I was pretty bored yesterday; it was too cold to go geocaching, no one wanted to do anything, and I didn't feel like working, etc. Today was much better -- took the kids caching, they checked out the video games, then Laura did, too, and then Laura and I saw the movie The Forgotten for fifty cents at the dollar theater; they have a special deal on Tuesdays. It was pretty good; it was pretty much like watching an episode of the X-Files.
I don't feel like saying anything serious, so I'll sign off!
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Playing
I've had a nice few days with my family. We made cookies and all that. Now I am busy playing with my new Nintendo GameCube! :)
Thursday, December 23, 2004
The Real Christmas
As it has been mentioned in the books of supplication and hadith, the 25 th of Dul Qa'dah (January 7 th of 2005) is the day of Da'wul Ardh (also known as Earth Day).
According to some hadith, this event actually is on the 29 th of Dhul Qa'dah (January 11th 2005) – however, keeping these dates in mind, we highlight the importance of this day, some of the events that had transpired in history and what actions we should perform on this blessed day that Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) has granted to us. What is the importance of this day?
It is said that the Sacred Ka'bah was sent down to Earth on this day and this is also when Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) spread out ALL the land on the Earth under the Ka'bah. According to the same narration, this is also the day when Prophet Adam (peace be with him) was sent to Earth after he and his wife, Hawwah ate from the tree in the ‘Earthly Paradise’. The Qur'an refers to the Ka'bah as being the first house of worship for mankind on this Earth in the following verse:
According to some hadith, this event actually is on the 29 th of Dhul Qa'dah (January 11th 2005) – however, keeping these dates in mind, we highlight the importance of this day, some of the events that had transpired in history and what actions we should perform on this blessed day that Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) has granted to us. What is the importance of this day?
It is said that the Sacred Ka'bah was sent down to Earth on this day and this is also when Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) spread out ALL the land on the Earth under the Ka'bah. According to the same narration, this is also the day when Prophet Adam (peace be with him) was sent to Earth after he and his wife, Hawwah ate from the tree in the ‘Earthly Paradise’. The Qur'an refers to the Ka'bah as being the first house of worship for mankind on this Earth in the following verse:
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Trees
Okay here's (in my opinion) a better photo.
What do you think?
I was actually trying to take pictures of the beautiful finches and chickadees feeding at my bird feeder after the snowfall last night under these trees through my car window. They didn't come out so well but the trees looked cool. I like the effect of the water running down the car window. :)
What do you think?
I was actually trying to take pictures of the beautiful finches and chickadees feeding at my bird feeder after the snowfall last night under these trees through my car window. They didn't come out so well but the trees looked cool. I like the effect of the water running down the car window. :)
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Picture and Ayatul Kursi
I haven't put up a picture in ages. I don't have any terribly exciting photos, but I do have a picture of an unplanned purchase: I went with my mother to the mall so she could get a new purse and ended up getting one too. Hers is blue and mine is cool. :)
Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 (I thought it included other verses surrounding it, too?) of the second chapter (Surah) of the Holy Quran, Surat al-Baqarah (The Chapter of the Cow).
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah! There is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted.
One who recites Ayatul Kursi every morning will be in the protection, safety of Allah until the night.
For those of our dear ones who have passed away, recitation of Ayatul Kursi and giving it as Hadiya to them, gives them light (noor) in the grave.
Frequent recitation makes ones own death easy.
When leaving home, if one recites it once, the Almighty has one group of Angels to come and protect you. If recited twice, 2 groups of Angels are assigned to do this. If recited 3 times Allah tells the Angels not to worry as the Almighty himself takes care of him.
The Holy Prophet has said: If one recites Ayatul Kursi before going to sleep, Allah will send an Angel to come and look after you and protect you till the morning. His home, family and also neighbours will remain in safety until morning.
When one is alone in the home, recitation of Ayatul Kursi and asking Allah to help will make you remain calm and you will not fear.
The Holy Prophet has said: When leaving home,if one recites Ayatul Kursi the Allah will send 70,000 Angels to do Istighfaar for him until he returns home, and upon his return Poverty will be removed from him.
One who recites it after every prayer, thier salaat will be accepted, they will remain in the safety of the Almighty and He will protect them.
Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 (I thought it included other verses surrounding it, too?) of the second chapter (Surah) of the Holy Quran, Surat al-Baqarah (The Chapter of the Cow).
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah! There is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted.
One who recites Ayatul Kursi every morning will be in the protection, safety of Allah until the night.
For those of our dear ones who have passed away, recitation of Ayatul Kursi and giving it as Hadiya to them, gives them light (noor) in the grave.
Frequent recitation makes ones own death easy.
When leaving home, if one recites it once, the Almighty has one group of Angels to come and protect you. If recited twice, 2 groups of Angels are assigned to do this. If recited 3 times Allah tells the Angels not to worry as the Almighty himself takes care of him.
The Holy Prophet has said: If one recites Ayatul Kursi before going to sleep, Allah will send an Angel to come and look after you and protect you till the morning. His home, family and also neighbours will remain in safety until morning.
When one is alone in the home, recitation of Ayatul Kursi and asking Allah to help will make you remain calm and you will not fear.
The Holy Prophet has said: When leaving home,if one recites Ayatul Kursi the Allah will send 70,000 Angels to do Istighfaar for him until he returns home, and upon his return Poverty will be removed from him.
One who recites it after every prayer, thier salaat will be accepted, they will remain in the safety of the Almighty and He will protect them.
Unimportant Reader Poll
Well, I'm in the mood for another light-hearted post. That and I've mostly been doing nothing and I haven't any really profound thoughts to blog on, either.
So here's a reader poll (I like interactive stuff!)
Which applies to you?
1. Have both DVD and VHS players but mostly use VHS.
2. Have both DVD and VHS players but mostly use DVD.
3. Have only DVD.
4. Have only VHS.
5. I'm standing in line for the DVD HD. (I wonder if those only work with HD TV's and subscriptions?)
6. What do all those letters stand for?
Credits roll on VHS, thanks to DVD explosion
By ANDREW WINEKE THE GAZETTE
The LP. The cassette tape. The floppy disk. And to that list of once-dominant media formats superseded by the march of progress, add the VHS tape.
VHS has been on the wane since DVD players became widely available about 1997. Digital video discs offer higher-quality video and sound and hold more material — not to mention they take up less shelf space. Still, consumers are naturally slow to adopt new technology.
Now, however, with DVD players costing $40 or less and many new movies and TV shows being released only on DVD, it’s clear the chunky plastic rectangles will be consigned to the trash bin and dumped into landfills.
“I think we’re beginning to see the end of VHS,” said Sean Bersell, vice president of public affairs for the Video Software Dealers Association, a trade group for the movie rental industry. “The market (for VHS) has declined significantly. When you can buy a DVD player for $20, what are you waiting for?”
Blockbuster, the nation’s largest video rental chain, has seen DVD rentals soar to 75 percent of its rental revenue this year, up from 60 percent last year, spokesman Blake Lugash said. Nationwide, DVDs account for 71 percent of rental revenue this year, the VSDA says.
Although Lugash said there’s no national policy mandating the demise of VHS, many Colorado Springs Blockbuster stores are telling customers their VHS titles will be almost gone by early 2005. The stores stopped selling new VHS movies; the used ones reside in the markdown bins.
Out of VHS’s trials comes opportunity, though. Local independent video stores say they’re hanging onto their VHS tapes and ordering more when they can.
“If Blockbuster or Hollywood wants to get rid of video, that’s more business for me,” said James Kyle, who owns Carefree Video. “You remember how long cassettes hung around after CDs came out? I think it’s going to be the same thing.”
Until recently, DVD players remained relatively expensive and, for many people, hooking up another machine and learning another technology was a hassle. People with older televisions, for instance, need a gadget called an RF converter to connect a DVD player.
Some viewers cling to their VCRs to record favorite shows, although technologies such as digital video recorders and recordable DVDs are beginning to take over that role.
Stace Moss, owner of Starlight Video in Colorado Springs, said about 30 percent of the movies at his two locations are on VHS tapes.
Getting the latest releases on tape is getting harder, but many customers haven’t made the switch.
“I’m using my dad as a bellwether,” he said. “As soon as he goes to a DVD, I’ll be worried.”
Kyle says the same thing about his mother-in-law. “Me and my wife bought my mother-in-law a DVD player a couple years ago,” he said. “If she has a choice, she’ll watch (movies) on video. It’s just familiarity.”
Overall, though, Americans adopted DVD players faster than any electronic device.
Two out of three homes in the United States will have a DVD player by the end of the year, according to the Digital Entertainment Group, which represents DVD manufacturers.
