Humanism is a philosophy that emphasizes the value of human life in all its creative potential within a secular context. Humanism is skeptical of religious beliefs and relies on science as the basis for understanding the universe. Although humanism has become most fully developed in the West, its origins lie throughout the world, and this perspective is shared by people from many different cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds.In this succinct, informative, and enlightening introduction to humanism, Jim Herrick, a leading humanist advocate in Great Britain, provides a very readable account of the guiding principles, history, and practice of humanism in today''s world. Herrick surveys the tradition of humanism as it developed over many centuries, its skepticism toward belief in God and an afterlife, humanist values and arguments for morality outside of a religious framework, its attitude of tolerance toward different lifestyles and belief systems, its endorsement of democratic political principles, its strong ties to science, its evaluation of the arts as an exploration of human potential, and its concern for environmental preservation and the long-term sustainability of the earth.In conclusion, Herrick briefly describes the various humanist organizations throughout the world; particular causes championed by humanists (women''s rights, racial and sexual equality, freedom of speech and information, and education, among others); and the future of humanism.
Between 1946 and 1964 seventy-five million babies were born, dwarfing the generations that preceded and succeeded them. At each stage of its life-cycle, the baby boom's great size has dictated the terms of national policy and public debate. While aspects of this history are well-documented, the relationship between the baby boom and Hollywood has never been explored. And yet, for almost 40 years, baby boomers made up the majority of Hollywood's audience, and since the 1970s, boomers have dominated movie production. Hollywood and the Baby Boom weaves together interviews with leading filmmakers, archival research and the memories of hundreds of ordinary filmgoers to tell the full story of Hollywood's relationship with the boomers for the first time. The authors demonstrate the profound influence of the boomers on the ways that movies were made, seen and understood since the 1950s. The result is a compelling new account that draws upon an unprecedented range of sources, and offers new insights into the history of American movies.
A hands-on reference to the technical, commercial, and industrial aspects of VCSEL technology In VCSEL Industry: Communication and Sensing, a team of distinguished researchers and manufacturing professionals deliver a thorough and practical reference guide to vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for young entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists, and researchers. The authors offer comprehensive descriptions of the technology involved, as well as a robust exploration of the industry and commercial landscape in which VCSELs exist. The book contains numerous illustrations and schematics of the anatomy of VCSEL product developments and an insightful discussion of the proliferation of VCSELs in photonics and optics. There is also a dedicated section on photoreceivers used for VCSEL-based data communications and sensing. VCSEL Industry: Communication and Sensing provides readers with an accessible, commercial perspective of an important technology while offering just enough technical detail to make sense of the subject. The book also includes: A thorough introduction to VCSELs, including discussions of semiconductor lasers, materials, wavelengths, and why VCSELs are attractive for photonics applications Comprehensive explorations of the VCSEL industry, including market demands, an industry landscape, descriptions of commercial products based on VCSELs, and business models Practical discussions of VCSELs for data communication, including high-speed VCSELs, gain and parasitic effects on bandwidth and speed, and form factors and standards In-depth examinations of VCSEL arrays for sensing, including high-power VCSELs in consumer electronics Perfect for early-career researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, and managers, VCSEL Industry: Communication and Sensing will also prove to be an invaluable addition to the libraries of executives from across the semiconductor industry.
Catharine Snyder was a 10-year old in 1919 when a family friend gave her her first diary. In it she recorded a year of growing up under Overlook Mountain in Ulster County NY at a time when her life would be changed forever by her father's mental breakdown. Her son, Jim, has transcibed this diary and added family information and notes to it to help the reader understand her life and family.
