Book picks similar to
Ecology by Paul Colinvaux


science
geography
older-books
on-the-shelf

Machine Learning: Fundamental Algorithms for Supervised and Unsupervised Learning With Real-World Applications


Joshua Chapmann - 2017
    Right?! Machine Learning is a branch of computer science that wants to stop programming computers using a detailed list of commands to follow blindly. Instead, their aim is to implement high-level routines that teach computers how to approach new and unknown problems – these are called algorithms. In practice, they want to give computers the ability to Learn and to Adapt. We can use these algorithms to obtain insights, recognize patterns and make predictions from data, images, sounds or videos we have never seen before – or even knew existed. Unfortunately, the true power and applications of today’s Machine Learning Algorithms remain deeply misunderstood by most people. Through this book I want fix this confusion, I want to shed light on the most relevant Machine Learning Algorithms used in the industry. I will show you exactly how each algorithm works, why it works and when you should use it. Supervised Learning Algorithms K-Nearest Neighbour Naïve Bayes Regressions Unsupervised Learning Algorithms: Support Vector Machines Neural Networks Decision Trees

The Mummy Lessons: The second novel from award winning blogger Just A Normal Mummy


Helen Wallen - 2019
    

A Geography of Time: The Temporal Misadventures of a Social Psychologist, or How Every Culture Keeps Time Just a Little Bit Differently


Robert V. Levine - 1997
    When we travel to a different country, or even a different city in the United States, we assume that a certain amount of cultural adjustment will be required, whether it's getting used to new food or negotiating a foreign language, adapting to a different standard of living or another currency. In fact, what contributes most to our sense of disorientation is having to adapt to another culture's sense of time.Levine, who has devoted his career to studying time and the pace of life, takes us on an enchanting tour of time through the ages and around the world. As he recounts his unique experiences with humor and deep insight, we travel with him to Brazil, where to be three hours late is perfectly acceptable, and to Japan, where he finds a sense of the long-term that is unheard of in the West. We visit communities in the United States and find that population size affects the pace of life--and even the pace of walking. We travel back in time to ancient Greece to examine early clocks and sundials, then move forward through the centuries to the beginnings of "clock time" during the Industrial Revolution. We learn that there are places in the world today where people still live according to "nature time," the rhythm of the sun and the seasons, and "event time," the structuring of time around happenings(when you want to make a late appointment in Burundi, you say, "I'll see you when the cows come in").Levine raises some fascinating questions. How do we use our time? Are we being ruled by the clock? What is this doing to our cities? To our relationships? To our own bodies and psyches? Are there decisions we have made without conscious choice? Alternative tempos we might prefer? Perhaps, Levine argues, our goal should be to try to live in a "multitemporal" society, one in which we learn to move back and forth among nature time, event time, and clock time. In other words, each of us must chart our own geography of time. If we can do that, we will have achieved temporal prosperity.

Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals: Identification, Values, Lapidary Uses


Patti Polk - 2010
    Three Guides in One! Identification, Values, Lapidary UsesDesigned with beginners in mind, yet filled with valuable technical information for advanced collectors, "Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals" takes you from being just someone who appreciates rocks to a true "collector."Easy-to-use, quick reference format arranged by category and color of stoneCovers both lapidary and mineral display materialsProvides values and tips for locating, buying and collectingIncludes organics such as amber, bone, coral, pearl and shellLists chemical group, system, hardness, opacity, fracture, specific gravity and moreContains more than 650 full-color photosForeword by Johann Zenz, world renowned agate expert, author and lecturer

