We are now well into the month of Sha'baan and in less than a month will enter the month of obligatory fasting.
We all lead very busy lives, but in order to improve ourselves spiritually we need to learn how to do one thing: remove distraction. In many ways, that is what Islam is all about. Our prayers are about removing distraction of our daily lives to focus several times a day, even briefly, on what matters. One of the great powers of the hajj is that you are removed from your daily worldly life and your sole focus becomes something else, something spiritual, something greater than you that by comparison makes your daily life seem meaningless; for a time, you get pure focus on the Big Picture.
Fasting removes a lot of distraction from our lives, it helps us focus on the spiritual self by decreasing focus on the physical self. But some people turn the month of Ramadan unfortunately into the exact opposite - focused on eating and socializing with some prayers thrown in.
There are so many prayers and other good things to do year round but there are a great many unique to the month of Ramadan that if we let the opportunity slip by it is gone forever. Yes, perhaps we may live to another year, but the opportunities of that year are gone never to be regained.
To get more out of the month, we may not be able to decrease our work hours nor may it even be appropriate to do so - work can be worship. But we can work on removing or at least decreasing distractors - TV and radio chief among them. We can also work on removing bad habits whatever they may be.
The key to success is often to commit to something small and stick to it. When it is easy, then add something else small, but just keep building. If we have backpedaled in some areas, we can try to move forward from wherever we are now.
The Prophet reminds us, especially in Ramazan, to perform the great act of worship, meditation. This is because the servant’s transcendence that accompanies it is even stronger during the special times and the special places of worship. One of the most significant outcomes of praying in these places and times, is the submissive meditation which was a delight to the Prophet (s.a.w) about which he had this to say: “And raise your hands to Him in prayer during the times of your meditation, because it is the best of all times in which Almighty Allah mercifully looks unto His servants He answers their prayers a whether whispered or said aloud’.
Another important aspect of the month of Ramadan is emphasis on reading Qur'an. Let us not just hear a chanting but meditate on meaning and learn from it. Reading the Qur'an is a great way to remove distractors - the Qur'an focuses on what is important, and in turn paying attention to it will keep you focused too.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Ummmm, wow.......
Aug 28, 8:13 AM EDT
Woman Crashes When Teaching Dog to Drive
BEIJING (AP) -- A woman in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia region, crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday.
No injuries were reported although both vehicles were slightly damaged, it said.
The woman, identified only be her surname, Li, said her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," according to Xinhua.
"She thought she would let the dog 'have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."
Xinhua did not say what kind of dog or vehicles were involved but Li paid for repairs.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
Woman Crashes When Teaching Dog to Drive
BEIJING (AP) -- A woman in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia region, crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday.
No injuries were reported although both vehicles were slightly damaged, it said.
The woman, identified only be her surname, Li, said her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," according to Xinhua.
"She thought she would let the dog 'have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."
Xinhua did not say what kind of dog or vehicles were involved but Li paid for repairs.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Script to use when Telemarketers call
http://www.xs4all.nl/~egbg/counterscript.html
I'm too lazy to actually do this (and also to lazy to actually link it), but this is funny, and maybe someone will try it and let me know how it goes!
I'm too lazy to actually do this (and also to lazy to actually link it), but this is funny, and maybe someone will try it and let me know how it goes!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Yes I really do find this stuff interesting....
Dinky Pluto Loses Its Status As Planet
By WILLIAM J. KOLE
Associated Press Writer
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Pluto, beloved by some as a cosmic underdog but scorned by astronomers who considered it too dinky and distant, was unceremoniously stripped of its status as a planet Thursday.
The International Astronomical Union, dramatically reversing course just a week after floating the idea of reaffirming Pluto's planethood and adding three new planets to Earth's neighborhood, downgraded the ninth rock from the sun in historic new galactic guidelines.
Powerful new telescopes, experts said, are changing the way they size up the mysteries of the solar system and beyond. But the scientists showed a soft side, waving plush toys of the Walt Disney character - and insisting that Pluto's spirit will live on in the exciting discoveries yet to come.
"The word 'planet' and the idea of planets can be emotional because they're something we learn as children," said Richard Binzel, a professor of planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who helped hammer out the new definition.
"This is really all about science, which is all about getting new facts," he said. "Science has marched on. ... Many more Plutos wait to be discovered."
Pluto, a planet since 1930, got the boot because it didn't meet the new rules, which say a planet not only must orbit the sun and be large enough to assume a nearly round shape, but must "clear the neighborhood around its orbit." That disqualifies Pluto, whose oblong orbit overlaps Neptune's, downsizing the solar system to eight planets from the traditional nine.
Astronomers have labored without a universal definition of a planet since well before the time of Copernicus, who proved that the Earth revolves around the sun, and the experts gathered in Prague burst into applause when the guidelines were passed.
Predictably, Pluto's demotion provoked plenty of wistful nostalgia.
Buy AP Photo Reprints
"It's disappointing in a way, and confusing," said Patricia Tombaugh, the 93-year-old widow of Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.
"I don't know just how you handle it. It kind of sounds like I just lost my job," she said from Las Cruces, N.M. "But I understand science is not something that just sits there. It goes on. Clyde finally said before he died, 'It's there. Whatever it is. It is there.'"
The decision by the IAU, the official arbiter of heavenly objects, restricts membership in the elite cosmic club to the eight classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Pluto and objects like it will be known as "dwarf planets," which raised some thorny questions about semantics: If a raincoat is still a coat, and a cell phone is still a phone, why isn't a dwarf planet still a planet?
NASA said Pluto's downgrade would not affect its $700 million New Horizons spacecraft mission, which this year began a 9 1/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.
But mission head Alan Stern said he was "embarrassed" by Pluto's undoing and predicted that Thursday's vote would not end the debate. Although 2,500 astronomers from 75 nations attended the conference, only about 300 showed up to vote.
"It's a sloppy definition. It's bad science," he said. "It ain't over."
The shift also poses a challenge to the world's teachers, who will have to scramble to alter lesson plans just as schools open for the fall term.
"We will adapt our teaching to explain the new categories," said Neil Crumpton, who teaches science at a high school north of London. "It will all take some explanation, but it is really just a reclassification and I can't see that it will cause any problems. Science is an evolving subject and always will be."
Under the new rules, two of the three objects that came tantalizingly close to planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed "Xena." The third object, Pluto's largest moon, Charon, isn't in line for any special designation.
Brown, whose Xena find rekindled calls for Pluto's demise because it showed it isn't nearly as unique as it once seemed, waxed philosophical.
"Eight is enough," he said, jokingly adding: "I may go down in history as the guy who killed Pluto."
Demoting the icy orb named for the Roman god of the underworld isn't personal - it's just business - said Jack Horkheimer, director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of the PBS show "Star Gazer."
"It's like an amicable divorce," he said. "The legal status has changed but the person really hasn't. It's just single again."
---
AP Science Writers Alicia Chang in Los Angeles and Seth Borenstein in Washington, and correspondents Sue Leeman in London and Mike Schneider in Cape Canaveral, Fla., contributed to this story.
---
By WILLIAM J. KOLE
Associated Press Writer
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Pluto, beloved by some as a cosmic underdog but scorned by astronomers who considered it too dinky and distant, was unceremoniously stripped of its status as a planet Thursday.
The International Astronomical Union, dramatically reversing course just a week after floating the idea of reaffirming Pluto's planethood and adding three new planets to Earth's neighborhood, downgraded the ninth rock from the sun in historic new galactic guidelines.
Powerful new telescopes, experts said, are changing the way they size up the mysteries of the solar system and beyond. But the scientists showed a soft side, waving plush toys of the Walt Disney character - and insisting that Pluto's spirit will live on in the exciting discoveries yet to come.
"The word 'planet' and the idea of planets can be emotional because they're something we learn as children," said Richard Binzel, a professor of planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who helped hammer out the new definition.
"This is really all about science, which is all about getting new facts," he said. "Science has marched on. ... Many more Plutos wait to be discovered."
Pluto, a planet since 1930, got the boot because it didn't meet the new rules, which say a planet not only must orbit the sun and be large enough to assume a nearly round shape, but must "clear the neighborhood around its orbit." That disqualifies Pluto, whose oblong orbit overlaps Neptune's, downsizing the solar system to eight planets from the traditional nine.
