What is Toastmasters? No, we don’t make toasters! From a humble beginning in 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters International has grown to become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit organization now has nearly 235,000 members in 11,700 clubs in 92 countries, offering a proven and enjoyable way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills. Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian. There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved. Good communicators tend to be good leaders.

Source: Toastmasters International – What is Toastmasters?

 Palin is going to do more for education than Piltdown Man.

The Piltdown Man was ’discovered’ and offered up to the public at the turn of the 20th century. For a generation Piltdown was the ‘ missing link’, the affirmation of the true scientific fact of evolution.  However, analysis and time revealed Piltdown was a fabrication of a Darwinist zealot who joined a human skull with an ape jaw. Piltdown turned out to be a fabrication.  Many students in Universities during heydays of Piltdown were being taught ‘evolution’ as scientific fact.  They have grown needing to affirm the validity of their evolutionary science rather than engaging the scientific debate. The educated prodigy of the Piltdown era now insist that evolution is scientific fact.

I believe Palin’s approach will stand much better because it allows people to decide based on the best information/science available.  Simply forcing students to drink evolution or creationism ’kool aid’ is not science. 

Yeah Palin!  I agree with Palin’s Stance.  Now the article that percolated this posting from yours truly.

Responding to a request for clarification of Palin’s stance, a spokesman sent a list of news stories from when she was governor. Based on quotes in those stories, it appears Palin believes children should be allowed to talk about alternatives to evolution in class, but does not believe creationism or intelligent design should be part of a mandatory curriculum.

Source: Palin unlikely to push evolution issue – The York Daily Record

Technorati tags: Palin, piltdown, evolution, intelligent Design, science, education

I believe Palin’s approach will stand much better because it allows people to decide based on the best information available.  Simply forcing students to drink the evolution or creationism ’kool aid’ of one theory or another is not science. 

Yeah Palin!  I agree with Palin’s Stance.  Now the article that percolated this posting from yours truly.

Responding to a request for clarification of Palin’s stance, a spokesman sent a list of news stories from when she was governor. Based on quotes in those stories, it appears Palin believes children should be allowed to talk about alternatives to evolution in class, but does not believe creationism or intelligent design should be part of a mandatory curriculum.

Source: Palin unlikely to push evolution issue – The York Daily Record

Become a Better You

 
Author: Joel Osteen
Date:
15-OCT-2007
Narrator:
Joel Osteen
Provider:
Simon & Schuster Audio
Running Time:
5 h 23 min
Source: Audible.com

Is this as good as it gets? Or can you enjoy more of what life has to offer? You can live happily every day, best-selling author Joel Osteen suggests, but you must discover the potential within yourself and learn how to use it to live better and to help others better themselves as well. God didn’t create you to be average. You were created to excel! You have everything you need to fulfill your God-given destiny, and there is no limit to what you can accomplish if you discover how to be a better you! Become a Better You will guide you in the process of uncovering your hidden resources. Addressing such topics as building your confidence, developing better relationships, finding peace within, and staying passionate about life, Joel Osteen will encourage you to reach your unique God-given potential. He will help you to enjoy every day of your life, despite your circumstances. As you incorporate Joel’s easy-to-grasp principles into your life, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more God has in store for you – and how quickly you become a better you!

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Three suspected al Qaeda militants, including two sisters, beheaded their uncle and his wife, forcing the couple’s children to watch, Iraqi police said on Friday. The militants considered that school guard Youssef al-Hayali was an infidel because he did not pray and wore western-style trousers, they told police interrogators after being arrested in Diyala province northwest of Baghdad.

Source: Iraqi school guard, wife beheaded as children watch | Special Coverage | Reuters

 

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Source: Meebo.com

Meebo chat rooms are multimedia. Here is an example of the excellent communication tools available on the internet.

Video: HAMAS Underground

This is one of several video exhibits released in the terrorist-financing case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF); it was found buried in the backyard of the former home of Fawaz Mushtaha, an unindicted co-conspirator in the case: HAMAS Underground.

 

(Video player requires Flash Player.)

Later in the skit the audience repeats a line sung by Mufid, “The people of Palestine do not die. No matter how many you kill, O pimp.” Mufid then responds, “I will make your casket, and dig your grave in Jenin.”

The skit ends as Mufid Abdulqader pulls out a gun and shoots the “Jew,” killing him. He then concludes: “God forbid that we put down our weapons; for sake of the country death will become easy.”

Source: lgf: Video: HAMAS Underground

Video: HAMAS Underground

This is one of several video exhibits released in the terrorist-financing case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF); it was found buried in the backyard of the former home of Fawaz Mushtaha, an unindicted co-conspirator in the case: HAMAS Underground.

 

(Video player requires Flash Player.)

Later in the skit the audience repeats a line sung by Mufid, “The people of Palestine do not die. No matter how many you kill, O pimp.” Mufid then responds, “I will make your casket, and dig your grave in Jenin.”

The skit ends as Mufid Abdulqader pulls out a gun and shoots the “Jew,” killing him. He then concludes: “God forbid that we put down our weapons; for sake of the country death will become easy.”

Source: lgf: Video: HAMAS Underground

“Al-Qaeda’s days are numbered and right now he is scrambling,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Michael, who commands a battalion of 700 troops in Doura.

A key factor is that local people and members of al-Qaeda itself have become sickened by the violence and are starting to rebel, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael said. “The people have got to deny them sanctuary and that is exactly what is happening.”

Al-Qaeda informants comprise largely members of the Doura network who found themselves either working with the group after the US-led invasion in March 2003, or signed up to earn extra cash because there were no other jobs going. Disgusted at the attacks and intimidation techniques used on friends, neighbours and even relatives, they are now increasingly looking for a way out, US officers say.

“It is only after al-Qaeda has become truly barbaric and done things like, to teach lessons to people, cut their face off with piano wire in front of their family and then murdered everybody except one child who told the tale afterwards . . . that people realise how much of a mess they are in,” Lieutenant James Danly, 31, who works on military intelligence in Doura, said.

It is impossible to corroborate the claims, but he said that scores of junior al-Qaeda in Iraq members there had become informants since May, including one low-level cell leader who gave vital information after his arrest.

“He gave us dates, places and names and who did what,” Lieutenant Danly said. When asked why he was being so forthcoming, the man said: “Because I am sick of it and I hate them, and I am done.”

Working with insurgents – even those who claim to have switched sides – is a leap of faith for both sides. Every informant who visits Forward Operating Base Falcon, a vast military camp on the southern outskirts of Baghdad, is blindfolded when brought in and out to avoid gleaning any information about his surroundings.

The risk sometimes pays off. A recent tip-off led to the fatal shooting of Abu Kaldoun, one of three senior al-Qaeda leaders in Doura, during a US raid last week. “He was turned in by one of his own,” Colonel Michael said.

 

Source: Al-Qaeda faces rebellion from the ranks – Times Online

Misguided religious fervor here and in Darfur.

What do you think?

murder_banaz mahmod

Honour killing victim Banaz Mahmod made this plea for her life from her hospital bed after her father had tried to kill her. Police dismissed her allegations and and two months later she was dead

Source: Court News UK Video Vaults