No comments about Should Social Networrking Sites be Banned? (At Issue Series).

5 comments about Secrets of My Suburban Life.

1. SECRETS OF MY SUBURBAN LIFE by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
   Rating **** (4 Stars)
   
   February 23, 2008
   
   This reviewer rarely ventures into the world of YA books and Teen Fiction, and was not aware that SECRETS OF MY SUBURBAN LIFE was just that - teen fiction. But there was no doubt about it, that this book was very funny and enjoyable and regardless of being Teen Fiction or not, it was very good.
   
   The story is narrated by Ren (Lauren), who is learning to deal with life with a single (widowed) Dad, moving to a new city, going to a new school, and trying to fit in with new friends. Ren's mother was a writer who happened to be killed by Harry Potter - a stack of Harry Potter books fell on top of Ren's mother and killed her. So, instead of continuing life in New York, Ren and her father, who also happened to be a writer, are now in the suburbs of Connecticut, which is very boring in comparison to New York.
   
   Farrin is the most popular girl in school. Ren and Farrin "connect" when Ren is forced to join the cheerleading squad (since Ren was a failure at all other sports, and every student was expected to participate on at least one sports team). They are also in some of the same classes, and it's during one of these classes that Ren learns an awful secret that Farrin has been keeping. It's so bad that Ren's life will change because of it. Farrin has been secretly communicating with an older man via the Internet, and Ren is afraid that Farrin is about to make a big mistake. Ren figures out a way to impersonate Farrin online to intercept the pervert, but the "joke" is on Ren when she finds out who this pervert is that Farrin is about to meet!
   
   The book is told from Ren's point of view, along with email communications between a girl (Sexgurl) and an older man (FDA), and Ren's letters to her mother, who she confides with and misses terribly. At times Ren appeared to be a lot older than her teen years, possibly because she's had to grow up that much faster after her mother died.
   
   SECRETS OF MY SUBURBAN LIFE is populated by all sorts of characters typical to the average teenager's life. Ren's got a best friend, Shannon, who she left behind in New York and misses a lot. Shannon, however, has moved on with her life, and has some secrets of her own. Ren's got a crush on Jack, the most popular guy in school, who unfortunately is dating Farrin. Jack and Ren do strike up a friendship, to the astonishment of Ren, and she is secretly hoping Jack may start to have feelings for her. But the competition is pretty fierce. What guy wouldn't want Farrin for a girlfriend? Luckily for Ren, she manages to get involved with Jack's family by mentoring his little sister Amanda, a girl who is as obnoxious as they can get. Ren can't believe that the two are even related. Through Amanda, Ren is able to hang out with Jack's family, and comes closer to him than she ever imagined.
   
   Ren is also making new friends at school, in particular T'Keyah who's related to a famous basketball player, but the two don't hit it off right away. It's a lot of work being the new girl in school, and Ren wishes that her mother never died.
   
   While a good part of the story is funny and light, there are moments that are much more serious, as Ren deals with the death of her mother, being at a stage in her life when having her mother there was most important. Young readers will connect with Ren, who is the best part of the story and the reason to read it. A very likeable character, Ren is definitely the perfect protagonist.
   
   This reviewer is recommending SECRETS OF MY SUBURBAN LIFE because it was such a delightful surprise. Filled with teens that many young readers will relate to, this book is fun to read. It was a very refreshing change for this reviewer, mainly because of the main character, Ren, and for the first time, this reviewer actually enjoyed a book that was aimed at a younger audience. - courtesy of Love Romances and More - M. Lofton



2. Title: Secrets of My Suburban Life (Paperback)
   Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted
   Publisher: Simon & Schuster
   Reading Level: Young Adult
   Publication Date: January 2008
   Pages: 240
   
   Rating: D
   Plot - 14/20
   Characters - 13/20
   Writing - 12/20
   Originality - 14/20
   Entertainment - 7/10
   Recommendation - 6/10
   Total: 70/100
   
   Summary:
   Everything changed for Lauren ("Ren") after Harry Potter killed her mom. No,it's not what you think--Harry Potter didn't come to life and stab her or anything. A stack of those thick books crushed her. Now Ren is stuck out in the suburbs of Connecticut, dragged out there because her father is too grief stricken to continue living in New York. Ren tries to fit in at her new school, but the most popular girl, Farrin, keeps icing her out. Then Ren discovers that Farrin has a secret: She's been communicating online with an older man, and they are actually planning to meet! Ren can't let Farrin go through with it--she's witnessed enough tragic events as it is. So she comes up with the perfect plan to stop the perv. But then she finds out who he is...
   
