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August 28, 2006
Feet washed in apartheid apology
A prominent South African clergyman and opponent of apartheid has told how an apartheid-era minister washed his feet in a gesture of contrition.
Rev Frank Chikane survived a murder attempt in the 1980s. He said he was grateful for the gesture made earlier this month by ex-minister Adriaan Vlok.
BBC NEWS | Africa | Feet washed in apartheid apology
Posted by thdyck at August 28, 2006 | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 27, 2006
Very funny cryptology jokes
Bruce Schneier is the ideal man. Alice loves him; Bob fears him; Charlie wants to be him.
Posted by thdyck at August 27, 2006 | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 21, 2006
Cuba a leader in international medical aid
The Cubans are the last hope for many Indonesians given the scant primary health care services provided by the government in Jakarta.
But it is not only here in Java that they are playing an important role - Cuban medical teams have quietly assumed a major role in global humanitarian relief operations usually seen as the domain of wealthy nations.
BBC NEWS | Americas | Cuba doctors popular in quake-stricken Java
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August 16, 2006
Michael Griffin on leadership
On his role in the decision: "Advisers advise. The administrator, whoever he is in whatever era, has the obligation to decide. That's what I do. We get a lot of advice internally from NASA to the program. The program and the mission director . . . have to at some level decide and . . . if the issue gets big enough, it comes up to me. (Other NASA officials) have the right, have the obligation and have the utter necessity to tell us exactly what they think. But all of that is advice.
"No one else except for the administrator is the administrator. And, fortunately or unfortunately, in this particular time, that is me. I am not trying to persuade people. I am trying to listen as carefully as I can to everything that is being said to me. I try to integrate it all as best I can. I make a decision and then I explain to people what the rationale for that decision was because if I have any holes or flaws in my logic, I want to hear about them."
On dissent: "Some of the senior NASA individuals responsible for particular technical areas, particular disciplines, expressed that they would rather stand down until we had fixed the ice-frost ramps with something better, whereas many others said, 'No, we should go ahead.'
"So we did not have unanimity. Therefore, a decision had to be made. Now, one possible way of making decisions is that unless everybody feels that we should go, then we will stand down. In which case, I don't think for shuttle flights or any other flights, we don't need an administrator. We don't actually make decisions. We just make sure that no one is unhappy. That's not the method that were using."
SPACE.com -- NASA Chief Michael Griffin's STS-121 Flight Rationale Explained
Posted by thdyck at August 16, 2006 | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 13, 2006
Archbishop's peace vigil in tent
More than 1,000 Lebanese and more than 120 Israelis have been killed in the conflict since Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers on 12 July in a cross-border raid.
Dr Sentamu said: "This act is a rallying call to people of all faiths and none, to encourage them to feel that there is something that can be done.
"The UN has a role, diplomacy has a role and our government has a role to play in bringing this conflict to an end.
"But we as people also have a role to play in showing our common humanity with all those who are suffering."
Dr Sentamu is also urging people to give up a meal and donate the money to charities that are working in the crisis region.
BBC NEWS | UK | Archbishop's peace vigil in tent
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August 12, 2006
87% of American homes now have air-conditioning
Previous generations opened windows and sweated. Future generations will demand a chill indoors.
The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (no less) reckons that 87% of American homes now have air-conditioning, compared with only a third of them 30 years ago.
BBC NEWS | Programmes | Why New York is losing its cool
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August 9, 2006
Flood-resistant rice
The team from the University of California, Davis, US, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) based in the Philippines says the gene, called Sub1A-1, will give the plants greater protection against damaging flooding.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Waterproof rice gene identified
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August 4, 2006
Between custom and Christianity
But there was a distinction between his prayer and that of Nana Ageiwaah - the chief aggressively prayed for judgement on those who would oppose the good of the people of Bekwai Dominasi, while Nana Ageiwaah refused to curse during her prayer.
She explained that when she became a queen mother she was a Christian and as she became closer to God she realised she had to reform the practice of cursing, because she felt it did not tie in with the Christian teachings of loving enemies.
BBC NEWS | Africa | Between custom and Christianity
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August 3, 2006
Dickens on what is our proper business
To my American Friends
The current United States administration is pursuing policies that I believe are wrong. I think my judgement is ethically sound and will be supported by history.
I believe it is also wrong to remain silent on this matter. I state my position publicly and implore you also to do so. "It's not my business" doesn't cut it for me.
SCROOGE
But you were always a good man of business, Jacob.MARLEY
Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!
- A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
G. V. Cormack (cormack@cormack.uwaterloo.ca)
Posted by thdyck at August 3, 2006 | Comments (0) | TrackBack