Security Books

"Blahous has produced a timely, comprehensive, accessible . . . review of the issues involved in financing Social Security after 2020. . . . Blahous is aware that the complexity of Social Security means there is no single best financial and political solution. Interested readers will find this a sound addition to the literature. Useful index. All collections." CHOICE

Given that I am a Democrat, now long gone from D.C. and that Dr. Blahous and I both happily sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum, one might think I'd have little interest in reading a book on Social Security reform by a member of the Bush administration. Frankly, the sole reason I bought this book was that I once had the pleasure of working with Chuck in Washington when we were both staffers in the office of Alan Simpson. Without a doubt, he was both one of the brightest people I'd ever met and one of the most human staffers ever to grace the Hill.

Chuck's book, "Reforming Social Security: For Ourselves and Our Posterity" is a reflection of that. One element of Blahous's brilliance is that he can gracefully translate the most complex issue into something anyone - even I - can easily grasp.

In a modern political environment, in which the five-second screambyte passes for reasonable discourse, Chuck thoughtfully presents a case for an approach to Social Security reform that I would normally not even consider, largely because the folks on "my side" are making political hay out of opposing it. I wish that Chuck's approach to the thoughtful discussion and development of policy were the standard in Washington. We'd all be the better for it.

Ignore the rhetoric from both sides on this issue. Take the time to read the book, consider his arguments, mark the heck out of the margins (despite that hefty $68 price tag), check his sources, weigh the evidence and then reach your own conclusions. You may well be surprised that your position has drifted somewhat. Odds are good that you'll be a bit closer to the truth for the effort.

Since Chuck's talents have largely been focused on Social Security issues for most of this past decade, it's often easy to forget that his PhD. is in chemistry and that much of his early work on Simpson's staff was devoted to questions of foreign policy. I, for one, would be pleased if his talents were relied upon in other areas as well.

Chuck's presence - indeed, Chuck's presence alone - reassures me that there is still some hope for this administration.

This easy-to-read book is a must read for anyone who is concerned about the future of Social Security and sick of the way politicians typically talk about the issue. This book provides hard facts about the problems facing the system and straight answers about the benefits and drawbacks of reform proposals.

I live and work "inside the Beltway" as we like to say here in Washington, DC. We tend to use a lot of big words, talk endlessly about inane topics, and congratulate ourselves that we have the American people "figured out".

In reality, there's a lot every Washington insider could learn simply by picking a point on the compass and driving a couple of hours away from DC in that direction. We need to hear what people really feel about issues that are important to them. Conversely, we need to educate the American people in a logical way, to give them all the information they need in digestible portions -- as Thomas Jefferson noted, "to set before mankind the commonsense of the subject in terms so simple as to command their assent [paraphrase]." It is in these terms, that Dr. Blahous writes.

Social Security reform is a weighty, complicated issue. Because it is not readily and easily understood by most, it is demagogued by politicians of every persuasion. Charles Blahous cuts through the demagoguery and provides a clear explanation of the Social Security retirement program's history, the need for reform, and events of the last few years that have led to the current debate on reform.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and tone. He conveys his message as one who earnestly wants to communicate the truth. Opponents of reform should pay heed -- with logic like this, there is nowhere left for them to hide.

Read this book. Get informed. Contact your elected officials in Washington and urge them to support Social Security retirement reform.

After the excellent "The Real Deal" (by Schieber and Shoven), is there anything more to say? Yes, a lot, actually, as Blahous's very original and valuable book makes clear. I loved several aspects. The honesty of the comments shines through. He criticizes the press, the demagogues, some unions, not in partisan fashion, but only where their bias or lack of knowledge contradicts facts -- a feature that earns the gratitude of all of us who want an honestly considered solution, whatever it turns out to be. His insider's view of the political evolution of Social Security's recent history is totally fascinating and another valuable feature. I'm a student of this subject, and Blahous's book helped me understand some things I didn't see clearly before. One is why certain factors in the NCRP plan were phased in over that particular 20-year period. Another is how valuable is the proposed raising of the benefuit for the lower-paid. A third is why he describes Senator Gramm's proposal as an add-on when I considered it a carve-out. Perhaps it's unnecessary for all members of Congress to read this book. But I do hope the necessary few on staff and others who help members decide how to vote read it, because the more it influences their deliberations, the better for the country.

