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Cover Story By Martha Sadler | Thu Oct 04, 2007 | 6:00am

Playing the Race Card

These are not just economic achievement gaps,” said California’s schools czar Jack O’Connell last August. “These are racial achievement gaps.” With this controversial statement, the California Superintendent of Schools presented public school students’ standardized test results. As usual, there were distinct differences between the scores earned by various ethnic groups, with Asians scoring very high, whites trailing them, and Hispanics and blacks bringing up the rear. Does that mean race plays a role in school success? A former teacher ponders what really makes kids achieve.

Business By Ethan Stewart | Thu Jul 26, 2007 | 12:00pm

Showdown Over Wide
Open Spaces

This year, for the first time in human history, more people will live in urban areas than in rural lands. Though the tipping point will most likely be reached-or perhaps already has been-without fanfare, its significance cannot be overlooked. With this new age comes a whole new set of rules, values, and views that threaten to leave many of our most celebrated traditions behind as we work to reconcile past methods of survival with a less agrarian lifestyle. Here in the United States, with the ever-growing beast of urban sprawl spilling from cities toward the horizon, the rural, agricultural spaces that were the societal backbone of previous generations are fast becoming zigzags of highways connecting suburbs to shopping centers.

Travel By Indy Staff | Thu Jun 14, 2007 | 12:00pm

‘Round and ‘Round We Go

We may never know the name of the ancient Sumerian who invented the wheel in Mesopotamia some 7,000 years ago, but we’re pretty sure nothing’s been the same since. The most crucial component of how we transport ourselves and our stuff, the wheel is an undeniable cornerstone of human existence, an invention that encouraged trade, enhanced agriculture, expanded civilization’s range, and paved the way for the modern world. Whether you’re pushing watermelons in a wheelbarrow (one wheel) or hauling refrigerators in a big rig (18 wheels), there comes a time when you’ve got to bow down and worship these round, rolling objects.

Cover Story By Sarah Hammill | Thu Jun 07, 2007 | 12:00pm

The Price of Redemption

Here’s the inside story of Phillip Gladden, a former meth addict and alleged child molester-turned-preacher who has come to Santa Barbara to reveal God’s plan. Some say the registered sex offender is a healer of epic proportions and that he speaks the word of God, so The Indy‘s Sarah Hammill, herself a practicing Christian, decided to spend a revealing year in Gladden’s evangelical world.

Cover Story By Indy Staff | Thu May 17, 2007 | 12:00pm

The Indy’s Annual Blue and Green Guide

Welcome to The Independent’s Blue & Green issue, our annual ode to those great outdoor activities that cause so many of us to live in Santa Barbara. Whether you’re a surf nut, a hiking fanatic, a rabid rock climber, or just someone who enjoys a casual stroll along one of our many beaches, we’re pretty positive that one of the main reasons you endure our town’s high cost of living is because you’ve got a thing for the outdoors, a nagging addiction to crisp air, and a hankering for unspoiled natural beauty.

Cover Story By Ethan Stewart | Thu May 10, 2007 | 12:00pm

Nature’s Roll Call

Chances are, the word biodiversity makes you do one of two things: either immediately glaze over in a cloud of vague buzzword understanding, or call to mind far-flung exotic locations teeming with rare plants and animals that have little or nothing in common with what’s in your backyard.

Angry Poodle By Nick Welsh | Thu Apr 26, 2007 | 12:00pm

All the News Not Fit to Print

RIP-n-READ: One of the more depressing aspects of the self-inflicted mutilation taking place at the News-Press is its withering effect on our ability to laugh. I hate to admit it, but it’s hard to crack wise when you have lawyers threatening to sue you to kingdom come. Greeting me on my computer Tuesday morning as I sat down to write the latest installment of this agonizing tale were not one, but two threatening letters from attorneys.

Cover Story By Indy Staff | Fri Apr 20, 2007 | 12:00pm

Earthday Report Card

Santa Barbarans take credit for not only starting the modern environmental movement but also for inspiring Earth Day. Like many conceits, this notion has almost as much fact as fiction to back it up. In fact, former U.S. senator Gaylord Nelson is the one credited for hatching the first Earth Day back in 1970. But Nelson said his visit to Santa Barbara after the catastrophic oil spill of 1969 spurred him into action.

Cover Story By Indy Staff | Thu Apr 19, 2007 | 12:00pm

Earthday Report Card:
Higher Education

If any sector of Santa Barbara life should be on the cutting edge of environmental know-how, it should be our colleges. It’s no secret that UCSB has long been a bastion of clean living, at least as far as the environment is concerned. Its Environmental Studies Department has educated many about what must be done to live sustainably.

Cover Story By Indy Staff | Thu Apr 19, 2007 | 12:00pm

Earthday Report Card
The Independent

During its 20 years in operation, The Santa Barbara Independent has distinguished itself with the speed and diligence with which it has embraced a host of environmental passions. But when it comes to the mundane details by which such causes are put into meaningful practice, The Independent’s customary speed and zeal has been notably lacking. There have been some exceptions, however.

Cover Story

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