Kneeling with Colin Kaepernick

As a United States Army Veteran, when I see an athlete kneeling during the National Anthem, it makes me proud to be an American.

It seems that there are some who are confused about the true symbols of our country.

Not a flag.  Not a song.

But, ideas.

You see, the act of kneeling is a proud demonstration of our heritage of ideas - and a beacon of hope that may pierce the darkness that plagues people who live in oppressive and totalitarian regimes - that here - in The Land of The Free and Home of The Brave - we have not forgotten the fundamental principles and truths upon which our great nation was founded.

We do not fight for a flag, or a song - but for the cherished ideas enshrined in a piece of paper that is over two centuries old - yet still, a living document: The United States Constitution.

By kneeling - those athletes are raising a standard around which others may rally - with a silent, yet oh so eloquent act - they proclaim that somewhere along the way - some of our own people have forgotten those fundamental truths of our nation: that men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights - and that the essence of the idea enshrined in that document - which is only symbolized by a flag and a song - is to ensure the establishment of Justice.

The ideas enshrined in that piece of paper make our country great.

Not a flag. Not a song.

Men, and women, fought and died - and sacrificed all they had - to ensure that Freedom and Liberty should not perish from the earth.

Not for a flag. Not for a song.

Each person who has knelt is demonstrating the power afforded them by the ideas in that piece of paper - of Liberty and Freedom - to exercise THEIR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH - with the sole intent to raise our national awareness of a level of terrible injustice that afflicts far too many across our land - and to peacefully find a way to join their voices with others who similarly wish to protest the injustices that have been visited upon others - who have for far too long been marginalized and demeaned by the many acts of unjust police violence and brutality that continue unabated to this day.

 I am a veteran, and I would proudly kneel with Colin Kaepernick.

"Shaka, when the [emails] fell"

An ode to a friend, who was "struck down" by an email...

You would have to be a hard-core Sci-Fi fan (and speak Tamarian) to get this, but...here goes...

"Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra."
"The beast at Tanagra"
"Temba, his arms wide/open"
"Uzani, his army with fists open"
"Children of Tama"
"Uzani, his army with fists closed"
"Zinda, his face black, his eyes red"
"Temarc! The river Temarc in winter!"
"Shaka, when the [emails] fell."
"Sokath, his eyes open!"


http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Tamarian_language

Noise Cancelling Headhpones

I've long been uncaring about the quality of the headphones that I use when listening to music - but as the noise level within client offices has grown over the years (with the adoption of Open Office floor plans) - I've come to a realization that I need to improve the quality of sound isolation afforded by my headphones.  So the quest begins...

Some background research:

• https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2115378,00.asp
• http://www.consumerreports.org/noise-canceling-headphones/who-makes-the-best-noise-canceling-headphones/
• http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headphones/buying-guide

I think I  will splurge for a Bose eventually.

• http://www.consumerreports.org/products/noise-canceling-headphone/bose-quietcomfort-35-387388/overview/
• http://www.consumerreports.org/products/noise-canceling-headphone/bose-quietcomfort-35-387388/overview/

But, the Plantronics may be a viable alternative

• https://www.pcmag.com/review/348823/plantronics-backbeat-pro-2

Remember Your Friends

This was passed on to me by a dear friend, Charles ("Chuck") Stelzner - who has graced my life with his friendship - his Character - and his wise counsel. I now pass this on, so that you may also benefit from the merit that may accrue by reflecting on these words in your own life - and the spheres of your own friendships:

"Many years ago, a newlywed young man was sitting on a couch on a hot, humid day, sipping frozen juice during a visit to his father.   As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations, the father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look on his son. 

"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older. Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call them." 

"What strange advice!" The young man thought. "I just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need
to make sense of my life." 

Yet he obeyed his father; kept in touch with his friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, he became aware that his father knew what he was talking about.  In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a man, friends were the bulwarks of his life. 

