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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Controversial knowledge
"Before the Internet became widely known as a global tool for terrorists, one perceptive U.S. citizen recognized its ominous potential. Armed with clear evidence of computer espionage, he began a highly personal quest to expose a hidden network of spies that threatened national security. But would the authorities back him up? Cliff Stoll's dramatic firsthand account is "a computer-age detective story, instantly fascinating [and] astonishingly gripping"" (Smithsonian). Cliff Stoll was an astronomer turned systems manager at Lawrence Berkeley Lab when a 75-cent accounting error alerted him to the presence of an unauthorized user on his system. The hacker's code name was "Hunter" -- a mysterious invader who managed to break into U.S. computer systems and steal sensitive military and security information. Stoll began a one-man hunt of his own: spying on the spy. It was a dangerous game of deception, broken codes, satellites, and missile bases -- a one-man sting operation that finally gained the attention of the CIA...and ultimately trapped an international spy ring fueled by cash, cocaine, and the KGB.
This is not a book of facts; it's a book of 'facts'. Should you finish it believing we became the planet's dominant species because predators found us too smelly to eat; or that the living bloodline of Christ is a family of Japanese garlic farmers - well, that's on you. Why are we here? Do ghosts exist? Did life on Earth begin after a badly tidied-up picnic? Was it just an iceberg that sank the Titanic? Are authors stealing their plotlines from the future? Will we ever talk to animals? And why, when you're in the shower, does the shower curtain always billow in towards you? We don't know the answers to any of these questions. But don't worry, no matter what questions you have, you can bet on the fact that there is someone (or something) out there, investigating it on your behalf. From the sports stars who use cosmic energy to office plants investigating murders, The Theory of Everything Else will act as a handbook for those who want to think differently.
New York Times Bestseller! Let Governor Jesse Ventura take you through the paperwork that the US government tried to keep secret from the world-JFK and Vietnam, chemical and biological warfare, Gulf War illness, warnings about 9/11, and more! The official spin on numerous government programs is flat-out bullsh*t, according to Jesse Ventura. In this incredible collection of actual government documents, Jesse Ventura, the ultimate non-partisan truth-seeker, proves it beyond any doubt. He and Dick Russell walk readers through sixty-three of the most incriminating programs to reveal what really happens behind the closed doors. Witness as he breaks open the vault, revealing the truth: The CIA's top-secret program to control human behavior Operation Northwoods-the military plan to hijack airplanes and blame it on Cuban terrorists Potentially deadly healthcare cover-ups, including a dengue fever outbreak What the Department of Defense knows about our food supply-but is keeping mum Homeland Security's "emergency" detention camps Fake terrorist attacks planned by the United States Although these documents are now in the public domain, the powers that be would just as soon they stay under wraps. Ventura's research and commentary sheds new light on what they're not telling you-and why it matters.
From the Father Stunter Culture that says fathers are less than to masculinity narratives telling men theres only one way to be a father -- lets face it -- fathers are dealt a short shaft. The truth? We need fathers more than ever. We've an urgent task to set things right with, and for, fathers. And its one that must be done. If you don't agree; this book is not for you. SPUNK: A Manifesto Modernising Fatherhood elevates the conversation about modern fatherhood beyond the nuts and bolts of daddy daycare as it goes deep inside how men view their fathering as they attempt (day in, day out) to be a dad to their kids. Inside SPUNK you will discover more than a thousand men revealing what it means to be a father in this fast-changing world. Through a combination of brand-new research married alongside portraits from acclaimed podcast, School for Fathers, men uncover how much being a father is a whole new, often confusing, ballgame. Fathers are simultaneously stunted by outdated structures while held tight to fixed notions of manhood leaving them (and us) in something of a hot mess. SPUNK is a pragmatic tell-all of why fathers behave in the ways they do and a problem-solving roadmap for the kind of fatherhood men are already shooting for but struggling to grasp. The kind of fatherhood our children yearn for and deserve. Using data from fathers globally, SPUNK provides answers to: What kind of SPUNK do modern fathers need? How do fathers with this SPUNK raise their children? Why SPUNK will lead the way to a more authentic and fulfilled fatherhood identity. This straight-shooting book offers practical alternatives to sucking up the same old BS from the world we live in -- the media, policies, laws and workplace structures -- that attempts, relentlessly, to control what fathers are (not) capable of. Compassion, candour and radical father-allyship form the foundation of change as we collectively must ask, whats needed now for a better future for fathers and our children? The answer is SPUNK.
