Michael D. Smith – författare

Offering a new perspective on male prostitution, In the Company of Men employs qualitative methodology to present a real-world view of the issues, both obvious and obscure, surrounding the world's "second-oldest profession."In the Company of Men: Inside the Lives of Male Prostitutes is the only book to document male prostitution from the perspective of a group of men working for a single male escort agency. The in-depth account goes behind the scenes to shed light on the very hidden world of Internet male escorts, their customers, and the niche they inhabit in modern American society. At the same time, it has much to tell us about post-modern identity, culture, and sexuality—and the transformative influence of the Internet on sexual behavior and male prostitution.Through numerous interviews, the book examines the sometimes-dichotomous relationship between the image men convey and the lengths to which they go in order to meet their most private needs. Readers travel down a cyber Sunset Boulevard to see what attracts young men to work as escorts, how an escort agency serves economic and personal goals, and how a community can evolve among the men involved.

Astrophysical jets are spectacular displays of gas or dust ejected from a range of cosmic bodies; they are seemingly ubiquitous on scales from comets to black holes. This volume reviews our understanding of jet processes and provides a modern guide to their observation and the role they play in many long-standing problems in astrophysics. It covers the major discoveries in gamma-ray bursts, solar and stellar jets and cometary jets. Specific physical processes for all classes of jet are illustrated and discussed in depth, as a backdrop to explaining spectacular jet images. Current jet models raise as many issues as they solve, so the final chapter looks at the new questions to be answered. Written at an entry level for postgraduate students, this volume incorporates introductions to all the governing physics, providing a comprehensive and insightful guide to the study of jets for researchers across all branches of astrophysics.

Humanity has long been fascinated by the planet Mars. Was its climate ever conducive to life? What is the atmosphere like today and why did it change so dramatically over time? Eleven spacecraft have successfully flown to Mars since the Viking mission of the 1970s and early 1980s. These orbiters, landers and rovers have generated vast amounts of data that now span a Martian decade (roughly eighteen years). This new volume brings together the many new ideas about the atmosphere and climate system that have emerged, including the complex interplay of the volatile and dust cycles, the atmosphere-surface interactions that connect them over time, and the diversity of the planet's environment and its complex history. Including tutorials and explanations of complicated ideas, students, researchers and non-specialists alike are able to use this resource to gain a thorough and up-to-date understanding of this most Earth-like of planetary neighbours.

Based on a popular university course, this book is a fun, practical guide to designing printed circuit boards (PCBs) for readers of all skill levels - no industry experience required. Readers will learn to transform a breadboard prototype into a professional-grade PCB. More than that, this book bridges the gap between a basic understanding of electronic design and the methods used to manufacture those designs in a reliable, consistent, and scalable manner. Software-agnostic exercises are provided throughout, allowing readers to try out new concepts no matter what design platform is used. By the end, they'll be ready to develop their own custom electronics.

Master Docker on Windows 11 with advanced techniques for deployment, security, and performance to run scalable and production-ready containersKey FeaturesLearn advanced Docker techniques tailored for Windows, including networking, security, and multi-container orchestrationDeploy scalable, secure, and high-performance Docker containers in enterprise Windows environmentsApply knowledge using real-world projects, hands-on tutorials, and clear steps to optimize and manage Docker in productionBook DescriptionMastering Docker on Windows is your comprehensive guide to deploying, securing, and scaling containers in enterprise-grade Windows environments. Tailored for developers, DevOps engineers, and IT professionals, this book dives deep into Docker’s advanced features, focusing on Windows 11.Starting with installation and setup, you’ll learn how to manage images, networks, and volumes on Windows. The book explores multi-container orchestration with Docker Compose, container security best practices, and performance optimization techniques to ensure your applications run efficiently and securely in production.You’ll also explore advanced topics such as running Docker in hybrid cloud environments and deploying AI/ML models using the Docker GenAI stack. Through practical examples and step-by-step tutorials, you’ll gain the skills to troubleshoot, monitor, and fine-tune Docker environments at scale. Throughout the book, you’ll build and evolve a small but realistic application stack that carries across chapters.Whether you're modernizing enterprise Windows workloads or building scalable, cloud-native applications, this book provides hands-on strategies and expert insights to help you master Docker on Windows. It’s ideal for readers with basic Docker experience who want to elevate their skills for real-world, enterprise success.What you will learnInstall and configure Docker on Windows 11Orchestrate multi-container applications with Docker ComposeSecure Docker containers using best practicesOptimize Docker performance for enterprise deploymentsDeploy AI/ML models using the Docker GenAI stackRun Docker in hybrid cloud Windows environmentsTroubleshoot and monitor Docker in productionWho this book is forThis book is ideal for experienced developers, DevOps professionals, system administrators, and IT engineers who are already familiar with Docker basics and want to deepen their understanding of containerization in Windows environments. If you're looking to take your Docker skills to the next level, particularly for enterprise or production deployments on Windows, this book is for you.

Where do stars come from and how do they form? These are profound questions which link the nature of our Universe to the roots of mankind. Yet, until a recent revolution in understanding, the proposed answers have been raw speculation. Now, accompanying penetrating observations, a new picture has come into prominence.This book presents the latest astounding observations and scientific ideas covering star formation, star birth and early development. It encompasses all aspects, from the dramatic stories of individual objects, to the collective influence of entire stellar systems.The very first stars to come into existence and the nurturing of planets are discussed to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview. Presenting background information with only the essential mathematics, this book will appeal to scientists wishing to expand their horizons, students seeking solid foundations, and general readers with enquiring minds.

Where do stars come from and how do they form? These are profound questions which link the nature of our Universe to the roots of mankind. Yet, until a recent revolution in understanding, the proposed answers have been raw speculation. Now, accompanying penetrating observations, a new picture has come into prominence.This book presents the latest astounding observations and scientific ideas covering star formation, star birth and early development. It encompasses all aspects, from the dramatic stories of individual objects, to the collective influence of entire stellar systems.The very first stars to come into existence and the nurturing of planets are discussed to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview. Presenting background information with only the essential mathematics, this book will appeal to scientists wishing to expand their horizons, students seeking solid foundations, and general readers with enquiring minds.