By Syed Aslam, science@muslimobserver.com

Abul Wafa Ibn Ismail al-Buzjani was born in Buzjan, Iran in 940 C.E. He received his early education at Neshapur and moved to Baghdad where he studied mathematics and astronomy. Adud al Dawlah was the ruling Khalifa of Baghdad of the time, a great patron of science and the arts. Impressed by the Buzjan’s scholarship, he hired Abul Wafa hired as a distinguished scientist in the court of the khalifa. Other outstanding mathematicians such as al-Quhi and al-Sijzi also worked with him. He lived in Baghdad  till his death in 998 CE.

Abu Wafa was a great mathematician, his  main contribution lies in several branches of mathematics, especially geometry and trigonometry. In geometry his contribution comprises solution of geometrical problems with opening of the compass; construction of a square equivalent to other squares; regular polyhedra; construction of regular hectagon taking for its side half the side of the equilateral triangle inscribed in the same circle; constructions of parabola by points and geometrical solution of the equations:

x4 = a and x4 + ax3 = b

Abul Wafa’s contribution to the development of trigonometry was extensive. He was the first to show the generality of the sine theorem relative to spherical triangles. He developed a new method of constructing sine tables, the value of sin 30’ being correct to the eighth decimal place. He also developed relations for sine (a+b) and the formula:     :2 sin2 (a/2) = 1 – cos a , and sin a = 2 sin (a/2) cos (a/2)

In addition, he made a special study of the tangent and calculated a table of tangents. He introduced the secant and cosecant for the first time, knew the relations between the trigonometric functions, which are now used to define them, and undertook extensive studies on conics. A sizable part of modern trigonometry can be traced to him.

He wrote a large number of books, in one, Kitab fi ma yahtaj ilayh al-kuttab wa’l-ummal min ‘ilm al-hisab (Book on what Is necessary from the science of arithmetic for scribes and businessmen) he describes its function in the introduction:

Comprises all that an experienced or novice, subordinate or chief in arithmetic needs to know, the art of civil servants, the employment of land taxes and all kinds of business needed in administrations, proportions, multiplication, division, measurements, land taxes, distribution, exchange and all other practices used by various categories of men for doing business and which are useful to them in their daily life.

It is interesting that during this period there were two types of arithmetic books written, those using Indian symbols and those of finger-reckoning type. Abul Wafa’s text is of this second type, with no numerals; all the numbers are written in words and all calculations are performed mentally.

In one of Abul Wafa’s treatises which has been studied in detail a reference to negative numbers has been found. It seems very interesting as perhaps the first time negative numbers were used in medieval Arabic mathematics.

Abu Wafa wrote books for practical use, including a book on geometric constructions necessary for a craftsman.  The book is in thirteen chapters and considered the design and testing of drafting instruments, the construction of right angles, approximate angle trisections, constructions of parabolas, and regular polygons. He developed methods of inscribing geometric shapes in a given circle. 

Another interesting aspect of this particular work of Abu Wafa’s is that he tries where possible to solve his problems with ruler and compass constructions. When this is not possible he uses approximate methods. There is a whole collection of problems which he solves using a ruler and fixed compass, that is one where the angle between the legs of the compass is fixed.

Abul Wafa wrote many other books on mathematics and other subjects,  His contribution includes Kitab ‘Ilm al-Hisab, a practical book of arithmetic, al-Kitab al-Kamil, the complete book of mathematics, Kitab al-Handsa, applied geometry. Apart from this, he wrote rich commentaries on Euclid, Diophantos and Khawarizmi,the inventor of Algebra.

Abu Wafa provided an invaluable contribution to scientific knowledge by translating ancient works of Euclid (d 250 BC.) and Diophantus of Alexandria (d 284 CE) into Arabic. These writings greatly influenced scholarship in Europe in the field of mathematics, as many of the Greek originals had been lost.

Abul Wafa was the first astronomer to build a wall quadrant to observe the stars. The instrument quadrant was six meter long and a stone sextant 18 meter wide  He is best known for the first use of the tan function and compiling tables of sines and tangents at 15’ intervals. This work was done as part of an investigation into the orbit of the moon, written down in his book Theories of the Moon. His work on lunar theory required the development of new trigonometric methods, and thus he gets a lot of credit which was possible because of his calculation of tangent and cotangent tables. He also employed a new means of calculating sine tables, as an aid to astronomical observation.

Abul Wafa was a versatile and a brilliant mathematician who made original contributions in the field of mathematics. The Abul Wafa crater on the moon and a small planet discovered by the Russian astronomer are named after him in his honor.

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High-definition television (HDTV) is a digital television broadcasting system with higher resolution than traditional television systems “standard-definition” TV, or SDTV). HDTV is digitally broadcast; the earliest implementations used analog broadcasting, but today digital television (DTV) signals are used, requiring less bandwidth due to digital video compression.

As soon as the MPEG-1 standard provided the foundation for digital TV, development of modern TV standards started worldwide. After finalization of MPEG-2 in mid 1993, the DVB organisation within the International Telecommunication Union’s radio telecommunications sector (ITU-R) developed the ETSI standard 300-327 by the end of December 1993.

It became known as DVB-T for digital terrestrial TV. DVB-S and DVB-C standards soon followed for terrestrial, satellite and cable transmission of SDTV and HDTV. In the USA the Grand Alliance proposed ATSC as the new standard for SDTV and HDTV. Both ATSC and DVB were based on the MPEG-2 standard. The DVB-S2 standard is based on the newer and more efficient H.264/MPEG-4 AVC compression standards. Common for all DVB standards is the use of highly efficient modulation techniques for further reducing bandwidth, and foremost for reducing receiver-hardware and antenna requirement.

In 1983, the International Telecommunication Union’s radio telecommunications sector (ITU-R) set up a working party (IWP11/6) with the aim of setting a single international HDTV standard.

Initially the existing 5:3 aspect ratio had been the main candidate, but due to the influence of widescreen cinema, the aspect ratio 16:9 (1.78) eventually emerged as being a reasonable compromise between 5:3 (1.67) and the common 1.85 widescreen cinema format. (It has beensuggested that the 16:9 ratio was chosen as being the geometric mean of 4:3, Academy Ratio, and 2.35:1, the widest cinema format in common use, in order to minimise wasted screen space when displaying content with a variety of aspect ratios.)

An aspect ratio of 16:9 was duly agreed at the first meeting of the WP at the BBC’s R & D establishment in Kingswood Warren. The resulting ITU-R Recommendation ITU-R BT.709-2 (“Rec. 709”) includes the 16:9 aspect ratio, a specified colorimetry, and the scan modes 1080i (1,080 actively-interlaced lines of resolution) and 1080p (1,080 progressively-scanned lines). The current BBC freeview trials of HD use MBAFF, which contains both progressive and interlaced content in the same encoding.

