Bored Bookworm | Security

Building a simple but powerful recommendation system is much easier than you think. This report explains innovations that make machine learning practical for business production settings—and demonstrates how even a small-scale development team can design an effective large-scale recommender. The style of the report makes this subject approachable for all levels of expertise.

Authors Ted Dunning and Ellen Friedman walk you through a design that relies on "careful simplification." You’ll learn how to collect the right data, analyze it with an algorithm from the Apache Mahout library, and then easily deploy the recommender using search technology with Apache Solr. This powerful and effective combination is efficient: it does learning offline and delivers rapid response recommendations in real time.

• Understand the tradeoffs between simple and complex recommenders
• Collect user data that tracks user actions—rather than their ratings
• Predict what a user wants based on behavior by others, using Mahout for co-occurrence analysis
• Use Solr to offer recommendations in real time, complete with item metadata
• Watch the recommender in action with a music service example
• Improve your recommender with dithering, multimodal recommendation, and other techniques

"It’s our thesis that privacy will be an integral part
of the next wave in the technology revolution and that innovators who are
emphasizing privacy as an integral part of the product life cycle are on the
right track." --The authors of The Privacy Engineer's Manifesto

The Privacy Engineer's Manifesto: Getting from Policy to
Code to QA to Value is the first book of its kind, offering industry-proven
solutions that go beyond mere theory and adding lucid perspectives on the
challenges and opportunities raised with the emerging “personal” information economy.

The authors, a uniquely skilled team of longtime industry
experts, detail how you can build privacy into products, processes,
applications, and systems.  The book
offers insight on translating the guiding light of OECD Privacy Guidelines, the
Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs), Generally Accepted Privacy
Principles (GAPP) and Privacy by Design (PbD) into concrete concepts that
organizations, software/hardware engineers, and system administrators/owners can
understand and apply throughout the product or process life cycle—regardless of
development methodology—from inception to retirement, including data deletion
and destruction.

In addition to providing practical methods to applying privacy
engineering methodologies, the authors detail how to prepare and
organize an enterprise or organization to support and manage products, process,
systems, and applications that require personal information. The authors also address how to
think about and assign value to the personal information assets being
protected.  Finally, the team of experts offers thoughts about the information revolution that has only just begun, and how we
can live in a world of sensors and trillions of data points without losing our
ethics or value(s).... and even have a little fun.

The Privacy Engineer's Manifesto is designed to serve
multiple stakeholders: Anyone who is involved in designing, developing,
deploying and reviewing products, processes, applications, and systems that
process personal information, including software/hardware engineers, technical
program and product managers, support and sales engineers, system integrators,
IT professionals, lawyers, and information privacy and security professionals.  This book is a must-read for
all practitioners in the personal information economy.

Privacy will be an integral part of the next wave in the
technology revolution; innovators who emphasize privacy as an integral
part of the product life cycle are on the right track.

Foreword by Dr. Eric Bonabeau, PhD, Chairman, Icosystem,
Inc. & Dean of Computational Sciences, Minerva Schools at KGI.

•     What's at stake as
  concerns data privacy become critical considerations for users, developers, and
  enterprise stakeholders
•     Comprehensive
  foundational understanding of the issues and how they are interconnected
•     What the emerging
  job description of "privacy engineer" means
•     Key development
  models for privacy architecture
•     How to assemble an
  engineering privacy tool box (including developing privacy use cases and
  requirements
•     Organizational
  design implications of privacy engineering
•     Quality Assurance (QA)
  methodologies for privacy policy compliance
•     Models for valuing
  data
•     The 10-point
  Manifesto of the Privacy Engineer

She’s a challenge he can’t resist.

Hollywood heartthrob Zachary Hunter loves women—as long as they don’t want more than a little fun in the bedroom. When his most recent movie stirs up the wrong kind of attention, the kind that includes an attempt on his life, he hires a friend’s company to locate the threat. The pint-sized redhead assigned to protect him isn’t what he expects—or wants. Worse, he can’t take his eyes off of her.

