The Blood Bankers: Tales from the Global Underground Economy

Book Description

From 1970 to 2003, over three trillion dollars—$3,000,000,000,000—were loaned to developing countries by the West. Yet the gap between rich and poor is worse than ever. What happened? Where did all that money go? A financial insider, Jim Henry looks unsparingly at the snarl of transactions, often legal but usually immoral, that resulted in the rich getting richer and the poor, poorer.

Like tentacles on a vast octopus, the firsthand investigations in The Blood Bankers all lead to one core. A financial detective of sorts, journalist Jim Henry analyzes a range of scandals, including the looting of the Philippines by the Marcos family, corrupt lending in South America, and the financing of Al Qaeda.

A rogue's gallery of international criminals owes its existence to the dramatic growth of the underground global economy over the last two decades. Our world is being reshaped, often in sinister fashion, by wide-open capital markets and an international banking network that exists to launder hundreds of billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.

Here is globalization's dark side—the new high-growth global markets for influence-peddling, capital flight, money laundering, weapons, drugs, tax evasion, child labor, illegal immigration, and other forms of transnational crime.

Customer Reviews:

The Debt Crisis Exposed.......2005-05-21

Blood Bankers collates vivid insider stories on the pillage of developing countries by international banks and the piracy of finance by corrupt leaders. The book accounts for the fact that, in spite of immense financial flows to the Third World, many countries have not witnessed the expected benefits, and indeed have been damaged by corruption and debt.

Development Economics To The Next Level.......2005-05-21

"The Blood Bankers" is an important contribution to our understanding of global financial instability. Most often, liberalized (legitimate) capital markets, international trade, state power, and international regulatory institutions are cited as the causes of destabilization. However, J. Henry allows us to look behind these forces and bodies to see how the liberalization of the global economy has unleashed illicit and/ or immoral financial forces, often acting through otherwise legitimate enterprises. Thus, "The Blood Bankers" gives us another level of understanding and critique of the agents of globalization. Without understanding the underground players, it would be impossible to fully understand the instability of modern international markets.

The Dark Side of Global Private Banking.......2005-05-21

This book is an eye-opening account of the financial chicanery that lay behind countless poorly planned, badly executed, over-priced and economically unviable development projects that were undertaken in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the 1970s and 1980s. Henry exposes the role played by leading international financial institutions in fueling the growth of dubious forms of transnational economic activity and shows how their behavior has been tolerated and even encouraged by the IMF, the World Bank and the US Treasury. He also sheds light on the influence that international financial interests have had on political developments in the third world - from the overthrow of Allende's elected government in Chile and the funding provided to Nicaragua's Contra rebels, to the support of thieving dictators like Ferdinand Marcos, General Somoza and Carlos Salinas, just to mention a few.

Revealing Facts Exposing Truth.......2005-05-21

An Amazing read! I didn't know what I never knew! After reading this book twice, I realize that International Bankers of all varieties dominate the buisness world and are at fault for irresponsible lending to many 'developing' nations. A result of which is massive poverty and wealth inequality througout the world.
A timely and revealing look at the origins of the Iraq war are an excellent reminder of power of these wealthy few.

Everyone should buy this book.

Economic Journalist Explores The Third World.......2005-05-17

Major U.S. banks have knowingly dealt with the corrupt elites of the world's developing countries.
They have harbored capital flight from wealthy investors who had lost confidence in their country.
They have extended loans to corrupt industrialists, who promptly skimmed the profits and, through their political connections, convinced the national governments to guarantee the loans, placing the burden on the backs of the poor.
They have lent money to violently repressive military dictators.
They have accepted bribes; they have offered bribes; they have turned a blind eye to untold human suffering.

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Corruption and the Global Economy
Institute for International Economics (U. S.)
Manufacturer: Institute for International Economics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0881322334

Corrupción funcionarial. (economía visión global).(prevención de corrupción en política y negocios; España)(TT: Corruption at the top. (Economy: worldwide ... Breve): An article from: Epoca

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Corrupción funcionarial. (economía visión global).(prevención de corrupción en política y negocios; España)(TT: Corruption at the top. (Economy: worldwide ... Breve): An article from: Epoca
Vicente Baquero
Manufacturer: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008IPSLA
Release Date: 2005-06-01

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on September 14, 2001. The length of the article is 375 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: Corrupción funcionarial. (economía visión global).(prevención de corrupción en política y negocios; España)(TT: Corruption at the top. (Economy: worldwide vision).)(TA: preventing corruption in politics, business management; Spain)(Artículo Breve)
Author: Vicente Baquero
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 14, 2001
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 141(1)

