Tenkara fishing can be seen as a streamlined counterpart to western fly-fishing. The equipment is designed to direct focus to the actual fishing and catching of the fish, not to cause a major preoccupation with the equipment. Only a rod, tenkara line and fly are necessary for tenkara fishing (no reel is used).The appeal of tenkara is its elegant simplicity. There are also other advantages of using the long tenkara rods when fishing in mountain streams, primarily the lightness of the...

Our concepts of the sun have been altered by four new developments--the discovery of apparent global solar oscillations, an unsettled and unsettling deficit of neutrinos from the center of the sun, a new elucidation of the role of solar wind, and some disturbing historical facts that shake old concepts of solar constancy and regularity. This volume brings together summaries of these four developments in solar physics, written by the four scientists whose work has prompted our new assessmen...

As leader of the world's largest Christian denomination, Pope Benedict wants modern men and women to recognize the teachings of the Catholic faith with new eyes. He wants us to look "back to the basics" but in an intelligent, provocative and attractive fashion. For the pope, Christianity is not merely a set of rules and prohibitions, but a resounding "yes" to human dignity and the embrace of a loving God.In this concise piece, well-known Vatican inside observer John Allen, Jr. shar...

This New York Times bestseller shows how understanding probability and statistics can change your life: "Brief, witty, and full of practical applications." — Time MagazineWhy do even well-educated people understand so little about mathematics? And what are the costs of our innumeracy? John Allen Paulos argues that our inability to deal rationally with very large numbers and the probabilities associated with them results in misinformed governmental ...

* 90 hikes, many off the beaten path* Appendices list hikes by rock age, collectible minerals or fossils present, and more; plus a new illustrated section on rock identificationVisit tropical islands sequestered in the Wallowa Mountains, ancient volcanoes in the depths of Hells Canyon, and Cascade valleys carved by glaciers towering far above your head. All it takes is a little imagination (yours) and geologic savvy (provided by a professional). Aided by photos and illustrat...

Tenkara fishing can be seen as a streamlined counterpart to western fly-fishing. The equipment is designed to direct focus to the actual fishing and catching of the fish, not to cause a major preoccupation with the equipment. Only a rod, Tenkara line and fly are necessary for Tenkara fishing (no reel is used).The appeal of Tenkara is its elegant simplicity with the advantages of using the long Tenkara rod when fishing in lakes, rivers and streams; primarily the lightness of the lin...

What two things could be more different than numbers and stories? Numbers are abstract, certain, and eternal, but to most of us somewhat dry and bloodless. Good stories are full of life: they engage our emotions and have subtlety and nuance, but they lack rigor and the truths they tell are elusive and subject to debate. As ways of understanding the world around us, numbers and stories seem almost completely incompatible. Once Upon a Number shows that stories and numbers aren't as ...

A lifelong unbeliever finds no reason to change his mind: "A good-natured primer for infidels" from the bestselling author of Innumeracy ( Kirkus Reviews).Are there any logical reasons to believe in God? Mathematician and bestselling author John Allen Paulos thinks not. In Irreligion he presents the case for his own worldview, organizing his book into twelve chapters that refute the twelve arguments most often put forward for believing in ...

An uplifting account of the ambitious environmental experiment, Biosphere 2, and the extraordinary life of its creator, John Allen.The 2009 Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Biography/Memoir, Me and the Biospheres is the definitive autobiography of John P. Allen, inventor of the largest laboratory for global ecology ever built and one of the most luminous minds of our time.Contained within a magnificently designed air-tight glass and steel frame struct...

One of the world’s foremost religion journalists offers an unexpected and provocative look at where the Catholic Church is headed*—and what the changes will mean for all of us.*What will the Catholic Church be like in 100 years? Will there be a woman pope? Will dioceses throughout the United States and the rest of the world go bankrupt from years of scandal? In THE FUTURE CHURCH, John L. Allen puts forth the ten trends he believes will tra...

The first serious journalistic investigation of the highly secretive, controversial organization Opus Dei provides unique insight about the wild rumors surrounding it and discloses its significant influence in the Vatican and on the politics of the Catholic Church.Opus Dei (literally “the work of God”) is an international association of Catholics often labeled as conservative who seek personal Christian perfection and strive to implement Christian ideals in their jobs and in societ...

A fascinating and enlightening look at the world’s oldest and most mysterious institution, written by an American journalist with unparalleled knowledge about the Vatican's past and present.The sexual abuse scandals that shook American and British Catholicism in 2002 brought to light a long-standing cultural gap between the English-speaking Catholic world and the Vatican. In Rome, the crisis was often seen as an attack on the Church mounted by money-hungry lawyers, a hostile press,...