Michael Miller

Space weapons have been debated intensely in the past. The latest instance of prominent debate is over their use for ballistic missile defense. But this is not the only possible role for space weapons, and that fact raises a further concern: What if an adversary were to develop such weapons? Could one? Why would it? It is time for broader public discussion of the issues. Before deciding to acquire or forgo space weapons for terrestrial confict, the United States should fully discuss what such weapons can do, what they will cost, and the likely consequences of acquiring them. The authors of this report seek to aid this discussion not by arguing for or against space weapons but by describing their attributes, classifying and comparing them, and explaining how each might be used. The authors also explore how a nation might decide to acquire such weapons and how other nations might react.

The rise and fall of the Voting Rights Act, from the triumph of its passage in 1965 to its evisceration by the Supreme Court in their 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder The Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally made good on the promise of the Fifteenth Amendment, which nearly a century before had granted Black Americans the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act was the crowning achievement of the Civil Rights Movement, which had battled for years against voting laws that made it all but impossible for Black Americas to cast a ballot. The act was a resounding success, bringing Americans of all races and ethnicities into the democratic process. And then, in 2013, the Supreme Court brought this progress to a screeching halt with their decision in Shelby County v. Holder. In this book, Michael Miller and Kevin Morris offer a sweeping history of the Voting Rights Act and the attacks it has suffered. Miller and Morris explain that central to the act’s success was its requirement that states and localities with a history of discrimination get federal permission to change their voting rules—a novel approach known as “preclearance.” It was this requirement that the Shelby County decision eviscerated. Miller and Morris trace the devastating effect of Shelby County, using advanced research techniques to prove that the decision unleashed racially discriminatory voting policies. The result is a nation in which Americans of color cast fewer ballots, and in which the ballots they do cast count for less. But the story does not end there: the Supreme Court continues to undermine what remains of the Voting Rights Act. What President Lyndon B. Johnson called “an American problem,” formerly kept in check by a strong federal law, once again threatens voting rights.

Master the art of AI prompting to unlock the full potential of generative AI tools for enhanced creativity and productivity AI Prompt Engineering Absolute Beginner’s Guide, by best-selling author Michael Miller (writer of 200+ practical tech books), teaches readers how to craft effective prompts that unlock the full power of generative AI. You’ll learn what generative AI can (and can’t) do, why well-structured prompts matter, and how to craft them step-by-step for the results you actually want. This approachable guide walks you through the anatomy of a great prompt--defining clear goals, outputs, constraints, tone, and style--then builds your skills with proven prompting strategies. You’ll also learn how to evaluate prompt performance, troubleshoot underperforming prompts, and refine your prompts with iterative techniques. Even better, you’ll learn how to construct prompts for specific tasks (productivity, writing, image generation, and more) and take advantage of a large library of prompt templates. Whether you are a casual user or a professional in content creation, marketing, education, or tech, this book helps you unlock the full power of today’s AI tools. With practical examples and real-world use cases, you will learn how to evaluate performance, refine and iterate, troubleshoot weak outputs, and use AI responsibly. This book will help you with: Understanding how generative AI works and why prompts matter Structuring the anatomy of clear, specific, goal-oriented prompts Defining outputs, constraints, tone, and style to guide results Applying zero-shot, one-shot, and few-shot prompting techniques Using chain-of-thought and self-consistency to improve reasoning Adopting role- and persona-based prompting for better context Building prompt chains and multimodal prompts (text, image, video) Evaluating prompt performance and iterating for improvement Generating higher-quality text, images, and videos for real use cases Troubleshooting weak outputs and practicing responsible, ethical prompting

This text introduces Ben Ammi, the leader and theologian of the African Hebrew Israelite community, as a systematic thinker and theologian. It examines his many books and speeches in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to his thought in the context of both African American and Jewish contemporaries and precursors.Divided into three thematic sections, History, Law, and Language, the text introduces Ben Ammi’s understanding of the nature of God, the responsibilities of the human, and the narrative of history. Ben Ammi was a deeply spiritual but also remarkably modern thinker who blended scientific thought into his evolving socio-theology, while seeking to remove religion from the realm of mythology. The book evaluates how Ben Ammi’s theology is one bound to concepts of humility and learning how to go with the grain of the natural world in order to find humanity’s true center as a part of nature.

