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Ten years ago, Morris Brown College was one of four vibrant HBCU's in the Atlanta University Center, and held an enrollment of a few thousand students. The small close-knit community on the 21-acre campus was home to a variety of student activities, sororities and fraternities, NCAA Division 1 sports, and the Marching Wolverines, the school's marching band.
Today, the school has 50 students enrolled and, as of Saturday, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This has bought the school the time it needs to rebuild its funds, and protects it from foreclosure and being placed on the auction block, as it originally faced for September.
Last week, investors called out the school for $13 million worth of debt.
However, many alumni recount when the school's now boarded up facilities were filled with spirited students and faculty, and are desperately holding on to what is left of the 131-year-old HBCU founded by former slaves affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The school is named after the second bishop of the AME church.
"I met my husband there," said Ayana Price, who graduated from Morris Brown this past spring. "I just remember it being — because it was a small school — it was such a family atmosphere."
Price, from New York City, and now lives in Atlanta, enrolled in Morris Brown in 1998 and returned recently to finish her studies.
"I was there before they lost accreditation and I could have taken my credits anywhere. But I made a conscious choice to go back, because that's my school," Price explained.
In 2003, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked accreditation from the college. Without this stamp, the federal government and the United Negro College Fund cut financial aid and grants.
Former president of Morris Brown, Dolores Cross, who served from 1998-2003, applied for financial aid under students' names without their knowledge and used the funds to pay operating costs. Cross and former financial aid director, Parvesh Singh, pleaded guilty to the accusations of mismanagement in 2006.
Last July, the school was able to raise $500,000 to settle a $9.9 million debt with the Department of Education, however it was also reported that the school owed several investors more than $30 million.
Now in this current crisis, members of the Morris Brown alumni community are taking to Facebook and Twitter to spread awareness using the hashtag "#savemorrisbrown."
Some have speculated that current donations are being pocketed by the school's administration. But Jeffery Miller, 2011-2012 student government association president, says this is completely false and the current administration is doing everything in it's power to find solutions.
"Misinformed people thought the administration made a mistake and they didn't," he said.
Miller began Morris Brown in 1988, left due to financial limitations, and returned and graduated, like Price, this past spring.
He says external forces, who in his opinion stopped the school from receiving $50 million to $60 million dollars from Chick-Fil-A last year, were close to home.
"There's something called the reversionary clause. That means if Morris Brown ever closes its doors, the property would go back to [Clark] Atlanta University. Chick-Fil-A asked Morris Brown to resolve that in a way that Chick-Fil-A could go forward with the agreement with Morris Brown," said Miller.
Though Miller claims that an issue on Clark's end led to the end of the possible Chick-Fil-A partnership, the University says this is simply not true.
[UPDATE] Clark Atlanta University has issued the following response:
"First, Clark Atlanta University and Morris Brown College, as well as the AME Church, began negotiations in 2011 that resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding, the sole purpose of which was to enable Morris Brown and Chick-Fil-A to negotiate directly on a project Chick-Fil-A wanted to pursue. Once the MOU was signed, Clark Atlanta played no further role in the matter.
Second, the College has acknowledged Clark Atlanta's reversionary rights, and Clark Atlanta considers the matter a non-issue."
With no current major benefactors, the future of the school is uncertain. Despite the struggles, alumni like Olivia Almagro and Kimberly Brock, who formed a lifelong friendship while attending Morris Brown, feel the school must be saved because it's helped students in the black community who weren't academically welcomed elsewhere.
"I have quite a few classmates and friends that, probably, had they not gone to Morris Brown, would not have the life that they are living now," said Olivia Almagro who graduated in 1994.
"Morris Brown took students that other colleges would look away from and turn down," said Brock who was on academic probation at a community college in Los Angeles when she applied and was accepted. She eventually went on to Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The school called for a "National Day of Prayer" on Saturday where their bankruptcy and plans for moving forward were announced.
Price who attended the meeting this weekend is hoping for the best: "What I would love to see in a perfect world is we pay off the debt."
Her feelings for the future of her alma mater were stung with dismay when the foreclosure was first announced.
"We don't go to a Harvard or a Yale that has big name alumni so I don't know. I hope that we can. But I'm not sure that we can."


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On March 18, 2010, unknown attackers sent a spear phishing email that appeared to be from Sharon Hom, the Executive Director of Human Rights in China (HRIC), to a variety of organizations and individuals. Leveraging the trust and recognition of HRIC, the attackers' email encouraged recipients to visit a compromised website that contained malicious code designed to allow the attackers to ultimately take full control of the visitor's computer. These targeted malware attacks are now becoming commonplace, further extending the threat faced by civil society organizations.
Internet censorship is but one component of "a matrix of control" that acts to restrict and control information flow in China. The combination of censorship along with surveillance aims to influence behavior toward self-censorship so that most will not actively seek out banned information, let alone the means to bypass these controls. Those engaged in political activities and those who vocally oppose repressive policies such as censorship may be subjected to a complex set of threats—not simply censorship.
A 2008 report titled Breaching Trust: An Analysis of Surveillance and Security Practices on China's TOM-Skype Platform uncovered that Skype and its Chinese partner Tom Online operated a surveillance network which insecurely captured millions of records including contact details for any text chat and/or voice calls and the full text of sensitive chat messages. A large portion of these captured messages concerned a political campaign that urged Chinese citizens to quit the Communist Party.
There have been an increasing number of targeted malware attacks against civil society organizations, human rights groups, media organizations, and Tibetan supporters. Typically, the targeted user receives an email, possibly appearing to be from someone they know who is a real person within his or her organization, with some text—sometimes specific, sometimes generic—that urges the user to open an attachment (or visit a web site), usually a PDF or Microsoft Office document .
If the user opens the attachment with a vulnerable version of Adobe Reader or Microsoft Office (other types of software are also being exploited) and no other mitigations are in place, their computer will likely be compromised. A clean version of the document is typically embedded in the malicious file and is opened upon successful exploitation so as not to arouse suspicion of the recipient.
Then the user's computer checks in with a command and control server. At this point, the attacker has full control of the user's system. The attacker can steal documents, email and send other data, or force the compromised computer to download additional malware and possibly use the infected computer as a mechanism to exploit the victim's contacts or other computers on the target network.
In the last year, the Information Warfare Monitor has uncovered two cyber-espionage networks, investigated numerous targeted malware attacks, and published two reports: Tracking GhostNet: Investigating a Cyber Espionage Network and Shadows in the Cloud: An Investigation into Cyber Espionage 2.0.
The first, GhostNet, was a network of over 1200 compromised computers spread across 103 countries, 30 percent of which we identified and determined to be "high-value" targets, including ministries of foreign affairs, embassies, international organizations, news organizations, and a computer located at NATO headquarters. While we were able to determine that these entities had been compromised, we were only able to theorize about what type of data the attackers were able to acquire.
