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"Globalization is a fact. You can't stop it; it has already happened; it is here to stay. And we are moving into a new global stage.
A radically new world is taking shape from the ashes of yesterday's nation-based economic world. To succeed, you must act on the global stage, leveraging radically new drivers of economic power and growth. Legendary business strategist Kenichi Ohmae¿who in The Borderless World, published in 1990, predicted the rise and success of globalization, coining the very word¿synthesizes today's emerging trends into the first coherent view of tomorrow's global economy¿and its implications for politics, business, and personal success.
Ohmae explores the dynamics of the new ""region state,"" tomorrow's most potent economic institution, and demonstrates how China is rapidly becoming the exemplar of this new economic paradigm. The Next Global Stage offers a practical blueprint for businesses, governments, and individuals who intend to thrive in this new environment. Ohmae concludes with a detailed look at strategy in an era where it's tougher to define competitors, companies, and customers than ever before.
As important as Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations, as fascinating as Friedman's The Lexus and the Olive Tree, this book doesn't just explain what's already happened: It offers a roadmap for action in the world that's beginning to emerge.
- New economics for a borderless world: Why Keynes' and Milton Friedman's economics are history¿and what might replace them
- Leveraging today's most powerful platforms for growth: From Windows to English to your global brand
- Technology: driving business death¿and rebirth: Anticipating technological obsolescence¿and jumping ahead of it
- Government in the post-national era: What government can do when nation-states don't matter
- Leadership and strategy on the global stage: Honing your global vision and global leadership skills
"
Customer Reviews:
Provides both businesses and governments with a game plan for handling new challenges........2007-01-07
Both business and political science college-level readers seeking to understand the new opportunities and challenges of a closely-knit global community will find THE NEXT GLOBAL STAGE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR BORDERLESS WORLD outlines a radical new worldview evolving from the nation-based economic picture of the past. Kenichi Ohmae is a business strategist who published THE BORDERLESS WORLD in 1990, which predicted the rise of globalization: here he explores the new players of this world stage, and provides both businesses and governments with a game plan for handling new challenges.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Good Analysis of Intl Trade by Regions.......2006-06-04
This is a well-written analysis of international trade. The title would be more accurate if changed from "Next" to "Present" Global Stage. Ohmae brings today's trade into clear focus, and (like a geographic economist) helps us understand that "global" trade is indeed limited by regional characteristics such as location, infrastructure, etc. Although nothing dramatically new is found, I would recommend it to students of business or economics to help understand global trade and economics as they "really" occur.
But the actual "Next" global stage will probably not resemble Ohmae's suggestions for less government and more freedom of international exchange rates. It will more likely include such characteristics as John Maynard Keynes' 1944 call for the establishment of a central world bank and a universal currency, the Bancor. Ohmae's suggestion that we adapt English as a universal language is really nothing new either. And his proposed causal relationship between "less government" and . . . "prosperity" in successful regions of the world grossly missed the fact that more powerful "world" governance structures and international compacts and trade agreements in fact have dramatically helped buttress trade and commerce in these very same regions.
But do read it ... it is worth your time and very informative.
Visionary Views of the Evolving Region-State Consistent with Friedman's Flattened World.......2006-06-03
Although globalization is a rich topic worthy of several volumes, it's a bit of a shame that corporate strategist Kenichi Ohmae's book duplicates much of the same thesis of New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman's huge best seller, "The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century", a book I admired last year. Both authors deal with the phenomenon of a flattened world, a macro-level regrouping of economic forces which occur periodically on a global basis. Friedman explains that the burgeoning global fiber-optic network has transcended national borders and corporate entities to the point of starting a new structure for the economy, specifically the outsourcing of the U.S. economy's service and information-technology work to India and other developing nations. Based in Asia, Ohmae is obviously not as keen on outsourcing but more on the factors that have made outsourcing so attractive to the U.S., i.e., why has such hubs of cost-effective productivity sprouted in Asia. This is how his orientation differs from Friedman's.
The author's personal observations come from his work with individual companies in India, China, and Japan. From this perspective, he believes strongly that one of the most important developments for the future is the emergence of "region-states". The antiquated concept of "nation-states", along with the accompanying protectionism related to such political sovereignty, is being rendered obsolete in the global economic marketplace. As borderless centers of economic activity, "region-states" have all the practical building blocks for growth, such as a sizable population and an efficient transportation infrastructure. Ohmae points out that such entities can be seen forming in the Shuto-ken (Greater Tokyo) metropolitan area of Japan and Guangzhou (Canton) in China. They exhibit viable socio-economical units that create what Ohmae calls a "virtuous circle", i.e., an openness to outside ideas and people with various backgrounds and skills. This is the cultural characteristic the author considers vital in order for companies to thrive.
On a broader plain, there are a number of defining features to "region-states", chief among them the expeditious flow of communications and capital, which obviously attracts corporations and consumers. What Ohmae does well is paint a picture of the global economy not only driven by new technologies but also where knowledge has become the new currency. He is particularly insightful into how the future may look if the transference to the "region-state" fully occurs. Corporate leaders will need to be visionaries rather than just bottom-line-oriented consensus-builders, and strategy has to be mapped out to make greater sense of the chaotic new world. The author rather idealistically states that what will have greater value for leaders is sharpening their predictive skills in ascertaining upcoming trends, innovating quickly without all the data normally expected, and creating an environment where the norm is changing circumstances and extracting relevant information out of the clutter. I think Ohmae would have somewhat more credence if he could have given more practical advice on how to do this other than encouraging them to walk into the light. Nonetheless, his book makes for stimulating reading on the dynamic transformation in progress.
read 'the world is flat' instead.......2006-05-24
this book is very similar in scope and theme with the world is flat, you may almost think one copied from the other, but this book's info and presentation are much inferior, the world is flat is a much more enjoyable and informative read
The Next Stage Is Here Now.......2006-04-30
Yes, this is a borderless world in many respects and these boundaries will continue to thin. Author Keniche Ohmae has
been around, writing "The Borderless World" in 1990, among
other books. He's studied and researched economic global interdependence and its ramifications for many years, having written his first piece of work in the early 1970s. Some of
his point from his book "The Next Global Stage" are:
Concept of the Region State:
This trend had been in the making for a long time. Author
Ohmae has devoted a sizeable portion of "The Next Global Stage" to this topic. Economic interests of a region have been, are now, and will continue to supersede governmental nation-state interests. Mr. Ohmae listed several regions (cities and geographical areas) that are currently experience and will continue to see tremendous growth and prosperity. This growth is happening literally right in front of us. Everyday I see
the changes. I live in one of these cities noted by Ohmae and see the physical, attitudinal, and economic changes, first-hand. It's an education to observe and experience this
rapidity of transformation.
Although I do believe in a rising tide lifting all the boats, this rapidly expanding pie isn't all-inclusive, as it can't realistically be in the real world. I personally see major outsourcing, 100% Foreign and Joint Venture investing, Capital Flight, and FDI to build infrastructure and provide training
for local employees and feed a local tax base. I do believe this is a win-win situation for most. Not every case is however, win-win. Currently in Vietnam for example, certain foreign companies negotiated with the government to build factories and pay local workers below minimum wage. Two governments were competing for these companies, and the
cheapest labor costs attracted them to come. The result: strikes because of bare-subsistence wages and long working
hours to the point of exhaustion. This book, like most,
focuses on only certain portions of the pie.