I have read countless works covering the UFO phenomenon, but I haven't found one quite like this in some time. Though dated (not covering anything past 1955), this book reveals some of the most incredible UFO sightings ever reported by our military/civilian pilots.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in UFOs or the global conspiracy that still exists today.

Rating: A
While the UFO phenomenon has died down in recent years, after all the publicity that The X-Files and shows of the sort generated for the forward thinking analytical scientist in us all, books of this sort are now a little easier to come by. This book is probably one of the best reads in my small collection of UFO and metaphysics books, and takes a very good and not too sceptical point of view on the whole UFO craze that began sweeping not only the United States, but the entire world in the late 1940's, and early 50's. Aimed to be more of a round up of gathered information, it is as we travel deeper into the book however that we begin to find that as the years went by on Project Blue Book, they devised new techniques to help prove whether these Flying Saucers were real or not. The only down side to the whole book in my opinion is the authors views and beliefs on whether or not he believes UFO's exist, which is presented in the last couple pages of this otherwise phenomenal book. Honestly, its almost like someone else wrote the last chapter, as Ruppelt has such an open mind throughout the whole project, but after having the project pretty much disbanded from his authority he takes an about face stance on the subject, which some might wonder was either his way to either confuse the leader, or make them think for themselves about the possibilites of what could actually be out there. By presenting us with all the useful information that they could possibly fit into this small but concise book, we are taken to all parts of the globe, but mostly throughout the United States, as the government seems to be trying to find the needle in the haystack awnser for just what in the hell is causing all of these bizarre occurences in our skys. Though the book is extremely old, and modern UFO books might be better (I'm not sure most of the UFO books I have are particularly old) no book I have cme across, has stated the facts for what they are and let the reader decipher for himself or herself on their point of view on the subject afterwards. An excellent read, that really expands your mind to look at all the possibilities out there.

Originally published more than 40 years ago, this was the first UFO book I ever read, and it is perhaps still my favorite. The late Edward Ruppelt was for several years the chief of Project Blue Book, the Air Force's official task force for the investigation of UFO reports. In that capacity, Ruppelt was privy to the inner workings of the Air Force and to the realities behind official public pronouncements. Perhaps to the disappointment of some, Ruppelt provides no revelations of government coverups or fantastic secrets. Rather, he reveals an Air Force whose attitude to UFOs was most often one of ridicule and annoyance.

Ruppelt himself rises above official diffidence, and steers a middle course between skepticism and credulity as he describes the classic UFO sightings and UFO flaps of the 1950s, including the Lubbock Lights, the Mantell incident, the Washington, D.C. flap, and many others. One gains the impression that Ruppelt is a cautious believer in the phenomenon, if not an enthusiast or apostle.

The 1950s were an era when UFOs were still primarily lights in the sky, not bearers of insectoid abductors or intergalactic geneticists. But despite the absence of the up-close-and-personal horrors of modern UFO reports, Ruppelt's accounts will occasionally send a chill up your spine. I attribute this to the book's excellent writing, which exactly captures the mood and sentiments of the 1950s.

And, ultimately, that is what "The Report on Unidentified Objects" is: a period piece, a wonderful journey back to the innocence and freshness of the 1950s, when silvery disks flashed through the sky and inspired fear, awe, and wonder in a public waking up to the realities of the atomic age.

Anyone with an interest in the subject of UFOs ***MUST*** read this book. This reprint edition preserves the original page numbers from the second edition so that the original work can be cited. The second edition includes three additional chapters of material so if you do decide to buy a used book make sure you find a second edition copy. Unfortunately, second editon copies are hard to come by which makes this second edition reprint all the more valuable a resource. Another nice aspect to this reprint edition is that the text is sharp and the paper is bright white which makes it very easy to read.

Edward Ruppelt spent years at the helm of Project Blue Book in the days when the Air Force was seriously trying to figure out what was going on, rather than acting solely as an instrument to debunk genuine sightings and placate a confused populace. This book is a great history of the late forties, early fifties so far as the "Martian threat" is concerned.

