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| New This Week for October 11, 2007 |
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This Week We have a real mixed bag this week, including favorite philosophers, Australian women taxidermists, famous Italian-Americans, White Cane Safety Day, college textbook prices, Mr. Supersonic, and a Brazilian water pilgrimage, plus you have till October 19 to vote for your favorite school lunch. Bon appetit from librarians Charlotte, Wendy, Maria, and Jennifer. Tip of the Week Speaking of school lunches, see the Center for Ecoliteracy's more sober look at how a decent meal can affect children's health and nutrition. |
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Arts and Humanities
Debating American Modernism: Stieglitz, Duchamp, and the New York Avant-Garde
Companion to an exhibit of works by "artists associated with American photographer Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) and French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) [who] spurred the development of modern art in the United States between 1915 and 1929." Features an introductory essay, an illustrated chronology (1902-1929), a student guide (discussing items such as Duchamp's "Fountain," a urinal), classroom activities, and bibliography and links. From the American Federation of Arts.
URL: http://www.afaweb.org/education/downloads/DebatingModernism/eresources...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24482
In Our Time's Philosophy Resource
Collection of materials about philosophy, expanded from a 2005 vote for the "greatest philosopher." Features a philosopher timeline, a quiz, and audio and text about the nominated philosophers, who include St. Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Plato, Jean-Paul Sartre, Socrates, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and several others. From the website for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) program "In Our Time."
URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/greatest_philosopher.sht...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24632
Milestones of the Italian American Experience
"This timeline [1492-2003] strives to capture the richness of the Italian American experience and to highlight the many valuable contributions this special group has made to the United States. ... 'Milestones' also explores the adversities encountered by Italian Americans." Provides material about topics such as Christopher Columbus and Italian maritime exploration, Frank Sinatra's legendary performances, and Nancy Pelosi becoming House minority leader in 2003. From the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).
URL: http://www.niaf.org/milestones/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24623
Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow of Slave Trading on Art & Design
The year 2007 "marks the bi-centenary of the parliamentary abolition of the slave trade [in the U.K.]." In commemoration, this site features material about the works of contemporary artists dealing with the legacies of slavery, and trails through the museum focusing on works related to slavery (such as black servants in British homes). Also includes a reading list. From the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London.
URL: http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/contemporary/past_exhns/uncomfortable...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/23760
Business
College Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases
This 2005 government report considers changes in college textbook prices and what factors have contributed to these changes (such as CD-ROMs and other instructional supplements). The report notes that "in the last two decades, college textbook prices have increased at twice the rate of inflation but have followed close behind tuition increases." Includes a summary and the full text, with diagrams and charts. From the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
URL: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-806
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24654
Make Textbooks Affordable.com
Website for a national student campaign to reduce college textbook costs. Features a discussion of why textbooks are expensive (such as new editions and supplementary material), suggestions for finding cheaper books and saving money (such as buying or renting online), reports on topics such as publishers' pricing tactics, and links to news about legislative activity. A joint campaign of various student organizations throughout the U.S.
URL: http://www.maketextbooksaffordable.org/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24656
Health
The History of Fitness
Article on the history of physical fitness from primitive times through the 20th century. Includes discussion of exercise and fitness in ancient China, India, the ancient Near East, Greece and Rome, Europe, and the U.S. The U.S. sections cover President Theodore Roosevelt's physical fitness ideologies, physical education in public schools, fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, and other exercise-related trends and people. Written by exercise science professors.
URL: http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/history.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24589
Home & Housing
National School Lunch Week
Website for this mid-October event, which recognizes the importance of school lunches in providing America's children with access to nutritious meals. Features recipes for five suggested meals (including a wrap with dip, a burger with potatoes, and a rice bowl), and an opportunity to vote for your favorite meal. Includes printable material about health and nutrition aspects of each meal. From the School Nutrition Association.
URL: http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/meetingsandevents/nslw2007/nslw.asp
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24633
People
Chuck Yeager.com
Official website for aviator Chuck Yeager, who was the first person to break the sound barrier, in October 1947. Features an extensive timeline of Yeager's life and achievements, a FAQ, photos, stories, a calendar of his appearances, and details about his charitable foundation. Includes some commercial content.
URL: http://www.chuckyeager.com/home.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24626
Eleanor & Harry: The Correspondence of Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman
Facsimiles and transcriptions of the 1945-1959 correspondence between Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. The correspondence shows how "from a formal, often wary, political relationship developed also a strong friendship. Ultimately, Harry Truman designated Eleanor Roosevelt as his representative on the United Nations and 'First Lady of the World.'" Includes biographies, lesson plans, photos, and related links. A joint project of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.