The Post National Era:
The diminishing significance of national governments and the lessening role of the nation-state has become abundantly clear as of 2006. This phenomenon is still evolving from its incipient stages. As global economic interdependence and international economics and trade become the primary issues
and concerns in the relationship between two or more countries (nation-states), one question to consider is: what will be the role of the political governments?
It's not a simple question, but the answers are practical. Governments will facilitate trade relations, protect the
general interests of the nation-state with issues such as currency valuations, protect its population (workers) and *certain* industries. This is the role of a Fiduciary. Governments will increasingly utilize economic policy and
trade more and more as leverage, when necessary. And much moreso than in the past.
We should ask, as the world flattens, "Whose interests are
being served?" Industries and corporations? Or individuals? The answers should be both, and the symbiotic ratio should be scrutinized. Is the individual a participant, or a voyeur?
Are these two mutually exclusive? No.
There are many positives to the next global stage we are entering. One benefit, is mobility. Fortunate in some circumstances are the industries that are much more mobile
and have the ability to relocate and operate, produce, and manage, elsewhere. An example noted by Ohmae was the current U.S. administration's stance on stem cell research. Stem cell research is highly restricted to placate the far-right-wing Christian conservative base. However, the U.S. is not the
only option for these companies, and some have relocated
outside of the U.S. to do R & D. These domestic as well as
other foreign companies are making gains in their research. Pacifying a domestic political base had not only local and domestic consequences, but also allowed for a global
alternative and consequences. Decades ago, it wouldn't
have been so easy. There is choice, with more transparent borders. Ohmae discusses what we are latently aware of, and
the beauty of this book is that he gets deeper into the mechanics, and more importantly to where we are headed in the near and long-term future. Ending agricultural subsidies
seems prudent. Many still resist in this. In the future,
they may or may not. A good point the author reminded us of
was the the fear of Japan by the U.S., not so long ago. "Look out. The Japanese are buying everything." Not so, today.
The world has changed, and nations and industries that adapt will survive and prosper. Those that don't constantly adapt, will die out. Now, after years of dismal circumstances, Japan is on the rebound, according to most. What is the number one reason: Japan changed. They had to. We all have to. The
Post National Era = Less Influence of Keynesian Economic Policy. As the world has evolved this makes sense. "The
Next Global Stage" is a highly recommended, informative,
great read.
Book Description
Boogie the caveman is on a quest to understand how his people have become stuck in beliefs that drastically limit their ability to share insights and make progress. Join his hilarious journey of discovery and learn how to surface, share, and challenge your own and others' hidden beliefs and to recognize how they inform--and often misinform--what we do. With its engaging use of metaphor and detailed discussion guide, Shadows of the Neanderthal is a must-have resource for any organization on its own quest for clear and open communication.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect book for a half-day seminar in business management.......2007-05-01
Plato's allegory of the cave is a story that everyone must read in order to claim to be educated. In it, people are permanently located in a cave with their back to the entrance. The shadows of what takes place outside the cave appears on the wall and the residents use that information to reach conclusions regarding what is outside. It is designed to show you that much of what you think you know is only a faint shadow of what the world really is.
This story begins in that vein; Unga, Bunga, Oogie, Boogie and Trevor are cave dwellers with a fear of the outside. They watch the shadows and reach conclusions and each has a different opinion regarding what terrible fate would befall them if they ever set foot outside their domain. They eat only what blows into the cave, so their diet consists largely of dried plant life and dead insects.
Eventually, Boogie expresses a desire to explore the exterior world, an opinion that immediately gets him ostracized. When he leaves, he discovers an amazing world of animals and vegetation. He wanders until he encounters a wise man named Mike, who tells him how it used to be.
In the old days, there was a major civilization that built towers to see what was beyond their immediate vicinity. In one direction, there were enormous herds of wild animals and in the other direction there were abundant fruits and vegetables there for the harvesting. There were two groups, each of which looked in only one direction. This led to an immediate split, one group wanted to build spears and other hunting tools while the other wanted to build baskets for gathering. Neither side would budge from their position, which led to a battle for control. This battle led to separate groups retreating into caves, where they remained to this day.
After the initial story of the cave dwellers, there is a serious discussion of the meaning of the tale. You are asked to ponder the significance of the story and how it relates to the modern business world. With the advent of global markets and the instantaneous transfer of information, for most companies a strategy of staying put is suicide. Each and every day, someone in the company must be examining all of the fundamental assumptions used to justify the business decisions.
This is a short book that is perfect for the half-day management seminar. Illustrated and only 81 pages long, it can be read in about an hour and is packed with information designed to get you thinking about your approach to life, work and career.
Shadows of the Neanderthal.......2006-11-05
Fun and easy read but compelling! This is a book that I will want to keep on my bookshelf and revisit. A must read for managers, educators, and leaders.
Just as enjoyable and illuminating, Outlearning the Wolves, again, by David Hutchens.
Pocket Wisdom.......2003-02-24
Simple, yet powerful. A fun way to learn and very effective for group discussion.
An excellent resource!.......2000-07-03
I really enjoyed this book! The author's clever sense of humor and the great illustrations make a difficult subject--mental models--fun and easy to learn about. I think the book would help any company, family, or even couple get better at exploring why they think the way they do, and how to communicate better with colleagues and loved ones. The discussion guide at the end of the book makes it easy to start using the ideas in your day-to-day life.
Should be required reading if responsible for company growth.......1999-08-13
David Hutchens brings new insight and twists to an age old metaphor. This book begins with a humorous tale whose analogy, to the world in which we live and the mental models which we hold, will hit you between the eyes. The writer quickly points out problems every organization battles with to improve performance and grow. While the business culture has become so overwhelmed with change, many leaders have embraced their current state of affairs. Holding tight to what we have, we spend much of our energy trying not to lose market share. This book gives insight into why and when this happens and how to move from there. "In a world of chaotic information, the mind instantly locks onto that which it already knows--and simply filters out other data." (from Shadows of the Neanderthal) I'm glad I bought it. Thom Hazelip, Arthur Andersen LLP
Amazon.com
Most Americans would agree that they are duty bound as beneficiaries of our democracy to pay taxes, and the majority of us do pay—-exorbitantly. But what about those who do not pay their fair share? David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times, here reveals how fairness and equity have eroded from the American tax system. Johnston describes in shocking detail the loopholes our government provides the "super rich"--from private individuals to profitable corporations—-to hide their wealth, to defer or evade tax payments, and to pass the bill to law-abiding middle-class Americans. The loss in revenue "imposes a severe cost on honest taxpayers" through reduced services, increased federal debt, and a weight on the middle class that threatens to impede its ability to achieve upward social mobility. Admitting the extreme complexity of our economy and by extension our tax code, Johnston points out that the very wealthy do, of course, pay taxes. However, because of shelters that allow them to understate most of their income, they pay little more on average than most Americans on the dollar. This is regressive, and unquestionably favors the superrich. Johnston includes examples of outrageous corporate malfeasance (such as companies that establish off-shore tax addresses) and exposes the tax benefits of the particularly loathsome practice made famous by Jack Welch, in which thousands of wage earners are laid off while a handful of executives are granted hundreds of millions of dollars through deferred compensation, company stock options, and lucrative retirement packages, all at stock holders' xpense. In addition to these offenses, he describes the tax evasion methods of those who simply defy the law and are emboldened by a beleaguered IRS that is too underfunded to serve as an effective deterrent to tax cheats. Johnston calls for a complete overhaul of the system. But because those who most benefit from these laws comprise the "donor class" that supports the government power structure, our prospects for reform remain very bleak. --Silvana Tropea
Book Description
One of the country's top investigative reporters reveals how the richest 1 percent of the country has rigged the tax code and other laws in its favor.
