Check It Out

Timothy J Henderson,
The Mexican Wars for Independence.
F 1232 H45 2009

Mexico has had a turbulent history. Few portions of its history have been as unstable and volatile as the nineteenth century. Mexico gained its independence, was invaded three times and suffered several civil wars between 1810 and 1876, This era is also an important formative period in Mexico's evolution as a nation.

Professor Henderson illustrates how the policies and practices of the Spanish colonial authorities led to a stratification of Mexican society, which ultimately brought about demands for political and social reform, and how attitudes and events in Spain influenced Mexican politics, society, and the course of the wars for independence.

Check out, The Mexican Wars for Independence available now on the library's New Book Shelf
F 1232 H45 2009.

This Week in CQ Researcher

Earthquake Threat
by Thomas J. Billitteri, April 9, 2010

Is the U.S. ready for a seismic catastrophe?

The earthquakes that ravaged Haiti and Chile this year raised compelling questions about the ability of the United States to cope with a seismic catastrophe of its own. Thirty-nine states, from Alaska and California to the Carolinas and New England, are considered susceptible to moderate or severe quakes, and the Midwest is widely viewed as among the most vulnerable regions. In California, the U.S. Geological Survey puts the probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger quake within the next 30 years at more than 99 percent. Should a magnitude 6.5 quake hit Manhattan, which sits on ancient faults, damage could total well over $1 trillion. Officials say the United States is making progress at mitigating potential death and destruction from future earthquakes but has a long way to go. In developing countries, scores of cities – overcrowded, poorly built and many sitting on seismic faults – remain highly vulnerable.

• Are Americans prepared for a catastrophic earthquake?
  
• Is a catastrophic earthquake likely in the United States?
  
• Should development occur along earthquake faults?

To read this article and others visit our Articles and Databases webpage and click on CQ Researcher. Select the Off Campus Access link for information on how to access this resource from off campus locations.

Essay contest winners

Congratulations to the two winners of the Friends of the Library essay contest, Desiree DeGarmo and Marina Watanabe. They will receive their checks on May 5 at the Student Awards Ceremony.

Thanks to all who entered the contest and to our judges.

Check It Out

A Short History of the Honey Bee
by Ed Readicker-Henderson
Call Number SF 523.7 .I45 2009 -- Main Book Stacks

If you like bees, even just a little bit, you’ll enjoy this book. The fascinating history and interesting facts contained in these pages will have you sharing random bee lore with everyone you encounter. For instance, did you know that one worker bee produces the equivalent of only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, and then she dies because her wings wear out from the friction of the air? This book covers topics such as the bee dance, killer bees (which were created by humans), the historical, current, and potential uses for bee products such as honey, beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly, and explores possible reasons for Colony Collapse Disorder and the impact this will have on a large number of crops humans depend on for food.


Almost every ancient human civilization with a native species of honey bee regarded these creatures as being either magical or divine. You will probably agree after reading this.
Book review by Jamie Lin Southwestern College Library

Buzz into the library and check out, A Short History of the Honey Bee. Call Number SF 523.7 .I45 2009

Check It Out

Uncle Sam's Shame: Inside Our Broken Veterans Administration
by Martin Kantor M.D.
UB369 .K33 2008

From the concerns of veteran health care sparked by coverage of Walter Reed Hospitcal to concerns about misuse and abuse of posttraumatic stress disorder diagnoses, Kantor, a medical doctor who worked for the VA from the 1960s through the 1990s, offers a detailed look at the troubled system.

Kantor's objective in this book is to help Washington, the Veterans Administration (VA) staff, the vets themselves, and the general public understand the shortcomings of VA medicine today beyond what they read in the newspapers, so that all concerned can chip in to help improve the medical care that all the vets, and not just those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, are receiving.
Review from: Booklist July 2008

Check out, Uncle Sam's Shame: Inside Our Broken Veterans Administration available now on the library's New Book Shelf
UB369 .K33 2008.

ARTstor: Southeast Asia and Morocco

ARTstor has collaborated with Barbara Anello to make available 750 images of the architecture, arts, and culture of Southeast Asia and Morocco in the Digital Library. Anello, a photographer and art historian, has photographed the domestic architecture of rural areas and ethnic minorities in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia, documenting how traditional building forms have been preserved or lost over time.

To view the Barbara Anello: Photographs of Southeast Asia and Morocco collection: go to the ARTstor Digital Library, browse by collection, and click on "Barbara Anello: Photographs of Southeast Asia and Morocco;" or enter the keyword search: barbara anello.

To view ARTstor from off campus locations you need to create an ARTstor account at http://www.artstor.org/index.shtml from any computer on the Southwestern College campuses.

Internet Resource: Google Data Sets

Google announced a new feature named Google Public Data Explorer. What it does is allow you to mash up data from the public sectors into neat charts and graphs. Unemployment, population, and lots and lots more, all with a simple-to-use interface.

Google explains:

With the Data Explorer, you can mash up data using line graphs, bar graphs, maps and bubble charts. The visualizations are dynamic, so you can watch them move over time, change topics, highlight different entries and change the scale. Once you have a chart ready, you can easily share it with friends or even embed it on your own website or blog.



A really amazing resource at http://www.google.com/publicdata/home