4 comments about Start Your Own Freight Brokerage Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Startup).

1. This book completely oversimplifies almost every aspect of brokering frieght. It has a few good tips, that's about it.



2. Good for someone how is starting their own business, if you deal with your own company, is more of what already you do.



3. I purchased this book because I am interested in starting my own Freight Brokerage Business. In order to start your own brokerage company you "must" already know how to broker freight. What I am looking for is detailed information about where to start and everything that is needed to startup. This book just gives a "very simple" explanation about how you broker freight. This was a total waste of my money!!!! I have been in the trucking business for 21 yrs and have brokered freight for about 8 years so I already know in general what needs to be done. I need a book that is much much more informative about HOW TO START A FREIGHT BROKERAGE!!!



4. overall not bad....but a person trying to start their own biz will need more info than found in this book.

5 comments about Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.

1. SL does a fine job of charting the early history of hacking at MIT and Stanford and beyond. As a member of the 3rd-generation-of-hackers generation (though, regretfully, not a hacker myself), I remember well the first personal computers and computer game systems, and the passion of friends and classmates of mine who were among the first to own and cut their programming teeth on them. It's amazing to think how far computers have come in my lifetime, a true technological revolution. SL's book reminds us not only how very near the beginnings of personal computing history we are, but how very far we've drifted from the intellectual and social ideals that marked those beginnings. What a shame that the Hacker utopias Levy describes are no more, and that computers and computing, today, are so enchained to commerce (granted that there are of course many extraordinary applications of computer technology, today, and many more to expect in the future, as well). I can only imagine how disappointed the Greenblatts, Nelsons, Felsensteins, etc., of yesteryear must be. The passing of the Hacker age -- if, indeed, it has passed -- is no less than the passing of a culture, as Richard ("last of the Hackers") Stallman laments. Reading Hackers, especially the opening chapters about the MIT AI-lab hacking community, I found myself wishing that I, too, had been 'present at the creation' and blessed with enormous hacking talent. SL's book is a long trip down many others' very pleasant -- in equal parts exciting and frustrating -- memory lane. As later chapters explore the computer gaming scene, and subsequent generations of hackerism, the subject-matter of Hackers becomes less compelling, and the writing a bit tiresome. I could, for instance, have done without SL's incessant harping on the social akwardnesses and missed sexual gambits of the gamers he profiles, material that reads sophomorically in the extreme. This aside, Hackers is an entertaining and informative piece of sociological journalism. FYI, "Artificial Life", by the same author, is a far better written first-rate piece of science journalism. Hackers is a could-read; Artificial Life is a should-read.



2. Steven Levy has written a masterpiece, and I will be forever grateful to him for it. Although when I read it (circa year 2001) computers were much more mainstream than the period this book covers (1960s-80s), the book still broke new ground for me. It was before the blogging era, and especially before all the aspiring hackers of the world "united" via a network of blogs, forums, feeds, "planets" (feed collections on specific topics) and link accumulators like Reddit and Digg. In other words, it was much more difficult for me to find people with interests similar to mine.
   
   Or maybe I didn't look hard enough. This is not the point, anyway. The point is that this book took me "out of the closet" as a hacker, proud of my hobby, instead of wondering whether I'm some kind of an autistic freak. Reading it, I understood two things of utmost importance:
   
   1. There were, and there are, many people with my interests and peculiarities. And these are the people that made the computer revolution happen.
   2. Somehow, Steven Levy managed to explain in words the reason people find computers and programming so fascinating. In some sense it was a revelation. I kept saying to myself "yes, exactly!" and "ahh, now I understand" very frequently while reading the book.
   
   Here are a couple of great quotes from the book regarding (2):
   
   " What kept him going was his fascination with the machine, how it let you build complicated systems completely under your control."
   