Be careful whom you cross--they may have read this book! Killed with a toilet? Deadly belt buckles? Sexed to death? Untimely Demise is a darkly comedic exploration of the 365 most fascinating ways people have offed one another since the beginning of time, from ninja swords to pernicious poisons, mobster murders to sneaky sabotage--and everything in between. The deadly details of 365 dastardly, mundane, ritualistic and just plain bizarre ways people have murdered one another are revealed in this darkly humorous--and surprisingly informative--cautionary collection. Whether you love a good whodunit or solve real-life murders for a living, this daily dose of dastardly deeds will shock and amaze you! Or, at least, remind you to lock your doors at night.
It was August in 2011 when riots broke out in the UK. They started in London and then spread to provincial cities including Wolverhampton. I was sitting in a garden outside a working men's club when someone asked for an explanation of what had gone wrong. I had been following the situation closely right from the inception and I gave my views and explanations of what had gone wrong, and how it could be solved in the long run. I never could see any short term solutions. When I had finished, everyone agreed with me; with the proviso that "they would never take notice of what I had to say". It is not very often that people will agree with everything I say. The next morning I got up early as usual and started to write this book. I was not put off by "never take any notice"; if it needed to be written down I would write it. Although it would upset many, I knew that it reflected what normal working class people had to say.I estimated that it would take me a year, and it was exactly two years before I had a first draft. By now of course I have included many other topics which were not concerned with the riots, and the number of people who disagree with what I have to say will have increased. But the aim of this book is make people think about alternatives to society's taboos whatever they may be.
A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings? ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.
Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Financial Times and Fortune, this New
York Times-bestseller exposes how a 'modern Gatsby' swindled over $5
billion with the aid of Goldman Sachs in 'the heist of the century'.
In "The Warriors and the Bankers", the research and writing team of Alan Butler and Stephen Dafoe bring their combined experiences to bear on the question asked for hundreds of years, What became of the Knights Templar? Arrested in 1307, dissolved in 1312 and executed by 1314, the Templars have been the subject of many theories concerning their possible survival. This book examines these theories against new evidence and information. Additionally the authors put forth, for the first time, a completely new theory that has caught the ears, eyes and attention of many readers. The ultimate conclusion is that the Templars did survive, virtually intact and that in a very direct sense, they may still be one of the most potent forces at work in the world at the start of the new Millennium. "The Warriors and the Bankers" is eminently readable and is intended for both the serious student of Templarism or simply the interested observer.
If you thought Dan Brown's fiction was gripping, try the truth. This controversial book pieces together new evidence on the real life of Jesus. The true inspiration behind Kathy Reich's bestselling thriller, 'Cross Bones', archaeologist and scholar James Tabor takes us on a startling journey that changes the story of Christianity as we know it. Based on hands-on archaeological experience and ground-breaking academic research, real-life Indiana Jones, James Tabor, has produced a compelling and bold new interpretation of the life of Jesus and the origins of Christianity. So revelatory is his work that Kathy Reichs, bestselling mystery writer of the Tempe Brennan series, was inspired by his findings to write her latest novel, 'Cross Bones'. The truth, however, is far more gripping than fiction - either hers or Dan Brown's. Tabor's scholarly detective work begins with his accidental discovery on a dig in Israel of what many now think was Jesus' family tomb. Tabor pieces together new archaeological evidence, combined with the earliest surviving Christian documents to reconstruct Jesus' real family history as a royal dynasty in exile. Jesus was leader of a messianic movement - one far different to the revelations of his maverick follower Paul who was responsible for what we know as Christianity today. Was Jesus far more human than the Church has led us to believe? Was his royal bloodline meant to free mankind or just a chosen few? And why did dissident follower Paul have a more lasting effect on Christianity than Jesus himself? Find out the controversial truth in 'The Jesus Dynasty'.
