Grossmont College Library: New Media

Minds on the edge : facing mental illness

2011-03-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Minds on the edge : facing mental illness [DVD-1781] 57 min. 2009
"America's frenzied debate over government health insurance has eclipsed another, no less challenging, national health care crisis--the plight of people with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This Fred Friendly Seminar sheds light on barriers to treatment, ethical and legal dilemmas, and fragmented social policies that are creating a nightmare for families, filling America's jails, and wasting scarce resources. Led by veteran broadcast journalist Frank Sesno, the program features hypothetical scenarios that challenge prominent mental health professionals, policymakers, and legal luminaries to confront the situations and stigma facing Americans with mental illness. Panelists include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Nobel-winning neuroscientist Eric R. Kandel, Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare Estelle B. Richman, and many others."

Becoming Me: The Gender Within

2011-03-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

Becoming Me: The Gender Within [DVD-1782]. 40 min. 2009
"What ultimately determines a person's gender? Is it chromosomes, hormones, genitals, or an innate sense of self? In this Tell-Award winning program, five transgendered individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 speak openly about what it has meant to them to be transgendered--their first experiences of gender confusion, life after coming out, family responses, and more ..."

Series of Art Videos

2011-01-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

The Great Artists [DVD-1774, Discs 1-5]. 2002. 350 min.
Art historian Tim Marlow explores the lives and works of the greatest artists in history. Filming takes place throughout the world.

The Nude in Art [DVD-1773, Discs 1-2]. 2002. 100 min.
Examines the significance and symbolism of the nude in art and how, over time, portrayals of the nude body reflected changes in cultural beliefs. Begins with the first known nude which was drawn 26,000 years ago and shows how the nude in art has evolved as civilizations changed and societal values evolved. Consists of four volumes on two discs.

The History of Western Art [DVD-1775, Discs 1-3]. 2002. 180 min.
The programs focus on various artists highlighting the works of Giotto, Van Eyck, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci and Holbein. Great works from Rembrandt, Rubens, Caravaggio and Bernini are also featured. The emphasis on pastoral themes emerges in the work of Hogarth, Gainsborough, Chardin and David. The Romantic movement features the works of Constable, Turner and Goya. Also featured is the revolutionary work of Cezanne, Seurat, Manet and Van Gogh.

Art of the Netherlands [DVD-1775, Discs, 1-3]. 2000. 150 min.
Chronicles the life, times, and work of true masters of the art world. Highlights important events in each artist's life through the views of leading authorities, art historians, and scholars.

New films about environmental change

2010-11-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

A Sea Change: Imagine a World Without Fish. [DVD-1762]. 2009.

"A Sea Change" documents how the pH balance has changed dramatically since the beginning of the industrial revolution: a 30% increase in acidification. Experts predict that over the next century, steady increases in carbon dioxide emissions and the continued rise in the acidity of the oceans will cause most of the world's fisheries to experience a total bottom-up collapse--a state that could last for millions of years.

Green. [DVD-1760]. 2009.

Her name is Green, she is alone in a world that doesn't belong to her. She is a female orangutan, victim of deforestation and resource exploitation. This film is an emotional journey with Green's final days. It is a visual ride presenting the treasures of rainforest biodiversity and the devastating impacts of logging and land clearing for palm oil plantations. Winner of Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and 20 other awards.

The Mean World Syndrome: Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear

2010-09-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Mean World Syndrome: Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear. [DVD-1746]. 75 min. 2010.

"For years, debates have raged among scholars, politicians, and concerned parents about the effects of media violence on viewers. Too often these debates have descended into simplistic battles between those who claim that media messages directly cause violence and those who argue that activists exaggerate the impact of media exposure altogether. The Mean World Syndrome, based on the groundbreaking work of media scholar George Gerbner, urges us to think about media effects in more nuanced ways. Ranging from Hollywood movies and prime-time dramas to reality programming and the local news, the film examines how media violence feeds a fear-charged cultural environment that cultivates a heightened state of insecurity, exaggerated perceptions of risk and danger, and an appetite for hard-line and repressive political solutions to social problems. A provocative and accessible introduction to cultivation analysis, media effects research, and the subject of media influence and media violence"

Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North

2010-07-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. [DVD-1701]. 86 min.

Filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine cousins retrace the Triangle Trade and gain a powerful new perspective on the black/white divide.

Afghan Star: In Afghanistan you risk your life to sing

2010-07-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

Afghan Star. [DVD-1703]. 88 min. 2009.

In Afghanistan you risk your life to sing. After thirty years of war and five devastating years of Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to the country. Since 2005, millions have been tuning in to Tolo TV's wildly popular American idol-style series, Afghan star. Like its Western predecessors, people compete for a cash prize and record deal. More surprisingly, the contest is open to everyone across the country despite gender, ethnicity, or age.

Awards: Sundance 2009, Human Rights Watch Film Festival

The Witness

2010-05-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306. [DVD-1688]. 33 min. 2008.