Since the mid-1970s, there has been a dramatic shift in America's socioeconomic system, one that has gone virtually unnoticed by the general public. Tax policies and their enforcement have become a disaster, and thanks to discreet lobbying by a segment of the top 1 percent, Washington is reluctant or unable to fix them. The corporate income tax, the estate tax, and the gift tax have been largely ignored by the media. But the cumulative results are remarkable: today someone who earns a yearly salary of $60,000 pays a larger percentage of his income in taxes than the four hundred richest Americans.
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston exposes exactly how the middle class is being squeezed to create a widening wealth gap that threatens the stability of the country. By relating the compelling tales of real people across all areas of society, he reveals the truth behind:
* "middle class" tax cuts and exactly whom they benefit
* how workers are being cheated out of their retirement plans while disgraced CEOs walk away with millions
* how some corporations avoid paying any federal income tax
* how a law meant to prevent cheating by the top 2 percent of Americans no longer affects most of them, but has morphed into a stealth tax on single mothers making just $28,000
* why the working poor are seven times more likely to be audited by the IRS than everyone else
* how the IRS became so weak that even when it was handed complete banking records detailing massive cheating by 1,600 people, it prosecuted only 4 percent of them
Johnston has been breaking pieces of this story on the front page of The New York Times for seven years. With Perfectly Legal, he puts the whole shocking narrative together in a way that will stir up media attention and make readers angry about the state of our country.
Download Description
"One of the country's top investigative reporters reveals how the richest 1 percent of the country has rigged the tax code and other laws in its favor Since the mid-1970s, there has been a dramatic shift in America's socioeconomic system, one that has gone virtually unnoticed by the general public. Tax policies and their enforcement have become a disaster, and thanks to discreet lobbying by a segment of the top 1 percent, Washington is reluctant or unable to fix them. The corporate income tax, the estate tax, and the gift tax have been largely ignored by the media. But the cumulative results are remarkable: today someone who earns a yearly salary of $60,000 pays a larger percentage of his income in taxes than the four hundred richest Americans. Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston exposes exactly how the middle class is being squeezed to create a widening wealth gap that threatens the stability of the country. By relating the compelling tales of real people across all areas of society, he reveals the truth behind: ""middle class"" tax cuts and exactly whom they benefit how workers are being cheated out of their retirement plans while disgraced CEOs walk away with millions how some corporations avoid paying any federal income tax how a law meant to prevent cheating by the top 2 percent of Americans no longer affects most of them, but has morphed into a stealth tax on single mothers making just $28,000 why the working poor are seven times more likely to be audited by the IRS than everyone else how the IRS became so weak that even when it was handed complete banking records detailing massive cheating by 1,600 people, it prosecuted only 4 percent of them Johnston has been breaking pieces of this story on the front page of The New York Times for seven years. With Perfectly Legal, he puts the whole shocking narrative together in a way that will stir up media attention and make readers angry about the state of our country."
Customer Reviews:
Review of Perfectly Legal.......2007-06-22
This book is well researched and addresses an area every American should be aware of, but I suspect too few are. The author has done everyone a service by pulling together evidence that is both comprehensive and detailed. It acts as a sad indictment on American society, showing that many wealthy Americans maintain and enhance their wealth by corruption. That the book shows the US authorities actively support it is all the more cause for concern. I recommend evey American to read this book thoroughly and demand appropriate action from those in power.
Excellent.......2006-07-12
Another book which confirms my own. This book in general shows that the super-rich are (in general of course) evil, but it also shows that the U.S. Government is also very evil.
He points out something interesting which is that it was found by a scholar, that the laws of the former Soveit Union were better than those of the U.S.'s, and mainly because of our tax laws, which he found to be worse than those of all the socialist countries of Europe.
The prize is capital gains........2006-05-23
Blattmair devised a scheme where he would use a charitable trust for MS Bill Gates as a way to avoid paying $56 million in capital gains taxes for $200 million in stock profits. Charitable Trust provided a shelter from taxes for stocks or buildings that appreciated in asset. The asset is transferred to the charitable trust and the charitable trust sells the asset tax-free and invests the proceedings. The trust gives the donating individual a lifetime income typically 6% a year. However, Blattmair plan was to take back 80% per year for two years and Gates would pocket $192 million without paying taxes and the charity would fold, but not before 92% of the funds had been converted into cash. The government would collect nothing. Instead, Bill Gates could claim a tax deduction of $2 million. It became questionable whether the IRS reviewed or challenged the tax shelter devise or even if the device was used. The only fact known is that at one time it existed and provided a shelter against the capital gains tax. The capital gain is the source of ½ of all the income of the super rich. Capital gains tax fell from 28% rate in 1987 to 15% in 2003.
The rich are getting richer. Money is moving from the middle class too the super rich. Both the middle class and the poor are increasingly burdened with tax while the super rich repeat all the social benefits of the tax. The Reagan "Trickle down Wealth effect" is mythical: 1. Working class wages increases have not increased in three decades 2. Food and consumer products have become cheaper offsetting the cost of living for the middle class. Cost reductions made possible because of government subsidies and manufacturing efficiency 3. Government debt in the form of government bonds has absorbed cheap money supply making market growth slow and become more competitive for available money. Business profit margins have slimmed jeopardizing survival long term. Interest rate thresholds have lifted increasing bankruptcies and reaching levels of about 1 million claims a year. 4. Stocks returns averaging a 7 percent real return less inflation have barely broke even. The Stock market is transferring wealth from the middle class to the super rich. The super rich are realizing profits of about 25 to 40 percent a year on their money. 5. Property taxes, fuel taxes, and income taxes have placed a heavier burden on the working class reducing the percent diverted to savings and retirement. The US has the highest percentage separation between rich and poor (1 dollar saved in the lower percentile equates to 7,500 dollars saved in the top 5 percentile). The middle class is in trouble as interest rates rise, the dollar weakens, the stock market routes, the housing market deflates, and the commodity market switches back into bear territory.
