Catching Criminals With a No. 2 Pencil

Jeanne Boylan is probably someone you don't know but whose work you've seen. She is one of the most sought after police sketch artists in the country.

Read her story here.

Post your answers/opinions to the following by Wednesday, November 1st:

How does Boylan's method differ from the "traditional" method of police sketching? What training does Boylan have that makes her sketches so "realistic?" What advice does she give to individuals who are eyewitness? How does this relate to our discussion of memory? What is your overall impression of the story?

Brain Images of Woman in Vegetative State Hint at Awareness

What does it mean to be aware, or conscious? A new study completed by British researchers and reported in the journal Science claims that more may be going on inside the brain of people in a vegetative state, than scientists used to believe.

Read the article here.

What do you think? At the end of the article, a scientist discusses the difference between a reaction and a choice. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What does this imply for the future of "life support" cases? Weigh in with your opinions here...

Schools and Online Social Networking
This artilce includes tips for keeping students safe while using online social networking sites. The article advocates the blocking of "all non-educational, entertainment use of the Internet" at school. Do you agree or disagree? Are students without access to the Internet at home at a "social" disadvantage without access to these types of sites?

Read the article. Weigh in with your opinion.

The Iraq War and PTSD
We often hear of soldiers in Iraq suffering from symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but what about American civilians working to rebuild the country?

Read David Meredith's story about working in Iraq. Should companies sending their employees to Iraq cover the cost of treating PTSD?

What do you believe concerning TeenScreen?
Critics of TeenScreen, a suicide screening program, claim that it is simply a "recruiting" method fueled by the large pharmaceutical companies...after looking at the TeenScreen site, do you agree or disagree?

Read an editorial at ifeminists.net for another perspective. Feel free to post your opinions of TeenScreen here.

TeenScreen-- What's all the hype?
TeenScreen is a national mental health screening program developed at Columbia University. It was recently awarded $9.6 million by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Read the press release at the TeenScreen site.