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Books > Fiction > True stories > General
As the cliche reminds us, information is power. In this age of
computer systems and technology, an increasing majority of the
world's information is stored electronically. It makes sense then
that as an industry we rely on high-tech electronic protection
systems to guard that information. As a professional hacker, I get
paid to uncover weaknesses in those systems and exploit them.
Whether breaking into buildings or slipping past industrial-grade
firewalls, my goal has always been the same: extract the
informational secrets using any means necessary. After hundreds of
jobs, I discovered the secret to bypassing every conceivable
high-tech security system. This book reveals those secrets, and as
the title suggests, it has nothing to do with high technology. As
it turns out, the secret isn't much of a secret at all. Hackers
have known about these techniques for years. Presented in a light,
accessible style, you'll get to ride shotgun with the authors on
successful real-world break-ins as they share photos, videos and
stories that prove how vulnerable the high-tech world is to no-tech
attacks.
As you browse this book, you'll hear old familiar terms like
"dumpster diving," "social engineering," and "shoulder surfing."
Some of these terms have drifted into obscurity to the point of
becoming industry folklore; the tactics of the pre-dawn information
age. But make no mistake; these and other old-school tactics work
with amazing effectiveness today. In fact, there's a very good
chance that someone in your organization will fall victim to one or
more of these attacks this year. Will they be ready?
-Dumpster Diving
Be a good sport and don't read the two "D" words written in big
boldletters above, and act surprised when I tell you hackers can
accomplish this without relying on a single bit of technology
(punny).
-Tailgating
Hackers and ninja both like wearing black, and they do share the
ability to slip inside a building and blend with the shadows.
-Shoulder Surfing
If you like having a screen on your laptop so you can see what
you're working on, don't read this chapter.
-Physical Security
Locks are serious business and lock technicians are true engineers,
most backed with years of hands-on experience. But what happens
when you take the age-old respected profession of the locksmith and
sprinkle it with hacker ingenuity?
-Social Engineering with Jack Wiles
Jack has trained hundreds of federal agents, corporate attorneys,
CEOs and internal auditors on computer crime and security-related
topics. His unforgettable presentations are filled with three
decades of personal "war stories" from the trenches of Information
Security and Physical Security.
-Google Hacking
A hacker doesn't even need his own computer to do the necessary
research. If he can make it to a public library, Kinko's or
Internet cafe, he can use Google to process all that data into
something useful.
-P2P Hacking
Let's assume a guy has no budget, no commercial hacking software,
no support from organized crime and no fancy gear. With all those
restrictions, is this guy still a threat to you? Have a look at
this chapter and judge for yourself.
-People Watching
Skilled people watchers can learn a whole lot in just a few quick
glances. In this chapter we'll take a look at a few examples of the
types of things that draws a no-tech hacker's eye.
-Kiosks
Whathappens when a kiosk is more than a kiosk? What happens when
the kiosk holds airline passenger information? What if the kiosk
holds confidential patient information? What if the kiosk holds
cash?
-Vehicle Surveillance
Most people don't realize that some of the most thrilling vehicular
espionage happens when the cars aren't moving at all!
"Fishing's Greatest Misadventures" presents twenty-six true stories
which cover the spectrum from terrifying to comical to downright
bizarre. In these pages everyday fishermen, pros, and journalists
tell their stories of freak accidents, fishy attacks, pranks,
idiotic decisions, eerie or unexplained incidents, and other jaw
dropping, adrenalin-pumping calamities. The stories bring to life
the strange possibilities that await us once we cast our lines into
known and unknown waters.Inside these pages you'll meet: a sport
fisherman who gets taken on harrowing underwater ride by an angry
white shark; an adventure angler whose boat is over turned by a 200
lb Amazon-river catfish; a group of ice fishermen who lose their
cabin, gear and pride to a single sturgeon; a teenager who
sabotages a fish farm and frees 300,000 salmon; and a charter boat
operator who gets speared through the chest by a leaping marlin.
From lakes to rivers to the ocean, this book covers every form of
angling, and all that can go wrong.
History is filled with stories of the famous crashing to earth,
whether through an ill-judged statement, an overweening arrogance,
a lust for power or money, or simply a stroke of bad luck. Today,
more than ever, the world of the successful is littered with
'banana skins' lying in wait for the unwary, as film stars,
politicians, soldiers, scientists, business tycoons, royalty,
criminals, sports idols and others make that fatal decision, gaffe
or slip. It covers 220 fascinating entries. Packed in a gift size,
it is highly illustrated in colour. It is ideal travel and present
book. It tells the stories behind the stories. "The Hidden Secrets"
- this beautifully illustrated book charts the hidden secrets
behind some of the biggest 'banana skins' of all time - the
riveting stories of 200 figures who fell from grace - some for
ever, some for a while, some evoke sympathy, a great many do not.