The weakness discovered in Title 26 of the US code are the law is based on politics and not principles; the tax system in America is being rigged to benefit the super rich; the tax system is a vehicle designed to finance social change; the rules that government sets for their tax system and the degree they enforce them, affects and determines who will prosper. "Congress lets business owners, investors, and land lords play by one set of rules, which are filled with opportunities to hide income, fabricate deductions and reduce taxes," and on the other hand, "Congress requires wage earners to operate under another, much harsher set of rules in which every dollar of income from a job, a saving account or stock dividend is reported to the government, and taxes are withheld from each pay check to make sure wage earners pay in full."
The richests 1 percent, whose adjusted gross income of more than $313,000 in 2000, earned almost 21 percent of all reported income and pay more than 37% of individual federal income taxes. For three decades profits have been growing 1/3 faster than corporate income taxes; in 1993, 26 cents went to taxes for every dollar and in 1998, 22 cents per dollar earned while corporate income tax remained 35%. Many of the rich owned businesses, creating opportunities to charge a portion of their lifestyle to the company and managed to keep profits near zero while the owners built up wealth in the company; wealth that would not be taxed until they died.
The share of income going to taxes for the top 400 in 2000 was about the same ratio as that paid by a single person making $123,000 or a married couple making $226,000. The average amount been paid was about $38.6 million dollars each.
The super rich are finding the tax shelter opportunities in the law and is perfectly legal. Law-makers are haphazardly allowing these opportunities to be put into the law because from lack or scrutiny or from pressure both politically and economically to allow these opportunities into the law. Lawyers and tax consultants study the law and discover these opportunities and advise the super rich on the tax shelter mechanisms. The super rich are able to increase their accumulation velocity. The accumulation of money is invested into bonds, commercial paper, bank notes, and stocks that pay the super rich a dividend. The capital gains are sheltered and increase the velocity of accumulation favoring the super rich. The middle class and the poor divert more of their money away from savings and retirement into taxes used for social change. Big government threatens to slow-down the availability of money causing rising interest rates for companies and business seeking to borrow money for capital projects. A business growth slows down employee wages are fired, unemployment increases, and retirement funds are jeopardized in survival tactics to save the company. The super rich do not have an economic incentive to risk their money on growth companies that generate almost all of the new jobs, innovations, and consumption trends. Instead, the super rich invest in large cap companies that are cash rich and promise a fat dividend payment and capable of withstanding short term distress in the business cycle. Financial devises like hedge funds become popular as the super rich dump billions of dollars into these funds. Insurance devises are also a popular tool for shelter vast amounts of money from taxes. The super rich are accumulating rather than creating jobs and that is the wealth illusion. Taxes do not create wealth. Capital creates wealth by creating jobs.
interesting, very needed yet a little over the top.......2006-05-10
This book was incredibly interesting and probably the most useful piece of investigative journalism I have seen on this topic. The tax code is rediculously complex and this book shows how that complexity is exploited by the rich and their friends.
The only problem I had with the book is the built in asumption that the rich should be taxed more that the poor. The point of his analysis is that the code is too complex, exploited, etc. The logical conclusion is to SIMPLIFY or CLOSE LOOPHOLES. However, the author repeatedly claims that as the taxes fall on the rich they must go up on the poor and middle class which is not always true and certainly need not be true. Taxes can go down on everyone. Or we could just as easily easily lower taxes on the middle and poorer citizens as raise them on the rich. There are more than one option.
The author seems to set up a case for a major reform of the tax code but his bias for an old fashioned 1930's style progressive tax policy is clear. Advocating for a retro tax code is fine and I might even agree to an extent but it seems to be a failing of many financial journalists to not understand the economics ramifications of their proposals. The economy is to different to go backward and we need a tax code for a global, serviced based economy. Robert Reich has good ideas as do many conservative advocates for a consumption tax. Which is best is still open for debate.
In conclusion the book is a vaild analysis of the problems with our current tax code but combines this analysis with advocating an old fashioned progressive system that I am afraid would be economically hurtful.
Blinded by numbers.......2006-04-27
Simply put, this book uses statistics and uncited claims to wow the reader whenever possible. This book had tremendous potential to show how broken the US tax system is and how much in need of reform it is. Instead of doing this it appears that the author took more or less substantial research and well developed hypotheses and ran it through the NY Times Krugmanizer, making everything seem like a grand right-wing conspiracy that with a wink and a nod politicians and multi-billionaires are bilking "American families" (the political buzzword du jour) from their hard earned cash.
Furthermore, as the Supreme Court has ruled explicitly, it is not an American's citizens duty to pay anything but the minimum amount of taxes required by law by using whatever lawful deductions or tax shelters he/she chooses.
So the thesis of the book is that the super-rich have taken advantage of and, the horror of it all, used their money to influence lawmakers to make tax laws even more favorable for them. I'm aghast!! The thought that lawmakers could sacrifice the principals of fairness and their constitutional duty for monetary gain?!? Thank goodness we have such paragons of virtue (Randy Cunningham, Tom Delay and his good friends Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon, and my new personal favorite W. VA congressman Allan B. Mollohan) protecting we plebians.
Average customer rating:
- Prescient
- Most alarming book since Orwell's 1984
|
The Twilight of Sovereignty : How the Information Revolution Is Transforming Our World
Walter B. Wriston
Manufacturer: Scribner Book Company
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Flat Tax Revolution: Using a Postcard to Abolish the IRS
ASIN: 0684194546 |
Customer Reviews:
Prescient.......2005-03-28
In "The Twilight Of Sovereignty", the late Walter Wriston, former Chairman of Citicorp spoke to the positive transformative effects of information technology and the subsequent rise of transparency and democracy through globalization. Although this book was written in 1992, just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, his commentary about the spread of modern communications and how better communications will enable the forces of globalism to erode the power of local tyrannies, empower individuals and promote democracy was prescient. His comments predate those of Walter Russell Mead in "Power Terror War And Peace" by several years, but are clearly in agreement. In `Twilight" Wriston's view that the so-called managerial class has outlived its usefulness as a communications hierarchy and is now superfluous or even destructive to operational efficiency is a clear example of what Mead calls the Millennial Capitalist replacement of the Fordist managerial state. Wriston also set the stage for Thomas Barnett's call for transparency and globalism as a means to fight terrorism in Barnett's recent book, "The Pentagon's New Map". In Wriston's view "the law of technology is the law of convergence" and "as information technology brings the news of how others live, the pressure for freedom will be irresistible". This is a more eloquent if a less detailed discussion than Barnett's chapter entitled `Mind the Gap', but the train of thought is essentially the same. This book is more a survey than the intensive development of the ideas that Wriston proposed, but it may be that he just assumed a degree of literacy that is no longer general. His historical references include Max Weber, whose theory of state has sovereignty emerging from the exclusive use of legitimate violence, and Frederick Hayek, whose individual choice based market solutions establish him as the intellectual heir of Adam Smith. Wriston also included modern commentators like Carver Mead and George Gilder who rejoice in the ever- accelerating pace of technological change. Wriston said that change is a constant in the global marketplace and that "change is what Americans deal with best." Although somewhat dated, I recommend this book as a concise general preview of the technological globalist argument from one of its original proponents.
