This book develops a new approach called parameter advising for finding a parameter setting for a sequence aligner that yields a quality alignment of a given set of input sequences. In this framework, a parameter advisor is a procedure that automatically chooses a parameter setting for the input, and has two main ingredients: (a) the set of parameter choices considered by the advisor, and (b) an estimator of alignment accuracy used to rank alignments produced by the aligner. On coupling a parameter advisor with an aligner, once the advisor is trained in a learning phase, the user simply inputs sequences to align, and receives an output alignment from the aligner, where the advisor has automatically selected the parameter setting. The chapters first lay out the foundations of parameter advising, and then cover applications and extensions of advising. The content • examines formulations of parameter advising and their computational complexity, • develops methods for learning good accuracy estimators, • presents approximation algorithms for finding good sets of parameter choices, and • assesses software implementations of advising that perform well on real biological data. Also explored are applications of parameter advising to • adaptive local realignment, where advising is performed on local regions of the sequences to automatically adapt to varying mutation rates, and • ensemble alignment, where advising is applied to an ensemble of aligners to effectively yield a new aligner of higher quality than the individual aligners in the ensemble. The book concludes by offering future directions in advising research.
This book develops a new approach called parameter advising for finding a parameter setting for a sequence aligner that yields a quality alignment of a given set of input sequences. In this framework, a parameter advisor is a procedure that automatically chooses a parameter setting for the input, and has two main ingredients: (a) the set of parameter choices considered by the advisor, and (b) an estimator of alignment accuracy used to rank alignments produced by the aligner. On coupling a parameter advisor with an aligner, once the advisor is trained in a learning phase, the user simply inputs sequences to align, and receives an output alignment from the aligner, where the advisor has automatically selected the parameter setting. The chapters first lay out the foundations of parameter advising, and then cover applications and extensions of advising. The content • examines formulations of parameter advising and their computational complexity, • develops methods for learning good accuracy estimators, • presents approximation algorithms for finding good sets of parameter choices, and • assesses software implementations of advising that perform well on real biological data. Also explored are applications of parameter advising to • adaptive local realignment, where advising is performed on local regions of the sequences to automatically adapt to varying mutation rates, and • ensemble alignment, where advising is applied to an ensemble of aligners to effectively yield a new aligner of higher quality than the individual aligners in the ensemble. The book concludes by offering future directions in advising research.
The case for getting back on our feet The humble act of putting one foot in front of the other transcends age, geography, culture, and class, and is one of the most economical and environmentally responsible modes of transit. Yet with our modern fixation on speed, this healthy pedestrian activity has been largely left behind. At a personal and professional crossroads, writer, editor, and obsessive walker Dan Rubinstein travelled throughout the U.S., U.K., and Canada to walk with people who saw the act not only as a form of transportation and recreation, but also as a path to a better world. There are no magic-bullet solutions to modern epidemics like obesity, anxiety, alienation, and climate change. But what if there is a simple way to take a step in the right direction? Combining fascinating reportage, eye-opening research, and Rubinstein’s own discoveries, Born to Walk explores how far this ancient habit can take us, how much repair is within range, and guarantees that you’ll never again take walking for granted.
This volume is a valuable re-assessment of the Nicaraguan Revolution by a Marxist historian of Latin American political history. It shows that the FSLN (‘the Sandinistas’), with politics principally shaped by Soviet and Cuban Communism, never had a commitment to genuine democracy either within the revolutionary movement or within society at large; that the FSLN’s lack of commitment to democracy was a key factor in the way that revolution was betrayed from the 1970s to the 1990s; and that the FSLN’s lack of rank-and-file democracy left all decision-making to the National Directorate and ultimately placed that power in the hands of Daniel Ortega. Pursuing his narrative into the present, La Botz shows that, once their would-be bureaucratic ruling class project was defeated, Ortega and the FSLN leadership turned to an alliance with the capitalist class.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Yes We (Still) Can and cohost of Pod Save America, a sharp political playbook for how Democrats can take on the right-wing circus dominating American politics. There is nothing more important than beating Donald Trump in 2020, but defeating Trump is just the start of this timely book. Un-Trumping America offers readers three critical insights: first, Trump is not an aberration, but rather the logical extension of the modern Republican Party; second, how Democrats can defeat Trump in 2020; and third, preventing the likes of Trump from ever happening again with a plan to fix democracy. While the catalog of the president's crimes is long and growing, undoing Trumpism—the political platform of racism, authoritarianism, and plutocracy that gave rise to Trump and defines the Republican Party—is a long and continuing fight. Through a craven, cynical strategy engineered by Mitch McConnell, funded by the Kochs, and fueled by Fox News propaganda, Republicans have rigged American politics to drown out the voices of the people in favor of the powerful. Without an aggressive response that recognizes who the Republicans are and what they have done, American democracy as we know it won't survive this moment and a conservative, shrinking, mostly white minority will govern the country for decades. Un-TrumpingAmerica dismantles toxic Trumpism and offers a way forward. Dan Pfeiffer worked for nearly twenty years at the center of Democratic politics, from the campaign trail to Capitol Hill to Barack Obama's White House. But it was Trump's victory and Republicans' incessant aiding and abetting of Trumpism that has radicalized his thinking. Here, Pfeiffer urges Democrats to embrace bold solutions—from fixing the courts to abolishing the electoral college to eliminating the filibuster—in order to make America more democratic (and Democratic). Un-Trumping America is a powerful call for Democrats and progressives to get smarter, tougher, and more aggressive without becoming a paler shade of orange.
