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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
Once again using an astutely written fictional tale to unambiguously but painlessly deliver some hard truths about critical business procedures, Patrick Lencioni targets group behavior in the final entry of his trilogy of corporate fables. And like those preceding it, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is an entertaining, quick read filled with useful information that will prove easy to digest and implement. This time, Lencioni weaves his lessons around the story of a troubled Silicon Valley firm and its unexpected choice for a new CEO: an old-school manager who had retired from a traditional manufacturing company two years earlier at age 55. Showing exactly how existing personnel failed to function as a unit, and precisely how the new boss worked to reestablish that essential conduct, the book's first part colorfully illustrates the ways that teamwork can elude even the most dedicated individuals--and be restored by an insightful leader. A second part offers details on Lencioni's "five dysfunctions" (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), along with a questionnaire for readers to use in evaluating their own teams and specifics to help them understand and overcome these common shortcomings. Like the author's previous books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, this is highly recommended. --Howard Rothman.
Price: $9.01
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Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography (A Lark Photography Book)
It’s the latest and hottest technique, made possible only through digital. High Dynamic Range photography is the process of taking several pictures of a scene at various exposures, then merging them into one file. So the entire photo can look crisp and detailed, from highlights to midtones to shadows—and photographers needn’t sacrifice any part of their image. And the best way to master this exciting technology is with this thorough, easy-to-follow, and visually spectacular guide. No other title does justice to these cutting-edge techniques, which actually take the viewer into worlds far beyond normal photography—sometimes even beyond normal human perception. Ferrell McCollough, a widely respected photographer, pushes the boundaries and inspires others to pursue their artistic vision, too. The amazing results simply can’t be achieved any other way. .
Price: $15.28
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Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You
"If you really loved me..." "After all I've done for you..." "How can you be so selfish .." Do any of the above sound familiar? They're all examples of emotional blackmail, a powerful form of manipulation in which people close to us threaten to punish us for not doing what they want. Emotional blackmailers know how much we value our relationships with them. They know our vulnerabilities and our deepest secrets. They are our mothers, our partners, our bosses and coworkers, our friends and our lovers. And no matter how much they care about us, they use this intimate knowledge to give themselves the payoff they want: our compliance. Susan Forward knows what pushes our hot buttons. Just as John Gray illuminates the communications gap between the sexes in Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, and Harriet Lerner describes an intricate dynamic in The Dance of Anger, so Susan Forward presents the anatomy of a relationship damaged by manipulation, and gives readers an arsenal of tools to fight back. In her clear, no-nonsense style, Forward provides powerful, practical strategies for blackmail targets, including checklists, practice scenarios and concrete communications techniques that will strengthen relationships and break the blackmail cycle for good..
Price: $8.00
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PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide
It hasn't taken Web developers long to discover that when it comes to creating dynamic, database-driven Web sites, MySQL and PHP provide a winning open source combination Add this book to the mix, and there's no limit to the powerful, interactive Web sites that developers can create. With step-by-step instructions, complete scripts, and expert tips to guide readers, veteran author and database designer Larry Ullman gets right down to business: After grounding readers with separate discussions of first the scripting language (PHP) and then the database program (MySQL), he goes on to cover security, sessions and cookies, and using additional Web tools, with several sections devoted to creating sample applications. This guide is indispensable for intermediate- to advanced level Web designers who want to replace their static sites with something dynamic. In this edition, the bulk of the new material covers the latest versions of both technologies: PHP 6 (due out in 2008) and MySQL 5 (available now). The book's publication date is likely to beat the official release of PHP 6, making it one of the first books available on the subject..
Price: $23.70
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Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints (Write Great Fiction)
The indispensable Write Great Fiction series continues with an in-depth look at three of the most important tools in the writer's craft: character, emotion and viewpoint. With the tips and techniques in this book, readers will learn how to: -Create compelling characters that readers believe in -Write scenes that deliver an unforgettable emotional impact -Distinguish among the many different kinds of viewpoint, and choose the one which is right for their story Each chapter is filled with examples drawn from the work of successful writers and action-and- results exercises that help readers take their lessons to the keyboard..
