Download or read book True Stories of Strange Events and Odd People written by Lawrence S. Bartell and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2014 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lawrence Bartell experienced many strange events over the course of his long life, at least partly because he deliberately strayed far from the beaten path in science. While it might not have been the most efficient way to gain a reputation in his field, it was more fun. In his memoir, he presents a collection of entertaining, sometimes bizarre stories collected over a lifetime. Bartell chronicles a wide variety of experiences, such as his predisposition to indulge in childhood pranks, his arrest as a possible Russian spy, his work on the Manhattan Project, his entry into the Guinness Book of Records, his stint in the US Navy during wartime, and his appointment as visiting professor in Moscow during the height of the Cold War. As he recalls the curious and often bizarre true stories he acquired over a lifetime, it soon becomes evident that scientists are just as human as anyone else and that beer really can play an important role in preparing one for a PhD thesis. True Stories of Strange Events and Odd People shares details from a scientist's one-of-a-kind journey through life as he observes the world around him, tests his theories, and learns valuable life lessons.
Download or read book True Stories of Strange Events and Odd People written by Lawrence S. Bartell and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2014-01-29 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lawrence Bartell experienced many strange events over the course of his long life, at least partly because he deliberately strayed far from the beaten path in science. While it might not have been the most efficient way to gain a reputation in his field, it was more fun. In his memoir, he presents a collection of entertaining, sometimes bizarre stories collected over a lifetime. Bartell chronicles a wide variety of experiences, such as his predisposition to indulge in childhood pranks, his arrest as a possible Russian spy, his work on the Manhattan Project, his entry into the Guinness Book of Records, his stint in the US Navy during wartime, and his appointment as visiting professor in Moscow during the height of the Cold War. As he recalls the curiousand often bizarretrue stories he acquired over a lifetime, it soon becomes evident that scientists are just as human as anyone else and that beer really can play an important role in preparing one for a PhD thesis. True Stories of Strange Events and Odd People shares details from a scientists one-of-a-kind journey through life as he observes the world around him, tests his theories, and learns valuable life lessons.
Download or read book Point Well Made written by Nancy Vaidik and published by Aspen Publishing. This book was released on 2021-05-14 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Persuasive, engaging oral argument is breathtaking. Envision a self-assured attorney leading the court through the salient points of the case, deftly addressing questions from the bench, and steering those questions to the next relevant topic. It’s like watching a magician at work. Think that magic is beyond you? Think again. You can learn to be a persuasive oral advocate with the tips and advice in Point Well Made: Persuasive Oral Advocacy. Whether you are a first-year law student prepping for your Moot Court presentation, a public defender managing mountains of motions, an appellant or respondent on appeal before a panel, or a seasoned lawyer arguing in front of the US Supreme Court, you need Point Well Made. Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Nancy Vaidik and international legal communications coach Rebecca Diaz-Bonilla again bring their expertise to your fingertips. This completely revised and expanded edition of Point Well Made gets even more “under the hood” of judges, pointing out ways to recognize the reactions of your audience and effectively persuade. You will learn how to prepare the right notes for your hearings, so you are confident in your facts, theories, and themes. You will also learn to handle a judge’s questions, how to deal with multi-judge panels, when and how to pivot when the court is unpersuaded, and how to lay out your argument to the best advantage. In addition to helping you address the facts of your legal arguments, Point Well Made will enhance your presentation skills—how to deliver the motion with successful voice and body language techniques to capture the attention and trust of your listeners. Examples and exercises throughout the book help you practice your skills and learn from the experience of other attorneys. The wealth of knowledge you will gain by reading Point Well Made is quickly and easily reviewed, thanks to the many tables summarizing and highlighting the concrete tools the book provides. Unsure how to respond to a judge’s question? The tables spell out effective responses. Nervous about an upcoming argument? Review the tables for methods of relieving your jitters. Dialing into your first remote hearing? Point Well Made provides a step-by-step guide. Expanded to address appellate argument and remote hearings, the new edition of Point Well Made is a hands-on, practical guide that helps you develop persuasive themes, effectively convey your facts, simplify the law, gain insight into your particular judge(s) so you can customize your argument, and answer challenging questions with confidence.
