The eleventh and twelfth centuries comprised a period of great significance in Islamic history. The Great Saljuqs, a Turkish-speaking tribe hailing from central Asia, ruled the eastern half of the Islamic world for a great portion of that time. In a far-reaching analysis that combines social, cultural, and political history, Omid Safi demonstrates how the Saljuqs tried to create a lasting political presence by joining forces with scholars and saints, among them a number of well-known Sufi Muslims, who functioned under state patronage.

This is a beautiful book illustrating what great Concept Design is all about, and as a designer, it's good to have examples of such stellar work; It gives us something to emulate (if we work REALLY hard). Excellent book, though i'd have liked more process drawings, and not only the stunningly finished work.

The only resource a manager needs to turn a problem employee into a top performer 201 Ways to Turn Any Employee into a Star Performer arms managers with the strategies they need to deal with the full range of employee problems--including tardiness, low-quality work, constant complaining, and much more. Consultant Casey Hawley's unique approach to personnel problems replaces harsh discipline with positive, goal-oriented tactics that turn failing employees into team players. This straightforward guide gives managers the tools and training to:

The business meeting—a necessary evil or a vital and invigorating component of running an organization? According to management consultant Lencioni (The Five Temptations of a CEO), meetings should fit the latter description, but more often than not, he says, they don't. In this lackluster audio fable, Lencioni offers practical advice on how to revitalize your business by energizing your business meetings, but his pallid, passive prose would challenge the most skilled narrator, and Arthur is no exception. The voice Arthur lends Will, the young hero of this tale, resembles that of Sesame Street's Ernie on downers, and the various inflections he gives business owner Casey McDaniel and his management team don't make up for the characters' lack of character. Nevertheless, Lencioni's message comes across loud and clear—meetings should be interactive, not passive, and they should be structured (i.e., issues of immediate importance should be discussed in "weekly tactical" meetings, and issues that will fundamentally affect the business should be addressed in "monthly strategic" meetings). Although managers will find this advice worthwhile, they would gather just as much if they skipped the sluggish fable and listened to the last few tracks.

An up-to-date, revised edition of the complete, practical guide to designing and implementing effective compensation plans A compensation package should be more than just the means to attract and retain talented executives. The right kind of plan can give your company a powerful strategic advantage. In Paying for Performance, Second Edition, consultants at Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Inc., one of the world’s leading human resources consulting firms, give you the tools and techniques you need to design and implement a highly effective compensation program that will sharpen your company’s competitive edge for years to come.

Library Journal : A comprehensive listing (with address, phone numbers, web sites) of over 2500 suppliers and manufacturers of robot components, materials, tools, and much more. There are even sources for tracking down older and hard-to-find parts. Also listed are books, journals, magazines, professional societies, and Internet resources, including education sites, competition information, and web sites where hobbyists can find examples of program code. Dozens of sidebars and articles on various robotics topics break up the directory feel. The author also indicates recommended sources based on his own experiences and identifies "premium" sources that are dedicated to robot hobbyists.

Quantum field theory (QFT) combines quantum mechanics with Einstein's special theory of relativity and underlies elementary particle physics. This book presents a philosophical analysis of QFT. It is the first treatise in which the philosophies of space-time, quantum phenomena, and particle interactions are encompassed in a unified framework. Describing the physics in nontechnical terms, and schematically illustrating complex ideas, the book also serves as an introduction to fundamental physical theories. The philosophical interpretation both upholds the reality of the quantum world and acknowledges the irreducible cognitive elements in its representation. The interpretation is based on an analysis of our ways of thinking as the are embedded in the logical structure of QFT. The author argues that philosophical categories are significant only if they play active and essential