After 60 years of life, here is what he learned:
Time passes.
Life goes on.
The distance separates.
Children grow up.
Children cease to be children and become independent.
And to the parents, it breaks the heart, but the children are separate of the parents.
Grandchildren too grow up and begin busy lives with little time to spend with the older generation.
Jobs come and go.
Illusions, desires, attraction, sex ... weaken.
People do not do what they should do.
The heart breaks.
The parents die.
Colleagues forget the favors
The races are over. 

But, true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles away they may be.   A friend is never more distant than the reach of a phone, or a need, barring you, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or blessing your life. 

When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead.  We did not know how much we would need from each other. Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good friends. 

Dialogue with them but do not impose your criteria. 

Refer this text to all friends who helped make sense of your life.
I already did."

Upon a Friend Asking if I would consider entering the field of Politics

"Why I do declare Madame, I am deeply offended that you could even imagine the remote possibility that a fine gentleman of the South would be caught in the reprobate congregation of degenerate heathen dastardly carpetbaggers at the State Capitol. To entertain the very idea of political office plumbs the depths of perfidy that are beyond the pale. You will find me in much more respectable establishments, say such as the local gin joint, Miss Lillie Langtry's upstanding cat house, or perhaps in the back room of a seedy motel playing a fine game of poker with respectable gentlemen"

To which my friend's reply was priceless beyond measure:
"Doc Holliday himself could not have said it better, sir."

The Meaning of Life

As written by Robert Fulghum,in his book "It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It"

" I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world–into the black places in the hearts of men–and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life."

- As attributed, by Robert Fulghum, to Alexander Papaderous

https://storiesforpreaching.com/alexander-papaderous-reflecting-light-into-dark-places/

http://www.goarmy.com/ranger/heritage/ranger-creed.html

RANGER CREED

R ecognizing that I volunteered as a ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my ranger regiment.
A cknowledging the fact that a ranger is a more elite soldier, who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a ranger, my country expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier.
N ever shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight, and I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.
G allantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
E nergetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
R eadily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY! 
When the Chief of Staff of the Army GEN Creighton Abrams ordered the formation of the Ranger Battalions in 1974, he directed that they would be the elite, setting the standards for the Army.  Maintaining a code of ethics, a Ranger philosophy to live by, the Ranger Creed written by CSM Neal R. Gentry would encompass this philosophy and would be the hallmark of the spirit, discipline, and duty of all Rangers in peace and war.  CSM Gentry was handpicked to serve as the first CSM for the 1st Ranger Battalion.  Still today, the Ranger Creed is a way of life; a guide for how Rangers conduct themselves.  It is the source that binds through loyalty the individual to his Ranger buddies and to his unit.

2017-01-08 Sunday - Some things I'm reading...

An excellent article by Seth Godin, Oh so worth reading...a counter-argument against the intellectual infantile-ism that permeates modern media and discourse today...
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2017/01/the-candy-diet.html

William Perry is Terrified, Why Aren't You?
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/william-perry-nuclear-weapons-proliferation-214604

Reading: A Spy's Guide to Thinking
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XZCYHRW

A tip of the hat to Daniel Lemire for his recent mention of this book that I've added to my list to read this year: The Economic Singularity: Artificial intelligence and the death of capitalism

2016-10-06 A few thoughts on promoting a book (or a product/service) - for a friend

Lots of self-publishing resources available out there
- https://leanpub.com/about
- https://kdp.amazon.com/

You could also do a kick-starter program, and solicit donations - with a few bonus items for a given donation level (their name posted on a web sites as a Bronze, Silver, Gold Supporter, a signed copy of the book, invitation to the book release party, etc.)
- https://www.kickstarter.com/

You should have a twitter account unique to the book, to promote it

For a book blog - I would suggest using Instagram, or Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/
https://www.facebook.com

or, you could setup a free wordpress blog (just avoid Google's blogspot)
https://wordpress.com/

Link the content with an Etsy account to sell/promote products that you might source related to the book topics
https://www.etsy.com/

On your blog and twitter accounts, you could also post affiliate sales links for an additional revenue stream
https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/welcome

2016-06-03 Friday - Remembering Systematics, Inc.

