"A cogent, engaging history of humanity's most ambitious quest--seeking outward for other minds."--David Brin, author of Existence "A fascinating perspective on humankind's obsession for knowing if there is anyone else out there."--Gerrit L. Verschuur, author of The Invisible Universe: The Story of Radio Astronomy "Squeri has written what will likely be the definitive history of the early days of SETI that includes profiles of some of its leading characters."--Ben Zuckerman, coeditor of Extraterrestrials: Where Are They? "An insightful history that explores the scientific foundations of the modern-day search for our place in the cosmos. Waiting for Contact delivers unparalleled access to the inner history of SETI and invites us to ride along on the journey to answer one of science's ultimate questions: Are we alone?"--Douglas Vakoch, president, METI International "Waiting for Contact is a balanced account, telling the tale of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence without the overpromise usually trumpeted by enthusiastic proponents and the hyperventilation so commonly added by UFO enthusiasts. If you are simply interested in the history, unvarnished by an agenda, you'll enjoy this book."--Don Lincoln, author of Alien Universe: Extraterrestrial Life in Our Minds and in the Cosmos Imagine a network of extraterrestrials in radio contact with each other across the universe, superior beings who hail from advanced civilizations quadrillions of miles away, just waiting for Earth to tune in. Some people believe it’s only a matter of time before we discover the right "station." Waiting for Contact tells the story of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) movement, which emerged in 1959 as astronomers began using radio telescopes to listen for messages from space. New technological developments turned what once was speculation into science. Boosted by support from Frank Drake, Philip Morrison, Carl Sagan, and the genre of science fiction, the SETI movement gained followers and continues to capture imaginations today. In this one-of-a-kind history, Lawrence Squeri looks at the people, reasons, goals, and mindsets behind SETI. He shows how it started as an expression of the times, a way out of Cold War angst with hope for a better world. SETI's early advocates thought that with guidance from technically and ethically advanced outsiders, humanity might learn how to avoid horrors like nuclear annihilation and societal collapse from overpopulation. Some hoped that good news from outer space might reveal a cure for cancer or even the secret of immortality. Squeri also describes the challenges SETI has faced over the years: the struggle to be taken seriously by the scientific community and by NASA, competition for access to radio telescopes, perpetual lack of funding, and opposition from influential politicians. He covers the rise and fall of Soviet SETI and the few rare meetings between Soviet and American astronomers. Despite many setbacks, the movement pressed forward with the aid of private donations and developed outreach programs. Volunteers can now help search for new civilizations on their personal computers by joining the SETI@Home project. Today, SETI researchers continue to see themselves as explorers. They often identify with Columbus, and just as Columbus never realized the full implications of his discovery, we cannot predict what will happen if contact is made. This book points out that if, against all expectations, the embattled SETI movement finally succeeds, the long-awaited first signal picked up by its radio antennas will usher the greatest shift in human history. A new adventure will begin. Lawrence Squeri is professor emeritus of history at East Stroudsburg University.

Understand and solve many different kinds of iPhone and iPad problems. This book covers both general troubleshooting techniques applicable in a wide variety of situations as well as specific fixes for topics such as networking, apps, photos, the battery, and syncing. Glitches, hiccups, and crashes just aren't supposed to happen with iOS, but alas, all too often they do. It is these non-obvious fixes, workarounds, and preventative measures that form the core of iOS Troubleshooting. With clear, straightforward prose, this book will take the reader through hundreds of iOS problems, explain the reasons for them, and provide easy to understand solutions to get the device (and you) back in business. What you'll learn: Fix cellular and networking connections Incorporate accessories effectively Solve battery and charging issues Clear up syncing and iCloud glitches Who this book is for: Any person who uses an iOS device.

A growing, aging population; the rise to epidemic proportions of various chronic diseases; competing, often overlapping medical technologies; and of course, skyrocketing costs compounded by waste and inefficiency - these are just a few of the multifarious challenges currently facing healthcare delivery. An unexpected source of solutions is being imported from the manufacturing sector: lean thinking. Lean Principles for Healthcare presents a conceptual framework, management principles, and practical tools for professionals tasked with designing and implementing modern, streamlined healthcare systems or overhauling faulty ones. Focusing on core components such as knowledge management, e-health, patient-centeredness, and collaborative care, chapters illustrate lean concepts in action across specialties (as diverse as nursing, urology, and emergency care) and around the globe. Extended case examples show health systems responding to consumer needs and provider realities with equal efficiency and effectiveness, and improved quality and patient outcomes. Further, contributors tackle the gamut of technological, medical, cultural, and business issues, among them: Initiatives of service-oriented architecture towards performance improvement Adapted lean thinking for emergency departments Lean thinking in dementia care through smart assistive technology Supporting preventive healthcare with persuasive services Value stream mapping for lean healthcare A technology mediated solution to reduce healthcare disparities Geared toward both how lean ideas can be carried out and how they are being used successfully in the real world, Lean Principles for Healthcare not only brings expert knowledge to healthcare managers and health services researchers but to all who have an interest in superior healthcare delivery.

Jodi will never forget the day she talked with her dad about a vision God had called her toto be a missionary in the inner city. All that he had taught his daughter about God and faith now became a new reality for him to grapple with, and he thought, Did I really train her up in the Lord for this? Seeing that she was indeed serious about pursuing her Lord with a compelling perseverance, he asked her, Jodi, why is it that you always feel you have to live life on the edge? This is the remarkable story of one ordinary young lady who, hand-in-hand with her precious Savior, begins a journey into an extraordinary vision of God that will unfold with each step closer to her edgeto love God and love others in the city of Akron, Ohio. A vision becomes realityUrban Vision. This is a story of one person pursuing God for all He will do when one is willing to follow Him anywhere, even to the edge! Read the book, be inspired by its truths, and begin your journey to the edge! www.ACallToTheEdge.com

For marketing and customer services researchers and professionals who are interested in customer contacts, customer satisfaction and loyalty issues. Contact centers are playing a pivotal role in customer services of the 21st century. Nevertheless, despite their growing importance and presence, contact centers are increasingly becoming the center for customer frustration, and frequently associated with negative comments in the media. Therefore, this research explores the Emotional, Cognitive, General, and Transactional dimensions of customer satisfaction and loyalty process in the customer contact environment. As customer contacts can be a source of negative emotions and it is desirable to increase positive emotions in the contact center environment, this research focuses on the emotional aspects of customer satisfaction and on the Emotional Satisfaction of Customer Contacts (ESCC) in particular. Taking the ESCC as a starting point, this research demonstrates that frontline employees are able to observe and register customer satisfaction during service encounters, and suggests that the ESCC information can be employed for recovering service failures, increasing sales productivity and organizational learning for more customer satisfaction and loyalty.