After ten years in the army, Danielle Sinclair knows how to handle men. With a new security gig to pass the time until she’s cleared to return to the military, she’s figures her sexy new client will be easy to manage. And then he opens his gorgeous mouth, and she can’t decide whether to kiss him or kill him. His sex appeal may tempt her into his bed, but his sexist attitude is unbearable, and she’s going to make him eat every single word…

Philanthropy has long been a distinctive feature of American culture, but its crucial role in the economic well-being of the nation--and the world--has remained largely unexplored. Why Philanthropy Matters takes an in-depth look at philanthropy as an underappreciated force in capitalism, measures its critical influence on the free-market system, and demonstrates how American philanthropy could serve as a model for the productive reinvestment of wealth in other countries. Factoring in philanthropic cycles that help balance the economy, Zoltan Acs offers a richer picture of capitalism, and a more accurate backdrop for considering policies that would promote the capitalist system for the good of all.

Examining the dynamics of American-style capitalism since the eighteenth century, Acs argues that philanthropy achieves three critical outcomes. It deals with the question of what to do with wealth--keep it, tax it, or give it away. It complements government in creating public goods. And, by focusing on education, science, and medicine, philanthropy has a positive effect on economic growth and productivity. Acs describes how individuals such as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey have used their wealth to establish institutions and promote knowledge, and Acs shows how philanthropy has given an edge to capitalism by promoting vital forces--like university research--necessary for technological innovation, economic equality, and economic security. Philanthropy also serves as a guide for countries with less flexible capitalist institutions, and Acs makes the case for a larger, global philanthropic culture.

Providing a new perspective on the development of capitalism, Why Philanthropy Matters highlights philanthropy's critical links to the economic progress, health, and future of the United States--and beyond.

I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.

Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.

Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs...

112,000 words

• This is Episode One (of Six) in Season One. This Episode sets the stage for the rest of the Season and is approximately 30,000 words. The remaining Episodes average 19,000 words each. 
• Season One is written in a television-style format, with cliffhangers at the end of each Episode.
• This is a work of fiction, but real Disneyland facts and history have been integrated into the story.
• Go back in time and sit with Walt Disney in his Fire Station Apartment. Listen to his plans and vision for the Park. 
• Experience what it's like to live in the luxurious El Capitan Suite at the Grand Californian Hotel.
• Follow Jack and his kids as they stay in the exclusive Dream Suite, and host Johnny Depp in Club 33.
• Our readers claim that this story adds a new dimension to their trips to Disneyland.
• Dig deep into the historical inclusion of the "Gentleman Pirate" Jean Lafitte into Disneyland Park.
• This one-of-a-kind series will immerse you in the magic of Disneyland, keep you on your toes, and captivate you with Disneyland history and trivia. 
• CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR THE SERIES HERE: youtu.be/RqqjH0nHTMo
• Contains brief violence, but no profanity, parental discretion is advised (13 or above recommended)
• This is NOT a Disney product and Kelly Johns has no affiliation with the Walt Disney Company.

In May 2013, Glenn Greenwald set out for Hong Kong to meet an anonymous source who claimed to have astonishing evidence of pervasive government spying and insisted on communicating only through heavily encrypted channels. That source turned out to be the 29-year-old NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and his revelations about the agency’s widespread, systemic overreach proved to be some of the most explosive and consequential news in recent history, triggering a fierce debate over national security and information privacy. As the arguments rage on and the government considers various proposals for reform, it is clear that we have yet to see the full impact of Snowden’s disclosures.

Now for the first time, Greenwald fits all the pieces together, recounting his high-intensity ten-day trip to Hong Kong, examining the broader implications of the surveillance detailed in his reporting for The Guardian, and revealing fresh information on the NSA’s unprecedented abuse of power with never-before-seen documents entrusted to him by Snowden himself.

