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Rethinking Cyber Warfare: The International Relations of Digital Disruption
by R. David EdelmanFifteen years into the era of ?cyber warfare,? are we any closer to understanding the role a major cyberattack would play in international relations - or to preventing one? Uniquely spanning disciplines and enriched by the insights of a leading practitioner, Rethinking Cyber Warfare provides a fresh understanding of the role that digital disruption plays in contemporary international security. Focusing on the critical phenomenon of major cyberattacks against wired societies, the book reconsiders central tenets that shaped global powers' policies and explains what forces in the international system might durably restrain their use. Arming the reader with the key technological and historical context to make sense of cyberattacks, it explores how deterrence, international law, and normative taboos operate today to shape whether and how states think about causing this kind of disruption - and how soon those forces might combine to rethink those decisions entirely. The result is a comprehensive look at one of the most pressing issues in international security that also illuminates a new pathway for managing one of its greatest sources of instability.
Retro Gaming: A Byte-sized History of Video Games – From Atari to Zelda
by Mike DiverTake a trip down memory lane with Retro Gaming, and relive the glory days (and not so glory days) of your old retro tech favourites.Packed with all the characters, games, consoles and franchises that you used to love (and possibly still do), this is a compact, conversational compendium of all-time highs – alongside just a handful of humorous (in hindsight) lows – from over forty years of arcade, computer, console and handheld hits.From Atari’s early arcade classics and home games consoles of the 1970s, through to classics that keep on giving, such as Halo and Tomb Raider, this book summarizes the significant releases, research and revolutions that have made video games a £100 billion (and rising) industry.Evergreen favourites from Nintendo, SEGA and Sony are present and correct – no collection would be complete without entries for Mario and Sonic, Tetris and Crash Bandicoot. But we also give credit to the less-celebrated but utterly vital titles, characters, controllers and systems that have helped the world of gaming expand and evolve.A guide, a companion and a window onto a joyous past, Retro Gaming is a perfect book to dip in and out of, as mood and your current gaming habits dictate.
Salesforce AppExchange Success Blueprint: Transform your ideas into profitable and scalable Salesforce applications
by Jakub StefaniakDesign, develop, publish, monetize, and scale your Salesforce application to become a successful independent software vendor (ISV) on the AppExchangeKey FeaturesSet up a strong foundation and make informed decisions to create innovative solutionsExplore the world of the AppExchange development lifecycleUnderstand essential business strategies to maximize profitability from technical and business standpointsPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionAre you ready to turn your million-dollar ideas into reality? Salesforce AppExchange Success Blueprint is your ultimate guide to becoming a successful ISV partner and publishing your Salesforce applications on the AppExchange. This book covers every facet of the application development process, from the initial partnership establishment to smoothly preparing for security review and managing app releases. Packed with real-world examples, case studies, and detailed guides, it’ll help you master AppExchange development. Throughout this experience, you’ll discover how to create customer-centric applications that seamlessly integrate with external systems, ensuring a frictionless user experience. You’ll also navigate the intricate process of preparing for security reviews and managing app releases. In addition, you’ll delve into the critical realm of business strategy, addressing essential elements such as maximizing profitability, achieving operational excellence, leveraging analytics to make data-driven decisions, and effectively handling technical debt to maintain your app's robustness and scalability. By the end of this journey, you’ll possess a deep understanding of AppExchange development from both technical and business standpoints, making you well-prepared to excel in the Salesforce ecosystem. Let's embark on this exciting path together!What you will learnFind out how to become a successful ISV partner on the AppExchangeUnderstand how to tackle the challenges of AppExchange developmentUncover how to avoid common security review pitfallsDiscover the best practices for configuring an AppExchange listingMaximize the revenue potential through pricing and monetizationUnderstand how to manage technical debt to maintain product qualityBuild a successful and sustainable ISV partnership with SalesforceWho this book is forAre you a trailblazer exploring the untamed world of the Salesforce ecosystem, seeking opportunities for your business? You've come to the right place. This book is for a diverse range of readers - from budding Salesforce developers to seasoned AppExchange architects, tech entrepreneurs, and startup founders. Whether you're a visionary seeking to innovate within the Salesforce ecosystem, or a business owner considering expanding into the AppExchange market, this book will provide a comprehensive resource for success.
