Murphy's Law is one of the most well-recognized statements of philosophy known to man. Tipped off by his next door neighbor that Murphy may have worked at Edwards Air Force Base, and that the Law may have come into being after a rocket sled experiment went awry, author Nick T. Spark beings a Quixotic quest to learn the truth. His attempts to pin down the mysterious origins of The Law and to answer the eternal question, "Who was Murphy and what is the true meaning of Murphy's Law?" are both amusing and relevatory. Read it, and find out why everything you ever thought you knew about Murphy's Law -- is wrong.
Shipwrecks examines the hunt for shipwrecks and the valuable treasures they hold, whether that be gold and jewels, or important artifacts that offer us a window on to the past. Part of the Treasure Hunters series, "Shipwrecks" offers a crosscurricular mix of science & technology and history, with a fun, dramatic approach. "Shipwrecks" covered in the book include the Tudor Warship the Mary Rose, the Spanish Galleon La Nuestra Senora de Atocha, American Civil War ship SS Republic, and the Titanic: the most famous shipwreck of all. The book also looks at the motives for these searches, and the importance of responsible archaeology: were the treasure hunters driven by personal greed or glory, or did they embark on their quest with a historical interest and a desire to preserve the lost treasures?
The behind-the-scenes story of the action heroes who ruled 1980s and ’90s Hollywood and the beloved films that made them stars, including Die Hard, First Blood, The Terminator, and more. “Entertaining . . . This is a book that makes you ache for the days when the movie screen belonged not to men who dress in superhero capes but to those who lift weights.”—Washington Examiner A NEWSWEEK BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR The Last Action Heroes opens in May 1990 in Cannes, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone waltzing together, cheered on by a crowd of famous faces. After years of bitter combat—Stallone once threw a bowl of flowers at Schwarzenegger’s head, and the body count in Schwarzenegger’s Commando was increased so the film would “have a bigger dick than Rambo”—the world’s biggest action stars have at last made peace. In this wildly entertaining account of the golden age of the action movie, Nick de Semlyen charts Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship against the backdrop of Reagan’s America and the Cold War. He also reveals fascinating untold stories of the colorful characters who ascended in their wake: high-kickers Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, glowering tough guys Dolph Lundgren and Steven Seagal, and quipping troublemakers Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bruce Willis. But as time rolled on, the era of the invincible action hero who used muscle, martial arts, or the perfect weapon to save the day began to fade. When Jurassic Park trounced Schwarzenegger’s Last Action Hero in 1993, the glory days of these macho men—and the vision of masculinity they celebrated—were officially over. Drawing on candid interviews with the action stars themselves, plus their collaborators, friends, and foes, The Last Action Heroes is a no-holds-barred account of a period in Hollywood history when there were no limits to the heights of fame these men achieved, or to the mayhem they wrought, on-screen and off.
True stories and hard-won lessons about a life of hockey, from a Stanley Cup champion and top analyst. As a child growing up in Toronto, Nick Kypreos lived for hockey and dreamed of following in his idols’ footsteps to play in the NHL. Hockey was an important part of the Kypreos household. It was largely through the game that his immigrant Greek parents acclimatized to their new lives in Canada, and from a young age “Kyper” proved he was more than good enough to move through the ranks. But he was never a top prospect—he didn’t even attend the NHL draft when he became eligible. And yet, through dedication and constant improvement, he made it to the show. Kypreos built a career on his tireless work ethic and made a name for himself for always having a positive influence on team morale. A medium-weight fighter, he squared off with the league’s toughest players, including Chris Simon, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, and Scott Stevens—anything to give his team an edge. Ultimately, he was brought to the New York Rangers to help them win the Stanley Cup in 1994—their first in fifty-four years—with the legendary Mark Messier. And then he got to live his other dream: playing for his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. When a concussion forced him to retire early, it changed his life. But the lessons he’d learned on the ice over eight seasons helped him build a new career as a top hockey analyst and personality for Sportsnet. For twenty seasons he provided unique insight on the evolving game, and a player’s perspective on the biggest discussions of the day. Revealing, fun, and brutally honest, Undrafted shows the challenges of being a pro player. It’s a story of the resilience it takes to prove yourself every night, and how the right attitude can lead to the greatest success, not only in the arena, but in life.
