He was tall, muscular and his suffocating good looks caught the attention of every woman he encountered. After two tours in East Africa, and receiving a bronze star for heroism, Joe returned home to find the CIA waiting with open arms. Was there a connection between the Taliban of Afghanistan and the murderous cartels of Mexico? Paired with a fun and whimsical pilot, and the gorgeous but deadly, Gabriella Mendez, Joe and his team faced the lords of evil and their empire of drug trafficking and sex slaves. From the poppy fields of Afghanistan, the paradise of Cozumel, to the deceitful halls of the nation's capital, Gringo Joe must rely on his warrior instincts and unwavering faith in God to save him, and those he loves. The beautiful and brilliant Michele Randle, or ‘Mel’ as she is affectionately known, graduated Stanford Law with such poise and ease; she was the recruiting target of every powerful, corporate law firm in the country. To consider her many and varied options, Mel made a rare, impulsive decision and drove to the Pacific Northwest where she happened upon the breathtaking hamlet of Steelhead, Oregon. When timber was king, Steelhead was its throne, but these days it was wine that vied for the crown. In the tranquil beauty of the Umpqua Valley, hillsides of giant firs retreated to the vast expansion of vineyards. Every square foot of Gringo Joe's Espresso was built by the gifted hands of Joseph Chandler, an ex-US Army Ranger, reeling from the scars of war. Mel strolled into the warm and inviting artisan cottage, and discovered true love; fresh shots of espresso, buried beneath a blanket of steamed milk, accompanied by warm, marionberry scones. It was a well-deserved break from seven years of demanding academic pursuits. Her ambitions and goals, never in question, were now suspect and vulnerable. Looking for a quiet place to resolve the conflicting voices within, instead, Mel found purpose and romance in the company of a barista with ridiculously green eyes. The greatest surprise was a rollercoaster adventure that almost took her life, but rekindled the embers of her dying faith.
Written by leading researchers, this complete introduction brings together all the theory and tools needed for building robust machine learning in adversarial environments. Discover how machine learning systems can adapt when an adversary actively poisons data to manipulate statistical inference, learn the latest practical techniques for investigating system security and performing robust data analysis, and gain insight into new approaches for designing effective countermeasures against the latest wave of cyber-attacks. Privacy-preserving mechanisms and the near-optimal evasion of classifiers are discussed in detail, and in-depth case studies on email spam and network security highlight successful attacks on traditional machine learning algorithms. Providing a thorough overview of the current state of the art in the field, and possible future directions, this groundbreaking work is essential reading for researchers, practitioners and students in computer security and machine learning, and those wanting to learn about the next stage of the cybersecurity arms race.
The Sales and Use Tax Answer Book is the key reference source for which practitioners have been searching. Not only is it comprehensive and clear; it also provides extensive citation to important case and statutory law. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia impose a sales tax on the retail sale of tangible personal property and selected services. In addition, there are 7,500 cities, municipalities, towns, school districts, counties, and other special taxing districts that levy sales and use taxes. The varying rates, the changing jurisdictional boundaries, the different tax bases, and the often inconsistent and contradictory interpretations of similarly worded statutes are all covered. The book also includes a chapter on sales tax reforms, particularly the Streamlined Sales Tax Project.
Taming the Beast by Nadirah FoxxStealing from a mafia boss is the dumbest thing Izzie Itzae has ever done, but it leads her to meeting the one male she's not ready for. But Hunter James is more than ready for her. When dark magics threatens them both, Izzie must choose-cling to her stubbornness or give in to her heart's truth. But only one will tame her beast.Plans Laid Bare by JD NelsonWhen Mavis LeGrand discovers her grandfather's plans to use her unique powers in an evil scheme, she escapes by hitching a ride with Cameron DeSalle, a half incubus, whom she quickly falls for. But whether Cameron feels the same desire or it's his incubus nature bringing them closer, Mavis isn't sure. The only thing she knows is they'll never have a happily ever after until she defeats her grandfather.Shift of Fate by Victoria EscobarA shifter without a shift, Audrey Smith doesn't belong with a pride, but she's too "other" to blend in with humans. The last thing she expects is finding a mate. But the sexier-than-sin paramedic who pulls her from her wrecked car, Nicholas Jordan, claims her as his. Accepting his claim would betray everything Audrey's ever believed, but the longer she denies the bond, the more their lives are put at risk.
