7 gigs that make good second jobs

<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px; text-align: left;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/h0/ar5l4b36tgpg17rkgjh0.gif?time=1/6/2012%203:35:23%20pm" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="cbArticle_lblHeadline">7 gigs that make good second jobs</span></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b><br /><br />Perhaps it's to help cover your bills. Or maybe it's to seek fulfillment not experienced at your day job. Whatever the reason, if you are looking to get a second job, you're not alone. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 7 million Americans hold more than one job.</div><div class="ArticleContent" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Here, experts and job seekers weigh in on what they consider to be the best moonlighting gigs. The suggestions run the gamut from child care to cosmetic procedures, but all provide a means for pulling in some extra income.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>1. Second job:</b> <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/bartender/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">bartender</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "I am an attorney who moonlights as a bartender," says Brianna Sadler, partner at a law firm in <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/minnesota/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Minnesota</a>. "It's actually a great way to meet future clients without violating the <a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=Model+Rules+of+Professional+Conduct&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Model Rules of Professional Conduct</a>, as I am able to have a personal relationship with the guests/clients and help fulfill both their need for a drink and possibly legal advice. As I am a plaintiff's attorney, it's also a great way to pay my rent until I have my 'one big case' we all dream about."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Bartenders earn a mean hourly wage of $10.25, according to the BLS.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>2. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/freelancer/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">freelancer</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "I recently started my own consulting business in August, and while I was getting that up and running, I was actively seeking freelance writing work," says Sophia Habl Mitchell, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/principal/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">principal</a> at Sophia Mitchell & Associates. "Taking small gigs through freelance sites ... can be a great way to supplement income. The best part is that this work can be done at home, before or after a 'regular job.'"<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>While pay varies based on the type of freelance assignment, Mitchell says she earned $3,000 in four months by doing a variety of freelance work, including writing for a travel website and ghostwriting blog content.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>3. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/cosmetic+technician/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">cosmetic laser technician</a><br /><b>Details:</b> "Cosmetic laser technician is a career some people do part time while holding down another full-time job," says Louis Silberman, president of National Laser Institute. "Cosmetic laser technicians work mostly in med spas and doctors' offices as independent contractors. They perform procedures like laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing. Some RNs have received their laser certification to increase their earning potential by performing cosmetic procedures."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>According to the NLI, the most common scenario is a blend of an hourly rate plus commission. The hourly rates usually range from $15 to $25, in addition to a commission ranging from 3 to 20 percent. At med spas, technicians typically receive a gratuity.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>4. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/child+care/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">child-care provider</a><br /><b>Details:</b> My husband and I have two small children, and we juggle going back and forth to the office and staying home with the kids," says Brina Bujkovsky, owner and <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/ceo/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">CEO</a> of <a href="http://www.tybinc.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">The Younique Boutique.</a>"We decided to start a home day care to take advantage of the tax deductions, earn extra income ... and provide playmates for our kids. We are helping the community by providing affordable care for children six weeks and up, and we are earning a nice second income."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Bujkovsky says she makes more than $2,500 a month through her home day-care gig.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>5. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/futures+trader/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Futures trader</a><br /><b>Details:</b> A recent survey conducted by <a href="http://www.topsteptrader.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">TopStepTrader</a>, an international scouting agency that recruits and trains futures traders, found that more than half of the workers surveyed conduct futures trading as a second job. "With the markets open 23-24 hours a day, there is a lot of flexibility and profitability in this career as a second alternative job," says Michael Patak, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/president/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">president</a> and CEO of TopStepTrader.<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>According to TopStepTrader,<b> </b>part-time traders who trade lightly can earn an estimated $2,000 a month, while active part-time traders can average up to around $4,000 a month.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>6. Second job: </b>Container/organization sales <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/consultant/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">consultant</a><br /><b>Details:</b> If you're outgoing and like organization, consider being a sales consultant for a container company. In this role, you'll help plan or host fun parties -- often held at people's homes -- where guests will have the opportunity to try out and buy your products. Some companies now offer e-commerce options, too.<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Earning potential can vary based on company and role. Lee Padgett of Clever Container says their starting consultants make 20 percent on their retail sales, and after they reach $1,000 worth of product sales, they make 25 percent on their retail sales.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>7. Second job: </b><a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/mystery+shopper/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">mystery shopper</a><br /><b>Details:</b> Bethany Mooradian, author of "<a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=The+Mystery+Shopper+Training+Program&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">The Mystery Shopper Training Program</a>," suggests mystery shopping as a great way to earn extra cash. "To be a successful mystery shopper, a person needs to be reliable [and] honest, have basic Internet skills, decent writing, spelling and observation skills and live in a fairly metropolitan area," Mooradian says. "Any time I've needed money, I just jump right back into mystery shopping ... It's perfect for anyone who wants a flexible way of earning extra income, has basic skills and doesn't want to stay trapped behind a desk."<br /><b>Potential pay: </b>Mystery shoppers can make up to $38,520 in annual salary, according to CBSalary.com.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.</i></div></div>

7 gigs that make good second jobs

7 gigs that make good second jobsDebra Auerbach, CareerBuilder WriterPerhaps it's to help cover your bills. Or maybe it's to seek fulfillment not experienced at your day job. Whatever the reason, if you are looking to get a second job, you're not alo…

