"To those who think Europe matters, and even more so, to those who don’t”… Michael Tracy’s “Memoirs” recount his experiences from boyhood in wartime Scotland, through hi life in “public school” and university, to postings in various international organisations and a senior position within the European Union in Brussels; then to involvement in Russia and other Central/European countries in the 1990s. The book concludes with an assessment of current issues facing both the EU and Russia; also Britain in its relations with the EU. . . . . . Michael Tracy grew up in Scotland during the war of 193945. After gaining scholarships to Fettes College in Edinburgh, then to Cambridge University (studying Modern Languages, then Economics), he worked in international organisations and for ten years was a Director in the Council Secretariat of the European Union. He also pursued an academic career, writing on agricultural policy and economics and lecturing in various European universities, including Wye College in England and the College of Europe in Bruges. In Moscow in 1991 he witnessed at close quarters the collapse of the Soviet Union, and subsequently was involved in a new institute in St. Petersburg. Subsequently he had advisory and teaching roles in the countries of Central/Eastern Europe during their transition to market economies and accession to the European Union. His final chapter assesses the issues currently facing both the European Union and Russia. Taking the story up to May 2010, it discusses the prospects for the eurozone, and the implications of Britain’s new coalition government for Britain’s relations with the EU (a subject which he has followed from the outset in the late 1950s). This is not a history: it is a personal, lively and often humorous account of Michael Tracy’s experiences, in which personal contacts figure largely. Nor is it a tract for or against the European Union; on the other hand, it sheds a more human light on proceedings in “Brussels”. Graham Dalton of the University of Aberdeen admires the depth of knowledge at the heart of Michael Tracy’s memoir and concludes: “His thoughts on Europe are wellfounded, rounded and are to be taken seriously.” Michael Tracy has been President of the British Agricultural Economics Society and is an honorary member of the Académie d’Agriculture de France. His other main works are: Government and Agriculture in Western Europe, 18801988 (3rd edn. 1989); Food and Agriculture in a Market Economy – an introduction to theory, practice and policy (1993); and in retirement: The World of the Edwardian Child, as seen in Arthur Mee’s Children’s Encyclop?dia 19081910 (2008). c After retirement, Michael continues to live mainly in Belgium, where he and his wife have a “hobby farm” with pedigree sheep. He also spends time in an Andalucian mountain village. His main hobby in both places is as an amateur pianist, is making music with friends.

If you have ever wondered 'What is a Zen garden?' then this 50 page new publication for 2013 will tell you. Zen gardens are beautiful Japanese gardens steeped in history, religious meaning and a visual simplicity. There are many styles and many ingredients, Stones, Rocks, Moss, Sand, Gravel, Plants and Shrubs,Lanterns and Ornaments. Japanese Zen gardens is a book that introduces the reader to the subject and presents the options available for anyone wishing to build their own garden space at home - however large or small. Zen gardens are becoming more and more popular around the world and building one is not as difficult as you may think. With a little knowledge and following our step by step instructions with pictures you will discover how straight forward it is to build a Zen garden in your yard or garden. Japanese Zen gardens are serene havens of tranquil beauty and the perfect antidote to a stressful world. The author Russ Chard has written and published Japanese garden books, articles and videos for the past 10 years.

