On Television exposes the invisible mechanisms of manipulation and censorship that determine what appears on the small screen. Bourdieu shows how the ratings game has transformed journalism - and hence politics - and even such seemingly removed fields as law' science' art' and philosophy. Bourdieu had long been concerned with the role of television in cultural and political life when he bypassed the political and commercial control of the television networks and addressed his country's viewers from the television station of the College de France. On Television' which expands on that lecture' not only describes the limiting and distorting effect of television on journalism and the world of ideas' but offers the blueprint for a counterattack.

Five-time Grammy Award winner Missy Elliott creates something fresh and original with every new album. She has a natural confidence and a style all her own. Growing up in Virginia, Missy wrote an performed songs all the time for anybody who would listen. Since her first album in 1997, Missy has had 6 platinum albums, a feat that has never been accomplished by any other female rapper. She is a record producer, clothing designer, and charity spokeswoman and has her own record label.

Theatre.

In this thought-provoking study (Library Journal ), historian Kyle Ward-the widely acclaimed co-author of History Lessons-gives us another fascinating look at the biases inherent in the way we learn about our history. Juxtaposing passages from...

A leading educator's warm, practical, step-by-step program for helping parents provide accurate information and communicate their own values to their children. Synopsis Approved by Parents' Choice 1999, praised in Time, Newsweek, and Library Journal Whether she is discussing how to help kids deal with the onslaught of sexual messages they see in the media or providing sensible guidance on teaching the facts of life, Debra Haffner's values-oriented approach to raising sexually healthy children is informative and comforting. Organized from birth through age twelve, her acclaimed book presents a wealth of practical techniques to help parents identify and communicate the appropriate information to give to children of different ages. Each chapter includes: Values exercises: Questions to help parents sort out their own values about sexuality and decide what they want to teach their children. What to expect and how to prepare: Lively discussions on each stage of a child's life, filled with relevant information, sparkling anecdotes, and sample conversations. Teachable moments: How to find and use opportunities throughout a child's life to bring up specific issues of sexuality instead of waiting to have that ''big talk.'' Dozens of age-appropriate questions and answers are included. In addition, Haffner covers special issues, including sexual harassment in school, questions that may arise when divorced parents begin to date, and how to evaluate sexuality education outside the home. Accessible and comprehensive, From Diapers to Dating also contains extensive resources for more information, including Web sites, hotlines, health facilities, pertinent organizations, and much more. It is a must-read for every parent who wishes to lay a solid foundation for their children's adult lives.

Butterfly ballots, balky machines, absentee ballot scandals, felons voting, Supreme Court intervention - all these made headlines during the infamous 2000 Florida recount. Could it happen again in this year's presidential election? The answer is yes, because not much has changed to improve our election systems, while both major parties are poised on a hair trigger to file lawsuits and challenge any close statewide vote. The issues may boil down to whether the margin of victory in any state exceeds the ''margin of litigation. John Fund offers a guided tour of our error-prone election systems, which nearly half of Americans say they don't trust. When some states have systems so flawed that you can't tell where incompetence ends and possible fraud begins, it isn't surprising that scandals have ranged from rural Texas to big cities such as Milwaukee and St. Louis. Fund dissects some anomalies of Florida 2000 and analyzes the bitterly protracted election for governor of Washington State in 2004. He spotlights the perils of ''provisional ballots, the flaws of the ''Motor Voter law that has allowed people to get absentee ballots for phantom voters, and the shady registration drives of the radical group ACORN. Meanwhile, the simple safeguard of a photo ID requirement is fiercely resisted on specious claims that it would disenfranchise poor and minority voters. Stealing Elections presents a chilling portrait of electoral vulnerability, as a combination of bureaucratic bungling and ballot rigging put our democracy at risk.

American corporations have to beg for capital from the cash-rich Sovereign Wealth Funds in the Persian Gulf. By invading Iraq, President George W. Bush grossly undermined American credibility in the international arena and irrevocably weakened Washington's diplomatic clout. And America lost its claim to moral high ground by curtailing civil libe...