Search results for ""author courtney"

Gulf societies are often described as being intensely tribal. However, in discussions of state building and national identity, the role of tribalism and tribal identity is often overlooked. This book analyses the political role of tribes in Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE aiming to understand the degree to which tribes hinder or advance popular participation in government and to what extent they exert domestic political power. The research traces the historical relationship between ruling elites and nomadic tribes, and, by constructing political histories of these states and analysing the role of tribes in domestic political life and social hierarchies, reveals how they serve as major political actors in the Gulf. A key focus of the book is understanding the extent to which societies in the Gulf have become ‘re-bedouinised’ in the modern era and how this has shaped these states’ political processes and institutions. The book explores the roles that tribes play in the development of “progressive” citizenship regimes and policymaking today, and how they are likely to be influential in the future within rentier environments.

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Effective conservation requires building strong collaborative relationships. In hundreds of watersheds and communities across the United States, conservation is being reinvented and invigorated by collaborative efforts between federal, state, and local governments working with non-governmental organizations and private landowners, and fueled by economic incentives, to promote both healthy natural communities and healthy human communities."Conservation for a New Generation" captures those efforts with chapters that explain the new landscape of conservation along with case studies that illustrate these new approaches. The book brings together leading voices in the field of environmental conservation - Lynne Sherrod, Curt Meine, Daniel Kemmis, Luther Propst, Jodi Hilty, Peter Forbes, and many others - to offer fourteen chapters and twelve case studies that demonstrate the benefits of government agencies partnering with diverse stakeholders; explore how natural resources management is evolving; discuss emerging practices for conservation, including conservation planning, ecological restoration, valuing ecosystem services, and using economic incentives; and, promote cooperation on natural resources issues that have in the past been divisive.Throughout, contributors focus on the fundamental truth that unites human and land communities: as one prospers, so does the other; as one declines, so too will the other. The book illustrates how natural resources management that emphasizes building strong relationships results in outcomes that are beneficial to both people and land.

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Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure in this musical retelling of The Nutcracker ballet – push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky’s original score.It is Christmas Eve at Clara’s house. Scents of ginger, chocolate and peppermint waft through the air. Clara’s parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara’s godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her – a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed.The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet’s music, including 'The Waltz of the Flowers', 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', 'The Russian Dance', and the awesome 'Finale'.Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sound board at the back of the book, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of The Nutcracker ballet. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano. Also available from the Story Orchestra series: The Magic Flute, I Can Play (vol 1), Carnival of the Animals, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Four Seasons in One Day.Manufacturer’s note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.

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Grandmother's Garden is tangled with weeds, "Wildflowers, says grandma, food for the bees." A little girl visits her grandmother in summer and winter, and together they explore the wonders of Grandmother's garden.One day, Grandmother isn't there anymore, but as winter gives way to spring, the girl learns that life goes on and so does the memory of those we love.

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A radiant picture book celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. For readers who enjoy the Celebrate the World board books. This joyful family story follows a little girl from dawn to dusk as she draws rangolis to welcome guests, prepares food with her family including pani puri and chana masala, dresses up in colorful clothing, participates in the puja, and lights the diyas in honor of Diwali: the Hindu festival of lights. Excitement, history, and traditions abound in this vibrant celebration of Diwali, complete with a glossary, and delicious recipes for mango lassi, sukhe aloo, and puri. Christy Ottaviano Books

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Discover the magical world of Carnival of the Animals in this musical reimagining of this celebrated suite for children – push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Camille Saint-Saëns’ score. One day, two brothers discover a magical animal kingdom behind their bookcase. They are greeted by the royal lion with his shaggy mane; ask for directions from an old lonely tortoise; take a ride on some lumbering elephants; topple a skeleton of dinosaur bones; and swim among a school of shimmering fish. If only they could take them all home... The book includes extracts from ‘The Swan’, ‘Aquarium’, ‘Fossils’, and ‘Finale’ (From Disney’s Fantasia) along with a totally new story to link the pieces together. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the suite’s music. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Camille Saint-Saëns, with details about his composition of Carnival of the Animals. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano. Also available from the Story Orchestra series: The Magic Flute, I Can Play (vol 1), Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Four Seasons in One Day.Manufacturer's note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.

