The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale has been a source of fierce contestation and emotion for decades, but up to now little was known about the Recces’ presence and impact during this controversial battle.

In the last book of the nail-biting trilogy about 1 Recce, the award-winning author Alexander Strachan, himself an ex-Recce, reveals more on the Recces’ involvement there.

Packed with suspense, adrenaline, high drama and unforgettable accounts by ex-Recces who experienced these adventures personally.

Die Slag van Cuito Cuanavale is al dekades lank 'n bron van hewige konflik en emosie, maar tot nou toe was min bekend oor die Recces se teenwoordigheid en impak tydens dié omstrede gevegte.

In hierdie laaste boek van die spanningsvolle trilogie oor 1 Recce onthul Alexander Strachan, bekroonde skrywer en self 'n oud-Recce, meer oor die Recces se betrokkenheid daar.

Propvol spanning, adrenalien, hoogdrama en onvergeetlike vertellings deur oud-Recces wat dié ervarings eerstehands beleef het.

The shocking, definitive account of the 2020 election and the first year of the Biden presidency by two New York Times reporters, exposing the deep fissures within both parties as the country approaches a political breaking point.

This is the authoritative account of an eighteen-month crisis in American democracy that will be seared into the country’s political memory for decades to come. With stunning, in-the-room detail, New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns show how both our political parties confronted a series of national traumas, including the coronavirus pandemic, the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and the political brinksmanship of President Biden’s first year in the White House.

From Donald Trump’s assault on the 2020 election and his ongoing campaign of vengeance against his fellow Republicans, to the behind-the-scenes story of Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate and his bitter struggles to unite the Democratic Party, this book exposes the degree to which the two-party system has been strained to the point of disintegration. More than at any time in recent history, the long-established traditions and institutions of American politics are under siege as a set of aging political leaders struggle to hold together a changing country.

Martin and Burns break news on most every page, drawing on hundreds of interviews and never-before-seen documents and recordings from the highest levels of government. The book asks the vitally important (and disturbing) question: can American democracy, as we know it, ever work again?

1-Recce was the sharpest, most versatile and deadliest specialist unit in the entire South African army. These men were super fit, unbelievably tough and stopped at nothing. Time and again they put their lives at risk in the execution of highly secret operations behind enemy lines.

For decades these missions have been kept secret. Now, for the first time, the Recces' most famous generals (including the legendary colonel Jan Breytenbach) reveal their involvement in many highly sensitive political operations.

Explosive revelations are made of a collapsed mission to blow up key ANC figures in the final years of the apartheid era. They tell of 1-Recce's involvement in the controversial Border War and reveal the existence of a top secret squadron in the then Rhodesian army.

After years of myths and secrecy, this book gives a new perspective on the Recces and the way they operated invisibly behind the scenes.

Navigate the challenges of modern life, with ancient and time-tested Greek and Roman thinkers at your side.

What is a good life? And how can we create that life in a world filled with uncertainty? Beyond Stoicism invites you to find your own answers to these big questions with help from thirteen of the most prominent Greco-Roman philosophers―many of whom inspired, or were inspired by, the Stoics.

By taking cues from the lives and ideas of the Cynics, Epicureans, and others, you’ll learn to:

• Seek pleasure with Aristippus
• Strike the right balance with Aristotle
• Focus on what’s up to you with Epictetus
• Be a rebel like Hipparchia
• Embrace uncertainty with Carneades
• Question everything with Socrates
• Work toward a just society with Plato and much more

Times have changed, but the quest for eudaimonia―a life worth living―stays the same: We still seek pleasure and crave love, avoid pain and fear death. That’s why all these ancient sages can continue to guide us, practicing Stoics and new seekers alike.