Our follow-up investigation uncovered the Shadow Network, and unlike GhostNet we were able to acquire the data stolen by the attackers. We were able to access just one portion of the Shadow Network that was primarily focused on extracting sensitive information from India. We recovered a wide variety of documents, including one document that appeared to be encrypted diplomatic correspondence, two documents marked "SECRET," six as "RESTRICTED," and five as "CONFIDENTIAL" which appear to belong to Indian government entities including the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) of India, the Embassy of India, Kabul, the Embassy of India, Moscow, the Consulate General of India, Dubai, and the High Commission of India in Abuja, Nigeria. We also recovered documents including 1,500 letters sent from the Dalai Lama's office between January and November 2009.
The nature of the compromised entities and the data stolen by the attackers do indicate correlations with the strategic interests of the People's Republic of China, but, we were unable to determine any direct connection between these attackers and elements of the Chinese state.
On March 18, 2010, attackers sent a "spear phishing" email that appeared to originate from Sharon Hom's email account to several different organizations and individuals. The subject of the email was "Microsoft, Stool Pigeon for the Cops and FBI" and the email contained a JPG attachment. However, the attackers' objective was for the targets to visit the link contained in the email. The link, www.cfcr2008.org, redirected to cfcr.i1024.com which was compromised by the attackers and in which they had inserted code that caused visitors to the website to open a malicious PDF from www.520520.com.tw. This PDF exploited Adobe Reader and compromised the visitors computer. Compromised computers then connected to a website under the attackers' control, www.humanright-watch.org, and downloaded additional malware before ultimately connecting to a command and control server, 360liveupdate. com, in China.
Spoofed Email
I've got my hands on a copy of the leaked, confidential Microsoft "Global Criminal Compliance Handbook," which details for police and intelligence services exactly what information Microsoft collects about users of its online services, and how they can be accessed. What is gathered and available about you is quite comprehensive, including your emails, detailed information about when you sign in and use the services, credit card information, and so on. Attachments are scanned copies of documents.
For the whole documents, please visit http://www.cfcr2008.org
Although the email appeared to be from HRIC it was actually sent from the following location:
The email headers reveal that the attackers actually sent the email from the following IP address:
The email encouraged recipients to visit cfcr2008.org, the website of an organization called the Coalition for Citizen's Rights. This organization is a vocal opponent of the Chinese government.
The attackers compromised the website and inserted malicious code that caused vulnerable visitors to silently load a malicious PDF document that infected the users computer with malware.
Image 1 Compromised site: cfcr2008.org -> cfcr.i1024.com
Image 2 js_men.asp
The malicious PDF was hosted on www.520520.com.tw (188.8.131.52), a website located in Taiwan. This malicious file has very low antivirus coverage. Only eight out of forty-two anti-virus products detected the file as malware.
Item 3
Virustotal: 8/42 (19.05%)
The malware dropped by the malicious PDF issued another connection, this time to www.humanright-watch.org (220.127.116.11). This is a server under the control of the attackers. The malware made a request for another executable, which appeared to be encrypted and which no antivirus products detected as malicious.
Item 4
GET /fun.exe HTTP/1.1
Virustotal: 0/42 (0%)
Interestingly, the IP address of www.humanright-watch.org (126.96.36.199) is assigned to the same company, DCS Pacific Star, LLC, as the IP address used to send the malicious email (184.108.40.206).
The new malware downloaded from www.humanright-watch.org (126.96.36.199) began encrypted communications with a command and control server located in China at 360liveupdate.com(220.127.116.11).
Image 5
The command and control server is located in Jiangsu Province, China:
The nexus of censorship, surveillance, and malware attacks enable strict information control policies in China that extend beyond China's boundaries to affect civil society organizations around the world. An increasing number of targeted malware attacks against civil society organizations are being reported. In many cases, the attacks can be traced back to command and control infrastructure located in China. These attacks leverage trust among members of social and political networks using human rights themes and spoofed identities to encourage targeted users to execute malicious code. From that point, unknown attackers have full control over the users' computers and can conduct surveillance, exfiltrate sensitive information, and use the computer as a staging ground for future attacks.

subset: commoncrawl


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This design is suited for an environmental, recycling, community or nature business website. It is a clean paper theme with room for a lot of content. The Eco Enviro theme has a horizontal text menu with drop-downs, and a 2 column layout.
There is 1 photoshop file containing clearly named folders for each part of the website, it contains all slices needed to make quick changes to the design.
The design contains sections for: – Horizontal menu, 3 main services boxes, Contact information, latest news and testimonial.
There are 6 different content pages included in this file:
- Home
- About
- Services / Inside page
- Site Map
- Blog (layout)
- Contact us
The HTML validates and displays correctly in IE6 . CSS and HTML pages are extensively commented.
A bonus Site Map & Form Submit PHP Script are included.
- The PHP site map automatically displays every page in your website as a list. It's great for search engines and helps users navigate your website.
- The PHP form submit script that will process your form, and you can set up a CC, email subject, and required fields.
Additional information:
- Layout-wide is 980 px (optimized for 1024×768 screen resolution)
- Icon sets are linked to in help file
- Standard fonts plus Diavlo, available for free download.
Check out my other files:


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Section 3721.01 | Nursing home and residential care facility definitions and classifications.
(A) As used in sections 3721.01 to 3721.09 and 3721.99 of the Revised Code:
(1)(a) "Home" means an institution, residence, or facility that provides, for a period of more than twenty-four hours, whether for a consideration or not, accommodations to three or more unrelated individuals who are dependent upon the services of others, including a nursing home, residential care facility, home for the aging, and a veterans' home operated under Chapter 5907. of the Revised Code.
(b) "Home" also means both of the following:
(i) Any facility that a person, as defined in section 3702.51 of the Revised Code, proposes for certification as a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility under Title XVIII or XIX of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, and for which a certificate of need, other than a certificate to recategorize hospital beds as described in section 3702.521 of the Revised Code or division (R)(7)(d) of the version of section 3702.51 of the Revised Code in effect immediately prior to April 20, 1995, has been granted to the person under sections 3702.51 to 3702.62 of the Revised Code after August 5, 1989;
(ii) A county home or district home that is or has been licensed as a residential care facility.
