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The Quiet Coup: Neoliberalism and the Looting of America
by Mehrsa Baradaran“[A]ccessible and intellectually rich . . . Essential reading to understand the economic state of the nation.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred) The celebrated legal scholar and author of The Color of Money reveals how neoliberals rigged American law, creating widespread distrust, inequality, and injustice. With the nation lurching from one crisis to the next, many Americans believe that something fundamental has gone wrong. Why aren’t college graduates able to achieve financial security? Why is government completely inept in the face of natural disasters? And why do pundits tell us that the economy is strong even though the majority of Americans can barely make ends meet? In The Quiet Coup, Mehrsa Baradaran, one of our leading public intellectuals, argues that the system is in fact rigged toward the powerful, though it wasn’t the work of evil puppet masters behind the curtain. Rather, the rigging was carried out by hundreds of (mostly) law-abiding lawyers, judges, regulators, policy makers, and lobbyists. Adherents of a market-centered doctrine called neoliberalism, these individuals, over the course of decades, worked to transform the nation—and succeeded. They did so by changing the law in unseen ways. Tracing this largely unknown history from the late 1960s to the present, Baradaran demonstrates that far from yielding fewer laws and regulations, neoliberalism has in fact always meant more—and more complex—laws. Those laws have uniformly benefited the wealthy. From the work of a young Alan Greenspan in creating "Black Capitalism," to Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell’s efforts to unshackle big money donors, to the establishment of the "Law and Economics" approach to legal interpretation—in which judges render opinions based on the principles of right-wing economics—Baradaran narrates the key moments in the slow-moving coup that was, and is, neoliberalism. Shifting our focus away from presidents and national policy, she tells the story of how this nation’s?laws?came to favor the few against the many, threatening the integrity of the market and the state. Some have claimed that the neoliberal era is behind us. Baradaran shows that such thinking is misguided. Neoliberalism is a failed economic idea—it doesn’t, in fact, create more wealth or more freedom. But it has been successful nevertheless, by seizing the courts and enabling our age of crypto fraud, financial instability, and accelerating inequality. An original account of the forces that have brought us to this dangerous moment in American history, The Quiet Coup reshapes our understanding of the recent past and lights a path toward a better future.
Quilting Through Life: Patterns and Prose for Every Stage of Life (Spiral Bound to Lay Flat)
by Jenny DoanStep-by-step quilting instructions and personal stories to inspire both seasoned pros and new quilters alike.America's quilter, Jenny Doan, has always believed that quilts are more than fabric and stitches. They become keepers of memories, milestones, and stories; creating profound connections across generations.By alternating personal stories with detailed step-by-step guidance on how you can make quilts for all of life's milestones—from new births, to marriages, to loss and grief—Jenny comes alongside you to share the joy and transformative power of quilting in her passionate and innovative way.With beautiful, full-color images and easy-to-follow diagrams to help you with your own projects, Quilting Through Life is a creative and authentic guidebook to the art of quilting. It's an art designed to be shared with family and friends, crafted from the scraps of memories, laughter, and tears. It's an art that allows us to express how we feel, create something beautiful, and extend the warmth in our hearts to wrap around those we love.From choosing your fabrics and selecting a pattern to creating mitered corners, Quilting Through Life will walk you through how to stitch a legacy of love for every stage of life.
Quinine's Remains: Empire's Medicine and the Life Thereafter
by Townsend MiddletonA free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. What happens after colonial industries have run their course—after the factory closes and the fields go fallow? Set in the cinchona plantations of India’s Darjeeling Hills, Quinine’s Remains chronicles the history and aftermaths of quinine. Harvested from cinchona bark, quinine was malaria’s only remedy until the twentieth-century advent of synthetic drugs, and it was vital to the British Empire. Today, the cinchona plantations—and the roughly fifty thousand people who call them home—remain. Their futures, however, are unclear. The Indian government has threatened to privatize or shut down this seemingly obsolete and crumbling industry, but the plantation community, led by strident trade unions, has successfully resisted. Overgrown cinchona fields and shuttered quinine factories may appear the stuff of postcolonial and postindustrial ruination, but quinine’s remains are not dead. Rather, they have become the site of urgent efforts to redefine land and life for the twenty-first century. Quinine's Remains offers a vivid historical and ethnographic portrait of what it means to forge life after empire.
