Happy New Year 2013

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em>"Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year…it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols."</em> ~Thomas Mann</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt4_wZ77TEQvrwPxrOWHSOamohyGGvGHINUD_1dDjzJJJeRz838PSr4MeP9Bc-EDF3UAQtLagByrxKbOBtq_HD5xVSLWCzyfCbbt7vleooKNZZ6aoDd9tFrOzNserruExHHqjbvc8XZR0/s1600/Matt+Man+Charcoal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #2d00bb; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt4_wZ77TEQvrwPxrOWHSOamohyGGvGHINUD_1dDjzJJJeRz838PSr4MeP9Bc-EDF3UAQtLagByrxKbOBtq_HD5xVSLWCzyfCbbt7vleooKNZZ6aoDd9tFrOzNserruExHHqjbvc8XZR0/s320/Matt+Man+Charcoal.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 1px; position: relative;" width="265" /></span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><div><div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />The words of Mann are true, but…when I read his passage, I wonder about the spirit in which he wrote it.<br /><br />Is it merely a statement of fact, or is he also mocking human behavior and its attempt to harness time…to take time, and somehow, define it?<br /><br />I think the latter. Mann, in all of his stoic, efficient, German manner, is correct about the ambiguity and elusiveness of time.<br /><br />However, “we mortals” have good reason, or at least <i>a</i> reason to mark the New Year with bells and an alcohol induced blaring of trumpets.<br /><br />New Year’s Day is a time when many people gather to watch football, feast on pork and sauerkraut, and publicly (and foolishly) announce their resolutions for the coming year.<br /><br />Some people view the day as just another day off from work.<br /><br />Those same people oft times say that anytime of year is a good time to take stock and better yourself without the confines of a once a year resolution.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyuKm_zIZCFUk1y4Zchg0q9ylB-DATMQQL3cD3pAwXZtwf8_6aY4Xo8ir43n2v5OYY9PK7EfZgr1qOsauP3t0kfJ_NEVpoU3JCCzNBT2jYCMeU46bU155TzMoSHxFEMCNGLwK6PRXWUNC/s1600/Matt+Man+Charcoal+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #2d00bb; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: initial;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyuKm_zIZCFUk1y4Zchg0q9ylB-DATMQQL3cD3pAwXZtwf8_6aY4Xo8ir43n2v5OYY9PK7EfZgr1qOsauP3t0kfJ_NEVpoU3JCCzNBT2jYCMeU46bU155TzMoSHxFEMCNGLwK6PRXWUNC/s320/Matt+Man+Charcoal+2.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 1px; position: relative;" width="265" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />I myself, enjoy the festivities surrounding the New Year, but also understand the reasoning of those who eschew the tradition of making once a year promises.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4;">My reason to celebrate, or at least observe the New Year, lies somewhere in between the aforementioned reasons...and it relates to the statement made by Thomas Mann.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />I think that between 8 P.M. New Year’s Eve while partying, and 9 A.M. New Year’s Day when one wakes up (or is finally going to bed), time does, in a way, stand still.<br /><br />As Mann said, <em>“Time has no divisions…”,</em> and during those precious few hours, we are like a broken clock. We are both A.M. and P.M., past and present; preface and postscript.<br /><br />We can visualize everything we have ever been and ever done, in the often stark, monochromatic brutality of black and white.<br /><br />We can also see everything that we want to be and want to do, in color…bright colors, colors that sometimes elude our sight because we do not take the time to notice them the other 364 days of the year.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H1NIu9fzaCN8C-LKQetARYMwWvv8VhSSbUMxRow52sFXUnpIB2DwqI3uxEwz_hMZupxjfpPddXso95eWgeJux8MYU5AsDU70ECsPv6OeD72yQh2TH9V8oHtiIDVe8dlUvftPGutBi3w/s1600-h/NYEColor.jpg" style="color: #2d00bb; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420867592801270162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H1NIu9fzaCN8C-LKQetARYMwWvv8VhSSbUMxRow52sFXUnpIB2DwqI3uxEwz_hMZupxjfpPddXso95eWgeJux8MYU5AsDU70ECsPv6OeD72yQh2TH9V8oHtiIDVe8dlUvftPGutBi3w/s320/NYEColor.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border-style: solid; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="265" /></a>The transition between the old and the new, is but a razor thin balance between Rationalism and Empiricism, between regret and hope…between charcoal drawings and watercolors.<br /><br />I hope that we can all cut through the drab, dreary, and sometimes painful black and white screen of this world and of our personal prologues, and see the colors that we oft times miss.<br /><br />My wish for you this New Year is that you use your past experiences as a pencil sketch, and spend 2013 turning that sketch into a painting of bright and wonderful watercolors.<br /><br />Happy New Year!!<br /><br /><em>Cheers!!</em></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Matt-Man</i></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com"><i>mattmaniws@ymail.com</i></a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank">@mattman_iws</a></i></span></div></div>

Happy New Year 2013

"Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year…it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols." ~Thomas MannThe words of Mann are true, but…w…

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A giant conch shell!

