New Films: October 2009

These DVDs are available for checkout at Media Circulation.

The Violin (DVD): (El violin) Camara Carnal Film, In an unnamed Latin American country that closely resembles Mexico, the government fights a rural insurgency with torture, assault, rape, and murder. Soldiers descend on a town, cutting off the rebels from their cache of ammunition hidden in a field. A family of grandfather, son, and grandson are among the rebels in the hills. The grandfather, with his violin over his shoulder, tries to pass the checkpoint, ostensibly to tend his corn crop. The commanding officer lets him pass but insists on a daily music lesson. Can the old man ferry out the ammunition in his violin case under the soldiers' nose?

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (DVD): Stephen Spielberg, Cableman Roy Neary is one of several people who experience a close encounter of the first kind, witnessing UFOs flying through the night sky. He is subsequently haunted by a mountainlike image in his head and becomes obsessed with discovering what it represents, putting severe strain on his marriage. Meanwhile, government agents around the world have a close encounter of the second kind, discovering physical evidence of otherworldly visitors in the form of military vehicles that went missing decades ago suddenly appearing in the middle of nowhere. Roy and the agents both follow the clues they have been given to reach a site where they will have a close encounter of the third kind: contact

El Mariachi (DVD): American crime lord Moco has set up a lucrative business in Mexico. He tries to rub out his imprisoned employee Azul. However, Azul overcomes the hit-men and escapes, determined to get his revenge. Meanwhile, a wandering mariachi comes to the same town looking for work. As Azul's trademark is his guitar case filled with weapons, the Mariachi is mistaken for him and finds himself a hunted man. Everyone looking for him likes to shoot first and ask questions later, so correcting the misunderstanding will not be easy.

Desperado (DVD): With this sequel to his prize-winning independent previous film, "El Mariachi," director Robert Rodriquez joins the ranks of Sam Peckinpah and John Woo as a master of slick, glamorized ultra-violence. We pick up the story as a continuation of "El Mariachi," where an itinerant musician, looking for work, gets mistaken for a hitman and thereby entangled in a web of love, corruption, and death. This time, he is out to avenge the murder of his lover and the maiming of his fretting hand, which occurred at the end of the earlier movie. However, the plot is recapitulated, and again, a case of mistaken identity leads to a very high body count, involvement with a beautiful woman who works for the local drug lord, and finally, the inevitable face-to-face confrontation and bloody showdown.

Once upon a time in Mexico (DVD): Antonio Banderaz, It is a time of trouble in Mexico. The Mexican president has declared war on the Barillo drug cartel, who has plans to fight back by backing a coup by General Marquez. CIA Agent Sands is in the middle of it all trying to make sure Marquez does not succeed by forcing El Mariachi himself out of retirement.

Excalibur (DVD): The myth of King Arthur brought once again to the screen. Uthur Pendragon is given the mystical sword Excalibur by the wizard Merlyn. At his death Uthur buries the sword into a stone, and the next man that can pull it out will be King of England. Years later Arthur, Uthur's bastard son draws Excalibur and becomes king. Guided by Merlyn, Arthur marries Guenivere and gathers the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur's evil half-sister Morgana sires a son with him, who may prove his downfall.

Judgment at Nuremberg (DVD): It has been three years since the most important Nazi leaders had already been tried. This trial is about 4 Judges who used their offices to conduct Nazi sterilization and cleansing policies. Retired American Judge, Judge Dan Haywood has a daunting task ahead of him. The Cold War is heating up and no one wants any more trials as Germany, and allied Governments, want to forget the past. But is that the right thing to do is the question that the tribunal must decide.

Missing (DVD): Based on the real-life experiences of Ed Horman, this is the story of an American father of conservative background who comes to a South American country to search for his missing son, a journalist. Ed joins with his daughter-in-law Beth, who like her husband is politically polarized from the father, in prying through the bureaucracy and dangerous political intrigue in search of their son and husband. Little by little, the father comes to realize that his own beloved government is not telling him the truth.

The Great Gatsby (DVD): Nick Carraway, a young Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, the nouveau riche Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.