The film chronicles the final days and hours of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as told through the eyes of his contemporary, Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles, who stood on the balcony with Dr. King when he was slain at the Lorraine Motel in 1968. It follows Dr. King's efforts to gain community support for the striking sanitation workers in 1968 and the marches through Memphis. It contains details about conversations with Dr. King moments before his passing. The 32-minute documentary short includes exclusive, never before seen commentary and interviews with Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles, Dr. Benjamin Hooks, Civil Rights Leader and former Executive Director of the NAACP, Mrs. Maxine Smith, Executive Secretary, NAACP Memphis Branch and Taylor Rodgers, one of the original sanitation workers who marched alongside King and Kyles, among others.

Obeying or Resisting Authority

2010-05-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Obeying or Resisting Authority: A Psychological Retrospective. [DVD-1690]. 36 min. 2007.

Echoing the infamous Milgram experiment from the 1960s, this ABC News program sets up a psychological test in which an authority figure urges men and women to inflict pain. Test administrator and social psychologist Dr. Jerry Burger interprets the disturbing findings. The program also analyzes the 1971 Stanford prison experiment as well as the 2004 hoax in which a McDonald's manager and her fiancé--directed by a caller impersonating a police officer-- strip-searched and abused an employee. Original footage from all of these occurrences is included, along with present-day commentary from Dr. Philip Zimbardo, who designed the Stanford test. Finally, the program explores the ethics of using human participants in psychological tests

The Problem with Boys

2010-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Problem with Boys: Falling Behind in School and Life [DVD-1689]. 41 min. 2007.

According to education statistics across North America, boys now perform poorly compared with girls -- and with boys of previous generations. What is causing this trend? What can be done to help both genders succeed? This program presents insights from experts in child development -- including Dr. William Pollack, Harvard clinical psychologist and author of Real boys, and Jean-Claude St. Amant, senior Education Researcher at the University of Laval; it also surveys male teenagers themselves about the challenges facing boys and young men. Teacher training, curriculum design, literacy instruction, role models, pop culture, and male behavioral tendencies are some of the topics addressed.

A Biography of America

2010-03-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

A Biography of America [DVD-1671 v.1-7]. Each of the 26 programs is 30 min.

A Biography of America presents history not simply as a series of irrefutable facts for you to memorize, but as a living narrative. In this 26-part series, prominent historians present America's story as something that must be presented and debated from a variety of perspectives in order to be truly understood. Their thought-provoking debates and lectures--using first-person narratives, photos, film footage, and documents--will pique your interest and encourage you to think critically about the forces that have shaped America. You'll see the human side of American history--how historical figures affected events, and the impact of these events on citizens' lives.

What Do You Believe? The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers

2010-03-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

What Do You Believe? The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers.

[DVD-1670]. 49 min. 2004.

"In this award-winning documentary featured on PBS, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Pagan, Native American, and Jewish Teens share their most personal struggles and beliefs about faith, morality, suffering and death, prayer, the purpose of life and the divine. What Do You Believe? paints a broad picture of the spiritual lives of youth while delving deeply into the issues that are at the heart of being human."--www.whatdoyoubelieve.org

The universe is stranger than you think...

2010-02-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

Monster of the Milky Way: A Supermassive Black Hole [DVD-1628]. 56 min. 2007.

"From the explosive birth of a black hole to its cannibalistic death throes, NOVA investigates one of the universe's darkest secrets. With striking special effects, Monster of the Milky Way takes viewers on a scientifically accurate voyage into the belly of a supermassive black hole. When will it erupt and destroy the Milky Way? "

Most of Our Universe is Missing: Dark Matter and Dark Energy [DVD-1656]. 50 min. 2006.

"What is everywhere, not made of atoms, and can't be seen?" Dark matter, says renowned astrophysicist David Spergel - but not everyone in the cosmological community is in agreement with him. This program presents the views of Spergel and other key figures in the debate, including Princeton University's P. James Peebles and Jeremiah Ostriker; Timothy Sumner, of Imperial College London; astrophysicist Mordechai Milgrom; and Saul Perlmutter, a member of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's physics division. Experiments in Europe's deepest mine looking for the elusive neutralino, the concept of variable gravity, and what may well become the new standard model of how the universe works are all scrutinized.

Under Our Skin

2010-01-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

Under Our Skin: There's No Medicine for Someone Like You [DVD-1623]. 104 min. 2008.

"A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money, Under our skin exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time. Each year, thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, often told that their symptoms are 'all in their head.' Following the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a chilling picture of the health care system and a medical establishement all too willing to put profits ahead of patients."-- Container

Life + Debt: If you come to Jamaica as a tourist, this is what you will see...

2009-12-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Life + Debt. [DVD-1617]. 86 min. 2003.

