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Gondwana Landscapes in southern South America
By Jorge Rabassa, Cliff Ollier. 2014
This book presents extensive and new information on the geomorphology of cratonic areas of southern South America. It includes valuable…
data relating to recurrent controversies in general geomorphology beyond the boundaries of South America and reveals the great need to integrate many different aspects of geomorphology in regional studies. With the focus on ancient landscapes and especially on planation surfaces it addresses the question of what processes could form such huge features, and how they can be preserved for so long. Many of the papers include maps of planation surfaces or other geomorphic units. The volume brings together an up-to-date, state-of-the-art collection of information on South American geomorphology, and shows beyond doubt that geomorphology is on the same time scale as global tectonics, biological evolution and major climate change. Some of the papers describe ancient geomorphological features of areas that have never been studied or published before, while others describe regions which are totally unknown to the public. The scope of the book extends from tropical latitudes north of the Tropic of Capricorn, south to freezing Patagonia in the "roaring fifties", more than 3,500 km from north to south. Including over one thousand citations from geological and geomorphological literature, this volume will serve as a starting point for a whole new phase of studies of the fascinating landscape history of southern South America.The Muhammad Code: How a Desert Prophet Brought You ISIS, al Qaeda, and Boko Haram
By Howard Bloom. 2016
"If Howard Bloom is only ten percent right, we'll have to drastically revise our notions of the universe through the…
contagious joy of a great mind set loose on the biggest intellectual puzzles humans have ever faced. Whether you're a scientist or hyper-curious layperson, Bloom's argument will rock your world." -- Barbara Ehrenreich on Howard Bloom's The God ProblemOsama bin Laden called Mohammad "a Prophet of Conquest." Pakistan's Universal Sunnah Foundation brags that under Mohammad's battlefield leadership, "Islam spread an average of 317 square miles per day."Right now ISIS, al Qaeda, Boko Haram, and the Supreme Leader of Iran know that Islam toppled two of the biggest superpowers in history--Rome and Persia--then took over two-thirds of the inhabited world. Militant Muslims believe that Islam is on the brink of doing it again. The Muhammad Code: How a Desert Prophet Brought You ISIS, al Qaeda, and Boko Haram lays bare the origins of this profoundly dangerous belief.Many contemporary thinkers excuse Islamic violence as a legitimate reaction to Western imperialism. They blame America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the establishment of Israel in 1948. But Jihad was invented in 624 AD by the only prophet ever to call himself "The Prophet of War." And that prophet was not responding to "legitimate grievances," but an ambition for world conquest.Periglacial Preconditioning of Debris Flows in the Southern Alps, New Zealand
By Katrin Sattler. 2016
This thesis represents one of the few studies so far that systematically analyses environmental conditions within debris flow source areas…
to determine their relative importance for debris flow development. Environmental site conditions, such as slope gradient and debris availability, influence the spatial and temporal distribution of debris flows in high-alpine areas. However, current understanding of these preconditioning controls is mostly qualitative and inadequate for debris-flow hazard assessments and climate change impact studies. The author's research investigates the role of frost weathering and permafrost in the occurrence of debris flows in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Analyses are based on an extensive debris flow inventory, documenting debris flow occurrence and activity over the last 60 years in selected catchments. Debris flow activity is compared to frost-weathering intensity estimates from two models, allowing the practical comparison of two competing frost-weathering hypotheses currently discussed in literature. Information on permafrost occurrence is based on a new distributed permafrost estimate for the Southern Alps, derived from climatic conditions at active rock glacier sites. This pioneering thesis provides empirical evidence that frost weathering promotes debris-flow formation. It further highlights the potential and limitations of regional-scale studies for advancing our understanding of debris-flow preconditioning factors.Natural Disasters in China
By Peijun Shi. 2016
This is the first English language book that systematically introduces the spatial and temporal patterns of major natural disasters in…
