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SpaceX: Starship to Mars – The First 20 Years (Springer Praxis Books)
by Erik SeedhouseLearn about commercial spaceflight’s most successful startup in this fully updated book, which follows the extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement that have placed SpaceX at the forefront of the launch industry and positioned it as the most likely candidate for transporting humans to Mars. This second edition emphasizes SpaceX's much-hyped manned mission to the Red Planet. With a plethora of new material gathered from 2013 to the present, the text offers the most up-to-date portrait of the maverick band of scientists and engineers producing some of the most spectacular aviation triumphs of the 21st century. Topics covered in this book include: all CRS flights, the challenges of developing retro-propulsion, and the pathway towards realizing the Falcon Heavy and BFR. In addition, the chapters describe SpaceX’s emphasis on simplicity, low-cost, and reliability, and the methods the company employs to reduce its costs while speeding up decision-making and delivery. Detailing the Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles, the book shows how SpaceX is able to offer a full spectrum of light, medium, and heavy lift launch capabilities to its customers and how it is able to deliver spacecraft into any inclination and altitude, from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit to planetary missions. This book is the perfect go-to guide on SpaceX for anybody working or interested in the commercial space arena.
SpaceX, economies of scale, and a revolution in space access
by Matthew C. Weinzierl Kylie Lucas Mehak SarangFrom the time he transformed the world of online banking, Elon Musk had established himself as a bold innovator eager to challenge the status quo in hopes of, as he put it, advancing human society. After selling X.com to PayPal in 2002, he founded a series of start-ups in pursuit of that dream, starting with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). Hoping to "make human life multiplanetary", Musk aimed to establish the first Mars civilization, but was unable to procure rockets that would be cheap or reliable enough to make the journey. Over the course of the next decade, SpaceX would develop a line of revolutionary rockets that transformed the commercial space launch industry. Using reusable rockets to exploit the benefits of economies of scale, SpaceX cut costs to orbit by a factor of 18 and captured a large percentage of the global launch market, once thought to be inaccessible to newcomers in the industry. But after a remarkable decade, Musk's original goal to reach Mars seemed both within reach and impossibly optimistic. SpaceX had proven technologies that would be critical in supporting a crewed mission to Mars, but the cost to get there was estimated to be well above $200 billion dollars in 2014. While revenues from the launch services market were impressive, they were nowhere near the $200 billion needed to develop a Mars civilization. Would there be enough demand for launch services to make Elon Musk's vision a possibility, or would SpaceX have to find other ways to get there?
Spacious Lawns and Long Commutes: The Irrationality of Choosing to Live in the Suburbs
by Peter A. UbelSocial scientists have discovered in the last couple of decades that people's decisions are often biased by an inability to predict what will make them happy. Many economists, however, have overlooked or underemphasized the importance of people's emotional lives in their decision-making processes. Standard economic theory, for instance, holds that if commuting is a source of unhappiness, people will choose long commutes only if they believe such commutes will raise their happiness in other ways, like bringing them higher pay or better living conditions. However, studies conducted in Germany and the U.S. have found that the longer people commute each day, the less satisfied they are with their overall lives. In this chapter, behavioral scientist Peter Ubel, explores the failure of the market to give us the neighborhoods and the commutes that we deserve. This chapter is excerpted from "Free Market Madness: Why Human Nature Is at Odds with Economics--and Why It Matters."
Spain: Can the House Resist the Storm?
by Diego CominOn September 16, 2008, President Rodriguez Zapatero recognized the severity of Spain's macroeconomic situation and clearly pointed to the culprit in front of the Spanish Congress: "Let nobody doubt it; there is already a wide consensus about the origin of the crisis: [It is] in the U.S. and its subprime mortgages." During the last eight years, Spain had gone through a phenomenal expansion that has had many important ingredients: immigration, housing boom, banking and financial market regulation, current account deficit, and productivity growth. This case analyzes how they interacted during the period 2000-2007 and what drove the Spanish recession in 2008.
