“A beacon through the often tangled and varied paths to parenting through adoption.”— William Pierce, President, National Council for Adoption Hailed as “an extremely valuable resource” by Jann Heffner, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, this new edition covers the adoption process, updated information on cyber adoption, changes in adoption laws, and the financial considerations of adoption. • Updated appendixes with new listings for adoption agencies, publications, adoptive parents’ groups, and adoption attorneys • Comprehensive information on adopting abroad, Internet-assisted adoptions, and the legal aspects of adoption, including pre-birth consent laws

“Why are most plants green?” Why doesn’t stomach acid dissolve the stomach itself? Why are there more tornados in the Midwest than on the coast? This volume answers these questions and over 200 more, shedding light on the science behind them. As informative as it is entertaining, it addresses every major branch of science, including physics, chemistry, biology, geology, meteorology, astronomy, and cosmology. It highlights some of the big ideas that helped shape science as we know it, and discusses the future of science with regards to nanotechnology, genetic modification, molecular medicine, and string theory. • Complete Idiot’s Guides® have a proven track record of simplifying science with great success, as with volumes on physics and chemistry. •Entertaining scientific overviews of this kind also successful, including such titles as The Pocket Idiot’s Guide™ to Not-So-Useless Facts and The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Understanding Einstein.

A resource on the adoption process offers advice on making an adoption application stand out, the latest adoption trends, ways to spot scams, and the legal aspects of adoption.

The whens, hows and whys of keeping order. Robert's Rules have long been the ultimate guide for running meetings and outlining procedures. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Robert's Rules, Second Edition, teaches readers everything from the ladder of motions to how to use Robert's Rules for any size or type of meeting or political caucus. ?This book includes sample minutes, a sample agenda, and scripts for every type of meeting situation ?Includes a complete reproduction of Sylvester's "Basics of Parliamentary Procedure," a handy guide based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, as an appendix ?Gives readers a practical one-stop shop in the category - they can buy one book and get a copy of the rules and a book on how to use them

An updated and revised edition of one of The Complete Idiot's Guidespopular religion and history titles. Additional information about Jews in early American history through the 19th century. Expanded coverage of Jewish history and culture in the places you might least expect - Asia and South America. Jewish history and culture brought up to date to 2004.

The Toltecs were an ancient society who lived in the central valley of Mexico. Their knowledge of science, art, and the spirit was amazingly advanced, and it led them to create a system of teaching that required enormous discipline and willpower. Focusing on the mind, the Toltecs developed a spiritual philosophy that incorporated the beauty of many esoteric teachings, forming a perfect model for transcendence. They believed that humans live in a world of dreams, and the way they dream places limitations on their lives. By changing those dreams, and reprogramming our minds, the wisdom of the Toltecs can lead us to the self-love and respect that are the keys to personal freedom. In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Toltec Wisdom, readers can travel through life with the knowledge of the Toltecs, taking charge of their lives and becoming fully aware for the first time.

You're no idiot, of course. You know the Crusades were a war between Christian and Muslims for control of the Holy Land. However, these bloody conflicts raged over centuries, under changing circumstances, making the whole story difficult to follow. You don't have to don armour and cross deserts to relive the Crusades! 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades' shows you why these wars began, why they continued for so long, and how their impact on the world still resonates. This 'Complete Idiot's Guide' gives you: -An introduction to the Dark Ages and the Renaissance, and why Pope Urban II would grant absolution to anyone who reclaimed the Holy Land for Christianity.-The origins of such Holy Orders as the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers, and the Teutonic Knights and the roles they played during the Crusades.

No more burnt offerings! Whether it’s nachos or crock-pot kielbasa, a party, something quick for the kids’ lunch, a romantic date night, or dinner-for-one, this guy-friendly cookbook features over 230 real-food recipes for everything from vegetables, pasta, and desserts, to leftovers, appetizers, and grilling. Instead of relying on shortcuts, canned food, or unhealthy processed ingredients, it pares down complex cooking instructions, explains basic cooking terms, figures in prep time and cook time, and allots larger portion sizes. • Notes high-salt or high-cholesterol recipes. • Includes more than 230 recipes. • Provides special tips, advice, and recipe construction for beginners, plus bigger portion sizes for hungry men.

When parents form families by reaching across social barriers to adopt children, where and how does race enter the adoption process? How do agencies, parents, and the adopted children themselves deal with issues of difference in adoption? This volume engages writers from both sides of the Atlantic to take a close look at these issues.