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Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life
by Jessica Nutik ZitterAn ICU and Palliative Care specialist featured in the Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary Extremis offers a framework for a better way to exit life that will change our medical culture at the deepest levelIn medical school, no one teaches you how to let a patient die. Jessica Zitter became a doctor because she wanted to be a hero. She elected to specialize in critical care—to become an ICU physician—and imagined herself swooping in to rescue patients from the brink of death. But then during her first code she found herself cracking the ribs of a patient so old and frail it was unimaginable he would ever come back to life. She began to question her choice. Extreme Measures charts Zitter’s journey from wanting to be one kind of hero to becoming another—a doctor who prioritizes the patient’s values and preferences in an environment where the default choice is the extreme use of technology. In our current medical culture, the old and the ill are put on what she terms the End-of-Life Conveyor belt. They are intubated, catheterized, and even shelved away in care facilities to suffer their final days alone, confused, and often in pain. In her work Zitter has learned what patients fear more than death itself: the prospect of dying badly. She builds bridges between patients and caregivers, formulates plans to allay patients’ pain and anxiety, and enlists the support of loved ones so that life can end well, even beautifully. Filled with rich patient stories that make a compelling medical narrative, Extreme Measures enlarges the national conversation as it thoughtfully and compassionately examines an experience that defines being human.
Extreme Trust: Honesty as a Competitive Advantage
by Don Peppers Martha RogersHow companies can stay competitive in a world of total transparency. With their first book, 1993's The One-to-One Future, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers introduced the idea of managing interactive customer relationships, long before the Web and social networking made it standard business practice. With Extreme Trust, they look to the future once again, predicting that rising levels of transparency will require companies to protect the interests of their customers and employees proactively, even when it sometimes costs money in the short term. The importance of this "trustability" will transform every industry. Retail banks won't be able to rely as much on overdraft charges. Consumers will expect retailers to remind them when they have unused balances on gift cards. Credit card companies will coach customers to avoid excessive borrowing. Cell phone providers will help customers find appropriate calling plans for their usage patterns. Success won't come from top-down rules and processes, but from bottom-up solutions on the part of employees and customers themselves. And the most successful businesses will earn and keep the extreme trust of everyone they interact with
Extremism: A Philosophical Analysis
by Quassim CassamExtremism is one of the most charged and controversial issues of the twenty-first century. Despite myriad programs of deradicalization and prevention around the world, it remains an intractable and poorly understood problem. Yet it is also sometimes regarded as a positive force – according to Martin Luther King Jr., 'the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be'. In this much-needed and lucid book, Quassim Cassam identifies three types of extremism – ideological; methods; and psychological extremism – and discusses the following fundamental topics and issues: What is extremism? What are the methods adopted by extremists? Is there an extremist ‘mindset’ and if so, what is it? What role do ideas of purity, victimhood and humiliation play in understanding extremism? How does extremism differ from fanaticism and fundamentalism? How does one become an extremist and how should we understand deradicalization? Throughout the book, Quassim Cassam uses many compelling examples, ranging from the Khmer Rouge, the IRA, Al-Qaeda and Timothy McVeigh to Philip Roth’s novel American Pastoral and counter-extremism programmes, including the UK’s Prevent strategy. Clear-headed and engaging, Extremism: A Philosophical Analysis is essential reading for anyone interested in this important topic, not only in Philosophy but related disciplines such as Politics and International Relations, Conflict and Terrorism Studies, Law, Education and Religion. It will also be of great interest to policy-makers and those engaged in understanding extremism at any level.
