Zuza's Corner

Science Ambassador Program! @ Aviva Community Fund

2010-10-08T12:20:00.009-06:00

Program Overview

The SA program was established in 2006 by the NSERC/Cameco Prairie Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)—computer science professor Julita Vassileva—physics professor Chary Rangacharyulu, and chemistry professor Lee Wilson with funding support from the U of S, Cameco Corporation, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

The goal of the SA program is to provide teachers in Aboriginal communities with practical, hands-on support, both in the sciences classroom and through extra-curricular science activities. Science ambassadors are undergraduate or graduate students in science and engineering whose primary role is to help teachers in the classroom teach science in an interesting, engaging manner. Most of their work is aimed at children in grades four to nine, years that are critical in determining whether students develop a keen interest in science and a desire to pursue science education in later years. Our ambassadors are young, energetic and committed individuals who have proven their ability to make real connections with the kids.

What makes this program so unique is the duration of the support our students provide. Unlike many other science outreach programs, our science ambassadors spend extended period of time in the community, generally six consecutive full weeks, or four days every six weeks from September to May. Since its inception, the program has reached over 1200 students, in 12 schools, in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta. With demand growing every year, we are confident this program will continue to grow well into the future.

Please vote here:

Sparking the Joy of Science Discovery in Aboriginal Kids

International Women's Day

2010-03-08T17:52:00.003-06:00

Happy International Women's Day :-)

Breakthrough for mobile television

2010-02-16T04:11:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2010-02-14) -- Long Term Evolution, a new mobile telecommunications standard, is poised to revolutionize mobile internet. High transmission rates will soon be possible on mobile devices. For this purpose, researchers in Germany developed the cross-layer design SVC over LTE -- a coding method that offers HD films in real-time in the appropriate format for cell phones or netbooks.

Full article is here.

Social networking sites could solve many communication problems when disaster strikes

2010-02-16T04:05:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2010-02-10) -- Online social networking sites could solve many problems plaguing information dissemination and communications when disaster strikes, according to a new report.

Full article is here.

Reaching for the stars to create music of the universe

2010-02-05T04:35:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2010-02-03) -- While a supernova can be seen, it can't be heard, as sound waves cannot travel through space. But what if the light waves emitted by the exploding star and other cosmological phenomena could be translated into sound? That's the idea behind a "Rhythms of the Universe," a musical project to "sonify" the universe by Grateful Dead percussionist and Grammy award-winning artist Mickey Hart that caught the attention of Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist George Smoot of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Full article is here.

Design vs. Dyslexia: Innovation promises new hope for children with dyslexia

2010-02-03T00:40:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2010-01-27) -- Researchers are designing a 21st century electronic toolkit to speed learning for children with dyslexia.

Full article is here.

Fareed Lafta: first to represent Arabs to space, an Iraqi astronaut :-)

2010-01-28T12:31:00.004-06:00

From: Taipei Times:

THE GUARDIAN, LONDON
Friday, May 29, 2009, Page 6

“My parents still think I’m crazy.”

— Fareed Lafta, a Dubai-based Iraqi extreme sports fanatic

He has been hailed as Iraq’s superman: a role model for the nation’s youth who flies, glides, dives and races motorcycles. He has already made the Guinness World Records by taking part in the first skydive above Mount Everest. But last week Fareed Lafta, a Dubai-based extreme sports fanatic, returned to Baghdad to seek backing for his ultimate ambition — to be the first Iraqi in space.

“I want to represent my country, and to be one of the men like Neil Armstrong and Yuri Gagarin, who showed with all humility what it is to be a good human,” he said.

In his badged blue flightsuit and cap, he cut a curious figure as he lobbied for support among the suits, robes and turbans in Iraq’s parliament.

“I don’t know the mechanisms, I am not a politician, and I don’t want to be. I just need help to send me into space,” he said.

Before he leaves the earth’s atmosphere, Fareed, 30, plans to become the first civilian to skydive above Baghdad since the war — a mark of the improved security environment. He has brought his rig and parachute with him and is ready to go as soon as he can get clearance from the authorities.

“Diving over a city that has suffered from war is recognized in the skydiving community as a symbol that the war is over. Because I want to say to all the world that we are now in peace, and it’s not war any more,” he said.

Fareed’s growing fame in Iraq is timely.

“Iraqi youth need a role model like Fareed to take their mind off guns and violence,” said Ammar Shaabandar of the Institute of War and Peace Reporting in Iraq.

Fareed has been addicted to adventure since he was a boy.

“I would climb to the top of the cupboard in my bedroom and jump off. My mum got mad and punished me because I made a mess of my room. But it was the informal start of my career, aged five. My parents still think I’m crazy,” he said.

Raised in Baghdad, he left with his family for Dubai at the outbreak of war in 2003. There he continued a boyhood passion for motorcycle racing, quickly turning professional. He also became a scuba diving instructor and started freediving, achieving a lung-busting depth of 80m. He then took to the air, hang-gliding and paragliding to an international standard and gaining a private pilot’s license.

But it was the decision to take up skydiving that really changed his life, he said. He moved to Russia last year as part of an international team planning a record-breaking jump over the Himalayas. In Nepal they spent 21 days acclimatizing before the jump last October.

“We jumped from 9,000m, only about 500m or so above the peak of Mount Everest,” recalled Fareed, who sports the Iraqi flag on his jumpsuit. “It was amazing, truly amazing, to be soaring above Mount Everest. For a few minutes, I was emperor of world. I reached nirvana, absolute happiness.”

The kick from his Everest exploits was not enough, however. So in March, the restless Fareed returned to Russia to train as Iraq’s first cosmonaut. His fitness and skill levels meant that he completed the training in two months. Usually it takes trainees six months to learn how to breathe properly and cope with the G-forces, he said.

He specialized in space video and photography, and he wants to film while doing a walk outside the space shuttle.

For all his achievements, Iraq’s lone superman confesses to being lonely.

Iraqi girls do not want to come near a man who lives life at such a breathless pace, it seems.

************

An updated version of his status (as of 28th January 2010) is available (in Arabic only) here.

Cool School - Where Peace Rules - Human Development Scientists And Computer Game Developers Design Video Game That Teaches Conflict Resolution To Kids

2010-01-23T12:24:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily () -- Human development scientists and computer game developers designed a video game that teaches kids how to resolve conflicts peacefully amongst themselves. Inanimate objects, such as pencils and erasers, come to life to lead players through a series of common scenarios in which arguments are about to occur. The player is prompted for the non-violent solution and is rewarded for choosing correctly.

Full article is here.

Join us and share your story...

2010-01-12T14:03:00.000-06:00

Dear ladies,

Check out WISETales - an online community for Women in Science and Engineering.

The aim of this community is to bring women together, to share their stories (successful and frustrating ones) about their experiences working in male-dominated fields/environments, so we can share and learn from each other.

Young female graduates in these fields could learn from the experiences of other skilled professionals, and these professionals have a space where they can reflect on their experiences.

I would like to invite you to check out the website and register to post your own story. Kindly note that to maintain privacy, no names or direct references to people or organizations are allowed. You are free to create any alias name, but your story has to be real.

The website address is :http://wisetales.usask.caorhttp://www.ourwisetales.com

Please join our community, and help spread the word to other women.

Interactive animations give science students a boost

2010-01-09T04:36:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2010-01-08) -- For a generation of students raised and nurtured at the computer keyboard, it seems like a no-brainer that computer-assisted learning would have a prominent role in the college science classroom. But many difficult scientific concepts are still conveyed through dry lectures or ponderous texts. But that could change if science professors take a cue from a new study on the use of interactive animations in the college science classroom.

Full article is here.

The story of two wolves...

2010-01-08T16:46:00.003-06:00

I recently came across this short story, and wanted to share it with you....

One day an old Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson. He said, "There are two wolves fighting inside all of us - the wolf of fear and hate, and the wolf of love and peace."

The grandson listened, then looked up at his grandfather and asked, "Which one will win?"

The grandfather replied, "The one we feed."

No Facebook messages for IQ-SICAN inquiries please!

2010-01-06T01:13:00.007-06:00

Dear future graduate students,

Hope all are well....

Please note that I do not answer any requests through Facebook. Simply because answering your messages on Facebook gives access to my profile, which I prefer to keep private.

Kindly use this email address to correspond with me regarding your graduate education inquiries:

iqsican@gmail.com

This will also make it easier for me to keep track of our correspondences in one place / media.

