The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book

The story of the United States military is the story of the country itself. Both have grown and changed over time. Learn about the unique histories, traditions, weapons, leaders, stats, and fun facts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force, and their roles within the military in this fun and fascinating guide! From the few hundred soldiers in its ranks when it was first established, to the over one million service members today, the U.S. military has grown in power and size over its 250-year history. Its organization and branches have changed to adapt to new technologies and national needs. The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book: Your Guide to the Whats and Whys of the U.S. Military looks at each branch of the U.S. military. It answers more than 500 of the most intriguing questions, including … How is the U.S. military organized? How do the branches work together? When did the Army Air Corps become the U.S. Army Air Force? What is the selection process like for Special Forces? Who was the Continental Army’s first Commander in Chief? How does the military rank structure function? How does somebody become an Air Force officer? What was the “Brown Water Navy”? What is the motto of the Coast Guard? How many bases does the military have? What is the Marine Corps Hymn? Did any Coast Guard vessels serve in combat? What type of aircraft is Air Force One? Who said “Retreat? Hell! We just got here!” Who were the Buffalo Soldiers? What are the Blue Angels? What is the most challenging USAF plane to fly? What is the origin of the Coast Guard “racing stripe”? Does the Space Force have any operational bases? How did a mutiny help establish the United States Naval Academy? What is the longest-serving personal weapon used by the American soldier? What is the difference between a UAV and a drone? What attack submarines does the Navy deploy? Who defends the United States against cyberattacks and other digital threats? The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force are uniquely American, each in their own way. Learn what makes each branch special in The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book! With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating to me is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between. Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges, buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as … What is the difference between science and engineering? What do engineers do? What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures? What is reverse engineering? What is a prototype? What types of jobs do electrical engineers do? How does a car battery work? What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer? What is a Powertrain? What is Bernoulli’s principle? What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines? What is stress and strain? What is the difference between torque and power? What is automation? What is quality assurance? What is meant by outsourcing? What are the responsibilities of a construction manager? What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective? Which materials are used to build a cruise ship? What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes? How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks? Who was W. Edwards Deming? What is ergonomics? What is biomedical engineering? Who is Grace Hopper? What is debugging? What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer? Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer? Where do chemical engineers work? How much energy does the world use? What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers? What is humanitarian engineering? What is acoustical engineering? What are the required skills for fire engineers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology? With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

Brutality and fear. Heroism and sacrifice. Military history is a fascinating, complex, and often contradictory subject. War and fighting between tribes, clans, groups and countries has been with us forever. Great leaders, great villains, pivotal moments and events become transformative, causing political, social, and technological upheavals, which were often built on the foundation of war. The Handy Military History Answer Book is a captivating, concise, and convenient look at how the world, the United States, and the lives we lead today have been changed by war and the military. The weapons, leaders, soldiers, battles, tactics, strategies, blunders, technologies, and outcomes are all examined in this powerful primer on the military, its history—and world history. From early Greeks and Romans to Genghis Kahn and other great conquering militaries of the past, continuing on through the civil wars and world wars that shaped the boundaries of today’s nations, and to the modern weapons, technologies, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism currently reported in the nightly news, this book investigates everything from the smallest miscalculations and maneuvers to the biggest invasions and battles, as well as the cutting-edge technologies and firepower that led to victories and helped change the world. The Handy Military History Answer Book looks at the who, the what, the why, and the how of conflicts throughout history. It answers over 1,100 questions, from the mostly widely asked to the more obscure, such as: Who cast the first stone (of human history)? Who were the "Sea Peoples?" Is there anything to the story of Ancient Troy? Could Alexander the Great have conquered the early Roman Republic? How wealthy would each of Alexander's men been had the treasure at Persepolis been divided? How many Romans lost their lives at the Battle of Cannae? Why did people underestimate Julius Caesar when he was in his thirties? How many men, and auxiliary fighters, were there in a Roman legion? Was the Battle of Actium truly decisive? And what way? Which precious metal did the Vikings prefer above all others? Do we even have his name--Genghis Khan--right? Who employed the composite bow with greater effectiveness: the Arabs or the Turks? Why did Pope Urban II go to central France in 1095? Where did Richard the Lion-Heart get his nickname? Why on earth did Hitler code-name his invasion of Russia for a German emperor who drowned? Who was the greater wit: Voltaire or King Frederick the Great? About whom did King George II remark: "Mad, is he? Well I hope he bites some of my other generals?" What great poet spent years gathering food and wine for the Spanish Armada? What was the price for King Francis' freedom, in 1526? How long did it take to learn how to use the longbow? What was the largest of the cannon brought by the Ottoman Turks to the siege of Constantinople Who took over when Genghis Khan died (after a fall from his horse)? What did the Franciscan monks say when they returned from Karakorum? Was Napoleon really not French? Who won the Battle of the Nile, and how? Where was the world's first submarine deployed? When did George Washington have to alter all his plans: and how did he go about making the change? How many people died at the Siege of Fort Sumter? What was the worst day of the Civil War, in the Far West? When were balloons first deployed in warfare? Where did the name "Uncle Sam" come from? What signals did Paul Revere watch for on the evening of April 18, 1775? What did Rasputin have to say about the approach of the First World War? How close did Hitler come to victory at Moscow in 1941? What ten days decided the outcome of World War II? What was so special about the B-24? When did the Cold War commence? What was the last action of the Yom Kippur War? What role did Colin Powell play in the run-up to war in Iraq?