A Socio-Legal Theory of Money for the Digital Commercial Society: A New Analytical Framework to Understand Cryptoassets (Hart Studies in Commercial and Financial Law)
by Israel Cedillo LazcanoThis book poses the question: do we need a new body of regulations and the constitution of new regulatory agents to face the evolution of money in the Fourth Industrial Revolution?After the Global Financial Crisis and the subsequent introduction of Distributed Ledger Technologies in monetary matters, multiple opinions claim that we are in the middle of a financial revolution that will eliminate the need for central banks and other financial institutions to form bonds of trust on our behalf. In contrast to these arguments, this book argues that we are not witnessing a revolutionary expression, but an evolutionary one that we can trace back to the very origin of money.Accordingly, the book provides academics, regulators and policy makers with a multidisciplinary analysis that includes elements such as the relevance of intellectual property rights, which are disregarded in the legal analysis of money. Furthermore, the book proposes the idea that traditional analyses on the exercise of the lex monetae ignore the role of inside monies and technological infrastructures developed and supported by the private sector, as exemplified in the evolution of the cryptoassets market and in cases such as Banco de Portugal v Waterlow & Sons.The book puts forward a proposal for the design and regulation of new payment systems and invites the reader to look beyond the dissemination of individual Distributed Ledger Technologies such as Bitcoin.
Source Coding Theory: Lectures Held at the Department for Automation and Information June 1970 (CISM International Centre for Mechanical Sciences #32)
by Giuseppe Longo
The Statistics and Machine Learning with R Workshop: Unlock the power of efficient data science modeling with this hands-on guide
by Liu PengLearn the fundamentals of statistics and machine learning using R libraries for data processing, visualization, model training, and statistical inferenceKey FeaturesAdvance your ML career with the help of detailed explanations, intuitive illustrations, and code examplesGain practical insights into the real-world applications of statistics and machine learningExplore the technicalities of statistics and machine learning for effective data presentationPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionThe Statistics and Machine Learning with R Workshop is a comprehensive resource packed with insights into statistics and machine learning, along with a deep dive into R libraries. The learning experience is further enhanced by practical examples and hands-on exercises that provide explanations of key concepts. Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll explore the complete model development process, covering everything from data pre-processing to model development. In addition to machine learning, you’ll also delve into R's statistical capabilities, learning to manipulate various data types and tackle complex mathematical challenges from algebra and calculus to probability and Bayesian statistics. You’ll discover linear regression techniques and more advanced statistical methodologies to hone your skills and advance your career. By the end of this book, you'll have a robust foundational understanding of statistics and machine learning. You’ll also be proficient in using R's extensive libraries for tasks such as data processing and model training and be well-equipped to leverage the full potential of R in your future projects.What you will learnHone your skills in different probability distributions and hypothesis testingExplore the fundamentals of linear algebra and calculusMaster crucial statistics and machine learning concepts in theory and practiceDiscover essential data processing and visualization techniquesEngage in interactive data analysis using RUse R to perform statistical modeling, including Bayesian and linear regressionWho this book is forThis book is for beginner to intermediate-level data scientists, undergraduate to masters-level students, and early to mid-senior data scientists or analysts looking to expand their knowledge of machine learning by exploring various R libraries. Basic knowledge of linear algebra and data modeling is a must.
