Northern California has a fascinating criminal history. Some of America's most infamous criminals and outlaws lived and died in the area, including John Paul Chase, partner of Public Enemy Number One, Lester Baby Face Nelson Gillis. Others have come from far afield to exploit the opportunities of Californian crime. Englishman Charles Boles, AKA Black Bart the Poet, was only one of many. With crime, naturally, comes punishment. In 1937, the Folsom Five tried to escape, murdering Warden Clarence Larkin in the process. Instead of escaping Folsom, they entered California's history as the first men to die in its new gas chamber the next year. The legendary Battle of Alcatraz ended in bloodshed and recriminations from prison staff and convicts alike, with accusations that staff needlessly endangered convicts' lives and arranged the wrongful execution of convict Sam Shockley. Northern California may not be as well-known for its crime as Southern California, but it's a fascinating part of the Golden State's history all the same.

If there's a software startup company in your developer heart, this is the book that will make it happen.

The Web Startup Success Guide is your one-stop shop for all of the answers you need today to build a successful web startup in these challenging economic times. It covers everything from making the strategic platform decisions as to what kind of software to build, to understanding and winning the Angel andventure capitalfunding game, to the modern tools, apps and services that can cut months off development and marketing cycles, to how startups today are using social networks like Twitter and Facebook to create real excitement and connect to real customers.

Bob Walsh, author of the landmark Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality, digs deep into the definition, financing, communitybuilding, platform options, and productivity challenges of building a successful and profitable web application today. What you'll learn How to define the value your web app will deliver to its users Evangelizing your startup via social mediafrom Twitter to Facebook, from YouTube to your own social network Which web app pricing strategies work, and which don't What alternatives to traditional business structures will let you launch and run your startup without all the legal mumbojumbo What services and web apps exist today to help your startup succeed How to get meaningful online press for your web app

Plus, interviews with David Allen (Getting Things Done), Rafe Needleman (CNET), Marshall Kirkpatrick (ReadWriteWeb), Guy Kawasaki (Garage Technology Ventures), Dharmesh Shah (OnStartups, HubSpot), Joel Spolsky (Fog Creek Software), Eric Sink (SourceGear), Pamela Slim (Escape from Cubicle Nation), and 40 others whose advicecan help your startup succeed. Who this book is for

If you are a software developer (web, desktop, or mobileit doesn't matter) who wants to create successful, revenueproducing web businesses, The Web Startup Success Guide is for you. And if you're just curious about how someone goes about creating an online business from the ground up, this book is an excellent choice. Table of Contents Introduction: What Was Is Not What IsValue Is the Core of Your StartupSo Many Platforms, So Many OptionsTools and Groups for StartupsMoney: Raise, Manage, MakeSocial Media and Your StartupClarity MattersGetting It DoneSix Wise PeopleWhat's Next?

Almost overnight, blogging has become a social, political, and business force to be reckoned with. Your fellow students, workers, and competitors are joining the blogosphere-and making money, influencing elections, getting hired, growing market share, and having fun-to the tune of 8,000 new bloggers a day. Clear Blogging sets out to answer in nontechnical terms what blogging has to offer and why and how you should blog. If you've never read a blog, but you keep hearing that term on the news, Clear Blogging will show you why blogging has shaken up mainstream media, and how a blogger can end up on CNN. If you're just starting to read blogs, Clear Blogging is your native guide to the blogosphere, covering how to get the best, most interesting information with the least amount of time and effort. The main course of Clear Blogging shows what you stand to gain from blogging, and how you can go from your first post to being welcomed aboard the blogosphere's A-list.

Could your favourite superheroes really exist? Take a look at the secret science behind superheroes and the incredible real world breakthroughs that could bring them closer to reality than ever before. Written by seven diverse academics, this is a look into how superheroes (and their abilities) may be closer to real science than you think. Six chapters. Six fascinating areas of science, breaking down the abilities and characteristics of heroes such as Batman, Captain America, Ant-Man, Superman and many more! Astrophysics: We all know the Guardians of the Galaxy, but could life really be out in the vast expanse of space? Psychology: What effects could superpowers have on your mental health? This chapter examines how being a hero could take a toll on you mentally as well as physically. The Human Body: What astounding feats could our human bodies be capable of? Could we ever achieve super strength? And what risks could that bring to us? Engineering: From armour to robotics limbs, this chapter examines past technology and modern breakthroughs to see if we could really could suit up and fight crime. Mathematics: This chapter examines concepts such as time travel, super speed and growth, versus real world mathematical theories. Artificial Intelligence: Characters like Vision and Ultron have become a staple part of comic media, but are we actually getting close to true artificial intelligence? And what effects could that have on society? Each chapter contains fantastic full colour illustrations that capture the fun and action of a comic book.

Micro-independent software vendors, or micro-ISVs, have become both a major source of applications and a realistic career alternative for IT professionals. As for the latter, are you a programmer and curious about being your own boss? Where do you turn for information? Until now, online and traditional literature havent caught up with the reality of the post-dot com bust.

"Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality" explains what works and why in today's emerging micro-ISV sector. Currently, thousands of programmers build and deliver great solutions ISV-style, earning success and revenues much larger than you might guess. Written by and for micro-ISVs, with help from some of the leaders of the field, this book takes you beyond just daydreaming to running your own business. It thoroughly explores how it is indeed possible to launch and maintain a small and successful ISV business, and is an ideal read if you're interested in getting started.