David Abrams

The much-anticipated new edition of 'Learning the Art of Electronics' is here! It defines a hands-on course, inviting the reader to try out the many circuits that it describes. Several new labs (on amplifiers and automatic gain control) have been added to the analog part of the book, which also sees an expanded treatment of meters. Many labs now have online supplements. The digital sections have been rebuilt. An FPGA replaces the less-capable programmable logic devices, and a powerful ARM microcontroller replaces the 8051 previously used. The new microcontroller allows for more complex programming (in C) and more sophisticated applications, including a lunar lander, a voice recorder, and a lullaby jukebox. A new section explores using an Integrated Development Environment to compile, download, and debug programs. Substantial new lab exercises, and their associated teaching material, have been added, including a project reflecting this edition's greater emphasis on programmable logic. Online resources including online chapters, teaching materials and video demonstrations can be found at: https://LearningTheArtOfElectronics.com.

From Fobbit author David Abrams, Brave Deeds is a compelling novel of war, brotherhood, and America. Spanning eight hours, the novel follows a squad of six AWOL soldiers as they attempt to cross war-torn Baghdad on foot to attend the funeral of their leader, Staff Sergeant Rafe Morgan. As the men make their way to the funeral, they recall the most ancient of warriors yet are a microcosm of twenty-first-century America, and subject to the same human flaws as all of us. Drew is reliable in the field but unfaithful at home; Cheever, overweight and whining, is a friend to no one--least of all himself; and platoon commander Dmitri "Arrow" Arogapoulos is stalwart, yet troubled with questions about his own identity and sexuality. Emotionally resonant, true-to-life, and thoughtfully written, Brave Deeds is a gripping story of combat and of perserverance, and an important addition to the oeuvre of contemporary war fiction.

A US soldier stationed at Forward Operating Base who avoids combat by remaining at the base, esp. during Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is the back-office of the battlefield, where Staff Sergeant spends his days tapping out press releases to turn the latest roadside bomb into something the folks back home can read about over their breakfast cereal.

Fobbit \'fa-bit\, noun. Definition: A U.S. soldier stationed at a Forward Operating Base who avoids combat by remaining at the base, esp. during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Pejorative.In the satirical tradition of Catch-22 and M*A*S*H, Fobbit takes us into the chaotic world of Baghdad's Forward Operating Base Triumph. The Forward Operating base, or FOB, is like the back-office of the battlefield - where people eat and sleep, and where a lot of soldiers have what looks suspiciously like a desk job. Male and female soldiers are trying to find an empty Porta Potty in which to get acquainted, grunts are playing Xbox and watching NASCAR between missions, and a lot of the senior staff are more concerned about getting to the chow hall in time for the Friday night all-you-can-eat seafood special than worrying about little things like military strategy. Darkly humorous and based on the author's own experiences in Iraq, Fobbit is a fantastic debut that shows us a behind-the-scenes portrait of the real Iraq war.