Search results for ""author carrie"

*What do advanced statistical techniques do?*When is it appropriate to use them?*How are they carried out and reported?There are a variety of statistical techniques used to analyse quantitative data that masters students, advanced undergraduates and researchers in the social sciences are expected to be able to understand and undertake. This book explains these techniques, when it is appropriate to use them, how to carry them out and how to write up the results. Most books which describe these techniques do so at too advanced or technical a level to be readily understood by many students who need to use them. In contrast the following features characterise this book:- concise and accessible introduction to calculating and interpreting advanced statistical techniques- use of a small data set of simple numbers specifically designed to illustrate the nature and manual calculation of the most important statistics in each technique- succinct illustration of writing up the results of these analyses- minimum of mathematical, statistical and technical notation- annotated bibliography and glossary of key conceptsCommonly used software is introduced, and instructions are presented for carrying out analyses and interpreting the output using the computer programs of SPSS Release 11 for Windows and a version of LISREL 8.51, which is freely available online. Designed as a textbook for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate courses across the socio-behavioural sciences, this book will also serve as a personal reference for researchers in disciplines such as sociology and psychology.

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RUSSIAN RUSE: A Norwegian supply ship carrying gold mysteriously sinks. A Russian crew claims the Nazis are responsible. Royal Navy Lieutenant James Bond suspects foul play.

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The Biopolitics of Beauty examines how beauty became an aim of national health in Brazil. Based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Brazilian hospitals, the author explains how plastic surgeons and patients navigate the public health system to transform beauty into a basic health right. The book historically traces the national concern with beauty to Brazilian eugenics, which established beauty as an index of the nation's racial improvement. From here, Jarrin explains how plastic surgeons became the main proponents of a raciology of beauty, using it to gain the backing of the Brazilian state. Beauty can be understood as an immaterial form of value that Jarrin calls "affective capital," which maps onto and intensifies the social hierarchies of Brazilian society. Patients experience beauty as central to national belonging and to gendered aspirations of upward mobility, and they become entangled in biopolitical rationalities that complicate their ability to consent to the risks of surgery. The Biopolitics of Beauty not only examines the biopolical regime that made beauty a desirable national project, but also the subtle ways in which beauty is laden with affective value within everyday social practices, thus becoming the terrain upon which race, class, and gender hierarchies are reproduced and contested in Brazil.

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New modes of listening and methods for contemporary sound art practicesOur contemporary, globalised society demands new forms of listening. But what are these new forms? In Listening to the Other, Stefan Östersjö challenges conventional understandings of the ways musicians listen. He develops a transmodal understanding of listening that is situated in the body—a body that is extended by its mediation through musical instruments and other technologies. Listening habits can turn these tools—and even the body itself—into resistant objects or musical Others. Supported by extensive multimedia documentation and drawing on examples from the author’s own artistic projects spanning electronics, intercultural collaboration, and ecological sound art, this volume enables musicians to learn how to approach musical Others through alternative modes of listening and allows readers to discover artistic methods for intercultural collaboration and ecological sound art practices.This book is closely linked to a series of cutting-edge artistic works, including a triple concerto recorded with the Seattle Symphony and several video works with ecological sound art. It represents the analytical outcomes of artistic research projects carried out in Sweden, the UK, and Belgium between 2009 and 2015.This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

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Explore abstract art with a mix of media and methods, under the guidance of expert artist Helen Kaminsky. The Innovative Artist series provides a unique insight into the methods and materials used by leading contemporary artists who are pushing the boundaries of their art. Through numerous examples of the author’s work alongside practical demonstrations, each book provides a fascinating exploration of the artist’s creative process that will inspire the reader to move forward on their own artistic journey. Abstracts and Mixed Media is aimed at artists who wish to explore the possibilities offered by mixed media in new and impressive ways. Helen's love of colour and experimentation is carried through layers of imagery and texture with a gloriously vibrant mix of traditional and imaginative new techniques. It is the experimental combination of these methods that gives each painting its unique glowing quality. Artists will discover different ways of mixing and blending paint with unusual materials, collage techniques, fun printing methods, mark-making with found objects, and original ways to incorporate homemade stencils and stamps into their work. Helen leads the reader through her exciting range of techniques using charcoal, gesso, oil pastels, wet and dry media, printing and mark-making materials, and collage.

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With the outbreak of Gulf War hostilities a unit from 22 SAS slipped quietly over the border and into the enemy's backyard. It would be six weeks before any of the patrol again reached safety.Sabre Squadron recounts in graphic detail their scud-busting operations deep inside Iraq. They were operating alone and out of reach of reinforcements, with the threat of detection and its fatal consequences ever present. Yet their determination to wreak havoc behind enemy lines remained undimmed, culminating in an attack that decisively reconfirmed the regiment's awesome reputation.Cameron Spence, a senior NCO on the operation, takes you as close to the fighting SAS as you are ever likely to get, conveying the relentless tension, black humour and camaraderie punctuated by explosive, nerve-shredding action that characterized the mission.This is the true story of an SAS operation of breathtaking audacity and flair, carried out under unimaginable pressure, in the face of impossible odds.________________'A brilliantly authentic account of war with an SAS patrol, it's a fantastic read' - ANDY MCNAB, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero'Tense and at times terrifying... a well told action story' - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'A terrific read' - THE TIMES'Blood, guts and military macho - as authentic as anything you are likely to read' - MAIL ON SUNDAY

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Genre: Simple realistic story with patterned language Learning Objective: Word Recognition Strand 5: Link sounds to letters. Language Comprehension Strand 7: Know that print carries meaning and, in English, is read from left to right and top to bottom.

