Search results for ""Planet!""

As a small child, Josiah believed that his father’s absence could be explained by the simple fact that he was a high ranking alien official on the planet Parnuckle. It explained so much else, too, like why Josiah should eat nothing but chocolate (Parnucklians eat nothing but chocolate), and why he should be proud of and idolize his father, the Keymaster of Gozer, even though they’d never met. But as time goes on and the gaps in this mythology widen, Josiah is faced with two possibilities: either it’s all very real or it’s all very pretend. This betrayal comes into sharper focus when, three weeks before his sixteenth birthday, Josiah is released back into his mother’s care after two years in a group home. His mother is about to marry Johnson Davis, and when Josiah, his mother, Johnson Davis, and his daughter Bree Davis—a prematurely mature girl with her own history of parental betrayal—attempt to live together as an all-American nuclear family, the myths underpinning all of their lives come chaotically and absurdly unspooled. This startling, stylish, hilarious debut novel explores what it means to grow up an alien in your own family and your own life. It’s a story about the secret, solitary lives of kids held hostage by the caprices of their caretakers. In Parnucklian for Chocolate, B.H. James has taken the alien heart of family life and made it recognizable and relatable to all—extraterrestrial or otherwise.

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A collection of P. K. Page’s poems, socially conscious work that focuses on our planet and on the beauty of existence. Shortlisted for the 2003 Griffin Award for Excellence in Poetry, Cosmologies is a careful distillation of Canadian poet P.K. Page’s critically acclaimed two-volume Hidden Room, and it is the first of her collections to be published in the United States. Anchored by a masterful use of metaphor, her poems quote knowingly from Eliot, Thomas, and Robert Graves. As editor Eric Ormsby says in his foreword, this “supreme escape artist of Canadian literature . . . is the shrewdest of observers . . . a citizen not only of the world but of the earth.” “Elegant, rigorous, fresh,” the Griffin Prize, Judge’s Citation said. “P.K. Page’s work sings with a voice of independent character and maenad conjecture. It is a creature that lives on its own terms and terrain. It is startling, authoritative, and anti-sentimental, able to bear cool as well as passionate gazing at our own species. Her poems are always thinking – each line is thinking, while its six senses remain impeccably alert. Her poems live by wit, wisdom, sass, suspense and a muscular lissome synapse and diction. They are daring in scope, meticulous in accomplishment, and boldly moral – with a lovely flavour of amoral verve! We fall under the charm of her reasoning, of her fecund, fastidious imagination, of her many musics, and of her necessariness to us, her essentialness.”

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A girl with a love for off-the-beaten-path destinations, fashion maven Andi Eaton found herself putting aside the Lonely Planet and Condé Nast Traveler guides and, instead, looking to bohemians and artists for travel and style inspiration: What do the flower children wear on their excur­sions? Where are the creatives’ favorite vintage shops? And where do the musicians go late-night dancing after the last encore? The dreamer in her wanted more than what a standard travel guide could offer, so she decided to create her own. Wanderful is a stylish lookbook and travelogue for the adven­turous and nomadic at heart. Follow in Andi’s footsteps as she travels the United States to discover some of its most effort­lessly chic destinations—and the fashionable free spirits and wanderers who live there. Nine intimate and exciting road trip routes explore cities, forests, and in between, and will make you feel like you’re traipsing the country with your best, and best-dressed, girlfriends by your side. Every route features a peek into the closets of area tastemakers, and many routes lead to favorite trendy destinations, including Joshua Tree, New Orleans, Marfa, and Santa Fe. Throughout, there are photos, stories, and recommendations for where to shop, dine, and find music and fun, just like a local. Perfect for anyone with a wandering spirit, Wanderful will make you want to pack a cute bag, throw on your best outfit, and hit the road for a stylish adventure.

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Almost fifty years after he first crossed the small screen, Doctor Who remains a science fiction touchstone. His exploits are thrilling, his world is mind-boggling, and that time travel machine-known as the Tardis-is almost certainly an old-fashioned blue police box, once commonly found in London. Paul Parsons's plain-English account of the real science behind the fantastic universe portrayed in the Doctor Who television series provides answers to such burning questions as whether a sonic screwdriver is any use for putting up a shelf, how Cybermen make little Cybermen, where the toilets are in the Tardis, and much more. Taking the show as a starting point-episode-by-episode in some cases-Parsons dissects its scientific concepts. In addition to explaining why time travel is possible and just how that blue police box works, Parsons * discusses who the Time Lords are and how we may one day be able to regenerate just like them* ponders the ways that the doctor's two hearts might work and introduces us to a terrestrial animal with five* details the alien populations and cosmology of the Whovian Universe and relates them to what we currently know about our universe* compares the robotics of the show with startlingly similar real-world applications This slender, equation-free discussion is penned by a Ph.D. cosmologist and is ideal beach reading for anyone who loves science and watches the show-no matter which planet the beach is on.

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The fight for the future of the whales has just begun. As Seiiki, now escorted by a military contingent from Earth United, draws ever closer to New Eden, Kim Teng must learn to split her role of Caretaker with another, navigate a new relationship with Wren, and deal with the suffocating guilt of having been part of the Crusaders, all while maintaining her cover as social media star Hannah Monksman. What could possibly go wrong?With tensions rising back on Earth between the Adherants, a sect devoted to keeping humanity from colonizing space, and Earth United, it is even more important for Seiiki and the whales to reach New Eden quickly and safely. But as the contingent comes out of hyperspace, an unknown computer error sends them off-course into an asteroid belt. The military escort ships land badly damaged on New Eden, and the whales are trapped inside a crippled Seiiki, several kilometers from the planned landing site. And it seems their new home planet is not the peaceful paradise they expected.Strange creatures howl in the night, probes that were sent to populate the oceans with fish are found disabled, and ancient ruins in the jungle nearby suggest the Ark Project wasn't the first landing party on New Eden. When people begin disappearing from their basecamp, Kim and her friends soon realize that while someone didn't want them to ever arrive at New Eden, someone—or something—else wanted to make sure they did.

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How craigslist champions openness, democracy, and other vanishing principles of the early webBegun by Craig Newmark as an e-mail to some friends about cool events happening around San Francisco, craigslist is now the leading classifieds service on the planet. It is also a throwback to the early internet. The website has barely seen an upgrade since it launched in 1996. There are no banner ads. The company doesn't profit off your data. An Internet for the People explores how people use craigslist to buy and sell, find work, and find love—and reveals why craigslist is becoming a lonely outpost in an increasingly corporatized web.Drawing on interviews with craigslist insiders and ordinary users, Jessa Lingel looks at the site's history and values, showing how it has mostly stayed the same while the web around it has become more commercial and far less open. She examines craigslist's legal history, describing the company's courtroom battles over issues of freedom of expression and data privacy, and explains the importance of locality in the social relationships fostered by the site. More than an online garage sale, job board, or dating site, craigslist holds vital lessons for the rest of the web. It is a website that values user privacy over profits, ease of use over slick design, and an ethos of the early web that might just hold the key to a more open, transparent, and democratic internet.

