Pensions have almost completely disappeared and the financial future of Social Security has many worried. This book shows you how to take control of your own future by teaching you the fundamentals of investing.Many people are afraid to put their hard earned money in the stock market because they don’t want to lose it all. This book shows you how to invest your money for growth instead of treating the stock market like a slot machine and just hoping to get lucky. Inside the book you will discover: The basics of what the stock market is and how it works The differences between passive and active investing The differences between stocks, bonds, and cash All about mutual funds and other types of funds What you need to know about the economy to make good investments How to plan for retirement All about risk And Much More This quick start guide will help you go from knowing very little about investing to being confident in starting your own investment in your retirement.If you are looking for a get rich quick scheme, this book isn’t for you. But, if you want to learn about how to invest and the best ways to plan for your retirement, this book will start you on the path of taking control of your own future.The sooner you get your copy, the sooner you can start your personal investment education. Don’t wait another second. Get Your Copy Right Now

    Hamilton was reshaping the image of the vampire with her own take on the vampire mythos in her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter fantasy novel series. While Hamilton's work draws on traditional vampire and fairy lore, her interpretation of these subjects brought new dimensions to the genres, influencing the direction of urban fantasy over the past two decades.Reading Laurell K. Hamilton focuses upon Hamilton's two bestselling series, the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and the Merry Gentry series. The volume is intended as a resource for leaders of book clubs or discussion groups, containing chapters that examine Hamilton's role in the current vampire literature craze, the themes and characters in her work, and responses to Hamilton on the Internet. The book also provides a brief overview of Hamilton's life.

    Bridging the chasm between educational and social history, this book was one of the first to examine developments in higher education in the context of the social, economic, and political forces that were shaping the nation at large.Surveying higher education from the colonial era through the mid-twentieth century, Rudolph explores a multitude of issues from the financing of institutions and the development of curriculum to the education of women and blacks, the rise of college athletics, and the complexities of student life. In his foreword to this new edition, John Thelin assesses the impact that Rudolph's work has had on higher education studies. The new edition also includes a bibliographic essay by Thelin covering significant works in the field that have appeared since the publication of the first edition.At a time when our educational system as a whole is under intense scrutiny, Rudolph's seminal work offers an important historical perspective on the development of higher education in the United States.

    It is thousands of years old, and the same today as it has always been. The great traditional buildings of the past, the villages and tents and temples in which man feels at home, have always been made by people who were very close to the center of this way. It is not possible to make great buildings, or great towns, beautiful places, places where you feel yourself, places where you feel alive, except by following this way. And, as you will see, this way will lead anyone who looks for it to buildings which are themselves as ancient in their form as the trees and hills, and as our faces are.”The Timeless Way of Building is the introductory volume to Alexander’s other works, A Pattern Language and The Oregon Experiment, in the Center for Environmental Structure series.

    Construct joysticks, buttons, and trackballs; build the console and cabinet; install and configure the software; crank up the speakers; and wham Step across the time-space continuum and enjoy all those classic games, plus dozens of new ones, whenever you like. Start Here 1. Plan for your space and budget2. Design and build the cabinet3. Construct the controllers4. Build the console5. Pick an old game's brain6. Install the emulator7. Convince a PC it's a game8. Connect a monitor and speakers9. Add a marquee10. GO PLAY Includes diagrams, detailed instructions, essential software, and more CD-ROM Includes* Complete cabinet plans and diagrams* MAME32 software* Paint Shop Pro? evaluation version* Links to hundreds of arcade cabinet projects

     The skyscraper is perhaps the most recognizable icon of the modern urban landscape. Providing offices, homes, restaurants, and shopping to thousands of inhabitants, modern skyscrapers function as small cities- with infrastructure not unlike that hidden beneath our streets. Clean water is provided to floors thousands of feet in the sky; elevators move people swiftly and safely throughout the building; and telecom networks allow virtual meetings with people on other continents. How are these services-considered essential, but largely taken for granted- possible in such a complex structure? What does it really take to sustain human life at such enormous heights? Exploring the interconnected systems that make life livable in the sky is the task of Kate Ascher's stunningly illustrated The Heights: Anatomy of a Skyscraper. Ascher examines skyscrapers from around the world to learn how these incredible structures operate. Just how do skyscrapers sway in the wind, and why exactly is that a good idea? How can a modern elevator be as fast as an airplane? Why are skyscrapers in Asia safer than those in the United States? Have new safeguards been designed to protect skyscrapers from terrorism? What happens when the power goes out in a building so tall? Why are all modern skyscrapers seemingly made of glass, and how can that be safe? How do skyscrapers age, and how can they be maintained over decades of habitation? No detail is too small, no difficulty too big to escape Ascher's encyclopedic eye. Along the way, The Heights introduces the reader to every type of person involved in designing, building, and maintaining a skyscraper: the designers who calculate how weight and weather will affect their structures, the workers who dig the foundations and raise the lightning rods, the crews who clean the windows and maintain the air ducts, and the firefighters-whose special equipment allows blazes to be fought at unprecedented heights. More than a technical survey, Ascher's work is a triumphant ode to the most monumental aspect of modern civilization. Saturated with vivid illustrations and unforgettable anecdotes, The Heights is the ultimate guide to the way things work in the skyscraper.