The U.S. Supreme Court, its decisions, and its nominating process for new justices are often in the news … but are just as often not well understood. Constitutional law professor David L. Hudson, Jr., explains the cases, processes, and important history with this in-depth primer on the U.S. Supreme Court. How has the Supreme Court justices’ thinking on gun rights, abortion, free speech, freedom of religion, and many other controversial issues evolved? What were some of the court’s most important and monumental decisions … and failures? Which justices have—and have had—the most influence on the court? Has the nominating process always been so political and bitter? Covering the history, nominating process, and court decisions on individual and other rights as well as a few fun facts, The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book: The History and Issues Explained by David L. Hudson, Jr., J.D. provides you with 600 answers to questions such as … How was the U.S. Supreme Court created? Under the Constitution, who appoints Supreme Court justices? Have any Supreme Court justices been impeached? Which president introduced an infamous court-packing plan in 1937? Which Supreme Court justice in the 20th century did not have a law degree? What are some suggestions for reforming the confirmation process? What did the Rehnquist Court decide in the 2000 presidential election? Why did Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissent in the Lily Ledbetter case? Which justice wrote that he couldn’t define obscenity, but “I know it when I see it”? When did the Supreme Court establish the so-called “Miranda Rights”? How did the Supreme Court emphasize privacy protection for cell phone searches? How has the Supreme Court dealt with the death penalty for juveniles? In what infamous decision did the Supreme Court regard African Americans as slaves and property? When did the Supreme Court invalidate a ban on interracial marriages? Why was the decision in Roe v. Wade not the leading story in many newspapers on the date of its decision? Why, according to Justice Samuel Alito, was Roe such a bad decision? Why is interpreting the Second Amendment perhaps more of a challenge than other amendments in the Bill of Rights? Who was the only Supreme Court Justice to have signed the Declaration of Independence? Which Justice wrote a book about the United States as a Christian nation? Which Justice wrote a book on civil disobedience and protest? What Supreme Court justice was formerly a member of the Ku Klux Klan? What is the nickname of the Supreme Court Building? Which justice was nicknamed “The Lone Ranger”? Analyzing controversial issues and various points of view, The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book sheds a light on the differing and changing interpretations of the critical issues before the court, as well as the confirmation process and some of the court’s most important justices. Richly illustrated, it also has a helpful bibliography, glossary, and extensive index. Thoroughly updated since it was last published fifteen years ago, this invaluable resource will help you understand the rulings and importance of the U.S. Supreme Court!

A practical, accessible, engaging, and comprehensive guide to how American democracy works (and how it sometimes doesn't work). The stakes have never been higher: national security, civil liberties, the economy, the future of the republic. Yet few outside Washington actually understand how our government and political system should work, much less how it actually operates. On one level, it's a complex, interlocking world veiled in power brokering, bureaucracy, and big money. On another, it's the biggest, richest, most influential organization in the world, for better or worse. Understanding how modern America is managed and governed is more vital than ever, but television, radio, newspapers, and social media frequently aim to spin, seduce, and sell product rather than serve anything resembling the truth. Filling the breach and answering basic questions about how our very complex government operates and what it promises, The Handy American Government Answer Book: How Washington, Politics, and Elections Work takes a comprehensive look at the systems, people, and policies that comprise American democracy, providing much-needed clarity to the current political drama. This informative book traces the historic development of the government, the functions of each branch of government, and how they work together. It provides clear and concise definitions of who does what and why. Written in an entertaining, reader-friendly, question-and-answer format, The Handy American Government Answer Book deciphers the news behind the headlines through well-researched answers to nearly 800 common questions. You will also read about such fascinating tidbits as Why is America's democratic system considered so precious? How are shifting demographics related to the electorate? What can Americans do to influence their government? Did the framers of the Constitution place equal weight on the concepts of liberty, equality, and democracy? What does "checks and balances" mean? What generally happens when members of Congress act inappropriately? How many presidents have been impeached? How does a case reach the U.S. Supreme Court? Which president appointed the most justices? How do civil liberties differ from civil rights? How does the Bill of Rights protect individual liberties? Is measuring public opinion a new phenomenon in politics? What does the concept ?majority rule with minority rights? mean? Why has trust in the government declined? What does it mean to lobby? How are PAC donations and political decisions linked? Where do the party symbols of the donkey and the elephant come from? What is electoral realignment? Who pays for the campaigns of candidates? Did the electoral college ever vote unanimously for a president? This handy primer also includes numerous illustrations, graphs, tables, a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. In the midst of the overheated rhetoric of the moment and the fast-changing, crisis-dominated world, a well-informed citizenry armed with The Handy American Government Answer Book is the best defense against political and corporate chicanery!