In book two of this four-volume work, Alexander explains in detail the kinds of process that are capable of generating living structure. The unfolding of living structure in natural systems is compared to the unfolding of buildings and town plans in traditional society, and then contrasted with present-day building processes. The comparison reveals deep and shocking problems which pervade the present day planning and construction of buildings. Pervasive changes are needed to create a world in which living process - and hence living structure - are possible; these are changes which are ultimately attainable only through a transformation of society. It is the use of sequences which makes it possible for each building to become unique, exactly fitted to its context, and harmonious. And it is also this use of sequences which makes it possible for people to participate effectively in the layout of their own buildings and communities

Discover the epic children’s debut novel from Alexander Armstrong – actor, presenter and storyteller! A modern classic for children aged 9-12, bursting with adventure, ancient magic, secret societies and fearsome foes . . . For fans of Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials, Skandar, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. 13-year-old Sam thinks he’s an ordinary boy. But destiny knows better. Sam is soon to discover that he is part of an ancient, secret society: an order of quiet heroes who protected the world. For decades, the Order of the Evening has lain dormant, all but wiped out by those threatened by its existence. But now the Order must rise again. For at its heart lies a powerful magic; magic that, in the wrong hands, has the power to destroy the world. And an age-old enemy is closing in. Bequeathed with the mysterious seal of the Golden Linnet, Sam must uncover family secrets, face deadly foes and undertake perilous journeys. He will find allies in the most unlikely of places and learn to unlock his true powers. And he will – he must! – prevail. It’s time to enter a world of magic, intrigue, danger and glory . . . if you dare!

Probabilistic safety assessment methods are used to calculate nuclear power plant durability and resource lifetime. Successful calculation of the reliability and ageing of components is critical for forecasting safety and directing preventative maintenance, and Probabilistic safety assessment for optimum nuclear power plant life management provides a comprehensive review of the theory and application of these methods.
Part one reviews probabilistic methods for predicting the reliability of equipment. Following an introduction to key terminology, concepts and definitions, formal-statistical and various physico-statistical approaches are discussed. Approaches based on the use of defect-free models are considered, along with those using binomial distribution and models based on the residual defectiveness of structural materials. The practical applications of probabilistic methods for strength reliability are subsequently explored in part two. Probabilistic methods for increasing the reliability and safety of nuclear power plant components are investigated, as are the use of such methods for optimising non-destructive tests, hydraulic tests, technical certification and planned-preventative maintenance. Finally, the book concludes with information on the use of probabilistic methods in ensuring leak tightness of nuclear power plant steam generator heat exchanger pipes.
With its distinguished authors, Probabilistic safety assessment for optimum nuclear power plant life management is a valuable reference for all nuclear plant designers, operators, nuclear safety engineers and managers, as well as academics and researchers in this field.
Discusses the theory and application of probabilistic safety assessment methods used to calculate nuclear power plant (NPP) durability and lifetimeReviews probabilistic methods in their application to NPP components and ageing pipelines for the forecasting of NPP resource lifetime and safetyAddresses the key areas of probabilistic safety analysis, optimization of the operations through in-service inspection (ISI) utilising non-destructive testing, and maintenance, service and repair approaches

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony has held musical audiences captive for close to two centuries. Few other musical works hold such a prominent place in the collective imagination; each generation rediscovers the work for itself and makes it its own. Honing in on the significance of the symphony in contemporary culture, this book establishes a dialog between Beethoven's world and ours, marked by the earthshattering events of 1789 and of 1989. In particular, this book outlines what is special about the Ninth in millennial culture. In the present day, music is encoded not only as score but also as digital technology. We encounter Beethoven 9 flashmobs, digitally reconstructed concert halls, globally synchonized performances, and other time-bending procedures. The digital artwork 9 Beet Stretch even presents the Ninth at glacial speed over twenty-four hours, challenges our understanding of the symphony, and encourages us to confront the temporal dimension of Beethoven's music. In the digital age, the Ninth emerges as a musical work that is recomposed and reshaped-and that is robust enough to live up to such treatment-continually adapting to a changing world with changing media.

Medical imaging now plays a major role in diagnosis, choice of therapy, and follow-up. However, patients are often intimidated by the multiple imaging modalities available, the indications for their use, the imposing equipment, what the examinations are like and how long they last, and the advantages and disadvantages of various procedures. This book is designed to provide explanations for these and other issues in order to relieve some of the anxiety related to medical imaging studies.

