Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia


James L. Watson - 1997
    What are the cultural implications of this phenomenal success? Does the introduction of American fast food undermine local cuisines, many of them celebrated for centuries? Does it, as some critics fear, presage a homogeneous, global culture? These are but a few of the questions confronted in this engaging study that vividly demonstrates how the theories and techniques of anthropology can be used not only to examine obscure peoples and exotic practices, but to shed light on the motivations and behavior of people conducting their daily lives in some of the major population centers of the world.Earlier studies of the fast food industry have emphasized production, focusing on labor or management. This book takes a fresh approach to the industry by concentrating on the perspective of the consumer. It analyzes consumers' reactions to McDonald's in five East Asian cities: Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, and Tokyo. What do they have to say about McDonald's? How is fast food perceived by those who pay to eat it? How do their preferences and biases affect the system of production?The book argues that McDonald's has largely become divorced from its American roots and become a "local" institution for an entire generation of affluent consumers in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Tokyo. In Beijing, the process of localization has barely begun, with consumers more interested in the experience of eating at McDonald's than in the food itself. In Seoul, many nationalists treat the Big Mac as a symbol of Yankee imperialism; meanwhile, increasing numbers of Korean children are celebrating their birthdays atMcDonald's.Localization is not, however, a one-way process; the corporation has also had to adapt in order to flourish in new settings. The book demonstrates how consumers, with the cooperation and encouragement of McDonald's management, have transformed their neighborhood restaurants into leisure centers, afterschool clubs, and meeting halls. The contributors pay special attention to the effects of these activities on family organization, education, and socialization, and conclude that it is no accident that the fast food boom corresponds to the rise of a child-centered consumer culture in East Asian cities.

The Death of the Banker: The Decline and Fall of the Great Financial Dynasties and the Triumph of the Small Investor


Ron Chernow - 1997
    Here is Siegmund Warburg, who dropped a client in the heat of a takeover deal because the man wore monogrammed shirt cuffs, as well as the imperious J. P. Morgan, who, when faced with a federal antitrust suit, admonished Theodore Roosevelt to "send your man to my man and they can fix it up." And here are the men who usurped their power, from the go-getters of the 1920s to the masters of the universe of the 1980s. Glittering with perception and anecdote, The Death of the Banker is at once a panorama of twentieth-century finance and a guide to the new era of giant mutual funds on Wall Street."Chernow . . . delivers a sound, accessible account of the forces shaping capital, credit, currency, and securities markets on the eve of a new millennium. " --Kirkus Reviews

Rise of the New World Order: The Culling of Man


J. Micha-el Thomas Hays - 2013
    The Luciferian one world government of Biblical prophecy is unfolding behind the scenes as you read this, and was given the catchy name of the 'New World Order'. In our modern day world, the technology exists to fulfill all aspects of the Biblical prophecies regarding the End Times, including the resurrection of the original Antichrist, who was the architect of the New World Order over 4,000 years ago. This tyrant will be brought back to life to rule the world once again by using mankind’s advanced DNA technology, fulfilling the prophecy of Revelation 17:8 "The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the Earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come." I'm going to show you specifically the evidence that identifies who the Antichrist was and will be again, how the plan for the New World Order began, who ran it through history, who runs it today, and what is to happen in the very near future. You can learn right now all of the most important components of this evil agenda and how they interlock to form a pyramidal, compartmentalized conspiracy run by the Luciferian elites, to the ultimate benefit of only a few thousand of the people involved with bringing the one world government to fruition. This is all revealed in my first book, "Rise of the New World Order: The Culling of Man". If you've never heard of the New World Order, what is happening behind the scenes is frankly quite shocking. My first book is exactly the 'red pill' that will wake you up to what's really going on in the world. Yes, it's quite disturbing, but there's a happy ending full of hope and promise if you understand what is REALLY going on, that which is plainly laid out in my books. The second book of this series, “Rise of the New World Order 2: The Awakening” is also out now. Please read the book reviews for this thrilling new series of books here on Amazon and also Amazon UK, and you will see that I am creating a highly important series of books for you to not only read, but to make others aware of their existence. The time for a mass-awakening of humanity is short and I need your help! I'm currently working on the third book, 'Rise of the New World Order 3: Falling Sky', and expect to have it done and out in 2018. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support. -Sentinel Jeff Hays