Mark Stewart – författare

Since 2001, the United States has created or reorganized more than two counterterrorism organizations for every terrorist arrest or apprehension it has made of people plotting to do damage within the country. Central to this massive enterprise is 'ghost-chasing,' as less than one alarm in 10,000 is an actual threat-the rest all point to ghosts. And the vast majority of the leads deemed to be productive have led to terrorist enterprises that were either trivial or at most aspirational. As John Mueller and Mark Stewart suggest in Chasing Ghosts, this is often an exercise in dueling delusions: a Muslim hothead has delusions about changing the world by blowing something up, and the authorities have delusions that he might actually be able to overcome his patent inadequacies to do so. Mueller and Stewart systematically examine this expensive, exhausting, bewildering, chaotic, and paranoia-inducing process. They evaluate the counterterrorism efforts of the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and local policing agencies. In addition, applying a new set of case studies, they appraise the capacities of the terrorist 'adversary' and discuss what they calls 'the myth of the mastermind.' They also assess public opinion, a key driving force for counterterrorism efforts. The yearly chance an American will be killed by a terrorist within the country is about one in four million under present conditions. However, polling data suggest that, although over a trillion dollars has been spent on domestic counterterrorism since 2001, Americans continue to be alarmed and say they do not feel safer. No defense of civil liberties is likely to be terribly effective as long as officials and the population at large continue to believe that the threat from terrorism is massive, even existential.Mueller and Stewart do not argue that there is nothing for the ghost-chasers to find-the terrorist 'adversary' is real and does exist. The question that is central to the exercise, but one the ghost-chasers never really probe, is an important and rather straight-forward one to which standard evaluative procedures can be applied: is the chase worth the effort? Or is it excessive given a serious consideration of the danger that terrorism actually presents?

Since 2001, the United States has created or reorganized more than two counterterrorism organizations for every apprehension it has made of Islamists apparently planning to commit terrorism within the country. Central to this massive enterprise is what the FBI frequently calls "ghost-chasing"-the efforts by police and intelligence agencies to follow up on over ten million tips. Less than one alarm in 10,000 fails to be false-the rest all point to ghosts. And the vast majority of the leads deemed to be productive have led to terrorist enterprises that are either trivial or at most aspirational. As John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart suggest in Chasing Ghosts, it is often an exercise in dueling delusions: an extremist has delusions about changing the world by blowing something up, and the authorities have delusions that he might actually be able to overcome his patent inadequacies to do so. Chasing Ghosts systematically examines this expensive, exhausting, bewildering, chaotic, and paranoia-inducing process. It evaluates the counterterrorism efforts of the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and local policing agencies. In addition, it draws from a rich set of case studies to appraise the capacities of the terrorist "adversary" and to scrutinize "the myth of the mastermind." Mueller and Stewart also look closely at public opinion, a key driving force in counterterrorism efforts. The chance that an American will be killed by a terrorist within the country is about one in four million per year under present conditions. However, poll data suggest that, although over a trillion dollars has been spent on domestic counterterrorism since 2001, Americans say they do not feel safer. No defense of civil liberties is likely to be effective as long as people and officials continue to believe that the threat from terrorism is massive, even existential.The book does not argue that there is nothing for the ghost-chasers to find-the terrorist "adversary" is real and does exist. The question that is central to the exercise-but one the ghost-chasers never really probe-is an important and rather straight-forward one: is the chase worth the effort? Or is it excessive given the danger that terrorism actually presents? As Chasing Ghosts shows in vivid detail, standard evaluative procedures suggest that the costs often far outweigh the benefits.

