Makes a lovely companion book to the other SMBC theme collection, “Science: Ruining Everything Since 1543.”

    With numerous black-and-white images and eight pages of color plates, The Lives of Ants provides a state-of-the-art look at what we now know about these fascinating creatures, portraying a world that is rich and full of surprises, one which, even after decades of observation, is still full of unsolved mysteries.The authors illuminate the world of the ant, shedding light on such topics as the ant's impressive abilities in direction finding and quite amazing ingenuity when it comes to building their nests, finding supplies, or exploiting other members of the animal kingdom. They show, too, that they are capable of aggression and violence, which can disturb the apparent peace of their colonies and embroil them in fratricidal or matricidal strife. Even their sexual arrangements are at times quite strange. In this area, as in many others, they display marked originality. Readers also discover that ants are walking bundles of secretory glands (they have about forty of them), which enable them to emit between ten and twenty different pheromones, each of which has its own "meaning." Some are produced by workers for recruiting their sisters or for alerting them to danger. Others are used for marking territory, for identifying members of their colony or conversely for detecting foreigners, and for indicating the location of food. In addition, ants can also emit sound signals, made of a high-pitched squeak, and they can even dance, though not as intricately or as well as bees.The Lives of Ants combines natural history with molecular biology, genetics, and even the latest developments in robotics, to explore the remarkable societies of ants, revealing the secrets of their mysterious lives.

     There's Gabe, the hard-bodied rancher with a wicked imagination.  Chet, the rodeo cowboy who's charmed the pants off more than a few country girls and vows to remain a bachelor for life.  And Reuben, the former Army ranger with a taste for edgy sexual games.  As the couples embark on a scorching night of passion and play, they experience the most exquisite pleasure--and discover kinky new thrills they never dared to imagine.  Because when it comes to knocking boots, cowboys do it best…

    Based on the hit handmade 'zine, The Artist in the Office is an inspirational, interactive book for any artist living in the real world. It encourages small acts of creativity and a simple shift of perspective to help readers bring their artistic selves into the workplace and thrive in all aspects of their lives. Readers are prompted to undertake a wide range of liberating activities, from the mundane to the sublime, that won't put their 9-to- 5 job at risk, including: •Take lunchtime adventures to rouse your spirit: a bookstore, a flower shop, or a park •Pick one ordinary object each day and take pictures every time you see it: coffee mugs, shoes, office plants •Get up an hour early or stay up an hour later and devote the time to your creative work. Schedule it in like any other mandatory appointment or meeting •Collect doodles from Post-Its or notebooks and reassemble them in a sketchbook

    His quick wit and colorful use of language combined with his everyman character captured the hearts of fans worldwide and rewrote the dynamics of professional wrestling forever. Steve's ability inside the ring and his quick-witted responses lead to his becoming one of the most popular WWE© Superstars of all times. With the creation of the Stone Cold™ character, Steve's popularity expanded exponentially. It seemed nothing could stop the Texas Rattlesnake™, except himself. The Stone Cold Truth is an unvarnished take on his life, and you know it's the truth " 'cause Stone Cold says so!™"

    This first installment of Taylor's chilling vampire series introduces readers to Deirdre Griffin, a sophisticated New York City vampiress determined to find the ruthless vampire who is framing her for his crimes.

    From weight lifting for men and women in the early days, to jogging in the 1970s, cycling in the 1980s, aerobics in the 1990s, and now Spinning, Kolata explains the science of conditioning and the objective evidence behind commonly accepted prescriptions. Ultimate Fitness is also a book about the individuals who have challenged and influenced or failed to influence the industry, and the many of us who have participated in this multimillion-dollar corner of American culture.

    His secret weapon? Supermodel-in-hiding Olivia Fitzgerald…and the power to ruin her if she refuses to play his loving fiancée! But returning to the world stage revives Olivia's old demons, and instead of walking down the aisle toward her gorgeous groom—she flees! The world holds its breath: Can the indomitable Rocco get his wayward bride to the altar on time? The world's sexiest billionaires finally say "I do"!