Examining a phenomenon that is sweeping the country, Cancel This Book shines the spotlight on the suppression of open and candid debate. The public shaming of individuals for actual or perceived offenses, often against emerging notions of proper racial and gender norms and relations, has become commonplace. In a number of cases, the shaming is accompanied by calls for the offending individuals to lose their jobs, positions, or other status. Frequently, those targeted for “cancellation” simply do not know the latest, ever-changing norms (often related to language) that they are accused of transgressing—or they have honest questions about issues that have been deemed off-limits for debate and discussion. Cancel This Book offers a unique perspective from Dan Kovalik, a progressive author who supports the ongoing movements for racial and gender equality and justice, but who is concerned about the prevalence of “cancelling” people, and especially of people who are well-intentioned and who are themselves allied with these movements. While many progressives believe that “cancelling” others is a form of activism and holding others accountable, Cancel This Book argues that “cancellation” is oftentimes counter-productive and destructive of the very values which the “cancellers” claim to support. And indeed, we now see instances in the workplace where employers are using this spirt of “cancellation” to pit employees against each other, to exert more control over the workforce and to undermine worker and labor solidarity. Kovalik observes that many progressives are quietly opposed to this “Cancel Culture” and to many instances of “cancellation” they witness, but they are afraid to air these concerns publicly lest they themselves be “cancelled.” The result is the suppression of open debate about important issues involving racial and gender matters, and even issues related to how to best confront the current COVID-19 pandemic. While people speak in whispers about their true feelings about such issues, critical debate and discussion is avoided, resentments build, and the movement for justice and equality is ultimately disserved.
It is a murder/mystery novel. Nicholas Blick, a highly skilled twenty-year-old volleyball player, was "just snooping around" when he came across the corpse of a person who had been brutally murdered. The police have arrested another young volleyball player but Nick, thinking the wrong person has been locked up, begins his own investigation into the matter. In working on the case, the young athlete meets FBI Special Agent Tom Davis and eventually joins with the agent in not only investigating the murder but also in trying to find the person attempting to steal plans for the U.S. Navy's new missile guidance system, one called ArrowStar. At the center of the espionage plot is globe-hopping Chen Xong Wu, a man of tremendous wealth, who is working behind the scenes to help bring about a shift in the power structure of the Chinese Communist party and, in doing so, attain for himself more influence as well as more wealth. As the story unfolds, it is Nick who, unwittingly, becomes the key person in bringing both of these cases a a together. Eventually, young Blick and Special Agent Davis find themselves working together in a race against the clock. Their goal: to find the murderer as well as uncover the identity of the espionage agent's "mole" before the Navy's plans end up in the wrong hands.
Rethinking the American Prison Movement provides a short, accessible overview of the transformational and ongoing struggles against America’s prison system. Dan Berger and Toussaint Losier show that prisoners have used strikes, lawsuits, uprisings, writings, and diverse coalitions with free-world allies to challenge prison conditions and other kinds of inequality. From the forced labor camps of the nineteenth century to the rebellious protests of the 1960s and 1970s to the rise of mass incarceration and its discontents, Rethinking the American Prison Movement is invaluable to anyone interested in the history of American prisons and the struggles for justice still echoing in the present day.