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11 questions

<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Tag! I'm it. The very lovely Brooke from <a href="http://inside-outdesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Inside-Out Design</a> has tagged me and 10 other design bloggers to answer 11 questions about ourselves. She is one crafty genius and one of my very first blogger friends. She's a big inspiration for me and I'm so happy to play 11 questions with her. Thanks Brooke!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">The Rules are simple:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">First rule - you do not talk about Fight Club...wait, wrong game.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">1. You must post the rules.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">2. Answer the 11 questions the tager posted for you and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you've taged.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">3. Tag 11 people and link them in your post.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">4. Let them know you have tagged them. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">May I present to you, Brooke's questions:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">1. <b>What is your favorite room to decorate and why?</b> </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I'm a sucker for a good living room. I have a chair obsession and love pretty much all upholstered furniture. The pillows, the vignettes, the lighting. Oy! So many options. So much fun. My Living Room is on the to-do list for this spring/summer.</span><br /><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/AVvXsEj3vgXtYfE2g0slg9W7usJHnENfta7Ytwj6uPkO5Nj7hP0q1lnzIGHwqD1DJlOg-WTVN2XQfEGjk7S1ZiLscLc28OSdqbSh26fEcQretGumYxEiL5ApdaMmVLS-ues7Pc02voQEyRn_ditK/s1600/-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vgXtYfE2g0slg9W7usJHnENfta7Ytwj6uPkO5Nj7hP0q1lnzIGHwqD1DJlOg-WTVN2XQfEGjk7S1ZiLscLc28OSdqbSh26fEcQretGumYxEiL5ApdaMmVLS-ues7Pc02voQEyRn_ditK/s400/-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This baby is in need of an overhaul!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">2. <b>Do you have a "Monica's closet" aka a hidden space in your house that's either a total mess or completely undecorated?</b> </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">YES! Sadly my bedroom is always a total mess and hasn't had a touch of attention since we moved in. During parties it is always the room we throw all the last minute messiness into and close the door. Sad. This is why its my <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/green-for-very-little-green.html" target="_blank">next project</a>!!</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">3. <b>What is your favorite room in your house?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">That's a hard one as it changes all the time. Right now it is probably a room I haven't really ever talked about - my girls room. There is a lot of laughing and happiness in that room. It is a happy place to be. I'll be posting pictures of it soon. </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">4. <b>What made you decide to start a blog?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I've been designing, whether it was my bedroom, dorm room, apartment(s) or house since I was able to move a chair. I look at this blog as a creative outlet, a chance to learn and share with a wonderful blogging community and also a way to look back on all of the projects I attempt. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">5. <b>What is the best decorating tip that you've learned from another blog?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">The best thing I've learned is not from one blog in particular, but several of them - not everything you try is a home run and that is OK. Its OK to strike out. And usually those big busts lead to an even better idea.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">6. <b>What is your favorite movie?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">There are so many bad movies I watch over and over again because I love to study the interiors. Sex and the City for example. Good gracious they are bad (especially #2) but I watch them over and over again. Mr. and Mrs. Smith - I get upset every time they hurt that wonderful house. Do your shooting outside! </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">As for real movie loves, I quote move lines all the time so I could never pick just one favorite. A few that come to mind are Gone With The Wind, anything by John Hughes or Thank You For Smoking. </span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN37K1xCThFplEpXuk1NOKY1_RdMm9YDs1oiNPeCrHlwUdG4ZUB18ZfzRi74TL9nt2-Pt3UD-iW-dDpI9FfbazyNHWEoyvIAe1FIdejc_WMTxilB6WyLRcmYHORhVx9wxjVHfWdzdUe0ZU/s1600/tt0427944.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN37K1xCThFplEpXuk1NOKY1_RdMm9YDs1oiNPeCrHlwUdG4ZUB18ZfzRi74TL9nt2-Pt3UD-iW-dDpI9FfbazyNHWEoyvIAe1FIdejc_WMTxilB6WyLRcmYHORhVx9wxjVHfWdzdUe0ZU/s320/tt0427944.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">7. <b>What is your favorite food?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Sushi is something we do on date night, so that represents happy adult time to me. However, my go to comfort food will always be pizza. (homemade - I make a mean pizza)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">8. <b>Is there a decorating trend that you hate and why?</b></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Get ready to throw rocks and burn my car - I'm kind of over chevron. There, I said it.</span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">9. <b>Do you prefer baking or cooking?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I actually really like both.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">10. <b>What is your all-time favorite blog post? (That you've done)</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I would say my </span><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/step-into-my-gallery.html" style="line-height: 20px;" target="_blank">gallery post</a> because it all came together so fast and it was such a big change<span style="line-height: 20px;">. Although, my </span><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/gold-metallic-glow.html" style="line-height: 20px;" target="_blank">spray painted lampshades</a><span style="line-height: 20px;"> are a close second because I am still so surprised by how well that worked. I will say though, I've got a lot of good projects up my sleeve that I'm pretty excited about too.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">11. <b>What project have you completed that has made the biggest impact, visually or otherwise, in your home?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/kitchen.html" target="_blank">My kitchen</a>. We did this prior to the blog but it was a long, blood sweat and tears kind of project. We wanted to make as many updates as we could without making any huge (aka expensive) changes. I'm happy with how well it has been updated with very little money spent. </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">So there you have it. A fun Monday glimpse into the weirdo that writes these posts. :)  Now to pass along the fun, here are the 11 bloggers I'm tagging.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Megan at </span><a href="http://alivedinhome.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">A Lived in Home</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Erin at <a href="http://clementineandolive.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Clementine + Olive</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Diane at </span><a href="http://dianeagain.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Diane Again</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Colleen at </span><a href="http://mylemondropdreams.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Lemondrop Dreams</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Charmaine at </span><a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">My Best Friend Craig</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Meg at </span><a href="http://www.nutmegandcompany.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Nutmeg and Company</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Amber at </span><a href="http://www.simpledwellings.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Simple Dwellings</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Andrea at </span><a href="http://strawberry-chic.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Strawberry Chic</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Megan at </span><a href="http://sugarmegnolia.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Sugar Megnolia</a><br /><span style="text-align: left;">Elizabeth at </span><a href="http://themustardceilingblog.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">The Mustard Ceiling</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #544841; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Camille at </span><a href="http://thevintiqueobject.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">The Vintique Object</a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are all very talented ladies and I encourage you to check them out if you haven't already.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your questions are:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. What room in your house would you change if you had an unlimited budget?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. What is your decorating trend prediction for 2012?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. If someone where to show up at your house right now, would it be presentable? (i.e. - clean)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. What was your favorite blog post?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Music or Movies?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. If you had your own show on HGTV, what would it be called?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. What is your favorite low budget project?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">8. What was your first decorating disaster?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">9. What was your first decorating success?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">10. What is the one design related task you hate doing? (i.e. painting trim, sanding furniture, hanging curtains)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">11. What is your favorite cocktail?</span></span></div>