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Compiled by TMO Staff

Farmington–November 19–The 2008 elections brought several new Muslim faces to elected office, and confirmed several others in offices they had won before.  The most notable Muslims in our political landscape are US Representatives Andre Carson and Keith Ellison.  As of this writing it appears unlikely that President-elect Obama will choose any Muslims for his cabinet, although that would be a wise move as a show of goodwill for building peace in the Middle East.  We have collected Muslim names from the federal, state, and local and county levels, and have collected some names that do not sound Muslim but that belong to Muslims.  If you know of additional Muslim elected officials, please let us know by writing submissions@muslimobserver.com.

State Legislative Websites

Muslim Federal Legislators

Keith Ellison D-MN-5

Congressman Keith Ellison represents the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives since taking office on January 4, 2007.

The Fifth Congressional District is the most vibrant and ethnically diverse Congressional district in Minnesota with over eighty languages spoken throughout the district that includes the City of Minneapolis and several surrounding suburbs.

There could be no better fit for such a diverse district than Keith Ellison who has committed his public life to community organization and advocacy.  Keith’s adult life has been spent bringing communities together – whether it is advocating for a better business climate or giving a voice to those who deserve to be heard.  His philosophy is one of generosity and inclusiveness – because there are enough resources in our communities for everyone to prosper.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Congressman Ellison graduated from Wayne State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.  He moved to Minnesota in 1987 to attend the University of Minnesota Law School where he earned his law degree in 1990.  He and his wife, Kim a high school math teacher, have since made Minnesota their home where they are raising their four children.

Upon completion of his Juris Doctor, Congressman Ellison practiced law from 1990 to 2006 in both the private sector and as executive director of the Legal Rights Center.  In 2004 he ran for the State Legislature from Legislative District 58B in North Minneapolis.  He became a strong advocate to protect Minnesota children from dangerous pesticides and chemicals; promoted legislation to restore the voting rights of ex-offenders; and successfully advocated for an increase to the state’s minimum wage.

When long-serving 5th District Congressman Martin Sabo announced his retirement after 28 years in Congress, Ellison jumped into the race.  He quickly established himself as a formidable candidate by winning a 1st ballot DFL party endorsement in a multi-candidate field of former and current office holders.

He was challenged in the DFL primary by six candidates, and won by ten percentage points.   Congressman Ellison won the general election with 56% of the vote in a four-way race.

Ellison serves on the House Financial Services Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee.  Both committees serve his legislative priorities well.  Mr. Ellison’s legislative priorities are promoting peace, prosperity for working families, environmental sustainability, and civil and human rights.

Ellison’s election to the Congress made both Minnesota and U.S. history.

Keith is the first African American elected to the Congress from Minnesota, as well as the first Muslim American to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

Andre Carson D-IN-7

Congressman André Carson is a 33-year-old native of Indianapolis, Indiana.  André served as a member of the Indianapolis City-County Council before winning a special election on March 11, 2008, to become the Congressman for the 7th District of Indiana.  Raised and mentored by his grandmother, Congresswoman Julia Carson, André learned from a young age the values of compassion, integrity and determination.  Growing up in a rough area of Indianapolis, a young André passed by drug dealers and gang members on his way to school.  These experiences shaped André and are responsible for his commitment to improving our schools, making our neighborhoods safer, expanding educational opportunities and giving all of our children the help they need to become successful adults.

André is a graduate of Arsenal Technical High School, where his passions for law enforcement and public service first took hold. André went on to obtain a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice Management from Concordia University-Wisconsin and a Masters in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

André’s law enforcement background consists of nearly a full decade of public service. He served as a Local Board Investigative Officer for the Indiana State Excise Police for nine years.  Then, in 2006, André was detailed to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s Intelligence Fusion Center. There he worked in an anti-terrorism unit to provide Indianapolis and all of Indiana with the necessary security measures to ensure our safety.

André believes that community involvement makes Indianapolis a world-class city and has worked with organizations that share this commitment. As a member of the Indy Parks Kennedy-King Park Advisory Board, André has demonstrated his dedication to providing safe, clean and quality parks for our community. André also served as a board member for the Citizens Neighborhood Coalition, which is an umbrella organization representing all neighborhood organizations within its boundaries.

Congressman Carson currently serves on the prestigious Financial Services Committee, which oversees all components of the nation’s housing and financial services sectors including banking, insurance, real estate, public and assisted housing, and securities. Congressman Carson will use his position on the committee and as a representative in the House of Representatives to fight for the needs of the Indiana’s 7th Congressional District.  His ambitious agenda includes working to create economic opportunity for Hoosiers, pushing forward comprehensive affordable healthcare legislation, working to responsibly bring an end to the war in Iraq and to restore America’s role as a respected global leader.

He is married to Mariama Carson, an award winning professional educator in the Pike Township Schools.  They are the proud parents of a one year-old daughter, Salimah, and have lived in the Fall Creek Place neighborhood for five years.

