From #1 New York Times Bestselling Master Sidney Sheldon, based on notes he left behind, comes a thrilling tale of murder, lies, and lust. LAPD Detective Danny McGuire could never forget the face of Angela Jakes and the nightmare she endured raped, beaten, and tied to the murdered body of her elderly husband, multimillionaire art dealer Andrew. His obsession nearly cost McGuire his sanity, even after the stunning young widow disappeared without a trace. Ten years later, living in France and working for Interpol, he's put the past behind him . . . until Matt Daley, Andrew Jakes's estranged son, walks into his life. Digging into his father's still-unsolved murder, Matt has uncovered three identical slayings, and soon he is joining forces with Danny to pursue a brilliant, elusive killer across the globe. But in Hong Kong everything starts to crumble as Matt is irresistibly drawn to the most recent widow, beautiful Lisa Baring, whom Danny suspects may be someone far more sinister than just another victim . . .

The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, smoke cigars, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant. None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation of the tale -- the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating -- has a lot of people up in arms. But it will make this year's pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever.

Now includes an excerpt from the upcoming Four: A Divergent Collection . This first book in Veronica Roth #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy is the novel the inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers. Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series, Divergent and its sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant , are the gripping story of a dystopian world transformed by courage, self-sacrifice, and love. Fans of the Divergent movie will find the book packed with just as much emotional depth and exhilarating action as the film, all told in beautiful, rich language. One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior society is divided into five factions Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous. Supports the Common Core State Standards

"Come to me come to me entirely now," said he. "Make my happiness I will make yours." Born into a poor family and raised by an oppressive aunt, young Jane Eyre becomes the governess at Thornfield Manor to escape the confines of her life. There her fiery independence clashes with the brooding and mysterious nature of her employer, Mr. Rochester. But what begins as outright loathing slowly evolves into a passionate romance. When a terrible secret from Rochester's past threatens to tear the two apart, Jane must make an impossible choice: Should she follow her heart or walk away and lose her love foreverUnabashedly romantic and utterly enthralling, Jane Eyre endures as one of the greatest love stories of all time. This must-have edition of a timeless classic is beautifully presented for a modern teen audience.

Create, analyze, maintain, and share 2D and 3D maps with the powerful tools of ArcGIS Pro About This Book Visualize GIS data in 2D and 3D maps Create GIS projects for quick and easy access to data, maps, and analysis tools A practical guide that helps to import maps, globes, and scenes from ArcMap, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe Who This Book Is For This book is for anyone wishing to learn how ArcGIS Pro can be used to create maps and perform geospatial analysis. It will be especially helpful for those that have used ArcMap and ArcCatalog in the past and are looking to migrate to Esri’s newest desktop GIS solution. Though previous GIS experience is not required, you must have a solid foundation using Microsoft Windows. It is also helpful if you understand how to manage folders and files within the Microsoft Windows environment. What You Will Learn Install ArcGIS Pro and assign Licenses to users in your organization Navigate and use the ArcGIS Pro ribbon interface to create maps and perform analysis Create and manage ArcGIS Pro GIS Projects Create 2D and 3D maps to visualize and analyze data Author map layouts using cartographic tools and best practices to show off the results of your analysis and maps Import existing map documents, scenes, and globes into your new ArcGIS Pro projects quickly Create standardized workflows using Tasks Automate analysis and processes using ModelBuilder and Python In Detail ArcGIS Pro is Esri’s newest desktop GIS application with powerful tools for visualizing, maintaining, and analyzing data. ArcGIS Pro makes use of the modern ribbon interface and 64-bit processing to increase the speed and efficiency of using GIS. It allows users to create amazing maps in both 2D and 3D quickly and easily.This book will take you from software installation to performing geospatial analysis. It is packed with how-to’s for a host of commonly-performed tasks. You will start by learning how to download and install the software including hardware limitations and recommendations. Then you are exposed to the new Ribbon interface and how its smart design can make finding tools easier.After you are exposed to the new interface, you are walked through the steps to create a new GIS Project to provide quick access to project resources. With a project created, you will learn how to construct 2D and 3D maps including how to add layers, adjust symbology, and control labeling. Next you will learn how to access and use analysis tools to help you answer real-world questions.Lastly, you will learn how processes can be automated and standardized in ArcGIS Pro using Tasks, Models, and Python Scripts.This book will provide an invaluable resource for all those seeking to use ArcGIS Pro as their primary GIS application or for those looking to migrate from ArcMap and ArcCatalog. Style and approach This book includes detailed explanations of the GIS functionality and workflows in ArcGIS Pro. These are supported by easy-to-follow exercises that will help you gain an understanding of how to use ArcGIS Pro to perform a range of tasks.

