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Kishwaukee College has multiple types of eBooks! Click on the book title and follow directions for the correct eBook format.
AI in the Movies analyses film representations of artificial intelligence, from their first emergence in the 1950s up to 2020. These strong or general artificial intelligences take different forms: some are digital AIs, some robot AIs, some move between material and digital forms. Some are indistinguishable from humans, and some have no material existence at all. Analysis of these representations demonstrates filmmakers eroding the division between human and AI, by presenting character doubles, narrative parallels and eventually, identities in which the biological and artificial overlap and intersect in new hybrid forms. The book identifies the aspects of AI science that fascinate filmmakers and outlines the key themes and tropes in AI film, including parent-child relationships, the female robot, human-AI doubles, parallels and hybrids, and AI death and mortality.
Amazon is everywhere. In our mailboxes, in delivery vans clogging our streets, in an increasing portion of our air traffic, in our grocery stores, on our televisions, in our smart home devices, and in the infrastructure powering many of the websites we visit. Amazon's tendrils touch the majority of online retail transactions in the United States and in many other countries. As Amazon changes the face of capitalist business, it is also changing global culture in multiple ways. This book brings together some of the most important analyses of Amazon's pioneering business practices and how they intersect with and affect the components of everyday culture. Its contributors examine the political economy of Amazon's platform, making the argument that it operates as an unregulated monopoly that is disruptive to the global economy and that its infrastructure and logistical operations increasingly alienate its workers and wreak many other social harms. Our contributors outline the practices of resistance that have been employed by organizers ranging from Amazon employees to artists to digital piecemeal laborers working on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. They examine the broader cultural impact that Amazon has had, looking at things like Amazon Prime and the creation of unending consumption, the absorption of Whole Foods and its brand of 'conscious capitalism,' and the impact of Amazon Studios and Prime Video on everyday film and television viewing practices. This book examines the broader environmental impacts that Amazon is having on the world, looking at the slow violence it incurs, its underwhelming Climate Pledge, and the regional impacts that its business practices have. Lastly, this book gathers together some important artistic responses to Amazon for the first time in an appendix that offers readers insight into other ways in which critics of the company are making their voices heard and attempting to move broader audiences into solidarity against Amazon.
Race is a social reality, not a biological one. Yet African Americans are poorly served by even advanced genetic medicine because it is built on European DNA. Constance Hilliard explores the benefits and drawbacks of racial heuristics in medicine and argues for nonessentializing methods of harnessing genomic science on behalf of people of color.
Many parents and teachers struggle with math. How many times have you heard, "I hate math," "Math is not my thing," or, "I can't do math"? In our culture, innumeracy is acceptable. This acceptance fails to account for innumeracy's lifelong consequences, from not understanding statistics used in science and news to difficulty managing finances. The Art of Learning Math is a journey into what makes math meaningful. It takes the reader through the developmental stages of learning math, from infancy to adulthood. It weaves stories, examples, research references, reasons, the arts, and evolutionary understandings to make it relevant and comprehensible to readers. It also provides concrete, actionable tools to help the reader be successful in their endeavor, whether that is to educate groups of children, their own children, or themselves.
Dive into the intelligence that powers artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence is swiftly moving from a sci-fi future to a modern reality. This edition of Artificial Intelligence For Dummies keeps pace with the lighting-fast expansion of AI tools that are overhauling every corner of reality. This book demystifies how artificial intelligence systems operate, giving you a look at the inner workings of AI and explaining the important role of data in creating intelligence. You'll get a primer on using AI in everyday life, and you'll also get a glimpse into possible AI-driven futures. What's next for humanity in the age of AI? How will your job and your life change as AI continue to evolve? How can you take advantage of AI today to make your live easier? This jargon-free Dummies guide answers all your most pressing questions about the world of artificial intelligence. Learn the basics of AI hardware and software, and how intelligence is created from code Get up to date with the latest AI trends and disruptions across industries Wrap your mind around what the AI revolution means for humanity, and for you Discover tips on using generative AI ethically and effectively Artificial Intelligence For Dummies is the ideal starting point for anyone seeking a deeper technological understanding of how artificial intelligence works and what promise it holds for the future.
A mother and race scholar seeks to answer her daughter's many questions about race and racism with an earnest exploration into race relations and affirmative action from the perspectives of Asian Americans Before being struck down by the US Supreme Court in June 2023, affirmative action remained one of the few remaining policy tools to address racial inequalities, revealing peculiar contours of racism and anti-racist strategies in America. Through personal reflective essays for and about her daughter, OiYan Poon looks at how the debate over affirmative action reveals the divergent ways Asian Americans conceive of their identity. With moving sincerity and insightful study, Poon combines extensive research with personal narratives from both herself and a diverse swath of individuals across the Asian American community to reflect on and respond to her daughter's central question- What does it mean to be Asian American? Poon conducts interviews with Asian Americans throughout the US who have been actively engaged in policy debates over race-conscious admissions or affirmative action. Through these exchanges, she finds that Asian American identity remains deeply unsettled in a contest between those invested in reaching the top of the racial hierarchy alongside whiteness and those working toward a vision of justice and humanity co-constructed through cross-racial solidarity. Poon uses these contrasting viewpoints to guide her conversations with her daughter, providing a heartfelt and optimistic look at how understanding the diversity and nuances of the Asian American experience can help us envision a more equitable future.