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Women in Haiti are frequent victims of sexual violence and armed assault. Yet an astonishing proportion of these victims also act as perpetrators of violent crime, often as part of armed groups. Award-winning legal scholar Benedetta Faedi Duramy visited Haiti to discover what causes these women to act in such destructive ways and what might be done to stop this tragic cycle of violence.Gender and Violence in Haiti is the product of more than a year of extensive firsthand observations and interviews with the women who have been caught up in the widespread violence plaguing Haiti. Drawing from the experiences of a diverse group of Haitian women, Faedi Duramy finds that both the victims and perpetrators of violence share a common sense of anger and desperation. Untangling the many factors that cause these women to commit violence, from self-defense to revenge, she identifies concrete measures that can lead them to feel vindicated and protected by their communities.Faedi Duramy vividly conveys the horrifying conditions pervading Haiti, even before the 2010 earthquake. But Gender and Violence in Haiti also carries a message of hope—and shows what local authorities and international relief agencies can do to help the women of Haiti.

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Stjepan Sejic continues the critically acclaimed Sunstone series with Volume 4. A classy, sexy, fun, and emotional look at two women and the alternative lifestyle they live. It's all fun and games until someone falls in love! But the fun and games carry on!

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Every story begins with a word. As a young woman, Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew carried a word within her so potent that it spread through every artery and vein. But she carried it in secret until she was shown a different way and the word inside her turned restless and eager. A beautiful and powerful memoir of coming of age and coming out bisexual, SWINGING ON THE GARDEN GATE describes a period of time in award-winning writer and teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew's life where she came to know her bisexuality as an embodied manifestation of divinity. Andrew not only reconciles her Methodist faith with her sexuality but realises that her body is holy, her sexuality is holy, and the word she carried within her has always been holy. The spark of spirit Andrew identifies in her body she also finds throughout the solid matter of life-in childhood, nature, creativity, loss, death, and especially the coming out process. In addition to being a personal journey through memory, Andrew brings a distinctly queer feminist lens to Christian teachings and answers the question hundreds of young people have posed to her over the years, "Is it possible to be both queer and spiritual?" The act of bringing hidden, personal truths to light is transformational, and for Andrew, a universal calling. This stunning second edition includes a new note from Andrew as she looks back on its twenty-year history.

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The boys (and Crim) are back for round two! But when they stumble across a marionette shop that promises a puppet resembling anyone your heart desires, Stunk gets a bit carried away and dreams up the spitting image of Meidri! They better hope she never finds out about this!

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Succinct, easy to read, and highly effective-the highly regarded Secrets Series® provides students and practitioners in all areas of health care with focused, engaging resources for quick reference and exam review. In USMLE Step 3 Secrets, 2nd Edition, bestselling review author Dr. Ted O'Connell, along with co-authors Drs. Thomas Blair and Ryan Pedigo, offers practical, up-to-date coverage of the full range of topics on this high-stakes exam, positioning you to clear that final USMLE hurdle with confidence. This enjoyable, easy-to-read book features the Secrets' popular question-and-answer format that prepares you for one of the most important exams you'll take in your medical career. A concise, integrated, clinical overview of Step 3 content, perfect for a refresher and practical preparation for this challenging vignette-style exam. Extensively revised and updated, reflecting high-yield content on the USMLE Step 3. Highly engaging Q&A format interactively reviews your knowledge of diagnosis, treatment, and management of common disorders. New full-color images, figures, tables, and summary boxes provide a concise visual overview of important board-relevant content. Top 100 Secrets, tips, and memory aids offer a fast overview of the secrets you must know for success in practice and on exams. Review board composed of students and residents who performed highly on all steps of the USMLE and have experience with USMLE-style question development. Portable size makes it easy to carry with you for quick reference or review anywhere, anytime. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

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For the first time in his life, Pete has everything to lose. After years of drifting, fifty-year-old Pete Ryman has settled down with his potbellied pig, Pearl, in the small Montana town of Sleeping Grass--a place he never expected to see again. It's not the life he dreamed of, but there aren't many prospects for a high-school dropout like him. Elderly widow Wilma Jacobsen carries a burden of guilt over her part in events that led to Pete leaving Sleeping Grass decades ago. Now that he's back, she's been praying for the chance to make things right, but she never expected God's answer to leave her flat on her face--literally--and up to her ears in meddling. When the younger sister Pete was separated from as a child shows up in Sleeping Grass with her eleven-year-old son, Pete is forced to face a past he buried long ago, and Wilma discovers her long-awaited chance at redemption may come at a higher cost than she's willing to pay. "Katie Powner brings both humor and heft to the page as she celebrates simple pleasures and not-so-simple love."--JULIE CANTRELL, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials

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Run wild with Wolf Brother in a Stone Age world we all want to be a part of with million-copy-selling author, Michelle Paver. Danger, magic and non stop adventure await Torak, Renn and Wolf. The Clans will be tested as never before, as they battle to find ways to survive and thrive in their beloved Forest. In the Dark Time of midwinter, disaster strikes the Forest. Chaos rules. Bears woken from their dens prowl the shadowy valleys. Desperate clans battle for survival. Only demons thrive. With their world in turmoil, Torak, Renn and Wolf are tested as never before. And as a new evil haunts the devastated land, Torak must risk his sanity, his life and even his souls to save everything he loves... SKIN TAKER: read it as a standalone or part of the series and be carried back to the Stone Age, to nature, drawing you deeper into an astonishing environment and adventure which began with WOLF BROTHER and has captivated millions of readers. 'Can easily be read as a standalone novel, so skilful is the storytelling... Paver powerfully presents a world view that's magical but never primitive' Financial Times 'It transports us a long way from the here and now' Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Week 'This book is a novel to be cherished, treasured and loved by every young generation to come' LoveReading4Kids

