Gena Haskett's blog http://www.blogher.com/blog/1683/atom/feed 2008-03-25T22:40:59-05:00 Declarations of Independence http://www.blogher.com/declarations-independence 2008-07-01T22:23:30-05:00 2008-07-02T06:27:02-05:00 Gena Haskett I stopped at the table of the American Civil Liberties Union table at the American Library Association annual convention in Anaheim, CA. I was given a copy a small blue book of the Constitution of the United States of America.

I stop by the Cato Institute table where I am given a small red book on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. I didn’t get squat from the Hoover Institute because I got the impression I shouldn’t approach the table let alone be allowed see what freebies they wanted to pass on to library type folks.

]]> I stopped at the table of the American Civil Liberties Union table at the American Library Association annual convention in Anaheim, CA. I was given a copy a small blue book of the Constitution of the United States of America.

I stop by the Cato Institute table where I am given a small red book on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. I didn’t get squat from the Hoover Institute because I got the impression I shouldn’t approach the table let alone be allowed see what freebies they wanted to pass on to library type folks.

I’m thinking the Universe is trying to tell me something. I was in the bookstore today buying my computer magazines when I see the Constitution of the United States selling for $2.95 plus tax. I can take a hint. There are days when I'm not so sure that the Constitution has anything to do with the country I live in but there are days when I do feel a connection with the more positive aspects of the document.

But I like the Amendments better ;-)

I know that the Iroquois Nations had their own constitution known as the Great Law of Peace. Some folks say there was a bit of “appropriation.” I’ll leave that for you to decide but items 5, 9, 10 and 11 do seem to have a familiar ring to them; even though they were composed around 1090AD.

In this video, Leondra King is explaining what the Constitution means to her:


So what if women did have a say in declaring independence? And is there more than one kind of declarations of independence? Historically there was a women centered Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions that was created in Seneca Falls New York in 1848. Here is an sample:

  • Resolved, That woman is man's equal—was intended to be so by the Creator, and the highest good of the race demands that she should be recognized as such.
  • Resolved, That the women of this country ought to be enlightened in regard to the laws under which they -live, that they may no longer publish their degradation, by declaring themselves satisfied with their present position, nor their ignorance, by asserting that they have all the rights they want.
  • Resolved, That inasmuch as man, while claiming for himself intellectual superiority, does accord to woman moral superiority, it is pre-eminently his duty to encourage her to speak, and teach, as she has an opportunity, in all religious assemblies.

Sound familiar? I can’t think of a day on BlogHer when someone at some time invokes a variation of these sentiments.

There are all sorts of declarations that are being defined and redefined. Patricia at Washington Ding wants to have her own independence from the United States Congress for failing to act on impeachment, failure to protection of citizens in harms way and not living up to the stated goals of the original document.

Over at Be the Muse there is the question of what do you gain and give up in pursuit of your art?  For Tiffany at At Home in the Asylum her declaration means dealing with emotions and stepping away from the cookies for her health and well being. New blogger Christina at Declaration of Inspiration wants to inspire you to go forward from a Christian spiritual perspective.

May you always honor your own personal whispers of declarations.

CE Gena Haskett blogs at Out On The Stoop and PCC LibTech

]]> Chautauqua Movement and BlogHer http://www.blogher.com/chautauqua-movement-and-blogher 2008-06-25T00:26:30-05:00 2008-06-25T17:55:39-05:00 Gena Haskett Everything we think is new it is only a whisper of the ancestors reminding us to carry the positive forward. There are a lot of similarities between the Chautauqua Movement of the early 20th century and what we are trying to accomplish on a daily basis here are BlogHer and at the BlogHer Conferences.

]]> Everything we think is new it is only a whisper of the ancestors reminding us to carry the positive forward. There are a lot of similarities between the Chautauqua Movement of the early 20th century and what we are trying to accomplish on a daily basis here are BlogHer and at the BlogHer Conferences.

The Chautauqua Movement was an effort to educates, enlightened and inspire rural Americans in the late 19th and 20th century. It started in New York and spread across the country. Visitors would be exposed to music, poetry, political discussions and debates of the time. Some of the visitors witness the birth of new technologies like motion pictures.

Other folks spent their time listening to science and philosophical discussions while others lined up to listen to politicians and the muckey-mucks of the day. There was also a faith based component where those that wanted it could soak up religious instruction by the leading faith based promoters of the day.

As good as it sounds not everyone thought that providing information to adults or the general public was a good idea. I was reading the University of Iowa Traveling Culture web site. There was an essay by Charlotte Canning "What Was Chautauqua" and this is what I learned how the leading figures of the day felt about it:

  • Sinclair Lewis "Nothing but wind and chaff and the ...laughter of yokels"
  • William James found it "Depressing from its mediocrity"
  • Gregory Mason dismissed it as "Infinitely easier than trying to think"

Hmm, sound like the great, great, great grandfathers of Andrew Keen to me.

The Chautauqua Movement began to decline during the depression and new inventions like radio and television put a serious hurt in the number of locations that had events. Chautauqua never died it just evolved.

At the Maryland Humanities Council Chautauqua, there are historical interpreters that help bring the speakers of the past forward to inspire participatory action. Here is "Emma Goldman" presenting her ideas on Anarchy, Margaret Sanger and participation in small organizations.


At the Chautauqua Institute (NY) you can listen to podcasts on upcoming events, discussions about China, India, Media Ethics, Karen Armstrong on Sacred Texts and other topics to come.

You see, people never stopped wanting to learn, to gather in communities and to exchange information about their lives and the world beyond them. There are a number of regional Chautauqua events that are happening this summer.

When you think about it the BlogHer community has a lot in common with some of the goals of the Chautauqua Movement. We do spend a lot of time communicating, educating and sharing experiences.

And like the participants from long ago BlogHers also like to have fun, goof off and on occasion pontificate until our brains hurt. It is probably just the ancestors trying to get another word in edgewise.

Other views of Chautauqua:

  • Hoarded Ordinaries - Photos and commentary on "William Jennings Bryan" and the sky of possibilities.
  • Transparent C shares memories of Chautauqua
  • Claudia Taller talks abut her experiences at the Word Lovers Retreat at a former Chautauqua location and the inspiration she received from the experience.
]]> Are You An Engineer? http://www.blogher.com/are-you-engineer-0 2008-06-18T00:26:01-05:00 2008-06-18T00:43:13-05:00 Gena Haskett You might not know this but you might be an engineer. More on that later.

Over at Why All Things Lead To Chaos there is a post entitled Engineers Demystified that shows how extensive the misperception of women in engineering can be:

]]> You might not know this but you might be an engineer. More on that later.

Over at Why All Things Lead To Chaos there is a post entitled Engineers Demystified that shows how extensive the misperception of women in engineering can be:

I am tired of hearing everywhere I go that engineers are boring people, don’t enjoy life, yada yada yada. In fact, if I ever run into a non-engineering person and she comes to know that I am one, the entire approach and behavior changes. And I am left defending my clan, especially those of women engineers, from the usual stereotypical accusations. So I am here, once and for all to debunk the (women) engineers myths.

