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Terraform Made Easy: Provisioning, Managing and Automating Cloud Infrastructure with Terraform on Google Cloud
by Ivy WangExplore the transformative benefits of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and understand why Terraform is the go-to tool for managing cloud infrastructure efficiently. This book is your ultimate guide to mastering Terraform on Google Cloud Platform, providing you with the tools and knowledge to automate and optimize your cloud infrastructure with confidence. You’ll start by reviewing the traditional approach to managing infrastructure, common challenges, and the benefits of adopting IaC and Terraform. You’ll then learn how to install Terraform on various operating systems and get familiar with its configuration language, basic commands, and syntax. The book then turns to provisioning infrastructures on GCP, managing secrets and enhancing security, and concludes with integrating collaboration and DevOps using Terraform. The power of cloud platforms is growing, providing numerous ways to manage infrastructures more efficiently. While the traditional approach to infrastructure management works well on a smaller scale, it becomes a challenge when dealing with complex or extensive projects. From installation and configuration to advanced provisioning and security practices, this book provides a clear, step-by-step approach to mastering Terraform. What You Will Learn Explore providers, variables, modules, state management, and dependencies. Master encryption methods and IAM policies. Secure remote state management to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance. Discover frameworks, tools, and best practices for testing IaC code. Automate provisioning with CI/CD pipelines. Provision a comprehensive suite of infrastructure resources on Google Cloud Platform. Who This Book Is For Cloud engineers and architects, admin engineers, and CTOs familiar with programming languages and basic IT applications.
Proceedings of International Conference on Intelligent Vision and Computing: Volume 1 (Proceedings in Adaptation, Learning and Optimization #20)
by Harish Sharma Mukesh Prasad Apu Kumar SahaThis book contains outstanding research papers as the proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Intelligent Vision and Computing (ICIVC 2023). ICIVC 2023 has been organized by National Institute of Technology Agartala, India under the technical sponsorship of the Soft Computing Research Society, India. It was held on November 25-26, 2023 at National Institute of Technology Agartala, India. The conference was conceived as a platform for disseminating and exchanging ideas, concepts, and results of the researchers from academia and industry to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of the advancements of intelligence in computational viewpoints. This book will help in strengthening congenial networking between academia and industry. The conference focused on collective intelligence, soft computing, optimization, cloud computing, machine learning, intelligent software, robotics, data science, data security, big data analytics, signal and natural language processing.
Capitalism's Safety Net: News Media and the Far Right
by Peter MilonasThe influence of news coverage on the rise of far-right ideologies is undeniable. To better understand the potential impact of the liberal media on the development of authoritarian, ultra-nationalist, xenophobic, racist, or reactionary views, it is essential to explore the connection between dominant ideology and the role of news organizations in society. Using my analytical framework, I demonstrate how the mass media leverages the “safety net” to bolster far-right candidates and parties and weaken radical left-wing political groups and social movements, particularly during capitalist crises. My project goes beyond scrutinizing commercial media and critically analyzes the capitalist mode of production.
Unternehmensgeschichte kommunizieren: Marken differenzieren – Identität stärken – Verantwortung zeigen – Erfolg messen (essentials)
by Felix Krebber Reimer StobbeDieses essential bietet komprimiertes Wissen, wie Unternehmensgeschichte in der Unternehmenskommunikation thematisiert werden kann. Ziel ist es, Unternehmen/Produkte am Markt zu differenzieren, Mitarbeitenden Identität zu stiften und der Öffentlichkeit Verantwortungsbewusstsein zu zeigen. Es wird veranschaulicht, wie Strategische Geschichtskommunikation auf Kommunikationsziele einzahlt, wie sich Themen zuschneiden, Kanäle auswählen und Wirkungen messen lassen. Ein Praxis-Case schildert, wie Geschichtskommunikation messbar zur Erreichung der Unternehmensziele beiträgt.