Ruppelt put together a team of investigators who put serious time and effort into interviewing witnesses and cataloging data. They tried several proactive initiatives to capture verifiable evidence of UFO activity, such as sending up jets loaded with film in the gun cameras, but could never come away with quite enough evidence to convince the top Pentagon brass of the UFO's unearthly nature.

Not that Ruppelt couldn't supply plenty of evidence. Most everyone who looked at what he had compiled became convinced of the interplanetary explanation. The problem wasn't the availability of proof; the problem was in determining how much proof constitutes absolute proof. There never was the smoking gun which would convince the brass to accept the interplanetary explanation as the definitive explanation. So long as the UFO's could possibly be harmless natural light and/or weather phenomena, then there was no reason to take a definitive position.

Ruppelt has a great point of view. He remained stalwart in gathering evidence and trying every possible way to explain each UFO sighting as an explainable occurrence. He had about an 80% success rate. Most sightings indeed were weather balloons, nonconventional aircraft, Venus, temperature inversions, or seagulls. These explanations were given plenty of press. The 20% unknowns were simply unknowns with no further comment given.

This historical document of an interesting era in military and social history takes on added depth with the 1979 bombshell of our supposed recovery of a downed craft in Roswell in the summer of 1947. As you read of Ruppelt repeatedly facing resistance to the extraterrestrial option from the Pentagon, you can question whether the directive was coming down from the top to put the kabosh on the ET explanation until "more proof is made available" while the top brass is sitting on the ultimate proof all along, with Ruppelt none the wiser.

After the communism and fascism, western culture ideals and the way of life are threatened, more than ever, by an aggressive and uncompromising religion. Radical Moslems want to conquer the world and impose their laws based on Dark Ages standards. And they have no respect for human life. They want to convert the rest of the world to their religion and destroy those who resist.

Helped by an infusion of enormous amounts of western capital, radical Islam, out of an irrelevant religious movement, has become a major threat to the West.

With the precision of an engineer, Dr. Joksimovich in his book "The Revenge of the Prophet" analyzed historical facts, explained the radicalization of Islamic countries and the goals of Jihadists. His book is a must read for those who want to understand present political situation in the world and specifically in the Middle East and Balkans.

S. Djuric

Dr. Joksimovich's book is an excellent and well researched account on the rise of Radical Islam. Most people in the West "noticed" militant Islamists only after 9/11, not realizing that there was a planned strategy in place long before 9/11. This book gives a historic review of when and how it all began and how it progressed to what it is now: The biggest threat to the democratic world since the II World War and Nazis.
When reading the Revenge of the Prophet it becomes clear how our own foreign affairs "experts" in the period from 1992-1999 helped the rise of Osama bin Laden during the wars in the former Yugoslavia by making decisions without taking into consideration long term consequences.
Very interesting book and I highly recommend it.

Did we, the US, sacrifice the middle east to win the cold war? To this end, did we empower and help radicalize Islam and the historically moderate countries in the middle east? Have we allowed radical Islam to get a foothold in Europe, creating a staging ground for terrorism throughout Europe? Has the war in Irac had the opposite intended effect by further radicalizing the middle east?

This book deals with these serious issues by giving a detailed historical perspective on Islam, the countries of the middle east, the key groups and figures who shaped this region, and the current policies that are shaping it now. In fact, the information in this book is so well researched and documentated that I doubt you could find more current or pertinent information on this subject outside of a CIA file. And, if they are not currently doing so, the CIA should be using this book as a primer on the middle east for all staff/personnel.

Radical Islam is on the rise, and Mr. Joksimovich makes it crystal clear that this ideology is a fundamental threat to western ideals and culture. It is radical Islams' stated goal to destroy western culture and religion. Not since Nazi Germany has the world faced a greater threat, and just like then we cannot afford to lose this war.

If you value the freedoms western culture has provided you, you must read this book.