Download or read book Odd Wisconsin written by Erika Janik and published by Wisconsin Historical Society. This book was released on 2012-03-26 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While Bob La Follette's exploits as leader of progressive politics are legendary, his early morning exertions to save valuable government documents and executive department paintings during the disastrous 1904 capitol fire are largely unknown - until now. Odd Wisconsin captures the Wisconsin people, places, and events that didn't make it into conventional state histories, lowering a bucket into the depths of Wisconsin history and bringing to light curious fragments of forgotten lives. This unique book unearths the stories that got lost to history even though they may have made local headlines at the time. No mythical hodags or eight-legged horses here! Odd Wisconsin features strange but true stories from Wisconsin's past, every one of which was documented (albeit by the standards of the day). These brief glimpses into Wisconsin's past will surprise, perplex, astonish, and otherwise connect readers with the state's fascinating history. From "the voyageur with a hole in his side" to "pigs beneath the legislature," Odd Wisconsin gathers 300 years of curiosities, all under the radar of traditional stories.
Download or read book Confessions of a Tarot Reader written by Jane Stern and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012-09-04 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tarot cards have been used to foretell the future for centuries. Once the domain of the esoteric and mystical, tarot today has many practical applications in the modern world. Jane Stern, a fourth generation tarot reader perhaps best known for Roadfood, has given the art of the tarot a very modern spin. Using the twenty-two major arcana cards (the “heart of the tarot”) as chapters, she has gleaned all she has learned over the years and presents Confessions of a Tarot Reader as a witty, readable, and useful self-help book. In her own words, the author likes to think of herself as a “psychic Dear Abby,” and by drawing on the wisdom of the tarot deck, to give practical advice in every life situation and lift the veil between this world and the unseen beyond.
Download or read book Alien Hand Syndrome written by Alan Bellows and published by Workman Publishing. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contains over ninety weird-but-true stories reported on DamnInteresting.com, telling of alien hand syndrome, Nazi-thwarting Norwegians, the skyhook, and other oddities.
Download or read book The Improbability Principle written by David J. Hand and published by Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2014-02-11 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Improbability Principle, the renowned statistician David J. Hand argues that extraordinarily rare events are anything but. In fact, they're commonplace. Not only that, we should all expect to experience a miracle roughly once every month. But Hand is no believer in superstitions, prophecies, or the paranormal. His definition of "miracle" is thoroughly rational. No mystical or supernatural explanation is necessary to understand why someone is lucky enough to win the lottery twice, or is destined to be hit by lightning three times and still survive. All we need, Hand argues, is a firm grounding in a powerful set of laws: the laws of inevitability, of truly large numbers, of selection, of the probability lever, and of near enough. Together, these constitute Hand's groundbreaking Improbability Principle. And together, they explain why we should not be so surprised to bump into a friend in a foreign country, or to come across the same unfamiliar word four times in one day. Hand wrestles with seemingly less explicable questions as well: what the Bible and Shakespeare have in common, why financial crashes are par for the course, and why lightning does strike the same place (and the same person) twice. Along the way, he teaches us how to use the Improbability Principle in our own lives—including how to cash in at a casino and how to recognize when a medicine is truly effective. An irresistible adventure into the laws behind "chance" moments and a trusty guide for understanding the world and universe we live in, The Improbability Principle will transform how you think about serendipity and luck, whether it's in the world of business and finance or you're merely sitting in your backyard, tossing a ball into the air and wondering where it will land.
Download or read book Cursed Objects written by J. W. Ocker and published by Quirk Books. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beware...this book is cursed! These strange but true stories of the world’s most infamous items will appeal to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale. They’re lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes. Their often tragic and always bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, novels, and campfire tales. They’re cursed objects, and all they need to unleash a wave of misfortune is . . . you. Many of these unfortunate items have intersected with some of the most notable events and people in history, leaving death and destruction in their wake. But never before have the true stories of these eerie oddities been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume. Inside, readers will learn about: • Annabelle the Doll, a Raggedy Ann doll that featured in the horror franchise The Conjuring • The Unlucky Mummy, which is rumored to have sunk the Titanic and kick-started World War I • The Dybbuk box, which was sold on eBay and spawned the horror film The Possession • The Conjured Chest, which has been blamed for fifteen deaths within a single family • The Ring of Silvianus, a Roman artifact believed to have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit • And many more!