The essential guide to geopolitics in the modern Middle East The Middle East is in crisis. The shocking events of the war in Gaza have rocked the entire region. More than a decade ago, the Arab Spring had raised hopes of a new beginning but instead ushered in a series of civil wars, coups, and even harsher autocracies. Tensions were exacerbated by the meddling of outsiders, as regional and global powers sought to further their interests. The United States, for so long the dominant actor, had stepped back, leaving a vacuum behind it to be fought over. Christopher Phillips explores geopolitical rivalries in the region, and the major external powers vying for influence: Russia, China, the EU, and the US. Moving through ten key flashpoints, from Syria to Palestine, Phillips argues that the United States' overextension after the Cold War, and retreat in the 2010s, has imbalanced the region. Today, the Middle East remains blighted by conflicts of unprecedented violence and a post-American scramble for power - leaving its fate in the balance.
How do student loans work? What do sanctions do? Where does federal spending go, and who decides on the budget? Author and established journalist Jeff Fleischer digs into these and other relevant civics topics to explain the history behind different processes and programs, what they look like today, and why it's important to understand them. Through engaging, well-researched text and related sidebars, this book will help you understand and join many ongoing political conversations in the US, from spending to citizenship to international relations and more.
Our age will be defined by the climate emergency. Contrary to the doomist narrative that's taken hold about the climate emergency, the world has already begun deploying the solutions needed to deal with it. On a journey across five continents, Climate Capitalism tracks the unlikely heroes driving the fight against climate change. From the Chinese bureaucrat who did more to make electric cars a reality than Elon Musk, to the Danish students who helped to build the world's longest-operating wind turbine, or the American oil executive building the technology that can reverse climate damages, we meet the people working to scale technologies that are finally able to bend the emissions curve. Through stories that bring people, policy and technology together, Akshat Rathi reveals how the green economy is not only possible, but profitable. This inspiring blend of business, science, and history provides the framework for ensuring that future generations can live in prosperity and that the wheels of progress don't falter.
College 101: A Girl's Guide to Freshman Year is a comprehensive and authentic guide for girls to everything college from girls who just went through it!
An eye-opening account of how Americans came to revere the Constitution and what this reverence has meant domestically and around the world. Some Americans today worry that the Federal Constitution is ill-equipped to respond to mounting democratic threats and may even exacerbate the worst features of American politics. Yet for as long as anyone can remember, the Constitution has occupied a quasi-mythical status in American political culture, which ties ideals of liberty and equality to assumptions about the inherent goodness of the text's design. The Constitutional Bind explores how a flawed document came to be so glorified and how this has impacted American life. In a pathbreaking retelling of the American experience, Aziz Rana shows that today's reverential constitutional culture is a distinctively twentieth-century phenomenon. Rana connects this widespread idolization to another relatively recent development: the rise of US global dominance. Ultimately, such veneration has had far-reaching consequences: despite offering a unifying language of reform, it has also unleashed an interventionist national security state abroad while undermining the possibility of deeper change at home. Revealing how the current constitutional order was forged over the twentieth century, The Constitutional Bind also sheds light on an array of movement activists--in Black, Indigenous, feminist, labor, and immigrant politics--who struggled to imagine different constitutional horizons. As time passed, these voices of opposition were excised from memory. Today, they offer essential insights.
Over the past several decades, psychiatry has undergone radical changes. After its midcentury heyday, psychoanalysis gave way to a worldview guided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, which precisely defined mental disorders and their treatments; more recently, this too has been displaced by a model inspired by neuroscience. Each of these three dominant models overturned the previous era's assumptions, methods, treatment options, and goals. Each has its own definitions of health and disease, its own concepts of the mind. And each has offered clinicians and patients new possibilities as well as pitfalls. The Couch, the Clinic, and the Scanner is an insightful first-person account of psychiatry's evolution. David Hellerstein--a psychiatrist who has practiced in New York City since the early 1980s, working with patients, doing research, and helping run clinics and hospitals--provides a window into how the profession has transformed. In vivid stories and essays, he explores the lived experience of psychiatric work and the daunting challenges of healing the mind amid ever-changing theoretical models. Recounting his intellectual, clinical, and personal adventures, Hellerstein finds unexpected poetry in hallways and waiting rooms; encounters with patients who are by turns baffling, frustrating, and inspiring; and the advances of science. Drawing on narrative-medicine approaches, The Couch, the Clinic, and the Scanner offers a perceptive and eloquent portrayal of the practice of psychiatry as it has struggled to define and redefine itself.
An inside look at the unique balance the Amish strike between tradition and the demands of the modern world. From technology to social forces, the Amish face an evolving modern world. Their facility in determining whether to accept, reject, or bargain with the options that challenge them allows for measured change that sustains their social fabric and beliefs. In Dancing on the Devil's Playground, James A. Cates employs a sociocultural model to analyze this negotiation and its applications in Amish culture. Cates, a clinical psychologist, draws on his extensive experience working with Amish families and communities as a mental health professional, as well as the scholarship of Donald B. Kraybill, a leading Amish expert who developed the "negotiation with modernity" model. Cates uses this paradigm to examine the Amish's principles of assessment and evaluation, their cautious tempo in response to change, and their strategies of critical analysis during negotiations. Dancing on the Devil's Playgroundfeatures seven fascinating case studies of how the Amish interact with legal, health care, and civil authorities and will help readers better understand Amish perspectives on medical, social, and emotional aspects of life. These case studies include, for example, negotiation with the telephone, services for special medical needs, substance abuse, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence. These essays illustrate the negotiation techniques the Amish use to protect their unique culture while adapting to the needs of the modern world. The Amish adopt, adapt, defer, or decline the changes they face, all while maintaining their traditions and a unique identity that includes an appropriate distance from the rest of the world.
