Unmaking Goliath: Community Control in the Face of Global Capital

Book Description

James DeFilippis offers a fresh approach to understanding the impact of economic globalization on cities and communities in the US. Arguing against those who say that our communities are powerless in the face of footloose corporations, DeFilippis considers what localities can do in the face of heightened capital mobility in order to retain an autonomy that furthers egalitarian social justice. Unmaking Goliath explores how we go about accomplishing this in practical, political terms. The book investigates these issues by analyzing contemporary collectivist organizations in housing, banking and industry and tracing their fortunes in the era of globalization.

Book review: Unmaking Goliath: community control in the face of global capital [A book review from: Cities]

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Book review: Unmaking Goliath: community control in the face of global capital [A book review from: Cities]
J. Pickerill
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR7A2W

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Cities, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Unmaking Goliath: Community Control in the Face of Global Capital.(Book Review) : An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association

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Unmaking Goliath: Community Control in the Face of Global Capital.(Book Review) : An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association
Barbara Becker
Manufacturer: American Planning Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000ALNRXQ
Release Date: 2005-07-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of the American Planning Association, published by American Planning Association on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 678 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: Unmaking Goliath: Community Control in the Face of Global Capital.(Book Review)
Author: Barbara Becker
Publication: Journal of the American Planning Association (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: 71 Issue: 1 Page: 97(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This accompanying document to the "Guidelines for Public Debt Management," which the IMF and the World Bank copublished in 2001, contains sample case studies that illustrate how a range of countries from around the world and at different stages of economic and financial development are developing their debt management capacity in a manner consistent with the guidelines. The experience of these countries is discussed in this publication and should offer some useful and practical suggestions to other countries, as they strive to build their own capacity in public debt management.

Book Description

ASP.NET 2.0 Programming: Problem Design Solution is aimed at describing, designing, and implementing a site much like the ones you’re probably working on or will be soon, while taking the opportunity to introduce and explain many of the new features that the new great ASP.NET 2.0 framework offers. Difficult problems are addressed head-on so you'll be ready for most of the problems you’ll typically face when writing a modern website, and have one or more solutions ready for them.

Unlike many other ASP.NET books that show examples for individual pages or features, the example in this book is an integrated end-to-end site (written in C#). The entire book and site has been written specifically for ASP.NET 2.0, to use the ASP.NET 2.0 features wherever they make sense.

The end-result is a website which features a layout with user-selectable themes, a membership system, a content management system for publishing and syndicating articles and photos, polls, mailing lists, forums, an e-commerce store with support for real-time credit card processing, homepage personalization, and localization. The book leads the reader through development of a site with:

Account registration, personalization and theming
News and events, organized into categories
Opinion polls
Newsletter
Forums
E-commerce store with shopping cart and order management
Localization

Administration of a site will be covered including:

Full online back-end administrative section, to manage practically all data from an intuitive user interface
Site deployment

In building these site features, you'll learn these new ASP.NET 2.0 features:

Master pages
Theming
Personalization & Web parts
Membership & Profile modules
Personalization
The new server-side UI controls such as GridView, DetailsView, FormView, Wizard, MultiView, the new xxxDataSource and navigation controls, among others.
The new compilation mode and deployment modes
The new framework for instrumenting the site, as well as handling & logging exceptions
The new ADO.NET 2.0 features (e.g. caching with database dependency)
The new classes for easy distributed transactions Management

This book is also available as part of the 5-book ASP.NET 2.0 Wrox Box (ISBN: 0-470-11757-5). This 5-book set includes:

Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Special Edition (ISBN: 0-470-04178-1)
ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution (ISBN: 0764584642 )
Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Security, Membership, and Role Management (ISBN: 0764596985)
Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Server Control and Component Development (ISBN: 0471793507)
ASP.NET 2.0 MVP Hacks and Tips (ISBN: 0764597663)
CD-ROM with more than 1000 pages of bonus chapters from 15 other .NET 2.0 and SQL Server(TM) 2005 Wrox books
DVD with 180-day trial version of Microsoft(r) Visual Studio(r) 2005 Professional Edition

Customer Reviews:

Nice overview of how to implement 2.0 features........2007-10-06

Overall, I think the book was a good investment and well worth the read. It lives up to everything that the title implies. The only reason that I didn't give it five stars is that the links for downloading the code have been broken since I got the book (several weeks now). It would be very helpful to have the project open and be able to reference the code directly rather that having to page back to revisit code that has already been covered, but is now being referenced as the project progresses.

