Renowned scientist David Bohm believed there was a better way for humanity to discover meaning and to achieve harmony. He identified creative dialogue, a sharing of assumptions and understanding, as a means by which the individual, and society as a whole, can learn more about themselves and others, and achieve a renewed sense of purpose.

    For this reason, more and more software companies are rapidly turning to Agile development to cope with fast changing markets, unknown or changing product requirements, borderless competition, and to solve complex problems. Yet little has been written to guide product managers through the transition in working with Agile teams and the numerous benefits that it affords. "'Agile Excellence for Product Managers'" is a plain speaking guide on how to work with Agile development teams to achieve phenomenal product success. It covers the why and how of agile development (including Scrum, XP, and Lean, ) the role of product management, release planning, release management, road mapping, creating and prioritizing a product backlog, documentation, product launches, organizational implications and more. It is a must read for product managers making the switch to Agile development as well as product owners and project managers looking for better ways to organize and lead in their companies.

    Darrell is determined to help the user navigate past the confusion factor that often comes with complex and powerful professional camera equipment. The book explores the features and capabilities of the camera in a way that far surpasses the user’s manual. It guides readers through the camera features with step-by-step setting adjustments; color illustrations; and detailed how, when, and why explanations for each option. Every button, dial, switch, and menu configuration setting is explored in a user-friendly manner, with suggestions for setup according to various shooting styles. Darrell’s friendly and informative writing style allows readers to easily follow directions, while feeling as if a friend dropped in to share his knowledge. The learning experience for new D7000 users goes beyond just the camera itself and covers basic photography technique.

    Already used by people and companies around the world, many forecast that Bitcoin could radically transform the global economy. The value of a bitcoin has soared from less than a dollar in 2011 to well over $1000 in 2013, with many spikes and crashes along the way. The rise in value has brought Bitcoin into the public eye, but the cryptocurrency still confuses many people. Bitcoin for the Befuddled covers everything you need to know about Bitcoin—what it is, how it works, and how to acquire, store, and use bitcoins safely and securely. You'll also learn about Bitcoin's history, its complex cryptography, and its potential impact on trade and commerce. The book includes a humorous, full-color comic explaining Bitcoin concepts, plus a glossary of terms for easy reference.

    Presentation software is one of the few tools that requires professionals to think visually on an almost daily basis. But unlike verbal skills, effective visual expression is not easy, natural, or actively taught in schools or business training programs. slide:ology fills that void.Written by Nancy Duarte, President and CEO of Duarte Design, the firm that created the presentation for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, this book is full of practical approaches to visual story development that can be applied by anyone. The book combines conceptual thinking and inspirational design, with insightful case studies from the world's leading brands. With slide:ology you'll learn to:Connect with specific audiencesTurn ideas into informative graphicsUse sketching and diagramming techniques effectivelyCreate graphics that enable audiences to process information easilyDevelop truly influential presentationsUtilize presentation technology to your advantageMillions of presentations and billions of slides have been produced -- and most of them miss the mark. slide:ology will challenge your traditional approach to creating slides by teaching you how to be a visual thinker. And it will help your career by creating momentum for your cause.--back cover

    More and more frequently, ScrumMasters and project managers are being asked to coach agile teams. But it's a challenging role. It requires new skills--as well as a subtle understanding of when to step in and when to step back. Migrating from "command and control" to agile coaching requires a whole new mind-set. In Coaching Agile Teams, Lyssa Adkins gives agile coaches the insights they need to adopt this new mind-set and to guide teams to extraordinary performance in a re-energized work environment. You'll gain a deep view into the role of the agile coach, discover what works and what doesn't, and learn how to adapt powerful skills from many allied disciplines, including the fields of professional coaching and mentoring. Coverage includes Understanding what it takes to be a great agile coach Mastering all of the agile coach's roles: teacher, mentor, problem solver, conflict navigator, and performance coach Creating an environment where self-organized, high-performance teams can emerge Coaching teams past cooperation and into full collaboration Evolving your leadership style as your team grows and changes Staying actively engaged without dominating your team and stunting its growth Recognizing failure, recovery, and success modes in your coaching Getting the most out of your own personal agile coaching journey Whether you're an agile coach, leader, trainer, mentor, facilitator, ScrumMaster, project manager, product owner, or team member, this book will help you become skilled at helping others become truly great. What could possibly be more rewarding?

    If she’s even still alive. My dad, well, I don’t know who he is or where he is which is why this group home has been my home off and on since I was three.A girl with anger issues and only one leg isn’t really first in line to get adopted by the shiny, goodhearted people who stroll in here looking for a dream kid. In fact, sometimes they don’t even bother bringing me out for show. There’s no point, even though Mom signed off her rights to me. Like selling a used car, or giving one away.So, now that I’ve turn eighteen, they treat me as all children are who have grown out of the foster system. They put me out on my own with fifty bucks in my pocket and disappointment written on my forehead. Oh and a few months of rent in an apartment building that looks like a crime scene documentary location shoot.Survival is my only plan for life. Get a job. Rent a place to lay my head where no one can hit me and no creepy foster dad can try to sneak into my bedroom in the middle of the night. Eat. Sleep. Rinse. Repeat.I’m not a dreamer. Never have been. A shifter female with only one leg has no choice: survive and stay under the radar.Mangled is the first in the brand new Ridgewood Rogue Wolf Saga series featuring a heroine with greater physical challenges than most and a background that no young adult should be saddled with, a pack of misfits, three of the hottest possible wolves who may be her fated mates, and maybe just enough determination to make a better life. Or even a great one. It is a why choose, slow-burn romance and, of course, Mazzie guarantees a happily ever after. Eventually.