   Review:
   This book was definitely not what I was expecting.Rengave a very bad first impression. She came off as a snobby rich, spoiled kid, and she kind of is, minus the snobby part. Her mom's death was completely unreal, and Ren's and her fathers emotions didn't go through well enough about the death.
   
   Ren's character was developed pretty badly. The scenes were constructed okay, but not great. The whole layout of the novel felt staged and unreal. The ending was definitely predictable. The dramatic irony in the story of us knowing and Ren not, because of the predictability, made her seem clueless. Farrin was the stereotypical rich, popular, snobby girl. Jack and Ren relationship was cliched.
   
   Baratz-Logsted's writing was good, but not great. She didn't give enough emotion in her writing, and it was like reading from the outside looking outside. The only good thing about this novel was that the plot was semi enjoyable. The fact the she goes after a pervert, the fact that Baratz-Logsted detailed a serious issue into this book was a plus. Because it was, pretty enjoyable.
   
   Overall, this novel was enjoyable, kind of boring, and very predictable. It was good, but it could've been much better.



3. I'm going to bypass the summary because it's been done time and again here. I just want to say that I love this book by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. Ren is a great character dealing with common teen issues such as the ex-boyfriend and making new friends. However, there are some unexpected challenges such as her mother being killed by JK Rowling and her hunting down a child predator even though the prey is not so nice. It's a fun story with great humor, but there is a lingering cloud of a serious issue - our children being unsafe online. Very well-balanced. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.



4. Over the summer, Ren's mother was killed by J.K. Rowling. No not physically by Rowling, but a pile of Harry Potter books did fall on her mother's head and killed her. If having her mother die isn't enough grief for Ren, her father decides to move her out of her beloved Manhattan to plain old Danbury, Connecticut. It seems life is out to get Ren, because she has no new friends, the evil "it" girl Farrin is out to get her, and it seems that her dad never wants to talk with her anymore. Things start to look up for Ren when she meets Jack, an uber cute boy! Unfortunately Farrin likes to think Jack is hers and that Ren should just stay away. One day when Ren and Farrin's identical notebooks get mixed up Ren finds printouts of chat rooms from a website called Sex World. Even though Ren despises Farrin she can't resist the urge to help her get out of the mess she has put herself into. Ren creates an account on the website and pretends to be Farrin. She's not too scared about meeting this predator until she thinks she's found out who it is. Could it be so obvious? Is it someone close by? Ren sets off on an adventure to save her enemy and find out the true identify of this sick man. Along the way she gains the friendship of two girls and catches Jack's heart. In the end she gets the bad guy, but it will shock us all as to who he is!
   
   
   This book wasn't my favorite, but in no means was it a bad book. It had mystery and romance in it and kept the reader wondering who the predator was. I enjoyed Ren's character, but to me she was just like a lot of characters in many other books. She didn't have that extra special something that makes me want to be the character. The book's theme seems to be geared more for older readers, but the writing, in my opinion, is geared toward a younger age group. The one thing that did really speak to me though is the fact that a lot of girls go online into chat rooms, like Sex World, and get themselves mixed up with creepy sex offenders. This is a growing problem in today's world and people need to really be made aware of it. If you know anyone who even think might be involved in this type of activity don't hesitate to tell someone because you could be saving a life.



5. What attracted me to this book was the unique issue it faced: cyber predators. This is something that I have always been incredibly curious about, but haven't been able to find enough information to really satisfy my curiosity. I've seen my fair share of "To Catch a Predator" and done some research, but what I really found to be different here was that the issue was addressed through a teen's eyes.
   
   Lauren "Ren" D'Arc has just been uprooted from her home in New York City to the suburb of Danbury, Connecticut, where she has to start her life over after her mother was killed by a stack of Harry Potter books. Of course, things are never easy for the new kid in school. Besides dealing with her depressed father and now-distant best friend, it seems as though Ren has made an enemy out of pretty, popular Farrin Farraway... especially when the school's sports requirement lands Ren a spot on the school's cheerleading squad -- and guess who the captain is?However, when the two girls' notebooks get mixed up one day, Ren finds out a dangerous secret about Farrin: she's been talking to an older guy online, one who is trying to convince her to meet him. Worried that Farrin is about to make a huge mistake, Ren takes matters into her own hands to prevent it... but what she doesn't realize is that there may be bigger secrets to come, and they could tear her whole world apart.
   
   Though the topic is a serious one, Ren still deals with the typical scenarios that any teen would: making new friends, relationships, and of course betrayal. She had a lot to think about and deal with throughout the novel, but it often surprised me how she sometimes went from dealing with a sex predator one minute to worrying about a school dance the next. Though her character could be very self-absorbed at times, she was mostly a very likable, if somewhat ordinary, protagonist.
   