Most alarming book since Orwell's 1984.......1997-10-27
Walter Wriston emvisions a world where corporations exercise totalitarian control. With control of financial markets, they are able to make or break nations who stand in the way of their eternal drive for greater and greater profits. Mr. Wriston asks us to trust that the corporations' managers are now more enlightened while he acknowledges that they have a brutal history. This book should be a wake up call to any one who is not a member of the stock-holding privileged class that our future lies in sweatshops unless we act now to stop the multi-national corporations.
Book Description
The United States patent system has become sand rather than lubricant in the wheels of American progress. Such is the premise behind this provocative and timely book by two of the nation's leading experts on patents and economic innovation.
Innovation and Its Discontents tells the story of how recent changes in patenting--an institutional process that was created to nurture innovation--have wreaked havoc on innovators, businesses, and economic productivity. Jaffe and Lerner, who have spent the past two decades studying the patent system, show how legal changes initiated in the 1980s converted the system from a stimulator of innovation to a creator of litigation and uncertainty that threatens the innovation process itself.
In one telling vignette, Jaffe and Lerner cite a patent litigation campaign brought by a a semi-conductor chip designer that claims control of an entire category of computer memory chips. The firm's claims are based on a modest 15-year old invention, whose scope and influenced were broadened by secretly manipulating an industry-wide cooperative standard-setting body.
Such cases are largely the result of two changes in the patent climate, Jaffe and Lerner contend. First, new laws have made it easier for businesses and inventors to secure patents on products of all kinds, and second, the laws have tilted the table to favor patent holders, no matter how tenuous their claims.
After analyzing the economic incentives created by the current policies, Jaffe and Lerner suggest a three-pronged solution for restoring the patent system: create incentives to motivate parties who have information about the novelty of a patent; provide multiple levels of patent review; and replace juries with judges and special masters to preside over certain aspects of infringement cases.
Well-argued and engagingly written, Innovation and Its Discontents offers a fresh approach for enhancing both the nation's creativity and its economic growth.
Customer Reviews:
it's OK.......2007-06-04
Since the authors are economists I was hoping for an economic analysis of our current patent system like Schiff in his "Industrialization without National Patents" does for the international patent system of the 1800s. Instead it is a work of persuasion meant to sell the author's policy suggestions.
This means that the authors spend a lot of time talking about silly granted patents even though the authors later admit such patents are pretty unavoidable. No patent office has the resources to avoid granting some bad patents.
The author's policy suggestions include a revised reexamination system where patent owners would have to post $50,000 bond to defend a reexamination. I am no phyllis schlafly, but such a system would really favor big companies.
The authors are right that the creation of the CAFC in 1982 has resulted in a strengthening of patents. A lot of this is just a result of a new post-1982 uniformity in the case law.
Some signs of the waning of patents are showing. The CAFC, and now the supreme court, are ruling more for defendants in patent lawsuits. Additionally, in the patent office, the allowance rate of patents has declined from a peak of 71% in 2000 to 54% in 2006.
Patent Medicine.......2006-05-31
Begining with unsupported assertions about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and overblown conclusions about the consequences of changes in funding for the Patent and Trademark Office, the authors offer cures for diseases they do not understand.
I haven't seen or heard it much lately, but, when I grew up, "patent medicine" was synonymous with quackery and worthless nostrums. It is, indeed, ironic that they chose that very term to head the section in which they set out the goals of their book.
Eloquent.......2004-12-10
This book presents a clear, concise and convincing argument that subtle changes in U.S. laws starting in 1982 have broken a patent system that was working reasonably well until then. It will be more effective at convincing the average person than most other attempts have been, both because of its style and because it shows that the changes which broke the system shouldn't have been expected to help anyone other than patent lawyers. Their analysis will be useful in helping to avoid the takeover of other agencies by special interests.
Their description of how the system should be fixed is less impressive. Their summary of proposed changes strangely fails to include undoing the change in appeals court jurisdiction which they suggest was a primary cause of the problems. Their argument in favor of patenting software, business practices, etc. is more radical than they seem to realize, as it appears to imply that patents should also be extended to mathematical theorems, yet they act as if the burden of proof should be on their critics.
Their confidence that a traditional patent system is better than no patents is unconvincing (but they do a good job of explaining why it is hard to know what the best system is). They support their position by a few examples such as Xerox, whose copier wouldn't have been invented as it was without patent protection. But it's much harder than they imply to determine that a copier wouldn't have been invented some other way a few years later.
Book Description
From filing small-claims paperwork and using a law library to preparing a case and conducting a trial, readers will learn basic legal techniques to handle their own civil claims. Also included are sample legal forms, a concise dictionary of legal terms, anecdotes, and real-life case scenarios.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT BOOK.......2007-02-09
A fantastic book that gives you the ins and outs of being your own lawyer. Highly recommended.
An ethical advocate for the service of Justice and search for truth.......2006-07-30
In comparison to Paul Bergman's legendry book "Represent Yourself In Court: How to Prepare & Try a Winning Case", this one is a legendary rival of a different flavor. The author entrusts his genuine instincts and writes as an advocate for the underdogs, needy, and less powerful in face of unfair, expensive, and complex system of justice. Unfairness stems from the persons in charge of delivering justice. The Author uses Judge Brian Duff as an example for personal effect on the service of justice.
Despite the critiques on the poor organization and trivial inaccuracies in the book, it serves as an informal, casual, and benign display of information that is easy to read and assimilate while time sneaks by. (Bergman book's strict organization renders its reading laboriously time demanding). Once every few pages, the author interjects the highlighted concepts in full-page tables.
The author convincingly achieves his goal that reason and logic could triumph if supported by simple know-how. In many of his anecdotes about litigants betrayed by incompetent counsels, the author makes the reader senses his insider's frustration with his own profession. He contends that his book was driven by the dilemma of the legal profession of: whether lawyers should be in it for self-enrichment or moral conduct?
It might be quite demanding to retrieve information from the book if you are in a hurry for a court appearance, since the book lacks clear and unified template. However, if you enjoy reading for relaxing and focusing on deep thoughts and strategies, this book has it. For example, it stresses on slow talking in clear and systematic manner in many effective ways. Slow, slow, and slow talking in front of the court is highly stressed for reporting and logical reasons of trying evidence and appeal. It then addresses the issue of not repeating evidence unless there is a specific need other than rehearsing it.
The author alerts the self representatives of the perils of objection to adversaries and explains reasonable situations when objection is a plus. He then stresses on the fact that the self-representative should realize that both the judge and the jury have mere cursory knowledge of the lawsuit at hand which requires the pro se not to assume any previous knowledge and to lay the foundation form beginning to end in logical fashion.
Ethos, pathos, and logos of Aristotle describe the elements of his closing arguments. Those are summarized as attitude of orator, his passion and emotion, and finally his logical analysis in summing up his case to the court. He emphasizes understatement and simple common sense as effective tools to abstract truth from a complexly intermingling situation.
The author addresses the science part of trying legal suits and left the art part to the reader to labor at. His strategies of searching for the truth extend far beyond material evidence to moral character, personal credibility, and evidence's relevance and credibility. He then devises a strategy of seeking the truth along all those dimensions of evidence.