The Forgiving Kind
by Donna EverhartIn this masterful new novel, set in 1950s North Carolina, the acclaimed author of The Road to Bittersweet and The Education of Dixie Dupree brings to life an unforgettable young heroine and a moving story of family love tested to its limits. For twelve-year-old Martha “Sonny” Creech, there is no place more beautiful than her family’s cotton farm. She, her two brothers, and her parents work hard on their land—hoeing, planting, picking—but only Sonny loves the rich, dark earth the way her father does. When a tragic accident claims his life, her stricken family struggles to fend off ruin—until their rich, reclusive neighbor offers to help finance that year’s cotton crop. Sonny is dismayed when her mama accepts Frank Fowler’s offer; even more so when Sonny’s best friend, Daniel, points out that the man has ulterior motives. Sonny has a talent for divining water—an ability she shared with her father and earns her the hated nickname “water witch” in school. But uncanny as that skill may be, it won’t be enough to offset Mr. Fowler’s disturbing influence in her world. Even her bond with Daniel begins to collapse under the weight of Mr. Fowler’s bigoted taunts. Though she tries to bury her misgivings for the sake of her mama’s happiness, Sonny doesn’t need a willow branch to divine that a reckoning is coming, bringing with it heartache, violence—and perhaps, a fitting and surprising measure of justice.
The 30-Day Money Cleanse: Take control of your finances, manage your spending, and de-stress your money for good
by Ashley Feinstein GerstleyEliminate your money anxiety and create lasting happiness with your financial situation — not by creating a blistering budget but by living the life you love!Ashley Feinstein Gerstley was working in financial services when she came to the shocking realization that even she was stressed about her personal finances. Ashley quickly realized that her stress didn't only arise from a lack of knowledge but from the way that we as a society treat and talk (or rather don't talk) about money, so she created a system to turn the entire practice on its head! The 30-Day Money Cleanse, named an Amazon Best Book of 2019 So Far, is a groundbreaking money management book that will set you on the path to financial peace with interactive journaling prompts to hold you accountable and keep you on track.Through Ashley's system, in just 30 days you will create a healthier, happier relationship with your money by:Eliminating all money stressorsFinally knowing where your money is goingBreaking those panic-inducing bad money habitsLearning the basics of how and where to investMaking a plan that you can not only live with but enjoyWith its cheery and easy-to-follow guide, this is the perfect book on money management for young adults or those looking for an unintimidating guide to managing money. Readers who have tried the 30-Day Money Cleanse have, on average, saved over $950 through the course of the month! Are you ready for financial freedom?"[An] easy-to-follow guide to creating a healthy personal relationship with money."—Publishers Weekly
How to Be Remembered: A Novel
by Michael ThompsonYou'll be grinning through your tears as you read this "big-hearted" (The Guardian) and magical tale, perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Midnight Library.A man who can never be remembered.A journey he'll never forget. On an ordinary night in an ordinary year, Tommy Llewellyn's doting parents wake in a home without toys and diapers, without photos of their baby scattered about, and without any idea that the small child asleep in his crib is theirs.That's because Tommy is a boy destined to never be remembered.On the same day every year, everyone around him forgets he exists, and he grows up enduring his own universal Reset. That is until something extraordinary happens: Tommy Llewellyn falls in love.Determined to finally carve out a life for himself and land the girl of his dreams, Tommy sets out on a mission to finally trick the Reset and be remembered. But legacies aren't so easily won, and Tommy must figure out what's more important—the things we leave behind or the people we bring along with us.With the speculative edge of How to Stop Time, the unending charm of Maria Semple, and the heart of your favorite book club read, How to Be Remembered is a life-affirming novel about discovering how to leave your mark on the places and people you love most.
The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Novel
by Stuart Turton"A gripping tale that reads like a Sherlock Holmes novel set in a broken future...Turton is an exciting writer with a knack for strange tales that push the envelope, and this strange story of murder, survival, and the importance of memory might be his best work yet." —Gabino Iglesias for NPRFrom the bestselling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water comes an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, and an audacious solution.Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists.Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And then they learn that the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay. If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island—and everyone on it.But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer—and they don't even know it.And the clock is ticking.