THE MITFORD GIRLS tells the true story behind the gaiety and frivolity of the six Mitford daughters – and the facts are as sensational as any novel: Nancy, whose bright social existence masked an obsessional doomed love which soured her success; Pam, a countrywoman married to one of the best brains in Europe; Diana, an iconic beauty, who was already married when at 22 she fell in love with Oswald Moseley, the leader of the British fascists; Unity, who romantically in love with Hitler, became a member of his inner circle before shooting herself in the temple when WWII was declared; Jessica, the family rebel, who declared herself a communist in the schoolroom and the youngest sister, Debo, who became the Duchess of Devonshire.This is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary family, containing much new material, based on exclusive access to Mitford archives.
In this book for young people who are struggling with substance
abuse, Kyle Keegan recounts his own remarkable story of drug abuse
and ruthless addiction. Keegan, now an adult who is in recovery
from his addiction, discusses his experience as a well adjusted
adolescent who fell victim to heroin and whose life was almost
destroyed by the devastating drug. Against the backdrop of these
experiences, he also provides useful information that young people
struggling with substance abuse need, such as how to recognize and
accept that there is a problem, how to find professional help, and
how to stay happy and healthy in recovery.
A detailed, almost daily, record giving an accurate and authentic
narrative of over two years in the life of a common sailor before
the mast in the American merchant service of the early 1800s. The
book is written in journal fashion in the words of an ordinary
sailor on the brig "Pilgrim" on her voyage from Boston, round Cape
Horn to the western coast of North America. Many of the earliest
books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are
now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books
are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality,
modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE KIDS WHO FOUND A FERRARI BURIED IN THEIR
GARDEN? WHAT ABOUT THE MAN WHO SUED SATAN? DO YOU KNOW THE LEGEND
OF THE BUNNY MAN? Strange happenings, unsolved mysteries and
seemingly supernatural events have gripped and shocked us for
centuries, passed from person to person in whispers in classrooms,
tales around the campfire and idle gossip among friends. Whether
they're based on a grain of truth or a complete flight of fancy,
the myths, legends and weird tales contained within this book will
take you on a fascinating journey to the outer limits of
plausibility, and dare you to believe the unbelievable.
A doctor removes the normal, healthy side of a patient's brain
instead of the malignant tumor. A man whose leg is scheduled for
amputation wakes up to find his healthy leg removed. These recent
examples are part of a history of medical disasters and
embarrassments as old as the profession itself. In Medical
Blunders, Robert M. Youngson and Ian Schott have written the
definitive account of medical mishap in modern and not-so- modern
times.
Youngson and Schott cover the gamut of medical accidents, from
famous quacks to curious forms of sexual healing, from blunders
with the brain to drugs worse than the diseases they are intended
to treat. In Medical Blunders, we find shamefully dangerous
doctors, human guinea pigs, masturbation treated as a disease
requiring treatment, and the legendary surgeon who was himself a
craven morphine addict. The resulting picture is one which depicts
medical mistakes that are incredible, misguided, arrogant, cruel,
or stupendously wrong-headed.
Exploring the line between the comical and the tragic, the
honest mistake and the intentional crime, Medical Blunders
illustrates once and for all that doctors are subject to the same
political, social, historical, and personal pressures as the rest
of humanity.
The remarkable story of a woman who refused to renounce her faith
and unwittingly became the global symbol of the fight against
religious extremism. 'I was going to die because of a glass of
water.' After drinking water from the same glass as a Muslim woman,
Asia Bibi, a Christian, was sentenced to hang by the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan in 2010 on charges of blasphemy. Bibi's case
polarised all of Pakistan and mobilised international support from
across the globe, including politicians, journalists, and countless
organisations and supporters who fought for her freedom. For nine
long years, Bibi awaited death in prison until she was formally
acquitted in January 2019. Now a political exile, Bibi is reunited
with her family in the West, but she will never be allowed to
return to her homeland.
On 21 December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 departed London Heathrow for
New York. Shortly after take-off, a bomb detonated, killing all
aboard and devastating the small Scottish town of Lockerbie below.
Only one man has ever been convicted of the crime: Abdelbaset
al-Megrahi, though few believe that he acted alone.In 2009, a
request was made by Libya for al-Megrahi's release from prison on
compassionate grounds after he had been diagnosed with terminal
cancer. The decision to grant or deny that request fell squarely
and exclusively on the shoulders of one man: Kenny MacAskill,
Scotland's Justice Secretary from 2007 to 2014.Detailing the
build-up to the atrocity and the carnage left in its wake,
MacAskill narrates the international investigation that followed
and the diplomatic intrigue that saw a Scottish court convened in
the Netherlands. He describes the controversial release of
al-Megrahi, explains the international dimensions involved and lays
bare the commercial and security interests that ran in the
background throughout the investigation and trial. Finally, he
answers how and why it happened - and who was really responsible
for the worst terrorist attack to have occurred on British soil
before or since.