Going beyond NSA specifics, Greenwald also takes on the establishment media, excoriating their habitual avoidance of adversarial reporting on the government and their failure to serve the interests of the people. Finally, he asks what it means both for individuals and for a nation’s political health when a government pries so invasively into the private lives of its citizens—and considers what safeguards and forms of oversight are necessary to protect democracy in the digital age. Coming at a landmark moment in American history, No Place to Hide is a fearless, incisive, and essential contribution to our understanding of the U.S. surveillance state.

Trapped and tempted, this battle of wills rages all night long…

Kady Dresco and Colton Brooks click on a level that defies logic. There are only two problems. One, he’s her older brother’s irritating best friend, and two, they're bidding on the same military security services contract.

When the competition heats up, Colton is torn between wanting to strangle Kady (and her annoying brilliance) and kissing her into submission. Which is a bad idea for a million reasons, because Kady’s submission is exactly what he craves. Being trapped in a tiny motel room with the object of his darkest fantasies will require every ounce of his restraint.

Kady doesn’t want his restraint, but Colton knows better. She deserves love, marriage, and a white picket fence—three things Colton can’t give her. But her proximity and the memory of their steamy near-miss three years ago slowly destroys his resolve. And he’s not sure how much longer he can keep his hands off…or his heart closed.

Love's his only mission 

After a series of dating disasters, Tiffany Gentry isn't ready to risk her heart again. Just when she decides it's safer to stay single, the Chicago boutique owner meets Colonel Ivan Mangum. The gorgeous military hero is an expert in security. Yet Tiffany has no defense against Ivan's sensual maneuvers…. 

Ivan knows that Tiffany should stop looking for Mr. Right—she has already found him! From romantic city nights to a passionate tryst at his mountain retreat, Ivan uses every seductive weapon in his arsenal to prove he's her true soul mate. But when their future together is threatened, will this soldier find a way to turn his dream of love into a mission possible?

• the United States
• Singapore
• Canada
• the European Union
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Germany

• how to best plan for citizen use of e-government
• how countries have avoided waste and unnecessary spending
• how e-government can move forward by using optimal planning and previous experiences
• what citizens expect of e-government in countries around the globe
• the realities, the latest initiatives, and the future of e-government in America, Europe, and elsewhere

Internationally bestselling novelist and American icon Tom Robbins delivers the long awaited tale of his wild life and times, both at home and around the globe.

Tom Robbins’ warm, wise, and wonderfully weird novels—including Still Life With Woodpecker, Jitterbug Perfume, and Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates—provide an entryway into the frontier of his singular imagination. Madcap but sincere, pulsating with strong social and philosophical undercurrents, his irreverent classics have introduced countless readers to natural born hitchhiking cowgirls, born-again monkeys, a philosophizing can of beans, exiled royalty, and problematic redheads.

In Tibetan Peach Pie, Robbins turns that unparalleled literary sensibility inward, stitching together stories of his unconventional life, from his Appalachian childhood to his globetrotting adventures —told in his unique voice that combines the sweet and sly, the spiritual and earthy. The grandchild of Baptist preachers, Robbins would become over the course of half a century a poet-interruptus, an air force weatherman, a radio dj, an art-critic-turned-psychedelic-journeyman, a world-famous novelist, and a counter-culture hero, leading a life as unlikely, magical, and bizarre as those of his quixotic characters.

Robbins offers intimate snapshots of Appalachia during the Great Depression, the West Coast during the Sixties psychedelic revolution, international roving before homeland security monitored our travels, and New York publishing when it still relied on trees. Written with the big-hearted comedy and mesmerizing linguistic invention for which he is known, Tibetan Peach Pie is an invitation into the private world of a literary legend.

When a grown-up tells you not to worry, you had better start—first rule of thumb, Sallee Mackey, age seven. She is already more than a little bit wary of the adults in her Jim Crow era, Southern world with good reason. Sallee’s mother Ginny is flat out dangerous; her father Joe is on his way out the door; and Mr. Dabney the bigoted neighbor seems to be just a little too interested with the goings on at Sallee’s house—like he knows something no one else does. The only adult to be trusted is Ethel, the family maid, who has known Sallee’s mother since Ethel and Ginny were both girls.

