Who's going to win the next UK general election? Who's going to be the next US president? The next president of France? You probably have an opinion, but are you willing to put money on it? In this unique new book Mike Smithson, the man behind politicalbetting.com, takes a detailed look at the world of political gambling. From the basics of how and where to gamble to the characteristics of the main markets and the forms of betting available. The hard fact that usually only the bookmakers win in the end and the gamblers usually lose applies to the body of all punters, but it is clear that over time the performance of some punters is greater than others and those with good political skills and an understanding of how betting markets operate can and do make money. The objective of this book is to assist readers to become part of that group and to enjoy themselves at the same time! The latter is an important element. For many the great satisfaction of betting on political outcomes is no

In this unique new book, Mike Smithson, the man behind politicalbetting.com, takes a detailed look at the world of political gambling - from the basics of how and where to gamble to the characteristics of the main markets and the forms of betting available. The hard fact that usually only the bookmakers win in the end and the gamblers usually lose applies to the body of all punters, but it is clear that over time the performance of some punters is greater than others and those with good political skills and an understanding of how betting markets operate can and do make money. The objective of this book is to assist readers to become part of that group and to enjoy themselves at the same time! The latter is an important element. For many the great satisfaction of betting on political outcomes is not just the money but the pleasure of being proved right. Anybody can have an opinion about a political outcome. The gambler has put money behind it and winning is a way of validating your judgment. For those who already bet on political matters, the book includes a number of case histories where it is hoped that the lessons of the past might be helpful for the future. The explanations of the mechanics of different forms of betting and a wide range of betting options should also make you feel more confident to try new things. For non-gamblers with a keen interest in politics, the book will provide enough background to allow you to dabble a bit and to get a better feel about possible political outcomes by understanding how those who are backing their opinions with cash are actually thinking.

This deeply engaging, historically, and culturally informed book provides new perspectives on a wide range of writers, and at the same time provides a radically new development of many of the most pertinent issues in the field of postcolonial writing and theory. It constitutes a major new engagement between the "postcolonial" and a conception of the literary that is richly innovative in its deployment of psychoanalytic, deconstructive, and other approaches to the text. The book begins with some brief background to the issue of decolonization and its contemporary effects. It is informed throughout by a clear sense of literary and political context, within which chosen texts--by well-known writers (Derek Walcott, Chinua Achebe, Edward Kamau Brathwaite) as well as less well-known ones (Joan Riley, Susan Power, Abdulrazak Gurnah) and writers not often seen in a postcolonial context (James Kelman, Seamus Deane, Hanif Kureishi)--can be situated. The chapters that follow are based around themes such as violent geographics; hallucination, dream and the exotic; mourning and melancholy; diaspora and exile; delocalization and the alibi. This profoundly new approach to the complexities of the postcolonial allows the reader to appreciate some of the richness, but at the same time the political and cultural ambivalence, which underlies postcolonial writing. Throughout the book David Punter continually questions, as one would expect from his many previous books, the definition and scope of the "postcolonial." It is seen throughout as a phenomenon not restricted to the ex- or neo-colonies but as a key characterisation of all our lives at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is an indissoluble part of the development of national imaginings and, at the same time, an alibi for the emergence of a violently assertive "new world order" committed to the management and obliteration of difference. By juxtaposing texts from different cultural traditions and topographies, from Things Fall Apart to The Bone People, from Anot

Metaphor is a central concept in literary studies, but it is also prevalent in everyday language and speech. Recent literary theories such as postmodernism and deconstruction have transformed the study of the text and revolutionized our thinking about metaphor. In this fascinating volume, David Punter: establishes the classical background of the term from its philosophical roots to the religious and political tradition of metaphor in the East relates metaphor to the public realms of culture and politics and the way in which these influence the literary examines metaphor in relation to literary theory, philosophy, psychoanalysis and postcolonial studies illustrates his argument with specific examples from western and eastern literature and poetry. This comprehensive and engaging book emphasizes the significance of metaphor to literary studies, as well as its relevance to cultural studies, linguistics and philosophy.

