Snow Day in San Francisco?

Well, they finally pulled it off. Snow in San Francisco. That's almost as likely as hell freezing over! What brought snow to the foggy city by the bay? 20 skiers and snowboarders, that's who!

The event took place on Fillmore Street in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. It's one of the steepest streets in the city. 4,000 feet of snow was brought in by truck and another 6,000 was made within the city. The ski jump was created right along side houses and street posts.

Some of the biggest names in ski sports were there. Johnny Moseley was on hand though he decided not to compete. He take a few playful leaps off the ski jump just to test it out. The winners of the competition were skier, C.R. Johnson, and snowboarder, J.J. Thomas.

Initially, the event was planned for August 27th. However, the people who lived in the neighbor had too many concerns about noise, traffic, and so forth. the Board of Supervisors were reluctant to give approval. In the end the event sponsors paid for security, paramedics, and firefighters to be on hand. To insure that people who lived in the Fillmore area weren't inconvenienced, they were given valet parking nearby and shuttle service if they needed.

All in all spectators enjoyed the event. Those who lived in the neighborhood had front row seats--in their living rooms! Mayor Gavin Newsom called it a success, though he didn't attempt the jump himself.

Getting New Orleans Back to Work

With no bid contracts for New Orleans already under scrutiny, it's a wonder the tax payers trust anyone with their tax dollars. Among the companies that bid for contracts is a company that is trying to do right by the people of New Orleans: Environmental Chemical Corp. Their bid was accepted by US Army Corp. of Engineers and they aim to provide jobs for those who lived and worked in New Orleans.

ECC was founded in 1985. They were involved in the clean up of Moffett Field and Travis Air Force Base. However, New Orleans is the biggest project they've ever attempted.

The folks at ECC believe giving back to the people of New Orleans should be part of wht they do. So, they are doing whatever they can to subcontract to companies based in New Orleans.

Many of those businesses may not have offices anymore, but they have employees willing to work. ECC is actively tracking down displaced residents so they can put them to work. They need truckers, engineers, equipment operators, and laborers. ECC is providing workers with bus and airline tickets back to Louisiana and they are locating temporary housing for them. Through ECC's effort, many former New Orleans residents will be able to get back on their feet much quicker.

[Photograph credit: Bruce Soileau, www.sxc.hu]

Architeuthis Makes Film Debut

The giant squid or architeuthis is a rare creature indeed. For many years it seemed the stuff of legends. It lives in ocean depths thousands of feet deep. Many marine biologists believed that the rare beast would never be observed in the wild. Though a few have died in fishing nets or washed ashore, none had been observed alive until now.

A team of Japanese scientists headed by Tsunemi Kubodera had been working on the project for 3 years when last September they were rewarded. They not only photographed the giant squid but ended up with a tentacle as a souvenir. The squid was 26 feet long, purple-red in color, and probably an adult female. They are the largest invertebrates. Some can top 50 feet in length!

The team followed some sperm whales as they feed on squid. The squid was located southeast of Tokyo off of Chichijima island. The squid had been battling a line baited with shrimp--a battle that went on for over four hours! In the battle, the squid lost a tentacle. It'll survive just fine without the tentacle according to the experts.

Photographs from the project were released only this week. The photographs are hailed as a great achievements for science. As the giant squid is so elusive, the photographs will provide many details as to their behavior in their natural habitat. Kudobera had spent 10 years studying the giant squid before he was rewarded.

If you would like to learn more about the project and their findings, a free pdf file is available from the Royal Society website: First Ever Observations of a Wild Giant Squid


http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/proc_bio_content/pdf/RSPB20053158.pdf

Moment in the Sun

Home and Garden Television is looking for a few good landscapers and gardeners. HGTV gives them an opportunity to renovate a garden for their show "Landscape Smart". Each week the show highlights a project. Homeowners work with professionals in landscaping and gardening for each episode.

