FYI - "Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before"
"Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest."
Dates to Note and Put on Your Calendar!
Friday, March 31:
Fiftieth Anniversary of the College on Sebago Lake “Music of the Decades” Concert and Dance, Cafeteria, 7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 18:
Earth Week Lecture, Understanding Environmental Change: The Need for an Ecological and Existential View," lecture by Dr. Mitchell Thomashow, Auditorium, 7 PM
Wednesday, April 19:
Faculty Panel: "Global Warming: What Do We Know? What Should We Do?", Auditorium, 7 PM
Friday, April 21: College Awards Night, Cafeteria, 6-8 PM
Fiftieth Anniversary of the College on Sebago Lake “Music of the Decades” Concert and Dance, Cafeteria, 7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 18:
Earth Week Lecture, Understanding Environmental Change: The Need for an Ecological and Existential View," lecture by Dr. Mitchell Thomashow, Auditorium, 7 PM
Wednesday, April 19:
Faculty Panel: "Global Warming: What Do We Know? What Should We Do?", Auditorium, 7 PM
Friday, April 21: College Awards Night, Cafeteria, 6-8 PM
The latest email newsletter from "Doctors Without Borders"
Doctors Without Borders just happens to be the charity that I decided to go with last year for Tsunami relief. They do great things!
Here's their email newsletter for March, which includes the latest about heat-resistant AIDS drugs for Africa...
Here's their email newsletter for March, which includes the latest about heat-resistant AIDS drugs for Africa...
Team Capstone for WorldQuest!!
The scores have been tallied, and the winners are...
Participants in WorldQuest will need to...
1) attend the WorldQuest Triva Contest on April 6;
2) do some last minute cramming this week on the following subjects:
- Darrin Ramsdell (31 points)
- Matt Crellin (31 points)
- Christine Bosse (26 points)
- Dan Warren (25 points)
- Brad Morin (25 points)
- Katy Zore (24 points)
- Marc Turgeon (24 points)
- Brian Perazone (23 points) run-off?
- Amanda Hart (23 points)
- Carla Santos (22 points) run-off?
- Amander Wotton (22 points) run-off?
- Joe Anderson (22 points) run-off?
- Derek Davis (22 points) run-off?
- David Barnes (21 points) run-off?
- Kristen Rosenlund (21 points) run-off?
- Eva Kecskemethy (21 points) run-off?
Participants in WorldQuest will need to...
1) attend the WorldQuest Triva Contest on April 6;
2) do some last minute cramming this week on the following subjects:
- World Geography
- Current Events
- International Sports and Culture
- Economics and Trade
- International Scene
- Maine and the World
Team Capstone will meet to strategize on Thursday, March 30 at 4:15 pm in the History Suite.
Ironic Times
In our class' continued, long-standing tradition of humorous political commentary, here are headlines from this week's "The Ironic Times"... Enjoy!!
Ironic Times - March 27, 2006
Ironic Times - March 27, 2006
Current WorldQuest Standings (+ final, deciding "The Week" quiz on Tues.!)
The scores have been tallied, and the current leaders for the 2006 Honors Capstone WorldQuest Team are:
- Darrin Ramsdell (27 points)
- Matt Crellin (25 points)
- Christine Bosse (22 points)
- Derek Davis (21 points)
- Amanda Hart (21 points)
- Dan Warren (20 points)
- Katy Zore (20 points)
- David Barnes (19 points)
- Robin Caron (19 points)
- Brian Perazone (19 points)
- Carla Santos (19 points)
- Amander Wotton (19 points)
- Brad Morin (18 points)
- Marc Turgeon (18 points)
- Adam Ham (17.5 points)
- Joe Anderson (17 points)
- Eva Kecskemethy (17 points)
- Kristen Rosenlund (17 points)
Everybody else has 15 points or fewer. :-)
(I can let you know via email if your name isn't listed above...)
The SEVEN places on our team to attend WorldQuest on April 6th at 6-10 pm will be decided once and for all this Tuesday, March 28th!
