Category: words

One of the oldest and most sacred documents known to man is about to become electronically viral.  Israel announced that the earliest written record of the Old Testament is to be digitally photographed in high resolution and then made available to the public via the internet.

Dubbed the "Dead Sea Scrolls," the document consists of 900, 2,000-year-old scrolls of inked parchment and papyrus.  They were discovered 60 years ago by shepherds in caves close to the Dead Sea.  Since then they've been kept under particular conditions in a vault in Jerusalem, and only four specially-trained curators are allowed to handle them.

The Guardian writes:

Now, in a project that could take five years and will cost millions of dollars, the fragments will be photographed first by a 39-megapixel colour digital camera, then by another digital camera in infra-red light and finally some will be photographed using a sophisticated multi-spectral imaging camera...

Eventually all the fragments will be available online, and readers will be provided with translations, scholarly interpretations and bibliographies for academic study.  The documents merge with modern technology is especially fascinating, as they were written in a time that couldn't be further different from our own.  Some of the writings come from a religious sect that existed in the time of Jesus, and all together the scrolls are made up of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages.

Bringing the scrolls to the digital era may even shed light on new revelations.  The Guardian reported the findings of Simon Tanner, an academic from King's College:

The new infra-red photography has picked out letters that had not previously been visible to the naked eye. "The ink stays dark and the leather becomes light and suddenly you can see text that you may no have been able to see," said Tanner. "We have revealed some text that has not been previously seen by scholars."

If the Dead Sea Scrolls start sending friend requests through MySpace, we could very well be in the most surreal time of mankind.

Looking at the morning's headlines today reminds me why I never want to work for a major news network.  In the past month you've probably heard a few things about US and Russia relations becoming, well, shaky.  A few weeks back the former Soviet Union deployed its troops for the first time since 1991, and one of the main problems with that is that they happened to invade a country the U.S. calls a "close ally."  Now, I'm not here to say whether who's right or who's wrong, but seeing the ongoing US media coverage of the situation is enough to make me want to puke blood by this point.  

The international news source Reuters wrote a lengthy article today about Russia recognizing two rebel regions of Georgia as independent, ally states.  With a headline reading "Russia recognizes Georgia regions as Bush Condemns,"* the write-up makes it known that the U.S. and several other nations are unhappy with the declaration.  Quotes seem to come from all sides on the issue as an unbiased report should.  It also includes the crucial fact that the U.S. seems to be ignoring right now: the two "states" of Georgia actually celebrated Russia's recognitions.  Reuters provides a statement made by President Dmitry Medvedev on the two regions:

"The peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have more than once spoken in referenda supporting the independence of their republics. We understand that after what had happened...they have the right to decide their fate themselves."

But the U.S. and its allies disagree on these regions' right to decide for themselves.  Within the article, Reuters reports that along with the U.S., Germany and Britain have called Russia's declarations "deplorable."  Mean while:

In the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi, jubilant residents fired shots into the air, uncorked champagne bottles and wept after the news from Moscow.  

To me, this appears to be the essence of the story.  But if you read the full article, on page 3 you'll find another quote by Medvedev:

"Nothing scares us, including the prospect of a Cold War, but we don't want it...In this situation, everything depends on the position of our partners."

Reuters wisely placed this quote in the middle of the story--because it's only one small part of the whole.  Russia isn't willing to back down on their beliefs, but at the same time they say they don't want a World War and accept the complex situation--using the very crucial language of still referring to those who oppose them as their "partners."  It would appear for me that despite the hairiness of the situation, Russia still wants what is best for everyone--especially the two "states" who apparently want to be one with them anyway.

Now, if we look at US coverage of the same story we get a slightly different picture.  To me, the following example is a clear-cut case of fear mongering--wholly despicable and insulting efforts by a major US news sources to grab reader attention through scare tactics that, in effect, encourage simple-minded, uninformed thinking.

FoxNews.com begins their version of the story with the headline "Russian President Says He's Not Afraid of Cold War."  The article even begins with Medvedev's quote mentioned above, as if it's the most crucial element of the story.  The news source further paints Medvedev as a scary, irrational-thinking enemy by including another immediate quote without any context: 

"If they want to preserve good relations with Russia in the West, they will understand the reason behind our decision," Medvedev said.

