Book Description
Built of titanium and a chrome-nickel alloy known as Inconel X, the X-15 was the fastest plane ever built, streaking through the lower reaches of outer space even before the first space capsules reached orbit. First tested in 1959, the X-15 proved to be a crucial testing ground for the astronauts and hardware in the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and even the Space Shuttle programs.
The dramatic tale of the golden age of this experimental plane comes vividly to life through the writing of the celebrated reporter Richard Tregaskis, who spent time with the pilots, engineers, and other key personnel involved in the project. We learn of the years of planning and design, devastating onboard explosions, exhilarating triumphs, and, above all, the personal and professional sacrifices that paved the way for the enduring legacy of the blisteringly fast X-15 rocket plane.
Customer Reviews:
X-15 Diary not bad, but not complete.......2004-09-17
A correction to a previous review: this appears to be a simple reprint of the 1961 title, and does not cover flights after 1961. The last flight described is Bob White's to 130,000+ ft. None of the truly astounding flights with the XLR-99 engine are covered. I guess you have to go to Milton Thompson's book for that.
Still a good read though. It's interesting to compare the X-15 to SpaceShipOne.
x-15 diary by richard tregaskis- superb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2001-08-28
if you've always wanted the full x-15 rocketship/plane story, then here it is. i have the 1961 first edition but was ticled pink when i learned that amazon.com has a new edition. this is a must for x-15/space/rocket buffs like me! tells story of how north american aviation, now rockwell international, paved the way for project mercury,gemini and apollo; not to mention project dyna-soar. i knew fomer apollo 15 astronaut jim irwin and he told me of how very important the x-15 was in his project, the sr-71 blackbird and project dyna-soar! also paved the way for space shuttle . the x-15 records and data are still used today! she is still the fastest aircraft/plane of all time, along with several altitude records. she flew mach 6.7/4520 mph!!!!!!!!! over twice the speed of a rifle bullet. and flew over 452,ooo high, on the fringes of outer space. i cant wait to order my copy. a must have. i feel that the x-15 is what helped neil armstrong qualify a a top contender for apollo 11. in order to qualify for astronau status, the pilots at edwards air force base took x-15 above 16 miles high and gained astronaut status automatically. another friend , scott crossfield who flew x-15 first for north american aviation before goernment/naca/nasa stepped in; flew all first flights of x-15. project lasted from 1959-1968. a truely good work this book is indeed. this book will cover the later missions/flights which i dont have in my 1961 edition. must read! tony
Average customer rating:
|
The Shoshone-Bannocks: Culture and Commerce at Fort Hall, 1870-1940
John W. Heaton
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Native American
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| 19th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Idaho
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
West
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Social History
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Native American Studies
| Special Groups
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Arapahoe Politics, 1851-1978: Symbols in Crises of Authority
ASIN: 0700614028 |
Book Description
Like many Native Americans consigned to reservations, the Shoshones and Bannocks of Idaho and Utah initially resisted the forces of incorporation; unlike many, they rose to the challenges they faced. Shoshone-Bannock cattlemen at Fort Hall, Idaho, survived drought, overgrazing, declining markets, and a world financial crisis that drove most non-Indian operators in the region out of business. John W. Heaton's book tells how they did it and assesses their success in pushing their cultural agendas in the face of federal Indian policy and international market pressures.
Confined to the Fort Hall Reservation from the 1880s to 1920s, the Shoshone-Bannocks faced assimilation pressures, subjugation to BIA-sponsored governance, and challenges to their traditional land use that left most of them dispirited and impoverished. Yet during this period they laid the foundation for a remarkable trans-formation in their economic and political institutions and moved closer toward self-determination. By the mid-1930s, a majority of reservation residents lived in framed houses and participated in a modern cattle industry, relying on the government for only a small fraction of their income and voting for representatives to a business council that handled most tribal affairs.
Even in the face of internal disputes between cattlemen and hay cutters, the people of Fort Hall found innovative ways--such as participation in new religious experiences, cultural redefinition, and regular community gatherings--to manage the contradictions that stemmed from market integration. Heaton tells how the Shoshone-Bannocks made a meaningful choice between productive commerce and a more typical reliance on subsistence and wage labor. Their leaders found new ways to unite disparate bands and kin groups to resist attempts to open reservation land to exploitation by non-Indians, and through careful land cessions they were able to obtain the capital needed to develop reservation resources themselves.
