that it is going to be too low (only about 2 degrees) above the horizon at sunset in North America setting in about 5 to 15 minutes after sunset.
It is above the horizon after sunset. For a full 5-15 minutes, which is too short for the convenience of our mullahs. It will be a full 2 degrees above horizon for a duration of 5-15 minutes. I was not aware that there is legit reason for why this is "too low"...why? Because we didn't spot it with our eye? Well more accurate tools have told us that the moon WILL meet the qualifications you speak of.
Oh right, but scientific instruments are so darn haraaam!
Urgh. I can't believe they have the nerve to tell people not to keep a fast when they don't have a legit reason to do so.
My own personal belief is that the Hadith say the month starts when the moon can be seen, not when the moon is in the right place but obscured by clouds.
Short of sending a high-flying plane full of maulanas above cloud level (why don't we do this, by the way), I'm willing to say that if no-one actually sees the moon, even if due to cloud, then no Ramazan.
UPDATE @ 9:45PM CST: Members of the Fiqh Council, National Islamic Shura Council and Muslim astronomical consultants, in a conference call on Monday evening, agreed that there were no confirmed reports of moon sightings in North America on Monday, October 3. Therefore, Sha'ban will complete 30 days and Ramadan will begin on Wednesday, October 5, insha'Allah.
If you're instructing a group of people in a time period of 500-600 A.D. to look for mind-independent reality, you will tell them to use their eyes. Eyes were their most accurate tool.
So why are we afraid to use even more accurate tools to describe mind-independent reality...which was why we were instructed to use our eyes in the first place to make the best estimate of the mind-independent reality?
Not really. The moon is only up at certain times of the month. Sometimes, because of the relative positions of the moon and the sun and the earth, it may not be up, hence the occasional clear nights without full moon.
hmm, including urself? U shudn’t say this about ur own ppl :(…I think we r supposed to announce it after the sighting of the moon…obviously, if we can’t see it then we can’t be sure 100% if it is there or not…science isn’t always correct…but eyes don’t lie…i think that’s y we have to wait til we actually see it physically…
Anyway, nothing has been said tonight in Houston, Texas U.S.A. about the chand…we’re thinking it’s probably Wednesday…
It starts today (tuesday) over here.. Just started ma roja.
I think every country should have it’s own multi-sect comittee just for sighting the moon and everyone in that country should follow their opnion across the country regardless of sect or ethnicity, if other lands are different then that is okay but at least in the same country we should have it on the same day.
hmm, including urself? 
U shudn’t say this about ur own ppl :(…I think we r supposed to announce it after the sighting of the moon…obviously, if we can’t see it then we can’t be sure 100% if it is there or not…science isn’t always correct…but eyes don’t lie…i think that’s y we have to wait til we actually see it physically…