11 questions

Tag! I'm it. The very lovely Brooke from Inside-Out Design has tagged me and 10 other design bloggers to answer 11 questions about ourselves. She is one crafty genius and one of my very first blogger friends. She's a big inspiration for me and I'm so…

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Believing

I hit 227.1 on Friday!  To be in the 220s again is.... amazing!  I feel so much better and lighter, and clothes are getting too big and it's all such an awesome feeling.  It's that feeling of being in control of your life that I love.  Do you know what I mean?  It's like... I'm not allowing my body to give in to life's shenanigans... I'm taking control of it and I'm reaping the benefits.  It's that whole "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" concept.  <br /><br />On Friday I went ahead and bought the next two charms I have earned.  The purple one is simply because I love purple and I wanted to add more color to my bracelet. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cZh7lXIH0rDYii5QQSUHGeS7l_-Z_CxRvprHQ4mh8MudmVXwPQ_S5E6rlu7Fo_uq5gJM_v8OxanEPEKjup_q2HrSRza4rOICmchTlYMvy_1-fnRfmBaH7jtf_1O2p_QDOzLlxE9X-NU/s1600/bracelet+with+heart+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cZh7lXIH0rDYii5QQSUHGeS7l_-Z_CxRvprHQ4mh8MudmVXwPQ_S5E6rlu7Fo_uq5gJM_v8OxanEPEKjup_q2HrSRza4rOICmchTlYMvy_1-fnRfmBaH7jtf_1O2p_QDOzLlxE9X-NU/s400/bracelet+with+heart+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />The entwined hearts symbolizes many things to me at this point, but one of which is the love I have for myself and this journey.  I can only have that love by God's grace.  It is important that my life, my "heart", be intertwined with His in order to experience the life I'm meant to have. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxp_I_jqMgpZvM4fh2gdSxyzb2AKu_pFjcQBvQ1-mdWd4athJRvv3_yCift8J3fzkFQl2zDWAEGQlgPdU2o_N1liIs9S8w1q_JqfY8rT5VG4xedx2twyqMFUWBP1jqBL_8AwM3hl2A-0/s1600/bracelet+with+heart+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxp_I_jqMgpZvM4fh2gdSxyzb2AKu_pFjcQBvQ1-mdWd4athJRvv3_yCift8J3fzkFQl2zDWAEGQlgPdU2o_N1liIs9S8w1q_JqfY8rT5VG4xedx2twyqMFUWBP1jqBL_8AwM3hl2A-0/s400/bracelet+with+heart+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Last week I picked up this curling iron too.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptwuWWa4cbPGed3n0nJPPpdk6_ebd99mUbBCsfK2iyJ7gQpRCXC3qr1LwPWcMcygekI2CM56BhrS-6-eQ0kqgxhzht7d9mVuTrbhYe6aNFDZWAikc7CA2VxRLxo6tv2Xa6D5BtIe_tNA/s1600/curling+iron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptwuWWa4cbPGed3n0nJPPpdk6_ebd99mUbBCsfK2iyJ7gQpRCXC3qr1LwPWcMcygekI2CM56BhrS-6-eQ0kqgxhzht7d9mVuTrbhYe6aNFDZWAikc7CA2VxRLxo6tv2Xa6D5BtIe_tNA/s400/curling+iron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And this week I picked up the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3900691" target="_blank">Clarisonic Mia 2 from Ulta</a>. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuEm-a6L_TshHaVjqM3918Co-g84LkmRy_M4tlCN33HqLlW8U_8odRh0SLQz3-wylS31QWAg5yqWdtYBEys7_eepuYIagM7UtfTCOK8pJ29JiPaza_AR3C_ODkODSFE2X2mSWobpThv8/s1600/mia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuEm-a6L_TshHaVjqM3918Co-g84LkmRy_M4tlCN33HqLlW8U_8odRh0SLQz3-wylS31QWAg5yqWdtYBEys7_eepuYIagM7UtfTCOK8pJ29JiPaza_AR3C_ODkODSFE2X2mSWobpThv8/s400/mia+2.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br />I first saw this device on QVC right before Christmas.  It seemed cool enough, but I'm always a big skeptic on "miracle" products such as this.  Then I read <a href="http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/2012/02/02/skin-care/" target="_blank">a post from Gretchen</a> about how much she loved her Mia, along with the other commenters from her post.  <i>Then </i>I went to my friend's house to discover that she had one too and loves it.  Given that I still suffer from acne like a teenager, I decided I wanted to give this a shot.  I wear a lot of makeup everyday, and I know that there is no way a wash cloth and my Olay Foaming Face Wash was doing the trick entirely.  That is also the good thing about this device - you can use whatever nonabrasive wash you'd like (do not use an exfoliating cleanser - it will end up being too harsh for your skin).   <br /><br />I was also able to move 2 more beads from one jar to another!  Yes!

goals Inspiration Loss Weight Loss Believing

I hit 227.1 on Friday!  To be in the 220s again is.... amazing!  I feel so much better and lighter, and clothes are getting too big and it's all such an awesome feeling.  It's that feeling of being in control of your life that I love.  Do you know wh…

