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The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentraliz...
When a pseudonymous programmer introduced “a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party” to a small online mailing list in 2008, very few paid attention. Ten years later, and against all odds, this upstart autonomous decentralized software offers an unstoppable and globally-accessible hard money alternative to modern central banks. The Bitcoin Standard analyzes the historical context to the rise of Bitcoin, the economic properties that have allowed it to grow quickly, and its likely economic, political, and social implications.
While Bitcoin is a new invention of the digital age, the problem it purports to solve is as old as human society itself: transferring value across time and space. Ammous takes the reader on an engaging journey through the history of technologies performing the functions of money, from primitive systems of trading limestones and seashells, to metals, coins, the gold standard, and modern government debt. Exploring what gave these technologies their monetary role, and how most lost it, provides the reader with a good idea of what makes for sound money, and sets the stage for an economic discussion of its consequences for individual and societal future-orientation, capital accumulation, trade, peace, culture, and art. Compellingly, Ammous shows that it is no coincidence that the loftiest achievements of humanity have come in societies enjoying the benefits of sound monetary regimes, nor is it coincidental that monetary collapse has usually accompanied civilizational collapse.
With this background in place, the book moves on to explain the operation of Bitcoin in a functional and intuitive way. Bitcoin is a decentralized, distributed piece of software that converts electricity and processing power into indisputably accurate records, thus allowing its users to utilize the Internet to perform the traditional functions of money without having to rely on, or trust, any authorities or infrastructure in the physical world. Bitcoin is thus best understood as the first successfully implemented form of digital cash and digital hard money. With an automated and perfectly predictable monetary policy, and the ability to perform final settlement of large sums across the world in a matter of minutes, Bitcoin’s real competitive edge might just be as a store of value and network for final settlement of large payments—a digital form of gold with a built-in settlement infrastructure.
Ammous’ firm grasp of the technological possibilities as well as the historical realities of monetary evolution provides for a fascinating exploration of the ramifications of voluntary free market money. As it challenges the most sacred of government monopolies, Bitcoin shifts the pendulum of sovereignty away from governments in favor of individuals, offering us the tantalizing possibility of a world where money is fully extricated from politics and unrestrained by borders.
The final chapter of the book explores some of the most common questions surrounding Bitcoin: Is Bitcoin mining a waste of energy? Is Bitcoin for criminals? Who controls Bitcoin, and can they change it if they please? How can Bitcoin be killed? And what to make of all the thousands of Bitcoin knock-offs, and the many supposed applications of Bitcoin’s ‘blockchain technology’? The Bitcoin Standard is the essential resource for a clear understanding of the rise of the Internet’s decentralized, apolitical, free-market alternative to national central banks.
Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children's stories--equal parts wholesome and uncanny, from the tantalizing witch's house in "Hansel and Gretel" to the man-shaped confection who one day decides to run as fast as he can--beloved novelist Helen Oyeyemi invites readers into a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe.
Perdita Lee may appear to be your average British schoolgirl; Harriet Lee may seem just a working mother trying to penetrate the school social hierarchy; but there are signs that they might not be as normal as they think they are. For one thing, they share a gold-painted, seventh-floor walk-up apartment with some surprisingly verbal vegetation. And then there's the gingerbread they make. Londoners may find themselves able to take or leave it, but it's very popular in Druhástrana, the far-away (and, according to Wikipedia, non-existent) land of Harriet Lee's early youth. In fact, the world's truest lover of the Lee family gingerbread is Harriet's charismatic childhood friend, Gretel Kercheval--a figure who seems to have had a hand in everything (good or bad) that has happened to Harriet since they met.
Decades later, when teenaged Perdita sets out to find her mother's long-lost friend, it prompts a new telling of Harriet's story. As the book follows the Lees through encounters with jealousy, ambition, family grudges, work, wealth, and real estate, gingerbread seems to be the one thing that reliably holds a constant value. Endlessly surprising and satisfying, written with Helen Oyeyemi's inimitable style and imagination, it is a true feast for the reader.
State of Terror by Hillary Clinton an...
State of Terror follows a novice Secretary of State who has joined the administration of her rival, a president inaugurated after four years of American leadership that shrank from the world stage.
A series of terrorist attacks throws the global order into disarray, and the secretary is tasked with assembling a team to unravel the deadly conspiracy, a scheme carefully designed to take advantage of an American government dangerously out of touch and out of power in the places where it counts the most.
This high-stakes thriller of international intrigue features behind-the-scenes global drama informed by details only an insider could know.
