Multidisciplinary Scheduling: Theory and Applications is a volume of nineteen reviewed papers that were selected from the sixty-seven papers presented during the First Multidisciplinary International Conference of Scheduling (MISTA). This is the initial volume of MISTA the primary forum on interdisciplinary research on scheduling research. Each paper in the volume has been rigorously reviewed and carefully copyedited to ensure its readability.

The MISTA volume focuses on the following leading edge topics: Fundamentals of Scheduling, Multi-Criteria Scheduling, Personnel Scheduling, Scheduling in Space, Scheduling the Internet, Machine Scheduling, Bin Packing, Educational Timetabling, Sports Scheduling, and Transport Scheduling.

Communicating with Our Families: Continuity, Interruption, and Transformation explores the impact of personal communication technologies on family communication. In this historical moment, novel communication technologies and social media applications infiltrate our family units. This edited collection examines how communication technologies are shaping childhood, parenthood, and families by exploring topics such as parental loneliness, family storytelling, family technology rules, mindful technology usage, multigenerational communication, and community. The scholars in this volume work from a human communication perspective and use various research modes of inquiry including quantitative, qualitative, and interpretive methods. Through the integration and presentation of diverse research questions tested and responded to from a variety of scholarly approaches, a nuanced exploration of communication technology utilized within a family setting is provided. Since the family is indeed "the first communication classroom," this volume interrogates how that classroom may be changing and the implications of that change on different roles, responsibilities, and relationships within the family. Perhaps the most significant question implied by our contributors in this volume: Will the introduction of new communication technologies fundamentally alter familial forms and will those new grouping that emerge resemble what has been generally assumed for several millennia?

The first edition of Search Methodologies: Introductory Tutorials in Optimization and Decision Support Techniques was originally put together to offer a basic introduction to the various search and optimization techniques that students might need to use during their research, and this new edition continues this tradition. Search Methodologies has been expanded and brought completely up to date, including new chapters covering scatter search, GRASP, and very large neighborhood search. The chapter authors are drawn from across Computer Science and Operations Research and include some of the world's leading authorities in their field. The book provides useful guidelines for implementing the methods and frameworks described and offers valuable tutorials to students and researchers in the field. "As I embarked on the pleasant journey of reading through the chapters of this book, I became convinced that this is one of the best sources of introductory material on the search methodologies topic to be found. The book's subtitle, "Introductory Tutorials in Optimization and Decision Support Techniques", aptly describes its aim, and the editors and contributors to this volume have achieved this aim with remarkable success. The chapters in this book are exemplary in giving useful guidelines for implementing the methods and frameworks described." Fred Glover, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, USA "[The book] aims to present a series of well written tutorials by the leading experts in their fields. Moreover, it does this by covering practically the whole possible range of topics in the discipline. It enables students and practitioners to study and appreciate the beauty and the power of some of the computational search techniques that are able to effectively navigate through search spaces that are sometimes inconceivably large. I am convinced that this second edition will build on the success of the first edition and that it will prove to be just as popular." Jacek Blazewicz, Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology and Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

This text critically addresses, through college student voices, the American school reform movement in its rhetoric, policy and practice. Drawing from a course taught by McKenna, Collier, and Burke, this book provides theoretical and practical demonstrations of how a university course can treat students, many of them future teachers, as engaged citizens and contributors to discussions of education and society. It showcases work done by students in the process of learning education reform policy, discusses the obstacles and problems encountered as students join conversations on reform at both their university and in society at large, and examines the particular ways in which authoritative discourse and personal experience come to form knowledge at the university level.

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a holistic approach to the areas of advertising, public relations, branding, promotions, event and experiential marketing, and related fields of strategic communication. Integrated Marketing Communication: Creating Spaces for Engagement explores how IMC can open up spaces for engagement in our classrooms and our communities. The breadth of the contributors is in the spirit of IMC, examining public and private sector organizations that offer products and services while relying on various methodologies and theoretical approaches, with particular emphasis on rhetoric, philosophy of communication, qualitative research, and historical perspectives in IMC. Moreover, each chapter considers IMC from a different communicative perspective, including strategic communication, philosophy of communication, rhetorical theory, health communication, crisis and risk communication, communication theory, and mass communication.

Multidisciplinary Scheduling: Theory and Applications is a volume of nineteen reviewed papers that were selected from the sixty-seven papers presented during the First Multidisciplinary International Conference of Scheduling (MISTA). This is the initial volume of MISTA the primary forum on interdisciplinary research on scheduling research. Each paper in the volume has been rigorously reviewed and carefully copyedited to ensure its readability.

The MISTA volume focuses on the following leading edge topics: Fundamentals of Scheduling, Multi-Criteria Scheduling, Personnel Scheduling, Scheduling in Space, Scheduling the Internet, Machine Scheduling, Bin Packing, Educational Timetabling, Sports Scheduling, and Transport Scheduling.

This book is a tutorial survey of the methodologies that are at the confluence of several fields: Computer Science, Mathematics and Operations Research. It provides a carefully structured and integrated treatment of the major technologies in optimization and search methodology. The chapter authors are drawn from across Computer Science and Operations Research and include some of the world 's leading authorities in their field. It can be used as a textbook or a reference book to learn and apply these methodologies to a wide range of today 's problems.

