"Biological weapons are widely feared, yet rarely used. Biological weapons were the first weapon prohibited by an international treaty, yet the proliferation of these weapons increased after they were banned in 1972. Biological weapons are frequently called 'the poor man's atomic bomb,' yet they cannot provide the same deterrent capability as nuclear weapons. One of my goals in this book is to explain the underlying principles of these apparent paradoxes."—from Living Weapons Biological weapons are the least well understood of the so-called weapons of mass destruction. Unlike nuclear and chemical weapons, biological weapons are composed of, or derived from, living organisms. In Living Weapons, Gregory D. Koblentz provides a comprehensive analysis of the unique challenges that biological weapons pose for international security. At a time when the United States enjoys overwhelming conventional military superiority, biological weapons have emerged as an attractive means for less powerful states and terrorist groups to wage asymmetric warfare. Koblentz also warns that advances in the life sciences have the potential to heighten the lethality and variety of biological weapons. The considerable overlap between the equipment, materials and knowledge required to develop biological weapons, conduct civilian biomedical research, and develop biological defenses creates a multiuse dilemma that limits the effectiveness of verification, hinders civilian oversight, and complicates threat assessments. Living Weapons draws on the American, Soviet, Russian, South African, and Iraqi biological weapons programs to enhance our understanding of the special challenges posed by these weapons for arms control, deterrence, civilian-military relations, and intelligence. Koblentz also examines the aspirations of terrorist groups to develop these weapons and the obstacles they have faced. Biological weapons, Koblentz argues, will continue to threaten international security until defenses against such weapons are improved, governments can reliably detect biological weapon activities, the proliferation of materials and expertise is limited, and international norms against the possession and use of biological weapons are strengthened.

From the writer of Gabba Gabba Hey! The Graphic Story of The Ramones and Metallica: Nothing Else Matters comes an explosive new graphic novel about The Most Dangerous Band in the World: Guns N' Roses.

Having sold over 100 million albums, recorded the most expensive album ever, endlessly courted controversy with their lyrics and a full-on hedonistic lifestyle, Guns N' Roses are well acquainted with rock 'n' roll excess. And it's all here in Reckless Life: the feud between Axl Rose and Kurt Cobain, the riots during concerts, Rose's interest in Charles Manson, the acrimonious departure of Slash, the drugs, the groupies and, of course, the music.

Marc Olivent's stunning artwork and Jim McCarthy's incisive script perfectly capture the rollercoaster tale of Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Steve Adler and the many others who have passed through the Guns N' Roses story.

This timely and provocative book looks at contemporary American women and their experiences with guns. Scrupulously balanced, this new paperback edition features a new appendix containing a wealth of primary source documents that help illuminate both the dangers and attractions of guns in our society.

Despite living hard, endlessly challenging lives, the rural poor remain tirelessly optimistic, believing things will get better next year. As one struggling farmer explained, "Sometimes I feel like a jackass in a hailstorm--I just have to stand here and take it...but what the hell--it'll stop hailing sooner or later." The struggle to survive on the richest farmland in America has produced some of the nation's poorest people. However, rural poverty is not the same as urban poverty: the usual definitions and criteria do not always apply, the known predictors do not necessarily hold up, and again and again the rural poor save themselves because they know no one else will. This book refutes the common image of the poor as lazy slackers averse to work. In reality, fiercely independent, politically astute, hard-working men and women who possess a wide array of useful skills populate the rural heartland--and they struggle to stay afloat in small-town economies that rise and fall on the whims of remote farm policy decisions, a volatile world marketplace and Mother Nature, who is a fickle, wildly unpredictable business partner.

DJ Con presents and explains his beliefs and theories as well as the concepts of astrology and numerology as he shares his journey to spiritual enlightenment. As a seeker of the truth, DJ Con offers insight into the lessons he gained from a wide variety of personal experiences throughout his lifetime. By offering a fresh perspective on how he learned to stop visualizing life from a materialistic point of view and began moving to a spiritual awakening, he allows others to envision a world of unlimited possibilities and new beginnings. DJ Con passes on the wisdom and inspiration he acquired from each life experience, and in doing so, he sheds light on such introspective issues as battling with negative energy, developing an awareness of the deep energies inside, releasing anger and lifes expectations, and living consciously and intensely in the present moment. Through sharing the often intimate details of his challenging spiritual journey, DJ Con reveals exactly how he eventually reached a destination so peaceful, alive, clear, and vibrant that he is now able to exist in the here and now, achieving a level of awareness that once seemed impossible. May his journey inspire yours!

Mya Russell joined the Marines at 18 for one reason – to escape her mother. Two years after enlisting, she’s found a home of sorts at Camp Lejeune. She has a desk job, colleagues, and friends. She’s even managed to find love. Her life back in Brooklyn, with her mother’s beatings and stepfather’s midnight visits to her bedroom, seemed almost far enough way. Finally, she has begun to feel settled. Then came Desert Storm. Living the Dream opens with Mya headed to the Persian Gulf with her best friend Kevin, her ex-best friend Jamie, and a plane full of Marines. Only a handful of them are women. The women arrive in Saudi to find themselves surrounded by thousands of men, unfamiliar faces, and unsafe surroundings. Initially, tensions are high among the women – most of whom didn’t get along in the states – until they are thrown together, forced to deal with scud alerts, rape attempts, and a firefight. When one of the women is cut down by enemy fire, Mya and the women of her unit discover they must band together to survive. Living the Dream provides a woman’s view of life in the military, and in particular, tells the story of one Jamaican American woman as she tries to overcome personal and emotional challenges. It is a story of the courage, commitment, love, and friendship under fire