Explore the world of Virtual Reality by building immersive and fun VR projects using Unity 3D About This Book Learn the basic principles of virtual reality applications and get to know how they differ from games and desktop apps Build various types of VR experiences, including diorama, first-person characters, riding on rails, 360 degree projections, and social VR A project-based guide that teaches you to use Unity to develop VR applications, which can be experienced with devices such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard Who This Book Is For If you’re a non-programmer unfamiliar with 3D computer graphics, or experienced in both but new to virtual reality, and are interested in building your own VR games or applications then this book is for you. Any experience in Unity is an advantage. What You Will Learn Create 3D scenes with Unity and Blender while learning about world space and scale Build and run VR applications for consumer headsets including Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard Build interactive environments with physics, gravity, animations, and lighting using the Unity engine Experiment with various user interface (UI) techniques that you can use in your VR applications Implement the first-person and third-person experiences that use only head motion gestures for input Create animated walkthroughs, use 360-degree media, and build multi-user social VR experiences Learn about the technology and psychology of VR including rendering, performance and VR motion sickness Gain introductory and advanced experience in Unity programming with the C# language In Detail What is consumer “virtual reality”Wearing a head-mounted display you view stereoscopic 3D scenes. You can look around by moving your head, and walk around using hand controls or motion sensors. You are engaged in a fully immersive experience. On the other hand, Unity is a powerful game development engine that provides a rich set of features such as visual lighting, materials, physics, audio, special effects, and animation for creating 2D and 3D games. Unity 5 has become the leading platform for building virtual reality games, applications and experiences for this new generation of consumer VR devices. Using a practical and project-based approach, this book will educate you about the specifics of virtual reality development in Unity. You will learn how to use Unity to develop VR applications which can be experienced with devices such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard. We will then learn how to engage with virtual worlds from a third person and first person character point of view. Furthermore, you will explore the technical considerations especially important and possibly unique to VR. The projects in the book will demonstrate how to build a variety of VR experiences. You will be diving into the Unity 3D game engine via the interactive Unity Editor as well as C-Sharp programming. By the end of the book, you will be equipped to develop rich, interactive virtual reality experiences using Unity. So, let's get to it! Style and approach This book takes a practical, project-based approach to teach specifics of virtual reality development in Unity. Using a reader-friendly approach, this book will not only provide detailed step-by-step instructions but also discuss the broader context and applications covered within.

Learn effective C++ network programming with Boost.Asio and become a proficient C++ network programmer About This Book Learn efficient C++ network programming with minimum coding using Boost.Asio Your one-stop destination to everything related to the Boost.Asio library Explore the fundamentals of networking to choose designs with more examples, and learn the basics of Boost.Asio Who This Book Is For This book is for C++ Network programmers with basic knowledge of network programming, but no knowledge of how to use Boost.Asio for network programming. What You Will Learn Prepare the tools to simplify network programming in C++ using Boost.Asio Explore the networking concepts of IP addressing, TCP/IP ports and protocols, and LAN topologies Get acquainted with the usage of the Boost libraries Get to know more about the content of Boost.Asio network programming and Asynchronous programming Establish communication between client and server by creating client-server application Understand the various functions inside Boost.Asio C++ libraries to delve into network programming Discover how to debug and run the code successfully In Detail Boost.Asio is a C++ library used for network programming operations. Organizations use Boost because of its productivity. Use of these high-quality libraries speed up initial development, result in fewer bugs, reduce reinvention-of-the-wheel, and cut long-term maintenance costs. Using Boost libraries gives an organization a head start in adopting new technologies. This book will teach you C++ Network programming using synchronous and asynchronous operations in Boost.Asio with minimum code, along with the fundamentals of Boost, server-client applications, debugging, and more. You will begin by preparing and setting up the required tools to simplify your network programming in C++ with Boost.Asio. Then you will learn about the basic concepts in networking such as IP addressing, TCP/IP protocols, and LAN with its topologies. This will be followed by an overview of the Boost libraries and their usage. Next you will get to know more about Boost.Asio and its concepts related to network programming. We will then go on to create a client-server application, helping you to understand the networking concepts. Moving on, you will discover how to use all the functions inside the Boost.Asio C++ libraries. Lastly, you will understand how to debug the code if there are errors found and will run the code successfully. Style and approach An example-oriented book to show you the basics of networking and help you create a network application simply using Boost.Asio, with more examples for you to get up and running with Boost.Asio quickly.

