Showing results by narrator "Jim D. Johnston" in All Categories

The world is filled with mysteries, and even in the modern age, much of the planet remains unexplored. The depths of the oceans and the intricate and extensive cave systems that honeycomb some parts of the Earth are still largely unknown. Thus, it should come as no surprise that when it comes to this terra incognita, people have projected all sorts of ideas.

"To boldly go where no man has gone before" was a phrase made popular by Gene Rodenberry in a science fiction setting, but it was certainly the creed of countless explorers during the Age of Discovery and afterwards. In fact, as recently as the mid-18th century, a young sailor named James Cook determined to go "farther than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it is possible for a man to go." And unlike so many others who tried, he did just that.

Like many pop cultural icons (and rock icons in particular), Freddie Mercury is one of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century and yet one of the more enigmatic personalities as well. To be sure, anyone who was alive during the reign of Queen is well aware of who Mercury was and the sound of his music (even those who despise rock music are familiar with the blasting, deliriously over-the-top rhythms of songs like "We Are the Champions").

Samarkand is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia, founded nearly 3,000 years ago. The legendary city was the capital of the Sogdians, a trading people who facilitated the spread of commodities, religions, technologies, and ideas across the Silk Road between China and the rest of Eurasia. Samarkand was a key site along the ancient Silk Road, a place where a number of world cultures from the East and the West met and assimilated.

People have been climbing as long as they've existed, and for those who relish the challenge, nothing can top Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on the planet at over 29,000 feet. As Sir Edmund Hillary put it, "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."

The Guillotine. Its very name recalls scenes of horror during the French Revolution, as nobles lost their heads while gangs of people cheered and Madame Defarge knitted. Some of history's most famous people lost their heads at the guillotine, including Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI of France, and Robespierre, and the apparatus is immediately recognizable across the world, not just for its appearance but for all the stories in which it featured prominently.

Cognitive psychology is a study that focuses on how the human brain works. Through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, people can find ways to keep their mental faculties in check. This includes understanding what can be done to resolve problems and issues in one’s life. This guide explains how cognitive behavioral therapy can be utilized to control fears, depression, anger, and other common problems that may persist in one’s life. With cognitive psychology, people can do more with their lives and know what they can do to manage their attitudes.

From as early as the third century BCE, the Romans were prodigious monument builders, so much so that the memory of the great Roman Republic and the Roman Empire continues to exist within a cityscape of stone. Rome's public spaces were filled with statues, arches, temples, and many other varieties of monumental images, and each of these structures had its own civic or religious function.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, notwithstanding its merits as a feat of exploration, was also the first tentative claim on the vast interior and the western seaboard of North America by the United States. It set in motion the great movement west that began almost immediately with the first commercial overland expedition funded by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company and would continue with the establishment of the Oregon Trail and California Trail. That quest would reach its ultimate expression ...when the last spike was driven into the Union Pacific Railroad.

This amazing audiobook is a fusion of classical ideas of power from the father of modern politics, Nicollo Machiavelli, with modern day guidelines for success in the business world. The book can be read by both current and aspiring leaders who wish to dominate the business world. The audiobook begins with a brief history on the life of Machiavelli, his principles, and some of his quotes. The author goes on to talk about change in the business world and what companies have to do in order to remain relevant in the business world.

Ted Geisel: Few Americans are familiar with that name, but as kids, everyone comes across the books he wrote under the famous pseudonym Dr. Seuss. Initially, readers knew Dr. Seuss as a World War II political cartoonist (if at all), and his first attempt at a children's book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street", was rejected over two dozen times by publishers. It was not until the 1950s that Dr. Seuss began publishing some of his most famous and revered titles, including "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

War has always led to prisoners. In ancient times, many were turned into slaves by the victorious armies, while in medieval Europe, they were often returned to their families in return for a ransom, leading to fortune or poverty depending upon which side one was on. By the Napoleonic era, as armies grew in size and professionalism, many were kept in camps for the duration of the fighting, their captors not wanting to restore their enemies' manpower while the fate of nations hung in the balance.

Although Russia has long been considered part of Europe, it has always had a culture so distinct and a history so different that it is still foreign to Western Europe in many ways. Naturally, this sense of otherness has lent an aura of intrigue and mystique to Russia as people have struggled to understand it. Over the long course of Russian history, perhaps no aspect of the giant country has generated interest quite like Siberia, the easternmost part of Russia that lies in Asia.

The question of man’s place in the extended universe has been pondered by every known culture since the beginning of recorded history. Lacking the means to prove otherwise, discussions of an alternative to Earth’s solitary existence have remained conceptual. The ongoing debate is spurred by the appearance of unexplainable phenomena through the centuries in the atmosphere and the space beyond, so much so that contact with alien civilizations has been depicted in some of the most ancient examples of representational art.

Machine learning is fast becoming an important technique used by multiple industries, and in applications and research. But you don’t have to be part of a massive organization with an endless pot of money to get involved. Even beginners using the Python programming language can be a part of machine learning, and that is what this book is for. Today, the only limit to machine learning is your imagination. In this book, I provide you with an overview of machine learning and some practical work to get your hands dirty.

While the age of the mythical, ethereal musician fades with each new generation, Johnny Cash resided in American culture for more than 40 years as a folk legend. Steeped in the gospel, his tale always had the qualities of prophecy and retribution. Some remember Cash as a slack-jawed ballad master who took on issues like civil rights, sovereignty, and social justice. Others recall his youth as a folk outcast who sang the lord’s music during the day and trashed hotel rooms at night. No matter which way you take it, Cash defined the word enigma.

Why can't they just leave Christmas alone? Kris Kringle left behind his mercenary life to atone and accept the responsibility of delivering presents to the children each year. The children will smile on Christmas morning at all costs. Someone has set a trap for Kris Kringle - but the problem is, Kris is willing to go anywhere to get those gifts to the children. Including to his dark place. Be careful, world. You don’t want to piss off Saint Nick.

Celebrants of the first Independence Day took little time to ponder the status of equality between the races. Primarily, their attention was taken up with the overthrow of a foreign colonial power, one not accomplished through the will of an overwhelming majority. The bold move shaped by colonial legislators and promoted to the colonies by the founding fathers represented a first-of-its kind emancipation, as no European colony had so completely faced down its mother country in a test of wills.

It’s the mid-1800s, and William Chestnut is thrown into an epic adventure that leads to betrayal, epidemic plague, Indian aggression, and a city on fire. What could go wrong? As he raises his family amidst the St. Louis Saints, William struggles to forgive those who have wronged him.

Attention residential contractors. Ever wonder how to get as many leads and sales as possible from your website? This book is for you. This is the ultimate guide on how residential contractors can make more money with their business by using a smart online presence. You'll find out secrets like how to build an effective lead-generating website, get listed on search engines to start driving leads to your website, and more!