Cupcakes are everyone’s favorite little indulgences. They’re loved by kids and adults alike because they’re playfully sweet as well as utterly charming. These days, cupcakes can be found in bakeries everywhere, but with just a little know-how, you can easily bake your own tempting boutique-bakery cupcakes at home and decorate them with flair. Cupcakes contains recipes for every palate: Here you’ll find classic Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream for the traditionalist, Triple Chocolate Cupcakes for the chocaholic, PB&J Cupcakes for the kids, Salted Caramel Cupcakes for the epicurean, as well as seasonal holiday cupcakes, and dozens more. Whether you are a novice or experienced baker, inside these pages you’ll find friendly advice about ingredients and equipment, cupcake-making and baking tips, and a collection of ideas for decorating your cupcakes with either elegant minimalism or grand flourishes.

Now, "Inside Apple," Lashinsky expands on the attributes that last year made Apple the world's most valuable company. It's an entertaining account that explains how other companies could emulate Apple's success - while also making clear how difficult that task would be. By now Apple's approach to product development and marketing is well known. Lashinsky's chapter titles boil them down into succinct commands: "Embrace Secrecy." "Focus Obsessively." "Overwhelm Friends/Dominate Foes." All of which is easier said than done. Lashinsky credits Apple's outsize success largely to co-founder Steve Jobs, a noted micromanager whom he likens to "a domineering orchestra conductor.

A deeply personal account of Elton John's life during the era of AIDS and an inspiring call to action. In the 1980s, Elton John saw friend after friend, loved one after loved one, perish needlessly from AIDS. He befriended Ryan White, a young Indiana boy ostracized because of his HIV infection. Ryan's inspiring life and devastating death led Elton to two realizations: His own life was a mess. And he had to do something to help stop the AIDS crisis. Since then, Elton has dedicated himself to overcoming the plague and the stigma of AIDS. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised and donated $275 million to date to fighting the disease worldwide. Love Is the Cure includes stories of Elton's close friendships with Ryan White, Freddie Mercury, Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, and others, and the story of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Sales of Love Is the Cure benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Offers all the know-how you need to create an ideal water feature in any garden. Examines a variety of ponds according to their size and type, from formal to wildlife, and considers their installation and equipment. Well illustrated in color.

NASCAR made easy is now updated to cover the latest drivers, records, and rule changes. Of the 20 sporting events with the highest attendance in 2001, 17 were NASCAR races, and over 120 million people tune into NASCAR on television. Written by a top NASCAR driver, this fun and easy guide gets new NASCAR fans up to speed on the cars, drivers, series, and races that make up this hugely popular sport. Featuring 24 pages of all-new color photos, this updated edition profiles hot new drivers and covers the name change of NASCAR's premier racing series (from the Winston Cup to the Nextel Cup), the new rules that make the end of this series more exciting and competitive, and the latest NASCAR tracks, records, and achievements. Mark Martin (Daytona Beach, FL) is one of NASCAR's most successful drivers, with 33 wins (the fourth most among active drivers), and a no. 4 ranking in the Nextel Cup's all - time standings. He has currently started 508 straight Cup races. In addition, he holds a record 45 victories in the Busch Series, and his 11 victories in the International Race of Champions series ties with the most ever. He has won four championships in the IROC series, including a record three straight wins from 1996 - 98.

Peter Ames Carlin’s New York Times bestselling biography of one America’s greatest musicians is the first in twenty-five years to be written with the cooperation of Bruce Springsteen himself; “Carlin gets across why Mr. Springsteen has meant so much, for so long, to so many people” (The New York Times). In Bruce, acclaimed music writer Peter Ames Carlin presents a startlingly intimate and vivid portrait of a rock icon. For more than four decades, Bruce Springsteen has reflected the heart and soul of America with a career that includes twenty Grammy Awards, more than 120 million albums sold, two Golden Globes, and an Academy Award. Peter Ames Carlin masterfully encompasses the breadth of Springsteen’s astonishing career and explores the inner workings of a man who managed to redefine generations of music. A must read for fans, Bruce is a meticulously researched, compulsively readable biography of a man laden with family tragedy, a tremendous dedication to his artistry, and an all-consuming passion for fame and influence.

