly or lose our standing in the world marketplace.
Book Description
Every spring thousands of middle-class and lower-income high-school seniors learn that they have been rejected by America’s most exclusive colleges. What they may never learn is how many candidates like themselves have been passed over in favor of wealthy white students with lesser credentials—children of alumni, big donors, or celebrities.
In this explosive book, the Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Daniel Golden argues that America, the so-called land of opportunity, is rapidly becoming an aristocracy in which America’s richest families receive special access to elite higher education—enabling them to give their children even more of a head start. Based on two years of investigative reporting and hundreds of interviews with students, parents, school administrators, and admissions personnel—some of whom risked their jobs to speak to the author—The Price of Admission exposes the corrupt admissions practices that favor the wealthy, the powerful, and the famous.
In The Price of Admission, Golden names names, along with grades and test scores. He reveals how the sons of former vice president Al Gore, one-time Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist leapt ahead of more deserving applicants at Harvard, Brown, and Princeton. He explores favoritism at the Ivy Leagues, Duke, the University of Virginia, and Notre Dame, among other institutions. He reveals that colleges hold Asian American students to a higher standard than whites; comply with Title IX by giving scholarships to rich women in “patrician sports” like horseback riding, squash, and crew; and repay congressmen for favors by admitting their children. He also reveals that Harvard maintains a “Z-list” for well-connected but underqualified students, who are quietly admitted on the condition that they wait a year to enroll.
The Price of Admission explodes the myth of an American meritocracy—the belief that no matter what your background, if you are smart and diligent enough, you will have access to the nation’s most elite universities. It is must reading not only for parents and students with a personal stake in college admissions, but also for those disturbed by the growing divide between ordinary and privileged Americans.
Customer Reviews:
A Ten Star Read on a Five Star Scale.......2007-10-14
Daniel Golden's The Price of Admission is a ten star read on Amazon's five star scale-- a triumph of hard-hitting investigative reporting combined with thoughtful suggestions on potential reform of college admissions policies.
The thesis of The Price of Admission is simple: a talented "unhooked" student is at a disadvantage in gaining admission to a prestige college, versus less talented alumni legacies, the scions of wealth ("development admits"-- while colleges may contend that admissions are "need blind" with respect to students, the colleges' own financial needs are keenly considered during the admissions process), faculty and staff children, and players of sports of wealth favored under the federal Title IX program, such as crew, polo or lacrosse. The only edge favoring "unhooked" studients is the preference for federally-designated minorities, including blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans-- a group that excludes Asian Americans and poorer immigrants.
Golden proves his thesis handily, using both broad-based admissions statistics and individual case studies. To my mind, Golden's willingness to name names and cite individual cases is a plus-- it is hard to brush off repeated instances of highly-credentialed "unhooked" candidates denied admission for less-talented but better connected children of donors, celebrities and alumni. As a result, this volume is a must-read for college admissions counselors, parents and college applicants. The sting of a college rejection of a talented "unhooked" student will hurt less if the context of that rejection is understood more fully. And perhaps the lure of the Ivy League plus Stanford and Duke will abate a bit if the public realizes that admissions to these institutions are hardly decided on a level playing field.
Especially heartbreaking in The Price of Admission are the stories of top tier students, frequently but by no means uniformly Asian American, rejected at multiple Ivies, while lesser-credentialed but better connected classmates are admitted. Poor foreign immigrants and, ironically, unhooked applicants whose parents have sacrificed to move to strong public school districts or to send their offspring to elite private schools (where they are more likely to compete with "hooked" classmates), are also disadvantaged in college applications. The Price of Admission offers must-read information for such students and families by helping them to realize that the college admissions process is biased and that rejection from top colleges does not signal personal failure. On the basis of personal experience, I would also suggest that talented students who are not admitted to Ivies will typically do well in life on the basis of their talent and drive, and should not let college admissions decisions define them.
Golden also highlights three colleges that do not admit on the basis of alumni preference, family wealth or athletic prowess, illustrating that alternative admissions systems can work effectively. Cooper Union admits strictly on academic and artistic merit, while Caltech admits solely on mathematical and scientific ability. Berea College, which serves a need-based population in the Appalachian Mountain area and in part of Ohio, admits students on the basis of merit, financial need and place of residence. The stories of Berea, Caltech and Cooper Union demonstrate that alternative admissions policies can and should flourish.
Golden concludes The Price of Admission with recommendations for moving college admissions more fully in the direction of merit. Many of his recommendations are thoughtful ones and deserving of careful consideration by college admissions staffs and policymakers.