On another note, and for your convenience, you many send me emails in Arabic to easily explain your situation. My answers will be in English though.

All the best....

IQ-SICAN

توقعات كارمن شماس 2010

2010-01-02T05:38:00.003-06:00

بشكل عام صعوبات وتقلبات جذرية 2010 هذا ما وصفته كارمن لهذا العام، برج الحمل منعطفات مفاجئة، برج الثور تكاتف واجتهاد،برج الجوزاء تقدم وتغيير، برج السرطان فرص مهمة وتجارب متناقضة، برج الأسد استعادة موقع

، برج العذراء خروج من النفق، برج الميزان تقلبات جذرية، برج العقرب طائر الفينيق، برج القوس دعم للركائز، برج الجدي امتحانات وتجارب، برج الدلو استثمار ونجاح، برج الحوت حظوظ وفرص ذهبية.

برج الحمل.. معارف
مواليد برج الحمل الذين يصح وصف سنتهم بسنة الاجتهاد، اذ يجب ان يسعوا خلالها ويجتهدوا ويتعبوا ليحصلوا على مبتغاهم، في العام 2010، ثمة احتمال لأن يعرفوا شراكات جديدة ومعارف نافذة جدا مع ضرورة تنبههم لامورهم العاطفية والمهنية في الشهرين الاخيرين من السنة نظرا لعراقيل ومصالحات قد تواجههم.

برج الثور اجتهاد
عام 2010 هي سنة الشهرة لمواليد برج الثور حيث ينعمون بالحظ والشهرة والسمعة والتقدم، فالعازب يمكن ان يتزوج ومن يعمل يمكن ان يتقدم في وظيفته او مركزه ومن يرغب في الانتقال من شركة الى اخرى يمكن ان يجد نفسه في موقع افضل، اما عاطفيا، فالفلك يعد الثور بسنة حلوة ومستقرة.

برج الجوزاء.. ارتياح
من برج الثور الى برج الجوزاء الذي يعرف مولوده سنة ارتياح تدريجي لاسيما انه سيتنفس الصعداء من المشاكل الصعبة التي واجهها على مدى سنتين، لكن في الوقت نفسه الفلك ينصحه بالتركيز وعدم المبالغة او تشتيت تفكيره كي لا تكثر عليه الضغوط. عاطفيا ثمة حلحلة

وانفراجات وتطمينات.

برج السرطان فرص
سنة 2010 هي سنة العلاقات المتقلبة لمواليد برج السرطان الذين يجب ان يتنبهوا لأن علاقاتهم تمر بامتحانات وتجارب يكتشفون في ضوئها ما اذا كانت هذه العلاقات ستستمر ام لا التنبه واجب سواء في علاقاتهم العاطفية او المهنية.

برج الأسد.. زواج
مولود برج الاسد من جهته سيعرف سنة ارتباط وشراكة، فهي سنة زواج للعازب وسنة شراكة لمن يبحث عن شراكة مهنية، كما انها يمكن ان تكون سنة عقود واتفاقات وتعد من السنوات الحلوة جدا والمليئة بالحظ والانفراجات لمواليد الاسد.

برج العذراء.. حرص
وتقول كارمن انه في العام 2010 ينصح الفلك مولود العذراء بالمزيد من الحرص على ان مواليد الفترة الممتدة بين السابع من سبتمبر والثاني والعشرين منه هم اكثر من يجب ان يتنبهوا ويحرصوا على استقرارهم الصحي والمهني والعاطفي، اما مواليد الفترة الممتدة من الثالث والعشرين من اب/ اغسطس حتى السابع والعشرين منه فأكثر حظا وارتياحا.

يمكن وصف سنته بسنة القشور الزائلة، حيث يجب ان يتنبه الى كل ما هو زائف لوضع حد له والتأسيس لعلاقات متينة سواء كانت مهنية او عائلية.

برج العقرب.. استقرار
عام 2010 هو عام الاستقرار العائلي لمولود برج العقرب الذي بامكانه ان يتزوج اذا كان عازبا فيها المتزوج يرزق بأولاد ومن كانت صحته تعبة سيرتاح ويطمئن، وهي سنة انفراجات ومن افضل ما يكون على برج العقرب.

برج القوس دعم
مولود برج القوس يعرف اهتمامات مالية في العام الجديد، لكن المراهنات ممنوعة والفلك ينصحه بالابتعاد عن التهور والعشوائية، هي سنة لا تخلو من التقلبات، اليقظة خلالها مهمة وضرورية.

برج الجدي.. تغيير جذري
ومن القوس الى الجدي الذي يعرف مولوده سنة تغييرات جذرية على ان الحظوظ والايجابيات ستبدأ بالظهور ابتداء من الاسبوع الثاني من يناير/كانون الثاني، لاسيما على الصعيد المالي، المهم ان يعمل كي لا يأتي التغيير سلبيا في حياته.

برج الدلو.. الأكثر حظا
اما برج الدلو فهو اكثر الابراج حظا وسعادة سنة 2010، حتى ان وجهه سعد على الآخرين، هي سنة نجاح وتقدم وازدهار انتظرها مولود الدلو منذ احدى عشرة سنة، حيث تختفي المشاكل وتتسهل كل الامور.

برج الحوت.. ينتظر
وختاما مع مولود برج الحوت الذي يعرف في العام 2010 المزيد من التجارب، وهو الذي عانى في العامين 2008 و2009 من تقلب

ات صعبة ستظل تطول مواليد الفترة الممتدة بين التاسع والرابع عشر من مارس/اذار، اما مواليد شهر فبراير/شباط فهم في امان في العام 2010 ويجب ان يستعدوا لأن سنة الحظ عندهم اقتربت وستكون في 2010

Best wishes for a Happy New Year / Decade!

2010-01-01T16:05:00.002-06:00

Top 10 moments in social media in 2009

2009-12-31T17:37:00.006-06:00

Posted by Mark Milian | December 29th, 2009 at 9:49 pm |

This year was certainly significant in the world of online social media. Facebook surpassed 350 million users — more than the U.S. population — and Twitter’s short blogging service skyrocketed in popularity, led by celebs, tech lovers and top companies.

Here’s a look back at 2009’s biggest events in which social media played a major role.

10. "Word of Web." As people spent more time chatting online and in public spaces like Twitter, buzz surrounding product and entertainment releases became instantly quantifiable. The elusive word-of-mouth promotion could now be measured, and "word of Web" became that new currency. (Marketers love to use the word "viral.")

The movie "District 9" played the game rather well. The low-budget sci-fi flick started the buzz train early with cryptic alien decals around major cities before its release. Despite relatively low advertising spending, the movie did extremely well. The fact that it was actually a good film certainly didn’t hurt.

9. Whopper Sacrifice. Facebook was quick to kill this marketing ploy, but Burger King had a picnic with this one. The Whopper Sacrifice game asked Facebook users to delete 10 friends in exchange for a free burger. In just a couple of weeks, 233,906 friends were dropped like a bad habit.

It proved to be a hilariously successful way to promote a brand that seemed to get only more controversial and creepy over the course of the year.

8. Google Wave. In Gmail-like fashion, the exclusive nature of Google’s newest product (people vied for a limited number of invitations from friends) made it the must-have free service of 2009. Of course, once people finally got hold of Wave, their lust died down.

The interface is still pretty confusing, and the team continues to struggle with growing pains in its mission to create a stable collaboration platform. However, it packs some intriguing technologies that could very well transform journalism in addition to a number of industries. But right now, e-mail replacement it is not.

7. Twitter and Facebook under hack attack. Just when it seemed like Twitter had finally outgrown its glitches and constant bandwidth overload at the beginning of the year, summertime rolled around and,poof!, Twitter was down. And Facebook. And LiveJournal. And YouTube. What’s going on?

It was the first major malicious attack that successfully targeted a number of massive social sites. It wouldn’t be the last. A source at Twitter tells us the denial-of-service attacks had been going on for months, and they were also aimed at Facebook, which was seeing increased downtime too.

In addition to the site-aimed missiles, users were increasingly targeted for phishing scams. They were showing up in practically everyone’s Facebook inbox and Twitter direct message list.

As Microsoft knows all too well with its Windows platform, along with majority market share comes an army of bad guys.

6. Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN. In lieu of creating a separate list for "top 1 stupidest moments in social media," we guess this deserves a mention. The former star of "That 70s Show," under the guise of his Twitter alias @aplusk, led a high-profile campaign against CNN’s breaking news account.