Charming, poignant, and occasionally salacious, That’s So New York is brimming with little snapshots of humanity that make one thing clear: There’s no place like New York. New York Times editor and lifelong New Yorker Dan Saltzstein compiles hundreds of distinctly New York moments for this peek at the city that never sleeps. Inspired by Saltzstein’s viral Twitter thread, this illustrated book features hilarious anecdotes from locals and transplants, short essays from folks like Molly Jong-Fast and Michael Ian Black, who have seen it all, and Q&As with everyday New Yorkers from across the five boroughs. Eels wriggling through subway cars, accidentally stumbling onto the set of Law & Order, drag queens emerging from manholes—if there’s one thing New York never runs out of, it’s stories. And rats. Always rats. INCREDIBLE TRUE TALES: These are real New York stories from real people who have lived or currently live in the city! While some are absolutely outlandish, the fact that these stories come from everyday people makes for an exciting reading experience for tourists and total relatability for locals. Topics range from the subway to celebrities, crime and grime to the New York slice, doorman dish to the (sometimes weird) rules of the city ("I'm walkin' here!"), and much more. EXPERT AUTHOR: As a lifelong New Yorker, senior editor for the New York Times, and creator of the popular Twitter thread that inspired this book, Dan Saltzstein has a wealth of knowledge about New York and an incredible network within it. This collection brings together the voices of notables like Alexander Chee, Molly Jong-Fast, Isaac Fitzgerald, and Megan Abbott with everyday folks like sanitation workers, doormen, train operators, and bartenders who make the city run. ULTIMATE NYC GIFT BOOK: In a highly giftable, affordably priced package, this is the perfect present for current New Yorkers, anyone who has ever lived in New York, and visitors who love the Big Apple! Perfect for: People from New York, past and present Travelers and tourists planning or returning from a trip to NYC Gift-diving to NY transplants Birthday or holiday gift for family and friends who love city stories
In the past several years, there has been a great deal of hyperbole disseminated by mass media about "The Top 1%". Most of this press has been negative - casting the 1% as the villains, and the 99% as the victims. Most every major problem in our society, and in individuals' inability to progress, has been blamed on this "elite" income class. Yet, the paradox is that the vast majority of people in America strive every day to become part of that 1%. Why is this? Because most people intuitively understand that the picture of the 1% is largely incorrect at worst, or incomplete at the very least. So, is much of what we've been told about the 1% incorrect? Is there another reality about the 1% that has not been told by the media? And, should you and I aspire to be part of The Top 1%? The answers to these questions are an unqualified "yes". In this compelling book, personal development expert and researcher Dan Strutzel will give you a completely new and ultimately inspiring view of this income class. And, best of all, he will outline the specific things you need to do to become a proud member of The Top 1%. You'll learn: The most popular myths and the "hidden truths" of The Top 1% Why "average is over" and striving for the Top 1% should be everyone's goal - regardless of whether you ever reach that goal The 12 qualities that The Top 1% have in common How to develop an "owner's mentality," not a "consumers mentality" Why you don't "get" your dream job, you "create" it Why traditional goal setting concepts no longer make sense - and will not get you to the top 1% Why you should focus on value and equity, and not on income Why the 1% and the 99% need each other to achieve the greatest level of success and happiness After reading this book, you'll not only have a road map for joining The Top 1%, you'll emerge more inspired and excited about your future and the future of our society.
Tech giants and automakers have been teaching robots to drive. Robot-controlled cars have already logged millions of miles. These technological marvels promise cleaner air, smoother traffic, and tens of thousands of lives saved. But even if robots turn into responsible drivers, are we ready to be a nation of passengers? In Are We There Yet?, Dan Albert combines historical scholarship with personal narrative to explore how car culture has suffused America’s DNA. The plain, old-fashioned, human-driven car built our economy, won our wars, and shaped our democratic creed as it moved us about. Driver’s ed made teenagers into citizens; auto repair made boys into men. Crusades against the automobile are nothing new. Its arrival sparked battles over street space, pitting the masses against the millionaires who terrorized pedestrians. When the masses got cars of their own, they learned to love driving too. During World War II, Washington nationalized Detroit and postwar Americans embraced car and country as if they were one. Then came 1960s environmentalism and the energy crises of the 1970s. Many predicted, even welcomed, the death of the automobile. But many more rose to its defense. They embraced trucker culture and took to Citizen Band radios, demanding enough gas to keep their big boats afloat. Since the 1980s, the car culture has triumphed and we now drive more miles than ever before. Have we reached the end of the road this time? Fewer young people are learning to drive. Ride hailing is replacing car buying, and with electrification a long and noble tradition of amateur car repair—to say nothing of the visceral sound of gasoline exploding inside a big V8—will come to an end. When a robot takes over the driver’s seat, what’s to become of us? Are We There Yet? carries us from muddy tracks to superhighways, from horseless buggies to driverless electric vehicles. Like any good road trip, it’s an adventure so fun you don’t even notice how much you’ve learned along the way.