Self-Care Activities for Women: 101 Practical Ways to Slow Down and Reconnect With Yourself
by Cicely Horsham-Brathwaite PhDA daily dose of self-care anytime you need itDoing small things to prioritize your own well-being is essential, especially for women, who are often the caretakers of everyone else in their lives. Self-Care Activities for Women encourages you to spend time on you, with a variety of simple ways you can relax, reset, and find a little joy.Take time for you— Learn 101 ways to practice self-care, from making a joy playlist to taking a mindful walk or cooking a healthy meal to share with friends.Self-care inside and out—Take care of yourself in every way, with specific chapters for emotional, mental, physical, social, and professional self-care.Short and simple activities—These exercises are easy to do and require minimal materials—so you can always find one to dive into, no matter where you are or how much time you have.Pick up this self-care book for women today and create a healthy habit of checking in with yourself!
Sustainable 3D Printing for Innovative Biopolymer Production and Applications
by Shashank Shekhar Bhasha Sharma Jude A. Okolie Balaram PaniThis book highlights 3D-printed biopolymers’ advancements and sustainability, exploring cutting-edge research and real-world applications. Biopolymers have garnered global interest due to environmental concerns and are widely utilized in applications such as biomedicine, food, textiles, and cosmetics. Techniques like 3D printing have been extensively studied to fabricate reliable and efficient products, particularly in tissue engineering. These techniques enable the production of materials with complex structures and diverse functional groups. The book provides a comprehensive account of contemporary advancements in 3D-printed biopolymers, emphasizing their role in promoting sustainability and supporting the circular economy. Featuring meticulously curated chapters by leading scientists, it integrates diverse disciplines, including green biopolymers, nanotechnology, functionalization techniques, and material synthesis, offering a holistic understanding of the field. Several chapters delve into 3D printing processing techniques and their applications in areas such as water purification, energy storage, and biomedical advancements. Additionally, the book addresses progress in biopolymer technology, exploring its challenges and future prospects. Audience This book is ideal for industrial manufacturers, environmental chemists, materials and biopolymer scientists, and researchers in industries such as biomedicine, food, textiles, packaging, and cosmetics.
Essential: How Distributed Teams, Generative AI, and Global Shifts Are Creating a New Human-Powered Leadership
by Christie Smith Kelly MonahanDiscover and embrace the future of human-powered leadership In an era where the foundational elements of business are being disrupted, Essential: How Distributed Teams, Generative AI, and Global Shifts are Creating a New Human-Powered Leadership emerges as a crucial guide for leaders navigating the profound changes reshaping industries and markets worldwide. This book, penned by a team of seasoned business and leadership strategists, offers a radical and necessary perspective on management transformation, emphasizing the importance of human-centered leadership in meeting the full potential of the technology age. The authors explain how to: Unlock radical management transformation, demonstrating how to lead with humanity at the forefront, addressing changing attitudes about labor, management, and organizational goals in a way that fosters growth and innovation Adapt to the new business landscape, leveraging insights about managing distributed teams and incorporating emerging technologies like generative AI without losing the essence of your organization's talent and skills Achieve immediate, impactful change with realistic strategies and actionable techniques backed by thousands of hours of original research and practical experience Improve the way we live by revolutionizing the way we work Essential is not just a book; it's a roadmap for 21st-century leaders facing existential challenges in a rapidly evolving global market. Perfect for managers, executives, directors, founders, entrepreneurs, and any business leader aiming to steer their organization towards success in a transformed landscape, this book provides the tools and insights needed to lead with conviction and humanity. Whether you're looking to redefine your leadership approach, adapt to the transformed market, or leave a lasting legacy, this book offers a compelling case for why now is the time for a leadership reinvention. Dive into this essential resource and begin your journey towards leading with greater impact and humanity in the business world of today and tomorrow.