Matt Akabane, of Tassajara Nursery, got a call from HGTV asking him if he'd like to be featured. He was pretty surprised since he had no idea he was being considered. He accepted the challenge: he had to create a garden for a 30 year old house in Lafayette, California. Akabane had to create the entire design which had to please the homeowners as well as the show's producers. The homeowners gave their input--a garden that resembled a French country garden. Akabane then had two days to work on the garden.

Since the show provides a step-by-step process as to how the garden is created, Akabane was constantly being filmed. It takes about 24 hours of footage to create one 22 minute episode.

Tassajara Nursery is located in Contra Costa County, California. It's been family run since 1979.

Sisters Survive Hurricanes and Bus Tragedy

At 87 and 84, the Briant sisters have pretty much seen it all. They found themselves on a bus stuck in traffic with millions of others trying to get out of the path of Hurricane Rita. It was their second hurricane in a month. They'd be taken to safety in Dallas.

Everything was going smoothly. Then the driver noticed that something was amiss. It's unclear but he either detected smoke or flames coming from the bus. Once he realized the danger, they attempted to get everyone off the bus.

Edna Briant could not get out of her wheelchair to save her life. One aide threw her over her shoulder and carried her out. While Edna laid on the ground, she could only think of her sister, Claire, who was still on the bus. Her sister was soon pulled out as well.

Those who were rescued were tended to by a nurse, Tina Jones, who was in the car behind them, and two off-duty paramedics who just happened to pass by.

Tragically, 23 of them lost their lives with the bus burst into flames. When the bus burst into flames, their oxygen tanks exploded. The Briant sisters owe their lives to the aide that braved the flames to save them and the nurse and paramedics who happened to be sharing the same road.

Man Wins Fist Fight With Great White Shark

Australian, Joshua Berris, was celebrating his birthday by surfing off of Kangaroo Island. Seals were playing in the water, and Berris thought he saw one a short distance away. The 26 year old then found himself face to face with a Great White Shark. The shark which was almost 16 feet long circled him before attacking. The shark bit him in the legs and tried to drag him away.

Berris decided his only option was to fight. He began pummeling the shark with punches. He was able to free himself. Then another surfer helped him make it to shore. Lewis and Nathn Downie, friends of Berris, climbed a cliff then ran to the nearest phone to get help. A rescue holicopter was brought in to get the injured surfer to the Flinders Medical Centre.

He has lacerations in his hands and legs. Doctors expect him to make a complete recorvery.

[Photograph credit:

Pilot Keeps Cool When Nose Gear Turns Sideways

If you had on the news Wednesday evening, you probably witnessed one of the most amazing feats of piloting ever. A JetBlue airbus took off from Burbank, California, Wednesday, at 3:17pm. There were 140 passengers on board. They were heading for JFK airport in New York. Soon after take off, the crew realized that the nose gear was turned sideways.

An attempt was made to right the errant wheels to no avail. They then had to make an emergency landing at LAX airport. Before they could land, the airplane had to lose most of it's fuel in order to decrease the weight of the plane. For 3 hours, the pilot circled Southern California in order to burn off excess fuel. All the while, passengers witnessed events from the inside and outside--they had television access on board the flight!

At about 6:20pm, the pilot made an attempt to land. With all eyes watching, including mine, the plane descended towards the runway. As the wheels touched the ground, sparks flew. The nose gear caught fire, but this was considered normal. The pilot kept the nose even, preventing the nose gear from breaking off. Within seconds, the plane slowed to a halt. Fire crews were at the ready, but fortunately, they were not needed. Passengers walked off the plane of their own volition. Their nerves were probably frayed, but they had landed safe and sound.

Thirteen Year Old Jazz Phenom

At 3 years old, Matt Savage was diagnosed with autism. He went through rough patches. There was a time when music and television caused sensory overload for Matt. But, with the help of special behavioral therapy, he's leading a normal life.