Download or read book Strange But True written by Corrine Kenner and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 1997 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents over one hundred thirty short stories of actual events and includes mysterious tales of ghosts and alien encounters, time travel and out-of-body experiences, psychic warnings and miraculous healings, and guardian angels.
Download or read book Why People Believe Weird Things written by Michael Shermer and published by Holt Paperbacks. This book was released on 2002-09-01 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This sparkling book romps over the range of science and anti-science." --Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel Revised and Expanded Edition. In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science. Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.
Download or read book The Camera My Mother Gave Me written by Susanna Kaysen and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2002-10-08 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Susanna Kaysen, who wrote about her teenage depression in the bestseller Girl, Interrupted, now takes on another taboo: her vagina–which suddenly and inexplicably starts to hurt. And neither Kaysen’s cheery gynecologist, nor her internist, nor a laconic “vulvologist” has the cure. An alternative health nurse suggests direct application of tea, baking soda, and boric acid. Others recommend novocaine, oatmeal, “bio-feedback,” and anti-depressants. Nothing works. As sex becomes more and more painful, Kaysen’s relationship with her boyfriend disintegrates and she turns to her best friends, her wicked sense of humor, and finally wry self-reflection to get herself through. Using this unusual lens, Kaysen challenges us to think in new ways about the centrality and power of sexuality. The Camera My Mother Gave Me is an unexpected and revelatory book from one of our most candid, insightful and consistently surprising writers.
Download or read book Flawless Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History written by Scott Andrew Selby and published by Sterling Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Tells the story with the gripping pace of a true-crime 'Ocean's Eleven.'" The New York Post • "Like a diamond, this true-life caper is clear, colorful, and brilliant." Publishers Weekly ★Starred Review★ The Antwerp Diamond Center was one of the most secure buildings in the world. With hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of diamonds stored in its subterranean vault, it had to be. Located in the heart of Belgium's ultra-secure Antwerp Diamond District, it benefited from two police stations, armed patrols, extensive video surveillance, and vehicle barriers securing an area where 80 percent of the world's diamonds traded hands. But on February 15, 2003, a band of skilled Italian thieves — fronted by the charming Leonardo Notarbartolo, who spent over two years clandestinely casing the building — subverted every one of the Diamond Center's defenses and made off with a record amount of loot. Experts estimate they got away with nearly half a billion dollars in diamonds, cash and other valuables. They'd pulled off the biggest heist in history--everybody loves diamonds and they now had more than any thief before them. The robbers did it with stealth and smarts; no one was hurt or even threatened during what was quickly labeled the largest diamond heist in history. The bandits — members of a group of professional thieves known as "The School of Turin" — used cunning in lieu of violence, successfully evading security cameras, thwarting an array of electronic sensors, and penetrating a vault protected by a double-locked foot-thick steel door. Even when the police zeroed in on who committed the crime, how it was done remained a mystery, like something out of a heist movie or TV show. Flawless is a fast-paced global scavenger hunt uncovering the truth behind the daring Valentine's Day weekend heist. Tracking clues, sources, and documents throughout Europe — from seedy cafés in Turin, Italy to sleek diamond offices in Antwerp, Belgium — authors Scott Selby and Greg Campbell retrace Notarbartolo's careful discovery of the building's security flaws. They recreate the heist and its aftermath — detailing how the thieves brilliantly neutralized each element of the security protecting the Diamond Center's vault while inviting the readers into the secretive world of diamonds and diamond dealing. The result is a thrilling ride through the better-than-fiction heist of the century. "Fans of caper books and movies will be in seventh heaven." Booklist ★Starred Review★