1. Engineers, especially women engineers are boring and always talk about technical stuff.
Dearie, I think what you meant to say was that your pretty head is not able to understand whatever I am trying to say. And no, I don’t always talk techie. I do talk about politics, who won the latest NBA game, religion, philosophy, but it guess since it is not about tupperware, it does not interest you. And you know what? Tupperware talk is BORING, and this time it is not because I don’t understand.

Anyway it fired me up to step up my minimal efforts to help make women in science more visible. These are just a sampling of the women engineers & bloggers who invent, prevent and dream paths to new ideas and worlds.

One of the definitions of engineering is the "discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems". (via Definr) Now you might not think that you have engineering tendencies but if you have every applied clear nail polish to a run in pantyhose, if you have stapled a hem or have 10 alternative uses for duct tape you might be a latent engineer or inventor. If you are a mom or you have worked for an infantile boss, yes, you have engineering skills.

I start with Peggy at Women In Science cause I can't be messing around on this, I needed a science sherpa. At the blog you can select the post categories you want to dive into.

From Women in Science I was lead to Candid Engineer in Academia who will let you know that all is not pristine in those ivy covered towers. Yes, there are ding-a-lings in the hallow halls of science, even if they do have Ph.D.

At Science Women on ScienceBlog Alice Pawley is asking interesting questions to women scientists and engineers;

All the recent talk about engineers 'round these parts has got me feeling a bit left out. You see, back when I was a girl, my parents encouraged my interest in the natural world. And they encouraged my brother's interest in all things electrical and mechanical. Today, I'm a scientist and he's an engineer.

I'm not suggesting that my parents consciously or unconsciously steered me away from engineering because I was a girl. Rather, unlike my brother, I didn't get pushed toward it. It wasn't until after college that I realized, with my academic interests, I would have been better served by pursuing an undergraduate engineering degree.

If you are a scientist or engineer you might want to take the poll located on the page. To me the comments are the true value. They dismiss a lot of foolishness by reveling that there are parents who encourage their daughters to explore and that there are women who truly enjoy the profession despite the obstacles presented by co-workers. You should also read the post and comments for "Engineering, Thy Name is Enlightenment."

Can you be an engineer without the ability to read and write? (Source A Little Bit Here, A Little Byte There)

Four dark-skinned women in multi-hued saris hunch over a solar power-generating circuit at the National Institute for Rural Development (NIRD) in Hyderabad, fleshing out details about solar lamps and panels for Indian villages. Chennamma, Yelamma, Kalavati and Zayda, all illiterate women in their 30s who previously worked as stone crushers in South India’s quarries, have left the furnace-like heat of their previous jobs to use the sun to a better purpose. This is the Women Barefoot Solar Engineers Association of Hyderabad.

 

Engineering is the "discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems." Let no one stand in the way of your vision.

CE Gena Haskett blogs at Out On The Stoop and PCC LibTech

]]> Marion The Librarian Also Blogs http://www.blogher.com/marion-librarian-also-blogs 2008-06-10T23:14:50-05:00 2008-06-10T23:14:50-05:00 Gena Haskett So you think you know a librarian when you see one? And you think they are de-sexed, disengaged and have nothing to do with your real life?  And what would a library blogger blog about anyway, books?

Come closer, my little chickadee. Anything you are dealing with in meat-space they are working on in cyberspace.

]]> So you think you know a librarian when you see one? And you think they are de-sexed, disengaged and have nothing to do with your real life?  And what would a library blogger blog about anyway, books?

Come closer, my little chickadee. Anything you are dealing with in meat-space they are working on in cyberspace.

Jenny at The Shifted Librarian understands that there has been a transformation occurring concerning the flow of information. If libraries want to maintain contact there has to be some changes in how libraries function.  This is an extract from her site:

Did you know that there are more NetGens than there are Baby Boomers? And you know what kind of an impact those folks had on our culture! If you're around kids at all today, you can see how differently they think and act about information and technology. I live with a six-year old and a seven-year old, and periodically I'll relate stories proving this point.

To my mind, the biggest difference is that they expect information to come to them, whether it's via the Web, email, cell phone, online chat, whatever. And given the tip of the iceberg of technology we're seeing, it's going to have a big impact on how they expect to receive library services, which means librarians have to start adjusting now. I call that adjustment "shifting" because I think you have to start meeting these kids' information needs in their world, not yours. The library has to become more portable or "shifted.

Jenny writes about gaming, learning, engagement and there are even a few LOL cats to be found here and there.

Jessamyn West at Librarian.net does a lot of speaking and training about Library 2.0 issues. Libraries can help educate patrons about accessing information from a variety of sources. A lot of people still think libraries are about books. Libraries do have books but (good) libraries are also about providing information services. Part of those services is helping citizens make the transition to an electronic information delivery system.

One of the things I tell people in my 2.0 talks is that the digital divide is becoming about much more than people who have computers/email/web sites and people who don’t. The difference, to me, is people who have folded the web into their day to day lives and those who haven’t. This matters for a few reasons. As I have said before, I think it’s anyone’s personal choice whether they want to use a computer recreationally or not. However as more and more of our government’s services are available either primarily or most easily online, being able to at least navigate the online world becomes important, if not mission critical.

Libraries can do that if they receive technological, financial and institutional support.  That may be hard to do when cities are talking budget squeezes and shutting down branches libraries. Librarian in Black does the library gig but also has to figure out new technology on the current library's budget. Canada is represented by Jen at Canuck Librarian or if you swing to a Russian vibe then Katarina at Library Bat is your girl.

What if your blog was your library and you get to show visitors concepts and tools that help them run brick and mortar libraries better? Amanda Etches-Johnson's Blog Without A Library not only talks about what the tools are but uses Slideshare to show you the concepts she is trying to get across.

No Shushing Zone

Now librarians are all about the higher purpose but they have been known to get wicked behind the stacks. Let's see, there is Abigail Goben at Shelf Check is a librarian, teacher and has an on-line cartoon strip. You got your Belly Dancing Librarian, Librarians with Tats who tell you what it life is like on the other side of the counter. LibraryBitch isn't one but he will tell you tales from the trenches you didn't know existed.

Finally if you ever wanted to dress a librarian here is your chance, you can go conservative or buck wild.  Take the opportunity to bust up preconceived notions and you might get hooked on another branch of blogging.

CE Gena Haskett also writes at Out on The Stoop and PCC LibTech.

]]> Immune Attack and The Dream of Engaged Learning http://www.blogher.com/immune-attack-and-dream-engaged-learning-0 2008-06-03T22:03:35-05:00 2008-06-03T22:12:43-05:00 Gena Haskett There is a new software program created by the Federation of American Scientists called Immune Attack. It is designed to supplement the education that happens in the classroom. The program is free for anyone to use but it was specifically designed complement or add value to the classroom experience.

]]> There is a new software program created by the Federation of American Scientists called Immune Attack. It is designed to supplement the education that happens in the classroom. The program is free for anyone to use but it was specifically designed complement or add value to the classroom experience.