Extremist Propaganda in Social Media: A Threat to Homeland Security
by Michael ErbschloeExtremist Propaganda in Social Media: A Threat to Homeland Security presents both an analysis of the impact of propaganda in social media and the rise of extremism in mass society from technological and social perspectives. The book identifies the current phenomenon, what shall be dubbed for purposes of this book "Blisstopian Societies"—characterized in the abiding "ignorance is bliss" principle—whereby a population is complacent and has unquestioning acceptance of a social doctrine without challenge and introspection. In these subcultures, the malleable population self-select social media content, "news," and propaganda delivery mechanisms. By doing so, they expose themselves only to content that motivates, reinforces, and contributes to their isolation, alienation, and self-regulation of the social groups and individuals. In doing this, objective news is dismissed, fake—or news otherwise intended to misinform—reinforces their stereotyped beliefs about society and the world around them. This phenomenon is, unfortunately, not "fake news," but a real threat to which counterterror, intelligence, Homeland Security, law enforcement, the military, and global organizations must be hyper-vigilant of, now and into the foreseeable future. Chapters cite numerous examples from the 2016 political election, the Russia investigation into the Trump Campaign, ISIS, domestic US terrorists, among many other examples of extremist and radicalizing rhetoric. The book illustrates throughout that this contrived and manufactured bliss has fueled the rise and perpetuation of hate crimes, radicalism, and violence in such groups as ISIS, Boko Haram, Neo-Nazis, white separatists, and white supremacists in the United States—in addition to perpetuating ethnic cleansing actions around the world. This dynamic has led to increased political polarization in the United States and abroad, while furthering an unwillingness and inability to both compromise or see others’ perspectives—further fomenting insular populations increasing willing to harm others and do violence. Extremist Propaganda in Social Media relates current Blisstopian practices to real-world hate speech and violence, connecting how such information is consumed by groups and translated into violent action. The book is an invaluable resources for those professionals that require an awareness of social media radicalization including: social media strategists, law enforcement, Homeland Security professionals, military planners and operatives—anyone tasked with countering combat such violent factions and fringes in conflict situations.
Exuberant Skepticism
by Paul KurtzFor more than three decades, philosopher Paul Kurtz has been a strong advocate of skepticism, not only as a philosophical position, but also as a fulfilling way of life. Contrary to the view that skepticism is merely a negative, nay saying, or debunking stance toward commonly held beliefs, skepticism as defined by Kurtz emerges reborn as "skeptical inquiry"--a decidedly positive philosophy ready and able to change the world. In this definitive collection, editor John R. Shook has gathered together seventeen of Paul Kurtz's most penetrating and insightful writings. Altogether these essays build an affirmative case for what can be known based on sound common sense, reason, and scientific method. And as each essay cogently and convincingly explains, so much can be known, from the natural world around us to the moral responsibilities among us. The work is organized in four topical sections. In the first, "Reasons to Be Skeptical," Kurtz presents compelling reasons why the methods of inquiry used by the sciences deserve respect. In short, science provides reliable knowledge, without which humanity would never have emerged from the age of myth and widespread ignorance. In the second section, "Skepticism and the Non-Natural," Kurtz shows how skeptical inquiry can be fruitfully used to critique both paranormal claims and religious worldviews. He also investigates whether science and religion can be compatible. In the third section, "Skepticism in the Human World," he considers how skeptical inquiry can be applied to politics, ethics, and pursuit of the good life. Realizing the essential connections between scientific knowledge, technological power, and social progress, Kurtz has understood, as few philosophers ever have, how the methods of intelligence can be applied to all areas of human endeavor. The book concludes with Kurtz's authoritative reflections on the skeptical movement that he founded and has led. As he explains, the forces of blind faith and stubborn unreason still fight for control of the mind, so the skeptic can never rest. If there is a brighter future for humanity, a future in which every person enjoys a realistic opportunity for the pursuit of excellence, Kurtz's 'exuberant skepticism' can show us the way.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Exuberant Skepticism