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The truth about Greece

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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 align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An open letter to international public opinion</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">The truth about Greece</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RI65TR8rX0Pu5GDh1IGlAHpl53bom9u9RmBM4axE5_o-w54DxxMDUf0pexurs82LCBk-DCnRuVLQTRc2Itfq6hgXJ_5VT0tA8RxgsuLLrUq6jIHTbReDpkORR7e7WChBrQzlumJSVd7g/s1600/4dc63173c0098f20e087c71b16b09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RI65TR8rX0Pu5GDh1IGlAHpl53bom9u9RmBM4axE5_o-w54DxxMDUf0pexurs82LCBk-DCnRuVLQTRc2Itfq6hgXJ_5VT0tA8RxgsuLLrUq6jIHTbReDpkORR7e7WChBrQzlumJSVd7g/s400/4dc63173c0098f20e087c71b16b09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by </span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Míkis Theodorákis</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Composer and resistance icon Mikis Theodorakis lambastes the joint strategy devised by Greek politicians and financial institutions with the objective of pillaging the country. He explains how Greece was gradually put under IMF tutelage by Dominique Strauss-Khan and former Prime Minister Papandreou. While the Western media point the finger at Syria, Russia and China, a financial government has taken over the reins of power in Greece and in Europe.</span></span></div><div class="lettrine"><br /></div><div class="lettrine"><span style="font-size: large;">There is an international conspiracy whose target is the complete destruction of my country. They began in 1975 aiming at Modern Greek civilization, continued with the distortion of our modern history and our national identity and they are now trying to eliminate us biologically as well through unemployment, hunger and impoverishment. If Greek people don’t rise as one in order to prevent them, the danger of Greece becoming extinct is evident. I place it within the next ten years. There will be nothing left of us but the memory of our civilization and our battles for freedom.</span></div><div class="lettrine"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Until 2009, there was no serious economic problem. The major wounds of our economy were the enormous expenses related to the purchase of war material and the corruption of a part of the political and economic-journalistic sector. For both of these wounds, foreigners are jointly responsible. Germans, for instance, as well as French, English and Americans, earned billions of Euros from annual sales of war material, to the detriment of our national wealth. That continuous hemorrhage brought us to our knees and did not permit us to move forward, while at the same time it made foreign nations prosperous. The same was true of the problem of corruption. The German company Siemens, for instance, maintained a special department for buying off Greek stakeholders in order to place its products in the Greek market. Hence, the Greek people have been victims of that predatory duo of Greeks and Germans, growing richer at their expense.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">It is obvious that these two big wounds could have been avoided if the leaders of the two pro-American parties in power hadn’t been eroded by corrupt elements who resorted to excessive loans in order to cover the leakage of wealth (the product of the Greek people’s labor) into the hands of foreign countries, resulting in the public debt reaching 300 billion Euros, i.e. 130% of GDI (Gross Domestic Income).</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Due to that confidence trick, the foreigners I mentioned before made a double profit: firstly from the sales of the weapons and their products. Secondly, from the interest on the money they lent to the governments and not to the people. As we have seen, the people were the primary victims in both cases. A single example should convince you: the interests on the one billion dollar loan that Andreas Papandreou received in 1986 from a big European country reached 54 billion Euros and was eventually paid back in … 2010!</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Mr Juncker declared a year ago that he had realized the Greeks’ financial hemorrhage caused by the excessive (and compulsory) expenses in buying war materials exclusively from Germany and France. And he concluded that our sellers were leading us on a path to destruction. However, he confesses that he didn’t take any action in order not to hurt the interests of friendly countries!</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In 2008 came the big financial crisis in Europe. It was therefore only logical that the Greek economy should be affected. However, our living standards, high enough for Greece to be ranked among the 30 richest countries in the world, remained unaffected. There was an increase, though, in public debt. But public debt doesn’t necessarily lead to financial crisis. There are big countries, like the U.S. and Germany, with debts amounting to trillions of Euros. The key is in economic growth and production. In that case, one can borrow from large Banks with an interest rate of up to 5%, until the crisis ends.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">That was exactly our position in 2009, when the government shift took place in November and G. Papandreou took over as prime minister. In order for the current opinion of the Greek to become clearer I cite two figures: in the elections of 2009 PASOK gained 44% of the votes. Today the polls give PASOK 6% of the public support.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Mr. Papandreou could have dealt with the financial crisis (which as I have said reflected the European one) by borrowing from foreign Banks under the usual interest rate of under 5%. If he had done that, there wouldn’t have been the slightest problem for our country. In fact, the opposite would have occurred; because we were on an economic growth path, our standard of living would certainly have risen.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">However, Mr. Papandreou had already begun his conspiracy against the Greek people since the summer of 2009, when he secretly met with Strauss-Kahn, with the objective of driving Greece under the domination of the IMF. The information concerning this meeting was released by the former President of the IMF himself.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">For the situation to reach that end, the country’s real financial status had to be distorted, so that foreign Banks would become nervous and raise the loan interest rates to prohibitive figures. That odious project began with the phony raising of the Public Deficit from 9,2% to 15%. For that felonious deed, the District Attorney, Mr. Peponis indicted Messrs Papandreou and Papakonstantinou (Minister of Finance) 20 days ago. What followed was the systematic campaign by Mr. Papandreou and the Ministry of Finance throughout Europe that lasted 5 months, during which they tried to persuade the foreigners that Greece was a Titanic about to sink, that Greeks were corrupt, lazy and therefore incapable of dealing with the country’s needs. After each of their declarations the interest rates increased, so that it became impossible for us to borrow any more, giving IMF and the European Bank the appearance of being our slavation, when in reality it was the beginning of our death.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In May 2010 a single Minister signed the notorious Memorandum, our complete subservience to our lenders. Greek law stipulates, in such situations, that the adoption of such an important agreement must be decided by three fifths of the Parliament. Therefore, in essence, the Memorandum and the Troika that essentially govern us today, operate illegally not only under Greek but also under European law.