Product Description
An inspirational story of overcoming adversity and discovering a hidden talent combined with award-winning quilting techniques, this guide shows the evolution of a unique woman into one of the world's top quilters. Beginners and advanced quilters alike will learn intricate free-motion threadwork that fuses colors, fabrics, and design into one quilt. Her prized techniques are thoroughly discussed, including the basics for machine quilting, tools, specialty threads, bobbin quilting, trapunto, and free motion work. Included are five original quilt designs complete with patterns and step-by-step photographs for simple re-creation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Inspirational
I purchased a new sewing machine and was really looking forward to expanding my quilting skills.First, I wanted to improve my machine quilting skills given all the beautiful threads available.Second, I wanted to branch out from traditional piecing and, well, "let go"! This book was the inspiration I needed.The quilt photos illustrate wonderfully how Ms. Heine's own creativity flourished, and the text recounts the circumstances that inspired her.Toward the back of the book are techniques on how to draw with the sewing machine, how-tos on how to recreate some of her quilts, as well as needle and thread advice.It's a book with heart.
Ms. Heine's quilts have appeared in many quilt shows.Imagine seeing your quilt hanging....with the back facing out!It happened to her.As she writes in her book, "It was at this point in my quilting career that I decided that the back was just as important as the front!"Incidentally, the quilt received a First Place ribbon and a Judges' Choice.
If you want thread to make a prominent statement in your quilting and do much, much more than secure the layers; if you want to gain confidence in "letting go" and trying something new, I suggest you add this book to your quilt library. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the publication of the first edition of this groundbreaking book, advances in algorithms, logic, and software tools have transformed the field of data fusion. The latest edition covers these areas as well as smart agents, human computer interaction, cognitive aides to analysis, and data system fusion control.

Besides aiding you in selecting the appropriate algorithm for implementing a data fusion system, this book guides you through the process of determining the trade-offs among competing data fusion algorithms, selecting commercial off the shelf (COTS) tools, and understanding when data fusion improves systems processing. Completely new chapters in this second edition explain data fusion system control, DARPA’s recently developed TRIP model, and the latest applications of data fusion in data warehousing and medical equipment, as well as defense systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book
This is a good overall review of the subject. Contrary to what the title says, the book is very light on math. If you want to do serious work in this area, you'll need some more in depth references, but this book gets you started, and points you to the references you'll need.

This is the most complete data fusion reference available.
This is a well written reference book that clearly describes the mathematical aspects of multisensor data fusion.It can be used effectively by experts and those who are just beginning to explore thistechnology.The bookincludes clear figures, tables, and equations andfeatures an exhaustive list of references for further study.I highlyrecommend this book as a first step to understanding this technology andits impacts. ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of interviews and photos celebrates some of the most outstanding artists in these genres. The book is divided by instrument, and for each artist there is a biography, an interview by Julie Coryell, an outstanding photo by Laura Friedman, and a selected, cross-referenced discography. Legendary players covered here include: Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Ayers, Ron Carter, Chick Corea, George Benson, Flora Purim and many others. Also features a stunning section of full-color photos, and a preface by Ramsey Lewis. 368 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Awesome book for jazz fusion fans
Written by the wife of one of jazz fusions legends (Larry Coryell), Julie Coryell has put together a veritable "who's who" of jazz fusion.It's full of great information - being part of that crowd gave her great access and personal insight that would be missing from a book written by an outsider.Any fan of jazz fusion will love this book, and it will probably introduce you to some great artists that you haven't heard of yet!

A who's who of fusion's players at it's peak
Jazz-rock fusion brought a musical vocabulary that affects the music of today. Every player in this book contributed to the musical landscape of fusion. To those who not only lived through mid to late 70's music but experienced it during their formative years electronic jazz today seems a homogenized, watered down version of the forceful experimentation and freedom embodied by Weather Report, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu and others. More than mere nostalgia, this book may be seen as a record of the players who created a disavowed genre. ... Read more

Product Description

The disruption in the space-time continuum caused by the creation of the "Blue Eye" singularity continues: Thread by thread, the fabric slowly frays and peels away, breaking down barriers between dimensions. As the lines between realities blur, the consequences cascade.

Voyager pursues Tuvok to a long-dormant space station, a place of astonishing grandeur and wonder. Ancient almost beyond imagining, the city seduces the crew with the promise that their greatest aspirations might be realized. Such promise requires sacrifice, however, and the price of fulfilling them will be high for Voyager.