Discover tips and trick for Dynamics NAV report building About This Book Create and customize reports in Dynamics NAV 2015 using RDLC, Word, Power BI, and Reporting Services Work with different elements in the toolbox such as tablix, which can be used as a List, Table, or Matrix and understand the differences between them and when to use which This book is a pragmatic guide with clear instructions and real-world examples to teach you about the reporting capabilities of Dynamics NAV 2015 Who This Book Is For If you are a consultant, developer, customer, user, or just interested in the reporting capabilities of Dynamics NAV, then this book is for you. Basic knowledge of Dynamics NAV will be helpful. What You Will Learn Understand why reports are designed in a specific way and then apply this knowledge to your advantage Develop document reports using different techniques Apply filtering and sorting, and create groups Use RDLC to visualize information Visualize information, KPIs, and trends using expressions, Gauges, Charts, Data bars, Indicators, and Spark lines Create and optimize your dataset for RDLC and for Word layouts Use Power BI with Dynamics NAV to bring your data to life Build Reporting Services reports on top of Dynamics NAV In Detail Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a multi-lingual, multi-currency business management solution that organizations use to manage their accounts, supply chain, sales, payroll, and HR. It is an ERP tool for organizations that is fast to implement, easy to configure, and simple to use. It is widely used because simplicity is a part of its development, product design, usability, and implementation. This book will help you to master, analyze, and deliver the most challenging reporting requirements in Dynamics NAV 2015. The book starts by explaining report development and it's different phases such as data model, layout, and testing you go through. It introduces you to RDLC and the different controls in the toolbox, such as the Tablix, in its many forms. You will learn to use expressions to make your layout dynamic and to overcome typical problems. Moving on, the book will teach you to visualize data and be able to understand and read a report as it is intended. You will also learn to use Microsoft Word to create a layout for a report. With Power BI and Power Pivot, Power View, and Power Map, you will learn how easy and powerful it is to bring your data to life, so you can spot trends and perform in depth analysis of your business. Reporting Services is also explained as another way that you can apply the knowledge you have about RDLC to build RDL layouts outside of Dynamics NAV. By the end, you will create different types of charts so you can visualize key performance indicators inside the Dynamics NAV application. Style and approach This book is an essential guide in to understanding what is involved in creating reports in Dynamics NAV and its reporting capabilities.

Build real-world computer vision applications and develop cool demos using OpenCV for Python About This Book Learn how to apply complex visual effects to images using geometric transformations and image filters Extract features from an image and use them to develop advanced applications Build algorithms to help you understand the image content and perform visual searches Who This Book Is For This book is intended for Python developers who are new to OpenCV and want to develop computer vision applications with OpenCV-Python. This book is also useful for generic software developers who want to deploy computer vision applications on the cloud. It would be helpful to have some familiarity with basic mathematical concepts such as vectors, matrices, and so on. What You Will Learn Apply geometric transformations to images, perform image filtering, and convert an image into a cartoon-like image Detect and track various body parts such as the face, nose, eyes, ears, and mouth Stitch multiple images of a scene together to create a panoramic image Make an object disappear from an image Identify different shapes, segment an image, and track an object in a live video Recognize an object in an image and build a visual search engine Reconstruct a 3D map from images Build an augmented reality application In Detail Computer vision is found everywhere in modern technology. OpenCV for Python enables us to run computer vision algorithms in real time. With the advent of powerful machines, we are getting more processing power to work with. Using this technology, we can seamlessly integrate our computer vision applications into the cloud. Web developers can develop complex applications without having to reinvent the wheel. This book will walk you through all the building blocks needed to build amazing computer vision applications with ease. We start off with applying geometric transformations to images. We then discuss affine and projective transformations and see how we can use them to apply cool geometric effects to photos. We will then cover techniques used for object recognition, 3D reconstruction, stereo imaging, and other computer vision applications. This book will also provide clear examples written in Python to build OpenCV applications. The book starts off with simple beginner’s level tasks such as basic processing and handling images, image mapping, and detecting images. It also covers popular OpenCV libraries with the help of examples. The book is a practical tutorial that covers various examples at different levels, teaching you about the different functions of OpenCV and their actual implementation. Style and approach This is a conversational-style book filled with hands-on examples that are really easy to understand. Each topic is explained very clearly and is followed by a programmatic implementation so that the concept is solidified. Each topic contributes to something bigger in the following chapters, which helps you understand how to piece things together to build something big and complex.