This book explores how to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to create a secure digital identity, and how to leverage those capabilities with digital infrastructure, such as mobile ID, to make internet access safer, more available, and more equitable for everyone. Digital identification is a long-overdue and necessary tool for the U.S. economy to transition into the digital age, while preventing fraud, ensuring privacy, and improving equity.
Most teens are adept at navigating Facebook and TikTok and have no fear of the online world. Yet even these digital natives who have never known life without smartphones and tablets can--and do--fall for online scams and lies. This book examines the meaning and importance of digital literacy and the hazards of the online world.
An engaging and essential discussion of generative artificial intelligence In Generative AI: Navigating the Course to the Artificial General Intelligence Future, celebrated author Martin Musiol--founder and CEO of generativeAI.net and GenAI Lead for Europe at Infosys--delivers an incisive and one-of-a-kind discussion of the current capabilities, future potential, and inner workings of generative artificial intelligence. In the book, you'll explore the short but eventful history of generative artificial intelligence, what it's achieved so far, and how it's likely to evolve in the future. You'll also get a peek at how emerging technologies are converging to create exciting new possibilities in the GenAI space. Musiol analyzes complex and foundational topics in generative AI, breaking them down into straightforward and easy-to-understand pieces. You'll also find: Bold predictions about the future emergence of Artificial General Intelligence via the merging of current AI models Fascinating explorations of the ethical implications of AI, its potential downsides, and the possible rewards Insightful commentary on Autonomous AI Agents and how AI assistants will become integral to daily life in professional and private contexts Perfect for anyone interested in the intersection of ethics, technology, business, and society--and for entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of this tech revolution--Generative AI offers an intuitive, comprehensive discussion of this fascinating new technology.
Why immunization must be made mandatory in times of vaccine hesitancy, and how we can design and implement immunization policies in a practical, trustworthy, and democratic way. We live in perilous times when a significant number of citizens are either defiantly antivaccination or hesitant to accept vaccinations for themselves or for their children. In Inducing Immunity?, legal philosopher Roland Pierik and bioethicist Marcel Verweij, explore ways to regulate collective immunization in as democratic a manner as possible. Approaching the problem as a matter of a conflict between the responsibility of government to protect public health and the basic right to freedom of citizens, Pierik and Verweij argue that John Stuart Mill's harm principle-the idea that individuals should be free to act so long as their actions do not harm others-offers a strong basis for coercive immunization policies. Covering childhood immunization policies, as well as vaccination programs aimed at adult citizens, the authors argue that a coercive immunization policy in any liberal democracy must first satisfy the principle of proportionality. This leads them to an in-depth exploration of the role of exemptions, the nature of coercion, and the contents of vaccination programs. In the final part of the book, the authors also discuss the importance and scope of freedom of speech, given how the current spread of misinformation has undermined confidence in vaccines. Offering an in-depth analysis in bioethics and legal philosophy, Inducing Immunity? is a sensible and applicable guide for health professionals, policymakers, and academics alike on how we can-and must-do better with our immunization policies.
Set yourself up for success as an adult--tips and advice for ages 16+ How do you create a budget? Clean a bathroom? Make a doctor's appointment? If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the responsibilities of growing up, you're not alone--and the Life Skills Book for Teens is here to help! It includes straightforward advice for handling your money, health, home, relationships, and more so you can take on adulthood with confidence. Life skills 101 for teens--Learn the basics of being independent with guidance on everyday skills like using a credit card, eating balanced meals, and doing laundry. Make a good impression--From giving thoughtful gifts to dressing appropriately for different occasions, this book of life skills for teens is your go-to guide for navigating social and professional interactions like a pro. Consider this--Make smart choices with tips on things to think about when you travel, adopt a pet, make a big purchase, or any other life event that comes with extra responsibilities. This essential life skills book shows you how to live independently and feel in charge of your own life!
