Skylights: Dumbo

About a month ago the <a href="http://www.dumboartsfestival.com/">Dumbo Arts Festival</a> took place in that part of Brooklyn that is Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Not surprisingly, there was plenty of art and installations, one of which was <a href="http://www.skylightsdumbo.com/">Skylights: Dumbo</a> by Engin Ayaz, Adrià Navarro López, Rozit Ardit and Esther Sze-Wing Cheung. I didn't make it to the festival, but for me and everybody else who missed it, here's a video of the installation and its construction:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/51103183?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ff9933" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />And some explanation from the design team:<br /><blockquote>Skylights: Dumbo is a site-specific sculptural pavilion that utilizes ambient lighting within Brooklyn Bridge Park to show star constellations on the ground via cast shadows. The pavilion is organically shaped by site and programmatic constraints such as orientation, views and shadow paths. With its specific shape, location and perforation, the canopy is illustrates the complete star map of New York for the evenings of September 28-30th, the dates of Dumbo Arts Festival 2012.<br /><br />The motivation behind this project is to poetically address the politics of light, and specifically side effects of light pollution in urban settings. By using the streetlight as the source for the star map, the project challenges the visitor to reconnect with the larger planetary scale, the stars that enshroud us.<br /><br />The project has been exhibited in Brooklyn Bridge Park for the Dumbo Arts Festival 2012, and is currently looking for a longer term exhibition location.</blockquote>

Skylights: Dumbo

About a month ago the Dumbo Arts Festival took place in that part of Brooklyn that is Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Not surpris...

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Not So Secure Security Guards

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hola safety conscious folks! How ‘bout a story? Great! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxg9m5NXP44GyQQvGe6yz6m4QdAKB1oDLDLg5gibCjpSMha0DesSVwM64QMyCXViU58zSveci86k6OnMw7a0uA_DC2FMWQZXJmaISyYuCcRCneFVzsyFmgOaBuvn7aJc_VjLH2qSbFjA/s1600/Barney+Fife.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxg9m5NXP44GyQQvGe6yz6m4QdAKB1oDLDLg5gibCjpSMha0DesSVwM64QMyCXViU58zSveci86k6OnMw7a0uA_DC2FMWQZXJmaISyYuCcRCneFVzsyFmgOaBuvn7aJc_VjLH2qSbFjA/s320/Barney+Fife.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>I was working for a manufacturing company in Springfield, Missouri and security was a major concern throughout the company. They decided that all security guards, no matter the location, would be employed by the company and not a private security company, and they would all be armed.<br /><br />One of them was a guy in mid-50’s who was retired military. He took his job very seriously and loved to stop people and ask us where our employee badges that we were supposed to wear at all times were. He also took his time to do all paperwork on visitors and made sure things were done in an orderly proficient manner. And to be honest with you he didn’t see all that stable to me. <br /><br />One Sunday afternoon one of the managers decided he need to spend some time at the office to get some stuff done. While he was busy working away he suddenly heard a gunshot. He listened for a minute and decided it was nothing and went back to work. Then he heard another ... and then another!<br /><br />He quickly called security, but nobody answered at the security booth. After he finally got ahold of the security guard, the manager asked if had heard gunshots. The security guard said “Oh, that was me, there’s nothing to worry about.” When asked what he was doing the guard said “I was just shooting catfish in the company pond.” <br /><br />But wait that’s not all .....<br /><br />Over the week of the 4th of July things were a bit slow so they decided to shut down for the whole week. So, the poor security guards were really bored that week.<br /><br />One night after sunset this same security guard was making his rounds when he realized that somebody had entered into the office area. He checked out front to see whose car was there and saw a big white conversion van. He knew that none of the bosses drove anything like that so he decided to investigate.<br /><br />Just as he got to the front offices he heard somebody in the General Manager’s office. Now he knew there was a problem! He slowly approached the office so as to not make a sound. He very carefully drew his gun. He stood next to the door for a second and then stepped into the office, pointed his gun and yelled “FREEZE!”<br /><br />At this point the 65 year old cleaning lady screamed and threw her arms into the air. She was so scared and excited that the spray bottle of cleaner and the cleaning rags she was holding went flying through the air. The spray bottle hit the desk with a loud “THUD” and broke open.<br /><br />The scream from the cleaning lady and the thud from the spray bottle scared the security guard. He jumped to the side and instinctively pulled the trigger on the gun, and gunned down the boss’s cactus plant. <br /><br />At this point the cleaning lady screamed again and ran past the security guard knocking him to the ground. She ran through the building and outside and got into the van and drove to an convenience store and asked the clerk to call 911. She excitedly told them about how she was cleaning an office when some old guy tried to hold her up and took a shot at her.<br /><br />While she was online with 911 the police got another call. The security guard was telling them that he had caught a burglar in the act and the burglar had shoved him down and run out of the building.<br /><br />They took the guns away from the security guards the next day.<br /><br />Jayman<br /><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman_IWS </a><br /><br />In other news we had yet another classic IWS show on Wednesday. We talked about the Second Presidential Debate, hyper partisanship, defended undecided voters, talked about anonymous asshole trolls on the internet and more. Then we took a call from Drive-By Mikey who told us about experimenting with Bath Salts and then from Missy who updated us on her cold through her sexy raspy voice. Good times! Check it out! <br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fim-with-stupid%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fim-with-stupid%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio</div></div>

