A tongue in cheek look back at the teenage years through the eyes of Andrew O'Leary as he goes through many trials and tribulations that teenagers seem to encounter. All the while our hero has the nagging feeling that he is the only one on earth being afflicted by the mysterious and irresistible force known as puberty. Andrew is pushed and shoved in all directions as he is catapulted through his teenage years like a ball in a pinball machine. All the while, Andrew tries to make sense of his journey so hopefully he will exit puberty with new found knowledge and wisdom.

This book takes a practical and revealing look at innovation and entrepreneurship by asking a wide sample of proven global entrepreneurs 'how they did it'. There are always critics who claim that such an approach is too subjective, the findings cannot be generalized across the greater population, or there may be issues of validity and reliability. In response to such arguments I can only shrug and point in the direction of authors such as Robert Yin (2003) and David de Vaus (2002) who have written eloquently on this topic. Stephen Jay Gould (1989), once made the following observation, 'the surfaces of planets and moons cannot be predicted from a few general rules. To understand planetary surfaces, we must learn the particular history of each body as an individual object - the story of its collisions and catastrophes, more than its steady accumulations, in other words, its unpredictable single jolts more than its daily operations under nature's laws'. Similarly we argue that the life of an entrepreneur must be studied, including the shocks and calamities, as well as their personalities and characteristics. Only then can we really understand the forces and influences that shaped them into what they have become. This book is an attempt to do exactly that. Our entrepreneurs have been honest and candid when talking about the bad times as well as the good. A romanticized view of entrepreneurship helps no one. Our findings indicate that entrepreneurship is comprised of a convergence between specific personal attributes and various environmental elements and opportunity factors - none of which match those described by Kets de Vries and Goss. Not everyone has these personal attributes and not every environment is conducive to entrepreneurial behaviour, but after reading this book you will agree that entrepreneurship is far less mysterious than many authors would have us believe. You will also agree that entrepreneurship is not an outcome of psychotic tendencies. We set out to demystify the entrepreneurial act by (1) documenting a number of entrepreneurial journeys - providing inspiration to those seeking the motivation to venture into the unknown, and (2) providing a decision aid that can act as a stop/go framework to test your readiness to proceed with a business idea. This framework highlights knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes needed to be an entrepreneur, and it integrates important environmental factors that link the entrepreneur with his or her business venture. We interviewed entrepreneurs from Vietnam, Australia, China, New Zealand and Mongolia who described the manner in which they recognized and exploited business opportunities and overcame obstacles in their path to success. Traditionally such studies have concentrated on Anglo-American entrepreneurs. Our approach is different. We interviewed entrepreneurs from the various countries who represent business people from developed to transition economies that are striving to achieve economic and business growth against many hardships and obstacles. We included the developing nations as they are becoming increasingly reliant on this economic and business expansion (i.e. via migration, trade in commodities and resources and business links). The perspectives gained from this study attempt to describe contemporary entrepreneurial behaviours in the context of rapidly expanding economic systems. The authors examine the entrepreneurial phenomenon using inspirational case studies that describe the journey's and challenges of real, and quite ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary outcomes with their business ventures. These examples of business success are set in a variety of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Mongolia, and China.

Most poker books and training videos on tournaments and Sit 'n Gos are by professional poker players who play at the highest stakes. Whereas you can learn a lot from studying them, they won't always be as useful to you when you're mainly playing at the low stakes. Playing low stakes games against beginning and recreational players requires a whole different strategy and approach than playing high stakes games against the best of the best. The Crushing Low Stakes Poker series is focused specifically on low stakes play and teaches you the proper strategy to consistently crush low stakes Sit 'n Gos.

Volume 2: Heads-Up

Volume 2 of the series deals with heads-up play and covers heads-up fundamentals, theory and strategy. We will take a close look at important topics such as hand reading, manipulating ranges and post-flop play on different board textures. We will also cover common playing tendencies of low stakes opponents and how to take advantage of them. Becoming familiar with your opponents' weaknesses and learning how to develop effective counter strategies, will give you the edge you need in low stakes games.

Improve Your Tournament Results

Heads-up skills are essential to achieve good tournament results. There is a significant pay jump in tournaments from second to first prize so mastering heads-up play will make a big difference to your win rate.

Heads-up is not the easiest form of poker. It requires you to play a lot of hands and you will often face difficult post-flop decisions. This book explains heads-up strategy in a practical and easy to follow manner, providing you with the tools you need to master those tough one-on-one poker battles. So whether you play heads-up Sit 'n Gos or multi-player SnGs/tournaments, Crushing Low Stakes Poker Volume 2 will be of value to you.

Includes Push-Fold Charts and Example Hands

Included in the book are push/fold charts for heads-up play. These charts let you make mathematically correct endgame decisions so you can maximize your winnings. Throughout the book you will also find multiple example hands with detailed analysis to illustrate important concepts and strategy.