A Fortune magazine journalist draws on his expertise and extensive contacts among the companies and scientists at the forefront of artificial intelligence to offer dramatic predictions of AI's impact over the next decade, from reshaping our economy and the way we work, learn, and create to unknitting our social fabric, jeopardizing our democracy, and fundamentally altering the way we think. Within the next five years, Jeremy Kahn predicts, AI will disrupt almost every industry and enterprise, with vastly increased efficiency and productivity. It will restructure the workforce, making AI copilots a must for every knowledge worker. It will revamp education, meaning children around the world can have personal, portable tutors. It will revolutionize health care, making individualized, targeted pharmaceuticals more affordable. It will compel us to reimagine how we make art, compose music, and write and publish books. The potential of generative AI to extend our skills, talents, and creativity as humans is undeniably exciting and promising. But while this new technology has a bright future, it also casts a dark and fearful shadow. AI will provoke pervasive, disruptive, potentially devastating knock-on effects. Leveraging his unrivaled access to the leaders, scientists, futurists, and others who are making AI a reality, Kahn will argue that if not carefully designed and vigilantly regulated AI will deepen income inequality, depressing wages while imposing winner-take-all markets across much of the economy. AI risks undermining democracy, as truth is overtaken by misinformation, racial bias, and harmful stereotypes. Continuing a process begun by the internet, AI will rewire our brains, likely inhibiting our ability to think critically, to remember, and even to get along with one another--unless we all take decisive action to prevent this from happening. Much as Michael Lewis's classic The New New Thing offered a prescient, insightful, and eminently readable account of life inside the dot-com bubble, Mastering AI delivers much-needed guidance for anyone eager to understand the AI boom--and what comes next.
Challenges to racialized policing, from early reform efforts to BLM protests and the aftermath of George Floyd's murder The eruption of Black Lives Matter protests against police violence in 2014 spurred a wave of police reform. One of the places to embrace this reform was Minneapolis, Minnesota, a city long known for its liberal politics. Yet in May 2020, four of its officers murdered George Floyd. Fiery protests followed, making the city a national emblem for the failures of police reform. In response, members of the Minneapolis City Council pledged to "end" the Minneapolis Police Department. In The Minneapolis Reckoning, Michelle Phelps describes how Minneapolis arrived at the brink of police abolition. Phelps explains that the council's pledge did not come out of a single moment of rage, but decades of organizing efforts. Yet the politics of transforming policing were more complex than they first appeared. Despite public outrage over police brutality, the council's initiatives faced stiff opposition, including by Black community leaders who called for more police protection against crime as well as police reform. In 2021, voters ultimately rejected the ballot measure to end the department. Yet change continued on the ground, as state and federal investigations pushed police reform and city leaders and residents began to develop alternative models of safety. The Minneapolis Reckoning shows how the dualized meaning of the police--as both the promise of state protection and the threat of state violence--creates the complex politics of policing that thwart change. Phelps's account of the city's struggles over what constitutes real accountability, justice, and safety offers a vivid picture of the possibilities and limits of challenging police power today.
Discover the gods, goddesses, and heroes from Norse mythology with this beautiful handbook that captures the ancient stories that captivated the Vikings. Learn more about your favorite Norse gods, goddesses, and heroes with this collection of profiles that share the real stories behind the characters. With characters from Norse myths coming to life on the big and small screens, and in the pages of new and exciting fiction, this guide can give you all the details you need to understand your favorite heroes, villains, and powerful deities. With comprehensive entries that outline each character's names, roles, related symbols, and foundational myths, you can get to know the roots of these personas, and better understand the new stories we tell about them today.
A hands-on guide to evolving your company with ethical AI along with thought-provoking insights and predictions from a variety of well-known industry leaders In Our Planet Powered by AI, renowned AI strategist and pioneer Mark Minevich delivers an exciting and practical discussion of how to implement groundbreaking artificial intelligence technologies at every level of your organization. You'll learn to create sustainable, effective competitive advantage by introducing previously unheard-of levels of adaptability, resilience, and innovation into your company. Using real-world case studies from a variety of well-known industry leaders, the author explains the strategic archetypes, technological infrastructures, and cultures of sustainability you'll need to ensure your firm's next-level digital transformation takes root. You'll also discover: How AI can enable new business strategies, models, and ecosystems of innovation and growth How to develop societal impact and powerful organizational benefits with ethical AI implementations that incorporate transparency, fairness, privacy, and reliability What it means to enable all-inclusive artificial intelligence An engaging and hands-on exploration of how to take your firm to new levels of dynamism and growth, Our Planet Powered by AI will earn a place in the libraries of managers, executives, directors, and other business and technology leaders seeking to distinguish their companies in a new age of astonishing technological advancement and fierce competition.
Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. Billie Jean King takes on Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes. Title IX is passed. Some moments in sports--whether they take place on a track, on a tennis court, or in a courtroom--transcend the event itself. Some have helped America live out its creed that all men are created equal. Others have pushed the nation toward gender equality. Others have changed individual sports to such a degree that they have transformed society. Powerful Moments in Sports: The Most Significant Sporting Events in American History encompasses more than a single player, team, or game. This book looks at how a particular event revolutionized a sport, how a contest of speed inspired a nation, or even how a humble victory affected the world. Martin Gitlin considers such impactful moments as Jackie Robinson's integration of Major League Baseball, Gertrude Ederle becoming the first female to swim the English Channel--and shattering the times of five men who had accomplished the feat before her--and the underdog US hockey team defeating the Soviets at the 1980 Olympics. The twenty events featured in this book had profound social, political, and cultural importance and inspired athletes and spectators alike. Spanning multiple decades, Powerful Moments in Sports reveals the tremendous impact athletes have had on America--and the world--over the years. Covering football, baseball, hockey, basketball, track and field, boxing, and more, this book will fascinate and enlighten sports fans, historians, and those interested in the impact of athletic endeavors on culture and society.