"They call themselves geezers, or at least some of them do. The
older ones don't seem to like the name..." The SAS is staffed by
the toughest and most resourceful soldiers in the world - only the
cream of the crop will get through the rigorous training programme
to achieve their status as 'badged', rightly deserving their famous
motto 'Who Dares Wins'. But who are they really? Monica Lavers
spent three years working at Hereford garrison in support services,
giving her a ringside view of how the SAS live, work and play.
Getting to know them as people first, rather than by their fearsome
reputation, she offers a behind-the scenes look at life on camp
that is by turns frank, funny and compassionate. This book tells
the stories of the soldier's lives as they were told to her - full
frontal (sometimes literally) and no holds barred.
Prison, Inc. provides a first-hand account of life behind bars
in a controversial new type of prison facility: the private prison.
These for-profit prisons are becoming increasingly popular as state
budgets get tighter. Yet as privatization is seen as a necessary
and cost-saving measure, not much is known about how these
facilities are run and whether or not they can effectively watch
over this difficult and dangerous population. For the first time,
Prison, Inc. provides a look inside one of these private prisons as
told through the eyes of an actual inmate, K.C. Carceral who has
been in the prison system for over twenty years.
'Nobody knew the truth. For all those years while people judged me,
I protected those closest to me. Now it's time for the real story
to be told. It's time for healing and forgiveness.' Tressa
Middleton made UK history when she became Britain's youngest mum in
2006 aged just 12 years and 8 months. Her case provoked shock and
outrage - but the truth behind the headlines was far sadder than
anyone could ever have imagined. Born into a life of poverty and
neglect, Tressa was forced to grow up fast when she taken into care
at just four years old. She was returned to her mother's chaotic
world but by the age of seven, she was being abused by her own
brother and at 11 years old she fell pregnant with his child. For
years she kept his dark secret in an attempt to hold her family
together until the truth threatened to destroy her completely. In
the years since the birth, Tressa has gone through more pain and
turmoil than most adults experience in a lifetime - yet today she
survives a brave, strong and compassionate young woman. Now, for
the first time, Tressa Middleton tells her own harrowing yet
poignant story - a story of hope, forgiveness and above all, love.
Teachers are the vital life bloods of our school, inspiring,
nurturing and motivating their students. Never has this been more
evident than during the Covid-19 pandemic, where teachers have
risked their own health and wellbeing to ensure that no child was
left behind, either face to face or online. Yet teachers do not
live at school. They have rich and exciting lives that their
students may know nothing about. This book explores the human side
to educators, by revealing their experiences and their personal
stories; what has made them into the teachers they are today. From
the tragic to the exciting, teachers have such amazing stories to
share and their passion and commitment shines out from every page.
With contributions from a daughter of the teacher who lost her life
at Dunblane to the first black head teacher in Inner London Yvonne
Connolly as well as the amazing Rita Pierson from the US who has
inspired so many teachers. By reading their stories we can
appreciate how extraordinary their lives and their contributions to
education are. With contributions from Kierna Corr, Kyle Kiser,
Marco Cimino, Toni Charlesworth, Ash Lucas, Julie Cassiano, Drew
Povey, Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Brett Bigham, Allen Tsui, Michelle
Alker, Dan Whittaker, FreakyHoody, Natalie Scott, Adam Henze, Jess
Mahdavi-Gladwell, Luke Haisell, Lesley Douglas, Gwen Mayor, Debbie
Buchanan, Maureen McDevitt, James Atkin, Katherine Birbalsingh,
Hugh Ogilvie, Victoria Hewett, Penny Rabiger, Joe Gibbs, Helena
Jockel, Yolana Wassersug, Caroline Riggs, Rachael Maddocks,
Christine Owen, Sue Rogers, Kate McAllister, John Clifford, Dan
Morrow, Rita Pierson, Sarah Dearden, Caroline Spalding and Mathew
Milburn.
'I stood up. A miracle had happened. I could walk. It was as if I
was born again.' With a heart full of prayer, Marion Carroll
journeyed to Knock in the west of Ireland. For 17 years, Multiple
Sclerosis had ravaged her body so utterly that this reluctant
pilgrim travelled on a stretcher. Then, at the Mass, an
unimaginable miracle. Marion rose, pain-free, to walk, talk and see
once more. Thanks to this wondrous blessing, Marion has transformed
- in her 'own small way' - the lives of countless others. Her
ministries share her rock-like faith and devotion to God. They
testify to the power of ordinary people to listen, to care, to
inspire. Nearly 30 years later, the Catholic Church officially
recognised Marion's cure as a proclaimed miracle. Here, with
warmth, grace, humility - and down-to-earth Irish humour - she
tells of her life 'before' and 'after'. Marion's powerful,
uplifting story is unique. It shines a light on love, hope and a
remarkable relationship with God.
