Post-Bubble Blues: How Japan Responded to Asset Price Collapse

Book Description

What caused Asia's largest economy, once the envy of the world, to lag behind many of the other industrial countries? And why did it take so long for Japan to recover from the bursting of its asset price bubble of the late1980s? In this volume, a team from the International Monetary Fund examines the causes of the lingering economic problems of Japan, the crisis in its banking system, the reasons for weak business investment, and the government's efforts to kick-start the economy through a series of stimulus packages. This book presents a compelling story about Japan's economy. Its message—that banking reform and corporate restructuring are central to any sustained revival of the economy—is backed up through detailed background research. This research provided the analytical framework for the IMF's policy advice during a period of rapid change—a period during which macroeconomic policymaking moved into uncharted territory. The research papers were prepared by members of the Japan team in the IMF during 1998 and the first half of 1999.

Book Description

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

"A superb collection of classic and contemporary readings on commodification theory, including the latest, most advanced theorizing on this subject. It is a must-read."
—Elizabeth Anderson, Philosophy, University of Michigan

"As someone who helped to draw attention to the subject of commodification more than two decades ago, I believe that commodification is, if anything, more important today than it has ever been. We must ask ourselves: Are there some things that money can't buy? Who is advantaged and who disadvantaged by desperate market exchanges? This indispensable collection of old and new thoughts on commodification will help us as we struggle towards answering these questions."
—Margaret Jane Radin, Stanford Law School

"Rethinking Commodification includes several classic texts of commodification theory that familiarize readers with the traditional debate. The work then offers new insights into the issue, with two dozen articles, appellate court opinions, and essays. Taken together, this book comprises an intellecutal mosaic that moves the discussion beyond the early, on-off question of whether or not to commodify."
—Metapsychology Online

"A magnificent collection. The subject is profound and complex, the text gripping, lively, and thoroughly enjoyable to read."
—Sylvia A. Law, NYU Law School

"Commodification is on net a great source for good in the world. But the seminal essays in Rethinking Commodification show that the serious questions about alienability are much more than concerns about hypothetical contracts for babies or self-indenture.”
—Ian Ayres, author of Insincere Promises

What is the price of a limb? A child? Ethnicity? Love? In a world that is often ruled by buyers and sellers, those things that are often considered priceless become objects to be marketed and from which to earn a profit. Ranging from black market babies to exploitative sex trade operations to the marketing of race and culture, Rethinking Commodification presents an interdisciplinary collection of writings, including legal theory, case law, and original essays to reexamine the traditional legal question: “To commodify or not to commodify?”

In this pathbreaking course reader, Martha M. Ertman and Joan C. Williams present the legal cases and theories that laid the groundwork for traditional critiques of commodification, which tend to view the process as dehumanizing because it reduces all human interactions to economic transactions. This “canonical” section is followed by a selection of original essays that present alternative views of commodification based on the concept that commodification can have diverse meanings in a variety of social contexts. When viewed in this way, the commodification debate moves beyond whether or not commodification is good or bad, and is assessed instead on the quality of the social relationships and wider context that is involved in the transaction. Rethinking Commodification contains an excellent array of contemporary issues, including intellectual property, reparations for slavery, organ transplants, and sex work; and an equally stellar array of contributors, including Richard Posner, Margaret Jane Radin, Regina Austin, and many others.

RETHINKING COMMODIFICATION: CASES AND READINGS IN LAW AND CULTURE

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RETHINKING COMMODIFICATION: CASES AND READINGS IN LAW AND CULTURE
Martha M., and Joan C. Williams (Eds.) Ertman
Manufacturer: New York University Press New York and London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IWNMGE

Book Description

This book combines in a comprehensive manner the results of biochemical studies, structural biology investigations and small molecule design within some of the protein classes that play major roles in signal transduction: the protein kinases, the growth factor family and the transcription factors. It is described how these proteins communicate with each other via different signalling pathways. Three-dimensional structures of these proteins are presented, and their interaction with small molecules and co-factors are described. The use of these proteins for pharmaceutical research and the design of small molecules and their selectivity towards such proteins are discussed.

