Central Bank Strategy, Credibility, and Independence: Theory and Evidence

Book Description

Alex Cukierman is well known for his work on central bank behavior. This book brings together a large body of Cukierman's research and integrates it with recent developments in the political economy of monetary policy. Filled with applications and carefully worked out technical detail, it provides a valuable comprehensive analysis of central bank decisions, of the various effects of policy on inflation, and of the feedback from inflationary expectations to policy choices.

Cukierman uncovers and analyzes the reasons for positive inflation and rates of monetary expansion. He shows that the money supply, and therefore inflation, are not exogenous. They are influenced by interactions involving distributional considerations, private information, personal motives, and the political environment. This point of view makes it possible to identify the institutional, political, and other features of a country that may be conducive to inflationary environments.

Cukierman presents new multidimensional evidence on both legal and actual central bank independence for a sample of up to 70 countries and uses it to investigate the interconnections between the distributions of inflation and of central bank independence. He takes up such issues as why some countries have more independent central banks than others and identifies reasons for the substantial cross country variation in seigniorage. He provides positive explanations for the tendency of central banks, like the US Federal Reserve, to smooth interest rates and to be secretive. Observing that it is likely that the European Economic Community will have a monetary union before the turn of the century, Cukierman applies the techniques of modern political economy to discuss the effect of this change on the commitment to price stability.

The book includes simple and advanced materials as well as informal summaries of the major technical results. The introduction contains a modular guide for reading and teaching the material.

Customer Reviews:

A lazy three stars..........2005-05-15

Following the theory that is masked behind the walls of hyperinflation, this book proves to the reader that it can not only be penetrated but is illegitimate as well. I have had the pleasure of working with well known Dr. Igbus from Stanford who has foreshadowed the various topics found within the cover of this book. Its ideas and conjectures about the role of supply and demand on hyperinflation issues are controversial but do not lie outside of the bounds of being comprehended. Although the hypothesis made does not have supportable evidence to back it, that does not make it inplausible. Moreover, the pros far outweigh the cons making this book a credible source for the common economist.

Central Bank Strategy, Credibility, and Independence: Theory and Evidence

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Central Bank Strategy, Credibility, and Independence: Theory and Evidence
Alex Cukierman
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR4DM0

Book Description

Euphemisms cannot mask--nor mitigate--an ugly problem. Employee theft is wrong. Stealing is a criminal act that can have repurcussions beyond a prison term. Thieves can wreck their work records when they develop police records and hurt their family, employer, and coworkers as well. It's your duty both as a valued employee and as a concerned citizen to help stop the stealing. The tips in this book will show you how.

Book Description

Plant Food Allergens is concerned with a paradox of immense, potentially life-threatening significance to about 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 10 children. The paradox is that certain nutritious proteins from wholesome foods can act as if the were harmful, sometimes deadly poisons, to these people who possess an allergy to them. In order to study the complex problems of food allergy a EU funded network, called PROTALL was set up, bringing together a wide range of clinicians and scientists. This important book is largely based on the outcome of its investigations.Written by over 30 acknowledged experts and carefully edited by Dr Clare Mills and Professor Peter Shewry, themselves well known internationally; this important work covers all major aspects of the subject. Commencing with introductory chapters, the comprehensive contents of Plant Food Allergens includes details of the major allergens including: plant lipid transfer proteins, the 2S albumin proteins, the cereal á-amylase/trypsin family, latex and plant chitinases, profilins, bet v 1-homologous allergens and plant seed globulins. The book concludes with important chapters on the assessment of the allergenicity of novel and GM foods, and the monitoring of and technological effects on allergenicity of proteins in the food industry.Plant Food Allergens is an essential purchase for a wide range of scientists and clinicians including plant and agricultural scientists, chemists, allergy specialists, food scientists and technologists, pharmacologists, physiologists and nutritionists. Libraries in all research establishments and universities researching and teaching these subjects will need copies of this important book on their shelvesDr Clare Mills is based at The Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK.Professor Peter Shewry is based at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK.

