Square and the Tower. Networks, Hierarchies & Struggle for Global Power

A refreshing, insightful look into the political and economic dynamics driving globalization today Globalization: it's earlier than you think. That's the provocative message of Against the Dead Hand, which traces the rise and fall of the century-long dream of central planning and top-down control and its impact on globalization-revealing the extent to which the «dead hand» of the old collectivist dream still shapes the contours of today's world economy. Mixing historical narrative, thought-provoking arguments, and on-the-scene reporting and interviews, Brink Lindsey shows how the economy has grown up amidst the wreckage of the old regime-detailing how that wreckage constrains the present and obscures the future. He conveys a clearer picture of globalization's current state than the current conventional wisdom, providing a framework for anticipating the future direction of the world economy.

Many of the problems that lie at the heart of the current financial crisis stem from a significant but little-known development that occurred in the early 1980s: investors changed their investment criteria. This change gave rise to a conflict – a silent war – between executives in charge of the world's largest corporations, on the one hand, and credit agencies whose task it is to enforce the criteria on investors' behalf, on the other. The credit agencies that flourished in New York, London and elsewhere acquired a great deal of power because their ratings now reflected investors new priorities, and so controlled the ability of corporations to gain access to capital. The rise of the credit agencies thereby also represented a new model of capitalism, quite different from the old model of the risk-taking entrepreneur. To attract investment capital, corporations now have to employ enormous resources to create the illusion that capital is directed in line with the new expectations imposed by the credit agencies. The result is that devious reporting on companies' activities has become endemic. Drawing on more than six years of fieldwork carried out in some of the world's most powerful corporations and credit rating agencies on Wall Street, this short book describes, for the first time, the unspoken conflict that shapes the global economy. Anthropologist Alexandra Ouroussoff describes with startling clarity the effects of Wall Street's silent war: from the financial community's inability to price risk accurately (now recognised as a major cause of the financial crisis) to the deep reasons behind credit analysts' misplaced faith in numbers. Yet the book's most important contribution is its path-breaking analysis of the conditions of the conflict itself, here revealed as an unintended consequence of a much deeper transformation in the conditions underlying capitalism's success.

Many of the problems that lie at the heart of the current financial crisis stem from a significant but little-known development that occurred in the early 1980s: investors changed their investment criteria. This change gave rise to a conflict – a silent war – between executives in charge of the world's largest corporations, on the one hand, and credit agencies whose task it is to enforce the criteria on investors' behalf, on the other. The credit agencies that flourished in New York, London and elsewhere acquired a great deal of power because their ratings now reflected investors new priorities, and so controlled the ability of corporations to gain access to capital. The rise of the credit agencies thereby also represented a new model of capitalism, quite different from the old model of the risk-taking entrepreneur. To attract investment capital, corporations now have to employ enormous resources to create the illusion that capital is directed in line with the new expectations imposed by the credit agencies. The result is that devious reporting on companies' activities has become endemic. Drawing on more than six years of fieldwork carried out in some of the world's most powerful corporations and credit rating agencies on Wall Street, this short book describes, for the first time, the unspoken conflict that shapes the global economy. Anthropologist Alexandra Ouroussoff describes with startling clarity the effects of Wall Street's silent war: from the financial community's inability to price risk accurately (now recognised as a major cause of the financial crisis) to the deep reasons behind credit analysts' misplaced faith in numbers. Yet the book's most important contribution is its path-breaking analysis of the conditions of the conflict itself, here revealed as an unintended consequence of a much deeper transformation in the conditions underlying capitalism's success.

How oil volatility may lead to violence among oil powers The world supply of oil is running out. Meanwhile, the balance of oil power is shifting away from the United States and the Arab states toward national oil companies (NOCs) in Russia, China, and some emerging economies in Africa and South America. As developing countries seek a middle-class existence, their demand for oil grows exponentially, causing oil prices to spiral, turning some into international bullies. Until another fuel is found the world risks being at the mercy of these tyrants whose insatiable appetites for higher oil prices heighten competition and spur the threat of violence, domestic as well as global. In Seizing Power: The Grab for Global Oil Wealth, bestselling author Robert Slater: Profiles petroaggressors like Russia's Putin, Venezuela's Chavez, and Iran?s Ahmadinejad Describes how oil-rich outlaw nations are using a valuable natural resource as a weapon in global politics Warns that, as oil dwindles, these outlaw nations may turn upon one another in the fight for what oil is left Seizing Power clearly explains why oil is potentially toxic to world stability.