    Based on principles, research, and real life examples ranging from Harvard University, Mikhail Gorbatsjov, two kissing boxers, and Sun Tze to John Rambo, Think Like a Lawyer Don't Act Like One can be used when dealing with grumpy police officers, angry neighbors, unwilling debtors, nasty lawyers, and other conflict seekers.Each strategy is thoroughly tested and can be used at the kitchen table, on the street, and in the boardroom. All seventy-five rules are illustrated in a funny way.

    Whether they're landscape or portrait photographers, illustrators or fine artists, masking and compositing are essential skills to master for combining images to the extent that it is impossible to tell where one image stops and the other one begins. Photoshop artist and educator Katrin Eismann takes readers through numerous step-by-step examples, highlighting the tools and techniques used for masking and combining images. Featuring work by leading artists and photographers, this book focuses on the techniques used to create compelling compositions, including making fast and accurate selections, mastering Photoshop's masking tools, and implementing the concept and photography from start to finish. The book addresses working with Photoshop's selection tools; selecting and maintaining fine details and edges; working with difficult image elements, such as cloth, hair, or translucent objects; and green-screen techniques. Katrin also addresses the creative aspects of image compositing, including how to start with a concept, plan and execute the photography, and seamlessly assemble the image. Combining technical direction and inspiration, this book will expand readers' imaginations, so they can fluidly and professionally create images with Photoshop.

    But most don't realize that Toyota's new product development system is every bit as important to Toyota's ongoing success. This book is suitable for those whose livelihood depends on new products.

     Scott doesn t just show you which sliders do what (every Lightroom book will do that). Instead, by using the following three simple, yet brilliant, techniques that make it just an incredible learning tool, this book shows you how to create your own photography workflow using Lightroom: Throughout the book, Scott shares his own personal settings and studio-tested techniques. Each year he trains thousands of Lightroom users at his "Lightroom Live!" tour and through that he s learned what really works, what doesn t, and he tells you flat out which techniques work best, which to avoid, and why. The entire book is laid out in a real workflow order with everything step by step, so you can begin using Lightroom like a pro from the start. What really sets this book apart is the last chapter. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: "Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?" You ll see Scott s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 4 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow. Scott knows first-hand the challenges today s digital photographers are facing, and what they want to learn next to make their workflow faster, easier, and more fun. He has incorporated all of that into this major update for Lightroom 4. It s the first and only book to bring the whole process together in such a clear, concise, and visual way. Plus, the book includes a special chapter on integrating Adobe Photoshop seamlessly into your workflow, and you ll also learn some of Scott s latest Photoshop portrait retouching techniques and special effects, which take this book to a whole new level. There is no faster, more straight-to-the-point, or more fun way to learn Lightroom than with this groundbreaking book."

    Soak with Hungarians in a thermal bath, sample paprika at the Great Market Hall, and take a romantic twilight cruise on the Danube. Wander through the opulence of Budapest's late-19th-century Golden Age. View relics of the bygone communist era at Memento Park. For a break, head into the countryside for Habsburg palaces and Hungarian folk villages.Rick's candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants. He'll help you plan where to go and what to see, depending on the length of your trip. You'll learn which sights are worth your time and money and how to get around like a local. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

    Hand methods were further eclipsed by the advent of the electronic watch in the 1960s, and many people feared that the mechanical watch would disappear entirely.

    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

    Completely rewritten to reflect the major changes Microsoft has made to Office, this reference includes information on creating and editing worksheets, formatting cells, entering formulas, creating and editing charts, inserting graphs, designing database forms, adding database records, using seek-and-find options, adding hyperlinks to worksheets, and more.

    Think of it as the day trading of real estate except it is simpler and has less risk if you learn how the process works. In fact when you learn how to do it the right way, you can minimize your risk substantially. The Real Estate Wholesaling Bible teaches what you need to know to profit from real estate wholesaling without needing a lot of capital or previous experience. This rapidly expanding business is relatively simple, profitable, and perfect for today's real estate market. Plus it's an ideal system for making money even in the toughest real estate markets. All you will need to get started is a computer, an Internet connection, this audiobook, some passion, and a lot of curiosity.- Teaches the mechanics of how to wholesale real estate, including exactly how to find, analyze, finance, and sell wholesale deals like clockwork - Explains how actually to build a business and develop systems that are not dependent on you as the business owner - Shows how to develop a turnkey, systems-dependent business that serves as a vehicle for all the people it touches: the owners, the employees, and the community Many real estate investors' ideas of success focus squarely on profitability. Author Than Merrill believes success happens when your real estate investment business is not only profitable but also gives you the time to enjoy your life and fulfill your passions and dreams.