Today at work I was searching the wonderful world of Google for some helpful resources for my job-seeking clients. I happened upon an awesome educational resource from MIT called MIT OpenCourseWare. The site is a collaboration of MIT professors' course materials - everything from syllabi, course reading materials, lecture notes, study guides, and assignments. The site is intended to be a free and open educational resource. As of June 2005, there were over 1,100 MIT courses published in a variety of topics - Everything from chemical engineering to women's studies to history. The site is truly a unique collection of course material and allows anyone with internet access to participate in FREE, online MIT education. The only downfall of the program is that it does not offer access to the instructors of the MIT courses. But heck, it's free, I'm not complaining!
As stated by MIT's President, Susan Hockfield:
"OpenCourseWare expresses in an immediate and far-reaching way MIT's goal of advancing education around the world. Through MIT OCW, educators and students everywhere can benefit from the academic activities of our faculty and join a global learning community in which knowledge and ideas are shared openly and freely for the benefit of all."
Here it is, http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html, be sure to check it out!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Monday, July 18, 2005
KDWB Fugitive ... Round Two
I just discovered that KDWB is doing a second round of their Fugitive game from last March. This time, the "so-called" fugitive stole a car and will be giving the Mustang to the first person who correctly identifies him/her. Once again, clues will be given on the radio and on the website. I got pathetically addicted to this game last march and am bound to follow it again this time!
Stillwater, MN
This past weekend Joe and I took a mini-trip to Stillwater, MN and Hudson, WI. While the weather was way too hot to really enjoy anything outside, we did have a good time on a dinner boat cruise on the St. Croix and on a Trolley ride around Stillwater. We also had a good time just relaxing and hanging out. Joe's webpage has our pictures posted. I've included a few here as well.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Not much to say today
Not much to say tonight. There's a bit from MPR that I've been meaning to post on here for a while - its a segment called "America's Image Problem" that was aired on MPR's "Midmorning" show the week of 6/27. It discusses the findings of and responses to the Pew Institute's Global Attitudes survey. To see more info about the survey, go here: http://pewglobal.org/
To hear the audio of the program, go here: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/programs/midmorning/listings/mm20050627.shtml and scroll down to "Tuesday, June 28th".
All for now!
To hear the audio of the program, go here: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/programs/midmorning/listings/mm20050627.shtml and scroll down to "Tuesday, June 28th".
All for now!
Monday, July 11, 2005
It's Monday
The good news today: MN's state employees finally were able to return to work today after a week-long government shutdown. Basic outlines of an agreement have been reached. Surprisingly, I haven't heard too many complaints about the decisions that were reached. I haven't had a chance to read much about the details, but I think I can fairly say that it turned out better than I thought it would.
For a great webpage go to http://www.postsecret.com This is a blog that is run by a man who collects people's anonymous secrets and then posts them for the world to see. It's really neat if you have some time to check it out. It was also recently featured in the Star Tribune at
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5499335.html
MPR's 'All Things Considered' today featured an article about the Girl Scout's organization's efforts to include Muslim girls scouting. As a former girl scout, I was happy to hear about the organization's broadening scope to welcome girls of other ethnicities. The organization even modified its creed, badges, and activities to include the Muslim girls.
The Girl Scouts have challenged the overall trend of dissapearing rights and respect for Muslim - Americans and have set a great example of cultural inclusion for the rest of the community. Way to Go!
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/06/30_tonessb_girlscouts/
That's all for now, more tomorrow!
For a great webpage go to http://www.postsecret.com This is a blog that is run by a man who collects people's anonymous secrets and then posts them for the world to see. It's really neat if you have some time to check it out. It was also recently featured in the Star Tribune at
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5499335.html
MPR's 'All Things Considered' today featured an article about the Girl Scout's organization's efforts to include Muslim girls scouting. As a former girl scout, I was happy to hear about the organization's broadening scope to welcome girls of other ethnicities. The organization even modified its creed, badges, and activities to include the Muslim girls.