(c) "Home" does not mean any of the following:
(i) Except as provided in division (A)(1)(b) of this section, a public hospital or hospital as defined in section 3701.01 or 5122.01 of the Revised Code;
(ii) A residential facility as defined in section 5119.34 of the Revised Code;
(iii) A residential facility as defined in section 5123.19 of the Revised Code;
(iv) A community addiction services provider as defined in section 5119.01 of the Revised Code;
(v) A facility licensed under section 5119.37 of the Revised Code to operate an opioid treatment program;
(vi) A facility providing services under contract with the department of developmental disabilities under section 5123.18 of the Revised Code;
(vii) A facility operated by a hospice care program licensed under section 3712.04 of the Revised Code that is used exclusively for care of hospice patients;
(viii) A facility operated by a pediatric respite care program licensed under section 3712.041 of the Revised Code that is used exclusively for the care of pediatric respite care patients or a location operated by a pediatric transition care program registered under section 3712.042 of the Revised Code that is used exclusively for the care of pediatric transition care patients;
(ix) A facility, infirmary, or other entity that is operated by a religious order, provides care exclusively to members of religious orders who take vows of celibacy and live by virtue of their vows within the orders as if related, and does not participate in the medicare program or the medicaid program if on January 1, 1994, the facility, infirmary, or entity was providing care exclusively to members of the religious order;
(x) A county home or district home that has never been licensed as a residential care facility.
(2) "Unrelated individual" means one who is not related to the owner or operator of a home or to the spouse of the owner or operator as a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, or as the child of an aunt or uncle.
(3) "Mental impairment" does not mean mental illness, as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code, or developmental disability, as defined in section 5123.01 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Skilled nursing care" means procedures that require technical skills and knowledge beyond those the untrained person possesses and that are commonly employed in providing for the physical, mental, and emotional needs of the ill or otherwise incapacitated. "Skilled nursing care" includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) Irrigations, catheterizations, application of dressings, and supervision of special diets;
(b) Objective observation of changes in the patient's condition as a means of analyzing and determining the nursing care required and the need for further medical diagnosis and treatment;
(c) Special procedures contributing to rehabilitation;
(d) Administration of medication by any method ordered by a physician, such as hypodermically, rectally, or orally, including observation of the patient after receipt of the medication;
(e) Carrying out other treatments prescribed by the physician that involve a similar level of complexity and skill in administration.
(5)(a) "Personal care services" means services including, but not limited to, the following:
(i) Assisting residents with activities of daily living;
(ii) Assisting residents with self-administration of medication, in accordance with rules adopted under section 3721.04 of the Revised Code;
(iii) Preparing special diets, other than complex therapeutic diets, for residents pursuant to the instructions of a physician or a licensed dietitian, in accordance with rules adopted under section 3721.04 of the Revised Code.
(b) "Personal care services" does not include "skilled nursing care" as defined in division (A)(4) of this section. A facility need not provide more than one of the services listed in division (A)(5)(a) of this section to be considered to be providing personal care services.
(6) "Nursing home" means a home used for the reception and care of individuals who by reason of illness or physical or mental impairment require skilled nursing care and of individuals who require personal care services but not skilled nursing care. A nursing home is licensed to provide personal care services and skilled nursing care.
(7) "Residential care facility" means a home that provides either of the following:
(a) Accommodations for seventeen or more unrelated individuals and supervision and personal care services for three or more of those individuals who are dependent on the services of others by reason of age or physical or mental impairment;
(b) Accommodations for three or more unrelated individuals, supervision and personal care services for at least three of those individuals who are dependent on the services of others by reason of age or physical or mental impairment, and, to at least one of those individuals, any of the skilled nursing care authorized by section 3721.011 of the Revised Code.
(8) "Home for the aging" means a home that provides services as a residential care facility and a nursing home, except that the home provides its services only to individuals who are dependent on the services of others by reason of both age and physical or mental impairment.
The part or unit of a home for the aging that provides services only as a residential care facility is licensed as a residential care facility. The part or unit that may provide skilled nursing care beyond the extent authorized by section 3721.011 of the Revised Code is licensed as a nursing home.
(9) "County home" and "district home" mean a county home or district home operated under Chapter 5155. of the Revised Code.
(B) The director of health may further classify homes. For the purposes of this chapter, any residence, institution, hotel, congregate housing project, or similar facility that meets the definition of a home under this section is such a home regardless of how the facility holds itself out to the public.
(C) For purposes of this chapter, personal care services or skilled nursing care shall be considered to be provided by a facility if they are provided by a person employed by or associated with the facility or by another person pursuant to an agreement to which neither the resident who receives the services nor the resident's sponsor is a party.
(D) Nothing in division (A)(4) of this section shall be construed to permit skilled nursing care to be imposed on an individual who does not require skilled nursing care.
Nothing in division (A)(5) of this section shall be construed to permit personal care services to be imposed on an individual who is capable of performing the activity in question without assistance.
(E) Division (A)(1)(c)(ix) of this section does not prohibit a facility, infirmary, or other entity described in that division from seeking licensure under sections 3721.01 to 3721.09 of the Revised Code or certification under Title XVIII or XIX of the "Social Security Act." However, such a facility, infirmary, or entity that applies for licensure or certification must meet the requirements of those sections or titles and the rules adopted under them and obtain a certificate of need from the director of health under section 3702.52 of the Revised Code.
(F) Nothing in this chapter, or rules adopted pursuant to it, shall be construed as authorizing the supervision, regulation, or control of the spiritual care or treatment of residents or patients in any home who rely upon treatment by prayer or spiritual means in accordance with the creed or tenets of any recognized church or religious denomination.
Last updated March 15, 2023 at 12:48 PM
Available Versions of this Section
- September 29, 2013 – House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly [ View September 29, 2013 Version ]
- October 12, 2016 – Amended by House Bill 158 - 131st General Assembly [ View October 12, 2016 Version ]
- June 29, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 111 - 132nd General Assembly [ View June 29, 2019 Version ]
- April 6, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 558 - 134th General Assembly [ View April 6, 2023 Version ]


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Advanced Search
Microsoft today released a test version of Windows Small Business Server code-named "7," which is the successor to the current SBS 2008 product.
This release is described as a "public preview" by Microsoft and it can be downloaded by those who have registered at the Microsoft Connect portal page here (it requires a Windows Live ID sign-up too). Microsoft announced in July that SBS 7 would be arriving at summer's end at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington, D.C. At that time, Microsoft promised an upgraded software stack to come with the new server.
According to Kevin Kean, general manager of the Windows Home and Small Business Server team, the SBS 7 product will include technologies such as "Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 and Windows Software Update Services."
Microsoft improved the security and management capabilities in SBS 7, as well as file and print handling, Kean explained in a blog post. It's also now easier to provide Internet and e-mail access to end users, according to the post.
In general, SBS 7 provides a single-console management view. Users can set up automatic file backups, monitor the status of clients for antivirus and security updates, and manage the network's firewall. SBS 7 also supports the addition of add-ons, which extend the functionality of the server. Add-ons represent an opportunity for Microsoft's partners to better customize the server to meet the needs of small business customers.
The server can be integrated with Microsoft Office, enabling small business users to tap into remote access via Office Web Apps, which are limited browser-based versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word and OneNote.