Multimodal Data Fusion for Bioinformatics Artificial Intelligence
by Abhishek Kumar Vishal Dutt Narayan Vyas Umesh Kumar Lilhore Sarita SimaiyaMultimodal Data Fusion for Bioinformatics Artificial Intelligence is a must-have for anyone interested in the intersection of AI and bioinformatics, as it delves into innovative data fusion methods and their applications in ‘omics’ research while addressing the ethical implications and future developments shaping the field today. Multimodal Data Fusion for Bioinformatics Artificial Intelligence is an indispensable resource for those exploring how cutting-edge data fusion methods interact with the rapidly developing field of bioinformatics. Beginning with the basics of integrating different data types, this book delves into the use of AI for processing and understanding complex “omics” data, ranging from genomics to metabolomics. The revolutionary potential of AI techniques in bioinformatics is thoroughly explored, including the use of neural networks, graph-based algorithms, single-cell RNA sequencing, and other cutting-edge topics. The second half of the book focuses on the ethical and practical implications of using AI in bioinformatics. The tangible benefits of these technologies in healthcare and research are highlighted in chapters devoted to precision medicine, drug development, and biomedical literature. The book addresses a wide range of ethical concerns, from data privacy to model interpretability, providing readers with a well-rounded education on the subject. Finally, the book explores forward-looking developments such as quantum computing and augmented reality in bioinformatics AI. This comprehensive resource offers a bird’s-eye view of the intersection of AI, data fusion, and bioinformatics, catering to readers of all experience levels.
Physical Deposition Methods for Films and Coatings
by Lech PawlowskiComprehensive resource on the subject of deposition techniques for films and coatings and their characterization Physical Deposition Methods for Films and Coatings presents a pedagogical compilation of current knowledge of dry deposition. Written by a renowned and awarded academic with more than 40 years of experience in the field, Physical Deposition Methods for Films and Coatings covers topics including: The process of making a deposit that appears on the surface, growth of deposits, their post treatments, and characterization methodsDifferent physical and chemical deposition techniques including atomistic, chemical vapor, and various thermal spraying methodsProperties of deposits depending on the material and deposition techniqueSubstrate preparation, coating microstructure, and morphology and stability of thin filmsExamples of applications of thin films in optical devices, environmental applications, telecommunications devices, and energy storage devices Physical Deposition Methods for Films and Coatings is an essential reference on the subject for professionals and researchers in surface treatment and graduate students in related programs of study.
Embedded Cryptography 2 (ISTE Invoiced)
by Emmanuel Prouff Colin O'Flynn Guenael Renault Mattieu RivainEmbedded Cryptography provides a comprehensive exploration of cryptographic techniques tailored for embedded systems, addressing the growing importance of security in devices such as mobile systems and IoT. The books explore the evolution of embedded cryptography since its inception in the mid-90s and cover both theoretical and practical aspects, as well as discussing the implementation of cryptographic algorithms such as AES, RSA, ECC and post-quantum algorithms. The work is structured into three volumes, spanning forty chapters and nine parts, and is enriched with pedagogical materials and real-world case studies, designed for researchers, professionals, and students alike, offering insights into both foundational and advanced topics in the field. Embedded Cryptography 2 is dedicated to masking and cryptographic implementations, as well as hardware security.
Real-World Java: Helping You Navigate the Java Ecosystem (Tech Today)
by Jeanne Boyarsky Victor GraziA concise handbook for the most common tools used in modern Java development Good Java developers learn Java syntax, how to create loops and switches, and can work out a lambda filter stream. But great Java developers need to understand the vast ecosystem of tools and frameworks for collaboration, testing, building, and more. In Real-World Java®: Helping You Navigate the Java Ecosystem, a team of veteran Java developers delivers a concise and authoritative discussion of the most common frameworks, tools, and techniques used in enterprise Java development shops. The authors provide just enough background and examples to allow you to dive right into the expert guidance on annotations, logging frameworks, observability, performance tuning, testing tools, and collaboration, that real-life commercial Java development typically relies on. You’ll expand your Java development toolkit with frameworks and utilities like Spring, Git, Prometheus, and Project Lombok. You’ll also discover links to tested, downloadable code examples that demonstrate the skills discussed in the book. Real-World Java® is the perfect resource for everyone already somewhat comfortable with the language but who wants to familiarize themselves with the tools and frameworks used in contemporary Java software development.
