Michael Pletka's Books

Data-driven Print

Strategy and Implementation

By: Patricia Sorce,Michael Pletka

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Data-driven Print

Strategy and Implementation

By: Patricia Sorce,Michael Pletka

Patricia Sorce is the administrative chair of the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Print Media and co-director of the RIT Printing Industry Center. Michael Pletka is manager of Customer Business Development at the Xerox Production Systems Group. Data-Driven Print is their answer to the question of how to overcome the strategic and operational barriers that have impeded growth in this media form by leveraging digital printing technology to deliver customized printed communications. This book, the second volume in the Printing Industry Center Series, documents the current use of personalization and custom communication while identifying the best practices, best prospects, and associated business models for delivering value to printing clients.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

196

Publisher

RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1933360062

ISBN 13

9781933360065

Leap of Faith

Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy

By: Michael J. Mazarr

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Leap of Faith

Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy

By: Michael J. Mazarr

The dramatic insider account of why we invaded Iraq, the motivations that drove it, and the frustrations of those who tried and failed to stop it, leading to the most costly misadventure in US history. A single disastrous choice in the wake of 9/11-the decision to use force to remove Saddam Hussein from power-did enormous damage to the wealth, well-being, and reputation of the United States. Few errors in U.S. foreign policy have had longer-lasting or more harmful consequences. Yet how the decision came to be made remains shrouded in mystery and mythology. To this day, even the principal architects of the war cannot agree on it. Michael Mazarr has interviewed dozens of players involved in the deliberations about the invasion of Iraq and has reviewed all the documents so far declassified. He paints a devastating of portrait of an administration fueled by righteous conviction yet undercut by chaotic processes, rivalrous agencies, and competing egos. But more than the product of one bungling administration, the invasion of Iraq emerges here as a tragically typical example of modern U.S. foreign policy fiascos. Leap of Faith asks profound questions about the limits of US power and the accountability for its use. It offers lessons urgently relevant to stave off similar disasters-today and in the future.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

524

Publisher

PublicAffairs

Published Date

ISBN 10

1541768345

ISBN 13

9781541768345

Dancing with the Devil

The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes

By: Michael Rubin

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Dancing with the Devil

The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes

By: Michael Rubin

The world has seldom been as dangerous as it is now. Rogue regimes—governments and groups that eschew diplomatic normality, sponsor terrorism, and proliferate nuclear weapons—threaten the United States around the globe. Because sanctions and military action are so costly, the American strategy of first resort is dialogue, on the theory that “it never hurts to talk to enemies.” Seldom is conventional wisdom so wrong. Engagement with rogue regimes is not cost-free, as Michael Rubin demonstrates by tracing the history of American diplomacy with North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, the Taliban’s Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Further challenges to traditional diplomacy have come from terrorist groups, such as the PLO in the 1970s and 1980s, or Hamas and Hezbollah in the last two decades. The argument in favor of negotiation with terrorists is suffused with moral equivalence, the idea that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Rarely does the actual record of talking to terrorists come under serious examination. While soldiers spend weeks developing lessons learned after every exercise, diplomats generally do not reflect on why their strategy toward rogues has failed, or consider whether their basic assumptions have been faulty. Rubin’s analysis finds that rogue regimes all have one thing in common: they pretend to be aggrieved in order to put Western diplomats on the defensive. Whether in Pyongyang, Tehran, or Islamabad, rogue leaders understand that the West rewards bluster with incentives and that the U.S. State Department too often values process more than results.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

326

Publisher

Encounter Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1594037981

ISBN 13

9781594037986

Vital Statistics on Congress

2001-2002

By: Norman J. Ornstein,Thomas E. Mann,Michael J. Malbin

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Vital Statistics on Congress

2001-2002

By: Norman J. Ornstein,Thomas E. Mann,Michael J. Malbin

Vital Statistics on Congress is the definitive source of essential information for all who watch Congress.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

262

Publisher

American Enterprise Institute

Published Date

ISBN 10

084474168X

ISBN 13

9780844741680

Seven Pillars

What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East?