Article Type: Artículo Breve

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Fighting corruption in a global economy: transparency initiatives in the oil and gas industry.: An article from: Houston Journal of International Law

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Fighting corruption in a global economy: transparency initiatives in the oil and gas industry.: An article from: Houston Journal of International Law
Peter Eigen
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Houston Journal of International Law, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2007. The length of the article is 8010 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: Fighting corruption in a global economy: transparency initiatives in the oil and gas industry.
Author: Peter Eigen
Publication: Houston Journal of International Law (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Page: 327(28)

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Introduction: old economy, new economy; old corruption, new corruption.(Forum: the Enron scandal: global corporatism against society): An article from: Social Analysis

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Introduction: old economy, new economy; old corruption, new corruption.(Forum: the Enron scandal: global corporatism against society): An article from: Social Analysis
John Gledhill
Manufacturer: Berghahn Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Local Corruption and the Global Economy.: An article from: NBER Reporter

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Local Corruption and the Global Economy.: An article from: NBER Reporter
Shang-Jin Wei
Manufacturer: National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from NBER Reporter, published by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. on March 22, 2000. The length of the article is 3155 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: Local Corruption and the Global Economy.
Author: Shang-Jin Wei
Publication: NBER Reporter (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2000
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Page: 15

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Book Description

To remain competitive, today's business people need to find the right path through the confusing maze of options resulting from the corporate technology explosion. Currid & Company explains how business people can smoothly integrate today's new systems with their corporate goals.

About the Author

Cheryl Currid is a columnist for Windows magazine. She lives in Houston, Texas.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Book Description

Why do we age? Is aging inevitable? Will advances in medical knowledge allow us to extend the human lifespan beyond its present limits? Because growing old has long been the one irreducible reality of human existence, these intriguing questions arise more often in the context of science fiction than science fact. But recent discoveries in the fields of cell biology and molecular genetics are seriously challenging the assumption that human lifespans are beyond our control. With such discoveries in mind, noted cell biologist William R. Clark clearly and skillfully describes how senescence begins at the level of individual cells and how cellular replication may be bound up with aging of the entire organism. He explores the evolutionary origin and function of aging, the cellular connections between aging and cancer, the parallels between cellular senescence and Alzheimer's disease, and the insights gained through studying human genetic disorders--such as Werner's syndrome--that mimic the symptoms of aging. Clark also explains how reduction in caloric intake may actually help increase lifespan, and how the destructive effects of oxidative elements in the body may be limited by the consumption of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. In a final chapter, Clark considers the social and economic aspects of living longer, the implications of gene therapy on senescence, and what we might learn about aging from experiments in cloning. This is a highly readable, provocative account of some of the most far-reaching and controversial questions we are likely to ask in the next century.

Customer Reviews:

An easy book to read.......2003-08-20

Easy to read book. After lengthy introduction author concentrates on the research about genes that suppress the cell senescence and control. Discussion about cancer cells where cell division is not checked.
Final chapters discusses the effects of oxidants, obesity, low calorie diet or similar things where eventually a claim comes that beside the gene control everything else does not amount more than %15 in total effect.
So unless we control the genes we will soon or later die.

A good review with some problems.......2002-02-04

Dr. Clark provides a good review of the field but fails, in my opinion, to provide a clear explanation for "The biological basis of aging and death". The theories of the evolutionary biology of aging clearly argue that "aging" cannot be "genetically programmed" or that "We are programmed to grow old and die" as other reviewers have concluded from reading this work. That points out the weakness in this book -- a failure to clearly differentiate between senescence, aging and death. There are two primary theories for why we age -- "the declining force of natural selection" (i.e. it is difficult to optimize a genetic program to produce non-aging organisms) and "antagonistic plieotropy" (i.e. the genetic program is optimized for reproduction at the expense of non-aging longevity). Dr. Clark seems to suggest that the genetic program for senescence is what causes aging and death. In fact the genetic program for senescence is largely an anti-cancer program. It may as a side effect contribute to aging and eventually death but its primary purpose is to prevent cancer. There is a very big difference between saying that aging and death result from an "incomplete" program and saying that aging and death result from a pre-programmed senescence program. One of my primary criticisms is Dr. Clark's pseudo-deathist philosophy. The tone of the book seems to suggest that aging is pre-programmed and cannot be changed. He says, on pg 218, "Will we want to go this far in our search for the fountain of youth? It is unlikely even to be proposed in the lifetime of anyone reading this book, but it is not at all beyond the realm of possibility." (He is speaking of the application of gene therapies to lifespan extension.) I have been proposing such methods for lifespan extension for most of the past decade and have conducted research and founded companies to forward these goals. The human genome is a program. It has bugs in it that result in aging. We can comprehend those bugs and apply patches to fix them allowing the extension of human longevity to the accident-rate limits which will be thousands of years. Individuals who really want to understand aging should read books by people who have studied the field for many years. The best authors, in my opinion, would be Steve Austad, Tom Kirkwood and Caleb Finch. While many of their works may be older than this book, they have a greater depth of understanding of the subtleties of the study of aging that this book fails to discuss.

