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Free Speech in the Puzzle of Content Regulation: Insights from the West and the Global South (Law, Governance and Technology Series #20)
by Soorya BalendraThis book explores the intersection of law and technology, focusing on online speech regulations and their complex interplay with free speech in the digital age. It identifies three primary regulatory models – self-regulation, external regulation, and co-regulation – and examines how each model presents recurring challenges in both content moderation and the protection of free speech. The study delves into the regulation of harmful speech, including defamation, violence, misinformation, and propaganda, highlighting the tensions between regulating prohibited content and preserving free speech online. Additionally, the book addresses digital authoritarianism and its manifestation in regulatory approaches, particularly the Chinese model of content regulation. It also scrutinizes platform-driven regulation, assessing the challenges posed by both human and AI-driven content moderation. Through a comparative analysis of legal frameworks across key jurisdictions – including the United States (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act), Germany (the Network Enforcement Act), India (the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021), and Sri Lanka (the Online Safety Act, 2024) – the book examines how these frameworks navigate the balance between free speech rights and platform responsibilities, in these jurisdictions with the distinct context, power asymmetry of authorities with the platforms, political and cultural landscape, and social media market. It further explores how these evolving models reflect significant differences in the roles of governments, platforms, regulatory authorities, standards, and compliance mechanisms. By engaging in a scholarly discussion on these issues from a legal and regulatory perspective, this book seeks to strike a balance between online free speech and legitimate restrictions. It provides a comparative lens on Western jurisprudence and the Majority World, linking common themes across jurisdictions to shed light on the intricate challenges of regulating online speech. In doing so, the book addresses a gap in the existing literature, offering a much-needed foundation for developing and updating both internal and external regulatory frameworks.
Principles and Advances in Population Neuroscience (Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences #68)
by Jeffrey R. Brook Katherine Keyes Tomáš Paus Zdenka PausovaPopulation Neuroscience is aimed at enhancing our understanding of forces that shape the human brain and, as such, contribute to inter-individual variations in cognitive abilities, behavior and mental health throughout the lifespan. This book builds on a monograph Population Neuroscience (published by Springer in 2013; ISBN: 978-3-642-36450-1), a recent book on “Digital Ethology: Human Behavior in Geospatial Context” (published by MIT Press in 2024; ISBN: 9780262548137), and the collaborative work carried in the CHARGE and ENIGMA Consortia. Using collective expertise and knowledge with combining epidemiology, genetics and neuroimaging, the authors provide an overview of the basic principles and current advances in this field.
Rocky Landscapes of the World with Google Earth
by Andrew GoudieThis book provides an introduction to rocky landscapes through carefully selected images from Google Earth, discussing what they show and provides references to the sites portrayed so that readers can go deeper if they wish. Google Earth (GE) is remarkably useful for examining and appreciating phenomena on the face of the Earth. This book demonstrates its value for understanding the landscapes associated with particular rock types and structures, and for appreciating their aesthetics. The text describes the feature(s) concerned, their location and their origin, often accompanied by ground images taken by the author.
Variational Inequalities in Management Science and Finance: Modelling, Analysis, Numerics and Applications (EURO Advanced Tutorials on Operational Research)
by Athanasios N. Yannacopoulos Andrianos E. TsekrekosThis book provides a rigorous introduction to the theory, computation, and applications of variational inequalities (VIs), with a focus on applications in management science and finance. It aims to bridge the gap between the abstract mathematical treatments of the subject and simplistic, non-rigorous approaches often used in financial economics or managerial literature. Building on fundamental examples of concrete applications drawn from management science and finance, the book gradually develops the connection between optimal stopping problems and variational inequalities. It provides precise results on their derivation, solution properties, and their use to derive optimal policies in general frameworks of stochastic factors driving the state processes. Emphasis is also placed on the numerical treatment and approximation of VIs. All technical results are illustrated in detail for the characteristic problems presented at the beginning as motivating examples. It also offers a brief introduction to more advanced topics, including VIs for multi-scale problems and VIs related to optimal stopping problems under model uncertainty. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers who wish for a quick, yet thorough introduction to the field. Practitioners who want to familiarise themselves with applications of VIs in management science and finance will also find this book useful.