The Tree: A Natural History of What Trees Are, How They Live & Why They Matter


Colin Tudge - 2005
    There are Douglas firs as tall as skyscrapers, and a banyan tree in Calcutta as big as a football field.From the tallest to the smallest, trees inspire wonder in all of us, and in The Tree, Colin Tudge travels around the world—throughout the United States, the Costa Rican rain forest, Panama and Brazil, India, New Zealand, China, and most of Europe—bringing to life stories and facts about the trees around us: how they grow old, how they eat and reproduce, how they talk to one another (and they do), and why they came to exist in the first place. He considers the pitfalls of being tall; the things that trees produce, from nuts and rubber to wood; and even the complicated debt that we as humans owe them.Tudge takes us to the Amazon in flood, when the water is deep enough to submerge the forest entirely and fish feed on fruit while river dolphins race through the canopy. He explains the “memory” of a tree: how those that have been shaken by wind grow thicker and sturdier, while those attacked by pests grow smaller leaves the following year; and reveals how it is that the same trees found in the United States are also native to China (but not Europe).From tiny saplings to centuries-old redwoods and desert palms, from the backyards of the American heartland to the rain forests of the Amazon and the bamboo forests, Colin Tudge takes the reader on a journey through history and illuminates our ever-present but often ignored companions. A blend of history, science, philosophy, and environmentalism, The Tree is an engaging and elegant look at the life of the tree and what modern research tells us about their future.

The Mind Game


Norman Spinrad - 1980
    The Movement-was it the greatest con of all time, or the last true religion? A chilling novel about the evil of cults.

The Old Farmer's Almanac 2021


Old Farmer's Almanac - 2020
    Always timely, topical, and distinctively “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” the Almanac is consulted daily by users from all walks of life, throughout the year.   The 2021 edition contains the fun facts, predictions, and feature items that have made it a cultural icon: traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts; notable astronomical events and time-honored astrological dates; horticultural, culinary, fashion, and other trends; historical hallmarks; best fishing days; time- and money-saving garden advice; recipes for refreshment; facts on folklore, farmers, home remedies, and husbandry; amusements and contests, plus too much more to mention—all in the inimitable way that the Almanac has done since 1792.   • Beloved by generations for being “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac features everything under the Sun, including its much-in-demand long-range weather predictions, essential astronomical timetables, 2021 holidays, fascinating trends, best fishing days, valuable gardening information, tantalizing recipes, fun folklore, amusements, contests, and much more! • Exclusive: 32 reference pages, covering such popular topics as full Moon names, hurricane names, flowers that attract birds and butterflies, U.S./metric measurement conversions, and many more! • Easy-to-read edition, with crisp, white paper and larger type than the regular paperback version • Includes 112 full-color pages • Hard cover with dust jacket helps to protect the pages—a plus for those who collect the Almanac each year!

The New Wild: Why Invasive Species Will Be Nature's Salvation


Fred Pearce - 2015
    Most conservationists and environmentalists share this view. But what if the traditional view of ecology is wrong—what if true environmentalists should be applauding the invaders? In The New Wild, Pearce goes on a journey across six continents to rediscover what conservation in the twenty-first century should be about. Pearce explores ecosystems from remote Pacific islands to the United Kingdom, from San Francisco Bay to the Great Lakes, as he digs into questionable estimates of the cost of invader species and reveals the outdated intellectual sources of our ideas about the balance of nature. Pearce acknowledges that there are horror stories about alien species disrupting ecosystems, but most of the time, the tens of thousands of introduced species usually swiftly die out or settle down and become model eco-citizens. The case for keeping out alien species, he finds, looks increasingly flawed. As Pearce argues, mainstream environmentalists are right that we need a rewilding of the earth, but they are wrong if they imagine that we can achieve that by reengineering ecosystems. Humans have changed the planet too much, and nature never goes backward. But a growing group of scientists is taking a fresh look at how species interact in the wild. According to these new ecologists, we should applaud the dynamism of alien species and the novel ecosystems they create. In an era of climate change and widespread ecological damage, it is absolutely crucial that we find ways to help nature regenerate. Embracing the new ecology, Pearce shows us, is our best chance. To be an environmentalist in the twenty-first century means celebrating nature’s wildness and capacity for change.

Snake Oil: How Fracking's False Promise of Plenty Imperils Our Future


Richard Heinberg - 2013
    This is the first book to look at fracking from both economic and environmental perspectives."