By: Michael Rubin,Brian Katulis

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Seven Pillars

What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East?

By: Michael Rubin,Brian Katulis

For decades, US foreign policy in the Middle East has been on autopilot: Seek Arab-Israeli peace, fight terrorism, and urge regimes to respect human rights. Every US administration puts its own spin on these initiatives, but none has successfully resolved the region’s fundamental problems. In Seven Pillars: What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East? a bipartisan group of leading experts representing several academic and policy disciplines unravel the core causes of instability in the Middle East and North Africa. Why have some countries been immune to the Arab Spring? Which governments enjoy the most legitimacy and why? With more than half the region under 30 years of age, why does education and innovation lag? How do resource economies, crony capitalism, and inequality drive conflict? Are ethnic and sectarian fault lines the key factor, or are these more products of political and economic instability? And what are the wellsprings of extremism that threaten not only the United States but, more profoundly, the people of the region? The answers to these questions should help policymakers and students of the region understand the Middle East on its own terms, rather than just through a partisan or diplomatic lens. Understanding the pillars of instability in the region can allow the United States and its allies to rethink their own priorities, adjust policy, recalibrate their programs, and finally begin to chip away at core challenges facing the Middle East. Contributors: Thanassis Cambanis Michael A. Fahy Florence Gaub Danielle Pletka Bilal Wahab A. Kadir Yildirim

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

178

Publisher

AEI Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0844750263

ISBN 13

9780844750262

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

A History of Now

By: Michael Burleigh

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

A History of Now

By: Michael Burleigh

In the decades since the end of the Second World War, it has been widely assumed that the western model of liberal democracy and free trade is the way the world should be governed. However, events in the early years of the twenty-first century – first, the 2003 war with Iraq and its chaotic aftermath and, second, the financial crash of 2008 – have threatened the general acceptance that continued progress under the benign (or sometimes not so benign) gaze of the western powers is the only way forwards. And as America turns inwards and Europe is beset by austerity politics and populist nationalism, the post-war consensus looks less and less secure. But is this really the worst of times? In a forensic examination of the world we now live in, acclaimed historian Michael Burleigh sets out to answer that question. Who could have imagined that China would champion globalization and lead the battle on climate change? Or that post-Soviet Russia might present a greater threat to the world’s stability than ISIS? And while we may be on the cusp of still more dramatic change, perhaps the risks will – in time – bring not only change but a wholly positive transformation. Incisive, robust and always insightful, The Best of Times, The Worst of Times by Michael Burleigh is both a dazzling tour d’horizon of the world as it is today and a surprisingly optimistic vision of the world as it might become.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

566

Publisher

Pan Macmillan

Published Date

ISBN 10

1509847936

ISBN 13

9781509847938

Introduction to Thermodynamics of Mechanical Fatigue

By: Michael M. Khonsari,Mehdi Amiri

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Introduction to Thermodynamics of Mechanical Fatigue

By: Michael M. Khonsari,Mehdi Amiri

Fatigue is probabilistic in nature and involves a complex spectrum of loading history with variable amplitudes and frequencies. Yet most available fatigue failure prediction methods are empirical and concentrate on very specific types of loading. Taking a different approach, Introduction to Thermodynamics of Mechanical Fatigue examines the treatment of fatigue via the principles of thermodynamics. It starts from the premise that fatigue is a dissipative process and must obey the laws of thermodynamics. In general, it can be hypothesized that mechanical degradation is a consequence of irreversible thermodynamic processes. This suggests that entropy generation offers a natural measure of degradation. An Entropic Approach to Fatigue and Degradation Drawing on recent cutting-edge research and development, the authors present a unified entropic approach to problems involving fatigue. They introduce the fundamentals of fatigue processes and explore a wide range of practical engineering applications. Fundamental Concepts and Methodologies The book reviews commonly observed failure modes, discusses how to analyze fatigue problems, and examines the deformation characteristics of a solid material subjected to fatigue loading. It also looks at how to use thermodynamics to determine the onset of fatigue failure. In addition, the book presents methodologies for improving fatigue life and for accelerated fatigue testing. Learn How to Apply the Entropic Approach to Fatigue Problems Comprehensive and well organized, this work helps readers apply powerful thermodynamics concepts to effectively treat fatigue problems at the design stage. It offers an accessible introduction to a new and exciting area of research in the field of fatigue failure analysis.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