For that one-third without a DVD player, the impending death of the VHS can be frustrating. Finding new VHS releases can be as hard as finding classic foreign films. But those who have shelled out money for DVD players seem to be taking this transition with little lament.
“I’m glad to see it go,” said Army lst Lt. Ken Sturtz of Colorado Springs. “My only regret is that I can’t sell my two old VHS machines, and I’ve tried to on eBay.”
He’s had his DVD player for three years and likes it because it is smaller than the VHS and “doesn’t make that rewind noise.”
Although there’s no reason to ditch a VCR this second, don’t think VHS tapes and DVDs will co-exist forever.
“If I had to guess,” Moss said, “I’ll be buying VHS tapes for another 18 months. People are going to stay multiformat for a while.”
DVD lovers might not want to get too comfortable. Movie studios and manufacturers are rolling out high-definition DVDs, which will make every DVD player on the market as obsolete as an LP, a floppy disk — or a VHS tape.
CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0275 or awineke@gazette.com
Gazette reporter Carol McGraw contributed to this report.
So here's a reader poll (I like interactive stuff!)
Which applies to you?
1. Have both DVD and VHS players but mostly use VHS.
2. Have both DVD and VHS players but mostly use DVD.
3. Have only DVD.
4. Have only VHS.
5. I'm standing in line for the DVD HD. (I wonder if those only work with HD TV's and subscriptions?)
6. What do all those letters stand for?
Credits roll on VHS, thanks to DVD explosion
By ANDREW WINEKE THE GAZETTE
The LP. The cassette tape. The floppy disk. And to that list of once-dominant media formats superseded by the march of progress, add the VHS tape.
VHS has been on the wane since DVD players became widely available about 1997. Digital video discs offer higher-quality video and sound and hold more material — not to mention they take up less shelf space. Still, consumers are naturally slow to adopt new technology.
Now, however, with DVD players costing $40 or less and many new movies and TV shows being released only on DVD, it’s clear the chunky plastic rectangles will be consigned to the trash bin and dumped into landfills.
“I think we’re beginning to see the end of VHS,” said Sean Bersell, vice president of public affairs for the Video Software Dealers Association, a trade group for the movie rental industry. “The market (for VHS) has declined significantly. When you can buy a DVD player for $20, what are you waiting for?”
Blockbuster, the nation’s largest video rental chain, has seen DVD rentals soar to 75 percent of its rental revenue this year, up from 60 percent last year, spokesman Blake Lugash said. Nationwide, DVDs account for 71 percent of rental revenue this year, the VSDA says.
Although Lugash said there’s no national policy mandating the demise of VHS, many Colorado Springs Blockbuster stores are telling customers their VHS titles will be almost gone by early 2005. The stores stopped selling new VHS movies; the used ones reside in the markdown bins.
Out of VHS’s trials comes opportunity, though. Local independent video stores say they’re hanging onto their VHS tapes and ordering more when they can.
“If Blockbuster or Hollywood wants to get rid of video, that’s more business for me,” said James Kyle, who owns Carefree Video. “You remember how long cassettes hung around after CDs came out? I think it’s going to be the same thing.”
Until recently, DVD players remained relatively expensive and, for many people, hooking up another machine and learning another technology was a hassle. People with older televisions, for instance, need a gadget called an RF converter to connect a DVD player.
Some viewers cling to their VCRs to record favorite shows, although technologies such as digital video recorders and recordable DVDs are beginning to take over that role.
Stace Moss, owner of Starlight Video in Colorado Springs, said about 30 percent of the movies at his two locations are on VHS tapes.
Getting the latest releases on tape is getting harder, but many customers haven’t made the switch.
“I’m using my dad as a bellwether,” he said. “As soon as he goes to a DVD, I’ll be worried.”
Kyle says the same thing about his mother-in-law. “Me and my wife bought my mother-in-law a DVD player a couple years ago,” he said. “If she has a choice, she’ll watch (movies) on video. It’s just familiarity.”
Overall, though, Americans adopted DVD players faster than any electronic device.
Two out of three homes in the United States will have a DVD player by the end of the year, according to the Digital Entertainment Group, which represents DVD manufacturers.
For that one-third without a DVD player, the impending death of the VHS can be frustrating. Finding new VHS releases can be as hard as finding classic foreign films. But those who have shelled out money for DVD players seem to be taking this transition with little lament.
“I’m glad to see it go,” said Army lst Lt. Ken Sturtz of Colorado Springs. “My only regret is that I can’t sell my two old VHS machines, and I’ve tried to on eBay.”
He’s had his DVD player for three years and likes it because it is smaller than the VHS and “doesn’t make that rewind noise.”
Although there’s no reason to ditch a VCR this second, don’t think VHS tapes and DVDs will co-exist forever.
“If I had to guess,” Moss said, “I’ll be buying VHS tapes for another 18 months. People are going to stay multiformat for a while.”
DVD lovers might not want to get too comfortable. Movie studios and manufacturers are rolling out high-definition DVDs, which will make every DVD player on the market as obsolete as an LP, a floppy disk — or a VHS tape.
CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0275 or awineke@gazette.com
Gazette reporter Carol McGraw contributed to this report.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
I thought of doing this, but don't know if I could handle a full day of nothing but LOTR
MIDDLE-EARTH MARATHON
By PAUL ASAY THE GAZETTE
J.R.R. Tolkien was annoyed when his publishers refused to meld his fantasy epic, “Lord of the Rings,” into one huge book. Director Peter Jackson sympathizes. He thinks of his Oscarwinning adaptations of “Rings” as one huge movie — albeit one originally released with yearlong intermissions. The movies hit theaters in December 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively.
To honor the intent of Tolkien and Jackson — and with no new “Rings” movie to keep me occupied — I decided to settle into my sofa and watch all three “Lord of the Rings” movies in succession.
We’re talking the extended versions, here, including the new “Return of the King,” which was released Dec. 14, just hours before my Middle-earth marathon began. The movie’s release marked the first time geeks like me could spend a full day in Middle-earth.
You could watch Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” three times before the credits would roll for “Return of the King.” Put all three together, and you’ve got an 11-hour, 22-minute feature, which makes the 3-hour, 58-minute “Gone With the Wind” look like a throwaway lark in comparison.
Admittedly, I’m a fan of the “Rings” movies.
But 11 hours and 22 minutes? It’s enough to challenge even the hardiest of couch potatoes. Would the experience make me swear off the movies forever? Would it break my sanity? Would it make my feet grow big and hairy?
Should I stretch first?
Tuesday, 12:02 a.m.: I blearily weave into a local Media Play store to pick up my reserved copy of “Return of the King.”
I’m a latecomer.
According to a Media Play official, at least 10 copies were picked up and purchased in the 120 seconds before I arrived. About a half-dozen sweatshirted, 20-something guys are loitering in the store, gently caressing their blue “Return of the King” boxes. It might be my imagination, but one appears to be muttering “my precious” under his breath.
9:06 a.m.: I start “Fellowship of the Ring.”
9:30 a.m.: Less than 30 minutes into the first film, I realize I should’ve bought a bigger television for the marathon. Maybe I could’ve expensed it.
10:16 a.m.: I’ve been sitting for more than an hour. It’s hard work, and I need to keep up my strength. I grab a chocolate-chip cookie.
10:18 a.m.: Another cookie wouldn’t hurt.
10:25 a.m.: Saruman is hatching an army. Well, actually, he’s growing soldiers, plucking them out of the ground like huge, evil-looking carrots. The imagery makes me hungry, but two cookies is my limit.
11:34 a.m.: Poor ring-bearing Frodo. In the past hour, he’s been stabbed, skewered, held upside-down by a gigantic octopus and, just now, had to make a death-defying leap across the chasm of Ultimate Doom. C’mon, guys. At this rate, Frodo’s never going to make it through another nine hours.
11:36 a.m.: Take your King Kongs, your Godzillas, your T-Rexes. For my money, the most wicked-looking movie monster ever has got to be that horned, flaming Balrog.
12:10 p.m.: Does anyone else think it strange that, with so many natural wonders and ancient ruins in Middle-earth, no one ever runs into a park ranger?
12:30 p.m.: “Fellowship” is done, and I’m feeling just dandy. This movie-marathon thing is a snap. Now that I’ve lost feeling in my butt, I can go for days.
12:45 p.m.: I start “The Two Towers” and chow down my lunch — a plate of pizza rolls.
12:55 p.m.: Gollum — everybody’s favorite pale, anorexic, computer-generated character — shows up and starts making trouble with Frodo and his best bud, Sam Gamgee. You know what they say: Two’s company . . .