Since 2001, the United States has created or reorganized more than two counterterrorism organizations for every apprehension it has made of Islamists apparently planning to commit terrorism within the country. Central to this massive enterprise is what the FBI frequently calls "ghost-chasing"-the efforts by police and intelligence agencies to follow up on over ten million tips. Less than one alarm in 10,000 fails to be false-the rest all point to ghosts. And the vast majority of the leads deemed to be productive have led to terrorist enterprises that are either trivial or at most aspirational. As John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart suggest in Chasing Ghosts, it is often an exercise in dueling delusions: an extremist has delusions about changing the world by blowing something up, and the authorities have delusions that he might actually be able to overcome his patent inadequacies to do so. Chasing Ghosts systematically examines this expensive, exhausting, bewildering, chaotic, and paranoia-inducing process. It evaluates the counterterrorism efforts of the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and local policing agencies. In addition, it draws from a rich set of case studies to appraise the capacities of the terrorist "adversary" and to scrutinize "the myth of the mastermind." Mueller and Stewart also look closely at public opinion, a key driving force in counterterrorism efforts. The chance that an American will be killed by a terrorist within the country is about one in four million per year under present conditions. However, poll data suggest that, although over a trillion dollars has been spent on domestic counterterrorism since 2001, Americans say they do not feel safer. No defense of civil liberties is likely to be effective as long as people and officials continue to believe that the threat from terrorism is massive, even existential.The book does not argue that there is nothing for the ghost-chasers to find-the terrorist "adversary" is real and does exist. The question that is central to the exercise-but one the ghost-chasers never really probe-is an important and rather straight-forward one: is the chase worth the effort? Or is it excessive given the danger that terrorism actually presents? As Chasing Ghosts shows in vivid detail, standard evaluative procedures suggest that the costs often far outweigh the benefits.

In the years following 9/11, the United States spent billions and billons on powerful surveillance and security systems and created a massive new government agency, the Department of Homeland Security. John Mueller, one of America's most trenchant critics of America's drive for enhanced security at all costs, has argued that while these measures have largely been unnecessary, the public succumbed to an alarmist media and a shrewd governmental scare campaign and came to support these measures. The price, Mueller has contended, has been a massive misallocation of resources. In previous books, Mueller focused on why national security threats are 'overblown,' but in Terrorism, Security, and Money, he teams up with Mark Stewart, a civil engineering professor and recognized authority on risk assessment for the built infrastructure, to put forth a more rational and cost-effective approach to managing domestic security. Instead of offering a critical account of the situation we're in, Mueller and Stewart instead focus on providing solutions based on the risk assessment science. After cataloguing the mistakes that the US has made (and continues to make), like spending wildly on ill-considered plans to mitigate unlikely threats, they offer tools-based probabilistic risk assessment that have the potential to redirect our efforts toward a more productive--and far more cost-effective--course.

In the years following 9/11, the United States spent billions and billons on powerful surveillance and security systems and created a massive new government agency, the Department of Homeland Security. John Mueller, one of America's most trenchant critics of America's drive for enhanced security at all costs, has argued that while these measures have largely been unnecessary, the public succumbed to an alarmist media and a shrewd governmental scare campaign and came to support these measures. The price, Mueller has contended, has been a massive misallocation of resources. In previous books, Mueller focused on why national security threats are 'overblown,' but in Terrorism, Security, and Money, he teams up with Mark Stewart, a civil engineering professor and recognized authority on risk assessment for the built infrastructure, to put forth a more rational and cost-effective approach to managing domestic security. Instead of offering a critical account of the situation we're in, Mueller and Stewart instead focus on providing solutions based on the risk assessment science. After cataloguing the mistakes that the US has made (and continues to make), like spending wildly on ill-considered plans to mitigate unlikely threats, they offer tools-based probabilistic risk assessment that have the potential to redirect our efforts toward a more productive--and far more cost-effective--course.

Florian, Clay and Josh decide to go on a rescue mission to save the crew of the USS Lock after they discovered the ship was attacked. Evelina is reborn and now is Queen of the Crenox, making the agreement with Mitta invalid. If war breaks out with the Crenox, the human outpost on Planet X91 is in grave danger of becoming wiped out. Can Josh save the day yet again or will he decide without notifying the council members he will use the time machine and go back in time before the USS Lock was designed?

The girl from Emerald Hill is the third book in the series titled Don't tell my secret. The girl from Emerald Hill is set in dual years; 2019 and 1942. Ryan Harris is an Air Force pilot. He volunteers to fly a plane faster than the speed of light. After landing in 1942, Ryan's plane needs repairing. The plane's computer orders him to seek out twelve-year-old Thomas Lene. After hearing the news, the Japanese will bomb Darwin in eighteen hours, Thomas makes a pact with Ryan to save his sister, Nicole. In return, Thomas agrees to repair the plane. Ryan is in a dilemma; to save Nicole from certain death, history will be changed. There are three different paths Ryan could choose.One: stay in 1942 and live a happy life somewhere.Two: save Nicole and go back to his time alone:Three: convince Nicole to leave Darwin and come with him to the year 2019.Ryan's decision is further complicated when he realizes he has fallen in love with Nicole.Which choice will he finally decide?Above everything, one question remains; who is the brains behind the time travel trip?