Unseen sentries, alarmed by Voyager's meddling in the Monoharansystem, send emissaries to ascertain Janeway's intentions. Unbeknownst to the captain, she is being tested and must persuade her evaluators that their contention -- that Voyager poses a threat to the delicate web of cosmic ecology -- is baseless. And failure to vindicate her choices will bring certain retribution to her crew. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Review: Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory - Fusion (3 Stars)
This review is for the book `Fusion' by Kirsten Beyer, which is book 2 of the 3 book `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series.The other books within `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series are `Cohesion' by Jeffery Lang and `Evolution' by Heather Jarman.This review is intended as a critique of the writing and flow of the book, not to reveal "spoolers".Please note: This review assumes that the reader has read the prior books of the `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series before reading this review.If not, the reader may wish to skip past the next paragraph for my overall review and recommendation of this book, which will not contain any information about previous books.

This book picks up where `Cohesion' left off; `Blue Eye' has collapsed, the Monorhans have been returned to home, Janeway has been gifted the Key to Germadia, the most prized artifact of the Monorhan people, and Tuvok has left the ship.Janeway follows Tuvok's trail to a space station whose existence is even more incredible that the existence of the area of space in which the Voyager crew finds themselves.Will this provide the answers they have been searching or will it add to the confusion.Perhaps Janeway's sister, Phoebe, will know the answers.

The book is well written, but uses a number of cliché plot devices to maintain the status quo within the time-line.The author did return to an often ignored fact about specific members of the Voyager crew, which was surprising and greatly appreciated.As stated within my other reviews of the books of the `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series, this book contains the same fatal flaw of the Star Trek: Voyager television series, characters which are one-dimensional and, since the crew is cutoff from Starfleet and cannot replenish any losses, it is difficult for an author to develop a true sense of tension and mystery as to the outcome.This is compounded by the fact that this book takes place within an already established continuity which has progressed beyond this point within the time line. This book appears to focus on Tuvok, but he is mainly the catalyst on which the rest of the story relies.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the `Star Trek Voyager' TV series and books.I would only recommend this book, and `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series, to readers of other `Star Trek' books if the reader is looking for an interesting story which has neither impact on the `Star Trek: Voyager' continuity, nor any other setting within the `Star Trek' universe.

A Note to Readers new to Star Trek: Like most shared settings, especially those stemming from gaming or other media types, the `Star Trek' books are written with the assumption that the reader has some familiarity with the `Star Trek' setting.Since Star Trek has been around and part of the world culture for over 40 years, most readers interested in a book set within the `Star Trek' universe will have some familiarity with the setting.It is important to note that the books set within the `Star Trek' universe do tend to be a bit grittier then the TV series or movies.As a reader reads more books in the `Star Trek' setting, they will become more familiar with the world and its inhabitants, making the experience more pleasant.

One of the Best Trek Books I've Read
This novel was simply a joy to read. I'm a big Star Trek fan, and my favorite series is Voyager. I know the series inside out, so I'm typically a harsh critic of ST:VOY books, but there is absolutely no way this book gets any less than 5/5 stars from me.

Fusion sports a fast paced plot that twists, turns, and even plunges through many layers of excitement. Each and every page held me captivated, and I had the hardest time in the world keeping my face out of this book. The writing style is descriptive enough for Trek fans who enjoy reading about familiar and new settings, but also moves along with good dialogue that matches the characters' voices from the TV show.

Since the String Theory series takes place between VOY seasons 4 and 5, the most interesting part for me was seeing the evolution of character development in this book. Events in Fusion connect to episodes in season 4 and before, as well as episodes in season 5 and beyond.

Again, this book was amazing, and I recommend it for everyone. I strongly encourage you read Book 1: Cohesion before starting Fusion.

Wow...
This may be Kirsten Beyer's first Star Trek novel, but she really knows her stuff!! And I loved how she tied in little references to actual episodes (ie Deadlock) and also fun Voyager snippets (look for 47!). And after also reading her contribution to the Distant Shores anthology, Isabo's Shirt, she is my favorite Voyager author because she is a Janeway/Chakotay fan, which also comes into play in the book. A great story, though it dragged a little with "Phoebe's" little excursion with Janeway. Sets up the 3rd book nicely. Must read!!!

ST: Voyager String Theory, Book 2 Fusion
Star Trek: Voyager String Theory, Book 2 Fusion written by Kirsten Beyer is the second installment in the trilogy called String Theory.

As we left "Cohesion" in a cliff-hanger, "Fusion takes right off where "Cohesion" left off.As Tuvok takes a shuttle for an unathorized flight to the center of the Monorhan system, it is Kathryn Janeway who is the main character in this volume.She is on a quest to learn the meaning of why is there life in this binary system where no life should exist at all.Kristen Beyer does a very good job of hold the story's interest to the reader with all of the different threads floating about in this story."Fusion" takes the initial story and runs with it, making the reader engrossed and well entertained with the storylines.As the cosmos unravels, Janway is in pursuit of Tuvok as he finds a space station the size of a city next to a singularity that was the second star in the binary system.The space station in powered by the singularity and the crew of the Voyager make quick studies as to what the station can do to get them home to the Alpha Quadrant.With all of its mistique, the space station proves vexing to the crew of the Voyager as they discover a 50 year old spaceship docked in the hanger of the station and no crew to be found.