The Statistics and Machine Learning with R Workshop: Unlock the power of efficient data science modeling with this hands-on guide
by Liu PengLearn the fundamentals of statistics and machine learning using R libraries for data processing, visualization, model training, and statistical inferenceKey FeaturesAdvance your ML career with the help of detailed explanations, intuitive illustrations, and code examplesGain practical insights into the real-world applications of statistics and machine learningExplore the technicalities of statistics and machine learning for effective data presentationPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionThe Statistics and Machine Learning with R Workshop is a comprehensive resource packed with insights into statistics and machine learning, along with a deep dive into R libraries. The learning experience is further enhanced by practical examples and hands-on exercises that provide explanations of key concepts. Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll explore the complete model development process, covering everything from data pre-processing to model development. In addition to machine learning, you’ll also delve into R's statistical capabilities, learning to manipulate various data types and tackle complex mathematical challenges from algebra and calculus to probability and Bayesian statistics. You’ll discover linear regression techniques and more advanced statistical methodologies to hone your skills and advance your career. By the end of this book, you'll have a robust foundational understanding of statistics and machine learning. You’ll also be proficient in using R's extensive libraries for tasks such as data processing and model training and be well-equipped to leverage the full potential of R in your future projects.What you will learnHone your skills in different probability distributions and hypothesis testingExplore the fundamentals of linear algebra and calculusMaster crucial statistics and machine learning concepts in theory and practiceDiscover essential data processing and visualization techniquesEngage in interactive data analysis using RUse R to perform statistical modeling, including Bayesian and linear regressionWho this book is forThis book is for beginner to intermediate-level data scientists, undergraduate to masters-level students, and early to mid-senior data scientists or analysts looking to expand their knowledge of machine learning by exploring various R libraries. Basic knowledge of linear algebra and data modeling is a must.
Story Mode: The Creative Writer's Guide to Narrative Video Game Design
by Professor Julialicia Case Professor Eric Freeze Professor Salvatore PaneAgainst the backdrop of a hyper-competitive AAA industry and the perception that it is a world reserved for top programmers and hard-core 'gamers', Story Mode offers an accessible entry-point for all into writing and designing complex and emotionally affecting narrative video games. The first textbook to combine game design with creative writing techniques, this much-needed resource makes the skills necessary to consume and create digital and multi-modal stories attainable and fun. Appealing to the growing calls for greater inclusivity and access to this important contemporary apparatus of expression, this book offers low-cost, accessible tools and instruction that bridge the knowledge gap for creative writers, showing them how they can merge their skill-set with the fundamentals of game creation and empowering them to produce their own games which push stories beyond the page and the written word. Broken down into 4 sections to best orientate writers from any technological background to the strategies of game production, this book offers: - Contextual and introductory chapters exploring the history and variety of various game genres. - Discussions of how traditional creative writing approaches to character, plot, world-building and dialogue can be utilised in game writing. - An in-depth overview of game studies concepts such as game construction, interactivity, audience engagement, empathy, real-world change and representation that orientate writers to approach games from the perspective of a designer. - A whole section on the practical elements of work-shopping, tools, collaborative writing as well as extended exercises guiding readers through long-term, collaborative, game-centred projects using suites and tools like Twine, Audacity, Bitsy, and GameMaker. Featuring detailed craft lessons, hands-on exercises and case studies, this is the ultimate guide for creative writers wanting to diversify into writing for interactive, digital and contemporary modes of storytelling. Designed not to lay out a roadmap to a successful career in the games industry but to empower writers to experiment in a medium previously regarded as exclusive, this book demystifies the process behind creating video games, orienting readers to a wide range of new possible forms and inspiring them to challenge mainstream notions of what video games can be and become.