The Decadence is heading to Silux to destroy the planet. When the Entity is done, he intends to move onto Planet X91 then the Earth. Queen Mitta of the Crenoxian empire believes she has a foolproof plan to destroy the Entity. She must convince the humans on Planet X91 to murder the Decadence. Josh, Florian, and Clay smell a trap. When Josh is handed the detonator to activate the solar bombs the alarm bells ring.On top of his suspicions, Josh knows Queen Mitta wants to have her daughter, Princess Evelina freed from the holding pen and reborn. He also knows Evelina wants her ship, 'the Piper' returned. He is convinced Mitta will do anything to keep her daughter happy. Queen Mitta has no idea about the determination of the human race to hold onto what they have.

From three-pointers to slam dunks, Swish: The Quest for Basketball’s Perfect Shot goes beyond the record books and explores all aspects of making a basket. This book features amazing shots, player profiles, and tons of trivia. Authors Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy cover basketball from the late 1800s to modern times, showcasing top male and female players both at the college level and in the pros.

What goal caused the most legendary celebration in soccer history? Who invented the bicycle kick? Who was the first player to score 1,000 goals? Get the full story on scoring goals in soccer, from the earliest days to the present. This book is full of facts about the sport’s greatest goals and the women and men who scored them.

Do you know: Who once scored 10 goals in a single hockey game? How the Stanley Cup came to be hockey''s greatest prize? Why the United States'' victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics is known as the "miracle on ice"? Find out about the hardest slap shots, the most unstoppable one-timers, and the wildest attempts to put the puck in the net in Score!: The Action and Artistry of Hockey''s Magnificent Moment. From overtime game-winners to profiles of the greatest players and performances, this book is crammed with amazing facts for every hockey fan!

Touchdown: The Power and Precision of Football''s Perfect Play takes readers beyond the record books and explores all aspects of bringing the ball into the end zone. From football''s very beginnings to the most current action on the field, authors Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy cover the touchdown in fascinating detail. Find out all about the top players, witness the most memorable touchdowns in college and the pros, and check out a full listing of NFL touchdown records.

While Josh decides to undo everything by going back in time before Planet X91 was discovered, Clay goes further back in time to 1955. He wants to meet a girl. He hopes to lead a carefree life. Both young and future Josh Quinn meet.To convince Professor Oakland not to listen to Josh, Henry introduces the VENRA species. They are the only species the Crenox fear. When the group emerge from the time machine room onboard the Piper, they discover the security guard from the Earth had arrived too.

How far will you go to keep a secret?The surviving members of the Ladies' Club vote in favor of revenge for the murder of one of the group. If the police ever discovered what they did, the average housewives would be incarcerated in prison for life. They are fully aware, in Australia, premeditated murder comes with a price tag of life in prison. What the ladies proposed is a huge gamble. Believing they actually pulled off the perfect crime, a man discovers their secret. Detective Whiteside. He is in a bind. He must decide to either arrest the ladies or destroy the evidence and walk away.

Old sayings from around the world that are not heard anymore. Some are comical. Others will amaze you. Some have been around for centuries. E.G. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Explanation: Don't discard something good just to throw out something that is bad. Origin: Germany. 1512.I have recorded many old timeless sayings. If they aren't recorded in their original state, they will be lost forever. It is good to know how far we have evolved as a human race. Who knows how we, as a species will evolve in the future. E.G. of a timeless saying: Black tracker. Explanation: An aborigine who worked for the police. Origin: Australian.

At fifteen Mel meets Dylan. Being his mistress has great advantages, until Dylan refuses to marry Mel. Never upset your mistress. Murder will be dished up on a plate. Mel's main challenge; will she get away with the crime? Planning the murder was easy. Getting away with it might be a little harder.

In this adventure titled Lochabar returns, Florian, Clay, and Josh, gamble the life of every human. The plan is simple. Rescue the Crenoxian Princess, Evelina, whom the hate. Clay must talk his new girlfriend, Tina into coming on the journey to the Venra planet where Evelina is held captive. To help save their life, Tina must put on an act so Evelina becomes green with jealousy. Henry shows Tina what a Crenoxian looks like. She screams. Josh wants the human army to make a cage six foot cubed with a lockable door. They need it when they return with Evelina. If they return. If they don't, the Earth will be in a war with the Venra and the Crenox.The Venra soldiers show off their talent by shooting a laser beam at the small rock at Josh's feet and Tina's feet. They inform the humans they will never leave the Planet Venra. Can Josh bluff his way out of such a tight gamble one more time?