Not So Secure Security Guards

Hola safety conscious folks! How ‘bout a story? Great! I was working for a manufacturing company in Springfield, Missouri and security was a...

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Technical Program Manager (Semiconductor Equipment hardware |scheduling | budgeting | Negotiation | Product Life Cycle | Supply chain) (#108748)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="WordSection1"><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Job Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Technical Program Manager<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Milpitas, CA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Duration:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Fulltime<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Job Description: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Business Unit:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> GSS group<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We are looking for a Technical Program Manager to drive various Engineering programs/projects in support the Spares supply chain for our fleet of over 200 fielded products.  The successful candidate will join the GSS Sustaining Engineering group with global teams with wide range of multiple engineering disciplines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Responsibilities:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Lead cross-functional teams that are focused on the delivery of a product or part from design to release for customers:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1.Creates presentations as required to support internal and external program reviews<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2.Develops, defines, executes and tracks project plans, schedules, budgets and deliverables<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3.Identifies needed resources for projects<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4.Defines and assigns major project roles<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5.Monitors the product/program/project from initiation through delivery, interfacing with internal/external customers or field-based employees on technical matters as needed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6.Assigns and monitors work of other engineers, providing technical support and direction<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7.Able to effectively interface with functional engineering managers, program managers, marketing, applications, manufacturing, field service and customers<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8.Proactively communicates issues and manages the solution paths<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9.Able to lead and manage multifunctional teams which may be globally distributed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10.Good understanding of the Product Life Cycle (PLC) process.  Hold Design and Gate Reviews with cross-functional and facilitate necessary approval.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11.Ensures that the PLC is communicated and followed within the program's engineering team.  Provides feedback to the process development team on ways to improve the PLC.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">12.Perform other duties as assigned<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Education and Experience:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The successful candidate will likely have:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1.Experience with semiconductor Equipment hardware - Electrical, Mechanical systems and assemblies.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2.Strong communication and problem solving skills<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3.Able to present project status and review to senior management staff<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4.Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with the ability to influence, motivate, mentor and lead team resources<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5.Sufficient technical knowledge and experience to be able to communicate effectively with the engineering teams and to check/review their plans and progress<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6.Able to multitask and set priority based on changing business environment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7.Ability to translate, statistically analyze data and effectively report problems/status through written and/or graphical formats<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8.Well verse in MS Office Application suite including Project<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9.Self-starter; self-motivator; willing to do what it takes to get the job done<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10.Able to perform data mining and analysis in Excel and Access is a plus<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11.Good understanding of the role of Service in the semiconductor equipment industry is a plus<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">12.Experience in working with Supply Chain including supplier negotiation is a plus<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Basic Qualification:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Minimum 2 years of Project/Program Management AND<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Doctorate in Engineering/Physics with at least 8 years of experience OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Master's Level Degree in Engineering/Physics with at least 10 years of experience. OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Bachelor's Level Degree in Engineering/Physics with at least 12 years of experience. OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Related relevant industry experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Please send in your resumes to <a href="mailto:vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com">vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com</a></span></b></div></div></div>