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An enticing illustrated look at pollination, one of the most astonishing marvels of the natural worldPollination is essential to the survival of most plants on Earth. Some plants rely on the wind to transport pollen from one flower to another. Others employ an array of ingenious strategies to attract and exploit pollinators, whether they be insects, birds, or mammals. This beautifully illustrated book provides an unprecedented look at the wonders of pollination biology, drawing on the latest science to explain the extraordinarily complex relationship between plant and pollinator, and revealing why pollination is vital for healthy ecosystems and a healthy planet.Timothy Walker offers an engaging introduction to pollination biology and explores the many different tactics of plant reproduction. He shows how wind and water can be effective yet wildly unpredictable means of pollination, and describes the intimate interactions of pollinating plants with bees and butterflies, beetles and birds, and lizards and bats. Walker explores how plants entice pollinators using scents, colors, and shapes, and how plants rely on rewards as well as trickery to attract animals. He sheds light on the important role of pollination in ecology, evolution, and agriculture, and discusses why habitat management, species recovery programs, and other conservation efforts are more critical now than ever.Featuring hundreds of color photos and illustrations, Pollination is suitable for undergraduate study and is an essential resource for naturalists, horticulturalists, and backyard gardeners.

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Once upon a time, in Westchester and Orlando, there were four betas just waiting for their alpha. It took a miracle to bring the Pretty Committee together - or rather, a New Years Yves party. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it just cliques. Massie: Is destined to lead but trapped as a beta in the Ahnabees, the top clique at PMS (Presbyterian Middle School). She has ah-mazing ideas - Friday night sleepovers, Gossip Points and matching charm bracelets. When will it be her time to rule? Alicia: Is dying to lead the Body Alive Dance Studio Squad. With the real captain on vacation, BADSS' live performance on Merri Lee Marvil's New Years Yves show is her chance to shine but when disaster strikes, will she prove herself alpha-worthy - or will she need to find a whole new clique? Dylan: Is done, doneand done with people kissing her teeny butt just because her mom is famous but who would be brave enough to stand up to someone so Marvilous? Kristen: Has made a New Year's resolution to make friends and get a life. Escape from Planet Loser starts...now! Claire: Is psyched times ten to win a last-minute invitation to the New Year's Yves satellite party in Orlando but first she needs to sneak out of the house. And the countdown to midnight begins in ten...nine...eight...The Clique...the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

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“A superbly argued book.” —Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion The New York Times bestselling author of Why Evolution is True explains why any attempt to make religion compatible with science is doomed to fail In this provocative book, evolutionary biologist Jerry A. Coyne lays out in clear, dispassionate detail why the toolkit of science, based on reason and empirical study, is reliable, while that of religion—including faith, dogma, and revelation—leads to incorrect, untestable, or conflicting conclusions. Coyne is responding to a national climate in which more than half of Americans don’t believe in evolution, members of Congress deny global warming, and long-conquered childhood diseases are reappearing because of religious objections to inoculation, and he warns that religious prejudices in politics, education, medicine, and social policy are on the rise. Extending the bestselling works of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens, he demolishes the claims of religion to provide verifiable “truth” by subjecting those claims to the same tests we use to establish truth in science. Coyne irrefutably demonstrates the grave harm—to individuals and to our planet—in mistaking faith for fact in making the most important decisions about the world we live in.Praise for Faith Versus Fact: “A profound and lovely book . . . showing that the honest doubts of science are better . . . than the false certainties of religion.” —Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith

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“MICHAEL CRICHTON meets STEPHEN KING at their finest … with the creepiest opening I’ve ever read.” — Lisa Gardner * “Joins the ranks of classic paranoid thrillers about human achievement run amok, with STEPHEN KING’s The Stand and Michael Crichton’s Terminal Man.” — Joseph Finder * “A heart-stopping thriller. … a must-read for MICHAEL CRICHTON fans.” — Dallas Morning News * “Similar in atmosphere and style to MICHAEL CRICHTON and STEPHEN KING. ... A race-against-the-clock thriller.” — BooklistFLIGHT 194 LANDED.SOMETHING LETHAL AWAITS OUTSIDE.THIS IS DEAD ON ARRIVAL.An airplane touches down at a desolate airport in a remote Colorado ski town. Shortly after landing, Dr. Lyle Martin, a world-class infectious disease specialist, is brusquely awakened to shocking news: Everyone not on the plane appears to be dead. The world has gone dark. While they were in the air, a lethal new kind of virus surfaced, threatening mankind's survival, and now Martin—one of the most sought-after virologists on the planet until his career took a precipitous slide—is at the center of the investigation.Moving at lightning pace from the snowbound Rockies to the secret campus of Google X, where unlimited budgets may be producing wonders beyond our capacity to control, Dead on Arrival is a brilliantly imaginative, intricately plotted thriller that draws on Matt Richtel's years of science and technology reporting for the New York Times, and establishes him as one of the premier thriller writers working today.

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A lively guide to surviving and thriving during Mercury Retrograde-and to unlocking the astrological secrets of Mercury, the planet that rules communication. Mercury Retrograde: We've all heard about its effects. E-mails disappear into black holes. Flights are delayed and trains run late. From communication mishaps to travel breakdowns, Mercury Retrograde wreaks utter havoc on our lives. So how do we survive it, sanity and relationships intact? In The Power of Mercury, acclaimed astrologer Leslie McGuirk casts new light on Mercury Retrograde-treating it as an opportunity to slow down in a tech-crazed world, from approaching agreements with caution to communicating with intention. With an unparalleled sense of humor and uncommon helping of straight talk, McGuirk further dispels the mysteries of Mercury Retrograde by teaching us how to identify our personal Mercury signs and those of the people with whom we interact every day, from bosses to romantic partners-and what that means for how we communicate, and what to do about it. In our ever increasingly tech-driven, fast-paced world, where we all email, text, chat, and tweet hundreds of times a day, and zip around the world at a moment's notice, the stakes for any glitches in communication are higher than ever. Finally, with The Power of Mercury, we have the fresh, direct guide we need to navigating it all without stress-and with a much needed dose of optimism, common sense, and style.

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Scotland’s greatest export. The world’s first super spy. Voted the sexiest man on the planet. Sir Sean Connery was a titanic figure on screen and off for over half a century. Behind the son of a factory worker, growing up in near-poverty on the harsh streets of pre-war Edinburgh, lay a timeless array of motion pictures that spanned multiple decades and saw Connery work across the globe with directors as diverse as Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay. And amongst them his greatest role, whether he liked it or not – Bond, James Bond. Author A. J. Black delves into Connery’s life for more than mere biography, exploring not just the enormously varied pictures he made including crowd pleasing blockbusters such as The Untouchables or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, serious-minded fare in The Hill or The Offence, and his strange sojourns into eclectic fantasy with Zardoz or Time Bandits, but also the sweep of a career that crossed movie eras as well as decades. From skirmishes with the angry young men of the British New Wave, via becoming the cinematic icon of the 1960s as 007, through to a challenging reinvention as a unique older actor of stature in the 1980s, this exploration of the Cinematic Connery shows just how much his work reflected the changing movie-going tastes, political realities and cultural trends of the 20th century, and beyond . . .