China from 1949 to 2014. It also reveals natural disaster formation mechanisms and processes, quantifies vulnerability to these disasters, evaluates disaster risks, summarizes the key strategies of integrated disaster risk governance, and analyzes large-scale disaster response cases in recent years in China. The book can be a good reference for researchers, students, and practitioners in the field of natural disaster risk management and risk governance for improving the understanding of natural disasters in China.Isfram 2014
By Wardah Tahir, Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar, Marfiah Ab. Wahid, Siti Rashidah Mohd Nasir, Rohana Hassan. 2015
This book highlights research in flood related areas and sustainable management conducted by researchers around the world, compiling their innovative…
work in order to share best practices for managing floods and recommended flood solutions. The individual papers cover the fundamentals and latest advances in the areas of flood research and management, providing in-depth coverage complemented by illustrations, diagrams and tables. The book offers a valuable source of information on methods and state-of-the art technology for effective flood management.Landscape Dynamics, Soils and Hydrological Processes in Varied Climates
By Wossenu Abtew, Assefa M. Melesse. 2016
The book presents the processes governing the dynamics of landscapes, soils and sediments, water and energy under different climatic regions…
using studies conducted in varied climatic zones including arid, semi-arid, humid and wet regions. The spatiotemporal availability of the processes and fluxes and their linkage to the environment, land, soil and water management are presented at various scales. Spatial scales including laboratory, field, watershed, river basin and regions are represented. The effect of tillage operations and land management on soil physical characteristics and soil moisture is discussed. The book has 35 chapters in seven sections: 1) Landscape and Land Cover Dynamics, 2) Rainfall-Runoff Processes, 3) Floods and Hydrological Processes 4) Groundwater Flow and Aquifer Management, 5) Sediment Dynamics and Soil Management, 6) Climate change impact on vegetation, sediment and water dynamics, and 7) Water and Watershed Management.Sorcerer's Apprentice
By Amy Wallace. 2007
Sorcerer's Apprentice opens with Amy Wallace's first meeting with Carlos Castaneda, the infamous anthropologist-turned-shaman, whose books described meetings with Yaqui…
Indian spiritual teacher don Juan. Castaneda's rise was meteoric in the late 1960s as he wrote massive bestsellers, inspired many to experiment with psychedelics, and was dubbed "the Godfather of the New Age." The possibility that Castaneda's experiences may have been fabricated did little to compromise his legend.As the daughter of best-selling novelist Irving Wallace, Amy was rarely shy around famous people. When her father insisted she meet Castaneda, she at first demurred. Little did she know that a delightful first meeting would begin a 20-year friendship, followed by her descent into the dramatic and deeply troubled affair chronicled in this book. Sorcerer's Apprentice unblinkingly reveals the inner workings of the "Cult of Carlos," run by a charismatic authoritarian in his sixties who controlled his young female followers through emotional abuse, mind games, bizarre rituals, dubious teachings, and sexual excess. Wallace's story is both specific and universal, a captivating cautionary tale about the dangers of giving up one's power to a tyrant-and about surviving assaults on body and spirit.Wisconsin's Flying Trees in World War II: A Victory for American Forest Products and Allied Aviation
By Sara Witter Connor. 2014
Wisconsin's trees heard "Timber " during World War II, as the forest products industry of the Badger State played a…
key role in the Allied aerial campaign. It was Wisconsin that provided the material for the De Havilland Mosquito, known as the "Timber Terror," while the CG-4A battle-ready gliders, cloaked in stealthy silence, carried the 82nd and 101st Airborne into fierce fighting throughout Europe and the Pacific. Sara Witter Connor follows a forgotten thread of the American war effort, celebrating the factory workers, lumberjacks, pilots and innovative thinkers of the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory who helped win a world war with paper, wood and glue.The Fluid City Paradigm
By Maurizio Carta, Daniele Ronsivalle. 2016
This book presents a new paradigm of knowledge and action withrespect to urban waterfronts and the "fluid city paradigm,"explaining its…