Technical Program Manager (Semiconductor Equipment hardware |scheduling | budgeting | Negotiation | Product Life Cycle | Supply chain) (#108748)

Job Title: Technical Program Manager Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Fulltime Job Description: Business Unit: GSS group We are looking ...

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Today's archidose #627

All eyes are on Ohio with the recent opening of <a href="http://www.mocacleveland.org/">MOCA Cleveland</a>. Here is a look at it and some other pieces of contemporary architecture in Ohio, photographed by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/">Taiyo Watanabe</a>.<br /><br />MOCA Cleveland, <a href="http://www.farshidmoussavi.com/">Farshid Moussavi</a> (2012):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897849214/" title="MOCA Cleveland (2012) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="MOCA Cleveland (2012)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/7897849214_1d90f01ae2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.toledomuseum.org/glass-pavilion/">Glass Pavilion</a> at Toledo Museum of Art, SANAA (2006):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897861364/" title="Glass Pavilion, Toledo Museum of Art (2006) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Glass Pavilion, Toledo Museum of Art (2006)" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7897861364_967b926684_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://contemporaryartscenter.org/">Contemporary Arts Center</a> (Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art) in Cincinnati, <a href="http://www.zaha-hadid.com/">Zaha Hadid Architects</a> (2003):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897870580/" title="Contemporary Arts Center (Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art) (2003) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Contemporary Arts Center (Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art) (2003)" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/7897870580_1c738824ce_b.jpg" width="533" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://akronartmuseum.org/">Akron Art Museum</a> in Akron, <a href="http://www.coop-himmelblau.at/">Coop Himmelb(l)au</a> (2007):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897828854/" title="Akron Art Museum (2004) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Akron Art Museum (2004)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/7897828854_607b68bbab_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The Vontz Center for Molecular Studies at the University of Cincinnati, Frank Gehry (1999):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897869868/" title="The Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, University of Cincinnati (1999) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="The Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, University of Cincinnati (1999)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7897869868_e725337cee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Zimmer Stair at University of Cincinnati, Wes Jones - <a href="http://www.jonespartners.com/">J.P;A</a> (1996):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897868460/" title="Zimmer Stairs, University of Cincinnati (1996) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Zimmer Stairs, University of Cincinnati (1996)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7897868460_50763293fb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://rockhall.com/">Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum</a> in Cleveland, <a href="http://www.pcf-p.com/">I.M. Pei</a> (1995):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897848626/" title="Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1995) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1995)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7897848626_0f718cce56_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.wexarts.org/">Wexner Center for the Arts</a> in Columbus, <a href="http://www.eisenmanarchitects.com/">Eisenman Architects</a> (1989):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/taiyo_watanabe/7897863148/" title="Wexner Center for the Arts (1989) by Taiyo Watanabe, on Flickr"><img alt="Wexner Center for the Arts (1989)" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8308/7897863148_eee610b842_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #627

All eyes are on Ohio with the recent opening of MOCA Cleveland . Here is a look at it and some other pieces of contemporary architecture in ...

