The focus of this book is the question of whether the institutions for post-1997 Hong Kong are likely to receive public support and are appropriate for continuing political stability. Divided into three sections, the author analyses research material on public attitudes towards elections, political parties and the future, the present and future legislative, executive, bureaucracy and legal system, and finally speculates on the role of Chinese party centres and the PLA and on possible alternative institutional arrangements.

In 1915, American filmmaker D. W. Griffith released a film that went on to become one of the most controversial of all time. Over a century later, The Birth of a Nation continues to stimulate debate on the relationship between Hollywood and racism. This volume reveals new perspectives on Griffith's film across ten original chapters, re-considering it as text, historical milestone and influence. The volume also includes a helpful timeline that lists key publications and events in Birth's ongoing history, revealing the rich and stimulating discourse on its art, its cultural impact and its ethical dimensions. -- .

The Industry-University Cooperative Chemistry Program has sponsored seven previous international symposia covering a wide variety of topics of interest to industrial and academic chemists. The eighth IUCCP symposium, held March 19-22, 1990, at Texas A&M University, represents a deviation from the former symposia, in that it is the first of a two-symposium series dedicated to the rapidly moving new field of industrial biochemistry that has beco e known as biotechnology. Biotechnology is really not a new discipline, but rather is a term coined to describe the new and exciting commercial applications of biochemistry. The development of the field of biotechnology is a direct result of recombinant DNA technology, which began in earnest about 15 years ago. Today, we can routinely do experiments that were inconceivable in the early 1970's. Only comparatively simple technology available even in small laboratories is required to synthesize a gene and from it, to produce vast amounts of biological materials of enormous commercial value. These technical developments and others have stimulated increased activities in the field of enzyme biotechnology, using enzymes to catalyze "unnatural" reactions to produce complex molecules with stereochemical precision. It is true today, we can readily produce DNA fragments that will encode any amino acid sequence that we might desire, but at this point, our foundation of basic knowledge falls short. The dream of "designer enzymes" is still a fantasy, but the current wave of research activity and exciting new developments suggest that in the future the dream may become a reality.

Corruption in Asia ranges from the venal rent-seeking of local officials to the million-dollar bribes received by corrupt politicians; from excessive position-related consumption to future job offers in the private sector for compliant public servants; from money-laundering to ‘white elephant’ projects that do little more than line the pockets of developers and their political partners. The Routledge Handbook of Corruption in Asia addresses the theories, issues and trends in corruption and anticorruption reform that have emerged from this diverse experience. The book is divided into four major parts: corruption and the state; corruption and economic development; corruption and society; and controlling corruption: strategies, successes and failures. Chapters compare and contrast corruption in different social and institutional contexts, examine both successful and unsuccessful attempts to control it, and consider what lessons can be drawn from these Asian experiences. This academically rigorous and insightful book will be of interest to a wide range of students and scholars, particularly those of Asian studies, politics and sociology.

Based on new field research, this book assesses the current state of governance and public sector reforms in eleven Asian countries and jurisdictions, especially in the wake of the recent regional financial crisis that seriously affected some of them. It analyses reform efforts comparatively against a backdrop of governance problems, and seeks to establish whether these efforts represent a substantive shift in attitudes towards reform or whether they serve simply to reinforce existing practices. The authors explore a number of important themes that are central to governance and public sector reform issues. These include the role of the state, the success or failure of organizational reforms, corruption, the applicability of the new public management model in the Asian context, and the governance values and reform models promoted by regional and international agencies.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203221699

This book analyses central questions in the continuing debate about success factors in corruption prevention and the efficacy and value of anti-corruption agencies (ACAs). How do ACAs become valued within a polity? What challenges must they overcome? What conditions account for their success and failure? What contributions can corruption prevention make to good governance? And in what areas might they have little or no effect on the quality of governance? With these questions in mind, the authors examine the experience of Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), widely regarded as one of the few successful examples of an ACA. The book is grounded in an analysis of ICAC documents and surveys, the authors' survey of social attitudes towards corruption in Hong Kong, and interviews with former officials.