A great idea, a very good implementation.......2007-09-08

When I ran across the 1.1 version of this book, I had hoped there would be an update for 2.0. I love the idea of the book - a complete project run from beginning to end.

Marco's explanations and examples generally very good and I feel like he accomplished what it looks like he set out to do with the book. The project used in the book is a solid foundation for learning about ASP.Net 2.0 covering a wide range of topics.

Generally speaking, this book has gotten a lot of use, whether looking for something specific that Marco did, an idea on how I might do something, or comparing notes on my approach vs the one in the book.

I am giving the book 4 stars (instead of 5) simply because I think he could have covered a couple of things in a little more depth and still kept the flow and feel of the book overall.

Good ASP.NET book but not for beginners.......2007-08-25

The title of this book should be *Advanced* ASP.NET Problem - Design - Solution. This is not a book for those new to ASP.NET (at the ASP.NET page http://www.asp.net there is a section that includes ASP.NET books divided by beginner and professional; very useful). This book is for the developer who has programmed at least 6 or so websites with ASP.NET and wants to get into creating forums, mailings list, profiling, allowing the user to choose their own themes/skins, etc. The author assumes you have a firm handle on ASP.NET (also on HTML, CSS, Object oriented programming, C#, SQL and SQL stored procedures, n-tier design of web apps, etc) and quickly moves into advanced programming with ASP.NET. I would rate this book highly because it does cover a lot; it's just not practical for beginners or even intermediate level ASP.NET developers.

Good reviews - bad book.......2007-07-31

I bought this book because of the rave reviews. Once I began to read, however, I found it disappointing. Explanation and examples are vague and/or incomplete. The author should be forced to take a basic writing course before he is allowed to write anything more then a letter. Shame on the editors for letting this type of document out under the guise of instruction.

The best book about Asp .Net 2.0.......2007-07-07

Some months ago Giuseppe Dimauro advised me about this book, saying that it is a relly good book and i bought it. I I have read it in two weeks.
What to say about the best book about Asp .Net 2.0 ?
Everyone will read it will understand something new.

Thanks Marco.

ASP.NET E-Commerce Programming: Problem - Design - Solution

Average customer rating:

This is a developers methodology book, not a programming "how-to".
Not much help and support for installation
Simply Documentation for a Sample E-Commerce Site
Too Brief
Too Brief

ASP.NET E-Commerce Programming: Problem - Design - Solution
Kevin Hoffman
Manufacturer: Wrox Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

E-Commerce | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Beginning ASP.NET 1.1 E-Commerce: From Novice to Professional
ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution (Programmer to Programmer)
ASP.NET Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution, Visual Basic .NET Edition
Beginning ASP .NET 2.0 E-Commerce in C# 2005: From Novice to Professional

ASIN: 1861008031

Book Description

ASP.NET E-Commerce Programming shows you how to build a complete e-commerce site, from design to deployment.

This book will show you how to incorporate all the features offered on major e-commerce sites straight into your own projects, quickly and easily.

You will learn how to:

* Build a solid foundation for your site
* Provide access to products with a well fomatted product catalog
* Help potential customers find what they want with a search system
* Maximize sales with an efficient shopping cart and checkout system
* Use wishlists to turn the customers themselves into sales resource
* Manage product discounts
* Promote products with special offer coupons and targeted emails
* Offer after sales services such as order tracking
* Encourage community involvement in your site
* Forge partnerships through affiliate schemes

The code that accompanies the book provides a complete example site.

Customer Reviews:

This is a developers methodology book, not a programming "how-to"........2006-01-21

This book is a 5-star book in its methodology and clever software development. If you are looking for an "how-to" book in a shooping cart this book is way over your head, and will have a massive learning curve. The book is made to be read from cover to cover to fully get the value of it (if you skip the chapter on CMP,or example, you are just wasting yout time after). The first cool thing about it, is the clever CMP programming methodology for .NET. If you are coming from the Java world of Beans you will clearly not be impressed with it, but for .NET users this is a big thing), the second cool thing is the interesting use of reflections within the CMP to build self discovering object. I would say this is the first time I see a practical example of use of reflection at this level in many years of developing Web applications.
The book is clearly not for begginners. Without having a good grsp of C# concepts such as: abstract object oriented programming and .NET Reflections, this book it would turn to be a waste of time. For those understand the methodology in it, the book is a treasure. If you'd be able to program so thorougly and sistematically as Hoffman's describe it, you will go far in life.

