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Of Matters Great and Small
by Isaac AsimovMy beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter had not been at college long when word reached her that a certain young man W.15 dying to meet her, presumably, she was given to understand, to feast his eyes on her beauty. After some ladylike show of reluctance, Robyn agreed to allow the meeting. In came the young man, eyes wide. "Tell me," he said, choking a bit, "are you really the daughter of Isaac Asimov?" Now, if I had started this essay with: "The two chief methods by which a radioactive nucleus can break down involve, one..." would you have plunged in quite as rapidly as you would with a beginning like: "My beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter "? Tell the truth...
Trust Us, We're Experts
by Sheldon Rampton John StauberFearless investigative journalists Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber ( Toxic Sludge Is Good for You! and Mad Cow U.S.A.) are back with a gripping expos of the public relations industry and the scientists who back their business-funded, anti-consumer-safety agendas. There are two kinds of "experts" in question--the PR spin doctors behind the scenes and the "independent" experts paraded before the public, scientists who have been hand-selected, cultivated, and paid handsomely to promote the views of corporations involved in controversial actions. Lively writing on controversial topics such as dioxin, bovine growth hormone, and genetically modified food makes this a real page-turner, shocking in its portrayal of the real and potential dangers in each of these technological innovations and of the "media pseudo-environment" created to obfuscate the risks. By financing and publicizing views that support the goals of corporate sponsors, PR campaigns have, over the course of the century, managed to suppress the dangers of lead poisoning for decades, silence the scientist who discovered that rats fed on genetically modified corn had significant organ abnormalities, squelch television and newspaper stories about the risks of bovine growth hormone, and place enough confusion and doubt in the public's mind about global warming to suppress any mobilization for action. Rampton and Stauber introduce the movers and shakers of the PR industry, from the "risk communicators" (whose job is to downplay all risks) and "outrage managers" (with their four strategies--deflect, defer, dismiss, or defeat) to those who specialize in "public policy intelligence" (spying on opponents). Evidently, these elaborate PR campaigns are created for our own good. According to public relations philosophers, the public reacts emotionally to topics related to health and safety and is incapable of holding rational discourse. Needless to say, Rampton and Stauber find these views rather antidemocratic and intend to pull back the curtain to reveal the real wizard in Oz. This is one wake-up call that's hard to resist.
Black Holes and Warped Spacetime
by William J. KaufmanYOU ARE NEARING A BLACK HOLE. — What was once a massive star, perhaps millions of times bigger than our own sun, has collapsed into oblivion...and is now a hole in the universe. As you fall at almost the speed of light toward the edge, time begins to slow down and soon will cease to exist. The hands on your clock will stop, and so will your heartbeat. Finally, with no possibility of ever turning back, you will disappear from this universe. Astrophysicist William J. Kaufman takes you across our turbulent cosmos to observe the most awesome phenomena ever predicted by modern science. The wonders you will discover--explained in terms you will understand--surpass even the wildest imaginings of science fiction.
Economy Of Machinery And Manufacture #2
by Charles Babbage"...it was my intention to have delivered the present work in the form of a course of lectures at Cambridge; an intention which I was subsequently induced to alter. The substance of a considerable portion of it has, however, appeared among the preliminary chapters of the mechanical part of the Encyclopedia Metropolitana."
Forbidden Research
by Howard Simonmedical thriller in which animal rights activist-terrorists will stop at nothing to put an end to animal-based scientific research
Worms Eat My Garbage
by Mary AppelhofThis book is a guide to vermicomposting, the process of using worms and associated organisms to break down organic waste into material containing nutrients for plant growth. Essentially, the author explains how your food waste can be recycled into nutrients for your garden and house plants with the help of some little worms. The author outlines how to build and maintain a worm bin, and gives plenty of purchasing options for those who feel overwhelmed at the idea of building their own bin. Chapters include information on the benefits of having a worm bin, how to set one up, what to put in the bin, troubleshooting techniques, scientific names for worms and what to do with the final product. A glossary, bibliography and index are included.
Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women
by Anne Moir David JesselThis book explains differences between the brains of men and women.
Breaking the Ring
by John BarronThe bizarre case of the espionage operation of the John Walker family and the U.S. government's hunt for the spy and his accomplices.
The Descent of Woman: The Classic Study of Evolution
by Elaine MorganEvolutionary anthropology from a feminist perspective.