Ensure that your WAN can handle the latest technologies with this must-have strategy guide If a Wide Area Network (WAN) isn't set up properly, it won't be able to meet the needs of the applications being used in the Local Area Network (LAN). And with the emergence of new technologies such as VPNs, multi-service networks, and the mobility of corporate users, the costs involved with running a WAN have changed dramatically. Written by an expert on WAN design, this book provides a comprehensive strategy for choosing the best technologies available for your WAN. It includes analysis of business requirements for WANs, end-user and service provider requirements, and the capabilities and tradeoffs of the available technologies. The book also covers the realities and limitations of QoS, security, multi-service networks, virtual networks, VPNs, multi-homing, roaming, and mobility.

You’ve probably heard the expression, “It’s time to cut the cord.” Well, it may be time to “cut the cables” at your office and free yourself from your desk and computer. Wireless networks are the waves of the future—literally. Wireless Networks For Dummies guides you from design through implementation to ongoing protection of your system and your information so you can: Remain connected to the office in airports and hotels Access the Internet and other network resources in the lunchroom, conference room, or anywhere there’s an access point Use your PDA or laptop to query your database from the warehouse or the boardroom Check e-mail wirelessly when you’re on the road Get rid of the cable clutter in your office Wireless Networks For Dummies was coauthored by Barry D. Lewis, CISSP, and Peter T. Davis, who also coauthored Computer Security For Dummies. Barry Lewis is president of an information security consulting firm and an internationally known leader of security seminars. Peter Davis is founder of a firm specializing in the security, audit, and control of information. Together, they cut through the cables, clutter, and confusion and help you: Get off to a quick start and get mobile with IrDA (Infrared Data Association) and Bluetooth Perform a site survey and select the right standard, mode, access point, channel and antenna Check online to verify degree of interoperability of devices from various vendors Install clients and set up roaming Combat security threats such as war driving, jamming, hijacking, and man-in-the-middle attacks Implement security and controls such as MAC (Media Access Control) and protocol filtering, WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy), WPA, (Wi-Fi Protected Access), EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol), and VPN (Virtual Private Network) Set up multiple access points to form a larger wireless network Complete with suggestions of places to get connected, Web sites where you can get more information, tools you can use to monitor and improve security, and more, Wireless Networks For Dummies helps you pull the plug and go wireless!

The turn of the century has seen the US greatly enhance its military supremacy across the world. It has also played a key role in shaping the international economic order. More recently, however, its world-wide economic domination has started to diminish as other regions and countries have become globally important players. Simon Bromley brings a fresh perspective to these issues, arguing that it is as yet unclear whether the US will be capable of rising to the challenges posed by the new world order. He carefully examines the intricacies of these debates including the American ideology of a liberal international order and the relation of this to the Bush doctrine; US power in the transatlantic arena and US-European integration in relation to the EU and NATO; and the geo-politics of oil. He looks at a range of challenges to US dominance, including the weakening of the dollar; the rapid growth and industrialization of Asia; and the strengths and weaknesses of Bush's foreign policy. This book is set to spark debate amongst students and scholars of international politics, as well as appealing to anyone interested in the changing shape of the international order.

Driving Results Through Social Networks shows executives and managers how to obtain substantial performance and innovation impact by better leveraging these traditionally invisible assets. For the past decade, Rob Cross and Robert J. Thomas have worked closely with executives from over a hundred top-level companies and government agencies. In this groundbreaking book, they describe in-depth how these leaders are using network thinking to increase revenues, lower costs, and accelerate innovation.

You know it?s essential, and you've heard that it can be tricky ? implementing the 802.1x standard. Here is a road map that will enable you to approach 802.1x implementation with confidence so that you can conduct successful implementation of 802.1x in both wired and wireless networks. Complete with step-by-step instructions, recommendations to help you choose the best solutions, and troubleshooting tips, it lets you benefit from the experience of others who have met the challenge.

Unrecognized states are places that do not exist in international politics; they are state-like entities that have achieved de facto independence, but have failed to gain widespread international recognition. Since the Cold-War, unrecognized states have been involved in conflicts over sovereign statehood in the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, South Asia, the Horn of Africa, and the South Pacific; some of which elicited major international crises and intervention, including the use of armed force. Yet they remain subject to many myths and simplifications. Drawing on a number of contemporary and historical cases, from Nagorno Karabakh and Somaliland to Taiwan, this timely new book provides a comprehensive analysis of unrecognized states. It examines their origins, the factors that enable them to survive and explores their likely future trajectories. But it is not just a book about unrecognized states; it is a book about sovereignty and statehood; one which does not shy way from addressing crucial issues such as how these anomalies survive in a system of sovereign states and how the context of non-recognition affects their attempts to build effective state-like entities. Ideal for students and scholars of global politics, peace and conflict studies, Unrecognized States offers a much needed and engaging account of the development of unrecognized states in the modern international system.