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One day in 1992, Thomas Friedman toured a Lexus factory in Japan and marveled at the robots that put the luxury cars together. That evening, as he ate sushi on a Japanese bullet train, he read a story about yet another Middle East squabble between Palestinians and Israelis. And it hit him: Half the world was lusting after those Lexuses, or at least the brilliant technology that made them possible, and the other half was fighting over who owned which olive tree.
Friedman, the well-traveled New York Times foreign-affairs columnist, peppers The Lexus and the Olive Tree with stories that illustrate his central theme: that globalization--the Lexus--is the central organizing principle of the post-cold war world, even though many individuals and nations resist by holding onto what has traditionally mattered to them--the olive tree.
Problem is, few of us understand what exactly globalization means. As Friedman sees it, the concept, at first glance, is all about American hegemony, about Disneyfication of all corners of the earth. But the reality, thank goodness, is far more complex than that, involving international relations, global markets, and the rise of the power of individuals (Bill Gates, Osama Bin Laden) relative to the power of nations.
No one knows how all this will shake out, but The Lexus and the Olive Tree is as good an overview of this sometimes brave, sometimes fearful new world as you'll find. --Lou Schuler
Book Description
As the Foreign Affairs columnist for The New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman has traveled to the four corners of the globe, interviewing people from all walks of contemporary life -- peasants in the Amazon rain forest, new entrepreneurs in Indonesia, Islamic students in Teheran, and the financial wizards on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley.
Now Friedman has drawn on his years on the road to produce an engrossing and original look at the new international system that, more than anything else, is shaping world affairs today: globalization.
His argument can be summarized quite simply. Globalization is not just a phenomenon and not just a passing trend. It is the international system that replaced the Cold War system. Globalization is the integration of capital, technology and information across national borders, in a way that is creating a single global market and to some degree, a global village. You cannot understand the morning news or know where to invest you money or think about where the world is going unless you understand this new system, which is influencing the domestic policies and international relations of virtually every country in the world today. And once you do understand the world as Friedman explains it, you'll never look at it quite the same way again.
Using original terms and concepts -- from "The Electronic Herd" to "DOScapital 6.0" -- Friedman shows us how to see this new system. With vivid stories, he dramatizes the conflict of "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" -- the tension between the globalization system and ancient forms of culture, geography, tradition and community -- and spells out what we all need to do to keep this system in balance.
Finding the proper balance between the Lexus and the olive tree is the great drama of the globilization era, and the ultimate theme of Friedman's challenging, provocative book -- essential listening for all who care about how the world really works.
Customer Reviews:
The Lexus and the Olive Tree.......2007-10-18
This book provides a very good understanding of globilisation by integrating various issues and concepts with critical, illustrative and at times poignant examples. This helps appreciate what globilisation means currently and the historical summary helps explain how we got to where we are today. Consequently we are better able to forecast trends and determine meaningful business and social strategies that will enhance our lifestyles. It is an easy, informative and enjoyable read.
Tons of theories, and examples, good read for learning about Globalization.......2007-10-16
Mr. Friedman is very effective in defending the globalization. It did not paint the picture all peachy and cream about globalization. I remember hearing a term, "those who suffered from globalization always know who they are, those who benefited from Globalization does not always know who they are." A lot of the example in the books are quite relevant. The title of the book is a bit off I think, it is a bit puzzling to me. Globalization is inevitable according to Mr. Friedman, I think it is very hard to resist also. Especially when all the information is flowing freely on the net, it is going to get harder for any countries trying to hold on to the old non-competitive way of living.
What is globalization?.......2007-09-16
Just about everyone has a definition of globalization and a view as to whether it is 'good' or 'bad'. For most of us, relative 'goodness' or 'badness' will depend on how we perceive globalization to impact on us individually or on our local communities.
The case for globalization is not made in this book. The relative measurement of global benefits and disadvantages is not something readily accessible to most of us: what benefits me is likely to disadvantage you.
