A gripping history that spans law, international affairs, and top-secret technology to unmask the tension between intellectual property rights and national security. At the beginning of the twentieth century, two British inventors, Arthur Pollen and Harold Isherwood, became fascinated by a major military question: how to aim the big guns of battleships. These warships—of enormous geopolitical import before the advent of intercontinental missiles or drones—had to shoot in poor light and choppy seas at distant moving targets, conditions that impeded accurate gunfire. Seeing the need to account for a plethora of variables, Pollen and Isherwood built an integrated system for gathering data, calculating predictions, and transmitting the results to the gunners. At the heart of their invention was the most advanced analog computer of the day, a technological breakthrough that anticipated the famous Norden bombsight of World War II, the inertial guidance systems of nuclear missiles, and the networked “smart” systems that dominate combat today. Recognizing the value of Pollen and Isherwood’s invention, the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy pirated it, one after the other. When the inventors sued, both the British and US governments invoked secrecy, citing national security concerns. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence, Analog Superpowers analyzes these and related legal battles over naval technology, exploring how national defense tested the two countries’ commitment to individual rights and the free market. Katherine C. Epstein deftly sets out Pollen’s and Isherwood’s pioneering achievements, the patent questions raised, the geopolitical rivalry between Britain and the United States, and the legal precedents each country developed to control military tools built by private contractors. Epstein’s account reveals that long before the US national security state sought to restrict information about atomic energy, it was already embroiled in another contest between innovation and secrecy. The America portrayed in this sweeping and accessible history isn’t yet a global hegemon but a rising superpower ready to acquire foreign technology by fair means or foul—much as it accuses China of doing today.

Supernatural and superhuman elements have been prominent in American culture from the time of the New England Puritans’ intense emphasis on religion. Superpower surveys the appearance of supernatural and superhuman elements in American culture, focusing on the American fascination with narratives involving supernatural adventure, superhuman heroes, and vast conspiracies driven by supernatural evil. In particular, M. Keith Booker suggests that the popularity of such themes indicates a deep-seated dissatisfaction with the rationalized world of contemporary American society. Booker details the development of the national myths underlying the characters of Superman, Batman, and Spiderman; television hits from Star Trek to Lost; and the franchises of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings. This culture-spanning investigation begins with a historical survey of supernatural and superhuman themes in American culture and concludes with the recent upsurge that began in the 1990s. It then turns to various works of recent popular culture with supernatural and superhuman themes such as Twin Peaks, The X-Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, organized according to the desires to which these works respond. What do these fantasies reveal about what it means to be American today—and what we want it to mean?

This book provides real stories about the South Korean semiconductor community. It explores the lives and careers of six influential semiconductor engineers who all studied at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) under the mentorship of Dr. Kim Choong-Ki, the most influential semiconductor professor in South Korea during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Kim’s students became known as “Kim’s Mafia” because of the important positions they went on to hold in industry, government, and academia. This book will be of interest to semiconductor engineers and electronics engineers, historians of science and technology, and scholars and students of East Asian studies. “They were called ‘Kim’s Mafia.’ Kim Choong-Ki himself wouldn’t have put it that way. But it was true what semiconductor engineers in South Korea whispered about his former students: They were everywhere. ... Kim was the first professor in South Korea to systematically teach semiconductor engineering. From 1975, when the nation had barely begun producing its first transistors, to 2008, when he retired from teaching, Kim trained more than 100 students, effectively creating the first two generations of South Korean semiconductor experts.” (Source: IEEE Spectrum, October, 2022.)

For decades, scholars have been making the connection between the design of the superhero story and the mythology of the ancient folktale. Moving beyond simple comparisons and common explanations, this volume details how the workings of the superhero comics industry and the conventions of the medium have developed a culture like that of traditional epic storytelling. It chronicles the continuation of the oral/traditional culture of the early 20th century superhero industry in the endless variations on Superman and shows how Frederic Wertham's anti-comic crusade in the mid-1950s helped make comics the most countercultural new medium of the 20th century. By revealing how contemporary superhero comics, like Geoff Johns' Green Lantern and Warren Ellis's The Authority, connect traditional aesthetics and postmodern theories, this work explains why the superhero comic book flourishes in the "new traditional" shape of our acutely self-conscious digital age.