Dark Seduction by Michele G. Miller & R.K. RyalsTied since birth to a darkness that longs to break free, spiritual psychic Harper Sinclair fights a never-ending battle with demonic spirits. Her only relief comes from the fallen angel for whom she's long ignored deep feelings. Elias Jamison lost his place in Heaven when he chose his friends over his creator. He fell, but he is not lost. For centuries, Elias maintained his innate goodness, fought against evil, and protected those in need-except for one. Grief-stricken, Elias pushed his loss aside for over a hundred years, but the deeper his feelings grow for Harper Sinclair, the deeper old guilt digs in.Soul Laid Bare by JD NelsonThe story of Mavis and Cameron's romance and fight to be together continues in this sequel to Plans Laid BareMavis LeGrand is content in the mountains of Colorado with her incubus fiancé, Cameron, and things seem to be going well, but she knows behind the picturesque town and smiling faces, an evil lurks. She throws herself into finding a way to get Cameron's soul back from her soon-to-be father-in-law. But with a strong feeling of malice lingering over the town like a dense fog, Mavis can sense that she'll soon be in for a fight. Evil has no place in Havenwood Falls, and she'll be damned if she lets anyone or anything hurt the town or the ones she loves.Stray With Me by E.J. FechendaAs a descendant of a founding family of Havenwood Falls and granddaughter of their coven's high priestess, Harlow Augustine's been raised to adhere to certain expectations. Dating a biker is the exact opposite of those. At first, it's an act of rebellion. Ryker Pride is like a forbidden fruit. Where she has deep roots in town and a big family, Ryker is an orphan lion shifter who grew up on the streets. His family is the SIN MC-"thugs and outlaws," according to her grandmother. When tragedy strikes, Harlow makes a rash decision and quickly learns that her magic has deadly consequences.
Fate's Demand by Emily CyrLana Velis always knew she might one day inherit the powers and duties of the Oracle of Delphi, but the inheritance arriving in the middle of her last-ever college final wasn't something even she could predict. With a power she never wanted and her testy cat, Lana must leave her best friend behind and make her way to Havenwood Falls to take over the never-ending petitioner list her ya-ya left behind. If only it were that easy. The gods are angry, and the Fates demand a soul in place of the one Lana accidentally stole-or all of Havenwood Falls will suffer the consequences. The Wu & the Wand by T.V. HahnSequel to The Ward & the WanderersTrying to get back to her simple Havenwood Falls life, Teeny Weeny Tahini enjoys nothing more than her morning teas at the Broastful Brew, but that seems to be where trouble always finds her. This time it's a tantalizing Asian gentleman who has all of Teeny's senses on full alert. When her friend Nina suddenly disappears, Teeny is certain Mr. Wu has the answers. She never expects what she learns, though, and now it's up to her to not only save Havenwood Falls, but an entire dynasty of another place and another time.A Demon's Redemption by JD NelsonFor six hundred years, demon Rayonus Rixa has used his destructive power to fund his nomadic, mercenary lifestyle and hasn't had the time or inclination to care about someone other than himself. When the demon hierarchy tasked him with a job unlike any other, that all changed, and the moment he met Penelope Osbourne, he changed. She's sassy, beautiful, and a little crazy for her favorite TV angel. In her, Rayonus has finally found a future that doesn't include death or general mayhem. And then, in typical demon fashion, he promptly screws it up ten ways to Sunday.
Rites of Passage ceremonies are not new, but they symbolize the beginning of a new life phase-the transition from childhood to adulthood. Many of our children today are confused about which group they belong in and what behaviors are appropriate.Sankofa: Look to Your Past Forgotten Heritage speaks to the frequently ignored need for guidance, purpose, and encouragement for African-American youth. Paula Penn-Nabrit describes an easily adaptable approach to guiding African-American male adolescents through the process toward true, holistically healthy manhood.Like Rites of Passage, Sankofa is not new. It was originally published in 1995. Charles and Damon, the 13 year-old participants in the rite of passage recounted are now holistically healthy, 37 year-old African-American men. The process proved impactful enough in their lives to warrant a reissue of the book. #StillTimely
(Preliminary description) The continuation of the First Contact story, and the consequences for Zalk's world after his pact with Sorab, the extra-terrestrial offering wealth and technology in exchange for facilitating the construction of a mine whose real purposes none of Zalk's colleagues could have foreseen.
In our changing world how do Christians come together in non-traditional ways? An expert takes a look at some of the most significant gospel-advancing movements and trends to take place in the latter twentieth and twenty-first centuries in the United States. New Christian groups examined include: the Church Growth Movement, Missional Church Movement, Multisite Movement, the rise of church planting networks, the House Church Movement, and the Emerging Church Movement. Readers are introduced to each expression, along with important definitions, history, convictions, and influential leaders. Features include: A close look at non-denominational movements that reach new people for Christ Explanations of how contemporary Christianity is changing Concise guide to non-traditional Christian groups
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