The Test Of Our Times

When our nation called, Tom Ridge answered. Appointed by the President to head up domestic security, Ridge established the Department of Homeland Security. In this probing and surefooted memoir, Ridge takes us through the challenges he and his new department faced, including Anthrax scares and reports (both real and false alarms) of new Al-Qaeda operations sprouting up in the United States. A "law and order" Republican who was on the shortlist to be John McCain's running mate in 2008, Ridge writes with refreshing candor on both the successes and missteps of the DHS. He details the obstacles faced in his new post—often within the administration itself—as well as the failures of Congress to provide for critical homeland security needs, and the irresponsible use of terrorism by both parties to curry favors with voters. Ridge also reveals: • How the DHS was pressured to connect homeland security to the international "war on terror" • How Ridge effectively thwarted a plan to raise the national security alert just before the 2004 Election • How Ridge had pushed for a plan (defeated because of turf wars) to integrate DHS and FEMA disaster management in New Orleans and other areas before Hurricane Katrina Finally, Ridge offers a prescriptive look to the future, advocating ways that America may reaffirm its safety—including his provocative support for a national ID card program and for comprehensive immigration reform—without sacrificing personal liberty. Television captures every word and every expression. I was reasonable to think that our enemies would look for any sign of weakness in the person who in a few days would be responsible for protecting America against them. At that moment, I experienced a royal flush of emotion—after all, I was leaving the state I loved, a loyal staff, many friendships developed over a lifetime, the frustration of work unfinished, to head into the unknown and the undoable. In normal times, I might have shed a tear at such thoughts. But I was determined not to do so as I said my farewell. If I needed any reminding, I glanced down at the note I had written for counsel. "The bastards are watching." We can never guarantee we will be free from another attack. We must also understand that every day thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens work here and abroad to take us to a new level of readiness and security. For in the end, Americans do not live in fear. We live in freedom. And we will let no one take that freedom away. —Tom Ridge, from THE TEST OF OUR TIMES

"[The anti-testing] movement now has a guidebook. . . . Kamenetz shows how fundamentally American it would be to move toward a more holistic system." -- New York Times Book Review The Test is an essential and critically acclaimed book for any parent confounded by our national obsession with standardized testing. It recounts the shocking history and tempestuous politics of testing and borrows strategies from fields as diverse as games, neuroscience, and ancient philosophy to help children cope. It presents the stories of families, teachers, and schools maneuvering within and beyond the existing educational system, playing and winning the testing game. And it points the way toward a hopeful future of better tests and happier kids.

In this message, the author draws on his life-long ministerial experience to convey the realities of where we are on our journey through this life to where it is we are going. The book reflects the treasure of shared knowledge and reveals what the author terms the "unconscious unreality," which draws people away from the conscious realities that would otherwise enrich their lives. It is directed to all God's people, both Christians and non-Christians. These spiritual messages come at a time when the world is set on a course that is causing much consternation and answers many perplexing problems facing individuals. The author takes church leaders to task for allowing much of what is changing the face of a civil society. This book is not for idle curiosity. Each chapter is at times sad, at times joyful, and at times soul-searching. There is strong emphasis on the lure of easy borrowing and sensationalism, one of the plagues of modern times that mask the face of lasting values, diminishing the hunger for the spiritual life, and depleting the soul of contentment. This book offers a clear and unshakeable understanding of the truth of God and clarifies scriptural text about the end times it speaks about you.

"Assess older students and keep a record of work with the Test Book and Answer Key. There are 42 tests, one for each chapter of The Story of the World Vol. 3 Text – perfect for evaluating comprehension and retention!"--

Bob Dylan wrote “The Times They Are a-Changin” in 1964, and those words remain relevant even now in this new millennium. Sociology in Our Times, Seventh Canadian Edition, brings to light the relevance of sociology to students’ lives in this rapidly changing world. The text highlights the profound importance of understanding how and why people act the way they do, how societies grapple with issues and major problems, and why many of us are reassured by social institutions - including family, religion, education, government, and the media - even at times when we might like to see certain changes occur in these institutions. Like previous editions of this widely read text, this seventh Canadian edition is a cutting-edge book in two ways: (1) by including a diversity of classical and contemporary theory, interesting and relevant research, and lived experiences that accurately mirror the diversity in society itself, and (2) by showing students that sociology involves important questions and issues that they confront both personally and indirectly through the media and other sources. This text captures the interest of a wide variety of Canadian students by taking into account their concerns and perspectives. As the title suggests, topics were selected to be most pertinent to “Our Times,” including the widening income gap between the rich and poor, new and emerging definitions of family life, changing constructions of sexuality, and ongoing concerns related to our environment. In doing so, we hope that students will learn to critically examine their social world, and to further contemplate the social world they hope to live in moving forward. Sociology in Our Times captures the excitement of this new era and aims to help students understand how sociological theory and research can be applied to both everyday life and the pressing social issues we face in this rapidly changing world.

For over 350 million years, thousands of species of amphibians have lived on earth, but since the 1990s they have been disappearing at an alarming rate, in many cases quite suddenly and mysteriously. What is causing these extinctions? What role do human actions play in them? What do they tell us about the overall state of biodiversity on the planet? In Extinction in Our Times, James Collins and Martha Crump explore these pressing questions and many others as they document the first modern extinction event across an entire vertebrate class, using global examples that range from the Sierra Nevada of California to the rainforests of Costa Rica and the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. Joining scientific rigor and vivid storytelling, this book is the first to use amphibian decline as a lens through which to see more clearly the larger story of climate change, conservation of biodiversity, and a host of profoundly important ecological, evolutionary, ethical, philosophical, and sociological issues.

A history of acoustics from the 19th century to the present, written by one of the pre-eminent members of the acoustical community. The book is both a review of the major scientific advances in acoustics as well as an account of famous acousticians and their discoveries, taking in the development of the Acoustical Society of America. Acoustics is distinguished by its interdisciplinary nature and the book duly explores the fields development in its relationship to other sciences. In addition to covering the history of acoustics, the book concludes with the future of acoustics. Beautifully illustrated.

A helpful approach to the weekly parashah, juxtaposing the insights of ancient, medieval, and modern commentators (including the author). Perfect for both beginning Torah students of all ages and scholars seeking new angles on the text. The three volumes are available individually, great for a bar or bat mitzvah or confirmation gift. This is volume 1 which focuses on the book of Genesis.