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Use this beautifully illustrated book to find out about some extraordinary animal odysseys, from mass migrations to flying fish, from pollination to echolocation. Discover how animals adapt to their environments to help them thrive and survive in this journal of amazing animal journeys.

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Investigates social parents – people who function as parents but who may not be recognized as such in the eyes of the law What makes a person a parent? Around the world, same-sex couples are raising children; parents are separating and re-partnering, creating blended families; and children are living with grandparents, family friends, and other caregivers. In these situations, there is often an adult who acts like a parent but who is unconnected to the child through biogenetics, marriage, or adoption—the common paths for establishing legal parenthood. In many countries, this person is called a “social parent.” Psychologically, and especially from a child’s point of view, a social parent is a parent. But the legal status of a social parent is hotly debated. Social Parenthood in Comparative Perspective considers how the law does—and how it should—recognize social parenthood. The book begins with a psychological account of social parenthood, establishing the importance of a relationship between a child and a social parent and the harms of not protecting this relationship. It then turns to social scientists to identify and explore some circumstances when a child may have a social parent. And to compare legal responses to social parenthood, the book draws on the expertise of legal scholars in nine countries in North America and Europe. The legal contributors describe the existing laws governing social parents, critique their efficacy, and offer new insights. Though almost all of the countries analyzed have adapted to the new reality of family life by recognizing social parents in some manner, the nature and extent of the recognition varies widely. The volume concludes by discussing some of the issues flowing from the decision to recognize social parents, including whether social parents should have the same legal rights and responsibilities as other legal parents, whether all social parents must be treated identically, whether the law should limit a child to two parents, and much more. Families are changing, and the law must adapt accordingly. Social Parenthood in Comparative Perspective charts a way forward by offering solutions to help policymakers consider options for addressing social parenthood.

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In its fourth edition, this fully revised and updated survey covers the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people under present law, specifically in regard to freedom of speech and association, employment, housing, the military, family and parenting, and HIV disease. Utilizing an accessible question-and-answer format and nontechnical language, The Rights of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People provides an overview for understanding both the general themes in legal doctrine and the way in which individuals can begin the process of asserting rights provided by the law. The volume is a useful starting point for people facing discrimination or legal uncertainty and helps readers navigate the turbulent and constantly changing waters of the laws regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. New to this edition are two appendixes that include contact information for national and regional LGBT legal groups, an overview of the legal system to explain some of the terms and concepts that appear throughout the book, and a summary of highlights of the law state by state.

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Women are taking the lead in today’s workforce. They hold half of America’s jobs, 51% of supervisory and managerial positions, and nearly 60% of all college degrees. A woman starts a business in the U.S. every 60 seconds. Without women, the U.S. economy would be 25% smaller than it is today. Women Lead is an in-depth examination of women’s role in today’s workplace. Drawing on interviews with nearly 200 women leaders, and survey responses from more than 3000 male and female managers, the book explains 21st-century career trends and provides practical advice to help women excel in the new world of work. Readers will discover facts, figures, and real-life stories about leadership, education, and career planning, and learn how women are using negotiation, networking, and other collaborative practices to lead their organizations into the future.

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Women are taking the lead in today’s workforce. They hold half of America’s jobs, 51% of supervisory and managerial positions, and nearly 60% of all college degrees. A woman starts a business in the U.S. every 60 seconds. Without women, the U.S. economy would be 25% smaller than it is today. Women Lead is an in-depth examination of women’s role in today’s workplace. Drawing on interviews with nearly 200 women leaders, and survey responses from more than 3000 male and female managers, the book explains 21st-century career trends and provides practical advice to help women excel in the new world of work. Readers will discover facts, figures, and real-life stories about leadership, education, and career planning, and learn how women are using negotiation, networking, and other collaborative practices to lead their organizations into the future.

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For generations, children around the world have come of age with Louisa May Alcott's March girls: hardworking eldest sister Meg, headstrong, impulsive Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. With their father away at war, and their loving mother Marmee working to support the family, the four sisters have to rely on one another for support as they endure the hardships of wartime and poverty. We witness the sisters growing up and figuring out what role each wants to play in the world, and, along the way, join them on countless unforgettable adventures.Readers young and old will fall in love with this beloved classic, at once a lively portrait of nineteenth-century family life and a feminist novel about young women defying society's expectations.