Nick Clooney, one of America's most respected film critics and historians, presents a distinctive catalog of movies that have influenced and altered not only the world of cinema, but also the world in which we live. Since the advent of moving pictures, there have been films that exist as more than just entertainment. These rare movies have touched the collective soul of the public with such passion and artistic skill that they have actually changed the way we view life, history, and ourselves. Some have transformed the way movies are made and viewed -- and some have actually transformed us. In The Movies That Changed Us, Clooney explores, explains, and theorizes upon twenty films -- reaching from 1998 back to 1915 -- that forever shifted our perceptions about race, religion, sex, politics, and the very definition of humanity. From the ambitiously epic -- though manifestly racist -- Birth of a Nation, to the controversial violence of Taxi Driver, to the mythic idealism and visual cornucopia of 2001:A Space Odyssey and Star Wars, Clooney relates the stories behind the camera in an informative, engaging, and personal chronicle of cinema and society.
This is a true story of survival during the American Civil War. It tells of the difficult life on a mid-nineteenth century Minnesota homestead for a mother and her three young children while her husband is away, having answered Lincoln’s call for volunteers to help preserve the Union. Away at War is based on one hundred letters the soldier wrote his family during his two years of service, which ended with his death at the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia. The book opens with David Brainard Griffin’s farewell to his family, along with his promise to return. Philinda Minerva and her children (Alice Jane, 7, Ida May, 5, and Edgar Lincoln, 9 months), are left to run the family farm on their own. Minnesota’s seasons dictate their activities during the cycle of fall harvest, winter withdrawal, spring planting, summer garden and haying, and a return to fall harvesting. Even with the help of nearby family and friends, the hardships and responsibilities are almost beyond them, but the only support Brainard can provide them is in the weekly letters he writes, and the small amounts of money he sends. “Away at War introduces the reader to the terrible impact, the pain and anxiety, and the untold suffering war causes family members left behind. A moving chronicle of the experience of war and a compelling story with relevant historical references. Well-crafted, reads like a real piece of history!” – 5-Star Readers’ Favorite Review
Stranger Things is a science fiction horror show that streams on Netflix. It is a love letter to 80s pop culture - most specifically Stephen King, Steven Spielberg, and John Carpenter. Its range of influences is vast though and takes in everything from John Hughes to Lovecraft to Clive Barker to Project MKUltra. 1000 Facts About Stranger Things contains one thousand fascinating and eclectic facts that encompass all facets of this amazingly popular show. If you think you know absolutely everything there is to know about Stranger Things then this book would beg to differ! Hopefully there will be plenty here that is new - even to the most dedicated Stranger Things superfan. Get ready for a positive slew of facts about all four seasons of Stranger Things!
This core textbook offers a concise yet complete introduction to film, responding to shifts in the medium while addressing all of the main approaches that inform film studies. The rise of on demand internet-based video has transformed the way films are distributed and exhibited, with many previously unobtainable and obscure films becoming available for global audiences to view instantly. Interweaving historical and current theoretical approaches, Nick Lacey presents a tightly-focused and coherent overview of a discipline in transition, which can be read 'cover to cover' or in distinct chapters. With its original narrative line and student-oriented philosophy, the text greatly enriches student's appreciation of cinema, while equipping them with the essential skills and vocabulary to succeed in film studies. This is an ideal foundational text for all lecturers, undergraduate or A-level students of film and cinema studies, as well as enthusiasts of film and cinema looking for a comprehensive guide. New to this Edition: - Content reflecting the increasing importance of production contexts, in chapters focusing exclusively on the film business, distribution and exhibition - A more detailed chapter on representation and greater emphasis on audience - Updated content addressing the significance of transnational cinema, drawing on a more global, non-Hollywood range of film examples and case studies from Europe, Asia and Latin America - Text is broken up by a wider variety of film stills, representing world cinema from the classics to the latest in contemporary cinema
Attract Pre-Qualified Prospects to Your Business Like a Powerful Magnet! In this new book you will learn: How to assess and monitor your online reputation Where you must get your business listed online How to stop wasting precious advertising and promotion dollars Why you may be inadvertently preventing people from buying from you How major changes at Google are affecting your online visibility What steps you must take to preempt your competition How to beat consumer review sites at their own game Plus, you will learn the author's proprietary E.Q.U.A.L. formula for generating endless 5-star reviews. If implemented, this alone can be worth hundreds, even thousands of times the prices of this book. Nick Nichols helps business owners and professionals build and market a 5-star online reputation so people searching for a business like yours - or for you specifically - will see you as the best and obvious choice and call you first, ready to buy from you on your terms at the prices you want to charge.
