- Table View
- List View
The Little Brother
by Bill EidsonBill Eidson&’s first novel is an early and frightening look at the concept of identity theft. When Boston-based dive shop owner, Rod Konrad, runs short of money, he decides to share his apartment. Bette, his girlfriend, isn&’t ready to move in, so he places an ad for a roommate. Brendan is nice enough—as nice as a stranger invading your home can be. He certainly takes to Rod. But isn't he trying too hard? He talks like Rod, acts like him, and is always just a little too close. Left unchecked, he&’ll not only steal Rod&’s clothes—but his life.THE LITTLE BROTHER is a fast, dark thriller that tackles the very concept of who we are."Ever advertised for a roommate, and feared the stranger who is about to share your digs is a psychopath? Go ahead; scare yourself to death."—Hartford Courant"One of the joys of reviewing is the discovery of a major new talent. [Bill Eidson has]...constructed a fascinating, terrifying psychological profile that ranks with the best and needs to be recognized by awards committees. Highly recommended."—Mystery News"There is something undeniably intriguing about the relentlessness and almost gleeful inventiveness that Nolan...brings to his demented, homicidal obsession..."—The Washington Post"It will make you avoid dark hallways and sense something sinister behind a friendly stranger's smile. The novel crawls with suspense. If the story grips you, THE LITTLE BROTHER may have you by the throat."—The Pittsburgh Press
The Little Data Book on Information and Communication Technology 2010
by World BankThis Little Data Book presents at-a-glance tables for over 140 economies showing the most recent national data on key indicators of information and communications technology (ICT), including access, quality, affordability, efficiency,sustainability, and applications.
The Little Data Book on Information and Communication Technology, 2012
by The World BankThis Little Data Book presents tables for over 213 economies showing the most recent national data on key indicators of information and communications technology (ICT), including access, quality, affordability, efficiency,sustainability, and applications.
The Live Event Video Technician
by Tim KuschelThe Live Event Video Technician covers terms, format types, concepts, and technologies used in video production for corporate meetings, concerts, special events, and theatrical productions. The book begins by providing a history of the industry and an overview of important roles and functions therein. It then discusses various display technologies such as LED walls and video projection, as well as video systems for converting and switching of various types of sources. Presenting the cornerstone formats, connectors, and methodologies of visual technology, this book offers a strong foundation to help readers navigate this ever-changing field. Written in an accessible tone, the book clarifies jargon and is an overarching source of knowledge for the role of the video technician, for which there has previously been little formal training. The Live Event Video Technician provides a wealth of practical information for students of media and communications courses, readers with a novice or entry-level understanding of video and AV production, and anyone with an interest in working as technical personnel in live event production.
The Living Land: Agriculture, Food and Community Regeneration in the 21st Century
by Jules Pretty ObeThe Living Land sets out a new 'stakeholder' vision for rural regeneration in Europe. It integrates three themes: sustainable agriculture, localised food systems and rural community development. All three offer ways of rebuilding natural and social capital, and a large 'sustainability dividend' is waiting to be released from current practices - creating more jobs, more wealth and better lives from less.