Like SBS 2008, SBS 7 will be limited to supporting up to 75 client access licenses. Earlier this summer, Microsoft released a public preview of a similar server for small businesses code-named "Aurora." Billed as the "first server" for small businesses, Aurora can support less than 25 users. For organizations with even fewer personnel, Microsoft released a preview of Windows Home Server "Vail," which handles backup and file sharing for up to 10 PCs.
Microsoft used to offer a product called "Windows Essential Business Server" (EBS), which was designed to support midsize organizations of 75 to 300 users. However, in April, Microsoft killed off EBS. On June 30, Microsoft ended the availability and development of the EBS product.
About the Author
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.
Microsoft on Wednesday gave notice that its Exchange Online e-mail tamper protections are planned for completion in 2024, which may entail some backend changes by IT departments.
Azure Automation provide IT with the ways to make their jobs more interesting. Got a task you're sick of doing? Automate it away!
The new update, rolling out for some, includes a preview of Microsoft's AI-powered Windows Copilot.
Microsoft Mesh for Microsoft Teams will be arriving as a public preview in Oct. 2023, the company announced on Tuesday.
Microsoft announced on Monday that it plans to "retire" its Azure Database for MariaDB service on Sept. 19, 2025.
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Visit the Tee Shirt Store - NEW designs!! HERE
I just watched this one and liked it a lot. Does anyone know if all the VCI releases are the same transfer? I've seen the standalone listed as anamorphic but borrowed my Dad's VCI double feature with ANY GUN CAN PLAY and either it wasn't or at least wasn't flagged properly.
-A spanish TV Brodcast with good quality, 2,35:1 Aspect Ratio
I have a copy of the Swedish Walthers VHS and in my opinion picture quality is better than the Spanish print. Run time 97 mins.However, the Spanish print's running time is 101 mins so I would probably go for that one to be sure. Not having done a side by side comparison of the two I'm not sure of the differences. Hope that helps.
No, but i know three uncut versions:-A greek VHS, Englsih Audio, Fullscren (?)-A swedish VHS, English Audio, good pictre quality, 2,20:1 Aspect Ratio-A spanish TV Brodcast with good quality, 2,35:1 Aspect Ratio
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Classical Studies (Greek option)
Program Requirements
Mechanics of the Greek language
With minimal and informed recourse to dictionaries, grammars, commentaries, and other translation aids, students will be able to read and comprehend the prose and poetry of Classical Greek authors. Specifically, they will be able to read and comprehend the writings of Xenophon, Homer, Plato, Euripides, and other Greek authors of comparable difficulty. Students will be able to compose Greek sentences and paragraphs in imitation of the style of Classical Greek masters.
Interpretation and analysis of Greek texts
Students will demonstrate their ability to write analytical papers or the equivalent that apply close readings to Classical literary texts to develop and clearly express original interpretations of these texts.
Understanding and contextualizing ancient Greek culture
Students will demonstrate a broad knowledge and comprehension of the history, literature, philosophy, and visual arts of Greece from Mycenaean civilization through the Hellenistic Age.


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Ancestry.com is announcing it has launched the largest collection of U.S. military records available and searchable online, featuring more than 90 million names that span more than four centuries of American history from the 1600s through Vietnam.
This U.S. Military Collection includes exclusive record sets such as the only complete collection of WWI draft registration cards and commemorative military yearbooks and newspapers. Combined, the records bring to life the stories and sacrifices of the millions of brave men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Inside the U.S. Military Collection
Ancestry.com's U.S. Military Collection captures all major wars and conflicts from American history, including the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as well as the Spanish-American War and the War of 1812.
The eclectic volume of records features more than 700 databases and titles and 37 million images of original and often personally autographed documents including:
- World War I and World War II draft registration cards'
- Prisoner of war records from the War of 1812, Civil War, World War II, and Korea
- Muster rolls (unit rosters) for the Marine Corps 1893-1958 and WWII U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Muster rolls, 1939-1949
- U.S. Military burial registers 1768-1921
- Service Records from Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil WarÂ
- Civil War Pension Index
- Casualty listings from WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam
- WWI and WWII Stars and Stripes Newspapers
- Young American Patriots Military Yearbooks (post WWII)
Rare historical media such as the United Newsreel Motion Pictures (1942-1945) are another highlight of the collection, making Ancestry.com the only online source for all 267 counter-propaganda films shown in U.S. theaters and abroad during WWII. Produced by the Office of War Information and financed by the U. S. government, the United Newsreels consisted of several short stories concerning allied military operations and were reportedly released in sixteen languages. Newsreels were also dropped behind enemy lines in a German language version and distributed in friendly and neutral countries.
Beginning now through June 6th (D-Day), Ancestry.com will make its entire U.S. Military Collection free to the public. For more information on Ancestry.com's U.S. Military Collection, click here.
In order to see the new titles added to Ancestry for this military release, click here and view titles by war/conflict.


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Honors for the 2005-06 men's basketball season and captains for the 2006-07 season have been announced by coach Glenn Van Wieren.
Honors for the 2005-06 men's basketball season and captains for the 2006-07 season have been announced by coach Glenn Van Wieren.
The Flying Dutchmen established a single season record for victories in posting a 28-3 record, including an 18-0 mark at the new DeVos Fieldhouse. The team advanced to the Sweet Sixten of the NCAA Division III championships.
Sharing co-most valuable player honors were seniors Greg Immink of Hudsonville, Mich. (Hudsonville HS) and Andy Phillips of White Pigeon, Mich. (Sturgis HS). Immink and Phillips were joined by senior teammate Eric Voisin of Suttons Bay (Suttons Bay HS) on the All-MIAA first team. Immink was named an All-American (fifth team) by the publication DIII News. Immink and Phillips joined an elite group of Hope players to score more than 1,000 points in their career.
Sophomore Dan Holt of Spring Lake, Mich. (Spring Lake HS) and freshman Jesse Reimink of Hudsonville, Mich. (Hudsonville HS) were voted the team's most improved players while senior Jeff Carlson of Holland, Mich. (Holland HS) was chosen as the most inspirational player to his teammates and the team's most valuable defender.
Elected tri-captains of the 2006-07 team were juniors Steve Cramer of Akron, Mich. (Unionville-Sebawing HS), Brett Jager of Kalamazoo, Mich. (Kalamazoo Christian HS), and Scott Richardson of Flint, Mich. (Carman Ainsworth HS).


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IYA2009 Updates
Website Launched For Astronomers to Report Observations Of Unexplained Aerospace Phenomena
15 October 2009
A website has been launched that will give amateur and professional astronomers a formal mechanism for reporting any unexplained phenomena they observe when studying the night sky. Within the framework of International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), the Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) Observations Reporting Scheme aims to provide a global focus for sightings by astronomers and contribute towards a better understanding of transient phenomena occurring in the atmosphere.
The reporting scheme has been set up by amateur astronomer, Philippe Ailleris, who proposes to use the unique opportunity of IYA2009 to collect additional and more rigorous information on UAPs, more popularly referred to as UFOs.