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Foundations of Structural Biology
Leonard J. Banaszak
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Biotechnology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0120777002

Book Description

Imagine trying to understand an engine without visualizing its moving parts. Biological processes involve far more complex chemical reactions and components than any engine. Furthermore, the parts work together to do many more functions than an engine which sole task is to turn a shaft. Understanding the implications of the three-dimensional coordinates for a molecule with several thousand atoms requires an understanding of, and practice with, 3D imaging. For many biologists, this means acquiring a whole new set of skills. Foundations of Structural Biology is aimed at helping the reader develop visualization skills for protein or DNA segments, while also describing the fundamental principles underlying the organization and interaction between these complex molecules.

Key Features
* Explains how to use coordinate databases and atomic coordinates of biological macromolecules
* Teaches the skills of stereoviewing
* Contains computer-generated stereographics
* Describes the principles of symmetry and handedness in proteins and DNA
* Introduces metal and lipid binding proteins and DNA-protein interactions
* Explains the principles involved in understanding secondary and quaternary structure
* Includes coverage of protein-metal, protein-nucleic acid, and protein-lipid interactions

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Foundations of Structural Biology
Leonard J. Banaszak
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OH4636

Book Description

Tremendous theoretical and experimental developments have recently been made in the sphere of the quantum Hall effect. Among them a field-theoretical approach has presented a fascinating unified physical picture. A most significant feature of the quantum Hall system is that exotic phenomena associated with statistics transmutation are realized. For instance, an electron may undergo Bose condensation by making a charge-flux composite, and fractionally charged excitations (anyons) emerge as quasiparticles. A pedagogical and self-contained discussion on monolayer and bilayer quantum Hall systems is given in a field-theoretical framework, together with an introduction to quantum field theory, anyon physics and Chern-Simons gauge theory. Only knowledge of quantum mechanics is assumed.

This invaluable book will be of great interest to students and researchers in condensed-matter, theoretical, particle and mathematical physics.

Book Description

The sea itself has always been a mystery--cold, dark, vast, and unfathomable--indifferent to human wishes and perilous to the ill-prepared. So what more appropriate setting for the ultimate human mystery, the seemingly unsolvable murder. In Murder on Deck! Rosemary Herbert proves that the opulence of the cruise ship and seaside resort has attracted some of the greatest writers in the genre. From Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Viola Brothers Shore to William Faulkner, Ellery Queen, John Mortimer, Susan Moody, and many others, Murder on Deck! offers 25 stories that plumb the depths of ghastly crimes. Many of these stories take place on luxury liners, or holiday shorelines, where mostly privileged vacationers have sought a pleasant and highly civilized escape from their daily lives. Imagine their chagrin when murder is thrust into their midst and the high tide of anxiety rolls in. Our detectives, too, are often on vacation, taking time off from pondering the impenetrable and are thus forced into a busman's holiday of restoring order and calm to a shattered idyll. In addition to acclaimed stories in English, Murder on Deck! sails into international waters with stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia), Saho Sasazawa (Japan), and for the first time ever in English, Chris Rippen (The Netherlands). Dutch author Janwillem van de Wetering rewrote his 1985 story "Messing About in Boats," especially for this anthology. A marvelous collection for the mystery lover or armchair traveler, and perfect reading for any vacation, especially the ocean cruise or trip to the beach, Murder on Deck! weighs anchor and heads for the high seas of unforgettable intrigue and watertight suspense.

Book Description

All the major categories of historical mystery are here--ancient riddles, biographical enigma's, hidden identity, "fakelore", questioned artifacts, suspect documents, lost texts, obscured sources, and scientific challenges. This highly readable book will intrigue the scholar and the history buff no less than the mystery lover.

