Dog Management Draft Plan for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Should the National Park Service ban dogs on the beach in the Golden Gate National Recreation  Area?

The National Park Service has released the Draft Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/DEIS) for Dog Management in GGNRA for a 90-day public comment period, ending on April 14, 2011.

The proposal to ban dogs in some parks, and leash them in others has elicited passionate responses, pro and con.  Park representatives have scheduled public informational meetings, rather than public hearings, to avoid the howls of protest from dog owners.

For another perspective on the issue, see Dogs on the Beach: a review of regulations and issues affecting dog beaches in California by Lisa K. Foster, a publication of the California Research Bureau.

Recent articles in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Federal plan would ban, leash dogs in many parks, Peter Fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle, January 13, 2011.

Dog owners say off-leash limits too tough, C.W. Nevius, San Francisco Chronicle, January 18, 2011.

Dogs in federal parks: Open houses, not hearings, Peter Fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle, January 23, 2011.

 

Wikileaks and the Foreign Relations of the U.S.

How will the release of up to 250,000 diplomatic cables by Wikileaks affect future diplomatic communication? Some scholars feel that it will inhibit transparency by discouraging written communication. Prof. Jon Western‘s blog post, American Foreign Policy research and Wikileaks, describes the decades-long  publication schedule of classified foreign policy communications, and whether Wikileaks will have an impact on scholarly foreign policy research.

Pre-Wikileaks, historians would have to wait 20-30 years for documents to be declassified and published in the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS). FRUS is “the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity” published by the Office of the Historian in the State Department. Historians at the State Department compile declassified documents from various sources (State Department, Defense Department, National Security Council, CIA, National Archives, presidential libraries, transcripts of presidential tapes, etc.), usually publishing FRUS volumes 25-30 years after the fact. The most recent volume (XXXII) covers the U.S. policy on the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) between the years of 1969-76. Other volumes published this year cover Vietnam between 1972-75.

The SFSU Government Publications collection includes almost all of the Foreign Relations of the United States series, from the first volume published in 1861. Varying years of the FRUS are available online from the University of Wisconsin’s Digital Collections, and the State Department website.

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American Foreign Policy research and Wikileaks, Jon Western, Nov. 30, 2010, The Duck of Minerva (blog).

We Really Don’t Need Wikileaks, Jon Western, Dec. 2, 2010, Current Intelligence.

Wikileaks and the Historical Community, K.C. Johnson, Nov. 29, 2010, History News Network.

Foreign Relations of the U.S. (FRUS)

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) at SFSU. SFSU has the print volumes of FRUS from 1861.

Historical Documents (online), Foreign Relations of the United States, Office of the Historian, State Department.

Foreign Relations of the United States (online), University of Wisconsin Digital Collections [1861-1958/1960].

Management Review of the Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Report Number ISP-I-09-43, May 2009. This critical audit describes the FRUS series and how it’s compiled.

U.S. Constitution Day

“The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world.”
–From Fascinating Facts about the U.S. Constitution.

Today is the 223rd anniversary of the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787.

For more information on Constitution Day, see the following websites:

Constitution Day.com

ConstitutionFacts.com

National Constitution Center

Observing Constitution Day, from the National Archives

Women’s Suffrage: 90th Anniversary of 19th Amendment

August 25, 2010 is the 90th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Gail Collins (“My Favorite August”, 8/13/2010) and Christine Stansell (“A Forgotten Fight for Suffrage”, 8/24/2010) describe the long road to achieving the passage of the 19th Amendment in their Op-Ed pieces in The New York Times.

Digital image of the 19thAmendment from www.ourdocuments.gov.

The National Archives: Teaching with documents: Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment.

The U.S. Congressional Serial Set contains Congressional reports and documents from 1817. The library subscribes to the Readex U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980 database, which is searchable. The database includes an A-Z subject index, with a section on Women’s Suffrage which includes 87 links to House and Senate documents and reports.  The earliest one, from 1870 is titled “Petition of H.C. Ingersoll praying that the right of suffrage be granted to women in the District of Columbia. February 10, 1870.”

