We hear people say we should love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, but what does that mean? Or more importantly, what could it look like to fall in love with God? “Chad, jump on the gator’s back!” In a split second, a decision had to be made. Did Chad love his future brother-in-law enough to help him control a powerful seven-and-a-half-foot alligator? Ultimately, there was a subconscious devotion that affected his decision. We all face decisions every day. Some of them are small, but others are potentially life-altering. What you decide to do in those split seconds comes down to this: We all have beliefs about life and love, about what is most important, and we all act on those beliefs. In this book, Chad Young addresses what many Christians are missing: being in love with God. The lack of genuine faith and love in the church is the main reason why 59% of college students who grew up with a Christian background are leaving the Christian faith. Chad uses his own faith journey and humorous stories to call you to a deeper, legitimate love for God.

Find out what happens when fed-up citizens turn an engineer loose on the political swampThe beginning of this century marked the "Lost Decade" for Michigan. More than a half million people fled the state, decreasing her Electoral College votes from eighteen to sixteen.Career politicians in both parties are clenching their gator-like jaws tighter and tighter on hard-working Michiganders. Instead of serving the common interests of the people who elected them, the politics-as-usual crowd is beholden to special interests that generously support their pursuit of power.That's what drove a successful aerospace engineer and small-business owner to get out of his comfort zone, run for office, and restore the voice of the people. Echoing the president's battle cry, Colbeck's strategy is to drain the swamp and rid Michigan of her entrenched "alligators."Michigan is on the verge of making a dramatic comeback. Colbeck's strategy for returning the power to "We the People" is well on its way! In Wrestling Alligators, you will learn¿How government really works.¿How good people are seduced by the political swamp.¿What happens when one attempts to drain the swamp.¿How we can restore our faith in government.

A humorous guide to the care and feeding of alligators and the fine art of wrestling them.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a cold-blooded, creepy-crawly alligator? Learn all about this incredible reptile in this upper-elementary title. This title offers an in-depth look at alligators, including their physical characteristics, behavior, survival, techniques, life cycle, habitat and range, and threats to the animal. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

People have long been fascinated by the American alligator. Ever since humans arrived on the continent more than 15,000 years ago, the American alligator has been both feared and revered, celebrated and scorned, and often hunted for food and hide. Once tourism began to take hold in the South as a real industry, especially in Florida, the alligator took on iconic and even mythical status. “One of the most picturesque features of Florida has always been that uncouth and fierce-looking reptile called the alligator,” wrote Nevin O. Winter in 1918. “Everybody who comes down here to the peninsula has an ambition to see one in the wild.” Seminole Indians wrestled alligators for show. Alligator souvenirs and mascots often took what people feared—a sharp-toothed predator—and made it into something cute and cuddly. Alligator-themed songs were recorded and released, including “See You Later Alligator” by Bill Haley and His Comets. Hollywood into created alligator-themed movies such as Alligator People. Alligators were also reportedly kept in the White House under two presidencies. And perhaps the most unusual alligator story was one that helped to nab Ma Barker and her son Fred when they were hiding out along Florida’s Lake Weir. America’s Alligator examines the colorful and sometimes conflicted relationship our species has had with Alligator mississippiensis. Doug Alderson explores the country’s rich alligator mythology and how it inspired various forms of art, stories, photography, tourism and even humor.

The Bigtree children struggle to protect their Florida Everglades alligator-wrestling theme park from a sophisticated competitor after losing their parents.

In 1979, Florida Seminoles opened the first tribally operated high-stakes bingo hall in North America. At the time, their annual budget stood at less than $2 million. By 2006, net income from gaming had surpassed $600 million. This dramatic shift from poverty to relative economic security has created tangible benefits for tribal citizens, including employment, universal health insurance, and social services. Renewed political self-governance and economic strength have reversed decades of U.S. settler-state control. At the same time, gaming has brought new dilemmas to reservation communities and triggered outside accusations that Seminoles are sacrificing their culture by embracing capitalism. In High Stakes, Jessica R. Cattelino tells the story of Seminoles’ complex efforts to maintain politically and culturally distinct values in a time of new prosperity. Cattelino presents a vivid ethnographic account of the history and consequences of Seminole gaming. Drawing on research conducted with tribal permission, she describes casino operations, chronicles the everyday life and history of the Seminole Tribe, and shares the insights of individual Seminoles. At the same time, she unravels the complex connections among cultural difference, economic power, and political rights. Through analyses of Seminole housing, museum and language programs, legal disputes, and everyday activities, she shows how Seminoles use gaming revenue to enact their sovereignty. They do so in part, she argues, through relations of interdependency with others. High Stakes compels rethinking of the conditions of indigeneity, the power of money, and the meaning of sovereignty.

This fully revised and updated editions reviews nearly 200 other attractions, from family theme parks like SeaWorld to sports, the arts, dinner attractions, Kennedy Space Center, roadside attractions, zoos, gardens, and the great outdoors.

The legendary storytellers worthy of a spot in the pro wrestling hall of fame You can’t escape pro wrestling today, even if you want to. Its stars are ubiquitous in movies, TV shows, product endorsements, swag, and social media to the point that they are as much celebrities as they are athletes. Pro wrestling has morphed from the fringes of acceptability to a global $1 billion industry that plays an everyday role in 21st-century pop culture. In this latest addition to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series, Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson explain how the sport’s unique take on storytelling has fueled its remarkable expansion. Hundreds of interviews and original accounts inform this exploration of the imaginative ways in which wrestlers and promoters have used everything from monkeys to murderers to put butts in seats and eyes on screens. From the New York City Bowery in the 1890s to a North Carolina backyard in 2017, readers will encounter all manner of scoundrels, do-gooders, scribes, and alligators in this highly readable, heavily researched book that inspires a new appreciation for the fine (and sometimes not-so-fine) art of storytelling.