When beloved author Henri Nouwen set out to record this daybook of totally new reflections, he suddenly found himself on "a true spiritual adventure." For in these 366 original, interlocking morsels of daily wisdom, Nouwen provides both sustenance and a trail for us to follow, as he unveils, to his own surprise, his personal map of faith. From the delicate interplay of human experience to the surrender to Christ and the embrace of Christian community, that journey of Christian spirituality is explored and celebrated here in each eloquent, thought–provoking passage, "The table is one of the most intimate places in our lives. It is there that we give ourselves to one another. When we say, 'Take some more, let me serve you another plate, let me pour you another glass, don't be shy, enjoy it,' we say a lot more than our words express. We invite our friends to become part of our lives. We want them to be nurtured by the same food and drink that nurture us. We desire communion.... Every breakfast, lunch, or dinner can become a time of growing communion with one another." Intimately personal and inspiring, Bread for the Journey is a daily feast of fresh insight into the challenges and deep joys of a life lived in close communion with God. Nouwen is a wise, loving companion who invites us along as he finds joy in the community of loss, true freedom in forgiveness of others, and hope in surprising places. Each daily meditation is a stepping–stone along a path of private discovery, offering Nouwen's seasoned yet fresh ideas on kindness, love, suffering, and prayer, the Church as God's people, and the importance of Jesus in one's life–reflecting, as a whole, Nouwen's own 'personal creed.' Bread for the Journey brims with daily nourishment and guidance for devoted followers and new friends alike –– food for thought on a yearlong journey of discovery and faith.

This book is packed with practical steps and screenshots to make learning fun and addictive. You will learn to build a complete Airline Compensation Management system using Dynamics CRM 2011. If you want a focused book that gets you up-to-speed with the new features of Microsft Dynamics CRM 2011 then this is the perfect book for you.

This is a cookbook full of recipes with the essential code explained clearly and comprehensively. The recipes are organized so well that you will have no problems in using this cookbook as a reference too. Spring Roo 1.1 Cookbook is for developers new to the Spring Roo tool but with experience developing applications using Spring framework, AspectJ, JPA, GWT, and technologies/frameworks supported by Spring Roo. If you are new to the Spring framework, then it is recommended to refer to a text covering Spring, before reading this Cookbook.

This book follows a step-by-step approach to learning the building blocks of SharePoint application development. This book focuses on SharePoint 2010 development using Visual studio 2010. The book provides a hands-on approach to solving problems and creating business solutions for enhancing SharePoint 2010 environment. This book is for .NET developers to understand the building blocks for SharePoint 2010. Although the book can be used by beginners, it is recommended to have understanding of the previous versions of SharePoint. Developing SharePoint solutions needs solid understanding of ASP.NET architecture. The book assumes that the reader is familiar with ASP.NET technology and development concepts.

This book is packed with clear instructions and careful explanations for creating a powerful social networking site using Drupal 7. With each chapter, you add new features and content until your social network is ready to be released to the Internet where it can grow. By the end of this book, you will have a powerful social network which you can either choose to model on the case-study, or create to your own unique design. This book is aimed at anyone looking to create their own social networking website, including: Businesses – building a social network around a product or service can improve your company profile and increase customer loyalty, while an internal social network gives you employees a place to keep resources, discuss ideas, raise concerns, and keep up to date on company policies. Hobbyists – create a community around your hobbies and interests; create a local or distributed user group. Organizations and charities – raise your profile, promote your events, services, and fundraisers, and get help from the community in organizing them. Families – for large families based across the country or across the globe, keep up to date with everyone, and let everyone know what you are up to. You don't need any experience of Drupal or PHP to use this book. If you are a Drupal user you will find this book a great way to rapidly tailor an existing installation into a socially orientated website.

Professional Plone 4 Development is written in a clear conversational easy-to-understand style. This book cuts short the preamble and gets straight to the point - building robust, content-rich web applications with Plone 4. Detailed real world examples are provided for each chapter. This book assumes that the reader is familiar with Plone from the point of view of an administrator or power user, has a basic understanding of web application development, and is comfortable with the Python programming language.