For those school districts that have current 2008 school books, computers and an engaged qualified staff this is a win, win situation. Those kids will do well. But I feel sad. Don't get me wrong. The program is well designed and a lot of thought went into making this an effective teaching support program.

It is just that, well. I think it is an invisible reminder of the digital divide. There are students here in the Los Angeles area that do not have any text books or they have outdate text books in their classes. Yes, high school classes. Even middle school classes don't have the proper books or equipment to run this program. The computer lab might be jammed into a library with two out of ten machines working.  The governor has said he will make major deep cuts into education to balance the budget.

No child left behind. No child moving forward either.   And student are bored out of their skulls. Wait, you should see this video:

I have limited faith that education happens in school districts no matter the education, economic or social backgrounds of the folks running the system. Not in school systems anyway. Oh, you should know that this is an ingrained highly personal bias of mine.  I can grump about this into the midnight hour.

So lets turn my negative into a positive.  If I could dream up the perfect system what would it look like? Well, I'd start by recognizing that this is the 21st century.  We can take bits that worked in the prior century but here is what I would do:

I'd make sure that there were proper assessment to the child's ability to learn before he or she would step foot in class.  Yes, My school would know about the allergies, the HDD, Dyslexia, behavior problems and gifted kids and my school we'd build a curriculum around that child's needs, not crowbar the kid around our limited vision of what we think the child needs to learn. Radical, huh?

Bonnie Bracey Sutton over at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) blog has a full detailed post on what it would take to engage media soaked students. Here is an excerpt:

Engage: Project-Based Learning Students go beyond the textbook to study complex topics based on real-world issues, such as the water quality in their communities or the history of their town, analyzing information from multiple sources, including the Internet and interviews with experts.

Project-based classwork is more demanding than traditional book based instruction, where students may just memorize facts from a single source.

Instead students utilize original documents and data, mastering principles covered in traditional courses but learning them in more meaningful ways. Projects can last weeks; multiple projects can cover entire courses. Student work is presented to audiences beyond the teacher, including parents and community groups.

Yes, you still teach vocabulary and math but you connect those skills with a purpose or a definable outcome. Some of the time in the classroom and part of the time in the field or community. And speaking of vocabulary I'd have my staff, administrators and those that sign the check recite Angela Maiers 26 Keys to Student Engagement

Joy: Children are learning machines and have untold hours of play and joy... until... they are "educated"  - educated to behave otherwise. If we want a better class of thinkers and innovators -- people with explosive curiosity and creativity, we need to bring FUN back into our classrooms. We need giggles and laughter, enthusiasm and excitement. School can become a place remembered for the love of learning, if for no other reason than it feels joyous!

I'd start building awareness to career options starting around the fourth or fifth grade. I'd show videos like this one from Cisco Systems so that there would be a generation of boys and girls that knew this career was possible:

Academic or vocational it wouldn't matter.  Plumber, Chef, Boxer I'd let my students know about any option that they could dream or think to create for themselves.

Well, the good news is that I'm not the only one dreaming of a better, enriched school experience. I don't think it is impossible.  There is a place for traditional studies in a enlightened school. But what if we could get it right this time? What if we realized it isn't just throwing money at school administrators but recognizing that a viable school experience would make the community profitable? Secure.

If you do it right you'd have to drag the kids home. So these are just some ideas. What do you see in your dream school?

Other Resources:

Kim Cofino at Always Learning has a great post about having students create podcast tutorials to help younger students read.

The Active Learning Blog Carnival has a tremendous amount of links on books, ideas for motivation, and what other folks are doing to make their dream schools happen.

CE Gena Haskett blogs at Out On The Stoop and PCC LibTech.

]]> Bug Girls and Persistence of Vision, Entomology Speaking http://www.blogher.com/bug-girls-and-persistence-vision-entomology-speaking 2008-05-27T19:49:20-05:00 2008-05-27T19:51:09-05:00 Gena Haskett Virginia DeBolt wrote a post on The New York Times placing a technology story about women in engineering and science in the fashion section.  More recently there was an article by Elaine McArdle, that I read online via The Boston Globe, that offered the premise that women are not interested in science and technology jobs. 

]]> Virginia DeBolt wrote a post on The New York Times placing a technology story about women in engineering and science in the fashion section.  More recently there was an article by Elaine McArdle, that I read online via The Boston Globe, that offered the premise that women are not interested in science and technology jobs. 

My understanding of the the article's bottom line is that women scientists prefer human connections and don't care for the isolation or the inorganic world that most male scientists tend to work.  Sound familiar? It does to me. Exchange the words science or engineering for computers, blogging, automobiles, sports and you hear the same old song.

What has that got to do with the photo below of Isabella Rossellini?  Isabella was working on an project for the Sundance Channel. What she was really doing was experimenting on producing video for mobile and portable devices. The topic Isabella selected was how certain insects have sex. If you are interested there is an interview of Isabella on the Wall Street Journal Digital Network on YouTube.

Isabella as a bug at the Sundance Channel

At my last count there were 89,000 links in Google on this project. Do you want to hazard a guess as to how many of those links make any reference to Entomologists? Or Entomologists who blog? Or Entomologists who blog who are women?

Not as many, I guess. I did not count each of the 89,000 links because it got depressing how easy it is to get attention by using the letters "p" "o" "r" and the letter "n" in conjunction with any person, place or thing.  When it comes to sex we can see it, there is a relationship to the topic and you don't have to expend a lot of effort to try to convince people, usually male, that women are participants and stakeholders. 

There is not the same kind of persistence of vision when it comes to women and science.  There is an imbalance in between the truth and the perception. So, here is a small drop in the bucket to those women (and some men folk) who on a regular basis blog about bugs, insects, and other beings of the multi-legged persuasion.

BugGirl is a good place to start you authentic journey into insects and the humans that have active relationships with them. I would say that her blog is a recognition that humans do not live independently from insects. You learn things like how people run scams with insects. She also has links to real bug movies like Return of the 17-year Circadas.

InsectaPodcast is an entomological podcast created by Anna Fiedler and Jake McCarthy at Michigan State University. This is the place to come to if you want to know about contemporary bees and their issues living in a managed environment. If you had affection for Marvel Comics The Wasp you'd might like to hear Dr. Elizabeth Tibbles explain how in the battle of supremacy why it is good to be the queen:

Anna How do they determine which queen is the dominant queen?

Elizabeth So they determine dominance status by having intense battles where they grapple w/ each other, so they’ll stand up on their hind legs and it kind of looks like they’re boxing, and then sometimes they roll around and try to sting each other to death, and the winner is the dominant. But after dominance is established, they become very non-aggressive towards each other, so they don’t keep fighting for their whole life. It’s established, and then the winner stays the winner.

You don't have to have an mp3 player to enjoy the goodness, text transcripts are available.

Finally,  Kelley over at Bugs for Thugs is an Entomologist who photographs insects, birds and other small squishy things. Kelley also has a recurring feature that invites folks to post questions such as "Are bugs getting smaller?" or "How do you control household pests?" I like her non-toxic answer for permanent non-living relocation for her specific situation.

