Our increasingly complex world demands that we continuously learn from failures (and successes) in order to survive and thrive. And yet, our learning is too often undermined. We construct biased but comfortable stories, which often feature a simple, single "root cause"--a villain, someone to take the blame. Having done that, we short-circuit the possibility of developing any deeper understanding of the complex systems we work with. With this common approach, our systems will become more fragile and drift into failure. In this concise and entertaining book, I.T. veteran Dave Zwieback describes an incident that threatens the very existence of a large financial institution, and the counterintuitive steps its leadership took to stop the downward spiral. Their novel approach is grounded in proven concepts from complexity science, resilience engineering, human factors, cognitive science, and organizational psychology. It allows us to identify the underlying conditions for failure, and make our systems (and organizations) safer and more resilient.- Get a clear understanding of the downside of blame- Learn how to identify (and counteract) cognitive biases in groups- See how organizations can determine the real root cause of problems- Establish real accountability with your organization- Use the Learning Review Framework to fully learn from failures of complex systems- Find practical insights and tips for moving beyond blame in your own organization

    In response, Constantine Balanis has updated his classic text, Antenna Theory, offering the most recent look at all the necessary topics. New material includes smart antennas and fractal antennas, along with the latest applications in wireless communications. Multimedia material on an accompanying CD presents PowerPoint viewgraphs of lecture notes, interactive review questions, Java animations and applets, and MATLAB features. Like the previous editions, Antenna Theory, Third Edition meets the needs of electrical engineering and physics students at the senior undergraduate and beginning graduate levels, and those of practicing engineers as well. It is a benchmark text for mastering the latest theory in the subject, and for better understanding the technological applications. An Instructor's Manual presenting detailed solutions to all the problems in the book is available from the Wiley editorial department.

     NICO I don't care that Evie is his daughter. If Governor Brown thinks he can keep what's rightfully mine, he's got another thing coming. I'll possess Evie at any cost. And I'll ensure my child is raised beneath a Mob roof, by Mob rules. Because I'm the son of the Don, and no one takes what belongs to me. Everything I touch becomes my property, my right. And I'm about to turn this town upside down for a one-night stand I can't forget. I'm coming for you, Evie… And I'm going to make sure you keep coming for me. NICO is a full-length, standalone heist, mafia romance with a guaranteed HEA ending. It is a one-night stand gone wrong that proves opposites do attract, as an uptight politician's daughter falls for the mob boss who rules the city's underground. The novel contains adult content, language, and descriptions, so reader caution is advised.

    Bond or die. It’s the way of the world, but when Kaiden completes the ritual, something unique happens. Has the Chosen One entered the war? Warning: Contains adult content. Read at your own risk. Long ago, magic entered the world. Now, humans must bond with an angel or demon to live. After Kaiden bonds with a fallen angel, many believe he'll end the centuries-long war between angels and demons. Just as many want him dead. With the help of three amazing hot women, Kaiden attempts to do what most would think crazy. They take on the demon army. Go big, or die trying. Warning: Bonded is a post-apocalyptic harem with light gamelit elements. If you haven’t already figured it out, this story is filled with violence, sex, blood, action, fights, along with three hot chicks who can kick some serious ass.

    They would kick the villain’s ass. Look cool. Get the girl, or even all of the girls. Perhaps even the guys! It is current year after all.What happens when a cosmic entity born of the human desire to parody mainstream organized religion decides to grant such a wish purely on a whim? A bizarre cross-world waifu harem collecting Litrpg adventure, that’s what!Join Scott Ambrose as he comes to terms with his strange new life in the Shattered Earth, a realm separate from our own where multiple versions of Earth have blended together with pop-culture and dank Internet memes to create an ever-increasing set of worlds to explore, many of which appear at first glance to be parodies of popular anime and games!See what lies in store for the man who got what he wished for without realizing just what it would mean if that wish ever came true.Touch greatness. Witness the truth. Anime waifus await!This work of parody Gamelit features commentary on the nature of certain characters, storylines, and what the Internet fandoms have done to them. A legendary game for the ages, where the only one keeping score is the player himself! However, this story does also feature graphic violence and occasional sexual shenanigans. Adult humor abounds, and immature humor is even more apparent!

    However, the night before his hopeless bout, a mysterious hermit grants Allen a button that will give him one hundred million years to train in an alternate reality when pressed. Allen not only gladly accepts the offer but also goes back for seconds, thirds, tenths even! With over a billion years of straight practice under his belt, the world is about to see what the “Reject Swordsman” can really do!