If you read "The Revenge" carefully you will find the book written very much straight foreword,with dates,places and people ,full with data and facts that does not live much room to reader for speculation ,in short The Islamists road is narrow and the ultimate goal is the destruction of the two other great religions Judaism and Christianity as we know it.It was interesting to learn that last century "birthed" three "great movements" :Nazism and Black shirts, Fascism and the Brown shirts and Islamism and the Green shirts.The world and societies of the past dealt pretty successfully with the first two ..the third survived and is a great problem of this century.Needles to say , it has to be defeated by positive forces ,all the same ones that defeated Nazism and Fascism.

Once again polymath Dr. Joksimovich has authored a book notable for its deep research and thought-provoking analysis. Dr. Joksimovich illustrates in impressive detail how Islamic extremist terrorism was brought to life by U.S. support for the most retrograde elements in Afghanistan during the 1980s (the most massive CIA operation in history), and how this movement that the Western world helped to create turned into a classic case of blowback. Through mismanagement, the U.S. focus on short-term (and short-sighted) goals in its intervention in the Balkans and its blind support for Saudi Arabia has only fed this growing movement, the consequences of which we are paying for today. The Bush Administration's reckless invasion of Iraq, based, like the war on Yugoslavia, on deliberate lies, has only given Al Qaeda and like-minded movements a rallying cause with which to recruit many new adherents. 'The Revenge of the Prophet' documents these and many other disturbing developments in hard-hitting fashion. A book not to be missed.

Safe Computing is an invaluable reference to protecting one's data, computer, money, privacy and warding off those nasty viruses and worms. It comes with a bonus CD-ROM relative to the contents of the book, for those of you fear too much separation from your computer.

It is written and formatted in a layout that is quickly accessible as you consider tossing caution to the winds and exposing your wider identity/credit card numbers to that amorphous and uncertain Cyber-World. Furthermore, when your eyes are burning, your back hunched like so many Quasimodo computer geeks, and your wrists twinging after all-night forays on the Internet, it offers a pleasing alternative to the computer screen. Unlike those software manuals, it is actually the sort of book that you may wish to keep close by your computer, for a much-needed chuckle at Mr Bentley's writing style, as well as its topical hints. It may even find its way into parents and parents-in-law Christmas stockings this year, to ward off those pesky questions concerning computing (which you can never seem to answer adequately anyhow).

A comprehensive reference manual it is, so toss out those slighter volumes about trying to protect your kids from all the mayhem on the net or how to sit up straight when typing away, and buy it.

Tom Bentley's self help manual offers lots of wonderful information to help anyone who deals with computers but, as a high school info tech (or computer)teacher I especially have found it beneficial. His pointers, advise and general information have practical application for the computer class, career preparation and business computing. I would even recommend it as a manual for employers who are concerned about the well being of employees and their computers.

Bentley has found a common sense approach for passing on information which is neither preechy or condescending. In short, I found this book to be a great read and a lot of help to me personally and the students I am teaching.

Safe Computing is a great book for the novice user. I manage a group of PC techs and this is exactly the kind of information that we try to communicate to our customers. The links are extremely helpful as is the sample CD. I will recommend this book to those users who would like an easy to understand and comprehensive reference for safe computing practices.

It's easy to become cavalier with your computer. This book tells you why that's risky & what you can do to protect your investment. Tom Bentley's gentle, whimsical book offers hands-on advice for every imaginable aspect of your computing world. Each chapter contains zillions of useful links that are 1.) actually relevant and 2.) still exist on the Web. I especially appreciated the chapter on data protection & the convenient table on backup devices. The book includes 4 pages of amusingly-illustrated stretching exercises which are so handy I've put them on my wall as reminders.

Bentley gives equal time to both Windows & Mac platforms, which means there's simply no excuse to avoid this book. It makes an excellent reference sourcebook which should be kept within arm's reach--make that an ergonomically correct reach--of everyone's workstation. "Safe Computing: How to Protect Your Computer, Your Body, Your Data, Your Money and Your Privacy in the Information Age" is both entertaining and educational, with nary a tinge of stuffiness.

