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The Illusionist Brain: The Neuroscience of Magic
by Jordi Camí Luis M. MartínezHow magicians exploit the natural functioning of our brains to astonish and amaze usHow do magicians make us see the impossible? The Illusionist Brain takes you on an unforgettable journey through the inner workings of the human mind, revealing how magicians achieve their spectacular and seemingly impossible effects by interfering with your cognitive processes. Along the way, this lively and informative book provides a guided tour of modern neuroscience, using magic as a lens for understanding the unconscious and automatic functioning of our brains.We construct reality from the information stored in our memories and received through our senses, and our brains are remarkably adept at tricking us into believing that our experience is continuous. In fact, our minds create our perception of reality by elaborating meanings and continuities from incomplete information, and while this strategy carries clear benefits for survival, it comes with blind spots that magicians know how to exploit. Jordi Camí and Luis Martínez explore the many different ways illusionists manipulate our attention—making us look but not see—and take advantage of our individual predispositions and fragile memories.The Illusionist Brain draws on the latest findings in neuroscience to explain how magic deceives us, surprises us, and amazes us, and demonstrates how illusionists skillfully “hack” our brains to alter how we perceive things and influence what we imagine.
Thinking Clearly with Data: A Guide to Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
by Ethan Bueno de Mesquita Anthony FowlerAn engaging introduction to data science that emphasizes critical thinking over statistical techniquesAn introduction to data science or statistics shouldn’t involve proving complex theorems or memorizing obscure terms and formulas, but that is exactly what most introductory quantitative textbooks emphasize. In contrast, Thinking Clearly with Data focuses, first and foremost, on critical thinking and conceptual understanding in order to teach students how to be better consumers and analysts of the kinds of quantitative information and arguments that they will encounter throughout their lives.Among much else, the book teaches how to assess whether an observed relationship in data reflects a genuine relationship in the world and, if so, whether it is causal; how to make the most informative comparisons for answering questions; what questions to ask others who are making arguments using quantitative evidence; which statistics are particularly informative or misleading; how quantitative evidence should and shouldn’t influence decision-making; and how to make better decisions by using moral values as well as data. Filled with real-world examples, the book shows how its thinking tools apply to problems in a wide variety of subjects, including elections, civil conflict, crime, terrorism, financial crises, health care, sports, music, and space travel.Above all else, Thinking Clearly with Data demonstrates why, despite the many benefits of our data-driven age, data can never be a substitute for thinking.An ideal textbook for introductory quantitative methods courses in data science, statistics, political science, economics, psychology, sociology, public policy, and other fieldsIntroduces the basic toolkit of data analysis—including sampling, hypothesis testing, Bayesian inference, regression, experiments, instrumental variables, differences in differences, and regression discontinuityUses real-world examples and data from a wide variety of subjectsIncludes practice questions and data exercises
Catholic Spectacle and Rome's Jews: Early Modern Conversion and Resistance
by Dr Emily MichelsonA new investigation that shows how conversionary preaching to Jews was essential to the early modern Catholic Church and the Roman religious landscapeStarting in the sixteenth century, Jews in Rome were forced, every Saturday, to attend a hostile sermon aimed at their conversion. Harshly policed, they were made to march en masse toward the sermon and sit through it, all the while scrutinized by local Christians, foreign visitors, and potential converts. In Catholic Spectacle and Rome’s Jews, Emily Michelson demonstrates how this display was vital to the development of early modern Catholicism.Drawing from a trove of overlooked manuscripts, Michelson reconstructs the dynamics of weekly forced preaching in Rome. As the Catholic Church began to embark on worldwide missions, sermons to Jews offered a unique opportunity to define and defend its new triumphalist, global outlook. They became a point of prestige in Rome. The city’s most important organizations invested in maintaining these spectacles, and foreign tourists eagerly attended them. The title of “Preacher to the Jews” could make a man’s career. The presence of Christian spectators, Roman and foreign, was integral to these sermons, and preachers played to the gallery. Conversionary sermons also provided an intellectual veneer to mask ongoing anti-Jewish aggressions. In response, Jews mounted a campaign of resistance, using any means available.Examining the history and content of sermons to Jews over two and a half centuries, Catholic Spectacle and Rome’s Jews argues that conversionary preaching to Jews played a fundamental role in forming early modern Catholic identity.
