Product Description
For forty years, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) hascombed the skies in search of signals from star systems within ourgalaxy. In Beyond Contact: A Guide to SETI and Communicating withAlien Civilizations, author Brian McConnell examines what goes intothe search for intelligent life in space--and how to communicate acrossthe vast distances of space by encoding text and images in binary form. Beyond Contact introduces readers to:

The history of SETI research The Drake Equation and the Rare Earth hypothesis How signals are sent and received over interstellar distances How to build a general-purpose symbolic language for sendingsignals, and even computer programs, with present-day SETI equipment

This last problem, which occupies the final half of the book, proves to bethe most thought-provoking, and McConnell has put together a methodical,nuts-and-bolts walkthrough of both the challenges involved and how binarycode might be enlisted to solve them. If you've taken even a singlecomputer-science class in your life, you'll probably skip ahead throughexplanations of data structures and Boolean arithmetic, but McConnelldoesn't want to leave anyone behind in fleshing out his alien-friendly lingua numerica. The book's first half surveys various SETI projects, past and present, and includes generous sections on signal processing, what sort of radio and laser hardware has been mobilized for the search, and how exactly SETI@home works. (So, if nothing else, now you can know how your computer decides if it's talking to aliens while you're off having lunch.) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

too boring and technical.
This book might be enjoyable for those who love technical
details, math, formulas, theories of contact with aliens, etc.
The author does _not_ write about what actually did happen...
his ideas were not utilized in sending signals or establishing contact with aliens.
He writes what he hopes or advises SETI and others to use in creating
a message for ET.
I feel like I've read dozens of books on this topic, and do not need someone's
opinions who was not directly involved in creating messages for aliens.
Had Mr.McConnell worked alongside Carl Sagan and others in creating a message for aliens, and had in fact that message(s) been sent out to the stars, then we could've had a whole different ball game.

Interesting Premise and Valid Questions
This book examines the questions that will need to be resolved at some point in our existence (my opinion).It's good to ask and it's good to get thinking on this.It's rather weak in some areas (the previous comments explain well enough) but it's good to start the wheels turning.

Awesome!
This is the kind of book you need to understand the details of SETI, how does it work, what its limitations would be, and what technology is behind. It is an excellent addition to your personal library if you are a tech-savy and enjoy learning about science and technology.

Get's down to the skinny when it comes to communicating with aliens
This is a very all-encompassing book about extraterrestrial communication, and goes to considerable length explaining how it would be done through binary language.It is a very intelligent book about life on other planets, The Drake Equation, etc.People need to know what they're getting into if they buy this book - it really is for those who have a more technical/scientific bent towards the whole SETI process. If you think Speilberg's ET or Sagan's Contact are the bees knees when it comes to intellectual sci-fi, then this book is definitely not for you.

can't take it seriously
Here's a book that superficially looks like a serious technical discussion of SETI, even to the point where many potential readers may be intimidated by the diagrams, equations, jargon, and so on. But in reality, it's very lacking in solid scientific information.

For example: On page 116, one of the factors mentioned as a limit to OSETI (finding laser beacons and such) is extinction--the attenuation of light due to dust in the intersteller medium. This, it is said, limits our ability to see laser beacons to "a few dozens light years" for visible wavelengths. Really?? Then how come you can go and see stars farther away than that with your naked eye? Oh, because they're brighter! Well, how bright does a laser beacon need to be? How much attentuation is there, in per cent, dB or whatever, at, say, 100 light years? How much does a beam spread out over, say, 100 light years? How much variation in the signal is there over time as a result of dust? Not a BIT of quantitative data on this stuff!

Like all other SETI enthusiasts I've seen, they also ignore another issue: As communication techniques get more advanced, they look more and more like random noise. Our millions of chattering cell phones and internet hosts will almost certainly be undetectable to anyone outside the earth environment, let alone the solar system: Those transmissions have no directionality, they are low power precisely because they are efficient and advanced, and their advanced modulation causes them to look like white noise. Consider a 300 bps modem, with its old-fashioned tone signaling; then listen to a 56k modem, which, except when it's hooking up, sounds almost like rushing steam. It's hard to escape the idea that we will only pick up radio from ET if he intentionally beams it at us, a doubtful proposition unless he's within 60 light years, as he has no way to know of OUR radio transmissions.

A final word about copy editing: I've yet to read a book with absolutely no errors, but at least they could get three-letter words like "its" right. There are other serious errors, such as missing words, the ubiquitous "different than," and other less glaring mistakes. If they can't do better than that, perhaps they should just record audio tapes.