Muslim State Legislators

	Larry Shaw, North Carolina Senate District 21—Democrat Larry Shaw is a U.S. Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state’s twenty-first Senate district, including constituents in Cumberland County. A corporate executive from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Shaw is currently serving in his sixth term in the state Senate. Previously, he served one term in the state House. Shaw was the highest-ranking Muslim elected official in the United States until the election of Keith Ellison to represent Minnesota’s 5th congressional district. As of 2006, State Del. Saqib Ali (D-MD) and State Rep. Saghir “Saggy” Tahir (R-New Hampshire) were the only other Muslims to have been elected to state legislatures in the United States. Shaw is however the longest serving Muslim, serving a total of 14 years. He was first elected in to the North Carolina House in 1994. Larry Shaw also serves on the National Board of Council on American-Islamic Relations.
	Saqib Ali, Maryland House of Delegates District 39 Self-description: “I was born on January 21, 1975 in Chicago to a South Asian immigrant family that had arrived in America a few years earlier. “I have lived in Montgomery County since 1991 when I moved here to attend college. I received Bachelors & Masters degrees in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. “My wife Susan and I have been married since 1999. As newly-weds we lived in Montgomery Village. Now we live in beautiful and quiet community in West Gaithersburg. We were blessed with the arrival of baby Sofia in May, 2006. My parents, also long-time Montgomery County residents, live nearby. I’m employed as a Software Engineer. “I have been deeply involved in Montgomery County politics and civic life for years: “I am the Co-Chairperson of the Longdraft Road Coalition (www.longdraft.com). “I am the first elected President of the District 39 Democratic Club. “I was the Legislative District 39 Co-ordinator for the Howard Dean presidential campaign in 2003 & early 2004. “I worked full-time for Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s General Re-election campaign in 2004. “I was Co-Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Spring Ball in 2004 which raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Montgomery County Democratic Party. I am a passionate community advocate and urge all my friends and neighbors to be actively involved in the affairs of their communities, schools, county, state and federal governments. In my spare time I enjoy playing basketball and bicycling. From saqibali.org/about.htm
	Saghir “Saggy” Tahir, New Hampshire Assembly Hillsborough-District 9 Biographical Data: Resident of Manchester for over 30 years Father of three children – Misbah, Adeel and Sanam Tahir Married to Nusrat Tahir for 30 years Three children graduated from Manchester schools. Favorite games: Soccer, baseball and hockey Business and Education President, International Independent consulting firm in roofing and waterproofing for 24 years B.S. Physics and Mathematics B.S. Civil Engineering Politics Elected to the State House of Representatives from Ward 2, November, 2000, Re-elected in District 50 (Wards 2, 3, 10 & 11) in November, 2002, re-elected from the new Dist. 9 (Ward 2) in 2004. Re-elected and was top vote-getter in GOP primary, 2006. Serves as a member of the Public Works and Highways Committee Chairman City Republican Committee, 2001 2nd Vice Chair, City Republican Committee, 2000 Secretary, City Republican Committee, 1999 Saggystaterep.com/about.html
	Rashida Tlaib, Michigan State Rep-Elect 12th District Rashida Tlaib was raised in Southwest Detroit, the oldest child of immigrants, who taught her the importance of hard work, honesty, and commitment to community.  She attended Harms, Bennett Elementary and Phoenix Academy, and became the first in her family to graduate from high school (Southwestern ‘94). Despite growing up poor and having to care for her 13 younger siblings, Rashida persevered and worked hard to earn her B.A. in Political Science from Wayne State University (1998).  She even went on to earn a law degree, while working full-time and attending weekend classes at Thomas Cooley Law School (2004). Rashida has always been committed to public service and giving back to the community.  She provided social and advocacy services to thousands of Southwest Detroit families at Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED), the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), the Office of State Representative Steve Tobocman, the International Institute of Metro Detroit, and the Neighborhood Tax Center. Rashida’s leadership was recognized by Michigan’s Center for Progressive Leadership when they selected her as a fellow in 2007.   Rashida has been married to her husband, Fayez, for 10 years, and is the mother of a beautiful two-year-old son, Adam. Affiliations The Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice, Board of Directors ACCESS, Board of Directors American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Member American Bar Association, Member NAACP, Member League of Women Voters, Member http://www.rashida4rep.com/biography.html
	Ako Abdul Samad, Iowa State Rep. House District 66—Democrat Occupation: CEO, non-profit Business Telephone: 515-244-4003 Ako Abdul-Samad is the Iowa State Representative from the 66th District. He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2007. Previously, he had been a member of the Des Moines school board. Abdul-Samad is the founder and CEO of Creative Visions Human Development Institute, a non-profit organization in Des Moines. Abdul-Samad currently serves on several committees in the Iowa House – the Education committee; the Labor committee; the State Government committee; and the Human Resources committee, where he is vice chair. He also serves on the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. Abdul-Samad also serves on the Health and Human Services Committee of the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments. Abdul-Samad was elected in 2006 with 3,459 votes (61%), defeating Republican opponent Jack Whitver, Libertarian opponent Brett Blanchfield, and Independent opponent Jeff Johannsen. From Wikipedia
	Jamilah Nasheed, Missouri Rep. District 60, Democrat Rep. Nasheed, a Democrat, represents part of St. Louis City (District 60) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to the House in November 2006. Rep. Nasheed is a small business owner in St. Louis City. Rep. Nasheed serves as the Vice-Chairperson Women in the Democratic Caucus and Vice-Chairperson of the Freshman Democratic Caucus. In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Nasheed is a member of the St. Louis Public Schools Role Model Program, the African American Heritage Society and the Lexington Mentor Program. She is also an active member of the St. Louis Association of Colored Women’s Club. Rep. Nasheed attended Roosevelt High School in St. Louis. She currently attends Florissant Valley Community College in Florissant, Missouri.
	Talibdin El-Amin, Missouri Rep. District 57, Democrat Rep. El-Amin, a Democrat, represents part of St. Louis City (District 57) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to the House in November 2006. Rep. El-Amin works in real estate and previously worked for over 12 years as an assembler at the Hazelwood Ford Motor Plant. In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. El-Amin is a member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Al-Muminun Islamic Center in St. Louis. Rep. El-Amin is a 1988 graduate of Pattonville Senior High School in Maryland Heights, Missouri. He will graduate in December 2007 from Harris-Stowe State University with a degree in Urban Education. Rep. El-Amin was born on December 17, 1970 in St. Louis, Mo, where he currently resides with his wife, Yaphett El-Amin. They have five children: Brooklynn, Mark, Myles, Hasan and Ruqaiyah. http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills081/member/mem057.htm
	Rodney R. Hubbard, MO State Rep. District 58, Democrat About Rodney Hubbard State Representative Rodney R. Hubbard was elected to the House in November 2002.  A lifelong Democrat, Rodney represents part of St. Louis City (District 58) in the Missouri House of Representatives and is today one of only two Democratic committee chairs. Rep. Hubbard has received many accolades including the 2006 Distinguished St. Louis Business Journal Legislative Award; 2005 Associated Industries Cooperative Award; 2005 Lewis & Clark Statesman Award presented by St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association; Loretta Hall Award from the Carr Square TMC; Yes I Can Award; the 2004 Lewis & Clark Statesman Award presented by St. Louis RCGA and the 2004 Certificate of Appreciation presented by the Missouri Assisted Living Association. He is also a member of the Taheed Youth Group, an anti-drug/violence taskforce as well as his membership with the One Hundred Black Men. In addition to Rodney R. Hubbard legislative duties, he serves as Vice President of Midwest Development & Consulting, which targets the revitalization of St. Louis. Upon graduation from Lincoln University, Rodney began his career at his alma mater in Jefferson City, Missouri. He continued working in the public sector with the State of Missouri Office of Administration and the Missouri Department of Social Services. A 1991 graduate of Mehlville High School, Rep. Hubbard earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Lincoln University. Rep. Hubbard resides in St. Louis City with his wife, Shameem S. Hubbard. He is the proud father of Ayana Amani, Rodney R. Jr., Jabari Ali, and Attallah Azizah. From hubbardforsenate.com; four kids, 3 with Muslim names, one a junior.
	Yusuf Salam, Alabama Assembly 67th District—Democrat Representative Yusuf Salaam was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in November, 2002. He and his wife, Khayriyyah, have five children: Fatima, Rastreeda, Gaaiyya, Safiyyah, and Yusuflibril. He received his A.B. Degree in History from the University of Georgia, Juris Doctor from the University of Miami, and L.L.M. from the University of Wisconsin. Representative Salaam is a member of the Alabama Trial Lawyers, Alabama Bar Association, Alabama Democratic Committee, Dallas County Bar, and Coalition for Good Government. AL-legislative website.