In this new account of Franklin's early life, Pulitzer finalist Nick Bunker portrays him as a complex, driven young man who elbows his way to success. From his early career as a printer and journalist to his scientific work and his role as a founder of a new republic, Benjamin Franklin has always seemed the inevitable embodiment of American ingenuity. But in his youth he had to make his way through a harsh colonial world, where he fought many battles with his rivals, but also with his wayward emotions. Taking Franklin to the age of forty-one, when he made his first electrical discoveries, Bunker goes behind the legend to reveal the sources of his passion for knowledge. Always trying to balance virtue against ambition, Franklin emerges as a brilliant but flawed human being, made from the conflicts of an age of slavery as well as reason. With archival material from both sides of the Atlantic, we see Franklin in Boston, London, and Philadelphia as he develops his formula for greatness. A tale of science, politics, war, and religion, this is also a story about Franklin's forebears: the talented family of English craftsmen who produced America's favorite genius.
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation provides a thorough summary of the available scientific evidence of what is known, or not known, about the effectiveness of all of the conservation actions for wild terrestrial mammals across the world (excluding bats and primates, which are covered in separate synopses). Actions are organized into categories based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifications of direct threats and conservation actions. Over the course of fifteen chapters, the authors consider interventions as wide ranging as creating uncultivated margins around fields, prescribed burning, setting hunting quotas and removing non-native mammals. This book is written in an accessible style and is designed to be an invaluable resource for anyone concerned with the practical conservation of terrestrial mammals. The authors consulted an international group of terrestrial mammal experts and conservationists to produce this synopsis. Funding was provided by the MAVA Foundation, Arcadia and National Geographic Big Cats Initiative. Terrestrial Mammal Conservation is the seventeenth publication in the Conservation Evidence Series, linked to the online resource www.ConservationEvidence.com. Conservation Evidence Synopses are designed to promote a more evidence-based approach to biodiversity conservation. Others in the series include Bat Conservation, Primate Conservation, Bird Conservation and Forest Conservation and more are in preparation. Expert assessment of the evidence summarised within synopses is provided online and within the annual publication What Works in Conservation.
Image and Representation is a clear and straight-talking introduction to two of the most important concepts in film and media studies. Exploring media language and representation throughout a variety of visual texts, the book offers a balanced, in-depth guide to the essential theories and key issues. The book begins by introducing the basic components of image analysis, including mise en scene, framing and anchorage. It then elaborates on these key ideas to provide the reader with a more advanced understanding of media language and representation. From the contribution of semiotics and debates around authorial intent, to ideas about hegemony and issues around propaganda, Nick Lacey offers approachable explanations of complex ideas and terms. The new edition is also now updated to reflect recent changes in the field, with particular attention paid to new media technologies. Each chapter is packed with memorable examples from a wider range of media and provides greater global perspective on today's media landscape. Gradually building up the reader's knowledge to encourage independent thinking, this is an essential resource for students taking courses in media, cultural, communication and film studies at school, college or university.