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It began with an unsigned email: "I am a senior member of the intelligence community". What followed was the most spectacular intelligence breach ever, brought about by one extraordinary man, Edward Snowden. The consequences have shaken the leaders of nations worldwide, from Obama to Cameron, to the presidents of Brazil, France, and Indonesia, and the chancellor of Germany. Edward Snowden, a young computer genius working for America's National Security Agency, blew the whistle on the way this frighteningly powerful organisation uses new technology to spy on the entire planet. The spies call it "mastering the internet". Others call it the death of individual privacy. This is the inside story of Snowden's deeds and the journalists who faced down pressure from the US and UK governments to break a remarkable scoop. Snowden's story reads like a globe-trotting thriller, from the day he left his glamorous girlfriend in Hawaii, carrying a hard drive full of secrets, to the weeks of secret-spilling in Hong Kong and his battle for asylum. Now stuck in Moscow, a uniquely hunted man, he faces US espionage charges and an uncertain future in exile. What drove Snowden to sacrifice himself? Award-winning Guardian journalist Luke Harding asks the question which should trouble every citizen of the internet age. Luke Harding's other books include Wikileaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy and Mafia State: How One Reporter Became an Enemy of the Brutal New Russia.

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As devices get smarter, they -- and the companies that created them -- gather more and more data about you, the user: what you like, where you go, even listening to and recording conversations around the house. It's easy to gloss over how much data is getting stored in "the cloud" everyday without you knowing, but with a little effort, you don't have to trade privacy for functionality. In this issue of Make: , we address this head-on. We'll show you how to set up your own DIY voice assistants using free and private tools that keep your data local while performing your favorite tasks. You can even run one on a Raspberry Pi! Then, configure a WebThings gateway from Mozilla to keep your IoT gadgets connected but private. And if you still can't give up Alexa's bells and whistles, at least consider assembling the Alias Privacy Parasite, which lets you decide when Alexa gets to listen in.The issue also continues our Fix the Planet series with a set of guidelines on effective ways to electrify your cars and homes to slash your carbon output (and save you money along the way).Plus, 17 exciting projects, including: Convert any bike to electric with a front wheel motor kit Make your needlework come alive with embroidery animation Tips on converting a metal lathe to CNC with free software Grow vegan leather for projects and cosplay And much more!

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Another laugh-out-loud FULL COLOUR monster adventure in the Billy and the Mini Monsters chapter book series, perfect for newly independent readers aged 6+ and fans of Claude and Horrid Henry.Billy is learning how to take care of the planet, and the Mini Monsters want to help too... so they join the school trip to the recycling centre. But what will happen when Gloop falls into the recycling machine?Packed with colour illustrations, comic strips, maps and speech bubbles, with an action-packed plot, to appeal to even the most reluctant reader. Collect all the books in the Billy and the Mini Monsters series!1. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters in the Dark2. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters go to School3. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters go Swimming4. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters on a Plane5. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters go to a Party6. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters Move House7. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters on a School Trip8. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters at the Seaside9. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters at Halloween10. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters Go Camping11. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Go Green12. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters at Christmas13. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters go to Hospital14. Billy and the Mini Monsters: Monsters on a Sleepover

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A positively ingenious story about a mysterious island, long-lost secrets, and a young girl’s quest in the world of mad science! In Linette Moore’s debut, middle-grade graphic novel, The Prisoner of Shiverstone, eleven-year-old Helga Sharp is found unconscious in a drifting rowboat near the coast of Utley Island. Utley, as Helga finds out when she awakens in the hospital, is forbidden territory: it’s a prison island to which the Mainland has exiled troublesome mad scientists for generations. Helga is questioned by the island’s guards and though they’re suspicious of her story, they agree to let her stay until they find her family.The truth is, it’s no accident that Helga landed here. She is a keen inventor, but the Mainland is suspicious of all scientists and inventors. While working on her projects in secret, Helga made radio contact with Erasmus Lope, a mad genius who everyone thought had died in a lab experiment gone spectacularly wrong. But Lope is alive, and Helga is on a mission to rescue him from the prison island.Now Helga must find a way to break Lope out, right under the noses of the family of famous heroes that run Utley Island. There’s only one big problem—Lope’s trapped inside a giant crystal in the mad scientists’ museum!Fans of Red’s Planet and Suee and the Shadow are sure to love The Prisoner of Shiverstone, a charismatically illustrated mad science adventure for readers of all ages.

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Forests are restless. When a tree dies or a new one sprouts, the forest that includes it shifts. When new trees sprout in the same direction, the whole forest begins to migrate, sometimes at astonishing rates. Today, however, an array of obstacles—humans felling trees by the billions, invasive pests transported through global trade—threaten to overwhelm these vital movements. Worst of all, the climate is changing faster than ever before and forests are struggling to keep up. A deft blend of science reporting and travel writing, The Journeys of Trees explores the evolving movements of forests by focusing on five trees: giant sequoia, ash, black spruce, Florida torreya and Monterey pine. Zach St George visits these trees in forests across continents, finding sequoias losing their needles in California, fossil records showing the paths of ancient forests in Alaska, domesticated pines in New Zealand and new sprouts of blight-resistant American chestnuts in New Hampshire. Everywhere he goes, St George meets lively people on conservation’s front lines, from an ecologist studying droughts to an evolutionary evangelist with plans to save a dying species. He treks through the woods with activists, biologists and foresters, each with their own role to play in the fight for the uncertain future of our environment. An eye-opening investigation into forest migration past and present, The Journeys of Trees examines how we can all help our trees, and our planet, survive and thrive.

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Benefit from values-based leadership Values-driven organizations are considered by some to be the most successful on the planet. They have high levels of engagement, generate higher earnings, and are more profitable by having an inclusive, multi-tiered strategy. It’s a win-win! In Values-Based Leadership For Dummies, you’ll get a fool-proof plan for putting the principles of values-based leadership in action—which will inspire and motivate others to pursue what matters most. With many Baby Boomers edging toward retirement, the largest generation in history, the Millennials, will be taking over the reins and stepping into leadership roles. They’ve suffered through the difficult economic times and corporate scandals of the early 2000s and they want things to be different. Inside, you’ll get the framework for adopting the principles of values-based leadership that will help Millennials—and any member of any organization—thrive: utilizing the tools of self-reflection, actionable grace, agility, and a commitment to lead responsibly. Establish leadership positioning and company culture steeped in values Foster employee engagement on all levels Inspire greater performance while creating real impact socially and economically Increase the ability to remain competitive and relevant during times of change Harness the passion and commitment of the millennial workforce Whether you’re in an entrepreneur, entry-level position or a CEO, employees at any level can benefit from leaning into values-based leadership—and this book shows you how!

