Today is World Book Day, a time for a celebration of literature and creativity and a time of reflection on the current state of the written word, writes After Nyne’s Dominic Stevenson.
To précis, the writing world is healthy and in many ways flourishing. Great art is the obvious reaction to austerity, and while it takes time, it is happening.
This is always what a Conservative Government does to the arts – it creates palatable approved mass fodder from those who toe the line, and forcing artists underground where they feed off darkness and depravity to become the debauched and gorgeous influences, and influencers, of the next generation.
While World Book Day is generally considered a youthful exploration of the written word, with Jacqueline Wilson, Laura Dockrill and more can enjoy a spotlight rightly shone on them – it should also be a time for the grownups amongst us to take a look at our own bookshelves.
Here are five books from the last year that I believe should make their way to your hand, and not just onto your book shelf to collect dust.
The Death of the Poet – N Quentin Woolf (Serpent’s Tail)
This book is literature in the most ancient sense of the word, in its purest form. It is a powerful and immaculately written gut-wrenching story, and it tore through me. It follows two stories, the first of a DJ who suffers domestic abuse at the hands of his partner, the second is of a literary editor who survived World War One.
Like life, a lot of the book seems incidental, but Woolf doesn’t leave a single bit of string untied by the end – it truly is a story of life, not a mere snapshot. It’s a fiction that is told so raw that it could be the recounting of a life on an early deathbed.
Any Other Mouth – Anneliese Mackintosh (Freight Books)
Any Other Mouth is the astonishing debut collection of short stories from Anneliese Mackintosh. From the off Mackintosh claws at you, asking for nothing except that you sit down and hear her. As you listen to her, you find yourself wanting to hug her, applaud her, laugh with her, cry with her and at times, cry for her.
Mackintosh is a compassionate, vibrant, melancholy, and excitable writer. She comes across as I imagine she does in real life – passionate, knowledgeable, caring and unflinchingly honest.
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere – Alice Furse (Burning Eye Books)
In her debut novel Furse stunningly, and with a grace that many more mature authors will never muster, depicts the slow descent of her protagonist into the kind of sadness that we all fear – the inevitable acceptance that this is it. Furse is Orwellian in her depiction of our contemporary landscape, capturing the mundane of the everyday and scrawling life all over it in luminous letters.
You’ll weep with Furse, laugh with her, and all while you read the mirror, that too often reveals what is uncomfortably close to home, that she has written on each page. And for those who believe that small town Britain too rarely makes it into a cultural landscape often focussed on the bigger cities, then you’ll delighted.
Fran Lock – The Mystic and the Pig Thief (Salt Publishing)
Fran electrifies in this book, her second full collection of poetry, cementing her position as the contemporary poets poet. She trawls the depths of her knowledge, heritage and imagination to bring us words that dance and fight and kiss you on the eyelids – rocking you gently into a better way of existence.
If you only buy one book of poetry this year, then you’re buying too few. However if you insist on only one then you won’t regret investing in a copy of The Mystic and the Pig Thief.
Timur Vermes (translated by Jamie Bulloch) (MacLehose Press) – Look Who’s Back
It’s essential that in times where the good face a real challenge from the bad – commonly in the form of fascism, racism, sexism and the like – that we do look back and start learning from history. This work of fiction explores an alternate reality where Hitler returns, and considers how potentially a society can easily be swung in certain ways when the media create celebrities from nothingness.
Vermes shows to us the importance of being on our guard and combating darkness when it threatens our horizon. If we don’t then the consequences are, well actually, very imaginable.


The Kutler Center for Independent Research and Interdisciplinary Studies opened its doors to students at the beginning of the Harvard-Westlake 2012/13 academic year. The official ribbon cutting for the facility took place on September 28, 2012. It is designed as a “bridge” building; both physically bridging the Seaver Building to Mudd Library and intellectually bridging the understanding of multiple academic disciplines in a classroom environment. The Kutler Center is both a building and a program. It is named for Brendan Kutler, a member of the Harvard-Westlake class of 2010 who died suddenly and unexpectedly in December, 2009.
The building features light filled spaces which include three new classrooms, an office for the program director and numerous spaces for student collaboration. Throughout his brief life, Brendan thrived in situations where he could pursue intellectual truths and make connections between disciplines. He enjoyed independent research and study, often taking classes without credit for the shear joy of learning new things. Brendan’s wide variety of interests and activities are reflected in both the interdisciplinary studies that are the focus of the Kutler Center and the metaphors embedded in the design of the building.
Click here to visit the Harvard Westlake webpage for the Kutler Center.
Click here to download a PDF copy of a Los Angeles Times article about the opening of the Center.
Click here to read the official 2011 announcement.
Click here to see video footage from the September 28, 2012 dedication of the Kutler Center.
The 2013 Harvard-Westlake Annual Report included a sample of course titles offered during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years. Download Kutler Center Course Offerings.


The Full Story
N J Edmunds
I have always wanted to write.
Ever since I was a child I was fascinated by putting words on paper -
and reading them back doubled the pleasure.
Now I can finally call myself "an author", and I couldn't be more proud.
Miles Away by N J Edmunds
was published 29th July 2022
Nick's career before writing
Nick Edmunds grew up in Fife, and attended the University of Aberdeen from 1976-82, graduating MBChB. After four years of hospital posts, he qualified as a GP. Initially a GP partner in Aberdeen for ten years, he then moved south to complete another 22 years as a GP partner in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire. There he enjoyed teaching medical students and running the provision of out-of-hours GP care in the area. On retirement, he settled in Stirling and set about writing for pleasure.
In his long career in medicine Nick encountered such an array of human experiences that when he retired his head was full of stories. These helped inspire him when it came to writing fiction. An initial short story started as a casual hobby, but soon grew arms and legs until a full-length novel emerged. Miles Away, his debut crime thriller, was published by Bear Press in July 2022.
Nick’s interest in people and their minds means psychology has a heavy influence on his writing, and like our brains, his stories are full of twists and turns. A sequel to Miles Away is in process.
"Great characters, compelling storylines, vivid scenic novel. I couldn’t put this book down. Read on holiday and enjoyed it from start to finish."
"Great storytelling, and gripping plot that keeps you guessing right up to the dramatic conclusion. Highly recommended."
"An excellent tale, well told, which I’d thoroughly recommend."
"The number of guesses I had to work out who the killer was!. A great story with lots of twists and turns, can thoroghly reccomend to anyone who likes Scottish crime."


Z ogromną przyjemnością informujemy, że we wrześniu 2021 roku nakładem amerykańskiego wydawnictwa The Catholic University of America Press ukazało się anglojęzyczne tłumaczenie wydanej przez nas książki Jarosława Kupczaka OP Źródła sporu o Amoris laetitia pt. Before «Amoris Laetitia». The Sources of the Controversy (tłum. Grzegorz Ignatik).
Offers a detailed analysis of the events leading up to the promulgation of the Exhortation Amoris Laetitia. Important for situating and understanding Pope Francis’ document on family and the controversy it has generated. Will appeal to scholars or advanced students and may be of some interest to well educated Catholic laity who want to better understand some of the current controversies around the synods and Amoris Laetitia.
John S. Grabowski, The Catholic University of America
Since his doctoral studies in Washington, D.C., Father Kupczak has shown himself to be a keen interpreter of theological trends in the Church. Now he uses his analytical skills to unpack a moment of magisterial instruction that has left many Catholics and others in a state of hermeneutic perplexity. Theology students need this book. Bishops and those who assist them may need it more.
Romanus Cessario, OP, Ave Maria University
When historians and theologians fifty years from now seek to understand the lead-up to Amoris Laetitia, this is the book to which they will turn. Kupczak has written a definitive theological study and critique of the developments that marked the years 2014-15. He makes clear that these developments are likely to be with us for some decades, and that they will not ultimately stand the test of time, since, at their core, they reflect a disintegrating Christian culture.
Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary
In this work, Father Kupczak, a leading expert on the thought of Pope John Paul II, critically examines the novel theological and ideological campaign during the time leading up to Amoris Laetitia. He takes the reader from Cardinal Walter Kaspar’s critical speech on divorce and remarriage in 2014 through the debates and arguments leading up to the two synods until the eve of Amoris Laetitia. Kupczak’s work shows how new forms and paradigms for a pastoral approach to marriage and family were unfolded and proposed to replace those of the magisterium of John Paul II.
Adrian Reimers, University of Notre Dame
When the dust finally settles on Amoris Laetitia, this book is likely to become the standard reference work on the subject. It covers every angle of the issue the historical, the sociological, the moral, sacramental, canonical, and dogmatic. It is written with the intellectual discipline of a Dominican scholar and with the heart of a member of the hero generation of Polish youth who refused to be corrupted by the ideologies blowing in the breeze from the western side of the Oder River.
Tracey Rowland, University of Notre Dame (Australia)
Father Jarosław Kupczak, OP, is one of Catholicism’s finest thinkers. Father Kupczak is also a dedicated priest whose philosophical and theological insights draw on extensive pastoral experience as well as the tradition of the Church and the teaching of Pope St. John Paul II. His roadmap of the controversies preceding Amoris Laetitia is a masterful guide to some of the most urgent questions facing Catholic scholarship and pastoral practice today.
George Weigel, Ethics and Public Policy Center
This book covers every single angle of the issue – the historical, the sociological, the moral, sacramental, canonical and dogmatic.
Tracey Rowland, The Best Books I Read in 2021