Design, build, and create your own applications using the full range of features available in Android 6 About This Book Learn how to utilize the robust features of Android 6 to design, develop, and publish better Android applications Get useful guidance on creating new apps or migrating existing apps to support features such as app permissions, app links, fingerprint authentication, etc A fast paced guide, packed with hands-on examples that ties all the features such as API, audio, video, camera, tab customization together under a single cover Who This Book Is For This book is for Android developers who are looking to move their applications into the next Android version with ease. What You Will Learn Familiarize yourself with the features of Android 6 Code with the new Android permissions model Use apps auto backup and restore lost data automatically Increase user engagement with apps through an assistant using triggers and providing contextual assistance Assess and handle proper usage of the API Work with Audio, Video,Camera in Android 6 Utilize the new features in Android for professional purposes Understand and code Chrome’s custom tabs In Detail Android 6 is the latest and greatest version of the Android operating system, and comes packed with cutting edge new features for you to harness for the benefit of building better applications. This step-by-step guide will take you through the basics of the Android Marshmallow permissions model and beyond into other crucial areas such as the Audio,Video,Camera API and Android’s at work features. Learn how to create, deploy, and manage Android applications with Marshmallow’s API and the latest functionalities. The combination of instructions and real-world examples will make your application deployment and testing a breeze. Style and approach This easy-to-follow, step-by-step tutorial provides explanations and examples to add the new Android 6 features to your skill set. Each chapter provides sequential steps and detailed information about the API, as well as best practices and testing options.

Gather, analyze, and decode data to reveal hidden facts using Python, the perfect tool for all aspiring secret agents About This Book Discover the essential features of Python programming: statements, variables, expressions, and many of the built-in data types Use Python’s standard library to do more sophisticated data gathering and analysis Written by a Python programming expert, with over 35 years' experience as a consultant, teacher, author and software developer Who This Book Is For This book is for Secret Agents who have some exposure to Python. Our focus is on the Field Agents who are ready to do more sophisticated and complex programming in Python. We'll stick to simple statistics for the most part. A steady hand with a soldering iron is not required, but a skilled field agent should be able to assemble a working Arduino circuit to gather their own sensor data.What You Will Learn Upgrade Python to the latest version and discover its latest and greatest tools Use Python libraries to extract data from log files that are designed more for people to read than for automated analysis Summarize log files and extract meaningful information Gather data from social networking sites and leverage your experience of analyzing log files to summarize the data you find Extract text and images from social networking sites Parse the complex and confusing data structures in a PDF file to extract meaningful text that we can analyze Connect small, intelligent devices to our computer to use them as remote sensors Use Python to analyze measurements from sensors to calibrate them and use sensors efficiently In Detail Python is easy to learn and extensible programming language that allows any manner of secret agent to work with a variety of data. Agents from beginners to seasoned veterans will benefit from Python's simplicity and sophistication. The standard library provides numerous packages that move beyond simple beginner missions. The Python ecosystem of related packages and libraries supports deep information processing. This book will guide you through the process of upgrading your Python-based toolset for intelligence gathering, analysis, and communication. You'll explore the ways Python is used to analyze web logs to discover the trails of activities that can be found in web and database servers. We'll also look at how we can use Python to discover details of the social network by looking at the data available from social networking websites. Finally, you'll see how to extract history from PDF files, which opens up new sources of data, and you’ll learn about the ways you can gather data using an Arduino-based sensor device. Style and approach Each chapter will include a background briefing that covers an essential Python technology. After some in-depth exploration of the features, the chapter will conclude with a mission that is a concrete application of the Python tools and techniques covered.