<p>This the giant conch shell that is featured in the movie "The Key West Picture Show".  The Key West High School is now where it calls home.</p><p>We had two lovely dinners over the past nights.  Two days ago we ate in the <a href="http://theflamingbuoy.com/">Flaming Buoy Fillet Co.</a>  Totally delicious and the owner was so friendly and hospitable.</p><p>Last night we had the famous Sunday Fried Chicken in Sarabeth's.   We Will be dreaming about it for the next year.  We followed our meal by meeting friend for a drink in the famous hidden bar the Chart Room Bar. We had fun!</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu6ok-kF5qPMtnOdZlZsn1l0HwuLq7iI1-MLY5U0oRLcr44HfOfjAcXieYrP1rYVl_BF3qr0a1S3i_zQPttBl8gHM6yHNJSvX4nMpe48tmcFlTiHNLFEj8umsVxSo4zdRcA4TRhbE33wz/s1600/20121231_180843.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu6ok-kF5qPMtnOdZlZsn1l0HwuLq7iI1-MLY5U0oRLcr44HfOfjAcXieYrP1rYVl_BF3qr0a1S3i_zQPttBl8gHM6yHNJSvX4nMpe48tmcFlTiHNLFEj8umsVxSo4zdRcA4TRhbE33wz/s400/20121231_180843.jpg" /> </a> </div>

A giant conch shell!

This the giant conch shell that is featured in the movie "The Key West Picture Show".  The Key West High School is now where it calls home.We had two lovely dinners over the past nights.  Two days ago we ate in the Flaming Buoy Fillet Co.  Totally de…

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Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 12/31/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3562">3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">George Corous goes after BYOD, Flipping classrooms and student surveys in a thought-provocing post that would make good reading and discussion at your school as you return.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/12/literature_versus_nonfiction_d.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW">Literature and Nonfiction: Common-Core Advocates Strike Back - Curriculum Matters - Education Week</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Nice article at edweek about the informational texts versus great works of literature debate and what Common Core will do to lit. The one important, practical issue that all parties to this discussion MUST recognize - the classroom time is FINITE. Teachers would love to cover EVERYTHING but it just isn't practical. So, if one thing is emphasized over another, it may push something out. Unintended consequences are happening as people "align" their curriculum to common core standards. As all of the pundits and advocates argue this, it would be telling to sit down with an actual aligned curriculum to SEE what happens where the standards meet the lesson plans and what is actually pushed out - until then - it is all, rhetoric. Give us practical application, we're teachers, after all. From the edweek article: "Until recently, the closest we'd come to a major speech on the nonfiction-versus-fiction question was a piece in the Huffington Post by the English/language arts standards' co-authors, David Coleman and Sue Pimentel, insisting that literature "is not being left by the wayside." The message to rally the troops must have gone out, however. Because since the Coleman/Pimentel piece appeared, the common core's defenders have stepped up to counterbalance the literature-pushout crowd. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation's Kathleen Porter-Magee, for instance, posted a piece arguing that it's a misinterpretation of the standards to say that teachers will have to teach less literature. In a recent email blast, the Foundation for Excellence in Education—led by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, one of the common core's biggest backers—declaimed the "misinformation flying around" about what will happen to literature under the common standards. "Contrary to reports," it said, "classic literature will not be lost with the implementation of the new standards." A glance at the standards' own suggested text lists, it noted, "reveals that the common core recognizes the importance of balancing great literature and historical nonfiction pieces.""</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/commoncore">commoncore</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/english">english</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/literature">literature</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/non">non</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/fiction">fiction</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/common">common</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/core">core</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 12/31/2012

3 Ideas That Will Not Transform Schools George Corous goes after BYOD, Flipping classrooms and student surveys in a thought-provocing post that would make good reading and discussion at your school as you return…

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guest post - Design Thoughts

Hi all! Hope you all are enjoying a peaceful New Years Eve. I'm over at <a href="http://www.designthoughtsblog.com/" target="_blank">Design Thoughts</a> today talking about something I don't mention much - motherhood. <a href="http://www.designthoughtsblog.com/2012/12/take-this-job-andlove-it-from-bloggy.html" target="_blank">Head over and check it out</a>!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5sZYk4J9LjuMD-QmYbWWVKnCra6oolxeJm1NvsIpIYQ3rOF92f8YgQNaThQfATE20t1IylY3gjzP6XUGEMNz1-Ot5JZHnRCnAnOHJolhIxes0_L9gCs6OMsQ3f2G7a4L35IaXdI5QF_F/s1600/Banner.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5sZYk4J9LjuMD-QmYbWWVKnCra6oolxeJm1NvsIpIYQ3rOF92f8YgQNaThQfATE20t1IylY3gjzP6XUGEMNz1-Ot5JZHnRCnAnOHJolhIxes0_L9gCs6OMsQ3f2G7a4L35IaXdI5QF_F/s400/Banner.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />

guest post - Design Thoughts

Hi all! Hope you all are enjoying a peaceful New Years Eve. I'm over at Design Thoughts today talking about something I don't mention much - motherhood. Head over and check it out!…