With the immediacy of a daily newspaper, this book reveals how the irresponsible use of SWAT teams, shock-and-awe policing, and the increasing militarization of American law enforcement is changing the face of "the land of the free." In the United States, military-style police enforcement is fast becoming the norm—even the smallest police departments now field costly SWAT units. While the fact that police forces have increased capabilities to deal with urgent or dangerous situations may seem positive, this type of aggressive response is problematic; court settlements regarding excessive SWAT raids cost law enforcement agencies millions of dollars every year, not to mention that these brute-force strategies often traumatize, injure, and kill innocent people. This book takes an unprecedented look into the realities of zero-tolerance, militaristic policing, the tactics and equipment used, the problematic "crime warrior" mindset at play, and the statistical evidence of its ineffectiveness. The author's professional experience in criminology and scholarly knowledge of the topic enables him to candidly address common concerns about utilizing paramilitary law enforcement and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) units in routine, low-risk police work, such as the general loss of freedom, the often tragic results of excessive force, and the effects on race relations.
This is the history of Donald Keene's family down through the ages. It is a varied and fascinating history. This Keene lineage can trace its ancestry through at least two lines that came to this continent on the Mayflower. Some were very involved in the Revolution, and the Civil War, as well as served honorably in World War II, and Don served during the VietNam conflict. I have spent several years researching this line, and it is the stories and origins that make it so interesting. As in all family histories, it is not just the names and dates that make up who we are, but where we have been and where we came from.
The guide to Seventeenth Century Literature and Culture provides students with the ideal introduction to literature and its context from 1603-1688, including: - the historical, cultural and intellectual background including religion, politics and culture during the Civil War, Commonwealth and Restoration - major writers and genres including John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell and John Milton - concise explanations of key terms needed to understand the literature and criticism - key critical approaches from the eighteenth century to the present - a chronology mapping historical events and literary works and further reading including websites and electronic resources.
On June 28, 1868, a group of men gathered alongside a road 35 miles north of Albuquerque to witness a 165-round, 6-hour bare-knuckle brawl between well-known Colorado pugilist Barney Duffy and "Jack," an unidentified fighter who died of his injuries. Thought to be the first "official" prizefight in New Mexico, this tragic spectacle marked the beginning of the rich and varied history of boxing in the state. Oftentimes an underdog in its battles with the law and public opinion, boxing in New Mexico has paralleled the state's struggles and glories, through the Wild West, statehood, the Depression, war, and economic growth. It is a story set in boomtowns, ghost towns and mining camps, along railroads and in casinos, and populated by cowboys, soldiers, laborers, barrio-bred locals and more. This work chronicles more than 70 years of New Mexico's colorful boxing past, representing the most in-depth exploration of prizefighting in one region yet undertaken.
This comprehensive guide to James Ellroy's work and life is arranged as an encyclopedia covering his entire career, from his first private-eye novel, Brown's Requiem, to his 2012 e-book Shakedown. It introduces new readers to his characters and plots, and provides experienced Ellroy fans and scholars with detailed analyses of the themes, motifs and stylistic innovations of his books. The work is a tour of Ellroy's dark underworld, highlighting the controversies and unsettling questions that characterize his work, as well as assessing Ellroy's place in the annals of American literature.
Since the creation of the Minnesota Vikings in 1960, this football team has been more than just another franchise. To the fans who love them, and the haters who can’t help but admire them, the Minnesota Vikings are an unstoppable force in the NFL. In this heartwarming and inspirational book, Jim Bruton takes a look beyond the game and examines what the Minnesota Vikings have meant to fans and communities across the country. Covering the Vikings from every angle, A Tradition of Purple is an up-close look at the players, coaches, charities, Hall of Famers, and people behind the scenes who have come to define what it means to be Purple over the last fifty years. Readers will get an inside look at such famous Vikings as Norm Van Brocklin, Bud Grant, Fran Tarkenton, Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Chris Doleman, Adrian Peterson, and more. This is not a book only about football, this is also a book about life, community, and the team that inspires a legacy.