Safe Computer: How To Protect Your Computer, Your Body, Your Data, Your Money And Your Privacy In The Information Age is specifically designed for anyone wanting or needing to use the computer for the personal and professional needs but are reluctant or uncomfortable in doing so because of all the stories they've heard about computer viruses, hackers, computer fraud, computer crashes, eyestrain, data loss, aching wrists, even identity theft. Tom Bentley takes a clear, comprehensive, reassuring, "reader friendly" approach in teaching the novice computer user how to protect and back up data; avoid computer usage caused aches, pains and repetitive stress injuries; avoid and overcome viruses, worms and Trojan Horses; foil hackers and identity thieves; keep secure from theft and fraud; preserve privacy while Web surfing, and much, much more. Very highly recommended reading guaranteed to restore operator confidence and assurance, Safe Computer is also enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM.

Bruno makes an important point that none of us should forget: "No one will take care of your retirement except you." We live longer, and expenses for things such as health care, medication and insurance continue to increase, it's important that we think about retirement now. Who knows where Social Security will be in 20 or 30 years from now? The good news is that Bruno has a straightforward strategy to help out.

Save Now or Die Trying should be required reading for all young adults. Parents, this book is the best gift you can give your children. The "have it all generation" needs an immediate wake up call to think about tomorrow today.
I strongly recommend this book.
Jeffrey S. Harvey

Great book! It is an easy read and full of hard facts presented in a chummy sort of way that does not scare you away. It's really difficult to list all the good things about this book; there are so many. I really liked the recommendations about what to do with pay rises and knowing your own weaknesses.

Only two minor criticisms:

The first edition contains five times more typos than it should (e.g., "Adjusted Growth Income"), but they are really obvious when you see them, and not really a bother. I am sure that Bruno will correct them all for the second edition.

I think Bruno gives the misleading impression in the text (e.g., p46) that contributing to a 401K increases your take home pay. I think Bruno should be more explicit that compared to doing nothing, contributing to a 401K *decreases* your take home pay. It is only when *compared to contributing on an after-tax basis* that the 401K increases your relative take home pay (as shown clearly in his Table 5.1). I suggest Bruno add a third column of numbers to Table 5.1 (p45) showing what happens if you contribute nothing: take home pay = $36,500 (higher than the other two contribution scenarios). He could then tell you why contributing nothing is a bad idea.

I am very happy to have read this book, and I plan to read it again ASAP to cement it all in my head.

Bruno lays everything out on the line in his book. He is completely honest, even addressing his own mistakes in his investing, and comes off as a good buddy with great advice. Without being too preachy, he makes it very clear that our generation needs to take action in securing our financial futures. Bruno does a fantastic job of explaining investment options while giving his opinion on which options work for different people. After reading the book, I have already taken action toward securing my retirement by participating in a more agressive 401k and opening up a Roth IRA. Thanks Mark.

As a Baby Boomer of a certain age, I flipped through this to get the mind-set of the generation which will fund the pyramid scheme of my Social Security. Good news for us if those in their 20s and 30s read this book. It is filled with amusing anecdotes of the author's friends, from the worker bees to the grasshoppers, and solutions for each. Even the charts are readable. If a kid has a copy of Bruno's book together with Carnegie's How to Win Friends, etc., he will be ahead of the game.

In a word, awesome! This is a practical guide to actual assembly techniques. Little time is spent discussing when or why someone would do what the author tells you how to do. Other books cover those tasks quite well. I'm sure all this info is dated, but it's still quite informative.

I really did like this book, it does have a wealth of information which can be APPLIED to more modern techniques, and generally just gets you thinking in different directions as a book like this should. But given todays climate and the fact that every state has improved security tremendously around IDs and ID cards and even birth certificates, unless you want to try your hand with a laminated Maine ID and or birth certificate printed on improper paper (and probably end up in jail), this may not be the best resource to follow word for word any longer. I didnt like the fact that he barely delved into the new world of teslin and pvc credit card hologramed high quality state IDs (if at all actually) as I feel that you would have to in a book of this nature today, but overall there are some worth while "ideas" in this book that have helped me get a bit better in the real world. Id recommend, but with a bit of caution depending on what your planning on doing, or not doing (*wink*).

