Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths #4


Book Description

Part 4 of 5: Detective Makoto Sato is on a quest to bring down the Takahashi crime syndicate. Sato's efforts earn him a one-way trip to a tropical getaway, courtesy of the Tokyo criminal underworld. The exotic locale? MONSTER ISLAND! Alone and facing death at the hands of both gangsters and goliaths, Sato must use his wits to survive - and enlist the aid of some most unusual friends. Join superstar creators John Layman (Chew) and Alberto Ponticelli (Unknown Soldier) for this unusual and exciting mini-series of monster mayhem!




Gangsters 'n Gurus


Book Description

Every Saint Has a Past, and Every Sinner Has a Future So much more than an astonishing autobiography, Gangsters & Gurus is a manual to experience inner freedom! Drawing from nearly unbelievable life experiences, coupled with the wisdom and experience of renowned masters and larger-than-life characters spanning India to China and beyond. You will witness an authentic journey of self-discovery, from smuggling drugs and gang violence, to supernatural experiences and revelations delivered by spiritual Masters. Having traversed the distance from the darkest depths to the brightest lights, Nicolai grounds his experience with practical day-to-day practices that are simple and easily applicable in the day to day life of anyone seeking a shift. You will be guided to break non-constructive patterns and elevate above feeling "stuck" in repetitive cycles of anxiety, negative patterns, and addiction. Nicolai is living proof that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.




Mob Mayhem Volume One


Book Description

If you liked The Godfather and Goodfellas, you’ll love these three up-close-and-personal true accounts of gangsters and organized crime. THE RISE AND FALL OF A “CASINO” MOBSTER: The Tony Spilotro Story Through a Hitman’s Eyes by Frank Cullota and Dennis Griffin Bestselling “mob expert” Dennis Griffin and former mob enforcer and Spilotro confidant, Frank Cullota, tell the story of the Las Vegas gangster whose quest for power and lack of self-control with women cost the Mob its control of Vegas—and lost Tony his life. “Sets the record straight about Tony the man and Tony the mobster. It’s an eye-opener.”—Frank Calabrese, Junior, author of Operation Family Secrets SHOTS IN THE DARK: The Saga of Rocco Balliro by Daniel Zimmerman In 1963, Rocco Balliro and a pair of associates stormed an apartment in Boston and were immediately caught in a shootout with Boston police officers, waiting in ambush for him. It was a rescue mission that went downhill in a hurry, leaving his beloved girlfriend and her toddler son dead. “Fascinating . . . a real page-turner for Mob enthusiasts and organized crime history buffs.”—Dennis N. Griffin, bestselling author of The Rise and Fall Of A “Casino” Mobster THE GANGSTER’S COUSIN: Growing up in the Luciano Family by Salvatore Lucania Young Sal navigates the streets of Harlem, experiencing the inherent corruption of the US justice system and discovering the truth about the secret world of outlaw figures—like his cousin and namesake, Charles “Lucky” Luciano. “A wonderfully different take on the usual Mafia story . . . a sometimes exciting, sometimes poignant, and often humorous adventure.”—Thrive Global




Gangsters and Revolutionaries


Book Description

Gangsters and Revolutionaries is the first in-depth study of one of the 'people's armies' which emerged from the chaos at the close of World War II in Indonesia to join the struggle for Indonesian independence in 1945. It traces the story of the People's Militia of Greater Jakarta from its origins as a loose network of petty criminals and labor bosses in the slums of urban Jakarta and the feudal estates of the surrounding countryside, to its destruction at the hands of the Indonesian army in the late 1940s. This book examines the social basis of the Indonesian revolution, especially the ways in which the revolutionary forces made use of existing social structures in mobilizing a popular following. It also highlights the painful process by which the new Indonesian state discarded and suppressed groups which had been instrumental in its own rise to power. Archival records, contemporary newspapers and interviews with survivors have been used to shed new light on the early history of the Indonesian army, showing a tangled politics in which regular and irregular units, general staff officers and the Ministry of Defense vied for influence and struggled to formulate a strategy for guerrilla war. Gangsters and Revolutionaries introduces a host of unexpected but fascinating characters, from the cat-eating General Mustopo and the implacable Haji Darip to the gangster unit which saw service with the Dutch as Her Majesty's Irregular Troops. Robert Cribb is Senior Fellow in Indonesian History at the Australian National University. His research focuses on Indonesian national identity, mass violence, environmental politics and historical geography. He is the author of the Historical Atlas of Indonesia (2000).




Reluctant Gangsters


Book Description

This book provides an account of the emergence, nature and impact of armed youth gangs in an East London Borough over the last decade. It describes the challenges these armed young men and women pose to their communities, those charged with preventing crime and those struggling to vouchsafe 'community safety'. While the focus of the book is 'local', the processes it outlines and the effects it chronicles have both a national and international relevance. It argues that the main reason behind the emergence of the armed youth gang has been the coalesence of two previously discreet socially deviant groups; the rowdy, episodically criminal, adolescent peer group on the one hand and the locally-based organized criminal network on the other. The book analyses the impact of the globalisation of the drugs trade and the consequent shift in the focus of local organized crime from the 'blag' to the 'business'. It also discusses how socio-economic and cultural factors, as well as family and neighbourhood histories and loyalties and localized racial antagonisms all play their part in the emergence of the armed youth gang.




