The Vampire State: And Other Myths and Fallacies About the U.S. Economy

Amazon.com

When you recall that the forces of Newt Gingrich got solidly behind the balanced budget amendment, that it was Ross Perot's embracing of deficit reduction that propelled his original meteoric presidential campaign, and that it is Bill Clinton who holds the title of greatest national debt reducer among post-World War II American presidents, you realize that the notion of balancing the federal books is no longer a conservative shibboleth; it's now the apple pie of economic politics. But Fred Block, a sociology professor, remains a dissenter.

The Vampire State is his brief against the importance of the idea of a balanced budget. Block argues that the demand to balance is based on a faulty metaphor, that of an economy that was once vibrant but has been leeched into weakness by a money-parasitic government. In truth, he holds, there are a lot of other factors for economic health besides the money supply, such as new technology, the ways businesses organize themselves, the quality of the labor pool, and the psychology of the investor pool. Indeed, the U.S. government often spurs the economy by drawing these factors into increased play. And we'd see that, argues Block, if, for instance, we abandoned the received, but pessimistic ways of measuring productivity, inflation, and savings.

Book Description

The Vampire State is a popular and provocative look at the muddled way we talk about economics in America. In engaging prose, Fred L. Block argues that many familiar metaphors, such as the image of the government as a vampire sucking the lifeblood from our economy, are patently false and based on bad economics. He explains why balancing the federal budget will not solve our economic problems, shows the flaws in the arguments for a global free trade regime, and uses a series of counter-metaphors to suggest reforms we desperately need.

Book Description

Why have the states of Europe agreed to create an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and a single European currency? What will decide the fate of this bold project? This book explains why monetary integration has deepened in Europe from the Bretton Woods era to the present day. McNamara argues that the development of a neoliberal economic policy consensus among European leaders in the years after the first oil crisis was crucial to stability in the European Monetary System and progress towards EMU. She identifies two factors, rising capital mobility and changing ideas about the government's proper role in monetary policymaking, as critical to the neoliberal consensus but warns that unresolved social tensions in this consensus may provoke a political backlash against EMU and its neoliberal reforms.

McNamara's findings are relevant not only to European monetary integration, but to more general questions about the effects of international capital flows on states. Although this book delineates a range of constraints created by economic interdependence, McNamara rejects the notion that international market forces simply dictate government policy choice. She demonstrates that the process of neoliberal policy change is a historically dependent one, shaped by policymakers' shared beliefs and interpretations of their experiences in the global economy.

Book Description

Consultancy is a euphemism for the state of being unemployed. This book is for...those who seek to earn a living from consultancy without knowing anything about it.

Customer Reviews:

How to evaluate a consultant.......2002-02-24

This book is a great guideline for evaluating consultants. I've met many consultants that actually could have written this book. Lots of humor, but also very practical tips for the wannabees. And yes, some tips are really good tips (never have a bigger car than your customer).

Tongue-in-cheek recommendations for would-be consultants.......1998-07-21

"Bluff your way in Consultancy" is one of a line of "Bluff" books written in London. Although reprinted in 1994, it was originally written in 1986 and is only 62 pages long. The book is a combination of droll English humor and real suggestions for consultants. The problem is, it's not always easy to know where one stops and the other begins. Clearly, we know we're being winked at and nudged when the author suggests we purchase a "blow up chauffeur" to place in our rented car. On the other hand, there are some very good tips as well. Hey, the book is cheap and it's a fun read. Just don't make it your only reference if you plan on becoming a consultant.

The Bluffer's Guide to Consultancy: Bluff Your Way in Consultancy

Average customer rating:

a bad installment in a great series

The Bluffer's Guide to Consultancy: Bluff Your Way in Consultancy
Nigel Viney
Manufacturer: Oval Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Consulting | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1902825896

Book Description

A snappy little book containing facts, jargon, and inside information--all that readers need to know to hold their own among the experts.

Customer Reviews:

a bad installment in a great series.......2000-04-20

The Bluffer's guides are a well-written, funny and informative bunch of pamphlets. I read five of them cover to cover while waiting for a friend in a bookshop, and I must say that this one was the weak link in the chain. It has (like the others) wit and irreverence, but it lacks the precision and hard facts that the guides to wine, ballet, jazz, and others have. In short, this book might be of mild humor to folks who actually are consultants, but as a ``bluffer's guide'' it fails.