Later we find out the consequences as to what happened and will it affect Voyager and her crew.This is an interesting storyline woven into the fabric of this book's story.Beyer does a good job holding the readers attention and makes you read on till the end where there is another cliff-hanger making you want to read the third installment "Evolution".

All in all, this is a captivatingly interesting story that is true to the Voyagers characterizations.You feel like you're part of the story and you want to help Voyagers characters solve the mysteries that are presented.

I found the book a fast read with intrigue and mystery,true charactizations and a well-written storyline.This is a solid five stars and you won't be disappointed reading this story.Job well done to Kristen Beyer in her first attempt into the realm of Star Trek fiction. You've capitvatd me as I suppose others will praise this book.

The best Voyager book
While I have only reviewed a few Voyager novels on amazon.com, I have read roughly a dozen."String Theory: Fusion" is hands-down the best.

As an earlier review noted, this novel is Voyager's epic.Instead of using the same old recyclable plots like some Star Trek books do, "Fusion" had a unique premise and managed to juggle multiple plots successfully.Initially, I was quite confused, finding myself faced with too many new characters as well as a complicated plot.Still, this confusion only furthered my drive to continue reading.

"Fusion" begins right where its predecessor ended.Tuvok has mysteriously stolen a shuttle and headed off for an enormous structure in Monorhan space that looks more like a giant city than a space station.Meanwhile, the "key" that was given to Janeway at the end of "Cohesion" has attracted the attention of a powerful species who will go to any lengths to protect their own interests.To top all of this off, an intriguing new technology has the potential to bring Voyager home.(Okay, so we as readers know that's not going to happen, but the crew is highly motivated by the discovery).

In the end, Beyer does not disappoint: she beautifully weaves the various plots and characters together to reveal a unified story.And while Tuvok is on the front cover, Janeway is the main protagonist of this tale.Tuvok and the rest of the crew do play significant parts, but ultimately it is Janeway who must discard her previous understanding of the universe and use this new knowledge to discover the true history of Monorhan space.

The stakes waged in "Cohesion" are raised in "Fusion" as the very fabric of the universe (not just the fate of a single planet) depends on Voyager's success.

This may be Beyer's first Voyager novel, but she has an intimate feel for the characters and her incredible story will leave you wanting more."Fusion" is a must-read for any Voyager fan.Even if you don't normally read Star Trek novels, give this one a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised. ... Read more

Product Description

The disruption in the space-time continuum caused by the creation of the "Blue Eye" singularity continues: Thread by thread, the fabric slowly frays and peels away, breaking down barriers between dimensions. As the lines between realities blur, the consequences cascade.

Voyager pursues Tuvok to a long-dormant space station, a place of astonishing grandeur and wonder. Ancient almost beyond imagining, the city seduces the crew with the promise that their greatest aspirations might be realized. Such promise requires sacrifice, however, and the price of fulfilling them will be high for Voyager.

Unseen sentries, alarmed by Voyager's meddling in the Monoharansystem, send emissaries to ascertain Janeway's intentions. Unbeknownst to the captain, she is being tested and must persuade her evaluators that their contention -- that Voyager poses a threat to the delicate web of cosmic ecology -- is baseless. And failure to vindicate her choices will bring certain retribution to her crew. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Review: Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory - Fusion (3 Stars)
This review is for the book `Fusion' by Kirsten Beyer, which is book 2 of the 3 book `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series.The other books within `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series are `Cohesion' by Jeffery Lang and `Evolution' by Heather Jarman.This review is intended as a critique of the writing and flow of the book, not to reveal "spoolers".Please note: This review assumes that the reader has read the prior books of the `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series before reading this review.If not, the reader may wish to skip past the next paragraph for my overall review and recommendation of this book, which will not contain any information about previous books.

This book picks up where `Cohesion' left off; `Blue Eye' has collapsed, the Monorhans have been returned to home, Janeway has been gifted the Key to Germadia, the most prized artifact of the Monorhan people, and Tuvok has left the ship.Janeway follows Tuvok's trail to a space station whose existence is even more incredible that the existence of the area of space in which the Voyager crew finds themselves.Will this provide the answers they have been searching or will it add to the confusion.Perhaps Janeway's sister, Phoebe, will know the answers.

The book is well written, but uses a number of cliché plot devices to maintain the status quo within the time-line.The author did return to an often ignored fact about specific members of the Voyager crew, which was surprising and greatly appreciated.As stated within my other reviews of the books of the `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series, this book contains the same fatal flaw of the Star Trek: Voyager television series, characters which are one-dimensional and, since the crew is cutoff from Starfleet and cannot replenish any losses, it is difficult for an author to develop a true sense of tension and mystery as to the outcome.This is compounded by the fact that this book takes place within an already established continuity which has progressed beyond this point within the time line. This book appears to focus on Tuvok, but he is mainly the catalyst on which the rest of the story relies.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the `Star Trek Voyager' TV series and books.I would only recommend this book, and `Star Trek: Voyager - String Theory' series, to readers of other `Star Trek' books if the reader is looking for an interesting story which has neither impact on the `Star Trek: Voyager' continuity, nor any other setting within the `Star Trek' universe.

