Government Books - Page 12

Takedown: The Pursuit and Capture of Kevin Mitnick, America's Most Wanted Computer Outlaw-By the Man Who Did It

Tsutomu Shimomura, John Markoff

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 99 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

If you want to know Mitnick's story, ask Mitnick. 1 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Fans of the Kevin Mitnick mythos will have a ball with this book dissecting everything that's wrong here. In the process of tracking Mitnick, Shimomura (and another important name, Markoff, whose relationship with Mitnick would be laughable if it didn't violate every concievable rule of morality) basically took free leave of both the law and personal decency. Mitnick became a "thing", and the two of them pushed that image of Mitnick to cover up the legal mess they would have been in if they'd been tracking some average Joe instead of Kevin Mitnick: The Man, The Myth, The Legend (again, an image which these two men essentially created).

It's amazing to see how egotistical Shimomura is willing to be on the issue, and as noted by others, he shows this off in spades in this book. Shimomura and Markoff boh essentially believe that they are the lone men responsible for the takedown and capture of Mitnick, and that not even the dozens (hundreds?) of security firms and companies who spent millions of their own money tracking Mitnick deserve any credit at all. And in a sense, they are mostly correct- we wouldn't be talking about Mitnick today if Markoff and Shimomura weren't working so desperately hard to make money off of this story.

If you're a fan of Mitnick, skip this book just because you don't want to give this man any royalties. If you're a fan of reading, skip this book because it's core is a mess of egotism. The only real reason to pick this up is if you have an insatiable urge to know every detail of this story that you can possibly get your hands on- in which case, it is another piece to the puzzle.

I reccomend that interested parties check out Mitnick's own books: "Deception..." and "Intrusion...", as well as the fan favorite Jonathan Littman's "Fugitive Game".

Editorial Review:

An international computer security expert offers a suspenseful account of his pursuit and eventual capture of hacker Kevin Mitnick, describing his high-tech face-off with the world's most notorious cyberthief. 150,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo.

The Open Knowledge Society: A Computer Science and Information Systems Manifesto: First World Summit on the Knowledge Society, WSKS 2008, Athens, Greece, ... in Computer and Information Science)

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Editorial Review:

This book, in conjunction with the volume LNAI 5288, constitutes the refereed proceedings of theFirst World Summit, WSKS 2008, held in Athens, Greece, in September 2008. The 95 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 286 submissions. The topics include applications for the human and the society; information systems and information technology; knowledge management and e-learning; libraries, digital culture and electronic tourism; e-business, egovernment and e-banking; politics and policies for the knowledge society; sustainable development for the knowledge society.

Party of One: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of the Independent Voter

Daniel Weintraub

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

EBENEZER SCROOGE, WEINTRAUB, AND RAISES 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 13 people found this review helpful.

Recently, Daniel Weintraub argued that correctional officers should not receive raises. He also suggested that officers should make LESS, since there are so many applicants for the job. His logic is not only twisted, but also a reflection of the "scrooge mentality" afflicting many bosses.

In Weintraub's world, men and women would be paid the least amount possible, and unions would be banned. This means that the teacher's union would not be allowed to ask for better wages, and that the Hollywood writers (without their union) should be paid as little as possible. Because, after all, there are thousands waiting in the wings to be teachers and writers, which, by Weintraub's logic, means writers and teachers are paid too much! This flies in the face of the obvious: labor creates value (John Locke).

Also, in America, if a job is dangerous, requires skills, or involves education or training, we pay more for that career-- which is why NFL players, despite "only having a high school education", are paid more than Bee writers! Why don't we don't hear Weintraub and his cronies attacking the 49ers? After all, football players make way more money than correctional officers.

The fact is, officers are required to attend hundreds of hours of training (they attend an arduous academy) both on and off the job. They are educated (many have BA's and MA's) and their job is dangerous (if you don't believe this, ask the family of Manny Gonzalez, an officer recently murdered by an inmate). Officers work long hours, and yes, get paid overtime for those long hours-- would Weintraub expect them to work for free? And officers do a thankless job that neither Daniel nor his cohorts would be willing to do, for any amount of money.

As for the officers' union: membership in a union is a legal right, guaranteed by U.S. law. An officer can choose to not join the union (membership is voluntary), but he still receives union protection. Officers organized a union, because prior to the union, in 1970, a "prison guard" only earned $600/ month. At that time, guards had no training, no education, no protective equipment, no baton, and no alarm (just a whistle)-- They had just their wits to protect them. Before the union, a guard's retirement (if he lived that long) was $240/ month. So, that is where officers came from, and they don't want to go back.