That complicated relationship started the day Ethel spied Ginny kissing the black stable boy years ago. While Ginny has conveniently forgotten that she even knew Ethel back then, Sallee has not as she constantly lobs questions at Ethel about her mother’s girlhood.

From Sallee’s oft times humorous and always guileless vantage, grownups have a most mixed up view of the world. What does skin color have to do with learning? Closing schools rather than have black and white children in the same classroom, what’s the sense of that?

Ethel gives her very own biased account of her shared history with Ginny while Sallee hones her vigilance and stealth, skills she and her brother and two sisters have acquired in an attempt to understand the drama that swirls around them. Rocks are thrown through windows, a car filled with angry white men shout racial slurs at the children at play and a tragic poisoning threatens the entire family’s sense of security.

When Joe Mackey asks Ethel to testify on his behalf in a custody suit, her conflicted loyalties throw the entire family into even more turmoil.

He’s just discovered his fantasy planet is real. To the telepathic race on Astereal, Niall is a legend and military leader. Now the dueling forces of the dark stars are tearing Astereal apart and prophecy says he can save them from an apocalypse. On Earth, Niall’s growing psychic abilities attract unwanted attention putting his family in danger, but his attempt to rescue them has horrific consequences. With alien invasion a real threat, the US government designates him a security risk while a secret political conspiracy seeks to control him and this first contact with extra-terrestrials. Now Niall is torn between protecting his loved ones, saving an alien race, and his duty to Earth. As history opens his eyes to the full potential of his psychic powers, he finally confronts the disturbing scale of his dilemma. Will his attempts to save one world end up destroying two?

“Ceri London has written, in “Shimmer In The Dark: Rogue Genesis” one of the most powerful science fiction novels I have read since “Dune”. Well, actually, it is better than “Dune”. More creative, with a wider range and depth of reality, that is approachable to all readers. This is, without doubt, a science fiction novel, but it also has strong ties to military-political intrigue in the present day which grounds the novel in a level of believability even when the "fiction" portion of the science asks you to stretch your mind into new levels of belief.” L. Cooper (soireadthisbooktoday.com) “This military thriller turn paranormal/science fiction adventure will leave you wanting more from Ms. London. An absolutely amazing story!” pking “Irresistably pulpy technothriller; definitely bestseller material” Michelle Browne, science fiction writer. “So, you like scifi? How about epic, universal, telepathic, psychokinetic, electromagnetic, space-time warping, worm-holing scifi? Yeah...I thought so. This novel is all that and so much more. They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but this one you can. The book is even more awesome than the pop-bang-wow head-turning cover art. If you call yourself a fan of scifi, you need to read Rogue Genesis.” Travis Luedke, Author of The Nightlife Series

IT BEGAN WITH A TANTALIZING, ANONYMOUS EMAIL: “I AM A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.”
 
What followed was the most spectacular intelligence breach ever, brought about by one extraordinary man. Edward Snowden was a 29-year-old computer genius working for the National Security Agency when he shocked the world by exposing the near-universal mass surveillance programs of the United States government. His whistleblowing has shaken the leaders of nations worldwide, and generated a passionate public debate on the dangers of global monitoring and the threat to individual privacy.
 
In a tour de force of investigative journalism that reads like a spy novel, award-winning Guardian reporter Luke Harding tells Snowden’s astonishing story—from the day he left his glamorous girlfriend in Honolulu carrying a hard drive full of secrets, to the weeks of his secret-spilling in Hong Kong, to his battle for asylum and his exile in Moscow. For the first time, Harding brings together the many sources and strands of the story—touching on everything from concerns about domestic spying to the complicity of the tech sector—while also placing us in the room with Edward Snowden himself. The result is a gripping insider narrative—and a necessary and timely account of what is at stake for all of us in the new digital age.