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ISRAEL’S DEFENSE STRATEGY OVERHAUL

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">  </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL REDEFINES VICTORY IN THE NEW MIDDLE EAST</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 0in 0in;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">By Yaakov Lappin via GSI</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Senior ISRAELI officials have indicated this month that any round of future fighting with Hezbollah will make last month's Gaza conflict seem minor by comparison. Offense, not defense, is still preferred. </span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL is redefining its concept of military victory in a MIDDLE EAST dominated by terrorist organizations turned quasi-state actors.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES (IDF) “KNOCKOUT” IMAGE – OUT OF DATE IN THE 21^ST CENTURY BATTLE ARENAS OF THE REGION </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Once, decisive, unmistakable victories, accompanied by conquests of territory that had been used to stage attacks against ISRAEL, provided all parties concerned with a "knockout" image. Victory was seen by the ISRAEL Defense Forces as a clear-cut event, which ended when the enemy raised a white flag. Today, however, the IDF considers this thinking out of date in the 21^st century battle arenas of the region, where a terror organization such as Hamas will continue firing rockets into ISRAEL, right up until the last day of a conflict, and claim victory despite absorbing the majority of damages and casualties.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">SEIZING CONTROL OF THE ENEMY'S TURF IS SEEN AS A SHORT-TERM INITIATIVE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Today, the goal of seizing control of the enemy's turf is seen as a short-term initiative, and assuming long-term control and responsibility for hostile populations is a highly unpopular development among strategic planners, who now argue that this should be avoided wherever possible.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For decades, the IDF has been facing irregular asymmetric terrorist organizations which can change form, melt away and reform according to their needs.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The last time ISRAEL fought direct battles with organized, hierarchical military foes was during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Today, as the main goal of most conflicts, victory has been replaced by deterrence. Deterrence, rather than clear-cut conquest or triumph over the enemy, has formed the goal of ISRAEL'S last three conflicts: the Second LEBANON War of 2006; Operation Cast Lead against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in 2009 and Operation Pillar of Defense against the same entities in Gaza in November.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WAS THE SECOND LEBANON WAR A REAL VICTORY FOR HEZBOLLAH? </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Although the Second LEBANON War was claimed by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as a "divine victory," six and a half years later, at the end of 2012, Hezbollah has still not repaired all of the damage it suffered in that conflict, and the LEBANESE-ISRAELI border has never been quieter. Despite several glaring tactical and operational shortcomings, as a deterrent the Second LEBANON War was an ISRAELI victory.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Nevertheless, deterrence-based military achievements are temporary by nature. At some point, deterrence erodes away, and must be reestablished all over again. This is what happened in Gaza last month. And the IDF has been preparing for a fresh confrontation with Hezbollah in LEBANON, which today is armed with at least 50,000 rockets and missiles, many of them with a range of 200 kilometers that can strike deep inside ISRAEL.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1500 TARGETS STRUCK IN GAZA DURING NOVEMBER'S OPERATION OVER THE COURSE OF 8 DAYS, COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK IN 24 HOURS HAD THE IAF ELECTED TO DO SO</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Quietly, the ISRAEL Air Force has been upgrading its weapons systems to allow it to face down Hezbollah with enhanced firepower. The new systems currently installed in IAF jets mean that a very large number of targets can be struck in LEBANON from the air within a very short period of time. The 1500 targets struck in Gaza, for example, during November's operation over the course of eight days, could have been struck in 24 hours had the IAF elected to do so.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAELI intelligence has been mapping out the weapons storehouses in southern LEBANESE villages and towns, and building up a long list of targets, for the day that ISRAEL'S deterrence runs out.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The IDF's evolving new doctrine involves short spells of fighting, in which the IDF hits the other side hard – hard enough to ensure that the ISRAELI home front will enjoy prolonged calm after the fighting ends. As opposed to the mission of utterly destroying Hamas or Hezbollah, such limited goals can be obtained quickly. Hezbollah is fully aware, meanwhile, that should it begin another conflict, it will reap major destruction on LEBANON.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>See related Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring article</b>:  <b>IDF l</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ong-range, largely clandestine and multi-service missions</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <b>and</b> <b>D</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">epth corps, a new concept for the IDF</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b>at:</b> </span><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/idf-israeli-defense-forces.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/idf-israeli-defense-forces.html</a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FLEXIBLE DOCTRINE </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The ISRAELI doctrine is flexible. It allows the IDF to choose the severity of the blows it lands on the enemy, depending on the circumstances of each fight, and the adversary involved.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Senior ISRAELI defense sources have indicated this month that any future round of fighting with Hezbollah will make last month's Gaza conflict seem minor by comparison. Even if the goal will not be to destroy Hezbollah, the organization is still susceptible to enormous damage; it is well aware of its exposure to overwhelming ISRAELI firepower.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The day after a future conflict ends, one defense source said this month, Hezbollah will have to "get up in the morning and explain to their people" why they invited yet more destruction to LEBANON.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH MORE VULNERABLE THAN EVER</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The fact that Islamist terror organizations Hamas and Hezbollah have formed political entities, and are responsible for managing the affairs of their people, means that they are more vulnerable than ever.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Unfortunately, the rocket and missile capabilities possessed by both means that ISRAELI civilians are also in the firing line; and the IDF is not counting on rocket defense systems such as Iron Dome to prevent wide-scale damage and secure future victories. Even in the service of the limited goal of deterrence, offense, not defense, is still preferred.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Finally, the new doctrine is not fixed in stone; should ISRAEL ever find that it cannot deter the enemies on its borders, it may choose to revert to its older method of defending its citizens: fully vanquishing hostile forces, despite the price it may have to pay.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