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Where Will The Next Pandemic Come From? And How Can We Stop It? | Popular Science

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; " class=""><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; " class="">In June 2008, a Dutch woman named Astrid Joosten left the Netherlands with her husband for an adventure vacation in Uganda. It wasn't their first trip to Africa, but it would be more consequential than the others.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); " class="">At home in Noord-Brabant, Joosten, 41, worked as a business analyst for an electrical company. Both she and her spouse, a financial manager, enjoyed escaping Europe on annual getaways. In 2002, they had flown to Johannesburg and, stepping off the airplane, felt love for Africa at first sight. On later trips they visited Mozambique, Zambia, and Mali. The journey to Uganda in 2008, booked through an adventure-travel outfitter, would allow them to see mountain gorillas in the southwestern highlands of the country as well as some other wildlife and cultures. They worked their way south toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where the gorillas reside. On one day, the operators offered a side trip, an option, to a place called the Maramagambo Forest, where the chief attraction was a site known as Python Cave. African rock pythons lived there, languid and content, grown large on a diet of bats.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); " class="">Joosten's husband, later her widower, is a fair-skinned man named Jaap Taal, a calm fellow with a shaved head and dark, roundish glasses. Most of the other travelers didn't fancy this Python Cave offering, he told me later. "But Astrid and I always said, 'Maybe you come here only once in your life, and you have to do everything you can.' " They rode to Maramagambo Forest and then walked a mile or so, gradually ascending, to a small pond. Nearby, half-concealed by moss and other greenery, like a crocodile's eye barely surfaced, was a low, dark opening. Joosten and Taal, with their guide and one other client, climbed down into the cave.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); " class="">The footing was bad: rocky, uneven, and slick. The smell was bad too: fruity and sour. Think of a dreary barroom, closed and empty, with beer on the floor at three a.m. The cave seemed to have been carved by a creek, or at least to have channeled its waters, and part of the overhead rock had collapsed, leaving a floor of boulders and coarse rubble, a moonscape, coated with guano like a heavy layer of vanilla icing. It served as a major roosting site for the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), a crow-size chiropteran that's widespread and relatively abundant in Africa and the Middle East. The cave's ceiling was thick with them—many thousands, agitated and chittering at the presence of human intruders, shifting position, some dropping free to fly and then settling again. Joosten and Taal kept their heads low and watched their step, trying not to slip, ready to put a hand down if needed. "I think that's how Astrid got infected," Taal told me. "I think she put her hand on a piece of rock, which contained droppings of a bat, which are infected. And so she had it on her hand." Maybe she touched her face an hour later, or put a piece of candy in her mouth, "and that's how I think the infection got in her."</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); " class="">No one had warned Joosten and Taal about the potential hazards of an African bat cave. They knew nothing of a <a href="http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/virus" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(119, 119, 187); text-decoration: none; " class="">virus</a> called Marburg (though they had heard of <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-06/ebola-virus-cured-monkeys-hours-after-infection" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(119, 119, 187); text-decoration: none; " class="">Ebola</a>). They only stayed in the cave about 10 minutes. They saw a python, large and torpid. Then they left, continued their Uganda vacation, visited the mountain gorillas, took a boat trip, and flew back to Amsterdam. Thirteen days after the cave visit, home in Noord-Brabant, Joosten fell sick.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; " class="">At first it seemed no worse than the flu. Then her temperature climbed higher and higher. After a few days, she began suffering organ failure. Her doctors, knowing of her recent time in Africa, suspected Lassa virus or maybe Marburg. "Marburg," said Taal, "what's that?" Joosten's brother looked it up on Wikipedia and told him: "Marburg virus: It kills, could be big trouble." In fact, it's a filovirus, the closest relative to the ebolaviruses (of which there are five species, including the most infamous, Ebola). Marburg was first discovered in 1967, when a group of African monkeys, imported to Marburg an der Lahn, in western Germany, for medical research uses, passed a nasty new virus to laboratory workers. Five people died. In the decades since, it has also struck hundreds of Africans, with a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; " class="">The doctors moved Joosten to a hospital in Leiden, where she could get better care and be isolated from other patients. There, she developed a rash and conjunctivitis; she hemorrhaged. She was put into an induced coma, a move dictated by the need to dose her more aggressively with antiviral medicine. Before she lost consciousness, though not long before, Taal went back into the isolation room, kissed his wife, and said to her, "Well, we'll see you in a few days." Blood samples, sent to a lab in Hamburg, confirmed the diagnosis: Marburg. She worsened. As her organs shut down, she lacked for oxygen to the brain, she suffered cerebral edema, and before long Joosten was declared brain-dead. "They kept her alive for a few more hours, until the family arrived," Taal told me. "Then they pulled the plug out, and she died within a few minutes."</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; " class="">More ...</div></div><a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-08/out-wild?single-page-view=true" class="">http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-08/out-wild?single-page-view=true</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; " class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Where Will The Next Pandemic Come From? And How Can We Stop It? | Popular Science

