A former FDIC chairwoman, who was among the first individuals to acknowledge the full risk of subprime loans, shares expert and insider perspectives on the economic crisis to assess contributing causes and ultimate ramifications.
Spain, the dawn of the twentieth century. Week after week, hundreds of thousands of Spaniards flock to bullfights across the country. Bullfighters are the nation's great idols. Their feats—and calamities—make front-page news and dominate conversations in taverns and cafés. Juan Gallardo, a bullfighting-obsessed street urchin from Seville, proves himself a born torero by taking on battle-scarred bulls for the amusement of peasants at village festivals. His rise to riches and recognition as the nation's greatest matador is all but foretold. But in the aftermath of a torrid liaison with the stunning and enigmatic aristocrat Doña Sol and a run-in with a murderous bandit known as The Feather, Gallardo must battle demons far more daunting than the beasts he faces in the ring. A classic story of courage, cruelty, celebrity and seduction, By the Horns captures the glamour and brutality of professional bullfighting and Spain as they were when they seized the imaginations of some of the twentieth century's greatest writers, from Ernest Hemingway to Gertrude Stein.
When it comes to the quality of our lives, is seeing really believing, or does our attitude create our reality? Rick Baty has lived a rich life, full of both good and not-so-good times. The bull's horns have gotten him more than once, and now he's learned how to change his attitude to grab those horns and turn things around. Along the way, he discovered that despite our culture's focus on winning, it is losing that builds character. He now navigates the unpredictable waters of life with a simple map: appreciate the good times, trust your instincts, keep a strong faith and hold your dear ones close to you. Whether your life is currently the magic carpet ride you always envisioned, or whether the bull's got you, the wisdom in this little book helped Rick survive his not-so-good days, and it can help you, too. Rick reminds us all to remember this: When the bull hooks you, life isn't over. It has just begun.
The traditional symbols of the Usui System of Reiki take a key position in this unique tradition. Without them and their mantra's, Reiki is not possible. The dedication rituals necessary for the practice of Reiki as well as the complex healings can only be accomplished on the foundation of Usui symbols with the certainty and effectiveness one expects from Reiki. Written in a remarkably precise and lucid style by two foremost authors on Reiki, this compendium reveals indispensable information of tremendous spiritual value.
The filmmaker of the surfing documentary Five Summer Stories and pioneer of the IMAX format tells stories from his adventurous life and groundbreaking career in Hollywood and beyond. Greg MacGillivray is a man with stories. Stories of being a surfer kid in California, and making his first movie at the age of 13; of his early days as a filmmaker, creating iconic surfing documentaries such as the cult classic 5 Summer Stories, with his partner in crime, Jim Freeman; of his years in Hollywood, working in Hollywood with such legends such as Stanley Kubrick (on The Shining, no less); and of his work pioneering the 70mm IMAX film format, creating some of the most spectacular, groundbreaking cinematography celebrating the natural world. There are stories of almost dying in New Guinea, flying into eyes of hurricanes, the perils of shooting in the USSR, and how filming Mount Everest changed his life. Greg MacGillivray has led a life like no other, - and for the first time, he’s telling his story. In this fascinating memoir, Greg chronicles his personal journey as an artist, a self-made filmmaker, a father, and an entrepreneur at the head of the most successful documentary production company in history. It is also a story about MacGillivray’s deep commitment to family, to ocean conservation, and to raising awareness about the importance of protecting our natural heritage for generations to come. Contributions by legendary surfers Gerry Lopez and Bill Hamilton, and filmmakers such as Stephen Judson and Brad Ohlund, plus 40 QR codes to extraordinary film clips, add give even more depth and perspective to this amazing journey. Greg’s compelling stories of adventure, surfing, love, loss, inspiration, conservation, and filmmaking give you a front seat to an extraordinary life - and, just like his IMAX movies, makes you feel as if you are there. EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: Includes 40 QR codes linked to rare, incredible videos that bring Greg MacGillvray’s stories to life. BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRETS: Learn the history of the IMAX film format, and how filmmakers achieve an immersive and awe-inspiring visual experience. FROM SURFER TO MOVIE LEGEND: Follow the journey of a man who went from a teenage surfer to the most successful documentary filmmaker in history with hundreds of amazing escapades and achievements in between.
The notion of a man-god, or of a human being endowed with divine or supernatural powers, belongs essentially to that earlier period of religious history in which gods and men are still viewed as beings of much the same order, and before they are divided by the impassable gulf which, to later thought, opens out between them. Strange, therefore, as may seem to us the idea of a god incarnate in human form, it has nothing very startling for early man, who sees in a man-god or a god-man only a higher degree of the same supernatural powers which he arrogates in perfect good faith to himself. -from "Chapter VII: Incarnate Human Gods" In 1890, James George Frazer began publishing The Golden Bough, his monumental study of myth, ritual, and religion, which would, by 1936, run to 13 volumes and establish him as a pioneer in the study of religion as an aspect of culture. This abridged edition, assembled in 1922, condenses this fundamental work to one readable volume that is still a source for modern anthropology, thanks to its expansive discussions ancient cultish practices and their connections to the rites of modern Christianity. In eloquent prose, Frazer discusses legends of the woods, sympathetic magic, magicians as kings, the worship of trees, the concept of the sacred marriage, the links between priestly and royal power, ritual royal sacrifices, the concept of "eating the god," the myths of Osiris, Adonis, Isis, and other ancient deities, and much more. Lovers of mythology will be enraptured by this book, which draws all of human belief under one unifying umbrella, celebrating myth and ritual as part of the basis of all human culture. Scottish anthropologist SIR JAMES GEORGE FRAZER (1854-1941) also wrote Man, God, and Immortality (1927) and Creation and Evolution in Primitive Cosmogonies (1935).
What is the role of leadership in society? Why do people surrender their political autonomy to the decision-making authority of leaders and rulers? Why do people follow the commands of their leaders? Who gets to be king/chief/emperor and why? Why are some societies centralized while others are not? The papers in this volume draw on the archaeological record of societies from around the world to address these critical issues in contemporary social science.