ISRAEL’S DEFENSE STRATEGY OVERHAUL

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 12/31/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/12/the-best-teacher-blogs-of-2012.html?m=1">Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: The Best Teacher Blogs of 2012</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">A list of the finalists for Best Teacher blog for 2012. I hate to say that the edublog award timing wasn't good for me, but school was so crazy and I had such workload, I didn't mention it. I'm still very honored to be on the list of finalists - thank you to those of you readers who mentioned me and included me on the list - I really do appreciate it.More than that, it helps me help my family with this blogging that I do on the side. Thanks!</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 12/31/2012

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: The Best Teacher Blogs of 2012 A list of the finalists for Best Teacher blog for 2012. I hate to say that the edublog award timing wasn't good for me, but school was s…

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2012: A Year of Fail

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hola y'all! Last year, as a part of our thrilling and hilarious <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/MSJS" target="_blank">Matt Said Jay Said series</a>, Matt-Man and I posted our <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/12/matt-said-jay-said-xix-new-years.html" target="_blank">New Year’s Resolutions for 2012</a>.<br /><br />So let’s see how I did this year… <br /><br /><b>1. Be more organized and set deadlines for writing blog posts and stuff for the show.</b><br /><br /><i>Results are pretty mixed on this one. I did a little better for part of the year but kind of ran out of steam late in the year when nothing was going on and internets were kind of slow. </i><br /><br /><b>2. Cut back dramatically on the frozen pizzas, chips, soft drinks and alcohol. </b><br /><br /><i>*snort* Yeah, this one goes as a fail. Maybe I’ll try again in 2013</i><br /><br /><b>3. Develop an impressive, yet not too expensive, daily cocaine habit. </b><br /><br /><i>DONE BITCHES! </i><br /><br /><b>4. Double my Twitter followers, Facebook friends and triple Tumblr followers. </b><br /><br /><i>Well, I don’t know what my follower counts were on Jan 1, and even though it seems like I’m obsessed with them, I’m not. I will say that it’s frustrating to keep hitting 200 “friends” on Facebook only to get defriended by a few people. It’s happened four times now. Anyway, probably a FAIL on this one too. </i><br /><br /><b>5. Learn to sing, play guitar and/or piano and tap dance. </b><br /><br /><i>I’ve only made progress on the tap dancing part of this one. </i><br /><br /><b>6. Run a marathon</b><br /><br /><i>Hahahaha … I must have been high when I wrote that. </i><br /><i><br /></i><b>7. Work harder and maintaining and improving relationships and actually interact more.</b><br /><br /><i>Honestly, I haven’t done too badly on this one. The big downside to doing this is having to deal with rejection, but I will continue to work on it in 2013. </i><br /><br /><b>8. Do at least one IWS podcast while in the same location as Matt-Man.</b><br /><br /><b>Completely failed. Will attempt again in 2013. </b><br /><br /><b>9. Master the art of ventriloquism. </b><br /><br /><i>I changed my mind on this one. I didn’t want to risk being associated with not-funny Jeff Dunham and his racist puppets. </i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZJyduXjrRcrFWjhprd67r_hq8LI7ETp2JjWyKcSPybNJd2cZA0zem7rJxJZBO8VyA3-lE4Pl2Kf5axtlWD-Hmo8e5iCDVKTAB5LFU1_AKyk4QOR2181Vwb4Co0hXk1ugDlqjf-Hu5AI/s1600/Kimora+Lee+Simmons+Bikini+Nude+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZJyduXjrRcrFWjhprd67r_hq8LI7ETp2JjWyKcSPybNJd2cZA0zem7rJxJZBO8VyA3-lE4Pl2Kf5axtlWD-Hmo8e5iCDVKTAB5LFU1_AKyk4QOR2181Vwb4Co0hXk1ugDlqjf-Hu5AI/s400/Kimora+Lee+Simmons+Bikini+Nude+Hot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>10. Get all restraining orders lifted. </b><br /><br /><i>Progress was made. Some have expired and no new ones were issued. I’m still able to follow both Miley Cyrus and Giada de Laurentiis on Twitter without having any legal action taken. Sure <a href="http://www.artmustdie.me/" target="_blank">Jo</a> might be considering talking to her lawyer, but as of right now, things appear good on the legal front. </i><br /><br /><b>11. Work on learning new and different writing styles.</b><br /><br /><i>Eh. I should put out a little more effort on this front. We’ll call this one a Mostly Failed. </i><br /><br /><b>12. Improve the technical aspects of the show by getting rid of the cheap headset and acquiring a good USB condenser mic with a filter and possibly a mixer. </b><br /><br /><i>I didn’t get a new mic because, well, they’re expensive, but considering that we’re using a landline, Google Talk and BTR’s system, I think the tech side of the show is actually fairly good right now for most shows. There are times when either GTalk or BTR cause problems, but I’m not sure there will ever be a way of avoiding that. </i><br /><br />So, as you can see I didn’t do so ba … oh jeez … I really sucked in 2012. What a fucking failure I am. Oh God! It’s definitely time to make some changes. I think I start with never being stupid enough to post my Resolutions online again. <br /><br />There! That makes me feel a lot better already. <br /><br />Jayman<br /><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman_IWS</a><br /><br />Also, in case you missed it Sunday’s <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2012/12/30/good-riddance-2012" target="_blank">Good Riddance to 2012</a> on I’m With Stupid was freaking hilarious. We got calls from <a href="https://twitter.com/_JustinHenry_/" target="_blank">Justin</a> in Kentucky, Missy in Ohio and <a href="http://mikenet707.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> in St. Louis. We talked about dumpster fires, how much 2012 sucked, how 2013 isn’t looking any better, the Captain and Tennille and the possible impending death Daryl Dragon. All that and so, so much more. Check it out! <br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="105" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4194013&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4194013&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="105" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>