   I heard people referring to this as instant gratification. Engineering is fun, solving problems is fun, and building solutions is fun - this probably has strong roots in the ancestral humans, shaped by evolution to be smarter than other animals. As opposed to other, more "physical" disciplines of engineering, like electrical, mechanical or structural engineering, programming allows you to actually create real and useful things with a computer as your only tool. An electrical engineer may wait for a long time until his board will be produced, and only then he can "play with it". For a computer programmer, things are much simpler. It is very easy and quick to build systems and use them.
   
   " [...] computers were an infinitely flexible artistic medium, one in which you could express yourself by creating your own little universe."
   
   "Code is art" is a very popular notion these days, perhaps coined by Knuth in his "The Art of Computer Programming" books. People do art for fun - they draw, play and compose music, write and design pretty gardens. In this sense, programming is not much different - it is an act of creation and self-expression. It is fun.
   
   As I said, this book is a treasure chest of insightful quotes like the ones above. Levy interviewed most of the who-and-whos in the world of computing from the 1960s in the MIT labs and through the 1980s in the Californian game development companies. In addition to being explanatory of the "hacker nature", the book is also a great historical reference for the early years of computing. How lucky we are these days to have the opportunity to hack so easily. Just a few decades ago, people interested in computers had to use clanky, slow, terminals or worse, batch-processing machines. There are so much free open-source development tools one really doesn't need to spend money on anything further than the hardware - and PCs are cheap and powerful.
   
   I can't recommend this book enough to anyone interested in computing, and programming in particular. As an aid to discovering your internal motivations, you own yourself to read it.



3. Great read on the early days of computer hackers, only wish it was updated (the book ends in the 80's but does include a small update/list of where the main players are in later years (the 90's))
   
   Very well written, it was easy to follow and understand. From the early days at MIT to the later years with Sierra On-Line, this tells of the early hackers and thier acheivements. There are some especially great stories behind the scenes in the later parts of the book.



4. It's so relieving to see Levy's capture of the positive side of the qualification to be able to hack. I believe the progress in the software and hardware development has been greatly advanced be the qualifications theses people have shown.
   When it later comes to the aspect of what this qualification has been used for, the results are more dubious. It is sad, however, that todays meaning of the term hacker seems to cover only the negative side of the history.



5. As the description mentions, Steven Levy's "Hackers" is not about computer criminals, but refers to the more traditional definition of "someone who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a computer and computer network." I purchased this book because I was intrigued with Sierra On-Line, and was interested in learning more about some of the founding software companies and people who became rich from the computer boom of the early 80s. Having just finished Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins Of The Internet about the creation of the Internet, and being bored out of my mind with it, I was hoping "Hackers" would be a little more exciting. Unfortunately, the first half of the book mirrors "Wizards" in a lot of ways and discusses much of the same content. What's more, before purchasing, I had no idea this book was published in 1984 and that it would naturally only discuss computers up to the early 80s.
   
   "Hackers" is divided into three parts:
   
   1. True Hackers - 1946 - mid 70s. This section focuses on the early computer pioneers at MIT, such as the Tech Model Railroad Club, the Lincoln Laboratory, and experimenting with large mainframes such as the PDP-1 and TX-0. It describes in detail how they would spend hours punching in code for these computers to come up with the simplest hacks. I struggled to get through this section. It was so incredibly detailed and filled with minutiae that it took me two months and several breaks to get through the 200+ pages. Some of it was interesting, but there was just so much information I didn't need to know or care about.
   
   2. Hardware Hackers - Mid 70s - 1980. All about the Homebrew Computer Club and the development of early personal computers, focusing on the Altair 8800, TRS-80, development of BASIC, and Stephen Wozniak's creation of the Apple and Apple II Personal Computers. This section was definitely more lively than the first, but there is still nothing that couldn't have been summed up in a 4 or 5 page magazine article or a visit to Wikipedia.
   
   3. Game Hackers - Late 70s - 1982. This section is largely about the development of the game company Sierra On-Line, although the first few chapters spend a lot of time discussing arly game development. This section was the most interesting in the book, especially to gain some insight into the culture that existed in the gamin industry back in its development, but not as exciting as I thought it was going to be. Since the book was published in 1984, there is no mention of the incredibly popular King's Quest series that launched Sierra to the top of the industry.
   