Mohamed F. El-Hewie
Author of
Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training
Not recommended.......2006-07-03
This is a poorly organized book with enough obvious errors that one should not rely on it. Here are two examples:
On page 78 the book refers to the "United States Service Code (USSC) Section 1391(c)." I've never heard of the USSC - although I believe most lawyers know about the "United States Code" or "U.S.C." And lawyers also know that you would need a Title to go along with the Section when referring to the statute. So, the author should have referred to Section 1391(c) of Title 28 of the United States Code, which is cited as 28 U.S.C. 1391(c).
On page five the books says: "Statutes are the written rules and regulations that regulate the transactions of life." (Ignore for the moment the fact that this sentence contains the phrase "regulations that regulate.")
Most lawyers would know that statutes should not be defined as "rules and regulations" because statutes and regulations have different legal meanings. Regulations, or "rules," are enacted by an administrative agency after Congress has passed a statute that gives that agency the power to enact that regulation. So, for example, SEC Rule 10b-5 was adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the authority granted to it by Congress under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. However, the SEC cannot operate outside the power given to it by Congress, as the Supreme Court made clear in 1976 in Ernst & Ernst v. Hochfelder.
Finally, the topics are not presented in a systematic or comprehensive way - "scattershot" might be a more apt description. My guess would be that for most readers, especially those who haven't been to law school, this book will confuse them and hardly answer the question of "how and when to be your own lawyer."
THIS BOOK IS SIMPLY OUTSTANDING !!!!!.......2004-07-18
TO ALL AMAZON READERS CONSIDERING THIS PARTICULAR BOOK !!! GO
AHEAD AND BUY IT; THE AUTHOR DOES AN ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT
JOB WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER... HIS WRITING IS VERY EASY TO
UNDERSTAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS VERY, VERY, PROFESSIONAL, WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO PULL OFF !!! THE ONLY ADDITION I WOULD RECOMMEND WOULD BE A SAMPLE LETTER OF THE CIVIL COMPLAINT LETTER GOING TO THE CLERK OF COURTS; BUT THAT'S A RELATIVELY MINOR THING; JUST CHECK UNDER CIVIL COMPLAINT LETTERS ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE MANY SITES OFFERING SAMPLES OF THESE LETTERS FROM DIFFERENT STATES...THE AUTHOR COVERS ALL THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CONDUCTING A CIVIL CASE YOURSELF & IS HANDY READING EVEN IF YOU "DO" INTEND TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY...WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL COULD "NOT" FIND ANYONE TO
REPRESENT HIM AGAINST THE SHERIFF OF BROWARD COUNTY, SO HIS ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO SUE HIMSELF...WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT A DIAMOND RING CAME UP MISSING WHILE THE SHERIFF'S DEPT. SEARCHED HIS BOAT ??? MR. SCHACHNER WAS EVENTUALLY SUCCESSFUL IN EXPOSING THE CORRUPTION AND IT'S A GOOD THING TOO.... IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA FOR ""ANY"" BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT TO HAVE TOO MUCH POWER IN WHATEVER AREA OF THEIR JURISDICTION... ""NOW"" FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I SEE WHY WE MUST HAVE LAWYERS --IT KEEPS THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CHECK...
Valuable, but not my first choice.......2003-02-28
Its probably 3 1/2 stars, but apparently, you need to do whole numbers. I read this book, and it definitely contains some good information on doing your own lawyering. However, i found that it was not terribly well organized, and I often got bogged down in some parts. It also left me with a number of open questions.
I guess if anyone is seriously going to do their own lawyering (which i intend to do), he will likely have to read more than one book on the matter anyway. I am glad i read this book, but imagine it could have been better.
Customer Reviews:
A must read - The History of a revolutionary technology .......2006-07-10
"Imagine a technology so revolutionary that it gives computers the ability to make decisions more like human beings"
This is a book about the history of this technology, but be aware this is not an academic, scientific or engineering book.
An excellent reading if you like to know a little bit about the behind the scenes, the lives, and stories that surround the development of this fascinating technology. Fuzzy logic is a technology so great, that in my opinion, it single handed advanced the science of artificial intelligence, in a way that it wouldn't have been possible without the concepts that support Fuzzy Logic.
As Earl Cox Said: "If you are curious about fuzzy logic, buy this book. If you are working with fuzzy logic, buy this book. If you have never heard about fuzzy logic, buy this book....The Rosetta Stone of fuzzy logic".
Again,...be aware....this is not an academic, scientific or engineering book about mathematics or logics. Its just a Hot science book about the history of Fuzzy Logic.
Disapointment; this is not a book on logic.......2004-12-23
The book claims to be a introduction to fuzzy logic. Though I now know something about the development of fuzzy logic, it has not developed my understanding of fuzzy logic. This introduction is just too simplistic. It lets you think you understand, but you really do not. The book do not contain any logic at all, no proofs, no methods and no exercises. It should not be taken as a book on logic, but a book ofn the history of logic.
Excellent.......2003-09-10
McNeill does a great job in picturing the initial introduction of Fuzzy Sets, rejection by US companies, and the developments of Japanese companies. This book contains the best historical recolection on Fuzzy Logic.
History and Philosophy of Fuzzy Logic.......2002-08-05
'Fuzzy Logic: A Revolutionary Computer Technology that is changing our world', a book by Daniel McNeill and Paul Freiberger, is all about the history and philosophy of fuzzy logic. This book was written nearly a decade from now and the main body consists of 275 pages of text (pp. 9 to 283). It took me 2 weeks to finish reading this book since I underlined important terms, concepts, and names of the people who contributed to the development of fuzzy logic. Without underlining, I think anyone can read this book in less than a week. The book has the following advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
1. It has quotations from famous people at the beginning of each chapter.
2. It is comprehensive.
3. It has been a major source of reference of most websites on fuzzy logic.
4. It is lightweight and measures approximately 7' x 5' inches.
Disadvantages:
1. It contains only a few diagrams.
2. It is monochromatic (lacks color).
3. It is generally non-technical.
I understand its predominantly non-technical approach (3rd disadvantage) because I assumed that there has been a lack of English technical references for fuzzy logic in the early 90's. Therefore, these are my comments/suggestions:
Comments/Suggestions:
1. I suggest that the authors revise the book to include 2 parts:
a. Fuzzy Logic: History and Philosophy
b. Fuzzy Logic: Concepts and Applications
2. The revised version should include more mathematical diagrams/models, sample problems with solutions, and exercises with odd-numbered solutions.
3. The revised version should include technical references such as 'Heaven in a Chip: Fuzzy Visions of Society and Science in the Digital Age' by Bart Kosko, 'Learning and Soft Computing: Support Vector Machines, Neural Networks, and Fuzzy Logic Models' by Vojislav Kecman, 'Genetic Fuzzy Systems: Evolutionary Tuning and Learning of Fuzzy Knowledge Bases' by Oscar Cordon, 'Fuzzy Engineering' by Bart Kosko, and Fuzzy Logic and Neuro Fuzzy Applications Explained' by Constantin Von Altrock.
4. The revised version should include sample applications with simulation using free downloadable fuzzy logic software/program from the internet such as FuzzyLib 2.0 and Simple Inference Engine 1.0 which are currently both available...