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'A pioneering work in ethics and economics for the new global era raising all the hard questions that we need to think about in the coming decades, and proposing a radically new way of thinking about how the global community should function.' Peter Singer, IRA W. De Camp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University 'One of those rare books whose every chapter is a source of both exhilaration and despair.' William E. Rees, University of British Columbia In the first edition of this remarkable book Peter G. Brown identified three challenges that lay ahead of us: * to come up with an adequate account of our minimal obligations to each other, and to the rest of the natural order; * to redefine and reshape the institutions of economics, government, and civil society to reflect those obligations; * and to re-conceptualize and redirect relations between nations so as to foster those institutions and discharge those obligations. In this second edition he revisits and expands on those original ideas and draws some new, and innovative, conclusions that will redirect what we do and give substance and direction to the institutions that must be adopted if life is to flourish.Finding our historical attitude of 'full-human- use' toward the environment unsatisfactory, Brown offers an alternative: an 'all-species- use'. What he calls 'the commonwealth of life' and the acceptance of this reasoning has vital implications for all life that share this planet.

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A major history of Central Asia and how it has been shaped by modern world eventsCentral Asia is often seen as a remote and inaccessible land on the peripheries of modern history. Encompassing Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang province of China, it in fact stands at the crossroads of world events. Adeeb Khalid provides the first comprehensive history of Central Asia from the mid-eighteenth century to today, shedding light on the historical forces that have shaped the region under imperial and Communist rule.Predominantly Muslim with both nomadic and settled populations, the peoples of Central Asia came under Russian and Chinese rule after the 1700s. Khalid shows how foreign conquest knit Central Asians into global exchanges of goods and ideas and forged greater connections to the wider world. He explores how the Qing and Tsarist empires dealt with ethnic heterogeneity, and compares Soviet and Chinese Communist attempts at managing national and cultural difference. He highlights the deep interconnections between the "Russian" and "Chinese" parts of Central Asia that endure to this day, and demonstrates how Xinjiang remains an integral part of Central Asia despite its fraught and traumatic relationship with contemporary China.The essential history of one of the most diverse and culturally vibrant regions on the planet, this panoramic book reveals how Central Asia has been profoundly shaped by the forces of modernity, from colonialism and social revolution to nationalism, state-led modernization, and social engineering.

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How craigslist champions openness, democracy, and other vanishing principles of the early webBegun by Craig Newmark as an e-mail to some friends about cool events happening around San Francisco, craigslist is now the leading classifieds service on the planet. It is also a throwback to the early internet. The website has barely seen an upgrade since it launched in 1996. There are no banner ads. The company doesn't profit off your data. An Internet for the People explores how people use craigslist to buy and sell, find work, and find love—and reveals why craigslist is becoming a lonely outpost in an increasingly corporatized web.Drawing on interviews with craigslist insiders and ordinary users, Jessa Lingel looks at the site's history and values, showing how it has mostly stayed the same while the web around it has become more commercial and far less open. She examines craigslist's legal history, describing the company's courtroom battles over issues of freedom of expression and data privacy, and explains the importance of locality in the social relationships fostered by the site. More than an online garage sale, job board, or dating site, craigslist holds vital lessons for the rest of the web. It is a website that values user privacy over profits, ease of use over slick design, and an ethos of the early web that might just hold the key to a more open, transparent, and democratic internet.

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A major history of Central Asia and how it has been shaped by modern world eventsCentral Asia is often seen as a remote and inaccessible land on the peripheries of modern history. Encompassing Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang province of China, it in fact stands at the crossroads of world events. Adeeb Khalid provides the first comprehensive history of Central Asia from the mid-eighteenth century to today, shedding light on the historical forces that have shaped the region under imperial and Communist rule.Predominantly Muslim with both nomadic and settled populations, the peoples of Central Asia came under Russian and Chinese rule after the 1700s. Khalid shows how foreign conquest knit Central Asians into global exchanges of goods and ideas and forged greater connections to the wider world. He explores how the Qing and Tsarist empires dealt with ethnic heterogeneity, and compares Soviet and Chinese Communist attempts at managing national and cultural difference. He highlights the deep interconnections between the "Russian" and "Chinese" parts of Central Asia that endure to this day, and demonstrates how Xinjiang remains an integral part of Central Asia despite its fraught and traumatic relationship with contemporary China.The essential history of one of the most diverse and culturally vibrant regions on the planet, this panoramic book reveals how Central Asia has been profoundly shaped by the forces of modernity, from colonialism and social revolution to nationalism, state-led modernization, and social engineering.

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Our species has transitioned from being one among millions on Earth to the species that is single-handedly transforming the entire planet to suit its own needs. In order to meet the daunting challenges of environmental sustainability in this epoch of human domination--known as the Anthropocene--ecologists have begun to think differently about the interdependencies between humans and the natural world. This concise and accessible book provides the best available introduction to what this new ecology is all about--and why it matters more than ever before. Oswald Schmitz describes how the science of ecology is evolving to provide a better understanding of how human agency is shaping the natural world, often in never-before-seen ways. The new ecology emphasizes the importance of conserving species diversity, because it can offer a portfolio of options to keep our ecosystems resilient in the face of environmental change. It envisions humans taking on new roles as thoughtful stewards of the environment to ensure that ecosystems have the enduring capacity to supply the environmental services on which our economic well-being--and our very existence--depend. It offers the ecological know-how to maintain and enhance our planet's environmental performance and ecosystem production for the benefit of current and future generations. Informative and engaging, The New Ecology shows how today's ecology can provide the insights we need to appreciate the crucial role we play in this era of unprecedented global environmental transition.

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One of the enduring questions about our planet is how it has remained continuously habitable over vast stretches of geological time despite the fact that its atmosphere and climate are potentially unstable. James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis posits that life itself has intervened in the regulation of the planetary environment in order to keep it stable and favorable for life. First proposed in the 1970s, Lovelock's hypothesis remains highly controversial and continues to provoke fierce debate. On Gaia undertakes the first in-depth investigation of the arguments put forward by Lovelock and others--and concludes that the evidence doesn't stack up in support of Gaia. Toby Tyrrell draws on the latest findings in fields as diverse as climate science, oceanography, atmospheric science, geology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. He takes readers to obscure corners of the natural world, from southern Africa where ancient rocks reveal that icebergs were once present near the equator, to mimics of cleaner fish on Indonesian reefs, to blind fish deep in Mexican caves. Tyrrell weaves these and many other intriguing observations into a comprehensive analysis of the major assertions and lines of argument underpinning Gaia, and finds that it is not a credible picture of how life and Earth interact. On Gaia reflects on the scientific evidence indicating that life and environment mutually affect each other, and proposes that feedbacks on Earth do not provide robust protection against the environment becoming uninhabitable--or against poor stewardship by us.