Also, folks join unions for protection-- to receive decent pay and decent benefits-- which is why McClatchy and all the other newspapers destroyed the newspaper unions, over 30 years ago. Newspapers hate unions, because unions give the workers rights-- the right to speak out against abuse, the right to pick one's job assignment, the right to expose corrupt bosses, and the right to sue for better work conditions. The union, in spite of Weintraub's complaints, is less influential than the rich business lobbies, and certainly less powerful than the writer's union (assuming Daniel is a member; certainly not possible).

Contrary to Daniel Weintraub, Officer's salaries are not a major cost to the state: 41% of California's budget goes to schools and 25.3% to Health and Human Services (welfare). Corrections is only 7.3% of the budget; officers salaries actually account for less than 3% of the total state budget. With gas rising to $4/gallon, and inflation at over 5%, no pay raise means pay cut-- for a job which is dangerous, dirty and difficult.

There is a certain irony about Daniel, a wealthy man, lecturing working stiffs about making too much money. Perhaps Weintraub could take a pay cut from his cushy six-figure editorial job? Because, as Weintraub argues, a job which has more applicants than openings is paying too much. And many new journalism grads want Daniel's job! But then, ignoring or manipulating the facts is common for reporters and editorial writers at the Bee. When you have an agenda, then fair and balanced reporting goes out the window.


In ending this letter, I realize I have wasted my time: the Sacramento Bee (Daniel's boss) will never print this letter, or give equal time to dissenting viewpoints. Or, if I am "lucky", the editors will pretend to be "fair" by allowing me a hundred words or so to respond, thus crippling my comments, and making my letter impotent. After all, as all working folks know, only rich men who own newspapers have freedom of speech. The rest of us go online and read blogs.


#####

Editorial Review:

Since his landslide reelection in a state dominated by Democrats, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has arguably become the nation's most successful Republican politician. His near-universal name recognition and status as governor of the nation's most populous state have placed Schwarzenegger at the forefront of such key issues as health care, environmental protection, and immigration. Combining liberal stands on social and environmental issues with conservative pro-business policies, Schwarzenegger has found favor with Republicans, Democrats, and independent voters, whose support has been critical to his success. PARTY OF ONE goes beyond a portrait of a political celebrity. Detailing Schwarzenegger's gambits, missteps, and achievements on a range of issues, it suggests that the "governator" represents the future of American politics, in which practical results will mean more to voters than partisan identity.

Chinese Cyber Nationalism: Evolution, Characteristics, and Implications

Xu Wu

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

This timely book targets a broad readership 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

First, scholars who are interested in the development of new media technologies and how this development has influenced and affected Chinese people in general and the government in particular will find this book highly useful. Graduate students of economic, sino, and international studies will benefit greatly as China has emerged once again as one of the leading countries in the world's economic marketplace over the past decade. Policy maker around the globe benefit as well, as it perfectly shows how powerful the Internet could be given this book's special focus. "Chinese cyber nationalism" also offers a broad overview of China's history from different perspectives, especially to less knowledgeable but interested readers. The author connects the political outlook to the technological media advancements and analyzes the ideological and social perspective of Chinese cyber nationalism. Most importantly, the book offers extensive insight in how the modern China, deeply rooted within its history, demands its place in the world as a leading and powerful country.

Editorial Review:

Chinese Cyber Nationalism offers the first comprehensive examination of the social and ideological movement that mixes Confucian cultural traditions and advanced media technology. Over the past decade, the Internet has increasingly become a communication center, organizational platform, and channel of execution by which Chinese nationalistic causes have been promoted throughout the world.

How to Sell Computer Services to Government Agencies

Herman Holtz

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Winners, Losers & Microsoft: Competition and Antitrust in High Technology (Independent Studies in Political Economy)

Stephen E. Margolis, Stan Liebowitz

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Brilliant debunking of current antitrust law 5 out of 5 stars.
21 of 22 people found this review helpful.

Forget Microsoft. This book will make you doubt everything you've ever been taught about lock-in, bundling, and the ease with which market dominance can be abused.

But don't forget about Microsoft entirely--the book makes clear that the conventional wisdom about how the company achieved dominance could lead to "remedies" that would have a terrible effect on the software market as a whole--inevitably dooming winners to constant hamstringing or worse in order to enforce an artificial measure of competition.

The movie puts the lie to much that has been said about Microsoft by its critics, competitors, and even its advocates. Certainly no one connected to Microsoft has made such a devastating rebuttal of the charges against it. This book is a must-read for those interested in the outcome of that case.