Nothing to sneeze at: an allergen in your product or processing area could prove tragic to company and consumer. These plant procedures can help keep your ... An article from: Food Processing

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Nothing to sneeze at: an allergen in your product or processing area could prove tragic to company and consumer. These plant procedures can help keep your ... An article from: Food Processing
Mike Pehanich
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Food Allergies | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Food Processing, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2006. The length of the article is 2412 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Nothing to sneeze at: an allergen in your product or processing area could prove tragic to company and consumer. These plant procedures can help keep your products true to their ingredient statements.(labelling)
Author: Mike Pehanich
Publication: Food Processing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 67 Issue: 4 Page: 47(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Plain talk about allergen management: With recalls rising and legislation pending, labeling and manufacturing practices come under the microscope.: An article from: Food Processing

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Plain talk about allergen management: With recalls rising and legislation pending, labeling and manufacturing practices come under the microscope.: An article from: Food Processing
John Gregerson
Manufacturer: Putman Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Food Processing, published by Putman Media, Inc. on November 1, 2002. The length of the article is 2013 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Plain talk about allergen management: With recalls rising and legislation pending, labeling and manufacturing practices come under the microscope.
Author: John Gregerson
Publication: Food Processing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: Putman Media, Inc.
Volume: 63 Issue: 11 Page: 34(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Too many errors, factual, historical, literary..........2007-09-08

It's hard to take this work seriously when it's so full of errors. The author became a self-proclaimed Brazilianist overnight and it shows. A good ethnography requires more than what went into this work, although it's an interesting topic and a great job of anthropological showboating.

a gripping ethnography.......2005-12-04

Giving birth to a healthy human being and watching it grow into personhood is something most Americans take for granted. Many cultures the world over see the concepts of `personhood' and `human-ness' very differently than we view them here in the U.S. Americans would likely see granting responsibility to a neonate his/her own will to live or die as a form of abuse. This culture-bound perspective lies in stark contrast to societies that grant (often out of economic necessity) the newborn the agency to determine for his/herself the right to live or die.

The book Death Without Weeping by Nancy Scheper-Hughes and the article "When Does Life Begin?" by Lynn Morgan explore the ideas of `human-ness' and `personhood' from two different perspectives. The examination of both works leaves me to ponder the stark contrast between my own culture and that of the Alto de Cruziero, as described by Hughes, while begging the question of whether babies of the Alto are pre-social persons.

Lynn Morgan's article attempts to highlight the oftentimes subtle and arbitrary distinction between `human' and `person.' She argues that humans are biological beings while persons are humans that have been socialized into their culture. By Morgan's definition, a person has a socially recognized moral status and by virtue of certain rites of passage, assumes rights and responsibilities in society. Additionally she describes a pre-social person as a living being that must endure said rituals and steps to become a person. Unlike Morgan's cross-cultural survey, Hughes describes one society, the poverty-stricken region of the Alto do Cuiziero. The women of the Alto face an astonishingly high infant mortality rate. Perhaps that economic-based reality figures prominently in the notion that, unlike here in the U.S., the neonates are seen as pre-social persons with the right (and responsibility) to determine whether they will live or die.
In the minds of Alto parents, the neonates are born into the world having already made the decision whether or not to live. Any weak or otherwise unhealthy baby is said to have, "Come into the world with an aversion to life" (Hughes: 368). The weak or ill babies are "too under demanding, too willing, and too likely to die" (Hughes: 386). Says one Alto mother; " I think that if they were always weak, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves in life. So it is really better to let the weak ones die." (Hughes: 369). Hughes suggests that babies are born knowing that their life will be difficult, even if they survive the first year or so when they are finally seen as humans. Says another mother of the Alto, " If she died, it was because she herself, on seeing what was ahead, what was in store for her, she decided to die." (Hughes: 370).
Perhaps the babies are presumed to know that it will be easier on their families if they die early on. Since the parents face staggering poverty and blight, it is clear that certain economic factors control the allocation of love as a resource. A compelling reality exists for all mothers in the poor shantytown according to Nancy Hughes: "part of learning to mother on the Alto includes knowing when to let go of a child who shows that he wants to die." (Hughes: 364). Hughes clearly believes that the relationship between mother and child in the Alto is based largely on a culture of poverty. She addresses the concept of "Mother Love" as being learned behavior--and not biological instinct- that enables the women of the Alto to cope with the inevitable deaths of many of their young.
It is difficult to definitively answer the question of whether babies are `person' or `human' because different cultures view and define various social statuses differently. Lynn Morgan states: "the infant must `prove' itself worthy of personhood; first by managing to survive, then by exhibiting the vigor and health of one destined to become a functioning member of the community. If it survives and thrives, it is ready to pass through the social birth canal, to be ceremoniously welcomed as a person into the community." Other than a physical evaluation upon their birth, the babies of the Alto do not have the luxury of proving their survivability to their parents. If seen as not healthy or strong enough, they do not receive the resources of care necessary to survive. Morgan also states: "Social birth gives the neonate a moral status and binds it securely to a social community." The so-called social birth of Alto babies occurs simultaneously with their biological birth. Unlike in the U.S., they are pre-social persons born with the knowledge and the agency to decide if they live or die.