2:43 p.m.: All this stationary viewing is hard work. I wish I could take a walk. Maybe I will. Over to the cookie jar.
3:04 p.m.: My kingdom for a nap. Better yet, Peter Jackson’s kingdom for a nap.
3:30 p.m.: My youngest child is home from school. I nod in her general direction and ask her to fetch me a cookie.
3:35 p.m.: In watching these movies straight through, I’m getting a sense of deja-vu. I see a girl huddled in the caves below Helm’s Deep that, just hours before, was a little Hobbit at Bilbo’s birthday part. Is she an exchange student?
3:42 p.m.: Talking treethings are holding a meeting. One of them says “We never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.” I betcha Peter Jackson has that line hanging up on his bulletin board somewhere.
4:24 p.m.: “The Two Towers” ends in gloomy fashion — fitting my mood. My head is throbbing, my tailbone is sore and I think I’ve eaten too many cookies. To top it off, I’m concerned the tree in my front yard might decide to walk off. Or worse, eat one of the neighbors.
4:37 p.m.: I start “Return of the King.” Only four hours, 11 minutes to go.
4:41 p.m.: It’s sad and moving to watch Frodo progress from a happy little Hobbit to a ring junkie. The transformation strikes me harder now, it seems.
5:30 p.m.: I know Minas Morgul is supposed to be the second-most evil place in all of Middle-earth. But that emerald green glow makes it look like the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. I can almost hear the Orcs playing the slots inside.
5:39 p.m.: Hey, another battle! Imagine! Now, I have nothing against a little fabricated blood and death, but even I have my limits. In Middleearth, the leading cause of work absenteeism is beheading.
5:40 p.m.: The mountaintop beacons are lit. It’s probably the first time those beaconlighters have had anything to do in ages. Man, that’s a job I’d hate: Just sitting around, not doing anything, hour after hour . . .
6:11 p.m.: There’s that little girl again — only she’s in Minas Tirith! She’s no exchange student; she’s either an enemy spy or Peter Jackson’s granddaughter.
7:06 p.m.: That giant spider looks more realistic than some real spiders I’ve seen. Or is that just my 10 hours with these movies talking?
7:46 p.m.: Chaos breaks out among the enemy, and Orcs are beheading one another with abandon. One of them looks like Ron Artest.
7:51 p.m.: As much as I’ve liked these movies, I’ve always been disappointed that Sauron, embodiment of all evil, is really just a huge, bus-sized eyeball. It seems like Frodo could’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble — and me a lot of time — if he had just packed a BB gun.
8:11 p.m.: Oh, stop with the “No, Sam, I can’t recall the taste of water” shtick. Just climb to the top of Mount Doom already!
8:22 p.m.: Sam and Frodo take care of that pesky ring. Now they must endure another quest: meandering through the movie’s 16 endings.
8:49 p.m.: It’s really, truly “The End,” and thank goodness. I’m tired, cranky and headache-y, and I swear I’ll never eat another chocolatechip cookie again.
It (the marathon, not the cookie) was worth it. The films do carry more oomph when viewed together. The characters develop more fully, the story line progresses more coherently.
But I don’t plan on doing it again any time soon. At least not for another week or so.
By PAUL ASAY THE GAZETTE
J.R.R. Tolkien was annoyed when his publishers refused to meld his fantasy epic, “Lord of the Rings,” into one huge book. Director Peter Jackson sympathizes. He thinks of his Oscarwinning adaptations of “Rings” as one huge movie — albeit one originally released with yearlong intermissions. The movies hit theaters in December 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively.
To honor the intent of Tolkien and Jackson — and with no new “Rings” movie to keep me occupied — I decided to settle into my sofa and watch all three “Lord of the Rings” movies in succession.
We’re talking the extended versions, here, including the new “Return of the King,” which was released Dec. 14, just hours before my Middle-earth marathon began. The movie’s release marked the first time geeks like me could spend a full day in Middle-earth.
You could watch Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” three times before the credits would roll for “Return of the King.” Put all three together, and you’ve got an 11-hour, 22-minute feature, which makes the 3-hour, 58-minute “Gone With the Wind” look like a throwaway lark in comparison.
Admittedly, I’m a fan of the “Rings” movies.
But 11 hours and 22 minutes? It’s enough to challenge even the hardiest of couch potatoes. Would the experience make me swear off the movies forever? Would it break my sanity? Would it make my feet grow big and hairy?
Should I stretch first?
Tuesday, 12:02 a.m.: I blearily weave into a local Media Play store to pick up my reserved copy of “Return of the King.”
I’m a latecomer.
According to a Media Play official, at least 10 copies were picked up and purchased in the 120 seconds before I arrived. About a half-dozen sweatshirted, 20-something guys are loitering in the store, gently caressing their blue “Return of the King” boxes. It might be my imagination, but one appears to be muttering “my precious” under his breath.
9:06 a.m.: I start “Fellowship of the Ring.”
9:30 a.m.: Less than 30 minutes into the first film, I realize I should’ve bought a bigger television for the marathon. Maybe I could’ve expensed it.
10:16 a.m.: I’ve been sitting for more than an hour. It’s hard work, and I need to keep up my strength. I grab a chocolate-chip cookie.
10:18 a.m.: Another cookie wouldn’t hurt.
10:25 a.m.: Saruman is hatching an army. Well, actually, he’s growing soldiers, plucking them out of the ground like huge, evil-looking carrots. The imagery makes me hungry, but two cookies is my limit.
11:34 a.m.: Poor ring-bearing Frodo. In the past hour, he’s been stabbed, skewered, held upside-down by a gigantic octopus and, just now, had to make a death-defying leap across the chasm of Ultimate Doom. C’mon, guys. At this rate, Frodo’s never going to make it through another nine hours.
11:36 a.m.: Take your King Kongs, your Godzillas, your T-Rexes. For my money, the most wicked-looking movie monster ever has got to be that horned, flaming Balrog.
12:10 p.m.: Does anyone else think it strange that, with so many natural wonders and ancient ruins in Middle-earth, no one ever runs into a park ranger?
12:30 p.m.: “Fellowship” is done, and I’m feeling just dandy. This movie-marathon thing is a snap. Now that I’ve lost feeling in my butt, I can go for days.
12:45 p.m.: I start “The Two Towers” and chow down my lunch — a plate of pizza rolls.
12:55 p.m.: Gollum — everybody’s favorite pale, anorexic, computer-generated character — shows up and starts making trouble with Frodo and his best bud, Sam Gamgee. You know what they say: Two’s company . . .
2:43 p.m.: All this stationary viewing is hard work. I wish I could take a walk. Maybe I will. Over to the cookie jar.
3:04 p.m.: My kingdom for a nap. Better yet, Peter Jackson’s kingdom for a nap.
3:30 p.m.: My youngest child is home from school. I nod in her general direction and ask her to fetch me a cookie.
3:35 p.m.: In watching these movies straight through, I’m getting a sense of deja-vu. I see a girl huddled in the caves below Helm’s Deep that, just hours before, was a little Hobbit at Bilbo’s birthday part. Is she an exchange student?
3:42 p.m.: Talking treethings are holding a meeting. One of them says “We never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.” I betcha Peter Jackson has that line hanging up on his bulletin board somewhere.
4:24 p.m.: “The Two Towers” ends in gloomy fashion — fitting my mood. My head is throbbing, my tailbone is sore and I think I’ve eaten too many cookies. To top it off, I’m concerned the tree in my front yard might decide to walk off. Or worse, eat one of the neighbors.
4:37 p.m.: I start “Return of the King.” Only four hours, 11 minutes to go.
4:41 p.m.: It’s sad and moving to watch Frodo progress from a happy little Hobbit to a ring junkie. The transformation strikes me harder now, it seems.
5:30 p.m.: I know Minas Morgul is supposed to be the second-most evil place in all of Middle-earth. But that emerald green glow makes it look like the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. I can almost hear the Orcs playing the slots inside.
5:39 p.m.: Hey, another battle! Imagine! Now, I have nothing against a little fabricated blood and death, but even I have my limits. In Middleearth, the leading cause of work absenteeism is beheading.
5:40 p.m.: The mountaintop beacons are lit. It’s probably the first time those beaconlighters have had anything to do in ages. Man, that’s a job I’d hate: Just sitting around, not doing anything, hour after hour . . .
6:11 p.m.: There’s that little girl again — only she’s in Minas Tirith! She’s no exchange student; she’s either an enemy spy or Peter Jackson’s granddaughter.
7:06 p.m.: That giant spider looks more realistic than some real spiders I’ve seen. Or is that just my 10 hours with these movies talking?