168

Publisher

CRC Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1466511796

ISBN 13

9781466511798

The 25 Issues that Shape American Politics

Debates, Differences, and Divisions

By: Michael Kryzanek,Ann Karreth

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The 25 Issues that Shape American Politics

Debates, Differences, and Divisions

By: Michael Kryzanek,Ann Karreth

This book is organized to examine the major subjects taught in American politics through the lens of twenty-five hot button issues affecting American politics and policy today. These key issues reflect the ideas, principles, concerns, fears, morals, and hopes of the American people. The authors argue that these issues are the heart and soul of the American political system, serving as the basis for the disagreements that drive citizens, public servants, and elected officials into action. Features of this Innovative Text Examines 25 issues in light of the 2016 presidential election and beyond. Up-to-date chapters reflect important developments in the arenas of money and politics, immigration, health care, race relations and civil rights, gun control, and gay rights in particular. Includes international coverage with recent and ongoing events surrounding Iran, Syria, Israel and Palestine, and China. A chapter on Russia puts recent developments in Syria, Ukraine, Crimea, and the "near abroad" in context with US foreign policy.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

420

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317224868

ISBN 13

9781317224860

High Performance Biomaterials

A Complete Guide to Medical and Pharmceutical Applications

By: Michael Szycher

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

High Performance Biomaterials

A Complete Guide to Medical and Pharmceutical Applications

By: Michael Szycher

Encyclopedic presentation of the clinical applications of biomaterials from markets and advanced concepts to pharmaceutical applications and blood compatibility.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

824

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1351440969

ISBN 13

9781351440967

The End of the Asian Century

War, Stagnation, and the Risks to the World's Most Dynamic Region

By: Michael R. Auslin

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The End of the Asian Century

War, Stagnation, and the Risks to the World's Most Dynamic Region

By: Michael R. Auslin

Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface: The Asia Nobody Sees -- Acknowledgments -- 1 Mapping Risk in Asia -- 2 The Asian Miracle at Risk -- 3 The Goldilocks Dilemma -- 4 Asia's Mesdames Defarges -- 5 Why Can't We All Just Get Along? -- 6 Hic Sunt Dracones: The Clouds of War -- 7 Managing Risk in Asia -- Notes -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

298

Publisher

Yale University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0300212224

ISBN 13

9780300212228

Armies of Sand

The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness

By: Kenneth Michael Pollack

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Armies of Sand

The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness

By: Kenneth Michael Pollack

Since the Second World War, Arab armed forces have consistently punched below their weight. They have lost many wars that by all rights they should have won, and in their best performances only ever achieved quite modest accomplishments. Over time, soldiers, scholars, and military experts have offered various explanations for this pattern. Reliance on Soviet military methods, the poor civil-military relations of the Arab world, the underdevelopment of the Arab states, and patterns of behavior derived from the wider Arab culture, have all been suggested as the ultimate source of Arab military difficulties. Armies of Sand, Kenneth M. Pollack's powerful and riveting history of Arab armies from the end of World War Two to the present, assesses these differing explanations and isolates the most important causes. Over the course of the book, he examines the combat performance of fifteen Arab armies and air forces in virtually every Middle Eastern war, from the Jordanians and Syrians in 1948 to Hizballah in 2006 and the Iraqis and ISIS in 2014-2017. He then compares these experiences to the performance of the Argentine, Chadian, Chinese, Cuban, North Korean, and South Vietnamese armed forces in their own combat operations during the twentieth century. The book ultimately concludes that reliance on Soviet doctrine was more of a help than a hindrance to the Arabs. In contrast, politicization and underdevelopment were both important factors limiting Arab military effectiveness, but patterns of behavior derived from the dominant Arab culture was the most important factor of all. Pollack closes with a discussion of the rapid changes occurring across the Arab world-political, economic, and cultural-as well as the rapid evolution in war making as a result of the information revolution. He suggests that because both Arab society and warfare are changing, the problems that have bedeviled Arab armed forces in the past could dissipate or even vanish in the future, with potentially dramatic consequences for the Middle East military balance. Sweeping in its historical coverage and highly accessible, this will be the go-to reference for anyone interested in the history of warfare in the Middle East since 1945.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