Achieving Sustainable Business through AI, Technology Education and Computer Science: Volume 1: Computer Science, Business Sustainability, and Competitive Advantage (Studies in Big Data #158)
by Allam HamdanThis book aims to explore the intersection of AI, technology education, and computer science with sustainable business practices. It delves into the application of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain in various business domains, including healthcare, education, government services, and digital transformation.
The Mechanobiology in Atherosclerosis: Basic, Frontier and Advance
by Guixue WangThis book is based on prior research conducted by the author's team, integrating the latest advancements in biomechanics and mechanobiology related to atherosclerosis from both domestic and international peers. It explores the mechanobiological mechanisms and prevention strategies for atherosclerosis and intravascular stent restenosis. The topics covered include: lipoprotein concentration polarization, stress response of vascular endothelial cells, biomechanical mechanisms in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular development, atherosclerotic plaque formation, in-stent restenosis, and post-stent implantation atherosclerosis. Additionally, the book presents the mechanobiological mechanisms of drug regulation for cell viability and inhibition of vascular restenosis, as well as the latest frontiers and advancements in these areas. It carries significant reference value for postgraduates and young researchers in cardiovascular physiology and pathology, particularly those involved in biomedical engineering, basic medicine, and clinical medicine focused on atherosclerotic disease research.
Circuit-Technology Co-Optimization of SRAM Design in Advanced CMOS Nodes
by Francky Catthoor Hsiao-Hsuan LiuModern computing engines—CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs—require extensive SRAM for cache designs, driven by the increasing demand for higher density, performance, and energy efficiency. This book delves into two primary areas within ultra-scaled technology nodes: (1) advancing SRAM bitcell scaling and (2) exploring innovative subarray designs to enhance power-performance-area (PPA) metrics across technology nodes. The first part of the book utilizes a bottom-up design-technology co-optimization (DTCO) approach, employing a dedicated PPA simulation framework to evaluate and identify the most promising strategies for SRAM bitcell scaling. It offers a comprehensive examination of SRAM bitcell scaling beyond 1 nm node, outlining a structured research cycle that includes identifying scaling bottlenecks, developing cutting-edge architectures with complementary field-effect transistor (CFET) technology, and addressing challenges such as process integration and routing complexities. Additionally, this book introduces a novel write margin methodology to better address the risks of write failures in resistance-dominated nodes. This methodology accounts for time-dependent parasitic bitline effects and incorporates timing setup of write-assist techniques to prevent underestimating the yield loss. In the second part, the focus shifts to a top-down DTCO approach due to the diminishing returns of bitcell scaling beyond 5 Å node at the macro level. As technology scales, increasing resistance and capacitance (RC) lead designers to adopt smaller subarray sizes to reduce effective RC and enhance subarray-level PPA. However, this approach can result in increased inter-subarray interconnect overhead, potentially offsetting macro-level improvements. This book examines the effects of various subarray sizes on macro-level PPA and finds that larger subarrays can significantly reduce interconnect overhead and improve the energy-delay-area product (EDAP) of SRAM macro. The introduction of the active interconnect (AIC) concept enables the use of larger subarray sizes, while integrating carbon nanotube FET as back-end-of-line compatible devices results in macro-level EDAP improvements of up to 65% when transitioning from standard subarrays to AIC divided subarrays. These findings highlight the future trajectory of SRAM subarray design in deeply scaled nodes.
Job Scheduling Strategies for Parallel Processing: 27th International Workshop, JSSPP 2024, San Francisco, CA, USA, May 31, 2024, Revised Selected Papers (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14591)
by Dalibor Klusáček Julita Corbalán Gonzalo P. RodrigoThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 27th International Workshop on Job Scheduling Strategies for Parallel Processing, JSSPP 2024, held in San Francisco, CA, USA, on May 31, 2024. The 10 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 15 submissions. The JSSPP 2024 covers several interesting problems within the resource management and scheduling domains.