What makes this book worth reading, in my view, is that by using concrete examples (ownership of the olive tree, or desire for the Lexus)readers may come to see debates about globalization as not just being the realm of economists and governments. Whether we like it or not, globalization is part of the current world landscape. We need to consider what this means at an individual level.
This book does not provide answers. What it does provide is a starting point for identifying and thinking about some of the issues.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
utterly vacuous...the case for globalization is made far better elsewhere.......2007-08-21
I read this book years ago. While I realized then that the book was poor, only now after reading several other books on the same topic do I realize just how much. Friedman's only discernible talent seems to be filling pages with fact-like tripe and passing it off as, well, something worthy of attention. In the process of course he's swindling people who are actually interested enough in globalization to buy a book. Thomas Friedman isn't an economist, from what I can tell he's not an expert on much of anything, and his long-sustained role as some sort of eminently knowledgeable commentator on these topics bothers me to no end. People like this slow down the progress of all human kind.
Since I'm what you could characterize for lack of a better term as "pro-globalization", this book makes me doubly angry, as it manages to damage the cause it purportedly supports. He can't even preach to the choir properly, since the choir thinks he's an idiot.
Critics of globalization are laughed off in 20 pages, and even if he spent more time he doesnt have the expertise to make a remotely convincing case. This is done far better elsewhere, I'd recommend Martin Wolf's 'Why Globalization Works.' Its a much tougher read for an intro to globalization, but thats because, uh, Wolf actually knows what he's talking about. So if you're "anti-globalization" and want a book to challenge your perceptions, or are just someone generally interested in the topic, read that. But if you feel like having a laugh at a self-absorbed, self-appointed 'expert' and cheerleader for processes he cant possibly understand, then by all means read Friedman.
And just to reiterate for everyone who's read this already, if you think you learned something from this book about globalization, either for or against, you probably didn't.
Excellent Globalization Primer.......2007-07-25
Even though this book is seven years old, I still found it to be a highly adept examination of globalization and a good primer for anyone who, like myself, has not read every tome on the growing global economy. Friedman is obviously an accomplished journalist and author, and brings these talents to bear on much of the book. I found myself pausing quite often to reflect on some of the theories he presented, like Golden Straightjacket, DOScapital, or - my favorite - the Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention.
This last concept serves as a perfect example for the intellectual tone of the book, and some of the debatable concepts. While he was on one of his many globetrotting expeditions, Friedman formed this theory from the observation that no country capable of a sustaining a McDonald's franchise had ever gone to war with another of similar standing. The theory is that by the time the middle class of a country is large enough to support a McDonald's franchise, there is too much for it to loose in terms of global trade capital, to risk a protracted war with another McDeveloped state. Of course, this theory has its adversaries, who often point to the US intervention into Panama or NATO's bombing of Serbia, but that healthy intellectual debate is exactly what makes reading this book so fun and thought provoking.
I only failed to give Mr. Friedman's book 5 stars, because in the end, I thought he could have made his point more succinctly. For, if we truly live in a global world, where we compete against everyone else on the planet, who has time to read a book of over 500 pages?
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Data Mining and Bioinformatics: First International Workshop, VDMB 2006, Seoul, Korea, September 11, 2006, Revised Selected Papers (Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 3540689702 |
Book Description
This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-proceedings of the First VLDB 2006 International Workshop on Data Mining and Bioinformatics, VDMB 2006, held in Seoul, Korea in September 2006 in conjunction with VLDB 2006.
The 15 revised full papers presented together with an invited talk were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers cover various topics in the areas of microarray data analysis, bioinformatics system and text retrieval, application of gene expression data, and sequence analysis.
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- wonderfully written introduction to trees
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The international book of trees
Hugh Johnson
Manufacturer: Bonanza Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: 0517322579 |
Customer Reviews:
wonderfully written introduction to trees.......2000-07-31
Johnson may not be an expert on trees, but he really did his research, and the book is a wonderful way for the novice to gain appreciation of the trees around him. The book is engaging enough to read straight through (as I did), but also a valuable reference book. It's a shame it's not more readily available.