   One thing I appreciated very much from this book was the relationship Ren maintained with her deceased mother. Despite the moments when Ren would say things like "J.K. Rowling killed my mother," which just seemed like ridiculous, misplaced blame, there were real moments where you could really understand Ren's relationship with her mother through the periodic letters Ren would write to her whenever she was confused or needed to talk to someone.
   
   I would recommend this book if you're looking for a somewhat light read or are interested in learning more about cyber predators, but watch out for a few underdeveloped relationships and characters.
   
   Three stars!

5 comments about Phishing Exposed.

1. Phishing Exposed is a powerful analysis of the many severe problems present in Web-based activities. Phishing Exposed is another threat-centric title from Syngress. The book presents research conducted by Secure Science Corporation as a way to understand the adversary. The author demonstrates his own attacks against multiple popular e-commerce sites as a way to show how phishers accomplish their goals. I was surprised by the extent to which the author could repeatedly abuse high-profile financial sites, and for that reason I highly recommend reading Phishing Exposed.
   
   The book begins with an overview of the phishing problem. Three basic phishing techniques (impersonation, forwarding, and popup) are explained. The mechanics of email and HTTP are also described. The heart of the book appears in chapters 4 and 5, where almost 270 pages are devoted to the author's assessment and abuse of banking sites. I was shocked by the author's ability to repeatedly take advantage of vulnerabilities in client and server software and configuration. These chapters made me wonder if it is possible for an average end user -- or even a skilled technical user -- running popular operating systems and browsers to survive these sorts of high-end attacks.
   
   Ch 6 featured some innovative material on subverting caller ID by using Voice over IP and other methods. I also appreciated the historical perspective in that chapter.
   
   My only real concern is that the author devoted lots of material to his own attacks, and not as much to attacks by real phishers. I would have liked additional details on how to detect and potentially defeat these attacks using network-based and proxy-based means.
   
   Incidentally, reviews by "relatives" should be considered suspect, although reviews with the title "inadequate and unoriginal" should be completely ignored. Reviews like that demonstrate another instance where that particular "reviewer" has once again skimmed the text and not spent any time reading the book. Phishing Exposed is incredibly original -- and that's why I've given it five stars, despite some rough editing from Syngress.



2. If you're on your way to a security conference this summer, and you'd like to get up to speed on web site abuses and browser design vulnerabilities, this book makes for excellent airplane-reading fare. I say this because Phishing Exposed manages to succeed on two fronts: it is both an instructive technical reference, as well as a surprisingly compelling narrative.
   
   The first is unsurprising -- it is, after all, a Syngress book, and so is typical of technical books from this imprint. The second accomplishment, though, was a pleasant surprise. It's not common that someone as deeply involved in the technologies of network security are also talented writers.
   
   As an example, while documenting the technical characteristics of e-mail delivery, James illustrates example forensic techniques of identifying the home city, working schedule, and handedness of the attacker. It's this mix of CSI-meets-ITSec that makes the book an honest page-turner.
   
   Given this literary attention to narrative and even elements of plot development (especially on the follow-the-breadcrumbs analysis of a seemingly endless series of HTTP redirects), this book illustrates the phishing problem in a way that both technically-oriented defenders and interested "power user" readers will understand and enjoy.



3. Phishing quickly exploded from a nuisance to a full-fledged threat in the middle of 2005. Weaknesses in email, combined with flaws in Web security and with a little social engineering mixed in make for an effective tool to get the attention of users and lure unsuspecting people into the trap.
   
   It didn't take long for the organized crime elements of the malware underground to recognize the power and efficiency of this tool. Phishing is a virtual poster-child for the convergence of malware because it is a malicious tool that helps tie viruses, worms, spam, Trojans and other malware together and get them delivered effectively to their designated targets.
   
   While a book like Phishing: Cutting The Identity Theft Line is aimed at managers and executives and users, this book is more along the lines of Inside The Spam Cartel in the way it dives deeper to look at the secrets and techniques and explore the underground that makes it work.
   
   While the content is more technical, James writing is engaging. Phishing Exposed is an excellent resource for developers, specifically Web developers, and for security experts to understand more about how and why phishing works, rather than just what it is and how to detect and defend against it.