Astronomers have labored without a universal definition of a planet since well before the time of Copernicus, who proved that the Earth revolves around the sun, and the experts gathered in Prague burst into applause when the guidelines were passed.
Predictably, Pluto's demotion provoked plenty of wistful nostalgia.
Buy AP Photo Reprints
"It's disappointing in a way, and confusing," said Patricia Tombaugh, the 93-year-old widow of Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.
"I don't know just how you handle it. It kind of sounds like I just lost my job," she said from Las Cruces, N.M. "But I understand science is not something that just sits there. It goes on. Clyde finally said before he died, 'It's there. Whatever it is. It is there.'"
The decision by the IAU, the official arbiter of heavenly objects, restricts membership in the elite cosmic club to the eight classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Pluto and objects like it will be known as "dwarf planets," which raised some thorny questions about semantics: If a raincoat is still a coat, and a cell phone is still a phone, why isn't a dwarf planet still a planet?
NASA said Pluto's downgrade would not affect its $700 million New Horizons spacecraft mission, which this year began a 9 1/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.
But mission head Alan Stern said he was "embarrassed" by Pluto's undoing and predicted that Thursday's vote would not end the debate. Although 2,500 astronomers from 75 nations attended the conference, only about 300 showed up to vote.
"It's a sloppy definition. It's bad science," he said. "It ain't over."
The shift also poses a challenge to the world's teachers, who will have to scramble to alter lesson plans just as schools open for the fall term.
"We will adapt our teaching to explain the new categories," said Neil Crumpton, who teaches science at a high school north of London. "It will all take some explanation, but it is really just a reclassification and I can't see that it will cause any problems. Science is an evolving subject and always will be."
Under the new rules, two of the three objects that came tantalizingly close to planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed "Xena." The third object, Pluto's largest moon, Charon, isn't in line for any special designation.
Brown, whose Xena find rekindled calls for Pluto's demise because it showed it isn't nearly as unique as it once seemed, waxed philosophical.
"Eight is enough," he said, jokingly adding: "I may go down in history as the guy who killed Pluto."
Demoting the icy orb named for the Roman god of the underworld isn't personal - it's just business - said Jack Horkheimer, director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of the PBS show "Star Gazer."
"It's like an amicable divorce," he said. "The legal status has changed but the person really hasn't. It's just single again."
---
AP Science Writers Alicia Chang in Los Angeles and Seth Borenstein in Washington, and correspondents Sue Leeman in London and Mike Schneider in Cape Canaveral, Fla., contributed to this story.
---
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Matthew Taylor
Tuesday August 22, 2006
The Guardian
When eight-year-old Francesca Fozard heard that Muslim children from nearby Warwick Road school would be joining her for a day a week, she became very withdrawn.
"I was worried because I didn't think they would speak English," she says quietly. "I didn't think they would be able to understand what I was saying and I was a bit scared."
Francesca was not the only one. Her school, Southdale Church of England primary, in Ossett near Wakefield, is almost 100% white, and teachers admit that neither pupils or parents have much contact with people of different cultures.
Just a few miles away, at Warwick Road primary, nearly all pupils are Asian and 100% are Muslim. Both schools reflect the pockets of racial and religious segregation that exist across the country - and both have to live with the consequences.
Warwick Road takes its pupils from the rows of back-to-back houses in Batley that are home to a tight-knit, inward-looking Gujarati community. Mohammad Sidique Khan, one of the July 7 bombers, came from neighbouring Dewsbury, and teachers say the increased tensions that followed last year's terrorist attacks have been keenly felt at the school.
At Southdale, staff say parents and pupils have little experience of non-white communities apart from what they see on the television. The only Asian family in the area owns the corner shop - known by some as the "Paki shop". The school's glowing Ofsted report none the less recommended more effort be made to increase pupils' cultural awareness.
Both schools live in the shadow of the far right British National party, which now sees West Yorkshire as one of its strongholds, and bases its successful local election campaign around a virulently anti-Islamic message.
Now, teachers at Southdale and Warwick have devised a novel programme that attempts to build understanding and friendships, as well as dispel damaging myths. Elodia Eccles, headteacher at Southdale school, explains: "This is not just about now with these children, it is about helping future generations. We want to prepare our children for the wider world and increase their understanding of different cultures and groups. That's what education is about, as well as tests."
The class swap, which was enthusiastically embraced by parents, saw eight- and nine-year-old children spend a day a week at each other's schools, learning about religious and cultural festivals. At the end of the scheme, the two schools held a celebratory festival for parents and pupils at a local Muslim centre.
"The children are really making friends, and we bring both sets of parents together for the final celebration," says Eccles. "One little boy asked me if he thought it would be all right if his new friend from Warwick Road could come to tea. It's those sort of friendships and that sort of understanding that we are aiming to encourage."
Under a display on Indian culture, the children from the two schools sit in pairs making banners for the festival. Eight-year-old Fatima, whose family lives in the streets around Warwick Road, explains: "I was a bit worried before we came because I thought they would be different. But they're not. Everyone's the same and I've made two friends."
Teachers at both schools say the children happily venture on to ground where adults sometimes feel uncomfortable. "It is really refreshing - they are just very honest about what they are thinking at this age," says Shaun L'Amie, the Southdale teacher who helped get the project off the ground.
"A boy from our school asked one of the girls 'why are you wearing that on your head' - pointing at her hijab. Without batting an eyelid, she explained and that was that, they were friends.
"Later, one of the Muslim girls asked how often our children went to church and how often they prayed. The next thing we know, they are talking about football and Playstations. There is a genuine interest in each other and there are real friendships forming."
The effort to develop cross-community bonds is becoming increasingly important in West Yorkshire. Tension in Batley and Dewsbury has increased since the London bombings and the subsequent media attention. And the British National party has not been slow to try to exploit the situation - it now has three local councillors in Kirklees.
Mick Hayle, headteacher at Warwick Road, says the school, along with many others in the area, was badly affected by the events of July 7. But he insists it has led to a renewed belief among Muslim parents that they have to engage with the world outside their immediate neighbourhood. "One of the outcomes is that there seems to be a genuine shift, with the parents seeing more clearly than ever that it is important to reach out to the wider community, especially for the next generation," he says.
Ayub Bismillah, deputy head at Warwick Road, says this process of trying to encourage the local community to build links with the wider population started after the Bradford riots of 2001 and the subsequent Ouseley report. "We realised, then, the problems that such segregated communities can lead to and decided to take action. This is all part of that ongoing process."
But both schools say the programme - which will continue next term - is more to do with widening their pupils' horizons than tackling explicitly political issues. "Really we just want to give all the pupils the best possible start," says Eccles. "And giving them more experiences like this is a very important part of that."
Tuesday August 22, 2006
The Guardian
When eight-year-old Francesca Fozard heard that Muslim children from nearby Warwick Road school would be joining her for a day a week, she became very withdrawn.
"I was worried because I didn't think they would speak English," she says quietly. "I didn't think they would be able to understand what I was saying and I was a bit scared."
Francesca was not the only one. Her school, Southdale Church of England primary, in Ossett near Wakefield, is almost 100% white, and teachers admit that neither pupils or parents have much contact with people of different cultures.
Just a few miles away, at Warwick Road primary, nearly all pupils are Asian and 100% are Muslim. Both schools reflect the pockets of racial and religious segregation that exist across the country - and both have to live with the consequences.
Warwick Road takes its pupils from the rows of back-to-back houses in Batley that are home to a tight-knit, inward-looking Gujarati community. Mohammad Sidique Khan, one of the July 7 bombers, came from neighbouring Dewsbury, and teachers say the increased tensions that followed last year's terrorist attacks have been keenly felt at the school.
At Southdale, staff say parents and pupils have little experience of non-white communities apart from what they see on the television. The only Asian family in the area owns the corner shop - known by some as the "Paki shop". The school's glowing Ofsted report none the less recommended more effort be made to increase pupils' cultural awareness.
Both schools live in the shadow of the far right British National party, which now sees West Yorkshire as one of its strongholds, and bases its successful local election campaign around a virulently anti-Islamic message.
