. . . Steffy meets the burden by demonstrating that corporate behemoth BP (formerly British Petroleum) could have prevented the 11 deaths on April 20, 2010, aboard the Deepwater Horizon. . . . The deaths and the gigantic oil spill following the sinking of Deepwater Horizon will surely become a landmark of corporate ineptness and greed for the remainder of human history, thanks in part to Steffy's remarkable account." San Antonio Express-News "Steffy has produced a fascinating, gripping, revealing account. . . . The book details events aboard the Deepwater Horizon in April of 2010 to start, but it digs deeper into what is revealed as a culture of cost-cutting boiling over within BP. Steffy documents years of incidents and poor management decisions, detailing the rise of key characters like John Browne and Tony Hayward alongside riveting outlines of horrifying events in Texas City and at other BP locations. . . . The book reads like fiction at times, with the author's heavily-detailed accounts of explosions and conversations creating vivid, nearly fantastical images. The tragic history of BP is all-too-real, though, as the lost lives and environmental damage certainly attest to.. . . Steffy is a thorough, straightforward author. His concerns largely lie with the loss of life and the general culture of cost-cutting of BP, painting an apt and terrifying picture of rampant, steady, costly neglect." Seattle Post Intelligencer "Steffy provides valuable insight and crucial corporate context in explaining how so much oil ended up in the Gulf of Mexico." BusinessWeek "[Steffy's] investigations reveal a corporate culture of cost-cutting initiatives that put profits ahead of workers' lives and the environment, with repeated safety violations and an abysmal accident history. . . . Steffy details how, in the context of BP's record, the disaster was just part of a pattern of poor decision making in the relentless pursuit by BP to become the largest and most profitable oil company in the world." Booklist About the BookAs night settled on April 20, 2010, a series of explosions rocked Deepwater Horizon, the immense semisubmersible drilling platform leased by British Petroleum, located 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. The ensuing inferno claimed 11 lives, and it would rage uncontained for two days, until its wreckage sank to a final resting place nearly a mile beneath the waves. On the ocean floor, the unit's wellhead erupted. Over the next ten weeks, as repeated attempts to cap the geyser failed, an estimated 200 million gallons of oil--the equivalent of 20 Exxon Valdez spills--spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, eventually lapping up on beaches as far away as Florida.Drowning in Oil, by award-winning Houston Chronicle business reporter and columnist Loren Steffy--considered by many to be the writer with the best access to the story--is an unprecedented and gripping narrative of this catastrophe and how BP's winner-take-all business culture made it all but inevitable.Through never-before-published interviews with BP executives and employees, environmental experts, and oil industry insiders, Steffy takes us behind the scenes of 100 years of BP corporate history. Beginning with the conglomerate's early gambits in the Middle East to its recent ascent among energy titans, Steff unearths the roots of the Gulf oil spill in the unwritten bargain between oil producers and consumers, whose insatiable appetites drive the search for new supplies faster, farther, and deeper.Beyond this, the Deepwater Horizon disaster took place after a history of cost cutting in pursuit of profits, particularly under the guidance of its two most recent ex-CEOs, John Browne and Anthony Hayward.Exhaustively researched and documented, Drowning in Oil is the first in-depth examination of how a lack of corporate responsibility and government oversight led to the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. It is an objective, no-punches-pulled account of the energy industry: its environmental impact and the intense competition among stakeholders in today's oil markets.This book puts all the pieces together, offering a definitive account of BP's pursuit of outsized profits as the industrial world awakens to the grim realities of Peak Oil."They fumbled around the darkened room and found an instruction manual. By flashlight, they read the starting procedures. They were doing everything right. After five or six futile tries, they gave up and headed back toward the bridge. Back on the bridge, alarms were shrieking and the captain knew they were running out of time. The subsea engineer had hit the emergency disconnect for the well, and although the control panel showed the rig should be free, it wasn't. The hydraulics were dead. Fire continued to shoot from the top of the derrick. The rig had no power, and without power, it had no pumps for the firefighting equipment, no way to shut off the flow of gas from the well, and no way to disconnect the rig from the flaming umbilical that had it tethered to the wellhead." --from Drowning in Oil

    There is no need to be upset or mad. Here's what readers are already saying about this amazing picture book: "A must for any quick-to-tantrum kids" -- Kim "'This is a good starting point to chat with a very young child about emotions" -- Jacob "This is the best book for the ever-shifting moods of preschool kids. " -- Sam This is a story about a Monster who can teach the kids about their moods and how to keep a check on them. The main character wants to do things that his family won't allow. He decides he will live alone, packs all his stuff and some food, but then decides to stay because we will be missing his brother, playing with dad, and mom’s reading stories each night before bed. The moral of this story is no matter how bad times are; they can always get better. Warning: Cuteness Overload! This childrens book contains illustrations of a cute monster. Lots of them. Enjoy these little sweeties, perfect alongside beautiful rhymes. You and your kids will love this kids book...grab it now while it's still available at this discounted price.