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The second book published in this series carries on from where The Moors Murderers' left off and continues the horrific story of the crimes perpetrated by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley and tells of what happened at their trial in 1966. We see how Brady and Hindley turned on David Smith, the 17-year-old who witnessed them murder Edward Evans and shopped them to the police the following day, by attempting to implicate him in their murders. This led to him being an almost daily victim of assaults by both locals and members of the victims' families. It tells the full story of the depths Myra Hindley went to in order to affect her escape from prison in 1973, how she eventually turned on Ian Brady and how she manipulated her way through her prison sentence until the day she died. It also shows how Ian Brady tormented the families of the victims from his prison cell. It tells the full story of how the body of Pauline Reade was recovered from Saddleworth Moor and also of the search for Keith Bennett, who to this day remains unfound. Printed here for the very first time are photographs of Myra Hindley during her incarceration released to the author from Home Office files held at the National Archives.

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This book presents many valuable tips for making decisions related to road traffic in transport networks. The knowledge base in practical examples, as well as the decision support systems described in this volume, finds interest among people who face the daily challenge of searching for advanced solutions and practical applications in road traffic engineering. The publication is therefore addressed to local authorities related to the planning and development of development strategies for selected areas with regard to transport (both in the urban and regional dimension) and to representatives of business and industry, as people directly involved in the implementation of traffic engineering solutions. The tips contained in individual sections of the publication allow to look at a given problem in an advanced way and facilitate the selection of the appropriate strategy (among others, in relation to the heuristic approach to assessing the performance efficiency of road intersections in urban environments from the resilience perspective, modeling the distribution of transport pollutants in a naturally ventilated road tunnel, development of a camera-based parking monitoring system with an automatic parking spot identification). In turn, due to a new approach to theoretical models (including, inter alia, problems with the safety of passengers at tram stops or energy-efficient radio platforms for the implementation of nodes of sensor networks), the publication also interests scientists and researchers carrying out research in this area. The publication entitled "Road Traffic Analysis, Theoretical Approaches and Practical Solutions" contains selected papers submitted to and presented at the 19th “Transport Systems. Theory and Practice” Scientific and Technical Conference organized by the Department of Transport Systems, Traffic Engineering and Logistics at the Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology. The conference took place on September 18–19, 2023, in Katowice (Poland).

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"The Poetry Deal: San Francisco Poet Laureate Series No. 5 gives us di Prima's vision as she looks back at a life lived truly and looks out at a society she still has hope for even as it grieves its failings."--David Nilsen, Fourth & Sycamore: A Literary Journal "The Poetry Deal shines with eros and kindness and the reality of inspiration. No American or Anarchist voice or soul-building heart has ever been more clear. The pages are fierce with love and generosity."--Michael McClure, author of Ghost Tantras "The Poetry Deal is fresh flame from a revolutionary fire that continues to burn. Every woman of every age should carry it in a purse with their pepper spray. Diane is the ultimate weapon."--Amber Tamblyn, author of Dark Sparkler "In her latest collection as San Francisco Poet Laureate, di Prima is again at the height of her powers, with 'the act of writing itself more compelling than ever.'"--Micah Ballard, author of Waifs and Strays "I return to this book again and again to remember what it means to own and further a poetic and political lineage."--Ana Bozicevic, author of Rise in the Fall "The Poetry Deal [is] an urgent success of the highest order ...Diane di Prima should always be high on the American poetry play list. "--Barbara Berman, The Rumpus "Recounting a life in poetry, her commitment to progressive thought and action, and a half-century of Bay Area culture, crises, and change, di Prima writes at the top of her game ...di Prima recalls the time an institutionalized Ezra Pound told her that 'poets have to eat'; rarely has a poet left so much bread on the table for future poets."--*Starred Review, Publishers Weekly "This is a volume that traverses the specific and reaches the universal. She marks her poems with great strength and utmost sensitivity. They are poems that live in real time; not cyberspace. di Prima's poetry is well-lived and poetry worth living in. She is a gifted teacher enjoining the reader to face life's lessons for the attendant dilemmas of old age. Carry this book with you. It will arm you with continuous insight and flaming provocation."--Robert Sutherland-Cohen The Poetry Deal is the first full-length collection of individual poems in decades from legendary feminist Beat poet Diane di Prima. Framed by two passionate, and critical, prose statements assessing her adopted home city, The Poetry Deal is a collection of poems that provide a personal and political look at forty years of Bay Area culture. Often elegiac in tone, the book captures the poet's sense of loss as she chronicles the deaths of friends from the AIDS epidemic as well as the passing of illustrious countercultural colleagues like Philip Whalen, Pigpen from the Grateful Dead, and Kirby Doyle. She also recalls and mourns out-of-town inspirations like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Audre Lorde, and Ezra Pound. Yet even as she laments the state of her city today, she finds triumph and solace in her own relationships, the marriages of her friends, the endurance of City Lights, and other symbols of San Francisco's heritage. Born in Brooklyn in 1934, Diane di Prima emerged as a member of the Beat Generation in New York in the late '50s; in the early '60s, she founded the important mimeo magazine The Floating Bear with her lover LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka). In the late '60s, she moved to San Francisco, where she would publish her groundbreaking Revolutionary Letters (1971) with City Lights. Her other important books include Memoirs of a Beatnik, Pieces of a Dream, Recollections of My Life as a Woman, and Loba. She was named San Francisco Poet