The struggle between Russia and Great Britain over Central Asia in the nineteenth century was the original "great game." But in the past quarter century, a new "great game" has emerged, pitting America against a newly aggressive Russia and a resource-hungry China, all struggling for influence over the same region, now one of the most volatile areas in the world: the long border region stretching from Iran through Pakistan to Kashmir.
In Great Games, Local Rules, Alexander Cooley, one of America's most respected international relations scholars, explores the dynamics of the new competition for control of the region since 9/11. All three great powers have crafted strategies to increase their power in the area, which includes Afghanistan and the former Soviet republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Each nation is pursuing important goals: basing rights for the US, access to natural resources for the Chinese, and increased political influence for the Russians.
However, overlooked in all of the talk about this new great game is fact that the Central Asian governments have proven themselves critical agents in their own right, establishing local rules for external power involvement that serve to fend off foreign interest. As a result, despite a decade of intense interest from the United States, Russia, and China, Central Asia remains a collection of segmented states, and the external competition has merely reinforced the sovereign authority of the individual Central Asian governments. A careful and surprising analysis of how small states interact with great powers in a vital region, Great Games, Local Rules greatly advances our understanding of how global politics actually works in the contemporary era.

Uncover the lives of 20 real-life spies who made it their mission to uncover the truth and collect secret information from their enemies... This book presents personal accounts and testimonies from spies all over the world and throughout history and brings key moments in history to life for young readers. This book journeys around the world and delves back and forth in time to introduce readers to a host of incredible spies who dedicated their lives to world of espionage. Meet Alan Turing whose work cracking the Enigma code helped shorten World War II by a number of years and save countless lives, and let Hedy Lamarr prove to you that looks can be deceiving as she put her Hollywood glamour on hold to help advance radio technology. With accounts told through first person narrative, readers will feel like they're meeting some of the most infamous spies of all time. From those involved in reconnaissance, planning and logistics, espionage and development of new technology, this authentic retelling uncovers the secret life of spies in a unique and engaging way. With stylish illustrations from the wonderfully talented Alexander Mostov and informative and compelling text from Michael Noble, this is the secret life of spies.

Fire is a continuing problem around the world and it must be controlled. This ACS Symposium Series volume addresses recent advances in fire retardancy and examines progress that has been made in controlling fires. It focuses on the chemistry of the polymers themselves and how those chemical structures yield particular heat release, thermal decomposition products, and full-scale fire performance. The book consists of 5 sections. First, the Editors produce an overview to put the latest research into perspective. The first third of the book focuses on Nanocomposites and Flame Retardancy and represents the current state of the field. The second third of the book is devoted to Polymer Flammability Measurement and Mechanisms. The remainder of the book will is equally divided between New Flame Retardant Chemistry and Recent Developments in Flame Retardant Materials. Each of the 4 technical sections is preceded by a short overview provided by the editors.

This book presents a critical review of designing, siting, constructing and demonstrating the safety and environmental impact of deep repositories for radioactive wastes. It is structured to provide a broad perspective of this multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary topic: providing enough detail for a non-specialist to understand the fundamental principles involved and with extensive references to sources of more detailed information.
Emphasis is very much on "deep" geological disposal - at least some tens of metres below land surface and, in many cases, many hundred of metres deep. Additionally, only radioactive wastes are considered directly - even though such wastes often contain also significant chemotoxic or otherwise hazardous components. Many of the principles involved are generally applicable to other repository options (e.g. near-surface or on-surface disposal) and, indeed, to other types of hazardous waste.
* Presents a current critical review in designing, siting, constructing and demonsrating the safety and environmental impact of deep repositories for radwaste
* Addresses the fundamental principles of radioactive waste with up-to-date examples and real-world case studies
* Written for a multi-disciplinary audience, with an appropriate level of detail to allow a non-specialist to understand

The comprehensive Teacher's Book contains detailed notes and extra materials - everything teachers need to make the most of the course. * Teacher's notes for every unit with warmers, fillers, alternative suggestions, culture notes and answer keys. * Teaching tips on useful areas such as grammar, lexis, pronunciation, using video etc. * Photocopiable grammar, vocabulary and functional language worksheets for every unit. * Class audio and video scripts. * Unit and achievement tests. * Mid and end of course tests. * Test audio, audio scripts and answer keys.

