There's one for you, 19 for me:
technica q&a: jeffrey bennett (beyond ufos)
technica q&a: wagner james au (the making of second life)
technica q&a: tim guest (second lives)
aisle 49
lynda.com sale
flatland: the movie edition
dummies month
financial fitness sale
new arrivals
doug brown's factoid
bestsellers
When I was a kid I used to hide in my closet to count my piggy bank money to see how rich I was. My older sister would bust in and yell, "Tax collector!" She'd scoop up all my dollar bills and run away laughing. Thank you, Sis, for preparing me for life's realities early on. Nothing is certain but death and taxes, after all, so get your finance muscles pumping with our Financial Fitness Sale. And in addition to our regular science factoid from Doug Brown, we have three great author Q&As for your enjoyment, with their books featured at 30% off. Peruse our latest selection in Aisle 49, as well as enjoying discounts on Lynda.com and Dummies books. Now get to it!
TECHNICA Q&A: JEFFREY BENNETT
Astrophysicist Jeffrey Bennett, author of Beyond UFOs, believes in possibilities. In his new book, Bennett not only discusses the idea of extraterrestrials, but also argues that in order to make alien-human communication possible, we need to make our planet an inviting place to visit — end poverty, war, racism, and disease and other social ills. In this exclusive Q&A, he reveals why he never suffers from writer's block, what vexed him in high school, and what Carl Sagan inspired him to do. Read on and save 30% on Beyond UFOs, for a limited time.
TECHNICA Q&A: WAGNER JAMES AU
Wagner James Au has blogged New World Notes, the online chronicles of the virtual world Second Life, since 2003. In his new book, The Making of Second Life, Au reports the birth, history, and emerging culture of this online universe, where members (as represented by their avatars) interact in a metaverse, and do pretty much everything that happens in real life, and much more — like The Sims on steroids. Read Au's Q&A for Powells.com and learn why he admires Richard Feynman, why residents of Second Life will influence technology, and what happened to Scott Adams's avatar. And save 30% off the cover price of The Making of Second Life while our sale lasts.
TECHNICA Q&A: TIM GUEST
Speaking of virtual worlds, Tim Guest has written an entire book on this cultural phenomenon. In Second Lives, Guest observes how these online communities manifest our inner desire to feel connected, while keeping others at bay. Read Guest's fascinating Q&A to learn more about why he'd like to be Tesla for a day and why he loves video games. And save 30% on Second Lives for a limited time.
Don't panic. The late, lamented Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, was born this month, on March 11, 1952. Before his bestselling novels took off, he wrote comedy bits for the BBC, Monty Python, and Dr. Who. He was not a disciplined writer; he was terrible at keeping deadlines. He was once locked in a hotel room for three weeks to finish So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish. You left us too soon — wish you were here.
AISLE 49
Welcome to Aisle 49, the Tech store's aisle of books you covet and desperately want. This month, spring projects. Time to get around to all those little tasks you've been neglecting all winter. Our Aisle 49 titles will launch you into action: remodel a bathroom, plant a garden, build a bike, and more! These great titles will help you tackle your to-do list in no time. There!
LYNDA.COM SALE
Reading computer manuals is often an arduous task, but Lynda Weinman makes the learning curve easy with her Video Training Book series. You get the excellent writing that Lynda.com books are known for, as well as professionally produced videos and tutorials that help you learn the program at your own pace, when it's convenient for you. What's not to love? For a limited time, save 30% on these books from the Lynda.com Video Training Book series.
Mistaken identity. Another birthday shout-out to Albert Einstein, born on March 14, 1879. He lived and taught in Princeton, New Jersey, from 1933 to 1955. He was so recognizable that people on the street constantly stopped him to discuss his Theory of Relativity. Because he couldn't possibly have the time or inclination to talk to everyone, he just smiled and said, "Pardon me, sorry! Always I am mistaken for Professor Einstein."