by Paul KurtzFor more than three decades, philosopher Paul Kurtz has been a strong advocate of skepticism, not only as a philosophical position, but also as a fulfilling way of life. Contrary to the view that skepticism is merely a negative, nay saying, or debunking stance toward commonly held beliefs, skepticism as defined by Kurtz emerges reborn as skeptical inquiry-a decidedly positive philosophy ready and able to change the world. In this definitive collection, editor John R. Shook has gathered together seventeen of Paul Kurtz's most penetrating and insightful writings. Altogether these essays build an affirmative case for what can be known based on sound common sense, reason, and scientific method. And as each essay cogently and convincingly explains, so much can be known, from the natural world around us to the moral responsibilities among us. The work is organized in four topical sections. In the first, Reasons to Be Skeptical, Kurtz presents compelling reasons why the methods of inquiry used by the sciences deserve respect. In short, science provides reliable knowledge, without which humanity would never have emerged from the age of myth and widespread ignorance. In the second section, Skepticism and the Non-Natural, Kurtz shows how skeptical inquiry can be fruitfully used to critique both paranormal claims and religious worldviews. He also investigates whether science and religion can be compatible. In the third section, Skepticism in the Human World, he considers how skeptical inquiry can be applied to politics, ethics, and pursuit of the good life. Realizing the essential connections between scientific knowledge, technological power, and social progress, Kurtz has understood, as few other philosophers ever have, how the methods of intelligence can be applied to all areas of human endeavor. The volume concludes with Kurtz's authoritative reflections on the skeptical movement that he founded and has led. As he never tires of explaining, the forces of blind faith and stubborn unreason still fight for control of the mind, so the skeptic can never rest. If there is a brighter future for humanity, a future in which every person enjoys a realistic opportunity for the pursuit of excellence, Kurtz's exuberant skepticism can show us the way. Paul Kurtz, professor emeritus of philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Transcendental Temptation, The Courage to Become, Embracing the Power of Humanism, plus nine hundred articles and reviews. He is the founder of the Center for Inquiry/Transnational, the Council for Secular Humanism, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has appeared on many major TV and radio talk shows, and has lectured at universities worldwide. John R. Shook (Amherst, NY) is vice president for education and research and a senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry Transnational, in Amherst, New York. He is the author of Dewey's Empirical Theory of Knowledge and Reality. He is the editor of Pragmatic Naturalism and Realism and, with Hugh McDonald, of F. C. S. Schiller on Pragmatism and Humanism: Selected Writings, 1891-1939, among other works.
Eye for An Eye: The Richard & Judy Winter 2024 Book Club thriller that will get everyone talking
by M. J. ArlidgeOUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.UNTIL NOW...'Emily' is a devoted single mother.'Jack' starts a new job in a new town.They both share the same secret: neither of them are who they say they are.They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes. But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge? Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this crisis - and as the search for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the hunt for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks...RIGHT OR WRONG?CRIMINAL OR VICTIM? REDEMPTION OR REVENGE?*****Praise for AN EYE FOR AN EYE: 'A big, bold, twisting thriller' CHRIS WHITAKER 'A thought-provoking masterclass' DANIEL COLE'A propulsive thriller ... Fast-moving, disturbing and thought-provoking' GUARDIAN, Thrillers of the Month 'A stirring crime novel for the 21st century' DAILY MAIL 'There are no easy answers in this thoughtful, harrowing thriller' THE SUN 'Impressive and compassionate, Eye For An Eye should win prizes' LITERARY REVIEW #EyeForAnEye
Eye for An Eye: The Richard & Judy Winter 2024 Book Club thriller that will get everyone talking
by M. J. ArlidgeOUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.UNTIL NOW...'Emily' is a devoted single mother.'Jack' starts a new job in a new town.They both share the same secret: neither of them are who they say they are.They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes. But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge? Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this crisis - and as the search for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the hunt for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks...RIGHT OR WRONG?CRIMINAL OR VICTIM? REDEMPTION OR REVENGE?*****Praise for AN EYE FOR AN EYE: 'A big, bold, twisting thriller' CHRIS WHITAKER 'A thought-provoking masterclass' DANIEL COLE'A propulsive thriller ... Fast-moving, disturbing and thought-provoking' GUARDIAN, Thrillers of the Month 'A stirring crime novel for the 21st century' DAILY MAIL 'There are no easy answers in this thoughtful, harrowing thriller' THE SUN 'Impressive and compassionate, Eye For An Eye should win prizes' LITERARY REVIEW #EyeForAnEye
Eye of the Beholder: The Almost Perfect Murder of Anchorwoman Diane Newton King
by Lowell Cauffiel&“A fascinating psychological study of an unrepentant murderer&” from a New York Times–bestselling author (Library Journal). Battle Creek, Michigan, is famous as the birthplace of breakfast cereal, and the nearby suburb of Marshall is as wholesome as shredded wheat. Well-known for its colorful Victorian mansions, this stately slice of nineteenth-century Americana became infamous on a frigid night in February of 1991. Newscaster Diane Newton King was stepping out of her car, her children strapped into the backseat, when a sniper&’s bullet cut her down. The police assumed that the killer was her stalker—a crazed fan who had been terrorizing King for weeks. But as their investigation ground to a standstill, the police turned to another suspect—one much closer to home. In this gripping retelling of the crime and its aftermath, journalist Lowell Cauffiel re-creates the atmosphere of terror that marked King&’s last days, giving us a story of celebrity, obsession, and what it means to kill.