Now, teachers at Southdale and Warwick have devised a novel programme that attempts to build understanding and friendships, as well as dispel damaging myths. Elodia Eccles, headteacher at Southdale school, explains: "This is not just about now with these children, it is about helping future generations. We want to prepare our children for the wider world and increase their understanding of different cultures and groups. That's what education is about, as well as tests."
The class swap, which was enthusiastically embraced by parents, saw eight- and nine-year-old children spend a day a week at each other's schools, learning about religious and cultural festivals. At the end of the scheme, the two schools held a celebratory festival for parents and pupils at a local Muslim centre.
"The children are really making friends, and we bring both sets of parents together for the final celebration," says Eccles. "One little boy asked me if he thought it would be all right if his new friend from Warwick Road could come to tea. It's those sort of friendships and that sort of understanding that we are aiming to encourage."
Under a display on Indian culture, the children from the two schools sit in pairs making banners for the festival. Eight-year-old Fatima, whose family lives in the streets around Warwick Road, explains: "I was a bit worried before we came because I thought they would be different. But they're not. Everyone's the same and I've made two friends."
Teachers at both schools say the children happily venture on to ground where adults sometimes feel uncomfortable. "It is really refreshing - they are just very honest about what they are thinking at this age," says Shaun L'Amie, the Southdale teacher who helped get the project off the ground.
"A boy from our school asked one of the girls 'why are you wearing that on your head' - pointing at her hijab. Without batting an eyelid, she explained and that was that, they were friends.
"Later, one of the Muslim girls asked how often our children went to church and how often they prayed. The next thing we know, they are talking about football and Playstations. There is a genuine interest in each other and there are real friendships forming."
The effort to develop cross-community bonds is becoming increasingly important in West Yorkshire. Tension in Batley and Dewsbury has increased since the London bombings and the subsequent media attention. And the British National party has not been slow to try to exploit the situation - it now has three local councillors in Kirklees.
Mick Hayle, headteacher at Warwick Road, says the school, along with many others in the area, was badly affected by the events of July 7. But he insists it has led to a renewed belief among Muslim parents that they have to engage with the world outside their immediate neighbourhood. "One of the outcomes is that there seems to be a genuine shift, with the parents seeing more clearly than ever that it is important to reach out to the wider community, especially for the next generation," he says.
Ayub Bismillah, deputy head at Warwick Road, says this process of trying to encourage the local community to build links with the wider population started after the Bradford riots of 2001 and the subsequent Ouseley report. "We realised, then, the problems that such segregated communities can lead to and decided to take action. This is all part of that ongoing process."
But both schools say the programme - which will continue next term - is more to do with widening their pupils' horizons than tackling explicitly political issues. "Really we just want to give all the pupils the best possible start," says Eccles. "And giving them more experiences like this is a very important part of that."
Thursday, August 17, 2006
First Day
Students had their first day today.
Me, I had study hall first period on the first day of school. It was crowded, but we handed out the forms so students could drop and just show up for second period so next week when I go I am sure it will be a lot smaller.
Other than being a little hectic, the day went well - students were too tired for it not to, they're not adjusted to starting their days early and being busy all day yet.
I am teaching two sophomore classes (Geometry), two junior classes (Advanced Algebra) and a senior class (AP Statistics) and my homeroom is a freshman group this year. Homeroom only meets occasionally as needed, not everyday, but you have the same homeroom kids for four years until they graduate then get a new group. I just graduated my first group last year and am starting with a new one this year. My plan periods are first and second this year. That is weird for me to have them both in the morning and not start teaching until 9 something. For homework tonight (among other things) if students had Internet access tonight they were supposed to check out my teacher site and send me an e-mail from it. https://teacherweb.com/CO/CoronadoHighSchool/MsBeatty/index.html . I've gotten a few so far, it's kind of cool. Well, I think this could be a good year over all at Coronado, off to a good start.
Went swimming (really swim aerobics class) with mom this evening, now it is time to figure out something for dinner.
Laura, tell me about your first day(night)! And if you want, stop by Coronado tomorrow and say Hi!
Me, I had study hall first period on the first day of school. It was crowded, but we handed out the forms so students could drop and just show up for second period so next week when I go I am sure it will be a lot smaller.
Other than being a little hectic, the day went well - students were too tired for it not to, they're not adjusted to starting their days early and being busy all day yet.
I am teaching two sophomore classes (Geometry), two junior classes (Advanced Algebra) and a senior class (AP Statistics) and my homeroom is a freshman group this year. Homeroom only meets occasionally as needed, not everyday, but you have the same homeroom kids for four years until they graduate then get a new group. I just graduated my first group last year and am starting with a new one this year. My plan periods are first and second this year. That is weird for me to have them both in the morning and not start teaching until 9 something. For homework tonight (among other things) if students had Internet access tonight they were supposed to check out my teacher site and send me an e-mail from it. https://teacherweb.com/CO/CoronadoHighSchool/MsBeatty/index.html . I've gotten a few so far, it's kind of cool. Well, I think this could be a good year over all at Coronado, off to a good start.
Went swimming (really swim aerobics class) with mom this evening, now it is time to figure out something for dinner.
Laura, tell me about your first day(night)! And if you want, stop by Coronado tomorrow and say Hi!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Twelve for now, and maybe more....
August 16, 2006
From Scientific American
The original definition of planet is wanderer, from the Greeks who watched these bright lights wander through the firmament of fixed stars. Observers discerned nine of these travelers over the course of human history, the last being Pluto in 1930. But recent discoveries of more objects orbiting the sun, both bigger than Pluto and similarly rounded in shape, called into question the arbitrary limit of nine, with some proposing that Pluto did not merit its planetary status. Now the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has crafted a new definition for what constitutes a planet that would expand the solar system to Pluto and beyond, encompassing 12 bodies in all.
Earlier this year, a special team convened by the IAU struggled to establish the criteria that defines a planet. Various proposals included size (mass) and orbit. "On the second morning several members admitted that they had not slept well, worrying that we would not be able to reach a consensus," writes Owen Gingerich of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and chair of the Planet Definition Committee. "But by the end of a long day, the miracle had happened: we had reached a unanimous agreement."
The new proposed definition of a planet is: a celestial body with sufficient mass to assume a nearly spherical shape that orbits a star without being another star or a satellite of another planet. By this definition, the list of planets in order from the sun now reads: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto-Charon (considered a double-planet system) and the newly discovered and officially unnamed 2003 UB313, otherwise known as Xena. The committee also proposed a new category of planets, called plutons, be applied to those bodies that, like Pluto, both take longer than 200 Earth years to revolve around the sun and have eccentric orbits outside the typical orbital plane.
The solar system thus gains its first double planet, the Pluto-Charon pairing, as well as several so-called "dwarf planets," such as Ceres, which, while only 952 kilometers in diameter, still fulfills the new planet criteria. In fact, there are at least 12 more planet candidates, including Sedna and Quaoar that the IAU will be called upon to include or dismiss during future deliberations, along with giving 2003 UB313 a proper name. For the moment, attendees will simply debate the proposed definition and vote on whether to accept it or not on August 24.
No matter the outcome of that vote, this new definition does not neatly wrap up all the confusion engendered by the multiplicity of bodies in our solar system. Pluto's two newly discovered satellites elude precise classification because they orbit the gravitational center between it and Charon and the proposal does nothing to distinguish between large gaseous planets and brown dwarfs. "Did our committee think of everything, including extrasolar planet systems? Definitely not!" Gingerich notes. "Science is an active enterprise, constantly bringing new surprises." Twelve planets may just be the starting point of a growing system.
From Scientific American
The original definition of planet is wanderer, from the Greeks who watched these bright lights wander through the firmament of fixed stars. Observers discerned nine of these travelers over the course of human history, the last being Pluto in 1930. But recent discoveries of more objects orbiting the sun, both bigger than Pluto and similarly rounded in shape, called into question the arbitrary limit of nine, with some proposing that Pluto did not merit its planetary status. Now the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has crafted a new definition for what constitutes a planet that would expand the solar system to Pluto and beyond, encompassing 12 bodies in all.