"These phenomena are mainly seen in the night sky, a domain that astronomers have long considered their own, and it is important to collect testimonies from members of the population that are trained observers. We aim to approach this controversial field of UAP sightings from a professional, rational point of view and without any preconceived ideas. Certainly whenever there are unexplained observations, there is the possibility that scientists could learn something new by further study," said Ailleris.
Ailleris has developed a questionnaire that requests precise details of the sightings, including the location, time, elevation, velocity, apparent size and distance of the UAP, as well as a description of the terrain and weather conditions at the observation point and any sketches, photos, audio or video footage. A short and long version of the questionnaire in English and French can be downloaded from a dedicated website, www.uapreporting.org.
The website will also give information on common nocturnal and daytime misidentifications, such as sightings of satellites, weather balloons, rockets and natural phenomena such as meteors, planets, ball lightning, sprites and mirages. There will also be links to relevant websites where people can further check charts and details.
"As well as allowing people to double check their sighting against explainable causes, we hope that the website will be a useful tool for the astronomy community to redirect enquiries from the general public and to help engage with the public in discussions about the science behind what is seen in the sky," said Ailleris.
The scheme is being launched in the run up to the IYA2009 Cornerstone Project, Galilean Nights, which will see amateur and professional astronomers around the globe taking to the streets on 22-24 October, pointing their telescopes to the wonders that Galileo observed 400 years ago.
"Many IYA2009 observers will be scanning the skies with all kinds of technical equipment -telescopes, binoculars, video-cameras, cameras with spectrographs - which creates an excellent opportunity to obtain supplementary data," said Ailleris. "This is also a great opportunity to engage with the general public and discuss some of the challenges astronomers face in determining various parameters such as coordinates, altitude, distance, speed and size. I hope we can use this opportunity to enthuse young (and not so young) people and prompt them to start looking upwards and outwards to make sense of their place in the Universe."
Further Information: UAP Observations Reporting Scheme website: http://www.uapreporting.org. or Philippe Ailleris (E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com)
Live Webcast from Cassini Scientist for a Day: Saturn Question & Answer Session with Students
15 October 2009
Cassini scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will answer questions
about Saturn from students who entered the Cassini Scientist for a Day essay
This live event will air on the "NASAJPL" channel on Ustream TV at:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasajpl on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, beginning at noon
Pacific Time (3 p.m. Eastern Time, or 19:00 UTC). This program will also be archived for later viewing.
More information on the Cassini mission is available at:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/ and http://www.nasa.gov/cassini
U.S. IYA2009 Updates - October 2009
14 October 2009
White House Star Party Links, compiled as of 9 October 2009
Videos of the President speaking about astronomy:
President's speech at the White House Star Party from NASA TV
Text of the President's speech:
President's earlier speech awarding the national medals for science and technology
Photos from the White House Star Party:
NASA Flickr site for posting White House Star Party photos:
(or go to Flickr.com and search on "White House Star Party")
White House announcement
on the main page of WhiteHouse.gov; see the link to the left under the WH blog
Astronomy Education Activities done at the WHSP
Most widespread news story about the WHSP (with a great quote!):
Associated Press (many newspapers)
White House aims middle schoolers eyes to stars
So with the telescopes, astronomers, and costumes, was there an element of geekiness on the White House lawn? "Does the geekiness need to be questioned?" answered Howarth, who hadn't quite donned his Newton costume yet. "The nice thing is that people are paying attention to geeks."
Galilean Nights Oct. 22-24
Please register your Galilean Nights events now! 65 U.S. events have been registered so far.
Galileoscope eBay Auction
Read a blog post by Pamela Gay on the Galileoscope and the eBay auction. http://networkedblogs.com/p12393749
Galileoscope boxes were autographed during the most recent Dragon*Con convention by celebrities from Battlestar Galactica and Ghost Hunters International and were auctioned off on eBay in order to buy Galileoscopes for schools in need of science equipment. The auction raised $470! Thank you to Pamela Gay for making this happen!
First Galileo Teacher Training Program Workshop in the US is a Success
"In the Footsteps of Galileo", an initial 2-day workshop to train US teachers on how to convey basic astronomical concepts in a hands-on way, took place near San Francisco on Sept. 12 & 13, 2009, as part of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). Approximately 30 teachers from around the United States participated, and were joined by five astronomy education specialists (from as far away as Australia and Israel) who want to replicate the workshop locally. The workshop was led by Andrew Fraknoi (of Foothill College & the ASP) and Dennis Schatz (of Seattle's Pacific Science Center). Other presenters included Connie Walker and Robert Sparks (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) and Suzy Gurton (ASP). Among the areas covered in the workshop were:
* Research on Student Learning and Hands-on Science
* Jupiter's Moons: Galileo's Experiment
* Building and Using a "Galileoscope"
* Paper-Tape Solar System: An Easy Scaling Activity
* Measuring the Dark: Activities on Light Pollution
* The Moon Doesn't Phase Me: Understanding the Changing Appearance of the Moon
* Who is Your Hero: Creating Your Own Constellations.
Participants received a wide range of activity handouts and astronomy resource materials that can be put to direct use in
the 3rd through 12th grade classroom.
More information will be posted at:
Galileo Teacher's Workshop in Hawaii Educators from across the Big Island attended the recent Galileo Teacher's Workshop in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy. Teachers were given a Galileoscope to build and take back to their classroom. The Galileoscope is a cornerstone project for IYA, which honors the 400 years of telescope's advancement in astronomy. The workshop was sponsored by Gemini Observatory, TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope), Big Island Toyota and NELHA. For more information regarding future workshops, contact Janice Harvey at email@example.com or visit http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/somk/.
FETTU Forum for Organizers
We've set up a blog page that we hope will serve as a forum for FETTU organizers -- and those who wish to become FETTU organizers -- can communicate with one another. The idea is that this blog will allow people who are done with their FETTU materials to share with those who may like to use them. Please see:
FETTU Braille Exhibit
As part of the "From Earth to the Universe" (FETTU) project, a NASA-funded tactile and Braille exhibit for the visually impaired community was launched in July 2009. FETTU panels for the visually impaired were produced featuring tactile displays as well as Braille versions of the caption material for a subset of the FETTU images with materials based on the book "Touch the Invisible Sky". The tactile exhibit is currently at the Atlanta Center for the Visually Impaired (Atlanta, Georgia), the Perkins School for the Blind (Boston, Massachusetts) and Columbia University (New York, New York) and will move on to additional locations this fall in Maryland, Arkansas, and Puerto Rico. For more information on the tactile display, visit http://www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/tactile.php
Hubble's Amazing Rescue Premieres on NOVA Tuesday, October 13, 2009 After nearly 20 years in space and hundreds of thousands of spectacular images, the Hubble Space Telescope's gyroscopes and sensors were failing, its batteries running down, and some of its instruments were already dead. NOVA weaves together the compelling story of this dangerous 12-day mission and its five pressure-filled spacewalks. For two years leading up to launch, NOVA followed the mission closely, with unprecedented access to every aspect of the endeavor, from NASA's training facilities for flight preparation to the historic mission itself. Hubble's Amazing Rescue premieres Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 8PM ET/PT on PBS (please check local listings). For more information, visit www.pbs.org/nova/hubble
NASA's Multiwavelength Image Unveiling
NASA's Great Observatories - the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory - will release a new multiwavelength image to celebrate the culmination of the International Year of Astronomy. 152 institutions will unveil prints of the Hubble-Spitzer-Chandra view of the core of our Milky Way Galaxy in local events to be held between November 10 and November 30, 2009. High-resolution files will be available after November 10 for institutions that would like to create their own prints. Visit http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/events/iyafinale/ for more information.