He's always been very bright. He could read before he was two. He taught himself how to read piano music. Somewhere along the way, his parents realized he had a knack for music. He began learning the piano. During a craft fair, Matt walked up on stage while a jazz band was setting up their instruments. He sat down at the piano and proceeded to amaze everyone with his ability. He played along as if he'd always been apart of the band.

That was the beginning of his music career. At the age of 7, he joined the New England Conservatory of Music. He began writing songs--mostly jazz which is what he really loves. At 9, he produced his first CD "Groovin' on Mount Everest". He's now part of the Matt Savage Trio and has 3 CDs under his belt. He's performed in other countries and will be going to the San Francisco Bay Area this month.

Matt's 13 years old now and a bit of a Harry Potter look alike. He has a special gift. And, we're very fortunate he's sharing it with us all.

You can visit Matt's website and get a taste of the boy wonder's music: Savage Records Home Page

[Photograph credit: Kostas Papadimitriou, www.sxc.hu]

Turning Kitchen Grease into Energy

In this day and age where energy demand is high and so are prices, businesses and government agencies are looking for renewable energy sources. In California, the city of Millbrae and Chevron Oil Company are teaming up to convert kitchen grease into electricity. The kitchen grease will be used to fuel a sewage plant.

The facility has been upgraded to support the new energy source. They'll collect cooking grease from local restaurants. The plant as a special system set up that can process the grease and turn it into natural gas. The plant will generate it's own power so as not to be dependent on the electricity grid. They will also sell back to the power grid creating a stream of revenue. The new system will cut carbon dioxide pollution as well.

The savings are hoped to be around $250,000 a year. As more people look to alternative energy sources, they may follow Millbrae's lead.

[Photograph credit: Päivi Rytivaara, www.sxc.hu]

David Perez Takes on Hurricanes and Bureaucracy

[I heard these guy on the Ed Schultz show today. I was deeply touched by his passion and motivation and I wish there were millions more like him.]

On September 1st, Carmel Valley businessman, David Perez, wiped the tears from his eyes. He was devastated by the images from the Gulf Coast. He listened to our government officials saying everything would be fine, but he didn't believe them. He turned off the tv and decided to act.

He was going to help those affected by the hurricane. Initially, he was going to make a donation like the rest of us, but when he saw the ineptitude and idiocy, he had to do more. He charted airplanes and brought 384 people from the Gulf Coast to California. This was only the beginning of the one man relief effort.

Perez then sought donations of food, medicine, water, and whatever else the people needed. He collected 380 tons worth and got a fleet of cargo planes, jets, barges, and other forms of transportation to get it to the places in Louisiana and Mississippi that needed it the most. To date, he has shipped almost 500 tons of goods to the region. He has also spent a quarter of a million dollars of his own money to run the operation.

Perez knows what it's like to be down and out. When he was a child, his family left Morocco for America. His mother kicked his father out when he was young. The family worked together to stay afloat. He started his own business at 18. In his early 20s he was becoming financially successful, but he watched it all slip away. In a short span of time, his girlfriend was killed in an automobile accident--he was driving. He spent 9 months in jail. Then watched the business he created fail.

That was 1987. He is now 42 and wiser. He's had six businesses since then. Now he runs Surge Global Energy.

He feels a need for atonement to make up for his youthful indiscretions. On the Ed Schultz radio show, he broke down while retelling the story of his girlfriend's death and when reporting what he saw when he visited the Gulf Coast after the hurricane.

Initially, Perez worked through the proper channels including the Red Cross. But, progress was moving too slow. People were still starving three weeks after the hurricane and flooding. He decided to form his own foundation called the 2 Life 18 Foundation so that he could help the people directly without all the bureaucratic red tape. They have sent supplies to the St. Barnard Parish and will work with Baton Rouge next. He has extended more their supplies to those who has helped. He has also provided houses, cars, and jobs so the people can get back on their feet.