Altogether, a ten star read on Amazon's five star scale. Recommended with keen enthusiasm.
A bit repetitive... was probably better as a newspaper article.......2007-07-27
In a series of articles for the Wall Street Journal, Golden brought attention to controversial aspects of college admissions that act to hinder economic diversity at elite campuses. The most striking allegation is that many universities mantain active communication between the admissions and development offices. For example, the development office at Duke applied pressure to accept applicants from wealthy families even if there had been no sign of interest in donations. Golden illustrates the unsavory nature of this connection through a series of comparisons between the wealthy (undeserving) applicant who was granted admission and a poor (deserving) applicant who was denied admissions. This style of writing is a nice appeal to emotion, but it works much better in the comparatively short format of a newspaper. After reading a dozen such comparisons between various students I would have preferred some real analysis. One piece of analysis that I have recently come across is a study by the New America Foundation which found that among the 140 most selective colleges, only 3% of students come from the bottom quartile.
The Price of Admission.......2007-03-10
This is one of the most revealing books ever written on the topic of unequal rights and entitlement. Its chilling detail about the disproportionate number of applicants who gain admission into the hallowed halls of America's elite institutions on the backs of their parents financial contributions is riveting stuff. It is very apparent that our legal system would have us believe that colorblind policies and not affirmative action should be the major criterion in considerations of admission in order to level the playing field. But race-based discussions in this context are spurious and misleading. This book reveals plainly why how in the midst of our most diverse society ever, American elite college admissions stands by the motto "I pledge allegiance to my university's endowment and to the hypocrisy for which it stands; one nation, divisble, with Liberty and justice for all who can afford it." Legal challenges would be next to impossible since the cloaked wonders on our Supreme Court come from these same hallowed halls. And we have the nerve to think God Blesses America!
entralling, but biased........2007-02-11
Higher education is regarded as the most effective means to elevate ones socioeconomic position. The author discusses how the admissions system of elite universities continually favors the wealthy, while neglecting disadvantaged students. For this book, he primarily utilizes his past columns on admissions, admissions data from the U.S. News & World Report, and personal correspondence and interviews.
Golden's main theme is the "gross inequity" of elite college admissions obtained through an "informal quota system" aimed at maintaining the homogeneous wealthy class (p. 11). From the introduction, the author details the various means by which elite institutions enact double standards in admissions between "hooked" and "unhooked" applicants via the personal tales of applicants who were rejected by their top choice universities. These sometimes heart wrenching stories are complimented by accounts of admission of various under-qualified applicants assisted by a variety of connections, such as the admission of President Bush's niece to Princeton past the official deadline. While somewhat repetitive by the end of the book, these narratives are effective at illustrating the author's theme of the favoritism towards the wealthy.
Overall, The Price of Admission is as a interesting, though scalding, review of admissions at elite institutions. Daniel Golden's stories of corruption and heartbreak certainly captivate the reader, and the need for admissions reform is clearly communicated. Some of the author's points, such as abolishing athletic preference, especially for athletes in sports only available to the wealthy, can and should be put into place. However, Golden's recommendations are too idealistic as a whole to be easily enacted under realistic circumstances. While forces other than merit should not influence admissions, much cultural and organizational change would be needed to truly change the current system. Universities rely on alumni monies, as they do funds associated with development cases, and until more equitable fundraising procedures such as those at Cooper Union can be successfully enacted, legacy and development preferences cannot be abolished. Also, American universities need to continue to use their limited financial aid funds for our students, rather than offer needs-blind admission to international applicants. Golden states "a fair, accessible college admissions system based on individual merit...would inspire students of all races...." (p. 297). While this is likely true, one must remember that the changes the author recommends would primarily benefit the fairly privileged middle class, who can afford good secondary education and test preparation to meet merit requirements. To truly open elite higher education to the masses, the reform must begin with primary and secondary education.
who's doing the not so right thing ar schools.......2007-02-07
This is a tattletale book of who is working the system to get their kids into privledged schools, often bypassing any main criteria that the institution has for any other students. The ending is a good one because the author offers solutions to this epidemic. he also cites some schools, one bing, Cooper Union in NYC that does not bow to any pressures to let kids into their school.
Book Description
When news came that there was trouble back in Texas . . . Holt McKettrick left a mail-order bride and his family on the spot!
And he never looked back. He just prayed he'd be in time to save the man who had raised him as a son and keep his best friend from the gallows. He knew he'd encounter rustlers, scoundrels and thieves. But he'd never expected to find a woman like Lorelei Fellows.