All the skill-building English language practice you need to master ESL--with seven books in one value-packed volume--plus support from the McGraw Hill Language Lab app The most effective way to learn any new language is to practice, practice, and practice. No other workbooks put as much emphasis on this as the Practice Makes Perfect series--and in Practice Makes Perfect: Complete English All-in-One for ESL Learners, you get seven skill-building titles to help you build a solid foundation of verbs, vocabulary, grammar and conversational skills--all in one value-packed workbook. This one-stop resource includes thorough explanations that are reinforced by hundreds of hands-on practice exercises to help you build the skills needed to communicate in English with confidence. A comprehensive index makes it easy to reference all grammar explanations throughout the book, making this an ideal resource for both beginning and advanced beginning levels. This Premium edition also includes extensive support through McGraw Hill's unique Language Learning app, allowing you to stream audio recordings for audio conversations and take advantage of the helpful "record yourself" feature. Designed specifically for the beginning ESL student (as opposed to general grammar students) Value-packed volume contains core content from seven titles: English Grammar for ESL Learners; Intermediate English Grammar for ESL Learners; English Verbs; English Verb Tenses Up Close; English Pronouns and Prepositions; English Sentence Builder; and English Conversation Integrated approach allows you to study and develop your language skills at your own level and pace This premium second edition is supported by the McGraw Hill Language Lab app, with streaming audio recordings for 12 conversations and a helpful "record yourself" feature.
This book explores how social determinants of health (SDH) impact the health of a variety of marginalized demographic groups in the United States. Chapters focus on the 13 groups that research demonstrates are most disadvantaged by SDH and, consequently, who suffer the most from ongoing health disparities in America. This includes Black and Hispanic individuals, the LGBTQIA+ community, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, veterans, and those living in rural areas, among others. Chapters follow a standardized format that makes it easy for readers to focus in on aspects of the subject that are of greatest interest. Each profile begins with a snapshot of that group's current state of health, including the biggest medical concerns and how other determinants of health may play a role. Next, each chapter takes an in-depth look at the four components of SDH: economic factors, educational access and quality, healthcare access and quality, and living environment and social context. Unique problems and possible solutions are explored within each of these four sections. An end-of-volume bibliography and further readings list points readers who wish to continue their investigation of the topic toward additional information. Relying on an interdisciplinary framework, the book incorporates research from diverse fields including public health, feminist theory, critical studies of race and ethnicity, poverty studies, disability studies, aging studies, cultural competence, legal studies, and global health. In recognition of the reality that health disparities are the result of a complex interplay of forces and structural factors that permeate American culture, analysis extends beyond health and health care to include a broad range of interrelated social, political, economic, and educational components.
A timely collection of essays on the pressing possibilities and risks of gene-editing technology. Scientists and genetic engineers are becoming increasingly adept at editing the human genome. How far can--and should--they go in editing future generations? In The Promise and Peril of CRISPR, editor Neal Baer brings together a timely collection of essays by influential bioethicists, philosophers, and geneticists to explore the moral, ethical, and policy challenges posed by CRISPR technology. We are at a technological and ethical crossroads in grappling with the impacts of genetic editing. Gene-editing technology holds the promise of curing more than 7,000 known genetic diseases. Yet with that promise comes the peril of using CRISPR to edit the human genome, which could not only lead to manipulating human evolution, but also to creating and releasing pathogens capable of wreaking havoc on human, animal, and plant life. Although CRISPR has already cured several genetic diseases, it could also be used to design biological weapons or to edit the embryos of people who can afford to purchase genetic "enhancements" for their children. What role can and should the public play in discussing the far-reaching implications of gene editing? What oversights should be put in place to prevent a rogue scientist from engineering another baby - as was recently done with twins in China? Essay contributors offer informed predictions and guidelines for how the uses of CRISPR today will affect life in the future. Decisions we make now may have unpredictable consequences for future generations. For anyone concerned about the uses and potential abuses of gene editing, these essays provide a critical and comprehensive discussion of the central issues surrounding CRISPR technology. Contributors: Florence Ashley, R. Alta Charo, Marcy Darnovsky, Kevin Doxzen, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Jodi Halpern, Katie Hasson, Andrew C. Heinrich, Jacqueline Humphries, J. Benjamin Hurlbut, Ellen D. Jorgensen, Peter F. R. Mills, Carol Padden, Marcus Schultz-Bergin, Robert Sparrow, Sandra Sufian, Krystal Tsosie, Ethan Weiss, Rachel M. West
In this enlightening and entertaining book, author and Skeptical Inquirer editor Kendrick Frazier takes readers on a journey to the contentious boundary zone between science and its antagonists: pseudoscience (pretend science) and anti-science (open hostility to science). Pseudoscience romps in the shadows of science but takes on the guise of science to excite, sell, mislead, and deceive the public. Anti-science denigrates, even denies, findings of science for ideological ends. In this dangerous age of misinformation (and dis-information), we need science's remarkable truth-seeking tools more than ever to help counter society's crazier impulses in which opinion, beliefs, and lies trump facts, evidence, and truth. In one sense, Shadows of Science is Frazier's love letter to science, one of humanity's greatest inventions, one we should exalt for its unique ability to find provisional truths about nature. In congenial prose he reports on recent discoveries and describes how science works and how its error-correcting mechanisms lead eventually to new knowledge. He tells the stories of some of our champions of science and reason. He describes the little-appreciated values of science, how it embraces uncertainty and humility, and its emphasis on fact-based observation and experiment. Pseudoscience adopts some of science's language and has a beguiling appeal, but there the similarities end. Frazier has professionally reported on frontier scientific discoveries and observed and exposed the pretensions and dangers of pseudoscience and anti-science his entire career. Here he shares his experiences, his knowledge and insights, and his love and passion for our ability to learn what's real about the natural world--and to identify and expose fake science, pretend science, and anti-science in all their multifarious forms.