His passion and can do attitude has helped him save lives in the Gulf Coast when larger organizations and government agencies couldn't get passed the starting gate. With another hurricane making it's way towards the gulf, relief efforts need to be stepped up and the work of people like Perez become even more important.

You can learn more about Perez at his website: 2 Life 18 Foundation

[Photograph credit: NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC]

Help is on the way for Genealogists

It's been a bit of struggle finding something not related to Hurricane Katrina lately, so I thought I'd tell you about a group that I do volunteer work with. This is a bit of free advertising for the website. So be warned. My opinions are incredibly biased!

Two years ago, big changes were happening on AOL and the genealogy forum no longer existed in it's previous form. At that time some of the volunteers left for new adventures on the internet. With the help of sponsor, Joe Albert, www.genealogyforum.org.

It would suffice to say that genealogists may be the most helpful people on the planet. In what other enterprise do people spend hundreds and hundreds of hours doing research and then share it with anyone who might (or might not) be related? Genealogyforum.org takes that unwritten law of genealogy and provides a place where people can learn, explore, and share their genealogy pursuits.

The sole purpose of the website is to help genealogists. This is done in four main ways:

1. Every day their are live genealogy chats. They chats are moderated by a person who knows the topic well. Questions are fielded, information is shared, and everyone learns something.
2. Genealogy Chat Resource Centers are being built to help genealogists learn ways to do research and to learn more about their heritage. There are three chat centers at present. The hope is that in the future all genealogy chat topics will have their own resource center.
3. A message board is dedicated to the exchange of genealogy information. Each category is moderated. Moderators as well as visitors chime in to answer questions and share research experiences.
4. Each month a topic is posted where staff and the public can submit articles. Topics are chosen that explore genealogy, history, and heritage. They cover a wide range of topics and attempt to explore the personal experience as well as the wider "how to" field.

In addition to this, there is a United States Research Links directory that provides links to free genealogy databases, indexes, and information for all 50 states. There is also an Ancestor in the Spotlight section where you can submit articles about your favorite ancestors. And, there is a monthly newsletter.

Remarkably, all this is done by a small group of 20-25 volunteers. In fact, everyone at genealogyforum.org is a volunteer. Each volunteer brings their own research experiences to the table. There is a sense of dedication and a feeling that genealogy should be share with anyone who wants to hear! In a day when everything goes for a price, it's great to know there is a free community for the exploration of genealogy right here on the internet!

If you'd like to visit the website, here's a link: Genealogy Resources and Live Help

If you are researching your family tree and would like to find out more about the

Playwright Tries To Make Sense of Life after 9/11

Wajahat Ali is a 24 year old who grew up in middle class America. He is of Pakistani descent and Muslim. He's a graduate of UC Berkeley, a law student, and has dabbled in stand up comedy. He is also considered an up and coming literary talent.

Ali has gained notoreity for a two-act play he wrote called "The Domestic Crusaders". The play is about a Muslim American family coming together for a birthday party. The play focuses on life after 9/11 for a Muslim family living in America. It speaks to the conflicts, religious and political, that affect many families today.

Ali enrolled at UC Berkeley in 2001. One of his teachers was Pulitzer Prize winner, Ishmael Reed. Although Ali was taking Reed's short story class, Reed was quick to notice the budding author's talent and encouraged him to write a play. Ali took on the challenge and spent many hours researching how plays are structured and presented. Reed was his mentor throughout the process. "The Domestic Crusaders" is the result of all that hard work.

"The Domestic Crusaders" has received critical acclaim. And, audiences have enjoyed it immensely. We should expect more achievements from this young talent in the future.

If you would like to learn more about the play and the playwright, visit the home page for the The Domestic Crusaders

The Singing Professor

Walter Smith teaches physics at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. He has a unique approach. He's made up songs about Einstein, oscillation, and other science topics and he sings them in the classroom.