The @cnnbrk profile was among the most popular on the social network at the time when Kutcher challenged the news network to a race to a million subscribers. The winner would donate money to a malaria charity.

Amid all the free promotion, the ridiculousness factor multiplied by a hundred when we saw digital billboards springing up with the directive "follow Ashton Kutcher" and a link to his page.

Kutcher won, and you can’t downplay such unstoppable tactics as Twittering a few, um, choice photos of his wife, Demi Moore. Lucky twit.

5. Susan Boyle launches career. Perhaps the most notable product of that "word of Web" we talked about earlier, this 48-year-old Scottish singer rose from absolute obscurity after low-key appearances on "Britain’s GotTalent," England’s precursor to "American Idol."

Videos of the dowdy singer resonated online as the YouTube videos echoed in every corner of social media. Both Boyle and show creator Simon Cowell have acknowledged the massive role the Internetplayed in her newfound fame.

4. R.I.P. Michael Jackson. TMZ was the first to confirm Michael Jackson’s death. For an hour or so while news organizations cautiously ignored or speculated on its validity, the social Net was ablaze with mourning and cynicism. By the time the L.A. Times confirmed the news, the information was already being debated to death on Twitter in bite-size bits.

The death of one of the biggest pop stars in recent history was a perfect example of how quickly big news can spread on the Web.

3. R.I.P. Jeff Goldblum? The Web is also fantastic at quickly spreading misinformation. Most of the time, you don’t even need a bogus news story to accompany your false tweet.

Here’s a list of notable people who didn’t die this year but had their "obitweets" spread far and wide: Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Britney Spears, Ellen DeGeneres, Michael Lohan, alleged Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, Jared from Subway, Emma Watson and P. Diddy.

2. Iran "green" protests. The violent political protests in Iran spurred support from countless international sympathizers in the form of turning their avatars green (not to be confused with turning blue for "Avatar" or going ’50s cartoony for "Mad Men.")

Though the movement was really big on Twitter and prevalent on the streets of Iran, no change actually happened. The revolt, dubbed the "Twitter Revolution," was listed as Salon’s third-most-bogus story of the year.

1. Hudson River plane landing. Demonstrating the true power of social media, the iPhone snapshot of the rescue mission in the Hudson River was legendary. The picture says a thousand words about how no moment has to be missed just because a reporter or photographer didn’t happen to be near the scene. Anyone can be a reporter for a moment and broadcast to the world.

Top photo: Twitter creator Jack Dorsey. Credit: Mark Milian / Los Angeles Times. Middle photo: Ashton Kutcher. Credit: Associated Press. Bottom photo: Hudson River plane landing. Credit: Janis Krums via Twitpic

Privacy concerns could limit benefits from real-time data analysis

2009-12-18T19:53:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-12-18) -- Society will be unable to take full advantage of real-time data analysis technologies that might improve health, reduce traffic congestion and give scientists new insights into human behavior until it resolves questions about how much of a person's life can be observed and by whom.

Full article is here.

Iraq-born teen cracks math puzzle

2009-12-15T23:13:00.011-06:00

By AFP on Thursday, May 28, 2009

STOCKHOLM - A 16-year-old Iraqi immigrant living in Sweden has cracked a math puzzle that has stumped experts for more than 300 years, Swedish media reported Thursday.
In just four months, Mohamed Altoumaimi has found a formula to explain and simplify the so-called Bernoulli numbers, a sequence of calculations named after the 17th century Swiss mathematician Jacob Bernoulli, the Dagens Nyheter daily said.
Altoumaimi, who came to Sweden six years ago, said teachers at his high school in Falun, central Sweden were not convinced about his work at first.
“When I first showed it to my teachers, none of them thought the formula I had written down really worked,” Altoumaimi told the Falu Kuriren newspaper.
He then got in touch with professors at Uppsala University, one of Sweden’s top institutions, to ask them to check his work.
After going through his notebooks, the professors found his work was indeed correct and offered him a place in Uppsala.
But for now, Altoumaimi is focusing on his school studies and plans to take summer classes in advanced mathematics and physics this year.
“I wanted to be a researcher in physics or mathematics; I really like those subjects. But I have to improve in English and social sciences,” he told the Falu Kuriren. – AFP

Source

Texting, tweeting ought to be viewed as GR8 teaching tools, scholar says

2009-12-15T23:11:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-12-14) -- Carol L. Tilley, a professor of library and information science at Illinois, says that critics who equate texting with literary degradation are wrong, and that they also overlook the bigger role that texting and its distant cousin, "tweeting," could play in education and research.

Full article is here.

Are you ready for Google's Chrome OS?

2009-11-25T02:23:00.004-06:00

Lots of reviews, lots of enthusiasts and critics, one question that pops to my mind, WHERE will all my data be stored? and WHO will have access to it?

If you don't know much about it, check out this video (thanks Collene):

source

Google documents Iraqi museum treasures

2009-11-25T01:55:00.006-06:00

(Google chief Eric Schmidt,right, gives a Google logo to Qais Rasheed, chairman of the state board of antiquities and heritage during a ceremony at Iraq's national museum , in Baghdad, on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 - Associated Press)

BAGHDAD November 24, 2009, 03:47 pm ET
Google is documenting Iraq's national museum and will post photographs of its ancient treasures on the Internet early next year, Google chief Eric Schmidt announced Tuesday. The museum was ransacked in the chaotic aftermath of Saddam Hussein's ouster in April 2003, and only reopened to visitors early this year. Schmidt, who toured the museum with U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill on Tuesday, said it was important for the world to see Iraq's rich heritage and contribution to world culture. "The history of the beginning of — literally — civilization is made right here and is preserved here in this museum," Schmidt said at a ceremony attended by Iraqi officials. "I can think of no better use of our time and our resources than to make the images and ideas from your civilization, from the very beginnings of time, available to billions of people worldwide," he said. Schmidt said Google has taken some 14,000 photographs of the museum and its artifacts, and the images will be available online in early 2010. The antiquities in the museum's vast storage vaults and artifacts from other sites across the country will also be photographed as they become available and then put on the internet, he said. The museum was among many institutions, including universities, hospitals, libraries and art galleries, that were looted or set ablaze across Iraq in the days and weeks that followed Saddam's ouster. The museum holds artifacts from the Stone Age through the Babylonian, Assyrian and Islamic periods. The richness of its collection and its importance as a caretaker of the relics of early civilization triggered an outcry around the world. U.S. troops, the sole power in the city at the time, were intensely criticized for not protecting the treasures at the museum and other cultural institutions like the national library and the Saddam Art Center, a museum of modern Iraqi art. The national museum reopened in February after being closed for nearly six years. Its director, Amira Edan, said around 5,000 of the estimated 15,000 artifacts that were looted have been recovered so far. Edan said Google's project marks another step toward normalcy for the museum, and will provide a useful tool for scholars studying ancient Mesopotamia, but also "a kind of tourism journey" for people with a more casual interest in the region's history.

source

ماغي فرح 2010

2009-11-11T01:50:00.011-06:00

Its that time of the year again, and this time its early ;-)
Here are the 2010 astrology predictions by Maguy Farah - the new year looks good, it'd better be :-D

:: أبراج 2010 - توقعات 2010 - حظك 2010

- تنبؤات 2010 - الابراج2010 ::

ابراج سنة 2010 تععد باستغلال كل احداث 2009 و الاستفادة منها من كل النواحي يستمر المشتري و نيبتون في سباق الدلو نحو الحوت لنرى تاثرهم نحو الناس و نلاحظ انهم اصبحوا اكثر مسؤولية بكل ما يتعلق بالامور العلمية و الطبيعية.

رغبة بالتحرر من الافكار نلحظها لدي كل من مواليد الاسد الحمل و القوس.

بلوتو سيسمح لكل من الجدي و الثور و العذراء برؤية اوضح لاهدافهم مما يجعلهم قادرين على اختيار الامور الامثل و الاصح لسنة ابراج 2010 .

اولانوس ببرج الحوت يفيق الابراج المائية الحوت السرطان العقرب فيجعلهم يهتمون بمشاريع ابداعية و فنية.

بالنسبة للجوزاء الدلو و اليزان هناك بعض العقبات بالسلطات و الجهات القانونية.

