Building the Empire State examines the origins of American capitalism by tracing how and why business corporations were first introduced into the economy of the early republic. Brian Phillips Murphy follows the collaborations between political leaders and a group of unelected political entrepreneurs, including Robert R. Livingston and Alexander Hamilton, who persuaded legislative powers to grant monopolies corporate status in order to finance and manage civic institutions. Murphy shows how American capitalism grew out of the convergence of political and economic interests, wherein political culture was shaped by business strategies and institutions as much as the reverse. Focusing on the state of New York, a onetime mercantile colony that became home to the first American banks, utilities, canals, and transportation infrastructure projects, Building the Empire State surveys the changing institutional ecology during the first five decades following the American Revolution. Through sustained attention to the Manhattan Company, the steamboat monopoly, the Erie Canal, and the New York & Erie Railroad, Murphy traces the ways entrepreneurs marshaled political and financial capital to sway legislators to support their private plans and interests. By playing a central role in the creation and regulation of institutions that facilitated private commercial transactions, New York State's political officials created formal and informal precedents for the political economy throughout the northeastern United States and toward the expanding westward frontier. The political, economic, and legal consequences organizing the marketplace in this way continue to be felt in the vast influence and privileged position held by corporations in the present day.

The 'death of tragedy' in the modern era has been proposed and debated in recent years, largely in terms of literature and western culture in general. Today, any catastrophe or misadventure is likely to be labeled a 'tragedy', without any inference of a larger, transcendent horizon or providential design that the word once conveyed. This book offers new perspectives on the idea of the 'death of tragedy', taking England and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in particular as a case study. Chapters focus on the origins of tragedy in ancient Greece, gospel and tragedy, the beginnings of the Quaker movement in seventeenth-century England, apocalyptic versus secularized experiences of time, Edwardian Quaker triumphalism, the search for English identity in postcolonial Britain, liberal Quakerism at the end of the twentieth century, and the promise and dilemma of postmodernity. The different disciplinary perspectives of the contributing authors bring literature, history, theology and sociology into a creative and revealing conversation. A Foreword by Richard Fenn introduces the book with an original and provocative meditation on tragedy and time.

The 'death of tragedy' in the modern era has been proposed and debated in recent years, largely in terms of literature and western culture in general. Today, any catastrophe or misadventure is likely to be labeled a 'tragedy', without any inference of a larger, transcendent horizon or providential design that the word once conveyed. This book offers new perspectives on the idea of the 'death of tragedy', taking England and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in particular as a case study. Chapters focus on the origins of tragedy in ancient Greece, gospel and tragedy, the beginnings of the Quaker movement in seventeenth-century England, apocalyptic versus secularized experiences of time, Edwardian Quaker triumphalism, the search for English identity in postcolonial Britain, liberal Quakerism at the end of the twentieth century, and the promise and dilemma of postmodernity. The different disciplinary perspectives of the contributing authors bring literature, history, theology and sociology into a creative and revealing conversation. A Foreword by Richard Fenn introduces the book with an original and provocative meditation on tragedy and time.

The first OZCOTS conference in 1998 was inspired by papers contributed by Australians to the 5th International Conference on Teaching Statistics. In 2008, as part of the program of one of the first National Senior Teaching Fellowships, the 6th OZCOTS was held in conjunction with the Australian Statistical Conference, with Fellowship keynotes and contributed papers, optional refereeing and proceedings. This venture was so successful that the 7th and 8th OZCOTS were similarly run, conjoined with Australian Statistical Conferences in 2010 and 2012. Authors of papers from these OZCOTS conferences were invited to develop chapters for refereeing and inclusion in this volume. There are sections on keynote topics, undergraduate curriculum and learning, professional development, postgraduate learning, and papers from OZCOTS 2012. Because OZCOTS aim to unite statisticians and statistics educators, the approaches this volume takes are immediately relevant to all who have a vested interest in good teaching practices. Globally, statistics as a discipline, statistical pedagogy and statistics in academia and industry are all critically important to the modern information society. This volume addresses these roles within the wider society as well as questions that are specific to the discipline itself. Other chapters share research on learning and teaching statistics in interdisciplinary work and student preparation for futures in academia, government and industry.

