Soon after 9/11, wild rumors began to spread: that Arab-Americans were celebrating publicly, that some people had been warned, that politicians knew all along.
The Global Grapevine reveals how--through our everyday thoughts and conversations, and the rumors we spread--we grapple with the new global world. Drawn from diverse sources, the book illuminates urban legends like the claim that a certain t-shirt with a Chinese pictogram brands the wearer as a prostitute, conspiracy theories such as the "9/11 Truth Movement," or stories of tourists infected with AIDS by locals. These rumors, the authors argue, reflect our anxieties and fears about contact with foreign cultures--how we believe foreign competition to be poisoning the domestic economy and foreign immigration to be eroding American values. Focusing on the threat posed by terrorism, the impact of immigration, the risks involved in international trade, and the dangers faced by naive tourism, the book provides a broad survey of the most widely circulated rumors and examines what these tales reveal about contemporary society.

In a time unremembered, this author was found washed up on the shores of Lake Titicaca. In his possession was this book. This book is a map, it tells you where you've come from, it tells you where you're going, it tells you where you are. It tells you what is hidden and what will be revealed, and it tells you how to get out alive if only youa d remember

The most detailed map of the World available which can be folded and stored in a standard-size notebook. The 6 laminated pages are spill and rip-proof and include an 11" x 17" map and 4 pages of country facts. An essential tool for school at any level. Suggested uses: Students -- a map you can keep handy from elementary school through college; Professors -- adopt this map for your course as an inexpensive supplement; Teachers -- a map that can be purchased as a class set that will last your entire career; Parents -- instill knowledge and interest in the world, inspire travel, and connect family history to the places on the map.

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.

Much has been written over the years about Rosslyn Chapel and its connection with Scottish Freemasonry, as well the St.Clair family, the Knights Templar and a variety of 'lost treasures'. The author looks in depth at the validity of the published material and the legends associated with the Rosslyn Chapel exposing major differences between Scottish Freemasons' view of their history and heritage and that described by those who are not Freemasons.

The author has combined his knowledge of London and its Masonic connections and history to produce this fascinating guide to the historic heart of the capital. The form of the book is a walk from Freemasons' Hall to the Royal Exchange with 26 selected locations on the way. For each a history is provided and the connection with the Masonic movement explained.

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.

As humans, we embrace our individuality, yet we chase the comfort and sense of purpose that comes from being part of a group. Especially timely given our polarized world, Chasing We-ness examines how social media, AI, new leadership styles, and other modern developments affect our state of we-ness. It illuminates how our contemporary identities find expression in both progressive and conservative social movements that foster a sense of we-ness. Embracing the reality that "we're all in this together," the book interrogates our efforts to achieve a state of we-ness that rejects hate, social injustice, and autocratic agendas in the twenty-first century. This book explores why, how, and with what effect we build we-ness into our lives in both healthy and destructive ways. William Marsiglio draws on his expertise as a leading sociologist to explore the motivational forces that inspire a sense of group belonging in intimate groups, civic organizations, thought communities, sports and leisure activities, and work. Promoting initiatives that cultivate mindfulness, empathy, altruism, and leadership, Chasing We-ness proposes essential life skills to empower us, reduce social divisions, strengthen the social fabric, and uplift our spirits as global citizens.

David Icke has become world-famous for his work exposing today’s fast-unfolding global dystopia more than three decades before it became reality.

They laughed then. But he didn’t stop there. He went further. Icke knew that the world of the "seen" was only a reflection of something far deeper that ultimately originates with a non-human force in another reality.

They laughed then, too, even many who call themselves "alternative" thinkers. But he didn’t stop there. He went further.

Icke began to say after the turn of the millennium that human reality is a virtual reality simulation designed to entrap perception.

They laughed again, and yet mainstream scientists have since concluded that we do live in a simulation. But he didn’t stop there. He went further.

The Dream sees David Icke go deeper in the rabbit hole than ever before to describe fantastic revelations about the nature of our reality, who we are, where we are, and the real origin of human control.

They’ll laugh again. But he won’t stop there.

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.

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.