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">By now since then, if the steps leading us to our death are twenty, we are already more than half way there. Imagine that with this Memorandum we concede to foreigners our National Independence and our National Property. That is, our harbours, airports, road networks, electricity, water supply, subterranean and underwater wealth, etc., etc. Add to that our historical monuments, like the Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus and such sites, since we have waived all our legal defenses.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Production has come to a standstill, the unemployment rate has reached 18%, 80.000 shops have closed down, along with thousands of small businesses and hundreds of industries. In total, 432.000 enterprises have shut down. Tens of thousands of young scientists are abandoning the country, which is every day sinking into medieval darkness. Thousands formerly wealthy citizens are scavenging on rubbish heaps and sleeping on the pavement.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime, we are supposed to be surviving thanks to the magnanimity of our lenders, the Europe of the Banks and the IMF. In reality, every package deal which charges Greece with tens of billions of Euros is repaid in full, while we are burdened with new unbearable interest rates. And since it is necessary to maintain the State, the Hospitals and the Schools, the Troika is burdening the middle and lower economic strata of society with excessive taxes, leading directly to starvation. A famine took place at the beginning of the German occupation in 1941, with 300.000 people dead in a period of 6 months. Since then, the ghost of hunger is now returning to our defamed and unfortunate country.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">If one considers that the German occupation cost us one million people dead and the total destruction of our country, how is it possible for us Greeks to accept Ms Merkel’s threats and the Germans’ intention to impose on us a new Gauleiter… This time wearing a tie…</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">And to prove just how rich a country is Greece and how hard working and conscious the Greek people (conscious of their Debt to Freedom and love of their country), I cite as an example the time of the German occupation from 1941 until October of 1944. When the SS and hunger killed one million citizens and the Wehrmacht was systematically destroying the country, and stealing all its agricultural production and the gold from the Banks, Greeks saved the people from hunger by creating the National Solidarity Movement and a partisan army of 100.000, which tied down 20 German divisions in our country.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">At the same time not only did Greeks manage to survive thanks to their hard work, but there was also a large growth in Modern Greek art -especially in literature and music- under the terrible conditions of the occupation. Greece chose the path of self-sacrifice for the sake of freedom and simultaneously of survival.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">That is when we were unnecessarily punished, and we responded with Solidarity and Resistance and we survived. Now we are doing exactly the same thing, with the certainty that the Greek people will be the ultimate victors. This is the message I am sending to Ms Merkel and Mr Schäuble, declaring that I remain always a friend to the German People and a fan of their great contribution to Science, Philosophy, Art, and especially Music! And the ultimate evidence of that is probably that I have entrusted the whole of my musical work to two German Publishers, Schott and Breitkopf, who are among the greatest publishers of music in the world and my co-operation with them is extremely friendly.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">They are threatening to throw us out of Europe. If Europe doesn’t want Greece to be a part of it, Greece, for her part, is 10 times more unwilling to be a part of this Merkel- Sarkozy Europe.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Today, Sunday February 12, 2012, I am about to take part in the demonstrations, along with Manolis Glezos, the hero who, in the past, took the swastika down from the Acropolis, signaling the beginning of resistance against Hitler, not only in Greece but throughout Europe. Today, our streets and our squares will be flooded with hundreds of thousands of citizens who will demonstrate their rage against the government and against the Troika. I heard, yesterday, the banker-prime minister proclaiming to the Greek people that “we have reached point zero”. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">But who has led us to this ZERO point within two years? Those same people, who instead of having been imprisoned, blackmail the members of the parliament to sign the New Memorandum, which is even worse than the first one and which will be implemented by the same people following the same methodology which brought us to this point ZERO. Why? Because this is what the IMF and the Euro-Group dictates, blackmailing us that if we disobey, we will go bankrupt…This is a play of the theater of the absurd. All these parties who in fact hate us (foreigners and Greeks) and are the only ones responsible for the dramatic situation to which they have led our country, threaten and blackmail, aiming at continuing their devastating work, i.e. to lead us even beyond point ZERO, to our final elimination.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">We have survived very difficult situations throughout the centuries and it is certain that if they lead us to the brink of death by force, Greeks will not only survive but they will be reborn.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">At this point in time, I have devoted all my efforts to an attempt to dynamically unify the Greek people. I am trying to convince them that IMF and Troika is not a one-way street, that there is an alternative solution. And that solution is to radically change the course of our nation and turn towards Russia for economic co-operation and the setting up of joint ventures in order to exploit our natural wealth under beneficial terms that will safeguard our national interests.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">As for Europe, I suggest we stop buying war material from Germany and France. And that we do everything in our power so that Germany pays back the war reparations they owe us and which currently amount to approximately–including the appropriate interest- 500 billion Euros.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">The only force capable of effecting all these revolutionary changes is the Greek people, unified under a huge Front of Resistance and Solidarity in order to remove the Troika (the IMF and the European banks) from our country. At the same time all their illegal actions (loans, debts, interest, taxes, privatization of national wealth) should be considered as if they never took place. Naturally, their Greek partners, already condemned in our conscience as traitors, will have to be punished.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">I am totally dedicated, body and soul, to this cause (the unification of the People in one Front) and I believe that I will be proved right in the end. I have fought, gun in hand, against Hitler’s occupation. I have experienced the Gestapo’s dungeons. I have been sentenced to death by Germans and have miraculously survived. In 1967 I founded PAF (The Patriotic Anti-dictatorial Front), the first resistance organization against the military junta. I fought underground, was caught and imprisoned in the junta’s “slaughterhouse”. Once again I survived.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">I am today 87 years old and it is very possible that I will not live to see the salvation of my beloved country. But I will die with a clear conscience, because I will continue doing my Duty towards the ideals of Freedom and Justice until the end.</span><br /><br /> Athens, February 2012 Mikis Theodorakis<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