The Midwife's Secret: A gripping, heartbreaking story about a missing girl and a family secret for lovers of historical fiction
by Emily GunnisA little girl goes missing from Yew Tree Manor - the same house from which a girl vanished decades before. Does the key to the present lie buried even deeper in the past, in the forgotten history of an innocent midwife accused by a family of shocking betrayal? A gripping, heartwrenching story of love, loyalty and family secrets.From the internationally bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE LETTER.__________It all began with a midwife's secret, long buried but if uncovered could save two families from the bitter tragedy that binds them. And prove the key that will free them all...1969 On New Year's Eve, while the Hiltons of Yew Tree Manor prepare to host the party of the season, their little girl disappears. Suspicion falls on Bobby James, a young farmhand and the last person to see Alice before she vanished. Bobby protests his innocence, but he is sent away. Alice is never found.Present day Architect Willow James is working on a development at Yew Tree when she discovers the land holds a secret. As she begins to dig deep into the past, she uncovers a web of injustice. And when another child goes missing, Willow knows the only way to stop history repeating itself is to right a terrible wrong...** EMILY GUNNIS'S NEW NOVEL THE GIRLS LEFT BEHIND IS AVAILABLE NOW **ARE YOU READY TO DISCOVER THE MIDWIFE'S SECRET? READERS ARE SPELLBOUND:'I can highly recommend this beautiful tale which is heartbreaking, emotional, gripping, suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'The Midwife's Secret is an unputdownable book that grips you from the beginning. Be prepared for plenty of tears throughout, right to the end' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'Wow! What a powerful book. This had me hooked from the start. The story spans generations and tells of lies, grief and secrets. It was extremely well written and had you guessing right to the end. Loved the characters and couldn't put this book down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'This story grabbed a hold of me and sucked me in. It was highly captivating, dramatic and emotional . . . I literally could not turn the pages fast enough' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'A real heart-pounder! It had intrigue, suspense and lots of twists and turns!! Definitely some jaw-dropping moments! I highly recommend reading this book!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'The story was stunning and heartbreaking. I went to bed at 2am! Can't wait for the next book' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review'Spellbindingly good! Heartbreak, intrigue, mystery' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Real reader review
In Eve's Attire: Modesty, Judaism and the Female Body
by Delphine HorvilleurDoes modernity trample on tradition, or can it in fact be a vehicle for the sacred?How can one determine whether an interpretation is legitimate, anachronistic or corrupted?Does sexual obsession have a textual origin, and is it woman's destiny to be veiled?In Eve's Attire confronts these questions and more to suggest another interpretation of religious traditions surrounding the female body and the erotic.As current fundamentalist religious discourse expresses a growing fixation on modesty, women are increasingly reduced to those parts of their bodies that arouse desire, effectively "genitalised" until the totality of their bodies becomes taboo. In resistance to such interpretations of religious text, which see even a woman's voice as an erotic organ to be silenced, Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur looks not only at religious texts themselves, but also at their interpreters, as she unpicks readings that make the woman a temptress, and modesty the instrument of her oppression. She shows us how nakedness, as expressed by Adam, Eve or Noah, refers to a culture of desire and not a wish to suppress it and explores how the veil was originally intended: not to reject, but to approach the other.Through her analysis of the meaning of modesty and nudity in Judaism, Delphine Horvilleur explores the societal and religious obsession with the female body and its representation and asks questions about how we can engage more critically with interpretations of sacred texts.Translated from the French by Ruth Diver
Providing Public Space in a Contemporary Metropolis: Dilemmas and Lessons from London and Hong Kong (Urban Policy, Planning and the Built Environment)
by Louie Sieh Claudio De MagalhãesIncreasingly, public space provision and management are being transferred from the public sector to real estate developers, private sector organisations, voluntary groups and community bodies. Contrasting the more historical, horizontal character of London with the intense street life of high-rise Hong Kong, this book tells the story of the two cities’ relationships with non-traditional forms of public space governance. The authors consider the implications for the ‘publicness’ of these complex spaces and the challenges and impacts that different forms of provision have on those with a stake in them, and on the cities as a whole.