2012: A Year of Fail

Hola y'all! Last year, as a part of our thrilling and hilarious Matt Said Jay Said series, Matt-Man and I posted our New Year’s Resolutions for 2012.So let’s see how I did this year… 1. Be more organized and set deadlines for writing blog posts and s…

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Goose is on the loose!

<p>Check out this giant bottle of Grey Goose!  It's 1.75ml!!!</p><p>To combat a hangover I drink Coconut Water. Delish! ;-)</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_ngQliDhfhaL9SJX7rjHqCOskO70wO0DQYPYwfiQzqiehkxxmlesoZYEbtKJFxU4PnLhsHRadze1Wn7mEPVoudSWsGX2DbYmMdqXL_-3cq4I3HtI1YKzWZ_zWYxkaryPFq8csWItESpz/s1600/20121230_223539.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_ngQliDhfhaL9SJX7rjHqCOskO70wO0DQYPYwfiQzqiehkxxmlesoZYEbtKJFxU4PnLhsHRadze1Wn7mEPVoudSWsGX2DbYmMdqXL_-3cq4I3HtI1YKzWZ_zWYxkaryPFq8csWItESpz/s400/20121230_223539.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ksicX7oC_SY-D5K1pXHs2_u4OHZkNvIErIjbZtMNCuZi1aQBjGnT476WrbJfv_3sM87lduvAm8CSygpWKT-BzcxwDcTdM1-YKtcNAbi6AB7j7Oxf00iUMim3doXBGMm3h3v9dvhykYyQ/s1600/20121230_223358.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ksicX7oC_SY-D5K1pXHs2_u4OHZkNvIErIjbZtMNCuZi1aQBjGnT476WrbJfv_3sM87lduvAm8CSygpWKT-BzcxwDcTdM1-YKtcNAbi6AB7j7Oxf00iUMim3doXBGMm3h3v9dvhykYyQ/s400/20121230_223358.jpg" /> </a> </div>

Goose is on the loose!

Check out this giant bottle of Grey Goose!  It's 1.75ml!!!To combat a hangover I drink Coconut Water. Delish! ;-) …

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KOSOVO: NATURAL RESOURCES JACKPOT?