Master the skills required to implement CitrixXenApp7.6 to deploy a complete Citrix?-hosted application from scratch About This Book Learn to implement and configure components of CitrixXenApp7.6, which are XenServer?, XenApp?, CitrixLicense server, PVS, Storefront, CitrixReceiver, and Netscaler to secure WAN traffic Build the XenApp7.6 environment independently and perform tests to make sure the components are working as expected for internal and external traffic Implement advanced tools in CitrixXenAppto build and manage a cost effective, secure, and high-performing application delivery infrastructure with this comprehensive guide Who This Book Is For This is book is for administrators who are currently managing the implemented environment and want to learn how to deploy the CitrixHosted virtualization solution for the application in a windows server 2012 R2 environment. A reasonable knowledge and understanding of core XenAppelements and concepts used during virtualizing applications are assumed. What You Will Learn Understand how to set up Hypervisor, install the management console, configure the storage repository, and create a virtual machine on hypervisor Set up an Infrastructure component and explore ways to tune them up so that they can be used for Citrixenvironment Set up a Domain controller, DHCP, Certificate authority, and SQL server for static database for CitrixXenAppValidate the CitrixXenApp7.6 solution to make sure components are communicating properly Manage the essential Citrixcomponents – Director, Licensing, and Policies with the Help of Citrixstudio Optimize the behavior of an Application and share desktop via Policies Installing and configuring CitrixProvisioning services to deliver CitrixXenApp7.6 virtual machines Secure the external Delivery of an application and shared desktop via netscaler to enjoy mobility In Detail CitrixXenAppis one of the leading pieces of Application delivery software that delivers Windows compatible apps to users on any device, anywhere. CitrixXenAppalso gives administrators the ability to manage and control the freedom of mobility by increasing the security and saving costs at the same time. This book will provide you with all the knowledge required to successfully deploy and master a complete Citrixhosted application. First, it will cover essential concepts of the architecture of XenApp?. You will then learn how to set up Hypervisor and how to set up Infrastructure components. Next you will learn how to Set up CitrixComponents, XenAppresources, PVS, and Netscaler. We will further look at how to prepare the environment for Rollout. Additionally, you will learn how to configure the Citrixcomponents such as CitrixDirector. Moreover, you’ll learn about shared desktop for delivery to end users and the application of policies for effective and secure delivery. Finally, you will learn how to implement provisioning services for a CitrixXenApp7.6 environment. Style and approach This book is based on a course outline and hence takes a very practical approach so you will understand how to implement the components of XenAppin a production environment. Complemented with many best practices and troubleshooting concepts of XenApp?, this book will help you master XenAppswiftly.

Monitor your Docker containers and their apps using various native and third-party tools with the help of this exclusive guide!About This Book Get the only book that covers multiple methods to monitoring Docker Containers -your one-stop solution to all your Docker monitoring needs Learn how to implement third-party tools such as Datalog, cAdvisor, and more with this example-rich, hands-on guide Learn how to efficiently monitor Docker containers and get an edge over other administrators while maintaining apps on these containers Who This Book Is For This book is for DevOps engineers and system administrators who manage Docker containers and want to better manage these containers using expert techniques and methods and better maintain applications built on Docker. What You Will Learn Discover the tools built into Docker to gain an insight into your containers’ performance Augment Docker’s built-in tools with modern tools such as cAdvisor from Google, SysDig by Draios, and Soundcloud’s Prometheus Integrate the monitoring of your containers with more traditional monitoring solutions such as Zabbix Take advantage of the various SaaS offerings from third parties to move monitoring away from your local infrastructure and into the cloud Discover the various ways to ship your applications’ logs from the container to a central logging service Get the most out of your application and resources with the right implementation of your monitoring method In Detail This book will show you how monitoring containers and keeping a keen eye on the working of applications helps improve the overall performance of the applications that run on Docker. With the increased adoption of Docker containers, the need to monitor which containers are running, what resources they are consuming, and how these factors affect the overall performance of the system has become the need of the moment. This book covers monitoring containers using Docker's native monitoring functions, various plugins, as well as third-party tools that help in monitoring. Well start with how to obtain detailed stats for active containers, resources consumed, and container behavior. We also show you how to use these stats to improve the overall performance of the system. Next, you will learn how to use SysDig to both view your containers performance metrics in real time and record sessions to query later. By the end of this book, you will have a complete knowledge of how to implement monitoring for your containerized applications and make the most of the metrics you are collecting Style and approach This is an easy-to-follow guide with plenty of hands-on examples that can be executed both on your local machine and externally hosted services.