Did you know that SFSU students and faculty can view free videos from the J. Paul Leonard Library Films on Demand database? You just need a library PIN. There are a few videos on Women’s Suffrage, including the series by Ken Burns:

Amendment 19: Women’s Right to Vote
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex. The wording of the 19th Amendment is as unflinchingly clear as the obstacles to its passage—sexism; cultural, political, and social prejudices; and even timidity on the part of women reluctant to challenge the status quo. This program examines the struggle of the women’s suffrage movement and its role in the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment. Legal experts discuss the amendment as a constitutional document and explain the changes it brought about in American life. A Cambridge Educational Production. (9 minutes)

The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: Revolution
The first installment in Ken Burns’ remarkable documentary on the women’s suffrage movement, this program depicts the early years of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. With the help of rarely seen archival materials and voice-over portrayals by well-known actors, viewers learn how the ideas of both women came to maturity and how they became allies in the struggle for women’s rights. Distributed by PBS Distribution. A part of the series Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony—A Film by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes. (94 minutes)

The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: Failure is Impossible
The second installment in Ken Burns’ eye-opening profile of the women’s suffrage movement, this program depicts the later years of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. With the help of rarely seen archival materials and voice-over portrayals by well-known actors, viewers learn how the struggle for women’s rights gained momentum in America and coalesced around the right to vote. Distributed by PBS Distribution. A part of the series Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony—A Film by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes. (90 minutes)

75th Anniversary of Social Security

President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935.

“It is America’s biggest social program, providing benefits to over 52 million people. It is one of the largest single items in the federal budget, representing
over 20 percent of all spending. And, this year, as we mark its 75th anniversary, its future commands national attention. It is Social Security.

The crown jewel of the New Deal, Social Security is FDR’s greatest legacy to the nation. Roosevelt called it “our plain duty”—a basic obligation Americans owe to one another. “He always regarded the Social Security Act as the cornerstone of his administration,” Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins recalled, “and . . . took greater satisfaction from it than from anything else he achieved on the domestic front.”

–from the exhibit guide to “Our Plain Duty”: FDR and America’s Social Security, at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

The National Archives has a copy of the signed Social Security Act on its website.

The Social Security Administration’ website includes links to stories, history, and a video contest (entries will be accepted until Friday, August 27 at 3:00 p.m. PST).

The Historical Background and Development of Social Security page has a bibliography at the end of the article.

The SFSU Library has many books on Social Security. Use the Subject Heading “Social Security”. We also have a large selection of government documents on the subject of Social Security. Some recent documents include:

Social Security modernization [electronic resource] : options to address solvency and benefit adequacy : report of the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate. May 13, 2010.

Social security [electronic resource] : keeping the promise in the 21st century : hearing before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, first session, Washington, DC, June 17, 2009.

SB 624: Remove Serpentine as the CA state rock?

California was the first state in the nation to designate a state rock in 1965. Senate Bill 624, introduced by Gloria Romero (D-East Los Angeles), would remove serpentine as the official state rock because it contains  asbestos, a known carcinogen. Geologists and rockhounds have protested, saying that only some types of serpentine contain asbestos, and that casual exposure would not put a person in danger. There is some speculation that passage of the bill would open new avenues of litigation for trial lawyers.

Follow SB 624 through the legislature at TotalCapitol.com.

The Life Cycle of Legislation (long version).

How a Bill becomes law (short version).

See other California State Symbols.

Serpentine photo from the Oakland Geology blog

“California May Drop Its Official State Rock“, New York Times, July 13, 2010

“State rock debate rocks Twitter“, Sacramento Bee, July 13, 2010

Serpentine Facebook page: California Serpentine Awareness! Keep our Rock! Fight SB 624

Speak up for serpentine – Oakland Geology blog

Dan Walters: “State rock controversy enters new phase”, Sacramento Bee, Aug. 18, 2010

“You Can’t Keep a Good Rock Down”, The California Civil Justice Blog, Sept. 21, 2010
The UC Berkeley connection.

Cell phones & driving data withheld by NHTSA

The New York Times featured a front-page story today [7/21/09] titled “U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving.”  Researchers for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed a study to examine the relationship between traffic accidents and cell phone use while driving. The study never happened, and hundreds of pages of research were withheld from the public because the agency feared angering Congress. Two consumer groups filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit to get access to the documents. The documents have been posted on the New York Times’ website.

An older document published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1997, “An Investigation of the Safety Implications of Wireless Communications in Vehicles” is available online.

Here are a few other reports on cell phones and risks while driving:

Device Related Distraction Management: Preliminary Findings and Research Challenges, Elizabeth Mazzae, Riley Garrott, and Frank Barickman. This NHTSA powerpoint was presented on May 16, 2001.

Cell Phones and Driving, compiled by Marian G. Rogers, February 2004. Bibliography of print and online articles, reports, and studies from state governments on cell phone use and driving.

Cell Phone Safety: do they cause cancer and car accidents?, CQ Researcher,  vol. 11, issue 10, March 16, 2001.

