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Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy
by Craig Whitlock#1 New York Times bestselling author Craig Whitlock&’s masterful account of one of the biggest public corruption scandals in American history—exposing how a charismatic Malaysian defense contractor bribed scores of high-ranking military officers, defrauded the US Navy of tens of millions of dollars, and jeopardized our nation&’s security.All the admirals in the US Navy knew Leonard Glenn Francis—either personally or by his legendary reputation. He was the larger-than-life defense contractor who greeted them on the pier whenever they visited ports in Asia, ready to show them a good time after weeks at sea while his company resupplied their ships and submarines. He was famed throughout the fleet for the gluttonous parties he hosted for officers: $1,000-per-person dinners at Asia&’s swankiest restaurants, featuring unlimited Dom Pérignon, Cuban cigars, and sexy young women. On the surface, with his flawless American accent, he seemed like a true friend of the Navy. What the brass didn&’t realize, until far too late, was that Francis had seduced them by exploiting their entitlement and hubris. While he was bribing them with gifts, lavish meals, and booze-fueled orgies, he was making himself obscenely wealthy by bilking American taxpayers. Worse, he was stealing military secrets from under the admirals&’ noses and compromising national security. Based on reams of confidential documents—including the blackmail files that Francis kept on Navy officers—Fat Leonard is the full, unvarnished story of a world-class con man and a captivating testament to the corrosive influence of greed within the ranks of the American military.
Fat Time and Other Stories
by Jeffery Renard Allen* LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN FICTION *A ferocious, innovative story collection about Black lives in the past, present, and future“A potentially transformative exhibition of visionary storytelling.”—Kirkus Reviews, *Starred*In Fat Time and Other Stories, Jimi Hendrix, Francis Bacon, the boxer Jack Johnson, Miles Davis, and a space-age Muhammad Ali find themselves in the otherworldly hands of Jeffery Renard Allen, reimagined and transformed to bring us news of America in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Along with them are characters of Allen’s invention: two teenagers in an unnamed big city who stumble through a down-low relationship; an African preachervisits a Christian religious retreat to speak on the evils of fornication in an Italian villa importedto America by Abraham Lincoln; and an albino revolutionary who struggles with leading his people into conflict.The two strands in this brilliant story collection—speculative history and tender, painful depictions of Black life in urban America—are joined by African notions of circular time in which past, present, and future exist all at once. Here the natural and supernatural, the sacred and the profane, the real and fantastical, destruction and creation are held in delicate and tense balance. Allen’s work has been said to extend the tradition of Ralph Ellison, William Faulkner, Henry Roth, and Ishmael Reed, but he is blazing his own path through American literature. Fat Time and Other Stories brilliantly shows the range and depth of his imagination.
Fatal Alliance: Fatal Alliance (Star Wars: The Old Republic - Legends #3)
by Sean WilliamsLong-standing foes must put aside their ancient grudges and deep-seated distrust to uncover and defeat a threat to the galaxy before it can escape its isolation—forcing Sith and Jedi to raise their lightsabers together.&“When I look into you, I see no loyalty. . . . I sense only tangled allegiances. . . . Given a choice, I would never trust you.&” From across the galaxy they&’ve come: agents of both the Republic and the Sith Empire, an investigating Jedi Padawan, an ex-trooper drummed out of the Republic&’s elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian.An extraordinary auction has drawn them all together—in quest of a prize only one can claim. Each is prepared to do what he must to possess the treasure, whose value may be the wealth of a world itself. No one intends to leave empty-handed. All have secrets, desires, and schemes. And nothing could ever unite them as allies—except the truth about the deadly danger of the object they covet.But can Sith and Jedi, Republic and Empire—enemies for millennia—join as one against the certain doom of the galaxy?