Science She-Ro of The Day: Today is Rachel Carson's birthday. She was a biologist and a writer who most famous work, Silent Spring, detailed in the 1960s the wide use of poisons and pesticides without any consideration to their effect on the environment and human beings. Rachel asked humans to become aware of what we are collectively doing on the planet. She inspired or instigated much of the modern environmental movement.

Well, one down and 88,999 more posts to go before the balance is restored.  Something got's you buggy? Put it in the comments.

CE Gena Haskett also writes at Out On The Stoop and PCCLibTech

 

]]> Citizenship 101 For Bubba http://www.blogher.com/citizenship-101-bubba 2008-05-20T22:22:56-05:00 2008-05-20T22:22:56-05:00 Gena Haskett This is an emergency educational intervention post. Bubba needs me to give the the straight skivvy on citizenship.

I put the diversionary blame really on Ding who wrote a guest post on Bitch Ph.D, she got me riled up. I wanted to write about the STEM educational movement that seeks to add science, technology, engineering and math and de-emphases or remove/reduce liberal arts and non-tactile education. Oh well, some other time.

]]> This is an emergency educational intervention post. Bubba needs me to give the the straight skivvy on citizenship.

I put the diversionary blame really on Ding who wrote a guest post on Bitch Ph.D, she got me riled up. I wanted to write about the STEM educational movement that seeks to add science, technology, engineering and math and de-emphases or remove/reduce liberal arts and non-tactile education. Oh well, some other time.

Kathleen Parker wrote an opinion column in the Chicago Tribune and the column was syndicated to other publications about The Bubba Vote. This is an extract from her commentary:

"A full-blooded American" That's how 24-year-old Josh Fry of West Virginia described his preference for John McCain over Barack Obama. His feelings aren't racist, he explained. He would just be more comfortable with "someone who is a full-blooded American as president."

Whether Fry was referring to McCain's military service or Obama's Kenyan father isn't clear, but he may have hit upon something essential in this presidential race.

Full-bloodedness is an old coin that's gaining currency in the new American realm. Meaning: Politics may no longer be so much about race and gender as about heritage, core values, and made-in-America. Just as we once and still have a cultural divide in this country, we now have a patriot divide.

No, we have a seriously uninformed young man. I don't know where to begin with Kathleen's problems. Never mind, I got to get Bubba squared away first. I feel for him, He might have been one of the first group to graduate under No Child Left Behind. You know, teach to the test and not to cognition?  Maybe, maybe not.

Dude, I can help on this one! Check it;  you can't become President of the United States unless you are a born citizen.  Really. It is in the U.S. Constitution, Article 2, Section 1.  There are no exceptions. There is no quote or minority set asides.

There is also no DNA test to measure how American you are or if one person is more American than another. Yes, I'm telling you straight up they can nab you for paternity but there is no way to determine American citizenship via a blood test. 

Over at Obsidian Wings:

If I wanted to get into bloodlines, I might note that Barack Obama's grandfather fought in Patton's army, or that he's related to Dick Cheney and Brad Pitt. But I don't. American values are not passed on by blood. They are not found in anyone's DNA. Barack Obama was born and raised here. He doesn't "have to study" American values

So if that was the thing bothering you then rest easy. You can now evaluate the candidates based on merit and not blood type.  What else am I forgetting? Oh yeah. Now I know you are concerned about citizenship and the appearance on one person having more citizenship than the other.

Here is the thing Bubba, once you become a citizen you have the full rights and responsibilities of being a citizen. No more and no less. So Bubba, sweetie you can't be more of a citizen than I can be less of one no matter what Kathleen and the other people tell you.

It is written in the 14th amendment of that ole pesky Constitution that guarantees your right to guns and to practice your faith. So long as you respect my right not to have a gun, and not to practice your faith. I got my own. It is like grilling meat with barbeque sauce versus putting it on after you grill your meat.

Respect the differences and appreciate the similarities. Sara at  Syndicate & Hague also wants you to know that:

If you think that people don’t deserve the same rights and privileges that you have because you’re afraid of a level playing field, you need to really think about what that means. It means you don’t think you’re good enough, it means you’re insecure about your position in the world, and it means you are petty and exploitative and just plain mean.

I can put my mind to ease knowing that you have now been informed of essential information you should have gotten in civic class except that you didn't because it was cut out with music, art and non-competition sports.  So I want to leave you with a few Civics resources (this ain't got nothing to do with cars, just so you know)

For the little shavers you might have them check out Ben's Guide to U.S. Government where they can learn about Citizenship, the rights of citizens and the responsibilities of citizens.

If you home school or you are a teacher you can take advantage parts of the McCormick Tribune Interactive Freedom Museum where test out what you know versus the facts. You can also listen to podcasts about the topic.

There is a lengthy commentary by Thomas Lindsey at Inside Higher Ed that put a wee bit more thought into Becoming American and what colleges and universities can do to help..

Contributing Editor Gena Haskett blogs at Out On The Stoop and PCC LibTech.

]]> The Language of Political Speech and Power http://www.blogher.com/language-political-speech-and-power 2008-05-14T00:26:04-05:00 2008-05-14T00:26:04-05:00 Gena Haskett I've been reading the posts about Hillary Clinton, the language she used and the shades of intended meaning about her remarks. Maria Niles covered this aspect in her post. Beneath the surface of her remarks there is so much more going on.

]]> I've been reading the posts about Hillary Clinton, the language she used and the shades of intended meaning about her remarks. Maria Niles covered this aspect in her post. Beneath the surface of her remarks there is so much more going on.

Let me state flat out that I do not know or specialize in social linguistics, public relations or have a clue on how to run a political campaign. But I do know when something is said but another meaning is intended. And that always leads me to  questions. I'm not trying to prove or disprove anything. I guess what I am attempting is sharing a process of how I feel about this incredible turn of events concerning Hillary Clinton's public image.

I found a few possible answers in an unexpected place. In March 2008 I attended Media Re:Public conference. There were many speakers at the conference but the one relevant to this topic was given by Professor Manuel Castells, Annenberg School of Communications, University of Southern California.

My understanding of the major points:

  • Power relationships are foundations of Democracy. Whoever has the power has the ability to define the relationships, goals and aspirations of their society.
  • Power is constructed by two factors coercion and the construction of meaning in the minds of people.  The closer the "leader" demonstrates that his or her vision is a match for the society as a whole or that there is a connection between the hopes and aspirations of that society then the greater the support the leader will enjoy.
  • Here was the tough one for me but it makes sense. The feelings and emotions of the members of society is a source of power. Harness that power (or play a very sophisticated version of "rope a dope", my words not his) and you will have the support of the members of society. You get the power.

You can harness power by fear or by envisioning a better world. If you can convince enough people to feel or experience a connection with you or your ideas you are in business.

So what happened in Hillary's statement? I think it was a verbal demonstration that she had the power. And Hillary implied intentionally or accidentally that her power emanated from a specific demographic group (Caucasian working class males) to validate that a certain socio-economic group supported her; and by extension you can too. And the opposite message, i.e. "You don't want some smart ass college kid walking in here, you don't want to be confused with facts and figures. I understand you, how could he? He is the other."

