Transcendental Medication considers why human brains evolved to have consciousness, yet we spend much of our time trying to reduce our awareness. It outlines how limiting consciousness—rather than expanding it—is more functional and satisfying for most people, most of the time.The suggestion is that our brains evolved mechanisms to deal with the stress of awareness in concert with awareness itself—otherwise it is too costly to handle. Defining dissociation as “partitioning...

Reaching back to the beginnings of television, The Greatest Cult Television Shows offers readers a fun and accessible look at the 100 most significant cult television series of all time, compiled in a single resource that includes valuable information on the shows and their creators.While they generally lack mainstream appeal, cult television shows develop devout followings over time and exert some sort of impact on a given community, society, culture, or even media industry. Cult ...

Applying tools for data analysis to the rapidly increasing volume of data about the EarthAn ever-increasing volume of Earth data is being gathered. These data are “big” not only in size but also in their complexity, different formats, and varied scientific disciplines. As such, big data are disrupting traditional research. New methods and platforms, such as the cloud, are tackling these new challenges.Big Data Analytics in Earth, Atmospheric, and Ocean ...

Since the release of The Exorcist in 1973, there has been a surge of movies depicting young women becoming possessed by a demonic force that only male religious figures can exorcise, thereby saving the women from eventual damnation. This book considers this history of exorcism cinema by analyzing how the traditional exorcism narrative, established in The Exorcist, recurs across the exorcism subgenre to represent the effects of demonic possession and ritual exorcism. This traditional exorci...

Step into the enchanting world of Christmas with this captivating collection of classic and contemporary tales. From the timeless masterpiece of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to heartwarming stories by Louisa May Alcott, O. Henry, and more, this anthology captures the true spirit of the season. Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas Eve, where miracles unfold and the bonds of love and kindness are celebrated. Let these beloved stories warm your heart and fill your home with the ...

Global challenges ranging from climate change and ecological regime shifts to refugee crises and post-national territorial claims are rapidly moving ecosystem thresholds and altering the social fabric of societies worldwide. This book addresses the vital question of how to navigate the contested forces of stability and change in a world shaped by multiple interconnected global challenges. It proposes that senses of place is a vital concept for supporting individual and social processes for...

This perfect guide to self-sufficient city dwelling was written by a pair of gentle survivalists who brought nature to their Los Angeles home. Christopher and Dolores Lynn Nyerges are prepared for everything from power failures and terrorist attacks to droughts and earthquakes. They'll show you the path to self-reliance, with strategies for coping with disasters as well as making the most of everyday life.The authors explain how to use available natural resources in an intelligent, ...

There are a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to researching how film spectators make sense of film texts, from the film text itself, the psychological traits and sociocultural group memberships of the viewer, or even the location and surroundings of the viewer. However, we can only understand the agency of film spectators in situations of film spectatorship by studying actual spectators' interactions with specific film texts in specific contexts of engagement.

This book examines how the current era of "convergence" has affected, and is reflected in, the world of professional wrestling, which combines several different genres, including drama, action, comedy, horror, science fiction, and even romance. Professional wrestling’s business practices exist at the intersection of bottom-up fan-centric strategies and strict top-down corporate control. Meanwhile, the wrestlers themselves combine aspects of carnival hucksters, actors/actresses, comedians, ...

Since the publication of this book, a little more than a year ago, the interest in Einstein and the principle of relativity has very greatly increased. There are now a large number of popular expositions, and the theory itself has undergone some notable advances in its philosophical, mathematical and physical application. In pure philosophy Lord Haldane's Reign of Relativity has applied it to the direct interpretation of the theory of knowledge. In mathematical physics the important work o...

“The only way to save your ma is to marry me…”Josie and her ma were desperate to save their farm. George wanted their farm and Josie wanted to know why. Something wasn’t right.Praying for the Lord to guide and protect her, she impulsively buys a newspaper, secretly responding to an ad for a mail-order bride.While feeling at peace about her decision, George becomes forceful about their marriage.When disaster leaves them destitute, they escape...

Home of the first settlement in the United States and known as Old Dominion and The Mother of Presidents, the state of Virginia’s artistic output proves among the most fecund in the nation, evidenced in this ninth volume of The Southern Poetry Anthology. This collection includes well-known, established, and celebrated poets such as Charles Wright, Claudia Emerson, Gregory Orr, Ellen Bryant Voigt, R. T. Smith, Forrest Gander, and Rita Dove, and the editors have dedicated equal focu...