Editorial Review:

Few issues in the high-technology field are as divisive as the raging debate over competition, innovation and antitrust. Why do certain products and technologies become dominant while others fail? Is there something about high technology that makes markets less dependable at choosing goods and services? Will the robust competition and tremendous technological advances of the past two decades continue? Or, will they be suffocated by larger firms employing monopolistic practices? Is antitrust primarily employed against monopolies to increase competition for the benefit of consumers, or is it actually a vehicle that firms use against their rivals to restrict the competitive process? Winners, Losers and Microsoft is the authoritative and in-depth book on these and other pressing questions now confronting high-technology markets.

Revised & Updated Softcover Edition of How to Be Invisible (The Essential guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy, Your Assets, and Your Life.)

J.J. Luna

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Editorial Review:

From cyberspace to crawl spaces, innovations in information gathering have left private lives open to scrutiny and exploitation. In this thoroughly revised update, J.J. Luna shows how to protect yourself from information predators by securing your: vehicle and real estate ownership, bank accounts, business dealings, computer files, home address, and more. Luna shows how to achieve the privacy you crave and deserve, whether to shield yourself from casual scrutiny or take your life savings with you and disappear without a trace. Luna reveals the shocking secrets that private detectives and other personal information seekers use, and then shows how to make a serious commitment to safeguarding yourself.There is a prevailing sense in our society that true privacy is a thing of the past. Filled with vivid real life stories, this book is an antidote to privacy concerns that only continue to grow as ever more efficient ways of undermining our personal security are made available. Privacy is a commonly-lamented casualty of the Information Age and of the world's changing climate-but that doesn't mean you have to stand for it. About the Author J. J. (Jack) Luna sold his outdoor advertising business in the Upper Midwest in 1959 and moved with his wife and small children to Spain's Canary Islands (off the coast of West Africa). Outwardly, he worked as a professional writer and photographer. Secretly, however, he dodged the Spanish Secret Police while working underground in an activity that was at that time illegal under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. In 1970 Franco, yielding to intense pressure from the western world, moderated Spain's laws. Luna was now free to come in from the cold. By that time, however, privacy had become an ingrained habit. In the years that followed he started up various low-profile home-based businesses, built them up and then sold them. He is currently an international consultant specializing in personal privacy and security.

Technology and Privacy: The New Landscape

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

An overview 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book is somewhat slanted toward "technology is bad" but not excessively so. The focus is on political issues and opinions. How well one likes these chapters depends on one's political leaning; few of the chapters manage to be balanced. The one chapter on technical matters is a nice but simple introduction to computer security. Many chapters have long reference lists for further study.

Editorial Review:

Over the last several years, the realm of technology and privacy has been transformed, creating a landscape that is both dangerous and encouraging. Significant changes include large increases in communications bandwidths; the widespread adoption of computer networking and public-key cryptography; new digital media that support a wide range of social relationships; a massive body of practical experience in the development and application of data-protection laws; and the rapid globalization of manufacturing, culture, and policy making. The essays in this book provide a new conceptual framework for the analysis and debate of privacy policy and for the design and development of information systems.

Innovation in Global Industries: U.S. Firms Competing in a New World (Collected Studies) (Variorum Collected Studies)

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Editorial Review:

The debate over offshoring of production, transfer of technological capabilities, and potential loss of U.S. competitiveness is a long-running one. Prevailing thinking is that 'the world is flat' - that is, innovative capacity is spreading uniformly; as new centers of manufacturing emerge, research and development and new product development follow. "Innovation in Global Industries" challenges this thinking. The book, a collection of individually authored studies, examines in detail structural changes in the innovation process in 10 service, as well as manufacturing industries: personal computers; semiconductors; flat-panel displays; software; lighting; biotechnology; pharmaceuticals; financial services; logistics; and venture capital. There is no doubt that overall there has been an acceleration in global sourcing of innovation and an emergence of new locations of research capacity and advanced technical skills, but the patterns are highly variable.Many industries and some firms in nearly all industries retain leading-edge capacity in the United States. However, the book concludes that is no reason for complacency about the future outlook. Innovation deserves more emphasis in firm performance measures and more sustained support in public policy. "Innovation in Global Industries" will be of special interest to business people and government policy makers as well as professors, students, and other researchers of economics, management, international affairs, and political science.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Technology, Community, and Public Policy

Lisa J. Servon

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Editorial Review:

Bridging the Digital Divide investigates problems of unequal access to information technology. The author redefines this problem, examines its severity, and lays out what the future implications might be if the digital divide continues to exist.

• Examines unequal access to information technology in the United States.
  
• Analyses the success or failure of policies designed to address the digital divide.
  
• Draws on extensive fieldwork in several US cities.
  
• Makes recommendations for future public policy.
  
• Series editor: Manuel Castells.