Price: $9.41
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Carole Maggio Facercise: The Dynamic Muscle-Toning Program for Renewed Vitality and a More Youthful Appearance (Revised, Updated)
Developed and perfected over fifteen years, Carole Maggio's revolutionary program combats the signs of aging-by diminishing the appearance of fine lines and improving muscle tone-naturally. Filled with dramatic before-and-after photos that illustrate the effectiveness of Facercise, this easy-to-follow book will help anyone achieve visible results-in less than a week. * Diminish puffiness around the eyes * Shorten and narrow the nose * Smooth the chin, neck, and jawline * Improve skin color and tone * Lift eyebrows * Recontour the cheeks * Make lips fuller and more firm "A carefully researched and scientifically developed method of exercising facial muscles and sets of muscles." (Gerald Walman, M.D., ocular plastic surgeon, Scottsdale, AZ) "Logic seems to dictate that good facial exercise would prevent many of the aging manifestations. I frequently encourage my patients to do facial exercises." (Lawrence Birnbaum, M.D., plastic surgeon, Beverly Hills, CA).
Price: $8.20
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My Sister's Keeper: A Novel
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness. Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity..
Price: $5.98
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Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators Capture the force in your life drawing subjects with this practical guide to dynamic drawing techniques - packed with superb, powerfully drawn examples that show you how to: * Bring your work to life with rhythmic drawing techniques * Create appealing and dynamic poses in your drawings * Experience the figure's energy in three dimensional space * Use the asymmetry of straight and curved lines to clarify the direction of force in the body * Build on your foundational anatomy and figure drawing skills to animate your drawings *Apply the theory of force to your on-location and animal drawing observations Whether you are an animator, comic book artist, illustrator or fine arts' student you'll learn to use rhythm, shape, and line to bring out the life in any subject while Mike Mattesis infectious enthusiasm will have you reaching for your pencils! Mike Mattesi is the owner and founder of Entertainment Art Academy (www.enterartacad.com) based in Southern California. He has been a professional production artist and instructor for the last fifteen years with clients including Disney, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon. Audience level: Intermediate to advanced * Discover and master the techniques of rhythmic drawing and bring your work to life * Learn from a professional production artist who has successfully taught his unique techniques for the last fifteen years * Written in an accessible, enthusiastic style which will have you reaching for your pencils!.
Price: $16.21
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The HDRI Handbook: High Dynamic Range Imaging for Photographers and CG Artists +DVD
The HDRI Handbook reveals the secrets behind High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI). This cutting-edge imaging technology is a method to digitally capture and edit all light in a scene. It represents a quantum leap in imaging technology, as revolutionary as the leap from Black & White to Color imaging. If you are serious about photography, you will find that HDRI is the final step that places digital ahead of analog. The old problem of over- and underexposure in analog photography, which was never fully solved, is elegantly bypassed here. A huge variety of subjects can now be photographed for the first time ever. HDRI emerged from the movie industry, and was once Hollywood's best kept secret. It is now a mature technology available to everyone. The only problem was that it was poorly documented until now. The HDRI Handbook is the manual that was missing. Many questions remain open even for the computer graphics gurus that have been using HDRI for years. This is where The HDRI Handbook comes in. Included here is everything you need to build a comprehensive knowledge base that will enable you to become really creative with HDRI. This book is packed with practical hints and tips, software evaluations, workshops, and hands-on tutorials. Whether you are a photographer, 3D artist, compositor, or cinematographer, this book is sure to enlighten you. Topics include: - Understanding the foundation of HDRI
- Tools for a High Dynamic Range Workflow
- How to capture HDR images: now and tomorrow
- Tone mapping for creating superior prints
- Image processing and compositing
- All 4 ways to shoot panoramic HDRIs
- Image based lighting and CG rendering
- World premiere of the Smart Dynamic Range toolkit
- Creative uses and unconventional applications
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Price: $28.42
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Mastering HDR Photography: Combining Technology and Artistry to Create High Dynamic Range Images
High dynamic range imaging, or HDR, is the latest challenge for those who are serious about digital photography. But with that challenge comes an opportunity to expand skills and repertoire into exciting new areas. HDR, originally developed for use with computer-generated images, captures the full range of tones in a scene, reproducing human perception down to the finest detail without lens flare, burnout, or underexposure. Mastering High Dynamic Range Photography explains exactly how to shoot specifically for HDR, and how to use the new software that lets the photographer combine several images into one glowingly accurate final photo. Step-by-steps and sample photographs reveal how to apply these techniques to many different genres, producing results that are part photograph, part work of art. .
Price: $12.00
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