Technology, Engineering & Agriculture Books

Book SynopsisWith 6,000km of navigable waterways, the Netherlands offers one of the most extensive yet compact cruising grounds in Europe. This book is a user's guide to the whole network, covering all the mast-up routes and excluding only those waterways which offer less than 3.5m bridge height. Navigational details are provided for each waterway, comprising dimensions and obstacles to be expected, including service arrangements for bridges and locks. This is followed by details of over 300 stopping places across all 12 provinces; some which are large or popular harbours, and others which are well off the beaten track. Comments on the significant features are expanded for nearly 100 'principal venues' where more details on things to do and see are provided, as well as information on practical facilities ashore and the authors' selective and subjective restaurant tips! The book is designed to be of interest to all crew members, not just the skipper or navigator, whether its to establish how to approach a place, or to discover what to do or see of interest on arrival. Easy to browse, the book's illustrations have been selected to give a flavour of this water-loving country as well as to prepare the visiting yachtsman, whether under power or sail. This second edition has been updated with amendments to the text and maps. There are also many new photos by the authors. Louise Busby's interest in boating has led to commissions for Motor Boats Monthly as well as the Cruising Association's magazine. She is a former CA regional Almanac editor for the Netherlands and Belgium. David Broad is a detailed journal writer and log keeper, many of David's notes and sketches have been used in the compilation of this book. He is a Council member of the Cruising Association and the Chairman of the Broom Owners Club. A website, which is a useful annexe to the book, is kept up to date with details of changes to the waterways along with useful links to further information. For further information see www.inlandwaterwaysofthenetherlands.com

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Book SynopsisThere are few more beautiful cities in the world that it is possible to sail into the heart of, but that is what the authors were able to do in Istanbul while researching this, the tenth edition. Their research also took them south as far as Göçek and to Cyprus. Much has changed, with new marinas completed and more under construction, but much has also stayed the same, namely the warmth and hospitality of the people you encounter. This new edition includes all the latest information and marina developments, with new plans and photos, many of which were taken by the authors. Turkish Waters and Cyprus Pilot is considered the essential companion to sailing these waters. Imray Digital Charts: Free mobile download A voucher code to download the relevant Imray digital charts into Imray Navigator (our app for iPad and iPhone) is included with this book. `I would take his Turkish Waters and Cyprus Pilot as my book on the Desert Island.’ Michael Buerk, Yachting Monthly `… a must for anyone sailing in this area.’ The Little Ship `The wonderful photographs of the Turkish coast together with the descriptions of the harbours and their histories would make this book just as suitable for the coffee table as the navigators section.’ Cruising (Cruising Association) `Comprehensively researched and superbly presented, no East Med cruising yacht will want to sail without a copy.’ Yachting Monthly

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive companion to the long coastline which ranges from Spain and the edge of the Pyrenees to the Alpes Maritimes and Italy. It covers the flat country of Languedoc-Roussillon, the coast of the Golfe du Lion, the Rhone delta and the Camargue, the industrial Golfe de Fos, the Cote d'Azur and the French Riviera and Monaco. The island of Corsica and the waterways that run behind the coast linking the Canal du Midi and the etangs to the Rhone are covered in separate chapters. The authors spent the summer and autumn of 2016 cruising in Corsica and then across to the Golfe du Fos where they left Skylax for the winter. During their travels they visited a large number of harbours and anchorages, collecting the latest information and taking new photographs. There are new aerial photos for many places and in particular for ports and harbours in Languedoc - Roussillon. This major 2017 edition contains substantial change to the content.

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Book SynopsisFood is our most intimate and vital commodity, yet too many of us have lost touch with the reality of where it comes from and how it is produced. Providing a seasonal tour of a traditional farming year, passionate beef farmer Joe Stanley seeks to bridge this knowledge gap and inform the reader about the journey their food takes before it gets to the plate, revealing the realities of modern agricultural life for a British lowland farmer. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, he strips observations of the countryside and agricultural practices down to the core of his day-to-day, illustrating how our food is produced and why our farmed landscape looks the way it does. Along the way, he offers insight into his daily routine, such as how crops are planted, why livestock is brought in for winter, and what happens at harvest, while addressing the bigger issues surrounding food standards, sustainability, the environment, rural heritage, trade and the future of agricultural policy outside the EU. Often undermined as an antiquated pastime, agriculture is actually the core of a £122bn food and farming sector (the UK’s largest manufacturing industry), and Farm to Fork: The Challenge of Sustainable Farming in 21st Century Britain stands as a testament to British farming and the heart that goes into the food our farmers produce, the environmental stewardship they deliver and the landscape they maintain, whether through the assurance of food quality, animal welfare or environmental sustainability. This is a wonderfully-detailed and candid account of the life of a British farmer — of the highs and lows and lessons learned from a lifetime on the land.Trade ReviewThis book offers a compelling insight into the challenges and rewards of farming. A must-read for any agriculture student, it will also appeal to those with an interest in their food, as well as the farmers who produce it.A wonderfully-detailed and candid account of the life of a British farmer. Farm to Fork offers something for everyone, no matter their background.For now, the battle to defend farming against cavalier politicians, unscrupulous capitalists and ignorant environmentalists continues to be waged in the media by its champions, notably NFU president Minette Batters, who has written the foreword. Mr Stanley has made a heartfelt contribution to that fight.The book gives an insight into the hundreds of decisions affecting what ends up on our plate, how farming life has changed, and how it might look in years to come.It is, at its core, a love letter from one farmer, to an entire industry

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Book SynopsisThe perfect book for anyone considering establishing and running their own smallholding. Packed with helpful hints and advice for each season.

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Book SynopsisHow to build, conserve or renovate stone buildings in the authentic way. Learn how to uncover how buildings were constructed, and to renovate them sympathetically using traditional techniques and materials.

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Book SynopsisWith a global population estimated to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050 we face a huge challenge in feeding everyone on the planet. How is that to be achieved?In this brilliantly insightful, one stop guide WIRED journalist Matt Reynolds assesses the limits and drawbacks of current food production and looks at the ways in which they can be tackled. He considers the potential for lab-grown meat to replace inefficient livestock farming. He talks to the scientists hoping to perfect more productive and disease-resistant crops. He explores initiatives to make agriculture less environmentally damaging and to reduce food waste. And he addresses the fundamental question: how do we feed more people while using fewer of the Earth's resources?