Eye of the Beholder: The Almost Perfect Murder of Anchorwoman Diane Newton King
by Lowell Cauffiel&“A fascinating psychological study of an unrepentant murderer&” from a New York Times–bestselling author (Library Journal). Battle Creek, Michigan, is famous as the birthplace of breakfast cereal, and the nearby suburb of Marshall is as wholesome as shredded wheat. Well-known for its colorful Victorian mansions, this stately slice of nineteenth-century Americana became infamous on a frigid night in February of 1991. Newscaster Diane Newton King was stepping out of her car, her children strapped into the backseat, when a sniper&’s bullet cut her down. The police assumed that the killer was her stalker—a crazed fan who had been terrorizing King for weeks. But as their investigation ground to a standstill, the police turned to another suspect—one much closer to home. In this gripping retelling of the crime and its aftermath, journalist Lowell Cauffiel re-creates the atmosphere of terror that marked King&’s last days, giving us a story of celebrity, obsession, and what it means to kill.
Eye of the Law: A Mystery of Medieval Ireland (Burren Mysteries #5)
by Cora HarrisonA Mystery of Medieval Ireland--1510. A great feast is being held. Into a crowd listening to the story of Balor, the one-eyed god, come two strangers. The younger of the two, Iarla, bears a letter that claims that the wealthy Ardal O'Lochlainn is his true father--which Ardal vociferously denies. So when Iarla is found dead, with one eye missing, some think he was killed by the god--but most suspect Ardal. Mara, the Brehon--or lawgiver--of the Burren, is called to investigate.
The Eye of the Law: Two Essays on Legal History (Birkbeck Law Press)
by Michael StolleisWritten by the eminent German legal historian, Michael Stolleis, these two ‘Essays on Legal History’ offer an original and compelling history of the symbolism through which law is characterised as being 'above' us. In ‘The Eye of the Law’, the history of this metaphor is followed from antiquity through to the present day: from the Greek Eye of Justice, the eye of the impartial judge of the Underworld, the Eye of God watching past, present and future, the Eye of the Prince, guiding his subjects, to the almighty Eye of the Law. While our belief in the law may have become brittle, nothing escapes what is now the Eye of Big Brother. ‘In the Name of the Law’ takes up the various formulas used to legitimate the decisions of the courts, from the times of absolutism over the 19th century until today. The speaker who speaks in the name of a higher being underlines his function: his authority comes from above. And it is ‘in the name of’ god, king, people, state, nation, or law, that a weak, earthly, justice receives its support.