Guinness World Records 2024 by Guinne...
Dive into thousands of new and classic records, with topics as diverse as rollercoasters, robots, movie props and gaming.
The theme of this year's edition is the BLUE PLANET, so take the plunge with our opening chapters, as we encounter bizarre and deadly sea creatures, swim through the largest coral reefs and explore the seabed for shipwrecks.
Rod Hunt's fourth and final cover in his collectable series also conjures an aquatic wonderland packed with record holders - how many can you spot?
Straight from the Horses Mouth by Mer...
This hilarious, colorful portrait of a sex worker navigating life in modern Morocco introduces a promising new literary voice.
Thirty-four-year-old prostitute Jmiaa reflects on the bustling world around her with a brutal honesty, but also a quick wit that cuts through the drudgery. Like many of the women in her working-class Casablanca neighborhood, Jmiaa struggles to earn enough money to support herself and her family—often including the deadbeat husband who walked out on her and their young daughter.
While she doesn’t despair about her profession like her roommate, Halima, who reads the Quran between clients, she still has to maintain a delicate balance between her reality and the “respectable” one she paints for her own more conservative mother.
This daily grind is interrupted by the arrival of an aspiring young director, Chadlia, whom Jmiaa takes to calling “Horse Mouth.” Chadlia enlists Jmiaa’s help on a film project, initially just to make sure the plot and dialogue are authentic. But when she’s unable to find an actress who’s right for the starring role, she turns again to Jmiaa, giving the latter an incredible opportunity for a better life.
In her breakout debut novel, Meryem Alaoui creates a vibrant picture of the day-to-day challenges faced by working people in Casablanca, which they meet head-on with resourcefulness and resilience.
A farm called Kishinev by Marjorie Ol...
In 1903, the British offered Uasin Gishu as a sanctuary and national home for Jews escaping persecution in Eastern Europe.
But in the event, this was never put into effect; and instead of refugees, Afrikaner and British officers established themselves in the area.
This novel explores the experiences and feelings of an ordinary Jewish settler family in twentieth century East Africa, considering the complex interplay between international politics, colonial dominance, and anti-Semitic and anti-African racist ideologies.
50 Years of Central Banking in Kenya ...
Documenting important milestones in the epic journey traversed by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) over the last 50 years, 50 Years of Central Banking in Kenya puts into perspective the evolution of central banking globally and within the East African region, and contemplates future prospects
and challenges.
The volume is timely, mainly because within the last 50 years the global financial landscape has shifted. Central bankers have expanded their mandates, beyond the singular focus on inflation, and consider economic growth as their other important objective. Bank regulation has moved from Basel I, to
Basel II, and some countries have fully migrated to Basel III while some are still at the cross-roads.
50 Years of Central Banking in Kenya captures the wide-ranging discussions on central banking, from a symposium to celebrate the 50 year anniversary on 13 September 2016 in Nairobi. The participants at the symposium included current and former central bank governors from Kenya and the East Africa
region, high level officials from multilateral financial institutions, policy makers, executives of commercial banks in Kenya, private sector practitioners, civil society agents, executives and researchers from think tanks based in Kenya and the Africa region, leading academics in banking and
finance, and university students.
Beyond the symposium, the volume highlights the evolution of specific functions of CBK over the last 50 years (such as monetary policy, bank regulation, and payments system), as well as developments in Kenya's financial system which strongly relate to the functionality of CBK, such as financial innovation, the evolution of financial markets, and non-bank financial institutions in Kenya.
One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie
Set in Trinidad, and told with wry humour and irresistible wit, ONE YEAR OF UGLY is a story of family, first love, and finding home.
When their beloved Aunt Celia dies, Yola and her family discover she had been keeping a huge secret - she was seriously in debt to local criminal, Ugly, and they must do his bidding until the debt is cleared..
So far, so ugly.
And then Ugly's distracting gorgeous right-hand man Roman arrives on the scene, and Yola just can't help herself. Could this wildly inappropriate (and very messy) romance be the perfect antidote?
The Kenyan TJRC: An Outsider’s ...
Between 1963 and 2008 Kenya experienced systematic atrocities, economic crimes, ethnic violence, and the illegal taking of land. To come to terms with these historical injustices and gross violations of human rights, the Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) was established.
From the perspective of an insider and academic expert, The Kenyan TJRC: An Outsider's View from the Inside reveals for the first time the debates and decisions made within the Commission, including how the Kenyan Commission became the first such commission to recommend that its Chair be prosecuted for gross violations of human rights.