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Book SynopsisKeeping Geese is a complete guide to the domesticated goose. It shows how this intelligent bird has been absorbed into different cultures throughout history: from the taming of the Greylag and the Swan goose to the exhibition of the mighty Toulouse, the story of the goose is intimately involved in both Eastern and Western cultures.

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Book SynopsisMcCance and Widdowsons's The Composition of Foods, Seventh Summary Edition provides a timely, authoritative and comprehensive update of the nutrient data for the most commonly consumed foods in the UK. Foods that are less commonly consumed but are important in the diets of sub-groups of the population are also included. This Seventh Summary Edition contains data which has been reviewed and updated since the last edition was published in 2002 and incorporates data from previously published supplements plus new analytical data and additional data from manufacturers. New data includes updates on key foods in the UK diet including flours and grains, bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits, cakes, eggs, fat spreads, fruits, vegetables, fish and fish products. Values for a wide range of nutrients (e.g. proximates, inorganics, vitamins, fibre and fatty acids) are provided and additional tables provide data for carotenoid fractions, vitamin E fractions and vitamin K for selected foods. Values for specific nutrients, including sodium, sugars, saturated and trans fatty acids in processed foods have been updated to reflect changes resulting from health policy and recent industry initiatives on reformulations. AOAC fibre values have been included for a wide range of foods to enable energy calculations, including fibre for food labelling purposes. Aimed at students and professionals in all food and health disciplines, this essential handbook should be on the bookshelf of everyone who needs to know the nutritional value of foods consumed in the UK.Trade Review"I find this book hypnotically wonderful." "...it is hugely valuable if you have a professional interest in nutrition. The nutritionist's bible..." -- Brian Clegg * Popular Science *Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Tables; Additional tables; Appendices

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Book SynopsisFarmland wildlife has been decimated by intensive crop growing using pesticides, grubbing up hedges, ploughing heathland and draining marshes, etc. With too many sheep grazing our moors, hills and mountains, a range of upland plants, invertebrates and birds has been diminished and the land converted to closely-grazed turf, perfect for heavy rain to cause catastrophic downstream floods. Once common farmland birds have declined by 54% since 1970 with farmland invertebrates declining by 40% in a few decades. Since the 1930s a staggering 97% of our once flower-rich meadows has been lost. Ploughing a New Furrow examines these stark figures and in the context of Brexit considers the unprecedented opportunity for wildlife once again to be nurtured by Britain's farmers alongside food production, reversing the enormous plant and animal losses our farmland has suffered. With its financial largesse, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has encouraged farmers to destroy huge areas of wildlife habitat in Britain's lowlands and seriously damage large tracts of our uplands, depleting Britain's farmed land of much of its wildlife. With responsibility for farm policy to be transferred back to the UK, these enormous losses could be reversed and Britain's farms made wildlife-rich once more. This book is based to a significant extent on conversations with farmers and on the achievements and experiences of some farmers who have made good use of agri-environment payments to reinstate lost habitats and manage their remaining wildlife more sensitively. The author sets out the case for removing or capping subsidies, supporting organic and other more sustainable forms of agriculture and the conservation of soils and the rich life forms they hold. He proposes a set of policy changes and other measures that should be adopted by the Government post-Brexit to make the 70% of our land that farming occupies rich in wildlife again. Literally food for thought!Trade Review`the author has researched his subject admirably. …is an informative read about the myriad ways the policy decisions may impact on farm wildlife across the UK. …the author has made this often impenetrable subject approachable’. Plantlife -------------------- `…considers the unprecedented opportunity for wildlife once again to be nutured by Britain’s farmers alongside food production, reversing the enormous plant and animal losses our farmland has suffered’. Wildlife -------------------- `...a timely publication... ...an easy read with an added light in human touch that enhances the chapters... ...provides an informed perspective on the agriculture industry...' ECOS -------------------- `This is a must-read for agricultural and conservation students alike but it will also appeal to farmers, environmental practitioners and anyone that takes an interest in the health of the farmed landscape. The timing of this book has never been more poignant with the backdrop of Brexit. ...this publication serves as an ideal cue to review where we are at with each of these conservation challenges...' BTO - British Trust for Ornithology -------------------- `This is a balanced and informative book that is timely and relevant - a must read for anyone with an interest in farm wildlife issues and the future of farming in the UK'. Butterfly -------------------- `...must be one of the most thought-provoking with regards to farming in the UK and how farming practices and wildlife might coexist in the future. There is so much in this thought-provoking book you must read it...' Dumfries & Galloway Life -------------------- `Malcolm Smith's book comes at a critical time. Farming is on the cusp of a new era in light of Brexit... ...an intelligent and thorough walk through of the issues surrounding farming and wildlife. The subject matter is successfully brought to life through his narrative and it is clear that he is well-versed in the issues through actual experience...' Kate Priestman, Inside Ecology

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Book SynopsisFocusing on the impact of engineering on society and the world, McCarthy details the development of the discipline, explains what makes an engineering mind, and shows how every aspect of our lives has been engineered: from gadgets to our national infrastructure. Long considered tinkerers, problem solvers, and visionaries, engineers hold the keys to our real and virtual future.Trade Review"There are a plethora of people for whom this book would probably prove to be a mine of information." * Professional Engineering *

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Book SynopsisInvestigations into the causes of aircraft accidents have for decades focused on what happened and who did it - very rarely Why? It is the question Why? that David Beaty has addressed here, fighting the misnomer of 'pilot error' and propounding that the cause should be sought deeper inside human beings who make apparently simple human errors. In The Naked Pilot, David Beaty analyses not only human error flying accidents but also the latent predisposing errors made by management and government. No other book on the subject speaks with such clarity to both the expert and the layman. Human factors have ben called 'the last great frontier of aviation'. In The Naked Pilot, David Beaty has sought possible ways to breach it.Trade Review"The Naked Pilot makes fascinating and compulsive reading. It should be compulsory reading for all trainee and experienced pilots alike, as well as air traffic controllers, corporate managers and aircraft manufacturers." - Business Aviation

