Forever Worlds

Forever Worlds

Forever Worlds $4.99  

Maze of Worlds $6.99 Alien beings bent on our destruction have seeded the world with horrible machines capable of transforming our planet into a hellhole where only they can live. Our only hope is to solve the puzzle of a four-dimensional maze, an alien thing that is part building, part machine, and part psychological torture chamber. A few brave men and women–and one fearless dog–dare to enter the maze. What they find there will change their lives forever, as the alien machinery creates terrifying worlds based on their worst nightmares.

Synthetic Worlds $18 From EverQuest to World of Warcraft , online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages and from all walks of life now spend thousands of hours—and dollars—partaking in this popular new brand of escapism. But the line between fantasy and reality is starting to blur. Players have created virtual societies with governments and economies of their own whose currencies now trade against the dollar on eBay at rates higher than the yen. And the players who inhabit these synthetic worlds are starting to spend more time online than at their day jobs. In Synthetic Worlds , Edward Castronova offers the first comprehensive look at the online game industry, exploring its implications for business and culture alike. He starts with the players, giving us a revealing look into the everyday lives of the gamers—outlining what they do in their synthetic worlds and why. He then describes the economies inside these worlds to show how they might dramatically affect real world financial systems, from potential disruptions of markets to new business horizons. Ultimately, he explores the long-term social consequences of online games: If players can inhabit worlds that are more alluring and gratifying than reality, then how can the real world ever compete? Will a day ever come when we spend more time in these synthetic worlds than in our own? Or even more startling, will a day ever come when such questions no longer sound alarmist but instead seem obsolete? With more than ten million active players worldwide—and with Microsoft and Sony pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into video game development—online games have become too big to ignore. Synthetic Worlds spearheads our efforts to come to terms with this virtual reality and its concrete effects. “Illuminating. . . . Castronova’s analysis of the economics of fun is intriguing. Virtual-world economies are designed to make the resulting game interesting and enjoyable for their inhabitants. Many games follow a rags-to-riches storyline, for example. But how can all the players end up in the top 10%? Simple: the upwardly mobile human players need only be a subset of the world’s population. An underclass of computer-controlled ‘bot’ citizens, meanwhile, stays poor forever. Mr. Castronova explains all this with clarity, wit, and a merciful lack of academic jargon.”— The Economist   “ Synthetic Worlds is a surprisingly profound book about the social, political, and economic issues arising from the emergence of vast multiplayer games on the Internet. What Castronova has realized is that these games, where players contribute considerable labor in exchange for things they value, are not merely like real economies, they are real economies, displaying inflation, fraud, Chinese sweatshops, and some surprising in

Small Worlds $12.95 Small Worlds takes place in 1903 and introduces the wondrous rebbe of Krimsk, a small Hasidic settlement in Eastern Europe. The Russians called it Krimsk; the Poles called it Kromsk, but it was mainly the Jews who lived there. They called it whatever their hosts preferred. Krimsk-so it was called in 1903-had hills and valleys, forests not far from town, pastures and Welds close by . . . In the little town of Krimsk the Jews are about to celebrate Tisha BAv, the day of mourning marking the destruction of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. The teacher has instructed the young pupils in his primary class. And the Krimskers beloved rebbe, who has secluded himself in his study for the past five years, has suddenly, mysteriously emerged on the eve of the holiday. But the joy of his congregants at seeing him is to be shortlived. For this Tisha BAv will be a time of strange and momentous events, a time that will change their lives forever. Across the river is the Polish town of Krimichak, where dwells the rebbes rival for power, Grannie Zara. The women of Krimsk have always secretly crossed the river to consult her, and even on this fateful night, one determined woman and one small boy from the primary class unwisely feel the need to visit her. There have been pogroms nearby, and the relationship between the people of the two towns, always uneasy, is in danger of igniting. On this night, too, the rebbe and his wife are discussing a groom for their only daughter, who has reached the age to stand under the wedding canopy. The rebbe summons to their home the man he has chosen. In another part of town, a different young man, a stranger swept up in the revolutionary ferment stirring all of Russia, stops for a while at the Angel of Death, the empty new synagogue. It is he who will face the angry mob from Krimichak as it crosses the bridge into Krimsk-with consequences that will affect and astonish everyone. Small Worlds is the first in a series of novels concerning the people of Krimsk and their descendants in America, Poland, Russia, and Israel. In each volume Allen Hoffman draws on his deep knowledge of Jewish religion and history to evoke the “small worlds” his characters inhabit. Echoes of Jewish literary tradition can be heard in Small Worlds, especially the mystical realism of Isaac Bashevis Singer and the poignant humor of Sholom Aleichem, on whose tales Fiddler on the Roof is based.