Unless you are not from that specific racial or socio-economic group. Here is a quote from The Republic of T:

Perhaps no one in the Clinton campaign understands this, so let me make it plain. Black folks can hear that dog whistle too. I guarantee that in Black homes across America, where two or more are gathered and listened to that interview, one turned to the others and asked “You all heard that, right?” And the answer came back, “Mmmm hmmm,” followed by a collective sigh.

Over at The Centretarian blog there is this:

The only reason she remains in the race is to illustrate 'white people' will not vote for the 'boy' who dared challenge them. After she wins West Virginia she will crow and cackle over the proof white people will not vote for Obama. She is masterfully orchestrating racist sentiments for her own political advantage just like Wallace, that other Democrat, did. Lift the screen and under the elitism charge, is Wallace's ravings about thoughtful intellectuals. When she refused to say whether Barak was a Muslim she was a cynically cute as George at his worst. By the end of his life I think Wallace regretted what he did. Also he lived in less enlightened times. He can more easily be forgiven.

I leave you with one of the concepts Professor Castells mentioned in the video. He said it takes four times the effort to get people to hear something other than what they believe. Maybe it is time to be more aware of what is being said and act accordingly. No more excuses.

Other Resources:

In the International Journal of Communications, Professor Castells has a full article on Communication, Power and Counter-power in the Network Society. This will open as an Adobe PDF in your browser window.

Brian Leirer has an interview with Amy Gershkoff on micro-targeting and politics.

Over at The Angry Black Women there are a group of comments that express very specific emotions on using fear and race as a demonstration of power.

CE Gena Haskett also writes at Out On The Stoop and PCCLibTech

]]> The Sound of Our Own Fwap, Fwap Fwap http://www.blogher.com/sound-our-own-fwap-fwap-fwap-0 2008-05-06T22:25:22-05:00 2008-05-07T07:34:53-05:00 Gena Haskett I didn't know what it meant. I knew it was sexual. I thought it had something to do with sex but I didn't understand the context. So I swing over to the Urban Dictionary and there it was, Fwap. Basically the sound of a male having solo sex. A-Ha. But this generates more questions inside of my head.

]]> I didn't know what it meant. I knew it was sexual. I thought it had something to do with sex but I didn't understand the context. So I swing over to the Urban Dictionary and there it was, Fwap. Basically the sound of a male having solo sex. A-Ha. But this generates more questions inside of my head.

About gender language, permission, acceptance and prohibitions on providing education on sexual literacy topics. So I had to go look up what sexual literacy is (not easy to find let me tell you). Sexual Literacy, according to the National Sexuality Resource Center is:

Knowledge needed to advance and protect one's own sexual health and well-being.

And further more they propose that:

    • Sexuality is about health, intimacy, desire, and protection.
    • Sexuality is more than just the 'sex act.'
    • Sexual literacy, the knowledge needed to advance and protect one’s own sexual health and well-being, is vital.
    • Accessible information and resources are essential for healthy discussions, education, and decision-making about sexuality.

So your saying to yourself, that's cool but what has that got to do with Fwap, Fwap, Fwap? May is National Masturbation Month. I'm sure it is some other kind of month too but roll with me for a moment. To my understanding, there is no female equivalent for the onomatopoeic sound of a woman making time with Roscoe or Rosie Palmer. Not talking about our breaths, throats or electronic assistance (special shout out to the OhMiBod.)

And more specifically, there is very little open discussion about what women think, feel, know about masturbation unless we go looking for it. And even then we turn to books, magazines and only very recently to blogs to backfill missing information.

Dr. Joycelyn Elders knows a little something about being open and getting swept up in a sexual paranoia backlash. Dr. Elders was the Surgeon General under the Clinton administration. She was asked a question. She answered it. She was fired. This video is her perspective on the need for talking honestly about sex education and how she got fired.

Betty Dodson is 79 years old. Betty Dodson is also the author of the classic book "Sex for One". Dr. Lori Buckley interviewed Betty, you can listen to the podcast or read the transcript of their conversation. Here is a portion of their discussion:

...So even though you started this in the 60's and 70's, young girls are reading your books today and know who you are and they feel okay. You've taken away some of that shame about how women and girls feel about their bodies, their vulvas, masturbation. I mean that is so powerful!

Betty Dodson: It's pretty basic stuff, isn't it?

Dr. Lori Buckley: You know, it should be basic. Why do you think so many people have a difficult time with that? Talking about it.

Betty Dodson: This society is based on rules and principles and guidelines. You know, "thou shalt not". I guess basically what it is, if we have independent orgasms, we’ll end up having independent thoughts. Thank god!

Comedienne Jen Kirkman has a funny video on her process of preparing for her hand jive: I would suggest that the audio is NSFW. One of the things I appreciate about it is that the humor is real but I can't think of the last time I heard a woman talk about solo sex out loud.

You know, this is more challenging than I thought. I know there are sex bloggers who are writing about solo sex and body acceptance issues. I came up with spammers and trolls. I know there are sex fiction bloggers who are experimenting with various forms of solo sex erotica. Can't find them.

I welcome you comments and ideas on other safe places to visit gain more information on female creativity and perspectives on masturbation, blogging style. The sound of our own fwap, fwap, fwap may be inaudible but it shouldn't be this silent.

CE Gena Haskett also writes at Out On The Stoop and PCCLibTech

Additional Resources:

  • Violet Blue has a great post on making sure that you purchase safe sex toys.
  • If you want to know how great, great, great-grandma got it on check out Good Vibrations article on the Antique Vibrator Museum.
  • How sexually literate are you? Find out at the National Sexuality Resource Center's Sex Literacy Quiz.
  • For Teens looking for good sex education resources Scarleteen. For Parents looking for good sex education resources check out Scarleteen's parents page.
  • Good Healthy Sex Masturbation forum contains sex information between participants and medical professionals. So far a low spam/troll input rate.
]]> Statistically, I Don't Know Jack http://www.blogher.com/statistically-i-dont-know-jack 2008-04-29T21:35:51-05:00 2008-04-29T21:37:30-05:00 Gena Haskett And yet I am surrounded by statistical concepts every day. Sometime I am defined by them and sometimes statistics are used as a weapon.  Now it is not that I am totally ignorant. I make observations on human behavior, expected outcomes and playing the odds of will I make it across the street alive with a solid green light at rush hour.

But I don't have the mathematical language to be able to express it.  I don't have access to those folks who have a different idea of what a standard deviant is than I do.

]]> And yet I am surrounded by statistical concepts every day. Sometime I am defined by them and sometimes statistics are used as a weapon.  Now it is not that I am totally ignorant. I make observations on human behavior, expected outcomes and playing the odds of will I make it across the street alive with a solid green light at rush hour.

But I don't have the mathematical language to be able to express it.  I don't have access to those folks who have a different idea of what a standard deviant is than I do.

I need a statistical Sherpa.  Because I do have questions and concerns about how statistics are being used to convey information or to indicate if a statement is true or false.

