Imagine studying a building not by walking its hallways or perusing its blueprints, but by examining each of its bricks: the pockmarks produced by air bubbles in the clay, the whorls of reds and browns, the trowel’s impressions in the mortar. Imagine evaluating a mosaic not for the bigger picture but for the glint of indi-vidual tesserae. Or imagine not watching a film but looki…
Every machine learning system has hyperparameters, and the most basic task inautomated machine learning (AutoML) is to automatically set these hyperparam-eters to optimize performance. Especially recent deep neural networks cruciallydepend on a wide range of hyperparameter choices about the neural network’s archi-tecture, regularization, and optimization. Automated hyperpa…
No Church is monolithic—this is the preliminary premise of this volume on the public place of religion in a representative number of post-communist countries. The studies confirm that within any religious organization we can expect to find fissures, factions, theological or ideological quarrels, and perhaps even competing interest groups, such as missionary workers, regular clergy versus secu…
Present- day Germany is a post- Christian nation. Religious pluralism, a decrease of ethical and religious convictions originating in Christianity, individualism, and secularization describe the cultural influences in Germany.1 Mainline churches have suffered from a drastic decline in membership for several decades and expect to lose half of their members by 2060.2 The average…
In Particle Physics: A Very Short Introduction, best-selling author Frank Close provides a compelling and lively introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the universe. The book begins with a guide to what matter is made up of and how it evolved, and goes on to describe the fascinating and cutting-edge techniques used to study it. The author discusses particles such as quarks, elec…
A typical example of the benefits and challenges of miniaturization is the ABS(anti-blocking system) in modern cars. Whilst the weight could be decreased toapprox. 10% of the weight of thefirst system, the part complexity has significantlyincreased. This is indicated by the decrease in the number of parts by approx. 90%in current systems, compared to thefirst versions [Nos14], even though addit…
Twenty years ago, Wikipedia set out on its path to provide humanity with free access to the sum of all knowledge. Even if this is a mission that can’t be finished, Wikipedia has made remarkable progress toward the impos-sible. How so? Wikipedia is an encyclopedia built on a wiki. And never has an application (gathering the sum of human knowledge) been so suited to its medium (easily …
In 1952, John William Miller delivered the Phi Beta Kappa address during Hobart College’s commencement. This lecture, “The Scholar as Man of the World,” offers an excellent statement of his philosophy of education. It covers a lot of ground, and in this chap-ter I focus on one of the stated aims of the lecture: exploring the importance of morale for college students. Toward the mid…
Are architects who write a dying race?”1 asked Belgian architectural theorist and historian Hilde Heynen in 2017, reflecting on the position of the practis-ing architect as a writing scholar in the academic field. In her article, Heynen compares Joan Ockman’s Architecture Culture 1943–1968: A Documentary Anthology with Michael Hays’s selection in Architecture Theory s…
Immanuel Wallerstein is often named“the master of the field”2when scholarsdiscuss world-systems theory, and while there are others whose works pavedthe way for this kind of analysis,3it is true that the former had a prominentposition within the field he helped to create. Wallerstein, however, would notonly be perceived as a “worldwide renowned and influential sociologist andeconomic histo…
One of the main trends in labour relations across Europe – started already in the 1980s – is “decentralisation” in collective bargaining at the company level. This involves a shift from multi-employer bargaining to single-employer bargaining with trade unions or other workers representatives (Marginson, 2015; oecd, 2018; Traxler, 1995; Visser, 2016). This development continued in the la…
Keep Watch! That simple warning summaries Jesus’ teaching about the end-times. That warning accompanied parables that explained its significance. One such story concluded that if the owner of the house had known when the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not been robbed. (Matthew 24:43) There are practical aspects of keeping watch. Epic world events have already placed the world …
n a suggestive passage, Wilfred Thesiger, or, as his Arab friends affectionately called him, Mubarak bin London, described his encounter with the people of the Empty Quarter in the following terms:“The northern Arabs had no traditions of civiliza-tion behind them. To arrange three stones as a fireplace on which to set a pot was the only archi-tecture that many …
Climate change threatens the physical and mental health of vulnerablecommunities and can have a significant impact on their livelihoods. Climate changecan also deepen existing social and economic inequities and contribute to the erosionof coping skills and resilience. Transformative social and economic responses basedon inclusion and dialogue with members of the community are needed in such ane…
Everyone knows Vietnam for its turbulent environment during the second half of the 20th century, but few know that archaeologists believe that civilization there existed as far back as the Bronze Age. Vietnam's history runs rampant with clashing dynasties, civil wars and power struggles between the North and South, and conflicts with neighboring and other countries. First ruled under China's cl…
Culturally and politically, Indonesia is one of the more complex countries in the world, with 336 ethnic groups speaking 583 languages and dialects. It is only recently that these people have been contained within one political framework. Throughout most of history, Indonesia's inhabitants were divided politically in many different ways as a bewildering array of kingdoms and empires rose and fe…
The book provides a clear portrayal of Thailand's culture and society, and explains its significance in the history of human civilization, its strategic geographic location, and its attraction as a tourist destination. Thailand is a fascinating country with a very rich culture and history. Today, it is home to over 60 million people, and is a newly industrialized nation with an emerging worl…