This is an excellent book for someone wanting to delve into id replication, and techniques. The author is very knowledgeable on the topic he discusses in this book. From start to finish, it leaves you with a very clear understanding of the methods used to create a means of identification. Fair warning, and as he states in the book, it isn't meant for someone attempting to purchase or obtain alcohol. The book does not go into detail on every state, better yet, it focuses on information that will actually help you make an id. Full of resources and techniques, this book is an EXCELLENT guide for someone with the incentive of making an id.

Finally. A novelty ID construction book that deals with the meat of ID construction. Refreshingly, two chapters WERE NOT dedicated to lamination. I think we all know how to laminate.

MUCH ATTENTION was paid to creating holograms (something we actually need to learn).

The research was obvoiusly thorough and comprehensive. The author does not take credit for ideas that aren't his. All his sources are properly credited (though usually anonymously by request of the source). But, hey, it shows CLASS.

VERY REFRESHING slant for a genre that has of late been falling into the trap of selling titles. This book as REAL SUBSTANCE.

An excellent reference source for anybody interested in this art. Also great for writers who need to research underworld maneuvers for their "villain" characters.

Thank you, Mr. Charrett!!!!

I just finished reading this book, and I loved it! I must admit I was skeptical before I ordered because we have all been scammed at one time or another. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had NOT been ripped off this time! This book lives up to the hype and does not disappoint the reader. The knowledge of the author is complete on the subjects discussed, detailed instruction is given, and (most importantly!) common pitfalls are exposed. I found myself exclaiming out loud "Wow, THAT little tidbit alone is worth the cost of this book." about six or seven time throughout my reading. I also would like to add that if you are interested in this kind of thing, this book is a great learning tool, a good place to start. Thanks Sheldon, for a well written, (often hilarious) informative, eye-opening book.

A comprehensive survey which will be useful for Exchange admins, but also allows others (CIO's, CSO's, business folk) to understand the issues and solutions available for Exchange security.

I'm NOT an Exchange admin, I focus more on compliance and security, and found the chapters on this the best summary I've seen. Very valuable to anyone dealing with compliance issues for corporate email.

If you've read the 'Security Operations for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server' guide from Microsoft, what value can this book possibly add? That's the question I asked myself before digging into this book. Answer: A LOT!

For starters, it's a very well-written book - starts with some great explanations of Security Fundamentals - the buzzwords, the protocols & algorithms, threats, risks, and vulnerabilities. I've read many security books, but seldom have I found just the right balance - as technical as it needs to be, but still interesting enough for the non-techies.

The section on Installing Exchange With Security in Mind is particularly interesting. Everything you want to know about messaging/Exchange security is covered - SMTP Relays, spam, content filtering, antivirus, SSL, MAPI/RPC security, et al. Great coverage of email encryption and Public Key cryptography, Outlook client security, POP/IMAP security. Can never get tired of readng about securing Outlook Web Access.

Overall, a must-read for Exchange admins. The only thing I would've liked to see is: i) this book to be released at least a year ago.. this one's at the tail end of the Exchange 2000 lifecycle - too close to the Titanium (Exchange 2003) release. ii) Perhaps some more coverage of specific vulnerabilities of SMTP and Exchange, and how secure Exchange is compared to other messaging systems - Notes, Sendmail, etc. THE TRADEOFF (or benefit rather) is we have a book that can still be carried with one hand... still under 400 pages without the index. Remarkable! (A round of applause for Paul Robichaux..)

Bharat Suneja
MCT

If you maintain or administer Exchange servers, this book is a must for you. It covers a borad set of security topics specific to Exchange server, secure messaging and even secure IM. Very valuable guide for IT. Does not dive at too low a level for practical use.

This book has enough information about security, both of the messages and the messaging environment, for a good Exchange administrator to build and maintain a rock solid secure messaging environment.

Paul wrote the book, but the people who helped review the book contributed much of their real-world experience to the content. A number of the reviewers are heavy hitters in the Exchange and security fields. What you get is "This works in the real world" solutions to security problems.