What Do Corporations Want?: Communicative Capitalism, Corporate Purpose, and a New Theory of the Firm
by Timothy Kuhn'Corporate purpose' has become a battleground for stakeholders’ competing desires. Some argue that corporations must simply generate profit; others suggest that we must make them create social change.Leading organization studies scholar Timothy Kuhn argues that this 'either/or' thinking dramatically oversimplifies matters: today’s corporations must be many things, all at once.Kuhn offers a bold new Communicative Theory of the Firm to highlight the authority that creates corporations’ identities and activities. The theory provides a roadmap for navigating that battleground of competing desires to produce more responsive corporations.Drawing on communicative and new materialist theorizing, along with three insightful case studies, this book thoroughly redefines our understandings of what corporations are 'for'.
The Economic Lives of Platforms: Rethinking the Political Economy of Digital Markets
by Anne Mette Thorhauge, Andreas Lindegaard Gregersen, Eva Iris Otto, Jacob Ørmen and Morten Axel PedersenThis interdisciplinary collection rethinks the political economy of the digital market by asking what came before platforms and suggesting what might come after them. By unpacking the concept of ‘platform economies’ into locally embedded variations of digital markets, the book identifies what is new about contemporary platforms and what is characteristic of wider historical, social and economic currents. The diverse team of authors employ various analytical approaches, including in-depth ethnographic studies, and theoretical and analytical reconceptualizations of platforms and the industries they encompass.Tapping into current themes including the decolonisation of the internet, this book offers a timely assessment of the implications of emerging reconfigurations between technology, information, society and markets.
Ecologies of Care in Times of Climate Change: Water Security in the Global Context
by Michael BuserThis book investigates and analyses places in Europe, North America and Asia that are facing the immense challenges associated with climate change adaptation. Presenting real-world cases in the contexts of coastal change, drinking water and the cryosphere, Michael Buser shows how the concept of care can be applied to water security and climate adaptation. Exploring the everyday and often hidden ways in which water security is accomplished, the book demonstrates the pervasiveness and power of care to contribute to flourishing lives and communities in times of climate change.
The Geology of North Africa (Regional Geology Reviews)
by Ezzoura Errami Zakaria Hamimi Abdel-Rahman Fowler Moulley Charaf Chabou Nuri Fello Amara Masrouhi Rémi LeprêtreThis richly illustrated book reviews the geology, tectonics, sedimentary basins and strategic resources of North Africa in 21 chapters. Chapter 1 is a regional synthesis. Chapter 2 examines the deep crustal and upper mantle structure. Chapter 3 compares the West African Craton. Chapters 4,5,6,7 deal with Pan-African-, Variscan (Hercynian)- and Alpine-Belts. Precambrian Geology of Hoggar Shield, north Central Africa will be addressed in Chapter 8. The North African Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic sedimentary basins are the topic of Chapter 9. Phanerozoic magmatism and geodynamic framework of North Africa are addressed in Chapter 10. Chapters 11,12 deal with petroleum geology and water resources. Important non-metallic- and metallic- ore deposits are presented in Chapter 13,14,15,16. Chapters 17,18 explore geothermal energy and other strategic resources. Chapters 19,20 discuss seismicity, seismotectonics and Neotectonics, and Advances of exploration geophysics in North Africa. The lasttwo chapters (20, 21) focus on meteoric impact craters, geoheritage, geoparks and geotourism in North Africa.
