New Releases by Michael Brett

A celebration of our shared gifts.

Clive Parsons returns to his at, and hides some jewellery. Two policemen appear and arrest him, for a neighbour has seen him entering through the kitchen window. Clive explains that he has lost his key and asks them to fetch the neighbour, James Strang, who will establish his identity. Strang, having arrived, apologizes; he had though it might be the mysterious jewel thief known as ''the shadow''. After drinks, the police depart, and Strang reveals he has grounds for his suspicion. Parsons allows himself to be blackmailed into handing over the jewels, and the police return by arrangement, to apprehend the wanted man.

Dimensional tolerance requirements for high-speed-machined aluminum products continue totighten due to strong demand for automated assembly of complex monolithic aluminum parts inaerospace and other industries. Understanding the contribution of inherent residual stress inwrought aluminum 7050-T7451 plate, a common alloy in aircraft manufacture, in the distortionof high-aspect-ratio machined monolithic parts is critical but remains problematic. The difficultystems from the alloy0́9s low magnitude of residual stress, distributed over relatively largegeometries. The numerous prior studies aimed at investigating residual stress effects onmachined part distortion, however, suffer from inadequate characterization of the inherent stressfield within the wrought material0́4because of low fidelity issues due to slitting methods ofresidual stress measurement, confounding effects from machined-layer removal methods, orbecause of small number of measurements when using neutron diffraction (ND). In this work,inherent residual stress is measured using ND at over 860 locations throughout the volume of a90.5 mm thick 7050-T7454 aluminum plate having dimensions 399 mm in the longitudinal(rolling) direction and 335 mm in the transverse direction. Unlike prior studies, the ND residualstress field is reconstructed using an iterative stress reconstruction algorithm to ensure a fullycompatible and equilibrated 3D field prior to examining its effect on the distortion of a high-aspect-ratio monolithic part. Validation of the equilibrated stress field is accomplished bycomparison of corresponding aggregate fields generated by both experimental and simulatedslitting techniques. To isolate and study the potential contribution of residual stress on partdistortion, an element deletion technique to simulate material removal is performed to avoidconfounding with any machining-induced effects. The findings reveal that the inherent residualstress is not negligible, and alone is sufficient to distort a high-aspect-ratio part beyondtolerances necessary to meet current aerospace industry manufacturing requirements (u003e0.75 mmdistortion over 400 mm span). Moreover, the work reveals that a residual stress field developedonly from slitting data, per the literature, underrepresents both residual stress and part distortion.The results show that parts created from different locations within the plate thickness can lead toreversed distortion patterns due to the corresponding residual stress induced effects. Theresearch gives insight into fixturing and shimming to compensate for distortion as well asprovides an algorithm to further address distortion of the finished part by applying weights to inaccordance with industry practices. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from https://utd-ir.tdl.org/handle/10735.1/9901

When Alex and Michael travel to the Alps with their family to celebrate their great-grandmother’s hundredth birthday, the last thing they expect is to be thrown into an adventure where worlds collide and everything is not what it seems… The two children arrive in the valley at the foot of The Dragon of Ice, a great glacier and the cold heart of a centuries-old legend. Their great-grandmother has arranged for them to go climbing, enlisting a geologist and a mountaineer to accompany them on their ascent. But as an ancient spell takes hold, the legends of the valley become reality, and Alex and Michael are transported to a medieval world of witchcraft, dragons and a devil king. Can they overcome fear and will heroism prevail?

