Book Description
In his explosive New York Times bestseller, top CIA operative Robert Baer paints a chilling picture of how terrorism works on the inside and provides startling evidence of how Washington politics sabotaged the CIA’s efforts to root out the world’s deadliest terrorists, allowing for the rise of Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda and the continued entrenchment of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
A veteran case officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations in the Middle East, Baer witnessed the rise of terrorism first hand and the CIA’s inadequate response to it, leading to the attacks of September 11, 2001. This riveting book is both an indictment of an agency that lost its way and an unprecedented look at the roots of modern terrorism, and includes a new afterword in which Baer speaks out about the American war on terrorism and its profound implications throughout the Middle East.
“Robert Baer was considered perhaps the best on-the-ground field
officer in the Middle East.”
–Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker
From The Preface
This book is a memoir of one foot soldier’s career in the other cold war, the one against terrorist networks. It’s a story about places most Americans will never travel to, about people many Americans would prefer to think we don’t need to do business with.
This memoir, I hope, will show the reader how spying is supposed to work, where the CIA lost its way, and how we can bring it back again. But I hope this book will accomplish one more purpose as well: I hope it will show why I am angry about what happened to the CIA. And I want to show why every American and everyone who cares about the preservation of this country should be angry and alarmed, too.
The CIA was systematically destroyed by political correctness, by petty Beltway wars, by careerism, and much more. At a time when terrorist threats were compounding globally, the agency that should have been monitoring them was being scrubbed clean instead. Americans were making too much money to bother. Life was good. The White House and the National Security Council became cathedrals of commerce where the interests of big business outweighed the interests of protecting American citizens at home and abroad. Defanged and dispirited, the CIA went along for the ride. And then on September 11, 2001, the reckoning for such vast carelessness was presented for all the world to see.
Download Description
In See No Evil, one of the CIA's top field officers of the past quarter century recounts his career running agents in the back alleys of the Middle East. In the process, Robert Baer paints a chilling picture of how terrorism works on the inside and provides compelling evidence about how Washington politics sabotaged the CIA's efforts to root out the world's deadliest terrorists.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, the world witnessed the terrible result of that intelligence failure with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the wake of those attacks, Americans were left wondering how such an obviously long-term, globally coordinated plot could have escaped detection by the CIA and taken the nation by surprise. Robert Baer was not surprised. A twenty-one-year veteran of the CIA's Directorate of Operations who had left the agency in 1997, Baer observed firsthand how an increasingly bureaucratic CIA lost its way in the post-cold war world and refused to adequately acknowledge and neutralize the growing threat of Islamic fundamentalist terror in the Middle East and elsewhere.
A throwback to the days when CIA operatives got results by getting their hands dirty and running covert operations, Baer spent his career chasing down leads on suspected terrorists in the world's most volatile hot spots. As he and his agents risked their lives gathering intelligence, he watched as the CIA reduced drastically its operations overseas, failed to put in place people who knew local languages and customs, and rewarded workers who knew how to play the political games of the agency's suburban Washington headquarters but not how to recruit agents on the ground.
See No Evil is not only a candid memoir of the education and disillusionment of an intelligence operative but also an unprecedented look at the roots of modern terrorism. Baer reveals some of the disturbing details he uncovered in his work, including:
- In 1996, Osama bin Laden established a strategic alliance with Iran to coordinate terrorist attacks against the United States.
- In 1995, the National Security Council intentionally aborted a military coup d'etat against Saddam Hussein, forgoing the last opportunity to get rid of him.
- In 1991, the CIA intentionally shut down its operations in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, and ignored fundamentalists operating there.
When Baer left the agency in 1997 he received the Career Intelligence Medal, with a citation that says, "He repeatedly put himself in personal danger, working the hardest targets, in service to his country."
See No Evil is Baer's frank assessment of an agency that forgot that "service to country" must transcend politics and is a forceful plea for the CIA to return to its original mission -- the preservation of our national sovereignty and the American way of life.
"Robert Baer was considered perhaps the best on-the-ground field officer in the Middle East."
SEYMOUR M. HERSH, THE NEW YORKER
"Robert Baer [was] one of the most talented Middle East case officers of the past twenty years."
REUEL MARC GERECHT, THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY
Customer Reviews:
Real behind the scenes of how the spy agency worked.......2007-10-02
Only halfway through, but this book is great. It shows you in depth how the agency worked. Reveals how training was done, how missions worked. Includes real stories not just analysis.
Dispatches From the Pre-9/11 War on Terror Front.......2007-09-30
The stories and experiences of real life are often more gripping than fiction. Given that celebrated novels receive greater fame and publicity, it is rare to come across a book that captures the adventure of a captivating adventure novel and the benefit of a knowledgeable nonfiction author. A medley of suspense, wisdom from years experience, and formidable lessons from around the globe abound in former CIA officer Bob Baer's veracious story from the forefront of the US's struggle against international terrorism.
Baer recounts his professional life in one of the most riveting, true-life spy tales around. His first book is easy to follow and lively; even if you're not a James Bond suspense-novel junkie you'll likely appreciate "See No Evil." Baer's insight on the past and the state of current intelligence operations in a post 9/11 world with admonition for, what he sees as, the most potent gambit in the war against Middle Eastern terrorism, is vital for composing a winning strategy in the region.
The reputability of being the basis for George Clooney's character in the film "Syriana." shouldn't deter readers who actually watched the risible movie. George Clooney's Bob Barnes never amounted to the valorous character we become acquainted with in the book; his pitiful role is a real injustice to the real life Baer. There are no real parallels between the fictional movie`s plot and the book based on Baer's firsthand experiences.
With such a furtive job like a case officer, it is rare for an author to lift the shroud of secrecy for the public to behold some of these highly-speculated operations. An ordinary American youngster, full of guilelessness and vitality, finds himself leading an anything but ordinary life in an abstruse field that eventually takes him to the forefront of the nation`s interests in the Middle East. Ultimately departing an agency hampered by politicalization and putrefied by scandals, Bob holds back nothing in sharing passionate convictions, doubts, and solicitude in an earnest reflection of his entire espionage career. From the young operative's tribulation of his first assignment in India up to senior liaison orchestrating a coup against Saddam His story is gripping, his insight and perception on the challenges we face is indispensable.