Yvonne at  Thought Bubbles was real helpful in pointing out that:

The phrase “scientific proof” is an oxymoron. You will never see an actual scientist use this phrase in scientific writing. I cross this phrase out every single time I see it in my undergrads’ papers. Using this phrase tells me immediately that you have not been trained in scientific reasoning and that your scientific commentary should be accompanied by a salt lick.

Science relies on statistics, and statistics are about probabilities. A lot of people seem to equate the phrase “statistically significant” with “proof” and…WRONG. Statistically significant just means that there is only a small chance that this particular experimental result is spurious.

So maybe I should be suspicious if I hear anyone claim that their statistics absolutely prove X ?

Sandy Szwarc of Junk Food Science uses her health education and nursing background to separate science from marketing hype and misinterpretation. The first post that I landed on was a detailed explanation of a joint University of North Carolina/Self Magazine online survey about eating habits. There are statistics all over the place many of them focused on the obsession with weight control. Sandy pointed out that:

Self readers admit to even more disordered eating to control their weight and more concerns focused on their bodies than the UNC survey. Are they attracted to magazines focused on health, beauty, fitness and healthy eating, or might women’s magazines such as these be giving messages that reinforce disordered eating, food fears and unhealthy attitudes and behaviors

I can tell you I don't read Self Magazine. My hips are ample testament to that fact. But it doesn't take too much imagination to see this or a similar survey pop up on a morning news show with the declaration that "American women are obsessed with their weight. A recent online survey by Self Magazine..."

If I hadn't read Sandy's post I wouldn't have thought that the survey was statistically skewed by women who are pre-disposed to be concerned about the body image. Now that population group has excessive body issues but would that be reflective of American women as a whole?

So another thing I seem to need to be aware of about statistics is how did they the researchers get the data and what are the inherent biases associated with that collection of data.

Patricia Lange at AnthroVlog did an interesting video showing how statistical information can be packaged as a way to reflect negative implications about a certain topic, in this can working mothers.

I was surprised at the number of cultural clues I missed and the ones that I picked up on immediately, the woman has no face, no identity.  In this case it wasn't necessarily that the numbers are bad but that the interpretation by the graphic artist made it seem that there is a serious point of concern about working moms.

Awareness is good but sometimes it gives me a headache.  But once you know what to look out for you can begin to evaluate what is being presented and like the song says "you won't be duped again."

Florence Nightingale - Statistician

I want to leave you with one of our statistical mentors. Florence Nightingale was many things to the United Kingdom. You might have known about her nursing gig but the woman was a top notch statistician. 

Her research lead to improvements in sanitation, medicine and led the path to the modern hospital as we know it.  Did I mention that she was a proto-feminist?

The BBC has a historical overview of Florence Nightingale that tries to separate myth from a very remarkable life. Victorian Web has a detailed article about Florence and her involvement in the Crimean War.

Additional Resources:

If you are curious as to what the actual statistics of working women visit the Department of Labor Women Bureau Quick Stats for 2007. You can learn that the median weekly earnings of women were $614 or 80% of what a man earns. So things don't seem to change much.

The Stats Blog is a non-profit, non-political blog whose mission is to correct much of the misinformation about science and statistics that is perpetrated by certain segments of a science impaired media.

If you sling that statistical jive and want to ride the bell curve check out Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference and Social Science where the world is seen through a statistical lens. Yes, they have numbers on Clinton and Obama too.

CE Gena Haskett also writes at Out On The Stoop and PCCLibTech

 

]]> Does Green/Sustainability Issues Need Black Folks? http://www.blogher.com/does-green-sustainability-issues-need-black-folks 2008-04-22T20:54:03-05:00 2008-04-22T20:54:03-05:00 Gena Haskett I don't live in a $6 million dollar custom built eco-friendly home. I love polar bears but I've got survival problems too. As much as I applaud Whole Foods decision not to dispense plastic bags at their markets it doesn't mean much if I can't afford to shop in the store on a regular basis.

Let me be blunt. When I see video of Haitians eating dirt cookies made of honey, when I hear of Asian countries that have rice shortages and vendors starting to water down gas supplies it is time to engage everyone on issues sustainability.  It is time to end the green apartheid divide.

]]> I don't live in a $6 million dollar custom built eco-friendly home. I love polar bears but I've got survival problems too. As much as I applaud Whole Foods decision not to dispense plastic bags at their markets it doesn't mean much if I can't afford to shop in the store on a regular basis.

Let me be blunt. When I see video of Haitians eating dirt cookies made of honey, when I hear of Asian countries that have rice shortages and vendors starting to water down gas supplies it is time to engage everyone on issues sustainability.  It is time to end the green apartheid divide.

For my gift to the planet on this day I want to share with you a collection of nexus points for education and establish common ground communication.  I know from my history that innovation happens not only from the top down but the bottom up.

On the academic side of the fence many colleges and universities are working on the processes to create sustainable housing for communities. For example, UC Berkeley is working on a project, Sustainable Building Materials In Moorea, French Polynesia.  Instead of hauling materials to Moorea they are looking at local regenerative materials that are also cyclone resistant.

A system for the local manufacturing of sustainable building materials offers numerous environmental and economic incentives. From a global perspective, reductions in energy demand and pollution generation are major environmental benefits. Local incentives include invigorating the economy, creating jobs, reducing waste, and supporting self-sufficiency.  International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering,Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 102-130, Fall 2007 ISSN 1555-9033

Closer to home, independent of the U.S. and state governments Actor Brad Pitt visited citizens of the Ninth Ward and asked them what they wanted and needed to rebuild their communities. The result is the Make It Right Foundation, a development of sustainable housing and community resources:

In a series of community meetings, residents of the Lower 9th Ward told Pitt about the challenges their community faced, both before and after the storm. The rising cost of energy placed a strain on the low-income households of the neighborhood and residents expressed concern about worsening environmental conditions. Their concerns have been validated by many scientists, who have concluded that climate change is increasing the frequency and strength of hurricanes, resulting in the erosion of wetlands and barrier islands that once protected the coast. The residents of the Lower 9th Ward told Pitt that while their terrible crisis had exposed their vulnerability, Katrina had also created an opportunity: to build something better than what had existed before.

This is very good stuff and we need much more of it. But it is still the outsiders stepping in. There are voices that have ideas and contributions to aid in transforming our communities and our world.

African American Environmentalist Association blog looks at environmental issues from an African American perspective. The creation of Green Jobs and some of the opportunities that could make use of the human power that will be needed to convert from coal/oil power to alternative energy. There is also posts that express feelings that the mainstream green movement has no interest in engaging communities of color.

Black Into Green looks at day to day issues folks need to be aware of but also how difficult it can be to educate consumers on making necessary changes.

The last few days have really opened my eyes to how completely uneducated people are on environmental and health issues. Two people this week told me that buying a hybrid was not worth the money. (I am going to research this) Two more expressed the need to drive powerful vehicles. All complained about gas prices. What?! Others routinely throw recyclable materials in the trash without a second thought and eat whatever tastes good and is convenient. It occurred to me how mindlessly we go about living our lives, almost as if we are on autopilot to destroy ourselves and the world. I realize that I was one of those individuals in the past and I am truly amazed at my cavalier attitude towards sources of items that I consumed. Anyway, when you talk to people it is really difficult to figure out where to even start to educate them.