7:46 p.m.: Chaos breaks out among the enemy, and Orcs are beheading one another with abandon. One of them looks like Ron Artest.
7:51 p.m.: As much as I’ve liked these movies, I’ve always been disappointed that Sauron, embodiment of all evil, is really just a huge, bus-sized eyeball. It seems like Frodo could’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble — and me a lot of time — if he had just packed a BB gun.
8:11 p.m.: Oh, stop with the “No, Sam, I can’t recall the taste of water” shtick. Just climb to the top of Mount Doom already!
8:22 p.m.: Sam and Frodo take care of that pesky ring. Now they must endure another quest: meandering through the movie’s 16 endings.
8:49 p.m.: It’s really, truly “The End,” and thank goodness. I’m tired, cranky and headache-y, and I swear I’ll never eat another chocolatechip cookie again.
It (the marathon, not the cookie) was worth it. The films do carry more oomph when viewed together. The characters develop more fully, the story line progresses more coherently.
But I don’t plan on doing it again any time soon. At least not for another week or so.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Fear factor: 44 percent of Americans queried in Cornell national poll favor curtailing some liberties for Muslim Americans
Contact: Blaine P. Friedlander Jr.
Office: 607-254-8093
E-Mail: bpf2@cornell.edu
The full reports are available in PDF form (http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Dec04/Muslim.Poll.bpf.html):
Restrictions on Civil Liberties, Views of Islam, & Muslim Americans
U.S. War on Terror, U.S.Foreign Policy, and Anti-Americanism
ITHACA, N.Y. -- In a study to determine how much the public fears terrorism, almost half of respondents polled nationally said they believe the U.S. government should -- in some way -- curtail civil liberties for Muslim Americans, according to a new survey released today (Dec. 17) by Cornell University.
About 27 percent of respondents said that all Muslim Americans should be required to register their location with the federal government, and 26 percent said they think that mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Twenty-nine percent agreed that undercover law enforcement agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations, in order to keep tabs on their activities and fund raising. About 22 percent said the federal government should profile citizens as potential threats based on the fact that they are Muslim or have Middle Eastern heritage. In all, about 44 percent said they believe that some curtailment of civil liberties is necessary for Muslim Americans.
Conversely, 48 percent of respondents nationally said they do not believe that civil liberties for Muslim Americans should be restricted.
The Media and Society Research Group, in Cornell's Department of Communication, commissioned the poll, which was supervised by the Survey Research Institute, in Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The results were based on 715 completed telephone interviews of respondents across the United States, and the poll has a margin of error of 3.6 percent.
The survey also examined the relation of religiosity to perceptions of Islam and Islamic countries among Christian respondents. Sixty-five percent of self-described highly religious people queried said they view Islam as encouraging violence more than other religions do; in comparison, 42 percent of the respondents who said they were not highly religious saw Islam as encouraging violence. In addition, highly religious respondents also were more likely to describe Islamic countries as violent (64 percent), fanatical (61 percent) and dangerous (64 percent). Fewer of the respondents who said they were not highly religious described Islamic countries as violent (49 percent), fanatical (46 percent) and dangerous (44 percent). But 80 percent of all respondents said they see Islamic countries as being oppressive toward women.
"Our results highlight the need for continued dialogue about issues of civil liberties in time of war," says James Shanahan, Cornell associate professor of communication and a principal investigator in the study. Shanahan and Erik Nisbet, senior research associate with the ILR Survey Research Institute, commissioned the study, and Ron Ostman, professor of communication, and his students administered it.
Shanahan notes: "Most Americans understand that balancing political freedoms with security can sometimes be difficult. Nevertheless, while a majority of Americans support civil liberties even in these difficult times, and while more discussion about civil liberties is always warranted, our findings highlight that personal religiosity as well as exposure to news media are two important correlates of support for restrictions. We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse may nurture fear rather than understanding."
Researchers found that opinions on restricting civil liberties for Muslim Americans vary by political self-identification. About 40 percent of Republican respondents agreed that Muslim Americans should be required to register their whereabouts, compared with 24 percent of Democratic respondents and 17 percent of independents. Forty-one percent of Republican respondents said that Muslim American civic groups should be infiltrated, compared with 21 percent of Democrats and 27 percent of independents.
On whether mosques should be monitored, about 34 percent of the Republicans polled agreed they should be, compared with 22 percent of Democrats. Thirty-four percent of Republicans said that profiling of Muslim Americans is necessary, compared with 17 percent of Democrats.
The survey also showed a correlation between television news-viewing habits, a respondent's fear level and attitudes toward restrictions on civil liberties for all Americans. Respondents who paid a lot of attention to television news were more likely to favor restrictions on civil liberties, such as greater power for the government to monitor the Internet. Respondents who paid less attention to television news were less likely to support such measures. "The more attention paid to television news, the more you fear terrorism, and you are more likely to favor restrictions on civil liberties," says Nisbet.
Office: 607-254-8093
E-Mail: bpf2@cornell.edu
The full reports are available in PDF form (http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Dec04/Muslim.Poll.bpf.html):
Restrictions on Civil Liberties, Views of Islam, & Muslim Americans
U.S. War on Terror, U.S.Foreign Policy, and Anti-Americanism
ITHACA, N.Y. -- In a study to determine how much the public fears terrorism, almost half of respondents polled nationally said they believe the U.S. government should -- in some way -- curtail civil liberties for Muslim Americans, according to a new survey released today (Dec. 17) by Cornell University.
About 27 percent of respondents said that all Muslim Americans should be required to register their location with the federal government, and 26 percent said they think that mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Twenty-nine percent agreed that undercover law enforcement agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations, in order to keep tabs on their activities and fund raising. About 22 percent said the federal government should profile citizens as potential threats based on the fact that they are Muslim or have Middle Eastern heritage. In all, about 44 percent said they believe that some curtailment of civil liberties is necessary for Muslim Americans.
Conversely, 48 percent of respondents nationally said they do not believe that civil liberties for Muslim Americans should be restricted.
The Media and Society Research Group, in Cornell's Department of Communication, commissioned the poll, which was supervised by the Survey Research Institute, in Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The results were based on 715 completed telephone interviews of respondents across the United States, and the poll has a margin of error of 3.6 percent.
The survey also examined the relation of religiosity to perceptions of Islam and Islamic countries among Christian respondents. Sixty-five percent of self-described highly religious people queried said they view Islam as encouraging violence more than other religions do; in comparison, 42 percent of the respondents who said they were not highly religious saw Islam as encouraging violence. In addition, highly religious respondents also were more likely to describe Islamic countries as violent (64 percent), fanatical (61 percent) and dangerous (64 percent). Fewer of the respondents who said they were not highly religious described Islamic countries as violent (49 percent), fanatical (46 percent) and dangerous (44 percent). But 80 percent of all respondents said they see Islamic countries as being oppressive toward women.
"Our results highlight the need for continued dialogue about issues of civil liberties in time of war," says James Shanahan, Cornell associate professor of communication and a principal investigator in the study. Shanahan and Erik Nisbet, senior research associate with the ILR Survey Research Institute, commissioned the study, and Ron Ostman, professor of communication, and his students administered it.
Shanahan notes: "Most Americans understand that balancing political freedoms with security can sometimes be difficult. Nevertheless, while a majority of Americans support civil liberties even in these difficult times, and while more discussion about civil liberties is always warranted, our findings highlight that personal religiosity as well as exposure to news media are two important correlates of support for restrictions. We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse may nurture fear rather than understanding."
Researchers found that opinions on restricting civil liberties for Muslim Americans vary by political self-identification. About 40 percent of Republican respondents agreed that Muslim Americans should be required to register their whereabouts, compared with 24 percent of Democratic respondents and 17 percent of independents. Forty-one percent of Republican respondents said that Muslim American civic groups should be infiltrated, compared with 21 percent of Democrats and 27 percent of independents.
On whether mosques should be monitored, about 34 percent of the Republicans polled agreed they should be, compared with 22 percent of Democrats. Thirty-four percent of Republicans said that profiling of Muslim Americans is necessary, compared with 17 percent of Democrats.
The survey also showed a correlation between television news-viewing habits, a respondent's fear level and attitudes toward restrictions on civil liberties for all Americans. Respondents who paid a lot of attention to television news were more likely to favor restrictions on civil liberties, such as greater power for the government to monitor the Internet. Respondents who paid less attention to television news were less likely to support such measures. "The more attention paid to television news, the more you fear terrorism, and you are more likely to favor restrictions on civil liberties," says Nisbet.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Eric's Adventure - Especially for Carol!
More random silliness as I count down the minutes until Winter Break officially begins:
Eric's Adventure
Follow the link for an amazing adventure. :) Then if you want more, go to the Eric Conveys an Emotion Site on my sidebar.
