In this riveting and relentless nonfiction thriller,award-winning investigative reporter William C. Rempel tells theharrowing story of former Cali cartel insider Jorge Salcedo, anordinary man facing an extraordinary dilemma—a man forced to riskeverything to escape the powerful and treacherous Cali crimesyndicate. Colombia in the 1990s is a country in chaos, as a weak governmentbattles guerrilla movements and narco-traffickers, including thenotorious Pablo Escobar and his rivals in the Cali cartel. EnterJorge Salcedo, a part-time soldier, a gifted engineer, a respectedbusinessman and family man—and a man who despises Pablo Escobar forpatriotic and deeply personal reasons. He is introduced to thegodfathers of the Cali cartel, who are at war with Escobar anddesperately want their foe dead. With mixed feelings, Jorge agreesto help them. Once inside, Jorge rises to become head of security for MiguelRodríguez Orejuela, principal godfather of the $7-billion-a-yearCali drug cartel. Jorge tries

The Ultimate Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Dorm Dorm life offers you a great chance to meet new people and trynew things. But leaving the comforts of home for the first time toenter the roommate-having, small-room-sharing,possibly-coed-bathroom-using world of the dorms can be overwhelmingand intimidating. The College Dorm Survival Guide offers expert advice and theinside scoop on: ? Choosing the right residence hall for you ? Getting along with your roommate (and handling conflict) ? Bathroom, laundry, and dining hall survival ? Dealing with stress, depression, and safety issues From avoiding the dreaded Freshman 15 to decorating your space,this informative and funny guide gives experts' advice oneverything you need to know to enjoy dorm living to thefullest.

Does assigning fifty math problems accomplish any more thanassigning five? Is memorizing word lists the best way to increasevocabulary—especially when it takes away from reading time? Andwhat is the real purpose behind those devilish dioramas? The time our children spend doing homework has skyrocketed inrecent years. Parents spend countless hours cajoling their kids tocomplete such assignments—often without considering whether or notthey serve any worthwhile purpose. Even many teachers are in thedark: Only one of the hundreds the authors interviewed and surveyedhad ever taken a course specifically on homework duringtraining. The truth, according to Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, is thatthere is almost no evidence that homework helps elementary schoolstudents achieve academic success and little evidence that it helpsolder students. Yet the nightly burden is taking a serious toll onAmerica’s families. It robs children of the sleep, play, andexercise time they need for prop