This book in NOT a representation of life in Brazil!!!.......2005-06-15

As readers, people should always be careful about the way they write a review of a book such as this: it is not in any way shape or form a representation of "life in Brazil." It is a representation of what life in some, I repeat, some poorer areas of Brazil can be like... but even so, being originally from Brazil and having traveled in my country, I can give anyone a million examples of poor or people who live under the poverty line, who are loving, decent, clean, concerned with the well-being and protection of others first before their own. I despise it when people file anything under the "generalization" category about other countries, and Brazil seems to always get a bad wrap in this sense. Brazil is an amazing country, culturally rich and diverse, geographically gorgeous and varied, and when speaking of a country with 186+ million inhabitants, how can anyone generalize under any one specific term about this or that factor? Not all mothers -- by a very very long stretch -- in Brazil fit the mode portrayed in "Death without weeping," and hope to have made that absolutely clear here: misinformation of this kind is absurd, and using the subhead "The Violence in Everyday Brazil" even more irreponsible from such a noted author.

Classic Modern Ethnography.......2005-04-27

Scheper-Hughes not only crafts a thorough, complex ethnography, but she takes a risk by putting a piece of herself into it as well. Here is the introduction I wrote for a term paper about this book:

Anthropologist Nancy Scheper-Hughes covers rough territory in Death Without Weeping, an ethnography about sugar cane workers in Northeastern Brazil. In chapters eight and nine she discusses the concepts of maternity and infanticide in a manner that dissolves their seemingly diametric natures and exposes an enigma of conflict and confluence inherent in their layered reality. But how can we contrast our established notions of maternity and infanticide with Scheper-Hughes' statements about them in a context that is emically true to the population her research is based on? Some things about maternity might seem clear: positive maternity encompasses nurturance and doting love, while negative maternity suggests neglect and even murder; yet Scheper-Hughes brings into question commonly held notions about the biological necessities and cultural expectations of maternity that reveal contradictions, blind alleys, and misleading parochial assumptions. This ethnography about the sugarcane workers of the Alto do Cruzeiro slum in the town of Bom Jesus, Brazil causes us to re-evaluate our understanding of maternity in the face of established cultural and biological contexts, and invites a more detailed, elemental, philosophical gaze. The observations made in Death Without Weeping force us to retreat in search of a neutral ground free from the biases we may hold about `American' or `Brazilian' maternity, and abandon our fear of naivety by asking, what in fact is maternity, and what do we know about it?

A gripping book, a masterful ethnography.

Routina.......2003-11-19

This book doesn't tell us anything we don't already know. Also it tries to interpret events. Anybody with internet access can read about favelas of Rio and the "parallel government" that rules the shanty-towns.

In fact, at least two groups in Rio give tours of these slums. And you will find things quite peaceful (the tour operators have not been injured in over 15 yrs of giving tours).

In a word: it's all about (drug) money.

Book Description

With energy consumption rising and with it our dependence on crude oil from politically uncertain regions, and faced with the threat to the environment from polluting emissions, it is becoming ever more evident that fuels from renewable resources are an increasingly attractive option to fossil fuels. Edinger and Kaul, like a growing number of other experts, hold the mobility of populations--transportation, in other words--responsposible for the rise in the rate of greenhouse gas emissions, a condition that can only get worse as less developed regions of the world emerge with their own needs and demands for mobility. What to do? Edinger and Kaul outline in sharp detail the shortcomings of current vehicular technologies and dominant fossil fuels. They present a careful, authoritative examination of innovative technologies that in their opinion have the best chance of combating dangerous reliance on conventional means of power, not only for transportation but other purposes as well. And they focus on special forms of fuel cell drive systems, with their high efficiencies and reduced consumptions, and on other emerging renewable technologies and their innovative, sustainable power sources--such as fuels from biomass and renewable electricity, a particularly promising source of energy for newly growing economies. Wide ranging in coverage, forthright in style, the book is an important review of how things are today, why they could get worse, but perhaps most importantly, what we can do about it.