All in all, about a third of the way through, I decided that other books must surely be able to better satisfy my curiosity on this subject. ... Read more

Product Description
One of ancient Egypt's outstanding and important rulers was Seti I. This study claryfies the internal history of his reign and offers many insights into the length of his reign, the royal succession and the establishment of the Ramesside house. ... Read more

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Seventeen year old Sam Alexander has a mission: to finish his dead father's crusade to locate deep-space radio signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. He uses his powerful computer and radio equipment to search the electromagnetic spectrum for a message from deep space, and finds one. But when he shares his discovery with his father's friends at NASA, Sam's trust is betrayed and his equipment is stolen. With the next alien contact imminent, Sam makes a move that plunges him into desperate competition with powerful opponents all trying to get credit for this earth shaking discovery. Unless he can find a way to outwit them all, Sam's first contact might be earth's last. ... Read more

Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Seti," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Seti in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Seti when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Seti, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

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Authors Timothy Jenkins and Khafra K Om-Ra-Zeti are suggesting that many of our problems and our solutions can be found in the current Information Age Technological Revolution. As Black Futurists, they are seeking to raise our consciousness to the accelerating historic transformations that are taking place during the 1990s, in an effort to spotlight the significance of technological change as a fundamental cause for many expressions of our social pathology. In chapter and verse, the authors explain how we are confronted with the forces of technological change on an astounding level and pace, such that all previous expectations of an inclusive society may be at an end. As barrier breaking visionaries, the authors are issuing a call for a "scientific and technological revolution" in the Black world. They label that call , a simultaneous revolution of the spirit and creative mind-set of African Americans to find and redefine themselves in the midst of the broad-sweeping changes reshaping our world for the 21st Century. From their point of view, the digital revolution will not only displace millions of workers, but will ultimately render many of our organizational systems obsolete in the next century. What is radiantly clear in the thoughts of these two authors, is the message of hope and the ability of African Americans to master the science and technology of this current digital revolution. As we stand at the crossroads of time, our choice must be for greater progress and development on a level we have not previously contemplated. As such, this volume represents a first. Their message is a wake-up call and something each of us should ponder very carefully as we approach the new millennium. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Important Work
For Black Americans, Timothy Jenkins and Khafra K Omrazeti have performed a very important service. With an insightful foreword by former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, Jenkins and Omrazetihave combined their considerable talents and insights to create the case for black Americans to advance into the future using their intellect and technology to create new and untold opportunities for Black Americans. The book is well researched and draws upon the work of successful black technologists and scientists who in the past, leapt ahead of their time to make important contributions to the world at large. This book is easy to read and will serve as an excellent foundation for understanding how we arrived where we are, and more importantly it highlights some of the challenges Blacks will face in the future unless current leadership undergoes a change in consciousness.

A heavy read
BLACK FUTURISTS IN THE INFORMATION AGE is a must read for anybody interested in communications technology. The authors give a lot of information on all the latest technological advances. Probably more than you ever want to know but all the things that you need to know. It discusses how African Americans need to get ahead of the curve and expand their information to the African Diaspora. While there are many disadvantages that African Americans must necessarily face in this country such as the assault on affirmative action, a disinterested market in terms of targeting African Americans, unemployment, redlining in housing and loans, poor schooling opportunities, there are many up-beat reasons to continue pushing forward to make sure that we are not left behind. Concrete ideas for technology savvy are given which is a major plus. Also included is an overview of the change in FCC rules and deregulations.

For the technologically uninvolved it is a tough book but one that helps explain the new world in a reasonable, understandable format.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Blueprint for a futuristic beginning: KyberGenesis
We are at a critical crossroads in the socioeconomic evolution of our society. Technological advancements are changing the way we live, work and play faster than ever before, and now--more than ever--we need someone to guide us. Authors Timothy L. Jenkins and Khafra K. Om-Ra-Seti step up to the challenge in their book Black Futurists in the Information Age....According to the authors, the key to taking advantage of this paradigm shift is KyberGenesis--the futuristic beginning of a major industry movement for scientific and technological development in the black world.

A wake-up call to Black people
Black Futurists in the Information Age is a wake-up call to Black people. It is a jolt toward the realization of the role they can play in the technological age. It is a look at past and future contributions to technology and information, and more specifically how these contributions will effect us all as we enter the 21st century.