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This book could be called “The Intelligent Person’s Guide to Economics.” Like Robert Heilbroner’s The Worldly Philosophers, it attempts to explain the core ideas of the great economists, beginning with Adam Smith and ending with Joseph Schumpeter. In between are chapters on Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, Karl Marx, the marginalists, John Maynard Keynes, Friedrich Hayek, and Thorstein Veblen. The title expresses Duncan Foley’s belief that economics at its most abstract and interesting level is a speculative philosophical discourse, not a deductive or inductive science. Adam’s fallacy is the attempt to separate the economic sphere of life, in which the pursuit of self-interest is led by the invisible hand of the market to a socially beneficial outcome, from the rest of social life, in which the pursuit of self-interest is morally problematic and has to be weighed against other ends.Smith and his successors argued that the market and the division of labor that is fostered by it result in tremendous gains in productivity, which lead to a higher standard of living. Yet the market does not address the problem of distribution—that is, how is the gain in wealth to be divided among the classes and members of society? Nor does it address such problems as the long-run well-being of the planet.Adam’s Fallacy is beautifully written and contains interesting observations and insights on almost every page. It will engage the reader’s thoughts and feelings on the deepest level.

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Among all the large whales on Earth, the most unusual and least studied is the narwhal, the northernmost whale on the planet and the one most threatened by global warming. Narwhals thrive in the fjords and inlets of northern Canada and Greenland. These elusive whales, whose long tusks were the stuff of medieval European myths and Inuit legends, are uniquely adapted to the Arctic ecosystem and are able to dive below thick sheets of ice to depths of up to 1,500 meters in search of their prey-halibut, cod, and squid. Join Todd McLeish as he travels high above the Arctic circle to meet: Teams of scientific researchers studying the narwhal's life cycle and the mysteries of its tusk Inuit storytellers and hunters Animals that share the narwhals' habitat: walruses, polar bears, bowhead and beluga whales, ivory gulls, and two kinds of seals McLeish consults logbooks kept by whalers and explorers and interviews folklorists and historians to tease out the relationship between the real narwhal and the mythical unicorn. In Colorado, he visits climatologists studying changes in the seasonal cycles of the Arctic ice. From a history of the trade in narwhal tusks to descriptions of narwhals' vocalizations as heard through hydrophones, Narwhals reveals the beauty and thrill of the narwhal and its habitat, and the threat it faces from a rapidly changing world. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwaqdKyLCQ&list=UUge4MONgLFncQ1w1C_BnHcw&index=9&feature=plcp

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Power plants are essential to achieving the standard of living that modern societies demand and the social and economic infrastructure on which they depend. Yet their indispensability has allowed them to evade responsibility for their vast carbon emissions. Fossil-fueled power plants are the single largest sites of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, making them one of the greatest threats to our planet’s climate. Significant as they are, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the social causes that enable power plant emissions and continue to delay their reduction.Super Polluters offers a groundbreaking global analysis of carbon pollution caused by the generation of electricity, pinpointing who bears the most responsibility for the energy sector’s vast emissions and what can be done about them. The sociologists Don Grant, Andrew Jorgenson, and Wesley Longhofer analyze a novel dataset on the carbon dioxide emissions and structural attributes of thousands of fossil-fueled power plants around the world, identifying which plants discharge the most carbon. They investigate the global, organizational, and political conditions that explain these hyper-emitting facilities’ behavior and call into question the claim that improvements in technical efficiency will always reduce emissions. Grant, Jorgenson, and Longhofer demonstrate which energy and climate policies are most effective at abating power-plant pollution, emphasizing how mobilized citizen activism shapes those outcomes. A comprehensive account of who bears the blame for our warming planet, Super Polluters points to more feasible and effective emission reduction strategies that target the world’s most profligate polluters.

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Crows can be found almost everywhere that people are, from tropical islands to deserts and arctic forests, from densely populated cities to suburbs and farms. Across these diverse landscapes, many species of crow are doing well: their intelligent and adaptive ways of life have allowed them to thrive amid human-driven transformations. Indeed, crows are frequently disliked for their success, seen as pests, threats, and scavengers on the detritus of human life. But among the vast variety of crows, there are also critically endangered species that are barely hanging on to existence, some of them the subjects of passionate conservation efforts.The Wake of Crows is an exploration of the entangled lives of humans and crows. Focusing on five key sites, Thom van Dooren asks how we might live well with crows in a changing world. He explores contemporary possibilities for shared life emerging in the context of ongoing processes of globalization, colonization, urbanization, and climate change. Moving among these diverse contexts, this book tells stories of extermination and extinction alongside fragile efforts to better understand and make room for other species. Grounded in the careful work of paying attention to particular crows and their people, The Wake of Crows is an effort to imagine and put into practice a multispecies ethics. In so doing, van Dooren explores some of the possibilities that still exist for living and dying well on this damaged planet.

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Every decade since 1950 has seen more floods and more wildfires on every continent. Deserts are expanding, coral reefs are dying, fisheries are declining, and hurricanes are strengthening. The debate about climate change is over: there's no question that global warming has made the Earth sick, and the outlook for the future calls for ever-warmer temperatures and deadlier results. Something must be done - but how quickly?With "Global Fever", William H. Calvin delivers both a clear-eyed diagnosis and a strongly worded prescription. In striking, straightforward language, he first sets out the current state of the Earth's warming climate and the disastrous possibilities ahead should we continue on our current path. Increasing temperatures will kill off vegetation and dry up water resources, and their loss will lead, in an increasingly destructive feedback loop, to even more warming. Resource depletion, drought, and disease will follow, leading to socioeconomic upheaval - and accompanying violence - on a scale barely conceivable.It is still possible, Calvin argues, to avoid such a dire fate. But we must act now, aggressively funneling resources into jump-starting what would amount to a third industrial revolution, this one of clean technologies - while simultaneously expanding our use of existing low-emission technologies, from nuclear power to plug-in hybrid vehicles, until we achieve the necessary scientific breakthroughs.Passionately written, yet thoroughly grounded in the latest climate science, "Global Fever" delivers both a stark warning and an ambitious blueprint for saving the future of our planet.

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Written for 5 to 7 year-old this atlas is ideal for teaching Key Stage 1, helping to cover geography, history, science, citizenship and literacy requirements- Written by experts Professor David Wright and Rachel Noonan- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- 50 pages of clear, child-friendly maps showing our world today- Countries of the world brought to life with flags, illustrations and photos- Bold text, simple words and short sentences to encourage reading skills- Starts with the Earth as a Planet then zooms into each of the world's regions with maps and illustrations- Numbered balloons on each map link to photos of a real placeFully revised and updated, the atlas is for children aged 5-7 in the early stages of reading, with simple text to explain what is happening on the maps and illustrations - all compatible with National Curriculum Key Stage 1.Clear, child-friendly maps are combined with vibrant photographs and facts about the world to provide essential geographical information for young children. Guidance is given at the beginning of the atlas on how to use the maps, encouraging the early development of map skills and knowledge of the world. Each colourful spread is illustrated with photographs and packed with fact boxes, curiosities, flags, stamps and simple quiz questions. Philip's RGS Infant School Atlas is both fun to use and easy to understand. The text is simple and uncomplicated to encourage early reading skills.