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Book SynopsisThe first section of PPL4 deals with basic aerodynamics (Principles of Flight), using the fresh and modern approach that characterises AFE''s PPL Course Series. PPL 4 then moves on to the physical characteristics of the aeroplane including modern construction materials and designs and the final section explains aircraft loading and performance, aircraft documentation and maintenance procedures and general flight safety.- Fully illustrated with photographs, line drawings and diagrams- Includes separate Flight Planning section- Full colour section- Revision questions at the end of each chapter- CAA recommended

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Book SynopsisMark Purdey's life changed one day in 1984 when a Ministry of Agriculture inspector told him he must administer a toxic organophosphate pesticide to his dairy herd. Passionately committed to organic farming and convinced of the harmful effects of chemicals in the environment, he refused to comply. 'It was as if my whole life became focused', he explained later. Before they had a chance to prosecute, Purdey took the Ministry to court and won his case. These experiences led him to challenge the orthodox line on the origins of Mad Cow Disease and its human counterpart variant CJD. Could the insecticide used in the official programme have precipitated the spread of the disease?Purdey's quest to discover the truth was hampered at every turn by government bureaucracies and self-serving scientific cliques who sought to smear and marginalize him. Dogged by dirty tricks and forced to work alone as something of a scientific sleuth, he struggled to reveal hidden interests and dangerous secrets. His supporters included many members of the public, as well as Prince Charles and the poet Ted Hughes. The latter wrote to him expressing 'a million congratulations'.Increasingly sceptical of the official narrative, Purdey was certain that toxic environmental factors would provide answers, and so embarked on a self-funded worldwide odyssey to investigate. "Animal Pharm" follows him on these eco-detective trails to locations as diverse as Iceland, Sardinia, Colorado and Australia. Purdey uncovers contamination from industry, munitions, pesticides, nuclear experiments and natural geology, linking these with the emergence of a range of neurodegenerative diseases. His research is at once compelling and disturbing, helping to create a paradigm shift in our understanding of the relationship of pollutants to disease and health.Trade Review'Next to weapons of mass destruction, BSE or Mad Cow Disease was the Blair government's biggest scare. Mark Purdey's inves 5{, required reading.'- John Pilger'If Purdey is right, he deserves a Nobel Prize for medicine. Instead he has been shot at, his phone lines have been cut and his house has been burnt down. The Ministry of Agriculture, which for 50 years has enjoyed a dangerously close relationship with the agrochemical industry, has repeatedly sought to discredit him.' - George Monbiot

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Book SynopsisFrom high heels to welly boots - one woman's misadventures in becoming a farmer, raising a family and making a living from the land.Sally Urwin was living in a tiny flat in the city with a high-pressure job. She was depressed, surviving off rescue remedies and wine, and longing for a different life when she met and married farmer Steve. Returned to the rolling hills of Northumberland, a place she'd adored as a child, Sally imagined herself wafting around High House Farm in floral dresses followed by a bevy of rosy-cheeked children. The reality is quite different...Sally is usually wearing a jumper covered in sheep poo and bellowing at Mavis the collie to stop chasing Gladys the grumpy pony and her kids are moaning about being dragged outside while she is caring for a ewe who has ingested a poisonous plant after wandering into the neighbour's field.But despite the chaos of juggling motherhood with running a farm, financial hardship and dealing with poorly animals, the exhilarating freedom of rural life has helped Sally to heal her own body and mind. Lambing season might be backbreaking, but the utter joy in cradling a new-born lamb is worth all the sweat and tears.With a mix of grit, humour and the love of family, Sally shows us that it's never too late to live the life you've always dreamed of.Fans of The Yorkshire Shepherdess will love this hilarious, heartfelt and honest account that will have you howling with laughter and sobbing into your tissues in equal measure.Read what everyone is saying about What the Flock!:'I don't know how to tell you how much I loved this book... You just CAN'T go wrong with having the author as narrator.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I don't even know where to begin!... an amazing memoir that reads like fiction...you will find yourself being sucked into stories... you will laugh and cry... I couldn't put this book down until I devoured it from start to finish... 1000/10 would read again and again.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'This book was perfect. I loved the honest and wholesome look at life the author provides. It is at sometimes funny and sometimes sad... like talking to a friend.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I don't know any animal lover that won't enjoy this book... I related to the female farmer talking about her struggles with the corporate world, and I dreamed along with her that I might be capable of farming and loving on animals all day... I cried over the losses that can come with farm life... will keep you entertained, and I'm going to keep rooting for this family to secure their farm's future.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'If Bo Peep met the Durrells, they'd happily live alongside Sally Urwin on her Northumbrian farm. An engaging and very, very funny account of a city girl who became a sheep farmer and traded in everything she thought she knew for a life where the four-legged family members rule.' Freya North'I loved this... a joy to read... Honest and funny.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A beautiful memoir and the way she narrates it in this audio book makes it all the more special... I felt as if I was sat at her table having a cuppa as she told me about her life. Stunning book and I will be buying copies for friends.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I really enjoyed this one... the author is a wonderful storyteller and I enjoyed her humor. I laughed out loud at the stories about Candy, the fat pony.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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Book SynopsisToday, yachts are often equipped with radar, GPS, chart plotters, AIS, etc. This equipment has also become much more reliable, making it possible to make long offshore passages without a great knowledge of navigation. However, such equipment can be set up wrongly, interpreted incorrectly, malfunction or lose power. In these circumstances, knowledge of traditional navigation can become extremely important. This book will teach you how to navigate in the traditional way using compass, log and plotter; and also how to navigate using electronic aids like GPS, radar and chart plotter. In addition, you will learn some basic celestial navigation using the sun and stars to obtain your position using sextant, almanacs, tables and a watch. Each method of navigation is explained alongside detailed illustrations and examples, combining to make a straightforward and easy-to-follow guide. Due to the design of the book, we have had to restrict the layout of the ebook to PDF style which may result in giving you a more restricted reading experience. For this reason, we would not recommend viewing it on very small screens.Trade Review“If you’re a newbie keen to understand what’s happening on board, this could be just the thing.” (Yachting Monthly)Table of ContentsIntroduction; Contents; TRADITIONAL NAVIGATION: How charts are created, Latitude and longitude, Position, Using charts, Variation and deviation, Steering compass, Logs and echosounders, Plotting implements, Leeway and current, Handbearing compasses, Dead reckoning / bearings, Miscellaneous, Sailing at night, IALA buoyage system, Tide and tidal currents, Navigation lights, Summary; ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION: GPS, GPS – how does it work?, GPS receivers, Using the GPS receiver, Chart plotters, Using the chart plotter, Waypoints and routes, Display setup, Receiver setup, Radar, Range / bearing discrimination, Radar operation, Adjusting the radar, Radar problems, Display setup, Collision avoidance, AIS; CELESTIAL NAVIGATION: The sun’s geographic position, Astronomical model, Principles of celestial navigation, Hour angles, Noon sight, Measuring sun’s altitude, UTC, zone and standard time, Working a sight, Sight reduction sheet, Taking the noon sight, Plotting position lines, Finding lat. and long. directly, Corrections, Stars, Polaris (North Star), Using a calculator; Appendix: Tables & formulae.