Wastewater Reuse, Volume 1: Characteristics, Uses, Applications, Filtration and Disinfection of Water (ISTE Invoiced)
by Kader GaidWater issues are inextricably linked to sustainable development since water must meet the needs of present and future generations. The reuse of wastewater is a socioeconomic challenge for the development of drinking water and wastewater services. It has the following advantages: it increases usable water resources, preserves natural resources and alleviates water shortages caused by climate change. Wastewater Reuse 1 provides a comprehensive and educational overview of the many ways wastewater can be reused, the variety of treatments, their performance, their conditions of use and how to combine them to give wastewater a new lease on life. Droughts are already a concern in many parts of the world; however, we now have new technologies to rely on.
J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2025, Professional Edition (J.K. Lasser)
by J.K. Lasser InstituteThe leading desk reference for US personal income tax return preparation for professionals In J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2025, Professional Edition, a team of veteran tax preparers and educators delivers an intuitive and comprehensive roadmap to helping your clients prepare their 2024 US personal income tax returns. In the book, you'll learn how to maximize your clients’ deductions and credits, legally shelter their personal income, and minimize their tax bills. The authors have included sample 2024 tax forms, brand-new tax law authorities with citations, binding IRS rulings, filing pointers, and tax planning strategies you can implement immediately to better serve your clients. Fully updated to reflect the changes to the 2024 tax code, this book provides the step-by-step instructions, worksheets, and forms you need to prepare your clients’ taxes ethically and effectively. You’ll also find: Discussions of what it's like to practice before the Internal Revenue Service as an Enrolled Agent Strategies for identifying the best approach to tax planning based on your client's financial situation Checklists and sample forms to make preparing your next return simple and straightforward Perfect for practicing and training Certified Public Accountants and Enrolled Agents, J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2025 is the gold standard desk reference for tax preparers serving individuals in the United States.
The Performance Culture: Go Beyond Buzzwords to Lead Teams That Win
by Khalil Smith Chris WellerA powerful framework for going beyond the corporate buzzwords to generate real business results In The Performance Culture, leadership expert Khalil Smith and veteran storyteller Chris Weller deliver an authoritative and practical instruction manual for every leader who wants to create healthy, high-performing cultures. The authors explain how to get your employees aligned, engaged, and collaborating with each other using compelling stories and contemporary research. In the book, you'll learn to turn the temperature down on some of business' hottest conversations, focusing on what actually creates top-tier performance without ignoring the pressing issues that influence the realities of work. You'll also find: Strategies for maintaining a strong focus on business results with an increasingly vocal employee base demanding action on social and political issues The four key ingredients to creating high-performing teams: awareness, behaviors, community, and systems Practical advice for making the most of your existing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies A can't-miss guide for today's leaders, managers, directors, executives, founders, and anyone who wants to build more successful and durable teams, The Performance Culture is an effective and essential roadmap that transforms how diverse and inclusive workplaces succeed.