Corruption in Asia ranges from the venal rent-seeking of local officials to the million-dollar bribes received by corrupt politicians; from excessive position-related consumption to future job offers in the private sector for compliant public servants; from money-laundering to 'white elephant' projects that do little more than line the pockets of developers and their political partners. The Routledge Handbook of Corruption in Asia addresses the theories, issues and trends in corruption and anticorruption reform that have emerged from this diverse experience. The book is divided into four major parts: corruption and the state; corruption and economic development; corruption and society; and controlling corruption: strategies, successes and failures. Chapters compare and contrast corruption in different social and institutional contexts, examine both successful and unsuccessful attempts to control it, and consider what lessons can be drawn from these Asian experiences. This academically rigorous and insightful book will be of interest to a wide range of students and scholars, particularly those of Asian studies, politics and sociology.

This book analyses the work of Oliver Stone - arguably one of the foremost political filmmakers in Hollywood during the last thirty years. From early productions like Platoon (1986) and Wall Street (1987) to contemporary dramas and documentaries such as World Trade Center (2006), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) and The Untold History of the United States (2012) Stone has re-defined political filmmaking in an era when Hollywood and the United States in general has been experiencing rapid and radical change. Drawing on previously unseen production files as well as hours of interviews with the director and his associates within the industry, this book is a thematic exploration of Stone's life and work, charting the development of political and aesthetic changes in his filmmaking. Those changes are mapped onto academic debates about the relationship between film and history as well as wider critiques about Hollywood and the film industry. 'A wonderful, bracing book, Scott and Thompson have brought exemplary clarity and thoroughness to the complex and multifaceted career of Oliver Stone. Dividing Stone's work into major themes such as War, Money and Love, the authors provide a focused exploration of the critical intelligence that permeates all of the filmmaker's work - and the political thinking that informs it. Full of insights, this beautifully written book is a major contribution to the literature of film.' Robert Burgoyne, Chair in Film Studies at the University of St Andrews, and author of Film Nation: Hollywood Looks at US History (2010) 'Oliver Stone has cast greater light on late-twentieth and early twenty-first century America than any other movie-maker. In this incisive, erudite, and very well conceived volume, Ian Scott and Henry Thompson offer a nuanced and accessible thematic analysis of Stone's cinematic importance and - with the benefit of their numerous interviews with him - his understanding of the United States and its place in the world. Well-written and deeply researched, this fine book is a major contribution to film studies and should also be read by anyone interested in America's recent past and current politics.' Iwan Morgan, Commonwealth Fund Professor of American History, University College London, and author of Reagan: American Icon -- .

The complete fourth season of the US comedy series revolving around a pair of socially dysfunctional university physicists. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) seem content enough working at physics during the day and playing computer games and hanging out with their fellow scientists and social recluses, Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), at night. That is, until beautiful, free-spirited Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves into the apartment next door and opens up the possibility of a whole new world of love. Episodes are: 'The Robotic Manipulation', 'The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification', 'The Zazzy Substitution', 'The Hot Troll Deviation', 'The Desperation Emanation', 'The Irish Pub Formulation', 'The Apology Insufficiency', 'The 21-Second Excitation', 'The Boyfriend Complexity', 'The Alien Parasite Hypothesis', 'The Justice League Recombination', 'The Bus Pants Utilization', 'The Love Car Displacement', 'The Thespian Catalyst', 'The Benefactor Factor', 'The Cohabitation Formulation', 'The Toast Derivation', 'The Prestidigitation Approximation', 'The Zarnecki Incursion', 'The Herb Garden Germination', 'The Agreement Dissection', 'The Wildebeest Implementation', 'The Engagement Reaction' and 'The Roommate Transmogrification'.