This Variorum volume is a collection of articles dealing with Egypt under the Fatimids, originally published in diverse journals and books between 1984 and 2013. The Fatimids came to power in North Africa in 910 CE, and ruled in Egypt from 969 to 1171 CE. As Imams and Caliphs, they claimed authority for the faith and the government of the Muslim world. In Egypt and Syria, they both reigned and ruled over the state. In North Africa and Sicily, the Hijaz and latterly the Yemen, they reigned but did not rule. In the rest of the Muslim world, they pursued their aim for recognition, notably through their missionaries active in Iraq and Iran A core theme is the evolution of the population and its passage from a Coptic to a Muslim majority. Two articles deal with the murderous history of the Wazirs of the Pen before the Armenian Badr al-Jamali began the rule of the Wazirs of the Sword. Four articles deal with the question of Fatimid diplomacy followed by three dealing with Badr al-Jamali and his revival of the dynasty, including his relations with the Yemen, his use of the Coptic church to extend Fatimid influence to Christian Nubia and Ethiopia, and his employment of his military as tax-farmers, creating a system which culminated in the Mamluk regime of the 13th to the 16th century. The final articles concern the Fatimid response to the Crusades which ended with Saladin and the death of the last Imam Caliph, leaving Ismailism to the breakaway sects of the Nizaris in Iran and the Tayyibis in the Yemen.

A complete history of the Fatimids, showing the significance of the empire to Islam and the wider worldThe Fatimid empire in North Africa, Egypt and Syria was at the centre of the political and religious history of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages, from the breakdown of the aAbbasid empire in the tenth century, to the invasions of the Seljuqs in the eleventh and the Crusaders in the twelfth, leading up to its extinction by Saladin. As Imam and Caliph, the Fatimid sovereign claimed to inherit the religious and political authority of the Prophet, a claim which inspired the conquest of North Africa and Egypt and a following of believers as far away as India. The reaction this provoked was crucial to the political and religious evolution of mediaeval Islam. This book combines the separate histories of Isma''ilism, North Africa and Egypt with that of the dynasty into a coherent account. It then relates this account to the wider history of Islam to provide a narrative that establishes the historical significance of the empire.Key FeaturesThe first complete history of the Fatimid empire in English, establishing its central contribution to medieval Islamic historyCovers the relationship of tribal to civilian economy and society, the formation and evolution of the dynastic state, and the relationship of that state to economy and societyExplores the question of cultural change, specifically Arabisation and IslamisationGoes beyond the history of Islam, not only to introduce the Crusades, but to compare and contrast the dynasty with the counterparts of its theocracy in Byzantium and Western Europe

Higher education institutions in California worked to make the state more prosperous through the science taught and conducted in these institutions during the state''s first three decades. This dissertation examines the role of science in these early California colleges and how they interacted with the state''s political economy. The colleges founded in this period worked to provide an education that students would recognize as leading to good jobs. While many of these schools were religiously affiliated, the institutions needed students regardless of their religious background in order for the schools to survive. These early colleges were able to provide services both to students and to the state in general as they reached the public through various means. These included utilizing scientific equipment for conducting experiments and analyzing mineral ores and illustrating scientific concepts with collections of animals, plants, and minerals. Additionally, lectures and public demonstrations brought science to a wider audience and helped to financially support the schools. Jesuit schools Santa Clara College and St. Ignatius College engaged with areas of mining, agriculture, and electricity. Protestant schools, such as the University of the Pacific and the College of California, also emphasized scientific education, including teaching it to women. The state''s healthcare infrastructure was strengthened by the start of medical education in the state with the University of the Pacific''s medical department and the Toland Medical College. Future teachers of California''s children were taught science in the California State Normal School. The federal Morrill Act''s passage allowed California the financial resources to establish a land grant institution, and the University of California was founded with a curriculum emphasizing mining, mechanic arts, agriculture, and engineering. The dissertation relies on archival sources-such as catalogues, diaries, and board meeting minutes-that are generally located on the present-day campuses of these institutions. Analysis of these documents provides evidence of how these institutions, through their science education, helped California''s economy to prosper.

Jurassic World is the long-awaited next installment of the groundbreaking Jurassic Park series. T. rex’s, velociraptors, triceratops—as well as some all-new dinosaurs—will roar across the screen in this epic action-adventure directed by Colin Trevorrow starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson! Dinosaur Field Guide, written by two noted paleontologists and illustrated in big bold colors, is a kid-friendly nonfiction guide that uses simple text to describe over 100 dinosaurs! Kids will learn tons of awesome facts about the most well-known dinosaurs and some of the newest discoveries. The Dinosaur Field Guide also includes a pull-out dinosaur poster!