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Beautify your surroundings with gorgeous art from Princess Ai! This Roses & Tattoos artbook has art from the manga as well as never-before-seen illustrations. Also included are stickers and mini-posters that you can use anywhere.

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An Anthropogenic Table of Elements provides a contemporary rethinking of Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table of elements, bringing together "elemental" stories to reflect on everyday life in the Anthropocene. Concise and engaging, this book provides stories of scale, toxicity, and temporality that extrapolate on ideas surrounding ethics, politics, and materiality that are fundamental to this contemporary moment. Examining elemental objects and forces, including carbon, mould, cheese, ice, and viruses, the contributors question what elemental forms are still waiting to emerge and what political possibilities of justice and environmental reparation they might usher into the world. Bringing together anthropologists, historians, and media studies scholars, this book tests a range of possible ways to tabulate and narrate the elemental as a way to bring into view fresh discussion on material constitutions and, thereby, new ethical stances, responsibilities, and power relations. In doing so, An Anthropogenic Table of Elements demonstrates through elementality that even the smallest and humblest stories are capable of powerful effects and vast journeys across time and space.

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The princess of all things rock and roll is mixing it up with all your favorite TOKYOPOP original characters. Be she rocking out all night long with Ein from A Midnight Opera, serenading the Rhysmyth prom crowd, or feeling the mystery beat at The Tarot Cafe, Ai is traveling the TOKYOPOP universe with the winds of rock beneath her wings!

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Perfect for newly independent readers, this charming and quirky story about two unusual best friends who lift each other up, no matter the challenge! Meet Agnes and Clarabelle! Agnes the pig and Clarabelle the chicken are best friends through every season. Whether it’s planning the perfect birthday party in the spring, spending a summer day at the beach, braving a big department store in the fall, or making the very best pizza in winter, they help each other through every up and down. For Agnes and Clarabelle, everything is better when they’re together! Bloomsbury's unique Read & Bloom line is specifically designed for readers who are ready to move beyond picture books, but may not quite be ready for longer chapter books. At just 80 pages and packed with dynamic, full-color illustrations, these books are perfect for helping independent readers grow a lifelong love of books. Don't miss the other books in Bloomsbury's Read & Bloom line! Agnes and Clarabelle Celebrate! The Adventures of Caveboy Caveboy is Bored! Caveboy is a Hit! Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper Wallace and Grace Take the Case Wallace and Grace and the Lost Puppy Stinky Spike the Pirate Dog Stinky Spike and the Royal Rescue

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Archaeology in the past century has seen a major shift from theoretical frameworks that treat the remains of past societies as static snapshots of particular moments in time to interpretations that prioritise change and variability. Though established analytical concepts, such as typology, remain key parts of the archaeologist’s investigative toolkit, data-gathering strategies and interpretative frameworks have become infused progressively with the concept that archaeology is living, in the sense of both the objects of study and the discipline as a whole. The significance for the field is that researchers across the world are integrating ideas informed by relational epistemologies and mutually constructive ontologies into their work from the initial stage of project design all the way down to post-excavation interpretation.This volume showcases examples of such work, highlighting the utility of these ideas to exploring material both old and new. The illuminating research and novel explanations presented contribute to resolving long-standing problems in regional archaeologies across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Oceania. In this way, this volume reinvigorates approaches taken towards older material but also acts as a springboard for future innovative discussions of theory in archaeology and related disciplines.

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The seventh edition of Wills, Probate and Estates has been written to provide trainee solicitors with a clear and thorough understanding of current best practice in the area of wills, trusts, probate, and the administration of estates. The manual takes into account all recent changes in legislation. The book outlines the basic elements of a will, familiarising trainees with the common law and statutory background, and enabling them to draft wills and simple trusts in accordance with statute and their clients' informed instructions. It then outlines how to obtain the necessary grant of representation on the death of a client, either with or without a will, and how to administer such an estate, taking into account the various obligations on the personal representative. Wills, Probate and Estates provides succinct and practical advice, provided by solicitors for solicitors, tackling questions of practice and procedure that are of central importance not only for students on the Professional Practice Course, but also to practitioners who deal with any area of wills, trusts, probate, or the administration of estates.

