Download a FREE sampler of BLIND ITEM by Kevin Dickson and Jack Ketsoyan! No one knows her name, but now everyone wants to. As an assistant publicist in Hollywood, Nicola spends her days (and nights) sweeping up the scandals of singers, movie stars, and TV actors. Fresh from Ohio, she’s rapidly discovering the real Hollywood is rotten under its glittering skin. Everyone is a hustler with a hard bottom line and a soap opera sob story. When she breaks her own rules and starts dating a movie star, the Los Angeles scene starts to spill into her own life. As the paparazzi begin the hunt for sexy star Seamus O’Riordan’s new mystery girl, Nicola’s best friend Billy has her back while he prowls parties for the latest scoop to sell to the tabloids. Her roommate Kara keeps tabs on things too—in between befriending a former child star and transforming herself from stylist to reality TV sensation. As the scandals pile up behind them, their pasts will be exposed... And every secret can be sold. Written by two Hollywood insiders, the jaw-dropping scandals are real, but the names are not. And they’ll never tell.
An LA Times Bestseller One of People Magazine's “Summer’s Best Books” “Summer’s hottest new beach read, a juicy tome inspired by real-life Hollywood stories and scandals.” —E! Online “A dishy summer read about Hollywood’s underbelly, featuring twists on real celebrity scandals that weren’t fit for print in their original state.” —ET Online "This book is as outrageous as any true life tabloid scandal—a must read!" —Jenny McCarthy, talk show host, actress and New York Times-bestselling author of Belly Laughs No one knows her name, but now everyone wants to. As an assistant publicist in Hollywood, Nicola spends her days (and nights) sweeping up the scandals of singers, movie stars, and TV actors. Fresh from Ohio, she’s rapidly discovering the real Hollywood is rotten under its glittering skin. Everyone is a hustler with a hard bottom line and a soap opera sob story. When she breaks her own rules and starts dating a movie star, the Los Angeles scene starts to spill into her own life. As the paparazzi begin the hunt for sexy star Seamus O’Riordan’s new mystery girl, Nicola’s best friend Billy has her back while he prowls parties for the latest scoop to sell to the tabloids. Her roommate Kara keeps tabs on things too—in between befriending a former child star and transforming herself from stylist to reality TV sensation. As the scandals pile up behind them, their pasts will be exposed... And every secret can be sold. Written by two Hollywood insiders, Kevin Dickson and Jack Ketsoyan, Blind Item's jaw-dropping scandals are real, but the names are not. And they’ll never tell. Don't miss the sequel, Guilty Pleasure, a Hollywood tale of love and PRomance! An Imprint Book “[A] racy, rollicking novel by two industry insiders.” —In Touch Weekly “A dishy new book.” —Page Six “Sprinkled throughout this rags-to-riches wish-fulfillment story are real scandals that busy publicists and managers managed to hush up and hide.” —Publishers Weekly “This novel doesn’t just push the envelope but shreds it.” —School and Library Journal "What a sexy, fun read! It pulls back the curtain, for an inside look at the Hollywood that's behind the glitz and glamour. Blind Item leaves you wanting more." —Kristin Cavallari, television star, designer and author of Balancing in Heels
Named a “Great Beach Read” by People Magazine “When you're packing your beach bag this summer, no doubt you'll want a copy of Guilty Pleasure tucked inside.” —E! Online Can Hollywood's hottest secret relationship survive a PRomance? Find out in this jaw-dropping sequel to Blind Item as three young Hollywood professionals strive to keep the industry’s most salacious scandals under wraps during awards season. Nicola faces her biggest challenge as a publicist when she is forced to represent her superstar ex-boyfriend, Seamus, when he returns from rehab. Her boss Gaynor is struggling to keep the PR agency afloat, and Seamus is one client who definitely won’t leave as long as Nicola is around. He’s willing to do anything to win her back—even start a fake relationship for some badly needed good publicity. Meanwhile, tabloid journalist Billy’s integrity is tested when he’s asked to print the inside scoop on a troubled star. And as for their bestie Kara? Miss Reality Show may have a sex tape on the market. With everyone's career and relationships in jeopardy, the three friends must trust each other again—before all their dirty secrets spill. An Imprint Book Named a “Summer Must-Read” by Life & Style Magazine An A grade from InTouch Magazine “Hollywood insiders ... pull back the curtain on celebrity scandals in this dishy sequel.” —People Magazine “Written by Hollywood insiders, this jaw-dropping novel is ripped from the headlines, and from the scandalous secrets that never made print!” —InTouch Magazine “Grab a bottle of wine, and let Dickson and Ketsoyan take you on a new dark yet refreshing Hollywood adventure. ... an A rating.” —Digital Journal Named one of the 10 Books You Must Add to Your Summer Reading List Right Now by Her Campus
This book describes the history of Jordan algebras and describes in full mathematical detail the recent structure theory for Jordan algebras of arbitrary dimension due to Efim Zel'manov. Jordan algebras crop up in many surprising settings, and find application to a variety of mathematical areas. No knowledge is required beyond standard first-year graduate algebra courses.