City Lights (DVD): a comedy romance in pantomime, written and directed by Charles (Charlie) Chaplin, The charmingly simple story of The Little Tramp who meets a lovely blind girl selling flowers on the sidewalk who mistakes him for a wealthy duke. When he learns that an operation may restore her sight, he sets off to earn the money she needs to have the surgery. In a series of comedy adventures that only Chaplin could pull off, he eventually succeeds, even though his efforts land him in jail. While he is there, the girl has the operation and afterwards yearns to meet her benefactor. The tear-inducing closing scene, in which she discovers that he is not a wealthy duke but only The Little Tramp, is one of the highest moments in movies.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny/The Tale of Mr. Tod (DVD): The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin BunnyFollow the escapades of cousins Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, the world's two most famous rabbits, as they get into mischief in old Mr. McGregor's garden. Directed by Geoff Dunbar and produced by Ginger Gibbons for Grand Slamm Partnership Ltd.

The Tale of Mr. Tod Peter and Benjamin track the wily badger, Tommy Brock, to Mr. Tod's hide-out when he kidnaps the Flopsy Bunnies.

Barbie as Rapunzel (DVD): The diva of dolldom lets her hair down as the fairy tale heroine with the full-length locks who is trapped in a tower. Follow Barbie's hair-raising adventure in this computer-animated feature, with the voice talents of Anjelica Huston, Kelly Sheridan. 83 min. Standard and Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Surround; photo gallery; documentary; trailer; game; interactive menus; scene access.

Film: The Hunt for Red October, Sean Connery

A new, technologically-superior Soviet sub, the Red October, is heading for the U.S. coast under the command of Marko Ramius. The American government thinks Ramius is planning to attack. A lone CIA analyst has a different idea: he thinks Ramius is planning to defect, but he has only a few hours to find him and prove it--because the entire Russian naval and air commands are trying to find him, too. The hunt is on!

Film: The Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks

Symbologist Robert Langdon is thrown into a mysterious and bizarre murder. Alongside Langon is the victims granddaughter and cryptologist Sophie Neveu, who with Robert discovers clues within Da Vinci's paintings. To further find the truth, Robert and Sophie travel from Paris to London, whilst crossing paths with allies and villains such as Sir Leigh Teabing and Silas. Wherever their path takes them, there discovery which is about to be revealed could shake the foundations of mankind.

Math: Geometry of the Hyperbolic Plane, Math in India, Cryptography, and the History of Math

New books in Brooks Library are taking new spins, publishing recent theories, and chronicling the history of math will interest both Mathematicians and Physicists alike.

Hyperbolic Geometry (BOOK): by James W. Anderson

The geometry of the hyperbolic plane has been an active and fascinating field of mathematical inquiry for most of the past two centuries. This second edition of Hyperbolic Geometry has been thoroughly rewritten and updated. Chapter 4 focuses on planar models of hyperbolic plane that arise from complex analysis and looks at the connections between planar hyperbolic geometry and complex analysis.

This book is writ

ten primarily for third or fourth year undergraduate students with some calculus knowledge. It contains new exercises with solutions and is ideal for self-study or as a classroom text.

Mathematics in India (BOOK): by Kim Plofker

Mathematics in India presents an accessible, readable, and well-informed treatment of the history of India's mathematical traditions. It includes topics discussed little to date: the social setting of the mathematicians, the textual practices learned in Sanskrit, and the realm of observational and timekeeping practices. The survey of the Kerala school and the later life of Indian mathematics are detailed, unique, and valuable.—Christopher Minkowski, University of Oxford

Number Theory in Science and Communication: With Applications in Cryptography, Physics, Digital Information, Computing, and Self-similarity (BOOK): by Manfred Robert Schroeder

"A lighthearted and readable volume with a wide range of applications to which the author has been a productive contributor - useful mathematics given outside the formalities of theorem and proof"—Scientific American

The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth: The Early History of Trigonometry (BOOK): by Glen van Brummelen