Sponsorship. So many want it. So many need it. So few have any real notion of how to get it and fewr still do not understand how to keep it. As a sponsorship manager employed by large corporations and as an independent consultant, Mike Turner has seen it all. Some came fully equipped and he sent them away smiling; others brought beautifully presented proposals with nothing of value to say and left empty-handed. There were the poorly prepared proposals with potential but nothing to support them; the supremely confident club representatives who thumped the table and demanded the world; the meek representatives who scuttled away at the first challenge. There were probably legions of people of whom Mike was not even aware, because they didn't make it past the outer reaches of the company. Few seemed to understand the system or how it operates, and without that understanding their chances of successfully connecting with it were significantly reduced. Mike's response was to write this book-a guide book to take you, the outsider, in and help you to negotiate the Corridors of the labyrinth. In this book Mike gives insights into the company operations and policies that drive sponsorship decisions, explains the mindset of the individuals who control sponsorship, and teaches you how to access the right person in the most effective way. He will show you how to extract the best value from your organisation, prepare your proposal, make your pitch and secure and keep your sponsorship.

A colorful, whimsical bedtime story with a moral. Generated by Mike Turner to show good triumph's over bad habits in a very unusual way. Meant to be a fun read with morals for children of all ages and a surprise non threatening ending to a troubled neighborhood through the use of a very innocuous tool in a very laughable way. Made to cause a laugh but perhaps teach a good life lesson as well. Enjoy, Mike

"Understanding Environmental Issues will stimulate critical thinking and debate about the inextricable links between the physical and socio-political determinants of our planet's future." Julian Agyeman, Tufts University"In a world where concrete environmental systems are in a state of change at the same time our understandings of these systems are in upheaval, teaching environmental issues has become impossible without meaningful integration of earth systems and political-economic relationships. Buckingham, Turner, and their collaborators accomplish this extremely difficult task and make a range of complex and iterative synergies clear, immediate, and compelling: hydrology and water rights; agronomy and land control; carbon loading and carbon trading; systems of flows and systems of meaning. A terrific teaching text." Paul Robbins, University of Arizona There is now an unprecedented interest in, and concern about, environmental problems. Understanding Environmental Issues explains the science behind these problems, as well as the economic, political, social, and cultural factors which produce and reproduce them.

Key Features

Explains, clearly and concisely, the science and social science necessary to understand environmental issues, using learning outcomes, text boxes, tables and figures throughout to make complex ideas accessible and relevant.Describes in section one the philosophies, values, politics, and technologies which contribute to the production of environmental issues.Uses cases in section twoon climate change, waste, food, and natural hazards to provide detailed illustration and exemplification of the ideas described in section one. The conclusion, a case study of Mexico City, draws together the key themes.

Intended Audience: Vivid, accessible and pedagogically informed, Understanding Environmental Issues will be a key resource for undergraduate and taught postgraduate students in Geography, Environment, and Ecology; as well as students of the social sciences with an interest in environmental issues."The arena of environmental issues is a minefield for undergraduate students seeking clarity about key problems and solutions. This is where Understanding Environmental Issues will play a major role, providing a stimulating guide through the wealth of material and complex ideas. In particular the unification of social and physical science in the case studies provides a holistic approach to the subject that is essential for students and a refreshing innovation for environmental textbooks." Anna R. Davies, Trinity College, University of Dublin ..".provides an excellent foundation for developing critical thinking about contemporary environmental concerns and the ways in which these are debated, represented and managed. The book should achieve its aim of stimulating students to engage with how ideas of sustainability and environmental justice can be applied both in policy and in practical action." Gordon Walker, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University "Straight out of Uxbridge something special emerged from the grim surroundings of Brunel University, a concrete jungle in the London suburbs, in the 1990s - a passionate, committed group of geographers and geologists with a commitment to innovative pedagogy, to the application of knowledge, and to tackling the big environmental issues of the day. This book, written by a Brunel University team that includes at least two media stars, shows that understanding the environment should involve engagement, and reaching out beyond the campus. It also tackles the big issues of the day, and how we value them and approach them as scholars, citizens and activists. A useful set of thematic chapters introduce students to key environmental issues - the food and waste streams, climate change, natural hazards, and urban environments. Highly recommended." Simon P. J. Batterbury, University of Melbourne and University of Oxford "The book's strengths are to do with the pedagogic backgrounds and commitment of the authors and the spread of expertise revealed. I do like section 1 where some of the big ideas and concepts are explored followed by section 2 where case studies are written by partnerships of scientists and social scientists. The case studies provided are of worldwide environmental significance and the final chapter on Mexico City touches on many of the concepts and cases written about earlier in the text. A key objective was to stimulate interest and action by the readers - I think it will achieve that and not just for an undergraduate audience. I found it was written and illustrated in an accessible way. Highly recommended." Ashley Kent, Institute of Education University of London"

A commentary on changes in the initial and continuing education of teachers. The authors combine reviews of the available literature with research and offer suggestions as to how teacher education may be improved. Also included is a comparative research project on teacher education in the USA.