4. Here are the chapters:
   
   - Chapter 1 Banking On Phishing
   - Chapter 2 Go Phish!
   - Chapter 3 E-Mail: The Weapon of Mass Delivery
   - Chapter 4 Crossing the Phishing Line
   - Chapter 6 Malware, Money Movers, and Ma Bell Mayhem!
   - Chapter 7 So Long, and Thanks for All the Phish!
   395 pages paperback
   
   As others have stated in their reviews, this is the book if you are involved in Internet security either at an ISP, webserver administrator or a security analyst at a large corporation or in law enforcement dealing with cybercrime. Phishing Exposed is also very useful for watch dog individuals on the web who actively report Internet scams to ISPs. It is an eye opener on how phishing scams have gotten more sophisticated in snaring unsuspecting victims' data within the last few years. This book was released in late 2005, however, most of the information is still rather relevant and useful for today for those who are working to minimize Internet fraud. For example, the use of botnets and malware have gained a larger role in the proliferation of phishing scams since this book was published; the author does cover some detail on this newer approach to perpetuating fraud online.
   
   I have pretty much read the entire book, though I read quickly through all the scripting and coding details Lance outlines in his book and the detail takes up quite a few pages. I did enjoy reading it, thus why it only took me about 2 days to get through it. As I come across some of the coding complexities Lance outlines, I will return to this book as a reference.
   
   One criticism I have is there is no glossary of terms. Lance uses many many technical terms, a few here and there that I didn't know and when I did read them, sometimes I forgot what they stood for.
   
   I will point out a few highlights which may be useful for some of what is covered:
   
   Email Headers
   The author provides us information on how to read email headers we receive in spam from phishers who are just a subset of spammers anyway. This is quite useful for those still learning how to decode email headers line by line. Though there are a few things the author leaves out regarding explaining the breakdown of headers, he covers this seldom-covered subject quite well. Most of the samples of spam we have here are Lance's own fake phishing spams, similar to examples you will read in the scripting sections.
   
   Scripting
   The author tells us about CSS (Cross Site Scripting) - Cross site scripting (also known as XSS) occurs when a web application gathers malicious data from a user. The data is usually gathered in the form of a hyperlink which contains malicious content within it. The user will most likely click on this link from another website, instant message, or simply just reading a web board or email message [...]. This part of the book will take me longer to grasp as my own scripting knowledge is not very strong.
   
   Lance covers the scripting exploits in creating phishing websites in regards to DHTML, DOM, SSL, JavaScript, redirects, and covers HTTP responses (common status codes) via user-agents. Lance uses his own made-up phishing sites to demonstrate how these scripts work. Status codes example: such as 404 file not found.
   
   Money Laundering
   Finally, the author also covers phisher money laundering in chapter (6) "Chapter 6 Malware, Money Movers, and Ma Bell Mayhem!" of the book. Phishers use mules to forward the funds for them (mules have bank accounts setup to accept the money and transfer it elsewhere: sometimes the "mules" do not even realize they are participating in illegal activity); this is similar to what drug dealers do to launder their money. He also covers caller ID spoofing in this chapter. This area is probably generally less well known, as it is more of the bank side of things of how the stolen money is transfered from account to account.



5. This book is poorly written, as a web professional I wanted to get more insight into this phenomenon but what I got was repetitive, shallow and obvious. Possibly, the technical aspects of phising do not deserve a book, but this is hardly a reason to spread 10 pages worth of content on 400 pages. The book I wanted to read was one with more emphasis on possible defense tactics and with further information on the people who engage in these activities.
   Furthermore, This book is dated, 6 years in the web industry is a long time. What I did enjoy is another book by the same publisher Inside the SPAM Cartel: By Spammer-X

1 comments about Computer Forensics: An Essential Guide for Accountants, Lawyers, and Managers.

1. This is a very quick introduction to the essentials of preserving evidence on a computer, in a way that can withstand adversarial scrutiny. In its own way, the book is a runthrough on the essence of how a computer works, as jargon-free as possible. Ranging from describing binary and hexadecimal notation to what a BIOS does.
   
   Then there is a discussion of dangers: different types of attacks. Prominent are those coming over a wireless network. A symptom of many people nowadays having laptops and accustomed to going to some wireless hotspot like a coffeehouse and booting up. There are some pitfalls for the unwary. Malware is also covered in the text. Trojans, spyware, keystroke loggers and other demons.
   
   However, perhaps by deliberate design by the author, there is only a broad discussion about how to preserve a computer. The text may be best as a rapid read, and you then need to progress to more advanced books.

No comments about The Investigator's Guide to Computer Crime.

5 comments about Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway.