Synthetic Data for Machine Learning: Revolutionize your approach to machine learning with this comprehensive conceptual guide
by Abdulrahman KerimConquer data hurdles, supercharge your ML journey, and become a leader in your field with synthetic data generation techniques, best practices, and case studiesKey FeaturesAvoid common data issues by identifying and solving them using synthetic data-based solutionsMaster synthetic data generation approaches to prepare for the future of machine learningEnhance performance, reduce budget, and stand out from competitors using synthetic dataPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionThe machine learning (ML) revolution has made our world unimaginable without its products and services. However, training ML models requires vast datasets, which entails a process plagued by high costs, errors, and privacy concerns associated with collecting and annotating real data. Synthetic data emerges as a promising solution to all these challenges. This book is designed to bridge theory and practice of using synthetic data, offering invaluable support for your ML journey. Synthetic Data for Machine Learning empowers you to tackle real data issues, enhance your ML models' performance, and gain a deep understanding of synthetic data generation. You’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches, gaining practical knowledge with hands-on examples of modern methods, including Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and diffusion models. Additionally, you’ll uncover the secrets and best practices to harness the full potential of synthetic data. By the end of this book, you’ll have mastered synthetic data and positioned yourself as a market leader, ready for more advanced, cost-effective, and higher-quality data sources, setting you ahead of your peers in the next generation of ML.What you will learnUnderstand real data problems, limitations, drawbacks, and pitfallsHarness the potential of synthetic data for data-hungry ML modelsDiscover state-of-the-art synthetic data generation approaches and solutionsUncover synthetic data potential by working on diverse case studiesUnderstand synthetic data challenges and emerging research topicsApply synthetic data to your ML projects successfullyWho this book is forIf you are a machine learning (ML) practitioner or researcher who wants to overcome data problems, this book is for you. Basic knowledge of ML and Python programming is required. The book is one of the pioneer works on the subject, providing leading-edge support for ML engineers, researchers, companies, and decision makers.
The Syrian Conflict in the News: Coverage of the War and the Crisis of US Journalism (Political Communication and Media Practices in the Middle East and North Africa)
by Gabriel HulandThe Syrian conflict constitutes one of the most covered events in this century. Although the coverage of the Syrian uprising and civil war alternated between periods of saturation and silence, it is indisputable that they received an enormous amount of media attention. The Syrian Conflict in the News analyses the coverage of the Syrian conflict in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, focusing on how the three newspapers framed six key events in Syria from March 2011 to April 2018, including the Ghouta chemical attack, the Russian intervention in Syria and US-led airstrikes. Gabriel Huland argues that US foreign policy dominates the frames of the conflict, which suggests that mainstream newspapers are excessively indexed to elite narratives. In the United States, the Syrian crisis prompted an intense debate about the appropriate degree of US involvement in the civil war and how the country should behave in the face of growing Russian and Iranian influence in the Middle East. The overreliance on elite narratives resulted in the underrepresentation of local voices and other players who were in a more advantaged position to devise solutions to the conflict. By analysing the frames of the Syrian uprising and civil war in three mainstream newspapers and the relationship between media and international conflicts, The Syrian Conflict in the News sheds light on crucial aspects of the crisis currently pervading US journalism.
Taxing Artificial Intelligence
by Xavier ObersonIn this insightful book, a fully updated edition of the author’s Taxing Robots, Xavier Oberson explores taxing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a potential response to rising workplace disruption and inequality as the use of AI across the economy continues to grow.Drawing on key legal and economic principles, Xavier Oberson, who may be regarded as one of the pioneers of the idea of taxing robots, examines diverse tax models that could be applied to either the use of AI, such as a usage or automation tax, or to AI systems directly, and presents a novel argument in favour of taxing AI. Oberson highlights critical issues including definitions of AI and robots, the complexity of granting a tax capacity to AI, and the compatibility of AI taxes with international tax rules. In particular, this cutting-edge new edition analyses how VAT can be applied to enterprises using AI and autonomous AI systems, and reflects on the legal and technological limits facing lawmakers.Taxing Artificial Intelligence will be essential reading for scholars, policy makers and students across law and economics. It will also be invaluable for law and tax professionals seeking to understand the latest developments in AI, automation, and the future of work.