Customer Reviews:

historical detective work.......2000-05-26

This book was both informative and entertaining. Nickell examines a number of historical mysteries. These mysteries include the disappearance of Ambrose Bierce mentioned in the title, the authenticity of historical artifacts alleged to have belonged to Daniel Boone and others, establishing the identity of Nazi war criminals, and several more. These cases are rather disparate, but Nickell uses them to illustrate the common use of the investigative method in historical studies. I enjoyed reading this book quite a lot. This is no dry academic treatise: it reads a lot more like a good-paced detective novel. Rather than an just describing the methodology of historical investigations, Nickell shows it through entertaining case studies. I learned a lot about how historians investigate questions, as well.

Ambrose Bierce is Missing, and Other Historical Mysteries.

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Ambrose Bierce is Missing, and Other Historical Mysteries.

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ICKR9Y

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Ambrose Bierce is Missing, and Other Historical Mysteries.
Joe Nickell
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O019V0

Book Description

Who was the first black queen? How much do you know about China's history? Most people's knowledge of world history is hazy and incomplete at best. This No-Nonsense Guide to World History gives a full picture, revealing the hidden histories and communities left out of conventional textbooks-from the civilizations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America to the history of women.

It includes a final chapter on how climate change, 9/11, the Iraq war, corporate power, and China's headlong growth fit into the broader patterns of world history.

Customer Reviews:

Concise and Easy to Read.......2007-10-05

Yes this book had an ambitious task - describe human history in under 40,000 words. The author did an admirable job, with one caveat. As with all historians and he admits as much, he has a bias. Although the author is clearly liberal (no issue with that), but he has a pet project about women's rights, a great subject to cover to be sure, but it should be in the No-Nonsense guide to Women's Rights.

The big plus is this book puts into context and a sensible time line such well known names and places as the Roman Empire, Khubla Khan, the Celtics (historic not Basketball), why Europe has so many languages in such a small place. It skips the 1960s, "70s and 80's which is good - that is easy to cover elsewhere.

I read this book in a train trip from Boston to NYC - a very nice easy read. If you want to know how the world got to where it is, pick this book up. Ignore the author's bias, it isn't that obvious in most parts.

A most useful and excellent little book.......2006-07-05

This short book is an excellent introductory guide to some of the key aspects of world history that are not readily available in the more "standard" history books. It sheds some light on the people, struggles, and nationalities that are often overlooked. I highly recommend this book for those that may not have time for a thick 800-page volume but would still like to stay informed.

To answer some of the commentary left by a few reviewers:
1. This book, like any book that claims to be about "world history" cannot possibly contain all there is to know about the subject, that is impossible. If you spent more time actually reviewing the book (through the publisher's website) BEFORE you made the purchase rather than complaining about it after the fact you might have realized what the true, openly stated purpose of this book was. It was not to give an exhaustive account of world history, but rather to be a short introduction to people who may not have the time to read full-length historical works.

2. If by "PC" you mean respectful of minorities, not overly Euro-centric, not using offensive or demeaning language, and paying attention to the world's downtrodden and oppressed then this book is guilty as charged.

3. From a reviewer: "Take these ridiculous thoughts from p. 120: "Mao's dictatorial social engineering had its disastrous effects too - an estimated 20 million died in the famine caused by the Great Leap Forward...But the Chinese Revolution still deserves to be seen as a fantastic achievment."

Would you support the American Revolution? Would you, like me and virtually every other historian and political scientist say that it was a great step forward for humanity? If the answer is yes, again like me and every other historian, then I hope you would also agree that just because we recognize this does not mean we are a supporter of say 100 years of chattel slavery, treating women as second class citizens, giving the right to vote to white propertied men only, naked wars of aggression, rugged expansionism, and slaughter of native americans that have also undoubtedly killed millions of people.

4. "...just a warning to those (like myself) who prefer strong opinions stay in the editorial column if at all possible"

I do hope you are not serious. Many people, like myself, have very strong opinions on slavery, genocide, wars of aggression, womens rights, racism, segregation, gay rights, and lots more. If you want a history that does not have strong opinions, then stick to your high school textbook. Well no actually, that's wrong. Every history book is opinionated and biased: they give their opinion by selecting what gets put in the history book, what gets left out, what is emphasized and what isn't, and so on. It goes without saying that when a person writes a book he/she is obviously using his or her own opinion. An "editorial column" is entirely unnecessary.

