This study of the international petroleum trade provides a view that departs from the conventional perspective: it is structured on its perception of the interdependence among the oil-producing countries, the oil-importing countries, and the international oil companies, taking fully into account the political context within which the economic mechanisms operate. These crucial political considerations lead to a descriptive and predictive realism which goes beyond the standard market analyses that ignore their influence.  The author develops and presents a simulation model of the world petroleum market in the OPEC era that traces effects and expected impacts from the recent past through a range of alternative futures. Dynamic simulation models, because of their adeptness at manipulating large amounts of data in complex ways, often lead to results that contradict intuitive, top-of-the-head expectations. In the present case, because political influences are explicitly factored into the model along with the familiar economic variables, this effect is particularly pronounced—the book presents some surprising conclusions that run counter to predictions and assessments generated by a purely economic simulation-analysis of the data.  Among these conclusions is the author's finding that higher oil prices, under certain circumstances, can be in the best long-term interest of the consuming countries, while low prices can have distinct disadvantages for all the countries in the world oil market by creating political vulnerabilities and instabilities. In general there is an inevitable interdependence (and possible trade-off) between political and economic consequences of different oil prices. Another conclusion is that the international oil companies will continue to play a critical role in the oil trade and that their profits will continue to grow whatever the price of oil.  The construction of the simulation model is followed from the initial concept to the details of its working parts. A number of market sectors—those of supply, finance, management, price, the producer, the consumer, and the international economy—are identified and incorporated, and their linkages and interdependencies are made explicit. In operation, the model extrapolates a series of alternatives, hypothetical future outcomes based on the input of variable prices, production policies, and tax rates. These alternatives range over a broad set of assumed situations—from radical OPEC price increases through a broken-up OPEC or one with weakened policies to the virtual disappearance of the cartel.

International Energy Futures: Petroleum Prices, Power, and Payments

Engineering & Transportation

Choucri, Nazli

Engineering

MIT PRESS @

Rhythm Science (Mediawork.)

Arts & Photography

Paul D. Miller

Music

A History of Modern Computing (History of Computing)

This engaging history covers modern computing from the development of the first electronic digital computer through the advent of the World Wide Web. The author concentrates on four key moments of transition: the transformation of the computer in the late 1940s from a specialized scientific instrument to a commercial product; the emergence of small systems in the late 1960s; the beginnings of personal computing in the 1970s; and the spread of networking after 1985. The focus is on the United States, on computing per se rather than on applications such as artificial intelligence, and on systems that were sold commercially and installed in quantities. The author balances stories of individuals with those of institutions and emphasizes those factors that conspired to bring about the decisive shifts in the story.

Computers & Technology

Ceruzzi, Paul E.

Certification

In print since 1948,  Dwelling House Construction is a homebuilding classic that covers site inspection, foundations, framing, windows, roofing and flashing, coatings, fireplaces and chimneys, insulation, hardware, plastics, mobile homes, and manufactured housing. This new edition has been substantially revised to take into account the many changes in materials and building technologies that have occurred over the past decade. The chapter on roofing has been completely revised. The chapters on coatings and plastics have been combined, as have those on manufactured and mobile housing. Sections on masonry, wood, steel, steel framing, and concrete have been added; the sections on septic tanks, balloon framing, braced framing, plaster, and standard requirements have been shortened, and specification clauses have been eliminated.

Dwelling House Construction

Dietz, Albert

Architecture

Collective Oscillations in a Plasma

Akhiezer, A.I.

Viet Cong the Organization & Techniques

Pike, Douglas

This book will help practitioners overcome one of the leading challenges in couples therapy: working effectively with the male partner. Men have unique needs and psychological issues that many clinicians may not recognize or know how to address. This volume presents chapters by the leading practitioners associated with current therapeutic models, including Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, Imago Relationship Therapy, Integrated Behavioral Couple Therapy, and more. Using in-depth case examples, they demonstrate how their approaches can be adapted to be "male-sensitive" and respond to the ambivalence so many men experience about couples work. Special topics are also addressed, including infidelity, cultural diversity, working with veterans, and fathering issues. This book will enrich therapists' work with couples, making treatment a welcoming experience for both partners and the treatment process more gratifying for the therapist.

Compendium for literates : a system of writing

GERSTNER, Karl

Beyond the Melting Pot

Glazer, Nathan

Origins of Invention

Mason, Otis T.

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