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With the guidance of this book, academic librarians wishing to provide print, electronic, and streaming media (music and film) course reserve services for their campus communities can do so in compliance with U.S. copyright law. Many academic libraries offer print and electronic course reserve services that encourage learning by connecting students and faculty with less expensive and supplementary educational materials. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions regarding how U.S. copyright law affects course reserve services; as a result, many academic libraries restrict the scope of the services they provide or refrain from pursuing new options, such as media reserves, out of fear of violating the law or being sued for copyright infringement. Copyright and Course Reserves addresses this problem, providing authoritative advice for making print, electronic, and media course reserves available in compliance with U.S. copyright law. It explains options for implementing and sustaining media reserve services through which students and faculty can access online music, sound recordings, and film. Additionally, short examples from a wide range of libraries explore real-world scenarios and current issues related to course reserve services to help readers better understand and apply the information found in the book.

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Combining the wisdom of classical Chinese medicine with modern nutritional science, this book explores the concept of Yang Sheng, which means to nourish life by nurturing body, mind and spirit in harmony with the natural rhythms and universal laws, revealing the importance of nutrition within it and outlining how our modern lifestyle and environment challenges our ability to do that. A perfect guide for practitioners and students of Chinese medicine, the book explains modern diets and Chinese nutritional theory with a focus on prevention of illness and the impact of lifestyle and environment on our health during each stage of life. Lifestyle and nutritional advice for prevention and treatment of a range of illnesses and conditions is given for both adults and children.

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Piper thought taking care of Cosmo, her magical pet slime, was a big responsibility. Now she's on a mission to keep him safe from a nefarious corporation! Join Piper and Cosmo on an out-of-this-world adventure in Book 3 of the My Pet Slime series.After her pet slime came to life and her grandma got kidnapped, Piper didn’t think life could get any stranger. But then she found herself trapped in the headquarters of the mysterious MaLa corporation with her Grandma Sadie, her enemy-turned-friend Claire, and Cosmo, her pet slime. Luckily, Piper has an out-of-this-world plan to escape from MaLa and make sure sweet, cuddly Cosmo stays safe forever!

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A deep dive into the new era of digital content production and distribution In the twenty-first century, the platforms that both create and host content have become nearly as important as media itself. Companies such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube have attained a massive hold on the public imagination and have become an almost ineluctable part of people’s everyday lives. While the workings of media distribution had until very recently remained inconsequential to the average consumer, the recent popularization of various online platforms has made the question of distribution immediate to everyone. Digital Media Distribution: Portals, Platforms, Pipelines provides a timely examination of the multifaceted distribution landscape in a moment of transformation and conceptualizes media distribution as a complex site of power, privilege, and gatekeeping. These tensions have local, national, and global consequences on the autonomy of creative workers, as well as on how we gain access to, engage with, and understand cultural products. Drawing on original research into distribution practices in industries as diverse as television, film, videogames, literature, and adult entertainment, each chapter explores how digitization has changed media distribution and its broader economic, industrial, social, and cultural implications. Bringing together experts from around the world and across the media industries, Digital Media Distribution: Portals, Platforms, Pipelines presents a vast array of critical approaches and illustrative case studies for understanding the factors that have an impact on the way media travels and moves throughout our digital lives.

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A new retrospective of the work of trailblazing artist Barbara Chase-RiboudBarbara Chase-Riboud is a bestselling novelist, an award-winning poet, and a renowned visual artist whose sculpture and drawings are in museum collections around the world. Among her best-known sculptural work is the Malcolm X series of flowing cast bronze forms combined with braided fiber elements. Barbara Chase-Riboud Monumentale traces this pioneering artist’s remarkable career from the 1950s to the present, providing the most comprehensive account of her important body of work to date.The book features both celebrated and never-before-seen artworks that highlight Chase-Riboud’s groundbreaking contributions to contemporary sculpture. In addition to some forty sculptures, the book presents nearly twenty works on paper, a selection of Chase-Riboud’s poetry, and excerpts from an interview with the artist.Exploring the many different aspects of Chase-Riboud’s artistic practice, Barbara Chase-Riboud Monumentale provides unprecedented insights into her meditations on form, memory, and monument, while revealing the rich array of inspiration she has drawn from global art history and literature.Published in association with the Pulitzer Arts FoundationExhibition SchedulePulitzer Arts Foundation, St. LouisSeptember 16, 2022–February 5, 2023