Earlier this year, a special team convened by the IAU struggled to establish the criteria that defines a planet. Various proposals included size (mass) and orbit. "On the second morning several members admitted that they had not slept well, worrying that we would not be able to reach a consensus," writes Owen Gingerich of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and chair of the Planet Definition Committee. "But by the end of a long day, the miracle had happened: we had reached a unanimous agreement."
The new proposed definition of a planet is: a celestial body with sufficient mass to assume a nearly spherical shape that orbits a star without being another star or a satellite of another planet. By this definition, the list of planets in order from the sun now reads: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto-Charon (considered a double-planet system) and the newly discovered and officially unnamed 2003 UB313, otherwise known as Xena. The committee also proposed a new category of planets, called plutons, be applied to those bodies that, like Pluto, both take longer than 200 Earth years to revolve around the sun and have eccentric orbits outside the typical orbital plane.
The solar system thus gains its first double planet, the Pluto-Charon pairing, as well as several so-called "dwarf planets," such as Ceres, which, while only 952 kilometers in diameter, still fulfills the new planet criteria. In fact, there are at least 12 more planet candidates, including Sedna and Quaoar that the IAU will be called upon to include or dismiss during future deliberations, along with giving 2003 UB313 a proper name. For the moment, attendees will simply debate the proposed definition and vote on whether to accept it or not on August 24.
No matter the outcome of that vote, this new definition does not neatly wrap up all the confusion engendered by the multiplicity of bodies in our solar system. Pluto's two newly discovered satellites elude precise classification because they orbit the gravitational center between it and Charon and the proposal does nothing to distinguish between large gaseous planets and brown dwarfs. "Did our committee think of everything, including extrasolar planet systems? Definitely not!" Gingerich notes. "Science is an active enterprise, constantly bringing new surprises." Twelve planets may just be the starting point of a growing system.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Frustration - I think it is Boycott Time
I have been feeling very frustrated about the media in this country, because I have been aware that the news reported in this country varies so greatly from what is reported elsewhere. Our media, to be honest, is biased about most international issues and does not report the truth in many cases. Americans deserve to be able to know the truth and make properly informed opinions.
Someone gave me this link of an outlet that is trying to share some of the stuff about the mideast crisis that doesn't get reported here.
http://brasscheck.com/videos/middleeast/me5.html
The Al-islam.org page has collected many sources:
http://al-islam.org/static.php?content=lebanon
And BBC is certainly better than Fox News or CNN at this point:
http://www.bbc.co.uk
Some say it is biased to the left, but it certainly is more balanced than anything else its size when it comes to international reporting in the United States:
http://www.npr.org
I encourage all Americans to expand their sources for news. Our media will not reform itself until it hits their pocketbook. I refuse to buy the local paper because of completely biased op-ed coverage on local issues. Even if you think American news coverage is fine, it is definitely worthwhile to see how other parts of the world report the same issues - it should give us a better understanding of that issue and how it is perceived worldwide.
A story someone shared in one of the e-mail groups recently:
"Rachel Corrie was an American
peace worker in Gaza who was crushed by an IDF
bulldozer as she tried to protect the house of a
Palestinian family from destruction. I had the
pleasure of going to hear her parents speak. They said
(in a nutshell), that when Rachel went to Gaza and
called them to tell them what was really going on
there, they didn't believe her, becuase it was so
incongruous to what they heard in the news everyday.
After their daughter died, they went personally to
Gaza to see what life was like and to meet the family
whose house she was protecting. Since then, they've
taken it on themselves to speak out for the truth as
they understand it. They are wonderful, warm and
humble people doing their part, but we need to do ours
in whatever ways we can. Don't get down or depressed.
Look at all these occasions as opportunities to spread
the truth.
Salam."
The truth is I think so many of us are down and depressed. We need to try to get out of that and cling to hope and cling to anything we can do, however small, for truth and justice anywhere in the world.
Terrorism must stop - be it state-sponsored or otherwise. I hate that word - it is so misused today - that would be a whole post in itself.
But for anyone in blogger land and beyond who wishes to join me, I think we should start a boycott of biased media - spread the word! Let's share information about sources of news that we feel are lessed biased and let's not contribute another millionth of a rating point or advertising dollar to those who don't deserve it.
A lot of people are 'addicted' to watching this stuff and it only feeds their anger and frustration. No more, it is time to stop, we CAN get our news elsewhere and now it is time to make sure we do.
Someone gave me this link of an outlet that is trying to share some of the stuff about the mideast crisis that doesn't get reported here.
http://brasscheck.com/videos/middleeast/me5.html
The Al-islam.org page has collected many sources:
http://al-islam.org/static.php?content=lebanon
And BBC is certainly better than Fox News or CNN at this point:
http://www.bbc.co.uk
Some say it is biased to the left, but it certainly is more balanced than anything else its size when it comes to international reporting in the United States:
http://www.npr.org
I encourage all Americans to expand their sources for news. Our media will not reform itself until it hits their pocketbook. I refuse to buy the local paper because of completely biased op-ed coverage on local issues. Even if you think American news coverage is fine, it is definitely worthwhile to see how other parts of the world report the same issues - it should give us a better understanding of that issue and how it is perceived worldwide.
A story someone shared in one of the e-mail groups recently:
"Rachel Corrie was an American
peace worker in Gaza who was crushed by an IDF
bulldozer as she tried to protect the house of a
Palestinian family from destruction. I had the
pleasure of going to hear her parents speak. They said
(in a nutshell), that when Rachel went to Gaza and
called them to tell them what was really going on
there, they didn't believe her, becuase it was so
incongruous to what they heard in the news everyday.
After their daughter died, they went personally to
Gaza to see what life was like and to meet the family
whose house she was protecting. Since then, they've
taken it on themselves to speak out for the truth as
they understand it. They are wonderful, warm and
humble people doing their part, but we need to do ours
in whatever ways we can. Don't get down or depressed.
Look at all these occasions as opportunities to spread
the truth.
Salam."
The truth is I think so many of us are down and depressed. We need to try to get out of that and cling to hope and cling to anything we can do, however small, for truth and justice anywhere in the world.
Terrorism must stop - be it state-sponsored or otherwise. I hate that word - it is so misused today - that would be a whole post in itself.
But for anyone in blogger land and beyond who wishes to join me, I think we should start a boycott of biased media - spread the word! Let's share information about sources of news that we feel are lessed biased and let's not contribute another millionth of a rating point or advertising dollar to those who don't deserve it.
A lot of people are 'addicted' to watching this stuff and it only feeds their anger and frustration. No more, it is time to stop, we CAN get our news elsewhere and now it is time to make sure we do.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
I think Pluto should be demoted, at least to "minor planet" or "ice dwarf planet." You?
Aug 13, 12:24 PM EDT
Astronomers Struggle to Define 'Planet'
By ALICIA CHANG
AP Science Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Our solar system is suffering an identity crisis. For decades, it has consisted of nine planets, even as scientists debated whether Pluto really belonged. Then the recent discovery of an object larger and farther away than Pluto threatened to throw this slice of the cosmos into chaos.
Should this newly found icy rock known as "2003 UB313" become the 10th planet? Should Pluto be demoted? And what exactly is a planet, anyway?
Ancient cultures regularly revised their answer to the last question and present-day scientists aren't much better off: There still is no universal definition of "planet."
That all could soon change, and with it science textbooks around this planet.
At a 12-day conference beginning Monday, scientists will conduct a galactic census of sorts. Among the possibilities at the meeting of the International Astronomical Union in the Czech Republic capital of Prague: Subtract Pluto or christen one more planet, and possibly dozens more.
"It's time we have a definition," said Alan Stern, who heads the Colorado-based space science division of the Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio. "It's embarrassing to the public that we as astronomers don't have one."
The debate intensified last summer when astronomer Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology announced the discovery of a celestial object larger than Pluto. Like Pluto, it is a member of the Kuiper Belt, a mysterious disc-shaped zone beyond Neptune containing thousands of comets and planetary objects. (Brown nicknamed his find "Xena" after a warrior heroine in a cheesy TV series; pending a formal name, it remains 2003 UB313.)