Origin and Evolution of Caribbean Mangroves: A Time-Continuum Ecological Approach (Ecological Studies #252)
by Valentí RullThis book provides a comprehensive, detailed, and coherent spatio-temporal account of Caribbean mangrove evolution from its evolutionary origins to the present that is not available for any mangrove region in the world. Mangroves are intertidal wetland forests that play a crucial role in the maintenance of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and in the functioning of global biogeochemical cycles (especially the carbon cycle). These ecosystems dominate the tropical/subtropical coasts of all continents and are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. This book combines all temporal scales, from the geological to the ecological, to provide an integrated picture of mangrove history and the natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological and evolutionary change. This may be useful not only for understanding the current ecological status of these emblematic ecosystems, but also for informing their conservation in the face of ongoing global change.
HYPERID - A Hybrid Methodology for Project Management and Product Development
by Arash ParsaniaThis book describes a new methodology for planning and delivering projects and products. HYPERID (Hyper Inter-Methodological Delivery) is suitable for any type of project - from developing AI-powered software to building a skyscraper - regardless of whether those projects have typically been delivered using agile or sequential methods to date. HYPERID is particularly suitable for "fixed time/fixed price" projects and can address the core project delivery needs of today's enterprises that primarily revolve around predictability and successful delivery in terms of cost, time, and added value while remaining agile.HYPERID, as a hybrid methodology, makes use of some existing approaches and complements them with additional processes, structures, best practices, and behaviors. The methodology was developed because previous process models - classic (such as the waterfall method) and agile (including Scrum) cannot meet some of today’s key requirements. HYPERID can be used to address the following core needs: reliable predictability and rapid planning, iterative and value-added results, and on-time and on-budget execution. The book is structured in such a way that the reader can learn all the necessary skills for planning and implementation according to the HYPERID methodology. The explanation of the individual steps is supplemented by background information, examples, and both best and bad practices. HYPERID is aimed at project managers and product managers, as well as executives who want to improve the implementation of their projects or products. On the HYPERID website you will find further information, updates, and tools for practical implementation.
Emerging and Re-emerging Infections in Travellers
by Nick Beeching Eskild Petersen Hakan LeblebiciogluThis book provides essential information on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of common and some rare infections in travellers. It will equip readers with key knowledge on clinically important emerging and re-emerging infections caused by wide variety of bacteria, viruses and parasites. The coverage ranges from influenza, hepatitis, malaria and tuberculosis to Ebola virus disease, Lassa fever, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever, dengue, Zika virus infection and many other important diseases. The emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms is discussed, and practical advice is included regarding disease prevention in travellers and humanitarian aid workers. Other generic chapters address the clinical approach to fever in the returning traveller, and preparedness and response to emerging infectious diseases. This comprehensive, up-to-date book will be an excellent source of information and guidance for all clinicians and researchers with an interest in infectious diseases, microbiology, epidemiology, and travel medicine.
Storm Child: Discover the smart, gripping and emotional thriller from the No.1 bestseller (Cyrus Haven)
by Michael RobothamA MASTERFUL THRILLER ABOUT FORGETTING, REMEMBERING, AND THE DANGERS OF BOTH... FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE SUSPECT, THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS AND LYING BESIDE YOU'A razor-sharp and emotionally charged thriller that explores both the darkness of men's hearts and the resiliency of human spirit' LISA GARDNER'Tension and tenderness - Michael Robotham is that rare thing, a writer who does both brilliantly. An utterly thrilling emotional ride' WILLIAM SHAWThe storm is coming... The most painful of Evie Cormac's memories have been locked away, ever since she was held prisoner as a child - a child whose rescue captured hearts and headlines. Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven's mission is to guide her to something near normality. But today, on a Lincolnshire beach, seventeen bodies wash up in front of them. There is only one survivor, with two women still missing. And Evie's nightmares come roaring back... Whatever happened all those years ago lies at the core of this new tragedy. Because these deaths are no accident. The same dark forces are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm. Evie must now call upon Cyrus's unique skills, and her own, in their search for the missing pieces of this complex and haunting puzzle. But will that be enough to save them? And who will pay for the past?'A modern masterpiece . . . As deep, dark and stormy as the North Sea, this is truly compelling crime writing' ***** Reader Review'Robotham's storytelling is engrossing, capturing the shades of dark and light in his characters, with a fast pace and many twists and turns' ***** Reader Review'Moving and emotional, breaking your heart and warning it at the same time. Another tremendous and well-written read which is action-packed, full of tense and suspenseful moments' ***** Reader Review*WHEN YOU ARE MINE was a No.1 fiction bestseller in Australia in June 2021