The Living Soil Handbook: The No-Till Grower's Guide to Ecological Market Gardening
by Jesse FrostPrinciples and farm-tested practices for no-till market gardening–for healthier, more productive soil!From the host of the popular The No-Till Market Garden Podcast—heard around the world with nearly one million downloads!Discovering how to meet the soil&’s needs is the key task for every market gardener. In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky and from interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners in his role as host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. The Living Soil Handbook is centered around the three basic principles of no-till market gardening:Disturb the soil as little as possibleKeep it covered as much as possibleKeep it planted as much as possible.Farmer Jesse then guides readers in applying those principles to their own garden environment, with their own materials, to meet their own goals.Beginning with an exploration of the importance of photosynthesis to living soil, Jesse provides in-depth information on:Turning over bedsUsing compost and mulchPath managementIncorporating biology, maintaining fertilityCover croppingDiversifying plantings through intercroppingProduction methods for seven major cropsThroughout, the book emphasizes practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil.Farmer Jesse reminds growers that &“as possible&” is the mantra for protecting the living soil: disturb the soil as little as you possibly can in your context. He does not believe that growers should anguish over what does and does not qualify as &“no-till.&” If you are using a tool to promote soil life and biology, that&’s the goal. Jesse&’s goal with The Living Soil Handbook is to provide a comprehensive set of options, materials, and field-tested practices to inspire growers to design a soil-nurturing no-till system in their unique garden or farm ecosystem.&“[A] practical, informative debut. . . .Gardeners interested in sustainable agriculture will find this a great place to start.&”—Publishers Weekly&“Frost offers a comprehensive, science-based, sympathetic, wholly practical guide to soil building, that most critical factor in vegetable gardening for market growers and home gardeners alike. A gift to any vegetable plot that will keep on giving.&”—Booklist (starred review)
The Living Soil: A Lifetime Journey in Understanding It for Human Sustenance (SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science)
by Kodoth Prabhakaran NairThis book will address the importance of the soil management concept, vis-à-vis chemical fertilizer use on soil. Historically, soil testing has been used to quantify bio availability of plant nutrients to field grown crops. However, contemporary soil tests are based on philosophies and procedures developed several decades ago without significant changes in their general approach. For a soil test to be accurate, one needs to clearly understand the physico-chemico-physiologic processes at the soil-plant root interface, and, an understanding of soils and plant root systems as polycationic systems is essential. It is this knowledge that leads to sound prescriptive soil management practices inasmuch as nutrient bioavailability vis-à-vis chemical fertilizers application is concerned, because, of all the factors that govern sustainability of crop production, the nutrient factor is the most important, yet, it is also the least resilient to effective management. The author’s research spanning over three decades in Europe, Africa and Asia, establishes the fact that precise quantification of the nutrient’s “buffer power” holds the key to a clear understanding of the plant bioavailability of some of the most important plant nutrients in crop production, such as, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. “The Nutrient Buffer Power Concept” attempts to clearly explain the bio availability of the three plant nutrients named above on the basis of the diffusion model, as that is the process by which these three important principal plant nutrients are absorbed from the soil by the plant root. Possibly, other plant nutrients which are taken up by the plant roots by the same diffusive model, would also conform to the principles of the concept. A thorough knowledge of thermodynamic principles on the part of the researcher is an absolute pre requisite for this. The book chronicles more than three decades of the professional journey of the author in Europe, Africa and Asia, understanding soil for human sustenance, and developing the revolutionary soil management concept, now globally known as, "The Nutrient Buffer Power Concept" , which has brought the author a string of international recognitions, including the nomination for the "Alternative Nobel Prize" (The Right Livelihood Award),of Sweden, and succour to millions to poor and marginal farmers across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The Llobregat
by Sergi Sabater Damià Barceló Antoni GinebredaThe Llobregat belongs to the most thoroughly studied rivers in Europe and is a paradigm of the confluence of human and natural disturbances in a single basin. Because of its location in a very densely populated region and its Mediterranean character, the Llobregat supports a mixture of irregular flow, water abstraction, excess nutrients, mining debris, and a wide array of pollutants. The aquatic organisms strive to survive in a dramatically changing river that passes through a succession of dams, weirs and channels. The long-term river monitoring as well as the research that has been carried out in the river for a long time have provided an extensive knowledge of these disturbances and their effects on the biological communities. This book highlights the available information, with emphasis on the hydrological, chemical and biological elements interspersed in the river. Experts in the field discuss the main nutrient patterns and pollutant occurrence and the responses of the biological quality elements as well as the river ecosystem to the overall natural and man-made influences.