Throughout my great-grandmother Katharine Dracopoli's diaries there are references to well known people of the day. Her aunt Sarah Ridley Watts knew the painter John Singer Sargent. She herself knew the artist Mary Sargant (later Sargant Florence, no relation to the above) who had a house at Marlow called Lordswood. She herself stayed with the artist Claude Calthrop and his wife Louise while she studied art under him. He was a figure painter whose works are in among other places the Tate Gallery in London.
My great-grandfather Nicholas Dracopoli was at the Lycee Louis le Grand in Paris which is where he met Prince Nicholas of Montenegro who was to be King Nicholas 1 from 1910 to 1918. After he was deposed he and his family lived in a villa at Antibes where he died in 1921.
My grandmother stayed with Mary Sargant for a while to study art, her daughter Alix was married to James Strachey and they were responsible for translating the works of Sigmund Freud into English. My great uncle John was a sculptor in Paris before the First World War and there he met the two American artists of the Synchromist movement; Morgan Russell and Stanton MacDonald Wright.
My family knew the artist William Lamb Picknell and Wilfred Gabriel de Glehn the British impressionist painter. One of their first homes in England was near Poole in Dorset and not very far away lived the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace who proposed my great uncle Nazio for a fellowship of the Royal Geographic Society. A friend of my great-grandmother Mrs Bishop knew John Ruskin and the writer Edwin Arnold. On one of her last voyages to the south of France my great-grandmother met the writer Axel Munthe and she knew at Antibes Dr Agnes McLaren who did much to try and get medical care to women in India.
Also known to my family was the Gavan-Duffy family. George Gavan-Duffy represented Sir Roger Casement at his treason trial in 1916. My great-grandmother had friends who were involved in the Suffragette movement one of whom May Wallace Dunlop was imprisoned for trying to attach a protest banner to the House of Parliament. She was sent to Holloway Prison but released after a hunger strike.
My great-grandmother knew the novelist Anne Ogle who knew Algernon Swinburn. She lived with her sister Isabel at Chesters near the Roman wall. She wrote two books, the earlier and best known being ‘A Lost Love’. My great-grandmother met her regularly over the years perhaps the last time being in May 1916. I managed to find a copy of ‘A lost Love’ inscribed by the recipient as having been given to her by Isabel at Chesters in 1918, the year that Anne Ogle died. A friend of my great-grandmother at Antibes was Caroline Grout who had been the niece of Gustav Flaubert. As Caroline Commanville she is said to have done much to relieve him of his fortune.


Spirit Talk with Kathy
December 29 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm$30
Tree of Life Metaphysical is happy to announce our newest member Kathy Jancarole. Kathy has helped many people through her compassionate
and caring work as a medium. She communicates with those who have transcended the veil and shown many that indeed we do live on after our physical bodies die. Come join us with Kathy as she works to communicate with each of us to the Spirit world.
We will be limiting attendance to 20 as everyone will receive a reading.
Call to reserve your seat (480) 284-4705


TEDxLive: Watch the 2018 TED Conference at the library
April 15, 2018, 12:30–3 pm
The annual TED conference, held in Vancouver, is known around the globe for introducing the ideas and insights of the world’s thought leaders. Be among the first to experience the main stage of TED 2018: The Age of Amazement. The library is licensed to screen TED 2018’s fresh ideas long before they will be available to view online. Don’t miss this broadcast!


but I wanted something more, more than what's there...
The solo exhibition of the photographer Yosef Hochman covers a period of activity of more than half a century. Since the 1950s, from the moment he held the camera as a boy, Hochman has been documenting and photographing life spheres focusing on man, kibbutz, society and the entire world.
As an idealist, a member of Hashomer Hatza'ir and the Hakhshara (preparation for aliyah) and later as a member of a kibbutz, Hochman accompanied the development of the Zionist ethos, turning his gaze to its less beautiful parts as well. Some of them have been self-censored for years because of the difficulty of showing them in Israeli Jewish society.
As a member of Kibbutz Harel until its (second) split and then a member of Kibbutz Ga'ash, he tells about the role of the kibbutz in the formation of Israeli society and occasionally even thinks about the kibbutz from a personal angle.
As a member of the Common Kibbutz, which operated from the late 1970s until the 1990s as a group of kibbutz artists dealing with art, society, activism and the environment, Hochman also photographed one of the highlights of the group's activity around the castle in Ga'ash, which was a home for art but also became an artistic-protest monument in and of itself. Thus, he became a major player in making the group visually accessible to the public.
Hochman is one of the main photographers who documented major intersections in the state's political and social development, with emphasis on places where the common man is affected by the larger system - injustices and distortions, discrimination and wars (as Tali Tamir writes). Among those we can find the expulsion of refugees from the village of Emmaus near Latrun, the liberation of the Western Wall in Jerusalem in the Six Day War, the Black Panthers, the beginning of Peace Now demonstrations, May Day demonstrations, the evacuation of Yamit, Sinai during the Yom Kippur War, Egypt after the peace treaty, the civil revolution in Portugal in 1975, Berlin in the 1980s, the "Mothers" demonstrations in Argentina in 2012, and more.
This exhibition illuminates the present in light of the past, but also raises the question of the role of documentary photography as of today. Photography, which began as a completely documentary medium, developed into many sub-categories, with the documentary element being there as the basis that validated the existence of the medium.
The truth today is undergoing a process of disintegration; The possibility of creating photographic reality with the help of digital photo processing software, "staged reality" and fake news, all cast doubt on any photographic truth that has been viewed as a "fact" in the past. When postmodernism deconstructs every absolute hierarchy, the term "documentary" is placed again on the redefining table.
On the face of it, the exhibition emphasizes a masculine reality and a male-dominated world, with the photographer also belonging to this category.
But Hochman's gaze, which reveals an aggressive society, presents a different perception, which some may see as having feminine qualities.
The fact that Yosef Hochman was a man who filled the many "masculine" roles reserved for a Jewish man in the State of Israel during the last half century allowed him to be present in many of the places he documented, places where women were not present. However, his significant choice is what he chose to show us. What he chose casts cracks in the clear, ordered, militant and masculine conception prevailing at the time, characterized by a sharp division of gender roles.
In literary terms, one can describe Yosef Hochman as a character with anti-hero traits.
He always fulfilled his role and was part of the Zionist ethos and the apparatus he largely believed in. Still, he went out against its darker parts, not as a leader, not even as a leader of public opinion, and sometimes even as a documentarist who exercises self-censorship and keeps his materials to himself until society is ready to face them. Hochman did not act alone, nor out of an awareness vacuum; Backed by his values, his friends, his kibbutz and his movement affiliation, with the click of the camera button, he spoke their voice as well.
Israeli dramatist Hanoch Levin wrote in his Labor of Life:
... Writers and artists, the world of culture, look at us! ..
"Go to hell," the writer says, "you and your funny life!" -
Even though his life, the writer's,
is no less ridiculous - "you are holding humanity back!",
he says, "We are on the verge of a new era", -
They are always on the verge of a new era - "people fly"
he says, "to the moon, and you stick to shoes like mud,
and we are repeatedly grinding the same garbage!"
Just garbage! Garbage and garbage and more garbage!
A writer [an artist, a photographer - AL] will appear, a virtuous, conscientious man,
with soul and heart. He'll understand. He will listen and understand.
He will hear the whole story of our lives, he'll find
the right words, he will make something beautiful out of us,
deep, full of compassion and emotion.
After all, with all the mistakes,
the flaws, we have more material in us for some good work.
Oh god, he will understand us, he will understand,
he'll understand, he'll understand, he'll understand! Hanoch Levin, Labor of Life (1989)
Yosef Hochman wanted something more, more than what's there. He still does. With the same press of a button he asks that we not give up and get the same 'extra' that we lost on the way. That which is built of the milestones that the walker collects so that he can sleep well at night, with a whole heart and a quiet soul, each walker to himself as a human being and all of us together as a society.
An entire generation, myself included, grew up and was shaped by the kibbutz concept that connects man - kibbutz - society - state. The colors of our childhood are enveloped in the fragrances of the kibbutz in the 1970s and 1980s, including the natural, social, and moral beauty of the kibbutzim, which went across all the landscapes and geography of this country. Despite the great diversity, because we gathered from all corners of the world, the partnership was tremendous, in all circles: in the kibbutz, in the kibbutz movement, in the Histadrut, in political parties. They all shared the same extensive biography.
The delicate seam between Hochman's strong documentary foundation and his idealistic conception of man and society, together with his vast body of work and the perspective that is now possible over those years, come together to create the power of his photographic work.
Anat Lidror, Curator