A Fatal Groove: The Record Shop Mysteries (The Record Shop Mysteries #2)
by Olivia BlackeSecond in the Record Shop series by Olivia Blacke, A Fatal Groove is a mystery for the record . . . CATCHING A KILLER WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT."A winning combination."–New York Times Book ReviewIt’s springtime in Cedar River, Texas. The annual Bluebonnet Festival is brewing and the whole town is in harmony. Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie thought opening Sip & Spin Records was going to be their biggest hurdle, but the Frappuccino hits the fan when the mayor drops dead—poisoned by their delicious coffee.Since Tansy was the one to brew the coffee, and Juni was the unfortunate citizen who stumbled upon the mayor’s body, the sisters find themselves in hot water. Family is everything to the Jessups, so with Tansy under suspicion, the sisters spring into action.Between the town festivities, a good old-fashioned treasure hunt, and an accidental cow in the mix, Juni will have to pull out all the stops to find the mayor’s killer.
Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend
by Robert RoperRobert Roper's Fatal Mountaineer is a gripping look at Willi Unsoeld and the epic climbs that defined him--a classic narrative blending action with ethics, fame with tragedy, a man's ambition with a father's anguish.In 1963, Willi Unsoeld became an international hero for his conquest of the West Ridge of Everest. A charismatic professor of philosophy, Unsoeld was one of the greatest climbers of the twentieth century, a man whose raw physical power and casual fearlessness inspired a generation of adventurers. In 1976, during an expedition to Nanda Devi, the tallest peak in India, Unsoeld's philosophy of spiritual growth through mortal risk was tragically tested. The outcome of that expedition continues to fuel one of the most fascinating debates in mountaineering history.
A Fatal Vineyard Season: Martha's Vineyard Mystery #10 (Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries #10)
by Philip R. CraigMartha’s Vineyard is home to ex-Boston cop J.W. Jackson, his adored wife Zee, their toddler Joshua, and newborn daughter Diana. For others, the picturesque vacation spot is a relaxing escape. But there is no escape for Julia Crandel and Ivy Holiday, two Hollywood actresses staying in the Vineyard town of Oak Bluffs. Their arrival has incurred the wrath of a pair of local gangsters, and a deadly stalker from out of the young ladies’ past has found out where they are hiding. Twin hurricanes are about to slam the idyllic island—one a natural climatic disaster, the other an all-too-human catastrophe—and it looks as if J.W. is going to get caught in the middle.
Fate and Life: Who’s Really in Charge?
by Michael Allen FoxSome believe that fate rules our lives, while others dismiss the idea outright. Fate remains central to many cultural outlooks, and in our age of conflict, climate change, and pandemic, it features conspicuously in debates about the future. A careful examination of this important idea – its background, many meanings, and significance for everyday life – is not only informative and intriguing but also timely.In Fate and Life Michael Fox confronts the idea of fate head on and demonstrates that how we interpret and apply this concept can make it work for rather than against us. Many discussions characterize fate negatively or as part of the occult, representing it as a supernatural force that stifles our freedom. Fateful ideas have also helped rationalize and promote the persecution of certain groups. But viewed more positively, fate can be understood as the given conditions of existence and the imponderable way certain unanticipated events momentously alter the path we follow over time. Thinking about fate teaches us about who we are, how we see the world, and our evaluation of the possibilities of life.Fate and Life provides a multicultural and global account of how we talk about the idea of fate, how we use and misuse it, and how it contrasts with notions like destiny and karma. Fox’s original perspective – a breakthrough in philosophy and the history of ideas – shows that fate is supported by experience; it is compatible with our sense of agency and purpose; and it helps us make sense of our lives.
Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies
by Sarah Blaffer HrdyA sweeping account of male nurturing, explaining how and why men are biologically transformed when they care for babies It has long seemed self-evident that women care for babies and men do other things. Hasn&’t it always been so? When evolutionary science came along, it rubber-stamped this venerable division of labor: mammalian males evolved to compete for status and mates, while females were purpose-built to gestate, suckle, and otherwise nurture the victors&’ offspring. But come the twenty-first century, increasing numbers of men are tending babies, sometimes right from birth. How can this be happening? Puzzled and dazzled by the tender expertise of new fathers around the world—several in her own family—celebrated evolutionary anthropologist and primatologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy set out to trace the deep history of male nurturing and explain a surprising departure from everything she had assumed to be &“normal.&”In Father Time, Hrdy draws on a wealth of research to argue that this ongoing transformation in men is not only cultural, but profoundly biological. Men in prolonged intimate contact with babies exhibit responses nearly identical to those in the bodies and brains of mothers. They develop caring potential few realized men possessed. In her quest to explain how men came to nurture babies, Hrdy travels back through millions of years of human, primate, and mammalian evolution, then back further still to the earliest vertebrates—all while taking into account recent economic and social trends and technological innovations and incorporating new findings from neuroscience, genetics, endocrinology, and more. The result is a masterful synthesis of evolutionary and historical perspectives that expands our understanding of what it means to be a man—and what the implications might be for society and our species.
