A sealed vault discovered in the ruins of ancient Babylon reveals the knowledge of Eridu, “the First City of Mankind.” But what are the records doing in Babylon? Then, two archaeologists discover a terrible secret there. Before they can communicate their findings to anyone, they pay the ultimate price for this discovery with their lives. First, graduate student Harvey Keynes dies, stabbed to death, and then Professor Gregory Pitt is brutally murdered soon after. DARPA sends agents Kyle Fortnum and Jenna Blakely of the Department of Defense to investigate. However, this is not by choice. Someone, or “something” is blackmailing the agency and Vera Bennington, Kyle and Jenna’s boss, has no choice but to give in to the demands. Now, Kyle is under suspicion, thought to be in collusion with the unknown blackmailer, and so a possible traitor. Arriving in Iraq, the two agents struggle to solve the riddles of the murders and try to unlock the key to the secrets of the underground chamber. But powerful foes are at work. Kyle and Jenna, along with their friend, “Ant,” a private detective, fight to achieve their goals while trying to stay alive, because someone wants them dead. All around them dark forces gather, arrayed against them. The world trembles on the brink of a terrible crisis. Then, when an otherworldly Artificial Intelligence alerts them a secret cabal plans to trigger a nuclear war, the two DARPA agents become desperate to stop this. Theirs is a race against time. What is the secret that caused the deaths of the two archaeologists? When discovered, Kyle learns it is an earthshaking one. But can the agents keep the clock from ticking down to nuclear Armageddon for all humanity? Or is the Babylon Effect unstoppable and all their efforts in vain? The Babylon Effect, by bestseller author Rob Shelsky, is a science fiction suspense novel with all the answers. With the introduction of agents Kyle Fortnum and Jenna Blakely as the protagonists, the thriller world will never be the same again.

Understand, train, and be ready to develop 3D Web applications/video games using the Babylon.js framework, even for beginners About This Book Understand the basics of 3D (along with the theory) before practicing Each mini-project provides previous features, alongside the new feature you are learning, to supply the examples Learn from the best of the best, a developer at Microsoft, France Who This Book Is For Babylon.JS Essentials is intended for developers who want to enter the world of 3D development for the Web, or developers who want to add the Babylon.js framework to their skill set. The notion of Oriented Object Programming would be helpful to understand the architecture of the Babylon.js framework. Also, a familiarity with Web development would be useful, to understand the principles used. What You Will Learn Understand what the TypeScript language is and its benefits (compared to JavaScript) in large projects such as 3D engines Learn the basics of 3D using Babylon.js without too much theory but with an emphasis on practice, for a better understanding of the architecture Know the usage of Material—a fundamental principle of 3D engines in Babylon.js—and then customize the appearance of 3D objects Integrate collisions and physics in gameplay. Understand the notion of impostor for physics simulation Manage, create, and spatialize audio tracks in 3D scenes Go further with the Babylon.js framework to create actions on events Create rendering effects provided by the Babylon.js framework, such as post-processes In Detail Are you familiar with HTML5? Do you want to build exciting games and Web applications? Then explore the exciting world of game and Web development with one of the best frameworks out there: Babylon.JS. Starting from the beginning, the book introduces the required basics for 3D development and the knowledge you need to use the Babylon.js framework. It focuses on the simplicity provided by Babylon.js and uses a combination of theory and practice. All the chapters are provided with example files ready to run; each example file provides the previously learned features of the framework. Finally, developers will be ready to easily understand new features added to the framework in the future. Style and approach The book is a comprehensive guide packed with ready-to-run examples with a mix of theory and practice.

Astrology, ancient temples, modern banking: here are the alchemical physics behind it all.