Average customer rating:

Bluff Your Way in Consultancy
Nigel Viney
Manufacturer: Lancer International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 817062200X

Book Description

This book examines the relationship between work and family in small family business in Hong Kong, based on data obtained from in-depth interviews on married couples running small retail shops. It was found that despite the perceived advantage of flexibility, running a small family business did not necessarily result in a working pattern compatible with family needs.

In studies on small family business, the contribution by the wives was often overlooked. This book pays special attention to the part played by women in the setting up and running of small family business. This book will be a useful reference for people interested in qualitative sociology, small business studies, family studies and women's studies.

Book Description

Great Jobs for Criminal Justice Majors helps students explore career options within their field of study. Every aspect of the job-search process is covered, including assessing talents and skills, exploring options, making a smooth transition from college to career, conducting an effective job search, and landing the job. The book is filled with a variety of career choices.

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Customer Reviews:

Very Generic.......2006-02-21

This book does not give information on specific jobs, but a general overview of what is available in the field. I was looking for something more detailed.

Book Description

This book is specifically meant for those who are serious about walking a spiritual path and exploring a deeper part of themselves. It shares information on exactly why a higher world exists and what needs to be done to reach it. The tone of the book is very personal - to the point where you will feel like Steiner himself is sitting there with you, guiding you privately in the quest. Much is covered on dreams, meditation, focusing the mind and living a true spiritual life. The exercises can offer the reader a higher spiritual awareness and an increase in personal power, but only if they are performed consistently. Steiner was a Theosophist and much can be found from both Theosophical and Rosicrucian schools of thought, which means the knowledge shared is the best available from these accepted and proven sources. Beginners or the merely curious may not get as much from this work as those who have had some prior knowledge in these areas. A deeper part of the universe does exist and gaining access to it involves us unlocking a deeper part of ourselves. It is no simple task, but this book can serve as a key to those inner locks by applying oneself to its teachings.

Customer Reviews:

Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and it's Attainment.......2007-10-11

A serious book... not easy reading, but manageable, and the information is worth the it's time in thought and meditation. Shares specific excercises to teach how to sense the metaphysical world and elightnement. not an over night read by any means.

A Challenge for Chelas!.......2005-10-25

A must read for any student or disciple embarking on the occult path - this book will help delineate what's involved on the road to higher awareness and what signs to look for on the way - whether it be in your dreams or through rigorous spiritual training. This is an awesome and powerful book for anyone looking to gain a higher spiritual awareness and sense of personal power in their lives!

Inspirational.......2005-08-30

A great explanation of the Higher Worlds for those who have not experienced Cosmic Consciousness.

A Great Guide to Daily Living.......2004-04-02

Even if one is not interested in knowing about and experiencing higher worlds, this book is a great guide to living, full of wisdom and insight. A true spiritual path is also a path toward becoming a mature human being, which may not be terribly exciting to people seeking spiritual fireworks or wanting to promote egoistic aims. This path is one of selflessness and the strengthening of attention; both needed in an self-centered world suffering from an ever increasing attention deficit disorder. Steiner only speaks of what he has experienced personally. He is not a guru and expects no one to take his word for the truth of what he says. He encourages one to be open minded, try the exercises with patience and consistency(harder than one might think)and verify the truth for one's self.

Interview with a Guardian.......2000-09-07

This book will also be of special interest for Rosicrucian initiates, especially the passeges about the Guardian of the Threshhold.

ABHIJÑA (HIGHER KNOWLEDGES): An entry from Macmillan Reference USA's
<i>Encyclopedia of Buddhism</i>

Average customer rating:

ABHIJÑA (HIGHER KNOWLEDGES): An entry from Macmillan Reference USA's Encyclopedia of Buddhism
PATRICK A. PRANKE
Manufacturer: Macmillan Reference USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Religion | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Buddha | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The “Encyclopedia of Buddhism” provides a comprehensive overview of one of Asia's most important religious and social forces, describing the Buddhist worldview, basic teachings and practices, history, and the different schools and sects. This intriguing set illuminates a religion that is a mystery to most Westerners by exploring Buddhist scriptures, art, architecture, saints, demons, monastic orders, festivals, rites and ceremonies, as well as the different forms Buddhism has taken in different parts of the world, and how it has blended with other religions like Shinto, Confucianism, Daoism and Christianity.