الحمل:

اجمالا سنة جميلة للحمل سيتواصل فيها تقدم كل من ينتمي لبرج الحمل و سيكون التقدم رائع سيسجل بحظك هذه السنة دخول كوكب بلوتون في برج العقرب عمليا لن يأثر هذا على برج الحمل سلبيا لكن سيتسبب في بعض الهواجس و التخوفات في شهر يناير تحديد و سيكون هذا مرافق لبعض التغييرات الجذرية في اوضاعكم او في شخصيتكم و تفكيركملا تحاول عزيزي الحمل السباحة عكس الثيار ، تقبل الأمور كما تأتيك و دع التغيير يسحبك للاحسن فالحياة هكذا

الشهور التي يسعدك الحظ فيها بمجال العاطفة هي : فبراير ـ ابريل ـ ماي ـ نوفمبر

الثور:

بالنسبة لك عزيزي الثور سنة 2010 هي سنة ايجابية جدا في الاجمال فيما عدا رغبة ستلازمك في تضخيم الامور و يجب عليك التحكم فيها اذا اردت الاحتفاظ بسعادتك وصفاء الجو حولك. سيكون كوكب جوبتر هو المؤثر عليك في تضخيم الامور و تكبير ردود فعلك و هنا يجب عليك التريث و الهدوء خصوصا في شهر فبراير و مارس و يونيو 2010 و كن حذرا في عدم خرق القوانين باي وجه لتفادي مشاكل مع الجهات الرسمية و القضائية...كن حذرا كذلك خلال هذه الشهور حتى لا تدخل في نزاعات مع احد المقربين منك و عندما تحس بعصبيتك تزداد سارع بالانسحاب و تغيير الجو لتفادي الجدالات.تمتع بشهري يناير و سبتمبر 2010 لان حظك سيكون رائع بالحب و بالمشاريع الشخصية و المهنية فلا تضيع فرصك فيها. افضل الشهور للعاطفة : يوليو و اغسطس و سبتمبر 2010

الجوزاء:

هذه السنة يا صديقي الجوزاء هي سنة التناقضات بالنسبة لك فستكون فترات التقدم متبوعة بفترات تراجع مباشرة و ستحس ببعض الاشياء تعيق طريقك في التقدم خصوصا في شهر ماي 2010 يجب عليك عزيزي الجوزاء استغلال فترات التقدم لتمضي في تصفية مشاكلك و عمل مشاريعك و استغل النصف الاول من السنة خصوصا شهري فبراير و مارس لان حظك فيهما كبير جدا و استغل السنة بشكل عام في التفكير في احلامك المستقبلية لان الفلك يبشرك بنهاية سنة رائعة و بالتالي امكانية تحقيق جزء كبير من احلامك بغضون ال 2011 افضل الشهور للعاطفة : ماي يونيو يوليو و سبتمبر

السرطان:

سنة مستقرة و جميلك لمواليد السرطان . كما في سنة 2009 سيؤثر عليك ايجابيا كوكب اورانوس طوال سنة 2010 مما سيعطيك حرية اكبر في اختياراتك خصوصا بمجالات التعليم و السفر و التعاقدات و التعاملات مع الخارج ... كوكب ساتورن في برج العذراء سيساعدك كذلك في اتخاد قراراتك الصائبة في الاختيارات و في تحسين علاقاتك في محيطك الاجتماعي , سيسود بعض الضغط في شهري ماي و سبتمبر 2010 فقط مما سيؤثر على اعصابك قليلا فحاول عزيزي السرطان استغلالهما في الترفيه و الرياضة و تأكد ان باقي الشهور ستكون خفيفة و لن تشعر بشيء يضغط على اعصابك خلالها. افضل الشهور للعاطفة : ابريل و يونيو 2010

الأسد:

سنة 10لديك ايها الاسد تنطبع بدخول جوبتر ببرج الدلو و هو البرج المعاكس لبرجك جوبتر كوكب جالب للحظ و قد يجلب لك بعض المفاجئات السارة جدا هذه السنة لكن احذر من المبالغة ببعض الاشياء خصوصا ببداية فبراير و منتصف مارس 2010 حاول عزيزي الاسد ان تكون عقلانيا و متوازنا في تصرفاتك سيكون هذا التحول في منزلك الشمسي السابع مما قد يؤدي الى ارتباط شرعي او زواج لغير المتزوجين و قد تكتفي عزيز الاسد بايجاد شريك حياتك و التخطيط لحياة مستقبلية و زواج السنة المقبلة فتأكد ان الحب قريب منك جدا في سنة 2010 و قد يكون دخل حياتك بنهاية 2009 فابحث جيدا ..افضل الشهور للعاطفة : ابريل اغسطس وفي سنة 2010 و قد يكون دخل حياتك بنهاية 2009 فابحث جيدا ..افضل الشهور للعاطفة : ابريل اغسطس و ديسمبر 2010

العذراء:

هذه السنة يا عزيزي العذراء يجب عليك التحلي بالصبر لوجود كوكب ساتورن الذي يعاكسك في فترات كثيرة خصوصا في النصف الثاني و في شهر مارس 2010 لكن تأكد ان سنة 2011 ستكون رائعة لديك و ستحل فيها كل مشاكلك لان كوكب ساتورن سيرحل عنك فيها ليستقر بجارك الميزان في سنة 2010 ينصحك الفلك بان تكون حذرا و الا تخالف القوانين و بالنسبة للحب و العاطفة قد يتأخر امر الارتباط الجدي للراغبين فيه لكن ستكون امورالحب جيدة و قد تتلقى مفاجئات رائعة طوال السنة و خصوصا ببدايتها فلا تتشائم كثيرا افضل الشهور للعاطفة : يناير يونيو و يوليو 2010

الميزان:

سنة رائعة لك عزيزي الميزان لانك تحظى بحماية جوبيتر و تاثيره الايجابي جدا في مجال الحظ و التطور. استغل حظك هذه السنة للتقدم في كل مشاريعك فهذه السنة رائعة بالنسبة لامور العمل شهري مارس و ابريل سيكونان مناسبان للبدء بعمل جديد او مشروع جديد او حتى استثمارات كبيرة . احذر فقط عزيزي الميزان شهر ماي 2010 لانه قد يكون شهر المعاكسات الفلكية. بالنسبة للحب و العائلة و الاطفال فهذه السنة مستقرة و جميلة جدا لديك و خصوصا لمن يعملون بمجالات الابتكار و الفن فلا تتردد عزيزي الاسد و استغل سنة 2010 في كل ما هو جميل افضل الشهور للعاطفة : فبراير مارس يوليو اكتوبر و نوفمبر 2010

العقرب:

سنة جميلة يا عزيزي العقرب رغم تاثيرات نبتون التي قد تواصل معاكستك قليلا في بعض المجالات برجك سيتأثر باغلب الكواكب هذه السنة لكن مجال الاسرة و العائلة سيكون الافضل بين جميع المجالات خصوصا بمرور جوبتر لكن كن واثقا في خطواتك و متزنا في كلامك حتى لا تخدعك ثقتك في نفسك فترتكب هفوات انت في غنى عنها. في مجال العاطفة شهر ابريل هو الاحسن على الاطلاق اذا كنت مرتبط بعلاقة جادة و هو شهر اللقائات الشيقة ان كنت خاليا و احذر من شهر يونيو الذي قد يورطك بمشاكل مع الحبيب بسبب غيرة او بسبب شك من ناحيته ناتج عن تصرف غير لائق منك فلا تحاول الخيانة حتى لا تندم ...افضل الشهور للعاطفة : فبراير مارس ابريل مايو و نوفمبر 2010

القوس:

سنة مشابهة تقريبا لسنة 2009 بالنسبة لمواليد برج القوس و ذلك لاستمرار تواج [

د ساتورن و اورانوس بعض المشاكل بالعائلة و العمل بمنتصف شهري غشت و سبتمبر 2010 فكن حذرا عزيزي القوسالجميل في سنة 2010 لديك هو مجال العاطفة و الحب حيث تساعدك الظروف بشكل كبير في اول شهور السنة لتعيش لحظات رائعة مع الحبيب و للعزاب لقائات رائعة جدا قد يجد العزاب شريك حياتهم هذه السنة فلا تقفلوا ابوابكم فهذه السنة تبشر بارتباطات جدية و مناسبة جداافضل الشهور للعاطفة : يناير فبراير ابريل و مايو 2010

الدلو:

سنة مستقرة و جميلة بشكل عام فيما عدا تواجد نبتون الذي قد يعاكس مواليد الدلو المولودون بعد 2 فبراير جوبتر سيساعد الدلو في ابقاء الحظ معه طوال السنة و ستكون سنة جميلة في مجالات الصحة و يجب استغلالها في علاج كل ما كان يتعبك عزيزي الدلو. شهري فبراير و مارس 2010 شهران للمفاجئات و المواعيد الكثيرة ستشعر خلالها بضغط كبير و هما مناسبان للمشاريع الجديدة .خد يا عزيزي الدلو اقساطا من الراحة و الاستجمام و لا تنسى الحبيب او الزوج افضل الشهور للعاطفة : فبراير مارس يوليو واغسطس 2010

الجدي:

يتابع الحظ محالفته لك عزيزي الجدي هذه السنة و لن يعاكسك اي كوكب / النتيجة : سنة رائعة بكل المقاييس تفتح خلالها ابواب الحظ و يكون كل شيء متاح حصتك الاكبر من الحظ هذه السنة هي في الحب و العاطفة حيث تتكاثر فرص اللقاء للعزاب و تكون قمتها في فبراير 2010 مجال العمل يزدهر و تقوى فيه العلاقات المفيدة و النافعة لك و قد يكون لبعض مواليد الجدي حظوظا باعمال مرتبطة بخارج بلدانهم و تكون الفرص مغرية جدا فلا يجب تضييعها افضل الشهور للعاطفة : فبراير و يونيو 2010

الحوت:

اخيرا يتخلص مواليد برج الحوت من تواجد اورانوس و ساتورن بابراجهم و قد تابعتهم تأثيراتهما كثيرا و عاكست العديد من المواضيع سابقا خلال 2009. مواليد الحوت المولودين بشهر فبراير سيتنفسون الصعداء ببداية 2010 و تنتهي الفترات العصيبة و معاكسات الحظ و يستطيع كل مواليد الحوت استغلال السنة الجديدة في بداية صفحة جديدة.

source

My current state of mind....

2009-10-22T23:44:00.000-06:00

source

IQ-SICAN

2009-10-19T21:40:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone,
I am so glad to share with you my new initiative that I have just launched, called: IQ-SICAN (stands for IraQis Studying In CANada).
While working on my Master degree, I always thought about the thousands of Iraqis who would have loved to study in Canada, but just couldn’t because they don’t know where or how to apply.
I strongly believe that Iraqis make the best students once given a chance, and I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to study at a reputable university.
Now that I am done with my Masters degree, I would like to fulfill another humble dream of mine, which is to help prospective Iraqi graduate students get enrolled in Canadian universities.
While I do not promise admission or provide scholarships, I do promise to research educational opportunities for prospective Iraqi graduate students and help them fill out their applications in a prompt and professional manner.
If you know a prospective Iraqi graduate student who is an excellent student just needing a chance, or if you are one, please check out my new website dedicated for this mission:

http://iq-sican.blogspot.com/

Please help spread the word,
Thank you and I look forward to help :-)

Seeking Privacy In The Clouds: Research Aims At Isolating Social Network Information From 'Control Of A Central Entity'

2009-10-16T00:07:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-10-15) -- Millions of Internet users have been enjoying the fun -- and free -- services provided by advertiser-supported online social networks like Facebook. But a computer scientist worries about the possible down side -- privacy problems.

Full article is here.

Obama and the Nobel prize???

2009-10-10T20:03:00.009-06:00

Hmmmm, well that was a surprize! oh, I thought it was a joke- seriously, but apparently its not!

I mean, as much as he is liked by most people in comparison to his predecessor, where are the "solid" actions that deserve such an honor? Or was it because of the endless hours spent in academia?

Better yet, maybe that prestige associated with the nobel prize is a joke too! Truly, I had much more respect for that prize before :-<

I also wonder, if this "prestigious" prize is given based on words, I can think of many people whom I personally know to make a difference in this world, whose intentions are sincere and efforts to make this world a better place go unnoticed. If the criteria is that the nominee has to be famous at a universal level - then let's give it to a person like Amitabh Bhachchan - seriously! At least he has pleased millions of people around the world for many many many years, and his efforts to help others are tangible. (I have much respect for this actor, but I am sure there are many others who are very worthy. He just came to mind as an example).

Well - two important lessons to be learnt: whatever you do, do it for yourself first, not for the honor you may receive after; and second: things don't necessarily mean what they seem to be...

I guess to be fair, Obama did seem sincere and humble when talking about it.

In arabic we have a saying "Elli Yeaish Yama Yeshoof"!

National New Biology Initiative Offers Potential For 'Remarkable And Far-reaching Benefits'

2009-09-20T00:01:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-09-18) -- A report released by the National Research Council calls on the United States to launch a new multiagency, multiyear, and multidisciplinary initiative to capitalize on the extraordinary advances recently made in biology and to accelerate new breakthroughs that could solve some of society's most pressing problems -- particularly in the areas of food, environment, energy, and health.

Full article is here.

Web-based Screening And Intervention May Reduce Drinking In University Students

2009-09-19T23:58:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-09-17) -- Web-based screening and personalized interventions for alcohol use may reduce drinking in undergraduate students, according to a new report.

Full article is here.

Would you like to share your story?

2009-09-19T23:42:00.002-06:00

Dear ladies,

Check out WISETales - an online community for Women in Science and Engineering.

The aim of this community is to bring women together, to share their stories (successful and frustrating ones) about their experiences working in male-dominated fields/environments, so we can share and learn from each other.

Young female graduates in these fields could learn from the experiences of other skilled professionals, and these professionals have a space where they can reflect on their experiences.

I would like to invite you to check out the website and register to post your own story. Kindly note that to maintain privacy, no names or direct references to people or organizations are allowed. You are free to create any alias name, but your story has to be real.

The website address is : http://wisetales.usask.ca orhttp://www.ourwisetales.com

Please join our community, and help spread the word to other women.

Happy Eid...

2009-09-19T11:59:00.002-06:00

Best wishes for a happy eid

Ramadan Kareem 2009

2009-08-20T20:37:00.007-06:00

Best wishes for a prosperous Ramadan 2009. Although Ramadan is just a few days away, many Iraqis have lost yet more relatives in the recent deadly explosives in Iraq. Is it ever gonna end?

Happy Left-handers Day :-D

2009-08-13T02:45:00.005-06:00

Celebrations ... celebrations :-D

2009-08-10T20:42:00.005-06:00

Today is a very special day, the beginning was very stressful, but the end was surreal!

I successfully defended my M.Sc. thesis today, it went well, my committee members were very supportive, which is truly appreciated. I want to thank them all for their support during my studies and defence, also, a special thanks to my supervisor – Dr. Julita Vassileva, not only is she my supervisor during this journey, but also a mentor and friend…

What a journey… these past 2 years felt like being on a roller coaster, many ups and downs, but it was all worth it in the end! I am glad I hung in there when “the going got tough”.

I am still trying to comprehend what just happened a few hours ago, it still feels surreal… I guess it will sink in soon – nothing a good night sleep can’t help :0

To all of you out there still working on your graduate degrees, please don’t give up, just keep going, it will all be worth it in the end – and to all of you who are thinking of starting grad school, make sure you know why you are going for it. It is not an easy journey, but definitely not impossible J

Why We Learn More From Our Successes Than Our Failures

2009-08-03T17:58:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-08-03) -- Scientists have created for the first time a unique snapshot of the learning process that shows how single cells change their responses in real time as a result of information about what is the right action and what is the wrong one.

Full article is here.

'Brain-reading' Methods Developed

2009-07-29T11:44:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-28) -- It is widely known that the brain perceives information before it reaches a person's awareness. But until now, there was little way to determine what specific mental tasks were taking place prior to the point of conscious awareness. That has now changed.

Full article is here.

Can Pen And Paper Help Make Electronic Medical Records Better?

2009-07-29T11:41:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-29) -- A new study reports that pen and paper workarounds employed by health-care providers who use an electronic medical record system may help make electronic medical records even more useful to health-care providers and the patients they serve.

Full article is here.

How To Maintain The Integrity And Accessibility Of Research Data

2009-07-29T11:37:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-23) -- Though digital technologies and high-speed communications have significantly expanded the capabilities of scientists -- allowing them to analyze and share vast amounts of data -- these technologies are also raising difficult questions for researchers, institutions and journals.

Full article is here.

Northern Lights (Aurora) :-D

2009-07-24T02:25:00.009-06:00

Hey hey!

Hope all are well....

I really wanted to watch the Northern Lights in Saskatchewan, however, I was told that their activity was not so strong this year, besides, I should move further North to notice them, since the city lights dim their color... I almost gave up till 2 nights ago, when my friend Anna asked me to get out to the balcony and take a look at the skies. Although not very clear, but we saw them dance in the skies in a beautiful green color, here are a couple of shots: (thanks Anna ;-)

Of course, this is not much compared to this these ones, which are on my list of things to watch:

The Aurora research team in Saskatchewan can be reached here, and here is a nice Aurora watch from Alberta.