Useful Stuff.......2007-08-28
After reading the book one can never be so ignorant!!!
It's pretty sad to watch these guys risk their lives for such dangerous missions and let go in the end...
"Why don't they listen to me?".......2007-07-27
Robert Baer
See No Evil
book review
The first half of this book is a great adventure story. The second reveals a personality.
We are treated to a sampling of the adventures of a vigorous, energetic, productive young case officer's (we learn that a CIA "agent" is the local who does the actual spying, "case officer" being the term for the professional recruiter and manager of agents) experiences during the birth and maturation of his productive years in southern Asia and the Middle East. For those of us interested in espionage procedurals, this part of the book is exhilarating. I couldn't put it down. It is written with vim and a touch of humor.
The second half of the book is in some ways more interesting, as it reveals through a change of style a man who needs rest. Mr. Baer's supervisors should have recognized it and brought him "in from the cold" from time to time, so that he could adjust in a healthy way back to normal life with a normal perspective. I saw this happen more than once in my own law enforcement career. Such seems to me what Robert Baer reveals to us, consciously or not, in the second half of his book.
The transition is marked by a curious re-call, which Robert Baer ("Robert Pope"?) resists vehemently, during which he is investigated as a suspect in a murder for hire. The portrayal of the burned out case officer in the movie Syriana, based on See No Evil, seems to be Robert Baer himself. The fictional character, Wilson, knows too much, or thinks he does. The fictional character in the movie blows up some bad guys, acting on his own authority in secret. The real Robert Baer in See No Evil is accused of plotting to assassinate Saddam Hussein, a weird story in itself. By is own admission, there are things he does not write up in reports.
It is as though he has arrived in the insane hell of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now (a movie Mr. Baer refers to in his book). He wonders why "they" back at headquarters don't pay more respect to his on-the-spot reporting. As the fictional character, Captain Willard, says to himself in Apocalypse Now, "They didn't know I wasn't even in their f...ing army anymore."
But, you see, Robert Baer has been in the field so long and left alone to do pretty much as he sees fit, and it begins to tell. When he and his team are sent to northern Iraq, he interprets whole world scenarios through his team's emplacement. The whole course of world history depends on him and his team's mission. He blows their role out of proportion and takes on the role of the representative of the United States. He writes that the local Kurds think of him as the Untied States Ambassador.
He is turning into Colonel Kurtz. It is he whom they rely on, and he tells them lies about what Washington thinks and commitments he thinks they should make. Whether the Kurdish leaders really believe him or not is a matter of speculation. Robert Baer seems to think they do. Everything rests on Robert Baer, and Washington just won't do what he tells them needs to be done. It is time to be brought "in from the cold." He's gone over the edge, out of control, and control is what secret operations rely on most. He needs closer supervision. He needs to be watched. (Cf. the latter career of James J. Angleton.) His bosses order him back to the home office in Washington.
From there we get a phantasmagoria of life in the most unfathomable world imaginable, Washington, D.C. Robert Baer is out of his environment. He admittedly does not understand how it works. He is still "out in the field." He proceeds to engage this strange new world in the context of what he knows how to do. He runs into roadblocks wherever he turns. Why won't they listen to me?
In sum, read this book. Mr. Baer the author is a good writer and deserves a loyal audience for this and the other books he has written. For those interested in good-humored, adventurous spy stories, it is A-number-one. For those interested in the questionable practices and questionable values of unsupervised operators left to assume roles they should not, this is a perfect example of it.
Gary Berntsen, too, in his revelation, Jawbreaker, shows us another example of self-exaggerated importance among field people. Why does the CIA allow these people to publish and appear on television? In other recent histories written about these circumstances, nary a word is mentioned about the Gary Bernstsens' or Robert Baers's exploits. "Why won't they listen to me?" "I could've got Saddam Hussein." "I could've got Osama bin Laden." "If only I had two divisions of men with the will to cut off the arms of inoculated children ...." (Colonel Kurtz)
Maybe the operational side of the CIA should be abandoned. Maybe they are loose cannons. Maybe the CIA should be kept strictly to the business of gathering and analyzing information. Mr. Baer alludes to the establishment of FBI offices overseas. Maybe the CIA or at least its operational side should be folded into the FBI. There are just too many intelligence agencies. There is nothing central about the Central Intelligence Agency. There is not enough control. There are too many Robert Baers and Gary Berntsens out there doing too many things on their own.
I say all of this with all respect due to Robert Baer, Gary Berntsen, and those like them. As young men they enter into an adventurous world and ripen into the most sincere patriots one can find. They work hard and do good things. However, as mature men, they begin to think they know more than they do and that those with other responsibility know less. "Why don't they listen to us?" Why, indeed.
My favorite CIA book.......2007-07-23
I've read a few books on the subject and I have to say that this is my favorite CIA book. Baer's style of writing makes it easy even for a first time CIA history reader. The book is packed with exciting stories and was a very pleasant read. It is a nice add for anyone interested in intelligence and how that region of the world works, as well as how our internal bureaucracy interacts and makes things that much more difficult for these people doing exceptional work abroad.
And if you watched the movie "Syriana" with George Clooney, this is the book on which it was based. Of course the book is much better and full of detail. I could not put it down once I started reading it.
Book Description
A master spy's memoir of playing the game in the most strategically influential country in 1960s Africa.
Larry Devlin arrived as the new chief of station for the CIA in the Congo five days after the country had declared its independence, the army had mutinied, and governmental authority had collapsed. As he crossed the Congo River in an almost empty ferry boat, all he could see were lines of people trying to travel the other way--out of the Congo. Within his first two weeks he found himself on the wrong end of a revolver as militiamen played Russian-roulette, Congo style, with him.
During his first year, the charismatic and reckless political leader, Patrice Lumumba, was murdered and Devlin was widely thought to have been entrusted with (he was) and to have carried out (he didn't) the assassination. Then he saved the life of Joseph Desire Mobutu, who carried out the military coup that presaged his own rise to political power. Devlin found himself at the heart of Africa, fighting for the future of perhaps the most strategically influential country on the continent, its borders shared with eight other nations. He met every significant political figure, from presidents to mercenaries, as he took the Cold War to one of the world's hottest zones. This is a classic political memoir from a master spy who lived in wildly dramatic times.
