Since the financial crisis, amid outrage at the likes of Citigroup and JPMorganChase and Washington's rejiggering of the financial system, the banking industry has had one major defender: Richard X. Bove. Now he explains why big banks are the nation's lifeline to success, and why financial disaster will ensue if we make it impossible for them to fill their role in the economy. Bove argues that big banks are necessary to ensure America's position in global finance; to assist corporations in achieving their goals against foreign competition; and, most importantly, to defend the average household's access to financial services.
Priests of Prosperity explores the unsung revolutionary campaign to transform postcommunist central banks from command-economy cash cows into Western-style monetary guardians. Juliet Johnson conducted more than 160 interviews in seventeen countries with central bankers, international assistance providers, policymakers, and private-sector finance professionals over the course of fifteen years. She argues that a powerful transnational central banking community concentrated in Western Europe and North America integrated postcommunist central bankers into its network, shaped their ideas about the role of central banks, and helped them develop modern tools of central banking. Johnson's detailed comparative studies of central bank development in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan take readers from the birth of the campaign in the late 1980s to the challenges faced by central bankers after the global financial crisis. As the comfortable certainties of the past collapse around them, today’s central bankers in the postcommunist world and beyond find themselves torn between allegiance to their transnational community and its principles on the one hand and their increasingly complex and politicized national roles on the other. Priests of Prosperity will appeal to a diverse audience of scholars in political science, finance, economics, geography, and sociology as well as to central bankers and other policymakers interested in the future of international finance, global governance, and economic development.
A group of New Yorkers find themselves hunted by supernatural assassins. As they fight the heroes discover that they're not at all who they thought they were and they have a very important quest to fulfill.
The inspiring life and uncensored views of a veteran, patriot, former Congressman, conservative icon, and warrior for personal liberty… Over the course of the past few decades, Allen West has had many titles bestowed on him, among them Lt. Colonel, U.S. Representative, “Dad,” and Scourge of the Far Left. He rose from humble beginnings in Atlanta where his father instilled in him a code of conduct that would inform his life ever after. Throughout his years leading troops, raising a loving family, serving as Congressman in Florida’s 22nd district, and emerging as one of the most authentic voices in conservative politics, West has never compromised the core values on which he was raised: family, faith, tradition, service, honor, fiscal responsibility, courage, freedom. Today, these values are under attack as never before, and as the far Left intensifies its assaults, few have been as vigorous as West in pushing back. He refuses to let up, calling out an Obama administration that cares more about big government than following the Constitution, so-called black “leaders” who sell out their communities in exchange for pats on the head, and a segment of the media that sees vocal black conservatives as threats to be silenced. Now more than ever, the American republic needs a guardian: a principled, informed conservative who understands where we came from, who can trace the philosophical roots of our faith and freedom, and who has a plan to get America back on track. West isn’t afraid to speak truth to power, and in this book he’ll share the experiences that shaped him and the beliefs he would die to defend.
Fanning the Sacred Flame: Mesoamerican Studies in Honor of H. B. Nicholson contains twenty-two original papers in tribute to H. B. "Nick" Nicholson, a pioneer of Mesoamerican research. His intellectual legacy is recognized by Mesoamerican archaeologists, art historians, ethnohistorians, and ethnographers--students, colleagues, and friends who derived inspiration and encouragement from him throughout their own careers. Each chapter, which presents original research inspired by Nicholson, pays tribute to the teacher, writer, lecturer, friend, and mentor who became a legend within his own lifetime. Covering all of Mesoamerica across all time periods, contributors include Patricia R. Anawalt, Alfredo López Austin, Anthony Aveni, Robert M. Carmack, David C. Grove, Richard D. Hansen, Leonardo López Luján, Kevin Terraciano, and more. Eloise Quiñones Keber provides a thorough biographical sketch, detailing Nicholson's academic and professional journey. Publication supported, in part, by The Patterson Foundation and several private donors.