697

Publisher

Oxford University Press, USA

Published Date

ISBN 10

0190906960

ISBN 13

9780190906962

The Road to Fatima Gate

The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel

By: Michael Totten

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Road to Fatima Gate

The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel

By: Michael Totten

The Road to Fatima Gate is a first-person narrative account of revolution, terrorism, and war during history’s violent return to Lebanon after fifteen years of quiet. Michael J. Totten’s version of events in one of the most volatile countries in the world’s most volatile region is one part war correspondence, one part memoir, and one part road movie. He sets up camp in a tent city built in downtown Beirut by anti-Syrian dissidents, is bullied and menaced by Hezbollah’s supposedly friendly “media relations” department, crouches under fire on the Lebanese-Israeli border during the six-week war in 2006, witnesses an Israeli ground invasion from behind a line of Merkava tanks, sneaks into Hezbollah’s postwar rubblescape without authorization, and is attacked in Beirut by militiamen who enforce obedience to the “resistance” at the point of a gun. From the Cedar Revolution that ousted the occupying Syrian military regime in 2005 to the devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 to Hezbollah’s slow-motion but violent assault on Lebanon’s elected government and capital, Totten’s account is both personal and comprehensive. He simplifies the bewildering complexity of the Middle East; gains access to major regional players as well as to the man on the street; and personally witnesses most of the events he describes. The Road to Fatima Gate should be indispensable reading for anyone interested in the Middle East, Iran’s expansionist foreign policy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, asymmetric warfare, and terrorism in the aftermath of September 11.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

360

Publisher

Encounter Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1594036551

ISBN 13

9781594036552

PACIFIC COSMOPOLITANS

By: Michael R. Auslin

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

PACIFIC COSMOPOLITANS

By: Michael R. Auslin

Beginning with the first Japanese and Americans to make contact in the early 1800s, Michael Auslin traces a unique cultural relationship. He focuses on organizations devoted to cultural exchange, such as the American Friends’ Association in Tokyo and the Japan Society of New York, as well as key individuals who promoted mutual understanding.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

344

Publisher

Harvard University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0674060806

ISBN 13

9780674060807

The Constitution

Understanding America's Founding Document

By: Michael S. Greve

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Constitution

Understanding America's Founding Document

By: Michael S. Greve

For well over two centuries, the United States Constitution has served as a charter for a free, democratic government and for a country that has risen from a dicey political experiment to an economic and political superpower. In the history of the world, there is nothing like it. In The Constitution: Understanding America’s Founding Document, Michael S. Greve explains how to think seriously about the United States Constitution and constitutions in general. What are constitutions supposed to do, and what can they accomplish? Why was the specific form of the Constitution—including both its structure and its rights catalogue—so important? Why is the Constitution so difficult to amend? Greve provides a fresh perspective on the Constitution’s structure and our enduring constitutional controversies, from federalism and the separation of powers to slavery, civil rights, and the administrative state.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

129

Publisher

AEI Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0844772593

ISBN 13

9780844772592

Fifteen Years of Clinical Experience with Hydroxyapatite Coatings in Joint Arthroplasty

By: Jean-Alain Epinette,Michael T. Manley

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Fifteen Years of Clinical Experience with Hydroxyapatite Coatings in Joint Arthroplasty