Customer Reviews:
CoS Congo.......2007-08-09
An excellent biography, discusses what happened during the Cold War in the Congo from his point of view. I found it an enjoyable read.
Exciting times.......2007-07-05
A good book giving an overall flavor of the Congo in the early 60's. It would be nice if Devlin had filled in more details however perhaps this is proscribed in his publishing agreement (I presume that he had to run this through the CIA before publishing it). You do get an idea of just what a CIA COS does to try to guide events to follow US policy. He's rather blase about the physical risks of operating in an unstable environment although maybe this is because he survived to tell the tale. I don't think that I would have my family at my side in such an environment.
Charts his many encounters and is a top pick.......2007-06-17
Author Larry Devlin arrived as the new chief of station for the CIA in the Congo five days after the country declared its independence, the army mutinied, and the government had collapsed: as he entered the country, streams of residents were fleeing. During his first year he was accused of murdering a charismatic political leader, saved the life of the man who carried out the military coup, and found himself confronting unheard-of challenges in Africa. CHIEF OF STATION, CONGO charts his many encounters and is a top pick especially recommended for college-level and military holdings strong in African culture and history.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
-.......2007-06-12
A little too general, very maddening that he left out so many details. But a necessary read for those interested in the Congo in the 60's
History Lessons.......2007-06-07
This book rewards its readers with good deal of information on a variety of subjects. It undoubtedly provides a very accurate account of the struggle of the former Belgium Congo to become a variable nation state. In the course of doing this, its author provides a plausible description of the chaotic condition of an imploding nation state and its leading political players of the period, including the controversial Patrice Lumumba and the man who turned out to be his chief rival Sese Seko Mobutu. Finally the book opens a window on how the U.S -Soviet Union Clod War rivalry played out in an newly independent African state like the Congo.
On a rather different level, Larry Devlin provides a good explanation of what a pro-active CIA Station Chief (COS) of 1960 did to earn his keep. One can carry away a good deal of information about good `tradecraft', the use of non-official cover (NOC) agents, and the vital need for a close relationship between the COS and the U.S. Ambassador. For a long period Devlin was not only COS Kinshasa (Leopoldville), but also the only CIA representative in the Congo. As a result, he discloses quite a bit about the art and craft of recruiting and maintaining `agents' in the field. Although virtually all memoirs written by former intelligence folks tend to be somewhat self-serving, from this book it is clear that Devlin really was good at his job and did his best to protect the national security interests of U.S. and equally important to help the Congolese build a viable and independent nation state. That in the end the Congo continues to be a near failed state was due to factors well beyond Devlin's control.
The problem then as now of course is that a really good CIA operative like Devlin and a really poor operatives are treated pretty much the same way by CIA. The system is really designed to homogenize everyone into the same bland blend. Also it is clear that CIA of 2007 would never allow a COS the kind of freedom of action that Devlin had in 1960.
Anyone with an interest in Africa or the CIA or both ought to find this well written and informative book fascinating.
Average customer rating:
- Marginal Mish-Mash, Annoying to the Intelligence or Digital Professional
- I am surprised that Dan Brown wrote this
- Painful
- This book was so bad it steered me away from anything else he has written...
- Good plot and exciting development
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Digital Fortress: A Thriller
Dan Brown
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The Da Vinci Code
ASIN: 0312995423
Release Date: 2003-12-30 |
Amazon.com
In most thrillers, "hardware" consists of big guns, airplanes, military vehicles, and weapons that make things explode. Dan Brown has written a thriller for those of us who like our hardware with disc drives and who rate our heroes by big brainpower rather than big firepower. It's an Internet user's spy novel where the good guys and bad guys struggle over secrets somewhat more intellectual than just where the secret formula is hidden--they have to gain understanding of what the secret formula actually is.
In this case, the secret formula is a new means of encryption, capable of changing the balance of international power. Part of the fun is that the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. You'll find yourself better understanding the political battles over such real-life technologies as the Clipper Chip and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software even though the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction.
Although there's enough globehopping in this book for James Bond, the real battleground is cyberspace, because that's where the "bomb" (or rather, the new encryption algorithm) will explode. Yes, there are a few flaws in the plot if you look too closely, but the cleverness and the sheer fun of it all more than make up for them. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and a lot of high, gee-whiz-level information about encryption, code breaking, and the role they play in international politics. Set aside the whole afternoon and evening for it and have finger food on hand for supper--you may want to read this one straight through.
Book Description
When the NSA's invincible code-breaking machine encounters a mysterious code it cannot break, the agency calls its head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant, beautiful mathematician. What she uncovers sends shock waves through the corridors of power. The NSA is being held hostage--not by guns or bombs -- but by a code so complex that if released would cripple U.S. intelligence. Caught in an accelerating tempest of secrecy and lies, Fletcher battles to save the agency she believes in. Betrayed on all sides, she finds herself fighting not only for her country but for her life, and in the end, for the life of the man she loves.
Download Description
From the author of the bestselling Da Vinci Code comes a modern cyber-thriller involving a potentially crippling computer code.
Customer Reviews:
Marginal Mish-Mash, Annoying to the Intelligence or Digital Professional.......2007-10-08
This could have been a great book, but the author chose to mix up a kludge of capabilities, fabrications, and red herrings that in the end do nothing other than irritate the intelligence or digital professional looking for a good read.
The "chapters" are 3-6 page vignettes. The book is totally out of touch with reality and I seriously question whether the author actually had help from two "anonymous" NSA employees.
NSA is cash poor--it does not pay well, all of the money goes to beltway bandits that over-charge for single-point technology solutions and outsourced butts in seats.
There is no 5 story crypto vault. Crypto is the LEAST important aspect of what NSA does--pattern analysis and finding links between specific communications devices is 80% of what they do.
NSA does not run clandestine human agents (at least not legally) and it does not do break & entry, that is done by a special CIA unit that is has been my privilege to help on multiple occasions when I was in the clandestine service.
The NSA translation capabilities are largely software, not hardware.
Navy Commanders are in their 30's and 40's, not "56" and certainly not also Deputy Directors of NSA, a flag officer position generally held by a civilian while the Director is a three-star flag officer.
Bottom line: this book is flawed on so many levels I explicitly do not recommend it to anyone, professional or casual.
