Both online and offline, we see that people want to make their mark on the world, and to make connections. During the previous century, the production of culture became dominated by professional elite producers. But today, a vast array of people are making and sharing their own ideas, videos, and other creative material online, as well as engaging in real-world crafts, art projects, and hands-on experiences. Gauntlett argues that we are seeing a shift from a 'sit-back-and-be-told culture' to a 'making-and-doing culture'. People are rejecting traditional teaching and television, and making their own learning and entertainment instead. Drawing on evidence from psychology, politics, philosophy, and economics, he shows how this shift is necessary and essential for the happiness and survival of modern societies.

    It presents Chomsky's latest thinking on terrorism, U.S. foreign policy, and alternatives to militarism and violence as solutions to the world's problems. Chomsky challenges the United States to apply to its own actions the moral standards it demands of others, and arrives at a surprisingly optimistic conclusion rooted in his faith in the power of an informed public.

    A biography of the Afro-American scientist whose agricultural research revolutionized the economy of the South.

    Partly because horror continues to evolve radically--every time the genre is deemed dead, it seems to come up with another twist--it has been one of the most often-dissected genres. Here, author Kendall Phillips selects ten of the most popular and influential horror films--including Dracula, Night of the Living Dead, Halloween, The Silence of the Lambs, and Scream, each of which has become a film landmark and spawned countless imitators, and all having implications that transcend their cinematic influence and achievement. By tracing the production history, contemporary audience response, and lasting cultural influence of each picture, Phillips offers a unique new approach to thinking about the popular attraction to horror films, and the ways in which they reflect both cultural and individual fears. Though stylistically and thematically very different, all of these movies have scared millions of eager moviegoers. This book tries to figure out why.

    This book presents the best of fashion bloggers, with tons of outfit ideas and expert tips that show you how to apply high-fashion inspiration to your everyday wardrobe. In this innovative guide to personal style, 95 of the world’s premier fashion bloggers—whose sites receive over 500,000 daily visits combined—give hundreds of coveted insider tips, which are sure to delight teens, industry experts, and urban professionals alike. These new taste-makers (including Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes, Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie, and Susie Lau of Style Bubble) boldly lead the way toward fresh personal style, sharing rich images of their wardrobe inspiration and glimpses into their personal fashion philosophies. With eight comprehensive chapters, Style Yourself has you covered—from your head to your toes! Hundreds of illustrated and annotated garments provide readers with classic fit and styling advice, and for each type of garment, you’ll find examples of how to rock it from the blogosphere’s hyper-chic members . . . from Stockholm to Cape Town, and Osaka to Milan. Featuring: -GARMENT BASICS. Each type of garment is broken down, piece by piece, to help readers get their personal perfect fit. -TAKE YOUR PICK. Illustrated galleries showcase tons of garment types, giving you variations on the basics, plus how to style each one. -GARMENT REMIX. Bloggers show you how to mix and match basic garments in clever, fresh ways. -BUILD YOUR LOOK. Learn how fashion bloggers start with a basic garment and use it to build a complete, head-to-toe look. -SKIRT THE GLOBE. Go on a whirlwind tour to see how international bloggers wear a trend piece. Chapters include: Wardrobe basics – Get on top of your everyday look and learn what’s a must-have for any woman’s closet. Plus, insider shopping tips! Tops – Start at the top—literally. See how to remix that old rock-band tee, wear a sequin shell any day of the week, and get cuffs that hit just right. Bottoms – Craft fresh, high-fashion looks with fun layered tutus, elegant maxi skirts, clever cropped trousers, and brave knit shorts. Dresses – Be a knockout at every occasion—from picnic-perfect pinafores to sexy date-night mini dresses and formal goddess gowns. Colors and Fabrics – Take a crash course in color to figure out which hues look best on you! Discover how to go monochromatic, use an accent color, and play with multiple prints for unexpected looks. Shoes – Skimmers, kitten heels, booties, brogues, and more! Study up on these fun shoe styles to see how a great pair of kicks can transform any outfit. Accessories – Top off your look with a fedora worn in a surprising way, a pair of perfectly flattering sunglasses, or a stack of luxe bangles. Underpinnings – Bras and hosiery can make or break an outfit! This chapter ensures that the garments closest to you give you the confidence to make the whole ensemble rock. With its vibrant imagery and user-friendly appeal, Style Yourself is a book to be savored, showcasing ideas that range from highbrow couture to everyday chic. Let these self-made fashion experts guide you through the maze of fashion, so you can build a personal style that’s all your own!