Spain: Converging with the European Community
by Michel Galy Gonzalo Pastor Thierry PujolSpain's participation in European integration has strengthened its policymaking credibility and created an enviroment conducive to sustainable economic growth. Over the last decade, Spain has seen improvements in inflation, output, employment, and its balance of payments, and it has substantially reformed its product, labor, and financial markets. This paper reviews Spain's past economic performance and sees good prospects for further rises in living standards
Spain: 2001 Article IV Consultation--Staff Report; Staff Supplement; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion
by International Monetary FundA report from the International Monetary Fund.
Spain: Financial Sector Assessment Program--Detailed Assessment of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies--Financial Policies
by International Monetary FundA report from the International Monetary Fund.
Spain: Selected Issues
by International Monetary FundA report from the International Monetary Fund.
Spain - Culture Smart!
by Marian MeaneyCulture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times
Spain on Screen
by Ann DaviesA collection of original essays from leading scholars in the field exploringthe contemporary debates, concerns and controversies ongoing in Spanish film industry, culture and scholarship. The essays reveal the far-reaching shifts that have occurred in the Spanish film scene, making essential reading for all interested in European cinema. "
Spain’s Photovoltaic Revolution: The Energy Return on Investment
by Charles A. Hall Pedro A. PrietoThe Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI or EROEI) is the amount of energy acquired from a particular energy source divided by the energy expended, or invested, in obtaining that energy. EROI is an essential and seemingly simple measure of the usable energy or "energy profit" from the exploitation of an energy source, but it is not so easy to determine all of the energy expenditures that should be included in the calculation. Because EROI values are generally low for renewable energy sources, differences in these estimates can lead to sharply divergent conclusions about the viability of these energy technologies. This book presents the first complete energy analysis of a large-scale, real-world deployment of photovoltaic (PV) collection systems representing 3.5 GW of installed, grid-connected solar plants in Spain. The analysis includes all of the factors that limit and adjust the real electricity output through one full-year cycle, and all of the fossil fuel inputs required to achieve these results. The authors' comprehensive analysis of energy inputs, which assigns energy cost estimates to all financial expenditures, yields EROI values that are less than half of those claimed by other investigators and by the solar industry. Sensitivity analysis is used to test various assumptions in deriving these EROI estimates. The results imply that the EROI of current, large-scale PV systems may be too low to seamlessly support an energy and economic transition away from fossil fuels. Given the pervasiveness of fossil fuel subsidies in the modern economy, a key conclusion is that all components of the system that brings solar power to the consumer, from manufacturing to product maintenance and life cycle, must be improved in terms of energy efficiency. The materials science of solar conversion efficiency is only one such component. Sunny Spain represented an ideal case study as the country had the highest penetration of solar PV energy at 2.3 percent of total national demand as well as state-of-the-art expertise in solar power including grid management of intermittent, modern renewable systems. This book, written by a uniquely qualified author team consisting of the chief engineer for several major photovoltaic projects in Spain and the world's leading expert on the concept and application of EROI, provides a comprehensive understanding of the net energy available to society from energy sources in general and from functioning PV installations under real-world conditions in particular. The authors provide critical insight into the capacity of renewable energy sources to fill the foreseeable gap between world energy demand and depletion rates for fossil fuels. · Presents the first comprehensive study of the EROI of large-scale solar PV systems in a developed country · Uses real-world operational data rather than laboratory approximations and extrapolations · Describes the dependence of one alternative energy source on the goods and services of a fossil-fueled economy · Has global implications for the potential of renewable energy sources to replace dwindling reserves of fossil fuels · Written with the first-hand knowledge of the chief, on-site engineer for many solar installations in Spain together with the leader in the development and application of the concept of EROI
Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime—from Global Epidemic to Your Front Door
by Brian KrebsA New York Times bestseller and winner of a 2015 Prose Award!There is a threat lurking online. A secret war with the power to destroy your finances, steal your personal data, and endanger your life.In Spam Nation, investigative journalist and cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs unmasks the criminal masterminds driving some of the biggest spam and hacker operations targeting Americans and their bank accounts. Tracing the rise, fall, and alarming resurrection of the digital mafia behind the two largest spam pharmacies—and countless viruses, phishing, and spyware attacks—he delivers the first definitive narrative of the global spam problem and its threat to consumers everywhere.Blending cutting-edge research, investigative reporting, and firsthand interviews, this terrifying true story reveals how we unwittingly invite these digital thieves into our lives every