"No child left behind has taught our nation's schools one thing: how to lie." That is the provocative subtitle of "Cheat Sheets," an article in the September 2005 issue of American Spectator magazine. It argues that No Child Left Behind is doomed to failure because the state's are misrepresenting their performance, and the U.S. Dept. of Education is letting them get away with it. Lawrence Uzzell, former USDOE staffer and current fellow at the Cato Institute, charges states with misrepresenting graduation rates, test scores and teacher qualification. He decries the influence of special interests on both state and federal governments, and predicts "By 2014 No Child Left Behind will clearly be seen to have failed, and the case for abvolishing the U.S. Department of Education will be stronger than ever." (p.30) The issue is available in the Vairo Library in print and online.
"Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."( 18 U.S.C. 1385) That's the Posse Comitatus law briefly referenced in the news recently. In the near future, there will likely be Congressional hearings on whether to amend that law. It will be a critically important debate. Stephen Young, reference librarian at the Catholic University Law Library, has pulled together an excellent resource guide with background information, and an excellent bibliography of primary and secondary sources. It is available at:
http://www.llrx.com/features/posse.htm
For those enthralled by the Pennsylvania court case involving the teaching of intelligent design, a book that just arrived in Vairo Library may be of interest. God vs. The Gavel: Religion and the Rule of Law is written by constituional law expert Marci Hamilton, who specializes in church/state relations. Her book includes chapters addressing the the church/law interface as it impacts children, marriage, schools, prisions, the military, and land use. It is filled with case studies and constitutional references. While it does not address the evolution issue, it does provide detailed historical background information about the relationship between government and religion. (Vairo Library KF9434.H36 2005)
Frieda Hughes, daughter of Sylvia Plath, has reissued Ariel , restored as a facsimile of her mother's manuscript, reinstating Sylvia's original selection and arrangement of the poems with handwritten notes on them. Ariel, Plath's last work before her suicide, was originally published after her death, and edited by Ted Hughes, her husband. Scholars of both will be fascinated by the differences in the two editions. In the foreward, Frieda Hughes writes, "And here was Ariel, her extraordinary achievement poised as she was between her volatile emotional state and the edge of the precipice. The art was not to fall." (p. xx) (Vairo Library PSs3566.L27A7 2004)
With the announcement of major layoffs at Philly's newspapers, the arrival of Knightfall in the Vairo Library is quite timely. Journalist Davis Merritt (former Inqy employee) authored this book with the subtitle: Knight Ridder and how the erosion of newspaper journalism is putting democracy at risk. He calls for exploring more nonprofit alternatives to newspaper ownership (foundations and educational institutions). He urges the American people to seriously consider if they "want news and opinion that confirm their biases... or challenge their inclinations." He raises imporant issues, too important to leave soley to corporate interests. (Vairo Library PN4888.P6M38 2005)
If you want to see an up-to-date concise analysis of policies and proposals dealing with gasoline prices, vist the Congressional Research Service report on the topic at http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/53569.pdf. This issue brief was prepared for Congress on September 15. It covers ANWR, CAFE, OCS leasing, refinery revitalization, price gouging, and the policy options facing Congress. Typical of CRS briefs prepared for Congress, it packs a lot into its 14 pages. CRS publications are a great source of information on current topics.
Bill Moyer calls attention to the multi-part "Made in China" series currently running on Good Morning America. There have been (or will be) segments on the rise of the Chinese economy, the job market and the outsourcing of American jobs, and the Chinese student in high school and college. If you miss the live broadcasts, you can catch the transcripts at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/. You could also get a comprehensive examination of the same phenomenon in Tom Friedman's book: The World is Flat (Vairo Library HM216)
In Debt for Sale, Brett Williams (Anthropology, American University) has written "a social history of the credit trap." She discusses how the financial services industry has historically developed a machine that entraps the public, the poor, the middle class, college students, most of society. "... debt is the engine that drives all this, the bloodsucker that makes us anxious and mean spirited, and drags us down." (p.131) She calls for reform of the credit industry, wage structures, higher education funding, and much much more. (Vairo Library HG3756.U54W534 2004)
Dr. Wayne McMullen contributes this:
Fans of Bernardo Bertolucci (director of 'Last Tango in Paris,' 'The Last Emperor,' 'The Sheltering Sky,' and, more recently, 'The Dreamers') have a rare opportunity to see his landmark film in Italian cinema on the big screen: 'The Conformist' is now showing at the Ritz Bourse, at 4th and Chestnut, in Philadelphia. This film shows a talented director doing some of his best work--it "works" better on the big screen than on TV. If you're looking for an interesting and exciting cinematic challenge, this is the film to see this week.