This documentary examines the effects of World Bank and the International Monetary Fund loans on the infrastructure Jamaica established in the wake of independence from the UK in 1962. Seven billion in debt (circa 2000), Jamaica has seen its agricultural industries laid to waste by the impossibility of competing with subsidized, multi-national American based companies. The poverty of 'average' Jamaican in a shantytown near Kingston is in stark contrast to the luxurious tropical fantasy paradise experienced by tourists in posh Montego Bay. In a dog-eat-dog global economy, the US and its multinational corporate clients have all the advantages, while Jamaica has no agriculture, no industry, and no tax base--only ever-growing debt.

The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

2009-12-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

The Elegant Universe. [DVD-1619]. 180 min. 2003.

Physicist Brian Greene discusses the historical quest for a grand unified theory in physics which will reconcile quantum physics and general relativity, and considers the possibility that superstring theory may bring an end to that search.

The Ghost Particle: Neutrinos-- the Secret Ingredient to the Cosmos

2009-12-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

The Ghost Particle. [DVD-1618]. 56 min. 2006.

The cosmos has a secret ingredient: a swarm of invisible particles that fill every cubic inch of space. Trillions of them zip through our bodies but we don't notice a thing. Nova tells the 70-year struggle of scientists to understand them.

Social Class in America

2009-11-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

People Like Us: Social Class in America [MV-6791] [County Consortium # 301956]. 124 min. 2001

"Social Class: As in "middle class," "working class," "upper class." It's the 800-pound gorilla in American life that most Americans don't think about: how do income, family background, education, attitudes, aspirations, and even appearance mark someone as a member of a particular social class?
Class can be harder to spot than racial or ethnic differences, yet in many ways it's the most important predictor of what kind of financial and educational opportunities someone will have in life.
But class is a hard subject to talk about in a society like ours, where the idea that all people are created equal and that a poor child can become President is enshrined in national legend." --PBS website.

Faculty and students can check out the VHS Tape from the Library's Media Desk, or they can request the DVD from the County collection by sending an email to marty.armstrong@gcccd.edu

Generation M: Misogyny in Media & Culture

2009-10-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

Generation M: Misogyny in Media & Culture. [DVD-1607]. 60 min. 2008.

"Despite the achievements of the women's movement over the past four decades, misogyny remains a persistent force in American culture. In this important new documentary, Thomas Keith, Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Long Beach, looks specifically at misogyny and sexism in mainstream American media, exploring how negative definitions of femininity and hateful attitudes toward women get constructed and perpetuated at the very heart of our popular culture. The film tracks the destructive dynamics of misogyny across a broad and disturbing range of media phenomena: including the hyper-sexualization of commercial products aimed at girls, the explosion of violence in video games aimed at boys, the near-hysterical sexist rants of hip-hop artists and talk radio shock jocks, and the harsh, patronizing caricatures of femininity and feminism that reverberate throughout the mainstream of American popular culture. Along the way, Generation M forces us to confront the dangerous real-life consequences of misogyny in all of its forms--making a compelling case that when we devalue more than half the population based on gender, we harm boys and men as well as women and girls"--Container.

Tulia Texas: An Account of a miscarriage of justice

2009-09-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tulia Texas. [DVD-1609]. 54 min. 2008.

"Through its scrupulous investigation of a landmark case, Tulia, Texas uncovers the deep-rooted assumptions about race and crime that still permeate our society and undermines our justice system. The film convincingly shows how the 'war on drugs' has become a war on due process, waged against African Americans. Today America has the largest prison population in the world; in some states as much as 15 percent of the black male population is incarcerated. Tulia, Texas shows one reason why."--www.newsreel.org

A Dream in Doubt: America's first post-9/11 hate crime murder

2009-09-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

A Dream in Doubt. [DVD-1608]. 54 min. 2007

Four days after the 9/11 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi was gunned down at his Phoenix area gas station by a man named Frank Roque. To Roque, Balbir Sodhi's beard and turban-articles of his Sikh faith-symbolized the face of America's new enemy. A DREAM IN DOUBT follows Rana Singh Sodhi, Balbir's brother, as he attempts to fight the hate threatening his family and community. But less than a year after Balbir's murder, Sukhpal Sodhi, Rana's next-eldest brother, is killed in mysterious circumstances while driving a cab in San Francisco.Wanting justice for his brothers' murders, Rana is motivated towards social action. He demands that America live up to its ideals of freedom, equality and justice for all. In A DREAM IN DOUBT, he challenges his fellow citizens to think deeply about individual responsibility in the face of bigotry and what it means to be a true patriot.

Copyright Law: Internet & Multimedia Education for Schools

2009-07-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Copyright Law: Internet & Multimedia Education for Schools. County Media Collection #123242-1. 2009.

Program promoting the proper use of copyrighted multimedia and teaching students and educators about the value of respecting others' property including intellectual property in the K-20 school classroom and for staff development. This interactive DVD combines music, video clips, movie clips and slides to provide each viewer with an interactive opportunity to be in control of their instructional viewing experience.

Contents include: 1) Copyright 101, Anti-piracy, Music United, Making Movies, Credits and Downloading & FBI. 2) Movie Licensing, Fair Use & Multimedia, Plagiarism, DMC & The TEACH Act, Cybersafe and Acts of 2005. 3) DVD Credits.