The Load-pull Method of RF and Microwave Power Amplifier Design
by John F. SevicUsing the load-pull method for RF and microwave power amplifier design This new book on RF power amplifier design, by industry expert Dr. John F. Sevic, provides comprehensive treatment of RF PA design using the load-pull method, the most widely used and successful method of design. Intended for the newcomer to load-pull, or the seasoned expert, the book presents a systematic method of generation of load-pull contour data, and matching network design, to rapidly produce a RF PA with first-pass success. The method is suitable from HF to millimeter-wave bands, discrete or integrated, and for high-power applications. Those engaged in design or fundamental research will find this book useful, as will the student new to RF and interested in PA design. The author presents a complete pedagogical methodology for RF PA design, starting with treatment of automated contour generation to identify optimum transistor performance with constant source power load-pull. Advanced methods of contour generation for simultaneous optimization of many variables, such as power, efficiency, and linearity are next presented. This is followed by treatment of optimum impedance identification using contour data to address specific objectives, such as optimum efficiency for a given linearity over a specific bandwidth. The final chapter presents a load-pull specific treatment of matching network design using load-pull contour data, applicable to both single-stage and multi-stage PA's. Both lumped and distributed matching network synthesis methods are described, with several worked matching network examples. Readers will see a description of a powerful and accessible method that spans multiple RF PA disciplines, including 5G base-station and mobile applications, as well as sat-com and military applications; load-pull with CAD systems is also included. They will review information presented through a practical, hands-on perspective. The book: Helps engineers develop systematic, accurate, and repeatable approach to RF PA design Provides in-depth coverage of using the load-pull method for first-pass design success Offers 150 illustrations and six case studies for greater comprehension of topics
The Lobster Chronicles
by Linda GreenlawAfter seventeen years at sea, Greenlaw decided it was time to take a break from being a swordboat captain, the career that would later earn her a prominent role in Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm and a portrayal in the subsequent film. She felt she needed to return home-to a tiny island seven miles off the Maine coast with a population of 70 year-round residents, 30 of whom are her relatives. She would pursue a simpler life; move back in with her parents and get to know them again; become a professional lobsterman; and find a guy, build a house, have kids, and settle down. But all doesn't go quite as planned. The lobsters resolutely refuse to crawl out from under their rocks and into the traps she and her sternman (AKA, her father) have painstakingly set. Her fellow Islanders, an extraordinary collection of characters, draw her into their bizarre Island intrigues. Eligible bachelors prove even more elusive than the lobsters. And as mainlanders increasingly fish waters that are supposed to be reserved for Islanders, she realizes that the island might be heading for a "gear war," a series of attacks and retaliations that have been known to escalate from sabotage of equipment to extreme violence.
The Locavore's Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000-mile Diet
by Pierre Desrochers Hiroko ShimizuA feisty, scrupulously-researched deconstruction of the ?eat localOCO ethos?and how it distracts us from solving serious global food issues
The Logic of Machines and Structures
by Paul SandoriBased on common, everyday phenomena, the principles governing the balance of forces on machines and structures are extremely straightforward. Their expression in mathematical form, however, obscures their clarity. This volume exposes the principles of statics in their original simplicity, presenting them as an exercise in logic. The modern analytical method of reasoning is carefully preserved to assist students in their grasp of the thinking that underlies mathematical methods of analysis.Suitable for architecture and engineering students as well as other readers with minimal background in mathematics, this unique treatment also restores enjoyment to the study of statics. Author Paul Sandori develops the subject using crucial highlights and discoveries in the field's historical evolution, noting the brilliant early insights and intuitions that contributed to the modern science. The text is complemented by illustrations of source materials from Galileo, Newton, and others that document the discipline's evolution.
The Logician and the Engineer: How George Boole and Claude Shannon Created the Information Age
by Paul J. NahinHow two pioneers of math and technology ushered in the computer revolutionBoolean algebra, also called Boolean logic, is at the heart of the electronic circuitry in everything we use—from our computers and cars, to home appliances. How did a system of mathematics established in the Victorian era become the basis for such incredible technological achievements a century later? In The Logician and the Engineer, Paul Nahin combines engaging problems and a colorful historical narrative to tell the remarkable story of how two men in different eras—mathematician and philosopher George Boole and electrical engineer and pioneering information theorist Claude Shannon—advanced Boolean logic and became founding fathers of the electronic communications age. Nahin takes readers from fundamental concepts to a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of modern digital machines, in order to explore computing and its possible limitations in the twenty-first century and beyond.
The Logistics Handbook
by James F. Robeson William C. Copacino R. Edwin HoweThe Logistics Handbook encompasses all of the latest advances in warehousing and distribution. It provides invaluable "how to" problem-solving tools and techniques for all the ever-increasing logistical problems managers face -- making it the most complete and authoritative handbook to date. Special features include:* The most in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics, including information systems, benchmarking, and environmental issues* Contributions found nowhere else from the leading executives, consultants, and academics in the field, such as C. John Langley, James Heskett, and David Anderson* State of the art graphics* Information-packed appendixes of logistics publications and organizationsThis all-inclusive reference will enable the next generation of managers to thoroughly integrate their logistics operations at all levels -- strategic, structural, functional, and implementation -- into a comprehensive logistics strategy.
