Explains how to track weather patterns, read weather maps, and identify cloud formations while exploring the effects of pollution, hurricanes, and El Niäno.

It'll blow readers away. CD-ROM included! The past few years have delivered some of the most awesome and destructive weather patterns in history. From blistering heat and icy blasts, to hurricane winds and the Greenhouse Effect, The Compete Idiot's Guide® to Extreme Weather enables readers to experience the incredible ferocity of big, bad weather without getting soaked, wind-tossed, thunderstruck, or frozen. And with the CD-ROM that accompanies the book, they'll learn what it's like to be a real- life storm tracker. * Includes a CD-ROM that explores extreme weather in all its frightening glory * Features a listing of record-book extremes, from the worst storms in history to the wettest, hottest, coldest, driest, and snowiest places on Earth

Now armchair adventurers can find out about the physical, geological, and climatological conditions of the poles; their unique flora, fauna, and human inhabitants; the history of the greatest polar expeditions, the exciting scientific research being conducted there, and what changing climate conditions might mean to the future of this vast and fascinating realm.

Never has the world of journalism been so explosive, so global, and so competitive. Forget hourly news flashes; we live in a world of 24-hour breaking news with radio and TV stations and Internet sites updating stories by the minute and newspapers adjusting to stay fresh, in-depth, and relevant. While the number of newspapers and TV and radio stations has dropped over the last half century in the United States, instant, free-access Internet news portals have grown precipitously to not only fill any gaps in coverage but to force Big Media to change its game plans or risk losing readership. But in no way does this suggest any aspect of journalism is heading for the garbage heap-especially newspapers. Never before have Americans been so engaged in their world, and many mediums are needed to satiate that collective appetite for knowledge.

The idea of learning to sail excites the imagination with fantasies of a carefree, simple way to relax. But in reality, a lot of work goes into mastering the technical aspects of sailing and learning how to get from one place to another without ending up in the water. Other sailing books go into more detail than the casual learner wants or needs. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Sailing gives readers just what they need to know to get started and enjoy their time on the water. In it, readers get: A primer on the different types of sailboats and tips for buying or renting. Detailed descriptions of the parts and controls of a sailboat. The roles and jobs of sailor and crew. How to get the boat into the water (if it isn't already). The mechanics of sailing. Departing, anchoring, and docking. Handling, navigating, and weather. Sailing safety and emergency preparedness. The rules of the sailing road. Backup plans: engines and oars. Storing, hauling, and maintaining a sailboat.

What in the world is going on up there? Look up! It’s a bird; it’s a plane; it’s a Polar mesospheric cloud! When you look to the sky, do you wonder why the Sun is so bright or why the clouds are white or why the sky is blue? Then, Weather For Dummies is your resource to fuel your curiosity about the weather. It takes you on an exciting journey through the Earth's atmosphere and the ways it behaves. You’ll get an overview of rain, Sun, clouds, storms and other phenomena. With helpful photographs and illustrations, you can easily visualize different weather types and relate them into the world around you. The scientific words and phrases are explained in detail (what is barometric pressure?), your curious questions are answered (why do we have seasons?), and the roots of weather myths, proverbs, and sayings are revealed (“early thunder, early spring”). Discover how weather forecasts are made, and what constitutes a weather emergency Find out what causes change in weather, such as how air pressure drives winds Learn how climate change is affecting today’s weather Discover how light plays tricks on our eyes to create effects like rainbows, sun dogs, and halos Have fun with at-home weather experiments, including setting up your own weather station Perfect for any weather amateur, you can have your head in the clouds while your feet are on the ground. Next time you’re outside, take Weather For Dummies along with you, look at the sky, and discover something new about the environment you live in.

Accessible, authoritative, and entertaining in the signature style of theComplete Idiot'sGuide® series, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to U.S. Government and Politicsprovides a wonderful foundation of knowledge about the way our country's system of government works. Understanding how our government functions and the political forces that influence it is vital for all Americans. At the high school level, U.S. government, the class formerly called civics, has evolved to become a focus of the Advanced Placement test. In 2007, the AP U.S. government and politics exam was the most widely taken test among high school students on a college track, with over 333,562 students sitting for the 3.5-hour exam. Several strictly test prep books help students prepare for this exam. However, they're limited to the key points covered by the exam and don't afford much information outside the strict curriculum. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to U.S. Government and Politics gives the reader much more. As a comprehensive overview and history of the subject, this book is designed to help anyone interested in learning about our government and the origins of its complex inner workings, our political system, and key elements that have affected our growth as a nation-all while serving as a the best supplementary reading a student can get to help them prepare for the AP exam.