Slip, a form of liquid clay, has been used since ancient times to add color and texture to ceramics. This method of clay decoration, practiced from Rome to Mesoamerica, continues to develop internationally. Slips allow ceramicists to give their works rich, intriguing surfaces in a range of hues. In "Techniques Using Slips," expert potter John Mathieson explains how to formulate and apply slips successfully to embellish earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain."Techniques Using Slips" gives step-by-step lessons on working with slips alone or with glaze using a range of firing methods. Beginning with a brief history of decorative slips over the millennia, this handbook guides readers through basic slip mixing and application methods, including sponging, marbling, stenciling, trailing, sgraffito, and inlay. Mathieson and forty of the world's best ceramic artists open their studios as they complete inspiring projects, revealing everything from the clays they use and englobe recipes to firing temperatures. Their artwork and techniques come to life in dozens of full-color photographs. In addition to creative approaches, "Techniques Using Slips" covers practical aspects of slip work, including equipment recommendations, supplier contact information, and important safety guidelines.With more than 170 illustrations and clear, encouraging instruction, "Techniques Using Slips" is a must for any potter's library. Ceramic artists and educators will turn to this handbook again and again for direction and insight.

One of the key constraints to accelerated economic performance in developing countries is, in the authors' view, the absence of strong, dynamic financial systems. Many, if not most, developing countries suffer from repressed financial systems. Thus the most important step in effecting the development of capital markets is to lay a foundation of sound macroeconomic and regulatory policies conducive to financial sector development. This book presents an approach to financial sector reform composed of financial sector diagnosis, policy and institutional targeting, macroeconomic reforms, bank regulation and supervisory reform, and privatization. The work also presents criteria to help decision-makers apply the approach. The issues and approaches presented are as relevant to the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe and such transitional countries as Brazil and Mexico as they are to developing countries. The authors begin with an introductory discussion of the two-pronged strategy of financial reform and privatization and then, in chapter 2, provide an overview of developing financial systems. Chapter 3 discusses the public/private debate. Chapter 4 is devoted to financial sector liberalization, and chapter 5 goes on to discuss the privatization of financial institutions. A framework for financial reform and privatization is presented in chapter 6, and chapter 7 provides concluding comments. In addition, a series of case studies are presented in the appendix. These case studies demonstrate the methods and strategies used to address financial sector reform in Bangladesh, Chile, Guinea, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Philippines. This book will be useful to financial and development experts and to policy makers in countries amenable to changing their financial systems. It would also be appropriate for courses in international economics, international banking, international monetary issues, international finance, and economic development.

Drawing its inspiration from Anthony Mann's 'The Fall of the Roman Empire' (1964) and Stanley Kubrick's 'Spartacus' (1960), Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning take on the Roman epic lavishes the genre with the very latest in computer-generated effects technology. After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) betrays the Emperor's beloved General Maximus (Russell Crowe) and takes the throne for himself. Maximus is sold as a slave and then trained as a gladiator, keeping himself strong with thoughts of revenge. Eventually he is taken to the Colosseum, where he prepares to fight in a contest presided over by the corrupt Commodus. Will he suffer the ultimate humiliation and die for the entertainment of his enemy or will he survive the rigors of the arena and find a way of exacting his revenge?

Techniques Using Slips examines the many techniques of using slips - liquid clay which can be used for decoration on its own or covered with glaze - such as brushing, dipping, trailing and sgraffito amongst others, and uses contemporary potters' works as illustrations. It explains how to make up slips and englobes, as well as ways of using them at higher temperatures, both with and without glazes. The book is illustrated with working potters in action, showing their own personal styles and how they have adapted traditional methods to suit their work today in a modern context. As well as examples of techniques, there are many images of beautiful finished pieces to show what can be achieved.

John Anderson and Colin Ewen, two of the most notable exponents of 'dependency phonology', present in this book a detailed account of this integrated model for the representational of segmental and suprasegmental structure in phonology. Dependency phonology departs from traditional 'linear' models of phonology, and the more recent non-linear models of autosegmental and metrical phonology, in several respects. Unlike in these models, suprasegmental structure is derived directly from the segmental representations, and these representations are based on single-valued features, or components (rather than Chomsky and Halle-type binary features), linked by the dependency relation to form suprasegmental structures, with the exact nature of the dependency relations being directly determined by the properties of the segmental structure. Phonology is currently noteworthy for the diversity of views within the discipline, but no linguist or phonetician with a serious interest in phonology can afford to ignore this book or fail to be interested by it.

Guy Ritchie directs and co-writes this action comedy based on the 1960s TV series and starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Set in 1963, the story follows two agents, Napoleon Solo (Cavill) of the CIA and Illya Kuryakin (Hammer) of the KGB, who, much to their chagrin, are made to join forces and work together on a mission to bring down a mysterious criminal organisation that is intent on multiplying the number of nuclear weapons. Will the pair succeed? The cast also includes Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris and Hugh Grant.

X-Men
Born into a world filled with prejudice are children who possess extraordinary and dangerous powers the result of unique genetic mutations. But under the tutelage of Professor Xavier, these and other outcasts learn to harness their powers for the good of mankind. Now they must protect those who fear them as the nefarious Magneto, who believes humans and mutants can never co-exist, unveils his sinister plan for the future!

X-Men 2
Hatred and distrust brew between human and mutantkind. An unprovoked mutant attack on the President gives General William Stryker his long-awaited opportunity to wage all-out war against the mutants. A war that would leave only one race victorious. The X-Men must unite with their old adversary Magneto to prevent a devastating confrontation that could destroy everyone on the planet.

X-Men 3
Experience the awesome power of the X-Men's epic, final battle as it is time to take a stand. After a controversial "cure" is discovered, mutants can choose to retain their superhuman abilities or give up their unique gifts and become "normal". When peaceful mutant leader Charles Xavier clashes with his militant counterpart, Magneto, the battle lines are drawn for the war to end all wars.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Leading up to the events of the first X-Men movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe whose appearances in the film series have long been anticipated.

X-Men: First Class
Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were arch-enemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

The Wolverine
In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in the critically-acclaimed blockbuster smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past. The characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class in an epic battle that must change the past - to save our future.

In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border.

But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are thrown into disarray when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

(Academy Award nomination for: Best Adapted Screenplay)

Carl Rinsch directs this reimagining of the Japanese tale about the revenge of the 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves. With the underhand machinations of their rival Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) blamed for the death of their master, a group of abandoned ronin recruit British-Japanese outcast Kai (Reeves) to help plan their revenge. Vastly outnumbered, but inspired by the teachings of Kuranosuke Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), Kai and the other ronin engage in a bloody battle with forces under the command of Kira's loyal subordinate Mizuki (Rinko Kikuchi).

Guy Ritchie directs and co-writes this action comedy based on the 1960s TV series and starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Set in 1963, the story follows two agents, Napoleon Solo (Cavill) of the CIA and Illya Kuryakin (Hammer) of the KGB, who, much to their chagrin, are made to join forces and work together on a mission to bring down a mysterious criminal organisation that is intent on multiplying the number of nuclear weapons. Will the pair succeed? The cast also includes Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris and Hugh Grant.

Rowan Joffe writes and directs this adaptation of Graham Greene's novel. Updating the story from its original 1930s setting to the mid-1960s world of mods and rockers, the film stars Sam Riley as Pinkie Brown, a teenage gangster who seduces and marries young waitress Rose (Andrea Riseborough) after she stumbles upon evidence of a revenge killing carried out by him and his gang. Helen Mirren, John Hurt and Pete Postlethwaite co-star.