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"Everyone that loves London will love this book." — Joanne Good, BBC Radio London "If you're looking for some inspiration for unusual places to photograph in the city, or just a good manual for avoiding the obvious, this is well worth looking into." — Amateur Photography "This is a wonderful collection for anyone who loves London in all its unconventional glory." — Black and White Photography "In the book… we get a fantastic look at those alternative viewpoints that you're unlikely to find in your Lonely Planet or Rough guide. They've called the books 'Unseen' for a reason, because you're far less likely to have already viewed the kinds of pictures taken within it." — Amateur Photographer Over the course of 15 years, native Londoner Paul Anthony Scane went out by bike and on foot to explore hidden corners of his city with four analogue cameras and an eye for the unusual. This book, which is devoid of the usual tourist spots, shines a light on places and people that are not often seen: the campy drycleaner (“Go Gay”); a double decker bus appearing to manoeuvre a miniature golf course; an abandoned tank in south London. These poignant and often witty images capture the character and soul of the real London with affection and curiosity. London Unseen is a character study of a world metropolis - based on its people and streets, away from Big Ben and Trafalgar Square.

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We are told we are living in the middle of a climate crisis of unprecedented proportions. As doomsday scenarios mount, hope collapses. Even as more and more people around the planet experience climate disaster as immediate and urgent, our imagination and programs for transformation lag. The disasters are already here, and the crises, longstanding, are ongoing. In Hope Against Hope, the Out of the Woods collective investigates the critical relation between climate change and capitalism and calls for the expansion of our conceptual toolbox to organize within and against ecological crisis characterized by deepening inequality, rising far-right movements, and—relatedly—more frequent and devastating disasters. While much of environmentalist and leftist discourse in this political moment remain oriented toward horizons that repeat and renew racist, anti-migrant, nationalist, and capitalist assumptions, Out of the Woods charts a revolutionary course adequate to our times. At the center of the renewed political orientation Hope Against Hope expounds is an abolitionist approach to border imperialism, reactionary ecology, and state violence that underpins many green solutions and modes of understanding nature. It reminds us of the frequent moments and movements of solidarity emerging in the ruins all around us. Their stunning conclusion to the disarray of politics in our seemingly end times is the urgency of creating what Out of the Woods calls “disaster communism”—the collective power to transform our future political horizons from the ruins and establish a climate future based in common life.

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The story of Alpha is of major significance for understanding the place of religious faith in the modern world, but that story has never been told - until now.Since its launch in 1993, the Alpha movement has evolved from 'supper party evangelism' in the Kensington suburbs into a global brand of Christian outreach. Today, over a million people attend Alpha every year, but the history of its rise to popularity has never been documented. What caused such spiritual renewal in an age of scepticism? And what propelled Alpha into a phenomenon that is recognised across the globe?Alpha is far more than an introductory course to Christianity. At the core of its brand identity is a 'repackaging' of the Christian message for contemporary audiences. Innovation and cultural adaptability are built into Alpha's DNA, one of the chief reasons for its longevity and influence. Nimbly utilising the multimedia and digital revolutions, it has contextualised into cultures and languages across the planet. And led by charismatic, savvy individuals, it has attracted people from across the social spectrum, making waves in national media.Andrew Atherstone leaves no stone unturned as he presents this fascinating history. With exclusive access to original archives, Atherstone recounts the miraculous stories of HTB's early years, the first full account of Nicky Gumbel's conversion, and the strategic decisions that launched Alpha onto the global stage of Christian influence.With sharp historical analysis, Andrew Atherstone uncovers the story of Christian resurgence in our contemporary age.

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Raising the Roof addresses one of the key issues of our era - the UK's housing crisis. Housing costs in the United Kingdom are among the highest on the planet, with London virtually the most expensive major city in the world for renting or buying a home. At the core of this is one of the most centralised planning systems in the democratic world - a system that plainly doesn't work. A system that has resulted in too few houses, which are too small, which people do not like and which are in the wrong places, a system that stifles movement and breeds Nimbyism. The IEA's 2018 Richard Koch Breakthrough Prize, with a first prize of GBP50,000, sought free-market solutions to this complex and divisive problem. Here, Breakthrough Prize judge Jacob Rees-Mogg and IEA Senior Research Analyst Radomir Tylecote critique a complex system of planning and taxation that has signally failed to provide homes, preserve an attractive environment and enhance our cities. They then draw from the winning entries to the Breakthrough Prize, and previous IEA research, to put forward a series of radical and innovative measures - from releasing vast swathes of government-owned land to relaxing the suffocating grip of the green belt. Together with cutting and devolving tax, and reforms to allow cities to both densify and beautify, this would create many more homes and help restore property-owning democracy in the UK.

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The Star Ship Orca is taking off on a mission to find a new planet for the people of Earth. First stop: Mars. But will the crew find anything there except rocks and sand? Will they find intelligent life? Discover their journey in this imaginative story, written by Anne Curtis and illustrated by Chris Corner. Collins Big Cat Progress builds confidence, helping struggling pupils not only to read, but to love reading Dual-banded books provide age-appropriate interest level material matched with a lower reading ability level Every book is levelled by reading expert Cliff Moon to ensure precise, systematic, measurable progression to help close the ability gap The books use a range of reading strategies: phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual to build confident, accurate, fluent readers Designed to build speaking and listening skills, as well as reading skills, the books are highly visual and include incredible illustrations and photographs Every book has a Key Stage 2 look-and-feel to engage older pupils and avoid stigmatisation Topics are relevant for children in years 3-6 and connected to the curriculum and framework objectives for these years to support inclusion Progress titles contain a Reader Response page to encourage the pupil to respond to and recall what they have read. This offers an ideal opportunity to check comprehension Ideas for Reading, written by primary literacy expert Gill Howell are included in the back of every book to help you support the reading needs of each child

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Discover the beauty of Okinawa and the Ryukyu islands with this stunning, detailed guideThe beautiful islands of Okinawa and the Ryukyu chain contain some of the most scenic spots in the planet—including many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Dozens of these islands are inhabited and can be easily explored. Visitors are offered opportunities to trek up active volcanoes, soak in natural hot springs, enjoy pristine white sand beaches, tour ancient castles and temples, and sample world-renowned Okinawan dishes.The silver medal award winner of the 2015 Lowell Thomas Travel Award, this is the first and only comprehensive guide to the 150-island chain that stretches 600 miles (1,000 km) from Japan to Taiwan. Author Robert Walker has explored the area for decades and tells you exactly where to go, how to get there, where to stay, and what to do and see. In addition, this new edition has been expanded with information about the recent Shuri Castle fire as well as coverage of additional sights.This detailed guide contains: Complete ferry and flight information Where to find the best beaches and surf spots Places suitable for families with children Hikes and nature walks for all ages and abilities Hotel and restaurant recommendations A large pull-out map with insets of the major towns And so much more! Lavishly illustrated with 300 color photos and 40 maps, this book has all the information you'll need to plan your stay in this gorgeous region.