methodological framework and describing an integrated andcreative planning approach in which waterfront regeneration is pursued as a keyurban-renewal strategy. It focuses especially on the WATERFRONT project ("WaterAnd Territorial policiEs for integRation oF multisectoRial develOpmeNT"), whichwas funded jointly by Italy and Malta with the goal of developing commonguidelines, strategies, and operational tools for the planning of coastal areas,based on cross-border exchange of experiences. In the described approach, thewaterfront is recognized as having a broad identity, acknowledging thecomplexity of the relationship between seaport and town and taking into accountthe physical and environmental components of human settlement, infrastructure,and productive and recreational activities. It highlights details of theprocess of renewal in the port city of Trapani, with discussion of theimplemented actions, plans, and programs. The book also examines the practicesadopted to transform city-port relationships across Europe in pursuit ofinnovative and sustainable development.Environmental Management of River Basin Ecosystems
By Mu. Ramkumar, K. Kumaraswamy, R. Mohanraj. 2015
This book offers a unique collection of inter- and multidisciplinary studies on river systems. Rivers have been the prime source…
of sustenance since the advent of civilization and river systems often form the basis for agriculture, transport, water, and land for domestic, commercial, and industrial activities, fostering economic prosperity. A river basin is a basic geographical and climatological unit within which the vagaries of natural processes act and manifest themselves at different spatio-temporal scales. Even if compared side-by-side, no two river basins respond to natural processes in the same way and thus, it has long been recognized that each river basin is unique. Hence, any developmental activity or conservation effort has to be designed and implemented to match each unique river basin. With the burgeoning population and increasing dependency on natural resources, understanding and maintaining river systems has become increasingly important. This book provides a varied reference work on and unprecedented guidelines for conducting and implementing research on river basins, and for managing their ecological development.Courage, Endurance, Sacrifice: The Lives and Faith of Three Generations of Missionaries
By Charlotte Harris Rees. 2016
Missionary Biography with many historic photographsStarting in 1875 and covering a span of almost 100 years, three missionary families exhibited…
bravery, endurance, and sacrifice when their very lives were at risk. William David Powell and his wife, Mary Florence Mayberry Powell, were missionaries to "Wild West" Texas then Mexico. In the period 1910-1947 (including during Japanese occupation) their daughter Florence and her husband, Hendon M. Harris, were missionaries to Kaifeng, China. Their son Hendon M. Harris Jr. and his wife Marjorie Weaver Harris served as missionaries to Taiwan and Hong Kong. Referencing 55 books and 39 articles, this biography gives numerous firsthand accounts from all three families. Dr. Hwa-Wei Lee, Retired Chief of the Asian Division, Library of Congress says that this text is "Rich in historical facts, this biographical work of three generations of missionary work in one family...vividly depicts the courage, endurance, and sacrifice of those pioneering missionary workers in faith. In this well-researched book the author offers a good picture of the true nature of missionary work...For readers interested in the modern history of China during the most turbulent period of its history this book provides useful insights."The Box Turtle Manual
By Philippe De Vosjoli, Roger J. Klingenberg. 2003
The Box Turtle Manual seeks to "help prospective owners keep their turtles healthy and happy." Given the low price tag…
placed on a box turtle in a pet shop, many casual shoppers add a box turtle to their household without preparation or knowledge about how to keep the animal alive. Since quality information is difficult to find on box turtles, Philippe de Vosjoli and Dr. Roger Klingenberger remedy the situation with this Advanced Vivarium Systems edition dedicated to box turtles. The authors believe that these popular and beautiful turtles...."may teach you one or two lessons about the delicate balance of life, natural law, and the many ways in which intelligence in manifested in nature." The book presents background information and guidelines for caring for a box turtle, including selecting a health specimen, acclimating the turtle, indoor and outdoor housing, heating and lighting requirements, feeding and handling, hibernation and breeding. The authors recommend three specific species of box turtles as good pet candidates: they provide photos and information on ornate box turtles, common Asian box turtles, and Chinese box turtles. Dr. Klingenberger provides a chapter on diseases and disorders that gives specific advice about dealing with dehydration, nutritional problems, parasitic problems, and vitamin deficiency. A five-page troubleshooting chart for health problems concludes the chapter. Resources and index included.Tree