   The main underlying theme of this book is the "hacker ethic," characterized by open access to computers (no passwords), mistrust of authority, computers are beneficial to changing people's lives, and all information should be free. It is very heavily discussed throughout the book and it's implications on the industry and the people in it. If this were a thesis paper about the hacker ethic I would have given Mr. Levy an A+ for staying so on focus. Unfortunately, it's not a thesis paper. If you are purchasing this book for entertainment purposes, make sure you are REALLY interested in early hacker culture. I thought I was but the book was just too dry for me. Not to mention it was hard to keep up with the hundreds of people introduced in the book. On the plus side, it is exceptionally well-researched and hardly seems dated at all. Until I got to the last few chapters, I had no idea the book was over twenty years old.

5 comments about Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies.

1. When most Americans conjure up an image of Niagara Falls what most likely comes to mind is artist Frederick Church's iconic 1857 painting. In those days the Falls really were wild and wonderful and although a certain amount of development had already begun to take shape in the surrounding area those who loved revelling in the spendor of nature were likely to make a trip to Niagara a top priority. But unbeknownst to most of us what we see today at Niagara Falls is largely a mirage. The powers that be in New York state and Canada literally have the ability to turn the Falls completely off if they choose to! Just what has occurred over the past two centuries that has led this venerable natural wonder to be degraded so dramatically? Ginger Strand has had a lifelong fascination with Niagara Falls. In "Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power and Lies" Strand traces the largely unknown and unreported history of this national treasure. What you will discover will likely surprise and greatly disturb you.
   I certainly had no idea of the long and diverse history of Niagara Falls. Although my wife and I have visited the Falls twice in the past 15 years we were totally unaware of just how much of the scene we were observing was being manipulated. For nearly 200 years vastly competing interests have been vying for economic advantage at Niagara Falls. In the pages of "Inventing Niagara" you will be introduced to many of the key players in the ongoing saga of the Falls and the adjacent communities. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 the Falls area immediately became a popular tourist attraction. It was fun reading about so many of the offbeat amusements that sprang up in the area during the middle of the 19th century. One of the most popular attractions was a colorful high wire artist named Blondin who wowed audiences for several summers with dramatic jaunts across the gorge. You will also discover how the long lost mummy of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses I wound up in the popular Niagara Falls Museum. A fascinating story! Another important slice of Niagara history is that Harriet Tubman ran her Underground Railway System from Niagara before the Civil War. Later on in the nineteenth century a group of well-heeled individuals emerged who had other ideas about how to best utilize the enormous hydro resources at the Falls. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing and power was badly needed to turn the wheels of industry. Soon chemical factories appeared all over the area spewing their toxic fumes and waste and forever altering the landscape. Sadly, in the 1940's thousands of workers at these plants were exposed to radioactive materials as they unwittingly did work on "The Manhatten Project" for the U.S. Department of Defense. You will also learn how the Army Corps of Engineers and an assortment of other state and federal agencies and private industry interests would come to be involved in altering and reshaping the Falls.
   Author Ginger Strand brings a boatload of important new material to light in "Inventing Niagara". Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews she succeeds in bringing to life the checkered history of this once beloved region and speculates what the future might have in store. It turns out that Niagara Falls was so much more than merely "the honeymoon capitol of the world". This is a book that grabbed my attention in Chapter One and just would not let go. I simply could not put it down. One of the surprise hits of 2008! Highly recommended!



2. Ginger, I am being quite informal here, is a self described fanatic about Niagara Falls. So am I. Thus, while reading her book I felt like I had found a long lost friend. We could converse (although she could not hear me!) the many subjects about the lost Niagara, the damaged Niagara,the changed Niagara, the abused Niagara; well I could go on and on. (I wish someone could force the power companies, for one lousy day, to let the water flow naturally but I digress......)
   