Eye Wonder: Open Your Eyes to a World of Discovery (Eye Wonder)
by DKIf your child fascinated with pirates? Eye Wonder: Pirates is the perfect tool to encourage your child to explore and learn about the subjects that already hold an interest — and pirates are fascinating to children and adults alike! Eye Wonder: Pirates is packed with pictures and activities to appeal to visual learners, and the book takes us right into the fascinating world of pirates! Learn about pirate ships and pirate weapons, see what life was like on the deck of a pirate ship, and discover what it really meant to "walk the plank"! From the corsairs and Blackbeard, right up to modern pirates, Eye Wonder: Pirates has it all! We've added eight pages of new activities to keep your child engaged, too. Visual learners and readers alike will love exploring and learning through Eye Wonder: Pirates. These books are designed to teach through pictures and a visual approach, encouraging curiosity in young, school-age children. We've added games, activities, and quizzes to engage children even more — Eye Wonder: Pirates activities are designed to teach kids to both remember more of what they've learned, and learn to research when they want to know more, teaching general study skills as well as pirate-specific knowledge. Learn about science, history, and the natural world through beautiful photography and lively, age-appropriate text. The Eye Wonder series organizes information in a way that's easy to search, easy to read, and easy to learn.
Eyes of a Child (Christopher Paget #3)
by Richard North PattersonTerri Peralta and Richie Arias have been married for six years, but the only good thing they have to show for the union is their daughter, Elena. Now Terri has left Richie and fallen in love with her lawyer-boss, Chris Paget; meanwhile, Richie, a manipulative slimeball capable of deceptive charm, convinces the judge he's a caring father who should have custody of Elena. Terri, devastated, goes off to Italy with Chris to decide if they really love each other. When they return, Richie is dead, supposedly a suicide. Of course, the police have doubts, and the ensuing trial, where Chris must defend himself against murder charges, is the book's main event.
Eyewitness to a Genocide: The United Nations and Rwanda
by Michael BarnettVery little about the Rwandan genocide is comprehensible. A Hutu elite came to believe that Hutu salvation necessitated Tutsi extermination. The Hutus enacted their conspiracy with startling efficiency. In one hundred days, between April 6 and July 19, 1994, they murdered roughly eight hundred thousand individuals. For the statistically inclined, that works out to 333&1/3 deaths per hour, 5&1/2 deaths per minute. The rate of murder was even greater during the first four weeks, when most of the deaths occurred. The Rwandan genocide, therefore, has the macabre distinction of exceeding the rate of killing attained during the Holocaust.
Eyewitness To A Genocide
by Michael BarnettWhy was the UN a bystander during the Rwandan genocide? Do its sins of omission leave it morally responsible for the hundreds of thousands of dead? Michael Barnett, who worked at the U. S. Mission to the United Nations from 1993 to 1994, covered Rwanda for much of the genocide. Based on his first-hand experiences, archival work, and interviews with many key participants, he reconstructs the history of the UN's involvement in Rwanda. In the weeks leading up to the genocide, the author documents, the UN was increasingly aware or had good reason to suspect that Rwanda was a site of crimes against humanity. Yet it failed to act. Barnett argues that its indifference was driven not by incompetence or cynicism but rather by reasoned choices cradled by moral considerations. Employing a novel approach to ethics in practice and in relationship to international organizations, Barnett offers an unsettling possibility: the UN culture recast the ethical commitments of well-intentioned individuals, arresting any duty to aid at the outset of the genocide. Barnett argues that the UN bears some moral responsibility for the genocide. Particularly disturbing is his observation that not only did the UN violate its moral responsibilities, but also that many in New York believed that they were "doing the right thing" as they did so. Barnett addresses the ways in which the Rwandan genocide raises a warning about this age of humanitarianism and concludes by asking whether it is possible to build moral institutions.
F*ck Silence: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is
by Joe WalshDonald Trump is the exact threat our Founding Fathers feared.Joe Walsh is as rock-ribbed a conservative as they come. But he believes that no right-wing policy victory is worth the loss of our very democracy.In this clear-eyed and unsparing book, Walsh makes the case that Trump has more in common with the foreign dictators he praises publicly than a predecessor like Ronald Reagan. Trump is an existential threat to conservatism, the presidency, and national unity. He has violated the Constitution in plain sight, assaulted democratic institutions, overwhelmed the country with disinformation, erected around himself a cult of personality, and governed according to his narcissism more than any discernable political philosophy.Though Walsh agrees with Trump that the Washington elite has hung working-class America out to dry, traveling down the road to despotism is no response. And now a person who places himself above the rule of law and accountability sits in the Oval Office—all that’s missing is a big, beautiful throne behind the Resolute Desk.In F*ck Silence, Walsh challenges his countrymen, especially his fellow conservatives, to acknowledge and oppose this unpatriotic and un-American behavior before we give away what made America great in the first place: our democracy.