Starts off good but fizzles.......2001-08-28
This book tries to cover the subject area of fuzzy systems, starting at the origins and working forward. I did enjoy the beginning and the writing style made me keep reading even when the subject matter was thin but towards the end of the book I was floundering. I came away with a desire to learn more about fuzzy systems and a good idea as to what are their concepts and limitations. I think this book could have used another 10 years of subject matter to fill the pages though.
Download Description
"Digital piracy. It's a global war. It touches you every day, even if you've never downloaded an MP3. And it's just begun.
It's a war between media conglomerates and teenagers. A battle to the death between billion-dollar tech companies and billion-dollar content providers. It's artists battling artists, nations battling nations.
This book covers it all. Every side. All the implications. The economics. The law. The ethics. The players. And above all, the realities¿including the extraordinary findings of a new 57-country digital piracy research project and fresh survey and focus group research conducted specifically for this book.
The media universe is shaking to its very foundations. One book helps you make sense of what's happened and what's next: Pirates of the Digital Millennium.
The war over digital piracy and intellectual property is being fought everywhere on earth. It's the world's #1 technology story. It just might be today's #1 culture and entertainment story, too.
Now, best-selling authors John Gantz and Jack Rochester take on the subject from every side: culture, ethics, law, business, even geopolitics.
They start with facts, not uninformed opinion: facts drawn from IDC's unprecedented 57-country survey of digital piracy and its impact, as well as fresh focus group and survey research conducted specifically for this book. You'll travel from the streets of Bangkok to the halls of Congress, secret duplicating factories in Paraguay to America's suburban bedrooms. You'll discover what ""fair use"" really means, then sort through the morality of digital copying.
You'll hear every side of the debate. You'll also hear something unprecedented in debates about piracy: some real, fair solutions.
Will big media survive?
Can you sue your customers into submission?
The cultural impact of strict copyright law
Does strict copyright law protect creativity¿or shackle it?
Are we killing our #1 export market?
If we can't export creative content, what can we export?
DMCA: The secret history
Making political sausage: How the Digital Millennium Copyright Act made it through Congress
Eliot Ness or the Keystone Kops?
Law enforcement versus piracy: shoveling against the tide
Through the fog: The future of intellectual property
Sensible ""grand compromises"" that just might work"
Customer Reviews:
Good Read, Though Somewhat Misses the Forest For the Trees.......2007-01-08
Interesting; well written, and a good read. However, I feel they miss one point: they seem to have negative opinions of technology aimed at preventing digital media piracy, suggesting that it is indirect conflict with the doctrine of fair use.
What they fail to understand, or choose to ignore, is the fact that digital media should really be considered a non-rival good (meaning, I can make a copy of it, give it away or put it up on a filesharing program, at no cost to myself). The idea of fair use is to allow the user to use purchased property in whatever manner they choose; however, this doctrine doesn't take into consideration that most digital media, once purchased, really allows for an infinite number of replicas to be made. Therefore, the fair use doctrine has to apply differently in the case of intellectual property and digital media; it simply must be understood that the rights one is granted when purchasing digital media are different then those granted with other types of property.
Anyways, good read, recommended.
A Pirates Life For Me.......2005-05-27
This book is a description of controlling a barrel of monkeys. The authors tackle the complex and almost untamable world of intellectual property piracy. To their credit this is a very accessible book, they left the detailed legal opinions on the cutting room floor. They also cover the subject in a rather even handed way. At first they were falling onto the side I fall onto, that any of this downloading etc is stealing plain and simple. They end up with a far more mellowed view and they almost convinced me along the way.
They give the reader a nice overview of what constitutes the new world of digital piracy. They cover everything from a teenager downloading a new song to Asian mafia types counterfeiting Microsoft code. It is very enlightening to say the least. They go on to cover topics such as how is software created, the current laws, and who and where is the major counterfeiting taking place. I really liked the chapter on the current ineffective and almost nonexistent law enforcement efforts. Arresting ten high school kids for downloading songs while millions of versions of counterfeit software packages come into the country each year highlights the joke of the law enforcement effort.
While I might not have come to completely agree with the authors suggested middle road approach, I did find the book very enjoyable. The book is easy to read and moves along at a nice pace. You learn a good deal from it also. If you are interested in the topic then this is a book that is well worth your time. Just make sure you get an authentic copy.
A Complex Problem Indeed.......2005-04-25
In Pirates of the Digital Millennium, co-authors Rochester and Gantz tackle a subject with many far-reaching facets, and artfully illuminate the players, their motives, and their means.
The book starts with an excellent primer on intellectual property and copyright laws, which is vital for helping the lay reader understand the chapters ahead, and spells out some key underlying points (e.g. copyright laws have always been there to protect the publisher fat cats, not the artists, and most of the world's population lives without intellectual property laws!).
As the chapters go on we're taught about how companies lose money to pirating, who is doing the pirating (organized pirating rings, mostly in developing countries, are doing most of the damage), and what's being done to minimize it. The authors intelligently criticize the methods the music industry has used, like suing 12-year-olds, as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. They offer alternative strategies such as being one step ahead of the downloaders and creating pay-downloading sites that are better than the ones currently available for free.
The case is made that pirating really is ethically wrong, but it's also acknowledged that most people don't think it's wrong enough to keep them from doing it.
Since the data on digital piracy are sparse, the authors have commissioned some studies of their own, and used interviews with students, friends, and relatives to fill in the rest.
My one criticism of the book is that the authors seem to have a reverence for the software industry that they don't feel for its movie and music counterparts. An entire chapter is devoted to what goes into making a software package at Microsoft, and I got the feeling that the authors were really tickled to be there documenting the process. While it's repeatedly noted that CDs are overpriced at $20, there's no mention of the bloated price of software (how about $600 for Photoshop?).
In sum, the book educates the reader on the issues and leaves it up to him to decide whether or not to pirate media, and to do something about the silly laws that have been enacted to stop piracy (and that restrict our personal freedoms). The reader is left educated and empowered.
Well written, balanced perspective.......2005-01-06
The digital rights management problem is complex. Consumers have a right to own what they buy, and fairly use it. And commercial companies and artists have a right to make money on products that consumers are willing to pay for. Finding the right balance is complex, and that's what this book sets out to do.
It's a relatively quick read at about three hundred pages. If you read just the first portion of the book you would believe that the author is firmly in league with the companies. He lays out in grim detail the cost of piracy at an economic level. In the later chapters he does a good job representing the consumer perspective and advocating for our rights.
He finishes up with a well reasoned proposal for striking a balance between these two warring factions. Companies want to make money. People want to own stuff. Cant' we all just get a long?
Great book. Comprehensive & Illuminating.......2004-12-06
While most of us have probably engaged in some form of digital piracy - be it mp3 downloading or CD burning/sharing - I think few of us actually understand the legal or moral ramifications surrounding these activities. In 'Pirates of the Digital Millenium', Gantz and Rochester offer a balanced and revealing perspective on all of these issues and encourage a rethinking of the problems surrounding digital piracy and copyright.
