This forcefully argued book offers a provocative picture of the political, intellectual, and economic forces that have shaped the history of the United States from its founding to the present day. Offering an extensive and in-depth critique of laissez-faire doctrine and a novel reformulation of the work of American System writers such as Daniel Raymond, Henry Carey, and Thorstein Veblen, author Donald Gibson traces America's rise to global supremacy. He examines how free-market ideology and the "establishment" networks exemplified by Wall Street and the Council for Foreign Relations combined to lead us to the political and economic crises that America faces at the dawn of the twenty-first century.

The explosion of computer use and internet communication has placed new emphasis on the ability to store, retrieve and search for all types of images, both still photo and video images. The success and the future of visual information retrieval depends on the cutting edge research and applications explored in this book. It combines the expertise from both computer vision and database research.
Unlike text retrieval and text/numeric databases the challenges of image databases are enormous. How do you use "data mining" to search for an image if you do not have "key words" to search? Exploratory Image Databases introduces the idea that it is possible to solve this problem by merging database systems into a single search and browse activity called "exploration."
Exploratory Image Databases is one of the first single-author books that unifies the critical emerging topic of image databases. A new approach to image databases, the work is divided into four central parts: introduction to the problems that image database research must solve; computer vision and information retrieval techniques; image database issues; and interface and engines for visual searches.
Example: Imagine the difficulty of building and using a database for "face recognition," where an image of a face is used. In order to effectively use the image a huge number of characteristics would need to be entered in the database. The goal of future image databases is to use hardware and software to recognize and categorize images without typing in characteristics.
* Comprehensive coverage of the image analysis as well as the database/theoretical aspects of image databases.
* Extensive coverage of interfaces and interaction models, with a theoretical framework for the development of new interaction schemes.
* Identifies three interaction models between users and image databases, two of which have no counterpart in traditional databases.
* Coverage of the relation between image and text, including mixed search models and the automatic determination of the relation between images and text on large corpuses like the web.
* Analysis of the process of signification in images and its influence on the interaction models and technological problems of image databases.

In a single volume, The Mobile Communications Handbook covers the entire field, from principles of analog and digital communications to cordless telephones, wireless local area networks (LANs), and international technology standards. The tremendous scope of this second edition ensures that it will be the primary reference for every aspect of mobile communications. Details and references follow preliminary discussions, ensuring that the reader obtains the most accurate information available on the particular topic.

Contains a statement of the balance-of-payments accounting, and a critical appraisal of balance-of-payments adjustment theory. The book also features chapters on the capital account of the balance-of-payments and on the new theory of exchange rate determination (with discussion of the EMS). There is extensive and extended coverage of the UK's balance of payments position with chapters on the structural and non-price determinants of trade and the balance-of-payments as well as the link between de-industrialization and the balance-of-payments.

With 26 entirely new and 5 extensively revised chapters out of the total of 39, the Mobile Communications Handbook, Third Edition presents an in-depth and up-to-date overview of the full range of wireless and mobile technologies that we rely on every day. This includes, but is not limited to, everything from digital cellular mobile radio and evolving personal communication systems to wireless data and wireless networks Illustrating the extraordinary evolution of wireless communications and networks in the last 15 years, this book is divided into five sections: Basic Principles provides the essential underpinnings for the wide-ranging mobile communication technologies currently in use throughout the world. Wireless Standards contains technical details of the standards we use every day, as well as insights into their development. Source Compression and Quality Assessment covers the compression techniques used to represent voice and video for transmission over mobile communications systems as well as how the delivered voice and video quality are assessed. Wireless Networks examines the wide range of current and developing wireless networks and wireless methodologies. Emerging Applications explores newly developed areas of vehicular communications and 60 GHz wireless communications. Written by experts from industry and academia, this book provides a succinct overview of each topic, quickly bringing the reader up to date, but with sufficient detail and references to enable deeper investigations. Providing much more than a "just the facts" presentation, contributors use their experience in the field to provide insights into how each topic has emerged and to point toward forthcoming developments in mobile communications.