A narrative tour de force that combines wide-ranging scholarship with captivating prose, Kevin Starr's acclaimed multi-volume Americans and the California Dream is an unparalleled work of cultural history. In this volume, Starr covers the crucial postwar period--1950 to 1963--when the California we know today first burst into prominence. Starr brilliantly illuminates the dominant economic, social, and cultural forces in California in these pivotal years. In a powerful blend of telling events, colorful personalities, and insightful analyses, Starr examines such issues as the overnight creation of the postwar California suburb, the rise of Los Angeles as Super City, the reluctant emergence of San Diego as one of the largest cities in the nation, and the decline of political centrism. He explores the Silent Generation and the emergent Boomer youth cult, the Beats and the Hollywood "Rat Pack," the pervasive influence of Zen Buddhism and other Asian traditions in art and design, the rise of the University of California and the emergence of California itself as a utopia of higher education, the cooling of West Coast jazz, freeway and water projects of heroic magnitude, outdoor life and the beginnings of the environmental movement. More broadly, he shows how California not only became the most populous state in the Union, but in fact evolved into a mega-state en route to becoming the global commonwealth it is today. Golden Dreams continues an epic series that has been widely recognized for its signal contribution to the history of American culture in California. It is a book that transcends its stated subject to offer a wealth of insight into the growth of the Sun Belt and the West and indeed the dramatic transformation of America itself in these pivotal years following the Second World War.
An extensive look at the large-caliber guns of the Napoleonic period, the battles in which they were used, and the important figures in those conflicts. In this heavily researched study, Kevin Kiley examines Napoleon’s own artillery as well as that employed by his enemies, and he evaluates the gunners’ contribution to warfare in the period. By looking at particular battles in detail, Kevin Kiley shows just how the effective employment of artillery could tip the scales of victory. Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars reveals much of the technical aspects of gunnery during the period—how guns were placed, their range, what calibers were preferred, how artillery operates. It examines French artillery, including that of the Imperial Guard, and compares it to that of Britain, Russia, and Austria; it also looks at many of the personalities involved and the difference between good gunnery and mediocre artillery. Illustrated with beautiful line drawings and rare contemporary plates, this unique book reveals a whole new dimension to the Napoleonic period. Based on years of research into regulations of the period, eyewitness accounts of artillerymen, and material culled from official reports, this is a definitive account. “This must undoubtedly become the standard work for anyone interested in the artillery of the period.” —Waterloo Journal
On 19 January 1947 Ireland was invaded by a freakish anticyclonic weather phenomenon unleashed from the depths of Siberia. Its prolonged two-month grip entombed the country in snow and ice. This arctic siege brought freezing temperatures of 7° Fahrenheit -14°C, a piercing east wind reaching 60-70 m.p.h., five major blizzards, and snowdrifts of 12 to 20 feet-some topping 50. Cars, buses, houses and entire villages were buried, leaving scores of passengers and inhabitants marooned. Roads were blocked, telephone and electricity lines felled and towns and farms isolated as food and fuel dwindled. Tragically this happened amidst the worst fuel crisis in Ireland's history. People were forced to strip wood from their homes, and nearly half of all Dubliners were burning furniture to survive. Severe food shortages and a virulent influenza epidemic weakened people. By 19 February 1947 Dublin's death rate had more than doubled as the poor and elderly succumbed to hunger, cold and illness. Kevin C. Kearns presents a graphic account of what was regarded as a near-biblical calamity of blizzards, freezing, hunger, floods, and threatened famine-so imperilling, wrote one newspaper, that it seemed almost as if the wrath of God was directed against Ireland. It is a vivid tale of suffering and courage, death and survival, of human resilience and real heroism, poignantly authenticated by the oral testimony of those who lived through the arctic siege.