We'll have one last quiz based on The Week magazine's issue dated March 24th (plus a tie-breaker quiz, if necessary!) So, feel free to study up if you want to ensure that you go! :-)
Team members should be certain that they can make it to WorldQuest that night, plus be willing to do some last-minute cramming (about "flags of the world," for example, and the like... Official subject categories will include: "World Geography, Current Events, International Sports and Culture, Economics and Trade, International Scene, and Maine and the World." Needless to say, it would probably be handy to have, if possible, even one Business major, somebody who's taken Geography, and somebody who's Phys. Ed. or otherwise into athletics...)
If we place among the top three teams, rest assured that there'll be some appropriate compensation for team members' hard work and success!! :-)
Last but not least... van drivers needed!
FYI: Sites from this week's "Internet Scout Report"
Of potential interest...
1. The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy
Created in 1982, The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (BRIE)is an interdisciplinary research project that focuses on “…international economic competition and the development and application of advanced technologies”. Moving between the worlds of the private sector to interactions with fellow scholars and policymakers, BRIE has created a number of thought-provoking documents for the web-browsing public and placedthem on this site. Visitors who require a bit more background material may want to first visit the “About BRIE” area which includes information ontheir objectives and research mission. After taking a look at the materials there, interested parties should proceed to the “Publications” area, which contains a very nice working papers area. Here visitors can download such intriguing titles as “Transforming Politics in a Digital Era” and “BoomBoxes: Shipping Containers and Terrorists”. [KMG]
2. Early U.S.-Korea Diplomatic Relations
Many aspects of history can be examined through the use of visual materials, and certainly the emerging relationship between the United States and Korea is no exception. Drawing on a collection of photographs and sketches executed by Willard Dickerman Straight in 1904 and 1905, this comprehensive exhibit from Cornell University uses these materials to create “a visual and contextual narrative of Korea at a most critical juncture in its more recent, modern history”. First-time visitors will want to peruse the Flash-enabled timeline offered here to get a sense of the emerging relationship between these two nations during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Interestingly enough, Straight himself was a graduate of Cornell, and he also helped found The New Republic magazine. Additional information about Straight can be found in the biographical essay offered here, and offers a bit of helpful background before delving into the photographic database.[KMG]
5. The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918
The history of human civilizations is rife with disastrous epidemics and plagues, a fact that is sometimes lost on modern-day pundits and commentators. Fortunately, the National Archives hasn’t forgotten about one of history’s more recent tragedies, namely the influenza epidemic of 1918. They recently created this engaging and fascinating collection of documents and photographs that offer a first-hand perspective on this epidemic. All told, the collection offered here contains several dozen primary source materials, including a directive from the Navy in order to educate sailors about the health risks of the disease and a photograph of Seattle police officers clad in protective face masks. One special feature of the site is that visitors can also order copies of the documents, if they are so inclined. Overall, this is a well-designed site that offers a glimpse of theAmerican perspective on this rampant epidemic which eventually killed 20 million people across the world. [KMG]
9. Institute for Global Ethics
A number of organizations and think-tanks have taken on the most pressing questions of our day, but relatively few have addressed such quandaries as basic as “Are there a core of shared, moral values?” In 1990, the Institute for Global Ethics started with this crucial inquiry and expanded their scope to work towards understanding these values. From the homepage, visitors can read through their online resources, which include the Ethics Newsline (a weekly electronic newsletter), letters from their president, and a number of topical white papers. Some of these papers have rather compelling titles, such as “Ethics and the Learned Professions” and “Corporate Social Responsibility and Peacebuilding: A Case for Action in Israel and the Palestinian Territories”. Finally, users of the site may also wish to take alook at their calendar of upcoming seminars and lectures. [KMG]
====== In The News ====