Fifteen year-old Maggie arrives in London on the run from her humdrum suburban life, determined to make it big in show business.
For more than thirty years she is exploited by both men and the media. She struggles against endless set-backs and disappointments, always remaining optimistic, always believing that this time her big break has come. Then, when most of us would have given up all hope, the celebrity circus rockets her to bizarre and unexpected pinnacles of fame.
Starting in 1970 Maggie de Beer’s journey mirrors the rise of celebrity culture and the growth of the media which ruthlessly created it, exploiting and destroying the lives of girls like Maggie who willingly offered themselves up, happy to make any amount of personal sacrifices in exchange for a chance to live the dream. She is determined to make herself “interesting” and only when she finally achieves her goal, at enormous personal cost, does she discover, under the full glare of the media spotlight, that the family she was running away from was never as humdrum as she had believed.
“This, I thought as the chauffeured car slid me back from Park Lane to Earls Court behind darkened windows, is what life must have been like for party girls like Christine Keeler in the sixties. I had found my Xanadu, the place where I was meant to be …”
This is the story of a woman who just wanted to be recognised and loved by the whole world.
This is the memoir of a fictional young soap star who becomes a national icon.
All Steffi’s dreams come true when she lands a starring part in the country’s biggest soap opera, has a number one Christmas single and wins a Bafta. The whole country falls in love with her, including the pop star she had a crush on all through her teenage years.
But someone out there knows a secret about Steffi’s past and heartless media revelations blow apart everything she ever believed to be true about her family and about herself.
“The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride” was published on 8th September 2008
by Blake Publishing, www.blake.co.uk


"Two Undetermined Unes Steel Sculpture"
Size: 25.61x20.88 x18.91 in | 65x53x48 cm
SOLDLISTING INFO|ARTIST BIO
Hand Signed : Signed in the steel
Purchased from : Artist
Story / Additional Info : Artist reference number BV23, Venet 1289.
Certificate of Authenticity : Art Brokerage
LID : 47678
Art Brokerage: Bernard Venet French Artist: b. 1941. In 2005, Bernard Venet received France's highest accolade; he was named Chevalier de la Legion D'Honneur. As puzzling as his pioneer conceptual performance work of the 60s and 70s, which relied heavily on scientific texts, mathematical vocabulary, and philosophy, Bernard Venet is still confounding audiences. His book, a collection of 17 essays and interviews spanning 1975-2003 entitled Art: A Matter of Context, was published in August 2005.


Sketches of Inter-Mountain States, including Idaho
1880 & 1900 census at ISU
1870 & 1880 non-population census - searchable indexes at history.idaho.gov
Census Records at Genealogy Trails
1940 census page images at National Archives
1940 enumeration district maps - Once there select the "State", and go to "County" and then click on "Get ED Map Images" for entire county
Homestead Records and Maps
Central and Western Idaho, a Resume of the Resources of Four Counties, Ada, Alturas, Boise and Washington Counties, 1886
FARRIT: Finding All Resources Relating to Idaho Topics, Idaho Commission for Libraries.
History Articles at the Idaho Statesman
Historical Currency Converter
History of Mines at idahogeology
Idaho Post Offices
Idaho State Historical Society
Idaho State Historical Society Reference Series Index for Idaho history articles
Idaho State Historical Society Digital Collection
ISU Trail Archives (includes Oregon Trail journals)
Library of Congress Index page
Mountain Man Alexander Ross' Journal, 1824
Mountain Man John Work's Journal, 1830-31
Oregon Trail at National Park Service
Oregon-California Trail Assoc.
Rootsweb Resources: Idaho
History of Idaho Logging
Northwest Historical Postcard Collection, University of Idaho
Boise State Digital Collection
Stonebraker Collection at University of Idaho, includes Chamberlain Basin, Roosevelt, Thunder Mountain
Mountain West Digital Library
Idaho State Historical Society Digital Collections
Idaho History Bloggers
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, includes Boise News, Caldwell Tribune, Coeur d'Alene Evening Press, Coeur d'Alene Press, Idaho semi-weekly World, The Idaho World, Wood River Times
Bear Lake County Library Digital Archives (1880- 2010) Collection of newspapers published in Bear Lake County, located in the southeastern corner of Idaho, bordering Utah and Wyoming.
Council Valley Museum including newspaper abstracts from 1877 to 1950
Franklin County Library District Digital Archives (1832- 1902, 1905- 1961) Collection of newspapers published in Franklin County, located in southeastern Idaho. Time coverage is scattered for 1832- 1902.
Minidoka Irrigator (1942- 1945) This links to the search interface for the Densho Digital Archive of the Japanese-American experience. The Minidoka Irrigator was published by the inmates at the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, from 1942 to 1945. For a non-searchable list of PDF's, go to - http://archive.densho.org/Core/DAObjectsByCollection.aspx?id=108 The Densho Digital Archive holds more than 700 visual histories (more than 1,400 hours of recorded video interviews) and over 12,000 historic photos, documents, and newspapers. These primary sources document the Japanese American experience from immigration in the early 1900s through redress in the 1980s with a strong focus on the World War II mass incarceration.
Rigby Star (1906-1975), Newspaper of this traditionally Mormon town.
Salmon Public Library Digital Archives (1867, 1886- 1967), Collection of newspapers published in Salmon, Boise, Sweet, Burley, Gowen Field, and "Payette Lake Star" at McCall.
1The Idaho Blue Book, 2007-2008, published by the Secretary of State's office.


Since 2003, Lauren has had 14 books published with at least 6 more to come. She has written for adults, teens, tweens and young readers. Before being published, Lauren was an independent bookseller, a reviewer, a freelance editor and a sort-of librarian. You can read more about her work at http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/.
In addition to writing and reviewing good books, Lauren is heavily involved with several writing groups online. She is always generously offering writing advice and support to other writers (including me!). Her young adult novel Crazy Beautiful, a contemporary tale about a boy with hooks for hands and a gorgeous girl who meet on their first day at a new school, is being released this Monday!
Tamara: Welcome to the Girardi Diner. For this interview, imagine we are sitting across from each other in an adorable diner, sipping tea or coffee, enjoying a slice of our favorite cake or pie (mine's cherry pie!). It's much more fun that way!
Tamara: If you could have dinner with any one of your characters, whom would you choose, and what would your character eat?
Lauren: Led Zeppelin
Tamara: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Lauren: A psychologist or writer. One night at dinner, when I was around 12, I did mention that I might like to be a singer. Much laughter followed - kind of like in a Charlie Brown cartoon - so I realized that was probably out.


In an attempt to get some real life insight into the vast field of Business, Finance and Commerce in general, the 11th Commerce class, inspired and guided by Purvesh Sir, have started a series of book review presentations. Four groups have been formed, each working on different books:
- Good to Great - by Jim Collins
- We are like that only - by Rama Bijapurkar
- 2G Spectrum Scam - by Subramanian Swamy
- Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World - by Liaquat Ahamed
The first review presentation in this series was held on the 26th of March in the auditorium to the teachers and students of Atmiya Vidya Mandir. The presentations of the other 3 groups will soon follow.
The book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins is written to guide and enlighten the already good companies to the path of greatness. To give a review presentation on this book a group was formed in which each one was assigned a task i.e. Karan Jivani (Presenter), Vikkim Patel (Computer Dept.), Parth Patel (Artist and Designing) and Meet Pansuria (Research).
Every page of the book has information that seems inevitable to achieve greatness! A few of all the important concepts in the book were the Hedgehog Concept, Level 5 Leadership and The Flywheel Effect.
The hedgehog concept is the intersection of what we can be the best in the world at? (And equally important—what can we not be the best at?) What is the economic denominator that best drives our economic engine and what are our core people deeply passionate about?
Level 5 leadership is about leaders who are humble, but driven to do what's best for the company. While the flywheel effect is the additive effects of the small initiatives.
This book is answers to a curious question ‘how to reach greatness?’ These principles can also be beneficial in an individual’s personal life. Like the hedgehog concept is useful in making a career choice. The level 5 leadership teaches us values of humility and strong will.
The presentation was followed by some intriguing questions posed by the audience - students and teachers. The team put their best effort in responding to them and ended up gaining even more insight about the book.
This was a great learning experience and it also promoted the habit of reading good non fiction books.


Members of the xvi artist collective take over the octagonal cabinet at the centre of Leytonstone Library, each generating a piece of artwork in response to a book from the collection. Choosing written works that have a notable significance to them there will be a small publication available to the public, with information about the books that inspired the xvi artists.
Private View – Thursday 4th July 6.30 – 8.30pm (alongside the Stone Space Gallery private view next door)
Leytonstone Library, 6 Church Lane, London, E11 1HG.
The exhibition will continue 6-27th July 2013
Monday – Friday 9am-7pm
ARTISTS – Hannah Futers, Caro Halford, Kirsty Harris, Karolina Magnusson Murray, Julia Miranda, Moorland productions, Laurie Nouchka, Jane Oldfield, Charley Peters, Paul Stanley, Susanna Thornton, Ventiko, Jemma Watts & Sarah West.
A list of other events taking place during the arts trail is here
A full guide to all the exhibitions taking place can now be obtained from Leytonstone Library and Stone Space Gallery (next door) on Church Lane, Leytonstone.