Local Elected Officials

	Nasim Ansari, MI, Kalamazo County Commissioner 9th district “I am an old man now–I am 62.  Part of the reason I am doing this is so that young people like you will run for office.” Ansari won in 2008:  his seat has an election every 2 years.  Is Kalamazoo County Commissioner (one of 17 commissioners who cover 17 districts);  being a commissioner is a part time job.  Nasim Ansari is 62 years old and is semi-retired.  He just won against attorney Dorphine Payne (D), an attorney, in the 2008 election. Served as Kalamazoo County Commissioner since January 1, 2003 Serves on: Environmental Health Advisory Council Local Emergency Planning Committee Previously served on Portage City Council, 3 years Family: Rashida (wife), Asim (son), Fareen (daughter), Shan (son), Aman (son) City/Town: Portage Education/Degrees: Masters Degree in Chemistry Masters Degree in Business Administration Experience: Kalamazoo County Commissioner, Portage City Councilman. Local Emergency Planning Committee, Local government employee. Kalamazoo County Environmental Health Advisory Council, Portage Groundwater Commission. Board of Directors Conventions and Visitor’s Bureau, Local Development Finance Authority, Vice Chair Inter-governmental Cooperation Committee. Aeronautics Board, Appointment Committee, Michigan Works Board. Community Involvement: President, Kalamazoo Lend a Hand Volunteer; Former member of Portage Lions Club
	Judge David Shaheed, Marion County Court B.S., University of Evansville, 1976 J.D., Indiana University, 1984 Supervising Judge: Drug Treatment Court 2007 From:  http://www.indy.gov/eGov/Courts/Superior/CourtInfo/Judges/shaheed.htm David Shaheed was first appointed to served as a Marion County Superior Court judge by Governor Frank O’Bannon in September, 1999.  He was elected Superior Court judge in 2002.  Prior to this appointment, Shaheed had served as a magistrate in the Marion County Superior Court from May 1996 until being appointed judge in 1999.  He was a master commissioner for the two preceding years. Litigating Police Misconduct Cases, Part I, National Bar Association Convention, Chicago, Illinois.  1994 Litigating Police Misconduct Cases, Part II, National Bar Association Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, 1995 Legal Services to the Indigent—A United States/United Kingdom Comparison, Society of Black Lawyers, London, England, 1992 David (Weeks) Shaheed, grew up in Indianapolis and attended North Central High School.  He earned a basketball scholarship and attended the University of Evansville.  He was a member of the Purple Aces basketball team throughout his college career. After college, Shaheed worked for several years in the business sector.  Thereafter, he attended Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, earning his J.D. in 1985.
	Muhammad Khairullah, Mayor, Prospect Park, NJ From aafusa.org/muslim_mayor_avoids_mixing_polit.htm Editor’s note:  Excerpts below from “Muslim mayor avoids mixing politics, religion” article by Maya Kremen in January 2007. Mayor Mohamed Khairullah took office in Prospect Park in January 2007. Khairullah, then 31, set a precedent by becoming the state’s first elected Arab-American Muslim mayor. Now he’s all about proving that, like any good politician, a Muslim can serve the public without mixing religion into it. Deliver the goods to everyone, and then you can exert personal perspective. It’s a strategy he imparts to other Muslims and Arabs. But to get to where he is, Khairullah weathered trouble specific to being an Arab Muslim politician after 9/11. He has been called a “betrayer” and had his remarks on the Palestinian situation come back to bite him. He says, he’s learned to temper public stands on hot topics, especially after seeing Sami Merhi of Clifton, a Lebanese American, dumped by Democrats as a 2006 freeholder candidate. Merhi had reportedly said at a function that he couldn’t see the similarity between Palestinian suicide bombers and the 9/11 hijackers. “For me and for anyone else of Middle Eastern descent who wants to get into politics, it comes as a learning experience,” Khairullah said. “Politicians need to watch what they say — it’s plain and simple.” Besides the political fray, there have been personal tough times: his father’s death when he was just 20, and raising a young son after divorce. And there, his faith has pulled him through. An English phrasebook Khairullah’s family came to town after living in Syria, Saudi Arabia and Queens. He was 16, and he worked hard at assimilating, always carrying an English phrasebook. After his father, a body shop owner, died of a heart attack, the family struggled. But, borrowing money from an uncle, Khairullah managed to go to William Paterson University. By then, he already knew he was destined for politics. His epiphany had come as a highschooler when he saw a council campaign sign for Khalil Kasht. Khairullah recognized the name as Muslim and thought, “If he could do it, maybe I could.” That seemed especially possible in Prospect Park. It’s Passaic County’s smallest town, but its residents include Hispanics, African-Americans, Turks, Albanians, Arab-Americans, Circassians, and the descendants of Dutch settlers. It’s a place where the supermarket signs say “Halal Meat” and “Se Habla Espanol.” Khairullah, a Democrat, showed early political savvy in his election to council. As a volunteer firefighter, he had gotten fire department support by pledging to deliver on new radios. As councilman, he allied with Mayor William Kubofcik. “The political game has a lot to do with loyalty,” Kubofcik says. “There were times things needed to be done, and he stayed the course with my agenda.” When Kubofcik left town in 2005, Khairullah was appointed his successor. Since then, Khairullah has tried to balance ethnic concerns. He has attended Latino Police Organization events, and hired the first African-American police officer. He helps Arabic-speakers with immigration problems. Khairullah said his best moment in public life wasn’t becoming the first Arab-Muslim mayor. It was presiding over the borough’s first Christmas lighting last year.
	Wayne Smith Mayor, Irvington, NJ Biographical Sketch of Wayne Smith, Mayor Promoting an aggressive agenda for the rebirth of the Township of Irvington, Wayne Smith was elected as the 20th mayor of the municipality in May 2002. His entire slate of council candidates—known as Team Irvington—was also elected, sealing the mandate for his leadership. Mayor Smith’s tenure has been characterized by bold, innovative leadership that has yielded significant progress for the Township of Irvington. His most noted accomplishments are: initiating the formation of the Anti-Crime Partnership that includes the NJ State Police, local, county and federal agencies; securing the $4.4 million agreement to rebuild the Irvington Bus Terminal, which opened in April 2005; demolishing dozens of dilapidated, abandoned properties to pave the way for redevelopment; and drastically increasing code enforcement that has resulted in about $1.5 million in fines of neglectful property owners. His outstanding stewardship has not only delivered tangible results but high hopes for the future revitalization of Irvington. In a nod to his undeniable popularity and the affirmation of the advancement of the Township of Irvington, Mayor Smith ran unopposed for a second term