Advanced Mathematics In Mother-child Relationships And Climate Change

2009-07-18T09:28:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-17) -- The hearts of pregnant women and their unborn children sometimes beat in synchrony. This interaction is significantly influenced by the mother's breathing, researchers report. The mathematical approach to identify the synchronisation epochs could be applied to detect complications early in pregnancy. It could equally be used for the analysis of complex patterns in the climate system.

Full article is here.

Human-computer Interaction: Beyond – Way Beyond – WIMP Interfaces

2009-07-18T09:25:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-17) -- Human-computer interaction is undergoing a revolution, entering a multimodal era that goes beyond, way beyond, the WIMP (Windows-Icons-Menus-Pointers) paradigm. Now researchers have developed a platform to speed up that revolution.

Full article is here.

Tracking The Life And Death Of News

2009-07-15T03:46:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-14) -- By observing the global flow of news online, computer scientists have managed to track and analyze the "news cycle" -- the way stories rise and fall in popularity.

Full article is here.

Online Computer Games Could Encourage Children To Eat Healthy Foods

2009-07-14T16:48:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-14) -- Children who play an online game promoting healthy foods and beverages appear more likely to choose nutritious snacks than those who play a game promoting unhealthy products, according to a new report.

Full article is here.

Evian live young ad :-D

2009-07-11T16:45:00.008-06:00

Awesome!

Check out new stories on WISETales

2009-07-11T12:07:00.004-06:00

Dear ladies,

Check out WISETales - an online community for Women in Science and Engineering.

The aim of this community is to bring women together, to share their stories (successful and frustrating ones) about their experiences working in male-dominated fields/environments, so we can share and learn from each other.

Young female graduates in these fields could learn from the experiences of other skilled professionals, and these professionals have a space where they can reflect on their experiences.

I would like to invite you to check out the website, enjoy reading others' stories or simply comment on them. You can post your own story by registering (for free).

To maintain privacy, no names or direct references to people or organizations are allowed. You are free to create any alias name, but your story has to be real.

The website address is : http://wisetales.usask.ca or http://www.ourwisetales.com

Please join our community, and help spread the word to other women.

Treating Lazy Eyes With A Joystick

2009-07-11T11:59:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-10) -- Researchers have developed a computer game therapy that is now ready for treating adults.

Full article is here.

Robot Learns To Smile And Frown

2009-07-11T11:57:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-11) -- A hyper-realistic Einstein robot learned to smile and make facial expressions through a process of self-guided learning. The researchers used machine learning to "empower" their robot to learn to make realistic facial expressions. "As far as we know, no other research group has used machine learning to teach a robot to make realistic facial expressions," said a computer science Ph.D. student involved in the research.

Full article is here.

Mom’s Weight During Pregnancy Affects Her Daughter’s Risk Of Being Obese

2009-07-07T14:16:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-05) -- A mother's weight and the amount she gains during pregnancy both impact her daughter's risk of obesity decades later, according to a new study.

Full article is here.

Inexpensive Thin Printable Batteries Developed

2009-07-07T14:15:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-05) -- For a long time, batteries were bulky and heavy. Now, a new cutting-edge battery is revolutionizing the field. It is thinner than a millimeter, lighter than a gram, and can be produced cost-effectively through a printing process.

Full article is here.

Less Empathy Toward Outsiders: Brain Differences Reinforce Preferences For Those In Same Social Group

2009-07-01T15:39:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-07-01) -- An observer feels more empathy for someone in pain when that person is in the same social group, according to new research. The study shows that perceiving others in pain activates a part of the brain associated with empathy and emotion more if the observer and the observed are the same race. The findings may show that unconscious prejudices against outside groups exist at a basic level.

Full article is here.

To my beloved Canada... Happy Birthday :-D

2009-07-01T00:01:00.005-06:00

Today marks the 142nd anniversary of the 1st of July, 1867 enactment of the British North America Act of 1867, which united Canada into a country that had four provinces.

Did you know that the name Canada comes from an Iroquoian (a First Nation and Native American language family - like Mohawk, Huron-Wyandot, and Cherokee) word which means "village", Kanata, that French explorers used to call the area currently known as Quebec City?Today, Canada consists of ten provinces and three territories.

142 years and looking awesome Canada! Love you and wishing you all the best, always :-D

The 'Virtual Watercooler' Email Cliques?

2009-06-30T12:40:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-30) -- Researchers are exploring the organizational impact of 'shadowy groupings.' They are examining the impact of 'email cliques' -- the equivalent of people who gather around the office watercooler, though this time in the virtual world.

Full article is here.

Rating Attractiveness: Consensus Among Men, Not Women, Study Finds

2009-06-29T12:21:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-27) -- Hot or not? Men agree on the answer. Women don't. There is much more consensus among men about whom they find attractive than there is among women, according to a new study.

Full article is here.

Bringing Boys And Girls To Computer Science With 'Alice'

2009-06-29T12:12:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-29) -- A nationwide study is using the power of storytelling to draw younger students into programming. An animation program called "Alice," allows student programmers of all ages to create their own worlds without realizing they're actually writing code.

Full article is here.

Online Ethics And The Bloggers' Code Revealed

2009-06-27T12:08:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-26) -- Whatever their reason for posting their thoughts online, bloggers have a shared ethical code, according to a recent study. Key issues in the blogosphere are telling the truth, accountability, minimizing harm and attribution, although the extent to which bloggers follow their own ethical ideals can depend on the context and intended audience.

Full article is here.

WISETales: an online community for Women in Science & Engineering

2009-06-26T13:41:00.000-06:00

Dear ladies,

Check out WISETales - an online community for Women in Science and Engineering.

The aim of this community is to bring women together, to share their stories (successful and frustrating ones) about their experiences working in male-dominated fields/environments, so we can share and learn from each other.

Young female graduates in these fields could learn from the experiences of other skilled professionals, and these professionals have a space where they can reflect on their experiences.

I would like to invite you to check out the website and register to post your own story. Kindly note that to maintain privacy, no names or direct references to people or organizations are allowed. You are free to create any alias name, but your story has to be real.

The website address is : http://wisetales.usask.ca or http://www.ourwisetales.com

Please join our community, and help spread the word to other women.

Citizens In 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than Females With Science

2009-06-24T11:34:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-23) -- Implicit stereotypes -- thoughts that people may be unwilling to express or may not even know that they have -- may have a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance, according to a new study.

Full article is here.

Morning People And Night Owls Show Different Brain Function

2009-06-24T11:30:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-24) -- Are you a "morning person" or a "night owl?" Scientists have found that there are significant differences in the way our brains function depending on whether we're early risers or night owls.

Full article is here.

Computer Idle? Now You Can Donate Its Time To Find A Cure For Major Diseases

2009-06-23T13:18:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-21) -- Not using your computer at the moment? You can now donate your computer's idle time to cutting-edge biomedical research aimed at finding a cure for HIV, Parkinson's, arthritis, and breast cancer.

Full article is here.

Beating The Bullies: Changing Real-world Behavior Through Virtual Experience

2009-06-23T13:08:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-23) -- Social problems like bullying and stereotyping involve thoughts, feelings and reactions that resist change. New research shows that when students play active roles in virtual dramas their attitudes and behavior can change.

Full article is here.

Online Tutorials Help Elementary School Teachers Make Sense Of Science

2009-06-20T23:47:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-20) -- Interactive Web-based science tutorials can be effective tools for helping elementary school teachers construct powerful explanatory models of difficult scientific concepts, and research shows the interactive tutorials are just as effective online as they are in face-to-face settings, says an expert in science education.

Full article is here.

New Java Programming Tools Employs Human-centered Design Techniques

2009-06-17T21:41:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-17) -- Researchers have developed two new tools to help computer programmers select from among thousands of options within the application programming interfaces that are used to write applications in Java, today's most popular programming language.

Full article is here.

More Older People Active Online Now Than In Past

2009-06-17T21:36:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-12) -- Internet use continues to increase, this is especially true regarding social media. Older people in particular have increased the use of internet since 2007. However, television continues to have the large coverage in all groups with one exception, 15 to 24 year olds used the Internet more than they watched television an average day in 2008, according to a national survey of 4,500 persons.

Full article is here.