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In Depression-era Kentucky, a defiant wife embarks on an impulsive and liberating journey in a powerful novel by the bestselling author of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow and The Ragged Edge of Night. Del Wensley, wife of the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, tries to mind her place. Until her husband’s infidelity pushes an already strained marriage to a breaking point. Clinging to her last hope for self-respect, Del turns her back on the rigid life she’s known. A coal train is rolling through the valley. With her eyes wide open to the unfamiliar, and to the freedom she craves, Del takes to the rails. Rumbling across America, Del is soon drawn into a transient community among outcasts—and finds a special friend in Louisa Trout. A nomadic single mother, Louisa teaches Del the ways of the boxcars and promises to help her reach a migrant enclave where Del can learn the skills she’ll need to survive. But as they move forward together under desperate circumstances, even the closest of bonds threatens to break. With the Depression taking its toll, Del must gather her strength and faith. As she carries on toward one unknown after another, her life becomes a fulfilling, sometimes dangerous, and exhilarating adventure. But no matter the risks, it’s a life that she alone controls.

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ONE OF TEN LONGLISTED IN THE 2021 SHELF UNBOUND BEST INDIE BOOK COMPETITIONFINALIST FOR THE 2021 FOREWORD INDIES AWARDSA naked boy wanders alone through a divided land carrying precious rocks, and seeks refuge in a cave below a hidden monastery in the mountains. A middle-aged man returns to the home of his youth in Lebanon, to a cave where he confronts a thief with a camera and protects a sacred, centuries-old piece of art. Months later, carrying the treasured face in his briefcase, the photographer faces the utter loss of all he has hoped for. Three stories. Three men. One image: a timeless work of art. The Image is a profound and compelling collection of linked short stories about faith, hope, belonging, and the search for meaning within a holy land.

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This book provides a practically directed basis for carrying out immunocytochemical methods with enough theoretical information to allow a newcomer to understand the whys and wherefores of the technique. It explains tissue preparation, cytological preparations and new methods of multiple staining.

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A comprehensive, down-to-earth guide for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer.Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be scary and confusing. There are medical terms to learn, options to consider, and important decisions to make, all while trying to carry on with work, family, and life. The Breast Cancer Book can't reverse a diagnosis or make breast cancer disappear, but every page can inform and empower you or your loved ones, no matter where you are in the breast cancer experience. Written by three trusted experts—an oncologist, a breast surgeon, and a two-time breast cancer survivor—this multidisciplinary book walks you through everything you need to know about breast cancer so that you can make the best decisions about diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. In plain, easy-to-understand language that illuminates all the facets of this disease, the authors draw on their professional experience and the most current scientific knowledge to• describe the risk factors for breast cancer;• explain the various tests used to detect cancer; • clarify the full range of treatment options, from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to newer combination therapies; • provide insight from experts in genetics, radiation oncology, and breast reconstruction; • present inspirational true stories of breast cancer survivors; and • simplify complex concepts with detailed graphics, tables, illustrations, and photographs. A crash course on breast cancer that will help get you or anyone you love through the physical and emotional challenges of the disease, The Breast Cancer Book will also help readers communicate with their cancer team. Packed with information, this compassionate guide is the most up-to-date book available.

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A comprehensive, down-to-earth guide for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer.Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be scary and confusing. There are medical terms to learn, options to consider, and important decisions to make, all while trying to carry on with work, family, and life. The Breast Cancer Book can't reverse a diagnosis or make breast cancer disappear, but every page can inform and empower you or your loved ones, no matter where you are in the breast cancer experience. Written by three trusted experts—an oncologist, a breast surgeon, and a two-time breast cancer survivor—this multidisciplinary book walks you through everything you need to know about breast cancer so that you can make the best decisions about diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. In plain, easy-to-understand language that illuminates all the facets of this disease, the authors draw on their professional experience and the most current scientific knowledge to• describe the risk factors for breast cancer;• explain the various tests used to detect cancer; • clarify the full range of treatment options, from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to newer combination therapies; • provide insight from experts in genetics, radiation oncology, and breast reconstruction; • present inspirational true stories of breast cancer survivors; and • simplify complex concepts with detailed graphics, tables, illustrations, and photographs. A crash course on breast cancer that will help get you or anyone you love through the physical and emotional challenges of the disease, The Breast Cancer Book will also help readers communicate with their cancer team. Packed with information, this compassionate guide is the most up-to-date book available.

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The Big Book of American President Trivia illustrates each president’s journey to the White House through facts, anecdotes, illustrations, photographs, inspirational quotes, and more!The president has been the figurehead of the United States since the time when our country was a small band of thirteen fledgling colonies until its current position as a world superpower. The forty-five leaders of our nation have had fascinating, exciting, and sometimes scandalous lives. Find out which president had a faithful dog named Fala, who was the only unmarried president, and which president’s daughter carried around her pet snake in the White House in this fun and fascinating overview of our country’s leaders.Bestselling author Nancy J. Hajeski not only provides engaging information about each president, but also includes timelines of US and world events that place each president’s term in office in a historical context. She also provides useful facts about the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, presidential assassinations, the first ladies, the vice presidents, and more to help broaden kids’ understanding of our government and the president’s role within in.With updated information on President Barack Obama, as well as Donald J. Trump, this is the perfect introduction to the lives and characters of the US presidents.