    But when he discovers Sophie's exquisite innocence, he can no longer play by those rules…

    Topics covered include:Basic version control commands and conceptsIntroduction to Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS)Advanced branching workflowsStrengths and weaknesses of DVCS vs. centralized toolsBest practicesHow distributed version control works under the hoodFeaturing these open source version control tools:Apache SubversionMercurialGitVeracity

    Jessie swears that the fire burning in Tony’s eyes can’t be real—until he sets a seductive trap she can’t escape. Can Tony persuade Jess he’s never letting her go?With an irresistible blend of humor, passion, and a bit of suspense, Cindy Gerard creates a memorable love story to cherish. Man Around the House –Winner of the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence and a RITA Award Finalist!Answering his neighbor’s cry for help, Matthew Spencer finds himself rescuing a sassy blue-eyed temptress. Katie McDonald is a walking disaster who falls off ladders into his arms and awakens his hunger with the speed of a summer storm, and her infectious spirit has him rediscovering the joy in life.Matthew makes her feel too much, want more than she can have, and dare to dream of being loved, but Katie knows she’s all wrong for a man with a child. Despite the passion between them, Matthew needs someone nice and normal, not wild and reckless. And once he learns her deeply buried sorrow, can he love her for all time? An unmatchable blend of tenderness, humor, and light suspense as only Cindy Gerard can write it!

    When her best friend bails on their annual girls’ trip, she vows to do just that, but her plan is foiled when the hotel loses her reservation. Alone and stranded in Austin, Texas during one of the world’s largest music festivals, she's rescued by a mysterious stranger, and an unexpected friendship blossoms.Ten years after losing his family in a tragic accident, Darian Fox is finally back on his feet. The onetime rock star turned successful indie label-owner is content with the isolated life he’s created for himself and wants to keep it that way. But when he’s forced to travel to Texas on behalf of his company, he finds it’s hard to be alone in a city overrun with people. He meets the beautiful, magnetic Francesca and discovers alone is the last thing he wants to be. The unlikely pair form a bond that elevates them from merely existing to living a life less ordinary. But the lines of friendship quickly blur, and when Francesca’s true feelings surface, Darian will have to decide between breaking her heart and breaking the promise he made to the family he lost. With his own heart ruled by guilt, does Francesca even stand a chance? …Spread your wings and fly. Waiting for the Sun is part one of a two-part duet. The story concludes in part two, Riders on the Storm, available now. Due to mature content, both installments are recommended for readers 18 and up.

    To save her family's prestigious gentleman's club, she needs to sell her father's shares to ruthless Ramon de la Vega. But Ramon's gaze pierces right through her, revealing her deepest desires! Unable to hide from their potent chemistry, Emily surrenders to one glorious night in Paris… When he discovers that their passion resulted in an unexpected pregnancy, Ramon won't leave Emily's side. Beneath her cool exterior is a vulnerable woman he feels compelled to protect. He'll make her his any way he can—even if that means tying her to him with his ring!

    But feisty wedding planner Dara Devlin isn't deterred. She needs his family castle for her top client, so she boldly accepts Leo's outrageous challenge to be his fake girlfriend. If Dara thinks her sensible suit and unwavering professionalism will discourage him, she's mistaken. They only make Leo want to get beneath her buttoned-up exterior all the more! Surrounded by the imposing walls and haunting memories of his opulent Sicilian castello, Leo finds seducing Dara is the perfect diversion—and claiming her will be this playboy's ultimate prize. And the story continues in the bonus novella included!

    But her heart sank when she saw the boss -- because she'd met Kane Marshall before....However, Kane hired Jessie there and then; he wanted to get to know her better! But though nine-till-five Jessie was at Kane's bidding, after hours she definitely wasn't for bedding!In Love With Her Boss -- getting to know him in the boardroom and the bedroom!