Klaus 5

World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolu­tion, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wear­able sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manu­facturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individu­als. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frame­works that advance progress.

Haway Man, Klaus! is the first full-length collection of comic strips charting the un-adventures of Klaus, Richard Short's pensive, anthropomorphic cat. Reinvigorating the classic comic strip, Short salutes Charles Schulz's Peanuts, Tove Jansson's Moomins and Japanese cartooning masters, before veering quickly into an original, strange and utterly unique world of screwball comedy and poetic rumination. Short's wit, at times gentle, at times acerbic, is expressed through his mastery of clear-line cartooning, revealing a tapestry of relatable human emotion through a cast of offbeat characters. Occupying a wholly original space in the current landscape of cartooning, Haway Man, Klaus! breathes new life into the comic strip format.

Originating in England in the mid 1950s, Pop Art developed its full potential in the USA in the 1960s. It substitutes the everyday for the splendid; mass-produced articles are assigned the same importance as one-offs; the difference between high culture and popular culture is swept away. Media and advertising are among the preferred contents of Pop Art, which celebrates the consumer society in its own witty fashion. The enthusiasm generated by Pop Art since the first works were exhibited has never died down -- it is greater today than ever before. Book jacket.

A stunning book exploring the art of Sergio Pablos' animated Christmas original, Klaus. When Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) distinguishes himself as the postal academy's worst student, he is stationed on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle, where the feuding locals hardly exchange words let alone letters. Jesper is about to give up when he finds an ally in local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones), and discovers Klaus (Oscar® winner J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys. These unlikely friendships return laughter to Smeerensburg, forging a new legacy of generous neighbors, magical lore and stockings hung by the chimney with care. An animated holiday comedy directed by Despicable Me co-creator Sergio Pablos, KLAUS co-stars Joan Cusack, Will Sasso and Norm Macdonald. Klaus: The Art of the Movie is a stunning coffee table hardback exploring the art of Sergio Pablos' hand-drawn animated original Christmas film. Showcasing the full animation process, including an innovative new lighting and shadowing technique, this book features concept art, pitch documents, character turnarounds, key art, final artwork, exclusive sketches, and interviews with the team behind this heartwarming film.

This extensively researched empirical analysis of the GDR in the years 1971-1989 challenges current historical interpretations of GDR history. It focuses on four social groups - youth, women, writers and Christians - to highlight the stability of this socialist society until 1987. The strength of the regime is shown to have been based on a continuously negotiated process of give-and-take involving major parts of the population.