Ever-changing Las Vegas, Nevada, a capital of casino gambling and showgirl entertainment, contains an astonishing array of neon signs. They light up the night sky in endless displays of color and motion. With 235 brilliant color images and engaging text, this book leads readers on a tour of Las Vegas neon. Familiar signs from the days when Frank Sinatra, Liberace, and Elvis strode the stage are displayed alongside more modern signs of incredible brilliance and complexity. Neon advertising casinos, restaurants, wedding chapels, and world-renown resort hotels--from the venerable Sahara and Stardust to the current fantasies of Caesar's Palace and the MGM Grand--are all on display. Histories of the development of neon signs and of Las Vegas round out this colorful presentation.

Explore the fascinating history and contemporary influence of turquoise as a gemstone of choice for collectors, artists, and jewelry wearers. Immerse yourself in its history from ancient times to the present, and the influence of Native American artists in making this gemstone an enduring part of popular culture in America. Illustrated with over 500 color images, this updated second edition includes nearly 150 photos never seen before. It shows turquoise from Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada, plus Australia, China, and Iran, and the major localities in between. The gems appear in their natural state, cut, polished, and set into silver and gold jewelry. Extensive text details the gems' values and the many mines that have relinquished turquoise over thousands of years.

Exquisite marbles produced by more than 130 artists and craftsmen are represented in over 600 stunning color photographs. The thorough text includes an extensive and detailed look at the pioneers, current artists, and craftsmen of the contemporary handmade marble movement. The history and development of handmade marbles is reviewed in words and illustrations, beginning with the earliest use of decorative glass and moving forward to the influence studio glass founders brought to bear on the pioneers and current craftsmen of contemporary handmade marbles. Also included are tips for the purchase and care of fine marbles, an in-depth glossary, and a valuation guide. This book will be a joy for everyone fascinated with glass. Novice and experienced art glass and marble collectors alike will appreciate this beautiful book.

This beautiful and thought-provoking reference explores the close relationships among contemporary studio art glass marbles, spheres, and orbs and their predecessors, the marbles of childhood, as well as areas of significant divergence. Over 900 gorgeous color photos display the vast range available today, including handmade and machine-made marbles, edition types, regular stock, open edition production stock, prototypes, limited editions, experimental works, and studio glass. Many rare and historical examples are shown. The thorough and engaging text provides a history of the studio glass movement, manufacturing processes, artists' marks, essential information on building and caring for a collection, and methods of valuing items in a collection. Also included are a glossary, a bibliography, an index, and values in the captions. All glass fanciers will learn about this new generation of modern styles.

"Flawless Consulting is considered the "consultant's bible" and a landmark bestseller that explains how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. This third edition addresses business and new challenges since the second edition was written and also explores what's on the minds of "next generation" consultants. The book includes more guidance on how to ask better questions, ideas for the virtual world, suggestions for dealing with difficult clients, the challenges of international consulting, additional case studies, commentary, expanded guidelines on implementation, and more on how to ask good questions."--

Empowerment produces the conditions for high performance. Especially for middle managers and below. Empowered cultures attract and retain talent. They produce high achievement, high accountability and high commitment. The Empowered Manager uncovers a roadmap to creating a more accountable culture in today's fragmented and virtual world. Bestselling author Peter Block is a true visionary: author of the classic Flawless Consulting, his work is about empowerment, stewardship, chosen accountability, and reconciliation of community. In this book, he returns his eye toward management to renew our efforts to create a shift in the traditional hierarchy. Twenty years after the original book, Block talks of why it is so difficult to both open the door to empowerment and more importantly, have people walk through it. It is more important than ever to create a culture in which all members of an organization are treated as entrepreneurs, giving them ownership over their role and responsibilities. This is in the face of the reality that most employees want safety, not the adventure of empowerment. Peter enhances the first edition of the book by acknowledging employees wish for dependency. Their longing for the days when a job carried a promise of a future, and companies cared more about the product and the people, than about the money. This is written primarily for people in the middle. Good managers and employees who care more about doing good work and treating people right, than ambition and making it into the ruling class. The upper middle and below is where there is the greatest need for great management. Which builds on valuing strengths, and allowing talent the space to stretch and achieve. Almost independent of the power points of people at the top. This book shows you how a new approach to management empowers all employees at all levels, and culminates in better business outcomes for the entire organization. * Help shape a culture of commitment * Develop the political skills to negotiate successfully * Take responsibility for your actions * Learn to fail up, and face setbacks with courage If you feel controlled by bureaucracy, unrewarded for creativity, and from a distance, powerless to control your own destiny, this book is the breath of fresh air your career has been craving. Timeless tips from a master of business strategy alongside a framework for more effective management makes The Empowered Manager a must-read guide for anyone doing business today.