The London Volvo B9TL & B5LH
by Matthew WharmbyA comprehensive look at Volvo’s innovative, 21st century double-decker designs and how they transformed busing across London.Volvo’s successful B7TL low-floor double-decker bus enjoyed a successful six-year run until increasing noise problems in London curtailed demand. The company then developed a leaner and quieter update which it dubbed the B9TL, and orders resumed in strength. As diesel-engine buses gradually gave way to battery-hybrid technology in the late 2000s, Volvo unveiled the B5LH hybrid to immediate acclaim and even healthier London sales. Volvo’s B9TLs and B5LHs quickly became the standard double decker buses in operation across London. This book offers a comprehensive account of these important and innovative machines.
The Lonely Phone Booth
by Peter AckermanA sad, forgotten, New York City phone booth becomes a hero in this story of community and caring for others. The Phone Booth on the corner of West End Avenue and 100th Street was one of the last remaining phone booths in New York City. Everyone used it―from ballerinas and birthday clowns, to cellists and even secret agents. Kept clean and polished, the Phone Booth was proud and happy until, the day a businessman strode by and shouted into a shiny silver object, &“I&’ll be there in ten minutes.&” Soon everyone was talking into these shiny silver things, and the Phone Booth stood alone and empty, unused and dejected. How the Phone Booth saved the day and united the neighborhood to rally around its revival is the heart of this touching story. The Lonely Phone Booth has a lot to say about the enduring power of the faithful things in our lives. For children, it&’s a wonderful way to talk about their own communities.&“A story celebrating the fabric of a neighborhood.&” ―New York Times Book Review&“Evoking the same kind of New York charm as favorites like The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge and The House on East 88th Street, screenwriter Ackerman celebrates a humble phone booth (still standing at 100th Street and West End Avenue) that saves the Upper West Side—and vice versa . . . . Cultural history of the best sort.&” —Publishers Weekly&“The art not only tells a splendid story in and of itself, but it also celebrates the colorful and diverse people who live in New York City.&” —Through the Looking Glass Children&’s Book Review
The Long Arm of Moore's Law: Microelectronics and American Science
by Cyrus C. ModySince the mid 1960s, American science has undergone significant changes in the way it is organized, funded, and practiced. These changes include the decline of basic research by corporations; a new orientation toward the short-term and the commercial, with pressure on universities and government labs to participate in the market; and the promotion of interdisciplinarity. In this book, Cyrus Mody argues that the changes in American science that began in the 1960s co-evolved with and were shaped by the needs of the "civilianized" US semiconductor industry. In 1965, Gordon Moore declared that the most profitable number of circuit components that can be crammed on a single silicon chip doubles every year. Mody views "Moore's Law" less as prediction than as self-fulfilling prophecy, pointing to the enormous investments of capital, people, and institutions the semiconductor industry required -- the "long arm" of Moore's Law that helped shape all of science. Mody offers a series of case studies in microelectronics that illustrate the reach of Moore's Law. He describes the pressures on Stanford University's electrical engineers during the Vietnam era, IBM's exploration of alternatives to semiconductor technology, the emergence of consortia to integrate research across disciplines and universities, and the interwoven development of the the molecular electronics community and associated academic institutions as the vision of a molecular computer informed the restructuring of research programs.
The Long Arm of Moore's Law: Microelectronics and American Science (Inside Technology)
by Cyrus C. ModyHow, beginning in the mid 1960s, the US semiconductor industry helped shape changes in American science, including a new orientation to the short-term and the commercial.Since the mid 1960s, American science has undergone significant changes in the way it is organized, funded, and practiced. These changes include the decline of basic research by corporations; a new orientation toward the short-term and the commercial, with pressure on universities and government labs to participate in the market; and the promotion of interdisciplinarity. In this book, Cyrus Mody argues that the changes in American science that began in the 1960s co-evolved with and were shaped by the needs of the “civilianized” US semiconductor industry. In 1965, Gordon Moore declared that the most profitable number of circuit components that can be crammed on a single silicon chip doubles every year. Mody views “Moore's Law” less as prediction than as self-fulfilling prophecy, pointing to the enormous investments of capital, people, and institutions the semiconductor industry required—the “long arm” of Moore's Law that helped shape all of science. Mody offers a series of case studies in microelectronics that illustrate the reach of Moore's Law. He describes the pressures on Stanford University's electrical engineers during the Vietnam era, IBM's exploration of alternatives to semiconductor technology, the emergence of consortia to integrate research across disciplines and universities, and the interwoven development of the the molecular electronics community and associated academic institutions as the vision of a molecular computer informed the restructuring of research programs.
