e=mc2 proven true… finally

It’s taken more than a century, but Einstein’s celebrated formula e=mc2 has finally been corroborated, thanks to a heroic computational effort by French, German and Hungarian physicists.

A brainpower consortium led by Laurent Lellouch of France’s Centre for Theoretical Physics, using some of the world’s mightiest supercomputers, have set down the calculations for estimating the mass of protons and neutrons, the particles at the nucleus of atoms.

According to the conventional model of particle physics, protons and neutrons comprise smaller particles known as quarks, which in turn are bound by gluons.

The odd thing is this: the mass of gluons is zero and the mass of quarks is only five percent. Where, therefore, is the missing 95 percent?

The answer, according to the study published in the US journal Science on Thursday, comes from the energy from the movements and interactions of quarks and gluons.

In other words, energy and mass are equivalent, as Einstein proposed in his Special Theory of Relativity in 1905.

The e=mc2 formula shows that mass can be converted into energy, and energy can be converted into mass.

$1M for cirriculum creativity

Jordan Brand, a division of Nike, Inc., announced that through its Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program it is recognizing close to 300 educators nationwide for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the classroom. This year, the Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program will award $1 million in total grants for the 2008-2009 school year to aid teachers working in grades K-12 in underserved communities. These grants provide the resources necessary for instructional creativity and enhance curriculum development.

“Jordan Fundamentals was designed to honor educators across America by providing financial support to their schools,” says Keith Houlemard, Jordan Brand President. “Our committed educators pave the way for the future of this country due to their unwavering commitment to their students and their communities by providing the best education possible to every student that enters their classrooms.”

The Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program acknowledges and provides financial support to teachers who endeavor to overcome challenges and limited resources in order to achieve excellence through instructional creativity, innovative teaching and high learning expectations for students. Since 1999, the Jordan Fundamentals program has presented more than $9 in financial aid to public secondary school teachers where at least 50 percent of the student body population is eligible for the free or reduced lunch program.

“Jordan Fundamentals allows teachers the opportunity to bring fresh ideas and innovative programs into the classrooms,” said Tim Anderson of Chicago’s May Community Academy and 2008-2009 Jordan Fundamentals grant recipient. “It is through these grants that we can inspire children to awaken their appetite for learning by gaining access to books, supplies and resources that have previously been out of reach to these deserving children.”

For the list of grant recipients and more information about the Jordan Fundamentals program, please visit www.jordanfundamentals.com.

CSR Wire

Wednesday Hero - Ann Dunwoody

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody
55 years old from Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Call it breaking the brass ceiling. Ann E. Dunwoody, after 33 years in the Army, ascended Friday to a peak never before reached by a woman in the U.S. military: four-star general.

At an emotional promotion ceremony, Dunwoody looked back on her years in uniform, said it was a credit to the Army—and a great surprise to her—that she would make history in a male-dominated military.

“Thirty-three years after I took the oath as a second lieutenant, I have to tell you this is not exactly how I envisioned my life unfolding,” she told a standing-room-only auditorium. “Even as a young kid, all I ever wanted to do was teach physical education and raise a family.

“It was clear to me that my Army experience was just going to be a two-year detour en route to my fitness profession,” she added. “So when asked, `Ann, did you ever think you were going to be a general officer, to say nothing about a four-star?’ I say, `Not in my wildest dreams.’

“There is no one more surprised than I—except, of course, my husband. You know what they say, `Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man.’”

You can read the rest of Gen. Dunwoody’s story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Scientists discover diesel fuel producing fungus

American scientists have discovered a fungus deep in the Patagonian rainforest that makes biodiesel as part of its natural lifecycle. The fungus is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel sources.

According to team member Prof. Gary Strobel of Montana State University, “The fungus can even make these diesel compounds from cellulose, which would make it a better source of biofuel than anything we use at the moment.”

Calling the fungus’ output “myco-diesel,” Gary Strobel and his collaborators describe their initial observations in the November issue of Microbiology.

The fungus proved to have another advantage, it grows on a tree’s cellulose. “When crops are used to make biofuel they have to be processed before they can be turned into useful compounds by microbes,” said Strobel. “G. roseum can make myco-diesel directly from cellulose, the main compound found in plants and paper. This means if the fungus was used to make fuel, a step in the production process could be skipped.”

Cellulose is an indigestible part of a plant that binds the plant and allows it to stand. When treated with specific enzymes the cellulose turns into sugar; microbes are then used to ferment this sugar creating an ethanol that can be used as fuel.

“We were very excited to discover that the fungus can digest cellulose. Although the fungus makes less myco-diesel when it feeds on cellulose compared to sugars, new developments in fermentation technology and genetic manipulation could help improve the yield,” said Strobel. “In fact, the genes of the fungus are just as useful as the fungus itself in the development of new biofuels.  We were totally surprised to learn that it was making a plethora of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives. The results were totally unexpected and very exciting and almost every hair on my arms stood on end!”

Patagonia is a geographic region containing the southernmost portion of South America. Located in Argentina and Chile, it comprises the Andes mountains to the west and south, and plateau and low plains to the east.