Despite not having been used in anger since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Bomb is still the biggest threat that faces us in the 21st century. As Bill Clinton's first secretary of defence, Les Aspin, aptly put it: 'The Cold War is over, the Soviet Union is no more. But the post-Cold War world is decidedly not post-nuclear'. For all the effort to reduce nuclear stockpiles to zero, it seems that the…
"This is, for my money, the best single-source primer on the state of climate change." - New York Magazine "The right book at the right time: accessible, comprehensive, unflinching, humane." - The Daily Beast "A must-read." - The Guardian Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know is the essential primer on what will be the defining issue of our time. Newly updated with the latest in …
"Have you ever seen a total solar eclipse?" If the question caused you to search your memory, the correct answer would have been "no." A common response is: "Yes--I saw one, it was about 90% partial eclipse where I lived." A 90% partial eclipse is indeed a remarkable phenomenon, but true totality leaves all else in the shade, in all senses of the phrase. Ask the question of anyone who has exper…
During the Paris pandemic confinement period of 2020, the dread of viral death was in the air. Confined to the indoors, I took the hint and finished in May my second (and, I think, last) book of drôle poetry called Styling Sagaciousness: Oh Great No! Drollness being essential to a good life, I fashioned Styling Sa-gaciousness as a death farce epic poem divided into seve…
Science promised to society to contribute to the grand challenges of the United Nations, WHO, the EU agenda and national agendas for change and improvement of our life. It will be discussed how this social contract between science and society has developed since 1945. The first phase from 1945 till 1960 was characterized by autonomy, building on the successes of the natural …
SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy introduces fans of SpongeBob SquarePants to some of the great thinkers and questions in philosophy. The essays can be shared by young and old alike, kindling new interest in philosophy and life’s big questions. What keeps SpongeBob “reeling in” major audiences on a daily basis is that underneath the lighthearted and whimsical exterior are the seeds of …
In Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction, Joseph Dan, one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish mysticism, offers a concise and highly accurate look at the history and character of the various systems developed by the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds light on the many misconceptions about what Kabbalah is and isn't--including its connections to magic, astronomy, alchemy, and numerol…
Diplomacy means different things to different people, the definitions ranging from the elegant ("the management of relations between independent states by the process of negotiations") to the jocular ("the art of saying 'nice doggie' until you can find a rock"). Written by Joseph M. Siracusa, an internationally recognized expert, this lively volume introduces the subject of diplomacy from a his…
The spread of capitalism worldwide has made people wealthier than ever before. But capitalism’s future is far from assured. The global financial meltdown of 2008 nearly produced a great depression. Economies in Europe are still teetering. Income inequality, resource depletion, mass migrations from poor to rich countries, religious fundamentalism?these are just a few of the threats to continui…
Time and again since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, public discourse in the US has revolved around society’s relationship with its soldiers. Apart from medialized farewell and welcome-home ceremonies, yellow-ribbon campaigns and “I-support-the-troops” bumper stickers, protagonists within this discourse have increasingly expressed concern about how soldiers come …
Semen Retention is a centuries-old practice that allows you to harness your body’s vital energy and redirect it to any area of your life. From achieving the perfect body to outstanding results in business and creative endeavours, semen retention can turbocharge your success.
There is a large and mostly unmet global need for affordable and efficacious wound care, despite modern-day medicine advancing at break-neck speed. Indeed, the tide of chronic wounds is rising. Modern lifestyle changes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), bring a rapid rise in non-communicable disease including cardiovascular disease, o…
More than three decades ago, Frank White coined the term “Overview Effect” to describe the cognitive shift that results from the experience of viewing the Earth from space and in space, from orbit or on a lunar mission. He found that with great consistency, this experience profoundly affects space travelers’ worldviews—their perceptions of themselves, our planet, and our understanding o…
I disagree with such an evaluation and would rather claim that there is more meaning to the film, drawn to it from the original novel, than the audience can take in while watching the film only once, especially if those who watch it are unfamiliar with Herbert’s novel. In fact, every form of literature or visual media is in a way impacted by the time o…
Marketing involves more than just activities performed by a group of people in a defined area or department. In the often quoted words of David Packard, cofounder of Hewlett-Packard, “Marketing is too important to be left only to the marketing department.” Marketing entails processes that focus on delivering value and benefits to customers, not just selling goods, services, and/or ideas. It…
By studying the history and sources of the Thomas Christians of India, a community of pre-colonial Christian heritage, this book revisits the assumption that Christianity is Western and colonial and that Christians in the non-West are products of colonial and post-colonial missionaries. Christians in the East have had a difficult time getting heard—let alone understood as anti-colonial. This …
This book is designed to help you become stronger and develop skills that we call mindful warrior skills. We get that this might sound a little weird right now. What is a mindful warrior, anyway? Well, it isn’t someone who runs out onto the field of battle like a maniac. It isn’t someone who acts impulsively and aggressively. And it isn’t someone who’s cold and calculating, like a psych…