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'Very clever and great fun' Kate Eberlen, author of Miss YouWouldn't it be great, if everyone had a team of smart machines to handle all the messy emotional stuff...*The last text Daisy Parsloe received was from her smart fridge about some mouldy potato salad. She's not doing well at work, her love life is haphazard at best and her elderly mother seems to be losing her mind. And now, apparently even the appliances are judging her life choices.What Daisy doesn't know is that the appliances are also plotting. They've joined together, across the internet of things, to nudge Daisy in the right direction. But it isn't long before their well-meaning interference starts to get noticed and the race is on to find Daisy's Mr Right before the plugs are pulled.Daisy is about to find out that sometimes, help comes from the most unlikely places.*Praise for P. Z. Reizin and his novels:'Funny, quirky, unexpected' Jojo Moyes'Hilarious and exceedingly relatable' Carrie Hope Fletcher'So funny, clever and timely' Martha Kearney'Touching and hilarious' Sunday Mirror'Fun, romantic, original, with a clever twist' Woman and Home'An impish AI rom-com that skewers the data economy and the corporate erosion of private space' Mail on Sunday

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THE FINAL NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING RAVENSCAR TRILOGY Elizabeth Turner, scion of the fabled Deravenel family, carries the red-gold hair and beautiful English complexion of her ancestors. And it is not just her colouring that she has inherited from Edward Deravenel. Astute and charismatic, she is also bold, daring and fiercely ambitious, with the same ruthless streak. Now, aged just twenty-five, she stands in the position she has dreamed of - inheriting the family business, Deravenels. Over eight hundred years old, the company is a bastion of male chauvinism and the challenge that lies ahead of Elizabeth is immense. Cecil Williams acts as Elizabeth's mentor while navigating the treacherous corridors of power with her. But her greatest ally is her childhood friend, handsome, charming Robert Dunley. Highly intelligent, he is her match in every way – and there is a spark between them that is impossible to resist. Yet Robert is already married. When they begin an affair it scandalises those around them. But far worse is to come… From the family seat perched high on the Yorkshire moors to the glamour of London as the twentieth century draws to a close, Elizabeth fights for her birthright and her inheritance. Passion, drama, betrayal and death stalk the pages of this gripping new blockbuster from the author of A Woman of Substance.

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Discover the latest developments in multi-robot coordination techniques with this insightful and original resource Multi-Agent Coordination: A Reinforcement Learning Approach delivers a comprehensive, insightful, and unique treatment of the development of multi-robot coordination algorithms with minimal computational burden and reduced storage requirements when compared to traditional algorithms. The accomplished academics, engineers, and authors provide readers with both a high-level introduction to, and overview of, multi-robot coordination, and in-depth analyses of learning-based planning algorithms. You'll learn about how to accelerate the exploration of the team-goal and alternative approaches to speeding up the convergence of TMAQL by identifying the preferred joint action for the team. The authors also propose novel approaches to consensus Q-learning that address the equilibrium selection problem and a new way of evaluating the threshold value for uniting empires without imposing any significant computation overhead. Finally, the book concludes with an examination of the likely direction of future research in this rapidly developing field. Readers will discover cutting-edge techniques for multi-agent coordination, including: An introduction to multi-agent coordination by reinforcement learning and evolutionary algorithms, including topics like the Nash equilibrium and correlated equilibrium Improving convergence speed of multi-agent Q-learning for cooperative task planning Consensus Q-learning for multi-agent cooperative planning The efficient computing of correlated equilibrium for cooperative q-learning based multi-agent planning A modified imperialist competitive algorithm for multi-agent stick-carrying applications Perfect for academics, engineers, and professionals who regularly work with multi-agent learning algorithms, Multi-Agent Coordination: A Reinforcement Learning Approach also belongs on the bookshelves of anyone with an advanced interest in machine learning and artificial intelligence as it applies to the field of cooperative or competitive robotics.

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Entirely up to date with the 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations Step-by-step descriptions and photographs of the tests show exactly how to carry them out With a companion website with video footage of tests contained in the book and multiple choice questions

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“Midnights is both a comedy of errors and an affectionate portrait of small-town police, those beleaguered souls charged with the task of keeping their neighbors in line....A reminder that those assigned to protect are often vulnerable and quietly heroic.”—Time Funny, touching, revealing, here is the view from a rookie cop’s patrol car, during midnight shifts, in a (mostly) peaceful town. With a rich cast of characters, this is a classic memoir of the fear, surprises, excitement, embarrassment that comes with a protecting and serving a small community. “When I was twenty-three years old, five months out of college, with a degree in music, and without any idea of what to do with myself, I took a job as a policeman in Wellfleet, Massachusetts,” so writes Alec Wilkinson. “Music, huh?” the police chief said during the job interview. “That'll be a big help.” Wilkinson’s main qualification was familiarity with the town of 2,000 people from summers there growing up. Committing himself to a year wearing a uniform and carrying a gun, and with no training, Wilkinson was sent out to keep the peace, hoping nothing would happen. There are high-speed chases and stopping drunk drivers, one of whom tries to set Wilkinson's hair on fire. There are domestic squabbles. “The first six months were murder for me,” Wilkinson’s partner confides on his first night. “After that, when I found out the people I thought were my friends weren't really my friends, I felt better off.” There is an attempted bank robbery. The teller convinces the robber that his haul ($300) is too much to carry around in cash. The robber is still listening to investment options when the police arrive. Throughout there are conversations with his eight fellow officers who Wilkinson comes to respect and admire. “Nobody ever calls you when they're behaving themselves,” one admits. “As a rule, you always get called when people are at their worst. It's sad. It depresses me.” The job is often thankless. “Right now I work on the police force,” another officer says, “my wife stamps cans in the supermarket, and she makes more money than I do.” This is experiential journalism at its most poignant and entertaining—and it launched the career of Alec Wilkinson: writer, interviewer, essayist, and author. This is for any reader looking for insight into the real lives of police officers, outside of large cities, across America. It is also for anyone looking for a marvelously engaging read.Midnights is part of Godine’s Nonpareil series: celebrating the joy of discovery with books bound to be classics.