A Note to Readers new to Star Trek: Like most shared settings, especially those stemming from gaming or other media types, the `Star Trek' books are written with the assumption that the reader has some familiarity with the `Star Trek' setting.Since Star Trek has been around and part of the world culture for over 40 years, most readers interested in a book set within the `Star Trek' universe will have some familiarity with the setting.It is important to note that the books set within the `Star Trek' universe do tend to be a bit grittier then the TV series or movies.As a reader reads more books in the `Star Trek' setting, they will become more familiar with the world and its inhabitants, making the experience more pleasant.

One of the Best Trek Books I've Read
This novel was simply a joy to read. I'm a big Star Trek fan, and my favorite series is Voyager. I know the series inside out, so I'm typically a harsh critic of ST:VOY books, but there is absolutely no way this book gets any less than 5/5 stars from me.

Fusion sports a fast paced plot that twists, turns, and even plunges through many layers of excitement. Each and every page held me captivated, and I had the hardest time in the world keeping my face out of this book. The writing style is descriptive enough for Trek fans who enjoy reading about familiar and new settings, but also moves along with good dialogue that matches the characters' voices from the TV show.

Since the String Theory series takes place between VOY seasons 4 and 5, the most interesting part for me was seeing the evolution of character development in this book. Events in Fusion connect to episodes in season 4 and before, as well as episodes in season 5 and beyond.

Again, this book was amazing, and I recommend it for everyone. I strongly encourage you read Book 1: Cohesion before starting Fusion.

Wow...
This may be Kirsten Beyer's first Star Trek novel, but she really knows her stuff!! And I loved how she tied in little references to actual episodes (ie Deadlock) and also fun Voyager snippets (look for 47!). And after also reading her contribution to the Distant Shores anthology, Isabo's Shirt, she is my favorite Voyager author because she is a Janeway/Chakotay fan, which also comes into play in the book. A great story, though it dragged a little with "Phoebe's" little excursion with Janeway. Sets up the 3rd book nicely. Must read!!!

ST: Voyager String Theory, Book 2 Fusion
Star Trek: Voyager String Theory, Book 2 Fusion written by Kirsten Beyer is the second installment in the trilogy called String Theory.

As we left "Cohesion" in a cliff-hanger, "Fusion takes right off where "Cohesion" left off.As Tuvok takes a shuttle for an unathorized flight to the center of the Monorhan system, it is Kathryn Janeway who is the main character in this volume.She is on a quest to learn the meaning of why is there life in this binary system where no life should exist at all.Kristen Beyer does a very good job of hold the story's interest to the reader with all of the different threads floating about in this story."Fusion" takes the initial story and runs with it, making the reader engrossed and well entertained with the storylines.As the cosmos unravels, Janway is in pursuit of Tuvok as he finds a space station the size of a city next to a singularity that was the second star in the binary system.The space station in powered by the singularity and the crew of the Voyager make quick studies as to what the station can do to get them home to the Alpha Quadrant.With all of its mistique, the space station proves vexing to the crew of the Voyager as they discover a 50 year old spaceship docked in the hanger of the station and no crew to be found.

Later we find out the consequences as to what happened and will it affect Voyager and her crew.This is an interesting storyline woven into the fabric of this book's story.Beyer does a good job holding the readers attention and makes you read on till the end where there is another cliff-hanger making you want to read the third installment "Evolution".

All in all, this is a captivatingly interesting story that is true to the Voyagers characterizations.You feel like you're part of the story and you want to help Voyagers characters solve the mysteries that are presented.

I found the book a fast read with intrigue and mystery,true charactizations and a well-written storyline.This is a solid five stars and you won't be disappointed reading this story.Job well done to Kristen Beyer in her first attempt into the realm of Star Trek fiction. You've capitvatd me as I suppose others will praise this book.

The best Voyager book
While I have only reviewed a few Voyager novels on amazon.com, I have read roughly a dozen."String Theory: Fusion" is hands-down the best.

As an earlier review noted, this novel is Voyager's epic.Instead of using the same old recyclable plots like some Star Trek books do, "Fusion" had a unique premise and managed to juggle multiple plots successfully.Initially, I was quite confused, finding myself faced with too many new characters as well as a complicated plot.Still, this confusion only furthered my drive to continue reading.