In June 2008, a Dutch woman named Astrid Joosten left the Netherlands with her husband for an adventure vacation in Uganda. It wasn't th...

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You don't need another gadget to be a great teacher.

As I'm heading to S<a href="http://www.sde.com/teacher-conferences/details.asp?id=1220" target="_blank">DE's PowerUP with Technology conference in Chicago</a>, I'm pondering the two kinds of teachers. There are two kinds of teachers: paper and pavement. Paper teachers know all the things to do on paper, but when it comes to hitting the pavement with action, they come up short. They can't quite get how to deal with an unruly class or respond to a child who doesn't want to be there. The kind of teachers I like are pavement people.<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/AVvXsEg3PTjDuJqTIE0_dSqFaa7W8Es9LuekIr6DOznhqUQudOVOvq88npdDHGVJgBl_a-jmitMSe1galAL3F1A-cutBDCwAeamUVMfejlIACJPwEfNdd1FNzayohdmaCGZgMoFa_cK0kGgYdVqS/s1600/bigstock-man-giving-his-hand-over-a-pil-37063444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PTjDuJqTIE0_dSqFaa7W8Es9LuekIr6DOznhqUQudOVOvq88npdDHGVJgBl_a-jmitMSe1galAL3F1A-cutBDCwAeamUVMfejlIACJPwEfNdd1FNzayohdmaCGZgMoFa_cK0kGgYdVqS/s320/bigstock-man-giving-his-hand-over-a-pil-37063444.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If a teacher is only booksmart, it is tough to teach. These paper tigers<br />know all the words but can't quite find the words when facing a rebellious<br />teen or a misbehaving seventh grader.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2>Paper Tigers</h2>Paper people can write perfect words. They can speak them too. Well versed, well phrased, and sometimes well-oiled, it all sounds great. <br /><br /><h3>X marks the spot... or does it?</h3>We can also allow paper to convince us that we are sorely amiss and cannot be a good teacher without "x." Advertising has as an objective to arouse an eager want. The easiest way to do that is to think that you are lacking something. There is something gravely amiss in you, your school, and your classroom that you can only have if you get "x." You are fatally flawed without "x" and cannot make it. Then, we're going to prove to you why "x" will solve your problem. You must have "x" and raise money and sacrifice everything to get it. <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/AVvXsEh9xfTuvM06_F1H7yZ1EEpOAStl2TI1ltNWOdJNT9eQY4Mr6DMGP30Juodej5n-xIOMs0TNOaaevDhur889LG3Nz2GF9eJ4Y99Q8upcsbTgw9UEAuOFAsgLPZklzAFyMwL3tdMywHzXUe2b/s1600/bigstock-The-Word-Treasure-Written-In-T-1715905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xfTuvM06_F1H7yZ1EEpOAStl2TI1ltNWOdJNT9eQY4Mr6DMGP30Juodej5n-xIOMs0TNOaaevDhur889LG3Nz2GF9eJ4Y99Q8upcsbTgw9UEAuOFAsgLPZklzAFyMwL3tdMywHzXUe2b/s320/bigstock-The-Word-Treasure-Written-In-T-1715905.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can be fooled into thinking that if someone will just sign<br />that "x" on the bottom of a purchase order so you can have "x"<br />that you will be an ex-poor teachers. Good teachers can become greater<br />with an excellent use of technology, poor teachers will languish no matter<br />what "x" you give them. Be careful to remember that YOU are the greatest<br />asset your classroom has and that can't be found in something<br />that can be shipped from coast to coast.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On paper, they convince you that you must have something -- not necessarily that you must DO something but have something.<br /><br />Then, the day comes, you buy "x" and you get it into your classroom. They send you the paper to understand how to use x, but that is just it -- it is paper, written by someone who has never used "x" and doesn't understand pedagogy of using anything in the classroom. It is all on paper. So, "x" gathers dust in the corner of your room, until you see it. As you are scanning the internet, you realize you have another problem that only "y" will solve. <br /><br />"Y" -- really? WHY?