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Book SynopsisStarting in 1902 with three 0-8-0s for the Great Central Railway, J G Robinson''s heavy freight locomotive fleet grew rapidly as part of General Manager Sam Fay''s strategy to rescue the company from financial difficulties. At Grouping, the GCR passed on 241 well-built, powerful and efficient eight-coupled locomotives to the newly formed London & North Eastern Railway. In a parallel development, the Robinson 2-8-0 was adopted in 1917 as a standard type for the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers. More than 500 were constructed by several manufacturers, over 300 being sent across the Channel to support the British forces in France. Their later story included short-term loans to nine railway companies, sales to four UK companies and operators in China and Australia. In 1941, 92 were requisitioned for military service in the Middle East for deployment in Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq and in 1952 five more were sent to Egypt. This work surveys a large, complex locomotive family that saw service on four continents between 1902 and the early 1970s. It covers the signature 2-8-0s, the original 0-8-0s, the unusual 0-8-4Ts, the 2-8-2T derivatives, Fay''s exploration of ten-coupled power, the sad story of the ''might-have-been'' Garratt, plus the various modifications and rebuildings instituted by Gresley and Thompson.Related TitlesBR Steam Locomotives Complete Allocations History 1948-19689781910809723 35.00The Class 33s9781910809662 25.00The LMS Turbomotive9781909328525 27.95

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Book SynopsisUnavailable for some time, this book proved to be an instant success when first published, explaining as it did, in a simple and comprehensible way the complex engineering behind a steam locomotive. The subject is explained through a series of easily understandable diagrams which show the function of the components in step-by-step sequences. The clear diagrams and explanations require no prior technical or engineering knowledge. Photographs, both historic and contemporary, illustrate the text. Starting with a basic introduction to the principles of the steam locomotive boiler, the text provides detailed explanations of both coal and oil firing. Further detailed chapters examine the essential components, including gauge glasses, injectors, ejectors, control valves, mainframes, cylinders, valve gear, lubrication, air and vacuum brakes and cab layouts. Additional chapters cover wheel arrangements, balancing, engine layout and fault finding. This expanded edition is the ideal introduction to the subject both for older steam enthusiasts, as there are few who understand every aspect of the steam locomotive in its entirety, a subject which encompasses many engineering specialisms including structures, dynamics, thermodynamics and fluid flows, and heritage railway volunteers and fans who love this most dramatic and inspiring form of traction but may not be up to speed with how it actually operates.

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Book SynopsisA toolkit of 6 regenerative food growing systems which have been tried and tested. These can help farmers and growers transform industrial food production systems into resilient, biodiverse, carbon negative, productive farms and bring about an agroecological revolution. Farms and garden design for growing healthy food from living soil in low input closed loop systems. The circular food economy. The four challenges of climate change mitigation, climate adaptation, offsetting biodiversity loss and producing enough healthy food for a growing population. The author's case study of her Huxhams Cross Farm researches how depleted soil was transformed into a thriving living soil drawing on the toolkit of these 6 sustainable methods. She outlines the six main forms of sustainable food production : biodynamic, organic, permaculture, agroforestry, agroecology and regenerative farming methods. The principles and practices of each approach are explained concisely, with illustrative case studies of successful examples.There are follow up resources including articles, books, film references, and training available around the world. The book concludes with the Huxhams Cross Farm case study with hard research evidence, reviewing the extent to which the four challenges have been met and how a successful farm has been developed from bare land in 5 years. The conclusion addresses how farming can be transformed by tackling such barriers as land access for farmers, the psychology of scarcity and building farmer capacity. The key roles of food choices, policy, community supported agriculture are addressed.

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Book Synopsis"You are my destiny, The compass points to you, You can have the best of me, When I get back to you" A poetry collection written with humour and honesty in the cab of his truck - HGV driver Michael John Evans takes a fresh look at the call of home and family, and his most precious corners of the UK as he experiences life on the road

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Book SynopsisSmart cities are cities which use different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect data. The gathered information and data is then used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently to improve the operations across the city. This book provides a new insight for the current issues and opportunities in smart cities and related concepts in the next generation of urban evolution. The smart cities of tomorrow engage locals, visitors, governments and businesses in the intelligent, collaborative and connected ecosystem. To this end, the goal of this book is to provide better understanding of city services but also enhancing and evaluating the local and visitor experience and city decision-making processes by creating livable environments and business solutions. With international contributions from well-respected and international academics, it brings state-of-art knowledge on marketing management (and related areas e.g., urban studies) from a new modern perspective within the smart cities. Via academic research and international case studies, it discusses issues such as: • Smart tourists in smart cities • The evolution of the smart city • Smart trends in the tourism and hospitality industry • Smart sports in smart cities • Creating a smart tourist destinations • What does it mean for the locals – the smart city as a proposal to improve the quality of life of residentsTable of ContentsCh 1 The Evolution Process of Smart Tourism Initiatives (Abbie-Gayle Johnson, Jillian M. Rickly and Scott McCabe); Ch 2 Smart tourists in smart cities (Tomáš Gajdošík); Ch 3 Advances in Smart Destination Management and Public Governance:Tourism Innovation ecosystems for Digital; Ch 4 Smart Destinations: A Multiple Case study of European Smartest and Most Visited Cities (Kadir Çakar); Ch 5 Modes of destination metagovernance and smart governance in Milan: A longitudinal perspective (Alberto Amore et al); Ch 6 Smart Stem Education for active ageing (Anthony Kong et al); Ch 7 Smart cities digital transformation (Ekaterina Glebova, Wojciech Lewicki); Ch 8 Smart Sports in Smart Cities (Ekaterina Glebova, Michel Desbordes); Ch 9 Madeira Island – Re-thinking the development of the tourism sector (Luiz Pinto Machado and Antonio Almeida); Ch 10 Co-Creating and Co-Destructing Personalised Experiences through Smart Destination Infrastructure (Katerina Volchek, Dimitrios Buhalis and Rob Law); Ch 11 Is Smart Technology an Opportunity or a Challenge for Restaurant Employees?: Perception towards Smart ICTs and its Antecedents (Yakup Kemal Özekİcİ and Cemal Ersin Sİlİk); Ch 12 Reconnoitering the Role of Human Capital in the Development of Smart Cities: A Systematic Review (Dr. Aruditya Jasrotia); Ch 13 Co-creation of smart value on smart ecosystems – past trends and future directions in tourism literature (Estrella Diaz, Águeda Esteban, Christina Koutra and Sofia Almeida); Ch 14 Smart trends in the tourism and hospitality industry (Evrim Celtek); Ch 15 From Smart City 1.0 to Smart City 3.0: Deep Understanding of the Smart City Concept and Evolution (Diogo Correia and Leonor Teixeira); Ch 16 Smart City as a Proposal to Improve the Quality of Life of Residents and Promote a Smart Tourist Destination: the Case of Barranco, Lima, Peru (Otto Regalado-Pezua et al); Ch 17 The Viable System Model as an instrument to manage the creation of value in smart (Susana Romero Juarez et al); Ch 18 The French-style Smart Cities (Cyril Blanchet et al); Index