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrt6he-wOSiqT5S-tT7Wdn1zxmMDt7MuOWLSHj0QGlYmc5AuycWy25Ean2iDV_6vyxmE1iddLdpaIqg9xma_lRc9Ym7LWdtvAQ5aInWn8rTBJ5T1ltjzP3MQKBXilVAV5PR-iNzatRLmza/s1600/rs-ks@al.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrt6he-wOSiqT5S-tT7Wdn1zxmMDt7MuOWLSHj0QGlYmc5AuycWy25Ean2iDV_6vyxmE1iddLdpaIqg9xma_lRc9Ym7LWdtvAQ5aInWn8rTBJ5T1ltjzP3MQKBXilVAV5PR-iNzatRLmza/s320/rs-ks@al.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FIRE SALE: “PRIVATIZING” KOSOVO, THE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WAY</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Source: GSI</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The Balkan states of ALBANIA and KOSOVO are, without doubt, the most pro-AMERICAN Muslim-majority countries in the world.</span> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to a new census including religious affiliation – the first since 1930 – ALBANIA now counts 57% of its total population of 2.8 million as Muslim, down from 70% eighty-two years ago. Its Catholic population has remained stable at 10%, and ALBANIAN citizens identifying themselves as Orthodox Christians have fallen from 20% in 1930 to about 7%.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Although KOSOVO does not tally figures for religious communities, the Muslim share of the population is thought to be larger, at around 80%. Both republics are secular.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TURKISH PRESSURE ON ALBANIA TO VOTE “YES” FOR PALESTINIAN OBSERVER SEAT IN THE UNITED NATIONS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICANS are beloved in ALBANIA thanks to a significant history of ALBANIAN immigration and success in AMERICA, and early contributions by ALBANIANS in the U.S. to the national movement for freedom from the OTTOMAN EMPIRE. At the end of November, the ALBANIAN government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha was prepared to vote with the U.S. against a Palestinian observer seat in the United Nations, and, following unsuccessful pressure to vote “yes,” from the TURKISH Islamist prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ALBANIA became the sole Muslim-majority UN member to abstain on the Palestinian issue.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">KOSOVO does not belong to the UN, although if it did, it might likely have followed the AMERICAN lead and voted against the Palestinian bid, which was supported, among the ex-YUGOSLAV successor states, only by SERBIA. The ALBANIANS of KOSOVO have expressed undiluted appreciation for the actions of the Clinton administration, represented by then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and former General Wesley Clark as Supreme Allied Commander for Europe at NATO, in the 1998-99 military intervention that rescued the KOSOVAR ALBANIANS from SERBIAN repression.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Its pro-AMERICAN stance has caused the KOSOVO Republic to be denied diplomatic recognition by most of the Arab states. The late LIBYAN dictator Mu’ammar Al-Qadhdhafi dismissed the KOSOVARS contemptuously as “AMERICAN lapdogs.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ENERGY QUEST: KOSOVO</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Recently, however, Albright and others have commenced new efforts at involvement in KOSOVO that left local people concerned about the intentions of their benefactors of more than a decade past. In <i>The New York Times</i> on December 12, Matthew Brunwasser wrote under a page-one headline, “That Crush at KOSOVO’S Business Door? The Return of U.S. Heroes.” The <i>Times</i> account described Albright and James W. Pardew, a special envoy sent to the Balkans by President Bill Clinton, offering competing bids for privatization of the KOSOVO state postal and telecommunications agency, known as PTK (from its ALBANIAN and SERBIAN initials).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">KOSOVO COAL MINES: POTENTIAL FOR SYNTHETIC FUEL PRODUCTION</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT8QSUslH33rD9UP2lUPJtE3tYdN6HdT8tyqx1hPWCvHWBfe6BVJnEdE7dZteymv7v99kqOBBrswedpdt3bKDbSWjwZDvVCPy4gLiboAtn2tSg9QA72GmQMRNWJDF_PZJ3AohOCxVd3UO/s1600/Outcrop_Showing_Layering_of_Lignite_and_Consolidated_Calcareous_Mud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT8QSUslH33rD9UP2lUPJtE3tYdN6HdT8tyqx1hPWCvHWBfe6BVJnEdE7dZteymv7v99kqOBBrswedpdt3bKDbSWjwZDvVCPy4gLiboAtn2tSg9QA72GmQMRNWJDF_PZJ3AohOCxVd3UO/s1600/Outcrop_Showing_Layering_of_Lignite_and_Consolidated_Calcareous_Mud.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coal mining in Kosovo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">General Wesley Clark, chairman of Envidity, a CANADIAN firm interested in KOSOVO’S coal mines and potential for synthetic fuel production, has also gone to KOSOVO in search of financial advantage. </span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But Albright’s involvement has given her the highest profile in the discussion of KOSOVO’S economic future. According to the <i>Times</i>, “Albright Capital Management, founded by Ms. Albright, has been shortlisted in the bidding for a 75 % share in PTK.” </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The<i>Times</i> estimates the probable payout to KOSOVO political leaders for PTK, if a deal is consummated, at “between $400 million and $800 million.” Officials of another Albright entity, Albright Stonebridge Group, have a minor share in PTK’s only competitor, the private company IPKO, based in SLOVENIA. <i>Times</i> correspondent Brunwasser wrote that the situation could “threaten… market competition if Ms. Albright’s consortium wins the bid” for PTK.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Privatization in post-Communist economies often presents multiple problems: State enterprises may be handed over to individuals or groups favored by the prior dictatorial authorities, as has allegedly occurred in SLOVAKIA, previously a part of CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Government-owned companies may also be privatized, turned profitable, and then re-nationalized by authoritarian rulers. In RUSSIA, the Yukos oil company was branded an example of “oligarchic privatization” and taken over by the government of Vladimir Putin, only to be bankrupted between 2003-2007.