Download or read book Going Soft The US and China Go Global written by Mei Renyi and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2014-04-11 with total page 617 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is “soft power”? How can a country acquire and enjoy it? Is it the product of public or private initiatives? How significant is “soft power” in world affairs? The concept of “soft power,” the idea that international success depends not just upon weaponry, force, and military coercion, but also on admiration and respect for a country’s culture and way of life, is winning ever-greater global attention. As China enjoys ever-increasing heft on the global scene, many Chinese officials seek to emulate the past success of the United States in dominating the world, not simply militarily, but in terms of influence and prestige. Most are very conscious that “soft power” can be extremely valuable in terms of supplementing and boosting their country’s military and strategic position, but are often uncertain as to how to deploy the instruments of propaganda and cultural diplomacy most effectively. The essays in this volume, largely written by scholars based in mainland China, represent an extended effort to debate and assess the theoretical concept of “soft power” and just what it means and how it works in practice. The authors focus upon the practical impact and implications of “soft power” in diverse settings and situations in the United States past and present. How, they ask, does “soft power” relate to issues of religion, gender, race, and social equality, at home and abroad? What do American elections and political rhetoric do for American “soft power”? Will China succeed in rivalling the United States in power, whether hard, soft, or smart? And how will “soft power” feature in US-China relations, present and future?

Download or read book National Security Mom written by Gina M. Bennett and published by Nancy Cleary. This book was released on 2008-11 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by a mother of five and 20-year veteran of counterterrorism in the U.S. Intelligence Community, this book demystifies the underworld of terrorism and offers a unique comparison of how the super-secret intelligence approach to securing the nation is surprisingly similar to how parents secure their homes and families.

Download or read book The Power of Soft written by Hilary Gallo and published by Unbound Publishing. This book was released on 2016-01-28 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Power of Soft, Hilary Gallo Reveals a more effective way to get what you want—both in and out of the board room. Hilary spent years negotiating multi-million pound deals as a lawyer and began to notice that tough, bullying behaviour rarely got him or his clients the outcomes they were looking for. Over the years he began to develop a new way of approaching negotiations—the power of soft—and soon found his work and home life getting richer. In life and in business we often mask our inner vulnerability by adopting a hard, unwavering and ultimately ineffective approach. Instead, Gallo proves that our true power stems from drawing strength from our mental core and balancing that inner strength with a softer, more approachable front. He teaches us to see reality more clearly by looking past our judgments and preconceptions and to focus our energy on what we actually need to achieve. What started as a negotiation tactic soon became a philosophy for life. Whether closing a business deal or trying to get your kids to bed, The Power of Soft is an elegant, holistic and most of all effective method to get what you need and still be kind.

Download or read book Soft News Goes to War written by Matthew A. Baum and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2011-10-16 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The American public has consistently declared itself less concerned with foreign affairs in the post-Cold War era, even after 9/11, than at any time since World War II. How can it be, then, that public attentiveness to U.S. foreign policy crises has increased? This book represents the first systematic attempt to explain this apparent paradox. Matthew Baum argues that the answer lies in changes to television's presentation of political information. In so doing he develops a compelling "byproduct" theory of information consumption. The information revolution has fundamentally changed the way the mass media, especially television, covers foreign policy. Traditional news has been repackaged into numerous entertainment-oriented news programs and talk shows. By transforming political issues involving scandal or violence (especially attacks against America) into entertainment, the "soft news" media have actually captured more viewers who will now follow news about foreign crises, due to its entertainment value, even if they remain uninterested in foreign policy. Baum rigorously tests his theory through content analyses of traditional and soft news media coverage of various post-WWII U.S. foreign crises and statistical analyses of public opinion surveys. The results hold key implications for the future of American politics and foreign policy. For instance, watching soft news reinforces isolationism among many inattentive Americans. Scholars, political analysts, and even politicians have tended to ignore the soft news media and politically disengaged citizens. But, as this well-written book cogently demonstrates, soft news viewers represent a largely untapped reservoir of unusually persuadable voters.

Download or read book Soft City written by David Sim and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2019-08-20 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine waking up to the gentle noises of the city, and moving through your day with complete confidence that you will get where you need to go quickly and efficiently. Soft City is about ease and comfort, where density has a human dimension, adapting to our ever-changing needs, nurturing relationships, and accommodating the pleasures of everyday life. How do we move from the current reality in most cites—separated uses and lengthy commutes in single-occupancy vehicles that drain human, environmental, and community resources—to support a soft city approach? In Soft City David Sim, partner and creative director at Gehl, shows how this is possible, presenting ideas and graphic examples from around the globe. He draws from his vast design experience to make a case for a dense and diverse built environment at a human scale, which he presents through a series of observations of older and newer places, and a range of simple built phenomena, some traditional and some totally new inventions. Sim shows that increasing density is not enough. The soft city must consider the organization and layout of the built environment for more fluid movement and comfort, a diversity of building types, and thoughtful design to ensure a sustainable urban environment and society. Soft City begins with the big ideas of happiness and quality of life, and then shows how they are tied to the way we live. The heart of the book is highly visual and shows the building blocks for neighborhoods: building types and their organization and orientation; how we can get along as we get around a city; and living with the weather. As every citizen deals with the reality of a changing climate, Soft City explores how the built environment can adapt and respond. Soft City offers inspiration, ideas, and guidance for anyone interested in city building. Sim shows how to make any city more efficient, more livable, and better connected to the environment.