The road has been long - and I have lost touch with many, but the memories are still fresh - of my first day as a Systematics, Inc. employee in the fall of 1989 in Little Rock, as newest member of the Savings/Time Deposit development group. 

Through the years, since leaving the company, I have had the good fortune to have worked with many good people, and perhaps a few that aspired to be great...but never, in all the days since, have I ever been so blessed, to work under one {virtual} roof, with such an incredible team - as the people I met during my time with the company (1989-1996). 

In my consulting practice (that I started in 2001, after the dot con bust) - I am often engaged to mentor large engineering teams - and I tell the stories of the heroes of Systematics, the company's culture and values - and the pride in workmanship and customer service.

Those values live on - with we that remain - although we are a scattered tribe - the years have not diminished the passion that still burns in my heart & mind - for the company that Walter Smiley created - and that we joyfully served.

2016-05-25 Wednesday - Dear Clueless Recruiter

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

An Open Letter to Clueless Recruiters, Everywhere:

 

I suppose I should thank you for contacting me regarding the opportunity you mention in your latest {phone call | email | SMS text}

One presumes that you might at least have glanced at the most recent position I have held (hint: Since 2001).

Now, does it seem likely that this opportunity/role that you are contacting me about is a good fit with the arc of my career path to date? 

Your first clue might be if it is for a more junior role that I last held more than 20 years ago....or your offered pay rate is more than 50% below the average rates available for someone with my experience level.

Note, if your offered rate is below what I've been making for the last 20 years - then you might begin to get an inkling of how well your pitch is going... 

One could presuppose that you are just a cog in a very large, very inefficient, soul-less machine - but that would be a slap in the face to your humanity (not to mention, an insult to the machine), wouldn't it?

Photo by Dominik Scythe on Unsplash

Surely you are a professional, who cares about the quality - and not just the quantity - of work that you do?

I choose to believe that about you my friend. I truly do. Or, at least, I choose to believe that you have the ability to achieve that level of success. You do want to try, don't you? But then again, my mom always thought I was an optimist.

 Are you proud of the work you do? Does it give you pleasure? Do you delight in actually helping people? Or just in filling my inbox with useless spam? It is hard to tell, you know.

Photo by Antoine GIRET on Unsplash

I imagine that you must be quite embarrassed by the work that you do. Aren't you?

Do you hide in the corner at cocktail parties, ashamed to tell people what you do? Worse than telling someone you are an Amway distributor, am I right?

I cannot imagine the indignity you must feel of being a contributor to the useless spam that fills my inbox each day...you do feel it, don't you?

Weep for my inbox, my friend.

Photo by Tom Pumford on Unsplash

I wonder about the health of your soul my friend - when you must drudge through every day - sending out hundreds or thousands of useless, soul-sucking, emails like what you just sent me.

Spamming the world must be very demoralizing, isn't it? I can't imagine the pay is good. Have you ever thought of doing something else? You certainly seem to have a sense of humor, given the pay rate you mentioned in your email. Perhaps being a  clown in a circus would suit your talents more appropriately?  Then again, there is always that Amway option for your next career move, right?

Or, you could be a clown that sells Amway - but that would be an oxymoron, wouldn't it.

Photo by Steve Harrris on Unsplash

Rise up my friend - and quit your job. Rise up and be a leader among the ranks of your next profession (that hopefully doesn't involve spam and recruiting).  Renounce the corporation that chains and binds you to your dull meaningless task.

You are a force of creativity - go out and find a job that will allow you to demonstrate that, yes, you are a person of Character and Integrity.

Perhaps you should consider a career as a Barista with Starbucks? 

Or, at the very least, any job that won't involve you shoveling useless spam into my inbox.

I will certainly cheer you on. 

