Google and NASA

Internet search engine giant Google announced Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with NASA's Ames Research Center to build a research campus at the center and work together on technology projects.
For more information go to Nasa News.

The End of an Era in Four Professions

As 2006 comes to a close, four individuals who had a dramatic impact on their respective career fields and our society passed away. Their presence will be missed in the areas of animation, filmmaking, music and computer science.

Alan Shugart "leading pioneer of the computer disk drive industry and nicknamed the Disk Drive King was recognized for his unconventional thinking in technology and society, in particular, the betterment of society and promoting the public's interest in American politics"
biography

Peter Boyle "40 year veteran of acting, this Emmy Award Winning Actor was known for his memorable roles in movies like Young Frankenstein, Taxi Driver, The Dream Team, and While You Were Sleeping, and more importantly his recent role on Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)"
biography, filmography

Ahmet Ertegun "Atlantic Records founder and music visionary whose company introduced America to such artists as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher, Led Zeppelin, ABBA, and contemporary artists Kid Rock, Missy Elliott and James Blunt."
biography

Joseph Barbera "Co-founder of Hanna-Barbera Productions, this Emmy Award Winning director and producer introduced America's children to some of the most beloved cartoon characters ever created, such as Tom & Jerry, Yogi Bear, the Flintstones, the Jetsons, the Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, Huckleberry Hound, Speed Buggy, Jabberjaw, Hong Kong Phooey, Space Ghost, the Herculoids, Johnny Quest, and many more."
biography, filmography

High Tech Xmas List

Wired magazine has put together its annual Best of Test list in time for the Holiday Season; so its not to late for some last minute browsing to get that gift that's just right for that special Techie in your life.

Need a Break?

Need a break from Finals? Come to “Whoville” in the basement of the Al Harris Library! The Library will be offering free cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, and games 8:00-11:00 p.m. on December 13-14 and 17-19. So you can study in the Library and then take a break for refreshments and relaxation.

Ragtime Website from Library of Congress.

Ragtime music originated in the United States during the 1890s. Ragtime is a unique form of piano music closely related to Jazz, but different. Ragtime music is meant to be listened to, not danced to. This wonderful website contains sheet music, actual recordings (listen online with earphones), album cover graphics, history, and interviews with composers. Some of the early musicians responsible for this medium were Tom Turpin, Scott Joplin, James Scott, and Bob Milne. Biographies are also included. This website is a enjoyable respite from finals as well as being educational. Click on blue title above to link to website.

Freedom of Expression

The website of The Progressive magazine has a running feature called Mcarthyism Watch, a series of brief articles about present-day attacks on freedom of expression in the United States. The Library Bill of Rights states: "Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval....Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas."

Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression are essential to a healthy Democracy. How free do you feel?

Free Online Concerts: Radio or Theft?

Networking technology is requiring us to rethink and reinterpret existing intellectual property law. Does the nature of the technology require us to change the legal understanding or status of copyright as it stands now? What rights should be associated with Web content?

An upcoming battle over these questions may soon arise over Wolfgang’s Vault, a web site run by Bay Area entrepreneur Bill Sagan. The site is currently streaming free online concerts archived by the late promoter Bill Graham. The site currently has over 300 rare concert recordings – Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen and many others. Sagan considers the vault concerts to be an Internet Radio Station and is currently paying performance and songwriting royalties on all the music streamed from the site; in addition Sagan has expressed commitment to IP rights:

“We have done everything we can to protect this music from those who would copy it illegally. Our music files are not easily-copied MP3s and are delivered, solely, through a Secure Flash Audio Stream, only accessible by registered users. As security technology evolves, we will employ it to further protect this music.”

Others believe that only the artist’s label has the right to distribute the music. How should the rights be expressed, and should the expression of the rights be used for notification, enforcement, or payment negotiation?

For more information: Intellectual Property Rights

DVD's at the Al Harris Library

Everything old is new again: The Al Harris Library has recently added to its DVD collection the American Film Institute's top 100 films and the Criterion Collection. Through the collective judgment of leaders from across the American film community, from both in front of and behind the camera, AFI has identified 100 movies which set the standard and mark the excellence of the first century of American cinema.


The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.

So take a break from finals and relax with a great film.

New Iraq Study Group Report Available

Co-chairs James Baker and Lee Hamilton have released a new report which assesses the current situation in Iraq. It examines: Security, Politics, Economics, International Support, and Conclusions. It also gives possible scenarios depending on if we stay or withdraw. Click on the blue title letters above to access. There are several blank pages at the top of this long report. Page down to see contents.

65th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. The attack sank three other ships and damaged many additional vessels. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed.

Survey: Job Seekers are Stretching the Truth

By Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources, CareerBuilder.com

There's marketing yourself on your résumé, and then there's flat-out lying. Many job seekers are crossing the line.Although just 5 percent of workers actually admit to fibbing on their résumés, 57 percent of hiring managers say they have caught a lie on a candidate's application, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey. Of the hiring managers who caught a lie, 93 percent didn't hire the candidate.When résumé inconsistencies do surface during background checks, they raise concerns about the candidates' overall ethics. Forty-three percent of hiring managers say they would automatically dismiss a candidate who fibbed on their résumé. The rest say it depends on the candidate and situation.Stretched dates to cover up employment gaps is the most commonly-caught résumé lie, with nearly one-in-five hiring managers saying they have noticed this on a candidate's application. Other top résumé lies include:

Past employers (18 percent)
Academic degrees and institutions (16 percent)
Technical skills and certifications (15 percent)
Accomplishments (8 percent)

Reasons for lying range from the innocuous (not being sure of the exact employment dates) to the more sinister (intentionally being deceitful to get the job). To ensure your résumé is accurate but still portrays you in the best light, heed these tips:

If you don't have much formal experience... Highlight any activities or coursework that could be relevant to the position. Volunteer activities, part-time jobs and class projects can all provide transferable skills and training.

If you didn't quite finish your degree... Do not indicate on your résumé that you graduated. Instead, name the university and list the years in which you attended.

If you were out of work... Don't stretch the employment dates to cover the gap. Instead, keep the dates accurate and address the gap in your cover letter. Be sure to mention any classes you took or volunteer work you performed during this time to keep your skills up-to-date.

If your company uses unfamiliar titles... This is one of the only circumstances in which it's acceptable to change your title to something more recognizable. For example if your title was "primary contact," and you performed the duties of an administrative assistant, you can clarify your title by writing "Primary Contact/Administrative Assistant." Giving yourself a promotion to "office manager," however, crosses the ethical line.

Rosemary Haefner is the Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com. She is an expert in recruitment trends and tactics, job seeker behavior, workplace issues, employee attitudes and HR initiatives.