At no point in the article does Fox News mention the wild celebrations taking place in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.  Instead it marches to the official government line, ignoring the facts and painting Medvedev as some kind of irrational tyrant--without the full context or attempt to even understand Medvedev's words, it's hard to see the Russian president as anything else.  Fox News only has the following to say about the two regions:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the decision to recognize the independence of two breakaway regions in Georgia is "extremely unfortunate."

She said the U.S. regards Abkhazia and South Ossetia as "part of the internationally recognized borders of Georgia" and will use its veto power in the U.N. Security Council to block any Russian attempt change their status.

Furthermore, Fox News makes it prominent that France, Germany, and Britain are unanimous with their agreement with the U.S. It seems to be a case-closed issue, and now Cold War fears appear to be legitimate to anyone using Fox News as their world information source.

Fox isn't the only culprit in media reporting either.  A variety of newspapers are throwing around terms like "Cold War Atmosphere" and writing countless pieces speculating the possible disasters of Russia's actions.  It's also extremely difficult to find any reporting conducted within Georgia.  How does the country and its citizens, who are the real people at issue here, feel about all this?  

As I wrote earlier, it's not up to me to decide who's "at fault" or who is "righteous" in this very complex scenario, but after seeing our current woes in Iraq, we should all know by now the consequences of "othering" another nation.  If we continue to not question our leaders or our media, and just accept that Russia is some deviant, irrational force, we may yet see a real Cold War scenario--and the blood will be directly on our hands.  

*at the time of this publishing, the Reuters story has received a new headline, "Russia faces Western pressure over Georgia," and has undergone minor writing changes.

According to the Department of Education's statistics released today, 223,190 US students received a spanking or paddling in the classroom over the past year.  Corporal punishment in schools is legal in 21 states, and used frequently in at least 13 says the data collected from the Office for Civil Rights at the Department.

The punishment is linked to poverty and lack of resources.  A joint report conducted by the Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union writes, "Teachers may have overcrowded classrooms and lack resources such as counselors to assist with particularly disruptive students or classroom dynamics."  According to the data the punishment is also disproportionate to black students, who make up 17.1 percent of the 35.6 percent of those receiving physical punishment.  While boys are punished more often than girls, the report found that Africa-American students of both sexes are generally 1.4 times more likely to be hit.

The idea of smacking a child to correct them is seen by many school officials in these states as a quick and efficient solution to misbehavior.  It doesn't take much time out of the lesson to administer, and it eliminates the expenses of having to hire someone to run a detention or after-school program.  The only problem, of course, is the most important of all--the affect on the student.  Alice Farmer, the author of a joint report from Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union released the following statement:

"Every public school needs effective methods of discipline, but beating kids teaches violence, and it doesn't stop bad behavior.  Corporal punishment discourages learning, fails to deter future misbehavior and at times even provokes it."

She says, 'We need forms of discipline that makes children understand why what they did was wrong."

I can say from my own experience, that being hit as a child taught me one sure thing: don't act a certain away at a particular moment.  What is considered "misbehaving" is subjective to everyone, and therefore a systematic treatment of it simply does not work.  A child who is hit for acting one way in a specific time may be confused when he is not hit for conducting the same behavior at a different time.  The effects are obviously different for every individual, but a sharp infliction of pain with little explanation doesn't teach any sort of solid, long-term lesson in my view.  One might learn to not respect the person administering it, though.  

 Since I’ve recently moved back to London, I’ve either magically accidentally ran into one of the historical city’s many diversions or been dragged to the not so magical ones.

I stumbled upon the British Library the other day, having turned the wrong way, and was immediately enchanted by its rich collection of literature and fascinating archives and exhibits. The glass walls were stacked 5 stories high with antique books salvaged after World War II and yet the smell was still immaculately fresh.

 Featured lately has been the Ramayana exhibit, which takes the unfamiliar soul into the world of the ancient tale of Rama and Sita. Some believe this to be the first piece of romantic literature ever written in the eastern part of the world. The colorful media exhibit included video footage of puppet performances and old kitsch Bollywood films acting out the tale, as well as tapings of spiritual music and chants in Hindi worshiping the ‘ideal couple.’