It is always very scary to me when I hear people talk about being adverse to having "strong opinions." I shudder to think what kinds of people they would be when placed in 1930s Germany, 1500s England, 1800s America, or for that matter, the present day.

Obviously, not the kinds of people who make history; precisely the kinds that are relegated to the shadows and that of the passive spectator. Which is very useful for exploitative governments but very, very bad, and even at times disastrous for humanity.

Misleading title.......2005-06-07

The ambitious title of the book should have made me suspicious. The task of summarizing the worls history in a short world like this is very ambitious. The title of the series 'non-nonsense guide to..' I found misleading. A subject like world history is highly normative to begin with. I found the way the author handled it really idiosyncratic. The way the author handles the subject is from the 'other' viewpoint: The perspective of history that has received a very small proportion of attention in history writing up to 100 years ago. This is in itself is not a bad thing. What put me off was that the author found it necessary to disrespect the reader by adding adjectives all over the place, as if he was afraid that the reader would stroll from the 'politically correct' viewpoint. I think that best describes the viewpoint on world history the 'new internationalist' author takes: PC guide to History. In my opinion PC, for all its good intentions, creates a tunnel vision not unlike the 'Agitprop' of Communist hey-day. Everything is 're-interpreted' to fit the mold. As such this book is not for every-one: only for those that are 'believers' in a PC reinterpretation of history.

For me this book shows again there is no short-cut to learning about history, no quick guide. I am back to more serious 'long history' book such as those by Fernand Braudel or William McNeill.

Great book, but..........2004-04-04

This book is a fantastic guideline to the history of humans on Earth. However, I was not pleased with how opinionated the author was at times, wasting entire pages on opinionated rants. Again, this book is a fantastic, just a warning to those (like myself) who prefer strong opinions stay in the editorial column if at all possible.

*.......2004-01-15

The author is obviously a communist, and I got sick of all the leftist sermonizing. Absurd and callous sermonizing. Take these ridiculous thoughts from p. 120: "Mao's dictatorial social engineering had its disastrous effects too - an estimated 20 million died in the famine caused by the Great Leap Forward...But the Chinese Revolution still deserves to be seen as a fantastic achievment." I'm not making this up!! I think any of those 20 million would disagree about Mao having committed a "fantastic achievment." Mr. Brazier might want to look at page 5 of THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM published by the Harvard University Press, where it says: "China's experience under Mao is unprecedented in terms of the sheer number of people who lost their lives...65 million." Brazier wrote a silly, silly book.

No-nonsense Guide to Islam (No-Nonsense Guides)

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No-nonsense Guide to Islam (No-Nonsense Guides)
Ziauddin Sardar
Manufacturer: New Internationalist
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1904456618

Book Description

This guide explains Islamic history, the Qur'an, sharia law, and Islam's relationship with the West. It analyzes the struggle within the faith for a more humane interpretation of the religion, issues surrounding women, democracy, and economic development, and the outlook post-9/11 and the Iraq war.

Merryl Wyn Davies is a writer, anthropologist, and TV producer. The author of Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology, she also co-authored the international bestseller Why Do People Hate America?

Ziauddin Sardar is a writer, broadcaster, and cultural critic. His works include Postmodernism and the Other, Orientalism, and Why Do People Hate America?, written with Merryl Wyn Davies.

No-nonsense Guide to World Poverty (No-Nonsense Guides)

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No-nonsense Guide to World Poverty (No-Nonsense Guides)
Jeremy Seabrook
Manufacturer: New Internationalist
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1904456669

Book Description

This guide questions conventional thinking about wealth and poverty-is the opposite of poverty really wealth, or is it safety and sufficiency?

Drawing on experience of poor people all over the world, the author gives voice to those whose views are rarely sought and shows how we all need to live more modestly to make poverty history.