In recent years scientists have investigated a series of new methods for non-rocket space launch, which promise to revolutionize space launches and flight. Particularly in the current political climate new, cheaper, and more fuel efficient methods are being investigated. Such new methods include the gas tube method, cable accelerators, tether launch systems, space elevators, solar and magnetic sails, circle launcher space keepers and more.
The author brings a vast amount of experience to the topic, having worked as a engineer, designer, project director and researcher at key institutes including NASA and the US Air Force.
Explores all the new non-rocket space launch methods, and compares them with each other and traditional rockets.
Investigates the unifying principles of the different systems and shows how to select the best design suited to the mission.
Author brings together technical and theoretical expertise from both industry and academia

The book is divided into three sections: The first section covers basic materials (from choice of suture materials to why powdered gloves can cause latex allergy), instruments (such as why scissors are right or left handed) and basic techniques (for example, how to deliberately tie a slip knot and how to avoid doing so accidentally!). The second section covers local anaesthetic agents and techniques. The third section describes the most commonly performed operations and the complications that may be encountered including how to avoid and how to deal with them. There are also chapters that deal with the highly important but often neglected topics of biometry and orbital and lens implant biomaterials and design. Throughout, the scientific basis has been emphasized where possible. Professionals who work with ophthalmic patients such as nursing staff and optometrists will also find a clear description of the commonly performed procedures to be of interest. * an easy-to-use book, rectifying any immediate gaps in surgical knowledge * a highly practical text which covers everything that the ophthalmic trainee needs to know * beautifully illustrated text, covering all the basic procedures from anesthesia to instruments, wounds and their aftercare to the most commonly performed ophthalmic operations

Specters of Revolution chronicles the subaltern political history of peasant guerrilla movements that emerged in the southwestern Mexican state of Guerrero during the late 1960s. The National Revolutionary Civic Association (ACNR) and the Party of the Poor (PDLP), led by schoolteachers Genaro Vazquez and Lucio Cabanas, respectively, organized popularly-backed revolutionary armed struggles that sought the overthrow of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Both guerrilla organizations materialized from a decades-long history of massacres and everyday forms of terror committed by local-regional political bosses and the Mexican federal government against citizen social movements that demanded the redemption of constitutional rights. The book reveals that these revolutionary movements developed after years of exhausting legal, constitutional pathways of redress (focused on issues of economic justice and electoral rights) and surviving several state-directed massacres throughout the 1960s. As such, the peasant guerrillas represented only the final phase of a social process with roots in the unfulfilled promises of the 1910 Mexican Revolution and the dual capitalist modernization-political authoritarian program adopted by the PRI after 1940. The history of the ACNR and PDLP guerrillas, and the brutal counterinsurgency waged against them by the PRI regime, challenges Mexico's place within the historiography of post-1945 Latin America. At the local and regional levels parts of Mexico like Guerrero experienced instances of authoritarian rule, popular political radicalization, and brutal counterinsurgency that fully inserts the nation into a Cold War Latin American history of state terror and "dirty wars." This study simultaneously exposes the violent underbelly that underscored the PRI's ruling tenure after 1940 and explodes the myth that Mexico constituted an island of relative peace and stability surrounded by a sea of military dictatorships during the Cold War.