1. ALOT OF WHAT SCHWARTU IS TALKING ABOUT IN THIS BOOK IS POSSIBLE. SOME OF THE COMPANIES SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES IS SOMEWHAT WEAK, BUT IMPROVING. SOME OF THE COMPANIES I HAVE WORKED FOR WOULD FLUNK IN THEIR SECURITY MEASURES. THE AUTHOR IS CORRECT ON HOW EASY IT IS TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE USA, FOR EXAMPLE THE SITUATION WITH CHINA ON THE NUCLEAR TECH. SECRETS THAT THEY NOW POSES IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WINN SCHWARTAU IS TALKING ABOUT. AND THE S.S.AGENTS WHOS NAMES WERE POSTED ON THE WEB IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE



2. Very informative, a great insight as to what is possible. This should make many people more aware of the need for some sort of security on their systems.



3. The importance of the contents of this book cannot be overstated. It is a collection of articles written by various experts in the field, which works well as it gives the reader a balanced view. Space prohibits a thorough review, so a list of some important highlights in the book is in order: 1. The discussion on applications of biotronics: bacteria that can detect single molecules of chemical and biological agents. 2. High-power radio frequency (HERF) weapons and their effects on biological systems. 3. The use of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDS) to measure the magnetic neural activity of the brain. 4. The discussion on "assassination politics". 5. Cognitive maps used to visualize belief systems about information warfare. 6. The afterward of the book, which is the best part actually, for the reason that the author embraces an optimistic view of the future of the information age. He lists the "Ten Commandments" of computer ethics which should be followed by all individuals.



4. Winn Schwartau was one of the first, along with Peter Black (RIP), to warn Congress and the business world that digital systems would be extremely vulnerable. No one listened.
   
   This book is still in my library. It is the non-fiction "first book" in this area.
   
   For the fictional version that will stun with its surprise ending:
   Terminal Compromise



5. I continue to believe this is one of the best in class original references. Winn, Peter Black (RIP) and I were among the first to warn of electronic Pearl Harbors, with Winn being the most knowledeable and the only one invited to brief Congress, where it went in one ear and out the others.
   
   Winn Schwartau was one of the first, along with Peter Black (RIP), to warn Congress and the business world that digital systems would be extremely vulnerable. No one listened.
   
   This book is still in my library. It is the non-fiction "first book" in this area.
   
   For the fictional version that will stun with its surprise ending:
   Terminal Compromise
   
   For the best movie showing how easy it is to bring a society down:
   Live Free or Die Hard (Full Screen Edition)
   
   Other Hacker Books:
   The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit , Twentieth Anniversary Edition
   Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
   The Hacker Crackdown: Law And Disorder On The Electronic Frontier
   The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security
   
   Other Hacker DVD:
   Hackers
   Hackers - Wizards of the Electronic Age

No comments about Adventures in Criminal Justice Research: Data Analysis Using SPSS 15.0 and 16.0 for Windows.

2 comments about Complete Guide To E-Security: Using The Internet And E-Mail Without Losing Your Privacy.

1. Mr. Chesbro discusses in detail and offers many practical solutions to internet and e-mail security. I found his book informative on exactly how e-mail messages are sent. More importantly his book has enabled me to send e-mail and surf the web by secure means without the worry of being intercepted by prying eyes. A must read for anybody who sends e-mail over the internet or desires greater internet security.

   His explanation on how e-mail is sent and how to implement privacy safeguards are clear, relevant and to the point. Not included is a lot of unnecessary technical detail. He details practical methods on how a citizen or even a corporation can set up private and secure e-mail using free/public internet e-mail security programs. I especially liked his tips on anonymous web-browsing and e-mail remailers.

   E-mail security is briefly touched on in the author's book "Privacy for Sale". In "The Complete Guide to E-security", Mr. Chesbro goes into much more detail on e-security when surfing the web, sending e-mail, e-communications planning, and laws pertaining to electronic communications.




2. Michael Chesbro's The Complete Guide To E-Security covers all aspects of using the Internet and email while protecting personal privacy. Chesbro reveals how anyone's email can be accessed and read a dozen times between the time it is sent and when it is received, that through such techniques as cookies and bugs, the unscrupulous can track which websites you visit, your IP address, email address, geographic location, even the type of computer you use. Chesbro then goes on to explain everything needed to insure both safety and anonymity while surfing the Internet, how to set up encrypted email, crate uncrackable passwords, "off the shelf" unbreakable encryption programs, and sending email through remailer services to disguise the source. The Complete Guide To E-Security is essential reading for anyone seeking to protect and ensure his or her privacy on the web or in electronic communications.

No comments about Photo-Computer Image Processing & the Crime of the Century: A New Forensic Technique Using Photographic Evidence in the Kennedy Assassination.

No comments about Be a Crime Scene Investigator (Scienceworks!).