   Here's what I suggest. If you are one of these people that goes to Niagara Falls and can look for a few hours and be content to move on to the casinos or Clifton Hill entertainment (ie Ripley's, haunted houses, water slides) then you are not going to appreciate this book very much. However, if you really want to know some real "geeky" (my kids word for me, alas) stuff about hydro power, chemical landfills, misplaced mice killed by radiation, etc. then you will probably adore this book, as I did. The book scores on many levels.



3. There are really two books here, an excellent history of an American/Canadian icon, and a confusing voyage of self discovery. I loved the first story, but was often irritated by the way Strand intruded with her speculations, often negated a page later, and her personal asides.
   
   Strand's substantive portions are really superb; her overview of the toxic site histories and her discussion of honeymoon history at the falls, for example. (But what, exactly, does a Red Hat Society meeting have to do with honeymoons?)
   
   Strand cites The Second Greatest Disappointment: Honeymooning and Tourism at Niagara Falls by by Karen Dubinsky, an excellent study of honeymooning at Niagara. She writes a superb review in the main text of Marilyn Monroe's performance in Niagara; she's especially effective on Monroe's long walk away from the camera in one scene. She calls the wonderful Falling for Marilyn by Jock Carroll "an indispensable photographic essay". On weddings and honeymoons generally, she applauds Rebecca Mead's One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding. Again, I'm not sure why she wrote about the Red Hat Society meeting, but did appreciate her compliment to "Constable Allen A. Rodgers, who gave me new respect for the many talents of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. O Canada!"
   
   Suggestion: read Strand's "Sources and Acknowledgments" pages, then visit her outstanding website, and then, if you have time to dawdle, read the book itself. She has put together a tremendous collection of excellent books and other sources in the book, and she has greatly strengthen some of the weaknesses in the book on her website. The sections on hydrotechnology are weak in the book but superb on the website. And her suggested tours of the Falls on her website are excellent, and surprisingly missing from the book itself.
   
   This book is well worth reading for an understanding of Niagara if you can get past the biographical asides, and I urge you do so if you have any interest in Niagara.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



4. If you are from N.F this book will bring back alot of memories. Not all of them fond. But a blast to read.



5. Just a short note to let the reader know how much I enjoyed the book about Niagara Falls. I have lived on the West coast my entire life and have always thought of Niagara Falls as nothing more than a honeymoon destination. I had no idea about its past or all of the underlying tragedies that mankind has dumped on this natural wonder. I feel that this book told the story with both disgust as well as a deep caring for this community. I especially enjoyed the final chapter and got a real sense that even with all of the problems and man made issues that are still confronting this place, the author still loves it. When she were talking about the sound and the power of the falls, I wanted to hop on a plane and experience this for myself. Warts and all, she made it come to life.
   
   There are so many great places in this country that I have yet to see, but this will be one that I will make it a point to go listen to the water.

5 comments about Life and Health Insurance License Exam Cram.

1. This book really was an asset in preparing for the state test. It was very informative and I would agree with the other review that stated that its information was better than what the class offered. The chapter quizzes were very good and the explanations of WHY the answers were what they were helped a lot. It didn't just give you the correct A, B, C, D answer - it went on to define the reasonings. I used the CD that came with it along with the readings and found them helpful. This is a great book to have at your side when taking the class. Good luck!



2. While the book was not specific to the Texas Insurance exam, it did provide enough background to enable me to pass the Texas exam the first time. If you are new to the insurance industry, you should supplement this text with specific information on your state exam. Since I had previously held an insurance license this was a great review and covered some of the new areas. First timers should probably supplement this with an online course of study approved by their state. The exam, administered in Texas by Prometric services, has some questions that the book did not seem to cover in quite the same way. Study the sample questions and answer rationale carefully. Good luck.



3. in only one chapter, I found what I thought were two errors: the author mixed up churning and twisting, and had the wrong definition for 'per stirpes'. Very discouraging.