Everything we use everyday comes from somewhere. Getting that product from point A to point B in a timely, cost-effective way is important to everyone in the transportation industry. But the attacks against America both domestically and abroad have shown that we are as vulnerable as ever, and one way to secure our business interests is to secure our transportation networks.
That is the subject of this excellent book, written by three veterans of the industry and featuring a foreward by Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security. Using their years of experience, the authors develop in the book the concept of Total Security Management, and use compelling case studies to illustrate their point that a secure business is a successful business. The book breaks down the global transportation process, shows where value is added along the way, and how to maximize that value while minimizing risk, not only from terrorism but from other less malicious but equally damaging impacts. The book further demonstrates the financial benefits of investing in security, and also how to protect physical corporate assets, whether they be fixed or goods in transit. A "Book of the Month" of the American Society for Industrial Security in December 2006, this book is a must for anyone working in or around global transportation industries.

America's transportation networks are vulnerable. The nation's "wake up," on September 11th is now amplified by government and media clarion calls to protect our ports. Securing Global Transportation Networks answers with an ingenious foundation using Demming's Total Quality Management as its blueprint. Anyone in the public, private, or academic sectors who is serious about transportation will mark themselves ahead of the curve with a first edition of SGTN on their bookshelf.

The authors make a very compelling case that organizations should adopt security as a core business concern.

The book empowers its readers by showing how organizations can avoid disruptive events through planning to protect people, facilities, supply chains, and business reputation. It also outlines how to plan for recovery from those inevitable catastrophes. The book includes many real world examples.

Another benefit of the book is that those in the technology sector can gain insights into how to be part of the security solution.

This book is both well written and comprehensive. The authors have described the multiple facets so clearly that you do not need an MBA to read it.

Total Security Management is a wake up call for global executives. Today's companies are no longer in control of their own fate unless they become proactive. Securing Global Transportation Networks provides an innovative approach to supply chain security and the relationship to value creation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with responsibility for protecting any part of the supply chain or operating in the business of trade.

I am impressed with the authors' argument that the private sector can create value while adopting security measures throughout their transportation network. Usually, businesses view security as a cost, rather than an asset. This book, however, argues that implementing security measures can be a market differentiator and create a competitive advantage for a firm that faces an unexpected disruptive event. I would recommend this book to you if you enjoy reading about the impact of globalization on the US economy. Great read for MBA students!

All in all, this is a great book on long term investing. Nick uses simple and true math to prove the points. I was able for the first time to fully understand dollar cost averaging and I now have a new view on bonds.

Only problem I had with it was his 'voice' as he made comments about working with a financial planner. At times I felt as if he was calling me stupid if I didn't agree with him. He also didn't make ANY good arguments of why I should use a planner....his only point was they a planner will stop you from selling when you shouldn't. Guess what Nick, I'm a big boy...thanks.

Again, it is valuable despite my one gripe.

An excellent book if you are a financial planner. It gives you all the ammunition you need to handle the objections of your prospective clients. I am not too sure that it would convince prospects that working with an advisor is the best thing to do even though it is.

Nick Murray does a great job of explaining the concept of investing in mutual funds to creatate wealth. This book is simple and easy to read, a great book for a beginner. The internet has made investing very complex, Nick Murray has made the process simple.

This book, simply and conveniently, describes necessary investor behavior to accumulate wealth. This is a great book for financial advisors to send their clients and prospects to easily explain the "trick" to wealth accumulation and preservation. Some of the concepts and charts clearly illustrate what most of us try, sometimes in vain, to educate our clients about. Excellent tool for financial advisors. I highly recommend this!!!

Like every book by Nick Murray, this book is excellent. As a financial advisor, this is one book that I would certainly give to every one of my clients and recommend to anyone else, but not for the reasons given in the previous review.

Statistics show the the average mutual fund investor consistently underperforms the mutual funds that he or she owns. Why? Because they sell AFTER the fund has dropped 10% and buy back in AFTER the fund has risen 10%. After five years, the fund has delivered 10% average annual returns, yet the investor has achieved only 5-7% average annual returns (or worse). Murray correctly believes that the secret to long-term investment success lies in the investor's behavior, not in his ability to pick the best stocks or mutual funds. In this, and every other book by Nick Murray, he teaches investors how to fight their emotions and look beyond short-term performance to become better long-term investors. He preaches about the wisdom of dollar cost averaging and about buying stocks when they are "on sale."