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Hard Knockers

The Eagle and the Plum

What racing really is

The Eagle & The Plum: The True Story of Racing's Toughest Horses
Gene McCormick
Manufacturer: BigHorse II Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Racing | Horses | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0975997114

Book Description

The Eagle & The Plum is an insider's chronicle of the unprecedented, record-setting feats of two wrong-side-of-the-tracks Thoroughbreds competing at racing's outback tracks who raced long, hard, and often...Sometimes with success, sometimes not. It is a compassionate, truly-told story of the reality-defying love affair two blue-collar horses had for the dangerous sport of horseracing, and of the people who care for them.

Customer Reviews:

Hard Knockers.......2006-06-14

This book is about two old (for racehorses) hard-knocking racehorses and how they ended their careers. The book alternates back and forth between Our Legal Eagle and Leaping Plum, describing their training and each of their subsequent races.

The Eagle and the Plum.......2006-05-10

An account of older Thoroughbred racehorses, centered on an aging stakes horse, the Plum, and a claimer, the Eagle.

I don't think the author intended to write such a disturbing book. While it was interesting to learn how many racehorses continue successful careers into their middle years, and it provides a nice contrast to the two- and three-year-old sire prospects who are frequently retired, I found it really depressing to read about old horses who were raced over and over despite finishing far up the track every time. I was happy to read that one of them was retired, only to learn at the end of the book that he had been brought back. The horses' connections, as quoted by McCormick, felt their horses wouldn't be happy if they weren't racing, but I can't help seeing that as anthropomorphism the results of which verge on cruelty.

Racing badly needs longer-term equine heroes, but the last thing it needs is more breakdowns on the track. Enough, in some of the cases McCormick describes, should have long since been enough.

What racing really is.......2005-11-28

Most people only relate to Thoroughbred racing through the Triple Crown and perhaps the fall Breeders' Cup. But there is so much more to the industry than the top racers running for immortality a few times a year.

Thoroughbred trainer Gene McCormick captures the essence of racing that takes place daily at tracks nationwide by focusing on two hard-knocking runners from the claiming ranks. Claiming races are the foundation of the sport, where a runner can change owners immediately after a race.

At most race tracks there are runners who become local sports celebrities due to the number of years and races they compete in, oftentimes under numerous ownership changes. And these aren't the racers who'll retire to a comfortable life in the breeding sheds of the more famous farms in this country or overseas. They are the blue-collar runners found daily at tracks like Thistledown, Hoosier Park and Suffolk Downs.

McCormick also uses his focus on the horses to capture the highs, lows and frustrations of owners, trainers and jockeys as they pursue their dreams far removed from the bright lights and media attention at tracks like Saratoga, Del Mar and Churchill Downs.

The text is easily understandable for those who are only casual observers of the sport, which is a major plus. The book is a must for those wishing to better understand the Thoroughbred industry or would like to explore a sport at its grass-roots level.

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Not a Good Book For Canadian Built Cars

Great for Everything!

The BEST way to properly identify the validity of a car.

Catalog of Chevelle, Malibu & El Camino Id Numbers 1964-87 (Cars & Parts Magazine Matching Numbers Series)
Car & Parts Magazine
Manufacturer: Motorbooks International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Parts | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
History | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1880524066

Customer Reviews:

Not a Good Book For Canadian Built Cars.......2004-03-22

This book is very good if you have a US built Chevelle. Has no Info on Canadian Built Chevelles. You can find more info on the web than what's in this book.

Great for Everything!.......2000-06-11

We have had this book ever since we restored a 1970 ElCamino. We are currently in the middle of a 1971 Monte Carlo, and although some of the information is different, much of it is accurate for the MC as well. Our friends borrow this book so often we have to sign it out to them. Currently it is invaluable in researching a 1975 Nova. As with the MC, most of the information is the same (paint codes, etc.). I highly recommend this book to anyone researching their car!

The BEST way to properly identify the validity of a car........1999-07-21

This book gives just the right amount of detail to provide the car owner or a buyer with what the numbers really mean. It will also tell you in a hurry whether the equipment on your car is truly "original" I have accurately identified my 71 Elky as well as many others.

