Departments Books

I have never seen such pithy insights into why major development projects fail - and succeed. Rarely does anyone speak to management with such candor about their mistakes. And provide such clear and well founded examples of both success and failure. Anyone in a position to make decisions about new systems development should read this book.

This book prepares buyers of custom software for the pitfalls inherent in developing a system. It explains why there must be give and take between buyer and developer, and why "tough" contracts offer little protection. I suspect this will come as news to many first-time buyers.

As a consultant involved in strategy change and training, I have seen the fruitless internal conflict over who is to blame when new systems are late or clumsy to implement. Any company involved in or considering new systems development will find Ripin and Sayles an invaluable resource for negotiating with potential vendors and facilitating IS development projects. They stress what is so often forgotten: the critical role of line manager and user participation ... including more realistic trade-offs between costs (and failure risks) and ambitious client wish lists. Their vivid case studies illustrate how client managers obtain new skills by project participation that enable them to make more effective use of these costly new technologies and even to fine tune applications. Outsourcer professionals and client staff and line managers will find Ripin and Sayles an engaging, well documented, and widely useful book on developing and implementing new information systems. A must read!

I bought this as a gift for my husband and he was so happy. "Exactly what I wanted" he said.

It's a copy of various old military Jeeps Technical Manuals, digitalised by "Military Media". Thera are lot of important information for Jeeps lovers, no doubts. But buyers would be advised that some important pictures are very poor. Author would search better quality TM's to make the digital copies. Also would be clear which TM's are included, so you really know what you are buying.
The CD-ROM came in a white envelope, not like showed at Amazon.

I bought this CD in case it had any information I didn't have, and yes it did. I was looking mostly for Willys MB and Ford GPW information, but this pair of CD's also had manuals for the M-38, M-151, and HUMVEE, plus many more. The hardest part is knowing which TM the needed information is in, that's the way it's organized. All in all a surprising variety of information for the price. Granted, for display purposes not as nice as the professionally printed book, but I can print any page I want, get it dirty or totally destroy it while doing a repair, and just print another one if I need it. That alone is worth the more than the price.

This very comprehensive book demonstrates the many mechanisms by which lightning is created, as well as, its behavior. More importantly, it also teaches us how to mitigate the lightning hazard to ourselves and our investments. The author says this more eloquently in his book with the massive collection of information acquired from the Scientific Community, National Defense, Engineering Communities "world wide" and much more.

Mr. Kithil, dedicated to Lightning Safety Awareness is not selling equipment or services; he references only indisputable techniques that are supported by impartial knowledge and logical study.

Being a lightning victim and also a lightning safety consultant, I recognize the dedication and labor intensive effort that has taken place to write this book. It is never more than an arm's reach away from my workstation and I reference it almost daily.

Information found in this book is way beyond information found in NFPA-780, UL96A or IEEE 1100. Lightning safety should be everyone's concern in today's world of electronics and this up-to-date technical information on lightning hazard mitigation is an essential tool.

Rich has done a very good job of explaining the cutting edge of technology as relates to protection from lightning. this book not only covers the codes and standards, it contains references to standards world-wide, and examples of practical methods for protecting facilities and people from lightning. Anyone who designs or maintains lightning protection systems would do well to study this book. Those who supervise personnel who work in areas with exposure to lightning would find this book useful for understanding how to mitigate the lightning hazard for those personnel. The subject matter is applicable to high value facilities, explosive or flammible facilities, personnel, communications, data processing, and even personal homes. An interesting, well written reference.

This is a 8-1/2x11, double-sided, comb-bound "book" that one would expect to accompany a seminar. However, it is an EXCELLENT summary of practical lighting protection -- slides, drawings, discussion and references. The authors are not selling equipment or services; they refer to genuine engineering methods that are supported by unbiased experience and methodical study.

The price is steep for something that does not have the polish and book publishing overhead -- thus the 4/5 stars. On the otherhand, one should pay for expertise!

When you can't find grasses in other books, this is one of the more comprehensive grass books. This is a must have for anyone who has to identify plants anywhere in the US.