Nachrichten im Auge des Betrachters: Der Selektionsprozess aus Perspektive der Nutzer*innen
by Jakob HenkeDas Internet ist zu einem der bedeutendsten Zugangswege zu Nachrichten avanciert und konfrontiert seine Nutzer*innen immer wieder mit Situationen, in denen sie journalistische Inhalte selektieren können. Das vorliegende Buch verfolgt das Ziel, den Selektionsprozess der Nutzer*innen in diesen Situationen theoretisch und empirisch zu untersuchen. Dabei wird die Perspektive der Nutzer*innen eingenommen. Im theoretischen Teil der Arbeit wird zunächst ein Überblick der kontemporären Medienlandschaft sowie der Situationen gegeben, in denen Selektion stattfindet. Darauf aufbauend werden Theorien und Ansätze aus der Kommunikationswissenschaft und benachbarten Feldern vorgestellt, mit denen Selektion erklärt werden kann. Dabei liegt der Fokus nicht nur auf den Grundlagen und zentralen Annahmen, sondern auch der Kritik an den Ansätzen. Ein Blick auf die Prozesse, die von diesen Theorien beschrieben werden, offenbart, dass sie sich entlang einiger Dimensionen (z. B. der benötigte kognitive Aufwand oder die ihnen zugeschriebene Rationalität) unterscheiden, die sich auch in sogenannten Dualen Prozessmodellen finden. Diese werden als Alternative zur Modellierung des Selektionsprozesses diskutiert. Die vielen theoretischen Zugänge zur Selektion deuten auch eine große Vielfalt empirischer Forschung an.
Burial for a King: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Funeral and the Week that Transformed Atlanta and Rocked the Nation
by Rebecca BurnsIn the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, riots broke out in 110 cities across the country. For five days, Atlanta braced for chaos while preparing to host King’s funeral. An unlikely alliance of former student radicals, the middle-aged patrician mayor, the no-nonsense police chief, black ministers, white churchgoers, Atlanta’s business leaders, King’s grieving family members, and his stunned SCLC colleagues worked to keep Atlanta safe, honor a murdered hero, and host the tens of thousands who came to pay tribute. On April 9, 1968, 150,000 mourners took part in a daylong series of rituals honoring King—the largest funeral staged for a private U.S. citizen. King’s funeral was a dramatic event that took place against a national backdrop of war protests and presidential politics in a still-segregationist South, where Georgia’s governor surrounded the state capitol with troops and refused to lower the flag in acknowledgment of King’s death. Award-winning journalist Rebecca Burns delivers a riveting account of this landmark week and chronicles the convergence of politicians, celebrities, militants, and ordinary people who mourned in a peaceful Atlanta while other cities burned. Drawing upon copious research and dozens of interviews— from staffers at the White House who dealt with the threat of violence to members of King’s family and inner circle—Burns brings this dramatic story to life in vivid scenes that sweep readers from the mayor’s office to the White House to Coretta Scott King’s bedroom. Compelling and original, Burial for a King captures a defining moment in America’s history. It encapsulates King’s legacy, America’s shifting attitude toward race, and the emergence of Atlanta as a new kind of Southern city.
Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Thorndike Core Ser.)
by Steve MartinThe riveting, mega-bestselling, beloved and highly acclaimed memoir of a man, a vocation, and an era named one of the ten best nonfiction titles of the year by Time and Entertainment Weekly.In the mid-seventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book is, in his own words, the story of “why I did stand-up and why I walked away.” Emmy and Grammy Award–winner, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Shopgirl and The Pleasure of My Company, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, Martin has always been a writer. His memoir of his years in stand-up is candid, spectacularly amusing, and beautifully written. At age ten Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory. The dedication to excellence and innovation is formed at an astonishingly early age and never wavers or wanes. Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times—the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late sixties, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the seventies. Throughout the text, Martin has placed photographs, many never seen before. Born Standing Up is a superb testament to the sheer tenacity, focus, and daring of one of the greatest and most iconoclastic comedians of all time.