Created especially for the Australian customer! Understand the Australian political system and make your vote count Get to grips with the good, the bad and the ugly of Australian politics! Whether you're a seasoned political punter or a voting novice, this is your essential guide to understanding politics in Australia. Master the ins and outs of elections, parties and policies, and learn to discuss the big issues in no time. You have to vote — now learn whyand how. Decipher political terminology — clear explanations of the houses of parliament, voting systems and more Learn how Australia's political system evolved — how Westminster and Washington were combined to produce 'Washminster' Appreciate parliamentary roles — what the Whips do and just what the Usher of the Black Rod is Find out who holds the purse strings — how federal and state governments work out who pays for what Understand how political parties work — the differences between Labor and Liberal, and what coalition politics is Discover what's meant by the balance of power — how minor parties and independents contribute to politics Determine how your vote is counted — the difference between preferential voting and proportional representation Work out the media's role — how the media reports, interprets and sways political outcomes Open the book and find: Key points about past and current political hot topics Explanations of the Australian Constitution, including the crisis of 1975 Plans of the houses of parliament so you know who sits where Analysis of how the major Australian political parties came about A concise description of the electoral pendulum Graphic descriptions of the different ballot papers A comprehensive glossary of political terms and jargon Learn to: Identify what makes the Australianpolitical system tick Distinguish between the differentpolitical parties Understand the influence of the media in Australian politics Cast your vote with confidence

This book examines the development of Vancouver’s unique approach to zoning, planning, and urban design from its inception in the early 1970s to its maturity in the management of urban change at the beginning of the twenty-first century. By the late 1990s, Vancouver had established a reputation in North America for its planning achievement, especially for its creation of a participative, responsive, and design-led approach to urban regeneration and redevelopment. This system has other important features: an innovative approach to megaproject planning, a system of cost and amenity levies on major schemes, a participative CityPlan process to underpin active neighbourhood planning, and a sophisticated panoply of design guidelines. These systems, processes, and their achievements place Vancouver at the forefront of international planning practice. The Vancouver Achievement explains the evolution and evaluates the outcomes of Vancouver’s unique system of discretionary zoning. The introductory chapters set the context for the study: they cover the invention and refinement of this system in the reform movement, its development of policies, guidelines, and control processes, and its translation into official development plans and neighbourhood design in the 1970s. Subsequent chapters focus upon the downtown, waterfront megaprojects, single-family neighbourhoods, the city-wide strategic planning programme (CityPlan), pressures for reform of control processes, and current downtown and inner city developments, especially issues of affordable housing, social exclusion, and multiple deprivation. The concluding chapter summarizes The Vancouver Achievement, explains the keys to its success, and evaluates its design success against internationally accepted criteria. Heavily illustrated with over 160 photos and figures, this book – the first comprehensive account of contemporary planning and urban design practice in any Canadian city – will appeal to academic and professional audiences, as well as the general public

Like millions of other sports-mad gamblers around the world, Dave Farrar loved taking on the bookies. But when the girl that he loved walked out on him without explaining why, it all went wrong and he embarked on an ill-disciplined six-month losing streak that made him decide that he was done with punting forever. As he started to get over the fact that the girl wasn't coming back, he resolved not to give up without a fight. But this time, he was going to do it properly, making sure that he did enough research to take on the bookmakers and win. In The Perfect Punter, Farrar delves into the detail of every sporting event he'd lost money on in that bad run to make sure that, whenever he placed a bet in the future, he would know more about it than anyone else. He travels around the world following the sporting calendar, meeting experts who help him get to the bottom of each event so he can try to win back every penny that he lost. From snooker at the Crucible and racing at Cheltenham, to tennis at Roland Garros, golf's Ryder Cup and the US Superbowl, The Perfect Punter is the engrossing story of one man's journey to overcome the odds.