Next Generation INDIE Book Awards Grand Prize Winner, Best Non-Fiction Book in 2017; and Winner in the Science/Nature/Environment category Finalist for Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in Ecology and Environment In this book, Lowell E. Baier, one of America’s preeminent experts on environmental litigation, chronicles the century-long story of Americas’ resources management, focusing on litigations, citizen suit provisions, and attorneys’ fees. He provides the first book-length comprehensive examination of the little-known Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) and its role in environmental litigation. Originally intended to support veterans, the disabled and small business, EAJA, Baier argues, now paralyzes America’s public land management agencies. Baier introduces readers to the history of EAJA, examines the many beneficiaries of the law, describes in depth 20 of the most prominent litigious environmental groups in America, and recommends carefully tailored amendments to the EAJA to correct environmental abuses of the law while protecting legitimate interests. Inside the Equal Access to Justice Act will be a valuable resource for the environmental legal community, environmentalists, practitioners at all levels of government, and all readers interested in environmental policy and the rise of the administrative state.
For over a quarter century, Iran has been one of America's chief nemeses. Ever since Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the Shah in 1979, the relationship between the two nations has been antagonistic: revolutionary guards chanting against the Great Satan, Bush fulminating against the Axis of Evil, Iranian support for Hezbollah, and President Ahmadinejad blaming the U.S. for the world's ills. The unending war of words suggests an intractable divide between Iran and the West, one that may very well lead to a shooting war in the near future. But as Ray Takeyh shows in this accessible and authoritative history of Iran's relations with the world since the revolution, behind the famous personalities and extremist slogans is a nation that is far more pragmatic--and complex--than many in the West have been led to believe. Takeyh explodes many of our simplistic myths of Iran as an intransigently Islamist foe of the West. Tracing the course of Iranian policy since the 1979 revolution, Takeyh identifies four distinct periods: the revolutionary era of the 1980s, the tempered gradualism following the death of Khomeini and the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1989, the "reformist" period from 1997-2005 under President Khatami, and the shift toward confrontation and radicalism since the election of President Ahmadinejad in 2005. Takeyh shows that three powerful forces--Islamism, pragmatism, and great power pretensions--have competed in each of these periods, and that Iran's often paradoxical policies are in reality a series of compromises between the hardliners and the moderates, often with wild oscillations between pragmatism and ideological dogmatism. The U.S.'s task, Takeyh argues, is to find strategies that address Iran's objectionable behavior without demonizing this key player in an increasingly vital and volatile region. With its clear-sighted grasp of both nuance and historical sweep, Guardians of the Revolution will stand as the standard work on this controversial--and central--actor in world politics for years to come.
An angel-oriented collection of over 60 self-help practices based on the idea that angels can add a sense of fun, love, and adventure to even the most stressful and fast-paced lifestyle. Angels create miracles, make us happy, enhance our creativity, and bring lightness to life's heavy and difficult problems. Line drawings.
The intertwining of magic and sexuality has long been a source of fascination, intrigue, and controversy across cultures and throughout history. This book delves into the complex relationship between magic and sex, exploring how these two primal forces intersect, influence each other, and shape human experience. Drawing upon a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates insights from anthropology, psychology, folklore, and esoteric traditions, this book seeks to unravel the mysteries surrounding the enchantment of desire. It examines the role of magic in shaping sexual practices, beliefs, and taboos, as well as its impact on individual and collective perceptions of eroticism, intimacy, and power dynamics. Through an exploration of mythological narratives, historical accounts, and contemporary practices, this book illuminates the ways in which magic has been used to enhance sexual pleasure, attract partners, and navigate the complexities of romantic relationships. It also delves into the darker aspects of magical sexuality, including the use of love spells, aphrodisiacs, and sexual rituals for manipulation, control, and exploitation. Furthermore, this book investigates the psychological and spiritual dimensions of sexual magic, examining its potential for personal transformation, healing, and transcendence. It explores the concept of sexual energy as a potent force for creativity, spiritual awakening, and the cultivation of ecstatic states of consciousness. Finally, this book reflects on the ethical considerations and moral implications surrounding the practice of sexual magic, addressing issues of consent, boundaries, and the responsible use of power. It calls for a nuanced and holistic understanding of the intersection of magic and sexuality, one that recognizes both the potential for liberation and empowerment, as well as the risks of exploitation and harm.