    Her life has been a roller-coaster mix of adventure, drama and heartache, and it is only now that she finally feels ready to share her journey so far. In Absolute Beginner Patsy describes her extraordinary childhood, moving between the glamour of filming movies with Elizabeth Taylor and Mia Farrow and the tiny London council flat she shared with her parents and brother. Even as her career was taking off, she was living with the devastating knowledge of her beloved mother's incurable cancer and was forced to hide her father's criminal past. She also writes about the ups and downs of life as an actress in a career that has spanned four decades, from her roles in films like the iconic Absolute Beginners, Lethal Weapon 2, 21 and Oscar-nominated Angels and Insects to playing the uber bitch Sadie King in Emmerdale and, most recently, starring in Holby City. Vivid, intimate and touching, Absolute Beginner reveals the real Patsy - a warm and funny woman who is the ultimate survivor.

    

     Before they leave, Joshua’s father gives him the Binding of the Seeker, which grants him powers for discovering new places, new races…and secrets. They’ve saved every penny from their apprenticeships to buy an old building, but not just any old building. This was a heroes’ guild once; a place where mighty warriors and powerful mages trained, ready to answer the calls of townsfolk in trouble. For a price, of course. Benjen and Joshua are desperate to restore it to what it once was. The only problems? An unwelcome surprise is waiting for them at the guildhouse…and good heroes are hard to find.

    His master works him hard, and he is content with his lot. Everything changes when a marauding dragon attacks his sleepy hometown, and he kills it. Suddenly he is sitting on an unbelievable pool of XP. Enough to make him a god.

    One of these laws has never been needed… until now. Book I: In Treachery Forged Following the rebellion of the Borden Isles, the Kingdom of Svieda was forced to make a pact with the Sho’Curlas Alliance in order to maintain the world’s balance of power. Many years later, Svieda is betrayed, suddenly and irrevocably, when the Sword King of Svieda is brutally assassinated by the Sho’Curlas Ambassador and their borders are invaded. To help save his country in the ensuing war, Sword Prince Maelgyn must travel to the Province of Sopan, take command of his armies, and join his cousins in battle. Along the way he rescues a Dwarven caravan, forges a badly needed alliance, and accidentally gets married. And then he learns about the dragons….

     In fact, it wasn't technically a video game. Alfred had somehow ended up on a planet millions of miles away from Earth, but with dungeons, hot girls, and strange creatures appearing at every turn. Just like a video game he could complete missions for experience, and even join a guild and play with friends. It almost seemed like a normal world until he discovered that in the planet, Heaven's Gate, your dreams could come true if you were brave enough to enter into the hardest dungeons. He runs into some friends and foes in the game, and tries his hardest to conquer the legendary dream dungeons where all your dreams can come true if you can just survive. If you wish to revive someone, or learn a few 'broken' skills, you can do it at the apex of Heaven's Gate. Luckily, he's been training in martial arts since he was a kid, and seems to have a natural advantage in the game thanks to his martial prowess and sharp mind. Warning: Contains Harem Elements, Gore, and LitRPG elements...

    The Goddess raised us, sheltered us, and defended us from the Demon Lord and their horrifying minions that roamed the wasteland. The sacred aurora that surrounded The City was the ultimate sign of her benevolent protection, keeping us safe.My name is Mal, and ever since I was a boy I've been treated as an outcast, a freak, and a malcontent because of my ability to see magic. For the other citizens, magic was the invisible manifestation of Goddess’s love, but to me, it was just a colorful spread of enchantments, cantrips, blessings, and hexes. And once I’ve seen a spell, I can understand it, and then I can break it apart.When I graduated from school, I had expected to be given the job of a ditch-digger. Instead, I was shocked when I was dubbed the next hero.Heroes are sent out in the wasteland, to slay monsters and to challenge the Demon Lord. It’s a suicide mission. But once I was shoved out of the aurora, I found out that the outside world was drastically different than what I had been told. The demons, dragons, and orcs might be my best shot for surviving the insanity I’ve been thrown into.Warning: This novel contains descriptions of violence, graphic sex, unconventional relationships (M/FF+ harem), and limitless adventure.

    This well written self-help book deals with our emotions, showing the difference between the primary emotions like; happiness, sadness and pain, and the secondary (invented by society) like; anxiety, hate, depression and fondness.