Vladimir Putin's efforts to build influence abroad have succeeded in many places, but the Kremlin has also faced serious hurdles and even defeats. Thomas Kent delves into six cases where hubris and miscalculation led to reversals - some temporary, some permanent - of Russia's fortunes and suggests how understanding the common threads in Russia's self-defeating behaviour can be of benefit to the West.

Disinformation by Russia and its allies has increased sharply in the past decade, but Western responses have been weak and uncoordinated. Most democratic countries have relied on defensive measures, such as media literacy classes and pressure on social networks to delete Kremlin-controlled accounts. Thomas Kent, the former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, proposes an energetic new strategy: aggressive messaging to combat Russian information operations, while promoting the values of democracy that too many in the West have lost faith in. Focusing on Russian operations in Europe, Africa and Latin America, Kent describes the reluctance of many Western governments to confront Kremlin disinformation. Some are afraid of Kremlin retaliation, while others fear becoming "propagandists" themselves. Kent, a specialist on communication ethics, delves into the difference between propaganda and aggressive promotion of the truth. Kent also describes the little-publicized army of anti-disinformation warriors, independent of governments, who are already at work confronting Russian trolls and even doxing Russian soldiers. Along with independent journalists and fact-checkers, these activists represent a significant potential threat to Russian disinformation. But the groups are small and their funding is haphazard.Striking Back presents concrete recommendations for aggressive messaging to combat Russian disinformation, including specific themes to emphasize, the best vehicles for getting messages across, and how to help those already engaged in the struggle. It also recommends stepped-up communication to Russia's own citizens, and proposes strategies in case the Kremlin ever manages to separate the Russian internet from the rest of the online world. Striking Back concludes with a chapter on "The Covert Arts." What would be the ethics and practicality of democratic countries resorting to fake online accounts themselves, and even their own disinformation? Thomas Kent goes beyond depicting Russian operations to propose steps that Western governments, foundations and activists can take now to confront them.

...and it happened under cover was compiled as a kind of seduction; a titillating paean to open, honest lovemaking where partners can freely explore without shame or fear. We hope that these poem and prose offerings will entice readers to broaden their sexual horizons. We hope that they will inspire readers to explore shared fantasies where even the deepest, darkest desires can be mutually satisfied without guilt or regret Finally, we hope that they will encourage readers to embrace a new awareness where love can be confidently and joyously exchanged and nourished, brought out from under cover and into the light where love and sexuality belong.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

New Steps in Latin is a three book series designed specifically for middle or high school students. The texts employ a minimum of explanation of grammatical principles, concentrate on essential grammar and morphology and on the syntax of simple, compound, and complex sentences. The focus on learning is through numerous examples. The series offers students a complete graded introduction to Latin and grammar. It can be used alone, as a main text supplemented by readings and cultural material, or as a supplementary grammatical work text for a reading-oriented course.

Each book consists of 30 lessons intended for a year-long course in Latin. Taken together, the three books form a complete course for grades 7-9 or 6-8. Vocabulary in the series is based on Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, and Pliny. After completing New Steps in Latin, students will be ready to read these or other unaltered Latin authors.

New First Steps (grade 6 or 7): conjugations 1-4, active and passive voice; declensions 1-5; simple sentences.

New Second Steps (grade 7 or 8): participles, infinitives, relative clauses, indirect statement; complex sentences; connected reading.

New Third Steps (grade 8 or 9): uses of the subjunctive, gerund and gerundive; excerpts from Caesar, Bellum Gallicum.

New Steps in Latin is a three book series designed specifically for middle or high school students. The texts employ a minimum of explanation of grammatical principles, concentrate on essential grammar and morphology and on the syntax of simple, compound, and complex sentences. The focus on learning is through numerous examples. The series offers students a complete graded introduction to Latin and grammar. It can be used alone, as a main text supplemented by readings and cultural material, or as a supplementary grammatical work text for a reading-oriented course.

Each book consists of 30 lessons intended for a year-long course in Latin. Taken together, the three books form a complete course for grades 7-9 or 6-8. Vocabulary in the series is based on Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, and Pliny. After completing New Steps in Latin, students will be ready to read these or other unaltered Latin authors.

New First Steps (grade 6 or 7): conjugations 1-4, active and passive voice; declensions 1-5; simple sentences.

New Second Steps (grade 7 or 8): participles, infinitives, relative clauses, indirect statement; complex sentences; connected reading.

New Third Steps (grade 8 or 9): uses of the subjunctive, gerund and gerundive; excerpts from Caesar, Bellum Gallicum.

New First Steps in Latin is the first book in a three-book series designed specifically for middle or high school students. The texts employ a minimum of explanation of grammatical principles, concentrate on essential grammar and morphology and on the syntax of simple, compound, and complex sentences. The focus on learning is through numerous examples. The series offers students a complete graded introduction to Latin and grammar. It can be used alone, as a main text supplemented by readings and cultural material, or as a supplementary grammatical work text for a reading-oriented course.

Each book consists of 30 lessons intended for a year-long course in Latin. Taken together, the three books form a complete course for grades 7-9 or 6-8. Vocabulary in the series is based on Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, and Pliny. After completing New Steps in Latin, students will be ready to read these or other unaltered Latin authors.New First Steps (grade 6 or 7): conjugations 1-4, active and passive voice; declensions 1-5; simple sentences.New Second Steps (grade 7 or 8): participles, infinitives, relative clauses, indirect statement; complex sentences; connected reading.New Third Steps (grade 8 or 9): uses of the subjunctive, gerund and gerundive; excerpts from Caesar, "Bellum Gallicum."

Films about the red planet Mars have been a science-fiction-movie staple for more than a century. Ridley Scott's 2015 smash hit The Martian, based on Andy Weir's bestselling science-techno-thriller of the same name, proves conclusively that Mars is still a potent symbol that touches the film-going public worldwide. Nevertheless, there hasn't before been an entire book devoted to the sub-genre of Mars movies. Beginning with Thomas A. Edison's 1910 clever 5-minute short A Trip to Mars, this all-encompassing volume describes the 90 subsequent significant and not-so-significant theatrical films, TV movies, TV miniseries, and straight-to-video productions that focus on the red planet. The book is arranged into descriptive categories, including ""Silent Films,"" ""Serials,"" ""Voyages to Mars,"" and ""Invasions from Mars,"" among others, then lists the films chronologically within these categories to shed some light on the evolution of special effects and cinematic approaches from film to film. For most of the films, the author provides basic cast, crew, and production information, short dramatically opposing quotations from critics who hate the film and those who love it, and a plot summary. He then often provides some historical perspective, while sharing his personal connections with some of the films. In the course of describing these movies specifically as Mars movies and not as science-fiction movies, per se, he sometimes voices views different from most other commentators, while shedding light on some of the more important personalities who contributed to these films, among them producer/director George Pal, writer/director Ib Melchior, and composer Nathan Van Cleave.