The biodiesel generating fungus grows in the Ulmo tree, a species of tree in the Cunoniaceae family. It is found in Chile and Argentina. It is threatened by logging and habitat loss. The natural habitat is along the Andes Range from 38 to 43° lat.S, and up to 700 meters (2300 ft) above sea level.

Mongabay, Gas2.0, Image from Patagonia Photo Library

Teen succeeds as football coach despite down syndrome

Patrick Nicholson is the assistant coach of the high-school OLPH Warriors football team.  Patrick is a passionate teenager who loves family and football.  Patrick also suffers from Down Syndrome.

Enjoy this video.

Wednesday hero - Captain Gussie Jones

Cpt. Gussie Jones was born in Arkansas and was one of eight children. She began her Army career by enlisting in 1988 as a personnel clerk and climbed to the rank of a sergeant.

In 1986, Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Arkansas Central University. She was selected to attend the Army Enlisted Commissioning Program and earned her second bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in 1998. It was in nursing.

Her career as a registered nurse and a commissioned officer began in September 1998 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. In 2002, after completing a course in critical-care nursing, she was assigned to Beaumont Army Medical Center, where she became a mentor.

“She was a very dedicated person and was always smiling, said a co-worker and friend, Capt. Susan Gilbert. If anyone asked her to do something, she would do it. And she was very kind and gentle and patient with the patients.”

Cpt. Jones died of a heart attack while on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. During her 15 years of military services, Jones received a Joint Service Commendation medal, four Army Commendation medals and three Army Achievement medals.

“She was so much a part of their team, and so her death must really affect their morale,” Gilbert said. “I’m very worried about the other soldiers because they’ve lost their battle buddy.”

Cpt. Gussie M. Jones
41 years old from Raleigh, Arkansas
31st Combat Support Hospital
March 07, 2004

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Spike TV helps 140,000 Dads stay connected to kids

Spike TV has spent the past year helping encourage dads to take an active role in their kids lives through the True Dads Take Action initiative. Now, the network that celebrates men of action is reaching out to the dads in our armed forces to help them stay connected with their families while deployed abroad through True Dads in Uniform.

True Dads In Uniform is a partnership between Spike TV, the USO and United Through Reading that seeks to connect military fathers with their families by providing our servicemen with the means to videotape themselves reading stories and send these personal video messages on DVD to their families at home.

Our goal is to help connect over 140,000 servicemen and their families across all branches of the armed forces through direct network contribution, sponsor contributions and the help of viewers like you. Visit the links below to find out more about how you can help. They are the fathers of our armed forces.

They are True Dads in Uniform.

Group RCI Gifts $100,000 to Christel House

Over 900 employees and families of Group RCI, a world leader in leisure real estate and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), gathered recently for the emotional reunion of RCI co-founder Christel DeHaan and many of her former RCI employees. The scene was a carnival-style block party at the Carmel-area campus of the world’s largest timeshare exchange company to raise funds for Christel House International, Group RCI’s global charity of choice. At the close of the event, DeHaan was presented with the unexpectedly sizeable donation of $100,000.

The 5-hour block party marked the celebratory conclusion of the ‘Summer of Christel House’, a six-week-long fundraising campaign created by RCI employees to raise both consciousness and cash for Christel House International which operates learning centers for impoverished children in Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, India, and Indianapolis. Founded by DeHaan in 1998, the charitable organization seeks to break the cycle of poverty for children around the world and help them become contributing members of society.

“The passion demonstrated by the associates of RCI to help provide the 2,700 children of Christel House a better quality of life is both amazing and unprecedented,” marveled Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Group RCI. “Christel DeHaan created an incredibly caring culture at RCI many years ago based on honesty, integrity, sincerity and community service. It’s a culture which is alive and well nearly 35 years later. And it’s a culture I’m both honored and humbled to be associated with.”

Attendees of the celebration were treated to a musical performance by visiting Christel House South Africa students Angelique Blaauw, Nontando Bonga, and Kyle Daniels, led by Luis-Miguel Delgado, a business development account executive with Group RCI. Blaauw 16, talked about teamwork, shared goals, and the power of “we” — a message fitting the occasion.

Congratulating the crowd on their creativity and caring, DeHaan was preparing to accept the donation of monies raised by local RCI employees when it was revealed that those had been combined not only with contributions from global colleagues as well as block party proceeds but also a match from the company’s corporate office, a sum totaling $100,000.00. “There are not enough words to describe how I’m feeling,” choked an emotional DeHaan in response to the unexpected generosity. “From day one, RCI has distinguished itself through its people. This is a gift of love for which I am humbled and grateful.”

Scientists identify possible Alzheimers gene

Scientists have identified a gene that may raise the risk of getting the most common kind of Alzheimer’s disease by about 45 percent in people who inherit a certain form of it. Read more

Fresno State wins National Championship

By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer
Fresno State went from underdogs to “wonderdogs” on its way to a most unlikely national championship.  With Steve Detwiler providing all the offense Justin Wilson needed, the Bulldogs captured their first national championship in a men’s sport with a 6-1 victory over Georgia in the decisive Game 3 of the College World Series finals. Read more

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