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Active Mining: Second International Workshop, AM 2003, Maebashi, Japan, October 28, 2003, Revised Selected Papers (Lecture Notes in Computer Science / Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence)
Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 3540261575 |
Book Description
This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed postproceedings of the Second International Workshop on Active Mining, AM 2003, held in Maebashi, Japan, in October 2003 as a satellite workshop of ISMIS 2003. The 16 revised full papers presented together with 2 tutorial papers and an overview of the Japanese Active Mining Project went through 2 rounds of reviewing and improvement and were selected from initialy 38 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on active information collection, active data mining, and active user reaction. Many current aspects of active mining are addressed, ranging from theoretical and methodological topics to algorithms and their applications in fields such as bioinformatics, medicine, and life science more generally.
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The Conservation International Book of Orchids
Jack Kramer
Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1558591494 |
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Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science: 22nd International Workshop, WG '96, Cadenabbia, Italy, June 12-14, 1996, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 3540625593 |
Book Description
This book constitutes the carefully refereed post-proceedings of the 22nd International Workshop on Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science, WG '96, held in Cadenabbia, Italy, in June 1996.The 30 revised full papers presented in the volume were selected from a total of 65 submissions. This collection documents the state of the art in the area. Among the topics addressed are graph algorithms, graph rewriting, hypergraphs, graph drawing, networking, approximation and optimization, trees, graph computation, and others.
Book Description
From the Pacific coast to the Caribbean including colonial cities, lakes and volcanoes. Central America's best preserved secret, deserted beaches and pristine rainforest. Where to eat, drink and sleep. Full colour maps. Kamikaze parrots, fishing bats and
Customer Reviews:
Required for a trip to Nicaragua.......2006-08-21
This was an excellent book!!! Went on our first trip to Nicaragua and this book was invaluable!!! It is so well written that we read it cover to cover and is organized in such a manner as to make it very easy to find what you're looking for. Would highly recommend it!!!
Best Guidebook I've Read.......2006-05-05
This is easily the most entertaining guidebook I've ever read. I found myself reading entire paragraphs or descriptions out loud to my fiance. The problem with most guidebooks is that they're incredibly boring to read and often leave out the most useful information. This book is the exception! Leonardi tells you exactly what you most need or want to know--such as how quickly you'll want to get out of a particular town you can't avoid passing through, at which hotel you might want to keep your shoes on when walking across the floor at night (yikes), or which local hotel offers the best boat rentals. This book is incredibly useful and a real page-turner--I actually read it almost cover-to-cover.
This is a very impressive guide which I strongly recommend........2003-06-08
I used this guide during my three weeks in Nicaragua and enjoyed Leonardi's informative writing style. This handbook is more exhaustive, and more up to date, than "Footprint's Central America & Mexico Handbook".
This handbook's recommendations for accommodations/restaurants are right on the money and valuable. This guide is up-to-date and I found his recommendations to always be valid. In fact, his is one of the few guides that will tell you, candidly, no punches pulled, what he thinks: very good seafood, bad paella", "attentive service, mediocre food".
Richard Leonardi's writing is succinct and unencumbered by the superfluous. He gives you a solid mental picture, within a paragraph or two, of what to expect and how you can enjoy it.
I really enjoyed his "Further Reading & Cinema" and the history, economic, culture and environment sections are sufficient, but I would encourage you to also take with you the excellent book, "In Focus Nicaragua" (see my review).
Frustrating, and found in all Footprint guides, is the cost guide they use for accommodations. Instead of just stating what the price per room is, in dollars, they complicate it and give you a code table that you will often have to flip back and consult to remember what the cost represents. For example, a hotel that is LL=$150+, A=$46-$65. There is a better way than codes.