By David Suzuki, Wayne Grady, Robert Bateman. 2004
"Only God can make a tree," wrote Joyce Kilmer in one of the most celebrated of poems. In Tree: A…
Life Story, authors David Suzuki and Wayne Grady extend that celebration in a "biography" of this extraordinary - and extraordinarily important - organism. A story that spans a millennium and includes a cast of millions but focuses on a single tree, a Douglas fir, Tree describes in poetic detail the organism's modest origins that begin with a dramatic burst of millions of microscopic grains of pollen. The authors recount the amazing characteristics of the species, how they reproduce and how they receive from and offer nourishment to generations of other plants and animals. The tree's pivotal role in making life possible for the creatures around it - including human beings - is lovingly explored. The richly detailed text and Robert Bateman's original art pay tribute to this ubiquitous organism that is too often taken for granted.Eating Dirt
By Charlotte Gill. 2011
* Winner of the BC National Award for Non-Fiction* Nominated for the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction and the…
2011 Hilary Weston Writer's Trust Award.During Charlotte Gill's 20 years working as a tree planter she encountered hundreds of clear-cuts, each one a collision site between human civilization and the natural world, a complicated landscape presenting geographic evidence of our appetites. Charged with sowing the new forest in these clear-cuts, tree planters are a tribe caught between the stumps and the virgin timber, between environmentalists and loggers.In Eating Dirt, Gill offers up a slice of tree-planting life in all of its soggy, gritty exuberance while questioning the ability of conifer plantations to replace original forests, which evolved over millennia into intricate, complex ecosystems. Among other topics, she also touches on the boom-and-bust history of logging and the versatility of wood, from which we have devised countless creations as diverse as textiles and airplane parts. She also eloquently evokes the wonder of trees, our slowest-growing "renewable" resource and joyously celebrates the priceless value of forests and the ancient, ever-changing relationship between humans and trees.Zen Encounters with Loneliness
By Terrance Keenan. 2014
Embark on a poignant and sometimes comic journey through Zen, poetry, and the transformative, personal practice of writing.In Zen Encounters…
with Loneliness Terrance Keenan weaves together poetry, memoir, and raw insight to give voice to the lonely "nobody" in everyone. From his memories of early childhood to his struggles with addiction, writer's block, and human relationship, Keenan delivers a heart-rending portrayal of the human hunger for selfhood and connection. Through his beautifully crafted literary reflections, he finds that Zen does not comfort our dream of being somebody, rather, it reveals connection only when we face who we really are--nobody. Zen Encounters intimately calls us to recognize that the well of emptiness is also a well of potential--to grow, learn, and overcome adversity.The Endangered Species Road Trip
By Cameron Macdonald. 2013
Bill Bryson meets John Vaillant in this life list quest to see the rarest species in North America.Crammed into a…
minivan with wife, toddler, infant, and dog, accompanied by mounds of toys, diapers, tent, sleeping bags, and other paraphernalia, Cameron MacDonald embarks on a road trip of a lifetime to observe North America's rarest species. In California, the family camps in the brutally hot Mojave, where he observes a desert tortoise-"the size and shape of a bike helmet and the colour of gravel" sitting motionless in the shade of a scrubby sagebush. In Yellowstone, after driving through unseasonal snow, he manages to spot a rare black wolf and numerous grizzlies, which, unfortunately, call forth a crowd of "grizzly gawkers." The journey takes the MacDonald family from British Columbia, along the west coast of the U.S., through the Southwest and Florida, up the east coast of the U.S., and finally to eastern Canada and then back home to BC.Along the way, MacDonald offers fascinating details about the natural history of the endangered species he seeks, as well as threats like overpopulation, commercial fishing, and climate change that are driving them towards extinction.Big old trees inspire our respect and even affection. The poet Walt Whitman celebrated a Louisiana live oak that was…