He greets his students with song right on the first day. Most of the students aren't sure what to think. They don't expect their science teachers to serenade them. And, science isn't the first thing you'd think of when you think of music.

Smith has quite a repertoire. Some songs are the result of a collaboration with his wife, other songs come from satirists and other teachers. His own compositions include such hits as "Divine Einstein", "Love Song of the Electric Field", and "The Photon and the Wave".

Smith is liked and respected by his students. Although his methods are unconventional, they bring results. If you've gotten a song stuck in your head, then you know that music would be an excellent complement to any curriculum. It may be difficult to remember facts, but the words to a song well memorized usually come quite easily. Since alot of learning is repetition, why not set it to song to make it easier?

Smith isn't the only science teacher using this method. James Livingston at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has also composed songs and poems related to science. Livingston uses the songs to complement curriculum, but he does not sing them.

Smith has a website dedicated to his musical compositions as well as songs contributed by others. The website includes a song database and information on how to use the songs with course material. You can visit his website at this address: Physics Songs

[Photograph credit: Joerg Loehnig, www.sxc.hu]

Displaced Dolphins Rescued

Some of the victims of Hurricane Katrina are not human. Marine life in city aquariums were washed away when the hurricane hit. A group of eight dolphins from those aquariums were sighted this week off the shores of Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico.

The dolphins made the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport their home. During the storm a 40 foot wave crashed into their park sweeping away the dolphins all other life within the park.

The dolphins were sighted by NOAA Fishery Service scientists September 10th. When found, the dolphins were starving. Some sustained physical injuries due to the ordeal. Because the dolphins have lived so long in captivity, their trainers worried they would not survive predators or man made machines in the ocean waters. They don't have the necessary foraging skills to fend for themselves. It was vital to rescue them before they perished.

The dolphins are greeted each day by their trainers and NOAA scientists. They feed them several times a day. They are being captured in stages. On Thursday, two of the dolphins were coaxed into a boat. These two were determined to be in the most danger as they had serious injuries. The two rescued dolphins were taken to their temporary digs at a hotel swimming pool.

On Saturday, another rescue mission will set out. They hope to retrieve the rest of the dolphins once the Navy provides the salt water tanks necessary to move them. All of the dolphins will be kept under quarantine in the hotel swimming pool until their health has been assessed and it's determined whether they carry any contagious diseases.

The rescue has been a joint effort between local scientiests, trainers from the Oceanarium, the NOAA, the Coast Guard, and the Navy.

[Photo Credit: NOAA]

Soldiers Last Letter Arrives Sixty One Years Later

In March of 1944, Clinton Krotz was a soldier stationed in Italy. He had received the birthday present his parent's had sent him and he wrote a letter back to thank them. The letter was mail a couple of days later. He never wrote another letter home. On 8 May 1944, he was killed in action.

Gary Mathis went to a yard sale in Kansas. He bought some old newspaper. Inside the box was a letter from 1944. It was the letter Clinton Krotz had written to his folks. It had never been delivered.

Mathis decided to see if the family was still around. He posted an announcement in the Ravenna Newspaper. By chance, Louise Kisling, Clinton's sister, heard about the announcement. She contacted Mathis who sent it to her.

It's a mystery how the letter got to Kansas. It had been post marked by the Poole, Nebraska post office, so it wasn't very far from it's destination. Whoever received the letter held onto it. Perhaps it got lost in the box of newspapers from 1915. At any rate, Clinton's sister now has a memento over 60 years ago of the brother she lost int he war.

[Photograph credit: Nauris Mozolevs, www.sxc.hu]

Preserving Ancient Sites on Kauai

On the island of Kauai, their is a movement to celebrate ancient sites. Land once used for agriculture and other purposes is being restored. Native Hawaiian cultural sites are being brought back to life on the island.