As a botany student any publication by Hitchcock is the best. Only comment is that there is additional vital data in the second volume which I was not aware of until I was in the throws of identifying some grasses!! That being said Vol 2 is on my wish list. - It is a very nice supplement to Flora of the Pacific Northwest.

The two volume set published by Dover is a reprint of A.S. Hitchcock's 1950 Manual of the Grasses (2nd Ed.). But don't let that fool you. Perhaps some names have changed in the last 50 years, but the grasses remain the same. Here is one of the greatest sources of informaton on US grasses in the most compact form that can be found anywhere: descriptons, illustrations, distribution (which may be more of historic value than current), and, in the case of many exotics, history of introductions. There's even a synonymy. Yes, you'll need a current manual, but if you are interested in grasses in the US, then Hitchcock belongs on your shelf, too.

I read David Kent's debut novel, "Department Thirty," a year or so ago. I have anxiously been awaiting the follow-up and just now found out it was available. Wow. I thought his first book was full of twists and turns! "The Mesa Conspiracy" is chock full of surprises and is an even better book than the highly praised debut. I have marked my calendar for the release date of his next book (found it at his author website) and won't wait so long to read it! "The Mesa Conspiracy" was one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Bravo, David Kent! We'll be hearing a lot from this author!

Oklahoma--the land that spawned notable authors such as CJ Cherryh, Mel Odom, Mercedes Lackey, strikes again. David Kent, wearing another hat as KCSC Radio personality, shows promise to join in the illustrious company.

The story opens with a woman named Maggie giving birth to a child she's signed away for adoption....She regrets this decision, but what can she do?

Just as her son is born, her husband rushes into the operating room. The last thing Maggie remembers is a flash of light.

We move next to Art Dorian, an academic, opening the first case for Department Thirty, a US Government agency chartered to pardon criminals in exchange for secrets, a kind of "Witness Protection" program for the guilty. He's signing up Case #1 for the agency, but he has grave doubts about the man he's pardoning.

Next, Eric Anthony receives word his guardian is dying. Colleen, a former movie actress, tells him on her deathbed he's not who he thinks he is. She adds a new name to his: Miles.

Then, US Marshal Faith Kelly is forced to join Department Thirty because Dorian confided in her before he died. What the agency stands for goes against the grain, but she doesn't have any other choice.

Meanwhile, an assassin is starting a killing spree by bombing a law-enforcement picnic. He's set the hit up as a terrorist attack....

Think that's a lot to keep up with? It just keeps going from there. Strongly recommend this second book. I haven't read Department Thirty (the first in the series) yet, but I definitely plan to! Looking forward to more from David Kent.

In Oklahoma City, his ex-wife chose her career over him and their deaf son Patrick so Eric Anthony raises the lad by himself. However, he leaves the lad with his former spouse because the dreaded call he expected finally has occurred. Fifty-nine year old Colleen Cunningham, who raised Eric, is dying from cancer. Just a few minutes away, Eric goes to say his goodbyes to his beloved relative.

Colleen shocks Eric when she tells him about his biological parents something she never said a word about in the years she raised him. Eric learns that his full name is Eric Anthony Miles, a little about his parents, and finally she leaves him with an envelope that contains directions to a cemetery. After Colleen dies, Eric travels to the cemetery where he finds a marker with his name and that of a twin he never knew was born. Not long after that shocker, Eric finds himself in the crosshairs of domestic terrorists, a shadowy federal agency Department Thirty, and the highest echelons of DC power. Only recent Department Thirty recruit Faith Kelly can save him, but that goes against her assignment.

The second Department Thirty book is a terrific action packed conspiracy thriller that never slows down once Eric visits the cemetery. Though many of the villains are stereotypical, readers will root for the bewildered Eric to somehow defeat them. This likable single father, who feels like Alice falling through the hole, gallantly struggles to understand his past that if revealed will probably lead to his extermination. Fans will read THE MESA CONSPIRACY in one delightful suspense sitting.