Quit Ultra-processed Food in 4 Weeks: Simple recipes & meal plans to eat fresh for life
by Angela DowdenBreak free from ultra-processed foods with this practical guide Have you ever wondered why you can't stop reaching for chocolates, ice cream, fizzy drinks, and snacks? All of these familiar suspects are ultra-processed foods: they're filled with additives and preservatives to keep you coming back for more. So how do you avoid ultra-processed foods when they're everywhere around you? This book will help you through every step of the way: you'll learn to check food label checklists and stock up your cupboard with healthy foods. With over 100 recipes for every meal, plus four weekly meal plans and shopping lists, you can easily eat unprocessed food on the go.CONTENTS INCLUDE:BreakfastsMaple-glazed granola with fruit; Wholemeal cheese & bacon muffins; Moroccan-inspired baked eggsLunchesButter bean, tomato & feta salad; Vietnamese-style noodle salad; Roasted chickpeas with spinachDinnersChargrilled halloumi with olives; Frying pan macaroni cheese; Mediterranean roast lambDessertsHoney ricotta fritters with pistachios; Blackberry & apple crumbles; Chocolate puddle puddingBakingPeach & brown sugar muffins; Mixed-seed soda bread; Chocolate flapjacksSnacks & DrinksPopcorn with chilli oil; Fresh lemonade; Orange & passionfruit sparkler
Quit Ultra-processed Food in 4 Weeks: Simple recipes & meal plans to eat fresh for life
by Angela DowdenBreak free from ultra-processed foods with this practical guide Have you ever wondered why you can't stop reaching for chocolates, ice cream, fizzy drinks, and snacks? All of these familiar suspects are ultra-processed foods: they're filled with additives and preservatives to keep you coming back for more. So how do you avoid ultra-processed foods when they're everywhere around you? This book will help you through every step of the way: you'll learn to check food label checklists and stock up your cupboard with healthy foods. With over 100 recipes for every meal, plus four weekly meal plans and shopping lists, you can easily eat unprocessed food on the go.CONTENTS INCLUDE:BreakfastsMaple-glazed granola with fruit; Wholemeal cheese & bacon muffins; Moroccan-inspired baked eggsLunchesButter bean, tomato & feta salad; Vietnamese-style noodle salad; Roasted chickpeas with spinachDinnersChargrilled halloumi with olives; Frying pan macaroni cheese; Mediterranean roast lambDessertsHoney ricotta fritters with pistachios; Blackberry & apple crumbles; Chocolate puddle puddingBakingPeach & brown sugar muffins; Mixed-seed soda bread; Chocolate flapjacksSnacks & DrinksPopcorn with chilli oil; Fresh lemonade; Orange & passionfruit sparkler
The Quizmaster: From Life on the Streets to a Global Quizzing Sensation
by Jay Flynn** Available to pre-order now **THE HEART-WARMING, REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE QUIZMASTER JAY FLYNN, WHOSE VIRTUAL PUB QUIZ BECAME AN ONLINE SENSATION DURING COVID.Jay Flynn was down on his luck when the Covid pandemic struck. He had just lost the tenancy of the pub he ran in Lancashire - and with it the loyal community of locals who loved his quirky weekly quiz.As the world closed down, he sensed the quiz could now be a lifeline both for him and the locals - so he sent them invites to an online version. But he had forgotten to mark the event 'private', and on the night, a disbelieving Jay played quizmaster to half a million teams, from Kenya to Canada, New Zealand to the Ukraine. This was to be the start of a global online quiz sensation, earning more than £1 million for charity and Jay an MBE, as well as his own slot on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.It was all the more incredible because, as a lost and troubled young man, Jay had spent two years homeless, sleeping on a bench on the Embankment in London, almost taking his own life. Rescued by a homeless charity, he'd learnt how a simple community can save lives. It proved a priceless lesson.Now, in his inspiring memoir, Jay shows how, sometimes, you can find the answers you're seeking in the most unexpected places.