When you are done completing the checklist please leave a "COMMENT" on the GOOGLE DOC. Include your name, total points awarded to the author and why that grade is appropriate for that essay.
UNIT #6 Document Based Question 02/23/17 (Read both DBQ Essays #1, #2 and #3) Grade each essay using the DBQ rubric (yellow packet) and discuss each essay with your group. Compare the beliefs and strategies of the Populists the Progressives in addressing the challenges American society faced during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Essay of the week #1 The Progressive Era in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century brought forth many challenges to the American society. The beliefs and strategies of the Populists and the Progressives differed between each of the groups. The Progressives wanted political reform spreading across the United States, while facing challenges with industrialization and corruption in the American government and fought it through progressive movements. The Populists, on a similar yet different concept, believed in the workers rights, specifically rural laborers like farmers, and was critical over capitalism, including large corporations like banks and the railroad achieved through labor movements. During that which was the Progressive Era, the Progressives goal was to fix challenges posed by industrialization. Strict and poor conditions of industrial corporations led to many workers starving and extremely underpaid, while those who employ work little and and live easy. Document 4 is an example of this idea. The document claims, “there can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among the millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things in life.” This document was written for those who made up the Industrial Workers of the World in a way to inform them the reason they must fight for their workers rights and support their cause. Document 6, an except from The Jungle, shares a realist story of laborers working in a slaughterhouse and the unsanitary nature of how they wash their hands in what is to be used for their moldy sausages for the house to eat. The author’s intended purpose for this cruel description was to show how conditions in these factories were less than reasonable. This display did its purpose and became one of the main influences to inspections of working conditions and making sure it was up to par. Document 5 is an example of an act passed in favor of better working conditions titled the “Federal Food and Drugs Act of 1906,” prohibiting harmful substances from being manufactured, sold, or transported. This document shows some of the success of Progressives during this time period. Document 7 shows corruption in the government due to large businesses, specifically the oil industry. The cartoon is showing how the oil corporation is trying to take control of the U.S. government. Political cartoons like these were a way the Progressives also fought for idea. Muckrakers and journalists constantly portrayed the corruption in political leaders and business owners. After the failure of the Farmer’s Alliance which fought railroad abuse and lower interest rates from the National Bank, the Populist Party was formed. The Populists, also known as the people’s party, belief was in laborers’ rights and fought against industrialization and other corporations like the railroad. Document 2 discusses this idea in depth. It explains how those with money and power rule other those who life in the rural areas provide them with crops and a harvest. They talk about who they want to remove the National Banks and receive loans straight from the government. “It is not longer a government of people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, and for Wall Street,” saying they want to return to what was once America, not run by capitalism. They want to see the government in America again. The author’s point of view is of a woman who lived in rural America who had felt the effects of Wall Street and other large corporations. Document 3 talks about how the urbanized cities preferred the gold standard to any alternative. The excerpt then wants the audience of those living in those cities to imagine their city in rural setting and then they should keep the gold standard, “but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.” The Populist fought many of their challenges through a various number of groups formed in support of the populist idea, as well as ideas that formed as a result of the Populists including the use of bimetallism. Issues similar to the problems presented by the Populists also affected England a few centuries prior. One of the main events leading up to the English Revolution was political movements among the working class and peasants in England at the time. During the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, the United States seemed to be in a state that was ruled over by large corporation and capitalism in general. Both the Progressives and Populists wanted to fight against the control of these industries. The Progressives wanted to fight against corruption in the government and in industrialization. The Populists wanted the rights for the workers and government back to the people instead of large business owners.
Essay of the Week #2 After the Civil War, the United States entered a time of industrialization and manufacturing. Large corporations and companies like Standard Oil Company and Carnegie Steel monopolized industries. Railroads expanded across the nation. People of all nationalities, gender, and age went to work in factories, sometimes with not so great working conditions. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer as well as a new middle class. These new industries and ways of life meant new problems to fix. The Populists and Progressives were two groups of people who addressed this need for reform. Although the Populists and Progressives had similar goals for reform and help for the poor, they had different focuses. The Populists believed in helping rural farmers and focused on fighting against the government and the Progressives focused on urban reform and fought within the government. After the Civil War, unions and alliances cropped up. Farmers started The Grange and the Farmers Alliance. Workers from around the nation came together to form the Knights of Labor. Unions like these still help workers today. And these unions and workers needed a political party to support them. Thus formed the Populist Party or the People’s Party in 1892. Populists didn’t agree with either the Democrats or Republicans so they had to form a new party to fight. Unlike the Progressives a few years later, who came from both Republican and Democrat as well as Populist and Bull Moose parties. We see the Populists’ dislike for the government and political parties in Mary Elizabeth Lease’s speech, “Wall Street Owns the Country,” where she says, “The [political] parties lie to us and the political speakers mislead us” (Doc 2). Mary Elizabeth Lease was a leader of the Populist and spoke in defense of farmers in 1890. They didn’t trust politicians. Whereas the Progressives were politicians. There were three progressive presidents while the Populist party never got one elected. Theodore Roosevelt was a progressive and busted trusts as we can see in political cartoon, “The President’s Dream of a Successful Hunt” (Doc 1). We can also see how the government were the good guys in the Progressive Era in political cartoon, “Standard Oil Company with Octopus” (Doc 7). The government is what is being attacked by the evil corporative octopus. Both populist and progressives wanted change for the poor and working class but populists blamed and attacked the government while the Progressives worked from within. Populists’ believed that the problems were partly the fault of the government and their strategy was to form a new party while the Progressives strategy was to reform the government itself in order to stop monopolies. The Populists fought for the farmer and the rural communities while Progressives fought for the urban factory worker. The Populist Party was made up of unions and alliances like the Grange and Agricultural Wheel. They wanted to stop the gold standard to raise inflation to help farmers’ prices. William Jennings Bryan, a leader of the Populists, gave a speech, “Cross of Gold,” that addressed the Populists’ dislike of cities and support of farms. He spoke to politicians and people of the day to rally against the gold standard and fight to include silver as well. He said, “The great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies” (Doc 3). He argued that they needed farms for cities to exist and without farms cities would die. The Progressives also supported unions and the working class but worked for reform in factories and cities. Muckrakers like Jacob Riis went into the slums of cities to reform the slums. Muckrakers in New York reformed city politics. In 1906, Upton Sinclair published The Jungle, a book about factory life in Chicago, one of the US’s greatest cities (Doc 6). He wrote the novel for the American it to tell the story of immigrants in the slums. His perspective on the hard life sparked change in labor conditions. Both the populists and progressives fought for the rights for the working class but the Populists worked for the farmer and the Progressives for the factory worker. Of course there was overlap in how the parties worked and who they worked for. Unions like the International Workers of the World formed during the Progressive Era (1905), helped farmers and factory workers and miners and those in the slums alike (Doc 4). Populist ideals bled into and led to the ideals of the Progressives. Both didn’t like monopolies or robber barons. Both wanted new labor laws and property taxes. But one group was more successful than the other. Four Amendments were passed during the Progressive Era. Three Progressive presidents were elected. Muckrakers found success and new laws were passed like The Pure Food and Drug Act that Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle inspired (Docs 5 and 6). Antitrust laws were passed. New tariffs were created. Because the Progressives worked through the government their goal to improve urban life for the working class was more easily accomplished than the Populists’ goal to help farmers beat the government and politics. The lives of the working class improved more in the Progressive Era. In America’s growing cities, a belief and strategy to help urban slums was more successful than trying to help farmers. The Populists were better at addressing the needs of all races within their party. Progressives tended to ignore African Americans. The Populists at least allowed them in unions. But in all different approaches to a similar problem made for very different outcomes.
Essay of the Week #3 In the late 19th century and early 20th century, America had entered into a new industrial age. With this new age came a new division of people, the working middle class. These were the average American men and women working hard in new industries for a humble living. A common theme during this time was the banding together of these workers to form a voice in favor of their rights, first as the Populist party and then the Progressive party. Each party shared similar goals such as better conditions and rights for workers. While the Populist party believed in change for rural farmers and the use of force to bring this about, the Progressive party was more urban based who favored using government level reform to bring about change. The Populist party believed in change focused on farmers and often times created unions and executed strikes to get their voice heard. Document 2 presents a populist and farmers point of view on the current US situation in those days. It tells the story of the farmers; they worked hard producing crops but then receive little profit in return and struggled to survive. Lease states, “We will stand by our homes… by force if necessary.” This represents the Populist view of using sheer force of will to get change. Another example is the many strikes of the farmer unions, who identified with the populist party. Strikes were a new system, waiting out the enemy until forced to respond. One specific example of the farmers banding together is the Farmers Alliance. The group avoided politics and was know for using strikes to bring about the change they wanted. Many similar farmers unions were formed like the Grange and Agricultural Wheel. Document 3 also identifies as a farmer and explained that without farmers US could not function. This was another belief of the farmer based Populist party. Because the Populist party was more centered on change for a specific group, it closely identifies with the later African American rights movement. Like the farmers, African American were fighting for a voice in a changing society and rights within it. The Progressive party was more urban based and favored government level reform to bring about change. Document 6 provides an example of the meat industry, which was located in cities, to bring about change. Upton Sinclair was a muckraking journalist which embodied the progressive agenda. Identify the problems in the society so that the majority of the people can act together to bring about real change. Progressive party did bring about government level reform as shown in Document 5, an official government act reforming the previously un-reigned food industry. Progressive party also focused on destroying the urban based trusts and monopolies, more so than the Populist farmers. Document 7, most likely drawn from a antitrust progressive point of view, displays the progressive view on monopolies. They believed monopolies were far too large and had far too much control, even to the point of controlling the government. Document 1 displayed one version of progressive reform through a cartoon of Theodore Roosevelt, progressive president. Most likely a progressive, pro-Roosevelt point of view, the cartoonist explains the goals of one progressive agenda, eliminate bad trust but strictly regulate the “good” ones. Document 4, from the point of view of a workers union, can represent all workers of the 19th and 20th century as well as Populist and Progressive parties. It describes the ultimate goal, the worker class to be recognized and to have a voice. While Populist wanted this change for farmers and used force, Progressive took the desire for change to a broader more urban environment and used real government reform to bring about real change.
__________________________________________________ Unit #5 Long Essay Question
Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the period of Reconstruction contributed to maintaining continuity as well as promoting change in the American society.
After the Civil War, the United States faced many problems like readmitting Confederate states, paying off war debts and affirming that a similar war wouldn’t happen again. The attempt to solve these problems was called Reconstruction. But the biggest problem that the United States faced was how to deal with the relations between the freed slaves and white Southerners. Reconstruction may have been an effort to aid African Americans and reconcile them with other citizens but in the end the relationship between freed slaves and white southerners remained the same.
Congress passed many acts and amendments to give more rights to African Americans. Congress added three amendments to the constitution in order to abolish slavery, ensure the right to vote for African Americans and give equal rights to everyone. But after Reconstruction ended these rights were all taken away in one form or another. Even President Johnson called this time “Restoration” not “Reconstruction.”
The 13th amendment abolished slavery but it did not take away the labor system that took advantage of African Americans. After the war, freed slaves didn’t have land. Their choices were to work on the railroad or work for wages on the same plantation they had been slaves on. Some took these choices but most wanted a chance for their own success, their own land. Before the war was over freed slaves were taking the land they had worked on. General Sherman even granted some slaves their previous owners land. But President Johnson put an end to that. Plantation owners needed workers and freedmen wanted land so they worked out a compromise called sharecropping. Freed slaves would be given land, tools, seeds, and a house on credit and then work for a share of the profit of the crop. It was their chance and it seemed like change might happen. But white plantation owners made unfair prices and thus the labor system of slavery continued through a new method but with similar end results.
The 14th amendment gave all men the right to vote but the federal government was not able to enforce this as well as the Klu Klux Klan and other white supremacists were able to enforce the opposite. When General Grant entered office, he tried to enforce the right to vote with federal troops. He tried to allow people to vote as they please but the South wasn’t about to change their minds. In Mississippi, not a single Democrat ballot was voted. Even until the 1960’s and protest marches in Selma African Americans continued to fight for their right to vote. Reconstruction may have offered a new amendment and the idea of universal suffrage but the federal government was not able to enforce it so continuity in the ballots stayed.
The 15th Amendment gave citizenship to all races and the rights to life, liberty, and due process to everyone no matter the color of their skin but as we can see through Jim Crow laws, the Civil Rights movement almost 100 years later, and the racism that still exists today, change in equality did not come during reconstruction. The Freedmen’s Bureau and education for African Americans looked like change but when Reconstruction ended so did the change. In order to allow Republican nominee Hayes to enter the White House, federal troops were pulled out of the South and Reconstruction officially ended. With this, white Southerners took back their government and created new black codes. A segregated south began and lasted for almost 70 years.
Reconstruction may have prevented segregation for a while but it couldn’t stop the hate from continuing. The three new amendments passed did offer change and were a basis for change to come but Reconstruction wasn’t the era of change. It was an era of continued racism and continued hate. The violence of the Klu Klux Klan shows us the hate. The labor system of sharecropping shows us the continued lack of opportunity. And segregation shows us the continued racism. Reconstruction contributed more to continuity than to change.
EXAMPLE SAQ #1 (Unit 4 Exam)
EXAMPLE SAQ #2
LEQ US global interactions between 1780 and 1932
During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s the newly founded united states sought not only for its own autonomy to make decisions for itself but also the right to interact and interfere with global policies. With the inauguration of the third president Thomas Jefferson the nation headed more away from gaining its own independence from foreign nations to increasing its own power and interacting with other nations. In this period the United states sought advance itself in world affairs by Gaining new lands, Monopolizing new markets, and the arming of itself against threats. During the Washington administration many efforts were sought to gain new land by Washington's faculty. To Washington’s surprise Pinckney (a American/Spanish ambassador) was able through treaties to expand US territories further south and gain access to the port of New Orleans with treaties with Spain. Although this treaty surprised Washington and excited the nation along with the expansion in the northwest ordinances it was only a modest expansion of the United States territory. When Jefferson came into presidency, Jefferson planned on the buying of New Orleans from France but due to France’s war debts the ambassadors sent to Belgium were able to gain the entire Louisiana territory from France. This was truly ambitious of Jefferson to increase an already sparse nation by almost double. Rural settlers were overjoyed with the announcement the US had given even more land to obtain. This purchase set a precedent the the US should continue to expand and increase its size gaining more property for these settlers. When Andrew Jackson went to defend the nation in these southern and western areas he greatly appreciated the increased land and made it one of his key dilemmas during his presidency that the US would continue to expand moving Indians out of reservations to make room for more white settlers. Jefferson led this idea with his purchase and it continued through to his predecessors Madison, Monroe and Jackson who made it their duty not only to expand to the west of the US but to protect and influence if not control the rest of the Americas through the Monroe Doctrine. Although foreign policy makers were either amused of disturbed by the US’s audacity they made good on their promise not only in this period but in the late 1800’s and 1900’s if not today in our expanding ideals of protecting, influences, and controlling world policies. Through this period the US would begin to marginalize on its key resources often monopolizing on industries such as cotton, tobacco and textile. In the 1790’s the creation of the cotton gin greatly increased the output of cotton into the world supply Jefferson and his successors feared that the British India would soon take over of the Industry. Through certain slave codes and trading agreements the US was able to oust the British and become the main global supplier of cotton. This along with the increasing production of foodstuffs sent around Europe greatly increased the American influence throughout the world. Trade taxes such as British codes requiring american ships to pay taxes for trading in Europe greatly hindered american trade. Due to this tension american leaders following Jefferson soon found it necessary to go to war not only to expand but to protect their trade. With trade expanding the US was able to connect to many European nations setting future relations between the countries, for example the US after the war of 1812 was a key trading partner with great Britain especially with all the cotton trade in the 1860’s during the civil war the Northern union of united states appealed to these same trading connections hoping the the British would join their cause against the south to protect the cotton supply for England. These seemingly small trade agreements amounted to massive consequences. Finally the US increased its influence throughout the world by preparing and defending itself against stronger European nations in warfare. In 1812 the United States tired of being forced around by Britain having to pay unnecessary taxes and stealing their sailors led the US to declare war against Britain. This direct involvement, not only affected the US but France and Britain's colonies as well. Canada one of Britain’s largest colonies had the most direct conflict with the war of 1812 as soldiers passed between the borders to try to gain the upper hand to free Canada from Britain's rule. Ironically Canada had little desire to separate itself from its mother country and joined the British soldiers in defending against the american invaders. This period of history strengthened the concept of America often call the second independence war the war of 1812 verified that america could indeed hold its own in global combat. It also set a precedent for future wars in later periods, because although many Americans were angered to war by Britain's actions another leading cause was the desire to annex Canada and other British territories. In future periods America would again engage itself in battle to gain more lands such is the case of the Spanish-American war were the US sought to gain Spanish Islands and succeeded in this. During this period the United states sought advance itself in world affairs by Gaining new lands, Monopolizing new markets, and the arming of itself against threats. With this newly founded entrance and presence in global affairs the US could begin to enact its own policies on the world such as the Monroe doctrine with less resistance in future generations it even set the stage for the american presence in the first World War as it maintained key connections to France and Britain after the war of 1812 and through trading connections which led the US to join the triple entente and allies in this war. The US actions in this period truly were consequential to not only its current residents but its future generations interactions with the world for decades to come.
Short Answer Questions Feb.2, 2016
Essay of the week
DBQ Prompt: In 1913 historian James Ford Rhodes asserted that the American Civil War can be attributed to a “single cause, slavery.” Assess the validity of his interpretation. What caused the Civil War? Use the documents and your knowledge of the period from 1830 to 1861 to answer the question. DBQ: Civil War When analyzing the cause or causes of the Civil War it is important to take into account all of the social, political, or economic factors that contributed to this. From the beginning of the United States slavery was a key issue and it continued to be so through the history of the U.S, being the reason behind countless compromises and laws such as the missouri compromise as well as the compromise of 1850. During the time period leading up to the civil war slavery dominated politics as well as society being the main social issue of the time, and also economics being that cotton production created an abundance of wealth for southern cotton growers and others. We can therefore agree with historian James Gord Rhodes when he states that the American Civil War can be attributed to a single cause, slavery because it dominated society as well as politics in the time leading up to the civil war. Slavery can be attributed as the main cause of the civil war because it dominated society in the time leading up to the civil war. This is shown in the document “Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler” where a man is being force fed slaves as people in that time period were forced to accept slavery in many parts of the U.S and because of acts such as theFugitive slave act that made many northerners who loathed slavery participate in the retuning of African Americans to slavery. This document is from the point of view of a northerner who has strong feelings against slavery shown in the bias of the document. Another example of slavery dominating society is shown in the document “Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law” with the purpose of raising anti-fugitive slave act sentiment in the north.This shows how people spoke out about their feelings about slavery such as Harriet beecher stowe's “Uncle Tom's Cabin” written in direct response to the Fugitive Slave Act. Slavery can be attributed as the main cause of the civil war because it dominated politics in the time leading up to the Civil War. This is shown in the speech given by congressman Robert Toombs on the house floor where he explains that restricting slavery in the territories and in places such as California would lead to disunion, in other words the south would succeed because of slavery. This document has the intended audience of those in the house of representatives so that those present know the consequences of restricting slavery in specific places. This lead to many debates about how the territories should be organized with some such as Stephen Douglas arguing for popular sovereignty and other such as Lincoln arguing against slavery being allowed in the territories. Another example is the speech given by Daniel Webster with the purpose of discrediting radical abolitionists and showing that succession cannot come peacefully. This again shows how slavery dominated almost of the politics in the time leading up to the civil war. Lastly in the speech given by John C. Calhoun in the senate, Calhoun's purpose, to justify southern succession shows that slavery created the push for secession and that Calhoun’s speech which speaks on the subject of slavery shows the indistinguishable connection between the causes of the Civil War, and slavery. In the time period leading up to the civil war slavery dominated both society and politics through countless means. Leading up to the Civil War laws were passed, books were written, and much more, all on the topic of slavery. The map of the Compromise of 1850 shows how extensive and complex these measures proved to be, with the historical context of many compromises and laws that helped the U.S to remain together throughout its history. This shows how Slavery lead to the Civil War as well as to reconstruction and events before, those both social and political. Slavery can be attributed as the main cause of the Civil War which has broader connections to the U.S and the world. Slavery lead to reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, the civil rights movement and much more, and even today racial issues that have their roots in slavery and the Civil War continue to challenge us today.


