Ponder, if you will ...
Where do you find fascinating explanations for a multitude of mysteries?
Why do pianos have 88 keys?
How does the hole get in the needle of a syringe?
Why is peanut butter sticky?

Pop culture guru David Feldman demystifies these questions and much more in Do Elephants Jump? One of the Imponderables® series -- the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's everyday mysteries -- and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, this book provides you with small mysteries that puzzle and amaze us.

About the Author

David Feldman is the author of ten previous volumes of Imponderables^®. He has a master's degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City.

Providing you with invaluable information for delivering rich, cross-platform Internet applications within the enterprise and across the web, this book shows you how to fully integrate Java and Flex. Pages of examples, step-by-step instructions, and from-the-field techniques guide you through the creation of your first Java/Flex applications.

Marry Java and Flex to live happily ever after in Web development bliss

Whether you're a designer who wants to master programming or a creative developer seeking to broaden your skills beyond coding, now you have two powerful tools and a valuable guide to get you there. Thanks to the step-by-step instructions and practical examples in this in-depth book, you'll quickly get up to speed on relational databases, learn the ins and outs of Java and Flex, and discover the art and science of mashups by mixing code and graphics to create custom interfaces.

• Set up the Java development environment and configure Flex

• Send data from Flex and start writing Java Web applications

• Create a storefront server application with Java

• Develop a storefront client application with Flex

• Connect Java and Flex to create a real-time messaging system

• Configure Cascading Style Sheets for custom interfaces

• Master advanced concepts, including enterprise-level development

About the Author

Matthew Keefe is a new-media designer and developer with a strong background in application development for the Web and offline. Matt is the author of the Flash and PHP Bible.

Charles A. Christiansen Jr. is a senior software engineer who currently uses Java and Flex 3. Charles has written applications that run the gamut — from heavy client Java applications that use RMI over dialup to fast, lightweight Web applications that use Spring and Hibernate.

Photographers can now perfect their ability to perceive and record scenes with this fresh approach to composition. Unlike other composition resources, which are based on graphic design principles, Photography: The Art of Composition uses cognitive science to help photographers develop greater artistic proficiency. Illustrated by more than 250 photographs, this book offers a series of exercises sure to help photographers see and perceive their environment differently. Chapters and exercises cover:

Developing your intuitive sense of composition to create better photos - Understanding how the human brain perceives images - Developing your visual acuity by studying art and photography - Learning how to shoot in a wide variety of genres including street documentary, photojournalism, nature, landscape, sports, and still-life photography - Thinking and working like an artist -Choosing the right camera equipment

This informative guide will help photographers develop their cognitive skills and take compelling photos.

About the Author

Bert P. Krages is a photographer and attorney who is the author of two previous photography books, Legal Handbook for Photographers and Heavenly Bodies The Photographer’s Guide to Astrophotography. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

This family-friendly guide shows parents how to dramatically improve their baby photos and create beautiful, memorable albums without extensive experience, technical knowledge, or equipment. Featuring more than 150 striking examples of successful pictures, the book provides the skills and technique to create excellent portraits, action shots, group pictures and more. Written in an easy-to-understand, to-the-point tone, the book evolves from general to specific photographic concepts, with chapters including: seeing your children, the value of shooting close ups, portraits, capturing different moods, backgrounds and environments, film and editing, choosing b/w or colour, the technical side, and family photos. Dozens of tips and instructions for bringing creativity to kids' photos are featured, including posing and catching great non-posed shots, working with children as models, advice on equipment, and more. A chapter on "Tips for Photographing All Ages" gives recommendations on how to get the best pictures in all stages of a child's life. Special assignment forms help the reader go beyond good intentions, get organized, and fulfil their goal of excellent portraiture.