Fatherhood Scenarios: Development, Culture, Psychopathology, and Treatment
by Rama Rao Gogineni April E. Fallon Andres J. Pumariega Salman AkhtarFatherhood Scenarios offers a wide range of perspectives, including different cultural and ethnic perspectives and chapters considering the role of the father throughout the lifespan, including experiences of gay fathers, adoptive fathers, and disabled fathers.With contributors from around the world representing diverse mental health disciplines, these chapters constitute a harmonious gestalt of knowledge, information, theory, and socio-clinical dimensions pertaining to fatherhood. The emphasis of all these sections is nonetheless the psychosocial tasks of fatherhood as it undergoes subtle and gradual transformation with the offspring’s growth through childhood and adolescence to full adulthood, including becoming a parent themselves. The book also traces the portrayal of fatherhood in popular media including television and movies keeping in mind their evolution and transformation over the past many decades.Spanning a vast terrain of psychosocial concern, Fatherhood Scenarios will be of great appeal to mental health professionals, psychotherapists, child psychiatrists, and family welfare workers in practice and in training.
Father's Day: The gripping new revenge thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author
by Richard Madeley&‘A dark, twisty and frightening tale of revenge – gripping&’ Shari Lapena'Impossible to put down' Laura Dave'A real page-turner' Radio TimesHOW FAR WOULD A FATHER GO TO DEFEND HIS FAMILY? When Nick Wychwood loses his wife Elise in a shocking accident, he is left to bring up their daughter Lucy on his own. Moving house gives them the fresh start that they need, where they can put tragedy behind them and forge new friendships. But Lucy, is fragile, vulnerable, easily led. When someone offers her their shoulder, their warmth and understanding, even love, she accepts, unquestioningly. But this &‘someone&’ is an online monster; dangerous, deceptive, manipulative – and patiently laying a deadly trap. As he uncovers the hideous truth of what happened to his beloved daughter, Nick vows to track down the person behind the screen. And when he succeeds, a devastating reckoning awaits… Set in the picturesque Cotswolds, Father&’s Day explores the power of paternal love, the evil of online trolling, and the morality of extrajudicial punishment. Father&’s Day; a day of vengeance. 'A real tour de force of crime fiction' Susan Lewis'Twisty, tense and thought-provoking' JP Delaney'Will have you racing through the pages with a knot in your stomach' Ellery Lloyd 'Devastating' That's Life!'A powerful read' Bella
Fault Tolerant Control of Large Civil Aircraft
by Xingjian Wang Yuwei Zhang Shaoping WangThis book provides a comprehensive analysis of fault tolerant control (FTC) for more-electric civil aircraft. FTC is a crucial approach to enhance the reliability and safety of aircraft in the event of actuator, sensor, or structural failures. Engineers and scientists from diverse disciplines, including aeronautics, electrical, mechanical, and control engineering, have been drawn to research on FTC. This book analyzes the impact of faults on performance degradation in dissimilar redundant actuation systems of civil aircraft and presents the FTC methods to ensure reliable actuation and efficient control. Additionally, this book addresses surface damage issues, such as the loss of elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and rudder, by providing representative FTC methods. The book’s major highlight is its comprehensive and systematic approach to FTC design, making it an ideal resource for readers interested in learning about FTC design for civil aircraft. The book benefits researchers, engineers, and graduate students in the fields of FTC, adaptive control, flight control, etc.
