Pundits, politicians, and business leaders continually make claims for what standardized tests can do, and those claims go largely unchallenged because they are in line with popular assumptions about what these tests can do, what the scores mean, and the psychology of human motivation. But what most of what these opinion leaders say-and the public believes-about standardized testing just isn't so. However, few members of the general public, not even concerned parents, have the time or the background to keep up with the latest findings of testing experts, psychometricians, and researchers. That's where The Myths of Standardized Tests comes in. In simple, accessible language, Harris, Smith, and Harris spell out the assumptions underlying standardized tests and point out what's true about them and what's just plain mythical. But they not only debunk common assumptions; they propose better ways to judge the success of our schools. They also offer readers suggestions for ways they can help reduce the burden of tests on their children. Appendixes offer readers contact information and suggestions for actions they can take to become part of the solution to the problem of overusing and misusing standardized tests.

Presents the Therapeutic Potential for Caspase Inhibitors: Present and Future Caspases represent one of the most specific protease families described to date. These extremely important enzymes are crucial to the destruction of aberrant cells - the body's self-protection mechanism for warding off the growth of abnormal cells, many of which can promote cancer. Design of Caspase Inhibitors as Potential Clinical Agents introduces cutting-edge evidence regarding caspases' role in pro-inflammatory responses. New research now shows that the inhibition of caspase function is a critical component for the treatment of many diseases, including: Arthritic and neurological disorders Lung disease Hereditary fever syndromes Inflammatory bowel and skin diseases Sepsis Liver fibrosis Outlines Efforts to Develop Molecule Inhibitors for Caspase Activity Transformation Under the editorial guidance of authoritative inflammatory disease, small molecule discovery, and apoptosis researchers, the book organizes the wide array of caspase literature into one convenient resource. It also summarizes the relative difficulty of transitioning a caspase small molecule inhibitor from the lab to the clinic and suggests approaches to circumvent this difficulty. Taking a novel, yet core approach to disease treatment, this seminal work sets the stage to combat a slew of debilitating diseases through groundbreaking drug development.

Presents the Therapeutic Potential for Caspase Inhibitors: Present and Future Caspases represent one of the most specific protease families described to date. These extremely important enzymes are crucial to the destruction of aberrant cells - the body's self-protection mechanism for warding off the growth of abnormal cells, many of which can promote cancer. Design of Caspase Inhibitors as Potential Clinical Agents introduces cutting-edge evidence regarding caspases' role in pro-inflammatory responses. New research now shows that the inhibition of caspase function is a critical component for the treatment of many diseases, including: Arthritic and neurological disorders Lung disease Hereditary fever syndromes Inflammatory bowel and skin diseases Sepsis Liver fibrosis Outlines Efforts to Develop Molecule Inhibitors for Caspase Activity Transformation Under the editorial guidance of authoritative inflammatory disease, small molecule discovery, and apoptosis researchers, the book organizes the wide array of caspase literature into one convenient resource. It also summarizes the relative difficulty of transitioning a caspase small molecule inhibitor from the lab to the clinic and suggests approaches to circumvent this difficulty. Taking a novel, yet core approach to disease treatment, this seminal work sets the stage to combat a slew of debilitating diseases through groundbreaking drug development.

All 23 episodes from Season 2 of the series about Superman's early life. In 'Vortex', Clark (Tom Welling) rescues Lana (Kristin Kreuk) from the eye of a tornado, and then discovers that the storm has powered up his spaceship and deposited it in an exposed position in a cornfield. In 'Heat', Clark goes into hiding after discovering his new power of heat vision, which can have some rather startling effects. 'Duplicity' sees Pete (Sam Jones) happening upon Clark's spaceship in the cornfield, which forces Clark to reveal his secret to him. In 'Red', Clark is given his high school ring which is supposedly set with ruby, but is actually red meteor rock. The rock has an instant and dramatic effect on him, changing him into a wayward rebel who overspends on the family credit card and picks fights. In 'Nocturne', Lana finds a love poem left for her at her parents' grave by Byron Moore (Sean Faris), an elusive boy with a dark and dangerous secret. 'Lineage' sees a mysterious woman, Rachel Dunlevy (Blair Brown) turning up in Smallville, claiming to be Clark's biological mother. This prompts the Kents to finally reveal to Clark the truth about what happened when they discovered him as a toddler in the cornfield. In 'Ryan', Clark tests his powers to the limit to save Ryan (Ryan James), a telepathic boy who is being used as a test subject at the Summerholt Research Facility by the evil Dr Garner (Martin Cummins). In 'Dichotic', a gifted student, Ian (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) has cloned himself and is dating both Lana and Chloe (Allison Mack) at the same time. Clark tries to warn the girls, but they attribute his interference to jealousy. In 'Skinwalkers', Clark falls into a cave filled with Native American inscriptions that hold the key to his true identity. 'Visage' sees the return of Whitney Fordman (Eric Johnson), which disrupts the relationship betwen Clark and Lana - until his odd behaviour prompts Clark to make a shocking discovery about his true identity. In 'Suspect', Jonathan finds himself framed for murder after being found in possession of a murder weapon. But Clark and Pete mount their own investigation and discover a tangle of motives and possible suspects. 'Insurgence' sees Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) discovering that Lionel has secretly installed an electronic surveillance system in his mansion. In retaliation, Lex hires crooks to install cameras in Lionel's Metropolis office... In 'Rush', a parasitic worm infects Pete and Chloe, turning them into wild adrenaline junkies. In 'Prodigal', Lex tracks down his long-lost brother Lucas (Paul Wasilewski), and brings him home to Smallville in the hope that they can buy Lionel out and unite against him. 'Fever' sees Martha (Annette O'Toole) fall into a coma after breathing in meteor dust. It is then revealed that she is pregnant with Clark's brother or sister. 'Rosetta' features a guest appearance from the original Superman movie actor, Christopher Reeve, who plays Dr Virgil Swann, a brilliant scientist who helps Clark to receive messages from his home planet using the Native American symbols that Clark discovered when he fell into the cave. In 'Visitor', a new student, Cyrus Krupp (Jeremy Lelliot) reveals to Clark that he is an alien. 'Precipice' sees Clark jumping to Lana's defence when she is almost assaulted by a college student. He injures the student, causing him to question the virtue of his powers, and soon finds himself facing a lawsuit that could cost the Kents their farm. In 'Witness', Clark tries to intervene after inadvertently witnessing the theft of a Luthercorp truck, but is dismayed to discover that the thieves are as strong as he is. In 'Accelerate', Lana asks for Clark's advice after being visited by the ghost of her childhood friend, Emily (Jodelle Micah Ferlar). But Clark realises that the little girl is in fact a kryptonite-enhanced clone who is out to get revenge on Lana, and wants her to drown just as she, Emily, did several years before. In 'Calling', Dr Frederick Walden (Rob LaBelle) wakes from his coma to find himself in possession of incredible powers, and sets off on a dangerous mission to kill Clark. In 'Exodus', Clark makes an amazing discovery about his origins when the spaceship announces that it is programmed with memories of his Kryptonian father, Jor-El (Terence Stamp). It asks him to come at sunset to return to his family and friends and fulfil his destiny. But can Clark leave his life in Smallville behind? 'Redux' sees Clark coming to the rescue when a mutant, Chrissy (Maggie Lawson), starts killing young men by sucking their youth out of them to keep herself young, leaving them aged and lifeless.

