When the Betelgeuse message was detected, it changed a lot of things on Earth. We began to look seriously outward, not with the heady optimism of the early days, but with deliberate calculation. We knew that Someone was out there, and that eventually, they’d be coming. If Earth didn’t occupy the High Frontier, it could be ours to lose.Esther “Star” Svensdotter’s job is overseeing the completion of the American Alliance’s first O’Neill cylinder — a massive space hub capable of supporting thousands of colonists. It’s just weeks away from commissioning, and she’ll be damned if Luddite terrorists, squabbling bureaucrats, military takeovers or rogue AIs will stand in the way. Frontier justice on Ellfive sometimes involves an airlock — you don’t want to be on the wrong side of justice. Or the wrong side of Star Svensdotter.The first in Dana Stabenow’s Star Svensdotter trilogy, Second Star is a tale of first contact, declarations of independence, and new frontiers.

A wicked satire about the chaos that results when there's a rule for everything.

In the over-legislated world of this outrageous black comedy, a death-row inmate becomes a darling of the media-- and the tobacco conglomerates--after he demands his right to a final cigarette . . . in a smoke-free prison. Meanwhile, a little girl accuses a petty municipal bureaucrat of sexual perversion when she catches him sneaking a cigarette. Incredulously, he realizes that in this world where children are not just kings, but tyrants, a cigarette could lead him to the electric chair.

At the cutting edge of European fiction, controversial author Benoît Duteurtre creates a world wildly askew, yet disconcertingly close to our own, in this daring, antic satire.

Presents facts of the relief effort in the aftermath of the January, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and explores the social issues that made the country vulnerable in the face of a natural disaster.

Discusses the uses of radioactive substances and the dangers they present, including fallout from nuclear weapons testing and the meltdown of nuclear plants.

Highlights the life and accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States.

Explores the tensions between the states, discusses the formation of the Confederate States of America, and describes how the government was organized.

Recounts the life of the dedicated man who survived a difficult childhood, became a country lawyer and as 16th president of the United States, guided the country during the Civil War. Simultaneous.

Details the events that led to General Lee's surrender to General Grant at Appomattox Court House, bringing an end to the Civil War.

This book provides an introductory-level exploration of geophysical fluid dynamics (GFD), the principles governing air and water flows on large terrestrial scales. Physical principles are illustrated with the aid of the simplest existing models, and the computer methods are shown in juxtaposition with the equations to which they apply. It explores contemporary topics of climate dynamics and equatorial dynamics including the Greenhouse Effect, global warming, and the El Nino Southern Oscillation.

• Combines both physical and numerical aspects of geophysical fluid dynamics into a single affordable volume
• Explores contemporary topics such as the Greenhouse Effect, global warming and the El Nino Southern Oscillation
• Biographical and historical notes at the ends of chapters trace the intellectual development of the field
• Recipient of the 2010 Wernaers Prize, awarded each year by the National Fund for Scientific Research of Belgium (FNR-FNRS).

A specialist in the music of Greek-French composer Xenakis (1992-2001), Gibson (music analysis, U. of Évora, Portugal) looks at his instrumental music first from the perspective of his compositional procedures, emphasizing how he incorporated pre-existing material into a new composition. Then he turns to some of the main theories or compositional principles the composer put forth, not in their scientific base, but in their applications within his works. In the final chapter he considers compositional procedures that Xenakis used but never fully theorized: random walks, arborescences relying essentially on graphic means, and cellular automata. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Introduces the tundra, discusses how changes there affect the rest of the planet, and describes past and present life there.

Explains what tropical rain forests are like, looks at the plants and animals that live in rain forests, and includes information on why tropical rain forests are important and what is being done to save them.

Explores the desert ecology, discusses how some are formed, and explains how people, animals, and plants survive there.

Explores oceans, discusses how they affect the climate, and describes the variety of life forms found there.

Discusses the impact of climate change on animals, plants, and humans, examines the causes of them, and provides ways readers can combat it.