Federated Learning: Unlocking the Power of Collaborative Intelligence (Chapman & Hall/CRC Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Series)
by M. Irfan Uddin and Wali Khan MashwaniFederated Learning: Unlocking the Power of Collaborative Intelligence is a definitive guide to the transformative potential of federated learning. This book delves into federated learning principles, techniques, and applications, and offers practical insights and real-world case studies to showcase its capabilities and benefits.The book begins with a survey of the fundamentals of federated learning and its significance in the era of privacy concerns and data decentralization. Through clear explanations and illustrative examples, the book presents various federated learning frameworks, architectures, and communication protocols. Privacy-preserving mechanisms are also explored, such as differential privacy and secure aggregation, offering the practical knowledge needed to address privacy challenges in federated learning systems. This book concludes by highlighting the challenges and emerging trends in federated learning, emphasizing the importance of trust, fairness, and accountability, and provides insights into scalability and efficiency considerations.With detailed case studies and step-by-step implementation guides, this book shows how to build and deploy federated learning systems in real-world scenarios – such as in healthcare, finance, Internet of things (IoT), and edge computing. Whether you are a researcher, a data scientist, or a professional exploring the potential of federated learning, this book will empower you with the knowledge and practical tools needed to unlock the power of federated learning and harness the collaborative intelligence of distributed systems.Key Features: Provides a comprehensive guide on tools and techniques of federated learning Highlights many practical real-world examples Includes easy-to-understand explanations
The Thoughtful Teacher's Guide To Thinking Skills
by Gary A. WoditschFrom the vantage of new cognitive theory, this book manages to integrate the thinking skill mission across the full range of formal instruction, from K through graduate school. It explores and prioritizes thinking skill aims at each instructional level, and then details how classroom practice can adjust to achieve those aims.This guide leads to solid ground, perspective and technique for the individual teacher at any level who wants to enhance thinking skill development. It will prove indispensable to those planning curriculum with a thinking skill emphasis.
101 Things To Do With Rice (101 Things To Do With)
by Donna Kelly Stephanie AshcraftFrom the authors of 101 Things to Do With Cake Mix and 101 Things to Do With Canned Soup, 101 tasty yet simple ways to serve rice. Whether steamed, baked, fried or rolled, rice is the most widely consumed staple food worldwide with many varieties that vary by region. 101 Things To Do With Rice offers recipes using both long and short grain, wild, risotto, brown, Basmati and more. With so many different varieties and even more ways to serve it, you can enjoy rice for lunch, dinner and dessert. Be sure to try delicious dishes like New Orleans Jambalaya, Lemon Artichoke Rice Soup, Cowboy Rice, Dessert Sushi Rolls and many more!
Modern Knights Collection Books 1–3 (The Modern Knights Novels)
by Joshua BaderThe first 3 books in this &“extremely impressive&” urban fantasy series about a wizard-for-hire: &“a fantastical thrill ride [with] stunning plot twists&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Frostbite).FROSTBITE Harvard dropout Colin Fisher has a lot on his mind: a dying father, a dead car doubling as a home, and a mysteriously disappeared fiancée. But his luck seems ready to change when a billionaire CEO offers him a job as his personal wizard. It&’s a sweet gig with a major catch: Colin&’s boss is cursed. Now Colin is the only thing standing between a CEO and a cannibal ice demon.TWO WIZARD ROULETTE As personal wizard to a multinational CEO, Colin's been busy with assassins, amnesia potions, and career criminals—not to mention the fact that his favorite FBI contact looks exactly like his missing, presumed dead, fiancé. But he&’s about to get busier when a dangerous gambler with magical powers starts fleecing Vegas casinos for millions.FACELESS To finally find out what happened to his fiancée on the night he gained his magic, Colin Fisher takes on his riskiest adventure yet. In a self-induced coma, he&’s trying to peel back the layers of time and solve the enigma. Meanwhile, the two women who love him must work together to defeat an organization known as the Faceless and keep Colin safe while he&’s on his spirit journey.