The Parallel Lives of Plutarch are cornerstones of Western literature, and have exerted a profound influence on writers and statesmen since the Renaissance, most notably Shakespeare. This selection of ten biographies spans the period from the start of the fourth century BC to the early third, and covers some of the most important figures in Greek history, such as the orator Demosthenes and Alexander the Great, as well as lesser known figures such as Plato's pupil Dion of Syracuse. Each Life is an important work of literature in itself, but taken together they provide a vivid picture of the Greek world during a period that saw the collapse of Spartan power, the rise of Macedonia, the conquests of Alexander and the wars of his successors. Timothy Duff's revised version of Ian Scott-Kilvert's translations is accompanied by a new general introduction, and introductions and notes to each Life. He has also added two Lives previously not included: Artaxerxes I, Great King of Persia from 405 to 359 BC, and Eumenes of Cardia, one of Alexander's officers.

Plutarch traces the fortunes of Athens through nine lives - from Theseus, its founder, to Lysander, its Spartan conqueror - in this seminal work Theseus/Solon/Themistocles/Aristides/Cimon/Pericles/Nicias/Alcibiades/Lysander What makes a leader? For Plutarch the answer lay not in great victories, but in moral strengths. In these nine biographies, taken from his Parallel Lives, he traces the fortunes of classical Athens through its rulers, from the legendary Theseus, the city's founder, to its defeat at the hands of the Spartan conqueror Lysander - although Plutarch ultimately held the weaknesses of its leaders responsible for the fall. His work is invaluable for its imaginative reconstruction of the past, and profound insights into human life and achievement. This fully revised edition of Ian Scott-Kilvert's seminal translation now also contains Plutarch's attack on the first historian, 'On the Malice of Herodotus'. Translated by Ian Scott-Kilvert Revised with a new introduction by John Marincola

Based on new field research, this book assesses the current state of governance and public sector reforms in eleven Asian countries and jurisdictions, especially in the wake of the recent regional financial crisis that seriously affected some of them. It analyses reform efforts comparatively against a backdrop of governance problems, and seeks to establish whether these efforts represent a substantive shift in attitudes towards reform or whether they serve simply to reinforce existing practices. The authors explore a number of important themes that are central to governance and public sector reform issues. These include the role of the state, the success or failure of organizational reforms, corruption, the applicability of the new public management model in the Asian context, and the governance values and reform models promoted by regional and international agencies.

The Industry-University Cooperative Chemistry Program has sponsored seven previous international symposia covering a wide variety of topics of interest to industrial and academic chemists. The eighth IUCCP symposium, held March 19-22, 1990, at Texas A&M University, represents a deviation from the former symposia, in that it is the first of a two-symposium series dedicated to the rapidly moving new field of industrial biochemistry that has beco e known as biotechnology. Biotechnology is really not a new discipline, but rather is a term coined to describe the new and exciting commercial applications of biochemistry. The development of the field of biotechnology is a direct result of recombinant DNA technology, which began in earnest about 15 years ago. Today, we can routinely do experiments that were inconceivable in the early 1970's. Only comparatively simple technology available even in small laboratories is required to synthesize a gene and from it, to produce vast amounts of biological materials of enormous commercial value. These technical developments and others have stimulated increased activities in the field of enzyme biotechnology, using enzymes to catalyze "unnatural" reactions to produce complex molecules with stereochemical precision. It is true today, we can readily produce DNA fragments that will encode any amino acid sequence that we might desire, but at this point, our foundation of basic knowledge falls short. The dream of "designer enzymes" is still a fantasy, but the current wave of research activity and exciting new developments suggest that in the future the dream may become a reality.

‘If history is deprived of the truth, we are left with nothing but an idle, unprofitable tale’

In writing his account of the relentless growth of the Roman Empire, the Greek statesman Polybius (c. 200–118 BC) set out to help his fellow-countrymen understand how their world came to be dominated by Rome. Opening with the Punic War in 264 BC, he vividly records the critical stages of Roman expansion: its campaigns throughout the Mediterranean, the temporary setbacks inflicted by Hannibal and the final destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. An active participant in contemporary politics, as well as a friend of many prominent Roman citizens, Polybius was able to draw on a range of eyewitness accounts and on his own experiences of many of the central events, giving his work immediacy and authority.

