Recommended books about developing Psychic/Mediumship abilities?

Books/websites on construction and remedial building techniques for use in developing countries and disaster zones?

• Do you know any good books or websites on construction and remedial building techniques which might be considered 'achievable best practice' in developing countries and disaster zones, ideally using resources readily available in those areas? These can be anything from a website on the practicalities of reinforcing adobe buildings against the threat of earthquake using bamboo and wire (e.g. http://services.eng.uts.edu.au/~ddowling/Website%20%28Dom%29/01%20index.htm) to a report identifying and prioritizing repairs/remedial work and social policy to improve Indigenous Australian housing and thus health (e.g. http://www.healthabitat.com/), or even something more general about achieving sustainable reconstruction/development and building up community services. I recently attended a talk where the bamboo reinforcing technique was introduced, and it occurred to me that while studying architecture, I've come across several other incredibly simple and effective building techniques which could significantly raise the standard of living of people in developing regions if only the knowledge was more widespread. Basically what I would like to do is identify if there is a need for a widely translated illustrated handbook on these building techniques (does one exist already?), and if there is, where I could start my research to see if I could produce one. What I'm imagining is something like http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/index.html produced by the Australian government, but focused on building and repair methods achievable under harsher circumstances, suited to various developing world climates/geographies, and presented in the form of a book similar in format to a good first aid manual. The http://www.unhabitat.org/ http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=19&catid=281&cid=392 to a bibliography on building materials and techniques which might have been just the starting point I needed, but it seems to be broken.

• Answer:

  Try looking for "appropriate technology." That and "sustainability" are two of the key buzzwords for technology in the developing world, although I think both terms have fallen out of favor somewhat since the 1990s. You might, for instance, get some mileage out of the short bibliography at the end of http://www.couleursseparees.com/if/irec/irec_arc/I-Rec%20Student%20Competition%202010.pdf for a competition on "participatory design and appropriate technology for post-disaster reconstruction and disaster reduction."