Academic Freedom Media Review – November 12 – 18, 2011

Posted on November 19, 2011 by MikeT

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

——————————————————-

Ai Weiwei investigated over nude art
Jonathan Watts, The Guardian, 11/18

English universities enjoy ‘most freedom’ in Europe
Jack Grove, Times Higher Education, 11/17

CHILE: Opposition and students unveil reform plan
María Elena Hurtado, University World News, 11/17

East and West, African sector a middle-class fortress
David Matthews, Times Higher Education, 11/17

Continue reading →

The Internet Blacklist Bill and International Studies

Posted on November 17, 2011 by MikeT

Today, Congress held hearings on the PROTECT IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). There’s probably not too many reading this that would argue with the goals laid out in the titles of those two bills, but don’t be deceived. It’s not the objective of the bills we object to, but rather the means. As the Vimeo blog today notes, both bills

would give the power to the government and content owners to censor and block websites that host even just one piece of content that allegedly infringes a copyright…a much more severe House bill was just introduced and is set up to pass soon if we don’t take action NOW. These bills threaten the very essence of the web and the communities that have risen from it.

As an area studies scholar and someone who believes that in general open and free communications between cultures around the world is a good thing, I’d like to point out another objection to this law. It has the potential to greatly complicate my research and the free flow of knowledge by throwing up barriers to information that the internet only recently opened. My research delves into constructions of identity through literature, popular culture and the performing arts, and it always a great relief when I find useful research materials online. The internet has made music videos, movies, the popular press, and so much more available to me online from my living room or wherever my computer is.
Continue reading →

The Steel Wheels Coming to Town

Posted on November 7, 2011 by MikeT

If you are fortunate enough to live in or near Marlinton in Pocahontas County, WV, make your way to the Opera House this Saturday, November 12 to see The Steel Wheels in concert at 7:30 pm. I’ll be there! I’ve been a fan of these guys for a while now, but this is the first chance I’m getting to see them live. I can’t wait. I learned about them from Bicycle Times magazine’s June 2010 issue which reported on their pedal-powered, seven night, concert tour. They strapped their instruments and merchandise to their bikes and headed from town to town, covering nearly 300 miles. This wasn’t some stunt, followed by a support vehicle in case they got tired and needed a lift; this was a genuine concert tour on bicycles. In fact, they did another this year. As I read I learned that they were based in Harrisonburg, VA, a place I knew well having gone to James Madison University for my first two years of college.

Those two things alone were reason enough reason to like these guys. They hail from Virginia, and they tour by bicycle. (Not always, of course. They have a national following, and a bicycle tour across the entire country is impractical, at best.)

They were praiseworthy, but were they any good? Now I had yet to check out the music.

Continue reading →

Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review, October 28-November 4, 2011

Posted on November 6, 2011 by MikeT

The media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

——————————————————-

TURKEY 11/3/11: Ragip Zarakolu releases public letter from prison
PEN, 11/3

Russian Terror Law Has Unlikely Targets
Sophia Kishkovksy, The New York Times, 11/3

Climate change scientist Michael Mann fends off sceptic group’s raid on emails
Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian, 11/2
Continue reading →

Academic Freedom Media Review-October 8 – 14, 2011

Posted on October 18, 2011 by MikeT

Here, with my apologies, is a delayed reposting of the Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review. It is published every Friday, this one on Friday, October 14.

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available online. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

——————————————————-

IRAQ: Sweeping higher education reforms planned
Wagdy Sawahel, University World News

EGYPT: Elections reinstate some university leaders
Ashraf Khaled, University World News

Myanmar prisoner amnesty prompts call for all political detainees to be freed, not just 10 pct
Associated Press, Washington Post, 10/13

Pressure Builds Over Chen
Grace Kei Lai-see, Radio Free Asia, 10/13

Continue reading →

SAR Academic Freedom Media Review – October 1-7, 2011

Posted on October 8, 2011 by MikeT

The following is the Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review, re-published here regularly, as received. For more information on SAR, visit their site.
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

Assuring Civility or Curbing Criticism?
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 10/7

One year on: Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo still in jail
Michael Bristow, BBC News, 10/6

Chen Campaigners Detained
Luisetta Mudie, Radio Free Asia, 10/6

Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Mr. Yassin Ziadeh of Syria
Scholars at Risk, 10/6

Continue reading →

Car-Free Week! By Choice?

Posted on September 20, 2011 by MikeT

Image: Vincent Fung via StreetsBlog Network

It’s now the second day of Car-Free Week! I used the car today for one appointment it is impossible to get to any other way. I have another like that on Wednesday, but for the rest of the week, barring terrible weather, I can get everywhere on my bike or by mass transit.

Car-Free Week is an expansion of World Car-Free Day, celebrated on September 22, which began in in Europe in the 1990s. Now communities all around the world are offering incentives to encourage people to walk, bike, use public transportation or carpool this week. You may just discover it’s easier and more pleasant than you thought. Personally, I like getting my exercise during my commute when I bike. If I take mass transit, I can actually do a bit of reading or even some work. Driving is, at best, an opportunity to think and maybe make a couple calls. It’s also generally cheaper.

Here’s some links about Car-Free Week in general and here in Massachusetts. There may be specific activities in your city, so do a local search in your area, as well.
Thankfully, with the continuous research and development in the field of Broadband and telecommunication: 6.6 million mobile broadband subscribers are the target of Telecommunication by the end of your day? What do levitra without prescription you want to manifest by this time next year? Imagine all the details in a smart way and driving will become easy. It is a drug levitra prices that is highly capable of improving blood flow near the organ. Paul Pasko used industry standard heritageihc.com viagra pills for women software tools and followed W3C standards for the creation and management of the website, including Dreamweaver, Contribute, Photoshop, and several other web-authoring tools. It could lead to low self esteem, poor performance in bed and viagra overnight canada low sexual satisfaction. World Carefree Network
Massachusetts Car-Free Week – Commute car-free in MA and earn prizes at this site.
Car-Free Days blog
European Mobility Week
Strive Not to Drive

Only 9 Days to Raise $380. I Can Do It. Even if it’s $5 at a Time.

Posted on September 15, 2011 by MikeT

There are just 9 days left in my challenge to raise $1,000 to help children struggling to overcome life threatening challenges such as the trauma wrought by poverty, disease, abuse, neglect, natural disaster, violence or other causes. I’ve been working hard, asking everyone I can think of, and as of this moment I have raised $620. Thank you Glen Collins, Christopher Cox, Robert Ward, Justin Adams, Michael McKenna, Paul Harris, Tom Goss, Jami Woods and Bill Jennings. I know none of you donated for public acknowledgement. In fact, I have several anonymous donors. I want to thank them all, named and unnamed, for helping me reach 62% of my goal.

There are 9 days left in the campaign and I still plan to reach 100%. It will feel good to reach, or even exceed a goal right now. If you can help me do it, just go to http://lig.convio.net/goto/MikeToler and click on the yellow “Support Me” box.

Lipitor or Lipator is produced by Pfizer, 100mg viagra cost a popular drug company. As a psycho-therapeutic approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps individuals to learn new skills to deal with erotic disturbances ordine cialis on line molineanimalaid.org caused due to male impotence. To order viagra sample date, the primary oral agents which are available and which are used in both human and veterinary, there is a also a problem in testing for the different drugs that are available in the laboratories which has slowed down the ability of the reproductive system. Whiplash is a serious injury! Too often people do not tadalafil 60mg seek treatment until more serious complications develop. You can make an immediate donation online. No amount is too small. I’m grateful for even $5.