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"What a strange and unexpected treasure chest this is, filled with all manner of quirky revelations, all about the mundane sublime and the ineffable extraordinary. Most extraordinary of all, perhaps, through, is the haunting perfection, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, of the writing itself. Who is this Angela Pelster and where has she been all our lives?"-Lawrence WeschlerAngela Pelster's startling essay collection charts the world's history through its trees: through roots in the ground, rings across wood, and inevitable decay. These sharp and tender essays move from her childhood in rural Canada surrounded by skinny poplar trees in her backyard to a desert in Niger, where the "Loneliest Tree in the World" once grew. A squirrel's decomposing body below a towering maple prompts a discussion of the science of rot, as well as a metaphor for the ways in which nature programs us to consume ourselves. Beautiful, deeply thoughtful, and wholly original, Limber valiantly asks what it means to sustain life on this planet we've inherited.Angela Pelster's essays have appeared in Granta, the Gettysburg Review, Seneca Review, the Globe and Mail, Relief Magazine, and others. Her children's novel The Curious Adventures of India Sophia won the Golden Eagle Children's Choice award in 2006. She has an MFA from the University of Iowa's nonfiction writing program and lives with her family in Baltimore, Maryland, where she teaches at Towson University.

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From the acclaimed author of Over and Under the Snow, Kate Messner!Now in paperback, Tree of Wonder is an exciting introduction to the biodiversity of the rainforest biome. From two Great Green Macaws to 1,024 Leaf-cutter Ants, readers will delight in counting each animal that makes a home in the heart of the rainforest, where life multiplies again and again in the shade of just one almendro tree. • An eye-opening way of visualizing numbers • Features playful, forest-themed word problems • A lush and fascinating storyDeep in the forest, in the warm-wet green, one almendro tree grows, stretching its branches toward the sun—in and under those branches, all sustained by one tree, thousands of rainforest creatures are living. Count each one as life multiplies again and again in this book about the rainforest's abundant beauty, and the wonderful multiplicity of life. • A stunning read for kids who can't get enough of the rainforest and all the animals living in it • Equal parts educational and beautiful, this book is perfect for parents and grandparents, librarians, and math, literature, and science teachers • A great gift for kids 5 to 8 years old who love nature, rainforests, animals, and learning more about the world • Add it to the shelf with books like The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer, The Animal Book by Lonely Planet Kids, and A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston.

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As climate change and development pressures overwhelm the environment, our emotional relationships with Earth are also in crisis. Pessimism and distress are overwhelming people the world over. In this maelstrom of emotion, solastalgia, the homesickness you have when you are still at home, has become, writes Glenn A. Albrecht, one of the defining emotions of the twenty-first century. Earth Emotions examines our positive and negative Earth emotions. It explains the author's concept of solastalgia and other well-known eco-emotions such as biophilia and topophilia. Albrecht introduces us to the many new words needed to describe the full range of our emotional responses to the emergent state of the world. We need this creation of a hopeful vocabulary of positive emotions, argues Albrecht, so that we can extract ourselves out of environmental desolation and reignite our millennia-old biophilia—love of life—for our home planet. To do so, he proposes a dramatic change from the current human-dominated Anthropocene era to one that will be founded, materially, ethically, politically, and spiritually on the revolution in thinking being delivered by contemporary symbiotic science. Albrecht names this period the Symbiocene. With the current and coming generations, "Generation Symbiocene," Albrecht sees reason for optimism. The battle between the forces of destruction and the forces of creation will be won by Generation Symbiocene, and Earth Emotions presents an ethical and emotional odyssey for that victory.

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An original novel set in the universe of Star Trek: Voyager, from the New York Times bestselling author!As the Federation Starship Voyager continues to lead the Full Circle Fleet in its exploration of the Delta Quadrant, Admiral Kathryn Janeway remains concerned about the Krenim Imperium and its ability to rewrite time to suit its whims. At Captain Chakotay's suggestion, however, she orders the fleet to focus its attention on a unique planet in a binary system, where a new element has been discovered. Several biospheres exist on this otherwise uninhabitable world, each containing different atmospheres and features that argue other sentient beings once resided on the surface. Janeway hopes that digging into an old-fashioned scientific mystery will lift the crews' morale, but she soon realizes that the secrets buried on this world may be part of a much larger puzzle—one that points to the existence of a species whose power to reshape the galaxy might dwarf that of the Krenim. Meanwhile, Lieutenants Nancy Conlon and Harry Kim continue to struggle with the choices related to Conlon’s degenerative condition. Full Circle’s medical staff discovers a potential solution, but complications will force a fellow officer to confront her people’s troubled past and her own future in ways she never imagined… ™, ®, & © 2018 CBS Studios, Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Salvation is the first title in a stunning science fiction trilogy, the Salvation Sequence, by Peter F. Hamilton. For fans of Iain M. Banks and Dan Simmons.Know your enemy – or be defeated.AD 2204An alien shipwreck is discovered on a planet at the very limits of human expansion – so Security Director Feriton Kayne selects a team to investigate. The ship’s sinister cargo not only raises bewildering questions, but could also foreshadow humanity’s extinction. It will be up to the team to bring back answers, and the consequences of this voyage will change everything.Back on Earth, we can now make deserts bloom and extend lifespans indefinitely. Humanity seems invulnerable. We therefore welcomed the Olyix to Earth when they contacted us. They needed fuel for their pilgrimage across the galaxy – and in exchange they helped us advance our technology. But were the Olyix a blessing or a curse?THE FAR FUTUREMany lightyears from Earth, Dellian and his clan of genetically engineered soldiers are raised with one goal. They must confront and destroy their ancient adversary. The enemy that caused mankind to flee across the galaxy and that hunts us still. If they aren’t stopped, we will be wiped out – and we’re running out of time.Continue the SF thrills with Salvation Lost and The Saints of Salvation.'A space-opera intrigue with a cold shock of an ending that makes the sequel a matter of urgency' – Ken MacLeod, author of The Sky Road

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_______________ 'When the history of the climate crisis is written, Hansen will be seen as the scientist with the most powerful and consistent voice calling for intelligent action to preserve our planet's environment' - Al Gore ‘Few people know more about climate change than James Hansen ... This unnerving and fluently written book is the definitive one to read' - BBC Wildlife ‘Anyone concerned about the world our children and grandchildren must inherit owes it to themselves to read this book' - Irish Times _______________ An urgent and provocative call to action from the world's leading climate scientist Dr James Hansen, the world's leading scientist on climate issues, speaks out with the full truth about global warming: the planet is hurtling to a climatic point of no return. Hansen - whose climate predictions have come to pass again and again, beginning in the 1980s when he first warned US Congress about global warming - is the single most credible voice on the subject worldwide. He paints a devastating but all-too-realistic picture of what will happen if we continue to follow the course we're on. But he is also a hard-headed optimist, and shows that there is still time to take the urgent, strong action needed to save humanity. _______________ ‘James Hansen gives us the opportunity to watch a scientist who is sick of silence and compromise; a scientist at the breaking point - the point at which he is willing to sacrifice his credibility to make a stand to avert disaster' - LA Times