Interactive Guide to Using Copyrighted Media in Your Courses

2009-06-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Baruch College's Guide to Using Copyrighted Media in Your Course. Website.
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/tutorials/copyright/

"Using copyrighted audio, images, and audiovisuals (videos) can be confusing to some faculty, leaving some faculty to not use media at all or to use it incorrectly and find themselves personally liable for copyright infringement." These are the opening statements of Baruch's interactive guide designed to help educators better understand their rights and responsbilities in using copyrighted media in class or over a secure online system. In addition to the interactive tutorial, the site offers an overview of fair use, faculty scenarios, and links to resources. This site is a must-see for anyone using media in their courses!

How to Hold Successful Meetings

2009-03-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

How to Hold Successful Meetings: 30 Action Tips for Managing Effective Meetings. Training program includes DVD, CD and book. [DVD-1601]. 30 min. [CD-1429].

When should a meeting be called and who should attend? Better yet, when should a meeting be avoided and who should not be invited? These questions and many more are answered in the new video training program.

Intelligent Design on Trial

2009-03-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Intelligent Design on Trial. [DVD-1602]. 112 min. 2008.

"Judgment day: intelligent design on trial" captures the turmoil that tore apart the community of Dover, Pennsylvania, in a landmark battle over the teaching of evolution in public schools. In 2004, the Dover school board ordered science teachers to read a statement to high school biology students about an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution called intelligent design--the idea that life is too complex to have evolved naturally and so must have been designed by an intelligent agent. The teachers refused to comply, and both parents and teachers filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing the school board of violating the constitutional separation of church and state. ... Featuring trial reenactments based on court transcripts and interviews with key participants and expert scientists, this program presents the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover School District.

Genetically Modified Foods Controversy

2009-03-04T10:22:00.001-08:00

The Future of Food [DVD-1422]. 88 min. 2004.

"The Future of Food offers an in-depth investigation into the controversy over genetically engineered foods, which have quietly made their way onto U.S. grocery store shelves over the past decade. The film uses animation to explain the process of recombinant DNA technology which allows "genetic engineering", the movement of DNA from one species to another. The legal foundations for and consequences of patenting life are explored in depth by scientists and lawyers, as are the health implications of genetically modified foods.

The film uses animation to explain the process of recombinant DNA technology which allows "genetic engineering", the movement of DNA from one species to another. The legal foundations for and consequences of patenting life are explored in depth by scientists and lawyers, as are the health implications of genetically modified foods. "

Best Documentary - DeadCenter Film Festival, OK --Best Documentary - Empire Film Festival, NYAudience Award: Best Documentary - Ashland Independent Film Festival, OR Human Rights Award - Taos Film Festival, NM Honorable Mention - Ann Arbor Film Festival, MI

Public Performance Rights included. http://www.videoproject.com/

Alcohol and Alcoholism

2009-02-02T15:19:00.000-08:00

Alcohol and Alcoholism [302917--Consortium Media Collection]. 23 min. 2004.

Exposes the dangers of alcohol abuse, the signs and symptoms of alcohol dependence, and the complex factors involved in the disease of alcoholism. Explains that beer, wine or liquor, all belong to a class of drugs known as depressants and use can lead to dependence and addiction. Explores the devastating longand short-term effects of alcoholism through candid interviews with users and family members. Also presents treatment options for those suffering from alcoholism.

Consortium Media Collection: Students and faculty have access to a collection of films that we share with other local community colleges. Search the database for films, and then request items by sending an email to Marty Armstrong at marty.armstrong@gcccd.edu.

Now on DVD: The Spirit of Crazy Horse

2008-12-15T14:38:00.000-08:00

The Spirit of Crazy Horse [DVD-1580]. 55 min. 1993, c1990.

A history of the century long effort by the Lakota Sioux to reclaim their land and culture. Events include; Little Big Horn (1876), Massacre at Wounded Knee (1890), Siege of Wounded Knee (1973) and the death in 1985 of Harry Crow Dog. Includes archival film. From PBS Connections series.

Classic movies now available on DVD

2008-12-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

Romero [DVD-1586] 102 min. 2002, c1989.

Romero is a compelling and deeply moving look at the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, who made the ultimate sacrifice in a passionate stand against social injustice and oppression in his country. This film chronicles the transformation of Romero from an apolitical, complacent priest to a committed leader of the Salvadoran people.

All Quiet on the Western Front [DVD-1581] 130 min. 1999, c1930.

A group of young World War I German recruits pass from idealism to disillusionment with war. Based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque.

Now on DVD: National Gallery of Art series

2008-10-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Twentieth Century European Art. [DVD-1536]. 126 min. 2006
Henri Rousseau: jungles in Paris (38 min.) -- Matisse in Nice (27 min.) -- Picasso: the Saltimbanques (29 min.) -- Picasso and the circus (7 min.) -- Henry Moore: a life in sculpture (25 min.).