Jeremy Seabrook has written more than thirty books (including Travels in the Skin Trade and Children of Other Worlds), and has worked as a teacher, social worker, journalist, lecturer, and playwright. He has contributed to many magazines, including the New Statesman and The Ecologist.

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Decent, but far from perfect

excellent book

Useful

Incubation of Reptile Eggs: Basics, Guidelines, Experiences

A superb, in-depth resource

Incubation of Reptile Eggs: Basics, Guidelines, Experiences
Gunther Kohler
Manufacturer: Krieger Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Reptiles & Amphibians | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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Understanding Reptile Parasites: A Basic Manual for Herpetoculturists & Veterinarians (Herpetocultural Library)

Breeding Food Animals LIve Food for Vivarium Animals: 63 Black-and White photographs and drawings

Reptile Medicine and Surgery

Designer Reptiles and Amphibians: Advice on purchase and selective breeding of color morphs that display unusual patterns

The Biology Husbandry and Health Care of Reptiles Vol. 2

ASIN: 1575241935

Book Description

Over eighty percent of living reptiles reproduce by laying eggs. Many reptile species are threatened by extinction and captive breeding programs are one way to prevent their complete disappearance. Correct incubation of the eggs is a critical step in the captive breeding process. This book brings together the available information and experiences on reptile egg incubation from numerous experts and provides a comprehensive description of reptile egg morphology, reptile embryo physiology and development, incubation techniques, solutions for problems with incubation, and details to assure the successful incubation of the eggs of most reptile species.

Customer Reviews:

Decent, but far from perfect.......2007-08-24

This book undertakes a huge task. Basic incubation information is all there, but when it comes to breaking things down based on lineage, species coverage is terribly lop-sided.

Snake eggs scarcely get a page of specific coverage, with pythons getting about that much again. Leopard geckos and fat-tailed geckos are not distinguished from one another or from other gecko species (which is suprising considering the many temperature-dependent effects leopards can experience during incubation), while day geckos and a few other groups get their own respective sections. The groups of turtles that are addressed seem unbalanced. Monitors can be notoriously difficult to incubate, and are not covered in enough detail.

There is an appendix that lists known incubation parameters for many species - I don't know of this information being previously available in any book aimed at pet keepers.

Overall, most everyone can pick up something from this book. For a hardback of its size and content, it is well-priced. Your reptile rearing library won't be near complete without "Reptilian Incubation" (Deeming, 2004), but the price and academic nature of that title will regrettably deter many, despite the fact that its content warrants it to be much sought after - moreso than "Incubation of Reptile Eggs."

excellent book.......2007-04-09

great book. It is a must for reptile keepers wanting to know about reptile egg incubation

Useful .......2006-11-09

I bought this book as a present for my boyfriend who has been keeping reptiles (mostly snakes) for about 13 years and recently decided to get into breeding. He already knows a lot, but on more than one occasion mentioned to me how this book contained some things he didn't already know and help him build his own incubator and make the right choices on supply materials.

Incubation of Reptile Eggs: Basics, Guidelines, Experiences.......2006-08-15

This was just the information I needed.

Thanks

A superb, in-depth resource .......2005-02-03

Incubation of Reptile Eggs is a scientific account that collects available information and experience from a wealth of experts concerning the proper incubation of reptile eggs, knowledge that is vital to the success of captive breeding programs that are one defense against species extinction. Charts, full-color photographs, and technical details spell out the crucial importance of temperature, humidity, and special care that must be taken for various species (for example, monitor lizards eat their own eggs). A superb, in-depth resource especially for herpetologists and reptile caretakers.

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Natural Areas in Indiana And Their Preservation

Manufacturer: Purdue University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IJTZ3Q

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Natural Areas in Indiana and Their Preservation
Alton A. Lindsey , Damian V. Schmelz , and Stanley A. Nichols
Manufacturer: Indiana Academy of Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1883362075

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Natural Areas In Indiana and Their Preservation The Report of the Indiana Natural Areas Survey
Alton A., Damian V. Schmelz, and Stanley A. Nichols Lindsey
Manufacturer: Indiana Natural Areas Surve
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W5B1YC

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