Psychology Fair and Library Resources

The topics and student presentations at today’s Psychology Fair promise to stimulate interest and prompt questions about psychology, abnormal psychology, personality, and the myriad of other things that create the human condition. Along with experiencing the “living library” by visiting the student kiosks, experience the campus concrete and mortar library, Library databases, and the online Psychology LibGuide to learn more about

• Histrionic Personality Disorder
• Personality Testing
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Alcoholism
• The Psychopath
• Eating Disorders
• Female Sexual Arousal Disorder
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Cannabis Induced Disorders
• Male Erectile Dysfunction
• Multiple Personality Disorder
• Bi-Polar Disorder

The Librarians are skilled at locating information and resources to help you in your research. If you cannot come into the Library, access is available via a phone call (305-892-7043) or the Ask A Librarian instant messaging service located on the Library blog and LibGuide pages.

Recommended Reading: The Ring in the Rubble

Unexpected change can happen at any time. Gary Bradt, author of The Ring in the Rubble, uses the metaphor of change, the kind that leaves one’s life turned upside down and in a pile of rubble, to be the time of significant personal growth and renewal.

The image of digging through a pile of rubble is used to describe the process that one goes through in order to find the opportunities that are part of any crisis. The choice comes down to staying stuck in negative emotion and attitude, or working through the pain, fear, and uncertainty to find the “golden ring of opportunity” that is hidden in each unique situation.

The author begins each chapter by sharing with the reader how he lived through a serious family crisis and thereby learned the method he shares in the book of how to persevere and find the opportunity in change. Each chapter ends with five questions that assist the reader with applying the concept discussed in the chapter and encourages the reader to dig deeper in order to grow and benefit from the process.

Librarian’s Pick: Environmental Crime: A Sourcebook

The purpose of the book Environmental Crime: A Sourcebook by Ronald G. Burns and Michael J. Lynch is to focus on the need for those who study crime and justice to use environmental data more. The point is made that environmental crimes not only cause damage to nature, though that in itself is significant. Estimates suggest that ten times more people die from the results of environmental crimes than die from homicide. The estimated number of victims who suffer debilitating diseases and injuries due to exposure to toxins is in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps reaching a million. The authors state that these “deaths, injuries, and illnesses are more common, and have a greater impact on the average person than ordinary crime.”

The strength of this book is that it is not only for criminal science students. The environment affects all of us. Reading just a chapter or two will raise your consciousness about why this topic is important to you.

2010 Census

The 2010 Census forms are currently being mailed. If you do not receive a Census form, the advice from Dr. Robert M. Groves, U.S. Census Bureau Director, is to be patient. If you have not received your form by April 12th, you may contact a help-line at the Bureau by calling one of the following toll free phone numbers:
• English: 1-866-872-6868
• Chinese: 1-866-935-2010
• Korean: 1-866-955-2010
• Russian: 1-866-965-2010
• Spanish: 1-866-928-2010
• Vietnamese: 1-866-945-2010
• TDD (Telephone Display Device for the hearing impaired): 1-866-783-2010
• Puerto Rico (in English): 1-866-939-2010
• Puerto Rico (in Spanish): 1-866-929-2010
The Bureau will post locations of Questionnaire Assistance or Be Counted centers on 2010Census.gov on March 18th. You can complete a Be Counted questionnaire at one of these centers, if you have not received your form, beginning March 19 through April 19.  Households  that do not return a form will be visited by a Census worker during the months of May through July.

Strawberries

Publix is once again offering a year’s worth of free groceries to the winner of the “At Seasons Peak” recipe contest.  Florida strawberries are at their seasonal peak between late February and mid-March. Submit your recipes using strawberries no later than April 7, 2010, for a chance to win the first prize of 52 $100 Publix gift cards. Three runners-up will each receive a $100 Publix gift card. Be sure to read the official rules for eligibility and restrictions.

New Credit Card Rules

New rules from the Federal Reserve guiding how credit card companies handle consumer credit accounts go into effect today. The intent of the new rules is to protect consumers who use credit cards from costly practices that were previously unregulated. Along with protecting consumers from unexpected increases in credit card interest rates, creditors are prohibited from issuing a credit card to a consumer younger than 21, unless the consumer has the ability to pay, or obtains the signature of a parent or other cosigner with the ability to make the required payments.

Other changes state that your credit card company must tell you when they plan to increase your rates and fees. Also, monthly credit card bills will include information on how long it will take you to pay off your balance if you only make minimum payments.

Dinner and a Movie

Thinking about what to do for that special someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Date night with a homemade meal will be extra memorable with some help from the Library where there are hundreds of books in the culinary collection. The hardest part of preparing something homemade will be deciding what to make. If an entire dinner is more than you want to commit to, perhaps preparing one of the luscious recipes in Baked from the Heart: Gifts of Love for Special Occasions by Stephanie Greenleigh will provide you with a creative and thoughtful gift idea that will impress and delight.

Along with good food, entertaining with a movie always creates a pleasant addition to a romantic evening. The Library has several popular and recent movie releases on DVD that can be checked out. Titles in the romantic comedy genre include: Julie & Julia, 50 First Dates, The American President, No Reservations, The Break-up, and Waitress. Students may check out one DVD/video at a time for a loan period of one week. There are dozens of other popular movies in your JWU Library collection to choose from.

Donations to Charities Providing Relief in Haiti Qualify for 2009 Tax Deduction

The IRS announced that donations to qualified charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti, made after January 11th and before March 1st, 2010, can be claimed on 2009 tax returns. Only cash contributions qualify and the deduction may only be used for taxpayers who itemize. The cash contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the January 12th earthquake in Haiti. Taxpayers have the option of deducting these contributions on either the 2009 or 2010 tax return, but not both.

Good record keeping is key to verifying itemized deductions. A phone bill showing the donee organization receiving a text message donation, along with the date and amount of the donation, will satisfy this requirement. Other types of cash contributions can be verified with bank records, such as a cancelled check, or a receipt from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution.

This law is modeled after the law which allowed taxpayers contributing in January, 2006, to qualified charities serving the areas affected by the December 26, 2005 tsunami in the Indian Ocean region, to deduct the contribution on either the 2005 or 2006 tax return.

CountryWatch Database Features Haiti

The CountryWatch database is featuring Haiti during the post-earthquake crisis that that nation is coping with. As the featured country, a report statement concerning this current event and links to newswire stories about Haiti are highlighted on the database homepage. Other factual information reports focus on the political conditions, national security, foreign relations, government structure, foreign investment climate, biographies of national leaders, history, economic overview, people and culture, human rights, and other topics specific to Haiti.

CountryWatch is a reliable provider of data on almost 200 nations. A weekly political intelligence briefing is written by CountryWatch’s editor, and is intended to inform users of important political events developing throughout the world.  These articles are arranged chronologically from the most recent to the least recent entries.

Keep Your Holiday Tree “Green” by Recycling

Residents of Miami-Dade who are served by the County’s Department of Solid Waste can have their natural tree recycled into mulch by placing the undecorated tree (no lights, ornaments, or tinsel) at curbside on Thursday, January 7th. Trees placed curbside after this date will not be picked up. You can, however, drop off holiday trees for recycling, through January 17th, at 13 neighborhood trash and recycling centers and the South Dade Landfill. These locations are listed on the DSWM site.

Broward residents can drop off holiday trees for recycling at designated Broward county parks. Specific locations, dates, and times of operations are noted on the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division web page. The program ends on January 24th.

Some cities may offer curbside recycling and you may contact your city for additional information.