As part of Penn State Law's celebration of Black History Month, Larry S. Gibson, professor of law at the University of Maryland, will present a talk based on his book "Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice." His book is the only biography of Justice Marshall to be endorsed by the Marshall family.

Gibson has been a law professor since 1972 teaching Evidence, Civil Procedure, Racial Discrimination and the Law, and Election Law. He has also taught at the University of Virginia, the University of Mississippi and the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). He is of counsel with Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler.

Who creates the "kill list"? Who approves the names on the list? How is the targeted killing executed? Who is responsible for ensuring that the strike complies with international humanitarian law obligations? When killings are conducted in secret, how can we hold government accountable? National security scholar Gregory McNeal will present "Kill-lists and Accountability" at Penn State Law and the School of International Affairs. The public is welcome to this event, which will begin at 7 p.m.

The event will be held live in the Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium, Lewis Katz Hall, 333 W. South St., Carlisle, Pa. It will be simulcast to the Apfelbaum Courtroom, Lewis Katz Building, University Park, Pa., and webcast live at http://law.psu.edu/events/kill_lists_and_accountability online.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) James Dubik, the General Omar N. Bradley Chair in Strategic Leadership at Penn State Law, will present "Iraq: Leadership under pressure," an examination of civil-military leadership during the 2007-08 surge in Iraq at 7 p.m. on Oct. 22. This event will be in the Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium in Lewis Katz Hall, 333 W. South St., Carlisle, Pa., simulcast to Lewis Katz Building in University Park, Pa., and offered via live webcast.

Foreign Service Officer Peter Van Buren, author of a critical account of his experience assisting in Iraq reconstruction, will speak at Penn State's School of International Affairs on April 26. The public is welcome. Van Buren will present "Post-Conflict Nation Building: Why It Isn't Easy" and be available to sign copies of the book after the presentation.

Ask an eleven-year-old whether homework is a bad thing, and you'll likely be greeted with vigorous nodding and not a hint of ambiguity. But do grown-up experts agree?

As with so many things, the answer is mixed.