Teaching Computational Thinking and Coding in Primary Schools
by David Morris David Wells Gurmit UppalThis is a guide to the teaching of computing and coding in primary schools, and an exploration of how children develop their computational thinking. It covers all areas of the National Curriculum for primary computing and offers insight into effective teaching. The text considers three strands of computer science, digital literacy and information technology. The teaching of coding is especially challenging for primary teachers, so it highlights learning on this, giving practical examples of how this can be taught. For all areas of the computing curriculum the text also provides guidance on planning age-appropriate activities with step-by-step guides and details of educationally appropriate software and hardware. This book helps you to connect what you need to teach with how it can be taught, and opens up opportunities in the new curriculum for creative and imaginative teaching. It also includes the full National Curriculum Programme of Study for Computing, key stages 1 and 2 as a useful reference for trainee teachers.
Teaching Information Systems (Elgar Guides to Teaching)
Issues related to teaching and learning information systems (IS) concepts have received keen interest from IS academics since the discipline’s inception over 60 years ago. Bringing together cutting-edge research from over 30 international experts, Teaching Information Systems presents a timely assessment of critical issues associated with the IS curriculum, the learner, and the learning environment.Chapters take a contemporary look at the key issues related to the teaching of IS across the globe, addressing the challenges of virtual learning environments, the drawbacks of relying solely on textbooks, and current thinking on how to align the curriculum with industry needs. Drawing lessons from faculty reflection and empirical evidence, the book provides valuable insight to IS professors and administrators invested in delivering high-quality IS education, demonstrating how instructors can design and implement a relevant and practical curriculum to meet the needs of modern-day students.Exploring non-technical skills and non-traditional instructional materials, this erudite teaching guide will prove an essential resource for instructors in information systems, computer science, information science, and related disciplines. Its practical insights will also benefit researchers and consultants interested in applying IS research findings to practice.
Technology and Security for Lawyers and Other Professionals: The Basics and Beyond (Elgar Guides to Professional Skills for Lawyers)
by W. Kuan HonTechnology proficiency is now a necessity for most professionals. In this very practical book, W. Kuan Hon presents a comprehensive foundational guide to technology and cybersecurity for lawyers and other non-technologists seeking a solid grounding in key tech topics. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach that elucidates the high-level basics then goes a step beyond, Hon clearly explains core technical computing subjects: hardware/software, computing models/APIs, data storage/databases, programming, networking including Internet/web, email and mobile, and artificial intelligence/machine learning including LLMs, detailing cybersecurity essentials like encryption/hashing, public key infrastructure, digital signatures and PETs and flagging various security/privacy-related aspects throughout. Concrete examples help to consolidate understanding and illustrate the practical issues.Key Features:Direct, engaging writing styleConcise, accessible explanations of key computing-related conceptsHighlights fines/legal action regarding specific security/tech-related issuesCompanion PDF contains several ‘try-it-yourself’ illustrations and further informationProvides an excellent framework for interpreting and applying laws/regulations on technology/communications, privacy/data protection, security and/or AI/MLThis book is an indispensable learning and reference work for professionals practising in technology/communications, privacy/security and/or data laws and compliance, offering an in-depth grounding in technology fundamentals and key practical issues. Analysts/consultants, compliance managers, policymakers/lawmakers and regulators/judges will also benefit from this book.
Text Analytics for Corpus Linguistics and Digital Humanities: Simple R Scripts and Tools (Language, Data Science and Digital Humanities)
by Gerold SchneiderDo you want to gain a deeper understanding of how big tech analyzes and exploits our text data, or investigate how political parties differ by analyzing textual styles, associations and trends in documents? Or create a map of a text collection and write a simple QA system yourself? This open access book explores how to apply state-of-the-art text analytics methods to detect and visualize phenomena in text data. Solidly based on methods from corpus linguistics, natural language processing, text analytics and digital humanities, this book shows readers how to conduct experiments with their own corpora and research questions, underpin their theories, quantify the differences and pinpoint characteristics. Case studies and experiments are detailed in every chapter using real-world and open access corpora from politics, World English, history, and literature. The results are interpreted and put into perspective, pitfalls are pointed out, and necessary pre-processing steps are demonstrated. This book also demonstrates how to use the programming language R, as well as simple alternatives and additions to R, to conduct experiments and employ visualisations by example, with extensible R-code, recipes, links to corpora, and a wide range of methods. The methods introduced can be used across texts of all disciplines, from history or literature to party manifestos and patient reports.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.