Visualizing Open Source Software Development

2009-06-17T03:50:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2008-08-04) -- With dancing points of light, rings of color and a soundtrack, the Code_swarm animations show how software such as the Python scripting language and the Apache Web server have developed from the contributions of different programmers.

Full article is here.

Girls Have The Edge In New Technologies, New Report Reveals

2009-06-17T03:43:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-01-21) -- A new report has revealed that girls are more likely to have new technologies at home than boys and it is mothers rather than fathers who assist them.

Full article is here.

If The Shoe Flits, Duck: Real-life Example Of Humans' Dual Vision System

2009-06-17T03:37:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-16) -- The reactions of former President George W. Bush and Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki when an Iraqi reporter flung his shoes toward the two men during a Baghdad news conference confirmed the results of an experiment being conducted by neuroscientists.

Full article is here.

Interactive Data Eyeglasses: New Data Eyeglasses Can Read From Engineer’s Eyes Which Details Need To Be Included On Building Plans

2009-06-15T16:35:00.003-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-10) -- The data eyeglasses can read from the engineer's eyes which details he needs to see on the building plans. A CMOS chip with an eye tracker in the microdisplay makes this possible. The eyeglasses are connected to a PDA, display information and respond to commands.

Full article is here.

100th post :-D

2009-06-15T16:15:00.002-06:00

Dear all,

This post marks my 100th post on my blog. I didn't realize I posted that much!
I have definately enjoyed posting, and reading your comments. I also found out recently that I have 'hidden' followers to my blog, who prefer to remain anonymous (completely understandable).

For all of you out there, thank you for following up on my blog, I hope you found my blog (and continue to find it) interesting, fun and informative. I would love to hear more from you.

I would also like to celebrate my recent publications (thank you Dr. Julita Vassileva for your continuous support). Here is the list;

* Sahib Z., Vassileva J. (to appear) WISETales: Sharing Personal Stories as Informal Learning Experience for Women in Science and Engineering, in Proceedings, 3rd IEEE International Conference on Digital Ecosystems and Technologies, IEEE-DEST 2009, Istanbul, Turkey, 1-3 June 2009. (Full paper, 8 pages).

* Sahib Z., Vassileva J. (to appear) WISETales: Sharing Personal Stories as Informal Learning Experience for Women in Science and Engineering, in Proceedings, CSCL'2009, Rhodes, Greece, 10-13 June 2009. (Poster, 4 pages).

Thanks once again!

WISETales: an online community for Women in Science & Engineering

2009-06-14T11:04:00.003-06:00

Dear ladies,

Check out WISETales - an online community for Women in Science and Engineering.

The aim of this community is to bring women together, to share their stories (successful and frustrating ones) about their experiences working in male-dominated fields/environments, so we can share and learn from each other.

Young female graduates in these fields could learn from the experiences of other skilled professionals, and these professionals have a space where they can reflect on their experiences.

I would like to invite you to check out the website and register to post your own story. Kindly note that to maintain privacy, no names or direct references to people or organizations are allowed. You are free to create any alias name, but your story has to be real.

The website address is : http://wisetales.usask.ca or http://www.ourwisetales.com

Please join our community, and help spread the word to other women.

Staying Sharp: New Study Uncovers How People Maintain Cognitive Function In Old Age

2009-06-13T03:49:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-12) -- Not everyone declines in cognitive function with age. Elderly people who exercise at least once a week, have at least a high school education and a ninth grade literacy level, are not smokers and are more socially active are more likely to maintain their cognitive skills through their 70s and 80s, according to new research.

Full article is here.

Log On To Beat Depression: Internet-based Therapy Found Effective

2009-06-13T03:46:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-13) -- In a discovery that could lead to new treatment approaches for depression, researchers in Australia have shown that Internet-based therapy programs are as effective as face-to-face therapies in combating the illness. Patients in a clinician-assisted Internet-based treatment program experienced rates of recovery similar to those achieved by face-to-face therapy, the research found.

Full article is here.

New Chemical Element In The Periodic Table

2009-06-13T03:43:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-12) -- The element 112 has been officially recognized as a new element by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). IUPAC confirmed the recognition of element 112 in an official letter to the head of the discovering team. The letter furthermore asks the discoverers to propose a name for the new element.

Full article is here.

No More Geeky Glasses To Watch 3D

2009-06-11T03:31:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-10) -- Most people's experience with 3D involves wearing tinted glasses in a cinema. But a new technology, which does not require glasses and may enable 3DTV, is being developed.

Full article is here.

Turing Test...

2009-06-10T19:50:00.003-06:00

source

Better and faster search engines...

2009-06-05T01:40:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-06-03) -- Internet search engines virtually always create a ranking of all pages, and then they choose only those pages that contain the right words. A new approach yields more relevant hits and faster search engines.

Full article is here.

Sharks in your life...

2009-06-04T15:26:00.009-06:00

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades.
So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.
To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price.
So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste.
The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish. So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? How Japanese managed to keep the fish fresh?
To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.
Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired & dull, so we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving? Basically in our lives Sharks are new challenges to keep us active and taste better….. The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a challenge.
If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are Conqueror.. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

I received the above message by email from a group that I am subscribed to, I really like their motivational reminders, I feel I need them to keep going. My only comment on this one is, I guess some people have more frequent 'sharks' in their lives than others, which at times give an opposite reaction. So instead of being motivated to move forward, sometimes I just feel like giving up, since it never seem to end :-<

I guess I just need a break - a loooonnnnng BREAK!

Goodbye Amo Baba :-(

2009-05-30T00:46:00.002-06:00

Amo Baba buried in Iraqi football's biggest stadium*

Fri, May 29th - AFP

BAGHDAD, May 29, 2009 (AFP) - Iraqi football's legendary player and coach Emmanuel Baba Dawud, known affectionately as "Amo (uncle) Baba," was buried in the country's biggest football stadium on Friday in line with his dying wish.

"We loved Amo Baba from our heart, as a player, trainer and a teacher. We loved him and bid him farewell with our hearts, and he will always be in the Iraqi people's hearts," Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi said.

As a player, he was famous for his attacking flair and scored Iraq's first international goal at the 1957 Pan Arab Games. Named coach of the national team in 1978, he led Iraq to the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul.

Amo Baba, a member of Iraq's Assyrian Christian minority, died on Wednesday in northern Iraq at the age of 74 of complications from diabetes.

The funeral took place in a Baghdad church before the coffin draped in an Iraqi flag was transported to Al-Shaab stadium on a military vehicle, in a state tribute with the blessing of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

The coffin was carried aloft by soldiers and lowered into a grave in the stadium compound.

"With the name of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people, we console the family of this hero who carried the name of Iraq in Al-Shaab stadium and other stadiums ... for 50 years," Mahdi said in a speech at the ceremony.

Youth and Sport Minister Essam al-Diwan said it was Amo Baba's will to be buried at the stadium.

"The last time we visited Amo Baba in hospital, he demanded to be buried in Al-Shaab stadium and said: 'Death is a professional player. I'm sure he will get me'," Diwan said.

*Source

To learn more about him, check out this wikipedia entry.

May his soul rest in peace.

* photos source

Really Virtual Reality

2009-05-29T10:16:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-05-29) -- Far from being geeky and exotic, virtual reality could be the key to a new range of innovative products. European researchers and industrialists have come together to build a world-leading community ready to exploit that promise.

Full article is here.

How you look at things...

2009-05-28T23:24:00.003-06:00

The map of online communities

2009-05-23T23:54:00.010-06:00

reference

Intelligent Life Sciences Search Engine: Grid Browser Understands Technical Terms And Context

2009-05-23T13:06:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-05-23) -- A web browser that can understand technical terms in life sciences and automatically find additional resources and services has been developed. It could lead to a new generation of intelligent search engines.

Full article is here.

Forgetting....

2009-05-22T21:59:00.002-06:00

'Five Dimensional' Discs With A Storage Capacity 2,000 Times That Of Current DVDs

2009-05-22T21:43:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-05-21) -- Futuristic discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of current DVDs could be just around the corner, thanks to new research from Australia. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated how nanotechnology can enable the creation of 'five dimensional' discs with huge storage capacities.

Full article is here.

Celebrations....

2009-05-19T20:54:00.013-06:00

Celebrating 25 years of online communication by yahoo mail:

and celebrating my b-day too :-D

On this day in history......

1536

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was beheaded.

1588

The 130-ship-strong Spanish Armada set sail for England; it was defeated in August.