This book is one of the few insider accounts of a truth commission, and one of the few that reflects on the limitations and opportunities of such a commission.
The Kenyan TJRC provides lessons and recommendations to those interested in addressing historical injustices through a truth commission process.
Tears of the Crocodile: From Rio to R...
'A lucid, stinging critique' Environmental Politics a critical, radical perspective ... bringing reality home to the reader' international Energy and development
Contents: Road to Rio * Climate & Energy * Biodiversity & Biotechnology * Forests * Trade Versus Aid * Agriculture & Land * Water * Waste * Women & Other 'Groups' * Debt is Bad For Your Health
Killing for Conservation: Wildlife Po...
Is African wildlife threatened by the economic practices of Africans? Should trade in ivory and rhino horn be banned altogether? The issue of wildlife conservation in Africa has captured the public imagination in the industrialized world, where the prevailing view is that wildlife must be saved and preserved at all costs in the interests of global environmental good.
However, casting wildlife conservation as a politically neutral issue masks the complex economic, political, and social realities of African communities. In Killing for Conservation, Rosaleen Duffy presents the search for a solution to the human versus wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe as a case study of wider issues in the realm of global environmental politics.
What are the economic consequences of a strict preservationist policy for local economies versus a more balanced approach to sustainable utilization? Should the international community deprive developing countries of the right to use their natural resources for the economic benefit of their populations?
How can community development and wildlife preservation be welded together to serve the needs of both? Duffy’s keen analysis underlines the essentially political nature of conservation amid international rhetoric that presents it as an apolitical matter of saving animals.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Landry and Prentiss are two brothers born into slavery, finally freed as the American Civil War draws to its bitter close. Cast into the world without a penny to their names, their only hope is to find work in a society that still views them with nothing but intolerance.
Farmer George Walker and his wife Isabelle are reeling from a loss that has shaken them to their core. After a chance encounter, they agree to employ the brothers on their land, and slowly the tentative bonds of trust begin to blossom between the strangers.
But this sanctuary survives on a knife's edge, and it isn't long before a tragedy causes the inhabitants of the nearby town to turn their suspicion onto these new friendships, with devastating consequences.
The Book on Rental Property Investing...
More than half a million copies sold worldwide. Everything you need to fast-track your way to financial freedom with rental properties!
Real estate investing can provide a safe and fast path to financial freedom, and this business best seller will show you exactly how to get there. With nearly 400 pages of in-depth advice, The Book on Rental Property Investing imparts practical and exciting strategies that real estate investors across the world are using to build significant cash flow with rental properties.
Brandon Turner―active real estate investor, best-selling author, and co-host of the Bigger Pockets Podcast―breaks down the time-tested strategies he used to build his own wealth in real estate. Whether you are just getting started or already own hundreds of units, you will learn how to create an achievable plan, find incredible deals, analyze properties, build a team, finance rentals, and much more―everything you need to become a millionaire rental property investor.
Inside, you’ll discover:
- Why many real estate investors fail, and how you can ensure you don’t!
- Four unique, easy-to-follow strategies you can begin implementing today
- Creative tips for finding incredible deals―even in competitive markets
- How to achieve success without touching a toilet, paintbrush, or broom
- Actionable ideas for financing rentals, no matter how much cash you have
- Advice on keeping your wealth by deferring (and eliminating) taxes And so much more!
The Real Estate Fastlane: The Real Bo...
This book will show you how to make MONEY. That's the only reason it was written. I assume you would like to get rich.
If you roll up your sleeves and genuinely follow its clear directions, you will become a rich, semi-retired man or woman in 10 years or less.
Contents:
- HOW IT STARTED
- FIRST BUYS
- CASH FLOW
- LEARNING THE FACTS OF LIFE
- LOCATION
- DUMPING THE DEADWOOD
- WHAT IS THE BEST BUY IN REAL ESTATE AND WHY
- YOUR PHENOMENAL CHANCES FOR SUCCESS
- GROW RICH ON BORROWED MONEY
- WHAT TO CHECK FIRST
- WHAT TO CHECK SECOND
- THE TIME IS NOW
- HOW TO FIND THE GOOD BUYS
- THE IMPORTANCE AND USES OF THE VALUE FORMULA
- THE FIFTEEN PER CENT RULE
- TYPES TO WHICH THE VALUE FORMULA CAN BE APPLIED
- FIGURING THE NET
- BEFORE THE OFFER
- CREATIVE OFFERS
- PRECAUTIONS IN THE OFFER
- AFTER ACCEPTANCE
- CHECKING THE HEAT
- AFTER TAKING TITLE
- STRAIGHTENING OUT TENANCIES
- NEW TENANTS
- TAX BENEFITS WHILE HOLDING
- HOW TO SELL THEM
- TAX ANGLES IN SELLING
The Book on Negotiating Real Estate: ...