This intriguing book highlights differences in how crime is portrayed in the arts compared to reality, focusing on the roles of the police, courts and forensic investigators. Of interest to criminologists, sociologists, lawyers and other criminal justice personnel, it will also appeal to anyone interested in crime and punishment. What we see or read in the media follows a formula inviting suspension of disbelief. It is a long way from what happens in real life and the book contains vivid examples, contrasts and comparisons. As the author points out, from Shakespeare to Harold Pinter, Dickens to P D James and as between authors, dramatists and filmmakers of all kinds the rules are frequently broken by dramatic licence, structural demands, the need for a good ending and entertainment. A book to read, enjoy and learn a great deal from: whether it is Agatha Christie Dixon of Dock Green, Patricia CornwellKavanagh QC, Kathy Reichs, Sherlock Holmes, Waking the Dead, Garcia Marquez, A Touch of FrostEdgar Allan Poe, Heartbeat or lesser known writers, works or fictional creations.A closely observed account by someone who served at a senior level as a magistrate and scientist which highlights differences between real life and fiction concerning criminal processes. Contains instructive and entertaining examples making it readable, accessible and ideal for seasoned practitioners, students and beginners.

A Marketer's Guide to Understanding China's Digital Generation China's Digital Generation is driving the country's rapidly growing consumer economy. These savvy young consumers are a powerful force, shaping China's markets now and for years to come. Drawing on the massive ProsperChina Quarterly Survey, this book presents a clear, practical view of how this generation acts, shops, and plans for the future. Ample comparisons are made between Chinese and U.S. consumers, providing useful cultural and behavioral benchmarks for marketers of consumer products and services. A must-read for global leaders developing, refining and implementing marketing and communication programs in the world's most challenging and complicated market.

Retailing has been around as long as exchanges have existed. One person has something others want. Yet, modern day retailing has seen little innovation in the critical triangle of manufacturers, retailers and consumers. Each group has proceeded along separate pathways-all intent on achieving individual goals. Until today Interactive digital technologies have created new communities of customers-communities that demand radically different views, approaches and methodologies. RETAIL COMMUNITIES presents a unique view of how customers, retailers and manufacturers interact in the digital marketplace. By combining BIGresearch's SIMM(r), CIA(tm) and Shopper MindSet(tm) consumer data sources, the authors have created consumer segments at the retail and manufacturer levels with both out-of-store and in-store views. Using 31 out-of-store and 23 in-store promotional categories, the "retail communities" idea enables all marketers on all levels to understand, plan and allocate promotional funds in what is called the "Retail Theater." Truly, in the customer community arena, the retailer becomes another media form to be included in any product marketing program.

It is self-evident that media planning and buying cannot continue to use the methods, systems and technologies that were developed in the 1970's and 1980's. While they are comfortable and are the current currency in media allocation they are as obsolete as carbon paper. Most media planners and buyers are acting as agents for their clients. Thus, they have a fiduciary obligation to allocate the finite corporate resources in the most effective and efficient manner possible. For the client/advertiser that charge now includes an objective to become more consumer-centric and increase marketing ROI. The new SIMM consumer allocation method does just that by making the consumer and their consumption value, and media influences to purchase key elements in the new model. Media Generations also demonstrates the utility to media planning of considering how media consumption and influence change among age cohorts with different media experiences.

Hanging in the Balance traces the history of capital punishment in the United Kingdom from ancient times to the modern day-through periods of reform until hanging for murder was finally abolished by Parliament in 1969. It describes in detail the Parliamentary and public debates, and notes the stance taken by organizations and individuals (including the tenacious and persistent Sydney Silverman MP). The book collates data and references not previously brought together in one place - and in exploring the underlying issues and the recurring arguments about deterrence, retribution and expediency it provides an invaluable resource vis-a-vis the same debate in the many countries where capital punishment still exists. Lord Callaghan was home secretary at the time of abolition. His Foreword conveys how strong his personal feelings were concerning the death penalty from the time he entered Parliament in 1945. The book's closing chapters record how his insistence that abolition should become permanent ultimately overcame the still considerable opposition. Capital punishment was finally abolished in 1999 throughout the UK. For all practical purposes this had already happened in 1969 when the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 was made fully effective into following a trial period. 'A masterwork': Justice of the Peace