day. From unassuming computer programmers right next door to digital mobsters like "Cosma"—who unleashed a massive malware attack that has stolen thousands of Americans' logins and passwords—Krebs uncovers the shocking lengths to which these people will go to profit from our data and our wallets.Not only are hundreds of thousands of Americans exposing themselves to fraud and dangerously toxic products from rogue online pharmacies, but even those who never open junk messages are at risk. As Krebs notes, spammers can—and do—hack into accounts through these emails, harvest personal information like usernames and passwords, and sell them on the digital black market. The fallout from this global epidemic doesn't just cost consumers and companies billions, it costs lives too.Fast-paced and utterly gripping, Spam Nation ultimately proposes concrete solutions for protecting ourselves online and stemming this tidal wave of cybercrime—before it's too late."Krebs's talent for exposing the weaknesses in online security has earned him respect in the IT business and loathing among cybercriminals… His track record of scoops...has helped him become the rare blogger who supports himself on the strength of his reputation for hard-nosed reporting." —Bloomberg Businessweek
Spanish at Work
by Nuria Lorenzo-DusSpanish at Work is the first book examining the discourse practices of institutions in the Spanish-speaking world. It focuses on three 'umbrella' institutions (the mass-media, politics and the workplace), each of which are explored through a discrete theme. Within the mass media, chapters focus on the relationship between language and identity; within the political domain, persuasion and performance are investigated; and within the workplace, chapters explore the negotiation of interpersonal relations in work-related activity types. Spanish at Work delves into a varied selection of countries and settings in which Spanish is spoken variously as one of several official languages, as the official language, as a 'minority' language, and even as a second language or one of a number of other languages. Spanish at Work will be essential reading for upper-level undergraduates and graduates in Spanish linguistics and discourse analysis, as well as for practitioners in these fields.
Spanish Central America: A Socioeconomic History, 1520-1720
by Murdo J. MacleodThe seventeenth century has been characterized as "Latin America's forgotten century. " This landmark work, originally published in 1973, attempted to fill the vacuum in knowledge by providing an account of the first great colonial cycle in Spanish Central America. The colonial Spanish society of the sixteenth century was very different from that described in the eighteenth century. What happened in the Latin American colonies between the first conquests, the seizure of long-accumulated Indian wealth, the first silver booms, and the period of modern raw material supply? How did Latin America move from one stage to the other? What were these intermediate economic stages, and what effect did they have on the peoples living in Latin America? These questions continue to resonate in Latin American studies today, making this updated edition of Murdo J. MacLeod's original work more relevant than ever. Colonial Central America was a large, populous, and always strategically significant stretch of land. With the Yucatán, it was home of the Maya, one of the great pre-Columbian cultures. MacLeod examines the long-term process it underwent of relative prosperity, depression, and then recovery, citing comparative sources on Europe to describe Central America's great economic, demographic, and social cycles. With an updated historiographical and bibliographical introduction, this fascinating study should appeal to historians, anthropologists, and all who are interested in the colonial experience of Latin America.
Spanish Economic Growth, 1850–2015
by Leandro Prados de la EscosuraThis book is open access under a CC BY 4. 0 license. This text offers a comprehensive and nuanced view of the economic development of Spain since 1850. It provides a new set of historical GDP estimates for Spain from the demand and supply sides, and presents a reconstruction of production and expenditure series for the century prior to the introduction of modern national accounts. The author splices available national accounts sets over the period 1958-2015 through interpolation, as an alternative to conventional retropolation. The resulting national accounts series are linked to the historical estimates providing yearly series for GDP and its components since 1850. On the basis of new population estimates, the author derives GDP per head, decomposed into labour productivity and the amount of work per person, and placed into international perspective. With theoretical reasoning and historiographical implications, Prados de la Escosura provides a useful methodological reference work for anyone interested in national accounting. 'This book stands among the classics for the Kuznetian paradigm in empirical economics. This is the definitive study of Spain's transition to a modern economy. ' --Patrick Karl O'Brien, Emeritus Fellow at St. Antony's College, the University of Oxford, UK, and Professor Emeritus of Global Economic History at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK 'The definitive account of Spanish economic growth since 1850, based firmly on a magisterial reconstruction of that country's national accounts and an unrivalled knowledge of both Spanish and global economic history of the period. ' --Stephen Broadberry, Professor of Economic History at Nuffield College, the University of Oxford, UK
The Spanish Economy
by José E. Boscá Rafael Doménech Javier Ferri Juan VarelaThis book examines the pattern of growth of the Spanish economy in the last few decades, and studies the causes of its labour productivity, and the special features characterising business cycles in Spain.