<br /><br />This is life and we need things to be able to teach. I'd really want a 1:1 ipad program in my school, but the fact is that until the teachers are ready to IMPLEMENT a 1:1 ipad and we have the infrastructure, it is a waste of money.<br /><br />The fact is that <b>100% of the people won't be satisfied until 100% of the kids are in the top 1% of students. </b>Our sheer method of measurement breeds discontent and dissatisfaction. Yes, we should always work to be more, but when I run, I don't measure myself against the speed of teenagers, but against myself to see if I'm improving consistently.<br /><br />There is a big difference between pavement and paper.<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/AVvXsEjBKpydWKnsX-Uvrq4m1HOTYDFiqYRnTe5cr3I5sU6GO8axxeZBKNZMLbIiXUpnps61pf9z8vp1HVM_iXJ9zXeVaosxKcWBP4-TzQ6eQulfh0SgyW9fu2uDVwygQtxe0e2Off3gEBA31jql/s1600/bigstock_Teacher_Helping_Teen_Pupils_St_3916400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKpydWKnsX-Uvrq4m1HOTYDFiqYRnTe5cr3I5sU6GO8axxeZBKNZMLbIiXUpnps61pf9z8vp1HVM_iXJ9zXeVaosxKcWBP4-TzQ6eQulfh0SgyW9fu2uDVwygQtxe0e2Off3gEBA31jql/s320/bigstock_Teacher_Helping_Teen_Pupils_St_3916400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What you do with what you have is more important than what you have.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2>Pavement Pounders</h2>Pavement is what happens daily. It is what you do. The fact is that you could buy the shiniest, happiest "x" but in reality, the best thing you might could do is to spend time with each of your students daily. Or, to listen to them. Or, to customize the classroom. Or to put in a passion-based project where your students can explore and share their passions. Or, to look in the eyes of your students daily and call them by name.<br /><br />It is about what you DO in the classroom more than what you HAVE. It always has been.<br /><br /><h3>Teaching on the Pavement in Inner City Mumbai</h3>I was in Mumbai, India with my students several years a go for a Flat Classroom mini-conference at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.asbindia.info:8081/drupal/ASB_Un-plugged/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="ASB Unplugged">ASB Unplugged</a> and we were at a school for street children. They came here to learn english. The room was a recreation room that doubled as a school for a few hours a day and there were two large dry erase boards that the teachers took to two different parts of the room as the children sat on mats.<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="http://api.ning.com/files/76vor3f2s5DbFUFW4xqGm8At0nLawmofQpP7zkvUue0Dq6NAfUKgX72dZKiOJ8XNrnzRfAMIjNytV*sDpSzsK0H5txEHNlzl/DSCN0900.JPG?width=737&height=552" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://api.ning.com/files/76vor3f2s5DbFUFW4xqGm8At0nLawmofQpP7zkvUue0Dq6NAfUKgX72dZKiOJ8XNrnzRfAMIjNytV*sDpSzsK0H5txEHNlzl/DSCN0900.JPG?width=737&height=552" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teacher Suzie Nesticos and one of my students at the Akansha school in Mumbai.<br />Our next <a href="http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/" target="_blank">Flat Classroom conference</a> is in Yokohama, Japan in March.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The lucky kids had small notepads, barely the size of their palms, and pencils literally chewed down to the nub. When they ran out of paper, they started over at the beginning of the notebook again trying to get every spare speck of that piece of paper so they could remember. They were being taught how to have jobs requiring good customer service skills, how to write letters, and how to speak English. Those students on that dirty floor in Mumbai with traffic just outside the window spewing pollution in through the open windows knew more English than many educated here in the US. And they had less. But they had one BIG important thing.