The Hubble Space Telescope measured the bright, rocky object at about 1,490 miles in diameter, roughly 70 miles longer than Pluto. At 9 billion miles from the sun, it is the farthest known object in the solar system.
The discovery stoked the planet debate that had been simmering since Pluto was spotted in 1930.
Some argue that if Pluto kept its crown, Xena should be the 10th planet by default - it is, after all, bigger. Purists maintain that there are only eight traditional planets, and insist Pluto and Xena are poseurs.
"Life would be simpler if we went back to eight planets," said Brian Marsden, director of the astronomical union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass.
Still others suggest a compromise that would divide planets into categories based on composition, similar to the way stars and galaxies are classified. Jupiter could be labeled a "gas giant planet," while Pluto and Xena could be "ice dwarf planets."
"Pluto is not worthy of being called just a plain planet," said Alan Boss, an astrophysicist at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. "But it's perfectly fine as an ice dwarf planet or a historical planet."
The number of recognized planets in the solar system has seesawed based on new findings. Ceres was initially classified as a planet in the 1800s, but was demoted to an asteroid when similar objects were found nearby.
Despite the lack of scientific consensus on what makes a planet, the current nine - and Xena - share common traits: They orbit the sun. Gravity is responsible for their round shape. And they were not formed by the same process that created stars.
Brown, Xena's discoverer, admits to being "agnostic" about what the international conference decides. He said he could live with eight planets, but is against sticking with the status quo and would feel a little guilty if Xena gained planethood because of the controversy surrounding Pluto.
"If UB313 is declared to be the 10th planet, I will always feel like it was a little bit of a fraud," Brown said.
For years, Pluto's inclusion in the solar system has been controversial. Astronomers thought it was the same size as Earth, but later found it was smaller than Earth's moon. Pluto is also odd in other ways: With its elongated orbit and funky orbital plane, it acts more like other Kuiper Belt objects than traditional planets.
Even so, Pluto remained No. 9 because it was the only known object in the Kuiper Belt at the time.
When new observations in the 1990s confirmed that the Kuiper Belt was sprinkled with numerous bodies similar to Pluto, some scientists piped up. In 1999, the international union took the unusual step of releasing a public statement denying rumors that the ninth rock from the sun might be kicked out.
That hasn't stopped groups from attacking Pluto's planethood. In 2001, the Hayden Planetarium at New York's American Museum of Natural History unleashed an uproar when it excluded Pluto as a planet in its solar system gallery.
Earlier this year, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft began a 9 1/2-year journey to Pluto on a mission that scientists hope will reveal more about the oddball object.
The trick for astronomers meeting in Prague is to set a criterion that makes sense scientifically. Should planets be grouped by location, size or another marker? If planets are defined by their size, should they be bigger than Pluto or another arbitrary size? The latter could expand the solar system to 23, 39 or even 53 planets.
It's not an academic exercise - the public may not be open to a flood of new planets. Despite their differences, scientists agree any definition should be flexible enough to accommodate new discoveries.
"Science progresses," said Boss of the Carnegie Institution. "Science is not something that's engraved on a steel tablet never to be changed."
Astronomers Struggle to Define 'Planet'
By ALICIA CHANG
AP Science Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Our solar system is suffering an identity crisis. For decades, it has consisted of nine planets, even as scientists debated whether Pluto really belonged. Then the recent discovery of an object larger and farther away than Pluto threatened to throw this slice of the cosmos into chaos.
Should this newly found icy rock known as "2003 UB313" become the 10th planet? Should Pluto be demoted? And what exactly is a planet, anyway?
Ancient cultures regularly revised their answer to the last question and present-day scientists aren't much better off: There still is no universal definition of "planet."
That all could soon change, and with it science textbooks around this planet.
At a 12-day conference beginning Monday, scientists will conduct a galactic census of sorts. Among the possibilities at the meeting of the International Astronomical Union in the Czech Republic capital of Prague: Subtract Pluto or christen one more planet, and possibly dozens more.
"It's time we have a definition," said Alan Stern, who heads the Colorado-based space science division of the Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio. "It's embarrassing to the public that we as astronomers don't have one."
The debate intensified last summer when astronomer Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology announced the discovery of a celestial object larger than Pluto. Like Pluto, it is a member of the Kuiper Belt, a mysterious disc-shaped zone beyond Neptune containing thousands of comets and planetary objects. (Brown nicknamed his find "Xena" after a warrior heroine in a cheesy TV series; pending a formal name, it remains 2003 UB313.)
The Hubble Space Telescope measured the bright, rocky object at about 1,490 miles in diameter, roughly 70 miles longer than Pluto. At 9 billion miles from the sun, it is the farthest known object in the solar system.
The discovery stoked the planet debate that had been simmering since Pluto was spotted in 1930.
Some argue that if Pluto kept its crown, Xena should be the 10th planet by default - it is, after all, bigger. Purists maintain that there are only eight traditional planets, and insist Pluto and Xena are poseurs.
"Life would be simpler if we went back to eight planets," said Brian Marsden, director of the astronomical union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass.
Still others suggest a compromise that would divide planets into categories based on composition, similar to the way stars and galaxies are classified. Jupiter could be labeled a "gas giant planet," while Pluto and Xena could be "ice dwarf planets."
"Pluto is not worthy of being called just a plain planet," said Alan Boss, an astrophysicist at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. "But it's perfectly fine as an ice dwarf planet or a historical planet."
The number of recognized planets in the solar system has seesawed based on new findings. Ceres was initially classified as a planet in the 1800s, but was demoted to an asteroid when similar objects were found nearby.
Despite the lack of scientific consensus on what makes a planet, the current nine - and Xena - share common traits: They orbit the sun. Gravity is responsible for their round shape. And they were not formed by the same process that created stars.
Brown, Xena's discoverer, admits to being "agnostic" about what the international conference decides. He said he could live with eight planets, but is against sticking with the status quo and would feel a little guilty if Xena gained planethood because of the controversy surrounding Pluto.
"If UB313 is declared to be the 10th planet, I will always feel like it was a little bit of a fraud," Brown said.
For years, Pluto's inclusion in the solar system has been controversial. Astronomers thought it was the same size as Earth, but later found it was smaller than Earth's moon. Pluto is also odd in other ways: With its elongated orbit and funky orbital plane, it acts more like other Kuiper Belt objects than traditional planets.
Even so, Pluto remained No. 9 because it was the only known object in the Kuiper Belt at the time.
When new observations in the 1990s confirmed that the Kuiper Belt was sprinkled with numerous bodies similar to Pluto, some scientists piped up. In 1999, the international union took the unusual step of releasing a public statement denying rumors that the ninth rock from the sun might be kicked out.
That hasn't stopped groups from attacking Pluto's planethood. In 2001, the Hayden Planetarium at New York's American Museum of Natural History unleashed an uproar when it excluded Pluto as a planet in its solar system gallery.
Earlier this year, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft began a 9 1/2-year journey to Pluto on a mission that scientists hope will reveal more about the oddball object.
The trick for astronomers meeting in Prague is to set a criterion that makes sense scientifically. Should planets be grouped by location, size or another marker? If planets are defined by their size, should they be bigger than Pluto or another arbitrary size? The latter could expand the solar system to 23, 39 or even 53 planets.
It's not an academic exercise - the public may not be open to a flood of new planets. Despite their differences, scientists agree any definition should be flexible enough to accommodate new discoveries.
"Science progresses," said Boss of the Carnegie Institution. "Science is not something that's engraved on a steel tablet never to be changed."
Friday, August 11, 2006
We need more of this in the world
Do I Have Enough? - originally posted at helpothers.org
I was doing some last-minute shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces.
A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well, with a roll of money clamped tightly in her little hand. When she came upon a Barbie she liked, she would turn and ask her father if she had enough money to buy it. He usually said "yes," but she would keep looking and keep going through their ritual of "do I have enough?"
As she was looking, a little boy wandered in across the aisle and started sorting through the Pokemon toys.
He was dressed neatly, but in clothes that were obviously rather worn, and wearing a jacket that was probably a couple of sizes too small. He too had money in his hand, but it looked to be no more than five dollars or so at the most.
He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head, "No."