Those not familiar with Bertolucci might want to have a look at the synopsis before going to see the film; the online synopsis will provide some context without giving away the whole plot. To see the synopsis, go to:
http://www.ritzfilmbill.com/showtimes/philly.php?
This will give you showtimes. Then, scroll down to 'The Conformist.' Then click on the film's title to read the brief synopsis.
What C-Span did for Congress, The Research Channel hopes to do for scientific and medical research. It makes available online videos about basic and applied research in all disciplines. Penn State is one of the educational institutions participating along with the Library of Congress, the National Institutes of Health, the National Academies and several more. This is a project that is just over a year old, but it is worth checking out. Recent releases include video from the National Book Festival, a lectures on knee replacement surgery, and the blurring line between journalism and entertainment. You can find a video of the lecture that the Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda gave at the University of Washington in April 2004 .
Check it out at: www.researchchannel.org
A History of Women in the United States is a four volume state-by-state reference on the topic. After a section of essays outlining the history of women in the county, there are long sections on each state. The section on Pennsylvania outlines the history of women in the Commonwealth, followed by brief biographies of some of the more prominent women in the state's history. There are also directories of PA women's organizations, museums, historical sites, women's studies programs. The appendices include a chronology, statistical tables, and copies of primary documents making this set a very handy reference source. (Vairo Library Ref. HQ1410.H58 2004)
Wake Up Our Souls: a Celebration of Black American Artists by Tonya Bolden is a wonderful little book about some terrific artists past and present. It gives a small sampling of the work of about thirty artists, a number of whom are associated with Pennsylvania including: Henry Tanner, Romare Beardon, Renee Stout, Winnie Owens-Hart, and John Biggers, who earned his doctorate from Penn State. This is a wonderful book to browse. (N6538.N5B5 2004)
There have been some news reports recently about the explosion of fake websites aimed at collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina. It appears to be a big problem - it is reported that the FBI is looking into approximately 2300 websites.
If you want to give money to help hurricane victims but want to make sure it is going to a worthy cause, visit the Wise Giving Alliance at:
Click on "Charity Reports" on the left hand column to see information on a specific organization.
With gas prices rising seemingly hourly, perhaps it is time to revisit the nuclear power issue. Nuclear engineer Scott W. Heaberlin is an unabashed proponent of nuclear energy. His new book makes the case for nuclear energy explaining quite clearly the science behind it. He knows all the agruments against it, and takes on each one, including nuclear waste. Whether we are for or against nuclear energy, this book presents information we need to understand. (Vairo Library TK9146.H43 2004)
Dr. Laura Guertin calls our attention to this important book:
"How a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them... straight from the front line of urban America, the inspiring story of one fiercely determined teacher and her remarkable students." I have to admit, this is not the typical book I would pick up to read. But I was fortunate to have seen the author, Erin Gruwell, give a talk in Philadelphia this past June. It was absolutely amazing to hear how this teacher in her first year was given the "unteachable, at-risk" students and was able to motivate high school students to be Freedom Writers. The book details her incredible journey and that of her students. She was able to inspire these students when no one else could, and saw all 150 students graduate from high school and enter college. Her website has excerpts from the book and additional information about the Freedom Writers: http://www.gruwellproject.org/
(McKeesport Library HQ796.F76355 1999; request thru intercampus loan by clicking I WANT IT in the CAT)
Ann Beattie's new book of short stories and a novella entitled Follieshas received very mixed reviews. I enjoyed "Find and Replace" about a daughter's learning her mother is remarrying shortly after her father's death. You can decide for yourself what's to like and not like; it is now available in Vairo Library (PS3552.E177F65 2005)
The following is an excerpt from the introductory paragraphs of an October 2004 National Geographic article:
"Louisiana is losing its protective fringe of marshes and barrier islands faster than any place in the U.S.
It was a broiling August afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot. Those who ventured outside moved as if they were swimming in tupelo honey. Those inside paid silent homage to the man who invented air-conditioning as they watched TV "storm teams" warn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing surprising there: Hurricanes in August are as much a part of life in this town as hangovers on Ash Wednesday.
But the next day the storm gathered steam and drew a bead on the city. As the whirling maelstrom approached the coast, more than a million people evacuated to higher ground. Some 200,000 remained, however-the car-less, the homeless, the aged and infirm, and those die-hard New Orleanians who look for any excuse to throw a party.
The storm hit Breton Sound with the fury of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The water crept to the top of the massive berm that holds back the lake and then spilled over. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans lies below sea level-more than eight feet below in places-so the water poured in. A liquid brown wall washed over the brick ranch homes of Gentilly, over the clapboard houses of the Ninth Ward, over the white-columned porches of the Garden District, until it raced through the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street like the pale rider of the Apocalypse. As it reached 25 feet over parts of the city, people climbed onto roofs to escape it.