Ian Scott-Kilvert’s translation fully preserves the clarity of Polybius’ narrative. This substantial selection of the surviving volumes is accompanied by an introduction by F. W. Walbank, which examines Polybius’ life and times, and the sources and technique he employed in writing his history.

How is the American political landscape represented in cinema? What is the relationship between Hollywood and Washington? From Arnold Schwarzenegger's rise to the Governorship of California through to the drama of the celebrity-fuelled 2008 Presidential election, Hollywood and politics have never been more intimate. This thoroughly updated and revised new edition continues to analyse the theoretical and conceptual relationship of Hollywood to national politics and the way film content and criticism has aligned itself to political culture and debate. Chronicling the evolution of American political cinema from the 1930s, this book explores the genre's symbiotic relationship with the American political culture and history. Through textual analysis of a range of films and television series, Scott provides a critique of current and past developments across several sub-genres, including the bio-pic, the election film and documentary. New for this edition * Analysis of the post-9/11 and Bush era's effect on the American politics and cinema * In-depth discussion of political documentaries, such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Fog of War, as well as films from the 2000s, such as Man of the Year and State of Play * Expanded coverage of television series from The West Wing, through to 24 and John Adams

The biographies collected in this volume bring together Plutarch's Lives of those great men who established the city of Rome and consolidated its supremacy, and his Comparisons with their notable Greek counterparts. Here he pairs Romulus, mythical founder of Rome, with Theseus, who brought Athens to power, and compares the admirable Numa and Lycurgus for bringing order to their communities, while Titus Flamininus and Philopoemen are portrayed as champions of freedom. As well as providing an illuminating picture of the first century AD, Plutarch depicts complex and nuanced heroes who display the essential virtues of Greek civilization - courage, patriotism, justice, intelligence and reason - that contributed to the rise of Rome. These new and revised translations by W. Jeffrey Tatum and Ian Scott-Kilvert capture Plutarch's elegant prose and narrative flair. This edition also includes a general introduction, individual introductions to each of the Lives and Comparisons, further reading and notes. The Rise of Rome is the penultimate title in Penguin Classics' complete revised Plutarch in six volumes. Other titles include Rome In Crisis, On Sparta, Fall of the Roman Republic, The Age of Alexander and The Rise and Fall of Athens.

This book details design procedures used in creating a radio communication system using FPGA, ADC and DAC devices for high speed radio frequency signal processing. The procedures and calculation methodologies are applicable to a wide range of radio communication products and are demonstrated in a prototype that operates at 13.45 MHz, but can receive signals up to 450 MHz and transmit up to 40 MHz using various alias responses. Digital signal processing technology has migrated from initial audio applications and now offers cost effective, high performance signal processing directly at radio communication frequencies. Mixed signal devices, such as RF ADC and DAC's are available with resolutions up to 16 bits and some can sampling at 2 GHz. When combined with an FPGA, flexible radio architectures are realized. This book presents the reader with a real "walk through" design approach that covers essential concepts required for real world radio design using digital algorithms that process information conveyed by radio signals.This approach offers modulation format flexibility, programmable bandwidth and multiple channel processing.

Running a business, or just running your everyday life can be challenging at times. It can sometimes seem like the odds are stacked against you or that there are so many issues to deal with that just starting is enough to make you want to retreat back to your duvet When I get to the times where I question why it was I started a business I find calling on the snippets of wisdom of others to be a highly beneficial exercise. The modern world can be a lonely place and it is always reassuring to know that somebody else has felt the same way, and better still, been inspired to share their knowledge with others. In my adventure on "The Last Millionaire" I called upon some of the motivational quotes I have heard over the years to keep me focused. It was especially useful in my winning week in Hong Kong where I was all alone in a strange city. In this book Coach Ian Scott deals with some of my favorite motivational tools; quotes. Some are funny, some are profound but all are inspiring and will allow you to briefly step out of your life and remember that you are not all alone in a big scary world ( Taken from the FOREWORD written by Lucy Cohen)