After waking up in a coffin, Meredith had no idea her hero, Jordan Ashcombe is actually on his way. Meredith had married for money expecting her spending habits to keep her warm at night while her husband entertains other women. Meredith couldn't understand why her sister placed so much importance on love and not money until she was married. Now she is green with jealousy of her sister and her perfect marriage and never wants to talk to her again. jordan has to prevail. he has to win. Will love triumph when failure is a real possibility? Jordan has never met Meredith Rayburn, but the minute he sees her in a wedding video he knew they had to meet. Will the love driving them ever closer survive the odds stacked against them? Can Jordan Ashcombe's idea be implemented in time?

Planet X91 the beginning is a sci-fi adventure series. Onboard shuttle number one in hyper sleep is Clay Silver 16, Florian Fawkes 15, Josh Quinn 12. They wake five minutes before they crash. The three have to be a team to survive. What dangers will they discover? Will they be rescued? One bad mistake and the newest human colony of three will be extinct. One question remains. Who ejected them from the USS Lock?Clay, Florian, and Josh make a pact to vote on everything they do. To guarantee Florian survives her safety is put first. Every move they make has to be planned. The building they landed near turns out to be a spaceship. Reading the ledger on what species of animals were onboard the craft the trio uncovers the secret of what had been in the cages. For twenty years the animals have roamed free. They are hungry. Abandoned and alone the three young adults have to fight to survive.

Legendary blue diamond two is the second novel in the trilogy. Set in Australia in the mid 1800's. We pick up the story of Jessica Hayes and Lightening Dawn two months after they are married. Jessica is pregnant. Life is good. They are in the town of Bendigo. A postal worker gives her a message saying Bobbi Forland is coming for his blue diamond and solid silver guns. Even the lawman seems nervous over Forland's arrival. He's the one who murdered Jessica's husband in a poker game and threw her out in the street. He suspects Jessica stole the diamond from under his nose. Forland will stop at nothing to get it back. Lightening Dawn must protect her again, their unborn baby and the three aborigine kids living with them.

Planet X91 the new home is the second book in this sci-fi adventure series. On board shuttle number one in hyper sleep is Clay Silver 16, Florian Fawkes 15 Josh Quinn 12. They wake five minutes before crashing on what they think is an uninhabited planet. The three have to be a team to survive. What new dangers await them? Will they be rescued? One bad mistake and the newest human colony of three will be extinct. When Florian decides on a swim in a rock pool the boys have to save her life from an alien who is part of a group. They have no idea the aliens are cannibals. When The Piper spacecraft they're in is invaded by the aliens they discover the ship can become transparent. When they question the ship's hologram medical doctor he confesses they are being tested.

While looking at Amber Haleton sees her vanish. The orb of light is after Haleton to suck him back to 1749AD. Alex Crompton his cousin wants him dead.Not only does Haleton have to face the woman who turned him into a vampire, he has to fight his cousin, werewolves and find his wife. To top off his nightmare, he is transported to a place before time exists. It's a place in front of time. This is where his greatest challenge eventuates, coming face to face with a creature called the guardian of time. The creature constantly changes, just like his surrounds. The grotesque creature explains there is no way out.He and younger Amber discover the only way to get back to reality is to wait in hope Amber's ex-boyfriend and Rose-a-lee Cantala will come to their rescue. While waiting they have to hide from the other vampires and werewolves who want to escape back to real time.

After crashing on planet X91 with no food or water, Florian, Josh, and Clay must learn how to survive. Sending a distress signal to the USS Lock as it streaks through deep space at light speed seems impossible. Their shuttle they were in doesn't have light speed capabilities so catching up to the main ship is out of the question. No matter which way you look at it, they are stuck on planet X91. Many adventures await them, from discovering a spaceship and the reason behind why it's haunted, to trying to fight cannibal aliens, the Crenox. The reason they were placed in a shuttle in the first place is a baffling mystery. As Josh says: why only them?