Doug Isbell's Book
Congratulations to Doug Isbell, US SPoC, on the publication of his book, Observatories of the Southwest: A Guide for Curious Skywatchers. It is available on Amazon here:
IYA2009 in the Columbus Day Parade
Donald Lubowich is planning to march with a float in the NYC Columbus Day Parade on Oct. 12 in NYC on 5th Avenue honoring Galileo while promoting IYA2009 and his NASA-funded Music and Astronomy Under the Stars program. There will be at least 30 seconds of airtime on NBC (live broadcasts) and broadcast live to Italy. I have been told that NBC plans to have a 3-4 minute segment on Galilei to lead off the broadcast.
NASA Launches Virtual Trip to Jupiter
NASA invites the public to travel to Jupiter from the comfort of one of 38 Science On a Sphere theaters around the globe. Viewers will feel like they are in orbit around the largest planet in our solar system as images based on data from NASA missions are projected onto a 6-foot sphere in the center of the theater. Called "LARGEST", the free, seven-minute presentation opens September 15. "The movie has incredible visual appeal," said astrophysicist Amy Simon-Miller of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., who was a scientific consultant for the production. "We think it will engage people and get them interested in learning more about Jupiter and planetary exploration."
To find the nearest Science on a Sphere theater, and for more images and information about Jupiter, refer to: http://www.nasa.gov/largest http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/multimedia/largest/index.html
IYA at CAP2010 in S. Africa - Call for Registration The "Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010" (CAP2010) conference will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 15 to19 March, 2010. Following the previous conferences in this series, it aims to address the modern challenges in astronomy communication through a global perspective. Major themes of CAP2010 will be the outcome and legacy of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) as well as techniques for how to make public astronomical knowledge global and accessible to everyone across national, language, political, social and cultural borders and to those with impairment limitations. Abstract Deadline: 1 November 2009 Registration Deadline: 15 November 2009 http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/472/
IYA in the News
The Physics Teacher-Oct. Issue Vol. 47 pgs. 428-433 The International Year of Astronomy: New Approaches and Novel Resources for Physics Classrooms by Stephen Pompea and Douglas Isbell - wonderful and colorful article on IYA2009
NPR-October 1, 2009 Smithsonian Opens Observatory on National Mall by Renee Montagne http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113375026
PBS in Arizona-September 1, 2009 Galileo Telescope: Celestial Views by Pam White http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2009/9/3/kuat-galileo-telescope/ - nice interview/piece with Steve Pompea on the Galileoscope
Resource Guide to the Moon for Educators
An annotated list of resources for helping students and the public to understand and appreciate the Moon is now available on the web site of the nonprofit Astronomical Society of the Pacific at: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/family/resources/moonguide.html
The guide -- for educators, amateur astronomers, and everyone who would like to know more about the Earth's only natural satellite -- covers our scientific understanding of the Moon as a world, the appearance of the Moon in our skies, and tips for observing the Moon through binoculars or small telescopes. It also suggests a few ways to learn more about the Moon in popular culture and historical events.
(This resource list is part of a series of guides for educators from the 120-year old Society, which is dedicated to improving the public understanding of astronomy and advancing science literacy. See all their materials at: http://www.astrosociety.org/education.html )
Honolulu to Host Largest Astronomy Meeting Ever in 2015
The worlds largest meeting of professional astronomers is coming to the Hawaii Convention Center in 2015. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) will hold its triennial General Assembly August 3-14, 2015, in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. A vote at this years General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, selected Hawaii as the location of the 2015 meeting. IAU General Assemblies are held every three years.
The XXVII General Assembly held last month in Rio de Janeiro attracted more than 2,200 registered participants, exhibitors, and science journalists as well as additional accompanying family members. The next one will take place in August 2012 in Beijing, China. The August 2015 meeting in Hawaii is expected to attract some 4,000 attendees and will likely include the largest astronomy-related exhibition ever held at an IAU General Assembly.
First UNAWE Program in the United States: Discovering My Universe
"Discovering My Universe" is a Riverside County Library System program for a network comprised of 33 library branches and museum located in southern California. The program is designed to provide outreach to the immediate community of three million in the county area, over 40% of which are Hispanic, and to the broader community in southern California and beyond.
The program introduces young children to their universe via a series of monthly library based pre-school and primary grade bi-lingual storytimes and related crafts during the International Year of Astronomy 2009 along with celebrating a special day of astronomy on or near October 24, 2009, in conjunction with the Astronomical League Fall IYA2009 activities. In subsequent years, the project will coordinate special library based storytimes on or near International Astronomy Day.
The project will also add free downloadable Astronomy related storytime reading selections and craft templates on the Riverside County Library System website for educators or the general public to access, along with increasing the number of links to children friendly Astronomy sites on the Riverside County Library System Web site. For more information, see: http://bit.ly/FaDhU
"Out of this World: The Landscapes of Our Solar System" in Moraga, CA
You are invited to the Grand Opening of "Out of this World: The Landscapes of Our Solar System" a new art exhibition at the Hearst Gallery October 11 - December 13 and "The Top Tourist Sights of the Solar System: Where Bill Gates' Great-Granddaughter Might Go on Her Honeymoon" A Free Public Talk by Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi at the LeFevre Theater both at St. Mary's College of California in Moraga Sunday Oct. 11, 2009 starting at 2 pm. (Talk and panel from 2 to 3:15 pm, reception 3:30 to 5)
The exhibit features the paintings of some of the best known artists, depicting scenes of alien worlds. There will also be computer simulations, a scale model of the Mars Rover, films, Hubble, Mars Rover, and Cassini planetary images, and more. The curators of this special show are Carrie Brewster, the Gallery Director, and Ronald Olowin, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at St. Mary's. For information and directions, see: http://www.hearstartgallery.org
Cultural Astronomy Working Group Update and Events
Two requests from Jarita Holbrook <firstname.lastname@example.com>
I will be in Australia and New Zealand in November and am trying to arrange showings of Hubble's Diverse Universe while I am there. We will be in Sydney and the South Island. If anyone has contacts let me know.