15. Forum draws attention to water supply in the developing world
- World’s poor rely on bottled water
- Big water companies quit poor countries
- 10,000 protest at water summit
- 4th World Water Forum
- World Water Day
It goes without saying that water is an essential aspect of everyday life, but for literally billions of people in the world, securing even small amounts of water is tremendously difficult, if not impossible. As the 4th World Water Forum concluded this week in Mexico City, there were a number of questions that remained on the minds of a number of organizations, policy groups, protestors, and other concerned parties. One question that was particularly vexing was the fact that in recent years, a number of large private multinational companies had been purchasing municipal water systems, particularly in the developing world, and then making significant rate increases. This development was not one lost on concerned citizens and activists either, as close to 10,000 demonstrated in Mexico City, chanting,“Water is not for sale!” While well intended, the chant might have been a bit inaccurate, as bottled water is frequently for sale in the developing world, and often it is the only kind that is drinkable. Of course, as one official pointed out at the Forum, bottled water is exponentially more expensive than providing tap water through a municipally held water facility. [KMG]
The first site will take visitors to a good article on the provisioning of water by multinational companies to the world’s poor from this Wednesday’s San Jose Mercury-News. The second link leads visitors to a piece from The Guardian, which reviews a recent report from the UN that discusses how a number of companies have withdrawn from the business of supplying water inthe developing world. The third link leads to a piece from Al-Jazeera on the recent protest at the World Water Forum in Mexico City. The fourth link whisks visitors away to a trenchant opinion piece about the lack of safe water supplies in the developing world authored by Joanne Green, a public policy adviser at the Tearfund organization. The fifth link leads to the homepage of the 4th World Water Forum. Here, visitors can learn about the different sessions offered at the Forum, and also review a number of working papers and archived webcasts. The final link leads to the homepage of World Water Day, where visitors can learn about the event, and examine a number of fact sheets on the state of the world’s water. [KMG]
WorldQuest!!!!!!!!!!!!
SJC Honors' Capstone WorldQuest participants will be announced Tuesday, March 28th!!!
Avian flu
Here is a link to an article on the avian flu from the New York Times. It a dissent from the view that the H5 virus will cause a pandemic.
Apparently the link doesn't show up if you click on "view blog" only on the screen that appears when you first sign in a click on The Capstone. If I can't figure this out and you're really curious I guess you could just check out the science section of www.nytimes.com.
“Hotel Rwanda” hero to speak in Portland on genocide, April 24th
See note on previous post regarding the Sen. Mitchell talk about the possibility of attending this presentation instead... Please R.S.V.P. which presentation you'd like to attend!
The man whose story inspired the movie “Hotel Rwanda” will offer a firsthand account of genocide and explain how the problem, for many African countries, remains a critical issue even today.
Paul Rusesabagina will speak at Hannaford Lecture Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland on April 24, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. April 24 also the commemorates the date of the Armenian genocide of 1915 in which more than 1 million Armenian men, women and children were murdered.
The University of Southern Maine’s Academic Council for Post-Holocaust Christian, Jewish and Islamic Studies, the Hudson Foundation and TD Banknorth, among other organizations, are hosting the lecture, entitled "Never Again? Genocide and Indifference," in memory of Douglas Schair.
Schair, a Falmouth resident, was committed to the fight against genocide through education and dialogue. He was the founder and president of the Hudson Foundation.
In 1994, Rwanda’s Hutu president was assassinated, for which Hutu militants blamed the Tutsi people. The militia, known as the Interahamwe, launched a fierce campaign of ethnic cleansing, killing nearly 1 million people over 100 days while the United Nations and the rest of the world watched silently.
Rusesabagina was a manager of the Milles Collines Hotel in the country’s capital, Kigali, at the time. Using the hotel as a safe house, he was able to save more than 1,200 lives.
His story is told in “Hotel Rwanda,” which was nominated for three Oscars. Rusesabagina’s character is played by film-star Don Cheadle. Viking Penguin Press will publish Rusesabagina’s autobiography, An Ordinary Man, in the beginning of April. A book signing will take place after the lecture.