Feminist Teaching in Theory and Practice: Situating Power and Knowledge in Poststructural Classrooms (Critical Issues in Curriculum)

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Feminist Teaching in Theory and Practice: Situating Power and Knowledge in Poststructural Classrooms (Critical Issues in Curriculum)
Becky Ropers-Huilman
Manufacturer: Teachers College Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Harnessing the power of knowledge in higher education. : An article from: Education

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Harnessing the power of knowledge in higher education. : An article from: Education
G.M. Steyn
Manufacturer: Project Innovation (Alabama)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Education, published by Project Innovation (Alabama) on June 22, 2004. The length of the article is 7253 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: Harnessing the power of knowledge in higher education.
Author: G.M. Steyn
Publication: Education (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2004
Publisher: Project Innovation (Alabama)
Volume: 124 Issue: 4 Page: 615(17)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Knowledge and Power in Higher Education: A Reader

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Knowledge and Power in Higher Education: A Reader

Manufacturer: Teachers College Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Knowledge Society vs. Knowledge Economy: Knowledge, Power, and Politics (Issues in Higher Education)

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Knowledge Society vs. Knowledge Economy: Knowledge, Power, and Politics (Issues in Higher Education)

Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Policy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1403973040
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

A new collection in the IAU Issues in Higher Education Series that deals with the major tensions between education and science. Drawing on experiences from a range of countries and regions world-wide, the book demonstrates the need to find new avenues for the management of knowledge production to ensure that it can meet increasingly global goals and demands.

Knowledge, Power and Learning (Published in association with The Open University)

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Knowledge, Power and Learning (Published in association with The Open University)

Manufacturer: Paul Chapman Educational Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Education | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Future of Computing | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Pedagogy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0761969365

Book Description

`This book will stimulate thought in any reader and could be of interest to academics in all subjects, or to educational developers - although it may be of particular use to students of cultural studies, education and communications' - Escalate

` Knowledge, Power and Learning will be of interest to many adult educators who are interested in the "lifelong learning" age and makes, too a contribution to the relatively scarce literature concerned with the school curriculum in this "lifelong learning" perspective' - Studies in the Education of Adults

New technologies are altering the relationship between knowledge, power and learning. The explosion of information resulting from the proliferation of Internet use has led to new questions about the nature of knowledge and how it is legitimated. At the same time, the new emphasis on learning as a lifelong process is changing relationships between teachers and learners and focusing on the multiplicity of sites in which learning can take place. This book considers the influence of the `information age' on the changing relationship between power and knowledge and how this affects learning in a wide range of situations, from the school to the learning organization and from the musical conservatoire to the high-tech workplace.

Average customer rating:

A cynical, scrupulous reader whos views are critical
This Review is from a local Police Officer in Virginia
Say what?

Power for Higher Knowledge
LiTonia Moseley
Manufacturer: Protea Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1883707781

Book Description

Higher Power-Education -How to go to College for FREE-Guaranteed (without government funds). Higher Power to get Money -How to get approved for any loans with no credit check. Higher Power for FREE equipment -How to receive a FREE Brand New Computer. Higher Power to advertise worldwide for FREE -How to create FREE web site,web hosting,Internet registration,e-mail and e-commerce for FREE. -Several steps to marketing and web promotions for your site for FREE. -How to create Business Plans for FREE

Customer Reviews:

A cynical, scrupulous reader whos views are critical.......2004-03-29

I am sorry to inform you that I have read this book. I do not own my own business but I have the potential and ambition to achieve this goal once I get past the numerous hurdles in my path. It is only a matter of time before I have this accomplished; but I did read this book, and however our infamous Dr Moseley would describe it, alot of the book I actually knew from high school. For some reason I saw alot of generic information there with no actual precise steps to follow. It says I am able to get grants, loans, etc, with ease, but it does not display "how." That itself is a big problem with alot of people trying to write helpful tips/hints as books who share the common knowledge that indeed "it is out there." I currently am a Loan Officer for a Real Estate company (if you're interested in which company, you can look my name up, but for my own reasons I will not name my company)and right now finishing up on the little quirks necessary for me to get my license and become an agent; but I did all this without the help of Ms. Moseley and her book. I am however proud of her for 'big words' and usage of confusing terminology and dictation; but as was appointed before, I did find alot of typos and misspelled words after her editor supposedly proofed her book. Surprisingly though, and I am sorry to say this to the police officer from Virginia Beach, but for someone trying to appraise this book in high regard having short, choppy sentences will actually shorten one's attention span to lose interest in what they are talking about much like a long run-on sentence will do too. I hope I made my point. Dont you think? Thank you.

This Review is from a local Police Officer in Virginia.......2004-03-27

I thought I purchase this book. I thought I investigate this woman myself. I read this book. All the companies mention in this book do great business. Moseley is like a marketing executive for these businesses. This book seems to be for future business owners or people who want to open their own business. This book is not for everyone. Everyone will not understand this book, if they have no leadership talent. I recommend this book to all leaders, not followers (or regular employees). Other CEO's, or leaders should buy this book. Moseley gives some amazing trade secrets, smart buying secrets and much more. If anyone tells you, that this book is not good. THEY ARE TRYING TO HIDE THE TRUTH AND HOW TO START A BUSINESS. Moseley wants everyone to have a chance to run a business and save. I believe this was her purpose. I could be wrong, but it's a good guess.

Say what?.......2004-02-13

Who edited this title again? Aside from the numerous type-o's that could've been avoided with a simple spell check program (which, I find difficult to believe that such a successful and entrepreneurial author/doctor couldn't front the resources to obtain), I am very highly concerned that were I to employ the techniques mentioned in this book, I would be imprisoned because it is fueled by lies.

Power, Knowledge and the Academy: The Institutional is Political

Average customer rating:

Power, Knowledge and the Academy: The Institutional is Political

Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Industrial Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1403998175
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Book Description

This book provides a critical look at the elusive and blatant workings of power, and its creative as well as destructive consequences in a range of everyday sites in universities.

Globalization, Knowledge, Citizenship, Power (Avebury Series in Philosophy)

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Globalization, Knowledge, Citizenship, Power (Avebury Series in Philosophy)
Gary Sauer-Thompson , and John Wayne Smith
Manufacturer: Ashgate Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Environmentalism | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0754611027

Average customer rating:

Considers the lasting impact of the Internet demise

I'm Glad I Wasn't There

Good caricatures of office life

Even The Losers Get Lucky Sometimes

The beginning of the Internet winter

Netslaves 2.0: Tales of "Surviving" the Great Tech Gold Rush
Bill Lessard , Martyn Lloyd-Jones , and Allowrth Press
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Job Markets & Advice | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Lloyd-Jones, Martyn | ( L ) | Authors, A-Z | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Net Slaves: True Tales of Working the Web

ASIN: 0613910842

Book Description

Beyond the media frenzy of the dot.com bust, here is the behind-the-scenes account of what became of American tech industry workers. Technology professionals, former employees of failed Internet start-ups, downsized corporate workers, and entrepreneurs eager to avoid mistakes of the recent past will be captivated by this humorous and poignant account of the human cost of the dot.com rise and fall. In the sequel to their acclaimed and successful NetSlaves: Tales of Working the Web, the authors profile the people affected by the rise and fall of Internet companies and where they are today. The coverage in this collection of post-dot.com experiences includes the "survivalists," who made it through the storm intact and continue to work in the industry; the "neo-luddites," who have shunned the Internet forever; the "vigilantes," who are screaming for justice for their mistreatment; and many others. By revealing the most absurd moments of "the bubble" and what really happened to the people displaced by the death of the New Economy, this volume is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what these events mean for the future of the Internet industry.

Customer Reviews:

Considers the lasting impact of the Internet demise.......2003-11-15

The dot.com rise and fall has been examined numerous times from the standpoint of economic impact; but its human cost has been left behind. What became of American tech industry workers in the fallout of the industry? NetSlaves 2.0 considers the lasting impact of the Internet demise on the workers, their aspirations, and others.