Elizabeth Wallace who is running the Skies Alive Film Competition would like more IYA Volunteers to join her team. She can be contacted at email@example.com. We hope to show the prize winning films at the IYA Closing ceremonies. Also, contact Elizabeth if you would like promotional materials.
UA Ghana Astronomy Study Abroad: The deadline for registration is Oct 15th. The program will go if 24 students or more register. There are five $1200 scholarships to go towards airfare available for minority students. http://studyabroad.arizona.edu/
Celestial Cinema: Hubble's Diverse Universe will be shown during the Women in Astronomy Conference in October, at Goddard Space Flight Center in November, and at Space Telescope in November. In 2010 it will be shown at AAS Jan and NSBP Feb. We plan to release DVD copies in 2010. If you want to schedule local showings in November and December get in touch with Jarita.
(Jarita will be in Australia and New Zealand in November and is trying to arrange showings of Hubble's Diverse Universe while she is there. She will be in Sydney and the South Island. If anyone has contacts please let Jarita know.)
Skies Alive film Competition:
There are several categories of film that will be accepted. There is a submission fee but the project also needs about $1000.00. Film submission will be accepted through Nov 15th. Please circulate to potential filmmakers. Also, volunteers are needed, contact Elizabeth Wallace (email@example.com) if you are interested or if you would like promotional materials. See website: http://ursa.as.arizona.edu/~iya2009cast/SkiesAlive.htm
Cultural Astronomy Lectures: We have created an "Events" page in which we want to post upcoming cultural astronomy and storytelling lectures from all over the United States. Right now there are listed two lectures by me and one by David Dearborn. See our shadow pages: http://ursa.as.arizona.edu/~iya2009cast/Events.htm and http://ursa.as.arizona.edu/~iya2009cast/opportunities.htm
News from Puerto Rico
We had 483 students and teachers visit the poster areas and exhibits at the Division of Planetary Sciences Conference on Monday, October 5, 2009. The scientists talked with the students and gave them 30 minute talks. We have the Galileoscope on display and expect more students on Wednesday. This link is an article prepared by the IYA student volunteers (Starry Messengers): http://dialogodigital.com/en/node/2921
News from Canada
Q2CFestival.com will take a global audience from the strange subatomic world to the outer frontiers of the universe with the help of an international roster of 60+ cutting-edge scientists, writers, and thinkers. Perimeter Institute's 'Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future' festival, launching October 15, 2009, will provide one of the world's most interesting online destinations during this International Year of Astronomy. The event will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of Perimeter Institute's creation and contribute to Canada's National Science and Technology Week activities. Join them online at www.Q2CFestival.com
FETTU Opening in Iranian Parliament
"From Earth To The Universe" astronomy photo exhibition in Parliament of Iran inaugurated by Professor Yousef Sobuti, father of modern astronomy in Iran on September 27, 2009. FETTU and a selection of astro-photos of the sky of Iran photo exhibition inaugurated in the presence of Ali Larijani, chairman of Iranian Parliament, members of the Parliament and Iranian professional astronomers.
Dr. Sadollah Nassiri Gheydari, professional astronomer, member of strategic council of Iranian National Observatory (INO) and member of education committee in Iranian Parliament, was the one who suggested an astronomy photo exhibition in Iranian Parliament. "I intended to bring astronomy among members of the Parliament and let them see the glory and beauty of the heavens" he said.
Astronomical Society of Iran with cooperation of StarPeace non-profit NGO, organizer of StarPeace IYA Special Project, has organized the photo exhibition. As Dr. Jamshid Ghanbari, the head of Astronomical Soceity of Iran told, "this collection is going to be exhibited in other provinces of Iran and in International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2009 in Iran."
FETTU exhibition in Parliament of Iran is the only one of its kinds in Iran. It is a selection of 30 telescopic images of celestial objects and 20 photos of glory of the night sky above Iran's historical and cultural symbols. Report by Irene Shivaei
USA Science & Engineering Festival
The inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival -- a multicultural, multigenerational, multidisciplinary celebration of science and technology -- will be held in Washington, DC, next fall. It will culminate with an expo on the National Mall that will give more than 500 science and engineering organizations from all over the U.S. the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Participating organizations are asked to create engaging, hands-on activities to be presented in a10-by-10-foot tent (or multiples thereof) during the expo. The goal of the festival is to have 1 million people celebrating science and technology on the Mall.
The USA Science & Engineering Festival is modeled after similar events held in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, and Australia. These are typically 1- to 2-week festivals; they draw between 100,000 and 1 million people and celebrate all aspects of science through lectures, activities, exhibits, contests, theater, comedy, poetry, art, and music.
The organizers of the USA Science & Engineering Festival created the highly successful San Diego Science Festival, which drew more than 200,000 people in March 2009 (see http://www.scivee.tv/node/12528). They're inviting all professional- and amateur-astronomy associations to participate in next fall's national festival and expo. There is no cost to participate if you indicate your interest by October 30, 2009 -- except the time, energy, and creativity to assemble and staff your booth. After October 30th, a small table-and-tent rental fee will be charged.
If you're interested in becoming involved with what promises to be the Woodstock of Science, contact Larry Bock at firstname.lastname@example.com or 760-846-3473. For more information, see http://usasciencefestival.org/ or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46922645272.
D.C. January AAS Meeting
There will be two IYA Special Sessions on Tuesday, 5 January.
- 10:00 am, IYA2009 and Beyond: Global Overview and Cornerstone Projects
- 2:00 pm, IYA2009 and Beyond: Outreach and Citizen Science Programs
- 3:30 pm, splinter session on Beyond IYA planning with IYA leaders and working group chairs
- 6:30-8:00 pm, "Hubble's Diverse Universe" screening
Upcoming IYA Presentations at National Conferences
AGU - Steve Pompea and Doug Isbell (as invited speaker) Dec 14-18, 2009 in San Francisco.
Please let Andrea and Kristina know when you will be giving IYA presentations at national conferences. Afterwards, please tell us approximately how many people were in the audience.
If you have any other IYA news or publicity to report, please let us know!
Stephen Pompea, U.S. IYA Director, firstname.lastname@example.com
Andrea Schweitzer, U.S. IYA Project Manager, email@example.com
Kristina Harding, U.S. IYA Project Assistant, firstname.lastname@example.com
NASA release new film about the King of Planets
13 October 2009
A new astronomy film, LARGEST, examines gas giant Jupiter like a work of art, a destination of celestial wonder. Starting with the basics, the movie examines the gross anatomy of the immense planet. From swirling winds to astounding rotational velocity to unimaginable size, Jupiter demands nothing less than a list of superlatives. But where general description sets the stage, LARGEST parts the curtains on humanity's experience with the fifth planet. The movie takes us on a journey to this immense sphere via dramatic fly-bys with some of the most astounding robotic probes ever designed. Then, with NASA instruments trained on the striped behemoth, the drama really begins.