Setting fire to her wedding dress in the town square probably wasn't the best way to stand her ground.
But Lorelei had had enough. She was sick of men and their schemes. All she wanted was to stake her claim on her own little piece of Texas. And with Holt McKettrick as a neighbor, things were beginning to look up. The man was a straight shooter with a strong will, a steady aim and a hungry heart.
Customer Reviews:
Read All 4 Books in this Series.......2007-08-01
I know it's a trilogy...but there is a 4th book about an out of wedlock child! Such a good story! If you love cowboys, romance, family and the old west...you'll love it as much as I did.
McKettrick's Choice.......2007-07-15
Great plot and I enjoyed the book . I am loaning it to my 91 year old mother to read.
McKettricks Choice.......2007-07-05
Very ggod book liked all of the characters. She is one of my favorite authors. I have read all in the series and have been very happy with them all.
Miller is a Great storyteller.......2007-06-20
I have just finished all 3 of the books in this newest trilogy of Miller's. She continues to write spellbinding books!! All thru this set, I could see, hear & smell the ppl, places & surroundings. I doubt that I will ever get to Arizona in person, but thru her books, I can go there anytime & really feel as tho I've been there!! I am a big fan of Miller's & have been for years-- She still has that magickal touch!! Plus, those McKettrick men are real men--sexy gentlemen!! Whew!!
WONDERFUL ENDING to a WONDERFUL SERIES..............2007-06-20
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL BOOK. The story was sweet, interesting and laugh out loud funny. Miller hit one out of the park with this one! I found it interesting that Holt seemed to have sub-story lines throughout this serious but HE actually was one of the first McKettrick men we meet and the only brother that has had a pretty consistant storyline and presence in all 4 books. SO, it was fitting this series ended with him. A few reviewers complained that Holt's personality was not well represented here, that he was normally very soft hearted with the women. That is not actually true if you remember he was the one that tormented and harrassed poor Emmeline in the first book. So, I thought he was pretty consistant throughout the series. I also thought it was nice that she had Rafe in this one. It was a full circle moment. The seris began with these two brothers as enemies and ended with them together.... I'm sad I've read them all now.
Book Description
An ideal supplement in any introductory course, American Politics: Strategy and Choiceanalyzes American politics through the lens of individuals making rational choices within a set of rules and institutions. This book introduces students to the core areas of interest to rational-choice scholars, including rule-making, collective-action problems, decision making, strategic behavior, and the role of institutions. Written in cleat prose and filled with numerous concrete examples, american Politics: Strategy and Choiceprovides readers with a thorough understanding of the basic principles of the rational-choice approach and its many applications to American politics.
Amazon.com
For 75 years, Betty Crocker has delivered trusted culinary advice and recipes to millions of consumers. Now Betty's got a new look, she's lightened up her recipes, and she's sharing them with the world in Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices. As hokey as the title sounds, Betty's latest book (which was actually written by a team of editors, recipe developers, and nutritionists) is filled with sound, basic nutrition advice and information and over 400 appealing recipes for healthy everyday meals. Betty also includes wellness tips and a list of the top 10 foods for health, gives strategies for preventing major diseases, and even explores the mind-body connection. (Yes, Betty has taken up yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy.)
But the recipes are the stars of Healthy New Choices. There are sections for everything from appetizers, snacks, and smoothies to main dishes and desserts. This time around Betty includes vegetarian and ethnic entrees and lightens up classic favorites like Guacamole, Caramelized Popcorn, Macaroni & Cheese, Chicken Fricassee, and Rice Pudding by slashing fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. The recipes are quick, simple, and easy; require no special ingredients or difficult techniques; and are accompanied by nutrition information and diet exchanges. If you're short on time, trying to cook light, and tired of the dozen or so recipes that you regularly depend on, then Healthy New Choices will help brighten up your diet. --Ellen Albertson
Book Description
With Betty Crocker, you can enjoy healthy eating every day! The 400 tempting recipes are full of real taste appeal, yet don't require extra effort or hard-to-find ingredients.
Are these really recipes your family will eat? Absolutely! Whip up Spicy Chicken Chili, Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna, Asian Noodle Salad or Lemon Steak Diane and top off the meal with Brownie Trifle, Caribbean Bananas or Tira Mi Su Coffee dessert. This is the food you'll want to eat every day.
Too busy to even think about changing your cooking habits? There's an entire chapter of express meals that are still healthy, and miles ahead of what you'll get from a takeout meal. No matter how hectic your life is, healthy eating is possible!