The Quizmaster: From Life on the Streets to a Global Quizzing Sensation
by Jay Flynn** Available to pre-order now **THE HEART-WARMING, REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE QUIZMASTER JAY FLYNN, WHOSE VIRTUAL PUB QUIZ BECAME AN ONLINE SENSATION DURING COVID.Jay Flynn was down on his luck when the Covid pandemic struck. He had just lost the tenancy of the pub he ran in Lancashire - and with it the loyal community of locals who loved his quirky weekly quiz.As the world closed down, he sensed the quiz could now be a lifeline both for him and the locals - so he sent them invites to an online version. But he had forgotten to mark the event 'private', and on the night, a disbelieving Jay played quizmaster to half a million teams, from Kenya to Canada, New Zealand to the Ukraine. This was to be the start of a global online quiz sensation, earning more than £1 million for charity and Jay an MBE, as well as his own slot on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.It was all the more incredible because, as a lost and troubled young man, Jay had spent two years homeless, sleeping on a bench on the Embankment in London, almost taking his own life. Rescued by a homeless charity, he'd learnt how a simple community can save lives. It proved a priceless lesson.Now, in his inspiring memoir, Jay shows how, sometimes, you can find the answers you're seeking in the most unexpected places.
The Quizmaster: From Life on the Streets to a Global Quizzing Sensation
by Jay Flynn** Available to pre-order now **THE HEART-WARMING, REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE QUIZMASTER JAY FLYNN, WHOSE VIRTUAL PUB QUIZ BECAME AN ONLINE SENSATION DURING COVID.Jay Flynn was down on his luck when the Covid pandemic struck. He had just lost the tenancy of the pub he ran in Lancashire - and with it the loyal community of locals who loved his quirky weekly quiz.As the world closed down, he sensed the quiz could now be a lifeline both for him and the locals - so he sent them invites to an online version. But he had forgotten to mark the event 'private', and on the night, a disbelieving Jay played quizmaster to half a million teams, from Kenya to Canada, New Zealand to the Ukraine. This was to be the start of a global online quiz sensation, earning more than £1 million for charity and Jay an MBE, as well as his own slot on Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.It was all the more incredible because, as a lost and troubled young man, Jay had spent two years homeless, sleeping on a bench on the Embankment in London, almost taking his own life. Rescued by a homeless charity, he'd learnt how a simple community can save lives. It proved a priceless lesson.Now, in his inspiring memoir, Jay shows how, sometimes, you can find the answers you're seeking in the most unexpected places.
The Quizzer’s Guide to the Cosmos: 500 Questions About the Universe (with Answers) (Springer Praxis Books)
by Stephen WebbHave you ever gazed up at the night sky and wondered how many stars you can see? Whether the universe is infinite? Or, more prosaically, what the chances are of you being hit by a rock from space? The Quizzer’s Guide to the Cosmos is here to satisfy your curiosity by offering an overview of the history of astronomy, from the earliest beginnings through to the most recent discoveries. This isn’t a typical astronomy book, however — it’s packed with a 500-question multiple-choice quiz that not only makes the book more interactive but also helps you retain information and lets you test your knowledge of some of the most captivating concepts in science. The book will appeal to astronomy buffs and to general quiz afficianados alike. Digital questions and answers also via app: Download the Springer Nature Flashcards app free of charge and test your knowledge.
Quotas: The “Jewish Question” and Higher Education in Central Europe, 1880-1945
by Michael L. Miller and Judith SzaporIn 1920, the Hungarian parliament introduced a Jewish quota for university admissions, making Hungary the first country in Europe to pass antisemitic legislation following World War I. Quotas explores the ideologies and practices of quota regimes and the ways quotas have been justified, implemented, challenged, and remembered from the late nineteenth century until the middle of the twentieth century. In particular, the volume focuses on Central and Eastern Europe, with chapters covering the origins of quotas, the moral, legal, and political arguments developed by their supporters and opponents, and the social and personal impact of these attempts to limit access to higher education.