"Fusion" begins right where its predecessor ended.Tuvok has mysteriously stolen a shuttle and headed off for an enormous structure in Monorhan space that looks more like a giant city than a space station.Meanwhile, the "key" that was given to Janeway at the end of "Cohesion" has attracted the attention of a powerful species who will go to any lengths to protect their own interests.To top all of this off, an intriguing new technology has the potential to bring Voyager home.(Okay, so we as readers know that's not going to happen, but the crew is highly motivated by the discovery).

In the end, Beyer does not disappoint: she beautifully weaves the various plots and characters together to reveal a unified story.And while Tuvok is on the front cover, Janeway is the main protagonist of this tale.Tuvok and the rest of the crew do play significant parts, but ultimately it is Janeway who must discard her previous understanding of the universe and use this new knowledge to discover the true history of Monorhan space.

The stakes waged in "Cohesion" are raised in "Fusion" as the very fabric of the universe (not just the fate of a single planet) depends on Voyager's success.

This may be Beyer's first Voyager novel, but she has an intimate feel for the characters and her incredible story will leave you wanting more."Fusion" is a must-read for any Voyager fan.Even if you don't normally read Star Trek novels, give this one a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised. ... Read more

Product Description
This book helps spinal fusion patients incease their chances for a full recovery. Includes practical information on getting your home ready for your return after surgery, understanding the nature of the surgery, why and how to get in good health before surgery, what to expect during your stay in the hospital, exercises to do during recovery, and how to go about doing daily post-operative activities. ... Read more

Product Description
An international panel of leading experts gives you a penetrating and cohesive look at current and future information fusion technology in this unique volume. Examining decision-making models and the command and control process, you develop a solid foundation that lets you explore the latest in situation awareness. The book examines human factors and their effect on analysis to help you judge users' trust in decision support systems.

You find practical mathematical techniques and visualization methods, as well as tested heuristics, that show you how systems can achieve higher levels of fusion. The book details the Visual Fusion and Adaptive Sensor Fusion systems developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, offering insight into implementation issues and performance requirements. Moreover this leading-edge reference discusses systems interoperability among coalition forces as they prepare to confront future conflicts that transcend national boundaries. ... Read more

Product Description
Why were castles built and how were they defended?How would an enemy attempt to takeover a castle?Find out in this title filled with facts and charts. ... Read more

Product Description
Information fusion refers to the merging of information from disparate sources with differing conceptual, contextual and typographical representations. Rather than focusing on traditional data fusion applications which have been mainly concerned with physical military targets, this unique resource explores new human-centered trends, such as locations, identity, and interactions of individuals and groups (social networks). Moreover, the book discusses two new major sources of information: human observations and web-based information. This cutting-edge volume presents a new view of multi-sensor data fusion that seeks to address these new developments, explicitly considering the active role of a human user/analyst. Professionals become knowledgeable about the key inputs into this innovative information fusion process, including traditional sensing resources (S-space), dynamic communities of human observers (H-space), and resources such as archived sensor data, blogs, and dynamic news reports from citizen reporters via the Internet (I-space). ... Read more

Product Description
The energy that can, in principle, be obtained from the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form helium is enormous; the hydrogen (actually deuterium) in seawater would provide an energy many orders of magnitude greater than that in all fossil fuels combined. Unfortunately, harnessing fusion for commercial power production has proven elusive. One approach is based on trying to scale down thermonuclear explosions to a sufficiently small size that can be routinely used in a power plant. In such a process the inertia of the fuel itself provides the confinement necessary to maintain the thermonuclear reaction for long enough that more energy is produced than was needed to start the reaction: hence the name, "Inertial- Confinement Fusion". This book analyzes the progress that has been made in indirect-drive inertial-confinement fusion, in which energy is delivered to the fuel in two steps: first high-intensity lasers are used to generate x-rays, then these are focused on a target to heat it to ignition. Much of the material in this book was previously classified by DOE. Intended as a reference guide to researchers, the book also contains sufficient background and introductory material that it can serve as an introduction to the field for graduate students and researchers new to the field. Lindl is the 1993 recipient of the Edward Teller Medal in in Inertial Fusion and of the 1994 DOE E.O. Lawrence Award. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must read in terms of future of energy R&D, space travel.
John Lindl's "Inertial Confinement Fusion" is a must read for those interested in the future of energy R&D, space travel and science for the 21st century. ICF (inertial confinement fusion) was first demonstrated in the early 1950s with the development of the hydrogen bomb. The nuclear fusion of hydrogen to form helium is the primary source of the energy which lights the stars. One gallon of sea water contains enough heavy hydrogen (deuterium) to generate the equivalent energy of 300 gallons of gasoline--and only costs a few cents to extract.Beginning in the 1950s and accelerating with the invention of the laser, scientists working at national laboratories, like Los Alamos and Livermore, and elsewhere, began to pursue the harnessing of ICF on a scale one million times smaller than that of thermonuclear weapons. On this scale, the fusion energy output can be readily harnessed like the "explosion" of gasoline in the internal combustion engine.! ! As Dr. Lindl details, the scientific feasibility of accomplishing this scale down of H-bombs was demonstrated in the mid-1980s with halite/centurion underground tests. And within acouple of years a laser which can achieve the same physical conditions will have been constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California--the National Ignition Facility (NIF).But, until the publication of this work, most of the science underlying this approach to harnessing fusion was classified "top secret." And in fact many of the references in Dr. Lindl's book are still classified top secret. For the first time, Dr. Lindl reveals the actual history of ICF and the science involved. That is, Dr. Lindl details how the concept of "indirect drive" was developed and applied to laser pellet fusion. Instead of lasers directly driving the implosion of fusion fuel pellets to the densities and temperatures found in the center of stars, the laser energy! !is first transformed into X-rays and the X-rays are trappe! d within a chamber, called a hohlraum. The trapped X-rays are then utilized to implode the fusion fuel pellet. Dr. Lindl details for the first time the research effort which has been carried out over the last four decades to accomplish this approach to harnessing the virtually unlimined energy potentials of nuclear fusion. ... Read more