Oh, by the way, surely you looked at my resume - or LinkedIn profile, before contacting me, right?

via GIPHY

2016-05-21 Saturday - Latest Library Acquisitions

I picked-up to the following books today, to add to my personal library, while at the Bothell, WA Friends of the Library Sale

A History of Mexico, Revised Edition
by Henry Bamford Parkes

Canoecraft, A Harrowsmith Illustrated Guide to Fine Woodstrip Construction
by Ted Moores and Merilyn Mohr

Fungi
by Christian Epinat and Paul Starosta

The Design of Everyday Things
by Donald A. Norman

How & Where to Prospect for Gold
by Verne H. Ballantyne

Fateful Triangle, The United States, Israel & The Palestinians, Updated Edition
by Noam Chomsky

Basho's Ghost
by Sam Hamill

The Tale of the Genji
by Murasaki Shikibu
Translated by Edward G. Deidensticker

How To Repair Small Appliances, Volumes 1 & 2
by Jack Darr

How To Repair Major Appliances
by Ernest Tricomi

How to Build and Furnish a Log Cabin
The easy-natural way using only hand tools and the woods around you
by W. Ben Hunt

Getting Started In Consulting
by Alan Weiss, PhD

2016-05-15 Sunday - Latest Books Acquired

I dropped by the Bellevue Library yesterday and browsed their Friends of The Library book store...picking up the following...

The Art of the Infinite, The Pleasures of Mathematics
by Robert Kaplan and Ellen Kaplan

The Kitchen Companion
by Polly Clingerman

French Cuisine For All
by Louisette Bertholle

The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking, Fourth Edition
by Derek C. Hutchinson

The Everything Cartooning Book, Creating Unique and Inspired Cartoons for Fun and Profit
by Brad J. Guigar

Tales of the Samurai
by James S De Benneville

SAS Survival Handbook, For Any Climate, In Any Situation
by John 'Lofty' Wiseman

Medicine for Mountaineering & Other Wilderness Activities
Edited by James A. Wilkerson, M.D.


Last weekend I visited the Mercer Island Thrift Store and picked up the following...

The Sword of Shannara Trilogy
by Terry Brooks

Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives, Third Edition
by John C. Hull

Between Heaven and Earth, A History of Chinese Writing
by Shi Bo

Magellan, And the First Circumnavigation of the World
by Ian Cameron

John Paul Jones, A Sailor's Biography
by Samuel Eliot Morison

Book of the Seven Seas
by Peter Freuchen

Some other recent acquisitions from trips made earlier this month...

Built To Last, Successful Habits of Visionary Companies
by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras

Land of The Seven Rivers, A Brief History of India's Geography
by Sanjeev Sanyal

The San Juan Islands, Afoot & Afloat
by Marge & Ted Muller

Middle Puget Sound & Hood Canal, Afoot & Afloat
by Marge & Ted Muller

Mr. China, A Memoir
by Tim Clissold

Poker Nation, A High-Stakes Low-Life Adventure Into the Heart of a Gambling Country
by Andy Bellin

Yacht Designer's Sketch Book
by Ian Nicolson

Surveying Small Craft, Second Edition
by Ian Nicolson

The Odyssey
by Homer, Translated by Robert Fagles

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Einstein
by Gary F. Morning

A History of Japan, 1615-1867
by George Sansom

As Told at the Explorer's Club, More Than Fifty Gripping Tales of Adventure
Edited by George Plimpton

Hope Is Not A Strategy, The 6 Keys to Winning The Complex Sale
by Rick Page

Leisure, The Basis of Culture
by Josef Pieper

The Passion of Ayn Rand, A Biography
by Barbara Branden

Young Statesman, Winston S. Churchill, 1901-1914
by Randolph S. Churchill

Architecture, FOrm, Space, and Order, 2nd Edition
by Francis D.K. Ching

2016-04-30 Saturday - Author Joe Henderson, on running

Will start reading this book next week:

"Run Right Now, What A Half-Century On The Run Has Taught",
by Joe Henderson - former Editor, Runner's World.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6373214-run-right-now

 Other interesting titles by Joe Henderson: 

"Learning to Walk: How walking added miles to my runs and years to my running"
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Walk.../dp/B009STQG7U/

"Long Slow Distance: The humane way to train"
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Slow-Distance.../dp/B003ZK5QB0/

I close out the month of April having logged 84.50 miles - and a total of 127.75 miles since beginning my training program in March. 