Race, Culture and the Video Game Industry: A Vicious Circuit
by Sam SrauyA detailed and much needed examination of how systemic racism in the US shaped the culture, market logic, and production practices of video game developers from the 1970s until the 2010s. Offering historical analysis of the video game industries (console, PC, and indie) from a critical, political economic lens, this book specifically examines the history of how such practices created, enabled, and maintained racism through the imagined ‘gamer.’ The book explores how the cultural and economic landscape of the United States developed from the 1970s through the 2000s and explains how racist attitudes are reflected and maintained in the practices of video games production. These practices constitute a 'Vicious Circuit' that normalizes racism and the centrality of an imagined gamer identity. It also explores how the industry, from indie game developers to larger profit-driven companies, responded to changing attitudes in the 2010s, where racism and lack of diversity in games was frequently being noted. The book concludes by offering potential solutions to combat this ‘Vicious Circuit’.A vital contribution to the study of video games that will be welcomed by students and scholars in the fields of media studies, cultural studies, game studies, critical race studies, and beyond.
Race to Kindness
by Orion JeanCome join our great race where kindness begins,Where everyone&’s welcome and everyone wins!This inspiring picture book, written by TIME 2021 Kid of the Year Orion Jean, invites readers to join in the kindness movement, because when we dream big and work together, we can change the world.From giving meaningful compliments to sharing your snack to donating used clothes, there are so many ways to be kind that it can be tough to know where to start! Luckily, author and fellow kid Orion Jean has some simple steps we can all take to make the world a better place.Race to Kindness shows children ages 4-8:Many different ways to show kindnessHow much fun taking action can beThat even small acts of kindness can have a big impactYou&’re never too young to make a differenceOrion&’s journey from getting involved with his local community to having a nation-wide impact, giving readers a real-life role model? With rhyming, lyrical text, Race to Kindness is the perfect read-aloud book for:Parents and grandparentsTeachers and educatorsLibrarians and book eventsNonprofits and charities Orion has donated over half a million books to date, but he knows firsthand that even the smallest kind gesture can have a big impact. Solace up your sneakers and join the race to kindness!
Racial Justice and the Limits of Law
by Bharat MalkaniRacial justice is never far from the headlines. The Windrush Scandal, the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston and racism within the police have all recently captured the public’s attention and generated legal action. But, although the ideals of the legal system such as fairness and equality, seem allied to the struggle for racial justice, all too often campaigners have been let down by the system. This book examines law’s troubled relationship with racial justice. It explains that law’s historical role in creating and perpetuating racial injustices continues to stifle its ability to advance the cause of racial justice today. Both a lawyer’s guide to anti-racism and an anti-racist’s guide to legal action, it unites these perspectives to help both groups understand how to use the law to tackle racial injustices.