The Girl Scouts have challenged the overall trend of dissapearing rights and respect for Muslim - Americans and have set a great example of cultural inclusion for the rest of the community. Way to Go!
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/06/30_tonessb_girlscouts/
That's all for now, more tomorrow!
Friday, July 8, 2005
Melancholy
It's a very somber world out there today. There's too many frustrating things going on in the world right now. Despite the sun shining and the approaching weekend, people all over seem a bit hopeless and fed-up with all of the going-ons of the past week. This week has brought a state government shutdown with thousands of employees out of work. This week we've also been reminded of our president's refusal to cooperate with implementation of global policy to reduce harmful polution. We've been reminded that terrorism are alive and well. Moreover, we've been reminded that our so-called "war-on-terror" clearly isn't working.
We face some tough challenges ahead, and have some important decisions to make.
It is my hope that Muslims and Arabs all over the world do not experience increased hostility and discrimnation as a result of the recent terrorist attacks. I beleive, however, that they will.
It is my hope that the leaders of the western countries involved in the "war on terror" will begin to acknowlege international opinion and open up their eyes to the true sources of terrorism. I believe, however, that they won't.
It is my hope that our elected officials in the state of Minnesota will understand the harsh consequences their choices have had on the state and come to an agreement regarding the budget. I believe, however, that they won't.
It is my hope that the new leg of the "war on terror" does not become a strictly religious crusade between Islam and the West. I beleive, however, that it already has.
Finally, it is my hope that this generation comes to realize that we must take action against environmental pollution. We must realize that our environment and the future of our planet is more important than the state of our economy. If we don't have a planet, we surely won't have an economy.
I have always believed that the future is simply the borrowing of time from those yet to come. If we don't change our current path of environmental destruction, however, we'll not only be borrowing more than our share, but we'll also be outright stealing it from future generations.
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realize that we can't eat money.
~ Cree Proverb ~
We face some tough challenges ahead, and have some important decisions to make.
It is my hope that Muslims and Arabs all over the world do not experience increased hostility and discrimnation as a result of the recent terrorist attacks. I beleive, however, that they will.
It is my hope that the leaders of the western countries involved in the "war on terror" will begin to acknowlege international opinion and open up their eyes to the true sources of terrorism. I believe, however, that they won't.
It is my hope that our elected officials in the state of Minnesota will understand the harsh consequences their choices have had on the state and come to an agreement regarding the budget. I believe, however, that they won't.
It is my hope that the new leg of the "war on terror" does not become a strictly religious crusade between Islam and the West. I beleive, however, that it already has.
Finally, it is my hope that this generation comes to realize that we must take action against environmental pollution. We must realize that our environment and the future of our planet is more important than the state of our economy. If we don't have a planet, we surely won't have an economy.
I have always believed that the future is simply the borrowing of time from those yet to come. If we don't change our current path of environmental destruction, however, we'll not only be borrowing more than our share, but we'll also be outright stealing it from future generations.
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realize that we can't eat money.
~ Cree Proverb ~
Thursday, July 7, 2005
Why do we hate them so?
Here's a poem by a poet and labor organizer who lives in NY city. The horrible attacks today reminded me of this poem.
My City
In my city innocent people
are killed by thunderous terror.
Vendors in the street are pummeled by rubble.
Men and women on their way to work are greeted
with anonymous hatred
of those they have never met.
Janitors, businessmen, clerks,
cooks, construction workers, the rescue workers
who risk all to help these.
My beloved city showered with death.
We cry up and ask, in the midst
of the screams of loved ones,
Why do they hate us so?
Why do they do this to our city,
to our livves?
My stomach turns on itself.
The people I love, burned, dissolving, dying.
The city I love, attacked.
My brothers in agony.
My sisters. Children. Mothers. Dead.
Who would do this?
Why my beautiful city?
How do we survive this
but by breathing the city's name
over and over and over like a mantra, a prayer?
Baghdad, Baghdad, Baghdad.