The truth about Greece

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NEW MEDITERRANEAN OIL AND GAS BONANZA

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKy5l-XLtXr2_K8qpjth-eKC8wbYkuMJ0ZNkxytRAcLXtaliI1ySKFAd137s1jQgPdYTWrEw_bq8UbDlNe8HWyrp6MHaHzo7dZboqW-6Mz4o60Hr3He7ta6hRTBVHZFaJaMG9Zs413U-y3/s1600/The+problem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKy5l-XLtXr2_K8qpjth-eKC8wbYkuMJ0ZNkxytRAcLXtaliI1ySKFAd137s1jQgPdYTWrEw_bq8UbDlNe8HWyrp6MHaHzo7dZboqW-6Mz4o60Hr3He7ta6hRTBVHZFaJaMG9Zs413U-y3/s400/The+problem.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="darkgreen" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /><i><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></i></span></div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>CHANGING THE GEOPOLITICAL BALANCE OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN REGION</b></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;">With this article<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><i><span style="font-style: normal;">F. William Engdahl reiterates what I have claimed numerous times on this Blog.</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;">See: </span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html</span></a></span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/12/energy-games-in-eastern-mediterranean.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/12/energy-games-in-eastern-mediterranean.html</a></span></span></i></span><br /><br />The MIDDLE EAST could soon see new battles over rights to oil and gas beneath the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN in the LEVANT BASIN and AEGEAN SEA. The discovery of huge reserves off ISRAEL'S coast is changing the geopolitical balance of power in the region.<br /><br />Energy self-sufficiency had eluded the state of ISRAEL since its founding in 1948. Abundant oil and gas exploration was repeatedly undertaken with meager results. Unlike its energy-rich ARAB neighbors, ISRAEL seemed out of luck. Then, in 2009, ISRAEL’S exploration partner NOBLE ENERGY discovered the Tamar field in the LEVANTINE BASIN, some 50 miles west of Israel’s port of HAIFA and with an estimated 8.3 tcf (trillion cubic feet) of highest-quality natural gas. Tamar was the world’s largest gas discovery in 2009.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNSuAlsyuv_PZFAwTZJ-neL92aC2r6BjEUYVSYJH6X5ugK4HKMVUrkabM8fLZNgToJIapdKZTsR2gRS6EyaGmBFurcj8RlM2BgJ0oYAfRLfKfEV0gtl14i69mWc9EdtxNfTUUf8K9jNpa/s1600/ET_10411Econo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNSuAlsyuv_PZFAwTZJ-neL92aC2r6BjEUYVSYJH6X5ugK4HKMVUrkabM8fLZNgToJIapdKZTsR2gRS6EyaGmBFurcj8RlM2BgJ0oYAfRLfKfEV0gtl14i69mWc9EdtxNfTUUf8K9jNpa/s400/ET_10411Econo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At the time, total ISRAELI gas reserves were estimated at only 1.5 tcf. Government estimates were that ISRAEL'S sole operating field, Yam Tethys, which supplies about 70 per cent of the country's natural gas, would be depleted within three years. <br />With Tamar, prospects began to look considerably better. Then, just a year after Tamar, the same consortium led by NOBLE ENERGY struck the largest gas find in its decades-long history at Leviathan in the same Levantine geological basin. The gas field was discovered in October 2010 and Israel declared it its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).<br /><br />The find is some 84 miles west of the port of HAIFA and three miles deep. They named it Leviathan after the Biblical sea monster. Three ISRAELI energy companies, in cooperation with the HOUSTON TEXAS NOBLE ENERGY, announced initial estimates that the field contained 16 trillion cubic feet of gas—making it the world's biggest deep-water gas find in a decade. To put the number in perspective, that one gas field, Leviathan, would hold enough reserves to supply ISRAEL'S gas needs for 100 years. ISRAEL went from a gas famine to feast in a matter of months.<br /><br />With the Tamar and now Leviathan discoveries, ISRAEL was beginning to discuss how to become a major natural gas export nation, as well as whether to significantly tax gas and oil revenues and place them into an ISRAELI Sovereign Wealth Fund that would make long-term investments in the ISRAELI economy as CHINA and many ARAB OPEC nations do.<br /><br />Perhaps sensing that major oil and gas discoveries were being confirmed with the potential to change the geopolitics of the entire region, the US Geological Survey (USGS) launched its first-ever estimate of the total reserves of oil and gas in the broad region encompassing the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN including the AEGEAN BASIN offshore GREECE, TURKEY and CYPRUS, the Levant Basin offshore LEBANON, ISRAEL and SYRIA, and the Nile Basin offshore Egypt. Their conclusion was impressive to put it mildly. <br />The USGS calculated the total for the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN as a whole currently at 345 tcf of gas and 3.4 billion barrels of oil. Suddenly the entire region is facing completely new geopolitical challenges and conflict potential.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13_ZrxhuoTx1Tca6KOmcMhbeAukUULV1ZBEIlnxmmmf8MPtrdhJXL8oDubEkdhz0o0l-oyhaQqfpavl1bQDIsuJ3gXU-cpFyDI2EkVE32966-4YEdQxZPkgI4SCdZNdBRW2QO6ATpQZ_i/s1600/2008_Nov_VII_GA_Final_Report-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13_ZrxhuoTx1Tca6KOmcMhbeAukUULV1ZBEIlnxmmmf8MPtrdhJXL8oDubEkdhz0o0l-oyhaQqfpavl1bQDIsuJ3gXU-cpFyDI2EkVE32966-4YEdQxZPkgI4SCdZNdBRW2QO6ATpQZ_i/s1600/2008_Nov_VII_GA_Final_Report-1.jpg" /></a></div>To put the numbers in perspective, the USGS estimates that RUSSIA’S WEST SIBERIAN BASIN, the world’s largest known gas basin, holds 643 tcf of gas. The MIDDLE EAST and NORTH AFRICA regions have several natural gas-rich areas, including the Rub Al Khali Basin (426 trillion cubic feet) in southwestern SAUDI ARABIA and NORTHERN YEMEN; the Greater Ghawar Uplift in eastern SAUDI ARABIA (227 tcf) and the Zagros Fold Belt (212 tcf) along the PERSIAN GULF and into IRAQ and IRAN. <br />Just months earlier, securing foreign gas was a national security priority of ISRAEL as existing domestic gas supplies dwindled dangerously low. Further adding to the energy crisis were the so-called Arab Spring protests sweeping across EGYPT into LIBYA in early 2011. The revolts toppled Mubarak, under whose regime EGYPT had supplied some 40 per cent of ISRAELI natural gas.<br /><br />With Mubarak toppled and the ban lifted on EGYPT’S Islamic parties, especially the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD and the radical Salafist Al-Nour Party, the gas pipeline delivering EGYPT’S gas to ISRAEL was the target of repeated sabotage and disruptions. The most recent was in February of this year in northern SINAI. ISRAEL was becoming more than nervous about its future energy security. <br />The discovery of Leviathan by ISRAEL in the waters offshore immediately triggered a new geopolitical conflict as LEBANON claimed that part of the gas field lay in LEBANESE territorial waters in the country’s EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ). LEBANON delivered maps to the UN to back its claim, to which ISRAELI Foreign Minister Lieberman retorted, <i>“We won’t give an inch.” </i><br /><br />The fly in the Mediterranean energy soup is the fact that ISRAEL, like the USA, has never ratified the 1982 UN Convention on Law of the Sea dividing world subsea mineral rights. The ISRAELI gas wells at Leviathan are clearly within undisputed ISRAELI territory as LEBANON affirms. But LEBANON believes the field extends over into their subsea waters as well. The LEBANESE HEZBOLLAH claims that the Tamar gas field, which is due to begin gas deliveries by the end of this year, belongs to LEBANON.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxXxahdQTAg96tbttbQI9sEEj_7aoUc3ngm6dwPafmRI-5uHyLEaHegzxUeGnd38x64b0d5cP4ZTJ2SaEqvHjIS9ZrdNODsi7KDaMZmGTXtQ1Xjgp-hOABa5JUT9JAC1MZp9fsiWC6Uoc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-11-22+at+7_13_47+PM_550x300.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxXxahdQTAg96tbttbQI9sEEj_7aoUc3ngm6dwPafmRI-5uHyLEaHegzxUeGnd38x64b0d5cP4ZTJ2SaEqvHjIS9ZrdNODsi7KDaMZmGTXtQ1Xjgp-hOABa5JUT9JAC1MZp9fsiWC6Uoc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-11-22+at+7_13_47+PM_550x300.png" /></a></div>WASHINGTON has lost no time adding political gasoline to the natural gas dispute between LEBANON and ISRAEL. In July of 2011, Israel was preparing to submit its own proposal to the UN as to where the offshore demarcation line between LEBANON and ISRAEL should run. At the same time, Frederick Hof, the US diplomat responsible for special affairs regarding SYRIA and Lebanon, told LEBANON that the Obama administration endorsed the LEBANESE document. This added to the growing tensions reported since the outbreak of the Arab Spring between ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU and OBAMA.<br /><br />Netanyahu has reportedly recently urged AMERICA’S eighth-wealthiest person, his close friend Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson to pour millions directly into the campaigns of Republicans, including Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. This would represent an unprecedented direct ISRAELI intervention into US presidential candidates’ campaigns, in order to try to avert a second Obama term.  <br />New issues of control of the vast energy reserves being discovered off ISRAELI and LEBANESE, CYPRIOT, TURKISH and GREEK shores will clearly play a growing role in one of the most entangled political regions on Earth.<br /><div class="darkgreen"><i>­F. William Engdahl</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