Best-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories-who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences: that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories-who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status-and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking.
Head down the rabbit hole and feed your fascination for conspiracy and controversy. Conspiracy theories--they're influential and spread to sometimes irrational extremes. Why do people cling to conspiracy theories so powerfully? Is there a way to separate the possible from the impossible? Yes. Enter: Debunked. Conspiracy theories pop up surrounding every major national and global event--some are possible, some are not. TikTok influencer and psychology professor Casey Lytle will teach you how to be an intelligent consumer of "alternative" theories. Lytle's trademark "project management approach" will help you discern possible from impossible in the popular and controversial theories surrounding 10 national and global events. 9/11--No fewer than 10 alternative theories have gained traction. But let's evaluate: Did the Twin Towers really look like a controlled demolition? Would jet fuel have to melt steel for the towers to collapse? What would it take in hours and people to secretly plant enough explosives to bring the buildings down without being discovered, and without being set off by the impact and fires from the planes? All this and more in Chapter 7. COVID-19--The vaccine implants a microchip used to track people; the fatality rate has been wildly inflated; oh, and Bill Gates is not only responsible for the virus but also the head of a plot to use the virus as population control. School shooters--why are they so easy to explain, but so hard to predict? In what ways has the profile of a school shooter changed over the last 25 years, and what has caused those changes? Are school shootings a new phenomenon, or does the media simply make us more aware of them when they happen? The chapter will cover Sandy Hook conspiracy theories, as well as the psychology behind "truthers."
No American leader has accomplished more for his state than Governor Ron DeSantis. Now, he reveals how he did it. He played baseball for Yale, graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, and served in Iraq and in the halls of Congress. But in all these places, Ron DeSantis learned the same lesson: He didn't want to be part of the leftist elite. His heart was always for the people of Florida, one of the most diverse and culturally rich states in the union. Since becoming governor of the sunshine state, he has fought -and won-battle after battle, defeating not just opposition from the political left, but a barrage of hostile media coverage proclaiming the end of the world. When he implemented evidence-based and freedom-focused COVID-19 policies, the press launched a smear campaign against him, yet Florida's economy thrived, its education system outperformed the nation, and its COVID mortality rate for seniors was lower than that in 38 states. When he enacted policies to keep leftist political concepts like critical race theory and woke gender ideology out of Florida's classrooms, the media demagogued his actions, but parents across Florida rallied to his cause. Dishonest attacks from the media don't deter him. In fact, DeSantis keeps racking up wins for Floridians. A firsthand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr. Fauci, The Courage to Be Free delivers something no other politician's memoir has before: stories of victory. This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties.
What is luck? The chances are you don't really know, but you probably believe in it, and I bet that you invoke the word every day of your life ...'Bad luck!' 'That was lucky!' 'You should be so lucky!' 'What a lucky escape!' - said with varying degrees of intensity, sincerity, sarcasm, amusement, incredulity or disgust. But what is luck? This book tries to determine what luck is, how it operates in our lives, and how far the individual is at its mercy - favoured by good luck or cursed by bad? Is there any justice or fair play in life, or are these merely human concepts that don't exist in the laws governing the universe? Whatever you think you believe, by the time you have read this book, the odds are that you will have changed your mind. James M Kileen's analysis ranges from Astrology to Zoroastrianism and everything in between: the big bang and the butterfly effect, destiny and determinism, fortune-telling and feng shui, gambling and game theory, miracles and Murphy's Law, oracles and ordeals, philosophy and religion, precognition and the placebo effect, serendipity and synchronicity. A Matter of Luck is a highly readable yet thought-provoking work, interspersed with illuminating and amusing examples to illlustrate each facet of this fascinating subject: for example, the true stories of the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo, King Umberto and the chef, James Dean's car, and the woman who simultaneously chose the winning numbers for both the Massachusetts and Rhode Island lotteries (although the numbers she chose for the Rhode Island lottery were the winning numbers for the Massachusetts lottery, and vice versa). Lucky or unlucky - you decide, if you can.