Harriet Klausner

Herbert, Steve. (1997). Policing Space. Territoriality and the Los Angeles Police Department. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Here is a terrific book. I picked it up at Urban Center Books, started to read it on the subway home, and couldn't put it down. It is pretty rare that I feel this about any book in our field. Much of what I read seems an obligation rather than a chosen pleasure. So I am writing this e-mail "Sounding" to encourage others to get familiar with this book. This is a short, intense book, probably Steve Herbert's dissertation rewritten into this popular (but informing) version. It consists of a minimal amount of introductory material, an exposition of "six `normative orders' central to the structure of police organizations," and a brief coda titled "Making and Marking Space with the LAPD." The interesting thing is that each of the six normative orders" is elaborately played out in physical space. You can imagine where Herbert is coming from given that an early subheading is titled, "Weber, Foucault, and the Microgeopolitics of State Power." (13.) I'm not even going to attempt to summarize his theoretical position in this brief Sounding, but I will write out the following quotation (which I won't indent, because it would probably get screwed up in an e-mail): "Society, Culture, and Space" "Just as social-structural works often neglect the shaping influence of culture, they also regularly overlook the spatial embeddeness of social action...Analysis of everyday police behavior, in other words, must pay attention not only to its social and cultural construction, but also to its intractable spatiality; in working to uphold socially constructed notions of public order, officers seek to control the spaces they patrol." (20-21.) Well, isn't that something that you would want to read on about? It was so for me. The body of the book has six chapters, each describing and complexifying the six spatially expressed "normative orders." These are; [1] "...law, which by legislative fiat defines the permissible parameters of police action [rooted in, among other things, what space is public and what space is private]; [2] bureaucratic regulations, which seek to determine police procedures more finely through a set of rules that establish a chain of command [and which ascribe control of particular spaces to particular--sometimes competing--subdivisions of the bureaucracy]; [3] adventure/machismo, which constitutes the police as courageous individuals who embrace danger as a test of individual ability [and who choose to be or not be in particular places at particular times]; [4] safety, which establishes a set of practices to protect the police from undue harm [and which means that police are trained to walk close to buildings (so they may surprise whomever is inside), keep their cruiser windows rolled down (to be able to hear shots being fired) and their seat belts unfastened (to get out fast) in `dangerous' neighborhoods]; [5] competence, which suggests that police should be able to control the public areas for which they are responsible; and [6] morality, which infuses police practice with a sense of right and goodness, in essence because it helps protect society from `bad guys' [who are located in particular places]." For each of the six "normative orders," Herbert writes a multifaceted analysis based on his eight months of participant observation field notes. Herbert's work was done as a participant observer in The Wilshire Division of the LAPD. His opportunity to do this research was because of efforts to reform the "overly professionalized" LAPD, an effort resulting largely from the brutal beating of Rodney King. Thus, Herbert was in a rare historical situation where he had access that would ordinarily be denied. His challenge was to make useful sense of what he observed in a manner that would explain police behavior in ways that even the police might find enlightening. Thus, this is not an "expose" of police behavior. Reading this book makes it clearer why cops become so righteously incensed at people who try to run away from them or angry at gangs who tag neighborhoods with graffiti or even dismissive of their fellow police who choose not to go for the most arrests in the most dangerous areas. (These latter cops are called "Station Queens." How homophobic!) Over the past six years I've tried to march with ILGO (Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization) in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. (I really don't want to be associated with that awful display, but I express my right to march in a public event regardless of my sexuality.) Every year, despite the fact that the protest has been peaceful the previous year, the police bring up the most awesome array of artillery that you can imagine. There are literally blocks lined with vans and communication units and equipment of unimaginable uses. There are hundreds of police dressed up in riot gear. It has always seemed a bit of a mystery to me just why it is so important to the police that they display this kind of out of whack response to a few hundred peaceful protesters. After all, there are real problems in New York that could be attended to. This book helps me understand their need to control space and to deny my challenge to their control.

All I can say is that this is a wonderful book. I had to read it for his class (A fantastic professor as well) and it ended up being a pleasure to read. I couldn't put it down. It ia facinating and truthful look at the LAPD! I would recomend it to anyone who is interested in policing!