TinyML Cookbook: Combine machine learning with microcontrollers to solve real-world problems
by Gian IodiceOver 70 recipes to help you develop smart applications on Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense, Raspberry Pi Pico, and SparkFun RedBoard Artemis Nano using the power of machine learning Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.Key FeaturesOver 20+ new recipes, including recognizing music genres and detecting objects in a sceneRun on-device ML with TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers, Edge Impulse, TVM, and scikit-learnExplore cutting-edge technologies, such as on-device training for updating models without data leaving the deviceBook DescriptionDiscover the incredible world of tiny Machine Learning (tinyML) and create smart projects using real-world data sensors with the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense, Raspberry Pi Pico, and SparkFun RedBoard Artemis Nano. TinyML Cookbook, Second Edition, will show you how to build unique end-to-end ML applications using temperature, humidity, vision, audio, and accelerometer sensors in different scenarios. These projects will equip you with the knowledge and skills to bring intelligence to microcontrollers. You'll train custom models from weather prediction to real-time speech recognition using TensorFlow and Edge Impulse. Expert tips will help you squeeze ML models into tight memory budgets and accelerate performance using CMSIS-DSP. This improved edition includes new recipes featuring an LSTM neural network to recognize music genres and the Faster-Objects-More-Objects (FOMO) algorithm for detecting objects in a scene. Furthermore, you'll take your tinyML solutions to the next level with microTVM, microNPU, scikit-learn, and on-device learning. This book will help you stay up to date with the latest developments in the tinyML community and give you the knowledge to build unique projects with microcontrollers!What you will learnUnderstand the microcontroller programming fundamentalsWork with real-world sensors, such as the microphone, camera, and accelerometerImplement an app that responds to human voice or recognizes music genresLeverage transfer learning with FOMO and KerasLearn best practices on how to use the CMSIS-DSP libraryCreate a gesture-recognition app to build a remote controlDesign a CIFAR-10 model for memory-constrained microcontrollersTrain a neural network on microcontrollersWho this book is forThis book is ideal for machine learning engineers or data scientists looking to build embedded/edge ML applications and IoT developers who want to add machine learning capabilities to their devices. If you’re an engineer, student, or hobbyist interested in exploring tinyML, then this book is your perfect companion. Basic familiarity with C/C++ and Python programming is a prerequisite; however, no prior knowledge of microcontrollers is necessary to get started with this book.
Topics in Applied Quantumelectrodynamics
by Paul UrbanThese lectures represent a condensation of a number of colloquia, seminars and discussions held at the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the University of Graz during the last years and epitomize the principal lines of research undertaken by my group. From the very beginning of my appointment at the University of Graz in 1947 I have been concerned with the task of bringing up a relatively small group of scientifically interested and open-minded co-workers and of stimulating them to sound scientific research. Since 1930 I myself have dealt with subjects of the kind treated in these lectures, to which I was introduced by my late friend and teacher TH. SEXL. But also as assistant and co-worker of E. FUES and R. THIRRING I frequently worked on these problems, constantly using new methods and lines of approach. During the last years of the war and the first ones afterwards Ihad the fortunate opportunity to receive many stimulating ideas and comments on my work from A. SOMMERFELD on the occasion of my frequent visits to Munich. Especially this last period, although partially connected with personal difficulties and troubles of many kinds stemming from the turbulence of lost-war readjustments, I consider to be one of the most valuable times in my life.