The Spanish Economy in the 1990s
by Prof H ScobieThis volume provides a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the performance of the Spanish economy in the 1990s and examines Spain's future prospects versus European Economic and Monetary Union. It analyses recent structural changes in the Spanish economy and macro-economic performance, as well as developments in government policy. The book als
The Spanish financial system: Growth and development since 1900
by José Luis Malo de Molina Pablo Martín-AceñaThe book analyses the Spanish financial system from the turn of the last century to the present day and the economic, social and political backdrop to this history. The result is a consummate survey of historical developments leading right up to today's key issues and challenges, and to what the future may hold.
The Spanish Fiscal Transition: Tax Reform and Inequality in the Late Twentieth Century (Palgrave Studies in Economic History)
by Sara Torregrosa HetlandThis book provides an analysis of the process and outcomes of the tax reform, with a focus on progressivity, redistribution, and inequality. Between 1977 and 1986, Spain underwent a comprehensive tax reform which shaped its fiscal system until today. It was made in connection with the transition to democracy and indeed was understood as a fundamental part of the political change. The book situates the reform both within Spanish history and international trends in tax systems and connects it to the expansion of the welfare state and regional decentralization in Spain. The analysis reveals that the tax system failed to attain progressivity, and significant levels of fraud had a noticeable impact on inequality. Because of this, fiscal redistribution remained limited. In the new political economy of the second globalization, late democratic and fiscal transitioners were unable to emulate the path of the welfare state forerunners.
The Spanish Flu in Ireland: A Socio-Economic Shock to Ireland, 1918–1919 (Palgrave Studies in Economic History)
by Patricia MarshThis book examines the Irish experience of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic through a detailed study of the disease in the most industrialised region of the country, the province of Ulster. By exploring the different themes of dispersion of the disease; mortality; gender; medical response and politics - and through case studies of different towns in the province of Ulster - it builds up a picture of the social, economic and political impact of influenza in Ireland. The Ulster experience of the pandemic is examined by constructing micro-histories of industrial cities and towns, along with provincial market towns and a naval port, to provide a basis for comparison of the differing approaches taken to combat the influenza outbreaks throughout Ulster. Contemporary opinion was that Ireland was considerably less affected by the war than the rest of the UK but, this book shows that the war did have a significant influence on how the influenza pandemic impacted on the Irish population from an economic, social and medical point of view. The book also explores the immediate aftermath of the pandemic and how it influenced the Irish response to the influenza scare of 1920 and the viral pandemic of Encephalitis Lethargica which was prevalent for ten years after 1918, as well as discussing what if any lessons learnt from 1918 have been applied to the present-day outbreak of Covid 19. This book will be of interest to academics in economic history, social history, Irish history and pandemic history, and those studying the effects of pandemics on the economy, health provision and pandemic preparedness.
The Spanish Model for Smart Tourism Destination Management: A Methodological Approach (Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management)
by Lidia Andrades Carlos Romero-Dexeus Enrique Martínez-MarínThis is an open access handbook that guides destinations on their journey to becoming Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs). Developed by SEGITTUR, a distinguished Spanish State company, and aligned with academia represented by Professor Lidia Andrades, who has brought together recognized international academics with SEGITTUR experts in the field of tourism management to write this groundbreaking book, it offers practical insights and strategies for success. Explore the characteristics and implications of smart destinations, across the five dimensions which structure them: destination governance, accessibility, technology, innovation and sustainability, navigate the transition from traditional tourism management to the innovative smart managerial paradigm, and overcome challenges encountered during the transformative process. Equipping destination managers with essential tools and strategies, this handbook showcases real-life examples of Spanish destinations embracing the smart tourism paradigm. Drawing on SEGITTUR's proven methodology, it provides precise guidance, checklists, and expert recommendations for effective implementation. An invaluable resource for destination managers, tourism professionals, and researchers, it unlocks the full potential of smart tourism destinations.