4. I made the mistake of listening to my course instructor and only read the limited course material. I had purchased this book with the anticipation of not taking any course study. To make a long story short, the book by far was much better than the course itself. I wouldn't waste any time taking a course but I do recommend finding out specifics to your state requirements. I don't think I could've passed the Health exam without this book.



5. I bought this book because the title, Exam Cram, led me to believe the questions on the included CD were similar to the state exam test questions and they were not. I took my test today. I would have been better off buying the `exam cram' course offered by one of the schools in my state that offer pre-license training. I was just trying to save some money from the local school's price of $69, but the questions weren't at all what were on the test I took today. Because I went to the local school, and took a lesser priced exam cram 8 hour class for $20, I passed. I'm sure if you are really good at reading technical material and memorizing peculiar pieces of it, the book will do just fine. But, if you want to pass the test, so you can go to work in the real world, and not the test world, and see how the state will form their questions and how they may try to trick you with the way they are worded, you're better off with a school that offers training in your state and has questions that more closely resemble what you will be asked. I passed my test today, but I don't believe it had anything to do with the questions included on the CD that came with the book, rather the information that was highlighted as being on the test when I went to the local school.

5 comments about Plan Your Estate (National Edition).

1. Let's face it, this stuff is complicated, and pretty much meant to keep lawyers in business. Get this book as a reference and be able to answer a lot of the questions on your own.



2. Extremely helpful for the lay person. My mother introduced us to an older edition. She was ahead of her time with the living trust idea. Even though I would eventually use a lawyer, this helps you know the right questions to ask.



3. 
   This is a wonderful book on estate planning that focuses on legal and practical issues. I loved it. As I read through it I did not see any inaccuracies in the law or in the subject matter. I especially enjoyed reading about the different options one has regarding how to leave property to minor children. And it includes a thorough discussion on the ways to save on estate taxes.
   
   This book is written for the nonlawyer. And it is not designed to cover in detail ancillary subjects related to estate planning. It is applicable to all states (except Louisiana) and DC. It will be useful for people with estates of any amount. But because of its comprehensive nature I seriously doubt that people with insignificant estates will want to read it. There are other less comprehensive books those people should read. There is no reason to get overwhelmed about estate planning when there is no need to do so.
   
   This book does not provide prepackaged estate plans to be used as templates for readers. Subjects not covered are elder law, retirement planning, and financial planning. However, I think Chapter 13 concerning Retirement Benefits came pretty close to being a superficial chapter on retirement planning.
   
   I would have liked the book better if chapters 3 and 10 had been combined. And I realize that most estate planning authors include retirement planning and incapacity planning in their books. But I view those subjects as being separate and apart from estate planning and should have been left out of this book. Ergo, I'd get rid of chapters 13 and 26. Maybe they could be the subject of another Nolo book? The coverage of state law exemptions regarding probate seemed out of place to me, too. I don't think the intended audience of this book really cares about that material.
   
   My favorite chapters were 15 to 23. Understanding estate and gift taxes and how to reduce or eliminate them is what estate planning is mostly about. And it was wonderful seeing Chapter 22 (Disclaimers) and Chapter 28 (Small Business Owner issues). These subjects are ignored in most estate planning books.
   
   I thought the author went a little heavy on being anti-Probate throughout the text. Probate has its good points and its bad. I would have liked the book better if the author had just stuck to the facts and not gone overboard giving his slant on the topic. 5 stars!



4. If you are like most Americans and do not expect to have a multi-million dollar estate when you die, then this isn't the book for you. Just max out your IRA and 401(k), and read a book about living trusts. (However, you might still be interested to learn how many ways the super-rich can circumvent estate taxes by legal artifice.)
   
   If you do have a substantial estate, then this book is a great place to start. If nothing else, it tells you whether or not you need a lawyer. Even if you do, I would still recommend reading this book cover-to-cover, so that you fully understand your estate plan and are aware of the alternatives, as well as of the implications of tax law changes.
   