I'm Glad I Wasn't There.......2003-05-17

Book that makes you laugh, and also makes you furious at the state of affairs that the high-tech business stumbled, and then fell into. Very well-written by two authors who know how to use the English language.

I felt as if I was there (but am very glad that I'm not).

Good caricatures of office life.......2003-05-13

The book is mostly about people who worked in the computer industry during the last several years. The book makes caricatures of them, and tells fictional documentaries about how each of these characters has got along during the bull market and after it. I don't work in the computer field, but I found it a funny book anyway, because most of the caricatures are familiar anyway. If you work in an office in any capacity, you'll get a kick out of the book. The games people play with each other, the ridiculous managers, deadlines, and so on. It's a good read and lighthearted too.

Even The Losers Get Lucky Sometimes.......2003-05-11

NetSlaves 2.0: Tales of Surviving the Great Tech Gold Rush, is a must read for anyone who has risked it all in the hopes of building a better life, only to fall flat on their ... Thankfully, this book is not about 24 year old dot com millionaires crying about their lost fortunes. As Tom Petty says, "Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes," and this is a collection of stories about hard working underdogs that are worth caring about.

Charles is a young ambitious college student who loves the idea of creating an online zine. Instead of handing out a Xeroxed packet of articles to his 10 closest friends, he knows that the Internet will give him a whole new audience of readers from around the world. His passion even leads to a job at the ultimate destination for tech-nerd-intellectuals, Wired. Unfortunately Charles falls in love with the wrong girl at the same time that the Internet bubble is bursting, so Charles must find his inner resolve in order to survive physically and emotionally.

What may make NetSlaves 2.0 a frustrating read for some is the fact that most of the characters in these stories do not find a happy ending. That may leave readers wondering why the authors have bothered to bring these stories to the page at all. The reason may be that Bill Lessard and Steve Baldwin simply want these stories to be heard. They have also chosen to use a mix of fact and fiction when telling these stories which may add to this frustration. The reader is sometimes left wondering how much of each story is fact or fiction.

NetSlaves 2.0 rings true because it highlights the willful ignorance that many had as they jumped on the Internet bandwagon. One of the least sympathetic characters in the book is Gene. Gene is a 12-year Proctor and Gamble marketing man who is on the brink of a mid-life crisis. Instead of buying a red Porsche and spending his evenings down at the strip club, Gene decides to pin all of his hopes on the Internet. It seems obvious from the start that his dreams of getting rich quick will never come to pass but it's still painful to see him lose his wife, kids, and house. Gene does manage to stumble upon redemption as he comes to accept his fate and bounce back to minor entrepreneurial success.

The most compelling story in the book is the Matrix-esque tale of Vincent who finds himself in possession of something extremely valuable to his employers. The drama unfolds as the company resorts to illegal tactics in order to protect their corporate assets. Vincent is standing on strong legal ground, as he tries to protect what is clearly his intellectual property, but the ultimate challenge will be coming up with the money to fight a company with nearly limitless legal resources.

Netslaves 2.0 is a quick history of how the Internet debacle occurred and the lives that were changed in the process. Bill Lessard and Steve Baldwin chronicle the daily lives of some of the individual net slaves while also looking at a larger world that includes paranoid AOL execs pawing through employee emails in order to silence rumors that could hurt the company's bottom line. It is an enjoyable ride from the height of dot com mania to the crash of economic reality.

The beginning of the Internet winter.......2003-05-11

Most of what's been written about the Internet bubble is easily summarized as ``most dotcoms were thinly disguised stock scams,'' and generally lacking in insight. Lessard and Baldwin go beyond tedious repetition of standard facts and address the question of what comes next for people who didn't take enough out of their web jobs to retire. Netslaves 2.0 is presented as a series of self-contained sections, each of which centers on the story of a representative example of nine types of former dotcom employees.

The novel expository style works well, Lessard and Baldwin are engaging writers, and they avoid longwinded punditry and ``inside baseball'' filler. NS 2.0 isn't a book about the boom so much as a look at the beginning of the Internet winter. If you're at all interested in the topic, pick up a copy.

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