By: Jean-Alain Epinette,Michael T. Manley

Ronald J. Furlong of the United Kingdom per the short term with this method of biologic fixation formed the first clinical implantation of a hydroxy of total joint implants has withstood the test of time. apatite-coated (HA) hip implant in 1985, about 18 Our thanks are due to the authors of chapters in this volume for the effort they made to write and years ago. This was followed in 1986 by other HA submit their work to us in a timely fashion. These clinical implantations conducted by the ARTRO Group in France and Rudolf Geesink in the Nether authors, working in Europe, the United States, lands. Following these pioneers, many thousands of Japan, and Australia, do not all use English as their first language. Many made great efforts to provide HA-coated hip implants of various designs, from us with English language documents. Where we various implant manufacturers, have been implanted felt the language was unclear, we made only those worldwide, by many surgeons at many institutions. minor changes needed to facilitate understanding. The coating technology has expanded to include the For manuscripts submitted in a language other than revision setting in the hip, as well as unicompart English, we employed professional interpretation, mental knees, total knees, shoulders, and an assort and then made editorial changes if the content was ment of minor joint implants. unclear to us.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

440

Publisher

Springer

Published Date

ISBN 10

2817808517

ISBN 13

9782817808512

Sell Globally, Tax Locally

Sales Tax Reform for the New Economy

By: Michael S. Greve

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Sell Globally, Tax Locally

Sales Tax Reform for the New Economy

By: Michael S. Greve

This book discusses the flaws of destination-based taxation and makes the theoretical case for origin-based taxation.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

American Enterprise Institute

Published Date

ISBN 10

0844771708

ISBN 13

9780844771700

This Was Not America

A Wrangle Through Jewish-Polish-American History

By: Elżbieta Janicka,Michael Steinlauf

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

This Was Not America

A Wrangle Through Jewish-Polish-American History

By: Elżbieta Janicka,Michael Steinlauf

From fleeing the Warsaw Ghetto and living underground to fighting for social justice in 1960s’ Seattle and helping smash the communist system in 1980s’ Poland, this is a narrative that erupts into critical moments in Jewish, Polish, and American history. It is also a story of the hidden anguish that accompanies and courses through that history, of the living haunted by the dead. The story is told through a conversation, often contentious, between Michael Steinlauf, historian of Polish-Jewish culture and child of Holocaust survivors, and the anthropologist and artist Elżbieta Janicka. It is illustrated with scores of photographs and documents.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

210

Publisher

Academic Studies PRess

Published Date

ISBN 10

1644698420

ISBN 13

9781644698426

Your Professional Experience Handbook

By: Michael Cavanagh,Anne Prescott

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Your Professional Experience Handbook

By: Michael Cavanagh,Anne Prescott

This Australian handbook presents detailed, practical advice on how preservice teachers can confidently approach professional experience placements and the work they undertake with their mentors. Throughout the text important research-based evidence and theoretical frameworks are highlighted to provide a lens through which professional experiences can be analysed. By providing a strong theoretical foundation, the handbook is designed to help preservice teachers to make sense of their classroom experiences and provide guidance on how to improve their pedagogy.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

313

Publisher

Pearson Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1486009026

ISBN 13

9781486009022

The Mt. Shasta Book

A Guide to Hiking, Climbing, Skiing, and Exploring the Mountain and Surrounding Area

By: Andy Selters,Michael Zanger

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Mt. Shasta Book

A Guide to Hiking, Climbing, Skiing, and Exploring the Mountain and Surrounding Area

By: Andy Selters,Michael Zanger

The Mt. Shasta Book is the ultimate guide to safely the hiking, backpacking, and climbing routes up the 14,162-foot mountain. In addition, this guide covers the area's skiing, snowboarding, water activities, and mountain biking trails. With over 50 combined years of experience as Shasta guides, the authors are seasoned experts on the mountain and its surroundings. The print edition comes with a fold-out 4-color topographic map.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

191

Publisher

Wilderness Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0899975623

ISBN 13

9780899975627

Data-driven Print

Strategy and Implementation

By: Patricia Sorce,Michael Pletka

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Data-driven Print

Strategy and Implementation

By: Patricia Sorce,Michael Pletka

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

196

Publisher

RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1933360062

ISBN 13

9781933360065

Book's by Michael Pletka

Username

Password

Password again

Birthday

Email