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“VOUCHER” PRIVATIZATION</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The abolition of statist “command” economics has most often been considered a positive outcome in any context. Some observers have advocated “voucher” privatization, through which shares in government-controlled companies are distributed to all the citizens of a country, either free or at a low cost. “Voucher” privatization succeeded most notably in the CZECH Republic.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">KOSOVO is among the poorest countries in EUROPE, with the growth of its economy hampered by the failure of the “supervising” international authorities, with titles like the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in KOSOVO (UNMIK) and the EUROPEAN Union Rule of Law Mission in KOSOVO (EULEX). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">They have imposed all of KOSOVO’S most important political decisions, but these have left the country in a calculated stasis since the end of the 1998-99 war. They have interfered with media, elections, and border relations with SERBIA, but have neglected to reform KOSOVO’S financial regulations or even to settle who owns various industries, such as the large-scale Trepca mining complex in northern KOSOVO. Trepca, which produced lead, zinc, gold, silver, and rare minerals, is the object of opposing claims of proprietorship by SERBIA and KOSOVO; it also owes about 40 million Euros to FRENCH, GREEK, and BULGARIAN companies. Similar state assets are KEK, the KOSOVO Energy Corporation, and its subsidiary KEDS, or KOSOVO Electricity Distribution.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TURKISH STRONGHOLD IN KOSOVO</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In June 2012, KEDS was sold by the KOSOVO government to a TURKISH consortium, Limak Yatirim Enerji and Calik Enerji Sanayi. <b>Limak owns KOSOVO’S only international airport. Limak also purchased KEDS for 26 million Euros</b>, although its capitalization totaled 180 million Euros. Economic analysts criticized a lack of transparency in the transfer to TURKISH control. KOSOVO still suffers frequent electrical power outages.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Unemployment in KOSOVO is estimated officially at around 50%, although local reporting suggests it is closer to 60%.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">When Albright and other humanitarian liberators appear in KOSOVO as “privatizers,” questions are bound to be asked. Although “entrepreneurship” usually means investment and expansion of commerce, in the absence of a secure domestic financial system and other guarantees for legitimate and desirable foreign ventures, KOSOVO’S economy continues to shrink. As a prominent Democrat and Clinton administration figure, Albright is associated with that party’s strident rhetoric against the free market in the 2012 AMERICAN presidential election, including allegations of Republican corporate looting and similar “heartless” practices.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmdeO5X-Gpz_AsjaUeSsiMLtNTCv7OhPqWx-j6dS18UhMUErll7qzC1hp6YUXh0K54x4dYnnNS_gYzXo2NQQbrZSBe8BZC8cwUOGg456sKJo97tQ1Uk4oUl_VgnoI5ZzDlLfBAtpqaaeh/s1600/kos_UNMIKmine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmdeO5X-Gpz_AsjaUeSsiMLtNTCv7OhPqWx-j6dS18UhMUErll7qzC1hp6YUXh0K54x4dYnnNS_gYzXo2NQQbrZSBe8BZC8cwUOGg456sKJo97tQ1Uk4oUl_VgnoI5ZzDlLfBAtpqaaeh/s640/kos_UNMIKmine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It is difficult for some KOSOVAR political leaders to imagine that Albright’s leap into their economy would create jobs, greater efficiency, and modernization of infrastructure. The KOSOVO “Self-Determination” movement, which is represented in the republic’s parliamentary opposition and which stands for a maximum standard of independence for the country, issued an open letter to the KOSOVAR public. It appealed for e-mails to be sent to prospective bidders for privatization of PTK, criticizing the project for the sell-off of the post and telecoms agency. “Self-Determination” warned that properties were being offered for sale as if they were the private holdings of politicians, rather than resources of all KOSOVO residents.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The “Self-Determination” representatives argued that Kosovo’s leaders aim to drive down the value of the state assets, so that they may be expropriated and sold. “Privatization is a name behind which these officials hide,” the opposition advocates declared. The call by leaders of “Self-Determination” for protests against privatization behind the backs of the populace led to accusations that “Self-Determination” is a violent, anti-American movement.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Albin Kurti, a young philosopher and the articulate founder of “Self-Determination,” refuted in late December charges by U.S. ambassador Tracey-Anne Jacobson that he and his colleagues threatened Madeleine Albright. The leaders of “Self-Determination” pointed out that after they published their letter in September against a distorted privatization, they met with Albright in Kosovo in November. “Self-Determination” did not oppose her visit, or threaten her as Ambassador Jacobson alleged. Kurti has insisted that he and his colleagues respect American principles of freedom, independence, and public responsibility.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The friendship of Kosovo, as a Muslim-majority state, is a major benefit for American foreign policy. The Balkan republic has resisted Islamist radicalization, excluded religion from public education, and acted to protect women’s rights.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">: See <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/kosovo.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/kosovo.html</a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Comment by <span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><b>GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING</b></span>:</span>  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">PART OF THE KOSOVO PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN NATURAL RESOURCES</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though not admitted officially……….</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The vast amounts of Mineral deposits in KOSOVO have and still are part of the problems the small country faces, asides of ethnic and religious differences. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">KOSOVO POSSESSES THE WORLD'S FIFTH-LARGEST PROVEN RESERVES OF LIGNITE;</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: blue;">KOSOVO also has substantial amounts of other natural resources such as </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">lead, zinc, gold, silver, rare minerals and allegedly uranium. See Mineral Deposits <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Kosovo">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Kosovo</a>. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">It is alleged that the USA built Balkans largest army base, <b>Camp Bondsteel</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Bondsteel">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Bondsteel</a>deliberately on top of a large uranium ore basin in KOSOVO.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">In view of these facts it becomes obvious that the northern SERBIAN enclaves of KOSOVO, Mitrovica <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovska_Mitrovica">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovska_Mitrovica</a>etc. where the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Trepca mining complex is located insist on “reuniting” with SERBIA and that certain USA entities once again want to make sure to keep a foothold in the region in case, rare minerals, lignite and uranium indeed are available in quantities worthwhile to extract, pending increased market demands for afore mentioned minerals. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b>CONTROVERSIAL OPPOSITION FIGURE: ALBIN KURTI </b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Albin Kurti</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albin_Kurti">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albin_Kurti</a>, has been and still is a controversial figure in KOSOVO. According to known sources Kurti allegedly fosters ties to certain radical UCK </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_Liberation_Army">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_Liberation_Army</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">entities that still are active today and who envision a GREATER ALBANIA  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Albania">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Albania</a>as well as having alleged ties to organized crime groups that terrorize communities, and ties to radical Islamic factions in KOSOVO as well as the notorious </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">SANDŽAK</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> region in MONTENEGRO. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kCUFbJzWriy9RE62mRi4zscjevuECi1hk1LzL1GnmHMPpMkTuf2rqGuoDw94Yqxcv6BhE2cm5zLmQj_V_cgcm2f1pmajf2LzEPu5Z7KO9tYqNszU8idNOj3HER1r1Q1EQZkYW0DlwB6e/s1600/Ethnic_albania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kCUFbJzWriy9RE62mRi4zscjevuECi1hk1LzL1GnmHMPpMkTuf2rqGuoDw94Yqxcv6BhE2cm5zLmQj_V_cgcm2f1pmajf2LzEPu5Z7KO9tYqNszU8idNOj3HER1r1Q1EQZkYW0DlwB6e/s400/Ethnic_albania.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Vision of <span style="font-size: x-small;">"</span>Greater Albania"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">See </span><cite><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/crime_omero.pdf"><span style="font-style: normal;">www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/</span><b><span style="font-style: normal;">crime</span></b><span style="font-style: normal;">_omero.pdf</span></a>and </span></cite><cite><b><span style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">S</span></b></cite><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">andžak region, not only the gateway for Balkans organized crime syndicates, but also for spreading Wahhbism to Europe?</span></b><cite><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/wahhabism-in-bosnia-herzegovina-part-4.html"><span style="font-style: normal;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/wahhabism-in-bosnia-herzegovina-part-4.html</span></a></span></cite></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">SANDŽAK IS AN IMPOVERISHED REGION IN SOUTHERN SERBIA</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aHFZ2Tz_ExFQSQx53XsHveJLknmlV-V7M8YkWwF8-_129x6M4YzAkZTEBrcNvgGk9UfOnAi9o6IERhWnwceJDV5FiqAGUrjiuRe5b2MlFcn7FNEk8feMKNr-1FMmi3L_spsDAKMajeZ4/s1600/sandzakregion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aHFZ2Tz_ExFQSQx53XsHveJLknmlV-V7M8YkWwF8-_129x6M4YzAkZTEBrcNvgGk9UfOnAi9o6IERhWnwceJDV5FiqAGUrjiuRe5b2MlFcn7FNEk8feMKNr-1FMmi3L_spsDAKMajeZ4/s400/sandzakregion.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">that is predominantly occupied with ethnic Bosniaks, (Bosnian Muslims)with the region technically extending into the northeastern part of MONTENEGRO as well. SANDŽAK is also populated with ALBANIANS within the Preševo Valley region. The citizens of SANDŽAK are fairly content with remaining a part of SERBIA, but have highlighted the dearth of economic activity, lack of political representation, and social woes (<b>mainly organized crime and drug use amongst the youth</b>) as primary obstacles for their communities. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">SLOW GROWING WAHHABI MOVEMENT </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">These two factors are also targeted as being a reason that various frustrated youth been drawn by the small Wahhabi movement that’s steadily growing in the region. SANDŽAK was treated as a special interest region during the BOSNIAN war, where (SERBIAN military) General Mladić was strictly forbidden from killing Muslims on SERBIAN territory. The bulk of the terror reigned on SANDŽAK’S citizens included harassment and humiliation techniques. But this didn’t stop many SANDŽAK locals from being forcibly bussed across the BOSNIAN border to be killed. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The pre-war census in 1991 stated that approximately 224,000 BOSNIAKS were living in SANDŽAK, with between 60-80,000 SANDŽAK refugees leaving the region in 1992 to WESTERN EUROPEAN countries, according to UN sources. It is a tell-tale sign of the devastation that the region experienced less than 20 years ago. The region has experienced significant trauma, and growing poverty and perceived discrimination have aggravated existing inter-ethnic tensions in the country. These tensions are simmering, and while they are not an imminent threat to SERBIA and the regions’ stability, the region’s BOSNIAKS must have their overall standard of living improved to enhance other integration mechanisms.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

KOSOVO: NATURAL RESOURCES JACKPOT?

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