Social media has been fully integrated into the lives of most adolescents in the U.S., raising concerns among parents, physicians, public health officials, and others about its effect on mental and physical health. Over the past year, an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examined the research and produced this detailed report exploring that effect and laying out recommendations for policymakers, regulators, industry, and others in an effort to maximize the good and minimize the bad. Focus areas include platform design, transparency and accountability, digital media literacy among young people and adults, online harassment, and supporting researchers.
When you look at the world through the lens of upfront carbon, everything changes The astonishing upfront carbon of everyday objects from coffee cups to heat pumps, and why electric bikes, not electric cars, are the answer. Think that buying an electric car or switching to a heat pump is going to save the planet? Think again. "Upfront carbon" refers to all emissions involved in making your car, your home, or any other item. These invisible embodied carbon emissions matter a lot. As we weed out fossils fuels and incorporate more renewables into our energy supply, upfront carbon becomes increasingly dominant compared to operating emissions, yet it is often ignored. By focusing on consumption rather than production, The Story of Upfront Carbon covers: Why we are fixated on energy efficiency, not carbon, and why this needs to change Why carbon calculations are so fiendishly difficult How the simple idea of sufficiency for individuals and whole economies is a powerful strategy to avert looming climate catastrophe How big-picture thinking and a systemic approach to production can help guide the transition to degrowth and an equitable, zero-carbon society. Leavened with wit and packed with concrete strategies for minimizing the ecological footprint of transportation, agriculture, consumer goods, the built environment, and more, this highly readable and accessible guide is required reading for a world on the brink.
Establish a successful online business and grow your customer base Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies is the compass you need to navigate the exciting world of e-commerce. You'll discover the latest web trends, learn the basics of designing a website, and get tips for creating a compelling online presence. Plus, the guidance inside helps you stretch your marketing muscles to boost your brand's visibility, from the basics to more advanced strategies. This updated edition also shows you how to build a print-on-demand business, generate opportunities with AI, and break into the international marketplace. Learn how to fund your online business idea Drive traffic to your website or social media page using search engine optimization Stand out from the competition with proven online business strategies Manage security risks and stay one step ahead of potential threats. Perfect for aspiring online entrepreneurs and established business owners aiming to enhance their digital footprint, this book will take you all the way from start-up to success.
The transgender and gender nonbinary community is forever under siege. Institutional transphobia is enacted by those who would return us to the shadows, the closets, or worse. Surviving Transphobia is an anthology by transgender and gender nonbinary celebrities and experts on endurance during times of severe hostility. We share the moments when we were vulnerable, were bullied, had needs dismissed, or were discriminated against, revealing our determination and how we have (sometimes) managed to thrive. We offer loving support as you brave agony and seek joy. We also speak to our allies. We are activists, actors, athletes, authors, lawyers, doctors, nurses, therapists, sex workers, clergy, diplomats, and military veterans. We are of many ethnicities. We vary socioeconomically, educationally, and geographically. Some are neurodivergent. Several are disabled or have chronic illnesses. A few are HIV+. A small number were born elsewhere. We have survived, here's how. And if we can survive... so can you.
Statistically speaking, you or someone you know has experienced a sexual violation. There's also a high chance that you or someone you know caused one. Perhaps these incidents had a clear perpetrator and victim. Or maybe you've encountered one of the more complicated situations where it's not quite so obvious that one person intentionally hurt another. Violated focuses on that messy place of unintentional, thoughtless, or perhaps even reckless consent violations. It challenges us to rethink the way gender and dating norms, intentionality, and intoxication have come to frame our social understanding of sexual consent and discusses what you, your organizations, and your government can do to help reduce the scope of sexual violation. But more than anything, this book argues that we need to develop more realistic models of "good consent" for the world we actually live in.
In US foreign policy, conflict has replaced diplomacy. At home, wars on crime, drugs, immigration, and terrorism dissolve barriers between law enforcement and combat. Tracing the origins of militarized policy to post-Vietnam fears of waning US power, Osamah Khalil argues that it is time to discard forever wars and invest in political solutions.
The Salem Witch Trials, which took place in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693, have become indicative of mass hysteria, religious extremism, and false accusations occurring outside the fair and just rule of law. But what may not be as commonly known is that they were part of a wider phenomenon at the time - a fear and prosecution of witchcraft stemming back to Europe in the 1400s that led to the deaths of upwards of 60,000 people, most of them women. In Europe, these witch-hunts were notably severe in the Holy Roman Empire, and reached a peak between 1560 and 1630, also occurring in Scotland and England, as well as other European nations to varying degrees. As the fervor in Europe began to wane in the latter half of the 17th century, the sentiment continued in the fringes and made its way to the New World, with the earliest documented execution for witchcraft occurring in Connecticut in 1647. Increasingly fearful and vitriolic rhetoric, publications attempting to prove the existence of witches and demons, and growing mass hysteria led to the dramatic and deadly events in Salem, in which more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft and more than 20 were put to death. This volume explores the development of witch-hunts in the New World, from early incidents in Connecticut to the major events in Salem, as well as precedents in Europe, and later cultural reverberations such as hysteria over perceived Satanic ritual abuse in the 1980s. Documents examined include historical accounts, book excerpts, court cases, religious doctrines, petitions, and more.
