News for today's 2018: 05/08/12

EUROPE

6:46 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl7RQD1dtzuOHl2eM7llR1q_3ObVV9_E-gwfGJvbVf0WTl9uJWpEQSyfZ8SBoLCnuI7aZzyHUhKbAurGZptxGbX0L1CeXj607DfY68BVq9eCvkpWGXkaxWMlQiStxa-NHndNUj8jqresE/s1600/5141-european-union-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl7RQD1dtzuOHl2eM7llR1q_3ObVV9_E-gwfGJvbVf0WTl9uJWpEQSyfZ8SBoLCnuI7aZzyHUhKbAurGZptxGbX0L1CeXj607DfY68BVq9eCvkpWGXkaxWMlQiStxa-NHndNUj8jqresE/s320/5141-european-union-flag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">EUROPE TURNS ON ITS LEADERS</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><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-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;">t was a bitter weekend for Europe. In elections across the continent, voters expressed displeasure with their political leaders. The results were no surprise and reflected deep concern about economic policy and, especially, the impact of the austerity measures that have been adopted to fight off insolvency.</span></span></div><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 250px;"> <tbody><tr>  <td style="padding: 0.75pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td> </tr></tbody></table><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";">While tough choices are necessary, they are unsustainable if they do not enjoy public support. The only question now is how deep the disaffection goes: If voters do not believe that their political system is fair, then the results are likely to shape not just the composition of European governments but their very structure.</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";">The highest-profile election last weekend was the second round of the French presidential ballot, in which Socialist Francois Hollande upset incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr. Hollande will be the first Socialist to occupy the Elysee Palace since Francois Mitterrand's 14-year presidency that ended in 1995. The election was not really close: Mr. Hollande claimed a victory margin of 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent. Mr. Sarkozy conceded defeat 20 minutes after the last poll closed.</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";">The real determinant of the vote was the economy. Unemployment in France tops 10 percent, its highest level in over a decade. Growth is anemic, the trade deficit is growing and the public responded to Mr. Hollande's call to raise taxes on the rich and increase government spending to create more jobs. That posed a stark contrast with the austerity that Mr. Sarkozy backed in tandem with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.</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";">Greek voters are equally disgusted with their leadership and they showed their contempt in a parliamentary ballot also held last weekend. In that election, New Democracy and PASOK, the two parties that supported the bailouts by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, were hammered, picking up less than 40 percent of the vote between them. They held a strong majority in the previous parliament.</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";">By Monday evening, the New Democracy party leadership announced that it was unable to put together a coalition government. Being the largest single party in the legislature with 18 percent of the votes, it had the first opportunity to forge a government. Failing that, the task falls to the leftist Syriza party, which came in second in the vote, and which opposes many of the key planks of the bailout plan. It is reaching out to other parties on the left that share its view on the bailout package.</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";">The rejection of the two mainstream parties and the rise of the fringe on the left and right is as stark a repudiation of the political status quo as can be imagined. Unemployment in Greece is near 22 percent and more layoffs are sure to follow as the EU/IMF austerity package continues to bite.</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";">The problem for the next government in Athens, no matter who leads, is that the country soon needs the next tranche of loans from the IMF and the EU stability fund. But there must be another €11 billion in spending cuts. Failing that, the country is bankrupt.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And while the prospect of a sovereign default or the Greek departure from the euro is worrisome, more disturbing still is contagion to other European economies like Spain or Italy.</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";">While France and Greece seized the headlines, the anti-austerity mood is spreading. In council elections in Britain held last week, the conservatives were drubbed by Labor. With more than 4,700 seats at stake, Labor gained 823 councilors, the conservatives lost 405 and Lib Dems lost 336.</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";">Conservative politicians dismissed the results as ordinary for midterm elections, a more accurate assessment suggests that it is anger and dismay at government policies that have plunged the country back into recession.</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";">A similar outlook was evident in Italy's local elections, also held on Sunday. In those ballots, center-left and fringe parties also scored gains at the expense of the mainstream parties. With unemployment nearing 10 percent, the full scale of voter unease will be apparent in the second round of voting later this month.</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";">The final piece of evidence are elections in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. There, the ruling Christian Democratic Union won 30.8 percent, its lowest share since 1950. Its coalition partner, the Free Democratic Party, fell to 8.2 percent, about half its turnout in the last ballot. Social Democrats won 30.4 percent; working with its traditional Green Party ally, which came third with 13.2 percent of votes cast, and other left parties, they are likely to form the state government.</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";">While this is a local election, the results show shrinking support for Chancellor Merkel, also of the CDU, and reduce her party's influence in the upper house of Parliament.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Austerity is taking its toll, not just economically but politically too. Of the 17 governments that use the euro, 11 leaders have been forced from office since the financial crisis began in 2009. The Greek government is likely to return to the polls in a few weeks if a stable coalition cannot be created. France holds parliamentary elections next month.</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";">If the progressive surge continues, the complexion of French politics will be transformed with the Socialist Party holding the presidency, both houses of Parliament, nearly all regions and two-thirds of French towns.</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";">Mr. Hollande's first order of business will be meeting with Ms. Merkel to find common ground to forge a consensus among Europe's leading powers. Austerity must be softened and a path to renewed growth established.</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";">Rejecting leaders is one thing; the rise of extremist parties across Europe is another. Politicians must now worry whether voters have lost faith in political parties — or the political process.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