   It's a shame that laymen have to waste their brainpower worrying about such unnecessary complexity as financial estate planning, but so long as the majority suffer from the delusion that this is an effective means of taxation, we're stuck with it. This book will guide you through the complexity.



5. I have been thinking more about planning for a estate, investing in a trust, and buying life insurance after becoming a parent. This book contains some good basic information which is exactly what I was looking for. Good buy!

5 comments about Titanium eBay:: A Tactical Guide to Becoming a Millionaire PowerSeller.

1. I purchased a half a dozen books on creating a eBay business and I found this book to be the most complete and informative. Most of the others were junk. If you are starting an eBay business you must buy this book.



2. Skip is a very likeable writer who has obviously done well on eBay. I found this book to be well thought out easy to read. I met Skip at eBay Live last year and he was very helpful, which I appreciated. Unfortunately I also bought a book by Adam Ginsberg, only to find out through some news sites that he has been banned from eBay for shill bidding and failing to send multiple orders worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!
   
   The only other comment I have about Skip's book is that I would have liked to have seen a few more real world examples of how his techniques can be applied. It's a small point though in a generally excellent book.



3. I loved this book...
   
   It has a very broad look into opening a Ebay business. It starts with the general how to establish a Ebay business. Then it onfolds into the details of everything you need to know about making money on Ebay. There are a few chapters where I would haved liked them to be longer, like the dropshipping chapter. But on general you have everything there. This book is a must.
   
   This book is like a textbook of your favorite class from college... its very detailed and details are what matters on business.



4. Not impressed on the whole.
   I'm a gold powerSeller with 10,000+ feedback and looking to take things to the next level. This is full of general information. How to get consignments. How you can sell obscure items. Or get in there quick on new items.
   I already hire a packer and warehouse furniture and have it delivered.
   The bottleneck in my business is getting stuff listed. Listing tools. Management tools. Perhaps these are not out there but when see PowerSellers doing 10,000 items a month I wonder how they get the listings up. How they manage inventory so that they don't double sell stuff. The tools provided by eBay are limited.
   
   Bottom line is I have never had more than 50% of my inventory listed at anyone time because I can't find the listing tools. Turbo lister is looks like a student project.
   This is what I was looking for when I bought this book. But doesn't help.
   
   Another point is he says that flash is not suitable for digital Photography. Thats a load rubbish. Checkout strobist.blog and see what people are doing with flash and digital cameras. The flickr group has 33,000+ plus members who also believe that flash works with digital cameras. http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist
   
   The paper on the cover is of very poor quality. The book curls over so badly that it can't be led down. The book is permanently open like an old paperback. You must place another book on top of it or keep it on the book shelf.
   
   To say something positive, it is an OK general eBay book. If it was named "Making a living from eBay" or "Become a full time eBay seller" that would be more appropriate. Its not an expensive book. Its written in a friendly way.
   It doesn't live up to words like "Titanium" & "Millionaire" though as the title suggests.



5. Not impressed on the whole.
   I'm a gold powerSeller with 10,000+ feedback and looking to take things to the next level. This is full of general information. How to get consignments. How you can sell obscure items. Or get in there quick on new items.
   I already hire a packer and warehouse furniture and have it delivered.
   The bottleneck in my business is getting stuff listed. Listing tools. Management tools. Perhaps these are not out there but when see PowerSellers doing 10,000 items a month I wonder how they get the listings up. How they manage inventory so that they don't double sell stuff. The tools provided by eBay are limited.
   
   Bottom line is I have never had more than 50% of my inventory listed at anyone time because I can't find the listing tools. Turbo lister is looks like a student project.
   This is what I was looking for when I bought this book. But doesn't help.
   
   Another point is he says that flash is not suitable for digital Photography. Thats a load rubbish. Checkout strobist.blog and see what people are doing with flash and digital cameras. The flickr group has 33,000+ plus members who also believe that flash works with digital cameras. http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist
   
   The paper on the cover is of very poor quality. The book curls over so badly that it can't be led down. The book is permanently open like an old paperback. You must place another book on top of it or keep it on the book shelf.
   