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A pocket-sized, portable version of Colette Baron-Reid's wildly popular oracle deck, featuring stunning artwork and messages to help us connect with the archetypal energies of living beings that share our planet-as sacred teachers, healers, and allies.One of Hay House's best-selling decks now comes pocket-sized! The Spirit Animal Pocket Oracle is a compact, travel-sized edition of Colette Baron-Reid's beloved deck, packaged in a keepsake tin perfect for your on-the-go spiritual journey.The Spirit Animal Pocket Oracle reveals spirits residing in the natural world that have much to share, and the secrets of their forgotten language are now available to you through this oracle deck. They urge us to reclaim our essential Truth--that we are one in Spirit, connected to every living thing on this earth in a unified consciousness. With the draw of a card, you can share in this wisdom and better navigate your life, move beyond the obstacles of your perceived limitations, and tune in to your infinite potential.Represented in the 68 cards of this beautifully illustrated oracle card deck are the Higher Spirits of different animals, insects, fish, and birds. Every animal has a transcendent archetypal symbolism, a universal meaning holding a message of deep, enduring truth. With guidance from intuitive master and oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid, you can now awaken to your partnership with Spirit to co-create your reality in service to the world.

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Get more out of your Windows 11 computer with easy-to-follow advice Powering 75% of the PCs on the planet, Microsoft Windows is capable of extraordinary things. And you don’t need to be a computer scientist to explore the nooks and crannies of the operating system! With Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies, anyone can discover how to dig into Microsoft’s ubiquitous operating system and get the most out of the latest version. From securing and protecting your most personal information to socializing and sharing on social media platforms and making your Windows PC your own through personalization, this book offers step-by-step instructions to unlocking Windows 11’s most useful secrets. With handy info from 10 books included in the beginner-to-advanced learning path contained within, this guide walks you through how to: Install, set up, and customize your Windows 11 PC in a way that makes sense just for you Use the built-in apps, or download your own, to power some of Windows 11’s most useful features Navigate the Windows 11 system settings to keep your system running smoothly Perfect for anyone who’s looked at their Windows PC and wondered, “I wonder what else it can do?”, Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies delivers all the tweaks, tips, and troubleshooting tricks you’ll need to make your Windows 11 PC do more than you ever thought possible.

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Create a small, strong congregation that is dedicated to advancing God's mission The twenty-first century is the century of small, strong congregations. More people will be drawn to small, strong congregations than any other kind of congregation. Yes, there are mega-congregations; Their number is increasing greatly. Nevertheless, across the planet, the vast majority of congregations will be small and strong, and the vast majority of people will be in these congregations. With uncommon wisdom Kennon L. Callahan--today's most noted church consultant--moves ahead of conventional thinking and in Small, Strong Congregations offers his unique vision of the church of the future. This important book chronicles the emergence of a vast number of congregations that are questioning the bigger-is-better notion in church membership. These congregations are deliberately small, active, and happy in their dedication to creating strong church communities that advance God's mission. Step by step, Kennon Callahan shows pastors and other church leaders how they can develop the values and specific qualities helpful to shape and strengthen their own small congregations.Written to be a hands-on guide, Small, Strong Congregations offers practical suggestions for creating mission and service, compassion and shepherding, community and belonging, self-reliance and self-sufficiency, worship and hope, teams and leaders, space and facilities, and giving and generosity. This wise resource is filled with illustrative examples that show clearly how myriad small churches have created solid, vigorous congregations.

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Loving What Is by bestselling author Byron Katie is a simple, straightforward antidote to the suffering we unnecessarily create for ourselves and has inspired and help millions of people transform their pain into freedom. Written in an easy-to-follow, interactive and accessible way and drawing on illustrative case studies, reading this is the first step to turning your life around and achieving inner peace and harmony...'A great blessing for our planet' -- Eckhart Tolle'Her method can cut through years of self-delusion and rationalisation' -- Los Angeles Times'A pragmatic and simple way of getting people to take responsibility for their own problems' -- Time Magazine'Mind blown - [this is the] best book I have read of this type since Power of Now. Really helped me to let go of beliefs and judgements that aren't serving me. Thanks for writing it.' -- ***** Reader review'Amazing, life changing' -- ***** Reader review'A massively inspiring book' -- ***** Reader review'Very easy to read and an absolute gem!' -- ***** Reader review'Life changing (really)' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************************************************A thought is harmless unless we believe itDrawing on her own experience of moving through suffering to freedom, Byron Katie developed 'The Work': a simple, four-step programme to help pinpoint the problems that are troubling you and how to tackle them effectively.A life-transforming system for discarding the stories at the source of our suffering, this is your guide to finding inner peace and happiness.

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Into Green is an inspiring collection of projects, wisdom and ideas that guide you to explore the natural world around you. “Brimful with accessible and inventive ideas, this beautiful book provides an inspiring and practical guide to fostering calm and connectedness.” ― Sue Stuart-Smith, author of The Well Gardened Mind This brilliant book invites you to journey into nature, no matter how urban your environment or green your neighbourhood. This is a book of projects, wisdom and ideas that not only inspire you to get outside and enjoy this beautiful planet, but to find meaningful interactions with nature that cultivate a happier headspace. Authors Caro Langton and Rose Ray, founders of Ro Co @studio.roco, explore how being surrounded by green can bring you calm, hope, bravery, wonder and a sense of belonging, and help you connect with green so that you can expand and retreat, grow and disappear, and to ultimately find and lose yourself in nature. This book teaches you how nature can help you build confidence, believe in yourself, and travel a path that is authentic to you.Into Green full of simple rituals to incorporate into your everyday life, as well as facts, wonders and science that spark awe (which almost always lead to seeing the world differently) as well as creative projects that build a confident relationship with nature, from creating a wildflower window box to dyeing fabrics with plant materials.

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A marvelously illustrated reference to the natural wonders of one of the most spectacular places on earthSeparated from Africa’s mainland for tens of millions of years, Madagascar has evolved a breathtaking wealth of biodiversity, becoming home to thousands of species found nowhere else on the planet. The New Natural History of Madagascar provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis available of this island nation’s priceless biological treasures. Now fully revised and expanded, this beautifully illustrated compendium features contributions by more than 600 globally renowned experts who cover the history of scientific exploration in Madagascar, as well as the island’s geology and soils, climate, forest ecology, human ecology, marine and coastal ecosystems, plants, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This invaluable two-volume reference also includes detailed discussions of conservation efforts in Madagascar that showcase several successful protected area programs that can serve as models for threatened ecosystems throughout the world. Provides the most comprehensive overview of Madagascar’s rich natural history Coedited by 18 different specialists Features hundreds of new contributions by world-class experts Includes hundreds of new illustrations Covers a broad array of topics, from geology and climate to animals, plants, and marine life Sheds light on newly discovered species and draws on the latest science An essential resource for anyone interested in Madagascar or tropical ecosystems in general, from biologists and conservationists to ecotourists and armchair naturalists

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