The Shoshone-Bannocks not only gained a national reputation for the quality of Fort Hall beef, they remained an adaptable and resilient people who continue to pursue a meaningful existence in a changing world. This case study challenges the view that Indians were ill suited to market-based pursuits and enhances our understanding of cultural persistence within the broader sweep of historical change.
Customer Reviews:
Maxwell's Handbook for AACR2.......2004-07-08
Of the 6 titles I have purchased on this subject, this is the best. It was the most comprehensive (I wanted further explanation on less discussed subjects). The examples were okay although still representative of an academic library for the most part. I am still looking for the manual directed towards K-12 libraries. Until then, this one works.
Book Description
Donald DeYoung's first two volumes of Science and the Bible have been widely popular with children's ministry leaders, parents, pastors, homeschoolers, and teachers. Now this third volume provides even more ideas for demonstrating the order and grandeur of creation to encourage an appreciation of all God has made. The book's thirty dynamic but simple experiments illustrate the laws of nature, teach Bible principles, and affirm God's power as Creator. Each demonstration has a catchy or unusual result, making the Bible truth unforgettable. The clearly explained experiments use common household objects, require little set-up time, and are illustrated by pictures and diagrams.
Customer Reviews:
Science and the Bible.......2007-07-06
If you are going to use this book at home, you will need an overhead projector.
A fun, refreshing resource to get kids' attention.......2005-02-25
If you have a bunch of boys in your sunday school class, I can't think of a better way to get their attention than using this handy little resource. The devotionals are short, and they have a little "scienc-y" experiment to demonstrate and tie in to the devotional. The lessons do take a little preparation in reviewing and having your stuff ready and so on. But the kids' reactions make them worth it. As a Sunday School teacher, I've relied primarily on the curriculum which is usually tailored to auditory learners with the l-o-n-g Bible story and application. But kids get the wiggles, and some don't get a whole lot out of the way we traditionally teach school. So this is a nice way to reach other kids with more interactive learning styles. I personally wouldn't use it as my sole resource for teaching Sunday School, but it is a wonderful, fun way to give your teaching some variety.
Amazon.com
Living organisms manage to solve all kinds of deviously complex problems with a natural simplicity that leaves programmers speechless. Incorporating techniques based on principles elaborated by Darwin and his intellectual descendents, a new generation of hackers has tackled hairy challenges with surprising success. Christian Jacob introduces interested programmers and scientists to these tools in Illustrating Evolutionary Computation with Mathematica, translated from German by the author. The basics of biological evolution through mutation and adaptation are covered quickly before they are adapted themselves to the purposes of computer-aided problem solving. Jacob then explores the fundamentals of evolutionary computing through well-illustrated examples and a good balance of text, formulae, and code. Genetic algorithms, evolutionary strategies, and finite state automata each get their share of attention and integration with Evolvica, Jacob's Mathematica-based genetic programming system. The system and Web enhancements to the book are available through the University of Calgary's site and are essential for getting the most from the text. The last few chapters cover advanced applications like the classic "hungry ants" programs, cellular automata, and artificial plant evolution, suggesting further possibilities for this programming frontier. Illustrating Evolutionary Computation with Mathematica is an excellent introduction and handbook for those wishing to harness the power of this vigorous new hybrid. --Rob Lightner
Book Description
An essential capacity of intelligence is the ability to learn. An artificially intelligent system that could learn would not have to be programmed for every eventuality; it could adapt to its changing environment and conditions just as biological systems do. Illustrating Evolutionary Computation with Mathematica introduces evolutionary computation to the technically savvy reader who wishes to explore this fascinating and increasingly important field. Unique among books on evolutionary computation, the book also explores the application of evolution to developmental processes in nature, such as the growth processes in cells and plants. If you are a newcomer to the evolutionary computation field, an engineer, a programmer, or even a biologist wanting to learn how to model the evolution and coevolution of plants, this book will provide you with a visually rich and engaging account of this complex subject.
* Introduces the major mechanisms of biological evolution.
* Demonstrates many fascinating aspects of evolution in nature with simple, yet illustrative examples.
* Explains each of the major branches of evolutionary computation: genetic algorithms, genetic programming, evolutionary programming, and evolution strategies.
* Demonstrates the programming of computers by evolutionary principles using Evolvica, a genetic programming system designed by the author.
* Shows in detail how to evolve developmental programs modeled by cellular automata and Lindenmayer systems.
* Provides Mathematica notebooks on the Web that include all the programs in the book and supporting animations, movies, and graphics.