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Book SynopsisIn the late 1920s, Reimar Horten began experimenting with flying models equipped with fuselages, stabilisers, rudders and elevators, but his life''s work involved systematically removing these components from models until he could achieve flight with only the wing. Not only were pure wings more difficult to design with the stability and controls needed to fly, they were harder to place in practical roles not already filled by conventional aircraft operating for less support and lower operational costs. Always seeking to increase performance and efficiency, Horten adopted a multidisciplinary approach after flying his first piloted wing in 1933, eventually breaking new ground in cockpit design and construction materials. His most important innovation was the unique pattern he developed to distribute lift over his wings, the result of his efforts to refine the aerodynamic control of all-wing aircraft, often while working alone and in difficult circumstances. Two days after Horten passed away in 1993, the Royal Aeronautical Society awarded him the British Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Aeronautics.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book presents detailed pathways to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050, globally and across ten geographical regions. Based on state-of-the-art scenario modelling, it provides the vital missing link between renewable energy targets and the measures needed to achieve them. Bringing together the latest research in climate science, renewable energy technology, employment and resource impacts, the book breaks new ground by covering all the elements essential to achieving the ambitious climate mitigation targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. For example, sectoral implementation pathways, with special emphasis on differences between developed and developing countries and regional conditions, provide tools to implement the scenarios globally and domestically. Non-energy greenhouse gas mitigation scenarios define a sustainable pathway for land-use change and the agricultural sector. Furthermore, results of the impact of the scenarios on employment and mineral and resource requirements provide vital insight on economic and resource management implications. The book clearly demonstrates that the goals of the Paris Agreement are achievable and feasible with current technology and are beneficial in economic and employment terms. It is essential reading for anyone with responsibility for implementing renewable energy or climate targets internationally or domestically, including climate policy negotiators, policy-makers at all levels of government, businesses with renewable energy commitments, researchers and the renewable energy industry.Part 2 of this title can be found at this Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-99177-7Trade Review“Based on state-of-the-art scenario modelling, the book provides the vital missing link between renewable energy targets and the measures needed to achieve them. Its robustly modelled scenarios indicate how to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050, globally and across ten geographical regions. … The book is an essential read for anyone who is responsible for implementing renewable energy or climate targets internationally or domestically, including climate policy negotiators, policy-makers at all levels of government, businesses … .” (eurekalert.org, February, 5, 2019)​Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisEminent physicist and economist, Robert Ayres, examines the history of technology as a change agent in society, focusing on societal roots rather than technology as an autonomous, self-perpetuating phenomenon. With rare exceptions, technology is developed in response to societal needs that have evolutionary roots and causes. In our genus Homo, language evolved in response to a need for our ancestors to communicate, both in the moment, and to posterity. A band of hunters had no chance in competition with predators that were larger and faster without this type of organization, which eventually gave birth to writing and music. The steam engine did not leap fully formed from the brain of James Watt. It evolved from a need to pump water out of coal mines, driven by a need to burn coal instead of firewood, in turn due to deforestation. Later, the steam engine made machines and mechanization possible. Even quite simple machines increased human productivity by a factor of hundreds, if not thousands. That was the Industrial Revolution. If we count electricity and the automobile as a second industrial revolution, and the digital computer as the beginning of a third, the world is now on the cusp of a fourth revolution led by microbiology. These industrial revolutions have benefited many in the short term, but devastated the Earth’s ecosystems. Can technology save the human race from the catastrophic consequences of its past success? That is the question this book will try to answer.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Fire and water: technologies extending nature.- Chapter 3. Extensions of the body.- Chapter 4. Words and music.- Chapter 5. Printing, movable type and books.- Chapter 6. The Enlightenment: the rise of science.- Chapter 7. The first stage of industrialization: coking and canals (1712- 1820).- Chapter 8. Machine tools and mechanization.- Chapter 9. The triumph of steam and steel (1820-1876).- Chapter 10. Petroleum and petrochemicals.- Chapter 11. Anesthesia, surgery, and modern medicine.- Chapter 12. Mobility: From rails to roads to space travel.- Chapter 13. Electricity and electrification of factories and homes.- Chapter 14. Communications: From carrier pigeons to telephones and radio (1876-1976).- Chapter 15. The history of artifiicial light.- Chapter 16. Electronic broadcast media: radio and TV.- Chapter 17. Photography and movies.- Chapter 18. The transistor transition: 1945-1969.- Chapter 19. Machine computation and digitization.- Chapter 20. The Internet and the Worldwide Web.- Chapter 21. The Eco-footprint of material wealth: pollution, climate change and epidemics.- Chapter 22. Nuclear power.- Chapter 23. Solar Power and renewables.- Chapter 24. Scarce elements and scarce metals.- Chapter 25. Food and agriculture.- Chapter 26. Biotechnology and Human Health.- Chapter 27. Can technology save Homo Sapiens from Extinction? Utopia 2120.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook provides details of the derivation of Lagrange's planetary equations and of the closely related Gauss's variational equations, thereby covering a sorely needed topic in existing literature. Analytical solutions can help verify the results of numerical work, giving one confidence that his or her analysis is correct. The authors—all experienced experts in astrodynamics and space missions—take on the massive derivation problem step by step in order to help readers identify and understand possible analytical solutions in their own endeavors. The stages are elementary yet rigorous; suggested student research project topics are provided.After deriving the variational equations, the authors apply them to many interesting problems, including the Earth-Moon system, the effect of an oblate planet, the perturbation of Mercury's orbit due to General Relativity, and the perturbation due to atmospheric drag. Along the way, they introduce several useful techniques such as averaging, Poincaré's method of small parameters, and variation of parameters. In the end, this textbook will help students, practicing engineers, and professionals across the fields of astrodynamics, astronomy, dynamics, physics, planetary science, spacecraft missions, and others. “An extensive, detailed, yet still easy-to-follow presentation of the field of orbital perturbations.” - Prof. Hanspeter Schaub, Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder “This book, based on decades of teaching experience, is an invaluable resource for aerospace engineering students and practitioners alike who need an in-depth understanding of the equations they use.” - Dr. Jean Albert Kéchichian, The Aerospace Corporation, Retired “Today we look at perturbations through the lens of the modern computer. But knowing the why and the how is equally important. In this well organized and thorough compendium of equations and derivations, the authors bring some of the relevant gems from the past back into the contemporary literature.” - Dr. David A Vallado, Senior Research Astrodynamicist, COMSPOC “The book presentation is with the thoroughness that one always sees with these authors. Their theoretical development is followed with a set of Earth orbiting and Solar System examples demonstrating the application of Lagrange’s planetary equations for systems with both conservative and nonconservative forces, some of which are not seen in orbital mechanics books.” - Prof. Kyle T. Alfriend, University Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M UniversityTable of Contents1 The n-Body Problem2 General Perturbations 3 Evaluation of Lagrange’s Brackets 4 Lagrange’s Planetary Equations 5 Expansion of the Perturbation Function 6 The Earth-Moon System 7 Potential of an Oblate Spheroid8 Effects of General Relativity9 Perturbations due to Atmospheric Drag 10 Periodic Solutions in Nonlinear OscillationsBibliography Projects