Product Description
Nuclear fusion has the potential to become the most important energy source of the new century. But still many problems, as e.g. the confinement of the plasma, are not yet solved. Thus they are subject to intense research which drives a rapid evolvement of this field of nuclear physics, and generates the need for an up-to-date textbook for graduate students.
This state-of-the-art textbook assembles the material for a modern course, and is aimed at graduate and advanced undergraduate students. It both introduces the fundamental principles and theories of fusion plasma physics, and presents the most recent topics from various sources in a systematic and concise way. Each chapter is rounded off with a set of exercises.
... Read more

Product Description
Master cutting-edge Level 2 fusion techniques that help you develop powerful situation assessment services with eye-popping capabilities and performance with this trail-blazing resource. The book explores object and situation fusion processes with an appropriate handling of uncertainties, and applies cutting-edge artificial intelligence and emerging technologies like particle filtering, spatiotemporal clustering, net-centricity, agent formalism, and distributed fusion together with essential Level 1 techniques and Level 1/2 interactions. Moreover, it includes all the tools you need to design high-level fusion services, select algorithms and software, simulate performance, and evaluate systems with never-before effectiveness.

The book explains the Bayesian, fuzzy, and belief function formalisms of data fusion and a review of Level 1 techniques, including essential target tracking methods. Further, it covers Level 2 fusion methods for applications such as target classification and identification, unit aggregation and ambush detection, threat assessment, and relationships among entities and events, and assessing their suitability and capabilities in each case. The book's detailed discussion of Level 1/2 interactions emphasizes particle filtering techniques as unifying methods for both filtering under Level 1 fusion and inferencing in models for Level 2 fusion. The book also describes various temporal modeling techniques including dynamic Bayesian networks and hidden Markov models, distributed fusion for emerging network centric warfare environments, and the adaptation of fusion processes via machine learning techniques. Packed with real-world examples at every step, this peerless volume serves as an invaluable reference for your research and development of next-generation data fusion tools and services. ... Read more

Product Description
Nuclear Fusion describes the state and ultimate goals of nuclear fusion research. The book concentrates on the energy problem in the near future, the role of nuclear fusion reactions for a solution of the energy problem, the requirements for releasing fusion energy and the methods likely to lead to fusion reactions. The book is organised into four sections. In turn these cover the fundamentals of nuclear fusion, methods of magnetic confinement, methods of innertial confinement and the fusion reactor itself. The book has a strong theoretical content, covering those areas of plasma physics which are necessary for an understanding of the confinement problem. This book was first published in Japanese. This edition in English has been thoroughly revised by Keishiro Niu. ... Read more

Product Description
4 Cassettes ,Lecture 1: Plantation Beginnings, Lecture 2: The Rise and Fall of Ragtime, Lecture 3: The Jazz Age, Lecture 4: Blues, Lecture 5: The Swing Era , Lecture 6: Boogie, Big Band Blues and Bop , Lecture 7: Modern Jazz , Lecture 8: The ABC's of Jazz Improvisation ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cassette vs. CD at Amazon
Be careful when you order. I had seen this as a CD and thought it would be great for the car. I bought from an Amazon seller for only a few $$ but did not notice it was a cassette tape. Sending it back would cost more than I paid. I have yet to round up a cassette player to listen to it. Just check the format before you order

Great Courses Blues


I've already told you how much I love The Great Courses series.But, sadly, this particular course proved to be a disappointment.It's not entirely Professor Messenger's fault.There's no way to cover the topic of jazz in eight short lectures and leave any jazz fans happy.It's not enough time to do any of it justice.But that limitation only makes it worse when he so casually wastes our time.For example, in one lecture he invites a friend of his who is a singer to come in and sing some songs.She sings a few songs, she's not bad, and then he proceeds to conduct a very bland interview of her.It's strange.Also, before playing a sample, he will get excited about the structure of the piece.He tells us he wants us to really notice how the first section repeats, then returns after the B section, and so on.But he never once to my recollection mentions why he cares, why we should get so excited about that particular detail.