Opposites in almost every way, mortally suspicious of each other at first, Lyndon Baines Johnson and Martin Luther King, Jr., were thrust together in the aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Both men sensed a historic opportunity and began a delicate dance of accommodation that moved them, and the entire nation, toward the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Drawing on a wealth of newly available sources -- Johnson's taped telephone conversations, voluminous FBI wiretap logs, previously secret communications between the FBI and the president -- Nick Kotz gives us a dramatic narrative, rich in dialogue, that presents this momentous period with thrilling immediacy. Judgment Days offers needed perspective on a presidency too often linked solely to the tragedy of Vietnam.We watch Johnson applying the arm-twisting tactics that made him a legend in the Senate, and we follow King as he keeps the pressure on in the South through protest and passive resistance. King's pragmatism and strategic leadership and Johnson's deeply held commitment to a just society shaped the character of their alliance. Kotz traces the inexorable convergence of their paths to an intense joint effort that made civil rights a legislative reality at last, despite FBI director J. Edgar Hoover's vicious whispering campaign to destroy King.Judgment Days also reveals how this spirit of teamwork disintegrated. The two leaders parted bitterly over King's opposition to the Vietnam War. In this first full account of the working relationship between Johnson and King, Kotz offers a detailed, surprising account that significantly enriches our understanding of both men and their time.
Now in paperback, a timely guide for mindful parenting and family connectivity. Do you feel like you and your kids are caught in a cycle of passing greetings, technological distraction, and fatigued interactions? Do you feel overwhelmed by parental stress and anxiety? Know that you are not alone. There are techniques available that you can use today to help you better connect with and raise your kids. Pedram Shojai, O.M.D., New York Times best-selling author of The Urban Monk and The Art of Stopping Time, and Nick Polizzi, author of The Sacred Science, offer advice and actionable tips for: · Nurturing your family unit into a cohesive whole · Connecting with your kids amid technology overload · Confronting real-world existential threats and fears Filled with the wisdom and insight from the world's top parenting consultants, therapists, pediatricians, and child educators, this book offers you a path to embracing conscious parenting as a way of life right now rather than some day in the future, helping your children build a foundation of confidence, a deep sense of self, emotional and spiritual resiliency, and mental fortitude.
Learn why gold prices are sure to soar to $10,000/oz. and beyond...and how to profit As paper currency continues to lose its purchasing power and global markets struggle in the face of economic turmoil, investors are turning to gold to stabilize their portfolios. $10,000 Gold explains why this is a smart move, arguing that the price of gold will continue climbing to $10,000/ounce and beyond in the years to come. Looking at the underlying causes of gold's rising value, the book contends that intelligent investors have no choice but to invest in this precious metal. Written by one of the world's leading authorities on gold, the book teaches readers to think independently about gold, money, and the geopolitics that affect its price. The security of gold offers peace of mind, making fears about the fluctuation of the stock market irrelevant, and $10,000 Gold shows why, just like usual, gold remains the single best asset for preserving wealth in any economy. Looking at the world through the eyes of gold—where wealth is measured in ounces, not dollars—the book is a candid insight into the current state of the economy and how to stay safe no matter what lies ahead. Explains why gold price will soar to over $10,000/ounce Teaches readers to reconsider the way they think about money, showing that wealth should be weighed in gold, not unbacked dollars Provides invaluable advice on protecting money by putting it into the safest asset class on earth No one knows what the next few years hold for the economy, but investing in gold allows for financial security in any market.
The first account of the Allied navies’ vital contribution to the success of the D-Day landings and the Normandy campaign The Allied liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe is one of the most widely recognised events of modern history. The assault phase, Operation Neptune, began with the D-Day landings in Normandy—one of the most complex amphibious operations in history, involving 7,000 ships and nearly 200,000 men. But despite this immense effort, the wider naval campaign has been broadly forgotten. Nick Hewitt draws on fascinating new material to describe the violent sea battle which mirrored the fighting on land, and the complex campaign at sea which enabled the Allied assault. Aboard ships ranging from frail plywood landing craft to sleek destroyers, sailors were active combatants in the operation of June 1944, and had worked tirelessly to secure the Seine Bay in the months preceding it. They fought battles against German submarines, aircraft, and warships, and maintained careful watch to keep control of the English Channel. Hewitt recounts these sailors’ stories for the first time—and shows how, without their efforts, D-Day would have failed.