in May 2006 and assumed office in July 2006. He is the first chief executive of Irvington to accomplish the feat since Mayor Robert H. Miller in 1978. In November 2006, Mayor Smith was installed as the president and chairman of the 24-member NJ Urban Mayors’ Association. Mayor Smith has been an active, prominent member of Irvington’s civic, political and social sectors throughout his 20 plus-year residency in the township. During this time, he has crafted key alliances with all levels of government, in addition to private enterprise. This ability to build consensus helped propel him to victory in 1996 as an Irvington Council Member At-Large. He was resoundingly re-elected two years later, and at that time, unanimously chosen by his colleagues to serve as president of the seven-member legislative body. During his political and civic careers, Mayor Smith has been covered by The Star-Ledger, WCBS-TV, WNBC-TV, WWOR-TV, News Channel 12 and other media outlets. In addition, his efforts have been rewarded with awards and honors from numerous organizations. His greatest reward, however, comes from the heartfelt commitment made every day to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the Township of Irvington. From:  http://www.irvington.net/index.asp?pageId=10 Mayor Wayne Smith was directly elected by the residents to serve a four year term that began on July 1, 2002. As Chief Executive of the township, Mayor Smith has the enforcement responsibility for all ordinances, charter provisions, and preparation of the municipal budget. While the Mayor has the right to speak at Council meetings, he has no vote and is not required to attend, and was reelected in 2006. Wikipidia There is one mosque in Irvington (Waris Cultural Center/Masjid Waarith ud Deen)
	Aslon Goow Sr., Councilman, Patterson, NJ See patcity.com, 2nd ward councilman—won most recent race in May 08. Aslon Goow, Sr. acted against federal law enforcement agents to rifle through a citizen’s library records or conduct secret searches, by through a resolution last year that urges Congress to repeal sections of the federal law. “We’re all concerned about national security, there is no doubt. But at what cost?”  More locally elected officials next week. His city is home to thousands of Muslims and Arab Americans. “It wasn’t just to protect Arab Americans. It was to protect all Americans.” Paterson is one of nearly 390 communities and seven states to adopt resolutions in recent years urging federal lawmakers to curb sweeping new powers in the USA Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism legislation Congress passed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. http://www.populistamerica.com/civil_liberties_a_concern_in_renewal_of_patriot_act
	Mayor Abdul “Al” Haidous, Wayne, MI Abdul “Al” Haidous, the Mayor of City of Wayne, has many firsts to his credit. He is not only the first American Muslim of Arab origin to be elected as mayor he is also the first mayor of Wayne to be directly elected by the city’s residents. First elected in 2001 Haidous continues to serve in that position till present. He had also served two terms on the city council in the past. A Lebanese native Haidous migrated to the US in 1969 and successfully ran a grocery store.
	Trustee Syed Taj, Canton Township, MI Democrat Syed S. Taj is a medical graduate, and has been a physician for the last forty years, on three continents. He is chief of medicine at Oakwood Hospital, Dearborn, Michigan. He has a post-graduate degree in child health and adult medicine. He explained that he ran for this position “because I feel I can bring about my expertise to make improvements in the running of the township. I have experience in dealing with the public and extensive administrative responsibility, which will help me in this endeavor.” Dr. Taj ran as the sole Democrat in an election in which multiple candidates could win–therefore he faced no opposition in the primary at all, and ran with a very strong position in the general election as the only viable candidate for voting Democrats and for any people from the subcontinent, whether Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi.  Many of these voters were able to use the voting strategy of “plunking” (voting for only one candidate where it was possible to vote for multiple candidates) to secure additional support for Taj relative to his opponents. Canton township has a growing population of people of more diverse ethnic backgrounds, including many foreign-born immigrants, and therefore he explained to TMO before the election that the township is swinging more towards the blue than it used to.  Taj also has very strong professional connections, as a practising and established physician with a fairly high standing even within the politics of his hospital and within the medical field. He used his considerable connections and standing to his own advantage during the campaign, and also showed strong leadership ability by securing help from fellow Republican candidates who had in turn lost in their primary election.
	Councilman Hassan Fahmy, Prospect Park, NJ Hassan Fahmy, born in Cairo, is the first elected official in the USA of Egyptian descent.  Mr. Fahmy holds a Management position with 85 Broad Street Corporation, a transportation organization parenting five other companies, including Goldman Sachs. Mr. Fahmy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cairo, Egypt, Certificate of Retail Development from Mobil Oil Corporation, New York State Department of Motor Vehicle Inspectors Certificate, Passaic County Substitute Teachers Certificate from the State of N.J.-Grades K-12, and several other certificates of community and political concerns.
	City Councilman Shahab Ahmed Hamtramck, MI Shahab Ahmed has been serving on the council of Hamtramck since 2003. He was the first non-white to do so in the city. When Ahmed and his family moved to Michigan from Sylhet in Bangladesh, he spoke no English. Although he had studied business administration in Bangladesh, his first job in Detroit was busing tables. Eventually, he and his brothers opened a restaurant. His first steps into politics came when a customer of his was robbed. Feeling the city’s response lacking, Ahmed started the Caniff Avenue Improvement Project that served both as a neighborhood crime watch and cleanup group. From there, he became director of the Hamtramck Chamber of Commerce and, in 1998, was asked by Mayor Gary Zych to work as multicultural coordinator. The next year, he made his first run for the City Council, winning the support of the city’s Bangladeshi residents. But at election time, many who supported him endured abuse at the polls and two Hamtramck residents were convicted for harassing voters. The next attempt came in 2001. But in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, attacks, flyers were distributed accusing him of supporting terrorism and Ahmed lost. In 2003 he bested ten other candidates to win the slot and continues to serve the city.
	City Councilman Abdul Algazali Hamtramck, MI Abdul Algazali serves as a councilman in the city of Hamtramck. A chiropractor by profession Algazali is passionate about human rights and has taken up several issues which made national headlines like public  broadcast of Azan in the city. Algazali last August ran for the primary for the office of the State House Representative but lost.