Examines the history, concepts, and techniques of the disciplines of graphic design and typography from the earliest cave paintings and alphabets to modern digital fonts and methods.
An eye-opening look at how all American workers, even the highly educated and experienced, are vulnerable to the stigma of unemployment. After receiving a PhD in mathematics from MIT, Larry spent three decades working at prestigious companies in the tech industry. Initially he was not worried when he lost his job as part of a large layoff, but the prolonged unemployment that followed decimated his finances and nearly ended his marriage. Larry's story is not an anomaly. The majority of American workers experience unemployment, and millions get trapped in devastating long-term unemployment, including experienced workers with advanced degrees from top universities. How is it possible for even highly successful careers to suddenly go off the rails? In The Stigma Trap, Ofer Sharone explains how the stigma of unemployment can render past educational and professional achievements irrelevant, and how it leaves all American workers vulnerable to becoming trapped in unemployment. Drawing on interviews with unemployed workers, job recruiters, and career coaches, Sharone brings to light the subtle ways that stigmatization prevents even the most educated and experienced workers from gaining middle-class jobs. Stigma also means that an American worker risks more than financial calamity from a protracted period of unemployment. One's closest relationships and sense of self are also on the line. Eye-opening and clearly written, The Stigma Trap is essential reading for anyone who has experienced unemployment, has a family member or friend who is unemployed, or who wants to understand the forces that underlie the anxiety-filled lives of contemporary American workers. The book offers a unique approach to supporting unemployed jobseekers. At a broader level it exposes the precarious condition of American workers and sparks a conversation about much-needed policies to assure that we are not all one layoff away from being trapped by stigma.
A clear-headed vision for the United States' role in the Middle East that highlights the changing nature of US national interests and the challenges of grand strategizing at a time of profound change in the international order. Following a long series of catastrophic misadventures in the Middle East over the last two decades, the American foreign policy community has tried to understand what went wrong. After weighing the evidence, they have mostly advised a retreat from the region. The basic view is that when the United States tries to advance change in the Middle East, it only makes matters worse. In The End of Ambition, Steven A. Cook argues that while these analysts are rightly concerned that engagement drains US resources and distorts its domestic politics, the broader impulse to disengage tends to neglect important lessons from the past. Moreover, advocates of pulling back overlook the potential risks of withdrawal. Covering the relationship between the US and the Middle East since the end of WWII, Cook makes the bold claim that despite setbacks and moral costs, the United States has been overwhelmingly successful in protecting its core national interests in the Middle East. Conversely, overly ambitious policies to remake the region and leverage US power not only ended in failure, but rendered the region unstable in new and largely misunderstood ways. While making the case that retrenchment is not the answer to America's problems in the Middle East, The End of Ambition highlights how America's interests in the region have begun to change and critically examines alternative approaches to US-Middle East policy. Cook highlights the challenges that policymakers and analysts confront developing a new strategy for the United States in the Middle East against the backdrop of both political uncertainty in the United States and a changing global order.
Archaeology is the study of ancient civilizations and communities through the finding, analysis, and interpretation of objects and artifacts that have been left behind throughout history. This study of the past is a slow and careful process that often includes surveying sites, uncovering artifacts, curating artifacts, and even reconstructing archaeological sites. Archaeological fieldwork is a painstaking process--instead of thrilling adventures full of intrigue and mayhem, the archaeologist is immersed in the meticulous work of carefully uncovering and cataloging tiny bits of material from the past. Still, archaeology is not for the faint of heart. As a discipline, it demands reasoned analysis on few details in its attempt to give us invaluable insights into the past. Archaeology draws on chemistry to identify materials, radiochemistry and physics to identify the age of materials. Geology and stratigraphy help determine the placement of artifacts in a location and time period. The discovery and curation of historical documents--from rock paintings and carvings to clay tablets and papyrus scrolls --provide yet more information and context for further research. This title provides a critical look at the many different aspects of archaeology, beginning with key concepts related to this scientific field including Carbon Dating, Forensic Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, and Underwater Archaeology. An exploration of important archaeologists follows, covering important figures such as Roy Chapman Andrews, who found the first fossilized dinosaur eggs, and Marcellin Boule, who was the first to reconstruct a Neanderthal skeleton. A deep dive into ancient cultures such as the Eastern Pueblo Tribes and the Beaker People of Western Europe is followed by a close-up look at famous archaeological sites such as the ancient city of Petra, Pompeii, Stonehenge, and more.