“An in-depth biography of the world’s most famous detective that will intrigue Sherlockians and non-Sherlockians alike.” —Publishers Weekly He has been called a genius and a fraud, a hero and an addict, but who really was Sherlock Holmes? With an attention to detail that would make his subject envious, Nick Rennison combs the literature for clues, omissions, and inconsistencies in Dr. Watson’s immortal narration. He delves into Holmes’s contact with prominent historical figures—including Oscar Wilde and Sigmund Freud—and uncovers startling, new information. How did a Cambridge dropout and bit player on the London stage transform himself into a renowned consulting detective? Did he know the identity of Jack the Ripper? When did Holmes and his nemesis, Professor Moriarty, first cross paths? Did Sherlock Holmes, protector of the innocent, commit the very act he so often worked to prevent, the cold-blooded, premeditated murder of Moriarty? Sherlock Holmes: The Unauthorized Biography answers these questions and many more as it careens through the most infamous crimes and historic events of the Victorian age, all in pursuit of the real man behind the greatest detective in modern fiction—and, just perhaps, nonfiction.
Percy's Reliques is the seminal collection of historical and lyrical ballads that defined English literature at the end of the 18th century. This study examines his working methods.
Nick McLean was one of the most acclaimed camera operators in American cinema of the 1970s, during which time he shot many classics of the New Hollywood movement including McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Heaven Can Wait, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, Marathon Man, and Being There. As a cinematographer throughout the 1980s, McLean would film blockbusters such as Cannonball Run II, City Heat, The Goonies, and Short Circuit before being lured into television to photograph some of the biggest shows in town, including Evening Shade, Cybill, and the pop culture phenomenon Friends, for which he was thrice Emmy-nominated.
American ruins have become increasingly prominent, whether in discussions of “urban blight” and home foreclosures, in commemorations of 9/11, or in postapocalyptic movies. In this highly original book, Nick Yablon argues that the association between American cities and ruins dates back to a much earlier period in the nation’s history. Recovering numerous scenes of urban desolation—from failed banks, abandoned towns, and dilapidated tenements to the crumbling skyscrapers and bridges envisioned in science fiction and cartoons—Untimely Ruins challenges the myth that ruins were absent or insignificant objects in nineteenth-century America. The first book to document an American cult of the ruin, Untimely Ruins traces its deviations as well as derivations from European conventions. Unlike classical and Gothic ruins, which decayed gracefully over centuries and inspired philosophical meditations about the fate of civilizations, America’s ruins were often “untimely,” appearing unpredictably and disappearing before they could accrue an aura of age. As modern ruins of steel and iron, they stimulated critical reflections about contemporary cities, and the unfamiliar kinds of experience they enabled. Unearthing evocative sources everywhere from the archives of amateur photographers to the contents of time-capsules, Untimely Ruins exposes crucial debates about the economic, technological, and cultural transformations known as urban modernity. The result is a fascinating cultural history that uncovers fresh perspectives on the American city.
Collaborative Learning explains how to leverage the knowledge and experience of existing employees to upskill your entire workforce from within. This practical guide explains the basics of collaborative learning, outlines its many benefits, and explores why it is needed in a nimble, fast-moving business world. It also explains the science behind shared expertise and how to encourage people to learn from each other. This book illustrates how a culture of collaborative learning can combat low learner engagement and employee burnout, as well as how it can guide the full employee journey from pre-boarding and onboarding through to promotion and progression. This book also explains why collaborative learning is not a top-down cascade of information from the most senior employee to the most junior, but is an inclusive approach to learning across functions and teams, across hierarchies, and across job titles or tenure. This book is full of expert discussion about why collaborative learning is a culture enhancer and skills enabler, and contains advice for overcoming common obstacles when making collaborative learning part of a company's learning strategy. Packed with case studies and examples from global firms who have implemented and benefitted from collaborative learning including Mitsubishi Electric, Slack, AlphaSights, and Safran. This book is a blueprint for all L&D professionals who are looking to embed collaborative learning in the workplace and upskill from within, but aren't sure where to start.