Many are pitching in on the effort. Chris Kauwe, a resident of Poipu, is one of the volunteers. For the last four years, he and others have been working on land once owned by the county in Weliweli. This land is being restore as the ancient village it once was. The land at Weliweli had been forgotten by everyone. It wasn't until Kauwe referred to an archaelogical map that he realized the site existed--and he lived right next door!

Another of the volunteers is Billy Kaohelaulii. His family was given the land in the 1800s. But, the land was taken away and then ended up as part of county property. He feels a connection to the property and wants to see it preserved.

Joining Kauwe and Kaohelaulii are neighbors and friends. The work has been progressing. They spend a few days a week on the project. It has taken awhile just to clear the land of the debris that had been left by others. Now they can see what was once there and work towards it's preservation.

Kauwe and Kaohelaulii are working to restore just this site. However, many projects have sprung up Kauai as well as throughout the state. These sites are important to the history of the Hawaiian islands. For the culture to survive, ancient sites need to be restored so others may enjoy them. Also, the histories, stories, and purposes of the sites need to be passed on so that the future generations will have an understanding of their heritage.

[Photograph of Kauai credit: Dixie Prosser, www.sxc.hu]

LDS Church Will Index Microfilm Collection

If you're into genealogy, you're part of the fastest growing hobby in the world. Millions of people are searching for their roots every day. It's not always easy. Even with records online, there is still a dearth of material yet to be digitized.

The LDS Church holds the largest collection of genealogy related material in the world. Their main library in Salt Lake City, Utah contains over 2 million rolls of microfilm that can be loaned out to the public through their various Family History Centers. However, you cannot view their records at any other facility.

A few years ago the LDS Church embarked on indexing the 1880 US Census. They've also been indexing some smaller collections. But, the announcement reported today made genealogist worldwide jump for joy. The LDS Church will begin indexing it's entire microfilm collection and make it available on their website for free. This will involve digitizing records, inputting them into databases, proofreading, and uploading the data to their website. All the work will be done by volunteers. It will take years and years to complete. When it's done, it will simplify genealogy research for the masses.

What's amazing is that in this day and age of profit, the LDS Church will maintain it's philosophy of offering research materials for free. This is at a time when many companies are trying to get a piece of the genealogy pie. Online subscriptions run from $30 to hundreds of dollars. The LDS Church has already made genealogy accessible to the average person by opening their research facilities to anyone with access to a Family History Center. Now they will open their records for free to anyone with Internet access. This is truly the spirit of genealogy which may be the only hobby where people openly and freely exchange data that they've collected for years.

[Photograph credit: Charles Thompson, www.sxc.hu]

Project Backpack

Houston, Texas is trying to absorb hundreds of thousands of displaced children from the Gulf Coast. Getting these kids into schools is one thing. Making sure they have school supplies in another.

Project Backpack was created by a group of caring individuals. It's a small organization--a collection of teachers and parents. They have no head office so no high overhead costs. No corporations are sponsoring them. Everything they do is from the ground up.

The project is collecting backpacks and filling them with school supplies. The main thrust is in Houston. However, they are asking individuals to set up Project Backpack groups in theirown communities. They can then mail the backpacks to them. More information on how this works can be found at their website: Project Backpack
The website includes a list of what supplies are needed.

Although the project originates from Houston, there is also a list of school districts outside of Texas who are taking in children from the Gulf Coast. These districts will need our help in providing school supplies.

It is creative ideas like these that take us beyond rescue and reconstructon. Before the Gulf Coast can be rebuilt, the displaced people have needs which must be met. Project Backpack makes it easier to get the children back to school.

Remember 9/11 on the Heels of Hurricane Katrina

The fourth anniversary of 9/11 is upon us. It's a time of remembrance and national mourning.

"nine eleven"--those words alone bring up images of horror and humanity. When you say them, everyone knows what you mean. We remember the airplanes slamming into buildings, cries of terror, and the people who lost their lives that day. But, we also remember the brave people who risked their lives to save others. It is a day our nation will never forget.