   To say something positive, it is an OK general eBay book. If it was named "Making a living from eBay" or "Become a full time eBay seller" that would be more appropriate. Its not an expensive book. Its written in a friendly way.
   It doesn't live up to words like "Titanium" & "Millionaire" though as the title suggests.

5 comments about The Official eBay Bible, Third Edition: The Newly Revised and Updated Version of the Most Comprehensive eBay How-To Manual for Everyone from First-Time Users to eBay Experts.

1. Nothing new here you can't find on the Ebay help pages and seller's forums for tips, FREE. OK for total newbies.



2. I have been reading the E-Bay Bible and have found so much information to help me with my internet business. The book is very informative and has great tricks to help you and your research out. It will get you going in the direction you choose much faster. I have been an ebay seller and have an internet e-commerce store as well, for many years now. This books has given me ideas and info I have never thought of. Buy it!! It's great!!!



3. Ebay is an official book or how-to manual. I'll have to lend it to the people who call me up and want to learn the ins and outs of selling in 5 minutes.



4. I have been on eBay for 7 years selling and this book did not help me one bit. I wish they had a book that would help the experienced seller get more traffic to their store. Beginner sellers that NEVER have sold on eBay may learn something. I did return the book.



5. 
   Great asset to our small e-bay business. We are new-guys at this adventure and "Griff" has helped us all along the way. Suggest that anyone who wants to get started on e-bay should purchase this book. Thank you, "Griff"! BH Buford, Georgia

3 comments about Computer Forensics For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. First I would like to thank you for taking the time to consider Computer Forensics for Dummies as your introduction to the computer forensic field. As one of the co-authors, this book was a pleasure to write since the material is written in a way where technical jargon is kept to a minimum while making the material fun and easy to understand. Attorneys, IT managers, computer CSI candidates, and those new to the field who want a basic understanding of how computer forensics works without the need for advanced computer degrees will appreciate this book. Please feel free to join the discussion groups if you have any questions, concerns, or comments. Again, thanks for checking out Computer Forensics for Dummies!



2. Not only does this book explain what evidence gets left, it helps understand how Wall St execs can be investigated.
   Easy to read and understand. It clears up alot of mysteries about what's going on inside computers and networks.



3. If you use a computer, you probably know that there is an electronic trail that follows you, and that the trail potentially lasts forever and can cause serious legal problems. This book demystifies how computer forensics is performed, what to do if you are ever in trouble (or trying to help someone who is in trouble), and tools that can help you. Though the topic is potentially complex, the book is an easy, interesting read. Statements like "An IP address is like a phone number for your computer" help make the material understandable. It is clear that the authors have considerable practical experience in the area and understand current best practices, computer technology, and the law. The book is appropriate for a wide variety of people -- those with a casual interest in the topic, in legal troubles related to materials on their PC, and lawyers who either work or want to work in the area.

5 comments about Start and Run a Money-Making Bar.

1. This was one of the better books on bar management. I recommend it! Covers money, how to do the financial spreadsheets to get a business loan in addition to the fun stuff.



2. Just don't look at the cover (the cheeziest cover I think I've ever seen on a book; I literally had to tear mine off to avoid laughing or having any of its "uncoolness" rub off on me).

   Anyway, I own a pretty sucessful bar in Santa Barbara California (Indochine on State Street) and bought this book when I was reading up in anticipation of starting a new restaurant (w/ a bar in it).

   While the book assumes the reader knows little or nothing about the business, it has a wealth of information for readers of all levels of experience. I was apprised/reminded of numerous aspects of the biz that caused me to tweak my own bar (to largely sucessful result). Quite simply, this book made/saved me significant money.

   I highly recommend.