While not lessening the horrible significance of the attacks today, I continue to question why people don't care about the horrendous acts of terrorism that are occuring on a daily basis on Iraq. While the events of September 11, 2001 and June 7, 2005 will forever live on in our memories, Americans turn a blind eye to the events occuring in the middle east. How can we justify our utter lack of compassion to those in the middle east while we flood London with sympathy in the wake of terrorism? America, Enlgand, Spain, and all other countries in the west that have been attacked by terrorism have been fourtunate in the sense that the acts only occured ONCE. After all, the shadow of terrorism on America was September 11, 2001. The shadow of terrorism was London is June 7, 2005. The shadow of terrorism on Iraq, however, began March 20, 2003...............and still continues.
Why do we not care......?
My City
In my city innocent people
are killed by thunderous terror.
Vendors in the street are pummeled by rubble.
Men and women on their way to work are greeted
with anonymous hatred
of those they have never met.
Janitors, businessmen, clerks,
cooks, construction workers, the rescue workers
who risk all to help these.
My beloved city showered with death.
We cry up and ask, in the midst
of the screams of loved ones,
Why do they hate us so?
Why do they do this to our city,
to our livves?
My stomach turns on itself.
The people I love, burned, dissolving, dying.
The city I love, attacked.
My brothers in agony.
My sisters. Children. Mothers. Dead.
Who would do this?
Why my beautiful city?
How do we survive this
but by breathing the city's name
over and over and over like a mantra, a prayer?
Baghdad, Baghdad, Baghdad.
While not lessening the horrible significance of the attacks today, I continue to question why people don't care about the horrendous acts of terrorism that are occuring on a daily basis on Iraq. While the events of September 11, 2001 and June 7, 2005 will forever live on in our memories, Americans turn a blind eye to the events occuring in the middle east. How can we justify our utter lack of compassion to those in the middle east while we flood London with sympathy in the wake of terrorism? America, Enlgand, Spain, and all other countries in the west that have been attacked by terrorism have been fourtunate in the sense that the acts only occured ONCE. After all, the shadow of terrorism on America was September 11, 2001. The shadow of terrorism was London is June 7, 2005. The shadow of terrorism on Iraq, however, began March 20, 2003...............and still continues.
Why do we not care......?
London, you're in my thoughts
My thoughts and sympathies are with London and all of those affected by the attacks. Let us not turn our eyes away.
Recovery, godspeed.
It is essential that justice be done, and it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different. - Oscar Aria
The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance. - Diogenes Laertius
If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it. - Lucy Larcom
Recovery, godspeed.
It is essential that justice be done, and it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different. - Oscar Aria
The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance. - Diogenes Laertius
If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it. - Lucy Larcom
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
On China's growth and greenhouse gases
As the leaders of the G8 summit meet this week, one of the continuing policy divides between Blair and Bush is the Kyoto Protocol and whether or not the United States (and other industrialized nations) should be held accountable for the amount of polluting gases they emit.
Shortly after Bush took office in 2001 he withdrew the United States from Kyoto Protocol developed by the Clinton administration. Blair has been urging Bush to accept the Protocol and make the reduction of global warming a priority. Most large nations have accepted the Protocol and recognize the need to curb production of harmful gasses and pollutants.
China, however, is a nation that is exempt from the Protocol due to it's strive for economic development. Whether or not this is an acceptable excuse remains debateable (of course).
To read more on the topic go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/07/06/MNG6UDJJL01.DTL.
P.S. Here's a shout out to Molly for reading my blog! :)
Shortly after Bush took office in 2001 he withdrew the United States from Kyoto Protocol developed by the Clinton administration. Blair has been urging Bush to accept the Protocol and make the reduction of global warming a priority. Most large nations have accepted the Protocol and recognize the need to curb production of harmful gasses and pollutants.
China, however, is a nation that is exempt from the Protocol due to it's strive for economic development. Whether or not this is an acceptable excuse remains debateable (of course).
To read more on the topic go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/07/06/MNG6UDJJL01.DTL.
P.S. Here's a shout out to Molly for reading my blog! :)
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