This second edition of International Environmental Law, Policy, and Ethics revises and expands this groundbreaking study into the question of why the environment is protected in the international arena. This question is rarely asked because it is assumed that each member of the international community wants to achieve the same ends. However, in his innovative study of international environmental ethics, Alexander Gillespie explodes this myth. He shows how nations, like individuals, create environmental laws and policies which are continually inviting failure, as such laws can often be riddled with inconsistencies, and be ultimately contradictory in purpose. Specifically, he seeks a nexus between the reasons why nations protect the environment, how these reasons are reflected in law and policy, and what complications arise from these choices. This book takes account of the numerous developments in international environmental law and policy that have taken place the publication of the first edition, most notably at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 2012 'Rio + 20' United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Furthermore, it addresses recent debates on the economic value of nature, and the problems of the illegal trade in species and toxic waste. The cultural context has also been considerably advanced in the areas of both intangible and tangible heritage, with increasing attention being given to conservation, wildlife management, and the notion of protected areas. The book investigates the ways in which progress has been made regarding humane trapping and killing of animals, and how, in contrast, the Great Apes initiative, and similar work with whales, have failed. Finally, the book addresses the fact that while the notion of ecosystem management has been embraced by a number of environmental regimes, it has thus far failed as an international philosophy.

Glasgow for Bertie is the promised land. The city of pies and Irn Bru, far from his controlling mother, Irene – his place of escape. But how will he respond to the news of the proposed merging of Edinburgh and Glasgow? A new member of Bertie’s class at school is causing ripples in his social circle. She is called Galactica MacFee and is going to be a match for Olive and her lieutenant, Pansy. And, an incredible new discovery: a Pictish stone, that is said to have the first-know written poem carved into it is the talk of the town. But, when the poem is eventually translated, it is thought it is best to keep it under wraps. In this new instalment in the perennially popular 44 Scotland series, we are back in the world of Angus and Domenico, Bruce, Matthew and Elspeth, and, of course, Bertie and his friend Ranald Braveheart Macpherson. Filled with Alexander McCall Smith’s trademark wit, warmth and humour, this new book is a must-read.

It's the most anticipated event of the decade: Big Lou and Fat Bob's wedding and everyone is invited! After a wonderful day, Big Lou crashes back down to earth and finds that she is a victim of her own success. The lure of those famous bacon rolls is preventing her from leaving hungry customers without their daily dose of deliciousness - even to go for a long-awaited honeymoon. Will Big Lou find the happiness she so richly deserves? Everyone in Scotland Street hopes so, but, as Burns warned, the best laid plans ... The relative peace and tranquillity of 44 Scotland Street is about to be disrupted. Irene is to return for a two-month stay, consigning Bertie to a summer camp. Not satisfied with that, she somehow manages to come between the enigmatic nun, Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, and her friend, the hagiographer, Antonia Collie. Can a person really change, even after being struck by lightning? Bruce's metamorphosis and new-found outlook on life is put to the test as he prepares to leave his creature comforts for the monastic simplicity of Pluscarden Abbey. His house sitter, meanwhile, gets a little too comfortable in his new life and discovers that the talented Bruce Anderson's shoes are all too easy to slip into. With great taste comes great responsibility. Come and discover The Enigma of Garlic and join the delightful denizens of Edinburgh's most famous address. This latest instalment of the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series is wise, witty, and full of warmth.

Contemporary observers of politics in America often reduce democracy to demography. Whatever portion of the vote not explained by the class, gender, race, and religious differences of voters is attributed to the candidates' positions on the issues of the day. But are these the only--or even the main--factors that determine the vote?
The Performance of Politics develops a new way of looking at democratic struggles for power, explaining what happened, and why, during the 2008 presidential campaign in the United States. Drawing on vivid examples taken from a range of media coverage, participant observation at a Camp Obama, and interviews with leading political journalists, Jeffrey Alexander argues that images, emotion, and performance are the central features of the battle for power. While these features have been largely overlooked by pundits, they are, in fact, the primary foci of politicians and their staff. Obama and McCain painstakingly constructed heroic self-images for their campaigns and the successful projections of those images suffused not only each candidate's actual rallies, and not only their media messages, but also the ground game. Money and organization facilitate the ground game, but they do not determine it. Emotion, images, and performance do. Though an untested senator and the underdog in his own party, Obama succeeded in casting himself as the hero--and McCain the anti-hero--and the only candidate fit to lead in challenging times.
Illuminating the drama of Obama's celebrity, the effect of Sarah Palin on the race, and the impact of the emerging financial crisis, Alexander's engaging narrative marries the immediacy and excitement of the final months of this historic presidential campaign with a new understanding of how politics work.