Twentieth Century American Art. [DVD-1537]. 119 min. 2006.
Mobile by Alexander Calder (24 min.) -- David Smith, American sculptor, 1906-1965 (29 min.) -- Willem de Kooning: paintings (12 min.) -- The art of Romare Bearden (34 min.) -- Roy Lichtenstein: the art of the graphic image (20 min.).

Art from Asia. [DVD-1538]. 94 min. 2006.
Beyond the Yellow River: recent discoveries from ancient China (20 min.) -- Art of Indonesia (28 min.) -- Sacred art of Angkor (18 min.) -- Daimyo (28 min.).

Ancient Egyptian and Greek Art. [DVD-1539]. 86 min. 2006.
Of time, tombs, and treasure: the treasures of Tutankhamun (29 min.) -- The quest for immortality in ancient Egypt (28 min.) -- The quest for immortality (13 min.) -- The measure of all things (16 min.).

New World Archaeology. [DVD-1540]. 58 min. 2006
Olmec art of ancient Mexico (23 min.) -- Courtly art of the ancient Maya (28 min.).

Global Warming: The Rising Storm

2008-10-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

Global Warming: The Rising Storm. 2007. 114 min.
DVD-1513 Disc 1: Warnings from a warming planet
DVD-1513 Disc 2: Predictions for a warmer planet

In the last half of the 20th century, scientists began understanding that industrialization and the effects of explosive population growth were affecting the fundamental structure and composition of earth's atmosphere. Man's ever-increasing thirst for energy, quenched by the burning of fossil fuels, has dramatically increased greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere. This 2-disc set examines and explains this phenomenon, and looks into the future where other, more deadly impacts are predicted to follow. In the first decade of the 21st century, we find ourselves at the precipice of a dangerous, rising storm.

New DVD series: Ancient History

2008-09-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

America's Prehistoric Civilizations: Mound Builders. [DVD-1505]. 30 min. 2007.
Had they been made of stone, they would have been among the greatest wonders of the ancient world. These were the pyramids and effigy earthenworks by the Mound Building Cultures of the eastern half of the United States. This is the story of the 3000 year Native American tradition that culminated with the construction of cities rivaling any on the planet when Columbus landed in the New World.

The Incas. [DVD-1506]. 30 min. 2007.
Six hundred years ago, in less than a century, the Inca people, located in present day Peru, forged an empire equal to that of the Greeks and Romans. They built their empire, not by military conquest but by treaties, based on providing food for all the empire's citizens. In the process, the Incas built architectural wonders for all eternity. Theirs is a history of what 7 million people can accomplish when they all work toward a common goal. Today Machu Picchu stands as a glorious reminder of this once incredible empire.

Ancient Pueblo: The Anasazi. [DVD-1507]. 30 min. 2007.
They stand today much as their builders left them 500 years ago. These are the cities of the Anasazi, the ancient Pueblo people of the four corners region of the western United States. Their history is the history how a civilization, against all odds, became so successful at agriculture they were able to produce a leisure society capable of not only building these incredible cities, but also producing some of the greatest pottery, rock art and trading networks the world has ever seen. How the Anasazi did this with a social organization not governed by kings or queens or other hierarchical rulers is one of the great mysteries of ancient history.

Ancient Britain: Stonehenge to Celtic Iron Age Hill Forts. [DVD-1508]. 30 min. 2007.
This DVD follows the incredible saga of a glorious 7000 year evolution of ancient Britain's people -- from the earliest Stone Age clans, to the builders of Stonehenge, to the formation of Bronze Age tribes and the founding of Iron Age hill forts, all leading to the castle building kings and queens and knights that we all recognize today.

Greek Accomplishments. [DVD-1509]. 30 min. 2007.
It has been said that all western art and science is but a footnote to ancient Greek accomplishments. In this program, the story is told of how Greek thinkers laid the foundation for architecture, painting, sculpture, history, philosophy, medicine, literature, zoology, botany, mathematics, astronomy, theater, and finally, the western scientific methodology. It is a history of a series of brilliant Greek thinkers from Homer in 700 B.C. to Ptolemy in 150 A.D.

The Greek City-State and Democracy. [DVD-1510]. 30 min. 2007.
During the golden age of the Greek city states 2500 years ago, the ancient Greeks gave to the world something much more valuable than architectural wonders or material wealth. It was the ideas of democracy, liberty, freedom of speech and the pursuit of truth for truth's sake. This DVD is the history of how a group of people invented self-rule based on citizenship, at a time when they were surrounded by tyrants and despots. The invention of these concepts of self rule and citizenship is the most improbable event in all of ancient history.

James Burke's Connections 1 Series

2008-05-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Connections 1 (Series). [302895-302899]. 100 min. each. 2007, c.1979. Now available on DVD, with closed captioning and educational performance rights.

This classic James Burke series explores the history of technology and civilization and highlights the social implications of various inventions from the plow to the computer.