Download or read book The 39 Clues 1 The 39 Clues The Maze of Bones written by Rick Riordan and published by Scholastic UK. This book was released on 2016-04-04 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 39 clues to unscramble. One fabulous prize to win. It's a riddle, a book and a game to play. Are YOU up to the challenge? Written by celebrated author Rick Riordan, this interactive challenge takes books to a place they've never been before.

Download or read book Mercy and Eagleflight written by Michael Phillips and published by Rosetta Books. This book was released on 2020-09-23 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A young evangelist and a mysterious drifter search for God’s love across a lawless land in this Western adventure by the beloved Christian author. Kansas, 1890s. Evangelist Mercy Randolph is still young and inexperienced when she suddenly finds herself alone and penniless in a small town. As she tries to preach to the uninterested townspeople, her spiritual foundations are tested by a most unusual cardplaying cowboy with an even more unusual name—Jerimiah Eagleflight. Challenged by their dialogue, Mercy must explore deep within herself to discover her true convictions. And as Jerimiah deals with questions of belief he has never considered, a vengeful killer threatens whatever happiness Mercy and Eagleflight hope to find . . .

Download or read book The Methuen Drama Anthology of Modern Asian Plays written by Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr. and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05-22 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A companion volume to Modern Asian Theatre and Performance 1900–2000, this anthology contains nine emblematic scripts from twentieth and twenty-first century Asian theatre. Opening with a history of modern Asian drama and a summary of the plays and their contexts, it features nine works written between 1912 and 2009 in Japan, China, Korea, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Showcasing fresh contemporary writing alongside plays central to the established canon, the collection surveys each playwright's work, and includes: Father Returns by Kikuchi Kan Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner and the Farewell Speech by Okada Toshiki Sunrise by Cao Yu I Love XXX by Meng Jinghui, Huang Jingang, Wang Xiaoli, Shi Hang Bicycle by O Tae-sok The Post Office by Rabindranath Tagore Hayavadana by Girish Karnad The Struggle of the Naga Tribe by W. S. Rendra Truong Ba's Soul in the Butcher's Skin by Luu Quang Vu The chronological and geographical breadth of the anthology provides a unique insight into modern Asian theatre and is essential to any understanding of its relation to Western drama and indigenous performance.

Download or read book Double Tap written by Mike Ryan and published by Ryan Publishing. This book was released on with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recker and Jones go hunting to add a third member to the team. After an exhaustive search, Jones has finally found the perfect candidate. Former CIA Operative Chris Haley has been out of the game for a couple of years, but jumps at the chance to jump back into things as the new Silencer. As Recker and Haley start settling in with their new work dynamic, things don't go as smoothly as they have in the past. They get into a rough situation that leads to Recker getting put in handcuffs and taken away in a police car. Can Jones engineer Recker's release? Or will they once again become a two man team with only Jones and Haley?

Download or read book Nick and Thomas written by L. J. Thompson and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2011-05 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thomas was thinking that if he could just get home he would be safe. But oh, dear God, there they were by his back gate. They hadn't seen him yet.... He was afraid to breathe. Nick and Thomas are best friends. They have had many adventures together, but have no idea the trial they will need to overcome when a large gang of boys influenced by Satan begin giving them trouble. It all started by the bike rack in the park. Nicholas was surrounded by members of the Wood Street gang, intent on doing him harm. But through the power of prayer and the fast action of his best friend, Nicholas was brought through without a scratch. From that moment on, Nick's and Thomas's steps are dogged by the angry, demon-filled gang members and it is only through intensive prayer, the support of the church, and the goodness of God that the boys are able to avoid injury. From a darkened street to a creepy, spirit-consumed house, Nick and Thomas are always armed with the word of God, which protects them every time. As one by one the members of the volatile gang come to know the love of Christ, the boys grow stronger in their conviction and know that their God-given purpose is being fulfilled. Join author L.J. Thompson for the fast-paced, suspenseful, and inspirational adventures of Nick and Thomas.