Professor Messenger does a nice job connecting innovations in the music with the historic context, particularly the early stuff, the "cakewalks" of slave culture, through turn-of-the-century ragtime, and then through to the way the invention of the microphone in 1924 revolutionized the sound of early jazz and swing.But, despite my love for the subject, I realized I was pushing myself to continue listening through the course (leftover superego reflexes from my actual school days).My interest was fading.

I finally got all the way through to modal jazz, which he dismisses as something young musicians like because it's easy.That's when I got a clue what was going on here.I couldn't figure out how this lecturer could be one of the more popular ones at the Peabody Institute of Music.But he's been around a long time.The Great Courses web site says that he was a successful studio musician in the early days of rock `n' roll, and even opened for Bill Haley and the Comets.So this must be one of those teachers that has a certain legendry around him and carries a certain reputation.Perhaps in real life he also has a charisma and physical presence that doesn't translate on the audio version of the lectures.

Three stars for a lecture series that should have been produced by The Teaching Company's "The Mediocre Courses" branch.That's a couple of stars for getting off to an interesting start, and then an extra star out of respect for an elder statesman of rock 'n' roll.Meanwhile, order instead any of the courses by Professor Robert Greenberg and you won't be disappointed.

... Read more

Product Description
Describes the process of atomic fusion and explores the dangers and promise of regarding it as a major source of energy in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
This book describes the benefits of sensor fusion as illustrated by considering the characteristics of infrared, microwave, and millimeter-wave sensors, including the influence of the atmosphere on their performance, sensor system application scenarios that may limit sensor size but still require high resolution data, and the attributes of data fusion architectures and algorithms. The data fusion algorithms discussed in detail include classical inference, Bayesian inference, Dempster-Shafer evidential theory, artificial neural networks, voting logic as derived from Boolean algebra expressions, fuzzy logic, and detection and tracking of objects using only passively acquired data. A summary is presented of the information required to implement each of the data fusion algorithms discussed.

Weather forecasting, Earth resource surveys that use remote sensing, vehicular traffic management, target classification and tracking, military and homeland defense, and battlefield assessment are some of the applications that will benefit from the discussions of signature-generation phenomena, sensor fusion architectures, and data fusion algorithms provided in this text.

Contents

- List of Figures

- List of Tables

- Preface

- Introduction

- Multiple Sensor System Applications, Benefits, and Design Considerations

- Data Fusion Algorithms and Architectures

- Classical Inference

- Bayesian Inference

- Dempster-Shafer Evidential Theory

- Artificial Neural Networks

- Voting Logic Fusion

- Fuzzy Logic and Fuzzy Neural Networks

- Passive Data Association Techniques for Unambiguous Location of Targets

- Retrospective Comments

- Appendix A: Planck Radiation Law and Radiative Transfer

- Appendix B: Voting Fusion with Nested Confidence Levels

- Index ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Data Fusion Review
The book is of great depth and still wide in the diverse areas of data fusion.

Real world examples are picked up and related to data fusion technologies or methods.

It is a good start to the solution of any problem that deals with fusing information, of all types and sorts.

José Freitas - Madeira - Portugal



... Read more

Product Description
China Modern celebrates the arrival of delicious, modern Chinese cuisine and Ching-He Huang is the person to present it. Young, beautiful, and vibrant, Ching brings style and ease to this exciting , ever-changing cuisine. She looks at new influences from across the world as well as addressing how classic dishes that are common take-out favorites should really be cooked. From Peking Duck Sushi to Steamed Seabass with Stir-fried Spring Onions and Chilies , there is an exotic array of tantalizing dishes to choose from. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

All-around winner of a cookbook
Well designed and attractively presented, Ching-He Huang's China Modern cookbook offers not only East-Meets-West but history-meets-the-present. And it's practical as well as imaginative!

I read a lot of cookbooks, more as an armchair traveler than a practicing chef. The content has to offer more than just recipes, and the recipes have to sound both interesting and fun to make. My general preference is up to eight basic ingredients and maybe eight sentences of instructions. Beyond that, a recipe has to be pretty special. It seems that most beautiful cookbooks specialize in complicated techniques and exotic ingredients, while the practical ones are ho-hum. Not this book.The layout is spacious, the photography gorgeous (about half the recipes have illustrations), the recipes are mostly short and easy to accomplish, and each is accompanied by a short story or anecdote about the history of the recipe (mostly, from her grandmother and mother), how she expanded it, why the combination of tradition and novelty works, and/or an interesting bit on the cooking technique.