Paul Hardy illustrates the versatility of pastels and shows how to create an exciting range of effects - from the soft, subtle tones of an early morning to the strong, dynamic impression of a stormy landscape. Paul Hardy shares the delights and beauty of working with a medium that is amazingly versatile, exciting and inspiring. This colourful, practical guide illustrates the techniques of applying pastel to a variety of paper surfaces, from field sketching and composing a painting to painting skies, trees, water and reflections. Step-by-step demonstrations show the reader how to paint a series of landscapes - from a moody moorland pastoral scene to a gently flowing river, aglow with the warm colours of autumnal trees. The artist is rewarded as fields, trees and flowers spring to life when pastel is applied to paper.

Professors in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, Thomas N. Bradbury and Benjamin R. Karney are among the world’s leading scholars of social relationships, interpersonal communication, marriage, and well-being. Through in-depth interviews and detailed observations of thousands of couples, Drs. Bradbury and Karney have discovered the surprising ways in which personal histories, current life circumstances, and specific forms of interpersonal communication all combine to determine the quality and course of couples’ intimate lives. Their findings have been reported in more than 250 scientific articles and book chapters, and their 1995 review article is now the most widely-cited theoretical analysis of marriage published in the past century. On two separate occasions, the National Council on Family Relations has recognized Bradbury and Karney with the Reuben Hill Research and Theory Award for Outstanding Contributions to Family Science, and their co-authored text and accompanying video series, Intimate Relationships, has been used by thousands of undergraduates across the US and Canada. Translating and communicating research findings is central to their mission as scholars, and toward this end they founded and co-direct the Relationship Institute at UCLA, a center dedicated to engaging the general public with lectures, seminars, and workshops on new discoveries in the field of relationship science.

This fascinating biography provides a detailed portrait of the high-energy, charismatic international superstar and frontman of the ever-popular band, Bon Jovi. The book charts Jon's relationship with the other band members who have their fair share of rock and roll stories - sex, booze, burnouts, health and women problems. Although rock music is Jon Bon Jovi's first love, he has more recently developed an interest in acting - starring in various hit TV shows such as Ally McBeal and Sex and the City and attracting critical acclaim for his role in World War II hit film, U-571. He has also scored film music, with his score for Young Guns earning him an Oscar nomination. Bestselling writer Laura Jackson explores the personality, character, drive and the determination that have taken him from playing New Jersey clubs through all the groupie excess and glamorous indulgence to where the band is today. Two new chapters in this updated edition detail his recent work for charity, his involvement in politics and football and also give an update on the band's new albums and tours.

Mr. Obama’s new book, “The Audacity of Hope” — the phrase comes from his 2004 Democratic Convention keynote address, which made him the party’s rising young hope — is much more of a political document. Portions of the volume read like outtakes from a stump speech, and the bulk of it is devoted to laying out Mr. Obama’s policy positions on a host of issues, from education to health care to the war in Iraq. But while Mr. Obama occasionally slips into the flabby platitudes favored by politicians, enough of the narrative voice in this volume is recognizably similar to the one in “Dreams From My Father,” an elastic, personable voice that is capable of accommodating everything from dense discussions of foreign policy to streetwise reminiscences, incisive comments on constitutional law to New-Agey personal asides. The reader comes away with a feeling that Mr. Obama has not reinvented himself as he has moved from job to job (community organizer in Chicago, editor of The Harvard Law Review, professor of constitutional law, civil rights lawyer, state senator) but has instead internalized all those roles, embracing rather than shrugging off whatever contradictions they might have produced.

For an accident-prone "normal girl from Norfolk" who didn't run a serious race until she was 25, Chrissie Wellington has done pretty well for herself. A multiple world champion and record-holder, she remained unbeaten in 13 straight races at her chosen event, the Ironman triathlon, before her retirement in December. And what a fiendish event it is – a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride, topped off with a marathon. Wellington's account of how she graduated from entering her first marathon on a whim in 2002 to the Ironman – surely Ironwoman would be more apt – title five years later is inspirational in the truest sense, because she feels strongly that sport can make ordinary people do extraordinary things. She was helped/bullied on her way by a tyrannical coach with a chequered past but was obviously deeply competitive by nature, and her accounts of the more brutal aspects of Ironman are not for the squeamish; if a competitor was illegally slipstreaming her in the cycling phase, for instance, she would let fly an airborne stream of pee to make them back off.