Fauna
by Alissa YorkScotiabank Giller Prize-nominated author Alissa York creates a contemporary human fable that taps into the great tenderness and drama at the heart of the animal world.The wide ravine that bisects the city is home to countless species of urban wildlife, including human waifs and strays. When Edal Jones can't cope with the casual cruelty she encounters in her job as a federal wildlife officer, she finds herself drawn to a beacon of solace nestled in the valley under the unlikely banner of an auto-wrecker's yard. Guy Howell, the handsome proprietor, offers sanctuary to animals and people alike: a half-starved hawk and a brood of orphaned raccoon kits, a young soldier whose spirit failed him during his first tour of duty, a teenage runaway and her massive black dog. Guy is well versed in the delicate workings of damaged beings, and he might just stand a chance at mending Edal's heart.But before love can bloom, the little community must come to terms with a different breed of lost soul—a young man whose brutal backwoods childhood is catching up with him, causing him to persecute the creatures that call the valley home.
The Favor: A Novel
by Adele GriffinFrom National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin, an insightful and warmhearted story of two very different women who make an unexpected connection when one decides to carry a baby for the other.At I'll Have Seconds, a high-end fairytale vintage dress shop in Manhattan, Nora Hammond loves nothing better than pairing a rare find with the perfect client.At home, Nora grapples with the bleaker reality of enormous debt, a tiny apartment, and ever-dwindling hope that she and her husband Jacob will have a family of their own.When socialite Evelyn Elliot charges into Nora's life, the women spark an immediate connection, and Nora is jettisoned into the heady whirl of New York's moneyed elite. As Evelyn's stylist and confidante, Nora needs to learn all new rules of engagement for the uber-wealthy. But it isn't until Evelyn decides her next cause is to carry a baby for Nora, that these rules— and this unlikely friendship—are tested.A contemporary story that celebrates alternative routes to family, The Favor is an incisive examination of what it means to long for a child and what relationships cost us—and what they're worth.
The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau's Code of Excellence
by Frank FigliuzziNATIONAL BESTSELLERThe FBI’s former head of counterintelligence reveals the seven secrets of building and maintaining organizational excellence"A must read for serious leaders at every level." —General Barry R. McCaffrey (Ret.)Frank Figliuzzi was the "Keeper of the Code," appointed the FBI’s Chief Inspector by then-Director Robert Mueller. Charged with overseeing sensitive internal inquiries and performance audits, he ensured each employee met the Bureau's exacting standards. Now, drawing on his distinguished career, Figliuzzi reveals how the Bureau achieves its extraordinary track record of excellence—from the training of new recruits in "The FBI Way" to the Bureau's rigorous maintenance of its standards up and down the organization. All good codes of conduct have one common trait: they reflect the core values of an organization. Individuals, companies, schools, teams, or any group seeking to codify their rules to live by must first establish core values. Figliuzzi has condensed the Bureau’s process of preserving and protecting its values into what he calls “The Seven C’s”. If you can adapt the concepts of Code, Conservancy, Clarity, Consequences, Compassion, Credibility, and Consistency, you can instill and preserve your values against all threats, internal and external. This is how the FBI does it.Figliuzzi’s role in the FBI gave him a unique opportunity to study patterns of conduct among high-achieving, ethical individuals and draw conclusions about why, when and how good people sometimes do bad things. Unafraid to identify FBI execs who erred, he cites them as the exceptions that prove the rule. Part pulse-pounding memoir, part practical playbook for excellence, The FBI Way shows readers how to apply the lessons he’s learned to their own lives: in business, management, and personal development.
Fear According to Savage Chickens (Udig Ser.)
by Doug SavageIt&’s not paranoia if they&’re really out to get you—or is that just something they put out there to make you feel better? Irrationality, meet the imagination. People are afraid of the strangest things, and chickens aren&’t any better off. Join Doug Savage and the cast of the Savage Chickens comics as they admit, combat, and hide from their deepest, darkest, and most absurd phobias in this e-book original collection.