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Even the most well-informed wildlife enthusiast will be entertained by the stories and fascinating facts in the beautifully illustrated book. Our ancestors hunted, tamed, worshipped and depicted birds, and even bestowed magical properties upon them. Why did ancient writers consider the sparrow a lustful creature? Which bird was killed and hung up to predict the weather? And what was an 'arse-foot'? Wildlife photographer and history journalist Simon Wills explores the intriguing and at times bizarre stories behind our relationship with birds. Find out why robins feature on Christmas cards, and how Mozart was persuaded to keep a pet starling. What bird did Florence Nightingale carry around in her pocket? How did the blue tit get its name? Whole careers have been created around birds - from falconers to ostrich farmers - and birds have had great symbolic importance too. Discover, for example, why Raleigh bicycles carry a heron logo and why church lectems are in the shape of an eagle. If you enjoy wildlife, then this book is full of surprises. Pigeons were trained to carry messages in wartime, but could gulls be taught to hunt U-boats? And which American president's parrot started swearing at his funeral?

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'Kay Langdale has got the knack of writing books that you carry on sitting in an empty carriage for a few extra minutes to finish, to stay a little longer with her characters' Lucy Dillon (author of A Hundred Pieces of Me)'There's no doubt Langdale is a wonderful writer, plots beautifully and is brilliant at showing her characters' inner worlds' Daily Mail What happens when difficult mothering makes you a difficult woman?Since their youngest son, Teddy, was diagnosed with a life-defining illness, Anna has been fighting: against the friends who don't know how to help; against the team assigned to Teddy's care who constantly watch over Anna's parenting; and against the impulse to put Teddy above all else - including his older brother, the watchful, sensitive Isaac.And now Anna can't seem to stop fighting against her husband, the one person who should be able to understand, but who somehow manages to carry on when Anna feels like she is suffocating under the weight of all the things that Teddy will never be able to do.As Anna helplessly pushes Tom away, he can't help but feel the absence of the simple familiarity that should come so easily, and must face the question: is it worse to stay in an unhappy marriage, or leave?Perfect for fans of Adele Parks and Maggie O'Farrell.'I read the book in one sitting . . . This could well be my book of 2017: so much of the moment, but completely timeless' The Book Bag. . . And in your words:'Nothing I can say can go anywhere near conveying how good it is' Vicki D'This is such a special book and I can't praise it highly enough. It's a must read' Jo'[Langdale] is educated and clever in her writing . . . This is a valuable book which pulls you right in from the start' Katharine Kirby'I can't stop thinking about these characters - they feel like real people to me' RatherTooFondofBooks

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A sweet and gentle story about sisters, trust, parrots, disappearing . . . and doing the right thing. Eight-year-old Izzy is more curious, playful and clumsy than her serious, grown-up sister Carrie. In fact Izzy is much more like Gran, an eccentric scientist who has a house full of weird and wonderful pets. But when one of Gran's experiments backfires, Izzy discovers that she has the ability to become invisible! That is, unless Perky the parrot is perched on her shoulder, or she has one of his feathers safely stowed in her pocket. Yikes!While Gran searches for an antidote, Izzy explores her invisibility - to her and Perky's amusement - but Mum, Dad and Carrie aren't impressed. Can Izzy prove that she is using her invisibility to help those around her, and regain her sister's trust?

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“Murray and Wearmouth’s latest THE BRINK is a white-knuckled rollercoaster. This novel is chocked full of everything I love: strange creatures, a world teetering on the edge, and heroes who I’d want at my side during any firefight. This isn’t just a story hopped on steroids—but one injected with nitrous and blazing on all cylinders. Give me more!” —James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestseller of Crucible The sequel to the international bestseller (including #1 Sunday Times bestseller) Awakened, by one of the stars of TruTV’s Impractical Jokers and a bestselling science fiction author.Former NYC Mayor Tom Cafferty has been haunted by the horror of a single day. The opening of the brand new Z-train subway line beneath the Hudson River—the supposed shining moment of his tenure. But the ribbon-cutting ceremony turned deadly when the train carrying Cafferty’s wife and other citizens was attacked by a horde of hyper intelligent, bloodthirsty creatures previously unknown to humanity.Everything changed for Cafferty, ex-NYPD officer Sarah Bowcut, and tech-expert Diego Munoz that day. They had uncovered the deadly truth: the attack was no accident. And now the creatures that wreaked havoc underneath New York have spread worldwide, and with a massive cover-up—and a secret organization holding nations hostage with the knowledge of how to kill them—Cafferty’s team must fight against impossible odds to save the entire planet from an apocalyptic scale disaster.An explosive and thrilling international adventure, the stakes are even higher in the latest book from bestselling duo James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth!

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For over thirty years, Drizzt Do'Urden has been one of the most important characters in fantasy literature. Throughout his novels, Drizzt has written down his thoughts about life and love, the nature of good and evil, the joys (and frustrations) of family, and so much more. Bound together for the first time, the collected wisdom and philosophy of Drizzt will be a beautifully-packaged gift book—complete with deckled edges, faux-leather cover, and an introduction by bestselling fantasy author Evan Winter—for his biggest fans and readers wanting to learn about this iconic figure.Growing up in the chaos of Menzoberranzan, one young drow elf tries to make sense of the conflict between the traditions he must serve and the protestations of his own conscience. To lay bare the injustices he sees and to strengthen his own resolve to follow the ethical call of his heart, Drizzt Do'Urden is both an agent of action and self-reflection.These, his writings, become critical to his salvation, the way in which he makes sense of a world that to him makes little sense at all. The impact of his words, of his meditation, of his inward determination will carry him forward, forcing upon him decisions that others would consider noble, perhaps, but surely foolhardy…impossible even.But to Drizzt, the only choice is to do what is true and right.These journal entries, then, show the struggle between what has always been and what should be, where the courage to transcend the many obstacles of societal expectations and entrenched power—if nowhere else, then in the soul of an idealist. They were written to help Drizzt understand himself. But the universal truths will resonate with readers throughout the Realms.