Leonardi mentions safety in his introduction to Nicaragua, but I found no mention of the rising problems with crime and gangs in Managua (Capital of Nicaragua). For the past few years... the area around `La Catedral Vieja' has become dangerous, an area for violent crime. In fact, when I asked to go to this area in the daytime, the taxi drivers told me be careful, using the words: "peligroso, peligroso". While I at the Old Cathedral's I talked with the resident shoe-shine man, and he also told me that this area was now very dangerous at night. He said he leaves every day at 5pm because, "me gusto mi vida."
That said, this is a very impressive guide which I strongly recommend. For those going to various Central American countries I would recommend "Footprint's Central America & Mexico Handbook". Strongly Recommended 4.5 stars
Best Guide Book Choice.......2003-04-18
I traveled to Nicaragua with a friend and we each brought different guide books. I brought the Footprint guide and I was very, very happy that I did. The historical and cultural information was much more complete in this book. It had city maps and included places and information that other books did not.
Perhaps the most telling recommendation that I could give doesn't come from me. I took Spanish classes at a school (Casa Xalteva) in Granada, Nicaragua. The school had a number of guide books available for students to flip through, but the one they recommended was the Footprint guide!
If you are going to Nicaragua, take this book!.......2003-02-06
A wonderful guide! With this book as your companion, you don't need to worry about the unknowns of travelling in Nicaragua. The author takes you off the beaten path when appropriate - and tells you when it would be a waste of time. A wonderful, truthful depiction of every place we visited.
Book Description
A pioneering classic in Dow Theory.
"If you are a serious student of investing, you owe it to yourself to 'go back to the future' and read this book." --Charles B. Carlson, Editor of "Dow Theory Forecast".
The Dow Theory is consistently one of the best strategies for understanding and predicting the stock market, and when it is applied as a method of predictable forecast, it is known as the "barometer." This finance classic offers tips and trends that William Hamilton observed over the years in the market, offering a view of market behavior that remains perpetually current. Hamilton, a contemporary of Charles H. Dow, presents a clear and in-depth discussion of the Dow Theory and its explanation of averages and affinity for predictable cycles of panic and prosperity.
Provides an analysis of the stock market and its history since 1897.
* This book is a springboard upon which current Dow Theory has thrived.
* New foreword by Charles Carlson.
The late William P. Hamilton originally published The Stock Market Barometer in 1922. Hamilton spent a career in financial journalism and became an editor of The Wall Street Journal.
Customer Reviews:
Classic elaboration of the Dow Theory.......2000-08-02
William Hamilton was the successor (both at the Wall Street Journal and in expounding the Dow Theory) to Charles Dow, and the one who clarified the Dow Theory as most people understand it today. To students of the Dow Theory, and of Wall Street and Investment history in general, this is a must-have volume. Also see works by Robert Rhea.
An unecessary defense of the stock market.......1999-09-19
The stock market barometer is a completely unecessary defense of what the stock market is. It provides an incredible amount of uninteresting and completely trivious information. It is definitely NOT a must read.
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Stock Movements and Speculation
Frederic Drew Bond
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1430441569 |
Book Description
The man who operated a complicated machine does so best when he knows its construction. The present book aims to give the student a scientific knowledge of the factors that alternately enhance and depress stock prices. It also aims to give to those temperamentally capable of consistently successful speculative activities such help as may assist them efficiently to help themselves. Contents: stocks and stock prices; why the market moves; swings of the market; banks and the stock market; corporate control; floating supply; market control; right side of the market; speculative tactics; psychology of speculation; old market and the new.
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Markets, Games, and Organizations: Essays in Honor of Roy Radner (Studies in Economic Design)
Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 3540438971 |
Book Description
The book is a collection of contributed papers in honor of Roy Radner. Reflecting Radner's broad range of research interests, the papers cover quite diverse areas, ranging over general equilibrium analysis of the market mechanism, economies undergoing transition, satisficing behavior, markets with asymmetric information, organizational resource allocation and information processing, incentives and implementation, stable sets and the core, stochastic sequential bargaining games, perfect equilibria in a macro growth model, repeated games, and evolutionary games.
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