Heart: An American Medical Odyssey
by Dick Cheney Jonathan ReinerFormer Vice President Dick Cheney and his longtime cardiologist, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, share the story of Cheney&’s thirty-five-year battle with heart disease—providing insight into the incredible medical breakthroughs that have changed cardiac care over the last four decades.For as long as he has served at the highest levels of business and government, Vice President Dick Cheney has also been one of the world&’s most prominent heart patients. Now, for the first time ever, Cheney, together with his longtime cardiologist, Jonathan Reiner, MD, shares the very personal story of his courageous thirty-five-year battle with heart disease, from his first heart attack in 1978 to the heart transplant he received in 2012. In 1978, when Cheney suffered his first heart attack, he received essentially the same treatment President Eisenhower had had in 1955. Since then, cardiac medicine has been revolutionized, and Cheney has benefitted from nearly every medical breakthrough. At each juncture, when Cheney faced a new health challenge, the technology was one step ahead of his disease. Cheney&’s story is in many ways the story of the evolution of modern cardiac care. Heart is the riveting, singular memoir of both doctor and patient. Like no US politician has before him, Cheney opens up about his health struggles, sharing harrowing, never-before-told stories about the challenges he faced during a perilous time in our nation&’s history. Dr. Reiner provides his perspective on Cheney&’s case and also gives readers a fascinating glimpse into his own education as a doctor and the history of our understanding of the human heart. He masterfully chronicles the important discoveries, radical innovations, and cutting-edge science that have changed the face of medicine and saved countless lives. Powerfully braiding science with story and the personal with the political, Heart is a sweeping, inspiring, and ultimately optimistic book that will give hope to the millions of Americans affected by heart disease.
Department of Temporal Investigations: The Collectors (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
by Christopher L. BennettAn all-new Star Trek e-novella featuring the Department of Temporal Investigations!The dedicated agents of the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations have their work cut out for them protecting the course of history from the dangers of time travel. But the galaxy is littered with artifacts that, in the wrong hands, could threaten reality. One of the DTI's most crucial jobs is to track down these objects and lock them safely away in the Federation’s most secret and secure facility. When Agents Lucsly and Dulmur bring home an alien obelisk of incredible power, they are challenged by a 31st-century temporal agent who insists they surrender the mysterious artifact to her. But before they know it, the three agents are pulled into a corrupted future torn apart by a violent temporal war. While their DTI colleagues attempt to track them down, Lucsly and Dulmur must restore temporal peace by setting off on an epic journey through the ages, with the future of the galaxy hanging in the balance...
The "I Love My Instant Pot" Three-Step Recipe Book: From Pancake Bites to Ravioli Lasagna, 175 Easy Recipes Made in Three Quick Steps ("I Love My" Cookbook Series)
by Robin FieldsDelicious recipes as easy as 1, 2, 3 with these 175 recipes for the quickest and easiest recipes for your favorite kitchen gadget—the Instant Pot.Enjoy a hot, satisfying breakfast even on the busiest of mornings. Make a comforting snack or indulge in some homemade dessert in just minutes. And feed yourself, and your family, well with weeknight dinners that are tasty and simple to make. The &“I Love My Instant Pot&” Three-Step Recipe Book helps you get the most out of your multicooker and create delicious dishes with minimal effort with these 175 mouthwatering recipes that come together in just three simple steps. With an easy-to-understand overview of how to use your Instant Pot, this cookbook is the perfect guide whether you&’re new to the Instant Pot or an expert. Enjoy cooking these quick and easy meals with no fuss and no prep—perfect for your busy life.
The Daughter of Time
by Josephine Tey"One of the best mysteries of all time" (The New York Times)—Josephine Tey recreates one of history&’s most famous—and vicious—crimes in her classic bestselling novel, a must read for connoisseurs of fiction, now with a new introduction by Robert Barnard.Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard, recuperating from a broken leg, becomes fascinated with a contemporary portrait of Richard III that bears no resemblance to the Wicked Uncle of history. Could such a sensitive, noble face actually belong to one of the world’s most heinous villains—a venomous hunchback who may have killed his brother’s children to make his crown secure? Or could Richard have been the victim, turned into a monster by the usurpers of England’s throne? Grant determines to find out once and for all, with the help of the British Museum and an American scholar, what kind of man Richard Plantagenet really was and who killed the Little Princes in the Tower. The Daughter of Time is an ingeniously plotted, beautifully written, and suspenseful tale, a supreme achievement from one of mystery writing’s most gifted masters.