Florian, Josh, Clay and several eager volunteers unite in saving the dome from being destroyed by a meteorite. To retrieve the glass dome they must travel to the second moon orbiting planet X91. If they succeed in this mission, Josh is one step closer to travelling through the black holes. Nick Benhill decides his relationship with Florian has ended. He tries to stop the rescue mission from going ahead. Cora stops Clay's advances by telling him she's not interested then gives him a kiss. Clay tries to butter her up again when he comes to her rescue after her fingers get wedged underneath the glass dome. Another one of Henry's Crenoxian secrets is revealed. The final question still remains a secret. Is he on the side of the human colony or the cannibal alien's? After all they did create him.

In the continuing Planet X91 series the drought, Clay, Florian, and Josh ride their horses into the forest. They must launch a small rock packed full of synthetic ice crystals into a cloud so it can rain and break the drought. When they stop for a rest they are cornered by a large prehistoric spider. Just as they fight to live a human girl, Briana, saves them. Josh is the only one who suspects something isn't on the level. When Evelina, a teenager the same age as Clay crashes what appears to be a small space shuttle she was piloting, Clay seems to fall into a love trance. Josh suspects the newly constructed camp isn't what it seems and sets out to prove he's correct. The trio is more than welcome to enter the camp. Only thing wrong, they can never leave. It's up to Josh once again to save the trio from certain death. To do this he sets a bomb to blow up the alien spaceship. He soon discovers the rescue didn't work the first time around.

Follow the adventure of a peace loving mortal man through time when William Haleton is converted into a vampire. Rose-a-lee Cantala who discovered the formula is herself transformed into a vampire. Haleton must fight Alex Crompton his murderous cousin and werewolves. Finally marrying a woman she has an exciting announcement. She vanishes before she can say. Haleton confronts the guardians of time. After accepting their deal so he can be with his wife again they transport him further into the future so he can view his children and must confront Alex for the last time.

In the continuing Planet X91 series, Florian, Josh, and Clay must contend with a tsunami. Everything would have gone to plan if it wasn't for the shuttle being pushed from the roof of the Piper spaceship by the giant wave. If that wasn't bad enough the only way to save the shuttle from any more damage is to build a robot out of the many others which were aboard a deep shuttle craft many years earlier and had disappeared, reasons unknown. When the water from the Tsunami had receded, the robots litter the area. Three twisters form after the initial wave has come and gone. One of the twisters develops a large face in the vortex. It warns the teenagers to leave the planet. Clay takes matters into his hands and challenges the large face. He's sucked into the air. Knowing he's dead, Florian attempts suicide. Josh is the only one who can save them. Florian suspects the locked room with the green chair is either a time machine or can give visions of future events. Josh decides sitting in the green chair is the only way to save the other two. He has to put his life on the line just to find out if Florian might be right.

How far are you willing to go to keep a secret?James Buxton is summoned to his publicist office. He's not brave enough to tell her he's suffering from writer's block. She tells him to write a romance novel. At first he refuses; explaining he writes crime. She gives him a seductive kiss then says go write me a romance novel. When he arrives at a bed and breakfast hotel, he meets an attractive woman, Mia Garnett. Did fate bring them together or something else? James meets an elderly woman, Eloise, who wants to dictate a romance novel to him. She tells him to take all the credit for the book. The story is about a woman living in the1940's and her struggles to survive when her husband goes to war. Lilly and her friend Suzie commit a horrific act. They vow to take the unspeakable deed to their grave. As James types the novel, he falls in love with Mia. After a romantic dinner at a restaurant they dance to the juke box with the song queue full. At the end of the night they are informed the jukebox queue hasn't worked in years. When Mia hears the truth behind Eloise, will the discovery put a rift between her and James forever?

Florian, Josh, and Clay, have a new problem. The plague they were warned about is arriving to squash their recent victory. After the Piper spaceship was stolen from the aliens they finally succeeded in tracking the Piper to planet X91. They have tried unsuccessfully to get it back. The aliens have sent thousands of tiny robotic winged creatures to swarm the area. Their goal; destroy the spaceship. Discovering the Piper's last secret our three teenager's hopes of success are on the rise. Minutes before the battle is to begin Doc. Henry informs the trio the name of the culprit who placed them in the maintenance shuttle in the first place. Not one of the teenagers ever thought it could have been one of them. Just when they think they have won the final war their battle to save themselves and the Piper is just beginning.