Not much help and support for installation.......2003-08-29

The book doesn't provide much help even to install its own sample code. First, you have to look around very hard to find the source code to download (it is no longer in wrox.com). Second, the database is for restore to SQL Server 2000 only. It doesn't provide any kind of script file that I can make little modify to install it to a SQL Server 7 or MSDE 2000. You will be stuck if you don't have SQL Server 2000 installed. Third, the source code installation is not a install and run, I have to do some change to be able to opetn the solution.

Simply Documentation for a Sample E-Commerce Site.......2003-07-23

This book provides extensive documentation for a sample e-commerce Web site, but not much in the way of instruction. It is more of a "Look, here's how I did it"-book than a "Look, here's how you do it"-book. If you're a beginner, this book will go WAY over your head. It was written for those already well-versed in VS.NET/C#/ASP.NET and are looking for some guidance to put their skills to use in creating an online store.

Too Brief.......2003-04-03

The Container mapping is the second chapter is good...
I read a book for a day and return to book shop for next day. I am looking for books to discuss the whole architecure with e-commerce site. This book just breifly describe each topic, and some difficult topic such as inventory control are missed out intentionally...The author says it is waste of resource, then I would say I waste my money. I pay $50bulks for the book and the content should be much more enriched...MSDN has a very good example there, The Duwich Bookshop, Duwich Online.....Those are the materials that I am looking for....

Disappointed

Too Brief.......2003-04-03

Disappointed

Product Description

What defines success? It\'s more than a profitable business and a secure life. Making the Vehicle describes Phil Fournier\'s journey from a chaotic company to a well-run and profitable firm.

Book Description

Students practice as they learn to utilize and refine their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. They also learn how to write business documents, develop editing skills, practice teamwork, solve problems, develop a portfolio, use leadership skills, and learn to interact with other people.

Technical Communication: A Guided Approach

Average customer rating:

Technical Communication: A Guided Approach
June Dostal, Deborah St Vincent Charles W. Vincent
Manufacturer: South-Western Educational Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTP7KK

Lapham's Rules of Influence: A Careerist's Guide to Success, Status, and Self-Congratulation
Average customer rating:

WARNING: contains 15mg of sarcasm per page

The Modern Courtier Handbook

Stunning and Simply Amazing

Reality based book, humorous because it's true.

A Machiavelli for the New Millennium

Lapham's Rules of Influence: A Careerist's Guide to Success, Status, and Self-Congratulation
Lewis Lapham
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Class: A Guide Through the American Status System

Old Money: The Mythology of Wealth in America

Money and Class in America: Notes and Observations on Our Civil Religion

Pretensions to Empire

Waiting for the Barbarians

ASIN: 0812992342
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Amazon.com

Want to get ahead in the world? To be a player, rather than a ticket holder? A mover and a shaker, rather than the moved or shaken? Lewis Lapham has a formula: Suck up, then suck up some more, and when you're finished with that, try to arrange a dinner with more people you can suck up to. Lapham, the iconoclastic editor of Harper's Magazine, argues that brownnosing has a long tradition in America, and quotes no less a source than Alexis de Tocqueville, who in 1831 was shocked to find that the "courtier spirit" was alive and well in the rough-and-tumble American democracy.

The advice you'll find in Rules of Influence drips with acid, which you'd expect if you read any of Lapham's columns in Harper's, for which he won a National Magazine Award in 1995. But even in the sarcasm, one can find surprisingly practical advice. For example, he notes that "[t]oo much curiosity is a mark of inferior rank. You will be mistaken for a tourist or a waiter" if you ask too many questions. He also notes that the limelight is "[n]ot a safe place.... Too steep an ascent into the atmospheres of fame invites a correspondingly steep descent into the base camp of anonymity." If only Elizabeth Berkley could have read this book before she did Showgirls! --Lou Schuler

Book Description

As the editor of Harper's Magazine, Lewis Lapham has enjoyed entrée to America's "cultural elite," a class distinguished by its talent for currying favor, licking boots, and kissing ass. Now, in this scathingly funny and politically incorrect self-help book, Mr. Lapham offers his best advice to aspiring careerists seeking to ride in helicopters and see themselves on television.

Drawing upon a lifetime of experience among the cogno-scenti, Mr. Lapham breaks rank and reveals the unspoken secrets of getting ahead: what to say, how to dress, when to lie, whom to befriend, where to be seen, and why it is absolutely essential to wear clean shoes. ("The first impression is also the last impression. You don't wish to be remembered as the stain on the rug.")