The Long Emergency
by James Howard KunstlerKunstler discusses the implications of peak oil, where oil production will eventually start to decrease as most of the easily-accessible oil has been used already. He gives some historical background and then discusses various proposed alternatives to oil and natural gas for providing transportation and electricity. He is skeptical that anything will be able to replace the abundant supply of energy that has been supplied by oil, with the possible exception of nuclear energy for electricity, and believes that the age of globalization will come to an end with declining standards of living. He discusses what he sees as the implications for different parts of the country and the world, each having their unique situations.
The Long Shadow of 9/11
by Brian Michael Jenkins John Paul GodgesThis book provides an array of answers to the question, In the ten years since the 9/11 attacks, how has America responded? In a series of essays, RAND authors lend a farsighted perspective to the national dialogue on 9/11's legacy; assess the military, political, fiscal, social, cultural, psychological, and moral implications of U.S. policymaking since 9/11; and suggest options for effectively dealing with the terrorist threat in the future.
The Long-Term Fate of Invasive Species
by Arne JernelövThis book examines the long-term fate of invasive species by detailing examples of invaders from different zoological and botanical taxa from various places around the world. Readers will discover what happened, after a century or so, to 'classical' invaders like rabbits in Australia, house sparrows in North America, minks in Europe and water hyacinths in Africa and Asia. Chapters presented in the book focus on eighteen species in the form of in-depth case studies including: earthworms, zebra mussels, Canadian water weed, Himalayan balsam, house sparrows, rabbits, crayfish plague, Colorado beetles, water hyacinths, starlings, Argentine ant, Dutch elm disease, American mink, cane toad, raccoons, Canadian beavers, African killer bees and warty comb jelly. Invaded areas described are in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, Pacific islands, and South America. Readers will get some ideas about the likely future of current invaders from the fate of old ones. This book is intended for undergraduates studying environmental sciences, researchers and members of environmental NGO's.
The Longest Yawn (Science Solves It!)
by Jennifer DusslingSolve kid-sized dilemmas and mysteries with the Science Solves It! series. These fun books for kids ages 5–8 blend clever stories with real-life science. Why did the dog turn green? Can you control a hiccup? Is that a UFO? Find the answers to these questions and more as kid characters dive into physical, life, and earth sciences. Barry's teacher says that acting is mainly about control. But how can Barry control hiccups and yawns? Will he ever be a real actor? Books in this perfect STEM series will help kids think like scientists and get ahead in the classroom. Activities and experiments are included in every book! (Level Two; Science topic: Involuntary reflexes)
The Loop (The Loop #1)
by Ben Oliver"A script-ready story with blockbuster potential." -- Kirkus (Starred Review)Life inside The Loop--the futuristic death row for teens under eighteen--is one long repetitive purgatory. But when news of the encroaching chaos in the outside world reaches the inmates and disorder begins to strike, the prison becomes the least of their worries. Perfect for fans of The Maze Runner and The Fifth Wave.It's Luka Kane's 16th birthday and he's been inside The Loop for over two years. Every inmate is serving a death sentence with the option to push back their execution date by six months if they opt into "Delays," scientific and medical experiments for the benefit of the elite in the outside world.But rumors of a war on the outside are spreading amongst the inmates, and before they know it, their tortuous routine becomes disrupted. The government-issued rain stops falling. Strange things are happening to the guards. And it's not long until the inmates are left alone inside the prison.Were the chains that shackled Luka to his cell the only instruments left to keep him safe? In a thrilling shift, he must overcome fellow prisoners hell-bent on killing him, the warden losing her mind, the rabid rats in the train tunnels, and a population turned into murderous monsters to try and break out of The Loop, save his family, and discover who is responsible for the chaos that has been inflicted upon the world.
