Human Life

This is a book for people who have done some living . . . People who have won some and lost some, climbed a few mountains, and crossed a few valleys. People who are sure about a few things and a lot less sure about everything else. People who realize that being alive is not the same as actually living. Meaning Making is for those who have laughed and cried and loved and lost and are now staring down the decades that remain, wondering how to ensure they don’t miss out on the exquisite chaos of the here and now.

Today, many decisions that could be made by human beings from predicting earthquakes to interpreting languages can now be made by computer algorithms with advanced analytic capabilities....Algorithms can better predict human behavior than trained psychologists and with much simpler criteria. Studies continue to show that the algorithms can do a better job than experts in a range of fields. Artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare, science, engineering and life. The results will make our lives more productive, better organized, and essentially, much happier.

Sebastian James Murphy is 20 years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming, fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely. Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy. She wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money.

The slippery online ecosystem is the perfect breeding ground for identities: true, false, and in between. The Internet shorthand IRL - "in real life" - now seems naïve. We no longer question the reality of online experiences but the reality of selfhood in the digital age. In The Secret Life, the essayist and novelist Andrew O'Hagan issues three bulletins from the porous border between cyberspace and IRL.

Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity! On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe.

Rarely are human dilemmas out of the news. And what medical science can do and ought to do—or ought not to do—impinges on our personal lives, families and societies. John Wyatt examines the issues surrounding the beginning and end of life against the background of current medical-ethical thought. Writing out of a deep conviction that the Bible's view of our humanness points a way forward, he suggests how Christian healthcare professionals, churches and individuals can respond to today's challenges and opportunities.

El hombre es un puente que une lo animal con lo divino, y la conciencia de esta dualidad de la naturaleza es lo que nos hace humanos.

In this collection of 28 "riotously funny and outrageously honest" true-life tales, author Joni B. Cole manage to mingle low moments with high comedy; and social awkwardness with social observation.

The title essay was inspired when the author went to the bookstore and noticed all the best sellers about adorably naughty dogs. At first resentful of these other writers' successes, Cole eventually realized she had her own bad-dog story to exploit....

The Sound of Being Human explores, in detail, why music plays such a deep-rooted role in so many lives, from before we are born to our last days. At its heart is Jude's own story: how songs helped her wrestle with the grief of losing her father at age five; concoct her own sense of self as a lonely adolescent; sky-rocket her relationships, both real and imagined, in the flushes of early womanhood, propel her own journey into working life, adulthood and parenthood, and look to the future.

This is the true story about discovering the furry community in Rhode Island with the help of a guide, who shares her experiences and the stories of others from across the US. Their lives create a rich and informative scene about different relationship forms, sexual expression today, personal identity, coming out in society, and how each of us is seeking others that share our values and beliefs.

Zarah Ghahramani was born in Tehran in 1981, two years after Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran to establish the Islamic Republic. Her life changed suddenly in 2001 when, after having taken part in student demonstrations, she was arrested (literally snatched off the street by secret police) and charged with "inciting crimes against the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran". While imprisoned in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison she faced brutal interrogation: her head was shaved, and she was beaten.

Compassion. Reason. Non-violence. Bodily Integrity and Autonomy. Freedom from Oppression. Freedom for your Mind. JOIN US! Live life compassionately. Shed the identity forced upon you by religion, culture, tradition and society. Only then will you be truly free. It's our responsibility as humans to help each other and be kind to each other. Period.

In a town she personifies, Ouisie Pepper wrestles with her own defiance. Desperate to become the wife and mother her husband, Hap, demands, she clings to a simple book about womanhood--striving, failing, and trying again. But beneath her pursuit of self-improvement lies a terrible secret: she knows who killed Daisy Chance.

Could Steve Wright navigate the uneasy intersection between aggression and empathy without losing himself? The answer to this question determined the course of his NFL career and his life. Steve spent over a decade taping his knuckles and preparing for battle with the Cowboys, Colts, and Raiders. It was all part of a day at the office, along with blocking for some of the best in the game, including Tony Dorsett, Bo Jackson, Eric Dickerson, and Marcus Allen. But his journey didn’t begin or end there.

Living a Wisdom Inspired Life is the best possible life humans can live. It's a life that is guided by the essence of the Universal God, a life where we strive to embody the wisdom of the most advanced spiritual teachers, most of whom have already achieved enlightenment. This wisdom inspires us to live with compassion, mindfulness, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings.

HGTV cofounder Susan Packard launches the next chapter in emotional intelligence (EQ) and shows you how to increase your personal satisfaction and productivity - in work and life - via her three-step path toward EQ Fitness.

Between what can be learned from evolutionary psychology and cognitive science a picture emerges. In Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life, social psychologist Douglas Kenrick fuses these two fields to create a coherent story of human nature. In his analysis, many ingrained, apparently irrational behaviors—one-night stands, prejudice, conspicuous consumption, even art and religious devotion—are quite explicable and (when desired) avoidable.

In Ain’t Nobody Really Happy at the Bottom...Except Catfish, author J. W. Neal helps the listener navigate out of the murky waters of mediocrity so prevalent in today’s “settle-for” mentality. Acknowledging that we all face temporary setbacks and perceived failures in life, the author emphasizes the definitive word temporary. By focusing on three fail-safe components and then flowing in their natural repercussions the listeners is guided from a “ho-hum” mediocre existence into a life of challenge, power, and victory.

Marilyn Johnson's Lives in Ruins is an absorbing and entertaining look at the lives of contemporary archaeologists as they sweat under the sun for clues to the puzzle of our past. Johnson digs and drinks alongside archaeologists, and chases them through the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and even Machu Picchu. Her subjects share stories about slaves and Ice Age hunters, ordinary soldiers of the American Revolution, Chinese woman warriors, sunken fleets, and mummies.

Today, many decisions that could be made by human beings, from predicting earthquakes to interpreting languages, can now be made by computer algorithms with advanced analytic capabilities. Every day, we make millions of decisions. However, these decisions may be imperfect due to limited experience, implicit biases, or faulty probabilistic reasoning. Algorithms can better predict human behavior than trained psychologists and with much simpler criteria. Discover how algorithms shape and impact our world.