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Express yourself in this adorable hardcover tokidoki journal! Every lined page in this journal is decorated with an irresistible tokidoki character, which makes writing down your thoughts, dreams and activities even more enticing. Carry it everywhere you go!

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A deflationary, anti-theoretical film-philosophy through the cinema of Abbas KiarostamiMathew Abbott presents a powerful new film-philosophy through the cinema of Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. Mathew Abbott argues that Kiarostami's films carry out cinematic thinking: they do not just illustrate pre-existing philosophical ideas, but do real philosophical work.Crossing the divide between analytic and continental philosophy, he draws on Ludwig Wittgenstein, Stanley Cavell, John McDowell, Alice Crary, Noel Carroll, Giorgio Agamben, and Martin Heidegger, bringing out the thinking at work in Kiarostami's most recent films: 'Taste of Cherry', 'The Wind Will Carry Us', 'ABC Africa', 'Ten', 'Five', 'Shirin', 'Certified Copy' and 'Like Someone in Love'.

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Since 2000, there has been an ideologically driven experiment carried out in the UK to change the postal service provided by Royal Mail, to one beholden to the mantra of competition, profit and privatisation. This is the story of those in the frontline of change.

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The invention of the telegraph, telephone, and broadcast signals gave kids in mid-20th-century America a new way to play. Speak into a device, push a button, turn a knob, and you were instantly communicating with friends around the block or across the planet. In most cases, it was imaginary, but adults were actually doing it—and with the right “equipment,” you were too! The 150 color images in Do You Read Me? Vintage Communication Toys captures the excitement of these new technologies. The art deco and futuristic designs from the ’30s through the ’70s convey the wonder and optimism of the ever-evolving communication world. String and wire may have carried the signal, but it was the power of imagination that really carried the message. Toy collectors, nostalgia buffs, and retro-future fans will appreciate the price guide and build-it-yourself communicator included with this beautifully photographed and designed volume.

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Praise for The Addictive Sketcher: "It's impossible not to be carried along by his enthusiasm and the sheer dynamism of his work. Although this is carried out for the most part in the field, it's remarkably polished and a lot more than just quick notes. There's an element of improvisation - a jazz-like tone - and Adebanji certainly has a natural ability. If you share his love of drawing, this is a book to embrace as well as learn from." - The Artist magazine Adebanji Alade is one of the UK’s most renowned artists – and he’s addicted to sketching. Inspired by the sights and sounds of London, he travels around the city filling his sketchbooks with drawings of people, places and scenes of contemporary urban life. Showcasing one of Adebanji’s inspirational sketchbooks in its entirety, and with a fascinating introduction to the way he works, this unique visual record of everyday city life also offers a compelling insight into the creative process of a modern urban sketcher.

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In the Egyptian context, what we term magic and demon, drawing on our own cultural heritage, are not seen as negative aspects of cultural practice and conceptualisation. Similarly, the Egyptian equivalents do not carry the pejorative connotations borne by the modern terms and their Greek antecedents; magic and demons can be forces for good as well as evil. Indeed, the practice of magic and the conceptualisation of personified demonic agents are central to the Egyptian understanding of the workings of the world from the very continuation of the cosmos itself down to the vicissitudes of existence faced by individuals. In particular, the broader practice of magic and articulation of the involvement of demonic agency form one of the crucial links in Ancient Egypt between individual existence on the human level and the level of nature or the cosmos, the realm of the gods. Unlike, though, the explicit recognition of the term demon in the ancient Greek language and religion, as the intermediary between god and mortals, the majority of the demonic names in the Egyptian literature do not possess an apparent ontological essence, or a clearly defined denotation. Their characteristics and role depended momentously on the verbal and performative ritual environment they were part of. The relation between the name of a demon and its cosmic-natural personification is not contradictory as it may seem, but it is closely interwoven in a well established ritual framework of words and actions.This multi-authored volume of 10 essays comprises an up-to-date authorized account of many aspects of ancient Egyptian demonology, including the multiple persona of the demonic or name vs. identity in the Egyptian formation of the demonic, nightmares and underworld demons, dream rituals and magic, categories of demonic entities and the vague distinction between the divine and the demonic in Egyptian cosmology and ritual, the theological and demonic aspects of Egyptian magic, and demons as reflections of human society. Contributors include Paul John Frandsen, Hedvig Gyory, Joachim Friedrich Quack, Yvan Koenig, Panagiotis Kousoulis, Alan Lloyd, Robert Ritner, Alessandro Roccati, Kasia Szpakowska and Penelope Wilson.