Chelsea Moussouni began her musical career in San Antonio with the Barbara Bush Middle School Band. She played in the school orchestra for two years and the Middle School Region Band both years as well. Moving up to the nationally recognized Ronald Reagan High School, Chelsea played with the top band all four years, served as Librarian and Clarinet Section Leader, was voted Most Likely to Become a Band Director, and earned the award of Most Distinguished Woodwind. She was in the Reagan Orchestra for three years and performed in two school musicals. Chelsea performed with YOSA for two years and attended band camps at Texas Tech, TLU, Baylor, and UTSA in addition to Brevard and Marrowstone Music Festivals. During high school, Chelsea took private lessons with Ilya Schterenberg of the San Antonio Symphony and Sergei Vassiliev at Rice University. Chelsea competed in TMEA, earning District and Region Band for four years, Area Band for three years, and All-State Band for one year. She played clarinet weekly at church and recorded the CD “12-Twelve” with the Life Teen Music Ministry at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
Chelsea earned her music degree from Northwestern University, majoring in clarinet performance and minoring in musicology. At NU, Chelsea studied soprano and Eb clarinet with Steve Cohen and bass clarinet with J. Lawrie Bloom while performing in bands, orchestras, the Contemporary Music Ensemble, and chamber groups. She was a co-founder of the New Music Collective, a NU student organization devoted to the performance of original student compositions and other contemporary and improvisatory music. During college, Chelsea attended music festivals including Brevard, Orford, Marrowstone, and Rome Festival.
Returning to Texas, Chelsea taught clarinet and saxophone private lessons and masterclasses while performing with the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Messiah, Coker Opportunity Orchestra, UIW Community Orchestra, Prickly Pear Clarinet Ensemble, Symphony Viva, and Heart of Texas Concert Band. Chelsea has enjoyed other varying musical performance opportunities ranging from Christmas Cantatas with the Helotes Hills United Methodist Church to John Zarco conducting Mozart’s “Gran Partita” to “Die Fledermaus” at the Seekatz Opera House in New Braunfels.
Chelsea loves to play music and appreciates every musical moment as a blessing.


