Shark gives birth despite lack of mate

Courtesy of The Arizona Republic

By Betty Reid, The Arizona Republic

Students at Carl Hayden Community High School were stunned when a baby shark appeared in one of their fish tanks.

More amazing was that the mother shark had been in the tank alone for nearly four years.
Teacher Fredi Lajvardi and his Phoenix science students investigated and discovered that the birth is rare.

"As far as we know, we are the third case worldwide," Lajvardi said.

This type of birth is known as parthenogenesis, in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new pup, said Lajvardi, program manager for the Carl Hayden Center for Marine Science.

"The mother's gene divides in half and recombines with its own collection of genes to create a new individual," Lajvardi said. "Normally, it would recombine with the father's half of the gene. But because there is no father, the mother provided the other half."

It was a learning moment for students who saw firsthand last week how through parthenogenesis a species can reproduce when a mate isn't present.

The week-old pup, whom students have named Dawn, was born to a white-spotted bamboo shark named Twilight, who has lived in one of the school's marine-science classrooms. .

"When we found out it hatched, everyone rushed the tank," said Kristen Shriner, a 17-year-old senior who has overseen the care of the mother shark.

She and other students have been e-mailing scientists to find out how to properly care for Dawn.

For now, Dawn will remain at the school; outside scientists have been invited to visit.
About 200 students study in the marine center at the high school at 3333 W. Roosevelt St.

Uyghur's women and girls taken as slaves

This is an article that really bothers me. Anything to do with slavery bothers me to the point no one has ever seen from me. It does not matter the color, the location, the race, the religion, or whatever else there is. IT IS WRONG! I believe it is also a SIN against God.

Yes, it is in the Bible. So is adultry. Why, some may ask? I can answer this. To show us the damages that sins cause, and to teach us how to live and be better people than that. God did not create slavery, man did. If you want to blame it on someone, look into your own heart first. Always, no matter the situation. That is a good rule.

Back to the article. In the area of Uyghur, a minority Muslim part of northwest China, it is very poor. So when the local officials came around telling the families about a 'training program' (to work in factories) for the women and girls for which they would be paid 500 yuan per month in the beginning, and later they would be paid up to 900 yuan.

It comes as no surprise to me, but they have received no pay. There are 213 girls that we know of who signed up for this 'program'. If you would like to read the actual article, it is Radio Free Asia. Please read it, because there is more. The parents and the girls who manage to escape and return home are being punished and made to go back without pay. It is a crime against humanity. Where are the Human Rights groups?!

Do you think we should say something? I do. Do you think we should stop trading with them? I do. Are you are 'free-market' person? I was, until I decided to become a FAIR trader.

Operation Thanks for Freedom!

Help collect cards, e-mails, etc, to send to the troops for the Fourth of July. Details at DoD Daily News-2. This will remain up until June 9, 2007. Have a blessed day.

News from RFA-North Korean women sold as slaves in China

Thousands of NK Women Sold as Slaves in China.
SEOUL — Thousands of North Korean women who fled famine in their homeland in recent years are believed to have been sold as “brides” to Chinese men, who often put them to backbreaking labor and subject them to constant fear, physical assault, and sexual abuse, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports. [If that link does not work, try this one.]

Here are my two cents: Kim Jong Il--Go to hell. Chinese president--Go to hell. STOP THIS!

Update: Nathan is kind enough to have an open trackback at Church and State this weekend, and he also has a great site. Please be sure to read the policy on trackbacking before you use it. Remember to be kind, and also be sure to stop by during the week. I appreciate your civility. :) Have a nice weekend.

Womens' Rights Day for Muslims, 3/8/2007

This is a very touching story about a woman who can never go home, although that is her dream. Why not? Because she turned away from Islam and its' brutality.
25.32 minutes.

This is a remarkable woman who speaks very well about what she is demanding from society in general and Islam in particular. The one thing that saddens me about her speech is that while she has turned her back on the religion of Islam, she has lost all faith in religion (IT APPEARS). This I find rather sad, since my life has been so enriched by it.
19 minutes or so.

This woman is also incredible, although an interpreter is used. She speaks German rather well! I do not. lol. Please listen to what these ladies have to say. You claim you want to hear someone speak out? Well. Then listen.
19.17 minutes.

A great big Hat Tip to Serendip.

Update: Nathan is having an open-trackback weekend, and you MUST add this URL to your post. It is only proper! He is a very nice Christian man who I met quite a while ago (through the net, not face to face). He has very good articles, and he likes to stay on top the news as we do. You may want to add him to your blogroll, because I guarantee you will read news you may have missed. Thanks, and have a great day.