What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek? Parker Brown can't believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she'd be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are "settled." Thankfully, she's found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother--Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she's stuck with the manipulative jerk. Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he's trying to hold together his late father's gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker's boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he'll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym. Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn't so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have? They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.
Large sparse linear systems of equations are ubiquitous in science, engineering and beyond. This open access monograph focuses on factorization algorithms for solving such systems. It presents classical techniques for complete factorizations that are used in sparse direct methods and discusses the computation of approximate direct and inverse factorizations that are key to constructing general-purpose algebraic preconditioners for iterative solvers. A unified framework is used that emphasizes the underlying sparsity structures and highlights the importance of understanding sparse direct methods when developing algebraic preconditioners. Theoretical results are complemented by sparse matrix algorithm outlines. This monograph is aimed at students of applied mathematics and scientific computing, as well as computational scientists and software developers who are interested in understanding the theory and algorithms needed to tackle sparse systems. It is assumed that the reader has completed a basic course in linear algebra and numerical mathematics.
In the aftermath of the disasters at Denham’s Folly and Victoria, both Biofate—the cybernetics and genetic engineering criminal syndicate—and CARD—the ultra-secret special operations group tasked with raiding and destroying cybernetics and genetic engineering labs—are convinced they are losing the war. From the shadows, Anna Capo, the Executor of Biofate, continues to manipulate military units, the government bureaucracy, and interplanetary corporations like a master puppeteer, working to get the upper hand. Meanwhile, CARD, looking for a win, brings in the big guns for their next assault. When the results are less than they’d hoped for, they are forced to find different ways to get the information they need on the labs… and why they are suddenly so hard to shut down. Both CARD and Biofate have stepped up their efforts to take the initiative, and both groups have laid traps for the other—each believing they are luring the other into the same battle—and when the dust settles, neither side will be unaffected. This is war, not for territory, or resources, or industry. It’s a war to determine who decides the fate of the human race.
Prepare your students to lead the future. Discovering Leadership: Designing Your Success provides a practical, engaging foundation and easy-to-understand framework for individuals to purposefully design leadership. This action-oriented text starts with the self and helps students understand their individual strengths, styles, and skills through numerous reflection opportunities. Next, the text explores the relational aspects of leadership and best practices for motivating and inspiring followers. Finally, the text concludes by examining how leaders can transform their communities and create lasting, positive change. Practical applications and activities in each chapter help students develop their confidence, optimism, resiliency, and engagement. Regardless of your students’ background or major, they will gain the knowledge and skills they need to become thoughtful, impactful leaders.
Covens! Underworld! Oh My! Last year, 17-year-old Skylar Thorne was dreaming of leaving her small Midwestern hometown and moving to sunny California. These days, this new witch is busy getting used to magical powers, joining covens, and fighting demons. When her boyfriend is kidnapped to the demonic underworld, Skylar will have to risk it all for the man she loves. This action-packed novel is a sequel to “A Magical World,” where Skylar came face to face with her future self and helped save Branswell, her hometown, from an insidious demonic grip. Start reading now...
This book deals with numerical methods for solving large sparse linear systems of equations, particularly those arising from the discretization of partial differential equations. It covers both direct and iterative methods. Direct methods which are considered are variants of Gaussian elimination and fast solvers for separable partial differential equations in rectangular domains. The book reviews the classical iterative methods like Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel and alternating directions algorithms. A particular emphasis is put on the conjugate gradient as well as conjugate gradient -like methods for non symmetric problems. Most efficient preconditioners used to speed up convergence are studied. A chapter is devoted to the multigrid method and the book ends with domain decomposition algorithms that are well suited for solving linear systems on parallel computers.