URL: http://www.trumanlibrary.org/eleanor/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24636
Nietzsche Chronicle
This timeline of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's life covers his youth and student years in Germany, his time in Basel, Switzerland, "years of wandering," and "years of insanity," through his death in 1900. Sidebars and images of texts are included in some sections. Also includes a bibliography. From a scholar at Dartmouth College.
URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~fnchron/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24628
Nietzsche: A Selected Annotated Bibliography
Research guide for the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who "has been read in vastly different and contradictory ways. He has been appropriated by both the right and the left; read as a fascist and a socialist, a conservative and a revolutionary, a religious thinker and an atheist." The annotated bibliography covers letters, bibliographies, concordance, biographies, specific theories and works, and much more. From the New York Public Library.
URL: http://nypl.org/research/chss/grd/resguides/nietzsche/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24630
Ready Reference & Quick Facts
Facts for Features Special Edition: The 2008 Presidential Election
"To mark the start of the 2008 presidential election season, the Census Bureau has culled ... facts from previously released statistical reports." Data focuses on state and national voter turnout trends, including women, military veterans, registration methods, reasons for not voting, and related facts. From the U.S. Census Bureau.
URL: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_fe...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24639
Recreation
A Brief History of Billiards and the Tools of the Trade
"Advances in the game of billiards and the equipment used to play the game occurred very much in parallel. This brief history is intended to chronicle the links between the two." Covers the period 1600-1930 and topics such as an early form of the game played with two wooden balls, the mace and the cue, types of cushions and chalk, and ivory and synthetic resin balls. From the English Amateur Billiards Association.
URL: http://www.eaba.co.uk/articles/billiardsHistory/chapter1.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24631
Regional: California
Lake Davis: Northern Pike Eradication Project
Background and updates about the 2007 eradication of northern pike, "a nonnative invasive fish species that threaten California's aquatic resources," from Lake Davis (Plumas County, California). Fact sheets and other documents cover pike biology and identification, the pesticide (rotenone) used to kill the fish, the economic effect of pike on the local trout fishing economy, and related topics. From the California Department of Fish and Game.
URL: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/lakedavis/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24640
Weekend Explorer: Santa Monica
Brief, illustrated historical essays about this Southern California city. Topics include how Santa Monica got its name, Spanish-era California, Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica's "Muscle Beach," and fitness guru Jack LaLanne. Part of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Weekend Explorer travel series
URL: http://www.pbs.org/weekendexplorer/destinations/california/santamonica...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24590
Regions of the World
Círio de Nazaré (Nazareth's Taper)
Background about the celebration, every second Sunday of October, of "the biggest religious event in Brazil; the Círio de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré (Our Lady of Nazareth's Taper)." The festival, celebrated since 1793, is in honor of the patron saint of the area. Includes images. From the government website on tourism in the state of Pará, Brazil.
URL: http://www.paratur.pa.gov.br/english/eng_cirio.asp
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24621
The Human Rights Index for the Arab Countries
This site, "sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme on Governance in the Arab Region (UNDP-POGAR), is a repository for the entire set of United Nations documents pertaining to human rights and the responses, including reservations, by the Arab member states to the committees that monitor the core international human rights treaties." View documents by source, topic, year, or treaty committee. Also includes publications on jurisprudence, torture, and related topics. In English and Arabic.
URL: http://www.arabhumanrights.org/en
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24646
Mexico for Kids
This website for children explores the history, culture, government, geography, and biodiversity of Mexico through essays, games, recipes, and other activities. Learn about indigenous groups, music, holidays, food, traditions, myth and stories, rulers, branches of government, and more. Also available in Spanish, Italian, and French. From the website for the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico.
URL: http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/index_kids.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24622
Science
Facts for Features Special Edition: Launch of Sputnik I and Start of the "Space Race": 50th Anniversary (Oct. 4)
Facts and statistics marking the 50th anniversary in 2007 of the launch "by the Soviet Union on Oct. 4, 1957 [of] Sputnik I ... the first satellite to be put into orbit. The launch ignited the 'Space Race' between the United States and Soviet Union." Data covers the aerospace industry, U.S.-Russia trade, and population of the U.S., Soviet Union and Russia, and Brevard County, Florida (home of Cape Canaveral). From the U.S. Census Bureau.
URL: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_fe...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24642
Faster Than Sound
Companion website for this Nova program about the breaking of the sound barrier (flying faster than the speed of sound) in 1947 by test pilot Chuck Yeager. Features cover the Bell X-1 aircraft and the team that worked with it, military applications of high-speed flight, the science behind sonic booms, and the fastest airplane, boat, and car (as of 1997). Includes a teacher's guide and program transcript.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/barrier/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24624
Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals
Companion website for this permanent museum exhibition of mammal specimens and fossils that "takes visitors around the world to see how mammals have adapted to different habitats, from the sweltering desert to the bone-chilling north." Interactive exhibits explore the characteristics of mammals, evolution of mammals, and mammal habitats around the world. Also includes behind-the-scenes material (including a taxidermy demonstration), classroom materials, and related resources. From the Smithsonian Institution.
