Although diagrammatic representations have been a feature of human com- nication from early history, recent advances in printing and electronic media technologyhaveintroducedincreasinglysophisticatedvisualrepresentationsinto everydaylife. We need to improve our understanding of the role of diagramsand sketches in communication, cognition, creative thought, and problem-solving. These concerns have triggered a surge of interest in the study of diagrammatic notations, especially in academic disciplines dealing with cognition, compu- tion, and communication. We believe that the study of diagrammatic communication is best pursued as an interdisciplinary endeavor. The Diagrams conference series was launched to support an international research community with this common goal. After successful meetings in Edinburgh (2000) and Georgia (2002), Diagrams 2004 was the third event in the series. The Diagramsseries attracts a largenumber of researchersfrom virtually all academic?elds who arestudying the nature of d- grammatic representations,their use in human communication, and cognitive or computationalmechanismsforprocessingdiagrams.Bycombiningseveralearlier workshop and symposium series that were held in the US and Europe - R- soning with Diagrammatic Representations (DR), US; Thinking with Diagrams (TWD), Europe; and Theory of Visual Languages (TVL), Europe - Diagrams has emerged as a major international conference on this topic.

In this book, first published in 2006, seven internationally renowned writers address the theme of Power from the perspective of their own disciplines. Energy expert Mary Archer begins with an exploration of the power sources of our future. Astronomer Neil Tyson leads a tour of the orders of magnitude in the cosmos. Mathematician and inventor of the Game of Life John Conway demonstrates the power of simple ideas in mathematics. Screenwriter Maureen Thomas explains the mechanisms of narrative power in the media of film and videogames, Elisabeth Bronfen the emotional power carried by representations of life and death, and Derek Scott the power of patriotic music and the mysterious Mozart effect. Finally, celebrated parliamentarian Tony Benn critically assesses the reality of power and democracy in society.

Jesse Quantrell, is abandoned as a child by his backwoods, dysfunctional family. He's left to spend his formative years with the vets at the local VFW in Blackstone, West Virginia. Here, he learns the game of pool from one of the vets, who, was also a retired road player and master of the game.
The sociopathic Jesse breaks away and leaves ten years later, at the age of twenty, and embarks on his pool odyssey through the south. Follow this "Pool Wizard's"journey as he encounters many colorful characters and places, while sharing his passion for the game and hustling his way from town to town searching for the love and acceptance he so desperately longs for.
Al Blackwell has been an avid pool player since childhood. He began playing in local tournaments and leagues in the mid 70's and is still actively playing in them today. He resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia and plays regularly at Q-Master Billiards. Al considers himself a student of the game and enjoys playing one pocket, nine-ball, eight-ball and three cushion billiards.