My goal for May is 180 miles. Ambitious, yes. But, I am on a mission to ignite the fire within. Based on my progress thus far, and my expected continued rate of progress - I should easily be able to complete 1,000 miles by the end of the year. 

...and by then, there should be a very different fellow looking back at me in the mirror.

2016-04-23 Learning From The Game of Poker

As a speculator and an investor, I value the lessons that can be learned from the game of Poker.

I recently came across the blog of Haseeb Qureshi, and noted that he has a series of articles that are particular interest (and quite well written):

• http://haseebq.com/how-to-live-as-a-poker-player-part-1
• http://haseebq.com/how-to-live-as-a-poker-player-part-2/
• http://haseebq.com/how-to-live-as-a-poker-player-part-3/

http://haseebq.com/seven-things-poker-taught-me/

I may also pick-up a copy of his book, How to Be a Poker Player: The Philosophy of Poker

The interesting value in all of this - is how some of this thinking can be applied to making oneself a better investor, speculator, trader in the markets...

2016-04-15 Friday - Recent Library Pick-ups

Recently picked-up quite a few books at the Bellevue Public Library

The Development of Mathematics, by E. T. Bell
http://www.amazon.com/Development-Mathematics-Dover-Books/dp/0486272397

A Guide to Mathematics for the Intelligent Nonmathematician, by Edmund C. Berkeley
http://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Intelligent-Non-Mathematician-Edmund-Berkeley/dp/0671200275/

Math Proofs DeMystified, A Self-Teaching Guilde, by Stan Gibilisco
http://www.amazon.com/Math-Proofs-Demystified-Stan-Gibilisco/dp/0071445765/

An Introduction to The Theory of Numbers, Fifth Edition, by Ivan Niven, et al
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Theory-Numbers-5Th-Ed/dp/8126518111/

Elementary Number Theory & Its Applications, Third Edition, by Kenneth H. Rosen
(for the 6th Edition...)
http://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Number-Theory-Application-Edition/dp/0321500318/

The Higher Arithmetic, An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, by H. Davenport
http://www.amazon.com/Higher-Arithmetic-Introduction-Theory-Numbers/dp/0521722365/

R Graphics Cookbook, Practical Recipes for Visualizing Data, by Winston Chang
http://www.amazon.com/R-Graphics-Cookbook-Winston-Chang/dp/1449316956/

How to Solve It, a new aspect of mathematical method, by G. Polya
http://www.amazon.com/How-Solve-Mathematical-Princeton-Science/dp/069116407X

Think Stats, Probability and Statistics for Programmers, by Allen B. Downey
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Stats-Allen-B-Downey/dp/1491907339/

Hackers & Painters, Big Ideas From The Computer Age, by Paul Graham
http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Painters-Big-Ideas-Computer/dp/1449389554/

More Joel on Software, by Joel Spolsky
http://www.amazon.com/More-Joel-Software-Occasionally-Developers/dp/1430209879

Head First JavaScript Programming, A Brain Friendly Guide, by Eric Freeman & Elisabeth Robson
http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-JavaScript-Programming-Freeman/dp/144934013X/

Understanding Computation, From Simple Machines to Impossible Programs, by Tom Smart
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Computation-Machines-Impossible-Programs/dp/1449329276/

2016-03-12 Saturday - Is The Water Warm Yet?

Listening to Jimmy Buffett tunes..to find my island state-of-mind...

I am working on returning to a level of fitness that I have not experienced since 2003, when I regularly ran 5 miles a day along the beaches of Southern California.

That was the year that I exercised in earnest, for months before departing, to prepare myself for a 5 month sabbatical voyage aboard my 32 ft. 1971 Islander sloop sailboat (S/V Renaissance).

When I departed King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California - on that cold January 3rd morning - I was already at an optimal weight...but in the first month of sailing South to Mexico, I lost another ~20+ lbs.

I was a lean, mean, fighting machine.

