The official account of the advisory panel formed by Presi-dent George W. Bush to identify major problems in the U.S.Federal Tax Code and to recommend options to make the codesimpler, fairer and more conducive to economic growth. Thepanel's report was submitted to U.S. Secretary of the Trea-sury John W. Snow on Nov. 1, 2005. Chaired by Connie MackIII, the panel recommended 2 reform options: the SimplifiedIncome Tax Plan & the Growth & Investment Tax Plan.
Every president has had a unique and complicated relationship with the intelligence community. While some have been coolly distant, even adversarial, others have found their intelligence agencies to be among the most valuable instruments of policy and power. Since John F. Kennedy's presidency, this relationship has been distilled into a personalized daily report: a short summary of what the intelligence apparatus considers the most crucial information for the president to know that day about global threats and opportunities. This top-secret document is known as the President's Daily Brief, or, within national security circles, simply "the Book." Presidents have spent anywhere from a few moments (Richard Nixon) to a healthy part of their day (George W. Bush) consumed by its contents; some (Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush) consider it far and away the most important document they saw on a regular basis while commander in chief. The details of most PDBs are highly classified, and will remain so for many years. But the process by which the intelligence community develops and presents the Book is a fascinating look into the operation of power at the highest levels. David Priess, a former intelligence officer and daily briefer, has interviewed every living president and vice president as well as more than one hundred others intimately involved with the production and delivery of the president's book of secrets. He offers an unprecedented window into the decision making of every president from Kennedy to Obama, with many character-rich stories revealed here for the first time.
Every building project should start with the development of a brief. A good brief clearly explains what the client wants from the project and provides the design team with the information and inspiration it needs to design a successful building. Moreover, the brief functions a framework for quality management during the project. Authored by Juriaan van Meel and Kjersti Bjørkeng Størdal, this book provides the guidance needed to develop high-performance briefs. Using clear language, it succinctly explains the briefing process, various briefing techniques, and the topics that should be addressed. Also included in the book are examples, checklists, and practical suggestions.
An exclusive briefing given to the top business and government leaders in this country, by one of the most prestigious communications counselors. Sophisticated strategies, brilliant insights, and well-tested methods are brought to life with actual case studies from companies such as Pepsico, DuPont, and G.D. Searle.
This book is a user's guide for writing papers, short memos, and emails when the objective is to inform a busy reader preoccupied with other tasks. The objective is to make sure that all the information needed to understand the main points is in the paper and in the right order, minimizing or eliminating extraneous information and ideas, and resolving inconsistencies. The guide offers a mix of strategic and tactical advice, ranging from how to get started to how to order information in a paragraph. It is not a book about grammar; nor is it a treatise on critical thinking. Grammar and style are undeniably important, but elegantly written sentences will fail to communicate your conclusions if the flow of ideas and information is flawed. If the flow of ideas and information is muddled, your reader will seldom read the paper in its entirety. The primary target audiences for the Guide are policymakers, intelligence analysts, law enforcement officers, and the business world, but the principles underlying the teaching points are applicable to anyone seeking to communicate ideas more effectively--including high school and university students.
Good legal writing wins court cases. It its first edition, The Winning Brief proved that the key to writing well is understanding the judicial readership. Now, in a revised and updated version of this modern classic, Bryan A. Garner explains the art of effective writing in 100 concise, practical, and easy-to-use sections. Covering everything from the rules for planning and organizing a brief to openers that can capture a judge's attention from the first few words, these tips add up to the most compelling, orderly, and visually appealing brief that an advocate can present. In Garner's view, good writing is good thinking put to paper. "Never write a sentence that you couldn't easily speak," he warns-and demonstrates how to do just that. Beginning each tip with a set of quotable quotes from experts, he then gives masterly advice on building sound paragraphs, drafting crisp sentences, choosing the best words ("Strike pursuant to from your vocabulary."), quoting authority, citing sources, and designing a document that looks as impressive as it reads. Throughout, he shows how to edit for maximal impact, using vivid before-and-after examples that apply the basics of rhetoric to persuasive writing. Filled with examples of good and bad writing from actual briefs filed in courts of all types, The Winning Brief also covers the new appellate rules for preparing federal briefs. Constantly collecting material from his seminars and polling judges for their preferences, the second edition delivers the same solid guidelines with even more supporting evidence. Including for the first time sections on the ever-changing rules of acceptable legal writing, Garner's new edition keeps even the most seasoned lawyers on their toes and writing briefs that win cases. An invaluable resource for attorneys, law clerks, judges, paralegals, law students and their teachers, The Winning Brief has the qualities that make all of Garner's books so popular: authority, accessibility, and page after page of techniques that work. If you're writing to win a case, this book shouldn't merely be on your shelf--it should be open on your desk.