"The Starday Story: The House That Country Music Built" is the first book entirely dedicated to one of the most influential music labels of the twentieth century. In addition to creating the largest bluegrass catalogue throughout the 1950s and '60s, Starday was also known for its legendary rockabilly catalogue, an extensive Texas honky-tonk outpouring, classic gospel and sacred recordings, and as a Nashville independent powerhouse studio and label.

Written with label president and co-founder Don Pierce, this book traces the label's origins in 1953 through the 1968 Starday-King merger. Interviews with artists and their families, employees, and Pierce contribute to the stories behind famous hit songs, including "Y'all Come," "A Satisfied Mind," "Why Baby Why," "Giddy-up Go," "Alabam," and many others. Gibson's research and interviews also shed new light on the musical careers of George Jones, Arlie Duff, Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, the Stanley Brothers, Cowboy Copas, Red Sovine, and countless other Starday artists. Conversations with the children of Pappy Daily and Jack Starns provide a unique perspective on the early days of Starday, and extensive interviews with Pierce offer an insider glance at the country music industry during its golden era.

Weathering through the storm of rock and roll and, later, the Nashville Sound, Starday was a home to traditional country musicians and became one of the most successful independent labels in American history. Ultimately, "The Starday Story" is the definitive record of a country music label that played an integral role in preserving our nation's musical heritage.

In two editions spanning more than a decade, The Electrical Engineering Handbook stands as the definitive reference to the multidisciplinary field of electrical engineering. Our knowledge continues to grow, and so does the Handbook. For the third edition, it has expanded into a set of six books carefully focused on a specialized area or field of study. Each book represents a concise yet definitive collection of key concepts, models, and equations in its respective domain, thoughtfully gathered for convenient access. Circuits, Signals, and Speech and Image Processing presents all of the basic information related to electric circuits and components, analysis of circuits, the use of the Laplace transform, as well as signal, speech, and image processing using filters and algorithms. It also examines emerging areas such as text-to-speech synthesis, real-time processing, and embedded signal processing. Each article includes defining terms, references, and sources of further information. Encompassing the work of the world's foremost experts in their respective specialties, Circuits, Signals, and Speech and Image Processing features the latest developments, the broadest scope of coverage, and new material on biometrics.

Windows security concepts and technologies for IT beginners

IT security can be a complex topic, especially for those new to the field of IT. This full-color book, with a focus on the Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) program, offers a clear and easy-to-understand approach to Windows security risks and attacks for newcomers to the world of IT. By paring down to just the essentials, beginners gain a solid foundation of security concepts upon which more advanced topics and technologies can be built.

This straightforward guide begins each chapter by laying out a list of topics to be discussed, followed by a concise discussion of the core networking skills you need to have to gain a strong handle on the subject matter. Chapters conclude with review questions and suggested labs so you can measure your level of understanding of the chapter's content.Serves as an ideal resource for gaining a solid understanding of fundamental security concepts and skillsOffers a straightforward and direct approach to security basics and covers anti-malware software products, firewalls, network topologies and devices, network ports, and moreReviews all the topics you need to know for taking the MTA 98-367 examProvides an overview of security components, looks at securing access with permissions, addresses audit policies and network auditing, and examines protecting clients and servers

If you're new to IT and interested in entering the IT workforce, then "Microsoft Windows Security Essentials" is essential reading.

Contains a statement of the balance-of-payments accounting, and a critical appraisal of balance-of-payments adjustment theory. The book also features chapters on the capital account of the balance-of-payments and on the new theory of exchange rate determination (with discussion of the EMS). There is extensive and extended coverage of the UK's balance of payments position with chapters on the structural and non-price determinants of trade and the balance-of-payments as well as the link between de-industrialization and the balance-of-payments.