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Train-obsessed boys ages 2 to 5 will love this deluxe 320-page hardcover storybook collection with thirteen Thomas & Friends adventures: Little Engines Can Do Big Things, The Special Delivery, Down at the Docks, Thomas and the Naughty Diesel, The Monster Under the Shed, Lost at Sea, Thomas Gets a Snowplow, Danger at the Dieselworks, Calling All Engines, Diesel 10 Means Trouble, Thomas-saurus Rex, The Lost Crown of Sodor, and Risky Rails. Hours and hours of storytelling fun!

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A 10-year survey of the bright, graffiti-inspired abstractions of Keltie Ferris This long-awaited publication is the first major monograph and career retrospective for the celebrated Kentucky-born, Brooklyn-based painter Keltie Ferris (born 1977). Known for his large-scale, energetic, brightly chromatic abstract canvases layered with spray paint and hand-painted geometric fields, Ferris makes staunchly analog paintings that draw inspiration from a range of subjects, from the broken-up pixelation of digital images and rubbed-out graffiti on New York streets to the glimmering city lights visible from his Brooklyn studio at night. He has commented that “bedazzled energy and bright artificial light” are prevalent inspirations for his compositional sensibility, which joyfully deploy “painting’s full arsenal.” This catalog explores the past 10 years of Ferris' career, examining his style and technique in a beautifully bound and visually stimulating volume.

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The first — and highly anticipated — monograph on one of the most influential painters of our timeCecily Brown is a British-born, New York-based artist who rose to prominence in the late 1990s. Brown established her unique voice within the art sphere by investigating the sensual qualities of oil paint and challenging the conventions of abstraction and figuration. Through a range of reference to old master paintings, Abstract Expressionism, and popular culture, Brown's symbolic language, exuberant brushwork, rich palette, intense energy, and embrace of the erotic have redefined some of painting's historical canons.

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From the The Story Orchestra series, a beautifully illustrated first piano sound book! Press the keys to learn 8 famous classical tunes from the story books. While other books in the series play famous pieces of classical music, in this new Story Orchestra title, young readers can now play the tunes themselves! Colour and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies, so even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. For best results, playing readers the original piece first is recommended so children can familiarise themselves with the pacing of the tune. Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling along with playing tips. All the favourite characters from the series are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano. I Can Play: The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) The Dance of the Reed Flutes – The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) Flight of the Swans – Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Dance of the Cygnets – Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Royal March of the Lions – The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns) The Elephant – The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns) The Swan – The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns) Spring Dawn Chorus – The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the keys, encouraging them to explore the possibilities of making music!

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Piper thought taking care of Cosmo, her magical pet slime, was a big responsibility. Now she's on a mission to keep him safe from a nefarious corporation! Join Piper and Cosmo on an out-of-this-world adventure in Book 3 of the My Pet Slime series.After her pet slime came to life and her grandma got kidnapped, Piper didn’t think life could get any stranger. But then she found herself trapped in the headquarters of the mysterious MaLa corporation with her Grandma Sadie, her enemy-turned-friend Claire, and Cosmo, her pet slime. Luckily, Piper has an out-of-this-world plan to escape from MaLa and make sure sweet, cuddly Cosmo stays safe forever!

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Loaded with tangy tales of spirits who inhabit places where you can spend a night or have a bite to eat. Listed by city, each haunted locale provides in-depth history about the spirited occupants, current facts and additional references.