Fear and Loathing in America: The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist
by Hunter S. ThompsonFrom the king of “Gonzo” journalism and bestselling author who brought you Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas comes another astonishing volume of letters by Hunter S. Thompson.Brazen, incisive, and outrageous as ever, this second volume of Thompson&’s private correspondence is the highly anticipated follow-up to The Proud Highway. When that first book of letters appeared in 1997, Time pronounced it "deliriously entertaining"; Rolling Stone called it "brilliant beyond description"; and The New York Times celebrated its "wicked humor and bracing political conviction." Spanning the years between 1968 and 1976, these never-before-published letters show Thompson building his legend: running for sheriff in Aspen, Colorado; creating the seminal road book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; twisting political reporting to new heights for Rolling Stone; and making sense of it all in the landmark Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. To read Thompson's dispatches from these years—addressed to the author's friends, enemies, editors, and creditors, and such notables as Jimmy Carter, Tom Wolfe, and Kurt Vonnegut—is to read a raw, revolutionary eyewitness account of one of the most exciting and pivotal eras in American history.
Fearless: Harriet Quimby A Life without Limit
by Don DahlerIn the spirit of the bestseller Fly Girls comes the definitive and compelling true story of Harriet Quimby, the first American woman to receive a pilot's license.In the early twentieth century, headlines declared that "the era of women has dawned." Against this changing historical backdrop, Harriet Quimby's extraordinary life stands out as the embodiment of this tumultuous, exciting era—when flight was measured in minutes, not miles.This untold piece of feminist history unveils Quimby's incredible story: rising from humble beginnings as a dirt-poor farm girl to become a globe-trotting journalist, history-making aviator, and international celebrity. With her tragic death in 1912 at the age of thirty-seven, her story faded, with her many accomplishments—the first woman to fly solo over the English Channel among them—overshadowed by major events, including the sinking of the Titanic.With black and white illustrations throughout, Fearless is the definitive biography of the first licensed female American pilot: one of the most inspiring hidden figures of history.
Fearsome Fauna: A Field Guide to the Creatures That Live in You
by Roger M. KnutsonHypochondriacs beware-- would you believe the nastiest creatures in the known universe live inside our bodies? Not content to just find a home and produce offspring in our internal space, parasites will drink our blood, eat our cells, and infest our muscles. There is very little that can be said in their favor, with perhaps one exception-- they are truly fascinating!Fearsome Fauna is a wickedly amusing and startlingly informative look into the secret world of these fascinating creatures. Perhaps the greatest biological success story of all time (there are more kinds of parasites than insects), parasites have found homes in the vast majority of people on earth and have learned to live in their environment without destroying it (usually). For readers who would like to meet these hardworking beasts-- or learn how to avoid them-- Fearsome Fauna tells you everything you always wanted to know about parasites but were too disgusted or terrified to ask.
The Feast Makers (The Scapegracers #3)
by H. A. ClarkeThe Craft for Gen Z: The Feast Makers, indie bestselling author H. A. Clarke crafts an action-packed conclusion to the Scapegracers trilogy, as our beloved teen coven tackle college acceptances, queer romance, and a witch trial to remember for the ages. After restoring their powers, Sideways just wants to get on with senior year. But the covens have convened for the trial of Madeline Kline. When this stubborn, independent witch begs the Scapegracers to save her from a cruel and unusual punishment, Sideways knows they have to get involved. It&’s the right thing to do, even if Madeline did steal their soul and wear it for a time. Right? Making an example out of Madeline seems, strangely, just as important to the most powerful covens as divvying up the Scapegracers amongst themselves. Sideways, Jing, Daisy, and Yates are reluctant to abandon what they&’ve built together, but as the college acceptances (and rejections) roll in, the offer of a magical family beyond Sycamore Gorge becomes increasingly tempting. Unfortunately, choosing a new coven will have to wait: witchfinders are gathering in town, and some of these visitors make the Chantrys seem tame in comparison. Every witch—Scapegracer or not—is about to be in grave danger. And on top of all that, Sideways thinks they just might be in love. In H. A. Clarke&’s signature raw and explosive style, The Feast Makers brings the indie-bestselling Scapegracers trilogy to a dynamic end as Sideways, Jing, Daisy, Yates, and Shiloh tackle college acceptances, queer romance, and the meaning of justice in an ever-challenging world.
Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds
by Sophie A. OsbornThe story of one woman’s remarkable work with a trio of charismatic, endangered bird species—and her discoveries about the devastating threats that imperil them. In Feather Trails, wildlife biologist and birder Sophie A. H. Osborn reveals how the harmful environmental choices we’ve made—including pesticide use, the introduction of invasive species, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction—have decimated Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors. In the Rocky Mountains, the cloud forests of Hawai’i, and the Grand Canyon, Sophie and her colleagues work day-to-day to try to reintroduce these birds to the wild, even when it seems that the odds are steeply stacked against their survival. With humor and suspense, Feather Trails introduces us to the fascinating behaviors and unique personalities of Sophie’s avian charges and shows that what endangers them ultimately threatens all life on our planet. More than a deeply researched environmental investigation, Feather Trails is also a personal journey and human story, in which Sophie overcomes her own obstacles—among them heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes, and chauvinism. Ultimately, Feather Trails is an inspiring, poignant narrative about endangered birds and how our choices can help to ensure a future not only for the rarest species, but for us too. "An intimate look at the wonder and effort needed for working with endangered species in the wild. [Osborn's] matter-of-fact writing style and wry humor make the reader part of the action."—Booklist (starred review)
Feathered & Fabulous: Wit And Wisdom From Glamorous Birds
by Alison ThrockmortonThis laugh-out-loud funny book features our fancy feathered friends living the life of the rich and famous.These fabulous birds have had enough and are ready to start living life—not just the way they want, but the way they deserve! Featuring various birds in their own Real Housewives scenarios, Feathered & Fabulous is the perfect blend of snark, sass, and medication.Adelaide is going to buy that exquisite fur coat, Faye is going to drop that idiot husband of hers, and Patrice is going to show off those legs because she's not afraid to flaunt it. Stunning, funny, and sarcastic, Feathered & Fabulous is sure to make everyone laugh.• UNIQUE, GLITZY, AND FUN: Just like your favorite Real Housewives or the beloved Kris Jenner, this book is unapologetic and fabulous. With sassy humor and a flashy cover, these birds are fresh, fashionable, and ready to tell the world.• HILARIOUS SHARE AND GIFT-BUY: Feathered & Fabulous is a perfect housewarming present, gag gift, stocking stuffer, or present for yourself, your martini-loving gal pal, your reality television buddies, or even the divorcee in your life.• BIRD HUMOR ON TREND: The internet is seeing an influx of bird humor—The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America has sold over 50,000 copies! People who love birds and people who love to hate birds will love Feathered & Fabulous.
Feature Extraction in Medical Image Retrieval: A New Design of Wavelet Filter Banks
by Aswini Kumar Samantaray Amol D. RahulkarMedical imaging is fundamental to modern healthcare, and its widespread use has resulted in creation of image databases. These repositories contain images from a diverse range of modalities, multidimensional as well as co-aligned multimodality images. These image collections offer opportunity for evidence-based diagnosis, teaching, and research. Advances in medical image analysis over last two decades shows there are now many algorithms and ideas available that allow to address medical image analysis tasks in commercial solutions with sufficient performance in terms of accuracy, reliability and speed. Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is an image search technique that complements the conventional text-based retrieval of images by using visual features, such as color, texture, and shape, as search criteria. This book emphasizes the design of wavelet filter-banks as efficient and effective feature descriptors for medical image retrieval.Firstly, a generalized novel design of a family of multiplier-free orthogonal wavelet filter-banks is presented. In this, the dyadic filter coefficients are obtained based on double-shifting orthogonality property with allowable deviation from original filter coefficients. Next, a low complex symmetric Daub-4 orthogonal wavelet filter-bank is presented. This is achieved by slightly altering the perfect reconstruction condition to make designed filter-bank symmetric and to obtain dyadic filter coefficients. In third contribution, the first dyadic Gabor wavelet filter-bank is presented based on slight alteration in orientation parameter without disturbing remaining Gabor wavelet parameters. In addition, a novel feature descriptor based on the design of adaptive Gabor wavelet filter-bank is presented. The use of Maximum likelihood estimation is suggested to measure the similarity between the feature vectors of heterogeneous medical images. The performance of the suggested methods is evaluated on three different publicly available databases namely NEMA, OASIS and EXACT09. The performance in terms of average retrieval precision, average retrieval recall and computational time are compared with well-known existing methods.