Thousands drowned in the murky brew that was soon contaminated by sewage and industrial waste. Thousands more who survived the flood later perished from dehydration and dis ease as they waited to be rescued. It took two months to pump the city dry, and by then the Big Easy was buried under a blanket of putrid sediment, a million people were homeless, and 50,000 were dead. It was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States.
When did this calamity happen? It hasn't yet. But the doomsday scenario is not far-fetched....."
You can get the full text of the entire article in the library's ProQuest database, accessible thru the Electronic Resources List at"
http://www.lias.psu.edu/alallpsu.html. When the database opens, put "Gone with the water" (include the quotes) in the search box, and you should connect to the article.
Dr. John Ousey comments: Anybody teaching the Intro Meteo course inevitably gets into the topic of potential meteorological disasters at some point in the course, and I have been making the prediction of a New Orleans disaster for some 35 years or more. We have a potential for a similar scenario not too far from here. If the eye of a large hurricane were to move up Delaware Bay, it would generate a storm surge that would be amplified by the funnel-like shape of the bay with consequences far up river. The water would also pile up on the right-quadrant of the storm against the low-lying Jersey beach communities from Cape May on north--depending on how big the storm is. With a coastal storm surge in the 10 to 20 foot range and huge waves on top of that, the entire peninsular portion of southern New Jersey would be over-washed. This came very close to happening with Hurricane Bob (I think that was its name) in the late 1990s. It was originally predicted to go up the bay and was a powerful storm. Cape May County was evacuated. At the last moment a glancing blow with the coastline to the south caused a small change in its direction and it stayed off the coast and diminished in intensity before coming on shore in New England.
With the Atlantic basin being in the warm part of a cycle (look back to the '30s, '40s, '50s, and '60s of the Twentieth Century), the odds on this happening are higher than they have been for last few decades while we were in the cold part of the cycle.
Vairo Library adds: For those interested in learning more about the Jersey Shore situation, look at Norbert Psuty's Coastal Hazard Management: lessons and future directions from New Jersey.(Vairo Library TC224.N5P78 2002)
Dr. Wayne McMullen comments:As a companion piece, today's 'Wall Street Journal' has an article on the front page of section two by Sharon Begley, who writes their excellent science column. She argues that these so-called Acts of God, and the carnage that ollows, have a lot less to do with God and perhaps more with human-made choices (development on marshland, building the levees themselves, etc.). Worth reading. [You can get to the library's subscription to The Wall Street Journal by going to the E-Resource List at http://www.lias.psu.edu/alallpsu.html, select the FACTIVA database. It should open to the Newspages tab; if not, click that tab at the top. Today's (9/2) newspapers are there starting with WSJ. Where it says "Front Page", go down the drop down menu to Science Journal and it will display the Begley article. If it is after 9/2 that you are looking, just do a search under Begley's name.]
Dr. Stephen Cimbala comments: See also the Paul Krugman op/ed piece in the 9/2 New York Times "Can't Do Government." [The New York Times is also part of the library's subscription to FACTIVA, (see previous comment), and scroll down below the Wall Street Journal to see the front page of the New York Times. Use the drop down menu to go to the Opinion page, or put Krugman in the search box.]
Dr. Mary Gergen reports: Dr. Wayne McMullen concurs that Crash is a movie worth seeing. At first it seemed like I might leave.. which I do when movies are too intensely done.. but it all came together into a marvelous whole. It's about race and class and pride and prejudice.. it is amazingly funny, while a thriller, and a movie about moral values.. with excellent acting. Its at the Ritz Walnut. Also saw Junebug there recently, and thought it was worth a rave. Both had 3 1/2 stars.. Junebug is not a funny romantic comedy, although it was reviewed with that slant. The acting is superb, but the cast is not well-known. The other movies at the Ritz Walnut are also worth mentioning. I see the Constant Gardener got 4 stars today, so I guess I'll be back. My sister-in-law, Anne Gergen swears by the penguin movie (March of the Penguins). Broken Flowers is as the title suggests a sad bouquet, and I'm swearing off Bill Murray.. esp. after the sickening "water movie" this summer. Get a life Bill. The last great thing is that you can actually eat at a decent place.. right across the cobblestones, upstairs.. at the restaurant with the ever changing name. Good food and a lovely ambiance, (inside and out) and international waiters, whose names are not easy to pronounce and whose English is rather imaginative. Try it.
Deb LaBelle would like to add the following book to our "what I read this summer" reading list. Wilbert J. McKeachie's "Teaching Tips" helped bolster her enthusiasm for a new semester of teaching (even though this is her 24th year of full time teaching). The book is in its 11th edition, so it's been around the block. It is a great resource for new and experienced college teachers.
(Vairo Library LB1738.M35)