Using Artificial Intelligence Absolute Beginner’s Guide Who knew how simple AI could be? Using Artificial Intelligence Absolute Beginner’s Guide will have you getting the most of popular AI tools in no time! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll find inside: Learn how AI can make everyday life easier.Get tips for using AI to write, gather information, get advice, and more.Discover how to use AI to generate images that are realistic and fantastical!Examine the risks and rewards of artificial intelligence.Find step-by-step instructions for today’s most popular AI tools, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Meta AI, Microsoft Copilot, and Midjourney.Find out how to tell when something is AI generated so you don’t get fooled by deepfakes. Artificial intelligence can be fun and productive if you know which tools to use and when. Using Artificial Intelligence Absolute Beginner’s Guide tells you all about today’s major AI tools and shows how to get the best results from them. You’ll learn to use AI for turning your ideas into art, writing a great email, sharpening your resume, and even sparking conversation. Instantly research everything from planning a trip to making your next big purchase. It’s all a matter of picking the right AI tool and constructing the right prompt. You’ll also learn to protect yourself from the risks of AI and distinguish AI fakes from the real thing. Everything you need to know is here in this book!

This concise and clear guide to simplified music theory teaches readers who play music by ear how to read musical notation by guiding them through the basics of reading and composing music to share with others.In this revised edition, renowned music author Michael Miller will help you learn:The basics of tones, including pitches, clefs, and major and minor keysThe building blocks of rhythm, including basic notation, time signatures, and tempoHow to create tunes, starting with melodies, chords, chord progressions, and phrases and formComposing and arranging your own music, including coverage of musical genres and forms, arranging for voices and instruments, working with scores, and performing your musicThe basics of accompaniment, including transcribing, accompanying melodies, and transposing to other keysMichael will also share online ear training and transcribing exercises to help you better understand music analysis. If your goal is to learn how to read and compose music, Music Theory Note by Note will provide just what you need to become successful.

This text introduces Ben Ammi, the leader and theologian of the African Hebrew Israelite community, as a systematic thinker and theologian. It examines his many books and speeches in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to his thought in the context of both African American and Jewish contemporaries and precursors.Divided into three thematic sections, History, Law, and Language, the text introduces Ben Ammi’s understanding of the nature of God, the responsibilities of the human, and the narrative of history. Ben Ammi was a deeply spiritual but also remarkably modern thinker who blended scientific thought into his evolving socio-theology, while seeking to remove religion from the realm of mythology. The book evaluates how Ben Ammi’s theology is one bound to concepts of humility and learning how to go with the grain of the natural world in order to find humanity’s true center as a part of nature.

Make the most of your Windows 11 laptop or desktop computer--without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable, get productive, get online, get started with social networking, make more connections, and have more fun! Even if you've never used a Windows computer before, this book shows you how to do what you want, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Computer basics have never, ever been this simple! Who knew how simple using computers could be? This is today's best beginner's guide to using your computer or tablet with the Windows 11 operating system...simple, practical instructions for doing everything you really want to do! Here's a small sample of what you'll learn: * Set up your computer and personalize the Windows 11 Start menu and desktop * Connect to the Internet and browse the Web with Microsoft Edge * Get started with social networking on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn * Video chat with Zoom and Microsoft Teams * Use Windows 11's built-in apps--and find great new apps in the Microsoft Store * Connect printers and external storage * Connect to a home wireless network or public Wi-Fi hotspot * Go online to shop and sell--including ordering food and groceries online * Get work done quickly with Microsoft Office * Organize, view, and share photos * Listen to streaming music with Pandora and Spotify * Watch streaming movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and more * Protect yourself against viruses, spyware, and spam