The Looting Machine
by Tom BurgisThe trade in oil, gas, gems, metals and rare earth minerals wreaks havoc in Africa. During the years when Brazil, India, China and the other "emerging markets” have transformed their economies, Africa’s resource states remained tethered to the bottom of the industrial supply chain. While Africa accounts for about 30 per cent of the world’s reserves of hydrocarbons and minerals and 14 per cent of the world’s population, its share of global manufacturing stood in 2011 exactly where it stood in 2000: at 1 percent. In his first book, The Looting Machine, Tom Burgis exposes the truth about the truth about the African development miracle: for the resource states, it's a mirage. The oil, copper, diamonds, gold and coltran deposits just attract a global network of traders, bankers, corporate extractors and investors who combine with venal political cabals to loot the states' value . And the vagaries of resource-dependent economies could pitch Africa’s new middle class back into destitution just as quickly as they climbed out of it. The ground beneath their feet is as precarious as a Congolese mine shaft; their prosperity could spill away like crude from a busted pipeline. This catastrophic social disintegration is not merely a continuation of Africa’s past as a colonial victim. The looting now is accelerating as never before. As global demand for Africa’s resources rises, a handful of Africans are becoming legitimately rich but the vast majority, like the continent as a whole, are being fleeced. Outsiders tend to think of Africa as a great drain of philanthropy. But look more closely at the resource industry and the relationship between Africa and the rest of the world looks rather different. In 2010, fuel and mineral exports from Africa were worth $333 billion, more than seven times the value of the aid that went in the opposite direction. But who received the money? For every Frenchwoman who dies in childbirth, 100 die in Niger alone, the former French colony whose uranium fuels France’s nuclear reactors. In petro-states like Angola three-quarters of government revenue comes from oil. The government is not funded by the people, and as result it is not beholden to them. A score of African countries whose economies depend on resources are rentier states; their people are largely serfs. The resource curse is not merely some unfortunate economic phenomenon, the product of an intangible force. What is happening in Africa’s resource states is systematic looting. Like its victims, its beneficiaries have names.
The Looting Machine
by Tom BurgisThe trade in oil, gas, gems, metals and rare earth minerals wreaks havoc in Africa. During the years when Brazil, India, China and the other "emerging markets” have transformed their economies, Africa’s resource states remained tethered to the bottom of the industrial supply chain. While Africa accounts for about 30 per cent of the world’s reserves of hydrocarbons and minerals and 14 per cent of the world’s population, its share of global manufacturing stood in 2011 exactly where it stood in 2000: at 1 percent. In his first book, The Looting Machine, Tom Burgis exposes the truth about the truth about the African development miracle: for the resource states, it's a mirage. The oil, copper, diamonds, gold and coltran deposits just attract a global network of traders, bankers, corporate extractors and investors who combine with venal political cabals to loot the states' value . And the vagaries of resource-dependent economies could pitch Africa’s new middle class back into destitution just as quickly as they climbed out of it. The ground beneath their feet is as precarious as a Congolese mine shaft; their prosperity could spill away like crude from a busted pipeline. This catastrophic social disintegration is not merely a continuation of Africa’s past as a colonial victim. The looting now is accelerating as never before. As global demand for Africa’s resources rises, a handful of Africans are becoming legitimately rich but the vast majority, like the continent as a whole, are being fleeced. Outsiders tend to think of Africa as a great drain of philanthropy. But look more closely at the resource industry and the relationship between Africa and the rest of the world looks rather different. In 2010, fuel and mineral exports from Africa were worth $333 billion, more than seven times the value of the aid that went in the opposite direction. But who received the money? For every Frenchwoman who dies in childbirth, 100 die in Niger alone, the former French colony whose uranium fuels France’s nuclear reactors. In petro-states like Angola three-quarters of government revenue comes from oil. The government is not funded by the people, and as result it is not beholden to them. A score of African countries whose economies depend on resources are rentier states; their people are largely serfs. The resource curse is not merely some unfortunate economic phenomenon, the product of an intangible force. What is happening in Africa’s resource states is systematic looting. Like its victims, its beneficiaries have names.