"The Demise of the Dollar" - By Addison Wiggin. $11.53
For UAE-based workers, concerned about the continuing weakness of the dollar, to which our own dirham is tied, this book could not come at a better time.
As the dollar continues to weaken against other currencies, it is increasingly clear that this event will have a significant impact on investors and consumers around the world.
Never before in financial history has the "reserve currency of the world" been so burdened by debt or suffered from such serious structural imbalances.
The book is broken down into eight chapters, which focus upon such concepts as the US recession of 2001, pathological consumption, fictitious captialism, the iPod economy, monetary history, the helicopter theory, inflation, deficits disorder, the great dollar standard era, and finally, the demise of the dollar.
From Wiggin, we are taught that a large portion for the cause of the weakening, shrinking, and falling of the US dollar is caused largely in part by the failure of the Federal Reserve to maintain its value at a rate of efficacy parallel to the rate at which the cost of living has been skyrocketing within the last four years due to excess consumption.
In the case of a recession, a period during which the gross domestic product, employment, and trade decline, people would take stock of their personal balance sheets, pare back, and pay off a little debt.
We are also taught that the recession in 2001 was much too mild to actually constitute a recession, in that people were still able to spend their way through it via credit cards, pay off debts, and write off bad loans.
Wiggin dismantles the widespread belief that the American economy is one of flexibility. For instance, the average GDP growth rate that occurs over three years of recession and recovery is usually 8.2 per cent. However, in the case of 2001-2003, that rate only extended to 5.7 per cent.
Additionally, we learn that the spending dollar will soon lose its power to high consumer and government debt, as China, soon to be the world's leading importer, manufacturer, and producer, is already showing significant dominance over the global economy.
Also threatening to this particular scenario is excess credit as well as the a lack of savings and investment among American consumers. Wiggin proposes some potential solutions as well as looking at causes, and this is generally a valuable resource for readers in search of book that educates them in the area of the American economy.
"The Official Sat Study Guide "- By The College Board $13.57
Although anecdotally the numbers are down on previous years, a great deal of students from the UAE still aspire to go to US universities, and therefore have to go through the ordeal known as the SAT.
"The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT" by the College Board is where studying starts for the famous high school exam. It is their test, and so it can only be an advantage to see their prep materials.
This book alone will not get you through the exam (to a satisfactory level at least), but, if you skip this book, you will miss out on the insider's guide to how to succeed in these all important exams.
The College Board version presents their bias, which is good, because they know what is coming up in the next exam. The practice tests are really important, because they are up-to-date and reflect the current thinking of the board.
The College Board gives you eight practice exams, but it is recommended you take more. As I said, there isn't everything here that you need to pass the SAT. It could do with more exams, for a start.
You also need to complement what you are doing with other study materials. Those taking courses on the SAT test - ie American high school kids - have an advantage, as do those ploughing through Kaplan books, or those published by the Princeton Review.
Skip those options, and expect a lower score than you could otherwise have received. What's also missing from this book are some hardcore strategies. The College Board isn't intending to make the test easy. They want it fair, and to be an exam of true gained knowledge.
While this noble desire eventually will be the real indicator of collegiate success, the point of most students for taking it isn't about potential success. It is about money, and/or acceptance to the school of their choice.
Get into that incredible college, and continue the same effort in your courses, and the world is yours. It starts with getting accepted. The SAT is coming up. If you're bright, you'll do well. Doing well isn't good enough.
If getting into the local state college is your goal, consider it done. Get something above a 'C' GPA, and something above 1,000 or 1,100 and you meet your goal.
If scholarships, or acceptance at a better school are important to you, then you need to study. Good students study. Great students study a lot. This book shoud help you along the way though.
7Days 2005