Create powerful applications to interact with popular service providers such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, and more by leveraging the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework About This Book Learn how to use the OAuth 2.0 protocol to interact with the world's most popular service providers, such as Facebook, Google, Instagram, Slack, Box, and more Master the finer details of this complex protocol to maximize the potential of your application while maintaining the utmost of security Step through the construction of a real-world working application that logs you in with your Facebook account to create a compelling infographic about the most important person in the world—you! Who This Book Is Fo If you are an application developer, software architect, security engineer, or even a casual programmer looking to leverage the power of OAuth, Mastering OAuth 2.0 is for you. Covering basic topics such as registering your application and choosing an appropriate workflow, to advanced topics such as security considerations and extensions to the specification, this book has something for everyone. A basic knowledge of programming and OAuth is recommended. What You Will Learn Discover the power and prevalence of OAuth 2.0 and use it to improve your application's capabilities Step through the process of creating a real-world application that interacts with Facebook using OAuth 2.0 Examine the various workflows described by the specification, looking at what they are and when to use them Learn about the many security considerations involved with creating an application that interacts with other service providers Develop your debugging skills with dedicated pages for tooling and troubleshooting Build your own rich, powerful applications by leveraging world-class technologies from companies around the world In Detail OAuth 2.0 is a powerful authentication and authorization framework that has been adopted as a standard in the technical community. Proper use of this protocol will enable your application to interact with the world's most popular service providers, allowing you to leverage their world-class technologies in your own application. Want to log your user in to your application with their Facebook accountWant to display an interactive Google Map in your applicationHow about posting an update to your user's LinkedIn feedThis is all achievable through the power of OAuth. With a focus on practicality and security, this book takes a detailed and hands-on approach to explaining the protocol, highlighting important pieces of information along the way. At the beginning, you will learn what OAuth is, how it works at a high level, and the steps involved in creating an application. After obtaining an overview of OAuth, you will move on to the second part of the book where you will learn the need for and importance of registering your application and types of supported workflows. You will discover more about the access token, how you can use it with your application, and how to refresh it after expiration. By the end of the book, you will know how to make your application architecture robust. You will explore the security considerations and effective methods to debug your applications using appropriate tools. You will also have a look at special considerations to integrate with OAuth service providers via native mobile applications. In addition, you will also come across support resources for OAuth and credentials grant. Style and approach With a focus on practicality and security, Mastering OAuth 2.0 takes a top-down approach at exploring the protocol. Discussed first at a high level, examining the importance and overall structure of the protocol, the book then dives into each subject, adding more depth as we proceed. This all culminates in an example application that will be built, step by step, using the valuable and practical knowledge you have gained.

Unleash the power of Apache Oozie to create and manage your big data and machine learning pipelines in one go About This Book Teaches you everything you need to know to get started with Apache Oozie from scratch and manage your data pipelines effortlessly Learn to write data ingestion workflows with the help of real-life examples from the author’s own personal experience Embed Spark jobs to run your machine learning models on top of Hadoop Who This Book Is For If you are an expert Hadoop user who wants to use Apache Oozie to handle workflows efficiently, this book is for you. This book will be handy to anyone who is familiar with the basics of Hadoop and wants to automate data and machine learning pipelines. What You Will Learn Install and configure Oozie from source code on your Hadoop cluster Dive into the world of Oozie with Java MapReduce jobs Schedule Hive ETL and data ingestion jobs >Import data from a database through Sqoop jobs in HDFS Create and process data pipelines with Pig, hive *s as per business requirements. Run machine learning Spark jobs on Hadoop Create quick Oozie jobs using Hue Make the most of Oozie’s security capabilities by configuring Oozie’s security In Detail As more and more organizations are discovering the use of big data analytics, interest in platforms that provide storage, computation, and analytic capabilities is booming exponentially. This calls for data management. Hadoop caters to this need. Oozie fulfils this necessity for a scheduler for a Hadoop job by acting as a cron to better analyze data. Apache Oozie Essentials starts off with the basics right from installing and configuring Oozie from source code on your Hadoop cluster to managing your complex clusters. You will learn how to create data ingestion and machine learning workflows. This book is sprinkled with the examples and exercises to help you take your big data learning to the next level. You will discover how to write workflows to run your MapReduce, Pig ,Hive, and Sqoop *s and schedule them to run at a specific time or for a specific business requirement using a coordinator. This book has engaging real-life exercises and examples to get you in the thick of things. Lastly, you’ll get a grip of how to embed Spark jobs, which can be used to run your machine learning models on Hadoop. By the end of the book, you will have a good knowledge of Apache Oozie. You will be capable of using Oozie to handle large Hadoop workflows and even improve the availability of your Hadoop environment. Style and approach This book is a hands-on guide that explains Oozie using real-world examples. Each chapter is blended beautifully with fundamental concepts sprinkled in-between case study solution algorithms and topped off with self-learning exercises.