The story takes place in India around 1000 BC and offers models in dharma. Ramayana is an oral account of how a young hero should behave. The original tale was a 24,000 couplet-long epic poem written by Sanskrit poet Valmiki. When Sita, Rama’s true love, is captured by the evil Ravana, the King of Lanka with 10 heads, Rama goes on a quest to win her back with the help of a monkey army led by Hanuman, their leader. To read a more descriptive version of the story, follow this link.

The British Library also had original prints of some of histories most impressive archives including the Beowulf manuscript, Jane Austen’s diaries, Mozart and Beethoven’s symphonies, lyrics scribbled on paper napkins by John Lennon and Paul McCartney that would later become record breaking hit pop songs, original versions of bibles, ancient maps, letters written by the Tudor family, including Elizabeth I and King Henry VIII and governmental letters written by presidents and prime ministers of the past. And that’s just the Western world.

Needless to say, as a whole, I was wickedly impressed by this place. When dragged to the British Museum I unfortunately did not gain the same experience. Not only was it more touristy (and I get a tad claustrophobic in big crowds) the exhibits were literally scattered all over the place with little to no structure involved. It was kind of like a maze of uncertainty, like one of those choose your own adventure comics where you have no clue which way to go.

The Egyptians were mixed in with the Pacific Islands and the Chinese combined with the Indian. Japan was the only country with a full exhibit completely on its own floor. The layout was sloppy and unappealing and I just found myself browsing through all of the impressive ancient artifacts without actually learning anything because I wanted to escape the entrapment. Most people who’ve been say you can’t possibly take it all in in one day. That may be true, but the problem is I don’t see myself wanting to go back.

Both venues are free, which is fortunate. However, I highly recommend spending time traveling to the British Library before the British Museum next time you happen to be in London. Just my humble opinion. 

In one of the most blatant disregards for current laws protecting wildlife, the Bush administration recently announced that federal agencies can now decide for themselves if a construction project endangers animals and plants.

Since 1973, US law required the government to consult with independent scientists about the effects of new projects on wildlife, such as highways, dams, or mines.  Thousands of these consultations take place each year, and the Bush administration is finding it a little irritating, and in the way of their agendas.

US interior secretary, Dirk Kempthorne, issued a statement saying the proposal would help the US use the species law "more efficiently and avoid misusing it to regulate global climate change."  He added, "It is not possible to draw a link between greenhouse gas emissions and distant observations of impact affecting species."  

The language of the proposal ranks high in some of the most absurd I've heard from this administration.  Kempthorne defends the decision to revoke the law as it "clears up confusion" and prevents "unnecessary" wildlife protection work.  According to the Guardian, a draft version leaked to the media says his department claimed US government agencies would "err on the side of caution" when performing their internal environmental reviews.

It's yet another clear abuse of power and illegal action performed by this administration.  All the laws we have in place to regulate government power, that ensure we live in something like a "democracy" are simply revoked or flat-out ignored whenever this administration has an agenda.  Apparently we the people were just being silly and naive when we wanted environmental protection in the 70's.  

Unfortunately, Team Bush is not required to consult with Congress before approving the changes.

Ready to flood Nany Pelosi's mailbox with requests for impeachment yet?  I know elections are right around the corner, but not close enough in my opinion.  This doesn't even have to be about Bush--to me it's just another reminder that we need to take control of our country, and send the message to all political leaders that we're not willing to tolerate this sort of nonsense.  I suppose the bigger question remains, though:  Do we actually care? 

Personally, I'm not interested in hearing your response to that question.  Talk is cheap.  If you'd like to share actions you have done that we can all follow, I'm all ears, however.  

Libraries make a desperate attempt to become cool again with both young and old crowds alike by adding hundreds of digital book, music and movies that can be downloaded on people’s personal MP3 players for free. This will prove a problem for media stores like Apple’s iTunes, eBay and Amazon.

In cities like Phoenix, Arizona, library branches have “banded together to create a digital library that currently has about 50,000 titles of e-books, audio books, music and videos that can be “checked out” from anywhere,” writes Paul Thomasch for Reuters.

Paper seems to be the way of the past, and by making these materials available through new media, librarians and government officials hope more people will be encouraged to read and absorb a variety of information. “Once discovered, says electronic resources librarian Tom Gemberling for the Phoenix Library “the program often proves wildly popular.”