The Fable of the Bees
by Bernard Mandeville E. J. HindertAlthough never censored, Bernard Mandeville's anonymously published The Fable of the Bees; or Private Vices, Public Benefits came to be regarded soon after its publication in 1723 as the Enlightenment's epitome of immorality. As a naturalistic account of the mechanisms that condition human desire and of the unintended stabilizing social consequences of self-interested action, it has since been recognized as one of the eighteenth century's most significant works of social theory.
Fables and the Art of Leadership
by Donna D. Mitroff Ian I. MitroffFred Rogers is one of the great icons of American culture and the values and philosophy for which he is famous have stood the test of time. Fables and the Art of Leadership brings those same values and philosophy to the workplace, where they're now needed more than ever. This unique and timely work is for everyone who aspires to become and be a better leader. Mister Rogers didn't expound abstract principles to help children face up to the problems they faced; instead, he created and told countless fables and stories. Ian and Donna Mitroff's book uses those fables to help managers master the most difficult challenges they face: achieving significant change; fostering creativity; curbing rudeness; promoting leadership, managing crises, and many more. It is their new interpretations for the workplace that will make Fables and the Art of Leadership a classic in business studies.
The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos
by Mark ChiusanoFrom the dogged Long Island reporter who has been on his trail since 2019, the bizarre, page-turning, and frankly hysterical story of America&’s most outrageous grifter—former US Representative George Santos.America has grown used to larger-than-life politicians: Teflon Don, AOC, MTG, Dark Brandon, and all the rest have injected DC politics with an unmistakable edge of celebrity flair and tabloid intrigue. Yet in 2022, a new player on the national scene outshone them all. George Anthony Devolder Santos, and his revolving door of pseudonyms, shed glaring new light on how far we&’d all let our politics slide as his claimed resume was shred to bits in the wake of a longshot run to office from New York&’s 3rd Congressional District. From Wall Street gigs to an amateur volleyball career, from embellished claims of Jewish heritage to a fabricated 9/11 story involving his mother&’s death, Santos&’s legend continued to grow as his web of lies evaporated in real time. And the only thing wilder than this charlatan embedding himself in the warm, consequence-evading arms of our nation&’s capital was the Queens con artist&’s refusal to bow his head in shame. Newsday alum and PEN/Hemingway honoree Mark Chiusano tells the full (well, as full as can be given the subject) story of Santos here for the first time. From humble years spent in Brazil, to glamorous nights on the west side of Manhattan, to the stunning small-time scams employed to ease his slippery climb up the American society ladder, The Fabulist tells a story you&’ll have to read for yourself to believe…and even then, it&’s George Santos, so who&’s to say for sure. Combining the very best of boots-on-the-ground journalism, dishy backroom dealings, and glittery details about Gold Coast mansions and bodice-baring drag shows that&’d feel just as at home in your next summer beach read, The Fabulist is truly stranger than fiction.
Face of Betrayal (Triple Threat #1)
by Lis Wiehl April HenryWhile home on Christmas break, a seventeen-year-old Senate page takes her dog out for a walk and never returns. Reporter Cassidy Shaw is the first to break the story. The resulting media firestorm quickly ensnares Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges. The three unique women are life-long friends who call themselves The Triple Threat--a name derived from their favorite dessert and their uncanny ability to crack cases via their three positions of power. Though authorities think Katie might have been kidnapped or run away, those theories shatter when Nicole uncovers Katie's blog. They reveal a girl troubled by a mysterious relationship with an older man. Possibly a U.S. Senator. As the three women race against time to find Katie alive, their increasing emotional involvement brings out their own inner demons and external enemies. There are many faces of betrayal, but they must find the one face in a crowd of growing suspects before they become the next victims. In FACE OF BETRAYAL, Lis Wiehl's expertise in law, politics, and criminal investigation merges with April Henry's narrative genius to create a gripping mystery filled with rich characters, real danger, and a shocking yet satisfying final twist.