The little girl had apparently chosen her Barbie, a beautifully dressed, glamorous doll that would have been the envy of every little girl on the block.
However, she had stopped and was watching the interchange between the little boy and his father. Rather dejectedly, the boy had given up on the video games and had chosen what looked like a book of stickers instead. He and his father then started walking through another aisle of the store.
The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon games. She excitedly picked up one that was lying on top of the other toys, and raced toward the check-out, after speaking with her father. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl's obvious delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me.
After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier and whispered something in her ear. The cashier smiled and put the package under the counter.
I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things in my purse when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier rang up his purchases and then said, "Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!"
With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon game, and he could only stare in disbelief.
It was, he said, exactly what he had wanted!
The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this, and I saw the biggest, prettiest, toothless grin on that little girl that I have ever seen in my life. Then they walked out the door, and I followed close behind them.
As I walked back to my car in amazement over what I had just witnessed, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I'll never forget what she said to him.
"Daddy, didn't Nana and PawPaw want me to buy something that would make me happy?"
He said, "Of course they did, honey."
To which the little girl replied, "Well, I just did!"
With that, she giggled and started skipping toward their car.
Apparently, she had decided on the answer to her own question of, "do I have enough?"
I was doing some last-minute shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces.
A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well, with a roll of money clamped tightly in her little hand. When she came upon a Barbie she liked, she would turn and ask her father if she had enough money to buy it. He usually said "yes," but she would keep looking and keep going through their ritual of "do I have enough?"
As she was looking, a little boy wandered in across the aisle and started sorting through the Pokemon toys.
He was dressed neatly, but in clothes that were obviously rather worn, and wearing a jacket that was probably a couple of sizes too small. He too had money in his hand, but it looked to be no more than five dollars or so at the most.
He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head, "No."
The little girl had apparently chosen her Barbie, a beautifully dressed, glamorous doll that would have been the envy of every little girl on the block.
However, she had stopped and was watching the interchange between the little boy and his father. Rather dejectedly, the boy had given up on the video games and had chosen what looked like a book of stickers instead. He and his father then started walking through another aisle of the store.
The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon games. She excitedly picked up one that was lying on top of the other toys, and raced toward the check-out, after speaking with her father. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl's obvious delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me.
After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier and whispered something in her ear. The cashier smiled and put the package under the counter.
I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things in my purse when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier rang up his purchases and then said, "Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!"
With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon game, and he could only stare in disbelief.
It was, he said, exactly what he had wanted!
The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this, and I saw the biggest, prettiest, toothless grin on that little girl that I have ever seen in my life. Then they walked out the door, and I followed close behind them.
As I walked back to my car in amazement over what I had just witnessed, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I'll never forget what she said to him.
"Daddy, didn't Nana and PawPaw want me to buy something that would make me happy?"
He said, "Of course they did, honey."
To which the little girl replied, "Well, I just did!"
With that, she giggled and started skipping toward their car.
Apparently, she had decided on the answer to her own question of, "do I have enough?"
Back to School
Although school officially starts again for teachers on Monday (students on Thursday), I've been busy with various meetings and training new teachers and building leaders, and writing curriculum since last week. It is always hard to adjust back to the early schedule of high school when I need to get up and stay up from 5-something a.m. on. In summer I get used to getting up for fajr and then going back to bed until 9 or so.
The beginning of a new year is always exciting even though it is sad to see the freedom of summer go. This past summer was very busy with lots of school work and travel.
This year I have moved to a different classroom so that will be interesting. My old classroom was in an isolated corner and that has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Another change is that my plan periods are periods 1 and 2 so that means I won't have students until around 9:30 and then I'll have them until the end of the day at 3:00. I've liked having morning classes with an afternoon break before but I am sure this schedule has its positives as well.
I was at King Soopers on Hancock and Academy earlier today and they had pre-packed school supplies for most of the elementary schools surrounding the store. So, if your student was, say, a 3rd grader at Widefield Elementary you would just go grab the 3rd grade Widefield Elementary package and it had everything you needed in it. I thought that was a neat idea.
The beginning of a new year is always exciting even though it is sad to see the freedom of summer go. This past summer was very busy with lots of school work and travel.
This year I have moved to a different classroom so that will be interesting. My old classroom was in an isolated corner and that has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Another change is that my plan periods are periods 1 and 2 so that means I won't have students until around 9:30 and then I'll have them until the end of the day at 3:00. I've liked having morning classes with an afternoon break before but I am sure this schedule has its positives as well.
I was at King Soopers on Hancock and Academy earlier today and they had pre-packed school supplies for most of the elementary schools surrounding the store. So, if your student was, say, a 3rd grader at Widefield Elementary you would just go grab the 3rd grade Widefield Elementary package and it had everything you needed in it. I thought that was a neat idea.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Recall Info from a mass E-mail I received
If you're a registered voter in District 11 and you haven't signed the D11 Recall Campaign's petitions yet, please consider doing so now. The Recall Campaign has collected approximately 13,300 signatures each against Eric Christen and Sandy Shakes, but with a submission deadline of Friday, August 11, time is running out. Every signature is important.
The Recall Campaign has heard from many D11 educators that they feel uncomfortable about signing the recall petitions - and some even feel intimidated. We know these rumors and threats are circulating, and we can guess their source. To address these concerns and protect employees' constitutional rights, a local lawyer has offered to represent any District 11 employee (at no cost) whose employment has been jeopardized by signing these petitions.
Please add your name to the thousands who have already signed. Petitions will be available at All Souls Unitarian Church at Tejon and Dale on Wednesday, August 9 from 5 PM through 7:30 PM, or you can call 634-2279.
Help us stand up for our schools and our students. The time is now!
The Recall Campaign has heard from many D11 educators that they feel uncomfortable about signing the recall petitions - and some even feel intimidated. We know these rumors and threats are circulating, and we can guess their source. To address these concerns and protect employees' constitutional rights, a local lawyer has offered to represent any District 11 employee (at no cost) whose employment has been jeopardized by signing these petitions.
Please add your name to the thousands who have already signed. Petitions will be available at All Souls Unitarian Church at Tejon and Dale on Wednesday, August 9 from 5 PM through 7:30 PM, or you can call 634-2279.
Help us stand up for our schools and our students. The time is now!
Monday, August 07, 2006
In a way it is really cool, but on the flip side it is just another sad evidence of the crisis of global warming
August 07, 2006
Massive manatee favors Manhattan suburbs
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - In the heat of summer, all sorts of tourists head north to cooler climes. This year, a manatee has joined the crowd, cruising past the nightclubs of Manhattan and continuing north.
The massive animal has been spotted in the Hudson River at least three times in the last week - first off the Chelsea and Harlem sections of Manhattan, then to the north in Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County.
"It was gigantic," said Randy Shull, who said he spotted the unusual visitor Sunday afternoon while boating at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow. "When we saw it surface, its back was just mammoth."
John Vargo, the publisher of Boating on the Hudson magazine, said his alert about the sightings was met with disbelief by some boaters.
"Some were laughing about it, because it couldn't possibly be true," he said.
It is unusual for one of the creatures - often associated with the warm waters of Florida - to travel so far north, although they have been reported along the shores of Long Island and even Rhode Island.
"I'm 70 years old, and I've been on the river my entire life," Vargo said. "I've seen dolphins and everything else, but never a manatee."
Massive manatee favors Manhattan suburbs
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - In the heat of summer, all sorts of tourists head north to cooler climes. This year, a manatee has joined the crowd, cruising past the nightclubs of Manhattan and continuing north.
The massive animal has been spotted in the Hudson River at least three times in the last week - first off the Chelsea and Harlem sections of Manhattan, then to the north in Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County.
"It was gigantic," said Randy Shull, who said he spotted the unusual visitor Sunday afternoon while boating at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow. "When we saw it surface, its back was just mammoth."
John Vargo, the publisher of Boating on the Hudson magazine, said his alert about the sightings was met with disbelief by some boaters.
"Some were laughing about it, because it couldn't possibly be true," he said.
It is unusual for one of the creatures - often associated with the warm waters of Florida - to travel so far north, although they have been reported along the shores of Long Island and even Rhode Island.
