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Most people's concept of the 'end of the world' comes from the book
of Revelation. Alternative apocalypses can be found in the
Zoroastrianism of ancient Persia, in ancient Hindu scriptures and
Norse myths. Today, there are an estimated 25 million Christian
fundamentalists in the US who believe it will come with the
'Rapture'; others point to an ecological catastrophe, the AIDS
pandemic or nuclear and biological warfare. What happens when, in
the grip of apocalyptic prophesy, individuals and groups see
themselves as the 'elect' and above conventional mores? As with the
Ranters of the English Civil War, it can lead to comedy. But it can
also lead to sinister extremism - the Nazis recast it as the Third
Reich; latter-day doomsday cults such as the Waco Branch Davidians
believed that they too were divinely elected - and could kill in
the name of the coming apocalypse. The world today is in the grip
of an apocalyptic struggle between the neo-Conservatives in America
and a supposed global network of Islamic fundamentalists. For Bush,
the war is a 'crusade', for Osama Bin Laden it is a jihad; for
both, it is a struggle against absolute evil. From its Biblical
beginnings to suicide bombers, via the Vikings, the French
Revolution, the Pilgrim Fathers, Hitler's Apocalyptic rhetoric,
asteroids and Hollywood, Pearson shows that as long as human beings
seek to make sense of the world in which they live, endings will
continue to have a future.
This volume is the last (IV) of four under the main themes of
Digitizing Agriculture and Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT). The four volumes cover rapidly developing
processes including Sensors (I), Data (II), Decision (III), and
Actions (IV). Volumes are related to 'digital transformation"
within agricultural production and provision systems, and in the
context of Smart Farming Technology and Knowledge-based
Agriculture. Content spans broadly from data mining and
visualization to big data analytics and decision making, alongside
with the sustainability aspects stemming from the digital
transformation of farming. The four volumes comprise the outcome of
the 12th EFITA Congress, also incorporating chapters that
originated from select presentations of the Congress. The focus in
this volume is on the directions of Agriculture 4.0 which
incorporates the transition to a new era of action in the
Agricultural sector, represented by the evolution of digital
technologies in 4 aspects: Big Data, Open Data, Internet of Things
(IoT), and Cloud Computing. Under the heading of "Action," 14
Chapters investigate the implementation of cutting-edge
technologies on real world applications. It will become apparent to
the reader that the penetration of ICT in agriculture can result in
several benefits related to the sustainability of the sector and to
yield the maximum benefits, successful management is required. The
entire discussion highlights the importance of proper education in
the adoption of innovative technologies starting with the adaption
of educational systems to the new era and moving to the
familiarization of farmers to the new technologies. This book
covers topics that relate to the digital transformation of farming.
It provides examples and case studies of this transformation from
around the world, examines the process of diffusion of digital
technologies, and assesses the current and future sustainability
aspects of digital agriculture. More specifically, it deals with
issues such as: Challenges and opportunities from the transition to
Agriculture 4.0 Safety and health in agricultural work automation
The role of digital farming on regional-spatial planning The
enrollment of Social Media in IoT-based agriculture The role of
education in digital agriculture Real-life implementation cases of
smart agriculture around the world
'A useful contribution to an overcrowded field of history by giving
deserved attention to the ordinary men and unsung machines that
aren't usually included in the dramatic narrative.' - The Times 'A
great read and a real eye-opener to anyone who thinks the Battle of
Britain is only about Brits and Germans and Messerschmitts and
Spitfires. The value in this account is also the way the back
stories of many previously unheralded pilots come to life.' -
General Sir David Richards, former Chief of the Defence Staff ***
In Battle of Britain: The pilots and planes that made history, Ed
Gorman and Simon Pearson paint a vivid picture of the men and their
machines as the battle for air superiority over Britain is played
out across the skies of Europe, from the west of Ireland to the
German capital. We experience the battle chronologically through
the remarkable stories of eighteen airmen from across the world.
Some will be new to many readers: the New Zealander who "borrowed"
a seaplane from the Royal Navy to set up a freelance air-sea rescue
service that saved the lives of dozens of British and German
pilots; the Swiss baron who claimed to have destroyed six British
fighters in a day; the vainglorious commander whose RAF squadron
was wiped out trying to disrupt Nazi invasion plans; and the German
bomber pilot who fought the first battle involving foreign troops
on British soil since Culloden - before repairing to a pub for a
pint with soldiers who had taken him prisoner. Illustrated with
contemporary photographs of the pilots and their aircraft, this is
an enthralling and original account from both sides of a conflict
that shaped the modern world, full of courage, endeavour and, above
all, humanity.
Roger Bushell was 'Big X', mastermind of the mass breakout from
Stalag Luft III in March 1944, immortalised in the Hollywood film
The Great Escape.Very little was known about Bushell until 2011,
when his family donated his private papers - a treasure trove of
letters, photographs and diaries - to the Imperial War Museum.
Through exclusive access to this material - as well as fascinating
new research from other sources - Simon Pearson, Chief Night Editor
of The Times, has now written the first biography of this iconic
figure. Born in South Africa in 1910, Roger Bushell was the son of
a British mining engineer. By the age of 29, this charismatic
character who spoke nine languages had become a London barrister
with a reputation for successfully defending those much less
fortunate than him. He was also renowned as an international ski
champion and fighter pilot with a string of glamorous girlfriends.
On 23 May, 1940, his Spitfire was shot down during a dogfight over
Boulogne after destroying two German fighters. From then on his
life was governed by an unquenchable desire to escape from Occupied
Europe.Over the next four years he made three escapes, coming
within 100 yards of the Swiss border during his first attempt. His
second escape took him to Prague where he was sheltered by the
Czech resistance for eight months before he was captured. The three
months of savage interrogation in Berlin by the Gestapo that
followed made him even more determined. Prisoner or not, he would
do his utmost to fight the Nazis. His third (and last escape)
destabilised the Nazi leadership and captured the imagination of
the world.He died on 29 March 1944, murdered on the explicit
instructions of Adolf Hitler.Simon Pearson's revealing biography is
a vivid account of war and love, triumph and tragedy - one man's
attempt to challenge remorseless tyranny in the face of impossible
odds.
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