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an essential overview of screen-printing. Routinely utilised to fabricate a range of useful electrochemical architectures, screen-printing is also used in a broad range of areas in both industry and academia. It supports the design of next-generation electrochemical sensing platforms, and allows proven laboratory-based approaches to be upscaled and commercially applied. To those skilled in the art, screen-printing allows novel and useful electrochemical architectures to be mass produced, offering fabrication processes that are cost-effective yet highly reproducible and yield significant electrical benefits. However, there is no readily available textbook that actually equips readers to set about the task of screen-printing, explaining its techniques and implementation. Addressing that gap, this book will be of interest to both academics and industrialists delving into screen-printing for the first time. It offers an essential resource for those readers who want learn to successfully design, fabricate and implement (and mass-produce) electrochemical based architectures, as well as those who already have a basic understanding of the process and want to advance their technical knowledge and skills. Trade Review Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisThis CIGRE green book begins by addressing the specification and provision of communication services in the context of operational applications for electrical power utilities, before subsequently providing guidelines on the deployment or transformation of networks to deliver these specific communication services. Lastly, it demonstrates how these networks and their services can be monitored, operated, and maintained to ensure that the requisite high level of service quality is consistently achieved.Table of ContentsPART 1 - OPERATIONAL APPLICATIONS AND THEIR COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS 1. Operational Applications in the Power Delivery System 2. Substation-to-Substation Applications 3. Substation-to-Central Platform Applications 4. Inter-platform Applications 5. Office-to-Field Applications 6. Distribution Applications PART 2 - PROVISIONING OF UTILITY-GRADE COMMUNICATION SERVICES 1. Service Provisioning, Quality of Service and SLA 2. Service specification attributes (time, loss, throughput, dependability, security, cost) 3. Building and Adjusting Service Level Agreements – the Service Catalog <4. Service Provisioning Models and their impact on the Delivery Process PART 3 - DELIVERY OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES IN THE UTILITY ENVIRONMENT 1. Introduction 2. Communication Service Delivery Architecture 3. Service Interfacing at the Access Point 4. Time Synchronization at User-to-Network Interface 5. Circuit and Packet Conversions at the Service Access Point 6. Modeling the Service Delivery Process 7. Managing the Delivered Communication Service 8. Meeting Service Quality at a Packet Switched Access Point 9. Integrating Service Delivery for IT and OT Communications Part 4 - DEPLOYING RELIABLE AND SECURE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURES 1. Introduction 2. An Overview on Network Technologies 3. Hierarchical and Overlay Architectures 4. Revisiting the Process Model – Upstream Management 5. Telecom Network Asset Ownership 6. Planning Network Transformations and Migrations 7. Cyber-secure and Disaster-resistant Communications Part 5 - MAINTAINING NETWORK OPERATION IN NORMAL AND DISASTER SITUATIONS 1. Introduction 2. Reasons for a Formal Approach to O&M 3. O&M Scope, Process and Organization 4. Managing Faults and Anomalies 5. Incident Management and Work Assignment 6. Configuration and Change Management 7. Quality and Performance Monitoring 8. Telecom O&M Communications and Field Worker Support