Acquire skills to manage your IT infrastructure effectively with Puppet About This BookBreeze through Puppet 4’s key features and performance improvements to bring real advantage to your IT infrastructureDiscover Puppet best practices to help you avoid common mistakes and pitfallsBlitz through easy-to-follow examples to get to grips with Puppet and succeed with everyday IT automationWho This Book Is ForIf you're an experienced IT professional and a new Puppet user, this book will provide you with all you need to know to go from installation to advanced automation in no time at all. Get a rapid introduction to the essential topics and then tackle Puppet for advanced automation.What You Will LearnWrite and employ individual Puppet manifestsUnderstand how Puppet implements system abstractionDeploy the Puppet master and agentsLeverage and extend Facter to summarize your systems Create modular and reusable Puppet code Extend your code base with publicly available Puppet modules Use the modern features of Puppet 4 Separate logic from data using Hiera In Detail Puppet is a configuration management tool that allows you to automate all your IT configurations, giving you control over what you do to each Puppet Agent in a network, and when and how you do it. In this age of digital delivery and ubiquitous Internet presence, it's becoming increasingly important to implement scalable and portable solutions, not only in terms of software, but also the systems that run it. The free Ruby-based tool Puppet has established itself as the most successful solution to manage any IT infrastructure. Ranging from local development environments through complex data center setups to scalable cloud implementations, Puppet allows you to handle them all with a unified approach. Puppet 4 Essentials, Second Edition gets you started rapidly and intuitively as you’ll put Puppet’s tools to work right away. It will also highlight the changes associated with performance improvements as well as the new language features in Puppet 4. We’ll start with a quick introduction to Puppet to get you managing your IT systems quickly. You will then learn about the Puppet Agent that comes with an all-in-one (AIO) package and can run on multiple systems. Next, we’ll show you the Puppet Server for high-performance communication and passenger packages. As you progress through the book, the innovative structure and approach of Puppet will be explained with powerful use cases. The difficulties that are inherent to a complex and powerful tool will no longer be a problem for you as you discover Puppet's fascinating intricacies. By the end of the book, you will not only know how to use Puppet, but also its companion tools Facter and Hiera, and will be able to leverage the flexibility and expressive power implemented by their tool chain. Style and approach This quick learning guide for Puppet follows a practical approach, starting with some basic commands that you can use from the shell right away. It comprises a series of examples that will get you familiar with the most important aspects of Puppet in a flash.

Explore the robust features of Python to create real-world ArcGIS applications through exciting, hands-on projects About This Book Get to grips with the big world of Python add-ins and wxPython in GUI development to implement their features in your application Integrate advanced Python libraries, ArcPy mapping, and data access module techniques to develop a mapping application Construct a top-notch intermediate-to-advanced project by accessing ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Online resources through the ArcGIS REST API using a project-based approach Who This Book Is For If you have prior experience building simple apps with ArcGIS and now have a fancy for developing a more challenging and complex desktop application in ArcGIS, then this book is ideal for you. What You Will Learn Automate the creation of creative output data visualizations including maps, charts, and graphs Explore ways to use the ArcPy Mapping module and Data-driven Pages to automate the creation of map books in your own project Develop applications that use the Plotly platform and library to create stunning charts and graphs that can be integrated into ArcGIS Desktop Build tools that access REST services and download data to a local geodatabase Design, build, and integrate advanced GUIs with wxPython and ArcGIS Desktop in ArcGIS Get clued up about constructing applications that export data to Google Earth Pro to automate time-consuming complex processes Maximize the access of ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Online using the ArcGIS REST API with Python In Detail This book is an immersive guide to take your ArcGIS Desktop application development skills to the next level It starts off by providing detailed de*ion and examples of how to create ArcGIS Desktop Python toolboxes that will serve as containers for many of the applications that you will build. We provide several practical projects that involve building a local area/community map and extracting wildfire data. You will then learn how to build tools that can access data from ArcGIS Server using the ArcGIS REST API. Furthermore, we deal with the integration of additional open source Python libraries into your applications, which will help you chart and graph advanced GUI development; read and write JSON, CSV, and XML format data sources; write outputs to Google Earth Pro, and more. Along the way, you will be introduced to advanced ArcPy Mapping and ArcPy Data Access module techniques and use data-driven Pages to automate the creation of map books. Finally, you will learn advanced techniques to work with video and social media feeds. By the end of the book, you will have your own desktop application without having spent too much time learning sophisticated theory. Style and approach This is an easy-to-follow, project-based guide that guides you through the whole ArcGIS theme with practical, real-world examples and a systematic approach.