The ingredients are interesting and at the same time not hard to find if you live in or near a metropolitan area. In most cases, one could substitute for a missing item without ruining the finished dish, and Ching-he often suggests alternatives, including vegetarian possibilities in place of animal proteins. Her health consciousness shows, and where anything is, for example, fried, the reader understands it's a special treat--the next recipe will be healthy and just as enticing. Highlights of a couple of cases in point:

Sichuan Pepper Shrimp (page 25): One of my favorite restaurant dishes, but I didn't realize how easy it is to make at home. Saute the shrimp, toss them with salt and pepper, and serve.Choose headless, shell-on tiger prawns (thank you Trader Joe's), and use your teeth to squeeze the shrimp out of the shell into your mouth.

Pan-fried Shrimp and Sweet Chili Jam (page 54): The photo had me drooling and wanting to run out (at 2 a.m.) to a 24/7 grocery to pick up the few ingredients I didn't have on hand. The chili jam has three ingredients (water, sugar, and chilis) and takes about five minutes to make. The shrimp are battered in egg mixed with potato starch, then fried in just a few tablespoons of oil (I hate the mess and waste of two inches or more oil in a pan). The whole recipe, even frying the shrimp a few at a time, takes less than 1/2 hour. Even better, though, was the story: to make up for the frying, she suggests plenty of green tea (jasmine, no less) for balance, because her grandfather always said, "Ching-He, always drink plenty of Chinese green tea and you will never get fat. Look at me, I eat so much, and see how slim I am?" A sense of humor, and who knows, maybe it works!

I see that I'm biased in favor of the shrimp recipes, but there were many others that engaged my interest. Main dishes updated (including several with duck, easy-Peking style), salads, noodle dishes, combinations of Chinese with other Asian ingredients, even desserts--how about sesame balls with chocolate filling instead of bean paste? There's a page near the front on cooking methods, and in back a good glossary and suggested menus based on the chapter themes of the book.

Oh, one more thing. The recipes are sized for two servings, though doubling or tripling them would be easy enough. I like this as I live alone and seldom want to eat leftovers more than once. For couples, these would be perfect--although most sound so good I'm not sure they would really satisfy two, especially if one of them is me. I guess that's where the menus of multiple dishes would be handy. Multiply and conquer.

With most cookbooks, I'm lucky if I find one or two recipes I want to try. With China Modern, I'll probably end up making at least half of the 100 recipes. This one's a keeper. ... Read more

Product Description
Artificial neural networks can mimic the biological information-processing mechanism in - a very limited sense. Fuzzy logic provides a basis for representing uncertain and imprecise knowledge and forms a basis for human reasoning. Neural networks display genuine promise in solving problems, but a definitive theoretical basis does not yet exist for their design.Fusion of Neural Networks, Fuzzy Systems and Genetic Algorithms integrates neural net, fuzzy system, and evolutionary computing in system design that enables its readers to handle complexity - offsetting the demerits of one paradigm by the merits of another.This book presents specific projects where fusion techniques have been applied. The chapters start with the design of a new fuzzy-neural controller. Remaining chapters discuss the application of expert systems, neural networks, fuzzy control, and evolutionary computing techniques in modern engineering systems. These specific applications include:odirect frequency convertersoelectro-hydraulic systemsomotor controlotoaster controlospeech recognitionovehicle routingofault diagnosisoAsynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications networksotelephones for hard-of-hearing peopleocontrol of gas turbine aero-enginesotelecommunications systems designFusion of Neural Networks, Fuzzy Systems and Genetic Algorithms covers the spectrum of applications - comprehensively demonstrating the advantages of fusion techniques in industrial applications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A jack of all trades, a master of none
This book is a survey of other people's work, it doesn't go into depth and there are no implementations even for the purpose of illustration.The authors cover a lot of ground but they are just collating research done by other people for you. I am amazed that they believe that this is a $150 book.

The subject matter is interesting to me so I will give it 3 stars, but if I had been able to look at it in a book store I would have never paid $150 or even $75 for it.

Fusion of Neural Networks, Fuzzy Sets, and Genetic Algorithm
Looking at the content of first 14 pages it seems that this book is going to be a very good reference for the researchers as well as beginers of the Evolutionary computing in Control. The conceptual part is also good as it can help beginers to get in to cognitive approach to the problem as tradinational methods are not useful in real time application and can now only used for comparision. Very Good Approach from the Editors. ... Read more

Product Description
Fusion research started over half a century ago. Although the task remains unfinished, the end of the road could be in sight if society makes the right decisions. Nuclear Fusion: Half a Century of Magnetic Confinement Fusion Research is a careful, scholarly account of the course of fusion energy research over the past fifty years. The authors outline the different paths followed by fusion research from initial ignorance to present understanding. They explore why a particular scheme would not work and why it was more profitable to concentrate on the mainstream tokamak development. The book features descriptive sections, in-depth explanations of certain physical and technical issues, scientific terms, and an extensive glossary that explains relevant abbreviations and acronyms. ... Read more