    Japan Style introduces 20 special residences. With more than 200 color photographs, this book showcases the stunning beauty of old homes, and reveals how they are cared for by their owners.Traditional Japanese homes, with superbly crafted fine wood, great workmanship and seasonal interior arrangements, have an aesthetic of infinite simplicity. Unlike Japanese inns and historical buildings, the houses featured in this book are private property and are not open to public viewing. Japan Style offers a rare glimpse into the intimate world of the everyday Japanese and fascinating insight into the traditional architecture of Japan.

    More often than not, these manifestations have been the result of a few like-minded people coming together to create something new and original for no other purpose than a common love of doing it. In the 1990s, a loose-knit group of American artists and creators, many just out of their teens, began their careers in just such a way. Influenced by the popular underground youth subcultures of the day, such as skateboarding, graffiti, street fashion and independent music, artists like Shepard Fairey, Mark Gonzales, Spike Jonze, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Mills, Barry McGee, Phil Frost, Chris Johanson, Harmony Korine and Ed Templeton began to create art that reflected the lifestyles they led. Many had no formal training and almost no conception of the inner workings of the art world. They learned their crafts through practice, trial and error, and good old-fashioned innovation. Not since the Beat Generation have we seen a group of creative individuals with such a unified aesthetic sense and varied cultural facets. The world of art has been greatly affected by their accomplishments as have the worlds of fashion, music, literature, film, and, ironically, athletics. Beautiful Losers is a retrospective celebration of this spirit, with hundreds of artworks by over two dozen artists, from precursors like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Larry Clark, to more recent adherents Ryan McGinness, KAWS and Geoff McFetridge. Work in all conceivable mediums is included, plus reproductions of reams of ephemera. The accompanying essays are contributed by a half-dozen writers who have championed these beautiful losers from the start. This paperback reprint includes more pages, more images, an exhibition checklist, installation shots from a variety of exhibitions and an interview with Beautiful Losers advocate Agnes B.

    In their own words, these men and women describe feeling the Lord's blessings as they have served in some of the most harsh and difficult circumstances imaginable. Their experiences range from leading armed combat and air rescue missions to saving lives in a makeshift hospital tent. Also included are stories of much-needed help and support received by families of those who are serving away from home. These life-changing stories, recorded in on-site personal interviews by bestselling author and artist Chad Hawkins, are reminders that the Lord does watch over and protect His children during troubling times. Featured black-and-white photographs throughout.

    More witty and stylish poetic therapy for the Venus and Mars generation.

    He's a genuine voice of the people, the bastard child of Woody Guthrie and James Brown, and an elder statesman who has inspired generations of bands. He's won twenty Grammy Awards, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and is a member of two Halls of Fame.There are dozens of books about Springsteen. What's left to say? Nothing objective, perhaps. But when it comes to music, objectivity is highly overrated. Robert Wiersema has been a Springsteen fan since he was a teenager, following tours to see multiple shows in a row, watching set lists develop in real time via the Internet, ordering bootlegs from shady vendors in Italy. His attachment is deeper than fandom, though: he's grown up with Springsteen's songs as the soundtrack to his life, beginning with his youth in rural British Columbia and continuing on through dreams of escape, falling in love, and becoming a father.Walk Like a Man is the liner notes for a mix tape, a blend of biography, music criticism, and memoir. Like the best mix tapes, it balances joy and sorrow, laughter seasoning the dark-night-of-the-soul questions that haunt us all. Wiersema's book is the story of a man becoming a man (despite getting a little lost along the way), and of Springsteen's songs and life that have accompanied him on his journey.