There does not seem to have been a book-length history of trigonometry in English before this fine book. Van Brummelen takes us from the unnamed Egyptians and Babylonians who created trigonometry to the subject's first few centuries in Europe. In between, he deftly traces how it was studied by the astronomers Hipparchus and Ptolemy in classical Greece, and later by a host of scholars in India and the Islamic world. —John H. Conway, coauthor of "The Book of Numbers"

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Mathematics (BOOK): edited by Eleanor Robson and Jacqueline Stedall

This Handbook explores the history of mathematics under a series of themes which raise new questions about what mathematics has been and what it has meant to practice it. It addresses questions of who creates mathematics, who uses it, and how. A broader understanding of mathematical practitioners naturally leads to a new appreciation of what counts as a historical source. Material and oral evidence is drawn upon as well as an unusual array of textual sources. Further, the ways in which people have chosen to express themselves are as historically meaningful as the contents of the mathematics they have produced. Mathematics is not a fixed and unchanging entity. New questions, contexts, and applications all influence what counts as productive ways of thinking. Because the history of mathematics should interact constructively with other ways of studying the past, the contributors to this book come from a diverse range of intellectual backgrounds in anthropology, archaeology, art history, philosophy, and literature, as well as history of mathematics more traditionally understood.

The thirty-six self-contained, multifaceted chapters, each written by a specialist, are arranged under three main headings: 'Geographies and Cultures', 'Peoples and Practices', and 'Interactions and Interpretations'. Together they deal with the mathematics of 5000 years, but without privileging the past three centuries, and an impressive range of periods and places with many points of cross-reference between chapters. The key mathematical cultures of North America, Europe, the Middle East, India, and China are all represented here as well as areas which are not often treated in mainstream history of mathematics, such as Russia, the Balkans, Vietnam, and South America.

Education: Teaching Math, Math Games, Grades 6-8

Teaching math can be fun and interesting. Check out the newest resources for teachers at Brooks Library!

Games: Math: Grades 6-8 (BOOK): by Marcia L. Tate

These exciting new resources offer fun, innovative games in math. Based on the most recent brain research, the games engage students in becoming active, motivated learners.

Introduction to Reasoning and Proof: Grades 6-8 (BOOK): by Denisse R. Thompson and Karren Schultz-Ferrell

NCTM's Process Standards support teaching that helps students develop independent, effective mathematical thinking. The books in the Heinemann Math Process Standards Series give every middle grades math teacher the opportunity to explore each standard in depth. The series offers friendly, reassuring advice and ready-to-use examples to any teacher ready to embrace the Process Standards.

In Introduction to Reasoning and Proof, Denisse Thompson and Karren Schultz-Ferrell familiarize you with ways to help students explore their reasoning and support their mathematical thinking. They offer an array of entry points for understanding, planning, and teaching, including strategies for encouraging middle grades students to describe their reasoning about mathematical activities. Thompson and Schultz-Ferrell also provide methods for questioning students about their conclusions and their thought processes in ways that help support classroom-wide learning.

The book and accompanying CD-ROM are filled with activities that are

• modifiable for immediate use with students of all levels
• customizable to match your specific lessons.

In addition, a correlation guide helps you match the math content you teach with the mathematical processes it utilizes.

Introduction to Representation: Grades 6-8 (BOOK): by Bonnie H. Ennis and Kimberly S. Witeck

Kimberly Witeck is coauthor of Introduction to Representation (Grades PreK - 2 and 3 - 5), part of Heinemann's Math Process Standards Series. A former elementary teacher and peer instructional coach, she is a Title I Math Teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. She conducts parent education workshops and professional staff development, presenting at workshops and conferences. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband and two children.

Literature-Based Activities for Integrating Mathematics with other Content Areas, Grades 6-8 (BOOK): by Robin A. Ward

Provides teachers with well-defined, creative, literature-based, standards-based activities that can be easily implemented in a Grade 6-8 mathematics lesson. Each activity references the relevant NCTM and national content area standards. Discusses the importance of teaching in an integrated fashion and presents various children's literature as an effective means to deliver mathematics instruction integrated with science, social studies, and the arts. Written specifically for classroom teachers in grades 6-8.