solitary "in a wide flat space, / Uttering joyous leaves all its life without a friend a lover near. " Groves and alleys of live oaks remain as distinctive landscape features on Louisiana's antebellum plantations, while massive individuals still cast their shade over churches, graveyards, parks, and roads. Cajuns have adopted the "Evangeline Oak" as one of their symbols. And the attachment that Louisianians feel for live oaks is equaled by that of Guatemalans for ceibas, the national tree of Guatemala. Long before Europeans came to the Americas, the ceiba, tallest of all native species, was the Mayan world tree, the center of the universe. Today, many ceibas remain as centers of Guatemalan towns, spreading their branches over the central plaza and marketplace. In this compelling book, Kit Anderson creates a vibrant portrait of the relationship between people and trees in Louisiana and Guatemala. Traveling in both regions, she examined and photographed many old live oaks and ceibas and collected the stories and symbolism that have grown up around them. She describes who planted the trees and why, how the trees have survived through many human generations, and the rich meanings they hold for people today. Anderson also recounts the natural history of live oaks and ceibas to show what human use of the landscape has meant for the trees. This broad perspective, blending cultural geography and natural history, adds a new dimension to our understanding of how big old trees and the places they help create become deeply meaningful, even sacred, for human beings.We Came Naked and Barefoot: The Journey of Cabeza de Vaca across North America
By Alex D. Krieger. 2002
Perhaps no one has ever been such a survivor as álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Member of a 600-man expedition…
sent out from Spain to colonize "La Florida" in 1527, he survived a failed exploration of the west coast of Florida, an open-boat crossing of the Gulf of Mexico, shipwreck on the Texas coast, six years of captivity among native peoples, and an arduous, overland journey in which he and the three other remaining survivors of the original expedition walked some 1,500 miles from the central Texas coast to the Gulf of California, then another 1,300 miles to Mexico City.Zen Teaching of Homeless Kodo
By Shohaku Okumura, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, Jokei Molly Whitehead. 2014
Abandon your treasured delusions and hit the road with one of the most important Zen masters of twentieth-century Japan.Eschewing the…
entrapments of vanity, power, and money, "Homeless" Kodo Sawaki Roshi refused to accept a permanent position as a temple abbot, despite repeated offers. Instead, he lived a traveling, "homeless" life, going from temple to temple, student to student, teaching and instructing and never allowing himself to stray from his chosen path. He is responsible for making Soto Zen available to the common people outside of monasteries. His teachings are short, sharp, and powerful. Always clear, often funny, and sometimes uncomfortably close to home, they jolt us into awakening. Kosho Uchiyama expands and explains his teacher's wisdom with his commentary. Trained in Western philosophy, he draws parallels between Zen teachings and the Bible, Descartes, and Pascal. Shohaku Okumura has also added his own commentary, grounding his teachers' power and sagacity for the contemporary, Western practitioner. Experience the timeless, practical wisdom of three generations of Zen masters.Chaga
By David Wolfe, Ramiz Saad, Pierre Beaumier. 2012
Taking the counsel of Hippocrates--"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"--acclaimed author David Wolfe brings the wisdom…
of eating herbal medicine to today's health-conscious readers. His enthusiastic fan base, which includes celebrities such as Woody Harrelson and Angela Bassett, continues to blossom as more and more people realize the healing and immunity-boosting properties of raw and medicinal foods. In Chaga, Wolfe presents the many virtues of medicinal mushrooms, which boost immunity, stave off allergies and asthma, help fight against cancer, and generally improve core vitality. But the star of the book is chaga--"the king of the mushrooms"--which holds the greatest storehouse of medicinal properties of any mushroom species. In addition to exploring the extraordinary history, lore, scientific research, and future of this potent healing mushroom, Wolfe provides readers with recipes for teas, soups, fermentations, and tinctures--as well as tips on how to obtain quality chaga products. Other mushrooms are also discussed, such as the fabled queen of the medicinal mushrooms, reishi--which promotes a healthy immune system--and the cordyceps--which fights fatigue, improves endurance, increases lung capacity, and more. The wealth of wisdom, research, recipes, and advice will enlighten and satisfy Wolfe's fans, as well as any reader curious about natural ways to improve health and promote healing.