Mergers of a neutron star and a black hole are interesting because of the dual complexity of the black hole''s strong gravity and the neutron star''s nuclear-density fluid. Mergers can yield short-lived nuclear accretion disks, emitting copious neutrinos. This radiation may change the thermodynamic state of the disk itself, may drive an ultrarelativistic jet of electrons and positrons, may oscillate in its flavor content, may irradiate surrounding matter, playing a role in nucleosynthesis, and may be detected directly.

[Truncated] Herbicide-resistant weeds pose a significant threat to the sustainability of global grain production. Of all weeds in Australian farming systems, wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) is one of the most economically damaging, aggressively competing for water, nutrients and light. As a result of herbicide over-reliance, wild radish populations in the Western Australian (WA) grainbelt have evolved multiple resistances to inhibitors of acetolactate synthase (ALS), phytoene desaturase (PDS), photosynthetic electron transport (PSII) and synthetic auxin herbicides. However, following 40 years of over-reliance on glyphosate, this PhD study is the first to report glyphosate resistance in wild radish. Two wild radish populations from fallow fields near Mingenew and Carnamah in the WA grainbelt exhibited a heritable, 3.2 (WARR37) and 4.5 (WARR38) fold resistance (LD50) to glyphosate. Both populations also had multiple resistances to ALS inhibitors, PDS inhibitors and synthetic auxin herbicides, which is expected to intensify the selection for glyphosate resistance in these populations. The inspection of 24,000 ha of the first commercial transgenic glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola plantings in the WA grainbelt (2010-2011) found large wild radish populations treated solely with glyphosate, which often resulted in less than complete control. Glyphosate resistance in wild radish however was rare, with only one additional GR population identified. This survey also identified glyphosate resistance in eight annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum L.) populations. However no glyphosate resistance was identified in barley grass species (Hordeum sp.), brome grass species (Bromus sp.), wild oat species (Avena sp.), capeweed (Arctotheca calendula L.) and mallow (Malvia parviflora L.). The less than complete control of wild radish in the first GR canola crops grown in the WA grainbelt was of concern, as four generations of glyphosate selection at rates that do not provide full control, resulted in modest increases in glyphosate resistance (2.4-fold). Additionally this selection also resulted in weak cross resistance to the ALS-inhibiting herbicides imazamox (4.7-fold) and metosulam (3.7-fold). The biochemical basis of this weak resistance remains to be investigated.

I present a stratigraphically layered dual-permeability model composed of thin, alternating, high (̃9.2 x 10−20 m2) and low (̃3.0 x 10−22 m2) permeability layers to explain pressure dissipation observed during pulse-decay permeability testing on an intact Barnett Shale core. I combine both layer parallel and layer perpendicular measurements to estimate layer permeability and layer porosity. Micro-computed x-ray tomography and scanning electron microscopy confirm the presence of alternating cm-scale layers of silty-claystone and organic-rich claystone. I interpret that the silty-claystone has a permeability of 9.2 x 10−20 m2 (92 NanoDarcies) and a porosity of 1.4% and that the organic-rich claystone has a permeability of 3.0 x 10−22 m2 (0.3 NanoDarcies) and a porosity of 14%. A layered architecture explains the horizontal (k [subscript H] = 107 x 10−21 m2) to vertical (k [subscript V] = 2.3 x 10−21 m2) permeability anisotropy ratio observed in the Barnett Shale. These core-scale results suggest that spacing between high-permeability carrier beds can influence resource recovery in shales at the reservoir-scale. I also illustrate the characteristic pulse-decay behavior of core samples with multiple mutually-orthogonal fracture planes, ranging from a single planar fracture to the Warren and Root (1963) "sugar cube" model with three mutually-orthogonal fracture sets. By relating sub core-scale matrix heterogeneity to core-scale gas transport, this work is a step towards upscaling experimental permeability results to describe in-situ gas flow through matrix at the reservoir scale.