To read individual program's contents, search the SDCOE Media Catalog for

"connections 1".

Available by request from our County Media Consortium (fill out a "Film Rental Request" at the Media Desk or email marty.armstrong@gcccd.edu)

Latest episodes in "Journey to Planet Earth" Series

2008-04-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

The State of the Planet's Wildlife [DVD-1490]. Series: Journey to Planet Earth. 57 min. 2006.

Speculates that almost half of the world's wildlife species may become extinct in the next fifty years as a result of loss of habitat, climate change, predation by humans, and other human activities. Suggests possible strategies for averting such a catastrophe. Examines the situations of lowland gorillas in Africa and in the Bronx Zoo, grizzly bears in the Blackfoot River valley of Montana, migrating birds and wetlands habitat in the Florida everglades, and elephants in Zambia. Originally broadcast on PBS as an episode of the television program "Journey to Planet Earth" on Apr. 18th, 2006.

The State of the Ocean's Animals [DVD-1491]. Series: Journey to Planet Earth. 57 min. 2007.

Investigates why so many of our ocean's animals are disappearing. Case studies focus on global issues including climate change, sea-level rise, over-fishing and habitat destruction. Areas of focus include: Antarctica and the emperor penguin; Melbourne Beach, Florida and sea turtles; Klamath River, Oregon and salmon; Monterey Bay, California and sea otters. Originally broadcast as an episode of the television program "Journey to Planet Earth" in 2007.

Case Studies in Forensic Science

2008-04-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

New Detectives Series. [DVD-1456 to DVD-1470, DVD-1473 to DVD-1474]. 53 min. each. 2007, c1997. Now on DVD.

Originally broadcast as episodes of the television program 'The New Detectives," this 18-part series covers the topics of ballistics ("Deadly Target"), forensic photography ("Camera Clues"), fingerprinting ("Death Grip"), serial bombers ("Short Fuse"), handwriting samples ("Signed in Blood"), murder victims ("Dead Men Do Talk"), forensic artists ("Faces of Tragedy"), osteology ("Burning Evidence"), poisonings ("Deadly Chemistry"), forensic geology and botany ("Seeds of Destruction"), DNA ("Double Helix"), evidence ("Bodies of Evidence"), fibers ("Shreds of Evidence"), serial killers ("Fatal Compulsion"), criminal profilers ("Mind Hunters"), insects ("Web of Clues"), missing persons ("Without a Trace"), and soldiers killed in battle ("Soldier Stories.").

Physics and Chemistry of Water

2008-04-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Physics and Chemistry of Water. [DVD-1472]. 21 min. 2007, c1967. Now on DVD.

Shows how the nature of the water molecule determines the physical properties of water. Points out that life is dependent on some of the unusual properties of water--its slow rate of evaporation, its high surface tension, its powers of solution, and the fact that it is heavier in the liquid than the solid form--and expains that all of these properties are determined by the nature and function of the hydrogen bond in water.

Legendary Black Singers

2008-04-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Wild Women Don't Have the Blues. [DVD-1455]. 58 min. 2007, c1989. Now on DVD.

Through historic performances and recordings, captures the spirit of such pioneering blues women as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters, Alberta Hunter, Ida Cox, and others.

Poverty in America

2008-04-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Poverty in America Series. Born with a Wooden Spoon: Welcome to Poverty U.S.A. and The 51st State: America's working poor[DVD-1471]. 60 min. 2007.

One in eight Americans, approximately 37 million people, live below the poverty line although the United States is still the richest country in the world. This program looks at the various factors that contribute to this problem and what can be done to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty.

Applying Fair Use in Higher Education

2008-03-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Applying Fair Use in Higher Education: Clearing Up the Confusion. [CD-1241]. 60 min. 2008.

Interested in increasing your understanding of copyright? You're invited to listen to this one-hour audio conference on applying fair use in higher education, led by Laura N. Gasaway, an expert in the field. Topics include: Fair Use in the Classroom: What's Allowable? Applying Fair Use to Print, Analog & Digital Materials; Fair Use Liability Issues for Colleges & Universities.

The Fates of Human Societies

2008-03-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

Guns, Germs, and Steel. [DVD-1077]. 2 discs, 165 min. 2005.

"A passionate, whirlwind tour through 13,000 years of history on all continents--a short history of everything about everybody. ...A convincing explanation for the differing developments of human societies on different continents." (Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University.) An epic detective story that offers a gripping expose on why the world is so unequal. Professor Jared Diamond traveled the globe for over 30 years trying to answer this question. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Why did Eurasians conquer, displace, or decimate Native Americans, Australians, and Africans, instead of the reverse? Diamond dismantles racially based theories of human history by revealing the environmental factors actually responsible for history's broadest patterns.

Interested in World History videos?

2008-03-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Engineering an Empire [DVD-1423 to DVD-1426]. 141 min. each. 2007.

The History Channels presents episodes on Greece, the Age of Alexander, the Aztecs, Carthage, China, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, the Persians, the Maya, Napoleon, the Byzantines, and Da Vinci’s world.