   Christian Hunter




3. This book was first published in 1986, with the 2nd edition coming out in 1993. I bought and read this book in 2005. I found it very informative with great ideas for running a bar. More importantly, it goes into detail on how to write a business plan, partnerships, investors and etc. Basically all the 'business' stuff that goes behind opening and running a bar. Despite the book being old, the basics are all in there and will work today. However I also feel that in today's world, there are other things that the book does not implement. Things like the internet and wider use of PCs, which I think has greatly altered the way busineses work.



4. This book is full packed with information. It is a great 1st book for anyone serious about the restaurant/ bar industry. It has lots of useful tips, and is broken up into logical chapters for easy reference.



5. I received my book on time and in good shape. Don't know what else I could ask for...
   Great work and keep it up!

5 comments about Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates ... and Other Difficult People: Using Emotional Intelligence to Survive and Prosper (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books).

1. Lubit's volume, "Coping with Toxic Managers and Subordinates," should be considered a standard reference for veteran and new professional staff, experienced and beginning managers, and leaders of all non-profit organizations, especially cultural ones. Colleagues have said that these conclusions apply to all organizations.

   Non-profits and cultural organizations face major management challenges today. For example, while the number of museums has increased, there has been a great decrease in total funding. To stay competitive, these organizations have had to make fundamental changes in their operations and rely on a new breed of managers and professionals. This has been complicated by strong internal resistance to change. As a result, many cultural organizations find themselves unable to harness the talents of their staff and, instead, find productivity decreasing and morale dropping rapidly. High turnover, unhappiness and anger make for unmanageable environments.

   Lubit's book contains excellent strategic thinking for dealing with the rapidly changing settings. Incorporating insights from experience in psychiatry, business management, and organizational leadership, Lubit provides a a comprehensive, hands-on guide for dealing with your superiors, subordinates and peers. This book is very complete. It describes the most troublesome types of negative and "toxic" personalities, explores the underlying reasons for the behaviors, and moves the reader from theory, to examples, to exercise sections called "Your Turn". The book is well organized, snappily written, and easy to use. It is complete with detailed "how to" sections, charts, and examples with both good and bad endings. This book will facilitate not just survival, but productivity and well-being in the workplace -- and elsewhere. I recommend it highly.




2. I wasn't sure I would like this book. The topic of workplace psychology can be done wrong in so many ways. You can present it too clinically and thus lack any practicality. And you can slide the other way and shower the user with pop psychology check-lists and acronyms.
   
   This book walks the ideal path deftly and presents practical workplace issues with the right blend of psychology background and practical wisdom on how to handle individuals with personality issues.
   
   The book is organized by disorder. Each type of personality is presented in it's own chapter with what to look for. As well as how to handle that individual as a boss, a coworker and as a subordinate.
   
   A fascinating read on it's own, and practical advice for people stuck in tough jobs where they have to contend with coworkers who have personality problems.



3. Recognising what is toxic to you is perhaps a good starting point. Many of us spend more time with the people we work with than those we've chosen to spend our lives with. Most of us make assumptions that what offends or upsets us is the same for everyone else. This is not so.
   
   In this book, Dr Lubit provides - with humour - descriptions of different types of managers and of different management techniques that can make working life hell.
   
   Being aware of toxic behaviour and being able to manage its impact are two quite separate things. Dr Lubit provides insights into the former and resources to help individuals and groups deal with the latter.
   
   I've had this book on my management bookshelf since it was published and find it an excellent resource both on a personal level and as part of mentoring other staff.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



4. Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates ... and Other Difficult People: Using Emotional Intelligence to Survive and Prosper (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books) This provides a great insight into the 'heads' of these difficult working types. Highly recommend.



5. This book helpped me identify personality types of a few of my supervisors but as far as telling me how to deal with them, The answers the book gives was not what I wanted to heer. Example An authorative boss can be a real pain,very demeaning, bad for crew moral ,limit potential of employees. All it recommends is to submit and kiss his butt. I am a union steward and deal with suppervisors a bit so it could be useful as a refference but hard to read all the way through!!