It is also a great reference when buying an "original" car. As some options for some cars were not identified by the factory apart from the original build sheet, the book only tells you about the numbers that you can find on various components. As an example, a 1970 SS was not identified by any of the numbers as an SS except on the build sheet. However, as any knowledgable enthusiast knows, the build number of the car (6 digits) is also stamped on the front of the block.

All in all a great book. Excellent for the Classic Chevy enthusiast Library.

Book Description

Leo is back! Leo Laporte, TV and radio's most recognized and prolific technology personality, has sought out the best of the best in everything technology and put it all into Leo Laporte's 2005 Technology Almanac. You'll have something to look forward to every day as one page is dedicated to each day of the year to bring you anecdotes, tips and factoids about the machines and technology at the center of your life. Learn about everything from ergonomics to processor overclocking to tips on using discount-travel websites, all while discovering how to keep your PC hassles to a minimum. Leo's musings on the world of technology are sure to keep you entertained throughout 2005!

Customer Reviews:

Fun and Informative.......2006-01-14

Mr. Laporte's style is always well written, informative and has a touch of humor. It's my opinion that this is a book for those new to tech or for those who just like to have some good miscellaneous tips and info at hand. After purchasing the very good 2002, 2003 and 2004 Tech Almanacs, it was a given to add this one to my collection.

It's written differently than the previous almanacs in that the old Tech TV crew is not involved as they were in the previous books. Each page is devoted to a day of the week covering a special download, software, gadget or web site along with lots of useful general information and trivia facts. Each week also has a special focus such as Computer Networks, Linux, Blogging, Web Design, Stopping Spam, etc. Mac's are covered also as well as Mac gadgets.

I enjoyed it, I'm glad I bought it and I recommend it!

A Great Book.......2005-07-29

If your interested in computers, PC or Mac, or just technology in general, this book is for you. Filled with great info and interesting facts you'll keep refering back to this book over and over.

Thank You Leo.......2005-01-17

We have TechTV no more, we no longer can watch The Screen Savers and see Leo, and I can not watch Call For Help anymore now that it is only shown in Canada. All of those things are sad but we still do have Leo's wisdom, teaching, and advice coming to us each day through the pages of his new almanac. Just like the past three almanacs...the information is clear, simple, and to the point. I enjoy getting my daily dose of help and technology with this book. Yes you can search the web for this info, but that is not the point. This is a daily one stop source for some everyday, useable information on computing. I own all the almanacs that have been produced and this new 2005 version holds true to it roots of teaching, humor, and just plain fun.

Short vignettes on current technology trends.......2004-11-18

After reading the 2003 edition, I never want to be without the latest issue of the Technology Almanac. Laporte & Miller use the calendar format to present historical tidbits, not all technological in focus, as well as information on trends in technology.
Each month begins with a calendar and for each day there is a caption describing a significant event that occurred on that day. There is a focus on a specific aspect of technology for each week, for example, the emphasis for the first week of August is web design. Each technical segment for the days in that week describes some aspect of the focus. Two other items also appear on the page devoted to the day. The first is another significant event for the day with a companion web site containing additional information. The second is one of seven different "of the week items." They are:

*) PC gadget of the week.
*) Download of the week.
*) Mac gadget of the week.
*) Web site of the week.
*) Portable gadget of the week.
*) Fact of the week.
*) Software of the week.

Since only one page is devoted to each day, the explanations are very short. Nevertheless, they are thorough enough to satisfy any initial interest you may have and easily point you in the appropriate direction. An additional list of historical facts for each day of the month is included after the last day of the month.
This book is a joy to read, it presents most of the significant trends in technology in short, easily digestible bytes. It is also a primary resource in the true sense of the word. It gets you started with the appropriate and understandable initial information.

A Technology Fix for every day of 2005.......2004-11-10

This is a daily guide to technology for 2005. Each day of the year there is a page for just that day. The page contains a bit of history, a short essay on some technology subject and a small snippet about a gadget, download or factoid.

For instance on July 8th, the history note is on the Roswell incident - you remember, where either an Air Force experimental balloon blew up or else a UFO crashed in Roswell New Mexico.

On April 24th the essay is on closing stuck programs in XP.

On January 25, the download of the week is the Picasa software for organizing photographs.

There's enough information here that you almost absolutely certainly will find something that is useful. You may have to search for it however.

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