Customer Reviews:
Lacks depth but ok for learning to program EAs.......2003-11-15
This book is poorly structured and lacks depth. It trivialises aspects of EAs, especially representational issues. I understand the emphasis is on teaching the reader how to program GAs using mathematica but I would not recommend this book as an introduction to GAs. The visualisation aspects of Mathematica applied to EAs are useful, but I would definitely recommend Melanie Mitchell's Introduction to Genetic Algorithms or one of Koza's books for those interested in GP.
Incredible literary intro to an awesome field.......2002-09-26
As a Mechanical Engineer with just a side interest in AI, I find most books in this field need heavy attention after the first few pages. Not so with this one. Its a great piece of work. I was kind of skeptical at first since this is billed as a translation from German, but it reads really well... and once you get the notebooks in Mathematica...its almost imposible to get anything else done, youll be hooked. Looking forward to more titles in this field from Jacob.
Extremely interesting--variety of applications and quite !.......2002-08-27
I am quite satisified with what I am reading. As a non-scientist, I can see how this evolutionary theory and this particular theory relates to life in general and its applications and conditions. The introduction is quite important and explains how the theory of evolution (correct or not is not necessary) is used to help with mathematical computations and solve mathematical problems.
What is implied in Christian Jacob's book is quite broad and revolutionary. In color plate 2, page 288, "independent populations climbing peaks" reminds me of the recent findings of a particular species of parrot (thought extinct in South America since 1910)living currently on some Volcano in South America by residents there by accident. Yet, through evolutionary models, one can track species and perhaps any existence.
What is most interesting is what is implied--that tracking can be used to oppress or cause extinctions (such as poaching) and so it could be implied that randomness would occur by species under these conditions to avoid tracking such as avoiding evolutionary tracking. Randomness would therefore be an evolutionary process to survive. Finding randomness could suggest a species or whatever is possibly trying to avoid being tracked through evolutionary tracking. Evolutionary tracking is relatively new and so this is why there is perhaps little randomness (or maybe none has been discovered yet), but randomness is a possibility that seems to be a probable result and not clearly an original play--since so far, not much randomness if any has been found.
If one turns Color Plate 3 on page 289 upside down, one is perhaps presented with an ocean. Recently, life that does not need oxygen to exist has been found living deep in an ocean. The life was most likely dicovered without using evolutionary tracking models, though the models would suggest something is there though what has evolved or not is not clear and would need more elaborate formulas and charts of various sorts. That ocean life found uses other sources as reported by this science news wire:
[URL]
So, Color Plate 3 is quite interesting as it would suggest that in addition to the findings of the scientists, there are at least two other entities there they have not discovered...
It is as though the models and formulas can be applied in a variety of instances due to lack of randomness and that evolutionary tracking has so far not been avoided with randomness...
This suggests early birth of Earth and evolution of all or most species and things on Earth, evolutionary tracking not done until recently by Earthlings or others, or that evolutionary tracking so far is used for good and not to cause extinction or disruption...
I would say the book is written for scientists mainly and there are a number of formulas, but they do apply to the humanities.
Play God, Experience Evolution.......2001-11-04
Like the previous reader, I must applaud this book. While I know Mathematica well, I am no mathematician and I have no patience for books that do not explain the foundations of their programs or functions.
The author here, Jacob, does an excellent job of introducing the reader gradually to the different concepts of simulating evolution. As you can download the Mathematica notebooks and run them on your own computer, this quickly becomes a fun and interactive book.
The book starts with simple selection processes for reproduction. Select shapes, colors or features and see a next generation evolve! This can be a fun game. See breeding and mutation be used to search for an optimum of a three-dimensional function, where the reader knows the global optimum, while different "populations" try to find it by evolutionary methods-mutating or breeding to a different spot, which they evaluate and according to its height be successful in the passing of their genes or not. Other fun chapters include evolutionary production of mobiles and flowers. The culmination is in the evolution of algorithms. This evolves small programs for searching for food in a maze. The successful programs "breed," "mutate," and reproduce, while the unsuccessful ones starve and die. The result is a complex path toward better algorithms for searching for food.
Part of the value of this book for me is that it really shows the limits of evolutionary analysis. You can simulate the successes--the butterflies that do manage to change colors to avoid falling easy prey when the environment changes; the evolutionary mechanisms that find the global optimum of a function-but there is no concrete way to determine or describe their efficiency ex ante. This is a major failure of evolutionary analysis generally, rather than a drawback of the book. If anything, the book deserves credit for making this failure understandable, although Jacob does not spend time exploring or solving the problem of determining evolutionary fitness.