“Paul witnessed unspeakable horror. We’re talking about children being slaughtered with machetes,” Justin Schair, Mr. Schair’s son and an acquaintance of Rusesabagina, said.
The lecture aims to raise awareness in the Portland community about the gravity of genocide and global passivity to these kinds of atrocities.
“Paul draws critical parallels between Rwanda and genocides happening right now,” Justin Schair said. “His visit stands to make a positive and effective impact on the Greater Portland Community.”
The man whose story inspired the movie “Hotel Rwanda” will offer a firsthand account of genocide and explain how the problem, for many African countries, remains a critical issue even today.
Paul Rusesabagina will speak at Hannaford Lecture Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland on April 24, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. April 24 also the commemorates the date of the Armenian genocide of 1915 in which more than 1 million Armenian men, women and children were murdered.
The University of Southern Maine’s Academic Council for Post-Holocaust Christian, Jewish and Islamic Studies, the Hudson Foundation and TD Banknorth, among other organizations, are hosting the lecture, entitled "Never Again? Genocide and Indifference," in memory of Douglas Schair.
Schair, a Falmouth resident, was committed to the fight against genocide through education and dialogue. He was the founder and president of the Hudson Foundation.
In 1994, Rwanda’s Hutu president was assassinated, for which Hutu militants blamed the Tutsi people. The militia, known as the Interahamwe, launched a fierce campaign of ethnic cleansing, killing nearly 1 million people over 100 days while the United Nations and the rest of the world watched silently.
Rusesabagina was a manager of the Milles Collines Hotel in the country’s capital, Kigali, at the time. Using the hotel as a safe house, he was able to save more than 1,200 lives.
His story is told in “Hotel Rwanda,” which was nominated for three Oscars. Rusesabagina’s character is played by film-star Don Cheadle. Viking Penguin Press will publish Rusesabagina’s autobiography, An Ordinary Man, in the beginning of April. A book signing will take place after the lecture.
“Paul witnessed unspeakable horror. We’re talking about children being slaughtered with machetes,” Justin Schair, Mr. Schair’s son and an acquaintance of Rusesabagina, said.
The lecture aims to raise awareness in the Portland community about the gravity of genocide and global passivity to these kinds of atrocities.
“Paul draws critical parallels between Rwanda and genocides happening right now,” Justin Schair said. “His visit stands to make a positive and effective impact on the Greater Portland Community.”
Sen. George Mitchell talk on "Globalism: What It Means for America"
I have acquired 30 tickets for the following...
I'll give you your choice of attending this program or the one on April 24 about 'Hotel Rwanda' in lieu of class on April 25. (Presentations scheduled for that day will be shifted around accordingly!!)
Please R.S.V.P. which presentation you want to see! Thanks!!
I'll give you your choice of attending this program or the one on April 24 about 'Hotel Rwanda' in lieu of class on April 25. (Presentations scheduled for that day will be shifted around accordingly!!)
Please R.S.V.P. which presentation you want to see! Thanks!!
FYI: "Global Issues That Affect Everyone"
Thought that this might be of use to folks preparing their presentations and final papers!
Global Issues That Affect Everyone
Global Issues That Affect Everyone
FYI: "A New Strategy for America in Iraq"
"A Switch in Time: A New Strategy for America in Iraq: During the months of November and December 2005, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution brought together a group of experts on Iraq to engage in a critical discussion about US policy. Upon the completion of their work, the Center’s Director, Kenneth M. Pollack, created this intelligent and thoughtful paper that details an alternative approach to the current US policies in Iraq. Released in February 2006, the paper contains three primary chapters, and for those pressed for time, there is also an executive summary at the beginning of the report. The report makes a number of interesting recommendations, including noting that providing basic safety for Iraqis must be the primary priority of US policy. Perhaps themost intriguing observations are in the realm of economic development and reconstruction. Some of these recommendations include rehabilitating Iraq’s agricultural sector and also assisting Iraq with its numerous structural problems." (from this week's "Internet Scout Report")
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