"I'm 70 years old, and I've been on the river my entire life," Vargo said. "I've seen dolphins and everything else, but never a manatee."
Why I love Colorado.....
My view while driving to work every morning (until the sun starts coming up later and I drive to work in the dark):
You can't really see it as I don't have the right type of camera to show it, but Pikes Peak had this cool cloud cover thing going on that made it look a bit volcanic. :)
You can't really see it as I don't have the right type of camera to show it, but Pikes Peak had this cool cloud cover thing going on that made it look a bit volcanic. :)
Sunday, August 06, 2006
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_ID=1&article_ID=74444&categ_id=5
An open letter to the American president
By Salim El Hoss
Special to The Daily Star
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dear Mr. Bush,
We heard you express your regrets regarding the casualties of Israel's
ravaging war against my country, Lebanon.
I hope you have been furnished with a true profile of the atrocities being
perpetrated in my country. You pose as being at war with terrorism. Let me
honestly tell you: Charity starts at home.
Israel is wantonly indulging in the most horrendous forms of terrorism in
Lebanon: indiscriminately killing innocent civilians at random; not sparing
children, elderly or handicapped people; demolishing buildings over their
residents' heads; and destroying all infrastructure, roads, bridges, water
and power arteries, harbors, air strips and storage facilities. Nothing
moving on the highways is spared, not even ambulances, trucks, trailers,
cars or even motorcycles, all in violation of the Geneva Conventions and
human rights.
The displaced population has reached more than one fourth of the total
population of my country - all suffering the harshest and most miserable of
conditions. The victims include thousands of killed and maimed.
If this is not terrorism, what is?
Israel's savage assault has been labeled retribution for Hizbullah's
abduction of two Israeli soldiers. This smacks of collective punishment,
which constitutes a brazen violation of the Geneva Conventions and human
rights. Furthermore, the alibi is far from plausible. The two Israeli
soldiers were abducted for the express purpose of reaching a swap of
hostages with Israel. In fact, Israel had acceded more than once to such
swaps in the past. Why would a swap of prisoners be acceptable at one time
and a taboo, rather a casus belli, at another? This created a conviction
among the Lebanese that the sweeping assault against them was premeditated,
and the abduction was only a tenuous excuse.
Israel is indulging in terrorism at its worst, at its ugliest, using the
most lethal and sophisticated weapons you have supplied them.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
We the Lebanese are justified in seeing in Israel as a most atrocious
terrorist power, and seeing in you a direct partner. Mr. President: You are
indeed a terrorist practicing the worst variant of terrorism as you condone
the annihilation of my country, precluding a cease-fire to be announced,
supporting the aggression against my people politically and diplomatically
and bolstering Israel's destructive arsenal with the most lethal weaponry.
Mr. President: You are not fooling anybody with your alleged war against
terrorism. In our perspective, you and Israel are the most unscrupulous
terrorists on earth. If you want to fight terrorism, we suggest that you
start with your administration and your hideous ally, Israel.
You repeatedly claim that Israel is acting in self-defense. How
preposterous! Self-defense on other people's occupied territory is
tantamount to one thing: blatant aggression.
You call Hizbullah a terrorist organization. We call it a legitimate
resistance movement. There would have been no military wing of Hizbullah if
there had been no Lebanese territory under Israeli occupation, if there had
been no Lebanese hostages languishing in Israeli jails, and if Lebanon had
not been exposed to almost daily Israeli intrusions into its airspace and
territorial waters, and to sporadic incursions into Lebanese land and
bombardment of civilian targets.
You cannot eliminate a party by demolishing a whole country. This would have
been achieved peacefully by Israel withdrawing from the land it occupies,
releasing Lebanese prisoners, and desisting from further acts of aggression
against Lebanon.
Israel is the most horrendous terrorist power. And you, Mr. President, are
unmistakably a direct partner, and hence a straight terrorist.
Salim al-Hoss, former prime minister of Lebanon 1976-1980, 1987-1990, and
1998-2000.
August 1, 2006
An open letter to the American president
By Salim El Hoss
Special to The Daily Star
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dear Mr. Bush,
We heard you express your regrets regarding the casualties of Israel's
ravaging war against my country, Lebanon.
I hope you have been furnished with a true profile of the atrocities being
perpetrated in my country. You pose as being at war with terrorism. Let me
honestly tell you: Charity starts at home.
Israel is wantonly indulging in the most horrendous forms of terrorism in
Lebanon: indiscriminately killing innocent civilians at random; not sparing
children, elderly or handicapped people; demolishing buildings over their
residents' heads; and destroying all infrastructure, roads, bridges, water
and power arteries, harbors, air strips and storage facilities. Nothing
moving on the highways is spared, not even ambulances, trucks, trailers,
cars or even motorcycles, all in violation of the Geneva Conventions and
human rights.
The displaced population has reached more than one fourth of the total
population of my country - all suffering the harshest and most miserable of
conditions. The victims include thousands of killed and maimed.
If this is not terrorism, what is?
Israel's savage assault has been labeled retribution for Hizbullah's
abduction of two Israeli soldiers. This smacks of collective punishment,
which constitutes a brazen violation of the Geneva Conventions and human
rights. Furthermore, the alibi is far from plausible. The two Israeli
soldiers were abducted for the express purpose of reaching a swap of
hostages with Israel. In fact, Israel had acceded more than once to such
swaps in the past. Why would a swap of prisoners be acceptable at one time
and a taboo, rather a casus belli, at another? This created a conviction
among the Lebanese that the sweeping assault against them was premeditated,
and the abduction was only a tenuous excuse.
Israel is indulging in terrorism at its worst, at its ugliest, using the
most lethal and sophisticated weapons you have supplied them.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
We the Lebanese are justified in seeing in Israel as a most atrocious
terrorist power, and seeing in you a direct partner. Mr. President: You are
indeed a terrorist practicing the worst variant of terrorism as you condone
the annihilation of my country, precluding a cease-fire to be announced,
supporting the aggression against my people politically and diplomatically
and bolstering Israel's destructive arsenal with the most lethal weaponry.
Mr. President: You are not fooling anybody with your alleged war against
terrorism. In our perspective, you and Israel are the most unscrupulous
terrorists on earth. If you want to fight terrorism, we suggest that you
start with your administration and your hideous ally, Israel.
You repeatedly claim that Israel is acting in self-defense. How
preposterous! Self-defense on other people's occupied territory is
tantamount to one thing: blatant aggression.
You call Hizbullah a terrorist organization. We call it a legitimate
resistance movement. There would have been no military wing of Hizbullah if
there had been no Lebanese territory under Israeli occupation, if there had
been no Lebanese hostages languishing in Israeli jails, and if Lebanon had
not been exposed to almost daily Israeli intrusions into its airspace and
territorial waters, and to sporadic incursions into Lebanese land and
bombardment of civilian targets.
You cannot eliminate a party by demolishing a whole country. This would have
been achieved peacefully by Israel withdrawing from the land it occupies,
releasing Lebanese prisoners, and desisting from further acts of aggression
against Lebanon.
Israel is the most horrendous terrorist power. And you, Mr. President, are
unmistakably a direct partner, and hence a straight terrorist.
Salim al-Hoss, former prime minister of Lebanon 1976-1980, 1987-1990, and
1998-2000.
August 1, 2006
Rajab
It is hard to believe as it is still technically summer, but the holy season started again a few weeks ago. It is the month of Rajab in which fasting is recommended and there are special prayers associated with this month as well. http://duas.org/rajab.htm has more information.
Ayatul Kursi translation and transliteration
I notice a lot of people end up at my site via searches related to ayatul kursi and I don't know if they are finding what they want. So here is a post specifically dedicated to ayatul kursi.
Ayatul Kursi is recommended for memorization, regular recitation, etc. Many people carry it on their person so it is handy to recite if they don't memorize it, and many people keep it in their cars, etc. It is said that reciting and reflecting on its meaning is a powerful avenue of protection, fulfillment of needs/goals, etc.
This is the transliteration/translation for Sura Al-Baqara 255-257. (I think Sunnis do only 255 as ayatul kursi, Shias do all three ayahs.)
