Machine Creates 1L of Oil from 1Kg of Plastic!

Akinori Ito, CEO of Blest, a Japanese company, has invented a machine that can turn plastic into oil.



The United Nations University Our World 2.0 site first published the story in April 2009, but was republished in August 2010, because of the popularity of the above video on YouTube.

It sounds GREAT?  right?  But check out the questions and criticisms at the end of the United Nations University article and also at the Reddit Science page.

You know your 1st Amendment Rights... What about Corporate Censorship?

Every American grows up having some notion of their 1st Amendment rights.  In our country, our freedom of speech is valued (and often hotly contested among those with differing opinions), and anything that smacks of government censorship is an outrage. However, the current reliance on corporations for information and the potential for censorship abuses from the private sector has not yet raised concerns with most Americans .  (Consider for example, the blind trust most of us have in Google's search algorithms and our ironclad assumptions that our search results are a true representation of what is actually available on the Web.)  Check out Tim Wu's opinion piece, in the Nov 14, 2010 Chronicle of Higher education, titled The Future of Free Speech.  Mr. Wu has just written a book called The Rise and Fall of Information Empires.

New Titles in PsycBooks Database

New Additions to PsycBooks!

For anyone unfamiliar with PsycBooks, it it perhaps the most user-friendly and well-designed e-book database that currently exists!  It's on the (beloved!) Ebsco platform, so it's incredibly easy to navigate.  Books (2,037 of them, to date) are searchable by title, and by their individual chapters --  and each book chapter is a PDF that can be printed or emailed.  (Nice, right?)  If you are a psychology student, this is definitely a database to keep in mind.

The subject matter of all of these books is psychology.  For the most part, the titles in PsycBooks are published by APA, and almost any area of psychology, in which APA publishes books could be found here.  (Unfortunately, the APA Publication Manual is NOT included.).  This database contains some classic / landmark psychology titles (read: old), as well as newer APA books.  It's worth noting that PsycBooks includes The APA/Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of Psychology, which gives a nice overview to many psychology topics.

Here are the latest additions of recently published books:

 Chaos and its influence on children's development: An ecological

perspective, © 2010 by Evans, Gary W. (Ed.); Wachs, Theodore D. (Ed.).
ISBN: 1-4338-0565-0

Prosocial motives, emotions, and behavior: The better angels of our
nature, © 2010 by Mikulincer, Mario (Ed.); Shaver, Phillip R. (Ed.).  ISBN:
1-4338-0546-4

Strengthening couple relationships for optimal child development: Lessons
from research and intervention, © 2010 by Schulz, Marc S. (Ed.); Pruett,
Marsha Kline (Ed.); Kerig, Patricia K. (Ed.); Parke, Ross D. (Ed.). ISBN:
1-4338-0547-2

A complete list of titles in this database is available.

Rock your Vote!!!

Are you ready for Election Day?  

Tuesday?

November 2, 2010?

First, you must be registered to vote, and know where to cast your ballot.

If you've not registered, it's too late to vote in this election... but get yourself to the nearest County Elections Office ASAP, so that you can make your voice heard and be an active participant in our democracy in the NEXT election! 

Not sure if you are registered to vote in the November 2010 election?  Use the Voter Registration Look-Up feature offered by the SB Assessors Office.  

OK, you are ready to cast your vote.  Do you know where your polling place is?  Find out using this convenient Polling Place Look-Up.  Polls are open from 7am-8pm on November 2, 2010.  (Alternatively, call the toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683))

Getting To Know The Issues:

Maybe the first place to start getting familiar with the issues on the ballot is to have a look at the General Elections Guide.  This is usually a thick booklet that arrives in the mail.  Don't have one?  Don't worry!  You can get this information (and more!) online!

A list of all of the propositions on the November 2, 2010 ballot can be found on (the FABULOUS!) Secretary of State's General Election Website, under Propositions.  (Each of the propositions listed on this page is actually a link.)

 

Once you find a proposition you would like to know more about click on it to get a Summary of what the law is about.  This summary will give you a great overview of what the law is about, how it came to be on the ballot, who opposes it and who supports it, and why.  Let's look at the summary of Prop 19:

You may read the summary, learn about the pro and con arguments and feel like you've gotten enough information to make your decision.  But maybe not.  Perhaps you read something in the arguments that raised some questions.  Perhaps you would like to see the law for yourself.  YOU ARE IN LUCK! 