A *much* better story was told by Winn Schartau in the late 1980's, see his excellent novel (more truth than fiction), Terminal Compromise. Buy it used, it is still on the mark. Other books by Winn Schwartau that are much better than this low-rent pulp are Pearl Harbor Dot Com; Cybershock: Surviving Hackers, Phreakers, Identity Thieves, Internet Terrorists and Weapons of Mass Disruption; and Information Warfare: Second Edition.
I am surprised that Dan Brown wrote this.......2007-10-07
It is unbelievable that the author od Da Vinci Code can write such a weak novel. It is based on a super computer at NSA which is challenged by an ex employee. There are too many coincidences. Who can believe that deputy director of NSA would dispatch a language professor for a super secret mission. There are technical inaccuracies about computer. It shows how a computer operations manager ignores warnings repeateadly.
If I had read this before reading Da Vinci Code, and if I hadn't heard about or seen that movie, I would not have read Da Vinci Code.
Like someone said in his comment that he read this novel only because it was by Dan Brown. That is why I finished it too.
I have Dan Brown's Deception Point next on my list, but now I am hesitant.
Painful.......2007-09-09
I will throw this book away as I simply couldn't allow anyone else to suffer through these stupid characters, literally stupid. I cannot believe the same man who wrote The Da Vinci Code has written this ridiculous novel. Susan, a 170 IQ cryptologist, can't think her way out of a paper bag. Her fiancé manages to avoid at least 6 assassination attempts as he repeatedly stumbles upon "just the person he was looking for." Not a single character is believable. The climax of the book (will hackers get access to our nation's deepest secrets as the virus eats away at the 5 firewalls???)Is stunningly pathetic. One minute and counting, and Dan Brown has the characters literally reading out loud the text of a web page rather that spitting out the necessary facts. Give me a break. The book has a great setting and premise, but the execution of the plot is so poor, I wanted to scream. My suggestion to Mr. Brown is that he take a break from writing. You have to have a lot of money in the bank; you don't need to write to pay the bills. Don't blow another great idea.
This book was so bad it steered me away from anything else he has written..........2007-08-04
I read this book a few years ago and am just now getting to a review of it, so forgive me if I don't have all the "details". When The Da Vinci Code hype was in full boil a couple of years ago I decided to read this novel to see what I thought about Dan Brown as a writer, without all of the conspiratorial "baggage" that would come with reading The Da Vinci Code. I thought it would be a fairer way to experience Dan Brown's writing "Style".
And wow does he stink!!!!!!!!!!
The characters were boring, the dialogue was forced and inane and he had the incredibly annoying "stylistic" habit of writing a sentence of dialogue in Spanish or German and then repeating again in English. Yeah this is cool when it is a word or phrase that has some emotional depth or actually moves the "plot" along! He used this "device" when someone had to use the bathroom or ordered a beer! And Dan Brown uses this "device" WAY too much, sort of like I have been using "quotation marks" WAY too much in this review. My quotation marks have gotten old and pointless haven't they? Get my point??
NOW...I am not a book snob! I love many many types of books! I love GOOD thrillers and I love classic literature. I enjoy biographies and so on and so on. The only thing I look for is if the writing is doing what it was trying to do, and if it was doing it well. Based on that criteria..Dan Brown fails with this "book".
Good plot and exciting development.......2007-06-18
The 1st novel written Dan Brown. Good plot and exciting development.
Book Description
In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that has attended the post–9/11 world, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. Candid and compelling, AT THE CENTER OF THE STORM is George Tenet's memoir of his life at the CIA –– a revelatory look at the inner workings of America's top intelligence agency and its dealings with national leaders at home and abroad.
Beginning with his installation as Director of Central Intelligence in 1997, Tenet unfolds the momentous events that led up to 9/11: his declaration of war on Al Qaeda in 1998, CIA operations inside Afghanistan, the worldwide operational plan to fight terror, his warnings to White House officials in the spring and summer of 2001, and the plan for a response laid down just six days after the attack.
In his gripping narration of the run–up to the war in Iraq, Tenet provides fresh insights and background, including a privileged account of how the famous "sixteen words" made it into the President's State of the Union speech, the real context of his own now–famous "slam–dunk" comment, and the CIA's views of the rise of an Iraqi insurgency.
Finally, in addition to the backstage story of the headline events, Tenet will offer his thoughts on the future of U.S. intelligence and its role in foreign–policy decisions, setting forth an informed plan for how we can forge a more secure world.
Customer Reviews:
Conspicuous Omission.......2007-10-01
It is an interesting point of view but there are some serious omissions and denials that make the story incredulous. Although the CIA had a complete failure on the WMD's in Iraq, Mr. Tenant fails to understand why his intelligence agency was not fully listened to in Iraq. Secondly, he fails and or doesn't bother to explain why they had absolutely no inside people or intel in Iraq or for how many years this was the case.
Mr. Tenant also claims that many of the leaks of the NSE papers were done because either people felt that they needed the information known to improve the situation in Iraq or because the people felt they were being ignored and the purpose was not political. He further states it was not the people from his office leaking the reports. He does not say there are people who wish to damage the administration and leaked the reports to do so. Either he is a liar or he was to stupid to lead the CIA. He appears to be a very bright man.
Mr. Tenant fails to even address the press reporting and the senators and congressman who continue to call for us to withdrawl and the effects that this has on the war. Mr. Tenant talks about the funding in Iraq but fails again to address the fact that when 2100 professionals were requested to train Iraqi police, the congress and the senate funded 800. All of these things were by his account, policy failures of the current administration and he never mentions those in our government actively working against our country in Iraq such as Dennis Kucinich.
Mr. Tenant makes no attempt at all in addressing the people in our own country that are working against us. Leaking our banking pursuits against terrorists or other programs. What he really fails to do is explain how programs, only known by his people got leaked to the press. Then makes the statement that leaks were not coming from his office. However, he and his people know they can leak a program to a senator and a congressman. That senator or congressman can then go on national news and leak the program and then Tenant can claim "his" people didn't leak it.