The United States of Australia: An Aussie Bloke Explains Australia to Americans


Cameron Jamieson - 2014
    Written for Americans, but equally amusing to anyone visiting the shores of the Great Southern Land, this book examines the relationship between Australia and the U.S., including how Australians view their American cousins. The author has plenty of experience of working and dealing with Americans. He is married to an American nurse and has lived his life within the massive cultural influence that America has shared with Australia since the Second World War. The author’s stories are brimming with empathy and jokes for his American audience. The book is written from the opinion of an Aussie Bloke and the easy-to-digest chapters are just long enough to leave the reader smiling and well informed.Topics include Blokes and Sheilas, Bloody Foster’s, Dangerous Creatures, Talking to Dogs, The GAFA, Speaking Strail-yun and Working for the Queen. Confused? You won’t be after reading this book!

CISM Review Manual 2015


ISACA - 2005
    

Night Zero


Rob Horner - 2019
    The theory is sound, but something goes wrong, and a highly contagious combination of virus and prion is unleashed, a middle-stage organism too dangerous to test. With emergency services overwhelmed, a small community hospital tries to combat the unthinkable--an illness that causes aggression, spreads through violence, and won’t allow the dead to rest.

The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands


Huw Lewis-Jones - 2018
    Put a map at the start of a book, and we know an adventure is going to follow. Displaying this truth with beautiful full-color illustrations, The Writer’s Map is an atlas of the journeys that our most creative storytellers have made throughout their lives. This magnificent collection encompasses not only the maps that appear in their books but also the many maps that have inspired them, the sketches that they used while writing, and others that simply sparked their curiosity.   Philip Pullman recounts the experience of drawing a map as he set out on one of his early novels, The Tin Princess. Miraphora Mina recalls the creative challenge of drawing up ”The Marauder’s Map” for the Harry Potter films. David Mitchell leads us to the Mappa Mundi by way of Cloud Atlas and his own sketch maps. Robert Macfarlane reflects on the cartophilia that has informed his evocative nature writing, which was set off by Robert Louis Stevenson and his map of Treasure Island. Joanne Harris tells of her fascination with Norse maps of the universe. Reif Larsen writes about our dependence on GPS and the impulse to map our experience. Daniel Reeve describes drawing maps and charts for The Hobbit film trilogy. This exquisitely crafted and illustrated atlas explores these and so many more of the maps writers create and are inspired by—some real, some imagined—in both words and images.   Amid a cornucopia of 167 full-color images, we find here maps of the world as envisaged in medieval times, as well as maps of adventure, sci-fi and fantasy, nursery rhymes, literary classics, and collectible comics. An enchanting visual and verbal journey, The Writer’s Map will be irresistible for lovers of maps, literature, and memories—and anyone prone to flights of the imagination.

Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible


Edward C. Smith - 2011
    You’ll discover that container gardening is an easy and fun way to enjoy summer’s bounty in even the smallest of growing spaces.

Hit Down Dammit! (The Key to the Golf)


Clive Scarff - 2010
    Surprisingly, a great many players surveyed did not even know you need to hit down to get the ball up in the air. Hit Down @#!*% ! concisely explains the concept - and the technique - of hitting down at the golf ball for proper trajectory, increased backspin, much improved distance, proper divot taking, and best of all: consistent shotmaking.If you are inadvertently - or intentionally - hitting up at the ball, Hit Down @#!*% ! is for you. (Also available as DVD series, and MP3 download, all on Amazon.)If you are a seasoned amateur who has inexplicably “plateaud” - just cannot seem to get to the next level despite lessons and/or acquiring a library of books and videos - Hit Down @#!*% ! is for you.Symptoms of hitting up include (but are not limited to): - topping the ball- skulling the ball- pushing the ball- slicing the ball- poor distance- difficulty getting off back foot- poor backspin- no divot- fat divots- chunking the ball- thin/fat chip shots- roofing the ball with your driver- inability to hit long irons and/or fairway woods- good shots followed immediately by poor shotsHitting down at the golf ball is not a new concept, but it is a hitherto poorly explained (or completely avoided) concept. All pros agree on the need to hit down, so there is no debate there. Even Tiger Woods, in his 306 page “How I Play Golf”, states the need to hit down at the ball – but does not explain how. Hit Down @#!*% ! does. Learn to hit down, watch the ball go up, and your scores go down. BONUS: At the end of this book you will find a link to purchase the Hit Down @#!*% ! 4 DVD series and receive a full credit for the purchase of this Kindle ebook.