    "Hall-O-Ween!" is a spooky little rhyming book about all the sweet bites and fun frights on Halloween day and night.

    After the little boy Ellen was babysitting was tucked into bed for the night Ellen scooped-up bowls of her favorite ice cream for each of them, but that’s when Aisha’s keen senses kicked in, she smelled something… she smelled smoke. In this scary moment, a very brave girl, armed with her mother’s voice, finds courage… (from the distributor's website)(This is a free story from the book Girls to the Rescue Book #5: Tales of Clever, Courageous Girls from Around the World)

    Slowly, slowly, with a tap, click, crack, the baby turtle embarks upon a mysterious nighttime journey. Gentle, tender verse and enchanting illustrations carry this tranquil tale from sand to sea.

    In fact, she can't stop thinking about them. Even after Mommy catches her eating from a bucket of ice cream, she still finds ways to sneak them. Will she ever be able to listen? Cami Kangaroo is funny, uplifting story about the importance of honesty and following the rules, even when you don’t want to. It’s a relatable picture book with adorable, whimsical illustrations. Readers will find silly, memorable characters who inspire honesty, self-control and responsibility. Ideal for children ages 2-8 and reminiscent of the Berenstein Bears books, this is the first book in the Cami Kangaroo and Wyatt Too series .Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets makes an excellent gift for birthdays and baby showers. Perfect for toddlers, preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade and third grade. Attention teachers: enjoy FREE dental health lesson plans with your purchase! Available on Stacy C. Bauer's website.

    Zebra's got a cough! All his stripes have fallen off!What are we going to do? Call for Doctor Kangaroo!All the animals seem to be poorly, but Doctor Kangaroo is here to help!Another silly rhyming picture book by Gerald Hawksley!

     The alphabet animals are going to bed, so, let’s see what they do. One or two wear a nightcap on their head, do you wear one too? The story teaches children about a bedtime routine and that going to bed is fun. The story also teaches children the alphabet of English.ABC: Alphabet Animals at Bedtime book is different from other preschool rhyming books by cutest illustrations.The animals kids book includes well-known animals(wild animals, farm animals, zoo animals, ocean animals, birds ) such as a pig and an alligator, but also focusses on some of the lesser known animals in the world such as a bandicoot and an x-ray fish. ABC: Alphabet Animals at Bedtime is such a fun and cozy bedtime story, with animals brushing their tails, wearing onesies and nightcaps!With stunning illustrations throughout.Written in a fun rhyming format. For ages 2-7 years. Teaches children about a bedtime routine and how going to bed is fun, the alphabet and about new animals. ABC book for kindergarten Alphabet animals a-z Bedtime book An enchanting children’s bedtime story that will capture your child’s imagination. WARNING: Cuteness of illustrations Overload!

     A deep freeze has fallen upon London, and its citizens remain huddled indoors. But the cogs of the criminal underworld never stop turning, and Holmes and Watson find themselves embroiled in a crime that rocks the centre of the art world. Sir Wellington is disturbed in the middle of the night, apprehending a thief attempting to steal his rare and valuable 14th portrait of King Edward III. In the kerfuffle that follows, the painting is set ablaze and the thief escapes. When the police track down the criminal to take him to the station, he is fatally shot by an unknown assailant. But the labyrinth of deceit grows even more impenetrable, as the painting’s provenance is called into question and Holmes and Watson find themselves in the midst of a vast conspiracy. It seems that this incident is just one of many at the hands of a powerful crime syndicate, duping the London’s wealthy into buying imitation artwork – with the renowned National Portrait Gallery supposedly at the centre... With usurped identities, shootings, chases and conspiracies, Holmes and Watson find themselves enmeshed in a tangled web of theft, forgery and murder. Can the famous duo untangle the mystery and expose the criminal network before it is too late? Or will this case prove too complex for even their brilliant minds? Praise for The Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance: “… Derrick Belanger has once again created his own unique doorway into the world of Holmes and Watson. He makes you feel as if you’re in Victorian London, and the story’s twists are both surprising and satisfying.” - David Marcum, author of The Papers of Sherlock Holmes "... well-paced, with just enough action to balance the domesticity and deduction, and the plot is cleverly executed." - ihearofsherlock.com blog “This author truly captures the storytelling virtues with which Doyle imbued Dr. Watson. Belanger’s tale pulls you in from the first paragraph, and keeps you at Holmes’s side as this marvelous new tale unfolds step-by-step. If you love Holmes, you’ll love The Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance.” - Kim Krisco, author of Sherlock Holmes: The Golden Years Derrick Belanger is an author and educator most noted for his books and lectures on Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Both volumes of his two volume anthology A Study in Terror: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Revolutionary Stories of Fear and the Supernatural were #1 best sellers on the Amazon Sherlock Holmes book list, and his MacDougall Twins with Sherlock Holmes chapter book, Attack of the Violet Vampire! was also a #1 bestselling new release in the UK. Mr. Belanger’s academic work has been published in The Colorado Reading Journal and Gifted Child Today. Mr. Belanger is also a teacher at Century Middle School in the Adams 12 Five Star School District, and he resides in Broomfield, Colorado with his wife, Abigail Gosselin, and their daughters, Rhea and Phoebe.