Step into the future of music production with 'Harmonizing Code and Chords,' a groundbreaking exploration of the intersection between artificial intelligence and music. This comprehensive guide takes you on a journey through the innovative integration of Ableton Live, a leading digital audio workstation, and ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art language model developed by OpenAI. From setting up your AI-assisted music production environment to mastering advanced techniques, this book is a treasure trove of insights and practical advice. Discover how AI can revolutionize not only music production but also live performance, collaboration, and education. Learn how to leverage ChatGPT's capabilities to create dynamic, interactive, and innovative music experiences. 'Harmonizing Code and Chords' also peers into the future, exploring potential developments and trends in AI-assisted music production. It paints a picture of a future where music production is democratized, where AI is an integral part of live performance and collaboration, and where AI's impact on the music industry is profound and transformative. Whether you're a seasoned music producer, a budding musician, or simply a tech enthusiast, 'Harmonizing Code and Chords' is an essential read. It's not just a book; it's an invitation to explore, experiment, and push the boundaries of what's possible in music. Join us on this exciting journey and be part of the new era in music production. Your adventure into the harmonious world of code and chords starts here.

This is the third book in the series about Vladimir Putin which describes in detail the last two years in Russia's ongoing strategy to work with China within the BRICS and the SCO, to deprive the United States its global leading role in the ongoing process of creating a multipolar world with multiple centers of power. The text is based on various international sources, with touches of the author's own analysis and the reader gets an entirely different and more nuanced picture of the dramatic situation in the world than the established media conveys. We get to follow all the way from the drama with Boeing MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, the Islamic State, Russian, Chinese and American military development, and the crisis in the South China Sea, Sweden and finally the dramatic developments in the United States in connection with presidential elections. This part is also included in the trilogy published in Lulu.

India's prominence in the global economy is on the rise. Are we witnessing the rise of an economic superpower? Or is it a mirage? What factors have influenced this economic growth story across the different sectors? Which sectors present future growth potential? How can this opportunity be leveraged? In this volume, leading experts and scholars present an in-depth analysis of the rise of the Indian economy across various sectors over the last 15 years. The book explores potential opportunities and pitfalls in business sectors such as software, business process outsourcing, manufacturing, logistics, aviation, marketing and sales and telemedicine. It also provides an overview of potential challenges related to infrastructure, lop sided growth and education in India and pitfalls to avoid while entering India. The book concludes by identifying sectors of outstanding potential for growth in the upcoming decade. This book is geared towards managers and executives of multinational firms, business students, potential investors or anyone interested in obtaining a deeper understanding about the Indian business economy and its growth story.

A fascinating exploration of the most significant superhero films and television shows in history, from the classic serial Adventures of Captain Marvel to the Disney+ hit show WandaVision. In The 100 Greatest Superhero Films and TV Shows, Zachary Ingle and David M. Sutera celebrate over eighty years of superhero cinema and television. Featuring blockbusters such as Black Panther and The Dark Knight, Ingle and Sutera also include lesser-known yet critically acclaimed shows like The Boys, cult films such as The Toxic Avenger, and foreign series like Astro Boy to provide a well-rounded perspective of the genre. All one hundred selections are evaluated based on qualities such as plot and character development, adherence to the original source materials, technological innovations, and social impact. The entries cover both live-action and animated films and TV series, and almost a third of the entries are not associated with Marvel or DC—a testament to the genre’s variety in its eighty-year history. The 100 Greatest Superhero Films and TV Shows includes an analysis of the superhero’s evolution and its relevance to the feminist movement, auteur theory, convergence culture, critical race theory, and more. Featuring more than 80 photographs alongside the authors’ selections, the diverse entries are sure to inspire debate and entertain all fans of superhero movies and television shows.

This work dissects the origin and growth of superhero comic books, their major influences, and the creators behind them. It demonstrates how Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America and many more stand as time capsules of their eras, rising and falling with societal changes, and reflecting an amalgam of influences. The book covers in detail the iconic superhero comic book creators and their unique contributions in their quest for realism, including Julius Schwartz and the science-fiction origins of superheroes; the collaborative design of the Marvel Universe by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Steve Ditko; Jim Starlin's incorporation of the death of superheroes in comic books; John Byrne and the revitalization of superheroes in the modern age; and Alan Moore's deconstruction of superheroes.