Eric's Adventure
Follow the link for an amazing adventure. :) Then if you want more, go to the Eric Conveys an Emotion Site on my sidebar.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
For Fun: Guestmap Challenge
Just for fun, I wanted to see if I could 25 new pins on my guestmap by the New Year. So if you're not already on it, and you'd like to play, please click on the button at left for the guestmap and add your push pin, or ask someone else to! Tip: If you zoom in, you can put your pin close to someone else's if you live in the same place.
I'd also eventually like to get pins in all the states and as many countries as possible.
I'd also eventually like to get pins in all the states and as many countries as possible.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Questionaire on a lot of my blog friends' blogs so I thought I'd join the fun:
WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR KITCHEN PLATES? white with light blue, and transparent, and white with green
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Nothing, I finished Istikhara and a Trek book, haven't started another
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? at work it is a CSEA (union) pad with the union logo and here at home it is Wile e Coyote and the Road Runner
4. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? This great early 80's game called Dark Tower!
5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? At the newstand I might buy Discovery or Scientific American. I get Entertainment Magazine in the mail because I bought a DVD at this store one time and they automatically signed me up for a free subscription. But, I have to abashedly admit it is kind of a fun read.
6. FAVORITE SMELL? a good men's cologne, or freshly cut grass, or the smell after a clean rain.
7. LEAST FAVORITE SMELL? sour milk or something spoiled
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? Bismillah.
9. FAVORITE COLOR? I like different colors for different things. I tend to like blues. I also like true reds. And I love ashgray t-shirts.
10. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR? Peach, or terra cotta on something that has no business being terra cotta.
11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? I don't answer it unless I know who's calling, usually.
12. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? I'm thinking 'Ali or Abdullah. For a girl I just don't know!
13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE? To remember that it ends and then we are called to account.
14. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA ICE-CREAM? definitely chocolate.
15. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST? Yes.
16. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Sometimes.
17. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY? They always scared me if they were loud when I was growing up. They still make me nervous, but sometimes they're beautiful.
18. WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? 1981 Oldsmobile Omega.
19. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE? Fatima (as) or Khadija (ra)
20. FAVORITE DRINK? diet soda, soy milk, milk, water
21. WHAT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY? it is the day that I was born, of course. :) just playing (9/30/74)
22. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI? Usually not. I'm not a big fan of broccoli, especially if it is cooked. I can eat it raw but I never want broccoli.
23. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB WHAT WOULD IT BE? I like teaching, but I'd give myself the ideal class and ideal school and ideal administration, etc. Or I'd get paid to teach online stuff or write online stuff that I would've done anyway.
24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY COLOR HAIR? I can, I just pick a different scarf! I saw this cool bright purple die at Sally's with my mom the other day for streaks. That'd be fun, but I don't want really want to mess with my hair, I'd go for something more realistic.
25. IS THE GLASS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? half full
26. FAVORITE MOVIE? Bourne Identity, Thunderheart, LOTR trilogy, Zoolander,....
27. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? yes. If you don't you seriously need to take a typing class! :)
28. THE BEACH OR THE MOUNTAINS? Mountains!!!!!
29. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? A dresser. A few empty shoe boxes. Maybe a cat.
31. WHAT IS YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST FEAR? Punishment in the afterlife or in the grave
32. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
I kind of grabbed it off someone's blog, but all the friends who had it on their blogs are just that - great friends.
33. FAVORITE CD. I don't know.
34. FAVORITE TV SHOWS? CSI, Mythbusters, History Detectives, miscellaneous TLC/Discovery stuff
35. KETCHUP OR MUSTARD? definitely mustard
36. HAMBURGERS OR HOT DOGS? either. If I'm cooking it, halal hot dogs because it is easier. If I'm at a cook out and I can choose, then a halal hamburger sounds good right now.
37. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK? diet dr. pepper
39. THE BEST PLACES YOU HAVE EVER BEEN? Prophet's (saw) Mosque, and the Haram Mosque, British Columbia, and right here in my house.
40. WHAT SCREEN SAVER IS ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT NOW? work: none, home: SETI@Home
41. BURGER KING OR MCDONALD'S? Neither. If they were halal and not on boycott lists, McDonald's. If I'm with my mom or brother and they're going, then Burger King for the veggie burger.
42. PERSON MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Maybe Derek.
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Nothing, I finished Istikhara and a Trek book, haven't started another
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? at work it is a CSEA (union) pad with the union logo and here at home it is Wile e Coyote and the Road Runner
4. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? This great early 80's game called Dark Tower!
5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? At the newstand I might buy Discovery or Scientific American. I get Entertainment Magazine in the mail because I bought a DVD at this store one time and they automatically signed me up for a free subscription. But, I have to abashedly admit it is kind of a fun read.
6. FAVORITE SMELL? a good men's cologne, or freshly cut grass, or the smell after a clean rain.
7. LEAST FAVORITE SMELL? sour milk or something spoiled
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? Bismillah.
9. FAVORITE COLOR? I like different colors for different things. I tend to like blues. I also like true reds. And I love ashgray t-shirts.
10. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR? Peach, or terra cotta on something that has no business being terra cotta.
11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? I don't answer it unless I know who's calling, usually.
12. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? I'm thinking 'Ali or Abdullah. For a girl I just don't know!
13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE? To remember that it ends and then we are called to account.
14. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA ICE-CREAM? definitely chocolate.
15. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST? Yes.
16. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Sometimes.
17. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY? They always scared me if they were loud when I was growing up. They still make me nervous, but sometimes they're beautiful.
18. WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? 1981 Oldsmobile Omega.
19. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE? Fatima (as) or Khadija (ra)
20. FAVORITE DRINK? diet soda, soy milk, milk, water
21. WHAT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY? it is the day that I was born, of course. :) just playing (9/30/74)
22. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI? Usually not. I'm not a big fan of broccoli, especially if it is cooked. I can eat it raw but I never want broccoli.
23. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB WHAT WOULD IT BE? I like teaching, but I'd give myself the ideal class and ideal school and ideal administration, etc. Or I'd get paid to teach online stuff or write online stuff that I would've done anyway.
24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY COLOR HAIR? I can, I just pick a different scarf! I saw this cool bright purple die at Sally's with my mom the other day for streaks. That'd be fun, but I don't want really want to mess with my hair, I'd go for something more realistic.
25. IS THE GLASS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? half full
26. FAVORITE MOVIE? Bourne Identity, Thunderheart, LOTR trilogy, Zoolander,....
27. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? yes. If you don't you seriously need to take a typing class! :)
28. THE BEACH OR THE MOUNTAINS? Mountains!!!!!
29. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? A dresser. A few empty shoe boxes. Maybe a cat.
31. WHAT IS YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST FEAR? Punishment in the afterlife or in the grave
32. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
I kind of grabbed it off someone's blog, but all the friends who had it on their blogs are just that - great friends.
33. FAVORITE CD. I don't know.
34. FAVORITE TV SHOWS? CSI, Mythbusters, History Detectives, miscellaneous TLC/Discovery stuff
35. KETCHUP OR MUSTARD? definitely mustard
36. HAMBURGERS OR HOT DOGS? either. If I'm cooking it, halal hot dogs because it is easier. If I'm at a cook out and I can choose, then a halal hamburger sounds good right now.
37. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK? diet dr. pepper
39. THE BEST PLACES YOU HAVE EVER BEEN? Prophet's (saw) Mosque, and the Haram Mosque, British Columbia, and right here in my house.
40. WHAT SCREEN SAVER IS ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT NOW? work: none, home: SETI@Home
41. BURGER KING OR MCDONALD'S? Neither. If they were halal and not on boycott lists, McDonald's. If I'm with my mom or brother and they're going, then Burger King for the veggie burger.
42. PERSON MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Maybe Derek.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Stats presentations and Christen reprimand
Final exams officially start tomorrow. My AP Statistics students have been giving presentations this week on projects. They had to do a survey or experiment of their own design and do a statistical analysis of the results. There are some interesting projects. One group did a really good job analyzing grocery prices - they came up with a model almost like Chi-Squared even though we haven't learned Chi-Squared or any hypothesis testing yet. They found Wal-mart and Target were the cheapest, but of union stores that offer higher wages and health care, Safeway was cheapest in this region.
Another group gathered data about interracial dating to find out how much it occurs and between what races, etc. They found about 2/3 in all races are comfortable with dating outside of their race and a similar proportion have done so. Most still have a preference for their own race.