Yes, death is genetically programmed !.......2000-08-13

This book embraces a rational and well explained journey in the field of aging. Here I read for the first time strong statements about the programmed nature death, that is present since fertilization. We learn the basic experiments that support Haldane theory about sex and aging and we appreaciate the beatiful connection between replicative senescence and species-specifc mortality. The book is clear and well readible and I strongly recommend it to science and non-science crowd.

A clear explanation of what is currently known about aging.......2000-06-12

Professor Clark has written a book that is detailed and accurate, and at the same time accessible to people untrained in molecular biology. If you are interested in increasing both the quality and the length of your life, read this book.

The case for programmed senescence.......2000-05-14

Professor Clark writes with elegance and employs a reasoned tone, but he is not always direct, and often expresses ideas in the understandably tentative way of a very exacting scientist. Consequently it is not easy to see that nowhere in this book does he directly say what causes aging and death. Nor does he simply say we don't know. What he does say is there are some persuasive theories, especially the evolutionary model began by Haldane and Medawar and refined by George Williams (pp. 49-50), that are consistent with the data that "may be essentially correct, at least in broad outline." (p. 52). Clark makes it clear that we have senescence effector genes in our cells but he doesn't say how they got there, only that they were "already in place in the earliest eukaryotic organisms such as paramecia and yeast." (p. 57) The reader is left to believe that there is a mechanism that retains them, but what that mechanism might be is unclear.

I am led to believe that senescence is built into our cells and is part of our genetic makeup. We are programmed to grow old and die. Just how is what Professor Clark is exploring here. He concentrates on the cellular level because it is his belief that this is where the mechanisms for senescence can be found. On page 190 he argues that senescence is genetically controlled and not the result of a random breakdown, citing the fact that "maximum lifespan is species-specific." In short, humans live a lot longer than dogs, contrary to what might be expected if senescence were caused by cells getting old and wearing out. He points out on page 48 that "mice and humans, although composed of proteins that are extremely similar at a chemical level, have both average and maximal lifespans differing by a factor of 30 or more."

Clark also covers in some detail such issues as the evolution of senescence, average and maximum lifespan; genetic diseases such as Werner's syndrome, the Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome and others; oxidative stress as a cause of cellular senescence and the use of Vitamin E and other antioxidants; the aging brain and Alzheimer's disease; cancer and the social and economic effect of humans living longer. A chapter is devoted to the phenomenon of increased lifespan through restricted caloric intake.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Human Biology, published by Wayne State University Press on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 2083 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: A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death. (Book Reviews). (book review)
Author: Doublas E. Crews
Publication: Human Biology (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2001
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Volume: 73 Issue: 6 Page: 897(5)

Article Type: Book Review

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A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death

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A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death
William R. Clark
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKB3PC

Book Description

The controversial subject of this book is the permissible use of animals by humans. Lewis Petrinovich argues that humans have a set of cognitive abilities, developing from a suite of emotional attachments, that make them unique among species. Although other animals can think, suffer, and have needs, the interests of members of the human species should outweigh comparable interests of members of other species. Using principles of moral philosophy, biology, evolutionary theory, neurophysiology, medicine, and cognitive science, Petrinovich discusses such topics as fetal and prenatal development, development of the mind and brain, animal liberation, morality and animal research, the eating of animals, keeping animals in zoos and as pets, and the importance of biodiversity.

Customer Reviews:

Misappropriating Darwin.......2000-06-15

The book disappoints. Factually, there are very powerful cases of non-human animal bonding that exceeds even so-called normal human bonding. Secondly, the author neglects to take seriously the 'argument from marginal cases'. So, for example, autistic children, senile and retarded adult humans and the like, are simply incapable of even the minimal bonding that the author believes inhabits 'normal' humans. The result, on parity of reasoning, is that these marginal humans deserve lesser moral treatment. This seems at odds with our considered moral beliefs; indeed, many of us would think that these humans deserve extra care and consideration. The book is rather philosophically naive and leaves obvious objections unaddressed.