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The Gospel tracts are great for people of all ages. Tracts are currently available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Dutch, Portuguese and Romanian. New languages are being added soon. A preview of the English tract is available by clicking the link under the KnowTheGospel tab. Click the Drop Down menu above to select the quantity you wish to order. Call the Hope Missions Office (256.620.1788) if you have any questions or troubles with your order.


Hannah has been playing and studying the flute for 20 years. She received her BA in Music and German in 2009 from Arizona State University. She has performed with many community music groups throughout her college career and received her MA in Library Science in 2011 from the University of Arizona. Now a seasoned librarian, she spends her days working with children and adults alike leading programs such as story times, crafts, and book discussions. She especially enjoys bringing music programs to children at the library. She teaches private flute lessons in the evenings to spread her love of music to fellow musicians of all ages and experience levels.


Requested Items for Use in Classroom Learning
It is recommended that students arrive on campus with the following items daily.
Students will keep these items with them.
They will be using these school supplies in the classroom on a regular basis.
Blue & Black Pens
Optional Items for Donation
If you would like to donate any items to the school, here are some ideas!
Items noted with ** are priority items that are used frequently.
Gift Cards to School Supply Stores: Target, Walmart, Staples, Office Depot, etc.
New or lightly used books for our classroom library
(to be given to English teacher)


McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, I'm a professor and
the coordinator of the graduate School Library Media Program. I'm
passionate about reading, quality school library collections, and
students' first ammendment rights to libraries, books, and ideas.
is a list of books, videos, articles, and websites I've written. You'll see some of the outstanding
assignments done by our graduate candidates. At the very
bottom, you'll find good sites for school librarians that we expect
our graduate candidates to know.
School Library First Principles--Defends students' library rights; Please copy and post.
||S.E.W. What? is a blog I made for school librarians to discuss selecting,
evaluating, and weeding. Please join our discussion.
College SLM Graduate Student Work
Scroll to the bottom of <http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm> to find examples of student
assignments such as school curriculum charts, websites, digital
outstanding examples: Shannon Resh's Elementary
Curriculum Chart , Stacey Fisher's Freedom to Read Document, Sarah Wilhem's Students' Right
to Read,and Jennifer Sayre's Selection Criteria.
S.E.W. What in Pennsylvania, Spring 2009: Powerpoint and Quick Notes
S.E.W. What in Virginia, Fall 2008: Powerpoint and Survey Monkey Virginia
S.E.W. What in Texas, Spring 2008: Powerpoint and handout
Collection Development for the School Library Media Program: A Beginner's Guide.
Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2006. ISBN 0-8389-8375-8.
"A valuable resource for new or experienced school librarians...It provides practical
and relevant information about collection development issues such
as: the school users, policies, selection criteria and sources,
ordering, weeding, and evaluation. Also included are suggestions
for creating lesson plans."
Reviews: "This helpful guide isn’t just for beginners...Any school librarian
involved in collection development will appreciate her practical suggestions." Paula Rohrlick (KLIATT Review, November 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 6).
"…an excellent resource for both beginning
and experienced school library media specialists. In 64 pages Kerby
packs an astonishing amount of information about collection development…
Highly Recommended." Susan D. Yutzey (Library Media Connection, March 2007).
||Here's an excel file to use when evaluating your collection. Duplicate excel file.
Reading Fun: Quick & Easy Activities for the School Library Media Center. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow,
1998. ISBN-13: 978-0810833616.
the busy library media specialist with seventy simple, but effective,
activities designed to motivate students to read--and
reproducible bookmarks, worksheets, games, and certificates to
has packed this book full of great projects to use in elementary
Reading Fun will spice up elementary school library programs and
many of the activities can be adapted for use in public libraries
as well. You'll pull this resource out again and again." Yapha Nussbaum Mason, Brentwood Lower School, Los Angeles. (School Library Journal).
NEWBERY AWARD VIDEO. Newark, DE: International Reading Association,
5-8. 17 minutes. Now available free at YouTube and Google. Part 1 and Part 2.
this video highlights popular
books of the 20th century. It includes (a) audio
clips of Newbery speeches of Sharon Creech, Sid Fleischman, Lois
Paterson, and Russell Freedman; (b) video clips of
Lloyd Alexander, Phyllis Reynolds
Spinelli; and (c) personal photos of Sid Fleischman.
We filmed Lloyd Alexander in his home.
Review: ..."suitable as an introduction to The Newbery Award or for reading motivation." Judean A. Unmuth-Shelley, Library Media Specialist, Woodworth
Junior High School, Fond du Lac,
Wisconsin, The Book Report. (May/Jun2001, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p86)
"How One School Librarian Became an Author." Library Media Connection. 10 (May/June 2010):10-14.
"Chart Your School Curriculum." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (January 2002): 26-28.
Newbery Books of Sixth Grade Students, Teachers, and Library
Media Specialists." Reading Research and Instruction. 38 (Winter 1999): 131-141.
"Happy Birthday, Newbery Award." Journal
of Youth Services in Libraries. 10 (Fall 1996): 2-11.
"How Old Is Your School Library Media Center
Collection?" School Library Media Activities Monthly. (December 2001): 22-24.
"Science and Technology Books in Maryland
Elementary School Libraries." Knowledge Quest: Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. 29
(March/April 2001): 9-14.
"Weeding Your Collection." School
Library Media Activities Monthly. (February 2002): 22-24.
"What Practicing School Librarians Say
About Collection Development." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (May 2002): 26-27.
on Teaching." Educational Leadership. Vol. 58 (May 2001): 18.
Tips for a Terrific School Year." Library Talk. 13 (September/October 2000): 23.
Student Attitudes Toward Reading." School Library Journal. (December 1986):43.
of the Books." School Library Journal. (January 1988): 48.
- " Building
Collections." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (November 1996): 31-33.
- " Building
Collections." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (December 1996): 32-34.
"Building Collections." School
Library Media Activities Monthly. (January 1997): 37-40.
- " Building
Collections." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (February 1997): 33-36.
Burrowers." Ventures: Heath Literacy Images. Vol. 4.5 (1995): 26-30.
Books." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (March 1996): 18-19.
an Inservice on Language Arts Web Sites." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (November 1996): 34-37.
of Making the Newbery Award Video." Knowledge Quest: Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. (January/February 2000): 51-52.
Home in the Kelp." Nature: Heath Literacy Images. Vol. 2.5 (1995): 30-35.
Faces of the Desert." Nature: Heath Literacy Images. Vol. 4.1 (1995): 2-7.
Books." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (April 1996): 18-19.
Sources." School Library Media Activities Monthly. (April 2002): 22-24.
Bernard S., ed. The Who’s Who of Nobel Prize Winners. Phoenix, Arizona: Oryx Press, 1986. (Contributed selected essays)
Online: Tips and Pitfalls." Knowledge Quest: Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. (September/October 2005)
Sites for School Librarians and for Graduate Candidates in the
McDaniel SLM Program
Recommended Sources Used in CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
- 25 Ideas to Motivate Young Readers (http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson035.shtml)
- AASL's Best Websites for Teaching and Learning (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/bestwebsitestop25.cfm)
- Academic Search Complete. Go to McDaniel College website and
choose Hoover Library, find articles, Academic Search
Complete, and select
Book Reviews. Insert your library card and password. Then
type in the title, click search, and you’ll see a list of
- ALA/ALSC Notable Lists (www.ala.org)
Each January, Newbery, Caldecott, Pura Belpré, Notable
Book Lists and other awards are announced.
- ALA/ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids
- ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom “Censorship in the
- Bank Street College Children’s Book Committee Annual
List of the Year’s Best (http://www.bnkst.edu/bookcom/)
- Bloom’s Taxomony (http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/time_savers/bloom/)
- Booklist (http://www.booklistonline.com/) Each
January, Booklist Editors Choice is released.
Use online, pay
subscription, or access digitally via Hoover Library.
Make certain you
have a student ID
and that have walked over to the college library
to activate it. Go to Hoover Library page and click
on Find Articles,
or go to this
link: http://hoover.mcdaniel.edu/journal/ Click
on Education Journals. Your computer may ask you
for your login and
This is what
you will see: ProQuest Education Journals (ID 7262)
- Book Links Magazine
- Boston Globe Horn Book Awards for Excellence
in Children’s Literature (http://www.hbook.com/bghb/current.asp)
- Chicago Manual of Style, (latest edition).
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Children’s Book Council
- Children's Literature Brochures by UNC http://sils.unc.edu/library/collection/brochures
- Cooperative Children’s Book Center (Wisconsin)
Bibliographies and Booklists (http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/bibBio.asp)
- Curriculum Charts (http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm)
(Bottom of the page)
- Digital Booktalk by University
of Central Florida (http://digitalbooktalk.com/)
- Digital Pencil by Sarah Chauncey <http://www.digitalpencil.org/dphome.aspx>
- Glogster (http://www.glogster.com)
See Shawn Lees Carr’s glogster
- Horn Book Guide (http://www.hbook.com/guide/)
Issued twice yearly. I have
paper copies if you want
to borrow some,
or access them digitally
via Hoover Library/Find Articles/Education
Horn Book Magazine (http://www.hbook.com/magazine/)
Every December, Horn Book
Fanfare List is released.
all magazines digitally
via Hoover Library.
- H.W. Wilson Children’s
Core Collection (http://www.corecollections.net/)
Outstanding free site that
want on children’s and
adult literature in one
- International Children’s
Digital Library (http://en.childrenslibrary.org/)
- Jane Mitchell http://www.janemitchell.ie/
- Jim Trelease Website
on Reading. (http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/)
- Just One More Book
- KidsClick! Web Search
for Kids by Librarians
link: “What does
a Librarian's Eyes?”
- MASL Black-Eyed
- New York Public
via your school
- OCLC Dewey
- One More
- Skype An Author Network by Sarah Chauncey <http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/>
Recomended Sources Used in SCHOOL LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION
- American Association of School Administrators Know what your principal knows. Check this site for assessment, class size, school reform, and more.
- American Library Association. I expect you to maintain professional memberships in ALA, AASL, and other divisions of your interest--to subscribe to their respective listservs--and also maintain memberships in your state association such as MASL or PSLA.
- American Association of School Librarians.
- Bertland, Linda. Resources for School Librarians.
- Cecil County (Maryland) Public Schools Library Policy & Procedures Handbook (http://media.ccps.org/LM Manual/Library_manual.html) Find out how to access YOUR district's library manual.
- Cecil County Library Scope and Sequence Chart.
- Classroom Management & Discipline: Strategies for Classroom Management, Teacher Talk, and The Master Teacher .
- The Educator's Reference Desk (replaces LM_Net)
- Elementary Library Routines Wiki http://elementarylibraryroutines.wikispaces.com/
- Finch Falcons Wiki Spaces. See this wow site made by a Texas school librarian.
- Gwyneth Anne Bronwynne Jones, Teacher-Librarian, Murray Hill Middle School, Howard County, Md. Portfolio: http://staff.howard.k12.md.us/~gwynethj/gajportfolio; Daring Librarian Blog: http://www.thedaringlibrarian.com; School Library Blog: http://mhms-media.blogspot.com/; Steam-Powered WIKI: http://mhmsmedia.wikispaces.com.
- Harvey, Carl A. "What Should An Administrator Expect a School Librarian to Be." Library Media Connection, October 2009, p. 45.
- International Society for Technology in Education (http://www.iste.org/) (http://sigms.iste.wikispaces.net/advocacy)
- Internet Library for Librarians.
- Jamie McKenzie's FNO: From Now On: The Educational Technology Journal: Educational Technology for Engaged Learning Educational Technology for Literacy.
- Johnson, Doug. A 13 Point Library Media Program Checklist for School Principals.
- Joyce Valenza's Never Ending Search (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch)
Joyce Valenza's Springfield Township High School.
Joyce Valenza's TeacherLibrarianNing (http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/)
- The Leadership Challenge (http://www.leadershipchallenge.com/WileyCDA/)
- LM_NET A discussion group open to school library media specialists worldwide to ask
for input, share ideas and information, link programs that are
geographically remote, make contacts, etc. There are 3 "subscription options." I suggest LM_NET Select which is a "low-volume" option, that comes out about 3 times a week with highlights. It includes Hits
(always interesting), Informational Resources, and Miscellaneous
(sometimes includes LM job announcements.)
- Maryland Association of School Librarians.
- Maryland Kids Page – Office of the Secretary of State
- MCPS. Professional Growth System Final Evaluation Report. Example of a Professional Development Plan at the district level.
- MSDE School Library Media Webpage. This website has the State Curriculum, the MD Library Standards, the school library evaluation standards, and more.
- MSDE. Facts about Maryland’s School Library Media Programs 2008-09.
- New York City's School Library K-12 Information Fluency Continuum. Grade-by-grade benchmark skills with aligned assessments and grade-by-grade alignment of these benchmark skills with the standards categories of the Common Core.
- Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (http://www.psla.org/)
- The School Library Link (http://www.theschoollibrarylink.com/)
- A Simple Book Repair Manual. Highlights methods for torn pages, spine repair, hinges, etc.
- Stafford, Tish. "Teaching Students to Form Effective Questions." Knowledge Quest, Sep/Oct2009, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p48-55, 8p, 2 charts, 2 diagrams, 2 illustrations; (AN 45433529)
- Tish Stafford's Mining Cognition.
Database: Academic Search Complete.
- Teacher Leadership Literature Review, May 17, 2010.
- Webtools4U2Use (http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/Webtools4U2Use)
- Weeby: Web Creation Made Easy (http://www.weebly.com/)
- Weed of the Month by Sunlink. No longer being maintained.