The Silver Star–awarded marine chronicles his service in Iraq in this “transcendent memoir of military service and its personal consequences” (Ralph Peters, Lt. Col., ret., author of Looking For Trouble). In April, 2003, an AP photographer captured a striking image seen around the world of Gunny Sergeant Nick Popaditch smoking a victory cigar in his tank, the haunting statue of Saddam Hussein hovering in the background. Though immortalized in that moment as “The Cigar Marine,” Popaditch’s fighting was far from over. The following year, he fought heroically in the battle for Fallujah and suffered grievous head wounds that left him legally blind and partially deaf. But he faced the toughest fight of his life when he returned home: the battle to remain the man and Marine he was. At first, Nick fights to get back to where he was in Iraq-in the cupola of an M1A1 main battle tank, leading Marines in combat. As the seriousness and permanence of his disabilities become more evident, Nick fights to remain in the Corps in any capacity and help his brothers in arms. Then, following a medical retirement, he battles for rightful recognition and compensation for his disabilities. Throughout his harrowing ordeal, Nick fights to maintain his honor and loyalty, waging all these battles the same way—the Marine way—because anything less would be a betrayal of all he holds dear.
In a marketplace that demands perpetual upgrades, the survival of interactive play ultimately depends on the adroit management of negotiations between game producers and youthful consumers of this new medium. The authors suggest a model of expansion that encompasses technological innovation, game design, and marketing practices. Their case study of video gaming exposes fundamental tensions between the opposing forces of continuity and change in the information economy: between the play culture of gaming and the spectator culture of television, the dynamism of interactive media and the increasingly homogeneous mass-mediated cultural marketplace, and emerging flexible post-Fordist management strategies and the surviving techniques of mass-mediated marketing. Digital Play suggests a future not of democratizing wired capitalism but instead of continuing tensions between "access to" and "enclosure in" technological innovation, between inertia and diversity in popular culture markets, and between commodification and free play in the cultural industries. -- publisher description.
How does one survive an infestation of the Upside Down - especially if you don't have a super powered telekinetic girl on hand to save the day? This means that Upside Down trouble in your town is going to have to be survived (and hopefully vanquished) with good old-fashioned fortitude, bravery, logic, determination, and pluck. You will need weapons, a suitable place for a siege, you shall need to be good at hiding, and you will be well advised to brush up on your science and Dungeons & Dragons. More than anything though you will need trusted friends. It takes team work to survive an encounter with the Upside Down and its attendant monsters and toxic environmental dangers. The Unofficial Upside Down Stranger Things Survival Guide will guide through all the perils and dangers of a dimensional crisis and provide plenty of tips on how you might survive this nightmarish scenario.
Code stoned. Debug sober. Document drunk. And never trust the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Michael Luis Bolaño is the scion of Mexican oil wealth gone to rut in Texas. Sherman Spartacus Katz is the hyperliterate son of evangelical eccentrics from the North Georgia mountains. One hopes to restore what's been lost, the other to attain what never was. Together at an elite Institute of Technology they train as engineers. Together in the dark they study forbidden teachings. By graduation, they're formidably competent, audacious to a fault, and wholly ungovernable. Need LSD precursors? Biosynthesize them in yeast. Need souped-up wheelchairs? Disarm the governors. Need enriched uranium? CO₂ TEA lasers in the garage. Where there's a black market, they disrupt it. Where there's no black market, they create one. midnight's simulacra is a hysterical, scientifically rigorous, and fastpaced thriller, a modern picaresque, a portrait of autists as young men, and unlike any other novel you've read.
The history of the Mustard Seed is unique yet typical of many Charismatic churches birthed out of the Jesus Movement. Started in the early 1970s, the Mustard Seed is still a thriving church that has been impacted by revivals, the Faith-Word, Inner-healing, Healing, Deliverance, Shepherding, and Prophetic movements. In order for a movement not to become a monument, constant exposure to new winds of the Holy Spirit are essential. This book highlights the different events that impacted the growth and development of the church as well as some of the tensions presented by some of the different streams in the charismatic movement. It will bring back old memories for the thousands who have passed through the doors over the years and will also encourage them to stay the course.