Transform Your Organization by Scaling Leadership How do senior leaders, in their own words, describe the most effective leaders—the ones that get results, grow the business, enhance the culture and leave in their wake a trail of other really effective leaders? Conversely, how do senior leaders describe the kind of leader that undercuts the organization’s capacity and capability to create its future? This book, based on groundbreaking research, shows how senior leaders describe and develop leadership that works, that does not, that scales, and that limits scale. Is your leadership built for scale as you advance in today’s volatile, uncertain, dynamic, and disruptive business environment? This context puts a premium on a very particular kind of leadership—High-Creative leadership capable of rapidly growing the organization while simultaneously transforming it into more agile, innovative, adaptive and engaging workplace. The research presented in this book suggests that senior leaders can describe the High-Creative leadership with surprising clarity. They also describe with equal precision the High-Reactive leadership that cancels itself out and seriously limits scale. Which type of leader are you? You scale your leadership by increasing the multiple on your leadership in three ways. First, by developing the strengths that differentiate the most effective leaders from the strengths deployed by the most Reactive and ineffective leaders. And second, by increasing your leadership ratio—the ratio of most the effective strengths to the most damaging liabilities. Third, by developing High-Creative leaders all around you. Scaling Leadership provides a proven framework for magnifying agile and scalable leadership in your organization. Scalable leadership drives forward-momentum by multiplying high-achieving leaders at scale so that growth, productivity and innovation increase exponentially. Creative leaders multiply their strengths beyond technical competence by leading in deep relationship, with radical humanity, passion and integrity. Drawing upon decades of solid research and experience enhancing individual capability and collective leadership effectiveness with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, the authors provide an innovative and efficient framework to help you: Take stock of your own personal balance of leadership strengths and weaknesses Scale your leadership in deep relationship and high integrity Proliferate high-achievers throughout your organization’s leadership system Identify ineffective leadership and course-correct quickly Transform your organization by transforming leadership Scaling Leadership is an invaluable tool for executives, managers, and leaders in business, academia, nonprofit organizations, and more. This innovative resource provides effective techniques, real-world examples, and expert guidance for organizations seeking to improve performance, align and execute strategies, and transform their business with scalable leadership capability.
A visual way to easily access the strategies and tactics in Book Yourself Solid Learning new concepts is easier when you can see the solution. Book Yourself Solid Illustrated, a remarkable, one-of-a-kind work of art, transforms the Book Yourself Solid system into a more compelling and easy-to-consume playbook for any business owner. You won't find business school graphs or mind maps. Instead, you'll find compelling, visual stories that reinvent old and tired business concepts, making Book Yourself Solid Illustrated a fun and playful book that you will revisit year after year as you get more clients than you can handle. There isn't a business book on the market that can show you how to apply the strategies, techniques, and skills necessary to generate new leads, add more clients, and increase profits through visuals. Previously you could only read or listen to advice, now you can see it and get it faster. This illustrated version is organized into four modules: your foundation, building trust and credibility, simple selling and perfect pricing, and the Book Yourself Solid 6 core self-promotion strategies. Reengineering the book with visual strategist, Jocelyn Wallace, has given author Michael Port new ways of explaining and expanding his gold-standard material. Author Michael Port has been called a "marketing guru" by the Wall Street Journal and "an uncommonly honest author" by The Boston Globe, and wrote Book Yourself Solid (in it's 2nd edition), Beyond Booked Solid,The Contrarian Effect which was selected as a 2008 top ten business book by Amazon.com and the 2008 #1 sales book of the year by 1-800-CEO-READ, and The New York Times Bestseller, The Think Big Manifesto. Author is one of the most popular business coaches in the world and headlines events all over the world. Master the techniques in Book Yourself Solid Illustrated, and take your service business to the next level today. For the first time ever you can have the Book Yourself Solid Mobile app. Install it on any device and the Book Yourself Solid System comes to life. Do all of 49 exercises from the new book on any device, including your desktop computer. This thing rocks.
This anthology examines Love's Labours Lost from a variety of perspectives and through a wide range of materials. Selections discuss the play in terms of historical context, dating, and sources; character analysis; comic elements and verbal conceits; evidence of authorship; performance analysis; and feminist interpretations. Alongside theater reviews, production photographs, and critical commentary, the volume also includes essays written by practicing theater artists who have worked on the play. An index by name, literary work, and concept rounds out this valuable resource.