Property and Money is a simple guide to the investment and financial aspects of commercial property. Putting property into its financial context, it seeks to bridge the world of the surveyor and property developer and the investment and financial markets of the City of London. The book starts from first principles, assuming no pre-existing knowledge. It is thus suitable for students as well as more established property practitioners and its appeal extends to bankers, solicitors, accountants and fund managers whose work brings them into contact with commercial property transactions. This updated and expanded edition includes coverage of: - Principles and pitfalls of property finance - How the property investment market works - Evaluating property and its performance - Understanding property companies and their accounts - How property companies get into trouble - Bank loans, bonds, profit-share agreements, leasebacks and other methods of property finance - The crash of the early 1990''s and its consequences. Based on a widely acclaimed series of articles that appeared in Estates Gazette magazine, Property and Money is complemented by an extensive index and glossary and enlivened by Nick Newman''s cartoonist-eye view of the property world.

In 1926 was daar net een wildreservaat in Suid-Afrika. Vandag spog die land met altesaam 19 nasionale parke wat deur National Geographic as die beste netwerk beskermde gebiede in die wêreld buite die Verenigde State van Amerika beskryf is. In hierdie boek maak die leser kennis met wat ongetwyfeld Suid-Afrika se kosbaarste nasionale skat is – sy nasionale parke. Dit bevat inligting wat nog nooit in druk verskyn het nie, tesame met 25 uitvoerige kaarte wat die jongste gegewens oor grondaankope en toerismeontwikkeling in elke park en die onlangs gevestigde oorgrensparke in die naburige Mosambiek, Zimbabwe, Botswana en Namibië bevat. Noodsaaklike besonderhede vir besoekers, interessante feite oor wildverspreiding en inligting oor verblyfgeriewe word in maklik verstaanbare tabelle en tekskassies aangebied. Hierdie boek is ’n noodsaaklike reismetgesel vir enigeen wat beplan om Suid-Afrika se skouspelagtige nasionale parke te verken. Michael Brett is ’n kenner op die gebied van Afrika-bewaring en -toerisme, en ’n bedrewe kartograaf en fotograaf. Hy het ’n meestersgraad in Beskermde Gebied-bestuur aan die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal verwerf en was as konsultant by bewaringsprojekte in Suider-Afrika betrokke. Hy is die skrywer van 12 boeke oor Suid-Afrika, Kenia en die Verenigde State.

Africa is a huge continent, as large as the more habitable areas of Europe and Asia put together. This book takes as its subject the last 10,000 years of African history, and traces the way in which human society on the continent has evolved from communities of hunters and gatherers to the complex populations of today.

From a single sanctuary established in 1926, South Africa now boasts a proud complement of 19 national parks that have been described by National Geographic as the finest protected area network in the world outside of the United States of America. Over the past two decades, concerted efforts have resulted in more than 1 000 000 hectares being added to the national park estate that now represents all of South Africa''s spectacular biomes. This book introduces what is undoubtedly South Africa’s most celebrated national treasure – its national parks. It includes information that has never before appeared in print, along with 24 comprehensive maps that contain up-to-date data regarding the latest land purchases and tourist developments in each park and the recently established transfrontier parks in neighbouring Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Essential details for visitors, interesting facts on wildlife distribution and information about guest facilities are presented in easily accessible tables and text boxes. This book is an essential travel companion for anyone who plans to explore South Africa''s spectacular national parks. The author and photographer, Michael Brett, holds a Master’s degree in Protected Area Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is an expert on African conservation and tourism.