In 2007, during another sabbatical aboard my sailboat in Mexico, a similar weight loss was experienced in the first month...

Since 2008, after a medical emergency, I have tried several times to return to regular workout habit - but have been defeated in each attempt by minor recurring injuries (pulled muscles mostly) - due to perhaps too much exuberance expended too early.

Last Sunday, I decided to begin anew - and did 1.0 mile in 19:31 minutes

By Thursday I was down to 15:47 for 1.0 mile, and added a 2.0 mile bike ride.

Tonight, I've doubled the length to 2.0 miles, with a time of 34.43 minutes, and added an additional 5 lbs to my weight routine.

The mind remembers the fitness levels of the past, when I trained daily (1978-1996)...but the body must be constrained to go slowly now. The eyes can see farther than the hands can reach.

I have the benefit of having been well trained, and having been a Shotokan Karate coach and an active competitor (1979-1995). I have the training and knowledge of how to rebuild my body and my fitness level. What has been missing has been my Spirit.

In terms of fitness, I am probably at the bottom of the scale today. Weaker than I have ever been.

The climb back is daunting.

There will be setbacks.

There will be injuries.

Visible signs of progress will be long in coming.

But, I can feel small things re-awakening. Muscles remembering skills that have long lain dormant. Breathing patterns that are gaining strength, again.

Speed is not my priority now.

Neither is endurance.

Now is the time to reacquaint my mind and body with a pattern of habit. To reconnect them.

With habit will come ease.

With ease will come confidence to stretch a little bit further.

With small increases in repeated effort, strength will take root and grow.

With Breath & Movement, Body & Mind will become One...again

Step-by-step.

As Funakoshi-Sensei wrote in The 20 Precepts:  
"Karate is like boiling water; without heat, it returns to its tepid state."

So now I will endeavor to bring my heart, mind, and body to a boil again...and wake the sleeping tiger.

2016-01-24 Sunday - New Personal Library Additions

A trip to the Mercer Island Thrift Store today...and obtained these treasures...

Boat Maintenance, The Essential Guide to Cleaning, Painting, and Cosmetics
William M. Burr Jr.

Woodworking for the Serious Beginner
Pamela Philpott-Jones and Paul L. McClure

Drawing: Space, Form, & Expression, Second Edition
Wayne Costice and Melody Peters

The Not So Big House, A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live
Sarah Susanka, with Kira Obolensky

Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Malcolm Gladwell

How To Read Bridges, A Crash Course in Engineering and Architecture
Edward Denison and Ian Stewart

Voyaging Under Sail
Eric C. Hiscock

Cruising Under Sail
Eric C. Hiscock

2016-01-09 Saturday - New Personal Library Additions

Today I visited the Bainbridge Island Public Library - as they were having a monthly Friends of the Library Sale.

Here are the treasures I picked up...

Confucianism and Chinese Civilization
Edited by Arthur F. Wright

Chinatown, A Portrait of a Closed Society
Gwen Kinkead

After 50,000 Miles
Hal Roth

Blue Latitudes, Boldly Going Where Captain Cook has Gone Before
Tony Horowitz

The Dolphin's Gift
Elizabeth Gawain

Gunkholing in the Gulf Islands
Al Cummings and Jo Bailey-Cummings

California's Channel Islands, 1001 Questions Answered
Marla Daily

The Fyddeye Guide to America Maritime History
Edited by Joe Follansbee

Sea and Sardinia
D.H. Lawrence

Surveying, Principles and Applications, Fourth Edition
Barry F. Kavanagh, S. J. Glenn Bird

Liberty Defined, 50 Essential Issues That Affect Our Freedom
Ron Paul

Live From New York, An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live
Tom Shales, James Andrew Miller

Japan, The Story of a Nation, Third Edition
Edwin O. Reischauer

Game Over, How You Can Prosper in a Shattered Economy
Stephen Leeb, PhD

Inventing America, Jefferson's Declaration of Independence
Gary Wills

With Malice Toward None, A Biography of Abraham Lincoln (7 CDs)
Stephen B. Oates

Framers of the Constitution

Editors James H. Charleton, et. al.