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By Elder George

In my last article I listed 7 major issues affecting society; for the next 7 weeks I will address those issues. Today I address the fact that the US has the world’s largest prison population, and the highest incarceration rate.

In practical and personal terms these men in prison are sons, brothers, and fathers. They could be yours. Even if you don’t have family directly in the prison system, the increasing numbers of men in prison affects us all.

The US has more men in prison than China and India combined (although those nations together have about 40% of the world’s population). One American man in six between the ages of 18 and 30 has a relationship with the law. In the African-American community, one man in three in that age group has a relationship with the law, with the trends worsening in both categories.

In 1976, the prison population numbered 250,000. By 1984 it had doubled to a 500,000, by 1992 it had doubled again to one million, and by 2000 it had doubled to two million.  It now stands at 2.4 million and is growing.

This issue rarely receives recognition, let alone discussion, from any political party or member of government at any level, or even from the supposedly watch dog media–because the objective of the government and the subservient media is to reduce male influence in society in order to increase its own power. Because of that deliberate oversight I am addressing the issue here and on youtube, which you can find under Elder George – patriarchy.

The government wants all male authority destroyed as part of its program to establish a genderless and Godless society. It does this by a combined effort of neutering the male and incarcerating him. All laws, employment practices, educational instruction, and family matters are based on gender equality, which the law interprets as gender sameness.

The government has a purpose in promoting and enforcing gender sameness for it assists in destroying the authority of the male. For anything to function in this universe there can only be one assertive influence—one authority. There can be only one God, only one sun in the solar system, only one captain of a ship, and only one head of a family. Since by law, gender sameness must prevail in the home, that translates into a lack of authority. The government has stepped in and made of itself the authority in all matters concerning men, women, and children. In essence it has destroyed the family as the focal point of society, leaving it leaderless and unable to function without the authority of the government and therefore begging for its involvement into every aspect of life.

Our ubiquitous and all-pervasive government has brought us to the threshold of tyranny. It could only do this by emasculating and incarcerating our men—our fathers, brothers, and sons.

Will we stand by passively, or will we rise to the challenge and join with like-minded people whose objective is to bring forth life and nurture it in a spiritually oriented environment? That will keep people out of prison.

Nest week I will address the devastating effect on our children caused by the breakdown of the family.

Elder George’s website is www.mensaction.net and he can be reached at 212-874-7900 ext. 1329.

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By Bob Wood, MMNS

Investors everywhere have heard the old maxim for success: buying low and selling high. Of course, too many tend to do just the opposite. We get caught up in rapidly rising prices and buy into the euphoria of big rallies. And then we run for cover as prices are about to hit what later proves to be “the bottom.” So how are you seeing the current investment environment? Is it a bottom — or a top?

We can look for clues to help identify which we are seeing now, though we should remain wary. Unfortunately, bottoms and tops can only be accurately recognized well after they happen. What appeared to be the bottom in many technology shares earlier this decade turned out to be mere rest stops, as they fell to even lower prices.

Market bottoms do, however, share some common traits. First, as Investors are nursing big losses, the economic picture appears to be dire and getting worse. Then recession fears slowly give way to the idea that something even worse may be happening.

Aren’t we seeing that set of circumstances today? We hear daily news items reporting that the domestic economy is looking dire, indeed, and, quite possibly, getting worse by the week. Jobless claims for unemployment insurance are rising predictably, and retail sales are in the tank. And the big auto makers are asking for bailouts to keep from shuttering.

With so much bad news, it’s easy to see why buying low is now such a hard choice for many investors. When conditions look bleakest, when stocks fall to prices that later look like the buying opportunities of our generation, most investors are looking for safety!

Now, do not read this column as a recommendation to run right out and load up with shares of domestic stocks! The U.S. economy is truly in bad shape, and we find that those analysts reporting that this economy may be the worst since the Depression are no longer getting laughs in response to their comments.

It seems that greed, incompetence and a lack of oversight have created one horrific mess in the markets, and the federal budget deficit is setting staggering new records that should frighten all of us. The domestic economy is truly in turmoil and likely to get worse. Any rallies in our home markets will likely prove to be bear market bounces — at best.

Low share prices in many well known, domestic companies like Citigroup, Goldman Sachs or G.M. may even prove to be signs of impending disaster, since losses in their sectors are mounting in scary ways. Those low share prices could fall even further as many hedge funds, previously considered safer options during down markets, are blowing up, too. And that occurrence could generate more redemption requests, forcing the selling of shares that may already be sitting at bargain levels.

What investors should consider in trying to balance these concerns is how many high-flying shares bought in 2007 enjoyed wonderful rallies, moving higher over several ensuing years after they were snapped up at much lower prices by sharp-eyed investors. Don’t we all wish we had the foresight to buy shares of Brazil’s large energy company, Petrobras at its under-$10-split-adjusted price and then watched it run up to over $70/share, after the come-lately crowd finally started plowing into its shares?

Or we could have been loading up on the Russian cell phone service provider Vimplecom at under $5/share and then enjoying the ride higher to over $40/share about nine years later. But more investors were buying at much higher prices later in the cycle. Of course, with the Russian economy on the brink of collapse in the late 1990s, who was willing to take the risk when Vimplecom shares were truly cheap?

Of course, we all need to remind ourselves of the Saudi prince who loaded up on shares on a near-bankrupt American financial company during our last economic recession in the early 1990s. That company was the aforementioned Citibank, as it was known then, and the prince amassed a fortune from it. Perhaps much of that fortune has now been lost, since those same shares have fallen to under $10/share, amid concerns about more losses yet to be determined.

Before making your move to buy low, look inward and ask yourself how much risk you feel good about taking. Keep in mind the ongoing news about our economy, as bad as it is now, and the rampant corruption and incompetence, which has been so damaging to our financial sector and spread pain around the world. Just how eager are you to buy shares at today’s much lower prices, considering their cost just a year ago?

These examples show why buying low is so hard to do and why most investors haven’t enough nerve to venture in where only a very few others dare to go. Usually, the fear of losing trumps the fear of missing out on bargains. But how long will we wait, sitting around for a couple years and then bemoaning how we could have bought Petrobras at $22, Vimplecom at under $10, Freeport McMoRan at $24 (while selling at under four times trailing earnings), or ConocoPhillips at under $50 (also at under four times trailing earnings)? And, yes, we learned again this week that these are the types of investments Warren Buffett is making, at least in the case of Conoco.

Are those earnings likely to fall and those P/Es likely to rise? Yes, but will Conoco’s earnings fall by more than half?