Just how much influence does powerful business in the UK have on government decision making in relation to social policy? Questions concerning the power and influence of business over social and public policy are increasingly being raised, not just from within the field of social policy but also in business and management studies and, beyond that, in the news and media. They are seldom answered in any satisfactory way. This groundbreaking book investigates and documents corporate influence on social policies at global/regional, national and local levels. It argues that we cannot understand the recent history and present direction of the welfare state unless we focus on the role that business has played in its development. Spanning the complete era of the Conservative governments and the first term of New Labour, it looks in particular at: mechanisms of corporate power and influence; corporate opinion and influence in a range of social policy areas including: education, training, health and social security; changing business influence on social policy in recent years in an international context; business involvement in social policy initiatives and welfare delivery. By exploring bus
Sociology of Religion charts changes in the sociology of religion without ignoring the continuing relevance of Weber, Durkheim, and Marx. Veteran sociologists Christiano, Swatos, and Kivisto address both the foundations and the profound changes in the field, placing new conceptions against their historical background. Charts, pictures, down-to-earth examples, and a readable style keep the history and new developments within the reach of undergraduates. Instructors who want to give their students a current and comprehensive overview of the field should take a look at Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments.
In this book, we use the case of China to examine how state actors can transform the Internet and online discourse into a key strategic element for maintaining the government and relieving domestic pressure on national institutions. While scholars have long known that the democratizing influence of the Internet can be blunted by autocratic states, in this book, we show that the online sphere can effectively be co-opted by states like China and transformed into a supporting institution. Our theory, Directed Digital Dissidence, explains how autocracies manage critical online information flows and the impact this management has on mass opinion and behavior. While the expansion of the Internet may stimulate dissidence, it also provides the central government an avenue to direct that dissent away and toward selected targets. Under the strategy of Directed Digital Dissidence, the Internet becomes a mechanism to dissipate threats by serving as a targeted relief valve rather than a building pressure cooker. We consider the process and impact of this evolving state led manipulation of the political Internet using data and examples from China. We use an original large-scale random survey of Chinese citizens to measure Internet use, social media use, and political attitudes. We also consider the impact of the state firewall. Beyond simply identifying the government strategy, we focus on testing the effectiveness of the strategy with empirical data. We also consider how the redirection of dissent can be done across a broader range of targets, including non-state actors and other nations"--
This second volume in Kevin Starr's passionate and ambitious cultural history of the Golden State focuses on the turn-of-the-century years and the emergence of Southern California as a regional culture in its own right. "How hauntingly beautiful, how replete with lost possibilities, seems that Southern California of two and three generations ago, now that a dramatically diferent society has emerged in its place," writes Starr. As he recreates the "lost California," Starr examines the rich variety of elements that figured in the growth of the Southern California way of life: the Spanish/Mexican roots, the fertile land, the Mediterranean-like climate, the special styles in architecture, the rise of Hollywood. He gives us a broad array of engaging (and often eccentric) characters: from Harrision Gray Otis to Helen Hunt Jackson to Cecil B. DeMille. Whether discussing the growth of winemaking or the burgeoning of reform movements, Starr keeps his central theme in sharp focus: how Californians defined their identity to themselves and to the nation.