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Completely revised, updated and with four new chapters on sustainability, new technologies, precision agriculture and the future of animal welfare, the third edition of this highly successful textbook: · Is edited by an outstanding world expert on animal welfare. · Emphasizes throughout the importance of measuring conditions that compromise welfare, such as lameness, heat stress, body condition, and bruises during transport. · Combines scientific information with practical recommendations for use on commercial operations. · Reviews practical information on livestock handling, euthanasia, slaughter, pain relief, and assessments of abnormal behavior. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach remains essential reading for students and practitioners of ethology, animal and veterinary science, veterinary medicine, as well as those working directly with farm animals and committed to improving their welfare.

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Completely revised, updated and with four new chapters on sustainability, new technologies, precision agriculture and the future of animal welfare, the third edition of this highly successful textbook: · Is edited by an outstanding world expert on animal welfare. · Emphasizes throughout the importance of measuring conditions that compromise welfare, such as lameness, heat stress, body condition, and bruises during transport. · Combines scientific information with practical recommendations for use on commercial operations. · Reviews practical information on livestock handling, euthanasia, slaughter, pain relief, and assessments of abnormal behavior. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach remains essential reading for students and practitioners of ethology, animal and veterinary science, veterinary medicine, as well as those working directly with farm animals and committed to improving their welfare.

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A deep dive into the new era of digital content production and distribution In the twenty-first century, the platforms that both create and host content have become nearly as important as media itself. Companies such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube have attained a massive hold on the public imagination and have become an almost ineluctable part of people’s everyday lives. While the workings of media distribution had until very recently remained inconsequential to the average consumer, the recent popularization of various online platforms has made the question of distribution immediate to everyone. Digital Media Distribution: Portals, Platforms, Pipelines provides a timely examination of the multifaceted distribution landscape in a moment of transformation and conceptualizes media distribution as a complex site of power, privilege, and gatekeeping. These tensions have local, national, and global consequences on the autonomy of creative workers, as well as on how we gain access to, engage with, and understand cultural products. Drawing on original research into distribution practices in industries as diverse as television, film, videogames, literature, and adult entertainment, each chapter explores how digitization has changed media distribution and its broader economic, industrial, social, and cultural implications. Bringing together experts from around the world and across the media industries, Digital Media Distribution: Portals, Platforms, Pipelines presents a vast array of critical approaches and illustrative case studies for understanding the factors that have an impact on the way media travels and moves throughout our digital lives.

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Winner of the 2012 Los Angeles Book Festival Photography/Art Book Award, Dan Winters’ America: Icons and Ingenuity is the first retrospective of the career of this talented artist. Winters has spent more than two decades creating memorable photographs for such publications as the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Rolling Stone. Best known for his iconic celebrity portraits, Winters has photographed public figures ranging from the Dalai Lama to President Barack Obama, Hollywood celebrities from Leonardo DiCaprio to Helen Mirren, and artistic luminaries from Jeff Koons to William Christenberry. His style of portraiture is instantly recognizable, characterized by impeccable lighting, muted backgrounds, and the contemplative postures of his sitters.Winters’ lifelong fascination with science, technology, and human ingenuity finds similar expression in significant groups of photographs: close-up studies of honeybees and airplanes and a magnificent series devoted to the last three launches of NASA’s space shuttles. These photographs reveal an aspect of Winters’ career that is less familiar than his commercial work but equally compelling.In addition to the popular icons, America includes expressions of Winters’ personal vision. This lyrical body of work shows the same keen eye for lighting and composition, but with a decidedly more intimate ambiance: photographs of his wife and son, spare cityscapes, and elegant collages.America: Icons and Ingenuity also includes a biographical essay that traces his development in a varied and productive career that is, itself, a work in progress.

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Even as life expectancy in many countries has continued to increase, social security and similar government programs can provide strong incentives for workers to leave the labor force when they reach the age of eligibility for benefits. Disability insurance programs can also play a significant role in the departure of older workers from the labor force, with many individuals in some countries relying on disability insurance until they are able to enter into full retirement. The sixth stage of an ongoing research project studying the relationship between social security programs and labor force participation, this volume draws on the work of an eminent group of international economists to consider the extent to which differences in labor force participation across countries are determined by the provisions of disability insurance programs. Presented in an easily comparable way, their research covers twelve countries, including Canada, Japan, and the United States, and considers the requirements of disability insurance programs, as well as other pathways to retirement.

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