The Accidental Gangster


Book Description

The true story of a Hollywood fixer who wound up in the sights of the FBI. In this memoir, Orlando (Ori) Spado honestly recounts his humble beginnings from the small town of Rome in upstate New York, and his journey to becoming known as “The Mob Boss of Hollywood.” It is a candid account documenting his fall from a well-known Hollywood fixer mixing with A-list celebrities to serving 62 months in Federal prison, and ultimately making a determined comeback. “For nearly forty years Orlando ‘Ori’ Spado was a friend and associate of John ‘Sonny’ Franzese, underboss of the Colombo organized crime family. His relationship with Sonny brought him to the attention of the FBI, and eventually led to his being indicted with Sonny on federal RICO charges, and imprisoned. In The Accidental Gangster Ori provides the details of his time in ‘the life’ and his long battle with the FBI—whose overwhelming resources made it a fight that was impossible to win.”—Nick Pileggi, author of Wiseguy “Orlando ‘Ori’ Spado had been a thorn in the side of the Los Angeles field office of the FBI for almost two decades before they finally took him down. Accidentally or not, Ori was a quintessential Mob character, complete with a pinkie ring and a slow, steady deliberate voice whether speaking with friends or foes. But like so many other ‘Good Fellas,’ he was set up by a friend’s son. You will have to read the book to find out who set him up. Enjoy!”—John Connolly, New York Times-bestselling author of Filthy Rich




Khallaas - an A to Z Guide to the Underworld


Book Description

As a journalist on the crime beat, the author has spent long hours talking to those in uniform, those in the underworld and those in the grey zone – people who work as police informers. Much of what he has seen, heard and observed in over a decade of covering crime has found its way into print. But there’s a lot that’s spoken of in hushed tones, or buried in underworld lore. The underworld speaks its own language, and words are invented on the spur of the moment. A shooter is referred to as an “artist”, an informer is simply “zero dial”, Dubai is “Delhi”, while arrest is “get admitted”. Most of these are aimed at sending the police or adversaries on a wild goose chase. It’s a world that thrives on the spirit of enterprise, actively courts power and danger, and has conquered fear. The rules are straight and the ethics sacrosanct. The principles of ‘dhanda’ apply equally here – risk, profit and competition are at the very core. An informer will think nothing of selling precious information on a rival if it can earn him extra bucks or goodwill from the police.




Cassell's Dictionary of Slang


Book Description

With its unparalleled coverage of English slang of all types (from 18th-century cant to contemporary gay slang), and its uncluttered editorial apparatus, Cassell's Dictionary of Slang was warmly received when its first edition appeared in 1998. 'Brilliant.' said Mark Lawson on BBC2's The Late Review; 'This is a terrific piece of work - learned, entertaining, funny, stimulating' said Jonathan Meades in The Evening Standard.But now the world's best single-volume dictionary of English slang is about to get even better. Jonathon Green has spent the last seven years on a vast project: to research in depth the English slang vocabulary and to hunt down and record written instances of the use of as many slang words as possible. This has entailed trawling through more than 4000 books - plus song lyrics, TV and movie scripts, and many newspapers and magazines - for relevant material. The research has thrown up some fascinating results







The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL


Book Description

Since its introduction over a decade ago, the Microsoft SQL Server query language, Transact-SQL, has become increasingly popular and more powerful. The current version sports such advanced features as OLE Automation support, cross-platform querying facilities, and full-text search management. This book is the consummate guide to Microsoft Transact-SQL. From data type nuances to complex statistical computations to the bevy of undocumented features in the language, The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL imparts the knowledge you need to become a virtuoso of the language as quickly as possible. In this book, you will find the information, explanations, and advice you need to master Transact-SQL and develop the best possible Transact-SQL code. Some 600 code examples not only illustrate important concepts and best practices, but also provide working Transact-SQL code that can be incorporated into your own real-world DBMS applications. Your journey begins with an introduction explaining language fundamentals such as database and table creation, inserting and updating data, queries, joins, data presentation, and managing transactions. Moving on to more advanced topics, the journey continues with in-depth coverage of: Transact-SQL performance tuning using tools such as Query Analyzer and Performance Monitor Nuances of the various T-SQL data types Complex statistical calculations such as medians, modes, and sliding aggregates Run, sequence, and series identification and interrogation Advanced Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Management Language (DML) techniques Stored procedure and trigger best practices and coding methods Transaction management Optimal cursor use and caveats to look out for Full-text search Hierarchies and arrays Administrative Transact-SQL OLE Automation More than 100 undocumented commands and language features, including numerous unpublished DBCC command verbs, trace flags, stored procedures, and functions Comprehensive, written in understandable terms, and full of practical information and examples, The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL is an indispensable reference for anyone working with this database development language. The accompanying CD-ROM includes the complete set of code examples found in the book as well as a SQL programming environment that will speed the development of your own top-notch Transact-SQL code.