This book is a collection of Yii recipes with chapters generally independent of each other. It is full of practically useful solutions and concepts explained with code and the required pictorial illustrations. If you are a developer with a good knowledge of PHP5, are familiar with the basics of Yii, and have tried to develop applications using Yii, then this book is for you. Knowledge of the object oriented approach and MVC pattern will be a great advantage as Yii uses these extensively.

The book is written in a cookbook style, presenting examples in the style of recipes, allowing you to go directly to your topic of interest, or follow topics throughout a chapter to gain in-depth knowledge. All levels of developers and designers will be able to utilize this book. The language and examples are written for beginners but there are plenty of deeper concepts to explore and code to master.

There are many ways of configuring and using Oracle EBS R12 Financials. This cookbook demonstrates how to use EBS R12 Financials in a way that will enable you to understand the core functionalities of the main financials modules. Each recipe is presented as part of a scenario-based chapter that details typical business scenarios. This book is for EBS Financials specialists who want a broader understanding of particular areas of the financials modules. Businesses can use this book to identify key functionalities of the financial modules, and very quickly demonstrate a pilot to obtain the core requirements. If you are a Business Analyst, Functional Consultant, Technical Consultant, Project Sponsor, Project Manager, Project Team Member, System Accountant or Solution Designer, Testing Team Member, Training Team Member or Support Team Member, then this book is for you. This book assumes that you have basic navigation skills and you understand the key Oracle EBS terminology, novice EBS professionals will also gain from the expert content of this book.

This cookbook offers practical, immediately usable task-based recipes covering a wide range of advanced development techniques for building highly scalable cloud-based services on the Windows Azure platform. It shows you how to improve these services and how to solve particular problems/scenarios when developing them on the Windows Azure platform. The solutions are presented in a clear step-by-step manner and explained in great detail, which makes them good learning material for everyone who has experience of the Windows Azure platform and wants to improve. The book is designed so that you can read it chapter by chapter or refer to recipes in no particular order. If you are an experienced Windows Azure developer or architect who wants to understand advanced development techniques when building highly scalable services using the Windows Azure platform, then this book is for you. You should have some exposure to Windows Azure and need basic understanding of Visual Studio, C#, SQL, .NET development, XML, and Web development concepts (HTTP, Services).

This is a cookbook full of recipes with the essential code explained clearly and comprehensively. The recipes are organized so well that you will have no problems in using this cookbook as a reference too. Users of all skill levels will find this book useful. Advanced users will expand their knowledge of MooTools interaction, intermediate users will delve into new concepts of usage. Novice users will find they are carefully taken through each facet of knowledge necessary to rapidly become intermediate users.

This is a practical, step-by-step guide to managing and maintaining your master data and improving data quality with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Master Data Services, with practical examples on how to use each feature. If you are a business and systems analyst or database administrator who wants to manage and maintain your business master data and improve data quality with Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, then this book is for you. A basic understanding of Microsoft SQL Server is required. However, knowledge of Master Data Services is not necessarily required.

This book focuses on Microsoft BizTalk 2010; however, most of the concepts and explanations will apply to BizTalk 2006 R2 and BizTalk 2009. If you are an experienced BizTalk developer who wants to integrate BizTalk with Line of Business systems using practical scenarios, then this book is for you. A solid understanding of BizTalk at an intermediate level is required. This book assumes developers are comfortable creating schemas, maps, orchestrations, ports and messages in Visual Studio and configuring applications in the BizTalk Administration Console. However, experience in integrating with Line of Business systems is not necessarily required.

This book takes a step-by-step, practical approach and is filled with examples and illustrations. This book is written for a wide audience that includes teachers, system administrators, and first time developers. It also appeals to the Sakai open source community, potential community members, and decision makers working in education.

This step-by-step tutorial will take you through Oracle PeopleSoft Financial Management 9.1 and show you how to implement it into your business. It is written in an easy-to-read style, with a strong emphasis on real-world, practical examples with step-by-step explanations. This book will establish a solid foundation for your efforts to become a successful PeopleSoft Financials practitioner. If you are a functional implementation analyst, a business analyst, or a business user who plans to start using PeopleSoft applications, this book is for you. Reading this book will equip you with the basic skills to configure and maintain PeopleSoft financial applications.