He talks about the Joe Wilson case but fails to explain why someone so unqualified for the job was sent in the first place. Secondly, why did this person not sign or agree to nondisclosure as normally would be done? Why did this scenario come to pass and how many more like it are there? Who okayed the moron to go and who paid any price for sending him? This is a minor gaff or bad trade craft. It was stupid and bad business. He omitted any kind of explanation on how something like this happened and he didn't have the curiosity to find out how many more things like this have happened. The purely political after math of this was his agencies fault. Why did he not come out and talk publicly about Joe Wilson's failure to follow CIA practices? After all he was working for them.
In the Afterward he talks about the need to form policies to fight against terrorism, yet doesn't talk about how politics have damaged our war effort. He talks about the old canard about western democracy versus middle eastern democracy. He sites our lack of engagement with the Palestinians. The problem is the middle east will point anywhere else but at themselves as a cause of the problem. They will use Palestine, the condition in a country they are not part of to justify leaving negotiations when they don't feel like talking. Saying that not settling a problem that hasn't been settled in close to 60 years is a center piece will always lead to failure. If he doesn't recognize it, that is what the rest of the middle east wants. What does the Palestinian problem have to do with Thailand or the Phillipines? There is muslim terrorism there as well. As far as domestic spying goes, we have people actively fighting it. They find people to leak the programs that were in his building. Politics do effect spying. He seems to dance around the obvious.
He had many conspicuous omissions from his analysis.
An Intelligence Chief Speaks Out.......2007-09-24
This is a valuable book and an unprecedented account by a Director of the CIA. Tenet's tenure, with its overriding focus on the threat of terrorism, bridged both the Clinton and George W. Bush presidencies. Tenet is not kind to many in the Bush administration, particularly Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Feith, Cheney, and Libbey, whom he accuses of cherry picking intelligence and asserting as fact statements that could not be backed up in their determination to justify a war with Iraq, but does not criticize the President. In the face of so many controversies and White House efforts to put the blame on intelligence for the Administration's policy errors, the book is at times inevitably defensive in tone, but this does not detract from a remarkable account full of considerable detail on matters not usually revealed in public. The "afterword" at the end makes it clear that, in Tenet's view, the war on Iraq was launched with total failure to heed warnings about the problems of winning the peace or making any real preparation therefor. For the future this account is an important reminder of both the importance and limitations of intelligence and the necessity always to "speak truth to power."
Insights from the oblivious George Tenet.......2007-09-21
Tenet comes across remarkably unaware of the world around him, while simultaneously revealing intriguing conversations within the halls of our government. The fatal flaw of the book is the utter failure to recognize his own shortcomings or failures under his watch. He does so artfully though, simultaneously projecting an air of humility while really being quite blind to any failings. In the end, it projects a tone of "aw, shucks, I guess I really was pretty smart" which just doesn't jibe with the reality of the recently disclosed 2005 report from the CIA inspector general that outlines many of the CIA's failings under Tenet's leadership. This is a painful read (to see a guy so clueless and without any sense of self-awareness), but compelling enough to finish (to understand some of the mechanics of how we got ourselves into this mess).
Better than expected........2007-09-12
"Poor George", but this George wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. After reading what he had to say, I acquired a bit more respect for him than I had gotten from the media. George Tenet was in a tough job, made no easier by the White House and its coterie of yes-men around the other George. If the president wanted this man to be Director of Central Intelligence, he should have let him do his job, which was to oversee the collection and analysis of intelligence, not babysit the Israelis and Palestinians during interminable peace talks that eventually went nowhere. The Israelis and Palestinians are hell-bent on killing each other over their scrap of land---that's what Tenet needed to tell the president, not sit in while they pretended to negotiate. Tenet made too many trips to various places, particularly the Middle East; he should have been at Langley working. Even so, one has to give the guy credit for stamina. Tenet is very careful in this book to not directly criticize George Bush. Towards the end, particularly in the Afterword, criticism of Bush's policies, but not Bush himself, becomes more noticeable. After all, Bush invited Tenet's son to the White House for a private talk to assure the boy that he wasn't "mad" at him for being the purported reason his father resigned his job. Criticism of Vice President Dick Cheney, and several others such as Scooter Libby, is obvious. Tenet obviously thinks less of some of Cheney's doings that those of his boss. On the whole, this is a well-written and well-balanced book, and much better than expected.
cdp man.......2007-09-10
I found this very interesting and provided a background knowledge of events that were transpiring right under our nose. Although I believe a lot of fact, there was too much justifying, but that may have been necessary to cope with a very difficult time and responsibility.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific.......2006-03-22
The Master The Police Officer Exam does an excellent job. The tests are very helpful!
In a class of its own .......2005-10-22
I closely scrutinized a half dozen cop test prep books and purchased another besides this one. 'Master the Police Officer Exam' is significantly above the others. Its greatest strength is that it seems to be written by someone who knows specifically about cop tests- not just tests in general. There is above and beyond detailed information not just on the many aspects and types of written exams, but also the different video tests. In addition, its many practice tests are authentic and are from different sources (NYPD and NCJOSI).
Book Description
Updated to reflect the most recent exams given across North America, this test prep manual presents four full-length practice exams with all questions answered and fully explained. Tests include two that were actually given by the New York City Police Department. Brand-new in this edition is a completely new diagnostic exam. It contains the latest question types found on recent police entry-level exams and guides candidates in quickly directing and focusing their study efforts. Other helpful features include instruction on writing police reports, advice on making the right impression at an admissions interview, an overview of police officers' responsibilities, and additional practice questions with answers, which follow in-depth explanations of each question type normally found on official police officer exams.
Customer Reviews:
Barron's police officer exam booklet.......2007-09-06
Since buying this book I have taken 2 test for law enforcement/security postitions. Before the test I was able to read about 60 percent of the book and take a few of the practice test. I certainly felt more prepared having the book even though I only passed one test with flying colors.
From my own personal experience I did not recieve any memory questions, which I had practiced for using this book. I also found that there were a decent amount of spelling and grammar questions, and this book doesn't seem to have any grammar practice questions.
Recently I just purchased Barron's Correction officer exam practice booklet. While the book and questions are very similar, the correctional book will help with your grammar.
If your new to these test or if you want to brush up on the basics, then purchase one of Barron's booklets. I passed a test for one of best police force in the country and I owe some credit to this book.
Police Exam Book.......2007-05-09
This book has helped me with what to expect on the police exam. If I didn't purchase it, then I would have no assitance on being prepared for the exam.