Shortlisted in Scotland's National Book Awards By the time she
reached her fifties, Catherine had experienced period pain,
childbirth, and early menopause, alongside love and laughter, a
career in journalism, and raising two daughters. Like many of her
peers, along the way she'd dieted, jogged, sweated, tanned, permed,
and plucked-always attempting to conform to prevailing standards of
"acceptable womanhood." But when a medical crisis comes along, she
can no longer pummel her body into submission and is forced to take
stock. From growing up on a farm where veterinarians were more
common than doctors, and where illness was "a nuisance," she now
faces the nuisance of a lifetime. One Body is the demystifying,
relatable, often hilarious, and sometimes hair-raising story of how
Catherine navigates her treatment and the emotions and reflections
it provokes. And how she comes to drop the unattainable standards
imposed on her body, and simply appreciate the skin she is in.
"An engrossing microcosm of the internet's Wild West years" (Kirkus
Reviews), award-winning journalist David Kushner tells the
incredible battle between the founder of Match.com and the con man
who swindled him out of the website Sex.com, resulting in an
all-out war for control for what still powers the internet today:
love and sex.In 1994, visionary entrepreneur Gary Kremen used a
$2,500 loan to create the first online dating service, Match.com.
Only five percent of Americans were using the internet at the time,
and even fewer were looking online for love. He quickly bought the
Sex.com domain too, betting the combination of love and sex would
help propel the internet into the mainstream. Imagine Kremen's
surprise when he learned that someone named Stephen Michael Cohen
had stolen the rights to Sex.com and was already making millions
that Kremen would never see. Thus follows the wild true story of
Kremen's and Cohen's decade-long battle for control. In The Players
Ball, author and journalist David Kushner provides a front seat to
these must-read Wild West years online, when innovators and outlaws
battled for power and money. This cat-and-mouse game between a
genius and a con man changed the way people connect forever, and is
key to understanding the rise and future of the online world.
"Kushner delivers a fast-paced, raunchy tale of sex, drugs, and
dial-up." --Publishers Weekly
Perfect Prey relates how author Liz Cole was victimized by an
online career con artist and how she turned the tables to expose
the con man on national television. Much of this book is written as
a real time journal, taking readers inside the world of Liz Cole
and her suitor, an ex-convict and predator. About the Author and
Perfect Prey: Recently divorced, with low self-esteem, Liz Cole
turned to online dating and met a charming Irishman in reality, a
Quebec man with a criminal record who preyed on her and vanished.
Cole then set out to track him down. She found past victims and
learned of the man s lengthy periods of incarceration before
finding and publicly humiliating him in a national TV
confrontation, also featured on U.S. website www.love fraud.com
Every year across North America an average 1.1 million people
divorce. Many of these people join countless singles and also
children in turning to the Internet for friendship, love and
romance. But online con artists are finding fertile ground in
attracting unsuspecting prey. The problem is only likely to get
worse given the following statistics: 74% of single North Americans
have explored online dating (8 million people) 31% of N. American
adults (70 million) know someone who used dating websites 26% of N.
American adults (58 million) know someone who has dated online 2.2
million of us met their spouse online 2.8 million single N.
Americans pay for dating sites; multi-million-dollar industry 30%
of 18-24-year-olds worry about being stalked online for good
reason. 32% of online teenagers have been contacted by complete
strangers online. Liz Cole learned the hard way how easy it can be
to be taken in by online fraud artists and she provides valuable
advice. This is your opportunity to learn from her experience to
protect yourself and your loved ones. Her fascinating story can
save you from becoming the next online victim.
An incisive and deeply candid account that explores autistic women
in culture, myth, and society through the prism of the author's own
diagnosis. Until the 1980s, autism was regarded as a condition
found mostly in boys. Even in our time, autistic girls and women
have largely remained invisible. When portrayed in popular culture,
women on the spectrum often appear simply as copies of their male
counterparts - talented and socially awkward. Yet autistic women
exist, and always have. They are varied in their interests and in
their experiences. Autism may be relatively new as a term and a
diagnosis, but not as a way of being and functioning in the world.
It has always been part of the human condition. So who are these
women, and what does it mean to see the world through their eyes?
In The Autists, Clara Toernvall reclaims the language to describe
autism and explores the autistic experience in arts and culture
throughout history. From popular culture, films, and photography to
literature, opera, and ballet, she dares to ask what it might mean
to re-read these works through an autistic lens - what we might
discover if we allow perspectives beyond the neurotypical to take
centre stage.
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