         In Rise, Azzarello shares the insider secrets to advancing your career (while having a life) in three practical steps:  DO Better: Set Ruthless Priorities, work and lead more strategically, and deal with frustrating obstacles and stupid people. LOOK Better: Build your credibility with the people who can help (or blacklist) you.CONNECT Better: Develop your network without being political. Get on "the List" of people who get the best opportunities     Whether you are just starting up the corporate ladder, stuck midcareer, transitioning, or eyeing the corner office, Rise shows you the difference between getting ahead and just working hard.

    She doesn't have a lot of spare time, but what better way to try and occupy her free time  than with a no-strings-attached affair with hunky Italian restaurant owner, Luciano Valenti. The  man has had her fires burning for the past six months. The only problem: she can't be around him  without turning into a stammering klutz. How is she supposed to seduce a man she can't even hold a  conversation with? Since the first Friday Kaylee Daniels walked into his restaurant she's had  Luciano on edge. The foxy woman spilled more drinks than anyone he'd ever seen, but something about  her got to him, bad. Luciano doesn't have time in his life for anything serious. He doesn't want anything serious, and Kaylee is definitely a relationship kind of girl. Or so he thought. . . What happens when two career minded people decide to spend a little more time on themselves and each other? They just might find themselves getting lucky along the way.

    Hemingway. Murder When private investigator Simon Wolfe is hired to follow his friend’s wife under suspicion of adultery, he could never have guessed it would lead him into a friendship with the world’s leading writer, Ernest Hemingway. Nor could he have predicted the strange and disturbing twists the investigation would take. The case accelerates quickly when the wife is found murdered in a Key West hotel and discovered to have a secret life. But that revelation is downright boring as the plot thickens with increasingly bizarre revelations, capped off with a macabre ending no one saw coming. Based on actual events, Night at Key West is a wild ride into history and intrigue, populated by many true-to-life characters and places.

     Hadley Parrish is having the worst luck ever. Her boyfriend dumped her for social media fame, her stepsister got into Harvard the day Hadley failed chemistry, and now she’s been blamed for a crime she didn’t do. As punishment, she’s sent to Sterling Beach for the summer to learn some “work ethic” and “manners” from her grumpy grandfather who she barely knows. The beautiful beach is no match for Hadley’s epically bad mood, and she’s determined to spend every second of the summer locked in her room brooding. Her grandfather’s only rule is that she has to come out once a week, for Friday night poker. Hadley wants to protest, but then she meets her grandfather’s favorite poker player, Jeremy, the unbelievably cute guy who lives next door. Jeremy sees things differently after being granted a miraculous second chance at life. He’s not about to let Hadley’s bad mood ruin the best years of her life. In fact, he’s going to make it his mission to save her this summer. Even if it’s the hardest thing he’ll ever do. Saving Hadley is a Boys of Summer novella. If you like enemies-to-lovers, flirty banter, and page-turning sweet romance, this story is for you. The Boys of Summer series is a collaboration between several YA authors. They are all standalone stories that take place in the same fictional town. Escape to Sterling Beach today! Saving Hadley by Amy Sparling Beach Town Bad Boy by Maggie Dallen Riptide by Jordan Ford Don’t Fall for the Summer Fling by Tammy Andresen Flirting with the Enemy by Sally Henson Beauty and the Beach by Kayla Tirrell Falling for the Rich Boy by Yesenia Vargas Summer Love and Basketball by Seven Steps

    The five non-negotiables. And you can’t give away what you don’t possess yourself.” When Lance Marshall’s life comes crashing down, his wife arranges for him to meet with his high school mentor, Coach Moore. Coach sends Lance “back to the locker room” to talk with five sports legends who are now successful leaders. Each player will show Lance a principle for excellence in both leadership and the home. But the advice comes with a caveat: Lance must apply the principle he learns within twenty-four hours or the meetings end. This modern parable is for business leaders, coaches, and parents who know the challenge of motivating people while balancing the demands of life with integrity—and leaving a legacy that will last forever.

    From horror master Rick Wood, author of The Sensitives and This Book is Full of Bodies, comes twelve horrifying stories to spook up your Christmas season! From a sadistic secret Santa gift, to a murderous telekinetic fairy, to a nativity full of the undead… you’ll find a horror treat for all twelve days of Christmas! This anthology includes the following stories: The F**ked Up Fairy Twas the Night Before Murder The Nativity of the Living Dead The Christmas Card Trap Secret Santa for the Sadistic Track Santa parts 1, 2 and 3 Elf on a Shelf The Mince Pie The Christmas Cannibal A Christmas Carol: The Aftermath Download now and bring a sprinkle of horror to your festivities.

    As reported by a much-followed columnist and awarded journalist, these rich, fascinating, and occasionally disturbing stories of settlements follow people living throughout New Zealand, from Kawakawa in the north to Mosgiel in the south, and Samoa and Antarctica overseas. Funny, moving, and at times terrifying, this book provides a platform from which New Zealand reveals itself and proves that rarely are people and places as they first appear.

    In many ways, this war, and the subsequent peace of Westphalia, would set the stage for the balance of power in Europe until the First World War in 1914. Fully illustrated to capture both the majesty and the horror of The Thirty Years' War.