by Intern on February 28, 2009
Comets can Create Diamonds
A team of archaeologists and geologists conducted a study across North America, in which they discovered nanodiamonds in certain parts of soil. These nanodiamonds are produced under high-temperature, high-pressure conditions usually created by cosmic impacts.
The discovery of these nanodiamonds suggests that a comet exploded on or above North America nearly 13,000 years ago. This comet caused a climate change, which led to the extinction of several species of mammals. It also affected preshistoric humans causing a decline in population.
The heat from the impact likely melted a glacier that once covered the Great Lakes region and caused a massive flood down the Mississippi River.
Source: www.cnn.com
Tough Fruit Can Make a Tough Car
Researchers from Baylor University in Waco, Tx. have developed a way to use coconut husks in automotive interiors. Their current goal is to use coconut fibers to make trunk liners, floorboards and interior door covers on cars instead of synthetic fiber.
Coconuts are ideal for this job because they do not burn very well or give off toxic fumes, not to mention they are cheap. The researchers are trying to create a “viable market for the poor coconut farmer,” said Dr. Walter Bradley, a distinguished Professor of Engineering at Baylor, who is leading the project.
The Baylor researchers are now putting the coconuts through a series of tests to see if their fiber meets the necessary safety requirements.
Source: www.happynews.com
Pope Lifts Bishop’s Excommunication
Pope Benedict VXI has decided to lift the excommunication of British Bishop Richard Williamson who had denied that the Holocaust ever happened. Top German church officials, Jewish groups, and the head of the U.S. bishop’s conference were outraged by Williamson’s views. The Pope and his officials claim that he was not aware that Williamson had not retracted his comments about the Holocaust when he apologized for his controversial actions and belief. The recent controversy has shattered the idea of unity in the Church and brought up concerns as to how involved the Pope is with Church affairs.
Source: www.cnn.com
by Intern on February 28, 2009
The Snow Queen
By Regina C.
In my Russian class we recently read The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen and it made me think about how my life relates a lot to this story. The story begins with a troll, who represents the devil, and who owns a mirror. The troll thinks the mirror is the coolest thing because it makes people see the worst in everything.
As the troll was making his way around all the different countries showing the citizens the mirror, he accidentally dropped it. The mirror shattered into many pieces, and the shards spread all across the world.
When the shards fell to earth, they landed on people. In some, the shards worked into the eyes causing the people to see everything in the most pessimistic manner. In others, the shards pierced the heart and froze those people to care for anything around them.
The story continues with the introduction of a boy, Kay, and a girl, Gerda. They were such good friends they felt like brother and sister and did everything together.
One day, while they were playing, Kay was struck with a shard from the mirror. It landed in his heart. After that Kay lost interest in Gerda and everyone else. The next day Gerda and Kay were sledding, and a woman, the Snow Queen, whose heart was frozen because of her wickedness, drove past them in a large sleigh. She invited Kay to accompany her in the sleigh leaving Gerda behind.
The Queen took him to the North Pole and kept him there until his heart became a chunk of ice. The rest of the story follows Gerda’s adventures as she tries to find Kay and bring him home.
Looking at the story from a symbolic point of view, my life is a copy of Kay’s. I am an only child, and when I was young I always tried to make friends to keep occupied and out of trouble. Often I put myself in situations where I would get hurt. As time went on I ended up with a glass shard inside my heart.
When I started to re-feel the hurt of getting made fun of, and not having the “perfect” family, I began to find ways to numb those feelings. I began to surround myself with drugs and alcohol, which allowed me to become insensitive to pain for short periods of time. Like Kay, I began to hate the world around me, and I tried to pull others down with me.
Before I got to The Family Foundation School I was a monster. I did what I wanted, and I allowed my life to spiral downward. I became a part of the Snow Queen and allowed myself to be “possessed” by all the negative influences around me.
Since then I have learned to see that there are other people like me, trying to get rid of the shard and become more open to the good things around them. In my life, the Snow Queen was my escape, my mom played the role of Gerda, trying to save me from the control of evil, and the shard of the mirror was what attracted me to becoming a monster.
In the end my mom has done an astonishing job helping me get back on track with my life to make my future as successful as possible. Now without the mirror shard in my heart, I can appreciate the wonderful opportunities that are available to me that I never saw before and paid little or no attention to.
by Intern on February 27, 2009
FFS Cheerleaders Win Second Place in Cheerleading Competition
By Christian H.
The Family Foundation School Falcons’ cheerleading squad placed second in their division at a cheerleading competition in Downsville, N.Y.
The Falcons competed with the Livingston Manor Wildcats, Downsville Eagles, Deposit Jacks, Newark Cardinals, and Sullivan West Bulldogs on February 7. It was a fun day for the FFS Falcons.
“It was intense. At first I was nervous, but it got better as we went on into the cheers,” said Falcons’ Nick B.
Shortly afterwards, a duet was performed by several teams. Participating from the Falcons were Jonathan H., Sean S., Larissa A., and Angela O.
Jon and Sean performed a somersault duet while Larissa and Angela displayed a Falcon cheer. “It was the best experience of my life,” said Larissa.
Although no one from The Family School participated in this part of the competition, an individual cheering event was held following the duet matches.
The final part of the competition involved a jump-off. This is when several cheerleaders chose jumps to perform individually in front of the judges.
Sean was the only one who stepped up to the plate. “It was nerve-wracking but fun. I felt accomplished,” exclaimed Sean.
Coaches Nancy Anderson and Myron Vandermark were very pleased with the Falcons’ work. “I think they did an excellent job and worked together well as a team,” explained Anderson.
by Intern on February 26, 2009
By Christian H.
The Family Foundation School Falcons scored 28 points against the Fallsburg Comets’ 51 in a well-played game at The Family School on February 6.
The Comets scored 15 points in the first quarter with help from their leading scorer Keyshawn Kennedy, who scored seven points. Falcons’ leading scorer Joslyn P. scored six points while Sheree B. put up one to give the Falcons a total of seven by the end of the first quarter.
During the second quarter, the Falcons’ defense was able to keep the Comets at nine points to have a total of 24 by halftime. The Falcons kept up with eight points and had a total of 15 as the first half ended. Sheree hit four free throw shots and Kennedy scored four more points for her team.
The third quarter was when the Comets really turned it up. They scored 18 points, six from Shaina Swerdling and another four from Kennedy. The Falcons did their best, scoring eight points. Both Sheree and Denise scored two points each.
Working together on their defensive side, the Falcons held the Comets at nine points in the fourth quarter, giving them a total of 51 points by the end of the game. Pope added another three points to the score and Denise added two.
The Falcons kept a positive attitude about the game. “We played well in the beginning, but we got too comfortable as the game went on,” said Falcons’ Shari E.
Joslyn put up a total of nine points and Sheree had seven. On the Comets end, Kennedy had a total of 17 points and Swerdling had 13.
The Path To Spirituality