The Shiny Red Honda is about growing up in rural Ireland in the 1950/60's, a time of great rural upheaval and change. The creamery, the horse and cart, cross-road dancing, travelling shows, the threshing machine...all their days were numbered. Going to school across the Mass-Path, thinning turnips for a shilling a drill, watching Audie Murphy and Randolph Scott in films that broke down half-way through every reel, being an Altar boy and 'fiddling' the church collection boxes, learning to dance with a broomstick as a partner...rare memories of an age of innocence. Who flattened Fr. Sinnott in the sacristy? What was the initiation ceremony at Flahavans Mills? Who was the trombone player in the band who couldn't play a note? It is also about dreams and aspirations: a young man's entry into the world of work, and his brief flirtation with the music biz. A story told honestly and uncompromisingly. As it was - warts and all.

A story of paradoxes of morality and behaviour, Cassidy's Cross gives a kaleidoscope view of the fictional area of Doonbay in 1960's County Waterford. The picture is fractured and tangled, with petty crime, affairs, illicit pregnancy, rape and murder among the happenings. Set against the backdrop of a spent copper-mining area, the story unfolds to reveal a hotbed of secrets. The school, church, quarry and the village pub are all focal points of interest, with a bit of cross-roads dancing and a donkey derby thrown in for good measure. Two brothers are the key characters; James 'Ringyboy' Ring, and the older tearaway Johnny who is home from holiday in London. James uncovers a letter which literally has an explosive effect on the citizens. The not so good citizens of Cassidy's Cross

QUEENIE...MONEY FROM AMERICA...JOHNJO... 3 plays set in the shadows of the Comeragh Mountains. QUEENIE is a woman who has spent much of her life in mental institutions and has now been released back into the community. She possesses second-sight, frightening psychic powers, which in the past have seen many in the locality label her a witch. MONEY FROM AMERICA tells the tale of two brothers and a farm. Lardy has spent all of his life eking out an existence in the family hill-farm - now brother Jack is back from America to claim his rightful inheritance, which he plans to sell. JOHNJO is the story of a man on the run from rural Ireland, and his struggle to survive amongst the chaos of war-torn England. How long can he stay in the shadows?

Terry, Chris and Larry are three Irish friends in the London of the 1960's with little in common except their liking for 'dishonest work'. Chris is a pickpocket in the West End; the time of the first race determines what time Larry gets out of bed; Terry's aversion to manual labour is so strong that he says 'I'd rather starve than work on the fucking buildings'. Then there is Bannaher, the big man, the 'subby', who is publicising his new pub venture by having a friend of theirs temporarily buried alive in the pub's back garden. 'A charity lie-in', he calls it. Into this mix comes Tessa, blonde, English and 'out to screw the world before it screws me'. Before she is finished all their lives have changed irrevocably. It's a tale of greed and deception that trawls the pubs and building sites of Kilburn and Cricklewood, and the mean street of Limerick.

QUEENIE....is the story of Victoria Dwan (Queenie), who has been institutionalised since an early age. Most of her life has been spent at the mental institution called St Josephs, although in later years she has been living there as a voluntary patient. Now, St Joseph's is coming down and Queenie has been "released" into the community at large. Her first port of call is to revival of the open-air stage-dancing at Granagh Cross, which she remembers from her youth. Her visit brings back to her memories of the tragic events which caused her to lose her sanity - and very nearly her life. Not always able to separate present-day reality from the past, Queenie also possesses second-sight - frightening psychic powers, which, in the past had seen many in the neighbourhood label her a witch.