Fox News: "Fair and Balanced" or Strong Conservative Bias?

2008-02-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Outfoxed : Rupert Murdoch's war on journalism .
DVD-1415. 78 min. 2004.

This documentary contends that the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC) has a strong conservative bias in its news reporting practices. Includes interviews with former Fox News employees: anchors, analysts, producers, public relation specialists, and segment graphic designers; examines some of the inter-office memos these former employees provide. Also includes many clips from Fox News broadcasts.

Terrorism and National Security

2008-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Liberty and Security in the Age of Terrorism (302841) 58 min. 2003.

This Fred Friendly Seminar, produced as part of Columbia University's 250th Anniversary, explores the balance between national security and civil liberties in the post-9/11 world. The panelists discuss the implications of the USA PATRIOT Act, surveillance of suspects, closed detention hearings, demands for student information, and just what constitutes an unlawful enemy combatant.

To read program details, search the SDCOE Media Catalog

Available by from our County Media Consortium (fill out a "Film Rental Request" at the Media Desk or email marty.armstrong@gcccd.edu).

Strategies for Managing Global Warming

2008-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Be Prepared for Global Warming (302817) 51 min. 2005.

According to many scientists, global warming is irreversible—but its progress can be slowed, its impact managed. This program examines strategies, many of them in operation, designed to protect land and populations made vulnerable by rapidly rising worldwide temperatures.

To read program details, search the SDCOE Media Catalog

Available by request from our County Media Consortium (fill out a "Film Rental Request" at the Media Desk or email marty.armstrong@gcccd.edu).

Blogs, and Rethinking the News

2008-01-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

If you can't beat 'em blog 'em

[DVD-1427]. 2005. 20 min.

The rise of the blog as a form of serious news reporting means that conventional journalists must become familiar with the blog format and rethink typical journalistic approaches. This ABC News program examines the blogger "community," reviews major news stories that were broken by bloggers, and demonstrates ways in which blogging differs from traditional reporting methods.

Christian Youths, Evangelical Christianity, and the "Jesus Camp"

2008-01-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Jesus Camp

[DVD-1453]. 2006. 93 min.

A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement. The film follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer's 'Kids on Fire' summer camp in Devil's Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years-old are taught to become dedicated soldiers in 'God's army'. The film follows these children as they hone their 'prophetic gifts' and are schooled in how to 'take back America for Christ'

Immigration and the U.S. Border Crisis

2008-01-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

De nadie (No One)

[DVD-1421]. 2005. 80 min.

Audience Award, Sundance Film Festival, 2006; Best Feature Documentary, Mexican Academy Awards 2006.

The impoverished Central Americans who leave their countries in hopes of a better life in the United States have a rough road ahead of them. De Nadie shows how, during their perilous 2500-mile journey through Mexico, they put their last money, dignity, health and life on the line. Mexican filmmaker Tin Dirdamal follows a number of refugees in a South-Mexican refugee centre, from where they hitch illegal rides on freight trains to the northern border. Apart from the Mexican immigration service and police, the illegal aliens are threatened by the security service of the railroad companies, the criminal La Mara Salvatrucha gang and the train itself. 16-year-old Jos from Honduras lost an arm when he fell under a train; young Adolfo witnessed the murder of his parents by La Mara. Protagonist Maria, whose house was destroyed in Hurricane Mitch, barely survived an encounter with the violent gang. Contorted with fear and worries, her face speaks volumes. Director Dirdamal visits Maria's relatives who stayed behind in a Honduran slum. The horror stories of refugees, filmed with a handheld camera, are alternated with interviews with employees of the railroad, the immigration service and a relief organisation, and complemented by factual background information. The only hope along the way comes from a volunteer organisation near the railroad tracks that hands out food to passing refugees, as they board a train towards an uncertain future.

Nutrition, Disease, and the Future of Food

2008-01-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

Diet and Disease in Modern Society
[DVD-1349]. 2004. 36 min.

Investigates the relationship between diet and a number of frequently inter-related diseases and conditions, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Topics covered include lipoproteins, fats, fiber, electrolyte minerals, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

The Future of Food
[DVD-1422]. 2004. 88 min.

Documents the trend of unlabeled genetically-modified foods which have become increasingly prevalent in grocery stores. Unravels the complex web of market and political forces that are changing the nature of what we eat. Explores organic and sustainable agriculture as alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture.

Nutrition and Exercise
[DVD-1359] 2003. 24 min.

When diabetes forced Yvonne to take her health seriously, she enlisted the help of a registerd dietician and started exercising. By looking at Yvonne and others, this program details how the right foods combined with an adequate amount of exercise can help you avoid certain diseases and cope with existing medical conditions. Basic exercise tips and fitness assessment pointers are combined with suggested daily diets, especially the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, as explained by Dr. John Cook, director of Vascular Medicine at Stanford Medical School and author of the "Cardiovascular Cure."

