Bøker av D James Benton

This is the story of my personal pilgrimage and the many experiences, which propelled me onward. I present these as a series of vignettes. These began as daily posts on Facebook(TM) motivated by an urgency to share what I believe and why. The reasons and evidence describing the why not only preceded the what but shaped it too.

Even as processors get faster, applications get slower. Why? Inefficient software. There was a time when every BYTE and every FLOP mattered, because resources and speed were so limited. As processors have greatly improved, diligence has been cast aside like an old shoe. It is high time we brought back diligence, unleashed the CPU, and tapped into processor speed. In this text we explore what makes applications slow, how to avoid bottlenecks, and optimize utilization of these amazing chips. While this text deals specifically with Intel(TM) processors, the principles apply to all modern ones. By necessity, we will be focusing on machine language and code; so get ready for some assembler. Our purpose here is to crunch numbers as rapidly as possible with readily available hardware.

This text describes a collection of compact, efficient, and effective software scripts. These code tools can be deployed in several forms, including C, VBA, and Python, to perform a variety of common computing tasks. This text differs from the classic text, Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing by Press, Teukolsky, Vetterling, and Flannery, in both form and detail. While the title of this classic text (Numerical Recipes) might sound like a collection of small codes, it is actually a complete volume on numerical methods. I have already written several texts on that larger and more detailed subject, which will not be repeated here. To utilize the material in this text, locate the chapter describing the desired task, copy the code therein, and paste it into your application or spreadsheet.

This is a compilation of all three parts to the story of Ashley, the seventh seraphim. The overall theme is: God doesn't do things the way we expect Him to. He's better than that! The story starts with an angel who retires, which isn't supposed to happen.

This is a combination of three books: Heat Exchangers, Heat Recovery Steam Generators, and Evaporative Cooling. In this text we cover performance prediction and evaluation, as well as classical analytical and numerical methods for computation. Evaporative cooling is vital for life and industry, yet is rarely covered in a course on heat transfer. Cooling towers are widely used, making analysis of the evaporative processes essential for completeness of this subject.

This is a combination of three books: Nonlinear Equations, Numerical Calculus, and Differential Equations. These three topics combine to form Numerical Methods. Nonlinear, integral, and differential equations are found throughout science and engineering across a wide variety of disciplines. These are a significant part of applied mathematics and much effort has been devoted to their study and solution. We will consider single and multi-variable problems. Various theories will be presented, but always with a focus on what works best-that is, robust algorithms.

This is a combination of three books: Contaminant Transport, Particle Tracking, and Plumes. These three topics combine to build a system for modeling remediation strategies, which is essential to obtaining optimal results. I have used the principles and software described in this text over decades of practice and many successful environmental cleanup projects for the US DoD, EPA, ACoE, and USGS.

Boilers consume fossil fuels (coal, fuel oil, or natural gas) and produce steam for industrial processes or power production. Boilers have been a mainstay since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. In the 21st century boilers are being replaced with green alternatives and renewable resources. The transition will take years. While this change is implemented, it is imperative that the remaining boilers be operated efficiently, which requires clear expectations and diligent testing. This text describes what can be achieved and how to verify. Examples are given in both English (U.S. Customary) and SI units.

This is a combination of three books: 3D Rendering in Windows, 3D Models in Motion, and 3D Articulation. This is a how-to guide on rendering three-dimensional objects. The target operating system is Windows(R), but these same principles and techniques could be used in other contexts. The primary implementation is based on OpenGL(R), but alternate rendering systems are also presented. In this text we will cover the finer details of code and object development. We will also explore how to implement advanced features and controls. We will assume the reader is familiar with C programming. Many references are available on that subject, including my book, Version Independent Programming. As in that text, we will require that all code function properly on any version and configuration of Windows(R).

In this text we discuss bulk weather data, not yesterday's high or tomorrow's chances for rain. Archived data for thousands of meteorological stations over decades of record are available free at several locations on the Web. We will discuss these collections, what they contain, and how to access them. We will only discuss raw meteorological data, not cooked data, which has been pre-processed. We will not push any particular climate narrative; rather, we will examine the data and let it speak for itself.

Linear algebra, that is, the manipulation and solution of simultaneous linear equations, forms the core of many problems, from curve fitting to computational fluid dynamics. Efficient and accurate assembly and processing of these relationships is essential to effectively implementing diverse mathematical tasks. In this text we will examine the many types, characteristics, methods, and means of dealing with these systems of equations. Topics covered in this text will range from sparse matrices to vectorization to singular value decomposition. All of the software is available free online.