A brisk, practical defense of free speech in America's digital public square that calls on the courts to reject the censors' absolutism, enforce enduring First Amendment principles, and restore a vigorous and robust marketplace of ideas. A vast censorship regime has smothered America's digital marketplace of ideas, squelching free speech on vital policy issues ranging from public health to electoral politics. Its supporters regard its benefits as morally and politically beyond question. They contend it's carried out by private social media platforms, not governmental authorities. And they insist their partnership is voluntary, not coerced. In Free Speech and Turbulent Freedom, Michael J. Glennon offers a timely and incisive response. The censors are short-sighted, he argues. Quibbling over outdated distinctions misses the real threat--which is the fusion of public and private power into a modern-day cartel able to overleap longstanding constitutional safeguards. American democracy, he argues, rests on a decentralized marketplace of ideas independent of the government. In crisp, trenchant terms, Glennon shows how concrete practical concerns justify protecting admittedly harmful online speech--even speech that advocates violence or embraces hatred or apparent falsehood. The intellectual journey of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. from absolutist to skeptic, he suggests, illuminates the value of political pluralism and the perils of the censors' delusory certitude. To safely self-correct, democracy requires open channels of political communication. Glennon calls on the courts to unblock those channels--to measure such speech against enduring First Amendment precepts rather than pliable international norms--and to protect the speech interests not merely of the government and Big Tech, but of all participants in the marketplace of ideas. That includes what's often overlooked: Americans' right to hear. Without robust judicial protection, the specious attractions of censorship--and the absolutist certitude that drives it--will destroy America's marketplace of ideas and, with it, any hope of political self-renewal.
Designed to meet the needs of both general readers and students, the upcoming edition of The Solar System covers over 200 major topics on Earth's solar system. New and updated essays highlight the latest discoveries in our solar system, including new images from the Webb telescope project. Chapters cover the Cosmological Context, Earth, the Jovian System, Life in the Solar System, Mars, Mercury, Natural Planetary Satellites, Neptune, Planets and Planetology, the Saturnian System, Scientific Methods, Small Bodies, the Solar System as a Whole, the Stellar Context, the Sun, Uranus, and Venus. Each entry begins with an "Overview" detailing basic information about the subject. "Knowledge Gained & Methods of Study/Applications" details how the topic is investigated, what scientific knowledge we have accumulated, or the uses of the knowledge we have gained. "Context" addresses the topic from the larger perspective of the history of solar system science and its relevance for humankind. The set is heavily illustrated with hundreds of photos, along with a general bibliography, a list of web resources, a comprehensive glossary, and a full subject index.
Accounts of mythical creatures from around the world often reveal more about the human cultures that created them than about the creatures themselves, and sustained interest in these ancient tales chronicles our ever-evolving relationship with animals and nature. Making appearances in early oral histories and modern video games alike, these legendary creatures have been the inspiration for countless works of art, drama, music, and literature throughout the ages and continue to fascinate as they are applied to modern life.
Offers in-depth analysis of seventy-six documents, including biographies, book excerpts, court cases, editorials, essays, laws, maps, memoirs, novels, a questionnaire, pamphlets, public postings, sermons, songs, speeches, a stamp series, and more. These selections help define events surrounding the Underground Railroad, which operated in the United States from approximately 1800-1865, helping enslaved people escape to freedom through a network of routes and safe houses. The success of the Railroad left an indelible mark on the fabric of the country, from its contribution to abolition efforts, to social jusice movements such as Black Lives Matter today.
Provides detailed and need-to-know information on various careers in the highly specialized world of earth science and its many facets. Each chapter provides a wealth of real-world information including A Day in the Life, Work Environment, Education & Training, Earnings & Advancement, Employment Outlook, and Conversations with Real Professionals, as well as contacts for more information. Many different types of in-demand careers are available within this wide-ranging industry, from agricultural engineer to zoologist. This volume offers insight into what it's like to work in the field or in support positions related to earth science. Readers who are interested in pursuing a career in this exciting industry will find the wide variety of job profiles included in this volume beneficial.
A visionary program for national renewal, the Green New Deal aims to protect the earth's climate while creating good jobs, reducing injustice, and eliminating poverty. Its core principle is to use the necessity for climate protection as a basis for realizing full employment and social justice. Jeremy Brecher goes beyond the national headlines and introduces readers to the community, municipal, county, state, tribal, and industry efforts advancing the Green New Deal across the United States. Brecher illustrates how such programs from below do the valuable work of building constituencies and providing proofs of concept for new ideas and initiatives. Block by block, these activities have come together to form a Green New Deal built on a strong foundation of small-scale movements and grassroots energy. A call for hope and a better tomorrow, The Green New Deal from Below offers a blueprint for reconstructing society on new principles to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Women working in the sciences face obstacles at virtually every step along their career paths. From subtle slights to blatant biases, deep systemic problems block women from advancing or push them out of science and technology entirely. Women in Science Now examines solutions to this persistent gender gap, offering new perspectives on how to make science more equitable and inclusive for all. This book shares stories and insights of women from a range of backgrounds working in various disciplines, illustrating the journeys that brought them to the sciences, the challenges they faced along the way, and the important contributions they have made to their fields. Lisa M. P. Munoz combines these narratives with a wealth of data to illuminate the size and scope of the challenges women scientists face, while highlighting research-based solutions to help overcome these obstacles. She presents groundbreaking studies in social psychology and organizational behavior that are informing novel approaches for combating historic and ongoing inequities. Through a combined focus on personal experiences and social-science research, this timely book provides both a path toward greater gender equity and an inspiring vision of science and scientists.