With 26 entirely new and 5 extensively revised chapters out of the total of 39, the Mobile Communications Handbook, Third Edition presents an in-depth and up-to-date overview of the full range of wireless and mobile technologies that we rely on every day. This includes, but is not limited to, everything from digital cellular mobile radio and evolving personal communication systems to wireless data and wireless networks Illustrating the extraordinary evolution of wireless communications and networks in the last 15 years, this book is divided into five sections: Basic Principles provides the essential underpinnings for the wide-ranging mobile communication technologies currently in use throughout the world. Wireless Standards contains technical details of the standards we use every day, as well as insights into their development. Source Compression and Quality Assessment covers the compression techniques used to represent voice and video for transmission over mobile communications systems as well as how the delivered voice and video quality are assessed. Wireless Networks examines the wide range of current and developing wireless networks and wireless methodologies. Emerging Applications explores newly developed areas of vehicular communications and 60 GHz wireless communications. Written by experts from industry and academia, this book provides a succinct overview of each topic, quickly bringing the reader up to date, but with sufficient detail and references to enable deeper investigations. Providing much more than a "just the facts" presentation, contributors use their experience in the field to provide insights into how each topic has emerged and to point toward forthcoming developments in mobile communications.

This forcefully argued book offers a provocative picture of the political, intellectual, and economic forces that have shaped the history of the United States, offering an extensive and in-depth critique of laissez-faire doctrine and a novel reformulation of the work of American System writers, Gibson traces America's rise to global supremacy.

The core concepts and technologies of Windows networking

Networking can be a complex topic, especially for those new to the field of IT. This focused, full-color book takes a unique approach to teaching Windows networking to beginners by stripping down a network to its bare basics, thereby making each topic clear and easy to understand. Focusing on the new Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) program, this book pares down to just the essentials, showing beginners how to gain a solid foundation for understanding networking concepts upon which more advanced topics and technologies can be built.

This straightforward guide begins each chapter by laying out a list of topics to be discussed, followed by a concise discussion of the core networking skills you need to have to gain a strong handle on the subject matter. Chapters conclude with review questions and suggested labs so you can measure your level of understanding of the chapter's content.Serves as an ideal resource for gaining a solid understanding of fundamental networking concepts and skillsOffers a straightforward and direct approach to networking basics and covers network management tools, TCP/IP, the name resolution process, and network protocols and topologiesReviews all the topics you need to know for taking the MTA 98-366 examProvides an overview of networking components, discusses connecting computers to a network, and looks at connecting networks with routers

If you're new to IT and interested in entering the IT workforce, then "Microsoft Windows Networking Essentials" is essential reading.

This book develops the basic concepts in understanding Analog Communications. Beginning with coverage of amplitude modulation, including the time and frequency domain representations of double sideband, single sideband, and vestigial sideband modulation, and introduces the student to the fundamental ideas of quadrature amplitude modulation, frequency division multiplexing, and digital communications using on-off keying. The author continues with additional discussion and coverage of the time and frequency domain representations of frequency and phase modulation, including bandwidth calculations, and the use of frequency shift keying, phase shift keying, and differential phase shift keying for the transmission of digital information. Contents include applications and further analyses of the effects of channel noise on amplitude, phase, and frequency modulation performance based on input versus output signal to noise ratios and some system comparisons are discussed.

Melanie Gibson was an independent woman with a good job, multiple college degrees, and a condo in the trendy part of town. She also had a few mental illnesses, a minor substance abuse problem, and rotten relationship skills. She was a high-functioning crazy who needed a good kick in the pants, literally and metaphorically. In early 2013, as a last desperate means to save her sanity, Melanie turned to a nearly forgotten childhood activity: the Korean martial art of taekwondo. As if the universe were listening, she discovered her West Texas childhood taekwondo instructors’ Grandmaster operated a taekwondo school a few miles from her home in Fort Worth, Texas—and she decided to start her training over as a white belt. In taekwondo, Melanie felt like she had a fresh start in more ways than one. She found an inner peace she’d never known before, a sense of community, a newfound confidence, and a positive outlook on life. The kicking and screaming she was doing in class quieted the long-term kicking and screaming in her mind. Funny and frank, Kicking and Screaming: A Memoir of Madness and Marital Arts is the story of Melanie’s life-changing journey from troubled, lost soul to confident taekwondo black belt.