This is a collection of increasingly complex solved problems involving heat transfer, which must also call upon the principles of thermodynamics and material properties. A working knowledge of differential equations is also essential to understanding this subject. We will cover thermal aspects and also pressure drop but neither mechanical concerns, such as structural, nor chemical ones, such as corrosion. While these latter considerations are important in any design, they must be addressed elsewhere. The examples are worked in SI units with English units in parentheses.

Thermodynamics is the branch of physical science that deals with energy in its various forms, including heat and work. Energy is a property of systems that can be stored and transferred to other systems. Energy is not the "ability to perform work." This is a misnomer. A system may contain considerable energy without having the capacity to perform any work. Thermodynamics is the key to understanding how things work. In this text we will explore classical (or macroscopic) as well as statistical (microscopic) thermodynamics, properties, processes, and heat engines. A variety of applications will be presented and all software is included.This book is not intended to be a textbook on thermodynamics or to replace any of the excellent textbooks that are already available. I hope you will find this to be a helpful companion to such texts. I cover several topics (e.g., microscopic point of view, speed distributions, and probability) that are never covered in textbooks on classical (i.e., macroscopic) thermodynamics and are often reserved for graduate courses. I consider these topics to be essential to understanding the whole of thermodynamics and many practical applications in particular. I hope this presentation will inspire you to dig deeper into this fascinating field.

This is a how-to guide on rendering three-dimensional objects. The target operating system is Windows, but these same principles and techniques could be used in other contexts. The primary implementation is based on OpenGL, but alternate rendering systems are also presented.

This is a how-to guide on the approximation of data. There are many books and articles on curve-fitting. This is intended as a supplement to, not a replacement for, such texts. Most references are either esoteric or simplistic. I hope to strike a balance between these two extremes and trust you will find this helpful. Many examples are included and all of the source code is available on-line.

This is a compilation of 160 graphs showing how 16 different equations of state compare in their prediction of 10 different thermodynamic properties. Only minimal discussion of the details is provided herein, as this is readily available in many Web articles and texts, including my, Thermodynamic & Transport Properties of Fluids. What we see is that there are strengths and weaknesses for many of these equations, especially the early and simple ones. The greatest refinement and effort has been given to the 2020 Steam Formulation, as is evident in the figures.

The Internet is a vast storehouse of information, both good and bad. It exposes users-young and old-to concepts, data, and images they would not otherwise have. The Internet also creates new dilemmas and presents these to the most vulnerable and least able to deal with them: children. The Internet has unprecedented power to shatter innocence and is impotent to restore it. Her voracious consumption of content was unavoidable, as was the loss of her innocence.

This is a book of examples and illustrations, a companion to, not a replacement for classical texts. It is divided into two parts: analytical (classical) and numerical. All examples and software are included in the on-line archive.

This book presents a set of guidelines by which to develop applications that will run on any version of the Windows(R) operating system. This is not a manual on computer programming, but it does address the subject where necessary. The reader is presumed to be proficient in the C programming language, as this is the clear choice for such development. Simply put, this is a manual on what to do and what to avoid, in order to achieve version-independence. As more versions are released and the time between new releases is shortened, compatibility becomes increasingly important. By following these guidelines, the resulting applications will not only be compatible, they will also be more efficient. Version-independence is a specific type of performance. Achieving performance always requires attention to detail. If you are not willing to pay attention to detail, you will never achieve performance.

Ashley has never quite fit in, but she doesn't figure out why until the morning she wakes up with wings! What would you do? See if they work, of course. Ashley doesn't fit anyone's preconceived ideas of what an angel is supposed to be like. Finding out why will require her to grow in ways she wouldn't have otherwise.

This book covers various algorithms for compression and encryption, some of which overlap, serving both purposes simultaneously. We will discuss why one algorithm works better for one case and not another as well as how different implementations are superior or more robust. All of the algorithms and code are presented in the C programming language and all are available free online.