How did a conspiracy theory reshape global politics? How did it tear families apart, inspire an insurrection and convince millions that a shadowy cabal was hellbent on eating children, and only Donald Trump could stop them? On the 6th of January, 2021 thousands of Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol. Their banners read, Trust the Plan, a reference to an alarming conspiracy theory that had gained unstoppable momentum over the last four years: these were followers of QAnon. Decoding online clues from a mysterious figure - who has claimed to be a high-level government insider - QAnon adherents believe that Donald Trump has been anointed by God to stop a depraved deep state government, that sexually abuse, kill, and eat children. But QAnon has also become a broad church of out-there beliefs, offering a welcoming community to anti-vaxxers, flat earthers, eugenicists and white nationalists. With first hand access to the leading figures in the movement, investigative journalist Will Sommer unpacks the bizarre story of how a post from one of the darkest corners of the internet, became a belief system for millions; how politicians cozied up to extremists; how an unwavering trust in these ideas tore apart families, caused a mafia boss's assassination, and threatened democracy. Trust the Plan is a timely and essential look on how the internet radicalised our politics, and how millions were convinced to believe the unbelievable.
The second edition of this popular text, updated throughout and now including Covid-19 and the 2020 presidential election and aftermath, introduces students to the research into conspiracy theories and the people who propagate and believe them. In doing so, Uscinski and Enders address the psychological, sociological, and political sources of conspiracy theorizing. They rigorously analyze the most current arguments and evidence while providing numerous real-world examples so students can contextualize the current debates. Each chapter addresses important current questions, provides conceptual tools, defines important terms, and introduces the appropriate methods of analysis.
A significant number of Americans spend their weekends at UFO conventions hearing whispers of government cover-ups, at New Age gatherings learning the keys to enlightenment, or ambling around historical downtowns learning about resident ghosts in tourist-targeted "ghost walks". They have been fed a steady diet of fictional shows with paranormal themes such as The X-Files, Supernatural, and Medium, shows that may seek to simply entertain, but also serve to disseminate paranormal beliefs. The public hunger for the paranormal seems insatiable. Paranormal America provides the definitive portrait of Americans who believe in or have experienced such phenomena as ghosts, Bigfoot, UFOs, psychic phenomena, astrology, and the power of mediums. However, unlike many books on the paranormal, this volume does not focus on proving or disproving the paranormal, but rather on understanding the people who believe and how those beliefs shape their lives. Drawing on the Baylor Religion Survey-a multi-year national random sample of American religious values, practices, and behaviors-as well as extensive fieldwork including joining hunts for Bigfoot and spending the night in a haunted house, authors Christopher Bader, F. Carson Mencken, and Joseph Baker shed light on what the various types of paranormal experiences, beliefs, and activities claimed by Americans are; whether holding an unconventional belief, such as believing in Bigfoot, means that one is unconventional in other attitudes and behaviors; who has such experiences and beliefs and how they differ from other Americans; and if we can expect major religions to emerge from the paranormal. Brimming with engaging personal stories and provocative findings, Paranormal America is an entertaining yet authoritative look at a growing segment of American religious culture.
In the spirit of Schott's Miscellany, The Magic of Reality, and The Dangerous Book for Boys comes Can a Bee Sting a Bee?--a smart, illuminating, essential, and utterly delightful handbook for perplexed parents and their curious children. Author Gemma Elwin Harris has lovingly compiled weighty questions from precocious grade school children--queries that have long dumbfounded even intelligent adults--and she's gathered together a notable crew of scientists, specialists, philosophers, and writers to answer them. Authors Mary Roach and Phillip Pullman, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, chef Gordon Ramsay, adventurist Bear Gryllis, and linguist Noam Chomsky are among the top experts responding to the Big Questions from Little People, ("Do animals have feelings?," "Why can't I tickle myself?," "Who is God?") with well-known comedians, columnists, and raconteurs offering hilarious alternative answers. Miles above your average general knowledge and trivia collections, this charming compendium is a book fans of the E.H. Gombrich classic, A Little History of the World, will adore.
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