Radical Brown: Keeping the Promise to America's Children (Race and Education)
by Margaret Beale Spencer Nancy E. DowdA rallying cry for equitable education informed by a revolutionary re-reading of Brown v. Board of Education, on the 70th anniversary of the ruling
Radikale Werte: Die Interessen der Menschen und ihre gesellschaftlich-politische Durchsetzung
by Max HallerEin berühmter, immer wieder zitierter Satz von Max lautet: „Interessen (materielle und ideelle), nicht: Ideen, beherrschen unmittelbar das Handeln der Menschen. Aber: die ‚Weltbilder‘, welche durch ‚Ideen‘ geschaffen wurden, haben sehr oft als Weichensteller die Bahnen bestimmt, in denen die Dynamik der Interessen das Handeln fortbewegte.“ Die neuere Soziologie ist diesem Grundsatz allerdings nicht gerecht geworden. Werte und ihre Wirkung werden entweder als gegeben vorausgesetzt (so bei Talcott Parsons) oder überhaupt als irrelevant betrachtet (so in der Rational Choice- und Systemtheorie). Die umfangreiche, empirische Werteforschung hat vielfältige Ergebnisse erbracht, blieb jedoch weitgehend ohne theoretisches Fundament, sodass ihre Befunde vielfach anfechtbar sind. Weber selbst gab im Hinblick auf die Frage nach der Relevanz der Werte nur unbefriedigende Antworten: Die Entscheidung für bestimmte Werte sei eine rein individuelle Angelegenheit und zwischen den verschiedenenWerten gebe es einen unversöhnlichen Kampf. Im vorliegenden Buch wird diese Problematik erstmals in der deutschen Soziologie umfassend untersucht und es wird dafür (u.a. im Anschluss an Autoren wie Immanuel Kant, George H. Mead und Raymond Boudon), eine neue, konstruktive und erklärungsstarke Lösung gefunden. Unter Zuhilfenahme von Überlegungen aus Philosophie, Sozialtheorie und empirischer Sozialforschung sowie unter Einbeziehung historischer Kämpfe zur Anerkennung und Durchsetzung der Werte kann man feststellen, dass es gesellschaftliche Grundwerte gibt, dass deren Anzahl klar bestimmbar ist und dass zwischen ihnen keineswegs Konflikt, sondern Komplementarität besteht. Mit diesen Thesen und Befunden kann dieses Buch als neues soziologisches Standardwerk angesehen werden. Es hat auch für Vertreter vieler anderer geistes- und sozialwissenschaftlicher Disziplinen grundlegende Bedeutung.
Rags and Shadow to the Rescue
by A. M. HoustonRags is a young Bedlington Terrier who loves exploring nature and going on fun adventures. In this tale, you can join Rags and his wise, elder dog friend Shadow on a big adventure in the Bluebell Woods. As Rags goes for his daily walk, he discovers the wonders of the woods - spotting wildlife like a hawk and deer, as well as helping a gentleman in need. Rags must pay close attention to his guardian’s commands and stick close on his leash, just as children should hold a parent’s hand. Through vivid illustrations and charming storytelling, Rags models good behaviour for young readers. The book encourages appreciation of nature, rain, or shine. You never know what surprises might be in store when you go exploring! With helpful life lessons about safety, listening skills and the magic of the outdoors, this is a delightful tale for parents and children to treasure. Happy walking from Rags and his guardian!
Rain Breaks No Bones: A Novel
by Barbara J. TaylorSet in 1955, this final installment in Taylor's best-selling Scranton Trilogy explores a family's legacy of loss and a sometimes mystical vision of a better tomorrow EVERYBODY HAS SECRETS. EVEN THE DEAD. Fifty-year-old Violet has had a good life. The love of an honest man. The joys of motherhood. Yet, even in 1955, her heart still aches over the death of her sister more than four decades earlier. Lately, Violet can't help thinking about the little girl, picturing her in the moments before the accident, wearing that pleated white dress and a hair bow to match. Maybe if her big sister were here now, she could tell Violet what to do about the secret she's been keeping from her daughter Daisy. Daisy has a secret of her own. When she first moved back home to Scranton, she wasn't ready to give up her dreams of performing in Atlantic City. Then she met Johnny, a man who needs music as much as she does. Her first real chance at love. If only they can find the courage to buck small-town thinking when it comes to interracial dating. Small-town thinking. Zethray had seen her fair share of it. That's why she advertised a room to rent in The Negro Motorist Green Book. Give folks a safe place to stay away from home. That's how Johnny ended up at her door. Now he's sweet on some young woman. Not that he told Zethray, but she knows. The dead like to talk, and she listens. If only her mother would tell the secret behind her shocking death. Instead, she stands silent, while that little girl with the bow in her hair runs wild. Rain Breaks No Bones is the final novel in Barbara J. Taylor's Scranton Trilogy, starting with Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, followed by All Waiting Is Long. Though the novels are connected, they each stand alone.