1643

The colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Harbor met to form the New England Confederation.

1921

Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act, establishing national quotas for immigrants.

1928

The first annual Calaveras County "Frog Jumping Jubilee" was held in Angel's Camp, California.

1935

British author and soldier, T. E. Lawrence, also known as "Lawrence of Arabia," died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash.

1962

Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to president John F. Kennedy.

1992

The 27th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited Congress from giving itself midterm pay raises, went into effect.

1994

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in New York.

I share this birth date with ~.

Achieving Fame, Wealth And Beauty Are Psychological Dead Ends, Study Says

2009-05-17T23:50:00.001-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-05-14) -- If you think having loads of money, fetching looks, or the admiration of many will improve your life -- think again. A new study demonstrates that progress on these fronts can actually make a person less happy.

Full article is here.

Develop Next Generation Mobile Applications And Services: Open Source Middleware On Its Way

2009-05-17T23:46:00.000-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-05-06) -- Self-adapting Applications for Mobile Users In Ubiquitous Computing Environments. The EU-funded MUSIC project announces the interim release of the MUSIC platform (v 0.3.0), which would be of use for the development of mobile application software and services.

Full article is here.

Happy 'Canadian' Mothers Day :-D

2009-05-10T10:03:00.003-06:00

Today is Mothers Day in Canada, it was on March 21st in the Middle East. I think everyday should be a mothers day,

To all the mothers out there:

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY ;-)

Zuza at The Pas - Manitoba

2009-04-28T19:03:00.021-06:00

Hello again!

I know its been a while, but I came across this great opportunity to become a Science Ambassador at a northern community for a duration of 6 weeks, I just could not pass it up :-D

I have not been to Manitoba before, now I know why its called "friendly Manitoba". People are nice, I am way up north at the town of The Pas. A very interesting town. It's layout is close to Saskatoon - the Saskatoon River runs through it. It is not as big though, a population of only 6000 people (including the surroundings).

I work with schools there, on each side of the river, promoting Science to Grades 6-8 students by doing fun experiments to engage their interest in learning and getting careers in Science. A real neat program called The Science Ambassador Program. This week I work on the reserve side of the river. Its Cree Nation in this part - specifically called Opaskwayak Cree Nation, an aboriginal community.

As usual, I've been real busy with the preps, but it is a great experience. Students feedback is great, which is very rewarding.

Oh, did I mention that Clearwater Lake is close by? It is one of the clearest lakes in the world (the second, I believe). I got a chance to visit a section of it, known as "The Caves"- a true beauty!

I still have a couple of weeks before heading back. Will try to post then. Better get going now!

Participants needed for WISETales new online survey

2009-04-15T21:15:00.005-06:00

Dear ladies,

WISETales has now launched its new interface. Women in Science and Engineering of all educational and professional levels (including academia and industry) can now share their experiences via stories on http://wisetales.usask.ca or our new domain: http://ourwisetales.com

You are invited to participate in a new online survey. The purpose of this survey is to get your feedback on WISETales’ newly modified interface and visualization. The survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes (excluding the time you need to familiarize yourself with the community –if needed). As a token of appreciation of your time, you can choose to participate in a draw to win an iPod Touch. If interested in the draw, simply follow the instructions at the end of the survey.

The survey will be available from 15^th April 2009 – 15^th May 2009 at the following link:

Online Survey

All women in Science and Engineering are welcome to participate – even girls interested in Science and Engineering.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: wisetales@gmail.com

Your WISETales team.

WISETales has launched its new interface!

2009-04-09T19:01:00.005-06:00

Dear ladies,

WISETales has now launched its new interface! Check it out on

http://wisetales.usask.ca or our new domain: http://ourwisetales.com

Women in Science and Engineering of all educational and professional levels (including academia and industry) can share their experiences via stories.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: wisetales@gmail.com

Your WISETales team.

In The Age Of Facebook, Researcher Plumbs Shifting Online Relationships

2009-03-31T22:12:00.004-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-03-30) -- A professor is researching details of relationships forged on social networking sites and determining their significance, depth and potential. She has discovered that across the social networking sites, online friendships range from close relationships with strong ties to looser affiliations -- but both types of friendships are useful.

Full article is here.

The D-Box ... truely Canadian :-D

2009-03-29T19:06:00.005-06:00

To all movie goers, check this out!

Expect to experience not only audio, visual but also motion when you sit on a D-Box! It was on the news the other day, I thought it was quite interesting and checked out their website. Basically its a new chair, or a smart chair that relates to what you watch on screen. Its available (or will be available in 3 options, either home theatre, gaming or commercial -for theatres-). To learn more about it, check out how it works (just click on the 'how it works' link to view the video). I'd definately love to give it a try, and what makes it even sweeter - yes, it is Canadian - YAY!

Useful uses of salt

2009-03-26T22:24:00.007-06:00

I personally do not like to use a lot of salt in cooking, so I wasn't too excited about the following forwarded email. However, it shows various interesting uses of salt that I don't mind trying!

Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't realize:

1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30.A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a better look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled

When Texting, Eligible Women Express Themselves Better

2009-03-26T22:06:00.003-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-02-26) -- The book "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" and its gender stereotypes on how the sexes communicate remains fodder for debate, but two researchers have confirmed one thing: When men and women talk through technology, it's the women who are more expressive.

Full article is here.

Forget It! A Biochemical Pathway For Blocking Your Worst Fears?

2009-03-26T21:58:00.001-06:00

Pass me the pills!!!

ScienceDaily (2009-03-26) -- A receptor for glutamate, the most prominent neurotransmitter in the brain, plays a key role in the process of "unlearning," report researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Their findings could eventually help scientists develop new drug therapies to treat a variety of disorders, including phobias and anxiety disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder.

Full article is here.

Map of the Internet - the IPv4 Space, 2006

2009-03-25T23:22:00.004-06:00

Source

Celebrations... celebrations

2009-03-20T23:02:00.003-06:00

March 21st is a special day... Wishing all mums a very Happy Mothers' Day (Middle East)

and wishing all Happy Nawrooz (Kurdish New Year / Spring Festival)

Scientists Predict Click-through Behavior In Web Searches

2009-03-16T21:40:00.002-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-03-16) -- In the world of search engines, clicks mean cash, and in a sluggish economy, companies can benefit by maximizing click-throughs to their Web sites from search engines.

Full article is here.

The Crisis of Credit - Visualized

2009-03-16T10:21:00.006-06:00

Check out this interesting explanation of the current credit crisis:

Thanks Naouel for sharing :-)

Giving Twitterers A New Voice: Student Invents Radio That Tunes In To Social Networking Site

2009-03-15T16:41:00.003-06:00

ScienceDaily (2009-03-04) -- A student has come up with a unique way of keeping track of what people across the world are up to throughout the day. He has invented a radio which tunes in to and broadcasts messages posted on social networking site, Twitter. The radio allows fans to listen to Twitter messages posted on the website in real time so they can keep up to date with friends, celebrities and even complete strangers. To watch a video demonstration visit http://vimeo.com/2990753

Full article is here.

The Social Media Campaign

2009-03-15T01:15:00.004-06:00

This graph illustrates the Social Media Campaign put together by Gary Hayes and Laurel Papworth. A nice representation of the 5 key factors involved in successfully marketing social online communities: Involve - Create - Discuss - Promote - Measure

Friday the 13th, fact or fiction?

2009-03-13T21:11:00.001-06:00

Today is Friday, 13^th of March 09. Is there any significance to this date?

Before coming to Canada, ‘13’ was just another number, never thought it to be special, or different. I recall hearing that this number is not considered a good number in some cultures, nothing beyond that. Of course there is always the movie series “Friday the 13^th”, but I don’t watch horror movies.

It was quite interesting to find out that in Canada, high rise buildings avoid naming a 13^th floor! The elevator dial numbers 1-12 then jumps to 14. Now that becomes quite disturbing at times, especially in the real estate industry (worked there for a while) when a level 22 floor actually corresponds to units starting with 23.

A quick search (Wikipedia) shows that it is a superstious day, which is believed to be a day of good or back luck (more bad than good!). Well, I’d rather think of today (at least – since Friday 13^th occurs between 1 – 3 times a year) as a good day. Why? Well, after a week of brutal -48 C to -35 C degrees, today is a warm -2 C only. YAY! Also, I managed to solve 1 database discrepancy that was bothering me for a while, and I am in a good mood!

Well, better get back to the remaining discrepancies….

Have a great weekend everyone ;-)