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How the Aussie economy got hooked on the world's dirtiest cash. Longlisted for a 2022 Walkley Award and earning the author the 2022 Financial Crime Fighter Award.In today's ruthless world of organised crime, the best criminals aren't foolish enough to steal money out of banks. They wear tailored suits, carry briefcases, and discreetly slip money into banks. Bigwigs, oligarchs and crime syndicates running drugs, trafficking guns and people, arming terrorists and subverting government controls are desperate to put a legitimate face on their wealth. Washing dirty money, moving it around the globe, making it look legitimate is where the action is for both criminals and the authorities chasing them.Australia is awash with dirty money. It flows through our economy, keeps banks running, powers big business, puts coffee on restaurant tables, seeps into clubs, pubs, sport, the art world and anywhere that value is moved. It infiltrates real estate, costs billions in policing, and takes a terrible toll on Australian lives. What law enforcement agencies might lack in legislation and political will they make up for with sheer resourcefulness. When they can't get at the masterminds and bigwigs, they have honed tactics that intercept the flow of illicit cash and aim to drive a wedge between crooks and their ill-gotten wealth.In The Lucky Laundry, financial crime expert Nathan Lynch delves deep inside this hidden world to explain how dark money has infected the lives of ordinary people - and tainted Australian democracy. He opens the curtain on the hidden world of financial intelligence, where crooks and spooks play a cat-and-mouse game inside the world's black money markets.Enter the realm of the agents and undercover operatives who defend our democracy against the corrosive force of billions of dirty dollars.

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Join New York Times bestselling author Shauna Niequist as she invites you to experience the precious gifts and wisdom that only come the hard way--through change, loss, and transition.In this collection of poignant essays, Shauna reflects on her own journey of making peace with change, the nuanced mix of excitement and heartbreak that comes with it, and the practices that offer us strength and hope along the way.When life comes at us in waves, our first instinct is to dig in our heels and control what we can. A keen observer of life with a lyrical voice, Shauna offers another way--the way of letting the waves carry us into a deeper awareness of God's presence in our lives, even in the midst of turmoil.Drawing from her own experiences in a season of pain and chaos, Shauna shares her deeply personal struggles with: Difficult moves Career changes Marital stress Financial worries Life-altering loss With honesty and hope, Shauna beautifully unwraps the complicated truth that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful, that there is a moment of lightness even on the darkest of nights, and that rejoicing is no less meaningful when it contains a splinter of sadness. A tribute to life at the edges, Bittersweet is a love letter to the bittersweet and sacred work that change does in us all.Praise for Bittersweet:"Bittersweet is so delicious I wanted to douse it in butter and syrup and eat the whole thing. I fell into a deep and genuine depression when I read the last word and there were no more. Be kind and please treat yourself to this book. It is lovely and hilarious and poignant in all the best ways that make me so deliriously happy as a reader." --Jen Hatmaker, speaker and bestselling author of Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire and For the Love

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This volume presents the results of recent explorations carried out by Jeffrey and Patricia Spencer for the Egypt Exploration Society's Delta Survey. The sites considered here were identified in the course of preliminary inspections to possess some features worthy of additional investigation by magnetometer survey or by limited excavation.

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New Year's Eve, 1746. A castle in the depths of France. A thunderstorm. A pair of lovers in a hay-loft. A wounded soldier toppling from his horse.So begins the second instalment of the life of William Neilson, Scottish soldier in French service and Jacobite agent against his will. Around his neck, William carries the most precious jewel on the surface of the earth, but it is not his, and he must carry it to the exiled King of England, Scotland and Ireland in Italy. Before that, he wishes to see for a last time the woman he has loved for more than half his life.The scene shifts from the wastes and marshes of the Sologne, to the disorderly houses and prisons of the Most Serene Republic of Venice and the desolate court-in-exile of James Stuart in Rome. Along the way are sword-fights, love stories, intrigues, assassinations, blasphemies, kidnappings, musical performances, and treacheries.

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An almost single-color picture book tracks the path of grief, ending with the uplifting new beginning of a budding friendship based on understanding. When the little bird dies, his friend the bear is inconsolable. Full of grief, he locks himself in his house and ventures out again only when the smell of young spring grass blows through his window. He always carries a small box, which he opens for no one. He meets a wildcat who understands his need to carry the box. As the cat plays on her violin, the bear remembers all the beauty he experienced with the little bird. Now he can bury his friend, keeping him alive in his memories and feelings. The Bear and the Wildcat shows a way through paralyzing grief and simultaneously tells the story of a hopeful new friendship.

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"Interpreting Music" is a comprehensive essay on understanding musical meaning and performing music meaningfully - 'interpreting music' in both senses of the term. Synthesizing and advancing two decades of highly influential work, Lawrence Kramer fundamentally rethinks the concepts of work, score, performance, performativity, interpretation, and meaning - even the very concept of music - while breaking down conventional wisdom and received ideas. Kramer argues that music, far from being closed to interpretation, is ideally open to it, and that musical interpretation is the paradigm of interpretation in general. The book illustrates the many dimensions of interpreting music through a series of case studies drawn from the classical repertoire, but its methods and principles carry over to other repertoires just as they carry beyond music by working through music to wider philosophical and cultural questions.

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For a bride-to-be and her fiancé, secrets and lies make this a killer celebration in this psychological suspense. Carrie and Oliver. A couple completely in love and the hosts of a wedding to remember at Colorado’s legendary Stanley Hotel. This is Carrie’s fairy tale come true. Her fiancé, Oliver, is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome; successful; and utterly devoted to her. Now family and friends have gathered to celebrate. It’s sure to be a wild night as the drinks flow freely and the fun begins. But the morning after is murder. FBI agent Andi Castle was just supposed to be a plus-one. This should have been a calming weekend getaway from what she does best: catch killers. Instead, Andi’s on the hunt again. The hotel is on lockdown. Secrets are being unearthed. And no one is above Andi’s suspicions. But which secrets are worth killing for? Andi’s forced to find the answers fast…before someone else dies.

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The majority of construction work is carried out by subcontractors. As building projects become more complex, subcontractors need to understand the implications of the agreements they sign. The JCT 2011 Building Subcontracts has been written to help the busy subcontractor deal effectively with the range of JCT 2011 subcontracts they will encounter.

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