Murray also supports his bias toward equities with a clear, concise explanation of the "real" risks that every investor faces. Every investor will get something out of this book.

In my humble opinion, the history delineated in this writing should be taught in classrooms across America and beyond! I learned so much about the evolution of citizenship, religion in the USA, and music of all genres from this book. I was left feeling that I owe such a great debt to so many who suffered and sacrificed so much that I can enjoy life in this country. The privileges and the luxuries we bask in have deep roots enlivened by much blood, sweat and tears. So much was made clear, especially where it pertains to different music artists, their styles of delivery and their associations with other genres of artists.

I grew up loving both Rev. C. L. Franklin and Clara Ward. I was glad to learn that they loved each other, as Aretha Franklin also attests.

"Singing in a Strange Land" is very valuable as a sketch of this highly successful, complex legend. It was a compelling read that prompted me to read biographies of two of the most famous supporting characters, Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward. For chronicles of these I read, and highly recommend, "Got to Tell It", Jules Schwerin's unsparing bio of Mahalia and "How I Got Over", Willa Ward-Royster's portrait of her gifted sister Clara Ward. Besides the priceless info about Mahalia and Clara, these biographies provide further details about C. L. Indeed, one of the vignettes in "Got to Tell It" (a conversation between Mahalia and Aretha about C. L.'s alleged drug use) paints a portrait of C. L. that leads me to suspect that daughter Erma Franklin's cooperation with "Singing in a Strange Land" was possibly conditioned on Salvatore's silence on some matters. Notwithstanding details of C. L.'s life unavailable elsewhere, and whatever self-exposure a preacher betrays in his sermons, "Singing in a Strange Land"'s shortcoming is the reader is left in the dark about C. L.'s thoughts and feelings. This is not the author's fault as Salvatore repeatedly refers to C. L.'s reticence to speak about personal feelings -- particularly about his early life in the Jim Crow South. Accordingly the reader is forced to draw inferences about the man, many of which may be unflattering due to the minister's impious personal life (e.g., his wife's decision to leave the philanderer though it meant painful separation from four of her young children).

I enjoyed reading the book not only to hear about black history but to read about my daughter's history. Alyssa Ellan Smith who will be turning one on 1/4/05 will always have her history of her family in a book. Her grandmother Carl Ellan Kelley a remarkable woman who overcame many roadblocks in her life looks into Alyssa's eyes. Alyssa is a blessing to us but in an eerie feeling to look at Alyssa is to look at C.L. Franklin. From her eyes to her chin to the smile on her face she is an identical to her great-grandfather. We hold up pictures of the two and put them down in amazement. The book finally told the truth of Carl Ellan Kelley she was only a child who because of shame was raised by her grandparents who raised her to be a wonderful person. Thank you C.L. Franklin for giving us the gift of life our Grandmother and mother a woman who inspires me.

If you live in America, particularly its big cities, you need it. If you lived through any part of the 20th century, you need it. "Singing in a Strange Land..." is a timely witness of the life of Rev. C.L. Franklin as an intersection of many apparently unrelated roads. Most interestingly, it gives insight to a time before Rev. Franklin was thought of as "Aretha's daddy". It chronicles the era when she was "the Rev.'s singing little girl".

Aside from the strictly biographical aspects of this volume, there is much to reward those interested in subjects as diverse as the show business of gospel music, Detroit municipal politics, the civil-rights movement and even the growth of the Black community in Buffalo, NY! But, it it is a true pageturner, because Mr. Salvatore's writing never bores.

Now dear reader, I am no expert on literature or scholastic research, but like the man in the museum looking at a Picasso, " I know what I like". I like this effort by Mr. Salvatore, and I believe you will, too. Don't miss it!

Readers interested in both black church music and black history will relish Singing In A Strange Land: C.L. Franklin, The Black Church, And The Transformation Of America. More than just a biography of C.L. Franklin, Singing In A Strange Land uses Franklin's background to explore both African American religion and musical development in America. Salvatore spent eight years extensively researching, including interviewing Franklin's associates, to develop a winning biography which includes so much more than civil rights history alone.