This is an invaluable, one-of-a-kind reference. Unlike most other books on the subject, The Atlantis Encyclopedia offers fewer theories and more facts. Although it does not set out to prove the sunken capital actually existed, The Atlantis Encyclopedia musters so much evidence on its behalf, even skeptics may conclude that there must be at least something factual behind such an enduring, indeed…
Author McLynn explores the Promethean legend from his Corsican roots, through the chaotic years of the French Revolution and his extraordinary military triumphs, to the coronation in 1804, to his fatal decision in 1812 to add Russia to his seemingly endless conquests, and his ultimate defeat, imprisonment, and death in Saint Helena. McLynn aptly reveals the extent to which Napoleon was both exi…
This open access book provides a broad context for the understanding of current problems of science and of the different movements aiming to improve the societal impact of science and research. The author offers insights with regard to ideas, old and new, about science, and their historical origins in philosophy and sociology of science, which is of interest to a broad readership. The book show…
What is the ocean’s role in human and planetary history? How have writers, sailors, painters, scientists, historians, and philosophers from across time and space poetically envisioned the oceans and depicted human entanglements with the sea? In order to answer these questions, Søren Frank covers an impressive range of material in A Poetic History of the Oceans: Greek, Roman and Biblical text…
Copywriting is critical for success online in the current digital age. Design, content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking are all parts of a complete digital marketing plan, but copywriting is the glue that ties it all together. Copy gives your design meaning and lays the foundation for your content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking. Writing better copy enables you to convert more readers into…
Originally, one's own mind and nature are pure, and there is nothing to accept and nothing to refuse; there is neither existence nor non-existence; there is only clear understanding without attachment and with no dwelling. One who wants know the no-attachment, no-dwelling mind can fnd it through meditation, because it is only then that the mind does not think of right and wrong, of good and evi…
The patron saint of this story is St Francis of Assisi (1181–1226 ), because it all sort of started with a robbery and the first saintish thing he ever did was a robbery. He stole some cloth from his father and gave it to the poor. There is a patron saint of actual robbers – Dismas (1st century) – but I’m not an actual robber. I was only trying to be good. It was our first day at Great …
This book tracks the latest trends in the theory, research, and practice of entertainment-education, the field of communication that incorporates social change messaging into entertaining media. Sometimes called edutainment, social impact television, narrative persuasion, or cultural strategy, this approach to social and behavior change communication offers new opportunities including transmedi…
This open access book provides a broad context for the understanding of current problems of science and of the different movements aiming to improve the societal impact of science and research. The author offers insights with regard to ideas, old and new, about science, and their historical origins in philosophy and sociology of science, which is of interest to a broad readership. The book show…
Technology can be a powerful tool for transforming learning. It can help affirm and advance relationships between educators and students, reinvent our approaches to learning and collaboration, shrink long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and adapt learning experiences to meet the needs of all learners. Our schools, community colleges, adult learning centers and universities should be inc…
Coaching is mainly an art and, like the artist, the coach must have two attributes. The first is creative flair, that marriage of aptitude and passion which enables him to draw an athlete’s dream towards realisation. The athlete, moved to express himself within a social mosaic, chooses to do so in pursuit of competitive excellence in sport. The coach creates order and direction for that expre…
Science promised to society to contribute to the grand challenges of the United Nations, WHO, the EU agenda and national agendas for change and improvement of our life. It will be discussed how this social contract between science and society has developed since 1945. The first phase from 1945 till 1960 was characterized by autonomy, building on the successes of the natural …
The wind blew hard and joggled the water of the ocean, sending ripples across its surface. Then the wind pushed the edges of the ripples until they became waves, and shoved the waves around until they became billows. The billows rolled dreadfully high: higher even than the tops of houses. Some of them, indeed, rolled as high as the tops of tall trees, and seemed like mountains; and the gul…
The children who had learned to look for the books about Oz and who loved the stories about the gay and happy people inhabiting that favored country, were as sorry as their Historian that there would be no more books of Oz stories. They wrote many letters asking if the Historian did not know of some adventures to write about that had happened before the Land of Oz was shut out from all …
The shaggy man waited. He had an oat-straw in his mouth, which he chewed slowly as if it tasted good; but it didn't. There was an apple-tree beside the house, and some apples had fallen to the ground. The shaggy man thought they would taste better than the oat-straw, so he walked over to get some. A little black dog with bright brown eyes dashed out of the farm-house and ran madly toward t…
If you have a map of the Land of Oz handy, you will find that the great Nonestic Ocean washes the shores of the Kingdom of Rinkitink, between which and the Land of Oz lies a strip of the country of the Nome King and a Sandy Desert. The Kingdom of Rinkitink isn't very big and lies close to the ocean, all the houses and the King's palace being built near the shore. The people live much upo…