John Nelson

The aim of this book is to teach us how to better understand political ads (telespots) by attuning ourselves to their video rhetoric--their themes and stories, atmosphere and characterization, feelings and images, and their use of popular genres--from film to fiction, from MTV to game shows. Video Rhetorics is both a call for, and an example of, a new kind of political analysis. Supplemented with Hot Spots: Multimedia Analyses of Political Ads, a sixty-minute video of multimedia advertising studies, the book presents lucid analyses of particular campaign ads to illustrate how music, text, metaphor, genre, image, color, delivery, tempo, and location all combine to "orchestrate" political meaning. The authors also show readers how to comprehend dynamics of contemporary political life that remain mysterious within traditional accounts of how citizens learn about politics. In the authors' view, electronic politics is here to stay, like it or not, and we cannot afford simply to dismiss or condemn political ads.

Essential technical information for building on expansive soils--complete with practical, proven design methods. Expansive Soils examines factors that influence the design offoundations and pavements built on expansive soils, and exploreskey design procedures and remedial measures that address thesefactors effectively. Backed by the authors' extensive research andexperience --including interviews with practicing engineers workingwith expansive soils --this authoritative volume is an importantreference text for geotechnical and foundation engineers,geologists, construction professionals, and students. Easy to understand and apply, Expansive Soils contains: * Site investigation techniques for identification andclassification of expansive soils * Heave prediction methods using different types of data --withrigorous treatment of soil suction theory and measurement,oedometer tests, and more * Alternative design procedures for drilled pier and slab-on-gradefoundations, highway and airfield pavements * Treatment and chemical stabilization techniques --including salttreatment; moisture barriers; lime and cement stabilization; andother procedures * Remedial measures such as drainage control, and removal withreplacement and compaction control * Sample problems illustrating practical applications.