"From Gilgamesh to Babylon" invites readers on an immersive voyage through the realms of mythology and history, embarking on a captivating exploration that spans from the legendary hero Gilgamesh to the magnificent city of Babylon. This book intertwines the ancient myths and historical narratives of Mesopotamia, illuminating the wonders of a bygone era. Step into the epic tale of Gilgamesh, the demigod king driven by an unquenchable thirst for immortality. Within the pages of "From Gilgamesh to Babylon," readers unravel the layers of this timeless narrative, unearthing profound themes of mortality, friendship, and the eternal quest for purpose that have enthralled audiences for ages. Beyond the realm of myth, the book ventures into the historical tapestry of ancient Mesopotamia. Witness the rise of Babylon, a majestic city that flourished under the reign of Hammurabi and his renowned Code. Through vivid descriptions and meticulous research, readers gain insights into the daily lives, customs, and beliefs of the ancient Babylonians. From the breathtaking Hanging Gardens to the monumental ziggurats that touched the heavens, the architectural marvels of Babylon spring to life. "From Gilgamesh to Babylon" breathes life into the intricate pantheon of gods and goddesses that shaped the spiritual landscape of Mesopotamia. Encounter Ishtar, Marduk, and Ea as their myths intertwine with mortal existence, revealing the religious rituals and mythological beliefs that permeated ancient Babylonian society. By drawing upon historical accounts, archaeological discoveries, and scholarly insights, this book provides a comprehensive and accessible exploration of Mesopotamian mythology and history. It unveils the cultural significance of these ancient myths and their enduring impact on subsequent civilizations, shedding light on the intricate interplay between myth and reality. Through its engaging narrative and meticulous research, "From Gilgamesh to Babylon" serves as a gateway to the past. Discover the timeless heroism of Gilgamesh and immerse yourself in the splendor of Babylon, fostering a deeper appreciation for the rich legacies of Mesopotamian mythology and history that continue to resonate with us today.

Babylon is a surprisingly multivalent symbol in U.S. culture and politics. Political citations of Babylon range widely, from torture at Abu Ghraib to depictions of Hollywood glamour and decadence. In political discourse, Babylon appears in conservative ruminations on democratic law, liberal appeals to unity, Tea Party warnings about equality, and religious advocacy for family values. A composite biblical figure, Babylon is used to celebrate diversity and also to condemn it, to sell sexuality and to regulate it, to galvanize war and to worry about imperialism. Erin Runions explores the significance of these shifts and contradictions, arguing that together they reveal a theopolitics that tries to balance the drive for U.S. dominance with the countervailing ideals and subjectivities of economic globalization. Examining the confluence of cultural formations, biblical interpretations, and (bio)political philosophies, The Babylon Complex shows how theopolitical arguments for war, sexual regulation, and political control both assuage and contribute to anxieties about waning national sovereignty. Theoretically sophisticated and engaging, this remarkable book complicates our understanding of how the Bible affects U.S political ideals and subjectivities.

This book is a history of the Whore of Babylon image found in the book of Revelation, with an emphasis upon the use and influence of the text on the Brethren of the nineteenth century. The Brethren developed a multi-layered exegesis of the text, using Babylon as a form of vituperative rhetoric through which to vilify all other Christians in order to define their own religious identity. Those with divergent doctrinal beliefs belonged to an epistemological Babylon; those polluted by the world belonged to secular Babylon. Babylon was contagious! It is from the pens of these writers that the Secret Rapture of the Church doctrine developed as a biological "fight or flight" response, and a psychological "fear and fantasy" response. Whilst the Brethren of the nineteenth century are the central focus, the book will have a wider appeal to those interested in the history of exegesis, hermeneutics, and Apocalypse studies, for it also offers an overview of hermeneutical approaches to the reading of Revelation, a survey of Babylon's "afterlife" throughout the history of the church, and new insights into the ways in which readers, texts, and contexts interact in the broader context of sectarian biblical exegesis.

Note biographique : Eva Cancik-Kirschbaum, Freie Universität Berlin; Joachim Marzahn, Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin;Margarete van Ess, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Orient-Abteilung, Berlin

A docu-style investigation of our fascination with the gun, from the perspective of the hip-hop generation. The 2003 shooting death of Toronto community-centre worker Kempton Howard put the spotlight on hip hop’s fixation with guns. Media and police soon blamed rap music and its tales of gang life on bullet-ridden US streets for the rising use of firearms in Canadian crime. Were these songs artful accounts of a terrible truth, or a self-fulfilling prophecy? Rodrigo Bascunan and Christian Pearce have interviewed many of the major players in the hip-hop world. As publishers of an award-winning magazine of urban culture, they’d watched rap music become a scapegoat for society’s much older and widely spread fascination with guns. What follows is their international adventure to deconstruct modern gun culture in all its manifestations. Bascunan and Pearce seek out hip-hop artists, illegal gun runners, firearms aficionados and manufacturers, museum curators, academics, politicians, video-game creators, activists, victims of gun violence and the family and friends left behind. Somewhere between Fast Food Nation, No Logo and a Michael Moore documentary, featuring sly sidebar material and original artwork, Enter the Babylon System is part outrageous journalistic pursuit and part passionate cri de coeur for sanity in the face of a society’s obsession.

Reproduction of the original: Babylon by Grant Allen