Black & White
by Dani ShapiroFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Inheritance and host of the hit podcast Family Secrets—&”a cool depiction of a mother and daughter's fraught and fiery relationship&” (USA Today). Clara Brodeur has spent her entire adult life pulling herself away from her famous mother, the renowned and controversial photographer Ruth Dunne, whose towering reputation rests on the unsettling nude portraits she took of her young daughter. At age eighteen, sick of her notoriety as &“the girl in the pictures,&” Clara fled New York City, settling and making her own family in small-town Maine. But years later, when Ruth reaches out from her deathbed, Clara suddenly finds herself drawn back to the past she thought she had escaped. From the beloved author of Family History and Slow Motion, a spellbinding novel that asks: How do we forgive those who failed to protect us?
Powered by Plants: Nutrient-Loaded 30-Minute Meals to Help You Thrive
by Ocean Robbins Nichole Dandrea-Russert RDNIndulge in scrumptious, 30-minute plant-based recipes that deliver the essential nutrients you need for optimal health, from the founder of Food Revolution Network.Are you seeking plant-based recipes that are hearty, homey, delicious, and easy to make? Do you want simple tips to add plenty of essential nutrients to your meals to improve your energy, immune system, and overall health?Ocean Robbins, founder and CEO of Food Revolution Network, and Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN, decode the nutrients we all need—not just protein, fats, and carbs, but also fiber, omega-3s, and essential minerals like selenium, calcium, and zinc—and provide you with the knowledge to make a plant-based diet work for you.This culinary treasure trove of nutrient-dense, time-efficient recipes offers more than just meals; these wholesome solutions are designed to deliver a variety of nutrients in every bite. In these pages, you will discover:Eight essential nutrients and how to obtain them from plant-based foods How to avoid common nutritional imbalancesOver 60 quick meals that are nutritious yet satisfyingWhether you're passionate about a plant-based lifestyle, plant-curious, or anywhere in between, open your eyes to this satisfying world of flavors and wellness.
The Secret Epidemic: The Story of AIDS and Black America
by Jacob LevensonHalf the people in the United States who are diagnosed with HIV are now African American. Through the eyes of those on the front lines of the crisis, journalist Jacob Levenson tells a story of race and public health that spans fifty years and reveals how AIDS has become one of the leading killers of young black men and women. Medical researcher Mindy Fullilove investigates the epidemic’s links to crack cocaine, the Bronx fires, and national health policy. Desiree Rushing must reconcile her crack addiction and HIV infection with the fate of her city, family, and the black church. David deShazo, a white AIDS worker in Alabama, fights to prevent the American South from becoming the epidemic’s new epicenter. And Mario Cooper, a gay, infected son of the black elite confronts the boundaries of American race politics in Washington, D.C. Seamlessly interweaving personal stories with national policy, Levenson indelibly captures this devastating epidemic and illuminates its potential to expand our understanding of race in America.
Office of Innocence: A Novel
by Thomas KeneallyMarshalling the vast powers of narrative and historical re-creation that he brought to his international bestseller Schindler’s List, Thomas Keneally has created a moving and provocative novel about a headstrong young Catholic priest in World War II Australia. As Sydney braces itself for a Japanese invasion, Father Frank Darragh finds his pastoral duties becoming increasingly challenging. How should he counsel an AWOL black American soldier who may face death for his involvement with a white woman? And what should he say to another woman—the distressingly beguiling Kate Heggarty—who impresses him with her virtue even as she edges toward sin? When Kate is found murdered, Darragh falls under suspicion. And even if the police clear him, his superiors—and his own conscience—may not. Office of Innocence is a book that’s impossible to put down, dense with moral complexity and alive with period detail.
Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors
by Bill BrysonFrom one of America's most beloved and bestselling authors, a wonderfully useful and readable guide to the problems of the English language most commonly encountered by editors and writers.What is the difference between &“immanent&” and &“imminent&”? What is the singular form of graffiti? What is the difference between &“acute&” and &“chronic&”? What is the former name of &“Moldova&”? What is the difference between a cardinal number and an ordinal number? One of the English language's most skilled writers answers these and many other questions and guides us all toward precise, mistake-free usage. Covering spelling, capitalization, plurals, hyphens, abbreviations, and foreign names and phrases, Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors will be an indispensable companion for all who care enough about our language not to maul, misuse, or contort it.This dictionary is an essential guide to the wonderfully disordered thing that is the English language. As Bill Bryson notes, it will provide you with &“the answers to all those points of written usage that you kind of know or ought to know but can&’t quite remember.&”BONUS MATERIAL: This ebook edition includes an excerpt from Bill Bryson's One Summer.