Will we be regretting in a couple years that we could have bought a mutual fund in the precious metals sector with the price of gold stocks selling at about the same level as when gold prices were about $300/ounce vs. today’s $740? And yes, I’ll be the first to admit that the drop of gold stock prices has been frustrating and more than a bit unnerving –considering other economic factors.

But again, we must consider the underlying causes for share prices to fall enough to be considered bargains. We must be sure that they represent real value and can offer acceptable future price appreciation for the patient investor.

Again, do not assume that I am suggesting that you load up on these or any other shares. Our economic news is still too frightful, and with the S&P 500 still selling high, at about 18 times trailing earnings, that index could have more room to fall.

Take this column as simply an object lesson reviewing what buying low looks like, how it feels, and why it can be so hard to do. It’s easy to see why, when share prices are at their lowest and represent superior profit opportunities, most of us want nothing to do with them!

But for the careful investor who does his research and then takes small positions in what he considers bargain-priced shares, intending to add to those winners later, this could prove to be a wonderful time to go shopping.

Have a great week.

Bob

Bob Wood ChFC, CLU Yusuf Kadiwala. Registered Investment Advisors, KMA, Inc., invest@muslimobserver.com.

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By Adil James, MMNS Southeast Michigan correspondent

Detroit–November 14–The face of America is changing and perhaps the new face of America is change itself.  One reflection of our changing landscape is the movement to the center of ethnicities and religious groups once a part of the minority background.

And this movement affects journalism as well as other fields like politics.  A reflection of this change in the landscape of journalism is the increased importance of ethnic media.  New Michigan Media has been formed to promote Michigan ethnic media, in order to unify a broad range of ethnic and religious newspapers, radio outlets, and TV stations.

At an organizational meeting held at Wayne State University this past Saturday, New Michigan Media invited a wide variety of ethnic and religous outlets, including The Muslim Observer, several Jewish news outlets, Arab, Polish, Korean, Chinese,  Pakistani, Indian, Chaldean, Latino, African American, and Native American news outlets to organize as a united advertising force, to inform us about potential sources of advertising revenue, about which specific advertisers we should target as ethnic media, and about how the ethnic media services of California and across the nation have organized themselves in the last few years.
New America Media’s Sandy Close quoted former San Francisco Mayor spoke of the importance to politicians of ethnic media, and specifically of its importance to his success in his successful mayoral bid, “ethnic media, lose it or use it.”

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“Houston is America’s fourth-largest city, one of the world’s busiest international ports, an epicenter for energy, medical and agri-business. Houston is the ideal location for an US International Trade Center and that is what our Center is all about. The International Trade Center of Houston (ITC) brings together business leaders, government policy makers, legal practitioners, and international companies with the goal of sharing knowledge, building consensus, and resolving logistical trade issues and providing marketing opportunities,” said Mr. Wea Lee, Founder of ITC, as he welcomed guests to the Regular Monthly Luncheon of ITC.
This months’ ITC Luncheon was organized in partnership with the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce – USA (PCC-USA) and main theme was “Investment in Energy Sector: Opportunities in Pakistan”. Keynote speaker was Aqil Nadeem, the Consul General of Pakistan in Houston. Also in attendance were Dr. Zia Ahmed, Commercial-Attaché Government of Pakistan at Houston Pakistan Consulate; President and Board Members of PCC-USA and ITC; and several dignitaries of Houston.

Program started with playing of documentary about Pakistan and sumptuous Pakistani luncheon. “Pakistan has a large and growing domestic market as it is a country of over 170 million people with a large and growing middle-income bracket. Pakistan has abundant land, natural and strong human resources and is strategically located to serve as a regional hub with land and sea routes reaching out to Central and East Asia, India, Afghanistan, Iran, China and the Persian Gulf,” informed Mr. Nadeem.

He further said: “To tackle the serious issue of Power, Pakistan plans to increase its power generation capacity to 162,590-mw in the next 25 years from the current 19,540-mw to sustain its current GDP growth rate. “Pakistan is blessed with an enormous wealth of Water, Coal and Gas and it can become an energy corridor for the region. There is no doubt that if untapped reserves of Coal and Hydropower are exploited expeditiously, Pakistan can overcome the current shortfall and achieve self reliance in power generation. A $12.6 billion Bhasha Dam has been approved only (a weeks ago), which will be completed in seven years. The 25-year Energy Security Plan envisages increase in all possible sources of energy including hydel, thermal, coal, nuclear and alternative sources. Foreign direct investment in these mega projects is the cornerstone of this plan. We are confident that with this incentive regime, Foreign Direct Investment would flow in the proposed power projects. The wind energy generation is in pretty advance stage in Texas and Texas based companies due to their expertise in wind energy sector can immensely benefit from investment opportunities in Pakistan. Similarly opportunities exist for investment in solar energy. Solar energy has exceptional potential in areas of Pakistan that receive high levels of solar radiation throughout the year.”

Before his presentation, Saeed Sheikh, President of PCC-USA, talked about the significance of the partnership between ITC and PCC-USA. Talking about the topic the day, Mr. Sheikh said: “In order to contribute towards energy sector development of Pakistan, PCC-USA has constituted an Energy Team, which is presently working on proposals, including one for the promotion and development of Wind Power Projects in Pakistan. This entails evaluating the prospects of setting up a model Wind Power Project, on a Commercial Basis, and as Joint Venture between a North American Developer and Multiple Pakistani Companies. The project will aim to transfer the Development, Management and Technological Expertise of Wind Power Projects from North America to Pakistan.”

“Slightly digressing from our topic of the day; let me inform you about great investment possibilities in IT sector in Pakistan. Due to superior infrastructure facilities (and vast talent), Pakistan is fast emerging as the destination of choice for IT outsourcing (for various reasons). Pakistan is also giving equal attention to nuclear energy and currently has two nuclear power plants, Chashma-1 and Kanupp, with 300 MW and 125 MW respectively of installed capacity, which is around 2.4% of the country’s electricity generation. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission operates both nuclear plants. Pakistan is currently working on a third nuclear power plant (Chashma-2), with the help of China National Nuclear Corporation. The plant will have 325 MW of installed capacity and could be completed by 2009. In June 2008 the government announced plans to build units 3 and 4 at Chashma, each 320-340 MW and costing $1.6 billion, 1billion of this would come from international sources, principally China.  A further agreement for China’s help with the project has been signed last month, and construction is likely to start in 2009. Due to certain political reasons, international assistance in nuclear energy, however, is very limited,” added Aqil Nadeem, the Consul General of Pakistan in Houston.