The Eastern Cape province has something to offer every visitor, whether you are looking for a relaxed beach holiday or a close encounter with wildlife, a cultural experience or a trip back into history. The province contains areas of almost unrivalled natural beauty and the range of landscape and vegetation types is simply incredible, from the snowy mountains of the Drakensberg, the wide open arid plains and rugged mountains of the Karoo, gently rolling grassy hills with forest patches tucked into their valleys, and deeply incised, thicket crowded river valleys, not to forget the finest sandy beaches set on a pristine coastline. This authoritative and comprehensive guide contains up-to-date information that will help you to make the most of your visit to this region. This guide includes: • Background information on the province''s geography, climate, people and culture • Ten regional chapters from Tsitsikamma to the mountainous interior • Over 50 maps, including a map of each region, all the major towns and most of the smaller towns • The latest info on national parks and provincial reserves • Accommodation options from camping sites and backpackers'' lodges to guesthouses and hotels that will suit all budgets • Where to eat and where to shop

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: South Africa will lead you straight to the best attractions South Africa has to offer. Packed with information, detailed maps, beautiful cutaways, and floor plans of all major sites, this guide explores every facet of the "Rainbow Nation." This edition also introduces a new 56-page field guide to South Africa''s wildlife and the safari experience, with detailed information on safaris, wildlife reserves, and local species. From Zulu culture to majestic lions, DK Eyewitness Travel: South Africa is packed with essential information, whatever your budget. This fully updated and expanded South Africa guide provides comprehensive guidance on the best things to do in South Africa, from exploring the Palace of the Lost City and Kruger National Park to experiencing the multifaceted culture of a country with 11 official languages! The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: South Africa provides all the insider tips every visitor to South Africa needs, with dozens of reviews for South African hotels, recommendations for South African restaurants, tips for shopping and all the best places for entertainment. Don''t miss a thing on your vacation with the DK Eyewitness Guide to South Africa.

Stripping away the mystique from the world of investment and finance, How to Read the Financial Pages is a layman''s guide to reading and understanding the financial press and the markets and events it covers. Assuming no financial knowledge, Michael Brett provides a valuable explanation of the workings of the financial world - from money markets to commodity markets, investment ratios to takeover bids. With an extensive glossary of financial terms, this book will help you through the financial columns to a better understanding of the language of markets and money. For ten years How to Read the Financial Pages has been an outstanding first-choice buy for everyone who wants a thorough - but friendly - grounding in finance and investment. --What are stock markets, currency markets, commodities markets? How do they operate? --What are derivatives? Could they cause the financial system to crash? --What is meant by insider dealing? Why is it illegal? --Who are the main players in the world of money? What do stock brokers, market makers, merchant bankers and underwriters actually do? --How has the Internet affected private investors? What are the new opportunities?

According to September 2011 information from the U.S. Census Bureau, the construction industry in the United States is valued at nearly eight hundred billion dollars annually. A 2004 collaborative study by Construction Industry Institute and Lean Construction Institute suggests that as much as fifty seven percent of time, effort, and material investment in construction projects do not add value to the final product. When compared with twenty six percent wastes in the manufacturing industry, it becomes obvious that the construction industry has a problem. Construction projects that come in over budget and behind schedule have become the rule rather than the exception, leading to contentious business relationships and costly litigation. This study will strive to identify and analyze the primary sources of these problems. Research and industry experience point to a lack of communication and cooperation among the various entities required to complete a construction project as the leading causes of waste in the industry. Further analysis suggests that traditional forms of construction contracts encourage adversarial and non-cooperative behavior between parties. Additionally, poor communication between various contributors opens the door for additional wasted cost. Fortunately, the development of tools such as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) present new options to construction professionals that are proving to help address some of the challenges the industry faces today. IPD as a project delivery method creates a culture of collaboration and teamwork, where a culture of risk avoidance and conflict once stood, while BIM provides a platform for better communication among parties. When used together, these tools can reduce or eliminate many of the major sources of waste within the industry. This thesis will provide descriptions, analysis, and case studies that demonstrate the use of these tools and the potential they have to make a positive impact on the construction industry.