Rainbow Island - Baby Turtles Everywhere
by Alison RowellRyan and Lilly, inseparable twins, call the picturesque Rainbow Island their home. Nestled within the heart of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s coast, this vital Lighthouse Island teems with life and wonder. The siblings witness the awe-inspiring moment of a mother turtle nesting her eggs. And when the time comes, they find themselves on a mission to save the tiniest and most vulnerable hatchlings.
The Raised Bed Book: Get the Most from Your Raised Bed, Every Step of the Way
by DKWhether you want to garden at a more accessible height, improve soil fertility, nurture plants with needs, or simply enjoy a closer sensory experience, growing in raised beds will help you reach new heights in the garden.Raised beds are possible in any-size garden, even on balconies, but it needs expert advice to create the optimum growing conditions, achieve the most practical use of space tailored to your individual needs, and ensure longevity of the raised bed structure. Featuring clear diagrams, inspired planting plans, and step-by-step photography of beds built from scratch, this book will be the ultimate guide on your raised bed journey.In addition, 10 international gardeners, all sharing a love of raised beds, will explain their "take" and provide planting designs that will open your eyes to the variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and planting displays that are possible with a raised bed. From placing and designing, choosing materials, and growing media, to ongoing maintenance and how best to care for your plants, The Raised Bed Book is the final word on growing above ground.
Raman Spectroscopy: Advances and Applications (Springer Series in Optical Sciences #248)
by Dheeraj Kumar Singh Ashish Kumar Mishra Arnulf MaternyThis book highlights recent advances of spectroscopic techniques based on Raman scattering. Different applications are introduced that serve as examples for the versatile use of Raman techniques. Raman spectroscopy is a marker free technique, which is capable of yielding detailed information about molecular systems in a non-destructive way. This makes it a valuable tool for, e.g., material science or medical research. The access to vibrational energy and dynamics yields fundamental insights into static and dynamical structural properties of molecules being influenced by and influencing their material science or medical research environment. The better understanding of the basic building blocks of materials helps to improve the functionality in various applications. Raman spectroscopy has become a truly interdisciplinary research tool, and the ongoing development of techniques makes it attractive for growing variety of scientific and industrial applications, which will be demonstrated in the book. While the “classical” linear spontaneous Raman spectroscopy is restricted in its applicability due to low signal intensities or the excitation of strong fluorescence background, new techniques have helped to overcome such problems. Examples, presented in the book, are surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and various associated techniques are used to drastically increase signal intensity, confocal, and tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) allowing for high and even sub-diffraction limited spatial resolutions, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) avoiding fluorescence background and allowing for time-resolved observations of vibrational dynamics, or hyper- and resonance Raman scattering influencing the scattering based on electronic resonances, etc.
The Rancher Hits the Road (Dawson Family Ranch #14)
by Melissa SenateNothing like a little road trip with a jilted bride. Ranch foreman Shane Dawson certainly hadn&’t expected he&’d be escorting the bride away from her wedding, but Ashley McCray was determined to track down her good-for-nothing runaway groom. Since widower Shane&’s twin daughters were scheduled to visit family anyway, Shane offered Ashley a ride to seek her revenge. All he asked was that Ashley help turn his tomboy twins into temporary angels who could change the minds of his late wife&’s parents about seeking custody. Seven hours on the road should have been enjoyable and uneventful. Except this romance-weary couple had more in common than they&’d ever imagined… From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.Dawson Family Ranch Book 1: For the Twins' SakeBook 2: Wyoming Special DeliveryBook 3: A Family for a WeekBook 4: The Long-Awaited Christmas WishBook 5: Wyoming CinderellaBook 6: Wyoming MatchmakerBook 7: His Baby No Matter WhatBook 8: Heir to the RanchBook 9: Santa's Twin SurpriseBook 10: The Cowboy's Mistaken IdentityBook 11: Seven Birthday WishesBook 12: Snowbound with a BabyBook 13: Triplets Under the TreeBook 14: The Rancher Hits the Road
The Rancher's Reunion: A Clean and Uplifting Romance (Bachelor Cowboys #7)
