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  Summary of Daniel Kahneman's Noise

  Falcon Press

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  Buy now to get the key takeaways from Daniel Kahneman's Noise 
    
  Sample Key Takeaways: 
  1) Bias and noise, also known as systematic deviation and random scatter, are two types of error. 
  2) Some judgments are skewed; they are consistently off the mark. Other judgments make a lot of noise and end up at different points around the target.  
   

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  Patrice Lumumba: The Life and...

  Editors Charles River

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  As was the case across Africa, the political mood in the Congo colony remained stable until the end of World War II, but in 1947, India achieved independence and triggered a domino effect that led to the rapid decolonization of Africa. The first sub-Saharan territory to win independence was Ghana, which was handed over in 1957, followed in quick succession by the French territories of Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal, Togo and Mali. As far as Belgium was concerned, the writing was on the wall. As civil unrest began to break out in the major cities, and as the countryside became increasingly less secure, the Belgian authorities began to sense the possibility of a civil war, and arrangements were made to quit the territory as quickly and cleanly as possible. 
  	It was in the nature of Belgium’s withdrawal from Africa that power was essentially handed over to the first in line to receive it. Very little of the careful preparation that characterized the British withdrawal from Africa was evident in Congo, in major part due to the fact that the Belgian system of administration allowed for no phased entry of Congolese employees into the executive level, so there was no one trained or experienced in running a government who was in a position to take over from the departing Belgians. The same, indeed, was true in the armed forces. 
  	As it turned out, the first in line to take power was a tall, stern-featured ideologue by the name of Patrice Lumumba. Though he was still just 35, his life story was already one full of ideology, politics, and chaos, and things would only get more turbulent once he became the Congo’s leader. Patrice Lumumba: The Life and Legacy of the Pan-African Politician Who Became Congo’s First Prime Minister looks at one of the most important African leaders of the 20th century. 

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  Knights Hospitaller The: The...

  Editors Charles River

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  For centuries, Christians and Muslims were embroiled in one of the most infamous territorial disputes of all time, viciously and relentlessly battling one another for the Holy Land. In the heart of Jerusalem sat one of the shining jewels of the Christian faith, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Legend has it that this was where their Savior had been buried before his fabled resurrection. What was more, it was said to house the very cross Jesus Christ had died upon. It was for precisely these reasons that fearless pilgrims, near and far, risked their lives and made the treacherous trek to Jerusalem.  
  	Like other secretive groups, the mystery surrounding the Catholic military orders that sprung up in the wake of the First Crusade helped their legacies endure. While some conspiracy theorists attempt to tie the groups to other alleged secret socities like the Illuminati, other groups have tried to assert connections with them to bolster their own credentials. Who they were and what they had in their possession continue to be a source of great intrigue.  
  	The story of the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, frequently shortened to the Knights Hospitaller, is long and complicated. Although the roots of the organization existed before the First Crusade, the order would not develop until 20 years after the famous call by Pope Urban II to conquer the Holy Land of Jerusalem for Christianity. Moreover, while the identity of the Knights Hospitaller was focused on the principles of crusading and military conquest, the order also focused on charitable Christian causes like the healing the sick and feeding the poor and hungry. In fact, functioning as a hospital was the original purpose of the Order before it started to militarize, yet as time wore on, such ideals would fade in the face of wealth, power, and desperation to reclaim the vestiges of prestige lost over the centuries.  
  	The Knights Hospitaller formed in the 12th century and continue to exist in contemporary times, albeit in a considerably different form. Over the last millennium, the organization has fulfilled different roles, served varying masters, and continued to uphold the tenets of crusading even when there was no Crusade to fight. All the while, as it went through centuries of murkiness, including the development of a notorious reputation, the Knights Hospitaller continued to adapt. In contemporary times, the Knights Hospitaller could no longer be said to uphold the morals of the Crusades, but it definitely continues to adhere to the tenets of chivalry and charity. To get to this new position, however, the Order needed to undergo trials, tribulations, and years of resorting to begging.  
  	The Knights Hospitaller: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Catholic Military Order chronicles the known history of the order and examines the secrecy and mysteries surrounding it. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Knights Hospitaller like never before.

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  Searching for Christmas

  Andrei Hurducas

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  Ben, a little boy from an isolated orphanage, delighted by the beauty of Christmas in the neighboring town, decides to embark on a thrilling adventure to discover the holiday he has never experienced.To fulfill his dream, the boy must overcome his fears. His only hope to be noticed by the townspeople is the accordion with which he hopes to charm their hearts. To learn to play this instrument, Ben must begin to face the taunts of the children in the orphanage.Crossing the forest to the much-dreamed-of city hides more dangers than the boy anticipated. In the adventure full of threats, Ben is helped by Dave, his new friend. Thus he realizes for the first time the importance of friendship in the search for Christmas.The touching story will lead the reader to the true joy every soul seeks on the most delightful holiday of the year

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  Umma: The History and Legacy of...

  Editors Charles River

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  There were many great cities in the ancient Near East that influenced the course of history. Babylon and Jerusalem are two of the better known, but Nineveh, Damascus, Ur, Uruk, Memphis, Thebes, and Sidon were just a few of the great cities where science and literature were created, theologies proposed, and empires born. There are numerous reasons why these cities became prominent, many of which were related to the fortuitous circumstances of environment and politics, but for every one of the great cities, there were many more that flourished and then had their prestige overshadowed by the growth of their larger neighbors. These cities often played important roles in the historical processes of the region for a time, but due to numerous circumstances their influence proved to be ephemeral. 
  One of the most interesting of these early ephemeral cities was Umma. Located in the southern region of Mesopotamia known as Sumer, Umma became a prominent Sumerian city in the early 3rd millennium BCE, and while Uruk was the most important Sumerian city during that era, Umma was close behind in influence and power and for a time seemed poised to become the most important place in Sumer. A powerful dynasty arose in Umma that expanded its influence across southern Mesopotamia, uniting the Sumerian cities under one government, but the central position that Umma enjoyed proved to be temporary because Semitic conquerors from the north forced Umma and the other cities to accept their rule. 

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  Clausewitz - The Prussian...

  Kelly Mass

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  Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian general and military theorist, remains one of the most influential figures in the study of warfare. Born in 1780 in Prussia, Clausewitz entered the military at a young age, where he quickly distinguished himself as a talented strategist and thinker. His career spanned the Napoleonic Wars, where he gained practical experience in the field, as well as in the more reflective study of military theory. His best-known work, On War (Vom Kriege), has been regarded as a cornerstone of modern military thought, delving deeply into the nature of war, its relationship with politics, and the importance of understanding its unpredictable and often chaotic character. 
  Clausewitz’s career was marked by his involvement in some of the most significant military campaigns of his time, including those against Napoleon Bonaparte. His firsthand experiences with the brutality and unpredictability of warfare informed much of his thinking, and it is within this context that he formulated his theories about war. One of his most famous assertions, "War is merely the continuation of politics by other means," encapsulates his belief that military conflict is inherently connected to political objectives, and that military strategy cannot be understood in isolation from the larger goals of a nation.

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