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Book SynopsisThis two-volume textbook provides a comprehensive overview on the broad field of Animal Biotechnology with a special focus on livestock reproduction and breeding. The reader will be introduced to a variety of state-of-the-art technologies and emerging genetic tools and their applications in animal production. Also, ethics and legal aspects of animal biotechnology will be discussed and new trends and developments in the field will be critically assessed. The two-volume work is a must-have for graduate students, advanced undergraduates and researchers in the field of veterinary medicine, genetics and animal biotechnology.This first volume mainly focuses on artificial insemination, embryo transfer technologies in diverse animal species and cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos. Trade Review“This book is of interest to academicians and researchers in the various disciplines of life sciences, agricultural sciences, medicine, and biotechnology in universities, research institutions, and biotechnology industries. … the book achieves its goal of providing an overview of the new developments in assisted reproductive technologies.” (Juanmahel Davila, Doody's Book Reviews, July 05, 2019)Table of Contents1. Evolution of animal breeding and animal biotechnology H. Niemann and R.F. Seamark 2. Future Agricultural Animals: The Need for Biotechnology G. Seidel 3. Artificial insemination in domestic and wild animal species D. Waberski 4. Technique and Application of Sex Sorted Sperm in Domestic Farm Animals D. Rath and C. Maxwell 5. ET-technologies in domestic cattle G. Bo and R Mapletoft6. ET-technology in small ruminants S. Ledda and A. Gonzalez-Bulnes7. ET-technology in domestic pigs C. Youngs 8. ET-technologies in horses H. Sieme, J. Rau, D. Tiedemann, H. Oldenhof, L. Barros, R. Sanchez, M. Blanco, G.Martinsson, C. Herrera, D. Burger9. Endoscopy in Cattle Reproduction V. Havlicek, G. Brem, U. Besenfelder10. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval (OPU: Ovum Pick-Up) in cows and mares P. Bols and T. Stout11. Preservation of Gametes and Embryos A. Arav and J. Saragusty12. In vitro production of farm animal embryos C. Wrenzycki

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive treatment of current fastening technology using inserts (anchor channels, headed stud), anchors (metal expansion anchor, undercut anchor, bonded anchor, concrete screw and plastic anchor) as well as power actuated fasteners in concrete. It describes in detail the fastening elements as well as their effects and load-bearing capacities in cracked and non-cracked concrete. It further focuses on corrosion behaviour, fire resistance and characteristics with earthquakes and shocks. It finishes off with the design of fastenings according to the European Technical Approval Guideline (ETAG 001), the Final Draft of the CEN Technical Specification 'Design of fastenings for use in concrete' and the American Standards ACI 318-05, Appendix D and ACI 349-01, Appendix B.Table of Contents1 Introduction 1 1.1 A historical review 1 1.2 Requirements for fastenings 2 1.3 Nature and direction of actions 2 2 Fastening systems 5 2.1 General 5 2.2 Cast-in-place systems 5 2.3 Drilled-in systems 10 2.4 Direct installation 29 3 Principles 33 3.1 General 33 3.2 Behaviour of concrete in tension 34 3.3 Failure mechanisms of fastenings 37 3.4 Cracked concrete 51 3.5 Why anchors may use the tensile strength of concrete 54 3.6 Prestressing of anchors 55 3.7 Loads on anchors 58 4 Behaviour of headed studs, undercut anchors and metal expansion anchors in non-cracked and cracked concrete 65 4.1 Non-cracked concrete 65 4.2 Cracked concrete 142 5 Behaviour of cast-in anchor channels in non-cracked and cracked concrete 163 5.1 Non-cracked concrete 163 5.2 Cracked concrete 179 6 Behaviour of bonded anchors in non-cracked and cracked concrete 181 6.1 Non-cracked concrete 181 6.2 Cracked concrete 204 6.3 Bonded undercut anchors and bonded expansion anchors 208 7 Behaviour of plastic anchors in non-cracked and cracked concrete 211 7.1 Non-cracked concrete 211 7.2 Cracked concrete 220 8 Behaviour of power actuated fasteners in non-cracked and cracked concrete 223 8.1 Non-cracked concrete 223 8.2 Cracked concrete 225 9 Behaviour of screw anchors in non-cracked and cracked concrete 227 9.1 Installation 227 9.2 Non-cracked concrete 231 9.3 Cracked concrete 234 10 Behaviour of anchors under seismic loading 237 10.1 Anchor applications 237 10.2 Seismic actions 238 10.4 Behaviour of anchors under seismic conditions 240 11 Behaviour of anchors in fire 249 12 Corrosion of anchors 255 13 Influence of fastenings on the capacity of components in which they are installed 259 14 Design of fastenings 265 14.1 General 265 14.2 Verifying the suitability of an anchor system 266 14.3 Design of fastenings with post-installed metal expansion, undercut and bonded expansion anchors according to the EOTA Guideline 267 14.4 Design of fastenings according to the CEN Technical Specification 283 14.5 Design of fastenings with cast-in and post-installed metal anchors according to ACI 318-05 Appendix D 330 References 343 Subject Index 371

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Book SynopsisEverybody knows them. Smartphones that talk to us, wristwatches that record our health data, workflows that organize themselves automatically, cars, airplanes and drones that control themselves, traffic and energy systems with autonomous logistics or robots that explore distant planets are technical examples of a networked world of intelligent systems. Machine learning is dramatically changing our civilization. We rely more and more on efficient algorithms, because otherwise we will not be able to cope with the complexity of our civilizing infrastructure. But how secure are AI algorithms? This challenge is taken up in the 2nd edition: Complex neural networks are fed and trained with huge amounts of data (big data). The number of necessary parameters explodes exponentially. Nobody knows exactly what is going on in these "black boxes". In machine learning we need more explainability and accountability of causes and effects in order to be able to decide ethical and legal questions of responsibility (e.g. in autonomous driving or medicine)! Besides causal learning, we also analyze procedures of tests and verification to get certified AI-programs. Since its inception, AI research has been associated with great visions of the future of mankind. It is already a key technology that will decide the global competition of social systems. "Artificial Intelligence and Responsibility" is another central supplement to the 2nd edition: How should we secure our individual liberty rights in the AI world? This book is a plea for technology design: AI must prove itself as a service in society.Table of ContentsIntroduction: What is AI?.- A brief history of AI.- Logical thinking becomes automatic.- Systems become experts.- Computers learn to speak.- Algorithms simulate evolution.- Neural networks simulate brains.- Robots become social.- Automobiles become autonomous.- Factories become intelligent.- From natural to artificial to super intelligence?.