Are significant numbers of humanity the product of an ancient and advanced alien civilization? Have we, across the millennia, been periodically modified and refined as a species? In short, has our genetic make-up been manipulated by otherworldly beings that view human civilization as one big lab experiment? These are controversial and thought-provoking questions. They are also questions that demand answers, answers that may very well be found by examining those people whose blood type is Rh negative. The vast majority of humankind—85 to 90 percent—is Rh positive, which means a person’s red blood cells contain an antigen directly connected to the Rhesus monkey. This antigen is known as the Rh factor. Each and every primate on the planet has this antigen, except for one: the remaining 10 to 15 percent of humans. If the theory of evolution is valid—that each and every one of us is descended from ancient primates—shouldn’t we all be Rh positive? Yes, we should. But we’re not. The Negatives are unlike the rest of us. They are different. They are the unique individuals whose bloodline may have nothing less than extraterrestrial origins.
From his first performance at age four, Willie Nelson was driven to make music and live life on his own terms. But though he is a songwriter of exceptional depth - "Crazy" was one of his early classics - Willie only found success after abandoning Nashville and moving to Austin, Texas. Red Headed Stranger made country cool to a new generation of fans. Wanted: The Outlaws became the first country album to sell a million copies. And "On the Road Again" became the anthem for Americans on the move. A craggy-faced, pot-smoking philosopher, Willie Nelson is one of America's great iconoclasts and idols. Now Joe Nick Patoski draws on over 100 interviews with Willie and his family, band, and friends to tell Nelson's story, from humble Depression-era roots, to his musical education in Texas honky-tonks and his flirtations with whiskey, women, and weed; from his triumph with #1 hit "Always On My Mind" to his nearly career-ending battles with debt and the IRS; and his ultimate redemption and ascension to American hero
Sociolinguistics is the study of the interaction between language and society. In this classic introductory work, Janet Holmes and Nick Wilson examine the role of language in a variety of social contexts, considering both how language works and how it can be used to signal and interpret various aspects of social identity. Divided into three parts, this book explains basic sociolinguistic concepts in the light of classic approaches, as well as introducing more recent research. This sixth edition has been revised and updated throughout, using key concepts and examples to guide the reader through this fascinating area, including: • New material on gender, social media and online use of language, codeswitching, and language policy • An updated companion website that is fully cross- referenced within this book and features video and audio materials and links to useful websites • Revised examples and exercises that include new material from Asia and South America • Fully updated further reading and references sections An Introduction to Sociolinguistics is an essential introductory text for all students of sociolinguistics and a splendid point of reference for students of English language studies, linguistics, and applied linguistics.
Church History in Leicestershire charts the story of religion in England from pre-Christian times to the twentieth century, viewed through events and the eyes and experiences of people in Leicestershire. Weaving together ecclesiastical, political and social strands it chronicles the tortuous tale of religion, churches and the people who worshipped there. Where did churches and chapels come from; who built them, when and why? What significance lies in their looks and names? What made people so devoted to them? Why do they still exist? The book covers sweeping religious and political movements, potentates of church and state, but centre-stage are the clergy, their parishioners, churches and chapels: how they thrived or perished, weathered plague and invasions, grappled with their consciences during the Reformation and Civil Wars, founded powerful new denominations and championed social reform when Leicester(shire) became a hub of Christian Socialism and Secularism. Closing sections reflect on the church’s past and future, as it faces debates as fundamental as any previously encountered.
When Nick Doms first saw Jekyll Island State Park in October 2014, it was love at first sight. He was stunned to discover that all the history books suddenly ended with the demise of the island as a private retreat for wealthy families in the 1940s, as if there was nothing more to tell after Georgia acquired the land for a state park. The multitude of hotels, motels, picnic areas, roads, and trails certainly did not appear spontaneously, as if by the waving of a magic wand, and yet no one had told the story of how the island has become a state park that everyone can enjoy. The author took it upon himself to research the island’s story to learn about the people who designed, constructed, and managed the enormous transformation. In this meticulously researched account, he tells the fascinating story of the island, sharing facts from history books, primary documents, and untold stories from locals who have lived on the land for several decades. Discover how a private, secluded, and exclusive island came to be a state park with open and affordable access to everyone.