Betrayal (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #6)
by Lois TiltonAmbassadors from all over the Federation have assembled on Deep Space NineTM for a conference that will determine the future of the planet Bajor. Keeping dozens of ambassadors happy is hard enough, but soon terrorists begin a bombing campaign on the station, and Commander Sisko's job becomes nearly impossible. Distracted by all of this, he's in no position to deal well with the arrival of a belligerent Cardassian commander demanding the return of Deep Space Nine to the Cardassian empire, but he must rise to the occasion if his station and Bajor are to emerge from the crisis intact.
Nightway
by Janet DaileyFrom the ancient way of Arizona’s Navaho nation to the new ranch wealth of the great Southwest, two warring sons fought for one woman’s love. Lanna’s quiet beauty won the love of two very different men—the “white son” and his half-brother. One, charming, secure in his world and his riches. The other, an outcast of brooding sensuality, proud of his Indian ways. Lanna would be forced to choose between them—and between two kinds of life. And even as they fought to possess her, the dark legacy of greed and treachery that lay hidden in their family threatened to destroy her future—and her love.
Ride the Thunder
by Janet DaileyJordanna Smith was the wild and willowy daughter of a prominent banker and a glamorous socialite, a globe-trotting huntress who sought the world’s big game at her father’s side. No man was her father’s equal in her eyes—until the night she met the rugged stranger who, in one frenzied and exalted moment, tapped the roots of a desire she had never known. Fleeing to Idaho to join her father’s hunting party, she hoped to forget the bronzed stranger’s fiery touch. But there he was—her stranger, their guide, Brig McCord. Their days were filled with the wild beauty of the hunt, their nights with the primitive fire of their passion. But soon their idyll was shattered by jealousy, betrayal, and murder. Now Jordanna has to face the hidden truths about her father and her brother, and a secret that already had claimed one life and threatened to destroy her newfound love.
The Smoking Gun: Day by Day Through a Shocking Murder Trial with Gerry Spence
by Gerry SpenceFrom America's foremost criminal defense lawyer and author of the bestselling How to Argue and Win Every Time comes this riveting, true account of a trial that adeptly exposes the unrelenting power of the state, which so often crushes those -- guilty or innocent -- who come before the bar of justice. It could happen to you. When Sandy Jones and her teenage son were accused of murdering a real estate developer on their hardscrabble Oregon farm, the prosecution had an eyewitness to the shooting and a photograph of Sandy holding a smoking rifle. County officials kept Sandy in jail while they awaited the trial, despite ballistic evidence that strongly suggested she hadn't fired the fatal shot. The case erupted into an epic struggle between Sandy -- who was poor, different, and a woman -- and the "good old boys" of Lincoln County, Oregon, who held all the power. Though the Joneses' guilt seemed eminently clear to the county and the prosecution, Gerry Spence, renowned for his work on the cases of Karen Silkwood and Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, took the case pro bono and the courtroom battle exploded into three years of intensely moving jury trials, recounted here from the record of the case. The Smoking Gun follows Gerry Spence through his passionate arguments with two different judges and two different prosecutorial teams, his exacting jury selection, his expert questioning of the witnesses, and his incredible rapport with the jury as he fights for the rights of Sandy and her son. With a superb sense of drama and an intimate knowledge of the court system, Spence highlights the pitfalls that every defendant faces, making The Smoking Gun extremely relevant today, when our rights are being eroded and when the average American, even if innocent, is hard-pressed to obtain a fair trial.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Klingon Empire: A Burning House (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
by Keith R. DeCandidoThey have been the Federation's staunchest allies, and its fiercest adversaries. Cunning, ruthless, driven by an instinct for violence and defined by a complex code of honor, they must push ever outward in order to survive, defying the icy ravages of space with the fire of their hearts. They are the Klingons, and if you think you already know all there is to learn about them...think again. From its highest echelons of power to the shocking depths of its lowest castes, from its savagely aggressive military to its humble farmers, from political machinations of galactic import to personal demons and family strife, the Klingon Empire is revealed as never before when the captain and crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon finally return to their homeworld of Qo'noS in a sweeping tale of intrigue, love, betrayal, and honor.