A story of courage, fear and defiance based on the authors own personal experience. A Pack Horse Called Rachel is the remarkable tale of a young woman, half Jewish, caught in the extraordinarily brutal world of France in 1944. Rachel moves through the pages of the book with her faithful dog Nourse, touching lives as her work with the Maquis based in the Auvergne takes her perilously close to danger on a day to day basis.The story is based on personal experience, the de*ion of historical events is as true as memory will allow, it is an elegantly written story capturing first hand Kellermann’s painful and lonely life as a resistance fighter within the ‘Maquis’, amidst the harsh beauty of the Auvergne. Beset by the freezing cold climate prevailing in winter, the Vichy traitors amongst the normal French Population and the hostility of ordinary people afraid for their own lives. Rachel overcomes the initial animosity and mistrust of the lecherous and alcoholic farmer Raboullet on whom she comes to rely; the wrath of the Gestapo, the betrayal of St Pré, a full and passionate love affair, tragic loss and yet she survives. Marcel Kellermann notes, with de*ive talent, and intricate detail that only someone especially observant could recall. From the opening raid to the closing trial, the book gives an incisive view, as we understand the mind and soul of the resistance better with each page. This is the story of a young woman paralleled with the struggle of a nation as it regains its courage to fight back.

A wealth of restoration tips and techniques covering E12, E24, E28, E34, 5 and 6 Series BMWs built between 1972 and 1995. Covers all models from 518 to M6. Advice is given on acquiring a good 5 & 6 Series model, plus tips on restoring, engines, bodywork, trim, electrics, suspension & much more.

A practical restoration manual written by journalist and E30 enthusiast Andrew Everett. Covers E30 models: 316, 316i, 318i, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325e, 324d and 324td, 318iS, M3 & Alpina in saloon, convertible & touring forms. Professional advice also is given on buying a good used model E30 for restoration.

"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.

In his pacey, darkly humorous first novel, Duncan Abbott doesn't pull any punches. With a searing eye for satire and a great deal of comic ingenuity he proposes some startling new political ideas at a time when paucity of thought and poverty of ideals seem to be the norm. Join our hero George King, a talented, popular and ethical MP, and his cadre of madcap idealists as they saunter amusingly through the sordid side of parliament changing the nation as they go! Watch them improve the lives of millions, sweep away swathes of avarice and laugh in the face of adversity, while tearing down a sex, drugs and prostitution-based blackmail campaign that could bring down British politics as we know it.

A Godsend for anyone who’s ever suffered that dread of speaking in public!’ If, like almost everyone, you’re petrified of public speaking, the last thing you want is a lecture! And there lies the brilliance of this unique book’s genuinely innovative approach to the issue: Dee Clayton makes the process of overcoming those negative voices in your head (Your ‘Public Speaking Monkeys!’) and becoming an effective speaker lighthearted and fun! A Godsend for anyone who’s ever suffered that dread, Dee’s refreshingly simple yet amazingly effective multiawardwinning approach has already helped thousands to overcome their fears and become effective and confident public speakers. Significantly, the author’s keenly aware that for most of us, effective public speaking isn’t necessarily an end in itself but a means to other ends for example Dee has already helped company directors to persuade more successfully, doctors to win more funding, mediators to influence international decisions and all kinds of business people to fulfil their potential. What’s more, this is a genuinely practical guide! Unlike most ‘self help’ books on the topic (or any other), this one doesn’t just tell you what to do; in her chatty, good-humored style, Dee explains exactly how, sharing her own experiences and coaxing the reader through a programme that doesn’t just work it even makes public speaking enjoyable! Taming Your Public Speaking Monkeysworks so well because its easy, enjoyable style is underpinned by Dee’s solid, real-life experience of speaking publicly to tens of thousands of people first in her highly successful twenty-year marketing career (communicating for UK household brands such as Jacob’s Creek, Pizza Hut and Jammie Dodgers to name but a few) and now as a public speaking training specialist. Equally vitally, the book draws heavily upon the NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) techniques and insights in which Dee is a highly experienced Trainer and Master Practitioner. Taming your Public Speaking Monkeysis a rare find: a self-help book that really helps and best of all the results come to you quickly and stick with you for life!

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.