There's also great information on wellness and easy changes to painlessly incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle. And every recipe has complete nutrition information that satisfies everyone's nutrition needs. We have also flagged the recipes to show those that are low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol or high fiber, to help make menu planning a breeze.
You know you've been meaning to do it--now you can! With Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices, healthy eating isn't tedious--it's terrific!
Customer Reviews:
GREAT COOK BOOK.......2007-08-23
THIS IS A WONDERFUL LOW FAT, GREAT TASTE, BOOK, EASY RECIPES AND THEY ALL TASTE WONDERFUL.
Easy recipes, but not so healthy.......2006-12-06
I really wanted to love this cookbook, especially since the color photos are appetizing, the food is quick and easy to prepare, and most of the recipes seem comforting. However, since this book touts itself as health-conscious, I cannot praise it. Too many of the recipes called for processed ingredients, e.g., bottled sauces (full of artificial thickeners and preservatives), seasoning packets (loaded with MSG/salt and man-made chemicals), ramen noodles (unhealthy trans-fats), even artificially-flavored cheese loaves (yuck!). There is also too much dependence on frozen and canned vegetables, which, though great at reducing cooking times once in a while, should not be the backbone of a healthy eating regimen. Very few recipes here consist of fresh ingredients. In addition, calorie counts seem conservative--I did my own analysis of ingredients on a few recipes and they seemed to have more calories than the book says. I know I'm not the expert, but if 2 ounces of plain pasta has 210 calories, how can 2 ounces of pasta in a cream vegetable sauce have only 215 calories?
Two stars, because the book is presented well and there are a few recipes in here that I will cook (and a few more that I will cook using substitutions of fresh ingredients). But to be honest, there are much better healthy cooking books out there. Try EatingWell's Healthy in a Hurry, or some of the Weight Watchers cookbooks (whether or not you need to lose weight, these provide excellent, healthy recipes).
Quick Healthy Meals.......2006-11-03
This is a great cookbook for working moms - the meals are very healthy and most of them can be whipped up in a half an hour or less. Some of the recipes, however, come out quite bland, which is why I gave the book 4 stars. Through trial and error I have learned which recipes need an extra 'boost' - although most recipes are really quite good. It's nice to be able to put healthy meals on the table, that is important to me and why I love this cookbook.
Yummy and Healthy.......2006-02-27
No more thumbing through other cookbooks, searching for the dishes that sound healthy. When we cook recipes out of this book we know we are eating good. Like with most cookbooks, I've picked a few favorites and pretty much ignore most of the book. Some of the recipes just don't sound very intersting. But I like how each recipe lists preparation and cooking time. This is the perfect cookbook for busy, working families who want to be assured they are serving up healthy meals. The recipes are easy to follow, there are no unusual or hard-to-find ingredients, it is nice how the spiral bound book lays flat, and there seems to be a lot of pictures.
Shockingly unhealthy!.......2006-02-04
The chili recipe in this cookbook has just five ingredients in it, three are canned, one processed (pasta) and the other meat. Total sodium based on the labels on the cans I used were: tomato soup 30% of the recommended daily adult intake, beans 16%, broth 58% - total sodium from these three ingredients per serving: 104%. Canned, processed, overly salty, nothing healthy about that! They should have called this book, More of the Same Old Betty Crocker (owned by General Mills).
Book Description
Multiple Options for Achieving a Single Goal
With its combination of composition segments, grammar lessons, literature models, and hands-on practice exercises, Writer's Choice initiates, expands, and executes what it takes to make your students willing, proficient writers.
Book Description
In this revised and expanded edition of American Foreign Policy, Bruce Jentleson addresses the vital questions of this new global era: how should the United States wield its power, pursue peace, be true to its principles, and work with the international community? American Foreign Policy is unique in its integrated approach, combining foreign policy strategy and foreign policy politics and blending a focus on contemporary issues with theoretical and historical perspectives. Students are offered a solid foundation for analyzing U.S. foreign policy amidst the challenges of terrorism, the Iraq war and its aftermath, globalization, geopolitics, ethnic conflict, democratization, and a host of other issues.
Customer Reviews:
Tediously terrible.......2005-11-05
Aside from generally frusterating page design, this book is worthless. If you want a basic introduction to American foreign policy, look elsewhere.
Book Description
Leaving the Bedside is a practical guide that leads the reader through a well-reasoned sequence of steps leading to the successful development of a nonclinical medical career. This insightful text has been designed to help you make satisfying professional decisions through:
-Informed personal assessment
-Evaluation of the nonclinical marketplace
-A plan of action
-Information, guidance and direction you need to achieve your personal and professional goals
Customer Reviews:
Review.......2005-09-26
I thought that this book was very informative and very much needed in the medical profession.