The only requirements to gain access to these downloads is one, a library card, two, access to the web, and three, download certain software programs like Adobe Digital Editions or OverDrive Media Console. Once you’ve completed these requirements you can even download from home by browsing your libraries website.

One of the main distributors to OverDrive Media have deals with heavy hitting publishing companies like HarperCollins and Random House, as well as music labels such as Alligator Records. OverDrive’s director of marketing David Burleigh says the company now has over 100,000 titles, works with approximately 7,500 libraries around the nations and has “racked up millions of downloads of its media player and digital check-outs.” (Reuters)

"We also know we are touching only a small percentage of each library's patrons. Everyone we talk to is like 'Wow, you do that?"' Burleigh says. "It's a like this nice secret, that we of course don't want to be kept secret."

The concept of compartmental ability is also a huge factor in the new trend with libraries. “A lot of libraries are cramped for space,” Jim McCluskey, collection development assistant manager for Washington State’s Sno-Isle Libraries says. “People like the portability of it.”

In Marburg, Germany, some are wondering if there's such a thing as too much eco-consciousness.  The town council recently ruled some mandatory laws regarding solar panels, and it has some believing a "green dictatorship" hurts rather than helps the fight in global warming.

The ordinance, the first of its kind in Germany, requires that solar panels must not only be fixed to new buildings (few oppose this part) but must also be applied to existing homes that undergo renovations or get new heating systems or roof repairs.  If citizens don't think the council is serious, it's a $1500 fine to those who fail to comply.

Critics are complaining the rules violate a host of property owners rights, and the regional government in Giessen is warning it might overturn them.  Some of the critics include renowned town environmentalists too.  

The Herald Tribune wrote about Götz Schönherr, a resident who uses solar power to heat his water, allowing him to turn off the high-energy consumption of his water boiler for six months out of the year.  He opposes the new ordinance, thinking it's self-defeating.  To reinsulate his home as he originally desired, he would now have to install a larger, $8000 solar panel to be in compliance.    

"That leads, in my case, and I would think in other cases as well, that people say, 'Well, let's just not reinsulate the roof,"' Schönherr said. "So it's absolutely counterproductive."

Germany is currently one of the world's leaders when it comes to green technology and battling global warming, but many feel victory can only be achieved when the desire of the larger population is true and voluntary--not when it's guided under the views of a select, controlling few.  

I came across an article in The Correctional News that reported on a law enforcement expo, but it touched on some surprising findings on current US prison data.  According to a recent Pew Center study, for the first time in history slightly more than 1% of United States citizens--one in 99.1 persons is held in jail or prison.  

Currently the US leads the rest of the world in the number of inmates per capita, with "750 inmates per 100,000 residents."  In 2007 the total prison population jumped by more than 25,000 inmates to almost 1.6 million.  

At the American Jail Association's 27th Annual Training Conference and Jail Expo, over 2,000 attendees and 230 exhibitors gathered in sunny trenches of Sacramento, CA to address the latest issues facing our growing, overcrowded prison system.  Robert Lamkey, director of the Sedgwick County Division of Public Safety discussed issues of overcrowding, re-entry, and recidivism (the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after experiencing negative consequences from it).  Citing the Pew study, he told attendees at a conference that the increasing inmate population is "saddling cash-strapped states with soaring costs they can ill afford and failing to have a clear impact on recidivism or overall crime."  

According to the Correctional News, "Since 1987 collective spending on state corrections systems has increased from less than $11 billion to more than $49 billion in fiscal year 2007."  Approximately 67 percent of state inmates are returning felons who commit another crime within three years of release.

With a growing convict culture and billions of dollars being invested into such programs--just about anyone can put two and two together and conclude something is seriously wrong with America's criminal justice system.  

The recent expo wasn't a call-to-arms for a revolution, but it addressed issues that could provide agents of change.  Members of the architecture firm Ricci Greene Associates discussed the benefits--for owners, staff, inmates, visitors, and the local community--of pursuing a progressive design approach in the construction of a new jail or facility addition.  They believe elements of interior lighting and exterior design can have a subtle impact.  A slightly less clinical environment with more emphasis on comfort and artistry can evoke some much needed imagination and humanity. 