Download or read book The Weird written by Jeff VanderMeer and published by Tor Books. This book was released on 2012-01-24 with total page 2482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Lovecraft to Borges to Gaiman, a century of intrepid literary experimentation has created a corpus of dark and strange stories that transcend all known genre boundaries. Together these stories form The Weird, and its practitioners include some of the greatest names in twentieth and twenty-first century literature. Exotic and esoteric, The Weird plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities. You won't find any elves or wizards here...but you will find the biggest, boldest, and downright most peculiar stories from the last hundred years bound together in the biggest Weird collection ever assembled. The Weird features 110 stories by an all-star cast, from literary legends to international bestsellers to Booker Prize winners: including William Gibson, George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, Angela Carter, Kelly Link, Franz Kafka, China Miéville, Clive Barker, Haruki Murakami, M. R. James, Neil Gaiman, Mervyn Peake, and Michael Chabon. The Weird is the winner of the 2012 World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Download or read book The WEIRDest People in the World written by Joseph Henrich and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Notable Book of 2020 A Bloomberg Best Non-Fiction Book of 2020 A Behavioral Scientist Notable Book of 2020 A Human Behavior & Evolution Society Must-Read Popular Evolution Book of 2020 A bold, epic account of how the co-evolution of psychology and culture created the peculiar Western mind that has profoundly shaped the modern world. Perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. If so, you’re rather psychologically peculiar. Unlike much of the world today, and most people who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves—their attributes, accomplishments, and aspirations—over their relationships and social roles. How did WEIRD populations become so psychologically distinct? What role did these psychological differences play in the industrial revolution and the global expansion of Europe during the last few centuries? In The WEIRDest People in the World, Joseph Henrich draws on cutting-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explore these questions and more. He illuminates the origins and evolution of family structures, marriage, and religion, and the profound impact these cultural transformations had on human psychology. Mapping these shifts through ancient history and late antiquity, Henrich reveals that the most fundamental institutions of kinship and marriage changed dramatically under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. It was these changes that gave rise to the WEIRD psychology that would coevolve with impersonal markets, occupational specialization, and free competition—laying the foundation for the modern world. Provocative and engaging in both its broad scope and its surprising details, The WEIRDest People in the World explores how culture, institutions, and psychology shape one another, and explains what this means for both our most personal sense of who we are as individuals and also the large-scale social, political, and economic forces that drive human history. Includes black-and-white illustrations.
Download or read book Strange But True America written by John Hafnor and published by John Hafnor. This book was released on 2009 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contains 101 curious tales and oddball facts about events and people from the fifty states.
Download or read book Very Crazy G I written by Kregg P. Jorgenson and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2010-02-24 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: AMERICAN BOYS AT WAR IN VIETNAM--AND INVOLVED IN INCIDENTS YOU WON'T FIND IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES In this compelling, highly unusual collection of amazing but true stories, U.S. soldiers reveal fantastic, almost unbelievable events that occurred in places ranging from the deadly Central Highlands to the Cong-infested Mekong Delta. "Finders Keepers" became the sacred byword for one exhausted recon team who stumbled upon a fortune worth more than $500,000--and managed, with a little American ingenuity, to relocate the bounty to the States. Jorgenson also chronicles Marine Sergeant James Henderson's incredible journey back from the dead, shares a surreal chopper rescue, and recounts some heart-stopping details of the life--and death--of one of America's greatest unsung heroes, a soldier who won more medals than Audie Murphy and Sergeant York. Whether occurring in the bloody, fiery chaos of sudden ambushes or during the endless nights of silent, gnawing menace spent behind enemy lines, these stories of war are truly beaucoup dinky dau . . . and ultimately unforgettable.
Download or read book Dark Tide written by Stephen Puleo and published by Beacon Press. This book was released on 2019-01-15 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new 100th anniversary edition of the only adult book on one of the odder disasters in US history—and the greed, disregard for poor immigrants, and lack of safety standards that led to it. Around noon on January 15, 1919, a group of firefighters were playing cards in Boston’s North End when they heard a tremendous crash. It was like roaring surf, one of them said later. Like a runaway two-horse team smashing through a fence, said another. A third firefighter jumped up from his chair to look out a window—“Oh my God!” he shouted to the other men, “Run!” A 50-foot-tall steel tank filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses had just collapsed on Boston’s waterfront, disgorging its contents as a 15-foot-high wave of molasses that at its outset traveled at 35 miles an hour. It demolished wooden homes, even the brick fire station. The number of dead wasn’t known for days. It would be years before a landmark court battle determined who was responsible for the disaster.