California Cellular Phone laws. The Wireless Communications Device Law became effective on January 1, 2009. It prohibits people from sending, writing, or reading text messages while driving. Previous laws (California Vehicle Code [VC] §23123) restrict drivers from using handheld cell phones, and (VC §23124) prevents drivers under the age of 18 from using cell phones or hands-free devices while driving.

Cell Phones and Driving: Research Update, December 2008. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report.

Apollo Moonwalk 40th anniversary

July 20, 2009 is the 4oth anniversay of the Apollo 11 moonwalk in 1969 by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.

The New York Times has featured its front page from 1969, as well as articles, rememberances, photos, and an audio of the Apollo 11 landing.

National Public Radio (NPR) featured a story on how the original moonwalk video tapes were erased by NASA, a review of a book on the space race (Rocket Men), a reflection on life after Apollo 11 from Buzz Aldrin, and Flagstaff, Arizona’s part in training the astronauts for the moon walk.

NASA has a webpage dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

Check out some of the documents and books from the SFSU library.

SFSU Government Publications:

Project Apollo [electronic resource] : the tough decisions / Robert C. Seamans, Jr.

Managing the Moon Program [electronic resource] : lessons learned from Project Apollo : proceedings of an oral history workshop conducted July 21, 1989.

Apollo by the numbers : a statistical reference / by Richard W. Orloff.

The Apollo spacecraft : a chronology [electronic resource] .

Biomedical results of Apollo [electronic resource] / managing editors: Richard S. Johnston, Lawrence F. Dietlein, and Charles A. Berry (Also in print).

Apollo expeditions to the moon [electronic resource] / edited by Edgar M. Cortright.

Conceptual design and analysis of roads and road construction machinery for initial lunar base operations [electronic resource] /

Books at the SFSU library on the Apollo 11 flight:

Return to earth [by] Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., with Wayne Warga.

On the moon : the Apollo journals / Grant Heiken and Eric Jones.

How Apollo flew to the Moon / W. David Woods.

In the shadow of the moon : a challenging journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 / Francis French and Colin Burgess ; with a foreword by Walter Cunningham.

Apollo in perspective [electronic resource] : spaceflight then and now / Jonathan Allday.

Selling outer space : Kennedy, the media, and funding for Project Apollo, 1961-1963 / James L. Kauffman.

Confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor

C-SPAN featured live coverage of the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The Resource section includes Judge Sotomayor’s financial statements, a White House bio, a witness list for the nomination hearings, and a Congressional Research Service (CRS) analysis of Sotomayor opinions.

NPR has posted Judge Sotomayor’s opening statement at the confirmation hearings.

The SFSU library has copies of the confirmation hearings for Judge Sotomayor’s 1997 federal appointment in the Government Publications collection.

Y 4.J 89/2:S.HRG.105-205/PT.2

Y 4.J 89/2:S.HRG.102-505/PT.9 (not available at SFSU)

Other Supreme Court confirmation hearings at the library:

Confirmation hearing on the nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States : hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Ninth Congress, second session, January 9-13, 2006.

Confirmation hearing on the nomination of John G. Roberts, Jr. to be Chief Justice of the United States : hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Ninth Congress, first session, September 12-15, 2005.

Nomination of Judge Clarence Thomas to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States : hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, first session …

Recent books on the Supreme Court at the SFSU library:

The next Justice : repairing the Supreme Court appointments process / Christopher L. Eisgruber

Electing justice : fixing the Supreme Court nomination process / Richard Davis

Latinos and American law [electronic resource] : landmark Supreme Court cases / Carlos R. Soltero.

The Supreme Court : the personalities and rivalries that defined America / Jeffrey Rosen.

*Free* Consumer information

Besides statistics, congressional documents, presidential proclamations, and declassified documents, the federal government also provides free documents and information on topics of interest to citizens. For example:

The Federal Citizen Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado, offers information to consumers over the phone, on the web, and in print. Topics range from cars to housing to travel. The site is also available in Spanish. Recently,  the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health and WomenHeart wrote to Dear Abby to promote their free Heart Health Kit for women.  Many of the publications are free, or cost ~$1.50 each. Most of the documents that aren’t free are available in a PDF version, so you can print them yourself.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation has the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2006 revision, on its website. There are links to other methods of preserving, including drying (how to make fruit & vegetable leathers), curing & smoking (fish, salami, sausage), pickling ( cucumbers, relishes, chutneys), freezing, and making jams & jellies.