Very Good.......2007-04-11
This book has very good information for those who wants to take the Criminal Justice Basic Ability test.
Item not received.......2007-01-09
This item was purchased on October 18, and was not received. My money was refunded.
Excellant.......2004-09-01
I wanted to prepare as much as possible when it comes to becoming a cop. I had got this book because I wanted to learn more and know what I would be getting in an exam. When I flipped through this manual I was in total shock. I have never seen or read so much detailed information in my life. You can't go wrong with this book.
They help you understand police forms, legal definitions, preparation for oral exams, writing reports, how to take tests, police procedures and so on. This book isn't just about the exams. This book actually briefs you on becoming a cop and some of the things that you're gona come across or have to face. I got way more than I paid for.
This book is pretty cheap for so much information.
Book Description
This book provides an overview of patrol procedures with an emphasis on dealing with the public. The unique format maximizes learning potential by offering readers interactive, scenario-based training
Customer Reviews:
A Good Book, Only if you want the basics........2007-03-08
I Really liked this book, it explained pretty much everything there is to explain. It also includes interactive scnearios which work better if you are in a class, or a group setting. The only thing about it I wanted more of was Details, I expected it to be in depth but all it did was basiclly scratch the surface. But its still Good.
Good Reading For New Or Future Cops.......2005-03-15
I am a graduate of a criminal justice program and was recently was hired by a small city department and expect to head off to the academy soon. I came across this book and decided to buy a copy to further prepare myself for the job. Given my interest in law enforcement I found it very interesting and I think it will be a good preparation for both what I will learn "hands-on" at the academy and what I will actually face as a police officer. Each chapter talks about a part of the police officer's job like responding to alarms, filing reports, and dealing with the community. A large section of the book is dedicated to traffic stops and related situations, such as searches, sobriety tests, etc., which I thought was good because it is what a lot of officers do in most parts of the country. For each topic, there are several scenarios with questions asking what you would do. Theses are probably meant for a criminal justice class with others to discuss answers with, but even on my own I thought they were fun to read and a way of envisioning what I would do the first time I face something similar. Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to be or is going to be a police officer. It offers a good look at what situations officers really face and the scenarios even give you a preview of the important decisions officers have to make every day.
Book Description
Cutting-edge insight from the leader in trading technology
In Cybernetic Analysis for Stocks and Futures, noted technical analyst John Ehlers continues to enlighten readers on the art of predicting the market based on tested systems. With application of his engineering expertise, Ehlers explains the latest, most advanced techniques that help traders predict stock and futures markets with surgical precision. Unique new indicators and automatic trading systems are described in text as well as Easy Language and EFS code. The approaches are universal and robust enough to be applied to a full range of market conditions.
John F. Ehlers (Santa Barbara, CA) is President of MESA Software (www.mesasoftware.com) and has also written Rocket Science for Traders (0-471-40567-1) as well as numerous articles for Futures and Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities magazines.
Download Description
Cutting-edge insight from the leader in trading technology
In Cybernetic Analysis for Stocks and Futures, noted technical analyst John Ehlers continues to enlighten readers on the art of predicting the market based on tested systems. With application of his engineering expertise, Ehlers explains the latest, most advanced techniques that help traders predict stock and futures markets with surgical precision. Unique new indicators and automatic trading systems are described in text as well as Easy Language and EFS code. The approaches are universal and robust enough to be applied to a full range of market conditions.
John F. Ehlers (Santa Barbara, CA) is President of MESA Software (www.mesasoftware.com) and has also written Rocket Science for Traders (0-471-40567-1) as well as numerous articles for Futures and Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities magazines.
Customer Reviews:
Excellente product!.......2007-02-16
This is a book clear and very easy to read, for me as physics research, and to my development is very useful.
Strongly recommended.
Brain Surgeons Can't Trade Stocks Like Ehlers Can.......2006-07-01
John Ehlers newest title is sure to make even the brightest of brain surgeons quiver for fear of closing the renal artery prior to completing the operation. Other reviewers may diss this author but his latest book truly reaches for the stars and makes it. The chapters while short, are to the point and exquisitely illustrate the concept being taught. If you are new to trading systems the shortness of the explanations may be too short but for experienced traders and developers of trading systems they are long enough.
Aspects of many indicators are reviewed with fresh insight added for several new systems not talked about in print before. Removing the lag is the traders dream. Many of the indicators shown do work although errata in the code does spoil some of the implementations given. Ehlers has provided for the keener updates on his website that corrects the mistakes, kudos here for doing the right thing.
Overall Ehlers has done it again and this book should be a staple in any traders library. As for the wannabees wanting all the answers and sure fire methods, choose brain surgery as your career option. No one said trading would be easy but Ehlers has given more toolsets that a successful trader can use in a concise to the point book.
Excellent and a must if you desire to succeed.......2005-09-13
I have been trading for nearly 10 years now and have spent countless amount of time and money on books, systems, software and must say this the best book I have come across. With little creativity one can easy adopt ideas from this book to come up with a profitable mechanical system.
Holy Grail has failed.......2005-08-31
The computerization and digital signal processing development let improve classical indicators essentially due to application of modern methods of information processing to prices. Indicators began to smooth better and to delay less. However . First, the prices are non stationary, i.e. the characteristics of filters are varied during the time. Second, as different from technical problems, the kind of a signal and noise distributions for the price are unknown, i.e. nobody know what to filter actually. Third, being filtered by means of Fourier and similar methods prices change the previous values to the addition of the new data: we receive ideal trends under a history data but we can only trade them from right hand to left hand.
Fourier transformation is based on representation of initial series by the infinite sum of sinusoids with a various phase, amplitude and frequency. Recently wavelet transformations was widely adopted in various areas of data processing in which initial series are represented as the sum of some locally defined functions named wavelets. They are constructed by shifting and vertical and horizontal scaling of certain the prototype function. Wavelet transformation, in essence, is fractal that allows the effective using it in the technical analysis. First, it allows to carry out the multiscale analysis of prices, objectively identify trends on various scales by duration and amplitude, separate traders to various groups: scalpers, day traders, swing traders, position traders and long-term investors. The multiscale analysis can be interpreted as the analysis on various time frames. Second, it allows determine noise as the insufficient for reception of the profit amplitude and frequency movement of the prices that effectively allows filter the price series simply subtracting the lowest scale wavelets from it. Third, the additional filtration of white noise without delay is possible. Fourth, long-term trends are defined objectively. Fifth, wavelets do not contain optimized parameters in construct to standard indicators. Sixth, the used wavelets type is adapted to deal with the time ordered data and does not distorted on the last price values. Seventh, the used wavelet transformation is very effective computationally that allows use it in real time for the large massives of tick data. Eighth, it is effective to use wavelets as input data for neural networks and other methods of forecasting and recognition.