NEW MEDITERRANEAN OIL AND GAS BONANZA

CHANGING THE GEOPOLITICAL BALANCE OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN REGIONWith this article F. William Engdahl reiterates what I have claimed numerous times on this Blog.See:  http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html ht…

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Please visit e-classroom.co.za - a wonderful South African resource site for R-3 teachers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do take a look at our wonderful ‘proudly South-African” site, </span><a href="http://e-classroom.co.za/" style="font-family: inherit;">http://e-classroom.co.za</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">,  that provides a delightful array of FREE beautifully created worksheets for our South African teachers. This site, e-Classroom,  has reached over 500 000 hits and is the number one “e-classroom” website on Google!<br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9JwmYV7kfyMe_X84gCdXXBjpEdQzhYN1zAxmI0_mr_D94F5fYt__j72mUJ0CAVZWS1Jl8uY9h4BBgASd9OoPLdSflFScQNp2jNGRrAo5iwHLwp6t2RXh1Thvx7Xi5YfK6tB_uMj4hrs/s1600-h/image10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-IzRHt7RYXMjTD_l7aPzWCWXnI0fa1gMyx9G06lrTjdF1wV6B1vNsCTW1hJDfD8WuR9Cd0JEccuzH8aOpoX4-p23gU5j8oDUsa18HNu3MZ55RjW4Tga4OHlKt6qle6fWYhgqqfYpWCE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="223" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">e-Classroom is a portal which provides free support resource material for educators and parents and is aimed at learners in Grades R-3. Their content is very much in line with 21st century learning, and the worksheets are creative and promote motor skills.  These cover the subject matters of Maths, English, Science, Health and Nutrition, Life Skills, Art and Craft. This is all open source and provided to users via their website at no cost.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jkMjLC9rHLD5ojibgsI094P7MqRYAiUMB-YtELeJ1TdyDbInjwiUil3QRFh8c6wC_Brcq9liXrXO_tZUzAMLMdQDwQbMqpb7DF_JWVQ0Dfj8hoXY5-hAPgUI6p6dkn-eH36wqR4Y6hQ/s1600-h/image11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8skUNXquIuIKUX4tRblGbWPTRwLuX_I-G7c6ciBATwP7S-b2WHNSJ2b_4Ro4x_SNJJLrqaDEgUEwwPZ0ICWBG5v5jpfiGvNdTFvuxuSUWkwNeGFWyOI3zMUQthPFVRASujmt0B_Bo_M/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="223" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do take a look around. You’ll see the Foundation Phase CAPS documents have been posted there, and the worksheets are out of this world! These worksheets could save teachers a LOAD of time…something every teacher needs! I am sure the learners will love using them as not only are they beautifully presented, but they are fun to work with. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the new sections that I absolutely LOVE is called ‘Learn to draw’. The learners can practise drawing all sorts of animals using these methods. This is found within the ‘Latest Content’ section where you can browse and see what is on offer that might interest you.</span> <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Save our elephants petition  </b></span> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I noticed this petition form called ‘Save our elephants’ petition on the website on behalf of the IFAW Animal Action Team, encouraging world leaders to uphold and enforce the ban on ivory trade. That’s a good cause to make known to our learners and be involved in right now.</span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNObi-fNz0DFXHQffFBwFG_de9A7OI68CIqZJz42fX3INwPDdY5hS6Uw1mqie4RVxMADSzLCTcFWz9mvNvWvWt5yMs8RvbR54LoZ3R3ZtnNDIIZtaO1-g8qpVXKePdi_JCpY-0vg2y6A/s1600-h/image3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIJuOXvSS_LuqO5LNTdgesc5VT24WQGPDzBukT85_EBmqdl9zygQu3GoCTqncLHybRxbJREBcSPnodXvhaVZuoXR7iWMbCZX0v1NP5AbfYqcZYDEjIwEr8DysNoKDvk6L-dVrpJdexz4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The site owners say “This initiative is open to <i>all</i> primary schools nationally in South Africa and we welcome constructive feedback participation from educators and parents.”  I am sure they would welcome your comments.  Let them know what you think.</span></div>