This novel movie has been produced for the Science On a Sphere platform. This is a novel cinema-in-the-round technology developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Viewers see Earth suspended in darkness as if they were in space. But just as thrilling as this unusual -- and unusually realistic -- look at the planet's structure and behaviour is the sheer fun and fascination of looking at a spherically shaped movie. Science On a Sphere literally bends the rules of cinema, revealing new ways to tell exciting, valuable stories of all kinds.
Official website: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/multimedia/largest/index.html
Science On a Sphere locations: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/multimedia/frozen/soas_locations.html
Sri Lankan space education seminar brings astronomy and IYA2009 into classrooms
13 October 2009
On 8 September, Sri Lanka's Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum Space Education Seminar: Bringing Astronomy, Space Science and Technology and their Applications into the Classroom.
The Honorary Minister of Science and Technology of Sri Lanka, Prof. Tissa Vitarana, opened the workshop and spoke passionately about the importance of educating students in the high technology areas of science and engineering and how the context of space can be used to inspire students in these areas.
50 school teachers were selected from all over Sri Lanka to participate in the seminar. Experts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines were invited to participate and share their experiences of using space education materials to teach science.
Feedback from participating teachers was very positive and everyone left with new ideas, including the presenters.
Based on a report available online: http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/vssec-news/vssecnews_aprsaf.asp
New Turkish telescopes begin test observations during IYA2009
13 October 2009
Three large optical telescopes established in Turkey have begun test observations.
The first is the largest optical telescope in the country, boasting 122 cm aperture. It was founded at Çanakkale Astrophysics Research Center by the State Planning Commission. The other telescopes feature apertures in the 100 cm and 60 cm regions, and fit within the National Research Council framework.
The official opening ceremony was performed by Minister of Transport Binali Yildirim. These new instruments are very important to Turkish astronomy, and IYA2009 supporters join together in congratulating all those involved.
Cosmic Diary blogger Arif Solmaz is covering developments. Read his initial post here: http://cosmicdiary.org/blogs/arif_solmaz/?page_id=575
First Galileo Teacher Training Program Workshop in the US is a Success
12 October 2009
"In the Footsteps of Galileo", an initial 2-day workshop to train US teachers on how to convey basic astronomical concepts in a hands-on way, took place near San Francisco on Sept. 12 & 13, 2009, as part of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). Approximately 30 teachers from around the United States participated, and were joined by five astronomy education specialists (from as far away as Australia and Israel) who want to replicate the workshop locally. The workshop was led by Andrew Fraknoi (of Foothill College & the ASP) and Dennis Schatz (of Seattle's Pacific Science Center). Other presenters included Connie Walker and Robert Sparks (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) and Suzy Gurton (ASP).
Among the areas covered in the workshop were:
* Research on Student Learning and Hands-on Science
* Jupiter's Moons: Galileo's Experiment
* Building and Using a "Galileoscope"
* Paper-Tape Solar System: An Easy Scaling Activity
* Measuring the Dark: Activities on Light Pollution
* The Moon Doesn't Phase Me: Understanding the Changing Appearance of the Moon
* Who is Your Hero: Creating Your Own Constellations.
Participants received a wide range of activity handouts and astronomy resource materials that can be put to direct use in the 3rd through 12th grade classroom.
More information on: http://www.gttpusa.org/
Peace and progress in International Astronautical Congress begins in South Korea
12 October 2009
The 60th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) was officially opened on 12 October in Daejeon, South Korea, where 3000 space experts from more than 70 countries are pooling their expertise. IAC 2009 Daejeon was officially opened by Lee Joo-jin, President of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and Bernndt Feurenbacher, President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), in the presence of Lee Myung-Bak, President of the Republic of Korea.
The IAC is running from 12 to 16 October. It provides opportunities for networking and business interaction in space, science and technology by hosting a large variety of Technical Sessions and exhibitions.
The complete programme for IAC 2009 Daejeon can be found on the IAF website: http://www.iafastro.org/iac
Additional information can be found at: http://www.iac2009.kr/
Spa-goers treated to a dose of astronomy
12 October 2009
Throughout IYA2009 astronomy events are being hosted across the world in venues more varied than previously thought possible. Now news is circulating of an observing event in Vienna held at a spa. Visitors were treated to telescopic views of Jupiter and commentaries via a speaker system.
An event report with photos is available here: http://www.waa.at/bericht/2009/10/20091004ola.en.html
"The End of Night" book highlights the problems of light pollution for IYA2009
12 October 2009
"The End of Night" is the first comprehensive compilation of the severe problems arising from artificial night lighting and its almost exponential increase during the last century. Written in a format intelligible to all readers and exemplified with current case studies, it is an excellent source for those wanting to learn more about light pollution and the issues that surround it.
Topics covered include:
A brief history of lighting
Light pollution in Central Europe
Moths and artificial lights
Artificial lighting and birds
Sea turtles as victims of beach lighting
Moon light as external timer for the marine fauna
Artificial light and human health
"The End of Night" is in German, contains a large number of full-colour images and will be published at the beginning of November 2009 by Wiley Inc, an IYA2009 Media Partner.
Further information:: http://homepage.univie.ac.at/thomas.posch/endedernacht/buch.html
Search IYA2009 Updates
National Nodes: 148
Organisational Nodes: 40
Organisational Associates:33
National Websites: 111
Cornerstone Projects: 12
Special Task Groups: 11
Special Projects:16
Official Products:8
Media Partners:22


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President Scott Brown Gets Bank Tax Removed, Still Won't Give Vote
Did you know that Sen. Scott Brown is our President, right now? He's calling all the shots on financial reform! He got what he wanted yesterday — removal of a bank tax — but still won't pledge to vote yes.
Brown, who voted for the first Senate financial regulatory reform bill, then personally got the final bill's negotiators to eliminate a ban on big banks' proprietary trading, then personally forced Barney Frank and Chris Dodd to re-open concluded negotiations to remove a $19 billion, long-term tax on enormous banks, putting the implementation costs on taxpayers and smaller banks alike, is finally ready to give Democrats his vote. Just kidding, of course he's not! He needs to weigh his options, 24/7, as any responsible legislator must do, during a weekend vacation.
"I appreciate the conference committee revisiting the Wall Street reform bill and removing the $19 billion bank tax. Over the July recess, I will continue to review this important bill," Brown said. "I remain committed to putting in place safeguards to prevent another financial meltdown, ensure that consumers are protected, and that this bill is paid for without new taxes."
Yeah, he'll find something new to bitch about in a week. "What is this nonsense about trading derivatives on exchanges! Eh? This will kill jobs and stuff. My conscience will not let me vote to kill jobs," etc.
All hail Scott Brown, junior Senate backbencher, and President of Finance.