It strikes me as strange that while we commemorate 9/11, we are recovery from another disaster. Again, we are faced with terrible images of suffering and wonderful acts of courage...only this time nature is the cause.

Our government could not protect us from the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. Guiliani stepped up and other leaders went into action. Courageous individuals fought the terrorists on airplanes and rescued people in collapsed, burning buildings at their own peril. Many died that day--alot of them trying to save the lives of another. Four years after the tragedy the images are still so very painful. It is still uncomfortable watching them on tv.

In August, our government could not prevent nature's fury. As we watched the suffering unfold there seemed to be a paralysis amongst government officials. The images were horrible and yet our leaders seemed to be waiting for someone else to do something. It was bureaucracy at it's worse.

Those in New Orleans, Biloxi, and along the Gulf Coast did their best to save their fellow humans under the worst conditions. The anguish and despair that we saw on their faces burned itself deep in our souls just as it did on 9/11. People drowning in their homes, bodies floating on the street, people left without food or water on the side of a freeway as buses passed them by--was this really happening in America?

The American people joined in their suffering just as they did on 9/11. People became outraged that our government was not helping those people--our people. Then something happened. Offers of assistance poured in from all corners of our nation. Many people showed up in Louisiana and Mississippi to offer the help our officials seem incapable of. Many people made care packages to be delivered to various shelters. Children sold lemonade and donated the proceeds to the survivors. Police and Firefighters left their own states to support their breathren already carrying a heavy load. Doctors, nurses, and psychiatrists volunteered to aid the people. The state of Texas stepped up and opened their arms to the evacuees and got their school system ready in record time to take in all the children. Family members took in family members, old friends opened their doors to people they had not seen in years, and people offered their homes to complete strangers. One man used $10,000 of his own money to rent a truck and drive water to a town in Mississippi.

And there were others: from the National Guard troops returning home to Louisiana who found their homes destroyed but were ready lend their support to the prison inmate who could have escaped but stayed to help others to the rescue workers and police who sat in small boats hoping to hear voices of survivors to the small child who held the hand of an elderly woman in a wheel chair outside one of the shelters.

Even the rich and famous joined in...Senator Bill Frist went to Mississippi and New Orleans and offered his medical skills. Former Vice President Al Gore chartered planes to assist in the evacuation. Greg Norman lent his helicopter to the rescue effort. Peyton and Eli Manning loaded supplies onto airplanes for the hurricane torn region.

Aid and comfort came from all parts of the nation...and all walks of life.

While we remember 9/11, we can't help but to think of Hurricane Katrina. Though the tragedies are different, there is something familiar between them. While our politicial leaders cannot keep us safe from calamity, we hope they will jump into action when it does strike. During 9/11, we saw leadership in action and we saw people helping people. In New Orleans and Mississippi, we saw ineptitude, bungling, and indifference from our officials, but the American people stepped forward and aided each other. It's that special spirit that Americans have. And, it shines through in times of need.

[9/11 graphic courtesy of: http://www.tcdesign.net/solidarity_graphics.htm]

Trio Makes Discoveries in the Kuiper Belt

On July 29th, three astronomers identified what they believe to be a 10th planet. The same astronomers have made two other discoveries in the last year. They've found two new objects orbitting Pluto. They don't believe they are planets, though they confess they aren't really sure what they are.

They've given the objects the names: Xena, Santa, and Easterbunny (the last two named after the time of year they were discovered). The three new objects are the largest object found in the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt is located at the edge of the solar system. The object floating in this area area are known as KBOs (Kuiper Belt Objects). Some argue that Pluto is not a planet, but a KBO.

Pluto is about 3 billions miles from Earth. "Xena", the largest of the objects, is at least 9 billion miles away and the other two about 5 million miles away. The objects behave peculiarly and are odd shaped. One of the objects is larger than Pluto and is cigar shaped. The object known as Xena appears to be have a water ice surface. The object known as Easterbunny is said to be much like Pluto.