The firm also touched on environmental considerations such as off-setting carbon footprints.  According to their website, "Responsible stewardship of limited natural resources is a key part of our design approach. Focus on life-cycle analysis of costs, human factors, and the “big picture” of how our buildings affect their communities and the planet drive this commitment to sustainability." 

Correctional authorities from Lexington, Kentucky and Fort Lauderdale, Florida also held a conference on getting to know the inmates better, or more specifically managing special populations like gangs.  Closer identification, classification, and unique housing for managing gang members can prevent radicalization of inmate populations.  

America's Criminal Justice system is far from perfect, but there might be hope if such expos can continue to bring thousands together with the interest of improving it.  

When journalist Jonathan Miles wrote his first novel, he never suspected the story modeled around a complaint letter written to American Airlines would hit such a "very, very raw nerve." (Miles during his book tour)

"Dear American Airlines" is a novel about a man forced to confront his life while stranded at the Chicago airport, an idea the journalist admits he attempted to satirize from today's American lifestyle. The book's premise, he explained, was simply meant to be used as a literary device in order to tell the character's story. But while on his book tour, he became flooded with so many other stories told by those who experienced very similar dilemmas. "It always ends in this defeated sigh and grumble," Miles said.

With stories in the news concentrating on flight nightmares, it's no wonder consumers feel defeated. My favorite is the one in May where a New Yorker sued Jet Blue because he was forced to endure a 5-hour flight in the restroom, due to overbooking. Because of rising oil prices airlines are increasing their prices from luggage check-ins to fuel surcharges, as well as cutting back on routes and services like films and decent meals. (Not that the meals were ever superb)

Miles paid close attention to these stories before he wrote his book, which came out this summer by Houghton Mifflin. The story of middle-aged man Bennie Ford who misses his "estranged daughters" wedding due to the flight delay may have hit too close to home for some readers. Critics are pleased, however, and The New York Times' review calls it "a fine first novel."

He says the novel itself was inspired by his own unpleasant experience back in 1999 in Memphis "when a 45-minute layover turned into a night spent amid "a sea of consumer refugees" on an airport floor." (Edith Honan, Reuters) This particular flight happened to be with American Airlines, though the author says the title isn't exclusive to that airline. Miles added that airlines are also "chipping away" at the flying experience so by the time passengers arrive on the plane the flight itself is miserable and depressing.

American Airlines was not available for comment on the novel's title. Miles claims he has a little sympathy for all airlines because he feels our anger is "disproportionate." After all, we can still get to another city clear across the states in a matter of a few hours and statistically we'll arrive safely to our destination.

To skeptics, the idea of life on other planets is simply Science Fiction or another cleverly weaved story by Sir Arthur C Clarke who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey. For believers, the idea is very real and they've come together throughout the years to organize groups like the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. (SETI) But for the U.S. commander of space shuttle Discovery astronaut Mark Kelly, doubts on the subject have been set aside.

Kelly believes ‘aliens' do exist but their journey to earth is indeed improbable. Why? Because the voyage is just too ambitious. "We have seen some evidence that there is a possibility of some life on Mars in the past, so there is probably life all over the universe, he said in a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. "From our experience, it is very difficult to travel through space, and I personally think aliens have not visited our planet."

I wonder what makes Kelly believe just because space travel is difficult for humans; aliens have an even harder time.

Joined by other members of the Discovery team, he explained the magnitude of their Japanese made space laboratory, Kibo, at the conference. He described it as a "Lexus of a space station" which cost 1 billion dollars, including a module that weighed 32-tons. He added that the lab would be used for years to come. Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide who joined the team in space, said he wish he could have stayed longer than 14 days.

During the mission, the crew conducted spacewalks to connect with the new lab, along with working on ways to fix solar wing panels on the module. But back on earth, people are more interested in proof of alien life.

Japan, the last country of the "16-nation partnership to get its hardware in space," (Naoto Okamura, Reuters) has had doubts on the subject in the past, though Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura has personally confessed to believing in UFOs. But those of us who followed the democratic presidential elections earlier this year in the U.S. know what happens to elected officials who claim such obscenities. Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich claimed to have actually seen a UFO, which arguably discredited his run completely. Needless to say, Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda was more cautious in his answers to the press, saying their existence was yet to be determined.