Another group looked for a relationship between kids smoking and their parents smoking. They found no relationship, i.e., parents smoking did not seem to significantly influence kids smoking. They also found that the proportion of parents who smoke was nearly identical to the proportion of students who smoking, suggesting that the total population of smokers may not be changing much from one generation to the next.
Another group analyzed several seasons of NFL football data to find out if teams really are more likely to win at home, and they definitely are.
Yet another group conducted an experiment to find out if Pepsi in a bottle tastes differently from Pepsi from a can. Their presentation was hilarious - the group of boys made a video and they made it like an old 1950's black and white science film strip. One of them played a nerdy doctor, one played a golly-gee kid. They had a lot of jokes in it that made it funny. When they showed footage to simulate their experiment, one of the participants was none other than Darth Vader. At the end of the video, in the credits they had a disclaimer that said, "Thousands of animals were hurt and the rainforests were destroyed in the making of this film. Sorry!" Lots of funny stuff like that. They found that they do taste different. (Not everyone can tell the difference, and some who think they can incorrectly identify the container, but as a whole the data shows that the number who correctly predict the container is three standard deviations from the expected value if they couldn't tell the difference.)
Tomorrow we should see presentations about if there is a gender difference in ability in different types of video games and on how many movies actors make before winning the Best Actor Oscar. So anyway, it has been fun for me to watch the presentations.
I never did mention that they officially reprimanded Eric Christen at the past board meeting. I didn't go or watch the replay, but people said he cried at some point. I think the major reasons behind the reprimand were outlined in Sandy Shakes' letter to the Gazette (whose editors are Christen fans):
CHRISTEN REPRIMAND
Board member punished for abuses of power
Wednesday night’s District 11 school board meeting was not a kangaroo court aimed at silencing dissent. The purpose of Eric Christen’s reprimand was for the board to express its dissatisfaction with his demonstrated abuse of power.
Christen has conducted himself in a less than professional manner. He has been asked several times from the dais to correct statements he has made that crossed the line for a school board director.
Some examples of Christen’s demonstrated abuse of power:
1. Sending a letter on district letterhead to Douglas Bruce endorsing him for county commissioner;
2. Leaking confidential executive session information to third parties;
3. Threatening a custodian at North Middle School: “If you touch one of those (election) signs out there, I will have your job;”
4. Saying to a teacher, “I can’t believe someone of your mentality is teaching our children;”
5. An election judge went to the door of Jenkins Middle School and reminded Christen to watch the 100-foot limit and his response was, “I am a board member.”
Christen’s reprimand is a statement that the board will not tolerate the abuses of power outlined above.
Sandy Shakes
President, District 11 School Board
I'm ready for finals - a few minutes of peace and quiet, even though it means lots of grading. :)
Take care, have a nice day insha'allah.
Another group gathered data about interracial dating to find out how much it occurs and between what races, etc. They found about 2/3 in all races are comfortable with dating outside of their race and a similar proportion have done so. Most still have a preference for their own race.
Another group looked for a relationship between kids smoking and their parents smoking. They found no relationship, i.e., parents smoking did not seem to significantly influence kids smoking. They also found that the proportion of parents who smoke was nearly identical to the proportion of students who smoking, suggesting that the total population of smokers may not be changing much from one generation to the next.
Another group analyzed several seasons of NFL football data to find out if teams really are more likely to win at home, and they definitely are.
Yet another group conducted an experiment to find out if Pepsi in a bottle tastes differently from Pepsi from a can. Their presentation was hilarious - the group of boys made a video and they made it like an old 1950's black and white science film strip. One of them played a nerdy doctor, one played a golly-gee kid. They had a lot of jokes in it that made it funny. When they showed footage to simulate their experiment, one of the participants was none other than Darth Vader. At the end of the video, in the credits they had a disclaimer that said, "Thousands of animals were hurt and the rainforests were destroyed in the making of this film. Sorry!" Lots of funny stuff like that. They found that they do taste different. (Not everyone can tell the difference, and some who think they can incorrectly identify the container, but as a whole the data shows that the number who correctly predict the container is three standard deviations from the expected value if they couldn't tell the difference.)
Tomorrow we should see presentations about if there is a gender difference in ability in different types of video games and on how many movies actors make before winning the Best Actor Oscar. So anyway, it has been fun for me to watch the presentations.
I never did mention that they officially reprimanded Eric Christen at the past board meeting. I didn't go or watch the replay, but people said he cried at some point. I think the major reasons behind the reprimand were outlined in Sandy Shakes' letter to the Gazette (whose editors are Christen fans):
CHRISTEN REPRIMAND
Board member punished for abuses of power
Wednesday night’s District 11 school board meeting was not a kangaroo court aimed at silencing dissent. The purpose of Eric Christen’s reprimand was for the board to express its dissatisfaction with his demonstrated abuse of power.
Christen has conducted himself in a less than professional manner. He has been asked several times from the dais to correct statements he has made that crossed the line for a school board director.
Some examples of Christen’s demonstrated abuse of power:
1. Sending a letter on district letterhead to Douglas Bruce endorsing him for county commissioner;
2. Leaking confidential executive session information to third parties;
3. Threatening a custodian at North Middle School: “If you touch one of those (election) signs out there, I will have your job;”
4. Saying to a teacher, “I can’t believe someone of your mentality is teaching our children;”
5. An election judge went to the door of Jenkins Middle School and reminded Christen to watch the 100-foot limit and his response was, “I am a board member.”
Christen’s reprimand is a statement that the board will not tolerate the abuses of power outlined above.
Sandy Shakes
President, District 11 School Board
I'm ready for finals - a few minutes of peace and quiet, even though it means lots of grading. :)
Take care, have a nice day insha'allah.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Magnanimity
From Principles of Upbringing by ibrahim Amini:
The Prophet of Islam (saw) said:
“A generous person is closer to Allah’s creations and the Heaven. He is away from the Hell. The miserly person is away from Allah, His creations ( the men) and the Heaven. But he is closer to the Hell Fire." (al-mahajjatul bayda,v 3, p. 248)
Parents can make use of the following guidelines for cultivating the habits of generosity and magnanimity in their children:
1. Encourage the child to give a part of the things he has to the parents and his other siblings. The child must be suitably praised for the generous act and thanked. .In the beginning the child may be reluctant to part with his possession, but, by and by, he will get into the habit of being generous. When the child is reluctant for this experiment, he should not be forced into giving. This might make the child stubborn.
2. Sometimes encourage the child to allow other children to play with his toys. The child should also be encouraged to share his sweets and chocolates with other children. When he does it, give him a pat on his back.
3. Sometimes encourage him to give a part of his pocket money to the poor and the needy. Or ask him to spend some money for any good cause. If this becomes a habit, it would have a salutary effect on the character of the child as he grows up.
4. Ask the child to invite his friends home for a meal and see that he entertains them with care.
5. The parents can give some money to the child everyday to be given as alms or for some good cause.
6. Discuss with the child the difficulties and hardships of poor people. If possible take him along with you to the hospital, the orphanage and the home for the poor and aged. In his presence help some needy persons.
This way the child can be initiated into the habit of generosity. We, however, cannot claim that this method will work on all the children. The parents should make their best efforts and the success can differ from child to child. Every individual has his own nature and the capacity to accept change. For the children their habits also come as a genetic factor inherited from generation to generation. But careful breeding can definitely have some good effect.
A lady writes in a letter thus:
“…. At a pleasant place we had an orchard. Different varieties of fruits used to grow there in abundance. My Mom and Granny used to send some fruits to the needy. They were particularly generous to such of those needy persons who were serving our family. They used to entrust this task to me. From the age of six or seven years I got into the habit of doing this work. In the village there were families of two blind persons. My heart used to feel much for them. Every day when I visited them, I used to catch their hands, bring them out for some fresh air and take them back to their homes. .I used to bring fresh water for them from the lake. These blind men used to bless me and pray for me. When I told my Mom and Dad about this, they were very pleased. My mom said, one who has become blind is really deserving of all help.
My parents always used to encourage me for doing good deeds. I used to save from my pocket money and give to the needy. Slowly I got habituated of doing this. I am now a member of a social help organisation that is taking care of fourteen needy families.
My children too have taken good effect from my attitude. One day a child said,’ Give me some money every morning.’ I asked him, ‘ Why?’ he said, ‘ I shall save this money’ I give him the money regularly and remind him not to waste it. After some days he came to me with his treasure-trove. He had forty-eight coins in that. He said, ‘ Momif you permit me, I shall give the money to a blind person. He lives on the way to our school.’ I was very pleased with the child and I kissed and hugged him.”