Entertaining, informative, and fun. Educational, trivial, and profound. Astonishing, amazing, and surprising. That’s history! Take a weird and wonderful tour of American history with this treat of stories, trivia, and facts! From Juan Ponce de León to John Wayne to Jane Doe to the little-known stories hidden inside bigger historical events, The Book of Facts and Trivia: American History combines the educational, profound, and trivial into a rich account of American history facts (and the interesting role Johns—and Juans and Janes—played along the way)! You’ll learn about the United States through hundreds of absorbing stories and interesting tidbits such as ... Our sixth president, John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), had a pet alligator while in the White House. Graceland, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is America's second-most visited home. The first is Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. In 1970, Continental Airlines made it a policy that every disembarking male passenger got a kiss on the cheek from a stewardess. Twenty to twenty-five percent of cowboys in the mid-1800s were black. The first public service announcement meant to encourage Americans not to litter appeared in 1956. Washington is the most common city/town/village name in America, followed by Springfield and Franklin. Actor Jack Black’s mother was a satellite engineer and author who worked on the Hubble Telescope. Most of the Continental Congress officially signed the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776 (not July 4!). The Food Marketing Institute estimates that some two million shopping carts are stolen each year. Kansas City, Missouri, leads the nation in the number of fountains inside its city limits. The Statue of Liberty is 305 feet tall with a waist that's 35 feet across. And many more American history facts! An absorbing guide to history, The Book of Facts and Trivia is a treat of stories, facts, and trivia guaranteed to both inform and entertain. It’s a feast of fun oddities and compelling stories that make history delightfully entertaining and eye-opening!

Walking readers through a rich but often overlooked part of American history, this compendium addresses the people, times, and events that influenced and changed African American history. An overview of major biographical figures and history-making events is followed by a deeper look at the development in the arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, music, government, journalism, religion, science, sports, and more. Mimicking the a broad range of the African American experience, showcasing interesting insights and facts, this helpful reference answers a wide variety of questions including What is the significance of the Apollo Theater? What were the effects of the Great Depression on black artists? Who were some of America’s early free black entrepreneurs? What is the historical role of the barbershop in the African American community? and What was Black Wall Street? Blending trivia with historical review in an engaging question-and-answer format, this book is perfect for browsing and is ideal for history buffs, trivia fans, students and teachers and anyone interested in a better and more thorough understanding of history of black Americans.

Power, Money, Sex: The Corrupt Trifecta! This captivating book uncovers the insidious web of deceit that infiltrates every facet of our nation's past and present. Immerse yourself in the stories of 50 of the most audacious frauds, cons, and lies! Discover the dark underbelly of American history as you delve into the gripping pages of Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks: True Stories of American Corruption. From the heights of Wall Street to the heart of Main Street, from the hallowed halls of the Capitol to the battlefields of the military, and from the glitz and glamour of entertainment to the sanctity of science, no realm is immune to the clutches of corruption. Through meticulous research, this riveting account exposes both notorious figures and obscure swindles, including … Bernie Madoff's infamous Ponzi schemes Big Pharma scandals the Black Sox the dark secrets of the Catholic Church Operation ABSCAM the seedy underworld of the Mafia Harvey Weinstein Corruption in the White House the Enron deceit the shocking depths of NYPD corruption Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker the Lehman Brothers collapse the Watergate break-in and cover-up the Clinton/Lewinsky affair J. Edgar Hoover’s abuse of power the Sackler family’s opioid empire and many other dishonest and duplicitous people and organizations!! With more than 120 photos and graphics, Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. In the pursuit of money, influence, and fame, the line between right and wrong sometimes becomes blurred, leaving a trail of shattered trust and broken dreams. Take an illuminating journey into the cons, scams, and shady deals that have shaped our nation.