For over 30 years we have been in the midst of a paradox. Following a questionable logic that sees education as a means to economic ends, efforts to reform education have focused on keeping the US from slipping in international economic competition. Relying on testing as a standard, in the end we may have decreased our human potential and become less competitive. Our system has gotten worse at its core, in its philosophical tenets and in its ultimate effects, by placing unwonted pressure on our youth and in stifling their creativity. While this goes back decades, Respect for Teachers takes its title from a phrase --perhaps a codeword-- in President's 2011 State of the Union address and sits down to consider its implications. Connecting attacks on teachers, unions and schools and the misrepresentation of research to the promotion of new economic models in education, it suggests that the Obama administration may be, without quite realizing it, setting the stage for rapid privatization of the public system. As this endangers the egalitarian basis of democracy, it also reminds us that schooling is big business - many trillions of dollars world-wide. Joseph Schumpeter once said, "No bourgeoisie ever disliked war profits." Respect operates under the premise that no bourgeoisie ever disliked the spoils of school reform, either.

Overheating in buildings is commonplace. This book describes how we can keep cool without conventional air-conditioning: improving comfort and productivity while reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. It provides architects, engineers and policy makers with a 'how-to' guide to the application of natural cooling in new and existing buildings. It demonstrates, through reference to numerous examples, that natural cooling is viable in most climates around the world. This completely revised and expanded second edition includes: An overview of natural cooling past and present. Guidance on the principles and strategies that can be adopted. A review of the applicability of different strategies. Explanation of simplified tools for performance assessment. A review of components and controls. A detailed evaluation of case studies from the USA, Europe, India and China. This book is not just for the technical specialist, as it also provides a general grounding in how to avoid or minimise air-conditioning. Importantly, it demonstrates that understanding our environment, rather than fighting it, will help us to live sustainably in our rapidly warming world.

Overheating in buildings is commonplace. This book describes how we can keep cool without conventional air-conditioning: improving comfort and productivity while reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. It provides architects, engineers and policy makers with a 'how-to' guide to the application of natural cooling in new and existing buildings. It demonstrates, through reference to numerous examples, that natural cooling is viable in most climates around the world. This completely revised and expanded second edition includes: An overview of natural cooling past and present. Guidance on the principles and strategies that can be adopted. A review of the applicability of different strategies. Explanation of simplified tools for performance assessment. A review of components and controls. A detailed evaluation of case studies from the USA, Europe, India and China. This book is not just for the technical specialist, as it also provides a general grounding in how to avoid or minimise air-conditioning. Importantly, it demonstrates that understanding our environment, rather than fighting it, will help us to live sustainably in our rapidly warming world.

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are species closely related to crop plants which can contribute beneficial traits, such as pest or disease resistance and yield improvement. These species are critical for improving agricultural production and increasing food security. They are also essential components of natural and semi-natural habitats as well as agricultural systems, and are therefore vital in maintaining ecosystem health. However, CWR, like any other group of wild species, are subject to an increasing range of threats: habitat loss, degradation and mismanagement, over-collection and climate change. Through an examination of the national, regional and global context of CWR, these authoritative studies present methodologies and case studies that review and provide recommendations for global conservation and use. Topics range from the establishment of conservation priorities and strategies, threat assessment and genetic erosion and pollution.

Advances in molecular and cell biology have led to the development of a whole range of techniques for manipulating genomes, collectively termed biotechnology . Although much of the focus in the plant sciences has been on the direct manipulation of plant genomes, biotechnology has also catalyzed a renewed emphasis on the importance of biological and genetic diversity and its conservation. The methods of biotechnology now permit a greater understanding of both species and genetic diversity in plants, the mechanisms by which that variation is generated in nature, and the significance of that variation in the adaptation of plants to their environment. They allow the development of rapid methods for screening germplasm for specific characters and promote more effective conservation strategies by defining the extent of genetic diversity. Tissue culture-based techniques are available for conserving germplasm that cannot be maintained by more traditional methods. Also sophisticated informatics systems enable information on plant genetics and molecular biology to be cross-related to systematic, ecological and other data through international networks."

Based on the 2010 conference 'Towards the establishment of genetic reserves for crop wild relatives and landraces in Europe', this book is the cutting edge discussion of agrobiodiversity conservation. By considering the benefits of understanding and preserving crop wild relatives and landraces, it encompasses issues as wide-ranging and topical as habitat protection, ecosystem health and food security. Focusing on Europe, but globally relevant, Agrobiodiversity Conservation is ideal for postgraduate students of conservation and environmental studies, conservation professionals, policy makers and researchers.

Maintaining food security in the face of human population increase and climate change is one of the critical challenges facing us in the 21st Century. Utilisation of the full range of agrobiodiversity will be a necessary tool in addressing this challenge. In this book a team of international contributors review all aspects of utilization and conservation of crop wild relative (CWR) and landrace (LR) diversity as a basis for crop improvement and future food security. Enhancing Crop Genepool Use covers four key areas: * Characterization techniques - novel 'omics' techniques and predictive tools that can be used to identify adaptive traits and expedite plant breeding. * Conservation strategies - how to develop national, regional and global CWR and LR conservation strategies, how better to target conservation to meet the needs of the plant breeding community, and how to integrate CWR and LR diversity into existing biodiversity conservation programmes. * Facilitating CWR and LR use - pre-breeding using 'exotic' germplasm, meeting breeders' needs, integrating the conservation and user communities, and policy enhancement. * Informatics development - improving characterization, trait and conservation data management and accessibility, and inter-information system operability. This book will appeal to a wide array of specialists and postgraduate students, such as those working in the fields of agrobiodiversity conservation and use, conservation, ecology, botany, genetics, plant breeding and agriculture.

This book addresses the current state of climate change predictions, and how climate change will affect conservation and use of crop germplasm, both "ex situ" and "in situ." In addition, specific examples of germplasm research related to climate change threats are highlighted. Such activities need to take place under a regime of access to and use of germplasm through international conventions and treaties.

Are you frustrated with the monotonous Spanish verb drills that involve writing page after page of conjugations? Good news! You now have an alternative, Spanish Verb Conjugation: A Hands-On Guide to the 7 Compound Tenses. This unique, hands-on approach allows you to actively learn subject pronouns, auxiliary verbs, past participles, translations and usage of regular, compound tense verbs through easy to use formation charts and cards. This hybrid instructional book and hands-on learning kit will change your perspective on conjugation and you will never look at Spanish verbs the same way again!

Are you frustrated with the monotonous Spanish verb drills that involve writing page after page of conjugations? Good news! You now have an alternative, Spanish Verb Conjugation: A Hands-On Guide to the 7 Simple Tenses. This unique, hands-on approach allows you to actively learn subject pronouns, infinitive verb forms, verb stems, verb endings, conjugations, translations and usage of regular, simple tense verbs through easy to use formation charts and cards. This hybrid instructional book and hands-on learning kit will change your perspective on conjugation and you will never look at Spanish verbs the same way again!

Brian Ford-Powell's poetry collection will take you from humour to romance and into many other areas of life - many reflecting his own broad background. Written in understandable styles, this rhyming poetry is for everyone.