Purpletigron

"There are lots of people who are underpaid, but this is one of those instances where people are paid low wages to provide the expertise to people who are often simply not as knowledgable."

"Initiatives in the pipeline to increase the number of pupils taking separate Sciences will have a considerable knock on effect on the workload of Technicians. Technicians are already recognised by professional bodies as the "expert" in the Science Department on practical Science issues, often training teachers in practical techniques and advising on safety, yet we earn less than £10 per hour. This state of affairs needs to remedied quickly if Science Education is to be at the forefront of government policy."

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Technicians/

Deadline is 6th March

Please copy to anyone you might know who's interested in the future of science / science education in the UK.

A petition against allowing product placement on UK-made TV programmes: http://dmtrk.com/8UC-2HVG-13QNTF-1F6BK-0/c.aspx

(Cripes ... morning again already? Unk. Despite going to bed at 9pm twice in a row, and sleeping through to 7 am both times, I still have a cumulative sleep debt of at least 25% of a night weighing me down.)

"At 7am on Wednesday 1st July neighbours in a Moss Side street watched in horror as 1 year old Angela, 3 year old twins Bishoy and Anastasia, 7 year old Karin, 10 year old Nardin and their parents Mum, Samah and Dad, Hany Mansour were forcibly removed from their home by a large group of police and immigration officials. ...

"After having twice been let down by law firms who despite being paid up front failed to represent the family at vital hearings, their status was downgraded from asylum seeker to illegal immigrant. This has put them in line for immediate deportation. The family fear for their lives if deported and Mr Mansour would almost certainly be arrested and tortured on his return. ..."

What can be done for them? See: http://vgnwtch.livejournal.com/1264304.html

Was King Offa of Mercia the first powerful Muslim in England? - "his coins have the inscription of the declaration of faith of Islam (There is no god but Allah) in Arabic." UK Islam Awareness Week 2006 will be Mon 20 - Sun 26 Nov.

History: "The sacking of the Muslim city of Lisbon in 1147 during which perhaps 150,000 Muslims were massacred, was largely the work of soldiers from Norfolk and Suffolk."

Future: "IAW aims to create an awareness of Islam in our society by involving everyone throughout Britain, irrespective of their school of thought or group affiliation. Everyone is invited to come forward and join hands in practical efforts to rid Britain of Islamophobia."

Thank you to fjm for the link.