The Prophet of Islam (saw) said:
“A generous person is closer to Allah’s creations and the Heaven. He is away from the Hell. The miserly person is away from Allah, His creations ( the men) and the Heaven. But he is closer to the Hell Fire." (al-mahajjatul bayda,v 3, p. 248)
Parents can make use of the following guidelines for cultivating the habits of generosity and magnanimity in their children:
1. Encourage the child to give a part of the things he has to the parents and his other siblings. The child must be suitably praised for the generous act and thanked. .In the beginning the child may be reluctant to part with his possession, but, by and by, he will get into the habit of being generous. When the child is reluctant for this experiment, he should not be forced into giving. This might make the child stubborn.
2. Sometimes encourage the child to allow other children to play with his toys. The child should also be encouraged to share his sweets and chocolates with other children. When he does it, give him a pat on his back.
3. Sometimes encourage him to give a part of his pocket money to the poor and the needy. Or ask him to spend some money for any good cause. If this becomes a habit, it would have a salutary effect on the character of the child as he grows up.
4. Ask the child to invite his friends home for a meal and see that he entertains them with care.
5. The parents can give some money to the child everyday to be given as alms or for some good cause.
6. Discuss with the child the difficulties and hardships of poor people. If possible take him along with you to the hospital, the orphanage and the home for the poor and aged. In his presence help some needy persons.
This way the child can be initiated into the habit of generosity. We, however, cannot claim that this method will work on all the children. The parents should make their best efforts and the success can differ from child to child. Every individual has his own nature and the capacity to accept change. For the children their habits also come as a genetic factor inherited from generation to generation. But careful breeding can definitely have some good effect.
A lady writes in a letter thus:
“…. At a pleasant place we had an orchard. Different varieties of fruits used to grow there in abundance. My Mom and Granny used to send some fruits to the needy. They were particularly generous to such of those needy persons who were serving our family. They used to entrust this task to me. From the age of six or seven years I got into the habit of doing this work. In the village there were families of two blind persons. My heart used to feel much for them. Every day when I visited them, I used to catch their hands, bring them out for some fresh air and take them back to their homes. .I used to bring fresh water for them from the lake. These blind men used to bless me and pray for me. When I told my Mom and Dad about this, they were very pleased. My mom said, one who has become blind is really deserving of all help.
My parents always used to encourage me for doing good deeds. I used to save from my pocket money and give to the needy. Slowly I got habituated of doing this. I am now a member of a social help organisation that is taking care of fourteen needy families.
My children too have taken good effect from my attitude. One day a child said,’ Give me some money every morning.’ I asked him, ‘ Why?’ he said, ‘ I shall save this money’ I give him the money regularly and remind him not to waste it. After some days he came to me with his treasure-trove. He had forty-eight coins in that. He said, ‘ Momif you permit me, I shall give the money to a blind person. He lives on the way to our school.’ I was very pleased with the child and I kissed and hugged him.”
Friday, December 10, 2004
Moral base of collaborative learning
Some stuff I read for graduate school.....
From The Ethics of Learner-Centered Education by Hansen and Stephens:
During its increasing popularity over the years, collaborative learning has been associated with the key humanistic ideals of personal growth and development. Abraham Maslow (Res.) made this the cornerstone of one of his theories that states: "it is reasonable to assume in practically every human being, certainly in almost every newborn baby, that there is an active will toward health, an impulse toward growth, or toward the actualization of human potentialities." For humanistic psychologists, growth once meant learning, and learning in a continually transforming environment meant change. In this redefined educational context, the teacher took on a new role: according to Rogers and Freiburg (Res.), that new duty was the "facilitation of change and learning," which became "the aim of education."
The role of the teacher as facilitator is markedly different from the role of teacher as instructor. Facilitators have a different relationship with learners. It is essentially a moral partnership whose purpose is the student's growth. Both sides agree to put forth their best effort in trying to develop the intellectual and social potential of the student. Such a commitment implies certain rules or a code of ethics.
Humanists like Rogers and Freiburg therefore insist that teaching/facilitating is not so much a matter of professional skill as of certain attitudinal qualities, which are based on moral virtues. Hugh Sockett (Res.) has recently outlined some of these virtues, some of which are relevant for our context. While Sockett was only concerned with a moral base for the teaching profession, we would like to expand this to a moral base for both teaching and learning. Since the ultimate purpose of teaching is student learning, an appropriate basis for morality must come from the intersection between the student's and the teacher's efforts. A teacher's virtue must be mirrored by the student's discipline to fulfill the moral contract.
Essential teacher virtues, according to Sockett, include honesty, courage, care, fairness, and accountability. Honesty is central to education's concern for separating fact from fiction, searching for truth, and creating trust in those involved in that process. Deception of others or oneself is incompatible with the pursuit of knowledge. Both teacher and students strive for honesty in relating to each other and relating to the subject that is to be learned.
Often, learning and teaching demand courage. Students need to take risks when entering unknown territory; many new challenges and situations help the student discover strengths and shortcomings. The same applies to teachers who need to experiment with new approaches, even as they risk failure with students or conflict with a rigid school environment.
Promoting growth in others requires care on the part of the facilitator. Educational caring involves affection, regard, and feeling, not unlike the attitudes parents hold toward their children. The teacher is also responsible for helping students care for other people and for bringing before them academic subjects that seem worth caring for.
Fairness in educational institutions comes in different shapes, among them fairness in the distribution of time and attention, fairness in imposing discipline and sanctions, and fairness in assessing student work. Creating a sense of justice alongside a sense of caring is crucial for the maintenance of harmonious and productive social relationships inside and outside the classroom. This obviously applies to everybody involved in those relationships. In that sense, school environments become models for the outside world and should behave accordingly.
Accountability is a moral obligation both to the individual and to the public welfare. Accountable behavior is necessary for trust to develop between people. It demands high standards and an ongoing search for improvement.
The moral virtues of teaching and learning are based on a mutual interest in intellectual growth and development. Helping students become educated members of society constitutes a contract between three partners: the student, the teacher, and society at large. Each of them is responsible to the other two. Knowledge acquisition is only one element in this contract. More important is that the teacher help the student acquire the courage to grow and develop his or her potential. This can never be accomplished in a service relationship, which is by definition one-sided.
Teacher virtues alone cannot create an educated person; they must be complemented by the student's discipline to follow through with what is sometimes a fun and sometimes a painful process of learning and change. The educational relationship is, therefore, characterized by a compassion that is relatively uncompromising in the demands it makes on all three partners in the educational contract.
From The Ethics of Learner-Centered Education by Hansen and Stephens:
During its increasing popularity over the years, collaborative learning has been associated with the key humanistic ideals of personal growth and development. Abraham Maslow (Res.) made this the cornerstone of one of his theories that states: "it is reasonable to assume in practically every human being, certainly in almost every newborn baby, that there is an active will toward health, an impulse toward growth, or toward the actualization of human potentialities." For humanistic psychologists, growth once meant learning, and learning in a continually transforming environment meant change. In this redefined educational context, the teacher took on a new role: according to Rogers and Freiburg (Res.), that new duty was the "facilitation of change and learning," which became "the aim of education."
The role of the teacher as facilitator is markedly different from the role of teacher as instructor. Facilitators have a different relationship with learners. It is essentially a moral partnership whose purpose is the student's growth. Both sides agree to put forth their best effort in trying to develop the intellectual and social potential of the student. Such a commitment implies certain rules or a code of ethics.
Humanists like Rogers and Freiburg therefore insist that teaching/facilitating is not so much a matter of professional skill as of certain attitudinal qualities, which are based on moral virtues. Hugh Sockett (Res.) has recently outlined some of these virtues, some of which are relevant for our context. While Sockett was only concerned with a moral base for the teaching profession, we would like to expand this to a moral base for both teaching and learning. Since the ultimate purpose of teaching is student learning, an appropriate basis for morality must come from the intersection between the student's and the teacher's efforts. A teacher's virtue must be mirrored by the student's discipline to fulfill the moral contract.
Essential teacher virtues, according to Sockett, include honesty, courage, care, fairness, and accountability. Honesty is central to education's concern for separating fact from fiction, searching for truth, and creating trust in those involved in that process. Deception of others or oneself is incompatible with the pursuit of knowledge. Both teacher and students strive for honesty in relating to each other and relating to the subject that is to be learned.
Often, learning and teaching demand courage. Students need to take risks when entering unknown territory; many new challenges and situations help the student discover strengths and shortcomings. The same applies to teachers who need to experiment with new approaches, even as they risk failure with students or conflict with a rigid school environment.
Promoting growth in others requires care on the part of the facilitator. Educational caring involves affection, regard, and feeling, not unlike the attitudes parents hold toward their children. The teacher is also responsible for helping students care for other people and for bringing before them academic subjects that seem worth caring for.