Anyone interested in self-advancement will be transformed by Lapham's Rules of Influence, which offers proven nuggets of wisdom. For example, when trying to impress the boss, remember: "Flattery cannot be too often or too recklessly applied. Think of it as suntan lotion or moisturizing cream."

Written with stinging wit and tongue planted firmly in cheek, Lapham's Rules of Influence is a brilliant critique of class and manners in America, packed with the kind of irreverent observation that only Lewis Lapham can provide.

  Seek out the acquaintance of people richer and more important than yourself, and never take an interest in people who cannot do you any favors.

  Rumor tinged with malice is the most precious form of gossip. When you are invited to spend a weekend with important journalists or movie stars, it is considered polite to bring four items of unpublished slander in lieu of a house present or a bottle of wine.

  Make unsparing use of clichés. The empty word is the correct word. Contrary to the opinion of snobbish New York intellectuals, the placid murmur of cliché is always preferable to the expression of strong feeling, which is an embarrassment.

  A truly fashionable dinner party ends at the moment when all the guests have arrived and everybody has been seen or not seen. Once attendance has been taken, the rest of the evening is superfluous.

  A good meeting is one at which nothing happens. Sit erect, second all the motions, remember everybody's name.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

WARNING: contains 15mg of sarcasm per page.......2002-12-06

An entertaining small book on the art of ingratiation; but only mildly funny for the uninitiated to Washington politics and Hollywood gossiping.

My personal favorite among the "Rules of Influence" can be found on page 57:

"The Distinction between a Winsome Blurb and an Angry Review"

"A winsome blurb is a tribute to the courage of the human spirit; an angry review is an insult to the goodness of your fellowman. Always write the winsome blurb; never write the angry review. [...]"

The funniest thing about my copy of the book was that someone who had borrowed it from the library before me had not realized that Lapham had written his "Rules of Influence" as (sarcastic) advice for sycophants and brownnosers. This unsuspecting reader dutifully marked with an orange highlighter sentences like "the first impression is also the last impression, which is why it is important to always wear clean shoes," or "seek out the acquaintance of people richer and more important than yourself and never take an interest in people who cannot do you any favors," or "Money attaches itself to velocity. Never stay in one job for more than five years, and remember that the most important person is the first one to leave the room. None of the best people travel with luggage or conviction."

For a stronger and truly original dose of sarcasm I recommend Ambrose Bierce's "The Devil's Dictionary" (1911); and if you prefer a more comprehensive view of the art of ingratiation, I suggest the well-researched and very smart "You're Too Kind: A Brief History of Flattery" (2000) by Richard Stengel.

The Modern Courtier Handbook.......2002-10-29

Lapham has written an entertaining, short, tongue-in-cheek book here; you can quickly read in under an hour. The book consists of 2 parts: a 42 page introductory essay, and then about 120 pages of his "rules," with one tip per page (some rules are only a couple lines on an otherwise blank page, which makes for quick reading).

The opening essay makes the argument that the courtier spirit is alive and well in America. In Europe's monarchies centuries ago, success could obtained by flattering the king. But in the US's democracy today, there are actually more 'kings' than there were then: there are CEOs, senators, executives, and editors -- they in turn control financial investments, defense contracts, government subsidies, book publications, and the media. As large corporations, governments and institutions become more pervasive, and power is concentrated into the hands of this new aristocracy, the more important it becomes to use of flattery, connections, networking, tact and image management in order get ahead. This observation is the heart of Lapham's thesis.

To apply this thesis to the real world, Lapham has 120 pages of "tips," many based on his personal experiences. Here's a few of his major points: One should only associate those more important people who can do you favors. When with the powerful, one should be polite, of course, but one should also avoid expressing strong opinions or emotions or ideas (although name-dropping is OK to show how connected you are). When speaking, one should have a certain seriousness and gravitas, but you need not say anything of substance -- he recommends using vague or abstract language full of cliché's & euphemisms, as they can actually a familiar comfort to listeners. Finally, one shouldn't try to be be brilliant or witty in public; realize that since mediocrity is the norm, an excessive display of intelligence could frighten others away.

Overall, Lapham's book was a fun read, though, as one reviewer wrote, it "drips acid." If you're an aspiring social climber or want to shimmy up the corporate ladder, and you're looking for some light reading & some pithy advice, then this book is highly recommended.