Good book for understanding technology and the future
I consider Black Futurists a must read for anyone interested in learning how technology will effect our world in the future. This forward thinking book sheds light on existing and forthcoming technologies and how they will profoundly impact our everyday lives. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: 1190 Bc Deaths, 1191 Bc Deaths, 1192 Bc Deaths, 1197 Bc Deaths, 1199 Bc Deaths, Amenmesse, Seti Ii, Chancellor Bay, Siptah, Twosret. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 30. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Amenmesse (also Amenmesses or Amenmose) was the 5th ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, possibly the son of Merneptah and Queen Takhat. Others consider him to be one of the innumerable sons of Ramesses II. Very little is known about this king, who ruled Egypt for only three to four years. Various Egyptologists date his reign between 1202 BC1199 BC or 1203 BC1200 BC with others giving an accession date of 1200 BC. Amenmesse means "born of or fashioned by Amun" in Egyptian. Additionally, his nomen can be found with the epithet Heqa-waset, which means "Ruler of Thebes". His royal name was Menmire Setepenre. It is likely that he was not Merneptah's intended heir. Some scholars such as Kenneth Kitchen and Jürgen von Beckerath follow the traditional view that Amenmesse usurped the throne from Seti-Merneptah, Merneptah's son and Crown Prince who should have been next in line to the royal succession. It is unclear why this should have happened. Kitchen has written that Amenmesse may have taken advantage of a momentary weakness of Seti-Merneptah or seized power while the crown prince was away in Asia. Seti-Merneptah was most likely the same man as king Seti II, whose reign was traditionally thought to have followed upon Amenmesse's reign. The cartouches of Seti II's tomb in Upper Egypt were deliberately erased and then repainted, suggesting that Seti's rule in Upper Egypt was temporarily interrupted by agents of his half-brother. Confusion generally clouds Amenmesse's reign and location within the Egyptian 19th Dynasty. However, an increasing number of Egyptologists ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1497479 ... Read more

Product Description
Why did some scientists decide to conduct a search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)? What factors in their personal development predisposed them to such a quest? What obstacles did they encounter along the way? David Swift interviewed the first scientists involved in the search & offers a fascinating overview of the emergence of this modern scientific endeavor. He allows some of the most imaginative scientific thinkers of our time to hold forth on their views regarding SETI & extraterrestrial life & on how the field has developed. Readers will react with a range of opinions as broad as those concerning the likelihood of success in SETI itself. ''A goldmine of original information.'' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unedited interviews of varying interest
This book is a collection of interviews Swift conducted with sixteen scientists and engineers who played significant roles in starting a scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (a seventeenth interview of a younger researcher is tacked on at the end). The interviews vary widely in substantive interest. Unfortunately, Swift gives us the full contents of each interview, including what he said himself.This forces the reader to wade through a lot of marginal verbiage to get to the nuggets of thought-provoking material.The book would be far more readable, and shorter, if Swift had been tougher about editing his own work.The concluding chapter provides some interesting sociological analysis. ... Read more

Product Description
From Behind The Black Book of the American Intelligence Community comes this Non-Fiction. The Question of, "If We Are Alone in the Universe" is Answered. Joshua Smith is not his real name.Identifying him would at best be problematic. Josh was a Marine. This book is a small part of his life's story.I wish I could say it is his whole story but I doubt anyone will ever know the whole story. At least not in our lifetime. Ever wondered if we are alone in this universe? Here are your answers.Unlike any other book ever written on this subject here you will read the science without the fiction. Competent scientists will have cause to doubt Einstein; UFO researchers will understand why a space fairing race would visit but make no contact, and the very first true glimpse of a much wider universe then any human could possible ever have imagined is demonstrated herein.Space travel is NOT what our scientists believe it is.This book explains it all.Contrary to what some people have written; this is NOT a New Age book.Where members and writers involved in UFO Culture thrive or rather survive on finger-pointing or far-out conspiracy theories; Writer-Author: AJ Ensor asks the question, "What Would You Like To Know?"Then Proceeds to answer anything and everything he can. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Plain and Simple Review
A plain and simple review: Ninety five percent of this book is filler. The author goes on and on about his and "Joshua's" normal everyday experiences while training in the military. What follows in the other five percent is an unintelligible confabulation new age wisdoms hobbled together in a painful attempt to explain the who, what, where, when, how, and why of aliens and their presence on earth. My B.S. meter was at an all time high when I read this part of the book. Mr. Ensor may have my $12.00 from my purchase, but he doesn't have my soul. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more