This book closely analyses the rise and fall of Louis XIV's marine insurance institutions in Paris, which were central to the French monarchy's efforts to stimulate commerce, colonial enterprise and economic growth. These institutions were the projects of two leading ministers, Jean-Baptiste Colbert and his son, the Marquis de Seignelay. While both men recognised that marine insurance was cruci…
Mengapa Edinburgh dapat melahirkan sekumpulan genius kreatif, Florence melahirkan Leonardo da Vinci, dan Silicon Valley melahirkan Steve Jobs? Apakah karena iklimnya, toleransi masyarakatnya, sumber daya melimpah, atau hanya keberuntungan belaka? Lalu, apakah formula genius juga berlaku di tempat lain? Para genius tidak lahir di sembarang waktu dan tempat. Leonardo da Vinci tak akan melahirkan…
Apakah orang Swiss lebih bahagia karena negara mereka paling demokratis di dunia? Apakah penduduk Qatar, yang bergelimang dolar dari minyak, menemukan kebahagiaan di tengah semua kekayaan itu? Apakah Raja Bhutan seorang pengkhayal karena memakai indikator kebahagiaan rakyat yang disebut Gross National Happiness sebagai prioritas nasional? Mengapa penduduk Asheville, Carolina Utara, sangat bahag…
his book is a venture in the metaphysics of science, the exploration of the most basicfeatures of the world implied or presupposed by science. One of its main aims is todemonstrate the fundamental importance of such an investigation. Getting this verygeneral picture right makes a real difference to whether we do the science well andunderstand properly what it tells us. The particular metaphysic…
Orchids are some of the best known and loved plants by amateurs and scientists alike, although sadly many species are being driven to extinction by either direct or indirect human activities. The preparation of a conservation Action Plan for the Orchidaceae, a family comprising some 20,000 species, therefore seemed a daunting task, but this compilation of views and experience from many experts …
Addressing a wide range of improvised art and music forms—from jazz and cinema to dance and literature—this volume's contributors locate improvisation as a key site of mediation between the social and the aesthetic. As a catalyst for social experiment and political practice, improvisation aids in the creation, contestation, and codification of social realities and identities. Among other to…
This text explains how to use mathematical models and methods to analyze problems that arise in computer science. Proofs play a central role in this work because the authors share a belief with most mathematicians that proofs are essential for genuine understanding. Proofs also play a growing role in computer science; they are used to certify that software and hardware will always behave correc…
The tendency towards concentration in the corporate sector has been given a huge boost as we approach the twenty-first century. There were more mega-mergers in 1998 than in any previous year - in banking, insurance, oil, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and the media. This merger frenzy has amplified the power of a handful of companies over whole sectors of the global economy. The merger…
On behalf of vehicle and engine manufacturers from around the world, the Worldwide Fuel Charter (WWFC) Committee is pleased to present the Sixth Edition of the Worldwide Fuel Charter for Gasoline and Diesel Fuel, 21 years after publishing the First Edition. In addition to this Charter, the Committee recently published the First Edition of the WWFC for Methane-Based Transportation Fuels and prev…
Di Suriah, pada pertengahan abad ke-12, muncul sebuah kelompok rahasia pengisap ganja bernama Assassin, yang berusaha merebut takhta kepemimpinan Islam dengan cara-cara kekerasan. Kelompok ini juga berkembang di wilayah Persia. Pemimpin tertinggi mereka, Hasan bin Sabbah, terkenal dengan julukan "Orang Tua dari Gunung". Ia membangun istana megah yang merangkap sebagai benteng kokoh di Lembah A…