Worlds at War $13.99 Spanning two and a half millennia, Anthony Pagden’s mesmerizing Worlds at War delves deep into the roots of the “clash of civilizations” between East and West that has always been a battle over ideas, and whose issues have never been more urgent. Worlds At War begins in the ancient world, where Greece saw its fight against the Persian Empire as one between freedom and slavery, between monarchy and democracy, between individuality and the worship of men as gods. Here, richly rendered, are the crucial battle of Marathon, considered the turning point of Greek and European history; the heroic attempt by the Greeks to turn the Persians back at Thermopylae; and Salamis, one of the greatest naval battles of all time, which put an end to the Persian threat forever. From there Pagden’s story sweeps to Rome, which created the modern concepts of citizenship and the rule of law. Rome’s leaders believed those they conquered to be free, while the various peoples of the East persisted in seeing their subjects as property. Pagden dramatizes the birth of Christianity in the East and its use in the West as an instrument of government, setting the stage for what would become, and has remained, a global battle of the secular against the sacred. Then Islam, at first ridiculed in Christian Europe, drives Pope Urban II to launch the Crusades, which transform the relationship between East and West into one of competing religious beliefs. Modern times bring a first world war, which among its many murky aims seeks to redesign the Muslim world by force. In our own era, Muslims now find themselves in unwelcoming Western societies, while the West seeks to enforce democracy and its own secular values through occupation in the East. Pagden ends on a cautionary note, warning that terrorism and war will continue as long as sacred and secular remain confused in the minds of so many. Eye-opening and compulsively readable, Worlds at War is a stunning work of history and a triumph of modern scholarship. It is bound to become the definitive work on the reasons behind the age-old and still escalating struggle that, more than any other, has come to define the modern world–a book for anyone seeking to know why “we came to be the way we are.” From the Hardcover edition.

Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set $124.99 Pressure cookers are gaining momentum as the new healthy, time-saving, and energy-saving way to prepare food. While not a new method, the technology has certainly been transformed over the years to be easier and safer than ever. This two-cooker set allows you to save up to 70 percent of the time and energy traditionally used in cooking rice, meat, and vegetables. One pressure lid fits both cookers…

Jokari Fizz-Keeper Pump & Pour $1.99 Unless you’re prone to malaria, it’s a decent bet you won’t finish a bottle of quinine-laced tonic water at one sitting–likewise, that bottle of sugar- and caffeine-free Coca-Cola that was brought to a Pepsi Lovers’ picnic. And if there’s anything sadder than a fizzless, half-filled bottle of cream soda taking up refrigerator space, please keep it to yourself. How to preserve the fizz in that 1-,…

Harold Import Company Jokari Soda Dispenser $2.29 Flat ginger ale may be what your mom gave you when you had an upset tummy, but it isn’t what you want in your highball. And fizz always seems to flit away faster in big 2-liter bottles of soda–every time the cap is loosened, a bit more carbon dioxide dissipates. To solve this problem, the Jokari soda dispenser replaces the cap on any 2-liter soda bottle and provides both an airtight seal and a pu…

Curse of the Golden Flower $9.99 …

Tried And Tested Ways Of Losing Weight

This article is all about diets that work. Weight loss is not an easy endeavour. Motivation comes easy at first, but it is easy to lose it after a short amount of time, making it easy to give up. Read on to learn the secrets of the pros who have lost weight and kept it off.

The very first step is to determine what your goals are for weight loss. Do you want to slim down for a special occasion? Is there a specific weight loss goal you want to achieve? Do you want to lose weight to feel more energetic? Do you need to lose excess pounds for medical reasons? These are the types of things you need to ask yourself.

Make sure to track your weight loss progress weekly. Keep a log that charts your weekly weight loss progress. Make sure your food journal is kept in the same book. Keep track of everything you eat to serve as a record of your daily consumption. Even just the act of writing it down will discourage you from wanting it.

If you get to the point of true hunger, you are asking for weight loss trouble. It is hard to control what you are eating when you are really hungry. Schedule your meals and menus in advance, and have snacks on hand to eat when you're hungry. If it is possible, pack your lunch for each day. It only takes five minutes to get a healthy midday meal together and it can even be done the night before. Not only does this help you stay on track with healthy nutrition choices, it can also help your finances!