Stunning and Simply Amazing.......2002-05-28

Mr. Lapham's book only looks like a lightweight; it delivers a shrewd, tongue-in-cheek take on what it takes get ahead. Lapham lays an incredible yet logical foundation for his work in his introduction by describing the social and economic realities of our age. This incisive groundwork is just one of the reasons that makes this book so potent.

From there he details with elegant aplomb both spectacular and prosaic ways to climb the ladder of success. Particularly interesting to me were tidbits, like those from a wise, experienced uncle, which could garner less respect by virtue of being simplistic notions, however Lapham handles those in an extraordinarily entertaining way, while emphasizing the utility at the same time.

Having lived amidst the exalted lifestyles that power creates, it is Mr. Lapham's assurance of his viewpoint that makes the information in this book so valuable.

This book would make a great gift for the college graduate who desires to make something of him/herself. Its funny, charming, and sometimes delightfully outrageous master ploys are amazing. While it's too early to reveal the results of my subjective testing, suffice to say, you may be very pleased with the results.

Reality based book, humorous because it's true........2001-01-17

I'm an analytical, independent-minded person. As a result, I have missed many opportunities, simply because I didn't know how to act in an appropriate, subordinate way with others.

Lapham is right, "sucking up" is a valuable social skill. If you're a sociopath, don't read this book, since you already know everything. But if you're a reasonable person who has suffered because you don't understand how most people really work, this is the book for you! It is an easy read, and I revisit it often. It takes the stress out of dealing with people.

A Machiavelli for the New Millennium.......1999-10-02

Ostensibly a self-help manual for those seeking to improve their social skills, this book provides a humorous, though scathing, view of modern society on the make. After noting that the percentage of self-employed persons in America has declined from more than 90% in 1900 to approximately 5% today, Lapham makes the sobering observation that the key to success today, as it was in feudal times, is to praise and fawn over the modern-day aristocracy--our corporate and political "leaders."

There will be those who think that Mr. Lapham wildly overstates his case. More thoughtful readers are likely to reach just the opposite conclusion. Like Swift, he is a highly entertaining, yet profoundly depressing, writer.

Lapham's Rules of Influence: A Careerist's Guide to Success, Status, and Self-Congratulation
Average customer rating:
Lapham's Rules of Influence: A Careerist's Guide to Success, Status, and Self-Congratulation
Lewis Lapham
Manufacturer: Random House, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHA6G2

Amazon.com

Like a Coca-Cola bottle and a McDonald's arch, Kodak's yellow packaging has become a 20-century business icon. As the company prepares for the 21st century, however, all is not going smoothly. In much the way she chronicled the changing times at Proctor & Gamble in her previous book, Soap Opera: The Inside Story of Proctor & Gamble business editor Alecia Swasy now examines the film company's struggles in Changing Focus: Kodak and the Battle to Save a Great American Company.

Book Description

Changing Focus recounts Kodak's roller-coaster history, including a string of failed product launches, management blunders, and ill-conceived attempts to diversify. Readers see today's Kodak struggling to revitalize itself, beginning with a portrait of CEO George Fisher, who has been charged with the daunting task of remaking one of the world's largest companies. Photo insert.

Customer Reviews:

Missed The Drama.......1997-07-26

Changing Focus could have been a compelling and dramatic story about the challenges still facing the Eastman Kodak Company. Sadly, it lacked focus, and more importantly, it was weak on drama.

Fiction or non-fiction, the story needs to be a 'page turner.' For example, the author glossed over the aborted attempt to move marketing headquarters from Rochester to D.C. The dramatic moment was a semi, drapped with a protest message by local merchants, parked in front of Kodak Headquarters during a board of directors meeting. The board freaked and the move was over in a Kodak moment. The author destroys CEO Kay Whitmore's financial judgement, but omitted an infamous memo by Jack Thomas, Whitmore's president, to all employees to reduce everything from postage stamps to toilet paper to achieve fourth quarter earnings. Wall Street howled and the stock went down with the stamps.

Without the real drama, Ms. Swasy dabbles in a variety of mundane opinions by employeees, insiders and the community. The Class of '93, a group of layoff victims, revisited often in the book, was not generally a sympathetic group. This is especially true of the Coutures, a yuppie couple impacted by layoffs, who sang, 'The world owes me a living,' throughout the book.

Swasy's biggest challenge is that the Kodak story is far from being complete. The battle with Fuji, the shift to digital, and the change in culture may one day yield a dramatic business case and drama. 'Changing Focus' is a blurred attempt, which falls short.

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