Good reference to navigating gov't programs
355888
After having read & re-read this book over the past 6 months, I find this book an incredible resource to navigating the complex web of government assistance programs.  Of course, buyers of this book should be aware that the government is notorious for changing things around without telling anyone, so much of the book's information will either be incorrect or completely obsolete.  That said, it still provides excellent starting points for getting the information you need for your business.
Keep in mind -- this book is an information resource; it does not get you approved for assistance and it does not do any of the work you need to do anyway in order to finance your business.  I think critics of this book are ignoring the fact that the author is a professional information broker and as such has done about half the work that you would have to do on your own to even get to the application stage of requesting government money.  Since most people have neither the time nor the patience to mine for gold within our bureaucracy, I'd say this book is a good deal if only for that.
Just don't expect it to fill out the forms for you.
1771859
"If We Can Put a Man on the Moon" reminds me of the business books I see reviewed in magazines or on store shelves more than the typical political science text.  Each chapter deals with a different stage of the policymaking process, usually anchoring it with one main example and many smaller examples from the mammoth list of case studies the authors list in the back.  Each chapter ends with some bullet points that list ideas and suggestions for each stage of the process.

Thinking back on the book I read just a few days ago, I remember some useful trivia more than I remember the specific bullet points.  For example, JFK would leave the room during the ExComm meetings of the Cuban Missile Crisis so his advisors would feel more free to speak or London's Mayor put a publicly visible single person in charge of the traffic congestion project to make it transparent who was in charge and responsible.  The book is full of interesting stories like those or how cap and trade for acid rain came about (difficult to imagine given modern politics) as well as a useful explanation of California energy deregulation.

One shortcoming I noticed with the book was its emphasis on the design phase and what could be done legislatively there.  In modern government, much of the design actually occurs after passage through the administrative process.  There are benefits and detriments to that approach, but it is pretty common now and allows more detailed and better design, as well as easier tweaking since it can be done administratively and does not need to be passed through a legislative body again.

Some of the discussions are also a bit inconsistent.  Generally, government designed programs work well enough that they are useful even if they have some kinks.  I am thinking here of social programs specifically.  Where government usually runs into trouble is with the unexpected (Katrina or the oil well spill) and these events are much more difficult to prepare for.  Preparation is still possible, but not in the same way a program passed by a legislature is designed.  Of course the Iraq war is an example of the government having adequate time to prepare and "design," but choosing not to which is obviously something to avoid.

But the book is worth reading overall and will not take you too long to get through.  If you are in government, you may benefit from copying the bullet points in the back of each chapter.
2000888
This book tells how a lot of the goverment programs that are in place came to be. Also if you read this you will see what Obama is doing to get his programs through. If you read this you will learn what really happend in the great depression and how it was prolonged and not made better.
4310376
Have tried this software a couple of times and, after reading this book, I'm ready to try it again. Hewson's book is a good introduction to the program and explained a couple things I was confused about.

I would have liked a more in-depth treatment of export styles and their modification, but realize that's beyond the intended (appropriately) scope of the book.

Recommended.
4308374
Good view of government situation.  Author deserves praise for this public service.
936334
This is a great book to read to understand the many different aspects of social security.  As I am nearing retirement age I wanted to know more about the program and what options I can make.  This book has been very helpful.  It covers the different parts of the program such as medical options, retirement pay, and other issues.  I recommend it as a great read for anyone who wants to know more about the program.
4819387
very useful , you can read just the chapters that apply to your specifics and jump around to various chapters,excellent reference and explains alot of the terms and govt. rules
3348874
This book provides good information to pick up MPLS.  It will be easier, however, for the reader to follow through if he/she has well versed knowledge in IGP and BGP.
1758900
"Windows Vista For Dummies" is a good read for the person wanting to learn more information about Windows Vista.

Some of the topics covered include:

1.  Working with programs and documents.
2.  Introduction to Windows Vista.
3.  Playing music and movies.
4.  Using the internet.
5.  Customizing your desktop.

And etc.

While some folks may take issue with the rather bland black and white illustrations, the content is easy to follow and understand.  Perhaps the lack of color may explain why the book may be priced lower than other similar titles!

Read, enjoy, and learn!

Recommended.
2867883
I've served as a public official, and this book really understands the challenges of how politics can work against getting things done. The book is fun to read, and provides a realistic picture of how bureaucracy works, and some strategies for dealing with the numerous obstacles good public employees face every day. I highly recommend it.
4921950
Our company has been lightly involved with government business as a sub-contractor for years.  This book is fairly current (2012) in a rapidly changing environment, comprehensive with excellent ideas and direction as to how to develop an overall plan to approach government business.  It is direct, clear, credible and provides an excellent road map of all issues that must be faced in developing an effective plan.  There is a lot to comprehend and many issues to consider when building a government business development initiative and this book provides an excellent start.  It is rich with sites to visit to perform research and gather critical information.  It provides great insight as to how the contracting process really works and how to participate effectively.  It is light on providing direction to the sub-contractors but it is important to understand how the Prime's work in order to successfully approach them for teaming and/or sub-contracting work.  The writing is very readable, understandable.  Well worth the price.
3082365
This book is very informative. It gives information on a wide range of budget options, and includes good information and descriptions of places beyond the big name sites like Axum and Lalibela.
4835114
A solid body of info useful to anyone visiting Cuba who wants to understand more than where the best mojitos are slung. Along with history, etc., it's also helpful in that it offers the insights of one who has been there, knows the people, and understands the gray areas of living under the Cuban system--some good, some not so much, but more complex than just an unthinking target for pro-dem. ideologies.
1481981
This book explains the organization and content of the registry.  Information regarding "do's and dont's" concerning editing is  included. It offers helpful information regarding the relationships between  control panel and the registry entries.  The presentation of system policy  editing is very clear and easy to follow. The differences between the  WIN95, WIN98 and NT4.0 registrys are clearly defined. A cross reference or  expanded index would increase the value of this book for troubleshooting  and diagnosis.
4134963
This book presents a clear explanation of some of the commands that can be used with the Windows Command line. The author provided the meaning of various acronyms like FAT and NTFS  for example, and others, of which the reader may not know the meaning.  Even though I started computering with DOS, and the command line is a leftover of that system, I felt that the book provided helpful reminders of how to navigate with basic commands.  The author's warning to cautiously use some of the commands is well taken because the command line is a powerful tool and not forgiving if the user makes a mistake.  I liked the book and believe that it is a good read for one who is interested in knowing what the Windows Command Line can do.
2462478
Rick Steves had been recommended by a friend as a good resource for information when travelling out of the States.  I found the book very helpful as I rummaged through the pages.  There is quite a bit of information in the book so take some time to get familiar with it prior to travelling.  There are a lot of tips.
1788955
This was a great getting started guide.  It will help an end users Access from just starting out to intermediate.  If you're looking to become proficient at macros and VBA, this is just the tip of the iceburg, but will still make a good starting point depending on your experience with previous versions of Access.  It's clear examples and companion CD make learning the material easy and straight forward.  Unless you're already pretty familiar with access I recommend you follow along with hands-on.  There's a lot to know about Access 2007, and you won't remember much without a little practice.