FLATLAND: THE MOVIE EDITION
In 1884, Edwin Abbott wrote a short novel called Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, a mathematical fable featuring numerous dimensions and social castes. Just released, a commemorative edition of the book and an animated movie based on the novel, featuring the voices of Martin Sheen and Michael York. The new hardbound edition of this beloved classic includes essays on the making of the movie by the writers and filmmakers, and a new introduction by Thomas Banchoff, a Brown University mathematician and Flatland authority who served as an advisor to the filmmakers. The DVD features interviews with the actors and a short discussion of the film and the fourth dimension by Banchoff. Buy them as a set today, and save 30% on both, while supplies last.
DUMMIES MONTH
Whether it's learning how to crochet, how to speak Spanish, what to eat when you are dieting, or how to navigate OS X Leopard, the ubiquitous series For Dummies has you covered. During the entire month of March, purchase any For Dummies title priced at $6.99 or greater and get a $5.00 mail-in rebate. All you need do is print out the handy coupon and include your Powells.com receipt. Browse our stacks of helpful titles here.
FINANCIAL FITNESS SALE
It's March. Do you know where your tax-deductible receipts are? Do you have your paperwork in order? Are your ducks in a row? For those of you who haven't tackled your taxes yet — or your bills, or, for that matter, the enormous pile of ominous papers on your desk — feel the fear and get busy already. Our selection of personal finance titles, hand-picked by our buyer, Corie, will get you back on track and feeling financially fit in no time. Save 30% on the whole list for a limited time. We'll even throw in a free receipt.
There will be blood. American Edwin Drake, born on March 29, 1819, drilled the first productive oil well in the United States. Drake pioneered the method of drilling piping into the ground, which prevented structural collapses and kept water out. Drake failed to patent his drilling technique, however, and lost all the savings he had in an oil speculation deal that went nowhere. He wound up broke in his old age.
NEW ARRIVALS
We take pride in offering you the freshest of early spring titles. Motoring: The Highway Experience in America, by John A. Jakle and Keith A. Sculle, details the American experience of seeing the world through a bug-spattered windshield. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky's new book, The Physics of NASCAR, explains how drivers usually walk away from serious crashes, how two cars travel faster than one, and what's the best way to dress for a gasoline fire. Mycologists will enjoy Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom by Andy Letcher. CSI fans will enjoy David Owen's The Little Book of Forensics: Fifty of the World's Most Infamous Criminal Cases Solved by Science. And from the "I Really Should Be Working But I Can't Stop Reading This" department, pick up S. Morgan Friedman and Michael Malice's Overheard in the Office, a compendium of outrageous snippets of conversation overheard at water coolers, Xerox machines, and cubicles. Browse all our spanking new titles here.
DOUG BROWN'S FACTOID
How can you tell the difference between a legless lizard and a snake? There are a couple ways. First, lizards have external ear openings, and snakes do not. Second, legless lizards usually have annular scales, meaning the scales form a ring around the animal. Snake scales form small diagonal rows. A third method that isn't always accurate: snakes do not have eyelids. However, many legless lizards don't either; it's an adaptation for burrowing. The next time you watch Raiders of the Lost Ark, pay attention to the snakes in the Well of the Souls — most are actually legless lizards, with the occasional Burmese python and Asian cobra thrown in.
POWELL'S TECHNICAL BOOKS BESTSELLERS
1. Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual by David Pogue (Macintosh)
2. 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick (Architecture)
3. HTML and XHTML Pocket Reference by Jennifer Niederst Robbins (HTML)
4. Dreaming in Code by Scott Rosenberg (Computer History and Society)
5. CSS Pocket Reference: Visual Presentation for the Web by Eric A. Meyer (HTML)
6. Ugly's Electrical References 2005 by George Hart (Construction)
7. How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3 by Steve Caplin (Graphics)
8. iPhoto '08: The Missing Manual by David Pogue (Macintosh)
9. Ajax: The Definitive Guide by Anthony T. Holdener (Javascript)
10. The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint by Edward R. Tufte (Graphics)
'Cause I'm the taxman!
Technica
By Carole R.