Fairness in educational institutions comes in different shapes, among them fairness in the distribution of time and attention, fairness in imposing discipline and sanctions, and fairness in assessing student work. Creating a sense of justice alongside a sense of caring is crucial for the maintenance of harmonious and productive social relationships inside and outside the classroom. This obviously applies to everybody involved in those relationships. In that sense, school environments become models for the outside world and should behave accordingly.
Accountability is a moral obligation both to the individual and to the public welfare. Accountable behavior is necessary for trust to develop between people. It demands high standards and an ongoing search for improvement.
The moral virtues of teaching and learning are based on a mutual interest in intellectual growth and development. Helping students become educated members of society constitutes a contract between three partners: the student, the teacher, and society at large. Each of them is responsible to the other two. Knowledge acquisition is only one element in this contract. More important is that the teacher help the student acquire the courage to grow and develop his or her potential. This can never be accomplished in a service relationship, which is by definition one-sided.
Teacher virtues alone cannot create an educated person; they must be complemented by the student's discipline to follow through with what is sometimes a fun and sometimes a painful process of learning and change. The educational relationship is, therefore, characterized by a compassion that is relatively uncompromising in the demands it makes on all three partners in the educational contract.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Initseretng sduty I raed brofee
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Jury Duty?
I'm pretty excited how this jury duty thing is turning out. I don't have to report in the morning, but I have to call again around noon to see if I have to go in the afternoon. Insha'allah I won't have to, but we'll see. However, since I have a jury summons for tomorrow, Irma told me at the CSEA board meeting this evening that I can call for a sub anyway, even for the whole day. I couldn't wait until noon to call for a half day sub if I end up needing one, and it is a pain for everyone to find someone to cover my classes without a sub. So I called for a full-day sub, and even though I may be there all day the sub can get paid because I got the summons and I could have the sub help me get students to make up tests and stuff like that. So this may work out nicely, insha'allah.
Oh boy, I drank two sodas at the board meeting and now it is midnight and I'm still awake.... I guess that will teach me a lesson.
Oh boy, I drank two sodas at the board meeting and now it is midnight and I'm still awake.... I guess that will teach me a lesson.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Work and Frivolity
At last Tuesday's AR meeting, I got to be the substitute secretary. Nancy had important family matters to attend to. Being secretary is hard work - you have to listen very carefully and you can't move around or socialize very much. I think I like my current position better. :)
With my current doubling-up of Master's courses I am kept a bit busy, but now, insha'allah, I should finish by July 6. If I have appropriate funds and motivation later maybe I will double up once more to finish a few weeks earlier. Then I get to start paying off school loans again..... The pay raise should cover it at least. My current courses are about instructional plan design and NTeQ model of instruction. Fairly useful courses - which is nice, because not all of them have been as some were basically repeats of stuff I already learned. My next class I have to submit my action research plan and I'm nervous about that because I'm nervous about committing to a line of research for six months. I need ideas for what to research as I keep changing my mind. I also need to decide what to write my instructional plan on for one of my current courses.
I find I have a lot of little hobbies primarily because I live alone. They are fun but frivolous and I could give them up if I had family occupying my attention. Maybe my family would also like some of them, though, and so we could do a few together. Geocaching, coin-collecting, fiction reading and movie/TV watching.... Why are those so easy to do and focusing on something important like learning Qur'an recitation is so much harder?
Two weeks of school until Winter Break. Next week is finals. I am somewhat concerned about my schedule this week. I may have jury duty Wednesday to who-knows-when and I know I have court on Friday. Two sub days or more the week before finals is potentially stressful and problematic. But perhaps I won't be called for jury duty - one can always hope. But, I don't usually let school stuff stress me. Life goes on, school goes on, and Winter Break comes one way or the other (insha'allah).
Saturday I went with mom to help her with a little more of her Christmas shopping. We picked out a few things for dad. We also went to this little retirement thing for a friend of hers who is leaving office as County Commissioner, replaced by Doug Bruce. Yesterday we did our usual Sunday walk and it was the nicest weather we've had for it since probably September - we didn't need coats.
I'm thinking about religion a lot lately but it is a pretty abstract form of thinking without any conclusions or profound statements to share at this point. Let's just say God is always on my mind and I'm thinking about our relationship to God.
With my current doubling-up of Master's courses I am kept a bit busy, but now, insha'allah, I should finish by July 6. If I have appropriate funds and motivation later maybe I will double up once more to finish a few weeks earlier. Then I get to start paying off school loans again..... The pay raise should cover it at least. My current courses are about instructional plan design and NTeQ model of instruction. Fairly useful courses - which is nice, because not all of them have been as some were basically repeats of stuff I already learned. My next class I have to submit my action research plan and I'm nervous about that because I'm nervous about committing to a line of research for six months. I need ideas for what to research as I keep changing my mind. I also need to decide what to write my instructional plan on for one of my current courses.
I find I have a lot of little hobbies primarily because I live alone. They are fun but frivolous and I could give them up if I had family occupying my attention. Maybe my family would also like some of them, though, and so we could do a few together. Geocaching, coin-collecting, fiction reading and movie/TV watching.... Why are those so easy to do and focusing on something important like learning Qur'an recitation is so much harder?
Two weeks of school until Winter Break. Next week is finals. I am somewhat concerned about my schedule this week. I may have jury duty Wednesday to who-knows-when and I know I have court on Friday. Two sub days or more the week before finals is potentially stressful and problematic. But perhaps I won't be called for jury duty - one can always hope. But, I don't usually let school stuff stress me. Life goes on, school goes on, and Winter Break comes one way or the other (insha'allah).
Saturday I went with mom to help her with a little more of her Christmas shopping. We picked out a few things for dad. We also went to this little retirement thing for a friend of hers who is leaving office as County Commissioner, replaced by Doug Bruce. Yesterday we did our usual Sunday walk and it was the nicest weather we've had for it since probably September - we didn't need coats.
I'm thinking about religion a lot lately but it is a pretty abstract form of thinking without any conclusions or profound statements to share at this point. Let's just say God is always on my mind and I'm thinking about our relationship to God.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
HU
I've been invited to be a contributor to the blog HU - added to the sidebar. I'd appreciate your visit there, insha'allah.
Those you who have been reading awhile may remember the Big News I told you to stay tuned for. Here's the update: Friday Dec. 10, for both of them, God willing.
Those you who have been reading awhile may remember the Big News I told you to stay tuned for. Here's the update: Friday Dec. 10, for both of them, God willing.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Stickman Murder Mysteries
If you enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the next item on my sidebar I'll draw to your attention is Stickman Murder Mysteries. Fun, simple crime solving! Enjoy. :)
Sharing
Sharing a few things I've encountered in the past few days:
I am as My servant thinks I am.
I am with him when he makes mention of Me.
If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention
of him to Myself;
and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make
mention of him in an assemble better than it.
And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw
near to him a fathom's length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
- a Hadith Qudsi (from Allah swt)
Right of the Tongue:
What Corrupts The Tongue
Researches in ethics say that there is a cause of corruption for everything. The tongue is not an exception to this. Many things will corrupt it. At this point i will mention one of them
Arguing
The Noble Prophet (sawa) said:
"You cannot attain full faith unless you quit verbal arguments even if you are right."
He also said:
"whoever knows he is right but quits arguing shall be given a residence in a high heavenly place.
Whoever knows that he is wrong and quits arguing shall be given a residence in a low heavenly place"
(From the book A divine perspective on Rights, Imam a-Sajjad, commented by
Ghodratullah Mashayekhi, pg72)
Also check out Ninhajaba's blog (link on my sidebar) - there have been great things going on there lately, masha'allah.
I am as My servant thinks I am.
I am with him when he makes mention of Me.
If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention
of him to Myself;
and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make
mention of him in an assemble better than it.
And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw
near to him a fathom's length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
- a Hadith Qudsi (from Allah swt)
Right of the Tongue:
What Corrupts The Tongue
Researches in ethics say that there is a cause of corruption for everything. The tongue is not an exception to this. Many things will corrupt it. At this point i will mention one of them
Arguing
The Noble Prophet (sawa) said:
"You cannot attain full faith unless you quit verbal arguments even if you are right."
He also said:
"whoever knows he is right but quits arguing shall be given a residence in a high heavenly place.
Whoever knows that he is wrong and quits arguing shall be given a residence in a low heavenly place"
(From the book A divine perspective on Rights, Imam a-Sajjad, commented by
Ghodratullah Mashayekhi, pg72)
Also check out Ninhajaba's blog (link on my sidebar) - there have been great things going on there lately, masha'allah.
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