Ashley thinks she has finally figured out her role and how she came to be the last of seven seraphim-complete opposite of the first and the only bat-Elohim. But God has so much more planned for her than this. She easily diffuses an invasion from space by aliens, who aren't aliens at all, but rather descendants of Cain, returning to Earth after trashing Xantha. Pictures of Ashley are everywhere, precluding anonymity and eliminating any hope of returning to school or pretence of being a normal teenager. She bounces from one natural disaster to another, always trying to rescue people from the hard things of life, but never quite able to reach that elusive goal. Her anxiety grows day-by-day until a calamity strikes that breaks her heart. Every conceivable action leaves scores, even hundreds, dead or suffering. There is no escape from the horns of this dilemma. Frozen by indecision, Ashley fails to act and helplessly watches the destruction unfold. She flies to the place of solitude, the heavenly Garden of which Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives is but a copy, and there awaits the Savior's comforting presence. Jesus has planned a surprise-and a new perspective-a pitch for His little angel to consider. Ashley is hurled like a baseball through the heavens to her next assignment. Where and when will it be?

There are many textbooks devoted to the theory behind Monte Carlo methods. More often than not, these are heavy on theory and light on example. Rarely do they include the examples in their entirety, mostly presenting the final results in summary form. The aim of this text is to be light on theory and heavy on example. Each example is included in its entirety: input, output, and source code or spreadsheet. If you work through all the examples, you should be able to simulate whatever process is needed.

Thermochemistry is the science of analyzing molecular reactions to determine if they are spontaneous, energy absorbing or releasing, and to predict the product mole ratios and rates. Chemical reactions, like most other processes, tend to follow the path of free energy minimization or entropy maximization. This principle forms the mathematical basis for the analytical approach. This book is a how-to manual, filled with many examples and comes with all the code you need to accomplish this task.

This is a second course on creating interactive models, building on my previous book, 3D Rendering in Windows. In this text we will cover the finer details of code and object development. We will also explore how to implement advanced features and controls. The Windows(R) operating system and OpenGL(R) rendering engine will be our platform, but the same principles apply equally well to other environments. We will also proceed under the assumption that the reader is familiar with programming for the Windows(R) operating system and will not dwell on such details. Many references are available on that subject, including my book, Version Independent Programming. As in that text, we will require that all code function properly on any version and configuration of Windows(R). All of the software described herein is available free online.

Ashley is not your typical angel. She bursts into flames when upset and is irresistibly attracted to fires and nuclear reactors. Sapping their power is exhilarating and her appetite for energy is voracious. She was Daddy's "Little Star," but only now understood this to be literal. Ashley was born to shine, to command light. The Hebrew word for burner or shiner is seraph. There are other seraphim, but only one born on the Earth. Ashley is unique, a precious gift, a protector and champion. She is not an exception to the rule, but the completion of a set. She is not a destroyer, but a game-changer, in the biggest game of all.

Jerry Joiner might have been the most annoying coworker ever but is that what got him killed or was it the fish tie? There was no shortage of people willing-even plotting-to kill Jerry, but which one (or ones) actually did it? Detective Clark must sort this out while also nabbing the snatch-and-dash thief plaguing Magnolia Avenue because Detective Russell, who was supposed to handle murders, was out with hemorrhoids.

A series of grisly murders on the waterfront shocks the sleepy college town and threatens to distract the inhabitants from their sports obsession. Everyone assumes these are acts of revenge, payback for financial ruin. Evidence points to this motive, yet the carnage continues after those responsible for the real estate debacle are cold in their graves. Detective Kyle Cooper doggedly pursues this merciless killer, until the real motive is revealed: a terrible secret, buried and festering for three decades.

He played hard, studied little, and was already bored with life. He was ignorant of demands and absent of purpose. She worked hard and never played. She felt nothing but demands. Responsibility weighed her down. He was born of privilege and she of poverty. He appreciated little what he had and she appreciated what little she had. Girls impressed him as rather silly and boys hardly impressed her at all. Neither one had found what they were looking for and weren't even sure what that was. Friends had made life choices and given up trying to influence them in theirs. It would take the Hand of Providence to change their course.The Town depended on jobs at the mill. It was the only industry besides fishing. The machines were old and worn. Newer mills were faster and required fewer attendants. Profit margins were tight and competition has no mercy. If the mill failed, the Town would soon follow. The Caretaker of Life had a different plan for them all.

Peter and Steven hope nobody figures out that the machine isn't a fusion reactor. Until someone does, they'll continue taking calls for the patron saint of lost causes, altering as little as possible to change the course of history.