Author: Peter Berlin Publisher: ISBN: 9781906042110 Category : Rocketry Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Introduction Popular comment has it that “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to ...,” as in “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to program a mobile phone.” This is true—it takes a teenager. A rocket scientist would intellectualize the whole process, press two buttons at once, and crash the software. The last person you would want to ask is a rocket scientist. Blown opportunities Many more millionaires have gone bankrupt trying to develop rockets than satellites. They have overlooked the fact that the operative word in “controlled explosion” is controlled. Gravity depravity Nobody knows what gravity really is, so don’t blow your bluffing cover by trying to explain it. The only thing known for certain is that any two physical bodies will attract each other in proportion to their sizes (which fact is best not taken literally by oddly sorted couples). Lunartrick One Sunday afternoon, the 12-year-old von Braun strapped rockets to a cart, lit the fuse, and sent the fire-spitting vehicle careening down a street . . . . His life-long aim was to send a rocket to the moon. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that flying a lunar mission is tricky.
Author: Brian Malpass Publisher: ISBN: 9781902825588 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
In most areas of human endeavor, bluffing is an easy way of getting by -- a method of artificially appearing knowledgeable. The Bluffer's Guides are a three million-copy best-selling series of snappy little books containing facts, jargon, and inside information -- all that readers need to know to hold their own among the experts.
Author: William Hanson Publisher: Haynes Publishing UK ISBN: 9781785212383 Category : Humor Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Instantly acquire all the knowledge you need to pass as an expert in the world of etiquette and high society. Know what to say, what not to say, where to be seen, and what and what not to wear. Never again be found wanting when asked if someone is a PLU or a NQOCD, why port should be passed to the left, or how many air kisses you should aim at the proffered cheek of someone you barely know. Arm yourself with the essential words or phrases which have entered the etiquette lexicon from pre-revolutionary France, and know not to mix up your droit du seigneur with your noblesse oblige. Bask in the admiration of your aristocratic hosts as you enquire politely about the place à table, pronounce confidently on whether the going is heavy or soft, and hold your own against the most sneering of posturing parvenus.
Author: Sarah Brewer Publisher: ISBN: 9781903096932 Category : Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Genitalia A cursory look at the design and anatomical positioning of the male and female sexual organs shows that when God designed homo sapiens, aestheticism and ease of access were not high on the job description. Sperm wars To get past the cervix, climb up the uterine wall and find a Fallopian tube a sperm must be armed with the physiological equivalent of an oxyacetylene torch, a set of Alpine crampons, several large-scale Ordnance Survey maps and a gold American Express card. Once there, the chances of meeting a willing egg coming in the opposite direction, in the dark, are only around one percent. Kissing Attitudes to sexual practices vary widely from culture to culture. Even something as innocuous as the kiss is not universally popular. The Inuit rub noses for fear of chapped lips, the Kwakiutl Indians suck each other's tongues and the Sirionos of South America appear to lack any intermediate show of affection between wishing each other "Good evening" and the commencement of rutting.
Author: Don G. Smith Publisher: McFarland ISBN: 078642091X Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 185
Book Description
Howard Phillips Lovecraft was born late in the 19th century, but it was not until after his death in 1937 that he became a worldwide icon of horror and supernatural fiction. Influenced largely by Lord Dunsany and Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft's stories are known for their unique assimilation of gothic themes into science fiction. Lovecraft's influence has stretched far beyond literary horror, as a number of his works have been adapted for feature films, television episodes, comic book tales and, in recent years, video games. This scholarly study highlights Lovecraft's profound impact on 20th century popular culture. Early chapters introduce his complete writings, providing an annotated bibliography of the author's horror and science fiction tales. The works are discussed in the context of the Cthulhu Mythos, an invented mythology centering on ancient and alien beings interacting with the terrestrial world. Later chapters provide a filmography of motion pictures that credit Lovecraft or are identifiably adapted from his works, as well as a discussion of the works that have been adapted for television, comic books, role-playing video games, and music. The book concludes with a close examination of the Lovecraft legacy, commenting on his specific social and metaphysical ideologies and placing the author in context among such notable literary personalities as Mary Shelley, Nathanial Hawthorne, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Author: Carl T. Bergstrom Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks ISBN: 0525509208 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 338
Book Description
Bullshit isn’t what it used to be. Now, two science professors give us the tools to dismantle misinformation and think clearly in a world of fake news and bad data. “A modern classic . . . a straight-talking survival guide to the mean streets of a dying democracy and a global pandemic.”—Wired Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news abound and it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s true. Our media environment has become hyperpartisan. Science is conducted by press release. Startup culture elevates bullshit to high art. We are fairly well equipped to spot the sort of old-school bullshit that is based in fancy rhetoric and weasel words, but most of us don’t feel qualified to challenge the avalanche of new-school bullshit presented in the language of math, science, or statistics. In Calling Bullshit, Professors Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West give us a set of powerful tools to cut through the most intimidating data. You don’t need a lot of technical expertise to call out problems with data. Are the numbers or results too good or too dramatic to be true? Is the claim comparing like with like? Is it confirming your personal bias? Drawing on a deep well of expertise in statistics and computational biology, Bergstrom and West exuberantly unpack examples of selection bias and muddled data visualization, distinguish between correlation and causation, and examine the susceptibility of science to modern bullshit. We have always needed people who call bullshit when necessary, whether within a circle of friends, a community of scholars, or the citizenry of a nation. Now that bullshit has evolved, we need to relearn the art of skepticism.
Author: Mitchell G. Bard, Ph.D. Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 1101217200 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 500
Book Description
Fully updated fourth edition. The Middle East is perhaps the most tumultuous area on earth, with ancient battles still being fought. This updated guide offers an intense look - through the lens of present-day knowledge - at current events and the everchanging political and social landscape, as well as the region's history. And it addresses: ?The re-arming of Hezbollah ?Iran's increased threat of acquiring nuclear weapons ?The odds of Palestinian unity in peace talks ?The evacuation from Gaza
Author: Peter Gammond Publisher: ISBN: 9781902825540 Category : Humor Languages : en Pages : 68
Book Description
In most areas of human endeavor, bluffing is an easy way of getting by -- a method of artificially appearing knowledgeable. The Bluffer's Guides are a three million-copy best-selling series of snappy little books containing facts, jargon, and inside information -- all that readers need to know to hold their own among the experts.
Author: George Musser Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 1101029358 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 372
Book Description
We’re living in the midst of a scientific revolution that’s captured the general public’s attention and imagination. The aim of this new revolution is to develop a “theory of everything”—a set of laws of physics that will explain all that can be explained, ranging from the tiniest subatomic particle to the universe as a whole. Here, readers will learn the ideas behind the theories, and their effects upon our world, our civilization, and ourselves. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® String Theory explains how this exciting idea holds up against competing theories. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Clear explanation of quantum mechanics, Einstein’s theories of relativity, and how string theory unites them. • A quick, easy-to-understand overview of competing theories and how they might be tested. • Fast facts about black holes, what’s inside them, how they’re made, and why they’re so paradoxical. • Simple, smart tips to help you visualize extra dimensions.
Author: Peter Berlin
Author: Brian Malpass
Author: William Hanson
Author: Sarah Brewer
Author: Don G. Smith
Author: Paul De Kruif
Author: Carl T. Bergstrom
Author: Mitchell G. Bard, Ph.D.
Author: Peter Gammond
Author: George Musser