Robert Adler

Swinging with Safety is a comprehensive guide to the history, behavioral etiquette, common stumbling blocks and lifestyle norms of the swinging subculture. Written by the co-founder of one of the most popular and far-reaching lifestyle clubs in the United States, Robert Adler records his observations and ruminations in this remarkable text. Contrary to common belief and portrayals in the media, swinging is not sexual anarchy and is, in fact, based upon respect, personal boundaries and the rule of 'No.' Only when the word 'No' is unquestionably respected can a person or couple feel comfortable saying 'Yes.' The author makes keen distinctions between the 'couple's sport' of swinging and other common alternative lifestyles such as open relationships, polyamory and threesomes. This text covers not only the evolution of modern day swinging, but also contains insights into the psychological reasons for swinging, into the protective benefits it offers to committed couples, and contains chapters going in depth into the issues of jealously, morality, fear and self-esteem. In the 1970s Robert and his wife Nancy began their exploration into non-monogamous sexual sharing in a small community in Costa Rica. Upon moving to Florida in 1981 and wanting to continue their explorations, they found countless couples who were interested in partner sharing but who lived in a dearth of information of how to navigate it. After making an offhanded joke one day that they really should teach a class in swinging, Robert and Nancy held their first seminar. And then another, and another, until it grew into a community composed entirely of committed couples looking to explore recreational sex. Each and every one of the 200+ active couples had completed the seminar and were held to a set standard of behavior, including universal respect and the rule of 'No.' These behavioral standards worked, and as the members moved away the standards spread to now form the basis of the American swingers subculture. It was Adler who first realized that in order to be self-sustaining, swingers had to move to a more matriarchal mindset rather than the patriarchal 'wife swapping' out of which the lifestyle evolved. Unfortunately Robert Adler passed away in 1993 before completing his work. To honor his memory his loving widow, Nancy, has compiled this book from his writings and presents it here now, in hopes of guiding and educating new couples on the structure and cultural norms of this alternative lifestyle. Whether you are a monogamous couple interested but unsure about swinging, an experienced swinger looking for tips on throwing your first house party, or an academic researcher interested in first-hand accounts and insights into alternative forms of sexuality, this book is the one for you.

The study of the ocean is almost as old as the history of mankind itself. When the first seafarers set out in their primitive ships they had to understand, as best they could, tides and currents, eddies and vortices, for lack of understanding often led to loss of live. These primitive oceanographers were, of course, primarily statisticians. They collected what empirical data they could, and passed it down, ini­ tially by word of mouth, to their descendants. Data collection continued throughout the millenia, and although data bases became larger, more re­ liable, and better codified, it was not really until surprisingly recently that mankind began to try to understand the physics behind these data, and, shortly afterwards, to attempt to model it. The basic modelling tool of physical oceanography is, today, the partial differential equation. Somehow, we all 'know" that if only we could find the right set of equations, with the right initial and boundary conditions, then we could solve the mysteries of ocean dynamics once and for all.

These notes, based on lectures delivered in Saint Flour, provide an easy introduction to the authors’ 2007 Springer monograph “Random Fields and Geometry.” While not as exhaustive as the full monograph, they are also less exhausting, while still covering the basic material, typically at a more intuitive and less technical level. They also cover some more recent material relating to random algebraic topology and statistical applications. The notes include an introduction to the general theory of Gaussian random fields, treating classical topics such as continuity and boundedness. This is followed by a quick review of geometry, both integral and Riemannian, with an emphasis on tube formulae, to provide the reader with the material needed to understand and use the Gaussian kinematic formula, the main result of the notes. This is followed by chapters on topological inference and random algebraic topology, both of which provide applications of the main results.

This monograph is a fitting tribute to a true pioneer in tropical meteorology research and describes many of the high points of her illustrious career culminating in her management of the crucial and highly successful TRMM project.