Climate and Environment: A look at the issues in these new videos from the Library's Media Collection...

2007-12-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

An inconvenient truth
[DVD-1367]. 2006. 96 mins.

Former Vice President Al Gore explains the facts of global warming, presents arguments that the dangers of global warning have reached the level of crisis, and addresses the efforts of certain interests to discredit the anti-global warming cause. Between lecture segments, Gore discusses his personal commitment to the environment, sharing anecdotes from his experiences.

Dimming the sun
[DVD-1393]. 2006. 56 mins.

While global warming has been heating up the world, recently scientists were stunned to discover that the sun has actually been growing dimmer, with less and less sunlight reaching earth's surface. Nova unravels this baffling climate detective story.

Journey to Planet Earth

[DVD-1198, DVD-1199, DVD-1200, DVD-1201, DVD-1202, MV-6493, MV-6494, MV-6495, MV-7031]. 2005. 55 mins.

This environmental video series was funded by the National Science Foundation and helps instructors explain to students the science behind today's news headlines that tell of a world that faces increased hunger, water shortages, massive floods, and species extinction because of climate change and sea level rise. This is an on-going PBS television series; additional videos in the series will be acquired as available.

Genetics: The science and the controversies. Take a look at these new videos from the Library's Media Collection...

2007-12-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Making better babies : genetics and reproduction

[DVD-1398]. 2003. 57 mins.

How far should people be allowed to go in trying to have better babies? And whose definition of "better" should prevail? This Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Dateline NBC correspondent John Hockenberry considers the ethical dilemmas facing individuals and society that grow out of prenatal testing and genetic options that may be available in the future -- such as cloning.

Who gets to know? : genetics and privacy

[DVD-1399]. 2003. 57 mins.

When it comes to genetic testing, how much should a patient be told? If the news is bad, who else should the patient inform? And should such privileged information be made available to employers, insurance companies, and others? This Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Harvard Law School's Arthur Miller offers a compelling discourse on the far-reaching ethical, social, legal, and economic implications of genetic testing.

Genes on trial : genetics, behavior, and the law

[DVD-1400]. 2003. 57 mins.

Could genetic research stigmatize people who carry a "bad" gene? Could the behavior actually be determined by that gene? If so, then just how free is free will? Moderated by Harvard Law School's Charles Ogletree, this Fred Friendly Seminar scrutinizes social, ethical, and legal issues involving genetic research into undesirable traits such as addiction to alcohol by exploring the relationship between the genetic basis for addiction and the limits of personal responsibility.

Double helix

[DVD-1364]. 2004. 107 mins.

Dramatization ... of the diligent research, creative analysis, and perseverance of James Watson and Francis Crick that led to the discovery (structure of DNA). With the help of their colleague, Maurice Wilkins, they also earned the 1962 Nobel Prize.

Genetics (Series: 100 Greatest Discoveries)

[DVD-1333]. 2005. 46 mins.

Host Bill Nye examines thirteen contributions to the field of genetics in this Discovery Channel University video: Mendel's rules of heredity; Morgan's detection of chromosomal gene location; Beadle and Tatum's "one gene, one enzyme" concept; McClintock's discovery of transposons; acceptance of DNA as the basis of genetic information; Watson and Crick's double helix; Nirenberg's genetic code; discoveries of RNA; Jeffrey's DNA identification technique; and the Human Genome Project.

Genetic engineering

[DVD-1275]. 2002. 20 mins.

Provides an overview of genetics and cloning as they occur both in nature and in the laboratory while addressing the ethical and social implications of genetic engineering. Reviews the basics of genetics and looks at how the Human Genome Project is contributing to progress in medicine. Introduces recombinant DNA technology and shows how it is used to manufacture insulin from human genes. Discusses the principles involved in cloning whole organisms and looks at how Dolly the sheep was successfully produced. Uses a case study involving spinal muscular atrophy to discuss therapeutic cloning.

Interested in human rights issues? Take a look at these new videos from the Library's Media Collection...

2007-11-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Moving the Mountain
[DVD-1389] 2000. 83 min.

Captures the power and passion of the Chinese student demonstrations for democracy in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China during May 1989.

Born into Brothels
[DVD-1414] 2004. 83 min.

While living in the red light district of Calcutta, documenting life in the brothels, New York-based photographer Zana Briski embarked on a project by which she gave cameras to the children of prostitutes and taught them photography, awakening within them hidden talent and creativity and giving them a means to transform their lives. Winner of over 30 major awards.

Lost Boys of Sudan
[DVD-1395] 2004. 87 min.

The journey of two teenage Sudanese boys, orphaned by their war torn country, who traveled to America looking for a safer environment and learning to cope with the unfamiliar complexities of contemporary American society.

Hotel Rwanda
[DVD-1391] 2004. 122 min.

Based on the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a five-star-hotel manager who uses his wits and persuasion in striving to save more than 1,200 Tutsis and Hutus from being massacred by the Interahamwe militia during the 1994 Rwandan conflict.