This book is about the philosophy of de-extinction. To make an extinct species 'de-extinct' is to resurrect it by creating new organisms of the same, or similar, appearance and genetics. The book describes current attempts to resurrect three species, the aurochs, woolly mammoth and passenger pigeon. It then investigates two major philosophical questions such projects throw up. These are the Authenticity Question-'will the products of de-extinction be authentic members of the original species?'-and the Ethical Question-'is de-extinction something that should be done?' The book surveys and critically evaluates a raft of arguments for and against the authenticity or de-extinct organisms, and for and against the ethical legitimacy of de-extinction. It concludes, first, that authentic de-extinctions are actually possible, and second, that de-extinction can potentially be ethically legitimate, especially when deployed as part of a 'freeze now and resurrect later' conservation strategy.

Ethan York has unwittingly released something unspeakably evil into his world. Faced with certain destruction, Ethan must regain the trust of the only person ever to visit the world his terror came from

This edited book explores the impact of globalisation on the relationship between religion and politics, religion and nation, religion and nationalism, and the impact that transnationalism has on religious groups. In a post-Westphalian and transnational world, with increased international communication and transportation, a plethora of new religious recompositions religions now take part in a network society that cuts across borders. This collection, through its analysis of historical and contemporary case studies, explores the growth of both national and transnational religious movements and their dealings with the various versions of modernity that they encounter. It considers trends of religious revitalisation and secularisation, and processes of nationalism and transnationalism through the prism of the theory of multiple modernities, acknowledging both its pluralist world view but also the argument that its definition of modernity is often so inclusive as to lose coherence. Providing a cutting edge take on 21st century religion and globalization, this volume is a key read for all scholars of religion, secularisation and transnationalism.

Life was good for Arturo and Maria Diaz. One night out at the local bar changed all that as they found themselves, for some unknown reason, targeted by police authorities. They were chased, beaten and chastised; they lost everything.

No old school attorney would take their case so it was up to a newly admitted attorney to fight for their rights.

Follow this fast paced courtroom drama, based on actual testimony and with a strange twist at the end as the Diaz's try to regain normalcy to their broken lives.

This edited book explores the impact of globalisation on the relationship between religion and politics, religion and nation, religion and nationalism, and the impact that transnationalism has on religious groups. In a post-Westphalian and transnational world, with increased international communication and transportation, a plethora of new religious recompositions religions now take part in a network society that cuts across borders. This collection, through its analysis of historical and contemporary case studies, explores the growth of both national and transnational religious movements and their dealings with the various versions of modernity that they encounter. It considers trends of religious revitalisation and secularisation, and processes of nationalism and transnationalism through the prism of the theory of multiple modernities, acknowledging both its pluralist world view but also the argument that its definition of modernity is often so inclusive as to lose coherence. Providing a cutting edge take on 21st century religion and globalization, this volume is a key read for all scholars of religion, secularisation and transnationalism.

This book is about the philosophy of de-extinction. To make an extinct species 'de-extinct' is to resurrect it by creating new organisms of the same, or similar, appearance and genetics. The book describes current attempts to resurrect three species, the aurochs, woolly mammoth and passenger pigeon. It then investigates two major philosophical questions such projects throw up. These are the Authenticity Question-'will the products of de-extinction be authentic members of the original species?'-and the Ethical Question-'is de-extinction something that should be done?' The book surveys and critically evaluates a raft of arguments for and against the authenticity or de-extinct organisms, and for and against the ethical legitimacy of de-extinction. It concludes, first, that authentic de-extinctions are actually possible, and second, that de-extinction can potentially be ethically legitimate, especially when deployed as part of a 'freeze now and resurrect later' conservation strategy.

The premise of this book is that the Beatitudes are like a stairway, each one leading to the next as a logical consequence of the one that came before, and that the rest of Matthew chapter 5 is a commentary, a fleshing out of the consequences of what the Beatitudes are designed to accomplish in our lives. The first Beatitude is salvation, and each of the others depict the gradual process of sanctification in our lives. In the rest of Matthew 5 Jesus shows us the true nature of our brokenness, and also the fantastic new identity we acquire once we enter the kingdom of heaven. This is not a scholarly work. It is about such wonderful news that God wanted to come here to tell it to us personally, as a loving human teacher. It can be read in a day or a weekend, or twenty minutes a day, as a devotional. It can be read more than once, with growing pleasure. It is not an analysis of what the great thinkers of the past have said. It references no commentaries. It is one man's insight gained by reading the Word, and looking up the meanings of the individual words, and contemplating what it adds up to. It is something that anyone can do, if they listen as they read, and ask the text questions. While it is nice to achieve letters behind our name, and become experts on scripture, most of us never will do that. But we all can hear from God when He speaks to us through His Word. There is a joy of discovery we can experience when we delve into the Bible. The Beatitudes can be thought of as Jesus' introduction to how we start out on that path.

Adrian is an unbelievably rich twenty-six year old introverted recluse with a secret. Aside from the fact he is still a virgin, no one has an inkling the Patents which made him rich come from dreams he has of cat-people, dog-people, and bear-people on an alien world called Eros. His dreams might be a secret on Earth, but everyone on Eros has heard of the furless man depicted in the ancient Book of Pictures. The furless man is supposed to end the five hundred year old war between Eros and the reptile-people of the Gorlon Empire. It would all be so easy if they only knew where to find this furless man. The head sorcerer on Eros searches him out in the celestial flow that binds all sentient beings. He concentrates so hard to initiate the blue sparkling energy of the flow, he fails to see the King's daughter watching from the shadows of his library. Her cat heritage curiosity overcomes caution and she accidentally steps through the flow to Earth. It is love at first touch and the two twenty-six year old virgins are inconsolable when the sorcerer grabs her back to Eros. 500 lights years is not very far for a Princess in love. She makes it back to Earth with a few of her friends and sets in motions events that change how human beings see the cosmos. Adrian's quiet life get complicated when the King wants his daughter back and a Gorlon assassin arrives to capture her no matter how many humans are killed. The Earth military complex wants her for the technology she has and a lot of good old boys just want to be the first to bag an alien. Sometimes a nerd in love cannot catch a break.

Have you ever wondered about expressions such as "The cat's out of the bag," "Fast-buck artist," and "On the Q.T.?" Patrick Edwards explores these sayings and their fascinating origins, original meanings and present day usage having to do with Wall Street crime and Ponzi schemes. For instance, "Cooking the books" originated in England when the Earl of Strafford said: "The proof was once clear; however, they have cooked it ever since." The year was 1636, and the Earl was referring to altering ingredients in a recipe-not the "creative accounting" all too common in today's business world. The expressions in this book deal with "white-collar crime," first defined in 1939 by Professor Edwin Sutherland, who said, "There is a vast difference between white collar-crime and blue-collar crime, and high social status has a lot to do with the distinction. White-collar crime is often committed by a person of respectability in the course of his or her occupation." Edwards uses familiar phrases, idioms and proverbs to take the reader through high profile events of the 2000s, such as the demise of Enron, Adelphia, WorldCom, and more recently AIG and Ponzi schemes. He also includes thought-provoking and humorous quotes, such as this one from comedian Jay Leno: "It looks like more than 13,000 people were caught up in that Madoff Ponzi scheme. You know what a Ponzi scheme is? That's when you throw good money after bad; or as the government calls it, a stimulus package." Come along on a fascinating historical tour of some of today's most familiar financial expressions. Patrick M. Edwards 2011