A priceless read during times of economic turmoil―use negotiation skills to get the best deals no matter what the housing market throws your way.
Learn how to close more real estate deals. . . and make more money in the process!
Three expert investors and bestselling authors come together to show you how to get the most deals―and the best deals―on all of your investment property. With more than 1,000 successful real estate deals between them, J Scott, Mark Ferguson, and Carol Scott combine the science of negotiation with real world experience to dive into all aspects of the real estate negotiation process. From the first interaction with a buyer or seller, to renegotiating the contract after unexpected issues arise, to last-minute concessions at closing, you’ll learn everything you need to reach optimal agreements every time.
Along with a step-by-step guide to the negotiation process, this book also contains dozens of true-life stories that highlight how strong negotiation can result in more and better deals. Real dialogue examples will teach you what to say and how to say it, effectively strengthening your ability to close profitable transactions. Whether you’re a real estate investor, agent, beginner, or veteran, you can use these expert strategies to create dynamic end results!
Inside, you will learn:
- The psychology of building relationships to gain negotiating leverage
- How to uncover information to tip negotiating outcomes in your favor
- Strategies for defining optimal offers, counter-offers, and using concessions to get your deal to the finish line
- How to overcome objections and renegotiate issues that arise from contract contingencies Specific tips for making/receiving offers through agents and buying properties from banks/HUD And much more!
Don’t Drop the Mic: The Power o...
In Don't Drop the Mic, Bishop Jakes speaks to readers about communication and how the ways we speak and interact with others can be part of our everyday ministries. He helps readers understand:
Why the way we speak and the words we use matter
How speaking well, no matter your topic or audience, improves your chances of getting the result you want
How to craft your message, whether it's a simple email or a speech under the spotlights, to connect with listeners
Why good communication is important for building connection and community
How sharing God's Word produces abundant fruit
Drawing lessons from Scripture and his own life, Jakes gives career advice for those who have or want to grow into a speaking career, but he also provides clear direction and insight for everyone who gives presentations, writes emails, or talks to other people in their job or home life.
There will be practical advice about how to craft insightful and meaningful communications, but the heart of this book is really about how we can communicate more clearly to build community and share the hope of Christ in our everyday lives.
The more adept we become at using all available resources to convey our message, the greater our impact. From lovers to litigators, entrepreneurs to entertainers, and bloggers to board members, we all want to communicate more effectively, intimately, and efficiently.
Whether you're interviewing for a new position, proposing a new business plan, auditioning for a performance, delivering a report for your committee, teaching Sunday school, or sharing your heart with a loved one, this book will help.
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli
Time is a mystery that does not cease to puzzle us. Philosophers, artists and poets have long explored its meaning while scientists have found that its structure is different from the simple intuition we have of it.
From Boltzmann to quantum theory, from Einstein to loop quantum gravity, our understanding of time has been undergoing radical transformations. Time flows at different speeds in different places, the past and the future differ far less than we might think and the very notion of the present evaporates in the vast universe.
With his extraordinary charm and sense of wonder, bringing together science, philosophy and art, Carlo Rovelli unravels this mystery, inviting us to imagine a world where time is in us and we are not in time.
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jo...
It is 1960. When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing-not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is. She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon an impassioned letter, signed simply "B", asking her to leave her husband.
Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper's archives. She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career. Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too. Ellie's search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance.
A spellbinding, intoxicating love story with a knockout ending, The Last Letter from Your Lover will appeal to the readers who have made One Day and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society bestsellers.
The Memo: What Women of Color Need to...
From microaggressions to the wage gap, The Memo empowers women of color with actionable advice on challenges and offers a clear path to success.
Most business books provide a one-size-fits-all approach to career advice that overlooks the unique barriers that women of color face. In The Memo, Minda Harts offers a much-needed career guide tailored specifically for women of color.
Drawing on knowledge gained from her past career as a fundraising consultant to top colleges across the country, Harts now brings her powerhouse entrepreneurial experience as CEO of The Memo to the page. With wit and candor, she acknowledges "ugly truths" that keep women of color from having a seat at the table in corporate America. Providing straight talk on how to navigate networking, office politics, and money, while showing how to make real change to the system, The Memo offers support and long-overdue advice on how women of color can succeed in their careers.