'Pirates of the Digital Millenium' starts off by discussing the history of piracy (of written media) and copyright law. It then proceeds to analyze the recent explosion of digital piracy from the multiple perspectives, including those of the music industry, the artists, and the consumers themselves. I was surprised to learn about the striking similarities between instances of piracy in the 1800s and in the current day - how divides exist between artists/authors, publishers and consumers, and how copyright laws cater only to the economic needs of the industry.
While highlighting historical similarities, Gantz and Rochester emphasize that digital piracy is a new phenomenon that will require radically new mechanisms of control; as demonstrated by the recent actions of the RIAA against music downloaders, existing methods of law-enforcement do not work against digital piracy. At the same time, Gantz and Rochester calls on the digital media industry to stop demonizing consumers - college students in particular - and start finding new ways to distribute their media in a way that addresses people's needs.
This book is a great read. It is well written, rich with interesting information and persuasive in its arguments for better solutions to the problems at hand.
Average customer rating:
- This book teaches us that it is okay to define our success
- Positive and Uplifting
- This is a great book!
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Success on Our Own Terms: Tales of Extraordinary, Ordinary Business Women
Virginia O'Brien
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Coaching Yourself to Leadership
ASIN: 0471178713 |
Book Description
Q: How many female CEOs does it take to break the glass ceiling?
A: That's the wrong question!
Numbers alone simply don't tell the real story of how women are doing in today's corporate world. Success on Our Own Terms does. It's filled with real stories â stories of ordinary women who are making an extraordinary difference in the way corporations work.
Success on Our Own Terms features women of different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and educational levels. Their combined experiences offer a fascinating portrait of how the corporate landscape has changed for women over the last few decades. This book is filled with the wisdom of these experiences, from important lessons on navigating corporate corridors and influencing the system to juggling work and personal life, helping local communities, and much more.
Exploring the multidimensional definition of success shared by these women, this book reveals how they are working hard to reach their goals, balance their lives, and make a positive contribution to society. It shows how they âand others like them âare transforming the organization from the inside out through their own unique management style, values, vision, and determination.
By designing, achieving, and owning their success, women are exploding conventional definitions of their progress in the workplace. The female voices in Success on Our Own Terms inform, encourage, and inspire us all.
"Wonderful, timely, and absolutely refreshing. Reading this book excited and inspired me, and reaffirmed my belief that the future will be a great place for women." âSally Helgesen, author of The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership and Everyday Revolutionaries: Working Women and the Transformation of American Life
"Virginia O'Brien tells the real story âthat 'we are entering a new phase in which women are becoming full participants with men in conducting the nation's business.'. . . It's a heartening read, and a good antidote to media tales of doom and gloom." âCaryl Rivers, coauthor of She Works, He Works: How Two Income Families Are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off
"A must read to understand the multidimensional new values successful women bring to the marketplace of ideas. . . . [Readers] will find themselves, a friend, or a loved one on every page." âCarol R. Goldberg, President of the Avcar Group, Ltd. and former President and COO of Stop & Shop Companies, Inc.
"Insightful and informative. This excellent work brings the stories of successful women executives to the forefront." âCharles E. Rice, Chairman and CEO, Barnett Banks, Inc.
"These are inspiring stories, which I highly recommend." âRichard McCormick, Chairman and CEO, US West, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
This book teaches us that it is okay to define our success.......2000-10-16
I think Ms. O"Brien hit the nail right on the head. What it is all about is being able to define what YOU believe is the key to success and to live you life in that way. As long as you live up to your expectations, that is what really counts. At least to me anyway.
On another note, I personally met Ginny and she is a fabulous person with extrordinary insight. Her book is not a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but actual experiences of real people. I would recommend this book for those who question their idea of success. It is very enlightening.
Positive and Uplifting.......1999-07-24
This book has been a tremendous experience for me -- on par with Sally Helgesen's "The Female Advantage" which I read several years ago. This is a wonderful follow-up to that life-changing book. "Success on our Own Terms" is a celebration of the diversity of paths that women have carved in the business world. The creativity of the women's decisions, and the companies that supported them, is inspiring. The title of the book is apt -- the definition of success itself is not an absolute. While the book strongly identifies the need for mentors, it also clearly shows that the traditional career paths, and the myths associated with those paths, don't always fit the situation or the individual. Ultimately, these women are doing what is right for them, celebrating the complex lives that they are determined to live to the fullest. It gives one hope -- for women and for the business world.
This is a great book!.......1999-04-13
I am a career coach and work with professional women in leadership and career transition. This book first came to my attention by several clients who were surprised that it was not on my client reading list. They were right - this book is a gem. Virginia O'Brian has done her homework. This well researched and well written book is both useful and inspiring. A must for any woman serious about her carreer.
Book Description
Hundreds of millions of people around the globe suffer from hunger. But hunger, which has plagued the world for thousands of years, is a political condition, writes George McGovern in this plainspoken and necessary call to action. Ending it is a greater moral imperative than ever before because for the first time humanity has the tools and the knowledge to defeat this ancient enemy.
In The Third Freedom, McGovern lays out a workable and affordable five-point program to end world hunger. The basic facets include these steps:
The United States should take the lead within the UN in working toward a universal school lunch program.
The American supplemental nutrition program for low-income women, infants, and children should go worldwide.
The United Nations must establish food reserves around the globe.
Developing countries must be assisted in improving their own farm production, food processing, and food distribution.
High-yielding, scientific agriculture, including genetically modified crops, must be further encouraged and developed.
There are, of course, problems, concerns, and risks involved in ending world hunger while maintaining the prosperity of farmers, livestockmen, and dairymen, and protecting the global environment. McGovern addresses these and other issues in his logical, down-to-earth way. Understandably, some of the economic and social responses will be controversial. But as he passionately argues, one compelling moral issue is clear: Every major religion and ethical formulation commands its adherents to feed the hungry. We feed the hungry because it is right. McGovern argues persuasively that it will also be economically beneficial to all.
As someone who grew up on the plains of South Dakota during the drought and depression days of 1932, McGovern saw some of the world's best farmers flounder under surplus production that they could not sell for a break-even price. At the same time, he read of hunger and starvation in other parts of the world. In this groundbreaking work, he combines his personal experience and political know-how to work toward changing our world.
Customer Reviews:
A Nonpartisan, non-ideological, relatively inexpensive plan.......2004-08-22
This is NOT a utopian dream. This basic blue print should not be objectionable to conservatives, moderates or liberals. The elder statesman and historian puts forward some straight forward and relatively inexpensive proposals to end world hunger in our time. Sen. McGovern goes out of his way to praise the contribution made by some of his Republican colleagues especially Robert Dole. He recognizes the need for open markets and the value of liberalized global trade while seeing the need for sensible adjustments to deal with the social and economic upheaval. He calls upon the U.S. to lead the United Nations in an integrated approach involving the private sector, the world market system, governments, NGO's, religious communities and grassroots organizations. This book is MUST reading for anyone looking for realistic and practical solutions to the world's gravest and cruelest injustice, malnutrition caused by poverty.
PEACE ON EARTH.......2002-04-27
In his simple prose and humble middle-American manner, former Senator George McGovern addresses one of humankind's moral imperatives: world hunger. It is a great tragedy that the majority of Americans are overweight (or 
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