Lesson plan websites Literacy Resources Website reviews Please visit e-classroom.co.za - a wonderful South African resource site for R-3 teachers

Do take a look at our wonderful ‘proudly South-African” site, http://e-classroom.co.za,  that provides a delightful array of FREE beautifully created worksheets for our South African teachers. This site, e-Classroom,  has reached over 500 000 hits an…

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Make an Internet Start Page for your class using Protopage

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Wondering what an Internet Start Page is? A Start Page is for your classroom Internet use. When students log on to the Internet this page will come up and on it will be links to everything you might want them to use - targetted links, a clock, possibly even a dictionary, notes etc. Let me start off by showing you a sample from the site we will use. This is how it looks before you have  modified the page to your liking.<br /><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLDHniSpJM9EDlBUBkhCIAqmbd320kdoRzPg1Wtm5H2FwJvtszZfwEPMWNK5OGMbFi-QSSWlB_91yI64ctBULEidF6zvBXDvU6bN3nQfDX0mCfIH582Oai26MNkf6G-tCN9W3uJuyK48/s1600/proto1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLDHniSpJM9EDlBUBkhCIAqmbd320kdoRzPg1Wtm5H2FwJvtszZfwEPMWNK5OGMbFi-QSSWlB_91yI64ctBULEidF6zvBXDvU6bN3nQfDX0mCfIH582Oai26MNkf6G-tCN9W3uJuyK48/s320/proto1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>I don't know if you are like I have been when it comes to technology integration? I have all my websites saved in my Diigo bookmarks, and otherwise on files saved on my computer. It was often a mission to pass this on to my students. Recently I read a post by the ever-inspiring <a href="http://askatechteacher.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/how-to-integrate-web-2-0-tools-into-the-classroom/" target="_blank">Jacqui Murray</a> suggesting an Internet Start Page in passing on her post. This idea really 'jumped out' of the page and I started to explore.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p><br />The first thing to do is to open Protopage (<a href="http://http%3B/www.protopage.com" target="_blank">http;//www.protopage.com</a>) to reister and name your page. You then give your page a title, and you start deleting all the 'widgets' that are there as placeholders. You'll end up like this.<br /><o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9vzZlbT0PVJdr0a96u1BRGFtVFGnyld4Xt9X5zgZOookiGSrf-3HeavowF1vQOaU2q8pBuXWEar76onINIjIOuEUgt0h23nwgf9cUMmcI_qDsJXEJT9gbME6WQJCxcSRu2NZhBTkBk/s1600/proto+blank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9vzZlbT0PVJdr0a96u1BRGFtVFGnyld4Xt9X5zgZOookiGSrf-3HeavowF1vQOaU2q8pBuXWEar76onINIjIOuEUgt0h23nwgf9cUMmcI_qDsJXEJT9gbME6WQJCxcSRu2NZhBTkBk/s320/proto+blank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />You can change the background but I haven't explored that aspect yet. From then on you start adding your own widgets by clicking on 'Add widget'.  There are a huge amount to choose from, but I found myself choosing mainly 'bookmarks' and one or two others.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBGH0Af1oRQfkhBVSb2KiozMLK7muGjhx-AcN73PdBgoR27YYvzSH0VzTtBz3kaQmJGnkhb12DIQ-7s3oN4_8HauexksILnLhqTQ_TscVuVmSNb806_4qdn1iqyigk4HMaaAvyrrdjDs/s1600/proto+widgets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBGH0Af1oRQfkhBVSb2KiozMLK7muGjhx-AcN73PdBgoR27YYvzSH0VzTtBz3kaQmJGnkhb12DIQ-7s3oN4_8HauexksILnLhqTQ_TscVuVmSNb806_4qdn1iqyigk4HMaaAvyrrdjDs/s320/proto+widgets.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>You can add as many widgets as you like and make them the size you want as well. You can place them wherever you like on the page. You name them and start adding bookmarks etc. It is such fun! I started to make one to collect Reading and Writing sites for Grade 1 - 6.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Yuy7KVuXuU_mqT7ufog-3fM5a1zZvkKGS0ePgh9ibXJ6ws7Ud3lvz_pUSImuJfVOe6JJLctGoXbrYAz8W16fo-ZnBdmLZzVk7Njfjwrjgiun6aSn_FqqMBFUsv2wRZCYyl-QfVRx-Ho/s1600/proto+mine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Yuy7KVuXuU_mqT7ufog-3fM5a1zZvkKGS0ePgh9ibXJ6ws7Ud3lvz_pUSImuJfVOe6JJLctGoXbrYAz8W16fo-ZnBdmLZzVk7Njfjwrjgiun6aSn_FqqMBFUsv2wRZCYyl-QfVRx-Ho/s320/proto+mine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Jacqui Murray gives the link to her K-8 page, and it is a source of inspiration to me. Take a look at hers yourself:  <a href="http://www.protopage.com/smaatech#Untitled/First_grade">http://www.protopage.com/smaatech#Untitled/First_grade. </a> If you decide to create an Internet Start Page please share your link with me!<o:p></o:p><br /><br /></div>

Make an Internet Start Page for your class using Protopage

Wondering what an Internet Start Page is? A Start Page is for your classroom Internet use. When students log on to the Internet this page will come up and on it will be links to everything you might want them to use - targetted links, a clock, possib…

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