The Face of Justice
by Bill BlumIn the midst of a custody battle against his wife for his daughter, a lawyer is confronted by a terror from his past. A ruthless killer--the lawyer's ex-client--escapes prison and kidnaps the judge who sentenced him. Contacted by the FBI, the lawyer becomes involved in the hunt for the killer, who taunts the search team with videos of the judge and late night phone calls. Still bound by the attorney-client privilege with his former client, the lawyer embarks on his own investigation based on suspicions he can't sharewith law enforcement officials...and discovers a strange connection between his wife and the kidnapping case!
Face/On: Face Transplants and the Ethics of the Other
by Sharrona PearlAre our identities attached to our faces? If so, what happens when the face connected to the self is gone forever—or replaced? In Face/On, Sharrona Pearl investigates the stakes for changing the face–and the changing stakes for the face—in both contemporary society and the sciences. The first comprehensive cultural study of face transplant surgery, Face/On reveals our true relationships to faces and facelessness, explains the significance we place on facial manipulation, and decodes how we understand loss, reconstruction, and transplantation of the face. To achieve this, Pearl draws on a vast array of sources: bioethical and medical reports, newspaper and television coverage, performances by pop culture icons, hospital records, personal interviews, films, and military files. She argues that we are on the cusp of a new ethics, in an opportune moment for reframing essentialist ideas about appearance in favor of a more expansive form of interpersonal interaction. Accessibly written and respectfully illustrated, Face/On offers a new perspective on face transplant surgery as a way to consider the self and its representation as constantly present and evolving. Highly interdisciplinary, this study will appeal to anyone wishing to know more about critical interventions into recent medicine, makeover culture, and the beauty industry.
The Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food
by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson"It's a challenge to create transformative moments with books, but [Masson] does it."--Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times In this revelatory work, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson shows how food affects our moral selves, our health, and our planet. Masson investigates how denial keeps us from recognizing the animal at the end of our fork and urges readers to consciously make decisions about food.
Face Recognition Across the Imaging Spectrum
by Thirimachos BourlaiEmbark on a journey through the recent groundbreaking developments in face recognition (FR) systems with our second edition. Initially designed for controlled conditions, FR systems have evolved to conquer real-world challenges, adapting to low-light scenarios and extended distances. Our book delves into the transformation brought about by advancements in imaging sensors and cost-effective infrared (IR) cameras, exploring intensified near-infrared (NIR), shortwave IR (SWIR), middle-wave IR (MWIR), and long-wave IR (LWIR) imagery. This edition caters to the burgeoning interest in FR technologies, aligning with recent strides in computer vision, pattern recognition, and biometric analysis. Tailored for biometrics researchers, practitioners, and students, it addresses the critical need for FR algorithms in operational environments. Our book encompasses three comprehensive sections: (a) Face Recognition and Biometric Systems: Dive into topics such as face profile, facial attractiveness, periocular and binocular recognition, and quality training for face-based examinations. (b) Biometric System Security and Attacks: Explore adversarial attacks, domain transformers, demographic fairness, ocular pathologies, and distance-based classification of biometric images. (c) Biometric Image Synthesis and Technology Enhancements:Uncover the secrets of face image synthesis, thermal band head pose estimation, facial image analysis in forensic examination, and optimal computer monitor configurations. With 13 meticulously crafted chapters, this edition provides updated insights, experimental findings, and a roadmap for the future. Each chapter delivers a rich exploration of its specific topic, weaving together background information, literature reviews, methodologies, experiments, and concluding with challenges and future directions. Elevate your understanding of evolving face recognition technologies – the future awaits!