The general election guide has a sidebar for each proposition, that will lead you to even more information:

You may wish to read the Analysis, which is done by the California Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO).  The LAO is a non-partisan office, made up of 43 analysts and 13 support staff.  Their job is to present as unbiased an analysis as possible. 

For those who really want to see what the law looks like, the full text of the proposed law can be viewed from a link on the sidebar, too.  (Just so you know... the California Code can be found online.  Go straight to the website, or just Google the Article and Chapter numbers of the law you are curious about.  Same story for Federal law.)

If you would like to explore both sides of the issue, check out the websites listed by the supporters and opponents of each proposition.

Getting To Know the Candidates:
The Secretary of State's Office has a similar page for candidates.  Each candidate has a website and an email address. 

Other Ways To Get Informed:   

League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara  takes a non-partisan stance and encourages an informed and active participation in our democracy.  (Yes, the League of Women Voters ROCKS!)

From Mashable.com:  17 Web Resources to help you decide on election day.

Get out an Rock YOUR Vote!!!

Google Like a Pro Workshop!!!

Get the most of google! Become an expert googler! Bring your own tips to share as well as learning new search strategies. These informative and fun search sessions will provide the tools you need to help you get the most out of your internet experience.

Join Christine Forte in Room 204 from 12:00-12:50 on:

Tuesday, 10/19

Wednesday, 10/20

Thursday, 10/21

Bring a bag lunch, questions, ideas and tips to share. Laptops welcome

Imagine Forgiveness...

Imagine Forgiveness: A Guide for Creating a Joyful Future is a new book written by our very own Juliet Rhode-Brown, Ph.D. who is an AUSB core faculty member in our PsyD department.

"Humanity is deeply enmeshed in an era when a book of the magnitude of Imagine Forgiveness offers an explicit opportunity for hope and healing. Juliet Rhode-Brown has explored the primary antidote for today's troubled times and brought it forth to us with wisdom and compassion."

-Patricia J. Turner, Founder, Tierra Sagrada, The Sacred Earth Foundation.

Bravo Juliet!

Feel free to read more, the AUSB LIBRARY now has the book and it is ready to be checked out!

The AUSB LIBRARY Now Has a Book Return Drop Box!!!!

Conveniently located in the first floor lobby (underneath the TV by the couch) our latest addition to the AUSB LIBRARY resides!

The green book return drop box is perfect for when you have books to return but no time to head up those stairs to the library. We will check the box everyday, so your books will never be overdue! It is fast, convenient and perfect for the AUSB community.

And remember...books are to be returned no later than September 18 for this quarter!

Tutoring Has Moved to Room 103

Need some help editing that final paper? Want to learn more about APA/MLA? Have questions?

Our terrific tutors have relocated to room 103, and the sign up sheets will posted on the door of room 103 from now on.

Stop by and sign up today!

Time to Get Books for Fall Quarter...Now You Can Rent Books from TEXTBOOKX!

TEXTBOOKX now has the option to RENT books for the quarter!

With:
-Flexible rental periods
-Great deals and savings
-Easy shipping
-Rental extensions

You can see the condition of the books, its market value and decide to purchase it if you want to.

Visit the rental marketplace today!
www.textbookx.com/rental

Looking for Help with Your Resume? Cover Letter? Interview Skills?

The AUSB LIBRARY has resources you need to help make that dream job a reality!

Come up to the third floor and browse through our newly added selection of career building books.

The MAE Library has Moved Upstairs!

The MAE Library, which used to be located on the second floor, has moved upstairs to the third floor Antioch Library. The entire collection is in the Antioch Library and there is abundant space and work tables for all students, as well as the beautiful outdoor patio which makes for a great place to look at books and study during this nice weather!

Calling All Visual Artists!!!

Calling all Visual Artists!!!


We invite you to participate in AUSB’s student art show and reception, on June 3, 2010. This event will be part of the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization’s 1st Thursday art series. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase and celebrate the talent of our student body.

Interested artists must register
before Friday March 19, 2010.

Contact Marietta Warkentin,
(mwarkentin@antioch.edu)
Or pick up a form in the library.


We look forward to hearing from you