The purpose of this book is to make available to beginning graduate students, and to others, some core areas of analysis which serve as prerequisites for new developments in pure and applied areas. We begin with a presentation (Chapters 1 and 2) of a selection of topics from the theory of operators in Hilbert space, algebras of operators, and their corresponding spectral theory. This is a systematic presentation of interrelated topics from infinite-dimensional and non-commutative analysis; again, with view to applications. Chapter 3 covers a study of representations of the canonical commutation relations (CCRs); with emphasis on the requirements of infinite-dimensional calculus of variations, often referred to as Ito and Malliavin calculus, Chapters 4-6. This further connects to key areas in quantum physics.
There has been a surging interest in developing systems for analyzing big graphs generated by real applications, such as online social networks and knowledge graphs. This book aims to help readers get familiar with the computation models of various graph processing systems with minimal time investment. This book is organized into three parts, addressing three popular computation models for big graph analytics: think-like-a-vertex, think-likea- graph, and think-like-a-matrix. While vertex-centric systems have gained great popularity, the latter two models are currently being actively studied to solve graph problems that cannot be efficiently solved in vertex-centric model, and are the promising next-generation models for big graph analytics. For each part, the authors introduce the state-of-the-art systems, emphasizing on both their technical novelties and hands-on experiences of using them. The systems introduced include Giraph, Pregel+, Blogel, GraphLab, CraphChi, X-Stream, Quegel, SystemML, etc. Readers will learn how to design graph algorithms in various graph analytics systems, and how to choose the most appropriate system for a particular application at hand. The target audience for this book include beginners who are interested in using a big graph analytics system, and students, researchers and practitioners who would like to build their own graph analytics systems with new features.
Taiwan is a peculiar place resulting in a peculiar cinema, with Hou Hsiao-hsien being its most remarkable product. Hou’s signature long and static shots almost invite critics to give auteurist readings of his films, often privileging the analysis of cinematic techniques at the expense of the context from which Hou emerges. In this pioneering study, James Udden argues instead that the Taiwanese experience is the key to understanding Hou’s art. The convoluted history of Taiwan in the last century has often rendered fixed social and political categories irrelevant. Changing circumstances have forced the people in Taiwan to be hyperaware of how imaginary identity—above all national identity—is. Hou translates this larger state of affairs in such masterpieces as City of Sadness, The Puppetmaster, and Flowers of Shanghai, which capture and perhaps even embody the elusive, slippery contours of the collective experience of the islanders. Making extensive uses of Chinese sources from Taiwan, the author shows how important the local matters for this globally recognized director. In this new edition of No Man an Island, James Udden charts a new chapter in the evolving art of Hou Hsiao-hsien, whose latest film, The Assassin, earned him the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015. Hou breaks new ground in turning the classic wuxia genre into a vehicle to express his unique insight into the working of history. The unconventional approach to conventions is quintessential Hou Hsiao-hsien. “An excellent and groundbreaking volume. This book’s very precise analyses of the films as well as their context make it the primary source for any scholar working on Hou in English.” —Chris Berry, King’s College London “In this first book-length study on Hou Hsiao-hsien James Udden illuminates the most intriguing yet mystifying filmmaker in world cinema. No Man an Island is without doubt a major contribution to the fields of Chinese-language cinema and film studies.” —Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
This investigation sheds new light on the confrontational stance the religious right has taken toward contemporary America by examining the nature and origins of its highly charged ideas. It traces its belief system, commonly called the "Christian Worldview," to four Christian thinkers (Abraham Kuyper, Cornelius Van Til, Rousas John Rushdoony, and Francis Schaeffer) known for their anti-modernist, authoritarian, and in some cases, openly theocratic ideas. Although virtually unknown to most Americans, these men have been treated like patron saints by the religious right. Their ideas, seriously discussed within the movement and codified in Christian Worldview documents during the 1980s, have been widely disseminated to followers through textbooks and seminars, evolving over time into standard talking points. The book then examines how the ideology buttresses the movement's controversial, right-wing agenda. It explores how the Christian Worldview advances a concept of “total truth” that is unique to biblical Christians and enables them to redefine freedom, law, government, and even history and science, in their own infallible terms. A vision for the future and plan of action are formed on the basis of these certainties. The book concludes by discussing the danger the ideology poses to pluralist society and offers intelligent ways of confronting it.
Named for its mythical leader “Captain Rock,” avenger of agrarian wrongs, the Rockite movement of 1821–24 in Ireland was notorious for its extraordinary violence. In Captain Rock, James S. Donnelly, Jr., offers both a fine-grained analysis of the conflict and a broad exploration of Irish rural society after the French revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Originating in west Limerick, the Rockite movement spread quickly under the impact of a prolonged economic depression. Before long the insurgency embraced many of the better-off farmers. The intensity of the Rockites’ grievances, the frequency of their resort to sensational violence, and their appeal on such key issues as rents and tithes presented a nightmarish challenge to Dublin Castle—prompting in turn a major reorganization of the police, a purging of the local magistracy, the introduction of large military reinforcements, and a determined campaign of judicial repression. A great upsurge in sectarianism and millenarianism, Donnelly shows, added fuel to the conflagration. Inspired by prophecies of doom for the Anglo-Irish Protestants who ruled the country, the overwhelmingly Catholic Rockites strove to hasten the demise of the landed elite they viewed as oppressors. Drawing on a wealth of sources—including reports from policemen, military officers, magistrates, and landowners as well as from newspapers, pamphlets, parliamentary inquiries, depositions, rebel proclamations, and threatening missives sent by Rockites to their enemies—Captain Rock offers a detailed anatomy of a dangerous, widespread insurgency whose distinctive political contours will force historians to expand their notions of how agrarian militancy influenced Irish nationalism in the years before the Great Famine of 1845–51.