EUROPE

EUROPE TURNS ON ITS LEADERS I t was a bitter weekend for Europe. In elections across the continent, voters expressed displeasure with their...

Ten traits of the teacher I would like to be...

9:08 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: small;"></span>  <br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This is a guest post from Sean Hampton-Cole who teaches Geography to senior students at Crawford College in Lonehill, Johannesburg.  When I read this post on his blog </i><a href="http://ideasoutthere.posterous.com/"><i>http://ideasoutthere.posterous.com</i></a><i> I really liked his thoughts and asked him if I could use it on our SchoolNet blog as a guest post. I have never met Sean, but it must be great being a student in his classes. </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would consider myself a good teacher if I were able to get even most of these right…</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Sets up an atmosphere of trust, openness, supportiveness and collaboration where ideas and opinions can be exchanged without fear of failure or ridicule.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Leads by example by being passionate about the learning experience.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Inspires and nurtures innovation, creativity, critical thinking and individual expression.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Possesses a general knowledge of other fields of study and incorporates this knowledge into lessons, encouraging connections between different fields of knowledge.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Has an original and unique style of teaching (follows a spontaneous, intuitive and original methodology).</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Encourages students to learn experientially by exploring, manipulating, researching, questioning, finding connections, experimenting, thinking, and reflecting.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Knows the importance of fun, humour, personal stories, relaxed / informal / open-ended instruction and games in the classroom.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Makes good use of learner-centred activities in order to get them interested, thinking and innovating.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Treats students with respect, integrity and care.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">☺ Allows students to fail safely.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div></div>

Guest post Inspiration Ten traits of the teacher I would like to be...

This is a guest post from Sean Hampton-Cole who teaches Geography to senior students at Crawford College in Lonehill, Johannesburg. When ...