National bestseller "Masterful." —Jane Mayer, best-selling author of Dark Money The Fall of Wisconsin is a deeply reported, searing account of how the state’s progressive tradition was undone and Wisconsin itself turned into a laboratory for national conservatives bent on remaking the country. Neither sentimental nor despairing, the book tells the story of the systematic dismantling of laws protecting the environment, labor unions, voting rights, and public education through the remarkable battles of ordinary citizens fighting to reclaim Wisconsin’s progressive legacy.
From the bestselling author of The Battle for America 2008 and longtime Washington Post correspondent, an inside view and analysis of the Obama-Romney presidential race In 2008 a bright young candidate triumphed on a theme of change and hope. Four years later an embattled President struggled against an apocalyptically divided and divisive Congress, a war that won’t end, and an economy that casts a dark penumbra over every spark of good news. His opponent, a well-heeled businessman who couldn't seem to stand on his own business record, withstood unexpected and extreme opposition to capture the nomination of a party whose main platform and principles with which he was historically and fundamentally at odds. The 2012 Election, once predicted to be a boring run at a popular President, took on a new urgency with the infamous 2010 midterm shellacking and equally infamous Citizen United ruling, and delivered drama and tension as the Republicans tried to reconcile the factions at war within their party and Democrats faced the tsunami of super Pac money flooding local and regional elections. As with his last book, The Battle for America 2008, Washington Post correspondent Dan Balz uses a combination of superb sources and long, deep reporting experience to take us both deep inside and far beyond Campaign HQs in Chicago and Boston. He tracks the nuances of Beltway politics and the thinking behind the scenes to show how Obama regained his footing, and to speculate about whether this election actually did anything to change the toxically poisonous atmosphere inside the Beltway, the increasing hostility and disenchantment with politicians outside, and the frightening effect of the torrent of money being poured out by special-interest groups beholden to no voter or law? Will there be anything in this election that will heal the political process in America? Special highlights include two much talked-about post-election interviews with Romney and Christie which have been making headlines, as well as a new afterword.
Dan S. Kennedy dares marketers to dramatically simplify their marketing, refocusing on what works. Updated to address the newest media and marketing methods, this marketing masterplan delivers a short list of radically different, little-known, profit-proven direct mail strategies for ANY business. Strategies are illustrated by case history examples from an elite team of consultants—all phenomenally successful at borrowing direct marketing strategies from the world of online sales, infomercials, etc., to use in ’ordinary’ businesses including retail stores, restaurants, and sales.
Despite an often unfair reputation as being less popular, less successful, or less refined than their bona-fide Broadway counterparts, Off Broadway musicals deserve their share of critical acclaim and study. A number of shows originally staged Off Broadway have gone on to their own successful Broadway runs, from the ever-popular A Chorus Line and Rent to more off-beat productions like Avenue Q and Little Shop of Horrors. And while it remains to be seen if other popular Off Broadway shows like Stomp, Blue Man Group, and Altar Boyz will make it to the larger Broadway theaters, their Off Broadway runs have been enormously successful in their own right. This book discusses more than 1,800 Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway, showcase, and workshop musical productions. It includes detailed descriptions of Off Broadway musicals that closed in previews or in rehearsal, selected musicals that opened in Brooklyn and in New Jersey, and American operas that opened in New York, along with general overviews of Off Broadway institutions such as the Light Opera of Manhattan. The typical entry includes the name of the host theater or theaters; the opening date and number of performances; the production's cast and creative team; a list of songs; a brief plot synopsis; and general comments and reviews from the New York critics. Besides the individual entries, the book also includes a preface, a bibliography, and 21 appendices including a discography, filmography, a list of published scripts, and lists of musicals categorized by topic and composer.
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