The key to losing weight has never been a secret. It may be easier said than done, but all you need to do is eat healthy and begin a fitness plan and the pounds will start coming off. It is essential to dedicate yourself to working out no fewer than three times weekly. If you cannot commit to exercising, then pick an activity that you can stick with for the long term. Ask your friends to schedule a weekly walk or two with you. Being outside for a nice hike can be a great way of getting exercise. Sign up for a class and learn a new high-energy style if you enjoy dancing.

If you only have healthy foods at home then that is what you can expect to eat. Replace your favourite junk foods with healthy alternatives that you still enjoy snacking on, such as salsa, fresh fruits and granola bars. Don't buy food that you know you shouldn't eat. If you do not have any junk food in your house, you will need to make a trip to go get some, and chances are you won't waste the time.

You will be able to stick to your weight loss goals when you have support. Request assistance from your friends to keep you motivated and help you in reaching your goal. When you feel ready to give up on your workouts, your friends can talk you into sticking with them. They keep you going when all you want to do is sleep or play video games. That's what friends are for.

Check out this very interesting article on how weight loss shakes can be a fun and cost effective way to manage your weight on the Diets-for-Women.net blog.

100 Media Moments That Changed America $2.33 From the launching of America's first newspaper to YouTube's latest phone-videoed crime, the media has always been guilty of indulging America's obsession with controversy. This encyclopedia covers 100 events in world history from the 17th century to the present—moments that alone were major and minor, but ones that exploded in the public eye when the media stepped in. Topics covered include yellow journalism, the War of the Worlds radio broadcast, the Kennedy-Nixon debates, JFK's assassination, the Pentagon papers, and Hurricane Katrina. These are events that changed the way the media is used-not just as a tool for spreading knowledge, but as a way of shaping and influencing the opinions and reactions of America's citizens. Thanks to the media's representations of these events, history has been changed forever. From classified military plans that leaked out to the public to the first televised presidential debates to the current military tortures caught on tape, Breaking News will demonstrate not only an ever-evolving system of news reporting, but also the ways in which historical events have ignited the media to mold news in a way that resonates with America's public. This must-have reference work is ideal for journalism and history majors, as well as for interested general readers.Chapters are in chronological order, beginning with the 17th century. Each chapter starts with a brief introduction, followed by media event entries from that decade. Each entry explains the moment, and then delivers specific details regarding how the media covered the event, America's response to the coverage, and how the media changed history.

1001 $5.97 4m, 2f to play multiple roles / Dramatic ComedyThe cuckolded King Shahriyar is marrying a new bride every night and beheading her the next morning. As unrest spreads in the Sultanate, his vizier's daughter Scheherezade hatches a plan: she will offer herself as a bride and seduce the king with stories that leave him hanging on every word. She weaves such tales as "Sindbad the Sailor" and "Alaeddin and His Magic Lamp" with stories of Borges, Flaubert, and Alan and Dahna -- a Jewish man and an Arab woman who have fallen in love in millennial New York City. Shahriyar becomes Alan and Scheherezade becomes Dahna as the worlds mingle and inform one another. Modern speech invades the fantasy tales, and swords and genii appear in the 21st Century, in a dance of cultures and people who are forever intertwined."[An] explosive, often brilliant work about America, narrative, the Middle East and identity."- Time Out New York"...funny, moving, postmodernist-in-a-good-way... Like Scheherazade's tales, 1001 is endlessly compelling, and also endless (again, in a good way)..."- Boston Globe"Jason Grote is one of a generation of brainy new American dramatists - including Tracy Letts and Will Eno - who understand that to reach new audiences, political theater needs to move beyond moral indignation and outrage, past spoon-feeding an attitude. One key to going forward is looking backward into literature, fable and allegory." - LA Weekly"...a wild and beautiful glimpse at the yarns that shape our lives...Even if it isn't always true, the story we keep telling -- about the power of love, violence, and death -- is a comfort. Grote tackles that concept with gripping imagination, achieving a cosmic scope by eliminating the barriers between worlds." - Variety"Grote's Orientalist fantasia...conjures a storybook world that dissolves, at a moment's notice, into an apocalyptic, 21st-century landscape. Where to begin to describe this seductive if smartalecky, nonlinear play?