Oh Hey, I'm Back

7:22 AM Tukiyooo 0

I've been absent from The Big Weight.  I'm also pretty good at stating the obvious.<br /><br />I haven't had a lot to say these days, as I've gained/lost the same +/- 5 lbs.  As I had been stating for several weeks now, I've had an incredibly hard time getting my mind back in the healthy eating game since about February. I eat out of boredom, and that's the bottom line.  BUT, I'm not giving up no matter how many failures I have.  I'm going to lose this weight no matter how many "re-starts" it takes.  <br /><br />I had a brief email exchange with fellow blogger <a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/" target="_blank">Kelly @ No Thanks to Cake</a>, and she reminded me that she blogs for her, not for others (thank you SO MUCH for your encouragement Kel!).  As much as I agree with this, clearly I was in the mindset of thinking about what my readers would want to see.   Does anyone really want to keep seeing someone fail who had been on quite a roll previously?  That doesn't sound very inspiring.  But The Big Weight, at the end of the day, is for me.  The more I document my journey here, the more beneficial for  me whenever I do have these stumbling blocks along the way.  I can go back and see what worked before and try to apply those methodologies again.  But if I'm not here writing it down, then I don't have a point of reference.  So hey, here I am again... stumbling around aimlessly or not!<br /><br />Rarely am I able to do both things well on my weight loss journey - I can either eat perfectly (which is rare), staying within my PointsPlus every week, OR I can get in my allotted goal for exercise.  As is typically the case, I've been tearing it up at exercise!  During the weekend of April 28, I <i>ran</i>, not walked, <i>RAN</i>, two 5K's!! <br /><br />On Saturday, I attended the Civista Health & Wellness 5K, which caters to both runners and walkers.  I typically try to run some of the 5K, but I've never been able to do the entire thing.  As the race began, I found this lady who was running at a good pace and I thought, "I can do this.  I'm just going to follow her as long as I can."  And so that's what I did.  I just paced myself according to her and I ran the <b>entire </b>time!  I gave myself positive self talk throughout, reminding myself to breathe, relax my shoulders, and to pace myself.  I did <i>so well</i> and I was incredibly proud of myself!  I also let that lady know what an inspiration she was to me at the end - and she was just as grateful for my kind words to her as I was to her pace-setting. <br /><br />Needless to say I was rather sore after that 5K, but I tried to stay active the rest of the day (by going shopping :) ).  I got this suit for a work function.  I am a very anti-black suit person.  That's all women seem to own and I like to go against the grain.<br /><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/AVvXsEg_nIusXljs1fBifeEGfbTVht3DPpvtIYxvc3Y9qj_bHvomFv2AlQcfkier5r3TQnZ8jun0KOmsji_1_uP2GxAaYJB0T5ErNQtLOsYBE5cbtQG-DHPS3sO15KOnDp5vThB5l8pxx7Eqb80/s1600/white+work+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nIusXljs1fBifeEGfbTVht3DPpvtIYxvc3Y9qj_bHvomFv2AlQcfkier5r3TQnZ8jun0KOmsji_1_uP2GxAaYJB0T5ErNQtLOsYBE5cbtQG-DHPS3sO15KOnDp5vThB5l8pxx7Eqb80/s400/white+work+suit.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just call me Dr. Pritt</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyhow, the very next day I had the March of Dimes - March for Babies.  This was a 5K that is geared toward walking (and I raised $225 for it).  As much as I wanted to say "I ran my first two 5Ks every back to back in one weekend!" I knew I had to be reasonable about it.  I was very sore when I woke up Sunday morning, but as we lined up for the walk and the adrenaline started pumping, I knew I wanted to give this run a shot.  So I did, and I went about the same method: set a nice, reasonable pace and kept encouraging myself that I could do it.  I wasn't out for speed, but for simply finishing without stopping.  I'm not gonna lie though, it was tough - I was sore and also the entire last mile of the race was uphill!  BUT, I did it!!!! I ran the entire thing and I had tears in my eyes <strike>walking </strike>running (I just remembered!) back to my car. <br /><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/AVvXsEiy5JOCKlZnAEntyePrMq3oy-uCqxGL3hE_PVv8XLTcPrgWqn_TpC3iQBBnvT6sh5HPkLJzdKqdI3z_ZRhDfcJgl1S2z27t9iS-_JtNrU58UrXBp9ljEb7GGKL-BKVSg-zBEr6jKsOjk4A/s1600/march+of+dimes+race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5JOCKlZnAEntyePrMq3oy-uCqxGL3hE_PVv8XLTcPrgWqn_TpC3iQBBnvT6sh5HPkLJzdKqdI3z_ZRhDfcJgl1S2z27t9iS-_JtNrU58UrXBp9ljEb7GGKL-BKVSg-zBEr6jKsOjk4A/s400/march+of+dimes+race.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">after the March for Babies</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> <b style="color: #674ea7;">I ran two 5K's the entire way through in 1 weekend!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I <i>do </i>have a LOT to be proud of on this weight loss journey!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6533663.591;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000026530730;pid=48363;usg=AFHzDLswlymL68hwQrdIDtArGhJ6C4BHKQ;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.abt.com%252Fproduct%252F48363%252FNikon-25472-.html;pubid=541254;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fcontent.abt.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2FBDP_Images%2Fbig_d3100.jpg;width=200;height=158" vspace="0" width="200"></iframe></div>