John Ehlers Does It Again.......2005-08-21
John Ehlers new book covers much of the same ground but goes beyond his previous book Rocket Science for Traders. Again the reader is given the explanations and theory for his indicators, smoothers and systems along with the Easy Language code for use in the Tradestation platform.
These indicators can be used as presented or can be easily adapted and combined with countless other indicators that a trader may currently be using. Certainly, the goal of any trader is to identify market tops or bottoms or at least to determine if markets are trending, behaving cyclically or entering a period of sideways or volatile movement. These indicators, alone or combined with others, can help one achieve that goal.
The reviewers of his previous book that had negative comments I believe, for the most part, missed the point entirely as it concerns John Ehlers subject matter and style. Hence, I am concerned that they will also make the same mistake when considering this book. Some believed the analysis was sophmoric while others were concerned with advanced theoretical questions concerning the mathematics presented. Since traders come from all backgrounds books like these need to be written to appeal to as many of them as possible. An electrical engineer will understand the concepts and why they might apply to equity and commodity markets and then can make any changes he/she sees fit with the code. Other readers that understand the problems with trading in trending vs non-trending markets can skip the DSP discussions and immediately use the indicators presented or use the code that determines cycle length to make their own indicators much more responsive to market conditions. Theoretical arguments aside, even the simple indictors included in this book take one way beyond the world of simple moving averages and stationary stochastics.
If nothing more, anyone burning the midnight oil searching for a way to beat the markets will be given endless, state-of-the-art ideas to keep him busy for a long time.
Customer Reviews:
Officers' Guide.......2007-06-27
I have been using the 3rd edition since 1972. The 6th edition by Lieutenant Colonel Estes is a tremendous improvement though Chapter 22 Marine Corps Social Life is still antiquated and reeks of the 19th Century. I did not observe the use of calling cards once in my thirty year career.
Marine Officer's Guide.......2005-09-22
I accepted my commission this summer and found this book helpful because it addressed some of the customs and history of the United States Marine Corps all in one location. The book is well organized and each chapter can be read on its own. Good overview of the basics. The history portion is superficial. I'm wondering if a more recent edition should be available since this book is several years old.
Yes.......2004-12-24
First Off i am going to go to the Naval Academy, and i will stop at nothing to get accepted. I hope that by having read this book, i will be more prepared to go to annapolis and eventually become an officer in the marines. This book answers everything i could have asked and more. In summary, if you have big goals, this book will help you achieve them.
A great tool for non-Marines, too........2000-11-14
I imagine this book to be an invaluable resource for serving USMC officers, whether fresh out of The Basic School or with many years of service. But it has another use too: as a guide to the Corps for future Marines, and for non-Marines like me.
At first blush, much of the information in this book may seem obscure or even irrelevant for people not making a career in the Marine Corps: information about personnel folders and fitness reports, how to apply for and receive transit insurance, or how to render salutes when small boats pass close aboard. But even in these details, a sense of what it means to be a Marine comes through loud and clear.
For a non-Marine, the real value of this volume lies in two areas: (1) its explanations of the history and traditions of the Corps (Marines are often said to be the most history-conscious of all the services), and (2) the explanation of the role the Corps plays in America's military machine, including how the Corps is structured, trained, stationed, and led.
Non-Marines can also find much merit in the sections on the attributes of a leader, dealing with subordinates, the useful, if somewhat brief, bibliography, and the glossary of common USMC terms and slang.
If you are, or plan to be, a Marine officer, absolutely read this book.
If you're not a Marine, but are interested in the Corps, its history or its present functions, I recommend this guide very highly.
At one point, the author quotes General John A. Lejeune: 'The future success of the Marine Corps depends on two factors: first, an efficient performance of all the duties to which its officers and men may be assigned; second, promptly bringing this efficiency to the attention of the proper officials of the Government, and the American people.' LtCol Estes admirably succeeds in 'bringing this efficiency to the proper attention' of any civilian interested enough in the Corps to pick up this most valuable book.
If you are or are going to become a Marine Officer, get this.......2000-01-31
This book which is written by retired Lt. Col. Kenneth W. Estes(who also wrote the Handbook for Marine NCOs)is filled with things officers should know. I am sure some of the stuff is taught at OCS and TBS, but some probably isn't. Has chapters like History, Traditions, Bases and Stations, Pay, Sea Service, Marine Corps Reserve, Leadership, Arriving at Your First Assignment, Personal Administration and Affairs, Social Life, Military Justice, and others. Its hardcover, and just shy of 500 pages. I personally liked the section that describes your typical career pattern as an officer.
Amazon.com
John Perkins started and stopped writing Confessions of an Economic Hit Man four times over 20 years. He says he was threatened and bribed in an effort to kill the project, but after 9/11 he finally decided to go through with this expose of his former professional life. Perkins, a former chief economist at Boston strategic-consulting firm Chas. T. Main, says he was an "economic hit man" for 10 years, helping U.S. intelligence agencies and multinationals cajole and blackmail foreign leaders into serving U.S. foreign policy and awarding lucrative contracts to American business. "Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars," Perkins writes. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is an extraordinary and gripping tale of intrigue and dark machinations. Think John Le Carré, except it's a true story.