THE STORY BEGINS ON 27 JUNE 2007. THAT WAS THE DAY TONY BLAIR OFFICIALLY RESIGNED AS PRIME MINISTER, WAS APPOINTED MIDDLE EAST PEACE ENVOY, AND SET ABOUT MAKING HIMSELF SERIOUSLY RICH. Since leaving office in 2007, the empire of Tony Blair has grown exponentially. As a businessman he has been unprecedentedly successful for a former public servant, with a large property portfolio and an estimated £80 million of earnings accrued in just a few short years. But how has he managed to achieve this? Being an ex-Prime Minister comes with certain advantages, and besides his excellent state pension and twenty-four-hour security team, Blair enjoys the best contacts that money can buy – as do those willing to pay him for access to those contacts. Consequently, Tony Blair Associates' clients can be found around the world, and include the controversial presidents of Kazakhstan and Burma. There is also Blair's role as special envoy in the Middle East. While his record as a peacemaker is in doubt, the position has brought him into contact with a variety of oil-rich potentates in the region who now number among his most profitable clients. Blair Inc.: The Wars, the Money, the Scandals takes a close look at the complex financial structures in Blair's world. From the many layers of tax liability to the multiple conflicts of interest produced by his increasing web of relationships, this book exposes the private dealings of this very public figure.
Media Space explores the importance of ideas of space and place to understanding the ways in which we experience the media in our everyday lives. Essays from leading international scholars address the kinds of space created by media and the effects that spacial arrangements have on media forms. Case studies focus on a wide variety of subjects and locales, from in-flight entertainment to mobile media such as personal stereos and mobile phones, and from the electronic spaces of the Internet to the shopping mall.
Britain’s Pilgrim Places captures the spirit of 2,000 years of history, heritage and wonder. It is the complete guide to every spiritual treasure, including 500 enchanting holy places throughout England, Wales and Scotland and covers all major pilgrimage routes.
In this gonzo history of the “City of the Violet Crown,” author and journalist Joe Nick Patoski chronicles the modern evolution of the quirky, bustling, funky, self-contradictory place known as Austin, Texas. Patoski describes the series of cosmic accidents that tossed together a mashup of outsiders, free spirits, thinkers, educators, writers, musicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and politicians who would foster the atmosphere, the vibe, the slightly off-kilter zeitgeist that allowed Austin to become the home of both Armadillo World Headquarters and Dell Technologies. Patoski’s raucous, rollicking romp through Austin’s recent past and hipster present connects the dots that lead from places like Scholz Garten—Texas’ oldest continuously operating business—to places like the Armadillo, where Willie Nelson and Darrell Royal brought hippies and rednecks together around music. He shows how misfits like William Sydney Porter—the embezzler who became famous under his pen name, O. Henry—served as precursors for iconoclasts like J. Frank Dobie, Bud Shrake, and Molly Ivins. He describes the journey, beginning with the search for an old girlfriend, that eventually brought Louis Black, Nick Barbaro, and Roland Swenson to the founding of the South by Southwest music, film, and technology festival. As one Austinite, who in typical fashion is simultaneously pursuing degrees in medicine and cinematography, says, “Austin is very different from the rest of Texas.” Many readers of Austin to ATX will have already realized that. Now they will know why.
DIVA London Year is an anthology of short diary entries, one or more for each day of the year, which, taken together, provides an impressionistic portrait of life in the city from Tudor times to the twenty-first century. This ebook edition, with its own distinct cover, has been optimised for the digital reader. A hyperlinked contents page makes it easy for the reader to dip in and out of the book while each 'page' is dedicated to a separate day. To further improve formatting, the illustrations from the printed edition have been omitted. We promise this does not detract from the reading experience. This ebook serves as the perfect accompaniment to the print edition. There are more than two hundred featured writers, with a short biography for each. The most famous diarist of all - Samuel Pepys - is there, as well as some of today’s finest diarists like Alan Bennett and Chris Mullin. There are coronations and executions, election riots and zeppelin raids, duels, dust-ups and drunken sprees, among everyday moments like Brian Eno cycling in Kilburn or George Eliot walking on Wimbledon Common. Vividly evoking moments in the lives of Londoners in the past, providing snapshots of the city’s inhabitants at work, at play, in pursuit of money, sex, entertainment, pleasure and power, the ebook of A London Year is the perfect read for all who live in or love this eternal, ever-changing city./div
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