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Book SynopsisThe aim of this work, consisting of 9 individual, self-contained booklets, is to describe commercial vehicle technology in a way that is clear, concise and illustrative. Compact and easy to understand, it provides an overview of the technology that goes into modern commercial vehicles.Starting from the customer's fundamental requirements, the characteristics and systems that define the design of the vehicles are presented knowledgeably in a series of articles, each of which can be read and studied on their own. In this volume, Fuel Consumption and Consumption Optimization, the main focus is placed on the factors for optimizing consumption in the conventional vehicle. Fuel consumption can be optimized by four different factors: the technology of the vehicle, the conditions of its operation, the behavior of the driver and the maintenance and upkeep of the vehicle. These aspects are described in a way that is easily understood for training and practical application. Table of ContentsFuel consumption and consumption optimization on conventional trucks.- Motion resistance and energy loss.- Vehicle technology.- Operating conditions of the vehicle.- The influence of the driver on fuel consumption.- Maintenance of the vehicle and service fluids.- Concluding remarks on the topic of consumption.- Comprehension questions.- Abbreviations and symbols.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis book covers the entire spectrum of green diesel and their applications in existing CI engines. This book discusses how a green diesel is a better fuel than biodiesel and petrodiesel and more suitable fuels for sustainable future development. The book begins with a concise overview of the fundamentals of the green diesel properties, preparation, and characterization of green diesel using hydroprocessing technology. The book covers recent developments in the domain of green diesel derived particularly from the second-/third-generation feedstocks. Various topics covered in this book include the catalysts involved in the processing of green diesel, characterization of the products as per ASTM/EN protocols. In addition, the book also illustrates characteristic features of green diesel and how it is different from biodiesel and petrodiesel. Other chapters cover performance and emission characteristics of green diesel in CI engines and techno-economic analysis. Moreover, the current status of green diesel industries is also incorporated. This book is of particular interest to graduate students and academic or industrial researchers/professionals working in the area of green diesel/green energy, bioenergy and mechanical, automobile, and chemical engineering. This book makes a forceful foundation for the establishment of green diesel refineries/biorefineries for a sustainable, cleaner, and greener future.Table of ContentsIntroduction/Origin of Green Diesel.- Feedstocks For Green Diesel.- Catalytic Materials for Green Diesel Production.- Green Diesel Production by Hydroprocessing Technology.- Commercial Green Diesel Production under Hydroprocessing Technology using Solid-based Heterogeneous Catalysts.- Green Diesel: Integrated Production processes, Future perspectives and Techno-economic feasibility.- Technological advancements in the production of green diesel from biomass.

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Book SynopsisA History of the Future that's Happening Right NowArtificial Intelligence: An Illustrated History explores the historic origins and current applications of AI in such diverse fields as computing, medicine, popular culture, mythology, and philosophy. Through more than 100 entries, award-winning author Clifford A. Pickover, offers a granular, yet accessible, glimpseinto the world of AIfrom medieval robots and Boolean algebra to facial recognition, and artificial neural networks. First released in 2019, this updated paperback edition brings readers up to speed with coverage of technologies such as DALL-E and ChatGPT, and it explores the very real fear that AI will alter the course of humanityforever.

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Book Synopsis1. Approaches to the Channel Islands (1: 500 000) 2. Cap Barfleur to Alderney (1: 150 000) Plans Cherbourg (1:40 000) Port de Chantereyne (Cherbourg) (1:10 000) 3. Alderney & Burhou (1: 25 000) Plan Alderney Harbour (1:12 500) 4. Passages Between Alderney & Guernsey (1: 150 000) Plan Dielette (1:15 000) 5. Guernsey, Herm & Sark (1: 60 000) 6. East Guernsey & Herm (1: 25 000) 7. Guernsey & Sark Plans (various scales) Plans St Peter Port & Havelet Bay (1:6000) Beaucette Marina (1:10 000) Sark Anchorages (1:25 000) Guernsey - South Coast Anchorages (1:25 000) 8. Passages Between Guernsey & Jersey (1: 150 000) Plan Carteret (1:22 500) 9. Jersey & Les Ecrehou (1: 75 000) 10. Approaches to St Helier (1: 30 000) Plan St Helier Harbour (1:15 000) 11. East Coast of Jersey (1: 25 000) 12. Jersey to Granville (1: 150 000) Plan Granville (1:30 000) 13. Plateau des Minquiers (1: 50 000) 14. Plateau des Minquiers to St-Malo (1: 150 000) Plan St-Malo Approaches (1:55 000) 15. Iles Chausey (1: 25 000) 16. St-Malo & La Rance (1: 15 000) 17. La Rance - Cancaval to Lyvet (1: 25 000) For this 2017 edition the latest depth surveys have been applied. There has been general updating throughout. This edition has tidal stream information is included.

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Book SynopsisHow does chance enter our world? And why is so much not predictable?In an understandable, exciting and amusing narrative, the author takes us into the world of chemistry, quantum physics and biology. Touching on astronomy and philosophy, we witness a rewarding journey of discovery. In the process, he develops a completely new view of chance based on the laws of nature. Here, the omnipresent non-equilibrium plays an extremely decisive role, because it generates the complex structures in our world. Finally, on this basis, he presents an equally simple and captivating hypothesis on the nature of time.This non-fiction book provides a deep insight into the fascination of research, the agonizing search for fundamental understanding, and the struggle for scientific knowledge.Table of ContentsChance takes its course.- Chance is everywhere.- Creativity is chance in the brain.- "Balance is good, non-balance is bad" - is it true?- Almost despairing of science.- The birth of chance in complex systems.- What is there when time flows, and where does it flow to?- Our perception of time.

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Book SynopsisThe story of humanity is the story of textiles-as old as civilization itself. Textiles created empires and powered invention. They established trade routes and drew nations' borders. Since the first thread was spun, fabric has driven technology, business, politics, and culture. In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel traces this surprising history, exposing the hidden ways textiles have made our world. The origins of chemistry lie in the coloring and finishing of cloth. The beginning of binary code-and perhaps all of mathematics-is found in weaving. Selective breeding to produce fibers heralded the birth of agriculture. The belt drive came from silk production. So did microbiology. The textile business funded the Italian Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; it left us double-entry bookkeeping and letters of credit, the David and the Taj Mahal. From the Minoans who exported woolen cloth colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to the Romans who wore wildly expensive Chinese silk, the trade and production of textiles paved the economic and cultural crossroads of the ancient world. As much as spices or gold, the quest for fabrics and dyes drew sailors across strange seas, creating an ever-more connected global economy. Synthesizing groundbreaking research from economics, archaeology, and anthropology, Postrel weaves a rich tapestry of human cultural development.

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