The first OZCOTS conference in 1998 was inspired by papers contributed by Australians to the 5th International Conference on Teaching Statistics. In 2008, as part of the program of one of the first National Senior Teaching Fellowships, the 6th OZCOTS was held in conjunction with the Australian Statistical Conference, with Fellowship keynotes and contributed papers, optional refereeing and proceedings. This venture was so successful that the 7th and 8th OZCOTS were similarly run, conjoined with Australian Statistical Conferences in 2010 and 2012. Authors of papers from these OZCOTS conferences were invited to develop chapters for refereeing and inclusion in this volume. There are sections on keynote topics, undergraduate curriculum and learning, professional development, postgraduate learning, and papers from OZCOTS 2012. Because OZCOTS aim to unite statisticians and statistics educators, the approaches this volume takes are immediately relevant to all who have a vested interest in good teaching practices. Globally, statistics as a discipline, statistical pedagogy and statistics in academia and industry are all critically important to the modern information society. This volume addresses these roles within the wider society as well as questions that are specific to the discipline itself. Other chapters share research on learning and teaching statistics in interdisciplinary work and student preparation for futures in academia, government and industry.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Hilarious, nimble, and thoroughly illuminating' Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad 'Recalls the work of John Jeremiah Sullivan and the late David Foster Wallace, with a dash of Janet Malcolm' Vogue From its opening journey into remote Alaska for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, IMPOSSIBLE OWLS leads us on a kaleidoscopic exploration of contemporary reality. Brian Phillips takes us to a sumo tournament in Japan, the jungle in India, the studio of a great Russian animator, a royal tour of the Yukon Territory with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and into the weird heart of America. This exhilarating debut visits borders both real and imagined, and asks what it means, in our age, to travel to the end of the map.

Fundamentally, history is the consequence of ideas. Every movement, revolution, war, and era is ultimately defined and motivated by a guiding ideology. In this book, we will examine the ideas that have shaped (or are shaping) government policies toward numerous industries. We will examine mature industries and newer industries. In examining mature industries, we can trace the long-term consequences of government policies. We can see the cause and the effect. We can see which policies resulted in innovation and progress, and which did not. In identifying the results of past policies, we can predict the future consequences of today's policy debates. Virtually everyone claims to support innovation and progress. But claiming such support and advocating policies that make innovation possible are not the same thing. We cannot discern the difference merely on the basis of claims and professed intentions. We must look at the principles-the fundamental ideas-being advocated.

While property values have taken on a roller coaster-like pattern in the past several years, one thing remains certain: Home values will always continue to be relative to the value of other homes in their market. What does this mean for you? Very simply, it means that no matter how much home prices go up or down, there are still things that you can do to stabilize and maximize the value of your home, as it relates to similar homes in your area. In these uncertain times, it is crucial, now more than ever, to ensure that you take the steps that are necessary to see that your home is valued at the best possible price.

From the Tea Parties to Occupy Wall Street, Americans are not happy with their government and they are making their displeasure known. But what is causing this divide? And what is the solution? Individual Rights and Government Wrongs examines two fundamentally different views regarding what type of nation America should be. Using examples from history and the contemporary world, this book looks at what happens when individuals are free and what happens when government intervenes in the lives of citizens. Individual Rights and Government Wrongs challenges both conservatives and progressives. It rejects the notion that government intervention is ever practical or moral, no matter the issue, no matter the "general welfare" that will allegedly result, no matter the "will of the people." If you are concerned about the future of America, Individual Rights and Government Wrongs will give you the intellectual ammunition you need to fight current trends.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Hilarious, nimble, and thoroughly illuminating' Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad 'Recalls the work of John Jeremiah Sullivan and the late David Foster Wallace, with a dash of Janet Malcolm' Vogue From its opening journey into remote Alaska for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, IMPOSSIBLE OWLS leads us on a kaleidoscopic exploration of contemporary reality. Brian Phillips takes us to a sumo tournament in Japan, the jungle in India, the studio of a great Russian animator, a royal tour of the Yukon Territory with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and into the weird heart of America. This exhilarating debut visits borders both real and imagined, and asks what it means, in our age, to travel to the end of the map.