Sometimes the fight is local as with the Citizen's Campaign to Fix the Blue Line in Los Angeles. The new train is running through the African American community without the same safety measure that have been applied in non-African American communities.  Does a benefit to the city (improved mass transit options) have to negatively impact communities of color?

Other times you have to stand on issues that can have a tremendous impact your community. The Ella Baker Center in Oakland saw that there was an opportunity to train young people on how to install solar panels.  Green for All looks at the ways that an inclusive green movement can benefit the entire society. 

And finally it isn't just about jobs. It is about environmental justice and reciprocity. Engaging the perfect circle of sustainable balance can help one person save another. I leave you with a video presentation from TED Conference 2006 Majora Carter, Sustainable South Bronx.  Keep you eye out for Al Gore, she makes him blush.


Other Resources:

CE Gena Haskett writes at Out On the Stoop and looks at library topics at PCCLibTech

]]> I'll Take Sustainability Over Green http://www.blogher.com/ill-take-sustainability-over-green 2008-04-15T22:23:29-05:00 2008-04-15T22:42:32-05:00 Gena Haskett So we all should be purchasing organic food from farmers markets, adorning ourselves in bamboo and hemp fabrics and convert our homes to clean living domiciles? Hooey!

Yes, I said hooey! One of my gripes about the 2008 incarnation of the so called Green movement is the emphasis on being "Green" without the acknowledgement of the expense of trying to implement a "Green lifestyle" on a fixed or stretched to the bone budget. Or trying to do that living in urban areas or places far away from Los Angeles or New York.

]]> So we all should be purchasing organic food from farmers markets, adorning ourselves in bamboo and hemp fabrics and convert our homes to clean living domiciles? Hooey!

Yes, I said hooey! One of my gripes about the 2008 incarnation of the so called Green movement is the emphasis on being "Green" without the acknowledgement of the expense of trying to implement a "Green lifestyle" on a fixed or stretched to the bone budget. Or trying to do that living in urban areas or places far away from Los Angeles or New York.

It seems as though this is more a marketing campaign than a real understanding of our behaviors and practices that are having a harmful effect on the planet.  I know I'm not alone in my thinking.

Yes, I would buy Bamboo sheets, towel and pillowcases. I would purchase Hemp clothing and paper to run through my laser printer. Clean veggies, meats and consumables I'd stock up on in a heartbeat. If I could afford it. 

Human beings need food, clothing and shelter. We need the tools to acquire the basic necessities. The tools over time can change. If we continue to look at surface fixes (and yeah, you should buy fluorescent light bulbs) instead of long term changes we will be looking to our neighbors in Haiti as an example of the heartache to come.

I don't need to be "Green" to be cool. I want a community sustainable infrastructure that will work for 21st century people. A little from the past mixed with a little from the future.  I want that infrastructure to be adaptable to where a person lives on the planet. Not only do I want a community based infrastructure, I want one of my own that supports my lifestyle with accessible resources.

It is hard to hear information about Sustainability with the arrival of the Eco-carpetbaggers and Greenwashers. We need to run the blighters out of town with knowledge, information and a plan. For ourselves and our descendents.

My word is "Sustainability".  I have folks you need to see, hear and be inspired by. You don't need to be movie star cool to start thinking about sustainability issues.  And you don't have to move out to the country to put these practices in place.

Patti at Garden Girl TV is right where most of us need to start thinking. Re-greening the city and controlling our own food supply. 

As I looked around the city and talked to my fellow Urbanites I realized just how dependent we are on the outside world, and after Katrina devastated the gulf coast, it became clear that not only was I on to something, but maybe sharing some of the innovations I have been working on for years would be important in preserving our culture for future generations. Starting a garden and growing your own food isn't as important as knowing how-to live sustainably and build Urban Sustainable Living systems. Ultimately what I do is find ways to innovate and invent methods under the umbrella of permaculture design principles to fit into Urban landscapes and lifestyles.

Michelle at What Does A Body Good is trying to find her way to safe clean food. She slips of the grid and then works her way back to finding what works with her life. Diane's Big Green Purse blog contains everyday tips that folks can use. Diane also has written a book by the same name that focuses on the power of women's spending to affect change.

Speaking of spending, I got to give props to blogs like Cheap Like Me, it is a combination of sustainability, personal finance and a recipe or two tossed in for good measure. It tackles topics like how do you stay green when you have to buy a car and  how do you distinguish between a need and a want.

On a community level there are a number of places that are starting to build that infrastructure. An example would be The Stapleton section of Denver, Colorado has a sustainability master plan for their community.  

There are a colleges and universities that are starting to incorporate elements of sustainability into their campuses and curriculum such as the University of Maine's Sustainability Project, The The Yale University Sustainable Food Project and the University of San Diego at Santa Cruz The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems.

And once again I am way over 500 words so I gotta stop.  I have more about Sustainability next week as we look at how people of color need to be included in any environmental decisions.

CE Gena Haskett is all over the place at Out On the Stoop and library loco at PCCLibTech

]]> Healed by Poetry - In Celebration of National Poetry Month http://www.blogher.com/healed-poetry-celebration-national-poetry-month 2008-04-08T22:19:42-05:00 2008-04-09T07:45:53-05:00 Gena Haskett Not only is April National Poetry Month it is also National Poetry Writing Month. For poets and poetry bloggers it means writing one or more poem a day for the month of April. Poems are being written by text, photo, audio, video and all permutations in between. In celebration I want to tell you of the day that a poem saved me from being depressed in the Valley.

]]> Not only is April National Poetry Month it is also National Poetry Writing Month. For poets and poetry bloggers it means writing one or more poem a day for the month of April. Poems are being written by text, photo, audio, video and all permutations in between. In celebration I want to tell you of the day that a poem saved me from being depressed in the Valley.

I was on the bus going into the San Fernando Valley. It was a long ride going to a job interview and an even longer ride back. I didn't get the job. I knew it five minutes into the interview. I was broke, depressed and I was riding a hot stuffy bus in the San Fernando Valley long before it achieve fame as the porn producing capital of the world.

Numb was the word. I didn't know what to do before arriving at my next connection. I look up and see a poem. It was from Pablo Neruda. It started with:

I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

I was stunned. I was locked into something beyond myself and held in time and space.

I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.

It was a talisman to love and our higher selves. Of a longing that transcends space and time.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:

I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving

but this, in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.

All of the sudden in the space of a minute there was no pain, no depression. I felt better. I was transformed. That is the power of a poem meant to be read by the right person at the right time. All you have to do is find your poem or poet. Never mind what some mal-informed English teacher did to you. Don't take my word for it. Over at Mommy Memoirs, Carolyn mentions her encounter with Robert Frost's poem, Mending Wall. She also talks about using poetry with her children.

Here are some opportunities to find your poem or poems:

Poetry Collections

Women's Poetry Listserv has a list of women bloggers who write poetry such as Bernadette Geyer, Annie Finch and Elizabeth Tredwell

Poetry Collections by Women is a good place to start. It is a new blog but Susan and Carolee focus on one poet per post with a brief review of the work, a sample extract of the poem and what the poem invokes in the reader.