Allāhu Lā 'Ilāha 'Illā Huwa Al-Ĥayyu Al-Qayyūm Lā Ta'khudhuhu Sinatun Wa Lā Nawmun Lahu Mā Fī As-Samāwāti Wa Mā Fī Al-'Arđi Man Dhā Al-Ladhī Yashfa`u `Indahu 'Illā Bi'idhnihi Ya`lamu Mā Bayna 'Aydīhim Wa Mā Khalfahum Wa Lā Yuĥīţūna Bishay'in Min `Ilmihi 'Illā Bimā Shā'a Wasi`a Kursīyuhu As-Samāwāti Wa Al-'Arđa Wa Lā Ya'ūduhu Ĥifžuhumā Wa Huwa Al-`Alīyu Al-`Ažīmu (255).
Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave ? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.
Lā 'Ikrāha Fī Ad-Dīni Qad Tabayyana Ar-Rushdu Mina Al-Ghayyi Faman Yakfur Biţ-Ţāghūti Wa Yu'umin Billāhi Faqad Astamsaka Bil-`Urwati Al-Wuthqaá Lā Anfişāma Lahā Wa Allāhu Samī`un `Alīmun (256).
There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Allāhu Wa Līyu Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Yukhrijuhum Mina Až-Žulumāti 'Ilaá An-Nūr Wa Al-Ladhīna Kafarū 'Awliyā'uuhum Aţ-Ţāghūtu Yukhrijūnahum Mina An-Nūr 'Ilaá Až-Žulumāti 'Ūlā'ika 'Aşĥābu An-Nāri Hum Fīhā Khālidūna (257).
Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.
Ayatul Kursi is recommended for memorization, regular recitation, etc. Many people carry it on their person so it is handy to recite if they don't memorize it, and many people keep it in their cars, etc. It is said that reciting and reflecting on its meaning is a powerful avenue of protection, fulfillment of needs/goals, etc.
This is the transliteration/translation for Sura Al-Baqara 255-257. (I think Sunnis do only 255 as ayatul kursi, Shias do all three ayahs.)
Allāhu Lā 'Ilāha 'Illā Huwa Al-Ĥayyu Al-Qayyūm Lā Ta'khudhuhu Sinatun Wa Lā Nawmun Lahu Mā Fī As-Samāwāti Wa Mā Fī Al-'Arđi Man Dhā Al-Ladhī Yashfa`u `Indahu 'Illā Bi'idhnihi Ya`lamu Mā Bayna 'Aydīhim Wa Mā Khalfahum Wa Lā Yuĥīţūna Bishay'in Min `Ilmihi 'Illā Bimā Shā'a Wasi`a Kursīyuhu As-Samāwāti Wa Al-'Arđa Wa Lā Ya'ūduhu Ĥifžuhumā Wa Huwa Al-`Alīyu Al-`Ažīmu (255).
Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave ? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.
Lā 'Ikrāha Fī Ad-Dīni Qad Tabayyana Ar-Rushdu Mina Al-Ghayyi Faman Yakfur Biţ-Ţāghūti Wa Yu'umin Billāhi Faqad Astamsaka Bil-`Urwati Al-Wuthqaá Lā Anfişāma Lahā Wa Allāhu Samī`un `Alīmun (256).
There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Allāhu Wa Līyu Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Yukhrijuhum Mina Až-Žulumāti 'Ilaá An-Nūr Wa Al-Ladhīna Kafarū 'Awliyā'uuhum Aţ-Ţāghūtu Yukhrijūnahum Mina An-Nūr 'Ilaá Až-Žulumāti 'Ūlā'ika 'Aşĥābu An-Nāri Hum Fīhā Khālidūna (257).
Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.
After getting woken up
in the middle of the night a few times over several years, I wish there was something I could do about it. (Yuck!)
A All Quality Time Entertainment
Staten Island, NY zip code
Phone: (718) 390-8999
Business Types:
Escorts, Miscellaneous Personal Services
A All Quality Time Entertainment
Staten Island, NY zip code
Phone: (718) 390-8999
Business Types:
Escorts, Miscellaneous Personal Services
Friday, August 04, 2006
N.H. woman bakes cookies on dashboard
The Associated Press
BEDFORD, N.H. - Blistering heat was just what Sandi Fontaine needed to bake cookies for her co-workers - on the dash of her Toyota Rav4.
With temperatures soaring Wednesday, Fontaine placed two trays of cookie dough on the dashboard, shut the doors and retreated inside to her air conditioned office.
"My husband wanted me to run some errands this morning," said Fontaine, who works at Baldwin and Clarke Corporate Finance. "I said, 'I can't. I'm baking cookies.'"
Fontaine first tested her dashboard oven three years ago. She said anyone can do it; the only requirement is for the outside temperature to be at least 95 degrees,
so it will rise to about 200 degrees in the car. Temperatures in the area reached the mid to upper 90s on Wednesday.
"Mrs. Fields has nothing on Sandi," co-worker Brian Champigny said of the cookie company.
Though Thursday was supposed to be cooler, Fontaine said she'll still enjoy the benefits of her culinary effort.
"When you open the door to that car," she said, "it's like, oh my God. It's a wonderful smell."
BEDFORD, N.H. - Blistering heat was just what Sandi Fontaine needed to bake cookies for her co-workers - on the dash of her Toyota Rav4.
With temperatures soaring Wednesday, Fontaine placed two trays of cookie dough on the dashboard, shut the doors and retreated inside to her air conditioned office.
"My husband wanted me to run some errands this morning," said Fontaine, who works at Baldwin and Clarke Corporate Finance. "I said, 'I can't. I'm baking cookies.'"
Fontaine first tested her dashboard oven three years ago. She said anyone can do it; the only requirement is for the outside temperature to be at least 95 degrees,
so it will rise to about 200 degrees in the car. Temperatures in the area reached the mid to upper 90s on Wednesday.
"Mrs. Fields has nothing on Sandi," co-worker Brian Champigny said of the cookie company.
Though Thursday was supposed to be cooler, Fontaine said she'll still enjoy the benefits of her culinary effort.
"When you open the door to that car," she said, "it's like, oh my God. It's a wonderful smell."
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Meme from Wayfarer: Prayer Area
I don't have a room that is just for prayer, but almost. The open filing cabinet is showing where I store Qur'an tapes, prayer chador, etc. Out of view to the left is a bookcase with nearly all of my Islamic books.
The vertical view shows the bulletin board, it has a prayer time calendar and Islamic date calendar on it and a Karbala related poster.
P.S. Wayfarer I loved the rug just for Little Dude!
The vertical view shows the bulletin board, it has a prayer time calendar and Islamic date calendar on it and a Karbala related poster.
P.S. Wayfarer I loved the rug just for Little Dude!
Check out my new swimsuit!
http://ahiida.com/index.php?a=details&cat=0&subcat=59&id=178&page=1
Expensive, but compared to what I was using I think it was worth it as long as it lasts which I don't see why it shouldn't at this point.....
Expensive, but compared to what I was using I think it was worth it as long as it lasts which I don't see why it shouldn't at this point.....
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Public Schools are Good!
For people actually involved in the schools, we knew this all along. I've seen both sides of the fence and public schools are generally much better in education reform than private schools.
All Things Considered, July 26, 2006 · Public schools perform favorably with private schools when students' income and socio-economic status are taken into account, according to a new report from the U.S. Education Department. The findings counter a popularly held notion, that private schools outperform public schools.
But the report has generated controversy due to what some call its overly low-key release, on a Friday evening. That spurred critics to charge that the Bush administration, long a supporter of private alternatives to public schools, was playing politics by burying data it doesn't like.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings calls her critics' charges ridiculous, saying the administration strongly supports public education. But, she says, the administration also believes parents should have choices.
All Things Considered, July 26, 2006 · Public schools perform favorably with private schools when students' income and socio-economic status are taken into account, according to a new report from the U.S. Education Department. The findings counter a popularly held notion, that private schools outperform public schools.
But the report has generated controversy due to what some call its overly low-key release, on a Friday evening. That spurred critics to charge that the Bush administration, long a supporter of private alternatives to public schools, was playing politics by burying data it doesn't like.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings calls her critics' charges ridiculous, saying the administration strongly supports public education. But, she says, the administration also believes parents should have choices.
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