A New York Times–bestselling treasury of recipes and techniques from a world-renowned chef. James Beard became a household name teaching home chefs how to cook like culinary stars, from the Theory & Practice of perfecting processes to crafting Menus for Entertaining to fine-tuning Simple Foods. This cookbook brings together his wealth of gastronomic knowledge in one essential guide, filled with one thousand elegant recipes guaranteed to please any palate and indispensable tips for mastering the art of cooking. In The New James Beard, you can discover a fresh, flexible approach to preparing food with a focus on ingredients and simple yet inventive substitutions. With clever takes on traditional recipes, like Mexican Pot Roast and Lime and Tea Sherbet; internationally inspired dishes, such as Peruvian Eggs and Turkish Stuffed Eggplant; and instructions on how to refine classic techniques, such as making pasta or poaching eggs, you can learn how to prepare and experiment like the top chefs in the world. With beautiful illustrations from Karl Stuecklen and witty and warm chapter introductions from the guru of American cuisine himself, The New James Beard is a must-have addition to any home chef’s cookbook collection.
Essays that educate and delight. . . . A keen eye and a ready humor."- Publishers Weekly "A wry and witty view. . . . She describes this fascinating country in prose that is colorful and richly detailed."- Bloomsbury Review "A fine and tonic introduction to the mysteries of pan-culturalism and the future. A terrific read. Sibyl James has given us a delightful and useful gift."-William Kittredge, author of Owning It All "A quirky, tender travel diary that is a gift to the arm-chair faint-of-heart. Its short vivid chapters, juxtaposing the expectations of an American idealist with the gritty humanity of the Chinese people, describe a society painfully reconstructing its beliefs and desires. This is no ordinary travel book: James's style and voice shape her observations of underwear, spitting, bathrooms, temples, and tailors, so that the book is charged with an irresistible energy very much like love."- Bloomsbury Review "The Chinese government was offering me a free roundtrip, a modest salary, and housing. . . . And that is the heart of the tale. . . . My hotel's famous in Shanghai. My friends from home can send me letters with only the name, Jin Jiang Hotel, and in a city of six million, their news will find me." a? Sibyl James, from the Preface and opening chapter. This is a witty meditation on the social and political reality James encountered during that year spent teaching in Shanghai.
Covering countries ranging from Afghanistan and China to Kazakhstan and Russia, this encyclopedia supplies detailed information and informed perspectives, enabling readers to comprehend Asian ethnic groups as well as Asian politics and history. Asia is quickly becoming one of the most important regions of the world—culturally, economically, and politically. This work provides encyclopedic coverage of a wide array of Central, North, and East Asian ethnic groups, including those in eastern Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Koreas. Arranged alphabetically by ethnic group, each entry provides an overview of the group that identifies its major population centers and population, primary languages and religions, parallels with other groups, origins and early development, major historic events, and cultural belief systems. Information on each group's typical ways of life, relations with neighboring groups, politics and recent history, notable challenges, demographic trends, and key figures is also included. Special attention is focused on the numerous ethnic groups that make up China, one of the world's most populated countries. Sidebars throughout the text provide fascinating facts and information about specific groups to make the encyclopedia more accessible and appealing, while "Further Reading" sections at the end of each entry and the bibliography will provide ample additional resources for students performing in-depth research.
You and your horse can be one with the help of Tai Chi. Have you ever seen a talented dressage rider performing an exquisite test, her seat seemingly melding with her horse’s back, and his movements airy, animated, and effortless? Or, perhaps you have watched a great cutting horse at work, his direction and momentum changing on a dime as he reads his cow, his rider’s body flowing fluidly above him as if they were one. We all dream of experiencing this kind of connection with our horses, and in this groundbreaking new book, James Shaw shows us how the practice of Tai Chi—an ancient Chinese art that unifies the body, mind, and spirit in a series of flowing movements—can help us achieve it. His methods will enable you to: develop a sensitive seat; learn to use your breath as an aid; reduce tension unconsciously held in your hands; lower and expand your center of balance; create free movement in your lower back and spine; heal pain and stiffness in your body; and much more. James’ techniques have worked for hundreds or riders, and with practice, they will work for you. As you gain Tai Chi experience and apply it to you rider, you will find your horsemanship becoming not just more skilled, but more deeply satisfying.
The Caldwell Catalogue, compiled by the late Sir Patrick Moore (1923–2012), has delighted amateur astronomers worldwide since its publication in 1995. Twenty years on, Stephen James O'Meara revisits his guide to these 109 deep-sky delights, breathing new life into them and the 20 additional observing targets included as an appendix. This second edition retains O'Meara's detailed visual descriptions and sketches, accompanied by stunning new images taken by amateur photographer Mario Motta and observations by Magda Streicher. The astrophysical descriptions have been updated to account for the many advances in our understanding of the objects, not least due to an armada of space-borne observatories and the new technologies used in large ground-based telescopes. Ideal for observers who have completed the Messier objects and are looking for their next challenge, Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is a fitting tribute from a renowned visual observer to one of astronomy's most famous personalities.
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