Praise for the First Edition "The main strength of this book is that it provides a unified framework of graphical tools for data analysis, especially for univariate and low-dimensional multivariate data. In addition, it is clearly written in plain language and the inclusion of R code is particularly useful to assist readers’ understanding of the graphical techniques discussed in the book. ... It not only summarises graphical techniques, but it also serves as a practical reference for researchers and graduate students with an interest in data display." -Han Lin Shang, Journal of Applied Statistics Graphics for Statistics and Data Analysis with R, Second Edition, presents the basic principles of graphical design and applies these principles to engaging examples using the graphics and lattice packages in R. It offers a wide array of modern graphical displays for data visualization and representation. Added in the second edition are coverage of the ggplot2 graphics package, material on human visualization and color rendering in R, on screen, and in print. Features Emphasizes the fundamentals of statistical graphics and best practice guidelines for producing and choosing among graphical displays in R Presents technical details on topics such as: the estimation of quantiles, nonparametric and parametric density estimation; diagnostic plots for the simple linear regression model; polynomial regression, splines, and locally weighted polynomial regression for producing a smooth curve; Trellis graphics for multivariate data Provides downloadable R code and data for figures at www.graphicsforstatistics.com Kevin J. Keen is a Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George, Canada) and an Accredited Professional StatisticianTM by the Statistical Society of Canada and the American Statistical Association.
Photographs of professional players in action as well as step-by-step guides to drills for performing specific positions combine to provide advice and instruction designed to help improve how the game is played.
Access issues are pivotal to almost all charter school tensions and debates. How well are these schools performing? Are they segregating and stratifying? Are they public and democratic? Are they fairly funded? Can apparent successes be scaled up? Answers to all these core questions hinge on how access to charter schools is shaped. This book describes the incentives and pressures on charter schools to restrict access and examines how charters navigate those pressures, explaining access-restricting practices in relation to the ecosystem within which charter schools are created. It also explains how charters have sometimes responded by resisting the pressures and sometimes by surrendering to them. The text presents analyses of 13 different types of practices around access, each of which shapes the school’s enrollment. The authors conclude by offering recommendations for how states and authorizers can address access-related inequities that arise in the charter sector. School’s Choice provides timely information on critical academic and policy issues that will come into play as charter school policy continues to evolve. Book Features: Examines how charter schools control who gains and retains access.Explores policies and practices that undermine equitable admission and encourage opportunity hoarding.Offers a set of policy recommendations at the state and federal level to address access-related issues.
TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1, Second Edition, is a detailed and visual guide to today?s TCP/IP protocol suite. Fully updated for the newest innovations, it demonstrates each protocol in action through realistic examples from modern Linux, Windows, and Mac OS environments. There?s no better way to discover why TCP/IP works as it does, how it reacts to common conditions, and how to apply it in your own applications and networks. Building on the late W. Richard Stevens? classic first edition, author Kevin R. Fall adds his cutting-edge experience as a leader in TCP/IP protocol research, updating the book to fully reflect the latest protocols and best practices. He first introduces TCP/IP?s core goals and architectural concepts, showing how they can robustly connect diverse networks and support multiple services running concurrently.
Napoleon was an artilleryman before he was an emperor. He understood the power and effectiveness of cannon and their ability to pulverise defences, reduce fortresses and destroy attacks. In return, the guns won Napoleon battles. This impressive study chronicles the story of the guns and men during the twenty-three years of almost continuous warfare from 1792_1815: from the battlefields of continental Europe to the almost primitive terrain of North America and of the seas, lakes and rivers that connected them. Detailed technical information is accompanied by vivid descriptions which allow the reader to imagine what it must have been liked to manoeuvre and man the guns in a variety of situations _ whether on the march or on the battlefield. Based on years of research into regulations of the period, eyewitness accounts of artillerymen and material culled from official reports, the scope and depth of material will satisfy the serious researcher, while the lively narrative will appeal to the casual reader.
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