For all the future activities of PCC-USA, one can call 281-948-1840 or E-Mail: President@PCC-USA.Org

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One touching moment the other night during Barack Obama’s speech. Oprah was crying, did you see that? Jesse Jackson was crying. Hillary
Clinton was crying. I think Hillary’s still crying, if I’m not mistaken. (Jay Leno)

FOX news reported today that the election never happened. It was all just a dream. (Tim Hunter)

And political analysts are saying today that Barack Obama’s win was unprecedented. Which again confused President Bush. He said, “Unprecedented? You mean, he didn’t win? He got unpresidented? “ (Jay Leno)

At the end of the evening, the electoral vote count was 349 for Obama, 148 for McCain. Or, as Fox News says, too close to call. (David Letterman)

People all over the world were celebrating Obama’s victory. Sarah Palin watched the Russians celebrating from her house. (Craig Ferguson)

Barack Obama and Democrats will gain control of Congress and the White House. World reaction is pouring in. Australia’s prime minister offered political asylum, safe passage and new identities to Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. (Argus Hamilton)

Barack Obama was briefed this morning on the state of the economy, and this afternoon, he called McCain to offer him the presidency. (Craig Ferguson)

According to recent news reports, Bill Clinton has now become an adviser to Barack Obama. Bill Clinton is giving advice to Barack Obama. Do you know who is really upset about this? Michelle Obama. (Jay Leno)

Democrat Barack Obama came up a big winner in the presidential race in Dixville Notch, N.H., where the nation’s first Election Day votes were cast and counted early Tuesday. I don’t want to say it’s over, but if you check e-Bay, someone in Alaska is selling designer clothing. (Pedro Bartes)

President-elect Barack Obama, will make his promise good and get a rescue puppy for his two young daughters. So far they have in mind a runaway dog name Lieberman, a terrier named Bill Ayers, or a bitch pit bull named Sarah. (Pedro Bartes)

Barack Obama is now gonna receive the daily White House intelligence briefing on things like, you know, security and terrorism, stuff like that. It’s the same briefing President Bush gets every day, but without the pictures and the color by numbers. (Jay Leno)

Set your clocks back an hour this weekend. I’m thinking, great idea — if there’s one thing we need it’s an extra hour of 2008. President Bush has already set the clocks back — to 1929, thank you. (David Letterman)

Don’t forget to turn your clocks back. It’s the end of Daylight Savings. That’s too bad — that’s all the saving most Americans have now. (Craig Ferguson)

President-elect Barack Obama spent the day thanking the people who helped him win the election. That’s right. Yeah, and actually, Obama’s first phone call was to Sarah Palin. (Conan O’Brien)

Most of the newspapers with the picture of Obama on the cover were sold out Wednesday morning. Democrats wanted a picture of Obama to remember a historic moment, Republicans wanted a picture to use as target for shooting practice. (Pedro Bartes)

Barack Obama was joined on stage by Bruce Springsteen in Ohio on Sunday. There was one tense moment when somebody in the audience yelled out “Born in the USA” and Obama said, “For the last time, yes, I was!” (Jimmy Kimmel)

Right about now, John McCain is at home saying, “If only I didn’t anger Dave, if only I didn’t anger Dave.” (David Letterman)

A Republican operative has accused Sarah Palin of being unsure that Africa is a continent. Although she reportedly was 99 percent certain that McCain is incontinent. (Marc Ragovin)

A lot of speculation about Sarah Palin’s future, but last night, she denied rumors that she’s getting ready to run for president in 2012. Palin said: “That’s a long time away. I’ll be a great-grandmother by then.” (Conan O’Brien)

President Bush is said to be hiding from the media until the elections are over so he won’t hurt McCain’s chances. Apparently, he’s hiding where nobody expects him to be, at the White House library.  (Pedro Bartes)

Last night, after Barack Obama was declared the winner, President Bush called Obama and promised to work with him to guarantee a smooth transition. When we heard this, Obama said, “Thanks, but you’ve done enough.” (Conan O’Brien)

New York Mayor Bloomberg wants to charge hoppers six cents every time they use a plastic bag. Enforcing morality through taxation’s not a new idea, and it’s expected to grow as New York’s cash-hungry government imposes levies on other harmful substances such as butterfat, sugar, and the New York Times. (Scot Witt)

With Obama’s victory, Republicans are finally going to have the war they have wished for such a long time. Unfortunately the war is going to be within the Republican Party. (Pedro Bartes)

Assistant Secretary for Immigration Julie Myers has resigned. She just doesn’t have any more work to do now that the economy has tanked and no one is immigrating to America anymore. (Jake Novak)

If this week has taught us anything, it’s taught us that America’s a place where anything is possible, except maybe the Detroit Lions winning a football game. (Jay Leno)

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Iron supplements are used in medicine to treat iron-deficiency anemia.

First, it must be clear that iron deficiency and not another factor (e.g. chronic, low-grade, undetected blood loss such as fecal occult blood) causes the anemia. Preventive measures must be discussed with the patient.

Another indication for giving extra iron is the second and third trimester of pregnancy, generally in association with folic acid. Indeed, in some condition like growth, menstruation and pregnancy, the body’s need for iron is increased. Supplements may be needed to reach RDA life goals.

Iron can be supplemented using various pharmacological forms, such as iron(II) sulphate or sulfate (this is the most common and cheapest salt, e.g. Feratab, Fer-Iron, Slow-FE,…) and in complex with gluconate, dextran, carbonyl iron, and other salts. Sometimes ascorbic acid is added for better absorption.

Generally, iron supplementation therapy is an oral therapy, and parenteral iron therapy (intravenously or intramuscular) is only given when resorption is seriously compromised (by illnesses, or when the patient cannot swallow) and benefit from oral therapy cannot be expected. It is more expensive and less healthy.

Since iron stores in the body are generally depleted, and there is a limit to what the body can process (about 100mg per day) without iron poisoning, this is a chronic therapy which may take 3-6 months. In some conditions (e.g. after gastrectomy), in which there is production ofintrinsic factor by the parietal cells of the stomach is complicated), even permanent iron substitution is necessary.

Patients at risk of acute complications may be candidates for transfusion. Patients with anemia of chronic disease may benefit fromerythropoietin.

Side effects of therapy with iron are most often diarrhea or constipation and epigastric abdominal discomfort. Taken after a meal, side effects decrease but there is an increased risk of interaction with other substances. Side effects are dose-dependent, and the dose may be adjusted.

The patient may notice that his/her stools become black. This is completely harmless, but patients must be warned about this to avoid unnecessary concern. When iron supplements are given in a liquid form, teeth may reversibly discolor (this can be avoided through the use of a straw). Intramuscular injection can be painful, and brown discoloration may be noticed.

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Note:  we are adding to this post over time—it is a work in progress