The astronomers who made the discovery are Michael E. Brown, David Rabinovitz, and Chadwick A. Trujillo. The group will continue investigating the Kuiper Belt where many strange objects are known to reside.

[Image is an artist's depiction of what the new planet might look with our sun off in the distance. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]

The Rare White Giraffe

Charles Foley is a researcher for the Wildlife Conservation Society. He has spent the last 12 years following a dream. The researcher has been trying to find a rare white giraffe in Tarangire National Park.

Foley got wind of the rumors in 1993 while in Tanzania. He's been looking for the giraffe ever since. Even though the stories of sightings stopped in 1994, he has continued to research the possibility that the white giraffe really exists.

Foley has been working on the Tarangire Elephant Project. He monitors the migratory patterns of the elephants. This summer he was back at Tarangire National Park and doing an aerial survey. That's when he saw it--the white giraffe. He was able to photograph the giraffe and now has his proof of their existence.

The giraffe is mostly white, with brown on the lower half of it's legs. It has dark spots similar to other giraffs.

Is this the same giraffe Foley heard rumors of in 1993? He doesn't think so. The original sighting was of an albino giraffe--completely white.

You can see Foley's photograph on the LiveScience.com website: White Giraffe

[Photograph courtesy of: USAID/Tanzania, www.usaid.gov]

Thirty Nine House Guests

One of the biggest problems after Hurricane Katrina has been deciding what to do with those who have been evacuated. Shelters are full and people are being flown from state to state.

When Patricia Edwards of Pennsylvania found out that many of her family members were caught up in the hurricane, she was concerned for their welfare. Those families members got out safely. But, when their money ran low, they didn't know where to turn. They called on Edwards and she knew what she had to do. She invited them into her home. They began arriving just a few hours after dawn...all 39 of them!

Her house is packed to the gills. She's got 20 adults and 19 children--from babies to senior citizens. The quarters are tight, but no one is complaining. If it wasn't for Edwards' generosity they'd be sleeping a shelter or in their cars.

Her relatives have nothing left. They own the clothing they were wearing and little more. Neighbors and Co-workers are pitching in by donating useful items such as diapers, clothing, things for the babies, blankets, and more.

Their are six family member unaccounted for. Hopefully, they are okay. If they show up on Edwards' doorstep, she'll make room somehow.

[Photograph courtesy of Dirk Taccke, www.sxc.hu]

Hip Hop Challenges the World of Sports

Jeriel Bey founded Architeckz in 2002. It's a Hip Hop Freestylin' group with participants aged 8 to 22. Most come from bad neighborhoods and teeter on the edge of trouble. Architeckz keeps them on the right track.

Architeckz roots come from Oakland, California where people come together just to show off their hip hop style. Architeckz isn't just a dance crew. They consider themselves an athletic team. And, they want to bring their sport to the world.

Bey organized a competition at a local college last May between Architeckz and another street dance crew from Los Angeles, the Remanece. Bey hopes this is the first of many competitions. He has feelers out for competitions throughout the US.

Bey has been involved with the issues of obesity, health, and attitude among youth in inner cities. He sees freestylin' as more than dance. He sees it as a way to teach kids health and fitness. Street dancing appeals to many kids because the emphasis is on personal expression and style, rather than performing a certain move in a certain way. So, why not get schools and other organization involved in promoting freestylin' as a form of athletics since kids already enjoy it? With the help of the local YMCA, Bey has programs going at Brett Harte Middle School and Rudsdale Academy in California. Bey hopes to channel the positive energy of Hip Hop into something that will transform lives.

[Photograph courtesy of Alexander Popelier, www.sxc.hu]

Nebraska Native Finally Gets Recognition

It's a little known part of American history that Japanese Americans fought for the US in World War II. Their stories were practically erased with the images of internment camps