Looking for help making smarter, more profitable high-end investment decisions? Why buy ten books that cover each of the major topics you need to understand, when "High-Powered Investing All-In-One For Dummies" gives you ten expert guide for the price of one? This hands-on resource arms you with an arsenal of advanced investing techniques for everything from stocks and futures to options and exchange-traded funds. You'll find out how to trade on the FOREX market, evaluate annuities, choose the right commodities, and buy into hedge funds. And, you'll get up to speed on using business fundamentals and technical analysis to help you make smarter decisions and maximize your returns. You'll also find ways to be as aggressive as your personality and bank account allow, without taking foolish or excessive risks. Discover how to: Conduct preliminary research Evaluate businesses Invest for growth and income Minimize your investing risk Read financial statements Understand your tax obligations Trade foreign currencies, futures, and options Get a feel for markets and react quickly to fluctuations Spot and forecast pricing trends Take advantage of online trading innovations The key to expanding your investment opportunities successfully is information. Whether you're just beginning to explore more advanced investing or have been dabbling in it for a while, "High-Powered Investing All-In-One For Dummies" gives you the information, strategies, and techniques you need to make your financial dreams come true.

Business students often object to required courses in business ethics, and the more cynical members of the general public consider the term business ethics to be a contradiction in and of itself. In fact, business ethics — that is, doing the right thing in the way you run your company — makes sound business sense. Ethical lapses can harm a company just as thoroughly (and perhaps even more so) as a garden-variety business mistake. On the other hand, a reputation for ethical behavior can enhance a company’s success and even help a company through tough times. A good reputation is like a good brand: When customers and employees trust a company to do the right thing, the business is more productive inside and out.

Mind Over Business will give you the mental edge to overcome obstacles and take advantage of opportunity. It prescribes exercises that go beyond motivation to create a road map for success. You'll learn how to create a Personal Action Plan that outlines your goals logically and concretely, followed by a Reward Statement and Desire Statement that fuel your drive every step of the way. Simple visualization and performance cue exercises will keep you on target no matter what obstacles get in your way.

Now, gardeners in New York New Jersey, and Connecticut have a groundbreaking resource, thoroughly researched to address this particular region. "Sunset's all-new "Tri-State Top 10 Garden Guide charts a new path to successful gardening by recommending plants that are easy to find and easy to grow--plants naturally suited to the climatic zones and seasonal conditions of the Tri-state area. Regional gardening notables, including Wayne Cahilly of the New York Botanical Garden, contributed to the plant selection process and text.

Join the world's hottest pop star on his rollercoaster ride to superstardom His debut album has already gone platinum. He's sung for the President of the United States. His screaming fans have stormed TV studios and shut down shopping malls. Justin Bieber is a global superstar and now, for the first time ever, he's going to tell all in his very own book.Justin's story is the stuff that every kid dreams of. Growing up an only child in Ontario, Canada, Justin had a natural talent for music; he was forever singing around the house and taught himself to play drums, guitar, piano and trumpet. He entered a local singing competition and despite not having had any vocal coaching, Justin came second aged only 12 years old.But it was when he posted homemade pop videos on YouTube that Justin's dreams really came true: the videos quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation, garnering an astonishing 10 million hits. Months later, Justin was spotted by top music manager Scooter Braun who later joined forces with superstar Usher to sign 13-year-old Justin to Island Def Jam. And the rest, as they say, is history.In his very first book, complete with free wall poster, Justin will tell the story of his amazing journey from small-town schoolboy to global superstar. Stunningly designed and jam packed full of exclusive unseen photos of Justin on and off stage, plus private captured moments, the awesome story of Justin's phenomenal rise to superstardom is a must-have for any true fan.

Birth School Metallica Death is the definitive story of the most significant rock band since Led Zeppelin. Volume 1 covers the band’s formation up to their breakthrough eponymous fifth album, aka “The Black Album.” The intense and sometimes fraught relationship between aloof-yet-simmering singer, chief lyricist, and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and the outspoken and ambitious drummer Lars Ulrich is the saga’s emotional core. Their earliest years saw the release of three unimpeachable classics—Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets—genre-defining masterpieces that took hard rock to a new level, both artistically and commercially. During these tumultuous times, the band persevered through line-up changes when guitarist Dave Mustaine was replaced by Kirk Hammet, and their bass player, the beloved Cliff Burton, was tragically killed in a bus crash while on tour in Europe.