Download or read book All the Rage written by F. Paul Wilson and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2006-08-01 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Repairman Jack must stop a new drug that unleashes otherworldly rage in this supernatural thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Tomb. Can you imagine a new chemical compound that heightens your assertiveness, opening the door to your primal self and giving you a physical and mental edge wherever you compete? The non-addictive designer drug Berserk promises just that. It gives you a God-like feeling of supremacy . . . and releases uncontrollable rage that could turn you into a killer . . . Jack finds himself fighting the criminal forces behind Berserk. After combing New York City’s criminal underworld, Jack realizes that the drug comes from a most surprising source . . . a source that may have deadly effects on Jack’s life and the lives of those he cares most about . . . “One of the all-time great characters in one of the all-time great series.” —Lee Child

Download or read book The Betrayed written by Kate Kray and published by Max Crime. This book was released on 2010-05-03 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Betrayed by those who had sworn to protect her and cornered by her past, Rosie has to fight with every breath to protect herself and her beloved daughter, Ruby. She finds herself forced to play a very, very dangerous game: setting her old family against her new one. Rosie was a beautiful, young actress when she fell in love with Johnny Mullins, the notorious London gangster. But their married life was far from what she had hoped it would be and was marred by drug abuse and violence. After Johnny was arrested and sentenced to eighteen years, it became clear that their relationship was doomed to fail. Now, years later, and for the first time, life is finally looking up for Rosie Mullins. She has confronted her jealous husband and told him that she wants out, her acting career has taken off, and she has fallen into a new relationship with a top TV executive. But, all too quickly, she finds that Johnny's influence extends far beyond the prison walls that contain him. To make matters worse, his intensely loyal twin brother, 'Mad Dog' Eddie, is proving to be every bit as dangerous as her husband.

Download or read book Falling Hard written by Kate Hewitt and published by Tule Publishing. This book was released on 2016-03-10 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He didn’t want complications. She was looking for a miracle. Quinn Freeman has spent his life avoiding the dangers of commitment, but his reluctant return to his home town that’s steeped in tragedy for his family stirs up memories and emotions he’d intended to leave buried. His arrival lights hope in many hearts including one long dormant. Meghan O’Reilly, the town’s only plumber and solo caretaker of her dependent sister, is weighted down with responsibility. She only sees in Quinn a careless charmer who isn’t used to hard work—but she still can’t keep from imagining his kiss… and longing for his touch. Surely some things, like a fling between them, can be simple… Or is it possible for a fling to become forever?

Download or read book Insurmountable written by Skye Callahan and published by Skye Callahan. This book was released on 2021-09-08 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a slave with no future meets a man with no boundaries, will their heated encounter ignite their lonely hearts or send them down in flames? They took my life and freedom at the age of sixteen. my prison I live in their walks by their rules with the false and deluded hope that one day things will be different. That one day I'll no longer be merely an object of their perverse fantasies. But deep in my heart I know there is only one end to my nightmare--death. Until him... my Master Some call my home paradise, others know it as hell but it's the only life I've ever known. My legacy At the age of ten, I saw my mother's dead body carried out if our room. The organization became my family, molding and shaking me in their image, but I never forgot the lesson my mother taught me. I only live by their rules to get what I want in return... Her. My Little Dove​ Sins of Ashville Irrevocable Unbreakable Insurmountable Redline She-Devil ★ All Sins of Ashville works contain dark elements, themes, or situations that may be triggering for some readers, so proceed with that in mind. The heroes and heroines (or anti-hero and anti-heroines, as the case may be) must fight and sacrifice for their survival and happy endings. If you're looking for rainbows and sweet nothings, Ashville is not the place for you, but if you want to explore the nature of human resilience and emotional extremes, jump in and enjoy the ride.

Download or read book Fox Betrayals written by Nick McCarty and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2013-01-29 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The English Civil War has begun. Rumours about the activities of the Queen who is money raising in Holland are spreading. What is the small cabal around her, led by the vicious Harry Morton, really planning? Fox, searching for his daughter, finds himself working yet again for Black Tom Fairfax and Thurloe the Parliamentarian master spy. This is the world of double cross and danger, the world Fox and Maeve Ahearn know so well. But what is it Thurloe really wants to know? Fox - Cromwell's Spy introduced this mercenary soldier. Betrayals is the second book in the series.

Download or read book Hidden Order written by Brad Thor and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-08-03 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a string of high-profile kidnappings in Washington, D.C., escalate upon the discovery that the victims are being murdered, an eventual ransom demand triggers terror throughout the country and covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath is summoned to put an end to the crisis.

Download or read book Return to the Adelaide Hills written by Fiona McCallum and published by MIRA. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Back on her family’s Australian ranch, a woman in mourning discovers a second chance at life and love in this novel of hope and new beginnings. Claire McIntyre has it all: an adoring husband, a chic town house, and a high-flying corporate career. But when tragedy strikes out of nowhere, Claire’s world is thrown into turmoil. Forced to reevaluate everything that matters to her, she soon finds herself back at the very place she’s been running from her whole life—the family property, where reputations are hard won and easily lost, and where fortune is as fickle as the weather. Here, in the rugged beauty of the Australian Adelaide Hills, Claire starts to rebuild her life with her friends, her father and his beloved racehorses—including a promising young horse called Paycheque. But just as she begins to find happiness, and perhaps even love, fate comes to call. Now Claire must decide whether to do the sensible thing, or risk it all on her newfound passion.