Book Description
Until now, homeowners have had to choose between the twin worlds of budget-friendly mediocrity and unaffordable fantasy. Responding to this gap, acclaimed architect Duo Dickinson demonstrates that a customhouse doesn't depend on a fabulous price tag. The House You Build offers a third way of building that is grounded in the realities of time and money, but focuses on your fondest hopes and dreams. Here are 20 real-world situations where unique and imaginative homes were built on real-life budgets. When you build on a budget, there are no right answers, only careful choices. There are 20 dreams in this book, and these dreams came true. The House You Build is the first book of architect-designed homes that presents the real costs of their construction including design fees, the Six Rules on Getting What You Want (and can afford), a broad range of house styles from all over the country, and homes that accommodate a wide variety of lifestyles.
Customer Reviews:
A big disappointment to anyone who wants a normal family home.......2007-02-06
I bought this book with high hopes after seeing the reviews. But it turned out to be a big waste of money. As another reviewer noted, most of these homes are unique and built for specific sites that have views, or wilderness, etc. Many of the homes are quite small and not suitable for families with 2+ kids who want great rooms, guest rooms, offices, etc. The only really useful info are the photos which show a few design styles that you may wish to incorporate into your house, i.e. non-traditional open staircases. But most of the styles can be found in any home magazine.
If you are building a small retirement home and want a unique design then maybe this book is for you. But if you are like the rest of us who are looking to build a nice 2-story family home on a standard suburban lot in a classical cape cod, rambler, victorian or even contemporary style you won't find any useful plans or information. I give it 2* only because it was slightly more useful than the truly awful Dummies book (see my other review).
Good for all intersted in housing design.......2006-03-05
This is a good book for both the professional and the layman. The professional will most certainly find him/herself saying, "I knew that" at some points in the book, but will also glean kernels enough to make it worth his/her time. It is written in a style that is understandable by the "common man", yet doesn't condescend to the professional.
For the layman interested in good design and with a limited, realistic budget, to whom quality is greater in the equation than quantity, it is a veritable treasure trove of interesting and attainable design ideas. If you are embarking on the adventure of building a custom home, you will find inspiration and a vision of what the end goal will be.
The houses in this book are representative of real world examples, which is very refreshing, nodding neither to the McMansions that are so popular in today's subdivisions, nor to their hybrid architecturally aloof cousins on the other end of the spectrum (both being ostentatious in their own right).
great book.......2006-02-25
If you are interested in alternative ideas to home building and want to get out of the big box store and track home mentality, read this book.
Helpful book for home building/remodeling.......2005-06-07
I originally got this book from the library. It was so full of good ideas and helpful advice that I decided to buy it.
A wide range of house styles are covered in the book, from contemporary to more conventional, but they're all interesting. I especially liked the author's suggestions for minimizing costs while ensuring beauty and construction quality.
I'm not planning to build a house, but am planning to remodel. This book is full of excellent photos and ideal solutions.
Not what I expected.......2005-04-21
These are not houses that people would build. I was very disappointed in this book. The houses pictured were only the weird modern type that most people wouldn't build. We don't want to build a standard boring "production" home but these were just too far out there.
Average customer rating:
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African American History (Magill's Choice) 3 Vol. set
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ASIN: 1587652390 |
Books:
- Ulysses S. Grant : Memoirs and Selected Letters : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant / Selected Letters, 1839-1865 (Library of America)
- Wandering Home: A Long Walk Across America's Most Hopeful Landscape:Vermont's Champlain Valley and New York's Adirondacks (Crown Journeys)
- Why Is Blue Dog Blue?
- Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (Wise Woman Herbal Series, Book 1) (Wise Woman Herbal Series : No. 1)
- Woody Allen on Woody Allen
- 700 Sundays
- A Life in Letters (Penguin Classics)
- AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors
- Andy Warhol Portraits
- Art History, Revised Second Edition, Volume II
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- All But My Life: A Memoir
- Ships of the Line
- Fifty Great Short Stories
- Hole in the Sky: A Memoir
- History: Fiction or Science
- Organic Electronic Materials : Conjugated Polymers and Low Molecular Weight Organic Solids
- Rescue At The Top Of The World
- Figure Drawing Without a Model
- History: Fiction or Science
- The Young Zillionaire's Guide to Buying Goods and Services
Breakthrough
Five Minds for the Future
A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
The Knowledge Deficit
Turnaround Leadership (Jossey-Bass Leadership Library in Education)
