From Katy Perry training alongside US Marines in a music video, to the global box-office mastery of the US military-supported Transformers franchise, to the explosion of war games such as Call of Duty, it’s clear that the US security state is a dominant force in media culture. But is the ubiquity of cultural products that glorify the security state a new phenomenon? Or have Uncle Sam and Hollywood been friends for a long time? Hearts and Mines examines the rise and reach of the US Empire’s culture industry – a nexus between the US’s security state and media firms and the source of cultural products that promote American strategic interests around the world. Building on and extending Herbert I. Schiller’s classic study of US Empire and communications, Tanner Mirrlees interrogates the symbiotic geopolitical and economic relationships between the US state and media firms that drive the production of imperial culture.

This is a true story of war, the story of one manÕs transformation as he retraces the mine-strewn roads of a land itself transformed by mankindÕs most shockingly inhuman practice. It is the firsthand account of a member of one of the United States ArmyÕs three-man Tactical Psychological Operations Teams, groups of men tasked with winning the hearts and minds of IraqÕs civilian population through leaflets, loudspeakers, conversation, and bribery. Transcribed from and inspired by the authorÕs personal wartime journal, it is a story of introspection. It relates how the feelings of eagerness and uncertainty in a young man unfamiliar with war were replaced with the dread knowledge that, buried within his soul, beneath a facade of goodwill and morality, lurked the capacity to kill his fellow men. There are scenes of battle retold within the pages of Hearts and Mines. There are descriptions of the feelings of seeing once-familiar human bodies destroyed beyond recognition. Some days are described as being full of hope and appreciation for the beauty of the world, others with despair for the omnipresent cruelty and destruction which has a habit of consuming men when they feel unaccountable for their actions. It captures the sensory experience of living in a singular environment full of strange plants and animals, friends true and false, and determined enemies, encapsulating the existential fear of mortar and rocket attacks, and the ever-present threat of IEDs, as well as the ridiculousness of military bureaucracy, such as was demonstrated by a sergeant majorÕs decision to punish graffiti artists by removing the doors of all the campÕs toilets. In late 2001 Russell Snyder joined the United States Army as a psychological operations specialist. As a member of the 9th PSYOP Battalion, the armyÕs only active-duty, tactical psychological operations unit he deployed to Iraq, the experience that inspired him to write Hearts and Mines. Subsequently he was deployed twice more to Iraq. He is a recipient of various military awards including the Bronze Star medal. Now a civilian, he lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This book is about heroes and victims, often playing both roles at the same time. The storied characters are common people, generally country people, dealing with the affairs of life and of the heart. There is humor and there is pathos. There is also hope. This book has poems for men and for women, for the old and for the young people. They are slices of real life served in digestible portions. There are elements of war in this book from both perspective of the dove and the hawk. Unlike many offerings in the world today, the contents are clear and easily understood. I know that people today will get much enjoyment to reading the poems in the book.

From the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Taken at Dusk" comesa haunting, poignant tale about living and dying, surviving grief, guilt, andheartache, while discovering love and hope in the midst of sadness.

Draw closer to God and creatively unlock more of the Good Book! Your relationship with God is unique. Shouldn't your Bible reflect and celebrate that bond? In this introduction to Bible journaling, you'll discover meaningful ways to combine art, heart and scripture--from backgrounds to hand-lettered verses to beautiful full-page drawings. No expensive supplies or artistic skills are required...only a desire to honor and enhance your spiritual life. To guide your creative worship experience, this book provides: • Prompts to engage you with the text, then visually interpret Scripture in words and pictures • Basic techniques for working with colored pencils, watercolor pencils and watercolor paints • 21 step-by-step tutorials for drawing trees, flowers, skies, mountains, maps, water, light and other popular themes • Tons of inspirational page samples and suggested verses to illustrate • Downloadable icons and technique videos available on the author's website Whether you're new to Bible journaling or looking for fresh ideas, this book will lead you on a rewarding spiritual journey. Success is not measured in the complexity or polish of the art, but in a deeper, more personal connection with God. "Our lives are busy, and we leave a trail of things-we-should-remember on the ground behind us. Instead, scoop them up and journal them. Preserve the lessons vital to our growth as Christians." ~page 12

The Holocaust, civil war in Bosnia, drug wars in the cities, random violence in schools, streets, and homes - such events and their aftermath pose special problems for mental health professionals, educators, and others who must help children make sense of acts that endanger them physically and psychically. In this book, edited by Drs. Roberta J. Apfel and Bennett Simon, mental health professionals share their knowledge, experiences, and hopefulness in working with children exposed to war and violence. The result is a moving history of young lives affected by war, persecution, and communal violence, and an invaluable resource for anyone working with children subjected to such traumas. The contributors to this book - who include psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, all with direct experience working with children who are victims of war and violence - address the ethics involved in working with children in war zones, children's development under circumstances of war or violence, post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress reactions, refugee children, "survivor guilt," interventions and treatments, and the emotional health of the caretakers. The book includes case studies on children of war in Kuwait, on a program involving children of Holocaust survivors and children of Nazi perpetrators, and on the Child Development-Community Policing Program in New Haven.

From four distinct perspectives--original, ecclesiastical, influential and eternal, John Stott offers an introduction to help you understand Jesus and his ministry.