    

    Lord help her… NOTE: This volume contains the first three books of the Jessica Christ series, including ... Book 1: The BeginningBook 2: And It Was GoodBook 3: It's a Miracle!*Plus* the first chapter of Book 4: Nu Alpha Omega The Beginning Jessica McCloud knows first-hand that it’s tough to fit in when you’re God’s only begotten daughter. While she has the power to smite, and she’s privy to most of the juicy gossip in her West Texas town, nobody is knocking on her door with frankincense and myrrh. The Messiah-in-the-making still has to contend with algebra tests, her first crush, and menstrual cramps with the power to spark lightning storms…As if dealing with her overbearing Father and a scheming preacher wasn’t enough, Jessica must face down the demons that lurk around every corner. No matter what she wants from life, everything seems to lead to a final showdown with the devil. The daughter of God has a choice: face the destiny thrust upon her or find some way to forge her own path…And It Was GoodAs she enters the uncharted territory of high school, Jessica McCloud could use a few more friends who believe in her. Of course, that means something entirely different for the daughter of God. After her two-millennia-dead half-brother visits her in a dream and tells her it’s time for her to stop messing around, Jessica begins the hunt to discover what miracles she can perform. And if one of them happens to win the heart of her long-time crush, Greg, then so be it. But when a reporter with a grudge against God catches wind of her first miracle, Jessica stumbles her way through one scandal after another until she wonders if the world wouldn’t be a much happier place with no miracles at all. It's a Miracle! Miracles happen when you least expect them. And if you’re Jessica McCloud, God’s only begotten daughter, they happen when you least want them. Is an uneventful senior year of high school too much for Jessica to hope for?Yes. Yes it is.Instead of focusing on college applications, Jessica must juggle Jimmy’s newest scheme, Eugene’s latest slander, and a gruesome (unpaid) internship at Midland Memorial Hospital. And just when she’s starting to get the hang of it, a serious PR blunder ignites a firestorm of brand new accusations. It would take nothing short of a miracle for Jessica to come out on top this round, and she isn’t holding her breath…

    Prime Minister Indira Gandhi hated the marigold flower, although in death it was strewn all over her body; her son Sanjay Gandhi was dictatorial, but also uncommonly empathetic; Smita Patil, who was synonymous with strong, women-centric films, was deeply insecure in her personal life; Ekta Kapoor, the television czarina believes that her unabashed faith in God helped her scale heights and earn her first big bucks; and Abhinav Bindra, who won India the first Olympic gold medal in an individual event confessed how he was a laidback child with no goals in sight. Embellished with interesting nuggets, this book is a collection of fascinating profiles including, L.K. Advani, Smriti Irani, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rajiv Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan and Arun Jaitley. Uncommon access, being privy to confidences and, above all, a willingness to tell the story, bring alive the people behind the headlines. The Marigold Story: Indira Gandhi & Others is not a gushing account of newsmakers; if anything it captures their weaknesses; goes beyond their achievements and examines what makes these individuals distinctive and unforgettable at the same time.

    Bring beauty to the world by just being you!"With charming rhyme and sweet illustrations, this special book will inspire little girls and big girls alike to value what makes them unique and the part they can play in making the world a more wonderful place.

    How do skeletons say goodnight? What about werewolves, mummies, or vampire bats? In this silly Halloween romp, young children can take a trip through spooky castles and haunted graveyards to find out!

    Funny and engaging stories that are perfect for beginning readers. J-Tech Creations’ Learn to Read books are designed to improve a beginning reader’s confidence with short sentences, word repetition, and familiar words. Chicken does not want to be a chicken. She wants to be a dog. Chicken has come up with a four step plan. Nothing will get in her way, except maybe the cat!