The Long Tail, Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
Chris Anderson

First King of Shannara
Terry Brooks

2016-01-02 Saturday - New Additions to My Personal Library

Some recent additions to my library, include the following, sourced from the Bellevue Public Library's used book shop - and the Mercer Island Thrift Store:

Built to Last, Successful Habits of Visionary Companies
James C. Collings and Jerry I. Porras

Mr China, A Memoir
Tim Clissold

Tulipomania, The Story of the Worl's Most Coveted Flower & The Extraordinary Passions It Aroused
Mike Dash

America's Handyman Book
The Staff of The Family Handyman Magazine

The New Drawing On The Right Side of the Brain
Betty Edwards

Do-It-Yourself House-Building Step-by-Step
Charles D. Neal

An Introduction to Art Techniques
The DK Art School

Drawing The Head & Figure
Jack Hamm

De Cristoforo's Complete Book of Power Tools, Both Stationary and Portable
R. J. Dde Cristoforo

Sunset Ideas for Hot Tubs, Pas & Home Saunas
Editors of the Sunset Books and Sunset Magaine

Tales of the South Pacific
James A. Michener

The Great Divorce
C.S. Lewis

Pour Your Heart Into It, How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup At A Time
Howard Schultz and Dorl James Yang

The Asian Mystique, Dragon Ladies, Geisha Girls, & Our Fantasies of the Exotic Orient
Sheridan Prasso

Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia
Vin T. Sparano

Teach Yourself: 101 Key Ideas - Buddhism
Mel Thompson

A Brief History of The Knights Templar
Helen Nicholson

An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth
M. K. Gandhi

The Life of Mahatma Gandhi
Louis Fischer

Physics for Future Presidents, The Sciencce Behind the Headlines
Richard A. Muller

A Short History of Islam
S.F. Mahmud

The Everything Store, Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
Brad Stone

21 dog years, a cube dweller's tale
Mike Daisey

How Do They Do That, Wonders of the Monder World Explained
Caroline Sutton

Good Boss, Bad Boss - How to be the Best...Learn From the Worst
Robbert I. Sutton, PhD

Riding the Iron Rooster, By Train Through China
Paul Theroux

Takin' Care of Business, The Big Idea for Small Business
Brian Buffini & Joe Niego

Fooling Some of the People All of the Time,, A Long Short Story
David Einhorn

The Financial Numbers Game, Detecting Creative Account
Charles W. Mulford and Eugene E. Comiskey

Financial Shenanigans, Third Edition
Howard M. Schilit and Jeremy Perler

Understanding DNA and Gene Cloning, A Guide for the Curious, Third Edition
Karl Drlica

Land of the Seven Rivers, A Brief History of India's Geography
Sanjeev Snyal

200% of Nothing, An Eye-Opening Tour Through The Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy
A. K. Dewney

Principle-Centered Leadership
Stephen R. Covey

The San Juan Islands, Third Edition
Marge & Ted Mueller

Middle Puget Sound & Hood Canal
Marge & Ted Mueller

Gunkholing in South Puget Sound, A comprehensive Cruising Guide from Kingston/Edmonds South to Olympia
Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg

Habors and High Seas, An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian
Dean King with John B. Hattendorf
Maps by William Clipson and Adam Merton Cooper

What Ship is That, A Field Guilde to Boats and Ships
Bob Basnight

Middle Easter Mythology, From the Assyrians to the Hebrews
S.H. Hooke

So, Anyway
John Cleese

The Design of Design, Essays From A Computer Scientist
Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

I Remember Nothing, and Other Reflections
Nora Ephron

Sailing Around The World, A Family Retraces Joshua Slocum's Voyage
Guy Bernardin

The Modern Stylists
Donald Hall, Editor

The Future of War, Vol: Thor's Hammer
Reginald Bretnor, Editor

Woe is I Jr., The Younger Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English
Patricia T. O'Conner

Fluent in 3 Months, How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak any Language Anywhere in the World
Benny Lewis

On Language
Noam Chomsky