Perfect for fans of J Lynn & J A Redmerski! What happens when you find yourself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future... Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees her dream job as a music journalist in sunny Los Angeles and returns to her hometown of Boston - only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan's piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of - which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee's troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way.

The first edition of Search Methodologies: Introductory Tutorials in Optimization and Decision Support Techniques was originally put together to offer a basic introduction to the various search and optimization techniques that students might need to use during their research, and this new edition continues this tradition. Search Methodologies has been expanded and brought completely up to date, including new chapters covering scatter search, GRASP, and very large neighborhood search. The chapter authors are drawn from across Computer Science and Operations Research and include some of the world's leading authorities in their field. The book provides useful guidelines for implementing the methods and frameworks described and offers valuable tutorials to students and researchers in the field. "As I embarked on the pleasant journey of reading through the chapters of this book, I became convinced that this is one of the best sources of introductory material on the search methodologies topic to be found. The book's subtitle, "Introductory Tutorials in Optimization and Decision Support Techniques", aptly describes its aim, and the editors and contributors to this volume have achieved this aim with remarkable success. The chapters in this book are exemplary in giving useful guidelines for implementing the methods and frameworks described." Fred Glover, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, USA "[The book] aims to present a series of well written tutorials by the leading experts in their fields. Moreover, it does this by covering practically the whole possible range of topics in the discipline. It enables students and practitioners to study and appreciate the beauty and the power of some of the computational search techniques that are able to effectively navigate through search spaces that are sometimes inconceivably large. I am convinced that this second edition will build on the success of the first edition and that it will prove to be just as popular." Jacek Blazewicz, Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology and Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

Why live in the box? Populate your world with any alien, superhero, historical, action, horror, or science-fiction figure you can "Just imagine." Minifigure Customization 2: Why Live in the Box? takes an advanced look at the hobby, introducing more complex techniques to alter the lovable LEGO minifigure, and building on the techniques introduced in the first book. It features tutorials on virtual customization, designing decals and advanced decal application, custom part modification and creation, including 3-D printing, advanced painting techniques, lighting figures with LEDs or EL wire, tips on minifigure displays, and digital photography tips to capture your custom figures in the best light. Essential tools used to create custom figures are identified and updated, and a Gallery of custom minifigures from top customizers is included, where they share their favorite tips and tricks.

Captain Li Wing Hua has been a prisoner of an alien race for nearly four years, freed at last after the war. So when he's finally made captain of another space ship, he's eager to return to space. But when he discovers an observation outpost wrecked and the crew tortured to death, Hua has reason to suspect the same alien race that tortured and held him captive those four long years. But can he unravel the mystery before it causes an interstellar incident?

"Have you ever just connected with a person and had to fight to be with them? Well if you have, this book is for you." - Diary of a Book Addict What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend's boyfriend? That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee's boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from. When Justine and David's affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren't always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.

NIGHT MARSHAL #4: THE GHOUL OF SOCORRO

"Have you heard about any strange goings-on around here?"
The smith looked up at him as though measuring Jack and, after a minute, nodded. "Some local Indians say that Coyote walks at night around here."
Something warned Jack not to dismiss the comment. "What does that mean?"
"Death often walks with Coyote. Maybe it's spite. They say Coyote can't die, so Death takes a few extra where Coyote walks, to make up the difference."
Jack studied the man. The Indian might be superstitious. Hell, he might even be crazy. But he was most definitely not joking. "How do I find this Coyote?"
"You don't. You pray to your God he doesn't find you."

Scarface, on his way back to a clan stronghold after assassinating a legate, meets and falls in love with a woman even more ruthless than he. To win her, he must reunite an empire and create a kingdom. His only allies are his wits, his sword, and the power in his scars -- black marks like the taloned finger prints of a demon. To achieve his goals, he must deal with old enemies, gods of dubious worth, and his own family -- who may be the most dangerous of all.

Valtierra, a city-state, is governed by archetypes. Every two years they choose twelve men and women to wear the masks and to become the Wise Old Man, the Fool, the Mother, the Harlot, the Warrior, and the rest of the council. But now Valtierra faces hunger, decay, and an enemy on their border and, when the need for leadership is greatest, one mask is worn by a foreigner and one mask hides a traitor.

Minifigure Customization: Populate Your World! shows you the wide range of techniques you can use to alter the lovable LEGO® Minifigure into any character you can imagine! BrickJournal columnist and author Jared K. Burks has created thousands of custom minifigs over the last 13 years, and this full-color book assembles his knowledge into a series of step-by-step tutorials on decal design and application, color alteration, custom part modification and creation, plus tips on minifigure displays and digital photography to capture your custom figures in the best light—all the way through complete custom figure creation! Essential tools are identified, plus there’s a tips and tricks section, and a gallery of some of the best custom figures ever created! Don’t live inside the box—populate your world with any alien, superhero, historical, action, horror, or science-fiction figure you can “just imagine”!