Storm Child: Discover the smart, gripping and emotional thriller from the No.1 bestseller (Cyrus Haven)
by Michael RobothamSOME MEMORIES ARE BURIED FOR A REASON. . . The compulsively readable new thriller by the #1 bestselling and award-winning master of crimeThe most painful of Evie Cormac's memories have been locked away, ever since she was held prisoner as a child - a child whose rescue captured hearts and headlines.Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven's mission is to guide her to something near normality. But today, on a British beach, seventeen bodies wash up in front of them. There is only one survivor, with two women still missing. And Evie's nightmares come roaring back . . .Whatever happened all those years ago lies at the core of this new tragedy. Because these deaths are no accident. The same dark forces are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm.Evie must now call upon Cyrus's unique skills, and her own, in their search for the missing pieces of this complex and haunting puzzle. But will that be enough to save them? And who will pay for the past?
Elsewhere: A brand new tense and haunting psychological suspense
by Sarah TierneyA psychologically gripping novel of estranged sisters, deep secrets, and tense twists from &“an elegant and thrilling new voice&” (Emma Jane Unsworth, author of Animals). At the height of summer, two sisters reunite at a remote cottage. They&’ve long been distant from each other, literally as well as emotionally: Anna is a free-spirited wanderer and Catherine is career-focused and settled in one place. So, some tension is not surprising, but it rapidly escalates when odd things start happening during the all-night twilight on the wild peninsula. Who&’s the watchful girl with a baby and what does she want from the sisters? Who bangs on their windows in the early hours then disappears into the woods? What does the sad-eyed Scottish man Anna is falling for know about it all? And how does it link back to an event twenty years ago that the sisters never talk about—the incident that created all this confusion, dislocation, and longing in the first place? This suspenseful, knowing novel explores how psychosis creeps in on the back of isolation and suspicion; the shadow that motherhood casts over women&’s lives, even when there is no child; and how buried trauma always winds its way up to the surface—sometimes in the strangest and most frightening ways.Praise for Sarah Tierney&’s Making Space &“A strong debut.&” —The Manchester Review &“Simply riveting . . . unfailingly entertaining.&” —Midwest Book Review
Measurements and Instrumentation for Machine Vision
by Jes Oleg Sergiyenko Wendy Flores-Fuentes Julio C. RodrA comprehensive reference book that addresses the field of machine vision and its significance in cyber-physical systems. It explores the multidisciplinary nature of machine vision, involving electronic and mechatronic devices, artificial intelligence algorithms, embedded systems, control systems, robotics, interconnectivity, data science, and cloud computing. The book aims to provide advanced students, early career researchers, and established scholars with state-of-the-art knowledge and novel content related to the implementation of machine vision in engineering, scientific knowledge, and technological innovation.The chapters of the book delve into various topics and applications within the realm of machine vision. They cover areas such as camera and inertial measurement unit calibration, technical vision systems for human detection, design and evaluation of support systems using neural networks, UV sensing in contemporary applications, fiber Bragg grating arrays for medical diagnosis, color model creation for terrain recognition by robots, navigation systems for aircraft, object classification in infrared images, feature selection for vehicle/non-vehicle classification, visualization of sedimentation in extreme conditions, quality estimation of tea using machine vision, image dataset augmentation techniques, machine vision for astronomical images, agricultural automation, occlusion-aware disparity-based visual servoing, machine learning approaches for single-photon imaging, and augmented visual inertial wheel odometry.Each chapter is a result of expert research and collaboration, reviewed by peers and consulted by the book's editorial board. The authors provide in-depth reviews of the state of the art and present novel proposals, contributing to the development and futurist trends in the field of machine vision."Measurements and Instrumentation for Machine Vision" serves as a valuable resource for researchers, students, and professionals seeking to explore and implement machine vision technologies in various domains, promoting sustainability, human-centered solutions, and global problem-solving.
