[Review of] Gretchen M. Bataille and Kathleen M. Sands. American Indian Women, Telling Their Lives

American Indians are not conquered. The heart of the American Indian woman is not on the ground. In taking over the control of the telling of her life, she preserves the reality and meaning of tribal history and culture. In asserting the reality of her heritage, she establishes and proclaims a unique identity with which she will shape her furture [future]

Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2006

Twenty budget-savvy governors recently recommended increased investment in a cost-effective strategy that saves taxpayers money, boosts state economies, and prepares our youngest citizens for future success. That strategy is high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten.This report evaluates all 50 U.S. governors and the mayor of the District of Columbia in terms of their budgetary proposals and State of the State remarks in support of voluntary pre-k for all

Veterans’ Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs

[Excerpt] The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers pension programs for certain low-income veterans and their surviving spouses and dependent children. This report discusses the Improved Disability Pension, which makes payments to certain low-income veterans, and the Improved Death Pension, which makes payments to certain low-income surviving spouses and dependent children of deceased veterans. To qualify for either program, individuals must have become eligible for payments on or after January 1, 1979. Both pension programs were created by P.L. 95-588, the Veterans and Survivors Pension Improvement Act of 1978. In addition, this report discusses a special pension program for Medal of Honor recipients. This report does not discuss several other pension programs that are administered by the VA, such as the Old Law Disability Pension and the Section 306 Disability Pension, which make payments to low-income veterans, and the Old Law Death Pension and the Section 306 Death Pension, which make payments to low-income surviving spouses and dependent children of veterans; these programs apply only to veterans and their survivors who became entitled to such benefits before 1979. This report also does not discuss pension programs for veterans of specific periods of war before World War I, such as the Civil War, the Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War. Finally, this report does not address the military retirement system. For information on that system, see CRS Report RL34751, Military Retirement: Background and Recent Developments, by Kristy N. Kamarck

Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2007

Across the country, governors are recognizing high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten as a proven school-reform strategy. In 2006, 24 leaders prioritized this effort by proposing increased funding to expand and enhance their states' pre-k programs. These investments promise to improve both K-12 systems and children's opportunities for success in kindergarten and in life. This report reviews the state of the state addresses and proposed budgets of our nation's governors and the mayor of the District of Columbia to assess their individual commitments to high-quality pre-k for all

The spatial temporal regime of stream flow of the conterminous U.S. in connection with indices of global atmospheric circulation

Long-term stream flow records (1929-1988) from seventy one U.S. Geological Survey gauging stations with drainage area in range 1000-10000 sq mi were analyzed using multivariate statistics. Factor analysis of average annual flow revealed seven patterns of river runoff within seven distinct regions of the territory. This factor model reflected 69% variance of the initial matrix. The second set of stream flow records (1939-1972) from ninety-seven gauging stations was used as control. This set contains all seventy one from first one and additional stations with shorter observation period. Factor analysis of this expended set again yielded seven factors (69% variance of the initial matrix) with very similar spatial distribution of gauging stations.

Every group of watersheds obtained as a factor was presented by one gauging station with time series of annual discharges (1- 05474000, 2- 14321000, 3- 07019000, 4- 0815000, 5- 11186001, 6- 01666000, 7- 06800500) as the most typical for group. For the same time interval, streams represented by all patterns have increasing values (i. e. the positive difference between two time subintervals); but only the positive linear trend for patterns 1 and 7 are statistically significant. 

For the seven typical flow records, monthly average values were obtained from three to five seasons composed from different ensembles of months. 

For each annual time series of the typical seven stream flow patterns, regression equations were obtained from indices of global atmospheric circulation (AO, NAO, NPO and AAO). The equations contain from one to five variables (predictors) and have coefficients of correlation from 32% to 73%. 
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Veteran Benefits: An Overview

[Excerpt] The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits and services to eligible veterans, members of their families, and survivors of deceased veterans. VA programs include disability compensation and pensions, readjustment benefits, and health care programs. The VA also provides life insurance, burial benefits, housing and other loan guaranty programs, and special counseling and outreach programs. While eligibility for specific benefits varies, veterans generally must meet requirements related to discharge type and length of active duty military service. This report provides an overview of major VA benefits and the VA budget. It will be updated as events warrant

The design, implementation and assessment of a core student development model for Massachusetts Bay Community College.

The purpose of this study was to design, implement and assess a student orientation course as part of a Core Student Development Model for Massachusetts Bay Community College (MBCC). Functions were grouped into three categories: prevention, enrichment and development. A mandatory orientation course for all freshmen was designed, implemented and assessed. Thirty male and 30 female freshmen were chosen by a computerized, stratified random sampling. Half the subjects comprised the Experimental Group for participation in Orientation 101. The course consisted of 15 one-hour workshops conducted over a 15-week period. It covered four aspects of student development which were considered personal growth needs. Those four development aspects were: intellect, identity, values and interpersonal skills. A student survey developed by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges was used to assess performance. Responses were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Overall findings revealed significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on 18 of 60 survey items. Students were found to have adjusted their attitudes toward development of identity, intellect, values and interpersonal skills. Students responses indicated they felt too many requirements hampered their taking preferred courses and that MBCC should provide more cultural events on campus. Students also said the college should place greater emphasis on the education of adults with particular attention given to courses in liberal arts and the sciences. They participated in academic and career counseling, financial-aid workshops and college clubs and organizations. They felt that the college had given them confidence; increased their understanding of and respect for others; provided focus and direction; helped them develop employable skills and made them happier people. They said they could identify with some of the instructors, find a staff person interested in their activities and feel comfortable in their relationships with student services staff. Students also were willing to participate in self-help groups. The researcher concluded that personal growth needs were met through weekly positive reinforcement provided to students participating in Orientation 101

Postoperative instructions—mastectomy

Keep your incision clean and dry. You may take the bandage off and shower after the first day. Protect the drain with a piece of Saran wrap

Continuity And Change In The Wiseman Area Of Alaska: A Look At Land And Renewable Resource Use Over Time

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1993Land and renewable resource use by residents of the Wiseman area in the central Brooks Range of Alaska was investigated in 1991-1993. The study documents current and historic land and renewable resource use patterns of local residents, records resident and agency management concerns regarding these uses, and analyzes opportunities and constraints that exist for rural Alaskan communities in utilizing renewable resources. The research was accomplished through resident interviews, participant observation of community activities, and review of other community studies. Conclusions include: (1) the Wiseman community exhibits characteristics of a mixed subsistence/cash economy; (2) residents rely on resources harvested in the various local federal, state, and private land management units; and (3) the establishment of the nearby National Park, and the construction of the Dalton Highway, have significantly affected local resource use. The study also demonstrates how community involvement in research effectively allows comprehensive documentation of land and resource use. <p