A sufferer’s discovery of how these disorders are functionally linked
This book is an autobiography. Geoff explains how OCD, ADHD and TS affected him throughout his life. He discovered how his disorders are functionally linked. And he explains this link in fine detail.
Geoff’s unusual brain caused problems that damaged his mind. Understanding how his brain worked did not help his state of mind. After years of anger and sadness, he found a way to heal his mind. This is also explained in fine detail.
I started writing this book when I was in jail. It was in December of 2006. I gained access to a computer because I told the guards that I was writing a letter for the Parole Officer. But I wasn’t. I didn’t really know who I was writing to. I just wanted people to understand me.
I didn’t write for two years after I was released from jail. I had no intention to publish this book. However, extreme boredom motivated me to start writing again. I then started to include psychological information about how these disorders are functionally linked. And that’s when I realised this book could be published.
My mind was ill when I wrote most of this book. The chapters continued because I didn’t want to publish it before my mind was healed. My last two chapters explain how my mind was healed.
I have now published this book. I tell people about it, and it surprises me that so many people want to read it.


DID YOU KNOW? WHY IS THE BOOK “BLACK HOLES” BY FERNANDO IZAURIETA INTERESTING?
The 251-page text contains 11 chapters, as well as photographs and explanatory drawings on the theme that is being developed.
Inevitably, the realities of space, time, light and gravity are present in the narrative. About the latter, it is surprising, since since Newton, it is a mysterious and apparently instantaneous force that attracts all the masses of the universe to each other. However, gravity is not a force like the others in nature. The author tells us that, unlike light, gravity is not something that travels over space and time. It’s something else. Gravity is spacetime itself. amazing!
Another thing to admire is that matter moves in curved paths because space and time are curved. In fact, the most important curvature in our life is the curvature of time.
About black holes there is a whole adventure to know them: their origin, their destinations, their unknowns. Regarding the latter, Izaurieta points out that everything changed on September 14, 2015, when the interferometers of LIGO (Laser Interference Gravitational Observatory), captured the collision of 2 black holes. Admirable! Given that the event occurred a billion years before LIGO perceived it.
Much, much more you will find in these pages. v.gr. the birth of light, the birth of the first star, the peculiarity of iron, white dwarfs, density, the rings of Saturn, quasars, colors, the photograph of a black hole, paradoxes, curiosities, etc.
In short, the text puts us on a stage about our own reality as human beings, on a planet, in a place in the universe, in which we can appreciate that before us we are presented with two realities that we are not aware of on a daily basis and therefore This is not always valued: the infinitely large and the infinitely small.
The work, apart from illustrating and astonishing, makes us think about the triple enigma: who are we? Where do we come from? and where are we going?
To take into account.
It’s my word!
#BOOK #BLACK #HOLES #FERNANDO #IZAURIETA #INTERESTING


Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Looking for Alaska | John Green PDF Free Ebook Download
|Looking for Alaska Book Cover +Maven Scientists|
About the NovelLooking for Alaska is a young adult novel by John Green, published in March 2005 by Dutton Juvenile. Green's first novel won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association. During the week of July 29, 2012, Looking for Alaska broke into the New York Times best seller list at number ten in Children's Paperback, 385 weeks (more than 7 years) after it was released.
Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words–and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Green was awarded the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for Looking for Alaska. It is taught in many high school and college curricula and has been published in more than fifteen languages.
About the book
Looking for Alaska opens as the protagonist, Miles Halter, leaves his home in Florida to attend Culver Creek Preparatory High School in Alabama for his junior year. He uses Francois Rabelais’s last words—"I go to seek a Great Perhaps"—as his argument for choosing boarding school at such a late age. Miles is fond of reading biographies, and particularly of memorizing the subjects' last words.
Soon after arriving at Culver Creek, Miles meets his roommate, Chip "The Colonel" Martin. The Colonel soon provides Miles with his very own nickname: "Pudge," ironic as Miles is tall and slender. Miles is later introduced to the Colonel’s friend, Alaska Young. Alaska is described as an attractive yet emotionally unstable girl. Besides Alaska, the Colonel also introduces him to Takumi, a student of Japanese descent. Alaska tells Pudge about Simon Bolivar's last words, which were "Damn it. How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!" Miles asks her what the labyrinth is and she tells him that's the mystery. After they joke about Alaska having a boyfriend and Pudge being single they make a deal: if Miles figures out what the labyrinth is then Alaska will get him laid.
If you’ve read the book and are completely prepared for spoilers, visit theLooking for Alaska Questions page for much, much more information on the book.
Winner, 2006 Michael L. Printz Award
Finalist, 2005 Los Angeles Times Book Prize
2006 Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults
2006 Teens’ Top 10 Award
2006 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Booklist Editor’s Choice Pick
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection
Borders Original Voices Selection
The novel's protagonist, who has an unusual interest in learning famous people's last words. He goes to the boarding school Culver Creek in search of his own "Great Perhaps". Tall and skinny, his friends at Culver ironically nickname him "Pudge". He is attracted to Alaska Young, who for most of the novel does not return his feelings. He is frequently compared to Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye.
The wild, moody, unpredictable, beautiful and enigmatic girl who captures Miles' attention and heart. She acts as a confidant to her friends, frequently assisting them in personal matters, as well as dealing in cigarettes and alcohol.
Five feet tall but "built like Adonis", he is Alaska's best friend and Miles' roommate. His nickname, the Colonel, comes from his being the strategic mastermind behind the schemes that Alaska concocts. Coming from a poor background, he is obsessed with loyalty and honor, especially towards his beloved mother Dolores.
A surprisingly gifted MC/hip-hop enthusiast, and friend of Alaska and Chip, who often feels left out of Miles, Chip, and Alaska's plans.
A Romanian immigrant. She is Alaska's friend and, for a short period, Miles' girlfriend.
The stern Dean of Students at Culver Creek. He is pranked by Miles, Chip, Alaska, Takumi and Lara multiple times throughout the novel.
The World Religions teacher at Culver Creek. He is described as 'ancient' and has trouble breathing. Although he is hindered by these, he is extremely passionate about teaching his students, and shares mutual respect with Miles who admires his no-nonsense teaching.
Download Looking for Alaska PDF. The Author is John Green


News: March 18 2008
This database has moved to www.bodhgayanews.net/pali.htm
This is a database version of
the Pali Canon (in Pali) based on the digitised text prepared
by the Sri Lanka Tripitaka
Project. The advantage of using this version of the Pali
canon is that it makes it easy to search for individual words
across all 20,946 pages at once and view the contexts in which
This database has been produced
from the files available on the Journal
of Buddhist Ethics website. More information about the SLTP
and the Pali canon is available on the Journal of Buddhist Ethics
website where you can also find versions of the files to download
and details about the work that has gone into producing the
digital versions of the texts.
It should be noted that the text is not fully proofed. If you wish
to check readings you should check against the Pali Text Society
print version and the Burmese Version available in digital format
from the Vipassana Research Institute.
The data is in unicode (utf-8) encoding and you will need a suitable
unicode font to be able view the files correctly. If you have a
unicode font installed on your computer the following characters
should appear with diacritics ā ī
ū ṛ ḥ ṃ ṇ ñ ṭ ḍ
ḷ ṣ ś ṅ Ā. If you cannot see
the characters correctly you can download the Indic Times font from
the JBE website, and then install it, like any other font, on your
The use of the data in these database is subject to the condition
that it is understood that its contents are in the public domain
and shall remain in the public domain. La Trobe University acknowledges
the permission of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics and the Sri Lanka
Tipitaka Project to host this database version of the Pali Canon.
May 12, 2006: all works now uploaded.
May 11, 2006: advanced search feature added.
May 3, 2006: initial
version of database of canonical texts only made available on web.