The Reformed Local Government System (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Peter G. RichardsOriginally published in 1973 and revised as a third edition in 1978, this book provides a concise introductory account of the system of local administration since the Local Government Act of 1972 produced the most-far-reaching change in England and Wales since 1888. The book shows why such a major shake-up was necessary, and how the policies evolved which produced the new pattern of local authorities. The book contains basic factual material about the constitution and powers of the new councils and discusses the major problems which confront them. It also considers the respective roles of councillors officials and the political circumstances within which local government has to work.
Representative and Responsible Government: An Essay on the British Constitution (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by A H BirchOriginally published in 1964, this book remains a seminal source for contemporary political scientists and offers exceptional insights into notions of responsibility. Wahlke (1971) describes it as ‘one of the best analytical surveys of representation.’ The book is a compact and critical essay on the British constitution which reveals the realities of British politics in the second half of the 20th Century by showing the extent to which theory and reality agree and differ.
Introduction to French Local Government (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Brian ChapmanOriginally published in 1953, this was the first post-War study in either English or French of the institutions and law relating to French local government and on the practice of French local administration. It is a study in political science and therefore, although the basic laws governing local institutions are dealt with in some detail, the aim is to give a picture of those institutions at work in the middle of the 20th Century. The book assumes no prior knowledge of the subject and will be of interest to students of French government and comparative political institutions.
Constitutional Bureaucracy: The Development of the British Central Administration Since the Eighteenth Century (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Henry ParrisOriginally published in 1969, this book discusses specific issues in the rise of a ‘constitutional bureaucracy’ as a counter-part to constitutional monarchy. These issues, including patronage, ministerial power and responsibility and the ‘grey-eminence’ myth are set against the relationship among legislation and administration, Treasury control and the relevance of public administration to our conception of public accountability and ‘representative bureaucracy.’
Delegation in Local Government: County to District Councils (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Peter G. RichardsOriginally published in 1956, this book outlines the history of delegation in local government since the establishment of county councils in 1888. It describes the use made of delegation over a wide range of council services. The technique of delegation has become more important in recent years and represents the compromise of the competing claims of county and district councils to control local government. This book is an important contribution both to the detailed study of local administration and to the debate on the future pattern of local government.
The New Local Government System (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Peter G. RichardsOriginally published in 1956, this book outlines the history of delegation in local government since the establishment of county councils in 1888. It describes the use made of delegation over a wide range of council services. The technique of delegation has become more important in recent years and represents the compromise of the competing claims of county and district councils to control local government. This book is an important contribution both to the detailed study of local administration and to the debate on the future pattern of local government.
Parliament and Conscience (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Peter G. RichardsOriginally published in 1970, this book has a dual purpose. Firstly, it is a study of how Parliament works when the party whips are withdrawn. The author shows how backbenchers can create legislation of great importance; he demonstrates the obstacles, political and procedural to social reform; he relates the votes of MPs to their personal characteristics e.g. age, religion and occupation, and he argues that Parliament achieves a fresh vigour and authority when MPs think and act independently of party policy. Secondly, Parliament and Conscience analyses 6 major controversies in British society in the late 20th Century: the death penalty, homosexuality, abortion, theatre censorship, divorce and Sunday entertainment.
The Prefects and Provincial France (Routledge Library Editions: Government)
by Brian ChapmanOriginally published in 1955, this book traces the history of the Corps from its foundation in 1800, the successive stages in the career of a Prefect, his or her legal powers and influence on the social, political and economic life of the country. As well as being an original piece of research, it provides an absorbing picture of life in provincial France and explains the fundamental strength of France despite her political contradictions.