Strip (Playaway Adult Fiction Ser.)
by Thomas Perry&“An amazingly entertaining crime novel&” from the New York Times bestselling author of the Butcher&’s Boy thrillers (Chicago Sun-Times, Favorite Books of the Year). One of Stephen King&’s &“Must-Reads for Summer&” (Entertainment Weekly)A New York Times Notable Crime Book An aging but formidable strip club owner, Claudiu &“Manco&” Kapak, has been robbed by a masked gunman as he placed his cash receipts in a bank&’s night-deposit box. Enraged, he sends his half-dozen security men out to find a suspect who is spending lots of cash and is new enough to Los Angeles not to know he was robbing a gangster. Their search leads them to Joe Carver, an innocent but hardly defenseless newcomer who evades capture and sets out to make Kapak wish he&’d chosen someone else. Meanwhile, the real culprit, Jefferson Davis Falkins, and his new girlfriend Carrie seem to believe they&’ve found a whole new profession: robbing Manco Kapak. Lieutenant Nick Slosser, the police detective in charge of the puzzling and increasingly violent case, has his own troubles, including worries about how he&’s going to afford to send the oldest child of each of his two bigamous marriages to college without making their mothers suspicious. As this odd series of difficulties explodes into a triple killing, Carver finds himself in the middle of a brewing gang war over Kapak&’s little empire, while Falkins and Carrie journey into territory more strange and violent than either had imagined. &“Perry is at his wicked best in Strip.&”—The New York Times &“[A] rambunctiously entertaining L.A. crime novel . . . escapist reading at its best.&”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Meditations of a Buddhist Skeptic: A Manifesto for the Mind Sciences and Contemplative Practice
by B. Alan WallaceA scholar of both spirituality and science proposes a radical approach to studying the mind with the goal of restoring human nature—and transcending it. Renowned Buddhist philosopher B. Alan Wallace reasserts the power of shamatha and vipashyana, traditional Buddhist meditations, to clarify the mind's role in the natural world. Raising profound questions about human nature, free will, and experience versus dogma, Wallace challenges the claim that consciousness is nothing more than an emergent property of the brain with little relation to universal events. Rather, he maintains that the observer is essential to measuring quantum systems and that mental phenomena (however conceived) influence brain function and behavior. Wallace embarks on a two-part mission: to restore human nature and to transcend it. He begins by explaining the value of skepticism in Buddhism and science and the difficulty of merging their experiential methods of inquiry. Yet Wallace also proves that Buddhist views on human nature and the possibility of free will liberate us from the metaphysical constraints of scientific materialism. He then explores the radical empiricism inspired by William James and applies it to Indian Buddhist philosophy's four schools and the Great Perfection school of Tibetan Buddhism. Since Buddhism begins with the assertion that ignorance lies at the root of all suffering and that the path to freedom is reached through knowledge, Buddhist practice can be viewed as a progression from agnosticism (not knowing) to gnosticism (knowing), acquired through the maintenance of exceptional mental health, mindfulness, and introspection. Wallace discusses these topics in detail, identifying similarities and differences between scientific and Buddhist understanding, and he concludes with an explanation of shamatha and vipashyana and their potential for realizing the full nature, origins, and potential of consciousness. &“His range and depth of knowledge is astounding, and his linking of this knowledge to the practices and views of science is unique.&” —Arthur Zajonc, author of Catching the Light
An Ethics for Today: Finding Common Ground Between Philosophy and Religion
by Richard RortyOne of the most widely discussed philosophers of the 21st century finds common ground between spiritual and secular ethics in this provocative book.As controversial and he was influential, Richard Rorty developed a brand of philosophical pragmatism that rejects all theories of truth. His groundbreaking work also dismisses modern epistemology and its preoccupation with knowledge and representation. Though he was a strict secularist, Rorty believed there could be no universally valid answers to moral questions. This led him to a surprisingly complex view of religion rarely expressed in his writings. In this posthumous publication, Rorty finds in the pragmatic thought of John Dewey, John Stuart Mill, William James, and George Santayana, among others, a political imagination shared by religious traditions. Rather than promote belief or nonbelief, Rorty seeks to locate patterns of similarity and difference so an ethics of decency and a politics of solidarity can rise. He particularly responds to Pope Benedict XVI and his campaign against the relativist vision. Whether holding theologians, metaphysicians, or political ideologues to account, Rorty remains steadfast in his opposition to absolute uniformity and its exploitation of political strength.