This work was insightful but it suffers from its largely anecdotal structure. Through the entire work, the author employs a "present a short scenario - analyze the short scenario" method. Though the author's analysis is commendable, his technique is rather tiring after a few chapters. However, if you are patient and seriously interested in the aspects of police patrol and territoriality, you should enjoy it... just be prepared for minor de ja vu.

I love this book! The roadmap lays out strategic ways to achieve goals, especially in any organization. :)

Many people view the typical human resource department as an administrative heavy-hitter, home to experts in processing forms and muddling through paperwork. Employees who want to sign up for health benefits, contribute to a company's 401K or ask a question about vacation or sick days make a beeline to HR. That has always been part of HR's role. But the business landscape is changing rapidly. HR needs to reach beyond its traditional duties and become an integral part of an organization's strategic planning. Author Ralph Christensen, a former corporate senior vice president, says it isn't easy for an HR department to make the transition to becoming a strategic partner. But as painful as the process might be, it's necessary for HR to move forward and evolve. Reading Christensen's book won't change things overnight, but we believe that if you want your company to stay ahead of the curve, this book deserves a prominent place on your shelf.

Human Capital is a trendy term for valuing the "soft assets" of the business -- the people. Ralph's book clearly outlines the strategy and mission that the Human Resource function has in realizing that value for the business. He outlines five strategic components of an HR strategy and offers a practical approach for transforming/prioritizing the work of HR into a strategic offering that aligns to the business needs.

This book connects the multiple HR sub-disciplines and provides the professional with a common roadmap for the HR community. Most importantly, it raises the key leadership issues that must be addressed to execute the HR mission (punctuated with his learning's). The book's integrated and practical focus is a welcomed addition to the HR community.

I really, really enjoyed this last of 4 books in the Department Thirty world.

Does anyone know if Faith Kelly and Department Thirty are ever going to return?

It was very good. Kept moving along at a good pace. I've read the others and I think the last one was more thrilling.

I just finished Triangle Conspiracy and I found it to be the best of Mr. Kent's four novels. All are good but this one surpasses the others in character depth, exciting and fast-moving plot and surprises for which Mr. Kent is well-known. Read them all and save this one for last --

Kudos, Mr. Kent on another great book!

I am a second year medicine resident and planning a fellowship in cardiology. This book was very helpful in many respects. Firstly the management mentioned in this book is a brief summary of latest ACC guidelines. In addition it gives an idea of landmark trials hence helps you get an impression on your attending. Finally the information is very nicely classified so it's very easy to find the right info at the right place. I would give some credits of getting my fellowship to this book.

This book is a useful tool when you consider a cardiology rotation and internal medicine day to day problems. It includes a good number of recent data with reference to the articles of origin. Overall has more than the Washington Manual of Medical therapeutics regarding cardiology, explaining better the WHYs of the therapy. It does not include everything you cuould imagine in terms of Cardiology and it is not a textbook. It can surely though become the starting point of a more in depth knowledge of cardiology

The book is defficient in core knowledge of cardio as compared to the previous edition. The style in which references were given in the previous edition was also better. But the new book is more reader friendly, concise yet comprehensive.

I recieved this last weekend and it is quite fascinating!There are some interesting results in the paranormal field.(I have had my own experiences with ESP,OBE).I also have the other CD as well with declassified reports.Awesome!

I got this because I've had a couple of unexplainable and not intentionally repeatable experiences with teleportation. The author was give a contract by the US Air Force to study teleportation and this is his report. He looks at much of the research and cutting edge science: quantum physics and wormhole type hypotheses of today but doesn't stop there. He also includes an investigation into "P-Teleportation" or psychic teleportation. He also looks at unexplained historical events and the unacknowledged (by too many mainstream scientists) "high strangeness" events that many of us know and or have seen. He also briefly touches on UFOs in this The study is interesting but I feel it suffers from the fact that the author makes citations of journals and studies that common folk can't get hold of.