Good, but could have been better.......1999-04-09

Petrinovich does an excellent job of laying out and then applying his particular theory of morality based on the implications of evolutionary biology -- essentially, Petrinovich believes traditional morality is governed to a large extent by sociobiological considerations and that in turn we can learn how to apply morality to controversial issues such as animal rights by examining the evolutionary implications of our actions.

Much of the book is concerned with the debate over animal testing for medical research, and this part of the book is outstanding. Petrinovich aptly defends medical experimentation and punctures holes in both the factual and philosophical claims of animal rights activists, while at the same time presenting a realistic look at genuine problems and debates over medical research.

Unfortunately the book is marred by the final two chapters, one on meat eating and and other on zoos & pets, which seem tacked on to the book as an afterthought. Neither chapter even comes close to the level of the rest of the book -- whereas Petrinovich is very familiar with the literature on medical experimentation, for example, his review of issues in animal agriculture are cursory and rely on a handful of sources with little attempt at a balanced review.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Theological Studies, published by Theological Studies, Inc. on March 1, 2000. The length of the article is 991 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: DARWINIAN DOMINION: ANIMAL WELFARE AND HUMAN INTERESTS.(Review)
Author: Stephen J. Pope
Publication: Theological Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2000
Publisher: Theological Studies, Inc.
Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Page: 182

Article Type: Book Review

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Darwinian Dominion: Animal Welfare and Human Interests

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Darwinian Dominion: Animal Welfare and Human Interests
PETRINOVICH Lewis
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR1L2K

Book Description

Epic solo climbing stories that carry the reader to the world's great mountain ranges in pursuit of the ultimate climbing experience.

Customer Reviews:

Fast read.......2006-09-05

Another great John Long compilation!! Read while on a business trip & could hardly put it down, really saved me from the travel boredom. Any climber can relate to the drama & excitement!

Good reasons to not climb alone.......2003-08-02

This is an easy, quick read that will entertain if you like climbing stories. While I enjoyed reading this book as I have all of Long's climbing stories, I just can't see the thrill of tackling mountains alone. The element of danger is raised exponentially. Therefore, I didn't identify with the climbers and why they take this risk. It does detail these climbers and why so many feel the desire to climb alone in dangerous conditions. Personally, it just made me more comfortable on an indoor rock wall. Climbers will still enjoy the read however.

Damn Good Book.......2002-02-01

This Book was awesome. It kept me on the edge of my feet. John Long is a great climbing author and I haven't read a bad book from him yet. If you want to be on your feet and like to be excited, this is the one for you.

Excellent stories of climbing fear and extreme desire.......2001-08-06

I am an avid novice rock climber and this book is a great series of short vignettes that explore the many different facets of the most extreme side of climbing: the free solo. Hard to imagine, this is true "working without a net" extreme sport, that is really not so extreme when you hear it told from the perspective of folks with lots of ability and desire, and the fortitude to constantly battle the fear that creeps into such attempts. I enjoyed this book and found the first person perspectives were fresh and insightful without getting metaphysical.

Very good collection.......2000-10-19

This is an excellent anthology of writing about solo climbing. Highlights include Croft's Minarets trip report and Twight's (perhaps inadvertently) hilarious The Abattoir.

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With This Book, You Can Do It

Wedding Invitations, Announcements, Place Cards, and More
Bette Matthews
Manufacturer: Quarry Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Easy Invitations: Use Your Home Computer to Create Stylish Stationery for Weddings, Birthdays and Other Occasions

ASIN: 1564968081

Customer Reviews:

With This Book, You Can Do It.......2004-06-19

With this book -- and a lot of practice -- I was able to do the calligraphy for my daughter's wedding.
The book includes a number of romantic alphabets in styles from Celtic to modern, forms for invitations, many examples of custom woprk, and step-by-step instructions for projects ranging from favors to menu cards to guest books. There are also suggestions for working with a professional calligrapher.
This is a practical book for anyone planning a wedding.

Book Description

Over 900 black-and-white, ready-to-use letters, selected from authentic turn-of-the-century sources and rendered in an array of sizes and styles: adorned by stylized birds, insects, and animals; set amid urban and rural settings; embellished by heads and figures of men, women, and children; and in many other attention-getting formats. A versatile treasury indispensable for almost any graphic project.

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