United Technologies

Physical infrastructure in the United States is crumbling. The American Society of Civil Engineers has, in its latest report, given American roads and bridges a grade of D and C+, respectively, and has described roughly 65,000 bridges in the United States as 'structurally deficient'. This crisis - and one need look no further than the I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota to see that it is indeed a crisis - shows little sign of abating short of a massive change in attitude amongst politicians and the American public.

Central to America's idea of itself is the character of Benjamin Franklin. We all know him, or think we do: In recent works and in our inherited conventional wisdom, he remains fixed in place as a genial polymath and self-improver who was so very American that he is known by us all as the first American.

Activists, pundits, politicians, and the press frequently proclaim today's digitally mediated racial justice activism the new civil rights movement. As Charlton D. McIlwain shows in this book, the story of racial justice movement organizing online is much longer and varied than most people know. Beginning with the simultaneous rise of civil rights and computer revolutions in the 1960s, McIlwain, for the first time, chronicles the long relationship between African Americans, computing technology, and the Internet.

On March 14, 1889, Susan La Flesche received her medical degree - becoming the first Native American doctor in US history. She earned her degree 31 years before women could vote and 35 years before Indians could become citizens in their own country. This is the story of an Indian woman who effectively became the chief of an entrenched patriarchal tribe, the story of a woman who crashed through thick walls of ethnic, racial, and gender prejudice and then spent the rest of her life using a unique bicultural identity to improve the lot of her people.

Bill McKibben, examines the dangers inherent in an array of technologies that threaten not just our survival, but our identity. Imagine a future where lab workers can reprogram human embryos to make our children "smarter" or "more sociable" or "happier." Enough examines such possibilities, and explains how we can avoid their worst consequences while still enjoying the fruits of our new scientific understandings.

At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America's best naval architect. His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. United States, was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when "made in America" meant the best.

Pack your bags! We're headed to the United Kingdom. On this whirlwind tour, you'll learn all about the country's landscape, culture, people, and more. We'll explore green valleys and packed cities, taste the unusual Scottish dish haggis, and attend Britain's Bonfire Night celebration. A special section introduces the United Kingdom's capital, language, and population. Hop on board and take a fun-filled look at your world.

The Port of Los Angeles is all around us. Objects we use on a daily basis pass through it: furniture, apparel, electronics, automobiles, and much more. Yet despite its centrality to our world, the port and the story of its making have been neglected in histories of the United States. In A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth, historian James Tejani corrects that significant omission, charting the port's rise out of the mud and salt marsh of San Pedro estuary.

Formaldehyde, borax, salicylic acid. Today these chemicals are used in embalming fluids, cleaning supplies, and acne medications. But just over a hundred years ago, they were routinely added to all kinds of food by unregulated and unethical companies. Noted science and history writer Gail Jarrow introduces listeners to the relentless work of U.S. government chemist Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, who mounted a thirty-year campaign to protect consumers from harmful food and drugs. As part of his research, he tested food additives by serving them to a squad of volunteers—the poison eaters.

Federal agencies with a lead role to assist and protect one or more of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructures are referred to as sector risk management agencies (SRMAs). The SRMAs for three of the 16 have determined the extent of their sector’s adoption of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (framework). In doing so, lead agencies took actions such as developing sector surveys and conducting technical assessments mapped to framework elements.

Welcome to the United States of America! The USA is the third largest country in the world and also, one of the most beautiful. It is full of lakes and rivers, mountains and canyons, beaches and deserts. It has many different trees and flowers and all sorts of different crops grown for use as food. And, of course, America has birds and animals of all kinds. Last, but not least, the United States has about 300 million people from many different backgrounds and cultures.

What's so great about California? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Golden State! Explore California's beaches, mountains, film studios, and colorful history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in California.

What's so great about Minnesota? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the North Star State! Explore Minnesota's wooded wilderness, 10,000 lakes, and rich history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Minnesota!

What's so great about Georgia? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Peach State! Explore Georgia's stunning scenery, buzzing cities, and exciting history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Georgia!

What's so great about Texas? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Lone Star State! Explore Texas's rodeos, wild places, oil fields, and rich history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Texas.

What's so great about Colorado? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Centennial State! Explore Colorado's snowy mountain peaks, wild rivers, and rich history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Colorado!

What's so great about Florida? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Sunshine State! Explore Florida's endless beaches, thrilling theme parks, and stirring history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Florida!

What's so great about Massachusetts? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Bay State! Explore Massachusetts's beautiful beaches, bustling harbors, scenic trails, and rich history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in Massachusetts.

What's so great about New York? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Empire State! Explore New York's busy Big Apple, beautiful waterways, and rich history. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in New York.

What's so great about North Carolina? Find out the top 10 sites to see or things to do in the Tar Heel State! Explore North Carolina's beaches, lighthouses, mountains, and rich American Indian history. The North Carolina by Map feature shows where you'll find all the places covered in the audiobook. A special section provides quick state facts such as the state motto, capital, population, animals, foods, and more. Take a fun-filled tour of all there is to discover in North Carolina.