Spanish Money And Banking
by Gabriel Tortella José Luis García RuizThis book incorporates advances in financial and monetary history and theory and shows the relevance of Spain's story to modern banking, monetary and development theory. It studies the early development of banking and monetary institutions and shows how financial and monetary mismanagement contributed to the decline of Spain in the early modern era
Spanish Regional Unemployment
by Alejandro García-Cintado Diego Romero-Ávila Carlos UsabiagaThis work investigates the time series properties of the unemployment rate of the Spanish regions over the period 1976-2011. For that purpose, the authors employ the PANIC procedures of Bai and Ng (2004), which allows to decompose the observed unemployment rate series into common factor and idiosyncratic components. This enables the authors to identify the exact source behind the hysteretic behaviour found in Spanish regional unemployment. Overall, the analysis with three different proxies for the excess of labour supply renders strong support for the hysteresis hypothesis, which appears to be caused by a common stochastic trend driving all the regional unemployment series. In the second part of the analysis the authors try to determine the macroeconomic and institutional factors that are able to explain the time series evolution of the common factor, and in turn help us shed light on the ultimate sources of hysteresis. The reader shall see how the variables that the empirical analysis emphasises as relevant closely fit into the main causes of the Spanish unemployment behaviour. Finally, some policy considerations drawn from the results are presented.
Spanish Sociedades Laborales—Activating the Unemployed
by Jens Lowitzsch Sophie Dunsch Iraj HashiThis book investigates the potential of the Spanish Sociedades Laborales (SLs) as an instrument of active labour market policy for re-turning the unemployed to the labour market and also the transferability of the scheme to other EU Member States. Spanish Sociedades Laborales (SLs) - mostly small and micro enterprises - are a qualified form of conventional corporation, majority-owned by their permanent employees. Unemployed persons can capitalise their unemployment benefits as a lump sum to start a new SL or to recapitalise an existing SL by joining it. This makes SLs similar to start-up subsidies for the unemployed, an established instrument of active labour market policy across the EU. The new 2015 Law on Worker-Owned and Participatory Companies substantially modernised the concept of SLs 30 years after its inception. The book tackles two currently widely discussed policy issues at both the EU level as well as the national level, i. e. , reactivating unemployed in the context of ALMP and encouraging employee co-ownership in the context of the economic reform agenda in particular with regard to corporate governance, regional economic stimuli and distributive justice.
Spanish Tourism Geographies: Territorial Diversity and Different Approaches (Geographies of Tourism and Global Change)
by Asunción Blanco-Romero Macià Blázquez-SalomThis book provides an overview of the progress in Spanish tourism geography, particularly after the overlay of financial, pandemic and climate crisis, by the scrutiny of the different geographical areas and variables of analysis. It shows the diversity of geographical environments and their varied relationship with tourism, from the emptied inland regions to urban heritage in historic centres to coastal resorts. The book also introduces the analysis of the most important variables when studying the implications of Spanish tourist specialization. How are the beaches with intensive tourist use managed? What socio-spatial processes do leisure-rooted migrations involve? What are the labour conditions in the Spanish tourism industry? How does saving water boost tourism growth? The book offers answers through a methodological specificity of Spanish geography, which is highly oriented towards the analysis of public policies and even the proposal of new planning and methodology formulas that go beyond diagnostic studies.The domestic perspective, or that of insiders, of these scientists residing in Spain bestows them with special codes for conducting interpretations and analyses based on their everyday proximity to a territory characterised by its intense touristification. The tourism and real estate specialisation that Spanish society, together with its territory and institutions, have forged since the beginning of “developmentalism” permeates this scientific analysis. By providing a strong conceptual and empirical portrait, this book is a great resource for students and scholars in geography of tourism, as well as for social scientists and policy makers.