Crafty Green Poet has a similar theme at Bolts of Silk, one post one poem. Her goals is to have poetry contributions from around the world.

Recorded Poetry

Poetry on Video and Video Poetry is huge. I don't want to
step into a semantical war about the difference between the two terms but there is plenty of both to be found. If you would like your poetry delivered by the poet in his or her own voice the you should check out the following:

Stealing Fire From the Cold Lions: The Poetry of Angela Jackson. You can also view the 27 minute video on YouTube. Friends and Admirers of Barbara Guest read her work for the University of California Televisions Lunch Poets series. Borders Open Door Poetry Series gives you an opportunity to view contemporary poets reading their poems.

For those who are willing to step off the grid you should view the video Disabled Lilacs. This to me is an example of Video Poetry, of words and images merge as a unique work The Poetry Society has a few examples, one that you might like is I Stopped Writing the Poem about a women who stopped writing a poem for the laundry. It is in QuickTime video format.

For you audio folks Poets.org has a Poetcast that you can subscribe to as well as the Poetry Foundation which has 6 different types of audio to listen to or download.

That should get you started and if you know of any poet that needs a shout out post them below so we all can visit and support poets.

CE Gena Haskett writes and vlogs at Out On the Stoop and is citation crazy at PCCLibTech

]]> Elspeth Revere from MacArthur Foundation Speaking at Media Re:public http://www.blogher.com/elspeth-revere-macarthur-foundation-speaking-media-re-public 2008-04-01T23:03:08-05:00 2008-04-02T05:32:50-05:00 Gena Haskett I have heard the name MacArthur Foundation for as long as I have been watching public television and public radio. To be honest, it didn't mean anything to me. Perhaps it was reverse elitism or something.

]]> I have heard the name MacArthur Foundation for as long as I have been watching public television and public radio. To be honest, it didn't mean anything to me. Perhaps it was reverse elitism or something.

I didn't believe that corporations and foundations gave away millions of dollars out of a need to advance the public good or to assist in making this world a better place to be. Nope. I chalk it up to how many ways can you say tax write off or cost of doing business and wait for the show to begin.[

I may have to re-think my biases. I attended the Media Re:public conference that was given by The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. The conference was held at the University of California. I was hip deep in the academia and Journalists and other folks. More on that later.

Digital Media and Learning

As I listen to Elspeth talk I realized how many programs I have seen that had been funded or underwritten by the MacArthur Foundation. What I didn't know was the extent that the foundation gave to both U.S. and International organizations.

So this is a seven minute discussion on what the MacArthur Foundation does and why they are interested in participatory media.

Other Resources:

Amy Jussel of Shaping Youth lead me to a twelve publications by the MacArthur Foundation that have an free open access online version.

Amy King over at Amy King's Alias let folks know that the MacArthur Foundation and Guggenheim fellowship winner John Ashbery has been name MTVu Poet Laureate. You can sample his poetry on the MTVu site.

CE Gena Haskett is a writer/videoblogger at Out On the Stoop and blogs on library and library support issues at PCCLibTech

]]> In Honor of Barbara Seaman - Health Education and Information Blogs http://www.blogher.com/honor-barbara-seaman-health-education-and-information-blogs 2008-03-25T22:40:59-05:00 2008-03-25T22:40:59-05:00 Gena Haskett During March it is important to note those women who helped us along the path. Barbara Seaman was one of those women. She was an advocate of things we take for granted today; warning labels on medicine, patients rights and questions about the testing and quality of hormone replacement for menopausal women. You can read more about her at a tribute at Our Bodies, Ourselves:

]]> During March it is important to note those women who helped us along the path. Barbara Seaman was one of those women. She was an advocate of things we take for granted today; warning labels on medicine, patients rights and questions about the testing and quality of hormone replacement for menopausal women. You can read more about her at a tribute at Our Bodies, Ourselves:

I saw that Barbara's questions went to the heart of the same issues troubling many birthing reformers: How was drug safety established? Why did women know so little about drugs they were given, and have so little to say about what they took into their bodies? Who controlled decisions at the FDA? I had also followed the career of Bostonian Dr. John Rock, one of the "fathers" of The Pill, and even organized a meeting where he spoke, so I knew that fear of women's fertility and world overpopulation were his driving motives, not women's safety.

So in that spirit let’s take a look at one of her legacies, providing healthcare education and information. There is a lot of health information out there. Some of that information comes from pharmaceutical companies, from fraud and tricksters and from legitimate medical and information sources.

These blogs and websites are written or reviewed by health care professionals or medical librarians. I’ll also toss in a few that deals with health topics from a news or ethical perspective.

Nurse Practitioner Barbara Phillips writes at http://www.HealthyAgingForWomen.com with information targeted to middle age and older women. If you have just crossed over and seeking info on midlife issues, staying healthy or how to do the best by your changing body she has a few ideas on the subject.

Rachel Walden is a medical librarian with two health related blogs. The first is Women's Health News which brings attention to health news that certainly would be of interest to BlogHer readers. An item like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists trying to float a statement on Conscientious Refusal or the right to deny care or treatment based on their personal, religious or ideological beliefs. Spooky, isn't it?

The other blog that Rachel toils at is Our Bodies,Our Blog. Along with Christine Cupaiuolo she touches on the medical and health headlines of the day such as Alabama arresting pregnant women who are drug users and a cross link with a response from the National Advocates for Pregnant Women.

Women's Bioethics Blog from the Women's Bioethics Project makes you think on multiple levels. What are the ethics of a transgender legally male person caring a child?

That was my starting point. There was an article about the right to die with a photo of her life before and after her disease. I'm not a fan of euthanasia but this courageous soul had the right to make that decision. Or did she? There is a CNN article on Chantal Sebire as well as a Time magazine article as well.

One of the articles that I was intrigued by was an attempt to defend the right to sell milk with rBST/rBGH funded by Monsanto. Milk is a health issue because you may be consuming rBST/rBGH without your knowledge or consent in a number of different foods or that burger you had for lunch.

This is an attempt for Monsanto to attempt to force the market place to accept a product that most people and the retailers that service them have said they do not want to purchase milk with this growth hormone. Sabrina W. makes this point:

The central question at the heart of this issue is whether we should make an exception to the paradigm of consumer-driven marketing that is supposed to be a mainstay of a capitalist and free-market economy. Yes, producers should be free to choose whichever methods they like to make their product, so long as it is within basic safety standards established by federal regulation and is accurately labeled to allow consumers to choose their products. But in the end, it is supposed to be the consumer who is allowed to choose which brand and which type of product they exchange their money for to take home. In other words, you have a right to sell whatever you want, but you don't have a right to make other people buy it if they don't want it – Capitalism 101.

So thank you Barbara for the path to continue to ask questions and seek valiantly for our health care questions and answers.

CE Gena Haskett is a writer/videoblogger at Out On the Stoop and blogs on library and library support issues at PCCLibTech

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