Columbia Pictures reaches a major milestone in 2024 by celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Columbia’s incorporation. In the same vein of recent Hollywood movie studio titles such as Warner Bros.: Hollywood’s Ultimate Backlot, Paramount: City of Dreams, and MGM: Hollywood’s Greatest Backlot, this new book documents the studio history of Columbia Pictures Corporation in Hollywood, as well as Columbia’s back lot in Burbank, California. This book reveals how Columbia came to be founded by Joe Brandt and brothers Harry and Jack Cohn in 1924, and uses the “studio tour” concept to describe Columbia's history of filmmaking, which includes Lost Horizon, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, From Here to Eternity, The Bridge on the River Kwai, as well as many serials and television programs. The book has hundreds of photos, including studio documents, vintage publicity stills, and candids, along with aerial views and maps. The majority of the photos have never been published before.
Did you know that the mosquito played an important role in the Louisiana Purchase? Or that dung beetles saved the cattle industry in Australia? That honeybees pollinate about one third of the food we eat? Or that the deadliest animal on earth is an insect? There’s an ant colony some 3,700 miles long! Morgan’s sphinx moth has a tongue more than 13 inches long. A locust plague stopped trains as the tracks became slippery with their crushed bodies. There’s a grasshopper in Africa that eats mice. Jim Nelson’s latest book is a treasure house of fascinating facts, stunning photographs and shocking historical events. One moment you might cringe reading about billions of locusts descending on farmland. The next you may laugh out loud at anecdotes and original poetry. Read about the wasp that turns a cockroach into a zombie or the historic 2024 hatch of a trillion cicadas. Trivia buffs will love the “Insect Book of Records” and chefs can add several insect recipes to their repertoire.
2016 was a heartbreaking year for law enforcement agencies across the U.S., with 140 officers being killed in the line of duty. Their deaths, and the deaths of those who died so long ago, should never be forgotten. Officer Down, Vol. I, is a compilation of eighteen riveting stories of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty between 1850 and 1900. These stories are pulled directly from various newspapers across the United States, captivating the reader just as they did
The ultimate guide to America’s most famous highway. The Route 66 Encyclopedia is the complete resource on the history, landmarks and personalities that have made the USA’s most iconic highway. Stretching over two thousand miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 journeys directly to the heart of the United States. An encyclopedia with a twist, The Route 66 Encyclopedia presents alphabetical entries on everything from Bobby Troup's anthem "Route 66" to The Grapes of Wrath, illustrated with hundreds of photos of the highway and its sights. With references to the old (including the history of the U Drop Inn Café in Texas) and new (a section about the recent Cars movie), The Route 66 Encyclopedia provides a sweeping look at a highway that has become more than just a road. An atlas with 25 current and historical maps will guide your journey from the Abbylee Motel to Zuzax, New Mexico, taking in all of the essential landmarks along the way.
A monumental gathering of writings by over 60 authors (from Emerson to Rudolfo Anaya) that traces Whitman's continuing influence on world literature. Revised second edition.
Since the late 1960s, American film and video makers of all genres have been fascinated with themes of self and identity. Though the documentary form is most often used to capture the lives of others, Jim Lane turns his lens on those media makers who document their own lives and identities. He looks at the ways in which autobiographical documentaries—including Roger and Me, Sherman’s March, and Silverlake Life—raise weighty questions about American cultural life. What is the role of women in society? What does it mean to die from AIDS? How do race and class play out in our personal lives? What does it mean to be a member of a family? Examining the history, diversity, and theoretical underpinnings of this increasingly popular documentary form, Lane tracks a fundamental transformation of notions of both autobiography and documentary.
One of the most acclaimed and best political biographies of its time, Justice for All is a monumental work dedicated to a complicated and principled figure that will become a seminal work of twentieth-century U.S. history. In Justice for All, Jim Newton, an award-winning journalist for the Los Angeles Times, brings readers the first truly comprehensive consideration of Earl Warren, the politician-turned-Chief Justice who refashioned the place of the court in American life through landmark Supreme Court cases whose names have entered the common parlance -- Brown v. Board of Education, Griswold v. Connecticut, Miranda v. Arizona, to name just a few. Drawing on unmatched access to government, academic, and private documents pertaining to Warren's life and career, Newton explores a fascinating angle of U.S. Supreme Court history while illuminating both the public and the private Warren.
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