Perkins writes that his economic projections cooked the books Enron-style to convince foreign governments to accept billions of dollars of loans from the World Bank and other institutions to build dams, airports, electric grids, and other infrastructure he knew they couldn't afford. The loans were given on condition that construction and engineering contracts went to U.S. companies. Often, the money would simply be transferred from one bank account in Washington, D.C., to another one in New York or San Francisco. The deals were smoothed over with bribes for foreign officials, but it was the taxpayers in the foreign countries who had to pay back the loans. When their governments couldn't do so, as was often the case, the U.S. or its henchmen at the World Bank or International Monetary Fund would step in and essentially place the country in trusteeship, dictating everything from its spending budget to security agreements and even its United Nations votes. It was, Perkins writes, a clever way for the U.S. to expand its "empire" at the expense of Third World citizens. While at times he seems a little overly focused on conspiracies, perhaps that's not surprising considering the life he's led. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man reveals a game that, according to John Perkins, is "as old as Empire" but has taken on new and terrifying dimensions in an era of globalization. And Perkins should know. For many years he worked for an international consulting firm where his main job was to convince LDCs (less developed countries) around the world to accept multibillion-dollar loans for infrastructure projects and to see to it that most of this money ended up at Halliburton, Bechtel, Brown and Root, and other United States engineering and construction companies. This book, which many people warned Perkins not to write, is a blistering attack on a little-known phenomenon that has had dire consequences on both the victimized countries and the U.S.
Customer Reviews:
The Hit Man Takes Hits.......2007-10-08
I was loaned this book by a friend who believes the world is controlled by a conspiratorial group whose goal is world domination through a one-world government. Therefore, I was fully prepared to write off Perkin's story as just another conspiracy theory. But, in deference to my friend (with whose theories I DO NOT agree), I read it.
Surprisingly, I found I could not put the book down. For me, Perkin's revelations were like having an insider's guide to a difficult jigsaw puzzle, one where I had many of the pieces but was having trouble seeing how they fit together.
There have already been enough reviews written about this book and its contents. I will focus on what I can add by way of my own personal experiences. Incidentally, this book is definitely NOT a conspiracy theory, as the author makes clear.
Since 1995, I have been cruising fulltime on my sailboat, visiting many countries south of the border. My travels include spending many months (in some cases, years) in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Bonaire, the Dominican Republic, etc. I'm presently spending six months in Venezuela. I don't hesitate to claim that I've learned much more about these countries and their peoples than the average U.S. citizen. I don't stay in insulated tourist hotels and resorts, but much prefer to mingle with the locals, playing music on guitar and talking politics. (BTW, knowing how to play guitar will buy infinitely more good will among the common people of Latin America than all the Gringo dollars you can carry.)
As far as Perkin's descriptions of events in the countries I've visited, I found him to be 100% credible; e.g., the unilateral invasion of Panama by the U.S., the role of United Fruit in the Latin countries, the devastating effects of U.S. big oil interests in Venezuela and Ecuador, his account of the ascendency of Hugo Chavez, the explanations of why and how Torrijos, Roldos and Allende met their untimely ends. Perkin's accounts of such things may be new and surprising to U.S. readers, but they are completely accurate and well-known facts among Latins.
Having for a long time been a serious student of world history, I can also find nothing incorrect about Perkin's accounts of events in other parts of the world. In my opinion, this is a very important book. It should be made required reading at every high school in the U.S. Then we might have a chance of producing a new generation of U.S. citizens whose heads are not buried in the sand and who might stand some chance of reaching valid conclusions, DESPITE their incessant exposure to the U.S. mass media, about how the rest of the world lives and thinks.
If you are considering buying this book, read the five-star reviews. Most importantly, don't be intimidated by the caustic language and attempts at character assassination evident in many of the negative reviews. It shouldn't require much of your critical thinking skills to see that most of those reviews are nothing more than irrational, vindictive mud-slinging by right-wing fanatics. The mere fact that there are so many virulent condemnations of the book, the author, and his message, should alone be enough to stimulate your interest.
In sum, Perkins is entirely credible, the book is sufficiently documented, and his story is important for an understanding of the political realities surrounding "globalization" and the role of U.S. mega-corporations in that effort. It was also very well-written. I couldn't recommend any book more highly.
A human story about change of heart, not just economics.......2007-10-02
John Perkins, a man who has written mostly about his experiences with shamanism and only eluded to his "dark side", now comes clean in this eye-opening expose of how real people are paid to destroy countries economies in order to create wealth for the elite. But more than anything, this book for me is about one man's conversion experience - from selling his soul to the highest bidder (even while studying with indigenous shamans) to facing the human and environmental consequences of his actions. Eventually, he changed his life and stepped into the full potential of his heart.
Despite the harsh reality Perkin's truth-telling offers, this book is inspirational in that it proves that anyone can change from a life of greed and domination to one of kindness and compassion. I highly recommend his previous books (such as Shapeshifting) which speak to his spiritual awakenings and the role of indigenous people's teachings in leaving the Hit Man life behind.
Viewing America's Global Empire from the Trenches.......2007-10-01
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man presents the experiences of John Perkins, while working as an Economic Hit Man (EHM)- although he was officially titled as an economist, essentially cheerleading foreign loans to third world countires as a means of economic development, although as Perkins claims, is was expected that the third world nations would never actually achieve the growth levels to allow them to pay off the loans.
All of this was done to both line the pockets of multi-national construction firms, primarily U.S.-based, as well as lead to the expansion of the United States "Global Empire".
While I find Perkins' writing a bit preachy, and his views somewhat a "holier-than thou" attitude, as it comes to his statements that he foresaw the ramifications of his work "doctoring" economic forecasts, the book is an interesting book that did make me consider a number of events on the international stage that I had previously considered chance happenings.
I think the time spent reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, is time well spent.
Self-Serving Drivel.......2007-09-25
Perkins was an economic hit man, acting as a consultant who helped strong arm less developed countries into being saddled with debt they would be unable to pay. This strategy enriches American companies, and makes indebted countries obligated to serve US interests. In doing so, poor people become more impoverished, sensitive ecosystems are destroyed, and future generations suffer.
All the while Perkins created inflated economic forecasts to justify irresponsible lending by the World Bank and other financial behemoths, he claims to have felt guilty. Guilty all the way to his bank...
To assuage his guilt, he tries to equate how the general population benefits from lower prices based upon the work he has done, making us all his moral equivalent.
[...]
Perkins has a story to tell. His constant whining about his feelings, while getting richer and taking bribes throughout many decades, sickens me.
He should tell his story, and let his actions speak for his feelings. [...]
Economic hit man.......2007-09-21
The book starts out with speciifc strong facts. However, towards the end it becomes significantly weaker and less convincing. Overall wothwhile reading, as long as you do not believe every word.
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