Tort Liability and Autonomous Systems Accidents: Common and Civil Law Perspectives
Autonomous systems driven by artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have significant potential for increased productivity and improved safety in many sectors, but it is inevitable that some accidents will occur. The law needs an adequate way to respond to these scenarios and compensate those wrongfully injured. This comprehensive book examines the unique difficulties that autonomous systems create for existing accident compensation systems founded on tort, and proposes solutions.Its chapters question the adequacy of accident compensation systems designed around the human wrongdoer, or a human whose conduct can be attributed to a legal person, when the 'wrongdoer' is an autonomous system. With a multi-jurisdictional approach, including both common and civil law perspectives, this book examines the many challenges that autonomous systems present in tort law and sets forth that tort lawyers will need to significantly adjust their thinking to face these challenges. Focus is given to proposals and developments at an EU level and finding solutions to the problems brought about by autonomous systems.This insightful text will be of great value to both students, researchers and practitioners in tort law, accident compensation and AI. High tech companies, think tanks, consultancies and organisations interested in autonomous systems and accidents will also widely benefit from its expertise.
Training Systems using Python Statistical Modeling: Explore Popular Techniques For Modeling Your Data In Python
by Curtis MillerThis book will acquaint you with various aspects of statistical analysis in Python. You will work with different types of prediction models, such as decision trees, random forests and neural networks. By the end of this book, you will be confident in using various Python packages to train your own models for effective machine learning.
Trolling Ourselves to Death: Democracy in the Age of Social Media (Oxford Studies in Digital Politics)
by Jason HannanAlmost forty years ago, Neil Postman argued that television had brought about a fundamental transformation to democracy. By turning entertainment into our supreme ideology, television had recreated public discourse in its image and converted democracy into show business. In Trolling Ourselves to Death, Jason Hannan builds on Postman's classic thesis, arguing that we are now not so much amusing, as trolling ourselves to death. Yet, how do we explain this profound change? What are the primary drivers behind the deterioration of civic culture and the toxification of public discourse? Trolling Ourselves to Death moves beyond the familiar picture of trolling by recasting it in a broader historical light. Contrary to the popular view of the troll as an exclusively anonymous online prankster who hides behind a clever avatar and screen name, Hannan asserts that trolls have emerged from the cave, so to speak, and now walk in the clear light of day. Trolls now include politicians, performers, patriots, and protesters. What was once a mysterious phenomenon limited to the darker corners of the Internet has since gone mainstream, eroding our public culture and changing the rules of democratic politics. Hannan shows how trolling is the logical outcome of a culture of possessive individualism, widespread alienation, mass distrust, and rampant paranoia. Synthesizing media ecology with historical materialism, he explores the disturbing rise of political unreason in the form of mass trolling and sheds light on the proliferation of disinformation, conspiracy theory, "cancel culture," and digital violence. Taking inspiration from Robert Brandom's innovative reading of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Trolling Ourselves to Death makes a case for building "a spirit of trust" to curb the epidemic of mass distrust that feeds the plague of political trolling.
Understanding Initial Coin Offerings: A New Era of Decentralized Finance (Understanding series)
by Dmitri BoreikoDelving into the comprehensive evolution of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), this innovative book traces their origins and transition into modern forms such as Security Token Offerings, Initial Exchange Offerings, Initial DEX Offerings and Non-Fungible Tokens. It provides an in-depth analysis of the factors behind the appeal of ICOs, the complex ecosystem surrounding them, and the key developments within the blockchain and cryptocurrency space.Countering common misconceptions such as equating ICOs with fraud, Dmitri Boreiko emphasizes the need for robust regulation in the field. Chapters explore the economics of ICOs, offer practical research guidance and navigate the complexities of ICO regulation. The book concludes by highlighting emerging mechanisms in blockchain fundraising, focusing on the increased security, transparency, and flexibility of newer mechanisms.Concise and incisive, this is a timely read for economics students focusing on ICOs and blockchain applications, as well as fintech more broadly. Written in an accessible style, blockchain practitioners, investors and entrepreneurs, and start-ups in tech will also find this to be an interesting read.
