JUST FOR FUN

Zippo would like you to buy something on their website, but I think this game is addictive and one may not get to shop. Just like the old show "Concentration," game you can now play it online, but with Zippo designs as the place cards. I only played once and my time probably wasn't great at 198 seconds, but all-in-all a great idea. The only glitch I had was that after the game was over and I tried to hit the shop button--it didn't take me shopping. OOPS! Hopefully they'll figure that out before the site closes down on Dec 16. Worth a look-see. Don't cheat. I've given you over 1/3 of the answers...

A STORY THAT SHOULD NOT GO UNREAD

Freddy Mutanguha is an 18 year old Rwandan genocide survivor. He loved his mother more than anything in the world. His family was a happy one. His father was quiet, but tolerant. His mother once said, “It’s not good to be selfish, you should always share with others.” Freddy's parents and 4 sisters killed during the genocide in 1994. He tells of the night they were killed:

"We couldn’t see it happening, but we could hear them screaming… They took Mum far away to kill her. Later at night, I went with another boy to find her body. We rushed there and buried her.We simply covered her with soil. So I saw my Mum’s body, but not the rest of the family. I just heard my sisters being killed. I didn’t see my father killed – people told me about it later."

Over 20 years later Freddy envisions the future, "I dream of a developed Rwanda and I’m determined to fight all genocidal ideologies. I want to see us build our nation. We can only do that if we consider the younger generations and work to remove all bad ideologies from their minds."

Read Freddy's very moving story.
Read other survivor testimony.

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR URBAN SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION

Excellence in Urban Education Awards.

Here's a good opportunity to make people aware of the good work done in Urban schools. Winners also receive financial recognition as well. The award goals for Excellence in Urban Education are:

• Recognize the hard work, dedication, and talent of urban school educators and students;
• Educate the public about the accomplishments and potential of urban schools;
• Provide a concrete benchmark of excellence that motivates reform efforts; and
• Deepen the knowledge base of best practices for promoting urban school transformation.

Review Eligibility criteria
Apply
More information

Deadline November 30th.

HOW DO STUDENTS LEARN TODAY?

A Vision of Students Today--This is an interesting video from a Kansas State University class on college students and education. I have seen firsthand how students act in class. They are all on Facebook during the learning experience. Socializing has always been more interesting than learning. Now that there are computers in the classroom they can do both at the same time.

VOICES SELECT | FILM | DARFUR NOW

Change starts with ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

DARFUR NOW is a story of hope in the midst of one of humanity's darkest hours – a call to action for people everywhere to end the catastrophe unfolding in Darfur, Sudan. In this documentary, the struggles and achievements of six different individuals from inside Darfur and around the world bring to light the tragedy in Sudan and show how the actions of one person can make a difference to millions.

Written and directed by Ted Braun, the film explores the Darfur conflict through the first-hand experiences of Don Cheadle, Hejewa Adam, Pablo Recalde, Ahmed Mohammed Abakar, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, and Adam Sterling. Executive Produced by Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Omar Amanat, Matt Palmieri, Gary Greenebaum and Dean Schramm. Produced by Cathy Schulman, Don Cheadle and Mark Jonathan Harris. Here are examples of just 2 of the people highlighted in the film:

• At 24 years old, Adam Sterling is just of one of many young people involved in the fight to help the people of Darfur. A UCLA student whose Jewish grandmother fled Nazi Germany, Adam learned about the situation in Darfur and felt he had to do something. Despite his youth and inexperience in the political arena, he works to get a bill passed that will keep California’s State funds out of Sudan. Amazingly, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signs the bill.

• Hejewa Adam had been a mother who dreamt of going back to school until her West Darfur village was attacked and destroyed by Janjaweed militias and government forces. When she fled, her three-month-old son was beaten to death as he clung to her back. She faces two choices – abandon her home forever or join the rebels to bring justice and peace back to Sudan. Determined to help defend the Fur people of Western Darfur, Hejewa joins the rebels.

In addition to these six people, the film also features His Excellency Abldalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, Sudan’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. A career diplomat, His Excellency articulates Sudan’s position on the Darfur crisis from the perspective of a government that feels it has not been fairly characterized by the world’s media. The struggles of each these individuals outlines a different facet of the ongoing crisis in Darfur – but they all point to the need for immediate action. Each story is an inspiration for ordinary individuals to become involved to resolve the conflict and bring hope and peace to the people of Darfur.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

OPENS TODAY - See the Movie and Spread the Word.

Showtimes and Locations

Lincoln Plaza Center, 1886 Broadway, between 62nd and 63rd
The Angelika Film Center, 18 W. Houston St. at Mercer St.

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR
Tell your lawmaker that you want the genocide to stop. Call 1-800-genocide and connect instantly with your lawmaker.