by Lisa ChildsIf she confesses her secret, will he stay…Or run for good? Veterinarian Cash Cassidy and single mom Becca Calder have been each other&’s best friend through everything, including raising her young daughter, Hope. But Becca has been keeping a secret from Cash. Now he&’s insisting on truth from everyone in his life, and Becca knows she'll have to confess. Can Cash move past his old wounds and see that the loving family he desires has been there all along?New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa ChildsFrom Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.Bachelor CowboysBook 1: A Rancher's PromiseBook 2: The Cowboy's Unlikely MatchBook 3: The Bronc Rider's Twin SurpriseBook 4: The Cowboy's Ranch RescueBook 5: The Firefighter's Family SecretBook 6: The Doc's Instant FamilyBook 7: The Rancher's Reunion
The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World around Us
by Prof. Mark Robert RankUpending notions of predictability and rugged individualism to reveal how truly random the world is. It’s comforting to think that we can be successful because we work hard, climb ladders, and get what we deserve, but each of us has been profoundly touched by randomness. Chance is shown to play a crucial role in shaping outcomes across history, throughout the natural world, and in our everyday lives. In The Random Factor, Mark Robert Rank draws from a wealth of evidence, including interviews and research, to explain how luck and chance play out and reveals how we can use these lessons to guide our personal lives and public policies. The Random Factor traverses luck from macro to micro, from events like the Cuban Missile Crisis to our personal encounters and relationships. From his perspective as a scholar of poverty, Rank also delves into the class and race dynamics of chance, emphasizing the stark disparities it brings to light. This transformative book prompts a new understanding of the twists and turns in our daily lives and encourages readers to fully appreciate the surprising world of randomness in which we live.
Rank 2 Amalgams and Fusion Systems (Lecture Notes in Mathematics #2343)
by Martin van BeekThis monograph provides a comprehensive treatment of the classification of small fusion systems, that is, fusion systems with few essential subgroups. It demonstrates a broad range of techniques from local group theory and fusion systems, several of which can be applied in more general settings. Addressing research problems that have not been treated in the past, it is the first text to explicitly use the amalgam method in this context. Fusion systems offer an enticing way to unify various p-local methods employed in group theory, representation theory and homotopy theory; but as abstract constructions they are still somewhat mysterious. This book paves the way to a broad and systematic study of these categories by applying the amalgam method, thus modernizing a methodology widely used to understand the local structure of finite groups. With this comes an introduction to several vital techniques in local group theory, a generous survey of the structure and modular representation theory of some important families of finite groups, and a demonstration of the value of combinatorial methods in finite group theory and fusion systems. Primarily aimed at researchers active in fusion systems and group amalgams, the book will also be of interest to anyone working with finite groups and their modular representations, group actions on trees, or classifying spaces. The inclusion of preliminary chapters outlining the theoretical prerequisites make it ideal for a short lecture course or as a reading group text for early career researchers and graduate students.
Rare Genetic Disorders: Advancements in Diagnosis and Treatment
by Muhammad Umair Misbahuddin Rafeeq Qamre AlamThis book introduces different Rare Genetic Disorders (RGDs), and challenges in their diagnosis. The chapters of the book discuss the emerging research and clinical approaches for the diagnosis of rare genetic disorders. It further reviews the future of genetic therapies for the treatment of rare genetic diseases and examine the recent advancements in the field of genetic testing for the diagnosis of these diseases. The book also covers the role of variants in the genome (genetic modifiers) that alleviate (suppress) or exacerbate (enhance) the severity of the disease, resulting in the variability of phenotypic outcomes. Further, the book examines different animal models for critical understanding of disease mechanisms, and the opportunity to evaluate the effect of therapeutic compounds in pre-clinical studies. The subsequent chapters present the state-of-the-art drug discovery strategies and biological approaches for the treatment of rare genetic disorders. Towards the end, the book reviews the current challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of the patients of rare genetic disorders and future opportunities. This book is useful for clinical geneticists, molecular and biochemical geneticists, researchers working in gene therapy and genome editing.