URL: http://www.mnh.si.edu/mammals/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/23979
Listen: Making Sense of Sound
Website companion to a museum exhibit "that let[s] visitors investigate their perception of sound." Features guides to listening to nature, and listening to get around, to make music, to solve problems, and to process sound. Includes audio clips, online activities and real-world projects, samples from the museum exhibit, and links to related websites. Note: Headphones are recommended when using this site. From the Exploratorium.
URL: http://www.exploratorium.edu/listen/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22778
Society & Social Science
American Council of the Blind: Pedestrian Safety
Collection of documents concerning safety issues for blind and visually impaired pedestrians. Includes a fact sheet, handbook, a report on audible traffic signals, history of White Cane Safety Day (October 15), and related material. From the American Council of the Blind.
URL: http://www.acb.org/pedestrian/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24637
CBC News InDepth: Islam
Collection of background articles and FAQs on Islam, covering questions about the history of Islam, Ramadan, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca known as hajj, the Sunni and Shia belief groups, Wahhabi Islam, the fatwa ("an opinion delivered by a learned scholar versed in Koran and Hadith, or the sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad, on a specific issue"), and related concepts and topics. From the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
URL: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/islam/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24649
German-American Teaching Resources and Units
Collection of links to resources related to the study of German-American history and culture. Topics include German-American dialects, German names and words, German immigration, Germantown, Pennsylvania, Saint Nicholas and Christmas, and more. Sponsored and maintained by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Libraries.
URL: http://www-lib.iupui.edu/kade/teaching.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24625
Human Rights Campaign: Coming Out
Material provided in association with National Coming Out Day on October 11. Features the "Coming Out Guide ... a map for planning your coming out conversations with yourself, family and friends. It also provides basic information and resources about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people." Also includes material about coming out as a bisexual or as a transgender, coming out in communities of color, and resources for straight supporters. From the Human Rights Campaign.
URL: http://www.hrc.org/issues/coming_out.asp
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24634
International Slavery Museum
Website for this British museum in Liverpool that opened in 2007, the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain. The museum "explores both the historical and contemporary aspects of slavery." The site provides images of highlights from the collection, a history of the transatlantic slave trade, and an interactive feature that follows four Africans on a sinking slave ship.
URL: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/23759
Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness
Results from this effort "to grade all 50 states and Washington, DC, on their K-12 school systems in order to identify both leaders and laggards in the tough business of school performance." View nationwide scores for overall academic achievement, achievement of low-income and minority students, return on investment, truth in advertising about student proficiency, and other data. Select a state from the map to read its education report card. From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
URL: http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24647
Most Curious and Peculiar: Women Taxidermists in Colonial Sydney
Essay related to a past exhibition that "follows the careers of Jane Tost and her daughter Ada Rohu, two professional taxidermists who worked in Sydney [Australia] between 1856 and 1900." Describes the careers of the two women, taxidermy and natural history during the Victorian period, and women's role in taxidermy in Australia. Includes a few images. From the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney.
URL: http://www.usyd.edu.au/museums/whatson/exhibitions/ctaxidex.shtml
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24655
Return to the African Burial Ground
This 2003 interview with the physical anthropologist who was the director of the African Burial Ground Project discusses how "on October 3, 2003, the remains of more than 400 enslaved people arrived in New York and were taken in a procession up Broadway to their final resting place, the African Burial Ground, from which they had been removed 12 years ago [1991]." Includes photos from the event. From the Archaeological Institute of America.
URL: http://www.archaeology.org/online/interviews/blakey/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24653
Virtual Exhibits of the Max Kade Institute
Collection of online exhibits related to German-American history and culture. Topics for exhibits include bread baking traditions in Wisconsin, German American music, 19th and early 20th century German immigration to America, German-language literature in America (1830-1930), German-American documents (such as letters, an autograph book, and recipes), and a presentation "How German Is American?" From the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
URL: http://csumc.wisc.edu/mki/virtualex/exhibits.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24627
Wilberforce 2007
Website for the 2007 commemoration in Hull, England, of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in England. William Wilberforce, from Hull, introduced the "parliamentary bill to end the slave trade which was passed in the House of Commons in 1807 and throughout the British Empire in 1833." Includes brief background about Wilberforce, the slave trade between 1776 and 1807, and current human trafficking and human rights concerns.
URL: http://www.wilberforce2007.co.uk
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/23761
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Thanks for reading LII New This Week!
Jennifer English, Liaison to Califa Library Group
Wendy Hyman, Senior Editor
Maria Brandt, Associate Editor
Charlotte Bagby, Senior Weeder
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