[To put it in an example, suppose there are two evolutionary mechanisms. An organism can evolve by mutation or by reproduction. Mutation is the random change of some individuals in the population, and the change makes them either more or less successful in their environment. Reproduction means parents producing an offspring by mixing their features, and the different offspring will have different degrees of success in their environment. We can simulate their operation in a hypothetical environment, by for example, saying that the background foliage changes color and organisms have different probabilities of being eaten by predators depending on their color. We run the simulation and see which evolutionary mechanism adapts to the new environment faster and better. Nevertheless, we cannot conclude that the evolutionary mechanism that won this test will win every test. Needless to say, when designing evolutionary systems this conclusion is crucially necessary. If we are designing a computer search program, should we have it "mutate" or "reproduce"? Since we do not know the challenges it will face (the changes in the environment that it must overcome) we cannot evaluate its success ex ante.]
With the caveat of not exploring measurements of the success (fitness) of different evolutionary mechanisms, this is a spectacular book. It is worth comparing it with the books of the various biologists, who simply offer examples of evolutionary changes from the past or hypotheses of evolutionary explanations for various phenomena. Those are speculations of amateurs compared to the experimentation and verification that Jacob's approach offers. That the field is not ready for rigorous conclusions is unfortunate, but something that is no fault of this author.
Excellent survey of evolutionary computation techniques.......2001-08-03
This book provides a thorough survey of evolutionary computation techniques, including genetic algorithms, genetic programming, evolutionary programming, and evolution strategies. The author uses mathematica to illustrate the examples. If you know mathematica, you'll find this unique angle to be invaluable, but even if you don't know mathematica, if you're familiar with any programming languages, or matlab, maple, etc., you should be able to make the connections. The figures in this book have to be the most illustrative examples offered in any evolutionary computation text to date. The text is easy to read and very informative.
Product Description
Printed wraps with line drawings; approx. 300pp; index; hundreds of drawings and diagrams
Average customer rating:
|
Conservation of the Biological Diversity as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development in the Black Sea Region (NATO Science Partnership Sub-Series: 2:)
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Real Estate
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Natural Resources
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Wildlife
| Animals
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Natural History
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Environmental
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Living on the Land
| Ecology
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
| Architecture
| Hunting & Fishing
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0792351134 |
Book Description
The countries of the Black Sea region are beset by a great number of problems: there are many large cities along the coast; intensive agriculture is practised in the region; great rivers such as the Danube and the Dnieper carry pollution from a large part of Europe; and the lowlands are threatened by flooding from the rivers, wind-induced surges, and future sea-level rise due to global warming. Any integrated, sustainable development of the region will require an interdisciplinary approach, which the present book reflects. Contributions range from the monitoring of biological diversity through the influence of tourism on marine and coastal ecosystems to environmental economics. The problem also has an international dimension: only by interdisciplinary, international cooperation can the environment of the Black Sea region be conserved for future generations.
Books:
- 1066: The Battles of York, Stamford Bridge and Hastings (Battleground Britain)
- 69 AD: The Year of Four Emperors
- A Glorious Page in Our History: The Battle of Midway, 4-6 June, 1942
- A People's Army: Massachusetts Soldiers and Society in the Seven Years' War
- A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya
- A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge
- Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
- AK-47: The Weapon that Changed the Face of War
- Armies of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism (The Rutgers Series in Childhood Studies)
- Attack and Die: Civil War Military Tactics and the Southern Heritage
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don't Learn
- The Hunters
- Rainlight
- The Airedale Terrier Today
- Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat
- The End of Days: Armageddon and Prophecies of the Return
- Spotlight Synthetic Aperture Radar: Signal Processing Algorithms
- Experimental Ecology: Issues and Perspectives
- Princess Diana, The House of Windsor and Palm Beach: America's Fascination With "The Touch of Royalt
- Bifidobacteria and Their Role: Microbiological, Nutritional-Physiological, Medical and Technological
At the Edge of Space: The X-15 Flight Program
Dyna-Soar: Hypersonic Strategic Weapons System: Apogee Books Space Series 35 (Apogee Books Space Series)
X-15 Rocket Plane Pilot's Flight Operating Manual
X-15
X-15: The Edge of Space