A February Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella)
by Betsy St. AmantA year&’s worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.Allie left the love of her life at the altar—to save him from a lifetime of heartbreak. When a Valentine&’s Day wedding brings them back together, she struggles against her family&’s destructive history. Can Allie ever realize that a marriage is so much more than a wedding dress?History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day—in the same dress passed down for generations and worn by all the women in her family—women with a long history of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus but fears she&’s destined to repeat her family&’s mistakes. She can&’t bear to hurt Marcus worse.Marcus Hall never stopped loving Allie and can only think of one reason she left him at the altar—him. When the two are thrown together for his sister&’s Valentine&’s Day wedding, he discovers the truth and realizes their story might be far from over. Can Allie shuck expectation and discover who she is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she ever walks down the aisle, what dress will she wear?&“I was delighted to hear that some of my own favorite authors would be writing the stories for the Year of Weddings collection, and when I saw the gorgeous book covers, I knew the series would be a huge hit! There's just something so hopeful and heartwarming about a wedding, and I'm thrilled to have A January Wedding be a part of this fun project!&” —Deborah Raney, author of A January Bride
Feck Perfuction: Dangerous Ideas on the Business of Life
by James Victore"James Victore is a dangerous man. His ideas on optimizing your creativity, doing wow work and building a life that inspires will devastate your limits. And show you how to win. Read this book fast." —Robin Sharma, #1 bestselling author of The Monk Who Sold His FerrariBegin before you're ready.Renowned designer and professional hell-raiser James Victore wants to drag you off your couch and throw you headfirst into a life of bold creativity. He'll guide you through all the twists, trials, and triumphs of starting your creative career, from finding your voice to picking the right moment to start a project (hint: It's now).Bring your biggest, craziest, most revolutionary ideas, and he will give you the kick in the pants you need to make them real. No matter what industry or medium you work in, this book will help you live, work, and create freely and fearlessly.Here are some dangerous ideas:• The things that made you weird as a kid make you great today.• Work is serious play.• Your ego can't dance.• The struggle is everything.• Freedom is something you take.• There ain't no rules.Take a risk. Try them out. Live dangerously.More praise for Feck Perfuction:"In James Victore's new book, he unequivocally proves why he is the master he is. In every chapter, he challenges and inspires the reader to reach for more, to try harder and to create our best selves. It is a magnificent and momentous experience. (All true)."—Debbie Millman, Host Design Matters"James Victore got famous creating tough posters that shook me to the core. He now does the same using the written word. To you."—Stefan Sagmeister, designer
The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook: 125 Recipes Enhanced with Mediterranean Flavors
by Yumna Jawad125 simple, healthy recipes that are all about marrying the Middle East to the Midwest and finding joy in the process—from the creator of the popular Feel Good Foodie blog &“Yumna&’s recipes are made with feel-good ingredients and with fewer than ten ingredients, plus her book is packed with practical advice in the kitchen.&”—Gina Homolka, New York Times bestselling author of The Skinnytaste CookbookDuring her childhood in Lebanese communities in Sierra Leone and Michigan, Yumna Jawad grew up eating home-cooked meals and learned time-saving shortcuts from her mother to prepare traditional, Middle Eastern recipes. As an adult, she started her blog Feel Good Foodie to make healthy cooking easy and helped fuel the &“Baked Feta Pasta&” trend that took over the internet. Now, in her first cookbook, she shares many more unfussy, healthy meals that are enhanced by Middle Eastern flavors. These recipes will teach you exactly what her mom taught her: how to build savvy kitchen know-how that gives you the confidence to cook consistently for yourself and others. Be inspired by White Zucchini Pizza with Garlicky Labneh, Tomato Rice Pilaf, Harissa-Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Seven Spice Roast Chicken & Pomegranate Potatoes, Tahini-Glazed Cauliflower, perfect Crispy Falafel, Three-Ingredient Mango Sorbet, Zaatar Manakeesh, and Olive Oil Cake, which you can enjoy alongside bright green Mint-Basil Lemonade or a homemade Rose Latte. Jawad loves simple ingredients, fresh flavors, and finding the balance between tradition and a little innovation. But, more than anything, she loves food that makes you exclaim this phrase after one bite: &“So good!&”