It’s astonishing to sit and watch tape of Kobe Bryant side by side with those of Michael Jordan. The footwork is the same. The post moves are the same. The spots on the floor the players choose are the same. The confidence is the same. The clutch gene is the same. The titles and game winning shots are celebrated the same. And even the badgering and belittling of their teammates is the same (it’s no secret that Michael Jordan was one of the harshest leaders to grace the hardwood). It’s eerily ironic how many similarities both players really share. They were both even coached by the same guy: Phil Jackson. It’s almost as if the basketball gods wanted to play a sick joke on the fans and send us a replica version of Michael Jordan.

Author Phillip Norman, whose previous bestseller, John Lennon: The Life, was praised as a “haunting, mammoth, terrific piece of work” (New York Times Book Review) and whose classic Shout! is widely considered to be the definitive biography of the Beatles, now turns his attention to the iconic front man of the Rolling Stones, “the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world.” Norman’s Mick Jagger is an extraordinarily detailed and vibrantly written in-depth account of the life and half-century-long career of one of the most fascinating and complex superstars of rock music—the most comprehensive biography to date of the famously enigmatic musician. Keith Richards had his say in Life. Now it’s time to get to know intimately the other half of the duo responsible for such enduring hits as “Paint It Black,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Gimme Shelter,” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Mick Jagger is a must read for Stones fans, and everyone who can’t get enough of the serious memoirs and biographies of popular musicians, like Patti Smith’s Just Kids, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler, and the Warren Zevon story, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.

What seems like a gimmicky idea for a book-life with the world's tallest dog (with a Guinness Book of World Records certificate to prove it)-turns out to be an engaging, humorous read. "Giant" George begins life, paradoxically, as the runt of the litter, a Great Dane selected somewhat haphazardly by Nasser and his wife, Christie. George's breeder tries to impart some words of caution-"the parents are real big," she says. Soon George is wreaking havoc in the Nasser home, outgrowing the "the biggest dog crate available on the market" (the "Colossus") and eventually requiring his own queen-sized bed to sleep on. Fully grown, he weighs 245 pounds. But rather than the rambles of an obsessed owner, the book is a well-plotted and compelling story, which takes us into the Nasser family dynamic: when Dave and Christie start trying for a baby, they encounter heartbreak. Startlingly honest and well-written, Giant George's story stands apart from the slew of other dog books on the shelves.

Think smart people are just born that way? Think again. Drawing on diverse studies of the mind, from psychology to linguistics, philosophy, and learning science, Art Markman, Ph.D., demonstrates the difference between "smart thinking" and raw intelligence, showing readers how memory works, how to learn effectively, and how to use knowledge to get things done. He then introduces his own three-part formula for readers to employ "smart thinking" in their daily lives. Smart Thinking gives readers:

• The means to replace self-limiting habits with new behaviors that foster smart thinking
• An understanding of the mind itself as well as memory
• The ability to define and solve problems by finding and applying relevant knowledge
• Ways to present and process information effectively

"Gai See" is the Cantonese term for Chinese outdoor street markets. You never know just what you may find. Join a little boy as he shops with his family members throughout the seasons and discovers the many magical curiousities found there - from fresh noodles and velvety slippers in the springtime, to tofu and tanks of fish, exotic starfruits and lychees in the summer, and from incense, sweets and roasted duck in the autumn to herbs and vegetables and firecrackers for Chinese New Year in the winter! This cultural and multi-generational tour of "Chinatown" will delight readers with its rhyming text and lush, colourful illustrations. An author's note and glossary is also featured in the back.

From his gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games to his defeat of Sonny Liston to claim the world heavyweight championship in 1964—and for decades since—the unforgettable Muhammad Ali has captured the attention of the world. Here, drawn from books, specialty periodicals, newspapers, college magazines (covering his speaking tours), and the work of major literary figures such as Norman Mailer and Thomas Hauser is the best collection ever of writing on “The Greatest.”

THE HEALING CELL is an easy to read, carefully researched, and clear-eyed view of medicine many decades in the making that is now paying off with treatments that repair damaged hearts, restore sight, kill cancer, cure diabetes, heal burns, and stop the march of such degenerative diseases as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig's disease. The emotionally and intellectually stimulating stories throughout the book dramatically illustrate that stem cell therapies can change the way we live our lives after being afflicted by a disease or trauma. The book is the result of a unique collaboration between the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Culture and the Stem for Life Foundation. It includes a special address by His Holiness Benedict XVI, urging increased support and awareness for advancements in adult stem cell research.