Strategic Power

The profitability of power plant investments depends strongly on uncertain fuel and carbon prices. In this doctoral thesis, we combine fundamental electricity market models with stochastic dynamic programming to evaluate power plant investments under uncertainty. The application of interpolation-based stochastic dynamic programming and approximate dynamic programming allows us to consider a greater variety of stochastic fuel and carbon price scenarios compared to other approaches.

History indicates that there are powerful routes to liberation from oppression that do not involve violence. Mohandas Gandhi called for a science of nonviolent action, one based on satyagraha, or the “insistence on truth.” As Gandhi understood, nonviolent resistance is not passive, nor is it weak; rather, such action is an exercise of power. Despite the success of Gandhi’s “Quit India” movement, the resources dedicated to the application of rigorous science to nonviolent struggle have been vanishingly small. By contrast, almost unimaginable levels of financial and human resources have been devoted to the science and technologies of killing, war, and collective violence. Mark Mattaini reviews the history and theory of nonviolent struggles against oppression and discusses recent research that indicates the substantial need for and advantage of nonviolent alternatives. He then offers a detailed exploration of principles of behavioral systems science that appear to underlie effective strategic civil resistance and “people power.” Strategic Nonviolent Power proposes that the route to what Gandhi described as the “undreamt of and seemingly impossible discoveries” of nonviolent resistance is the application of rigorous science. Although not a simple science, Mattaini’s application of ecological science grounded in the science of behaviour brings exceptional power to the struggle for justice and liberation. At a time when civil resistance is actively reshaping global political realities, the science of nonviolent struggle deserves the attention of the scientific, activist, strategic, military, spiritual, and diplomatic communities, as well as the informed public.

This book highlights the impact and relevance of "strategic culture". Each section contains essays contrasting United States and Soviet perceptions on specific topics. Each section closes with a synthesizing commentary, to help readers to get a better sense of differences and similarities.

The Little Red Book of Golf Wisdom is packed full of thoughtful and witty quotes on the game that has maddened, excited, and delighted generations of players and fans alike. Golfing legends, literary giants, celebrities, and politicians offer pithy and memorable comments on the sport that A. A. Milne once described as “the best game in the world at which to be bad.” Read musings on golf from such noteworthy folks as: • John Updike • Bill Clinton • Ben Hogan • Annika Sorenstam • Rex Lardner • Tiger Woods • Jack Nicklaus • P.G. Wodehouse • Althea Gibson • And hundreds of others! The Little Red Book of Golf Wisdom will entertain, instruct, and capture the essence of the game that has an irresistible hold on anyone connected with it—whether as a participant or a spectator. There’s a reason why people all over the world are drawn to a game that can easily break one’s heart. This book tells you why.

A collection of 14 studies emphasizing the social dimensions of negotiation as a means of reducing the domination of the field by cognitive approaches. Among the topics are an information-processing perspective on the social context in negotiation, social factors that make freedom unattractive and more.

There is a profusion of missional issues emerging in the Asian fields that call Christ's followers to actively witnessing the Truth. Missionaries from different continents have come to serve the Asian nations, and yet, these God's loving missionaries' effectiveness often seem to have left in the shade by some damaging fruits and (sometimes) being too much of Westernness stemming from a diversity of lacking knowledge particularly the local contexts to contextualize, and lack of preparation. The irrefutable finding is appealing within the Asian mission study in regard to the essentiality in equipping the Christians so that the ministries in Asia will experience the effectiveness in cultivating the diverse contexts (cultures) with the text (Scripture) they have. Many principles and practical information from this book grew out of the authors' experiences and the reflection of Missiologists and scholars such as Andrew Walls, Christopher Wright, Kazoh Kitamori, Paul Hiebert, etc.