About the Author

Michal Heron has worked successfully with hundreds of babies, children, and their parents to create fine and candid portraits and currently works on assignment for a variety of publishing and corporate clients as well as stock photo

“…revised and extended…an essential book for those interested in knowing more about the subject.” (Measurement and Control, Vol.38, No.2, March 2005)

"If you were wondering what microoptics actually is or how it is specifically defined, then this book not only provides the answer but represents a valuable insight into the subject today as well... In response to my own question, the book does achieve its aims - an overview of a rapidly changing subject, with basic theory and a good applications focus. It is an essential book for those interested in knowing more about the subject and as such is a good, albeit expensive, buy." (Measurement + Control)

Microoptics is an important enabling technology for many areas of application. In this updated second edition of their modern text and reference book, Stefan Sinzinger and Jürgen Jahns expertly and comprehensively present the basics and applications in microoptics, while incorporating the most important developments in recent years.

An absolute must for physicists and electrical engineers, from advanced students right up to designers working in the field.

About the Author

Stefan Sinzinger studied physics at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg from where he also received his doctorate degree in 1993. In 1991 he spent 9 months at the NEC Research Institute in Princeton, NJ, USA. From 1994 to 2002 he worked as research scientist for Jürgen Jahns at the University of Hagen on planar optical systems integration. In April 2002 he became Professor for "Technische Optik" (Optical Engineering) at the Technical University of Ilmenau. His current research interest is the use of microstructures for the optimisation of optical components and systems.

Jürgen Jahns received his degree in physics from the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. After eleven years in industry at Siemens, Munich, and AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel (NJ), he became a Professor for Optical Information Technology at the University of Hagen, Germany. Focus of his work is the integration of microoptical systems and their application for computing and sensing.

The very nature of black and white photography places a premium on creative interpretation of the image. Advances in digital technology have expanded both the precision of imaging techniques and the interpretive possibilities for black and white imagery. Never before has such a wide array of tools been available to photographers who have a passion for black and white. Mastering Digital Black and White is written for these photographers. It serves not only as a comprehensive guide for creating black and white images and prints, but also examines the role of artistic craft in the imaging process. Learn how to employ your digital tools as extensions of your photographic vision. Read in-depth interviews with, and view images from, five accomplished photographers as they discuss their process and inspirations. Prepare to indulge your passion for gallery-quality black-and-white images in the digital darkroom. Additional supporting content for this book and a discussion forum for photographers and printmakers with a passion for black and white can be accessed at: www.masteringdigitalbwbook.com

About the Author

Amadou Diallo is a New York City-based photographer, author, and educator whose passion for travel photography has taken him around the world. His words and images have been featured in national magazines and graced some of the most popular photography-related sites on the Web. His fine art photography has been exhibited in galleries nationwide and is in a growing number of private collections. He is on the faculty at New York's renowned International Center of Photography. For information about his photography and workshops please visit www.diallophotography.com. He lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

This book is one of the few that focus on the critical problem of the appropriate characterization of conflicting data for an adequate risk evaluation. It comprehensively coves the different approaches in various research areas in the US and in Europe, while also considering the psychological and ethical implications of risk evaluation. Special attention is paid to the controversially debated issue of potential health risks through electromagnetic fields.

From the contents:

• From Scientific Analysis to Risk Policy
• Making Sense of Conflicting Data: Evidence Characterization in Different Research Areas
• Making Sense of Conflicting Data: Procedures for Characterizing Evidence
• Psychological and Ethical Aspects in Dealing with Conflicting Data and Uncertainty
• Practical Implications

Written by leading experts in the field, this is an indispensable resource for policy makers and professionals in health risk assessment.

The visualization of light in space, its effect on model cubature and scenery, is one of the great challenges in architectural rendering. This is a decisive reason for the use of 3D tools – both for architecture offices and students. This volume features a number of exercises that enable the reader to learn how to light architecture models correctly. Complete virtual 3D scenarios are included that allow for the step-by-step construction of a lighting set up with the help of Cinema 4D® software that creates a realistic spatial impression. The tutorials are complemented by a chapter on the use of Cinema 4D®, importing CAD models and light sources as well as shadow types, which have been revised and expanded in the 9.5 and 10 version.

About the Author

HORST SONDERMANN is an architect and professor at the HfT Stuttgart School of Architecture. He studied Architecture at the Berlin University of Technology and has taught visual geometry and architectural rendering since 1994. He has specialized on the interplay between CAAD, digital image processing and 3D visualization for many years. He lives and works in Berlin and Stuttgart.