<br /><br />They had two highly motivated, hard working teachers. These teachers were pavement people because they had no books and had little, but they had their hearts and their determination to help these children whose only hope out of the slums was to learn what they were teaching. It was enough.<br /><br /><h2>You are enough.</h2>Beware of inferring that I'm saying we need bare-bones, dirty rec rooms to learn in. <b>But if you don't have an engaged, hard working teacher at the helm, you might as well have that.</b><br /><br />I just want you as the teacher to know that "x" or "y" or "z" or whatever the advertiser or magazine says you HAVE to have to be a great teacher is a lie. You have all you need to be a great teacher, right there inside of you.<br /><br /><h3>It is about your DO and your WHO.</h3>It is what you DO every day. It is WHO you are. It is your CHARACTER in doing the right thing when no one is looking. The best teachers teach like crazy whether admin is in the building or not. If you're there just for show and don't plan lessons the other days of the year (when not being reviewed), then get out of the profession of teaching. <br /><br /><b>This profession is for PROFESSIONALS.</b> We teach all day every day and work very hard. We work to reach every student and have a calling higher than a contract on a piece of paper. We have a lot in common with those dedicated women in the rec room in Mumbai because we are here with all we have, to use everything we have to reach all students we have been assigned to teach.<br /><br /><h3>You can't buy a fix for education with a Purchase Order</h3>I'm just tired of the advertising mumbo-jumbo trying to "sell" solutions to "fixing" education. I've been teaching 11 years at a school with half the funding of most local schools and twice the results. It is because I and most of the other teachers here don't need someone to look over our shoulder to do our jobs. We work hard and excel anyway. We are pavement people.<br /><br /><h3>Be the improvement</h3>You probably are too, you just need encouragement to do the right thing even when no one is looking. You have people whining and complaining everywhere you turn, don't be one of them.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Be the kind of teacher that this world needs. </li><li>Be excellent. </li><li>Pound the pavement every day as you habitually work hard to be the best teacher these students have ever had.</li></ul><br /><br />As for me, I believe that as long as I have the living God as my daily guide, and I show up with all I have to reach every student, that my classroom will be blessed beyond my wildest dreams no matter what we don't have. They have me. That is enough.<br /><br /><br />- Written on my iPad using Blog Press by Vicki Davis, author, Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds<br /><br />PhotoCredits Bigstock.com - photos not for reuse without relicensing from Bigstock - <a href="http://www.bigstockphoto.com/">http://www.bigstockphoto.com</a><br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=c6537b97-df08-4aa4-a50d-6e7b78b26c19" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

You don't need another gadget to be a great teacher.

As I'm heading to S DE's PowerUP with Technology conference in Chicago , I'm pondering the two kinds of teachers. There are two ...

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guest posting at living savvy

I'm 'out of the office today' helping out my friend <a href="http://www.savvydesignwest.com/" target="_blank">Tiffany</a> while she moves into her fab new house. I'm talking about my 5 favorites of fall, and I'll give you a hint - they are good.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Head on over to <a href="http://www.savvydesignwest.com/2012/10/5-fall-favorites-little-black-door.html" target="_blank">Living Savvy and check it out</a>!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ta-Oet2bezIasgdnJNWbSXcsewCHzlGSc23LLhVroVff_mKBrV7sZrhLXpLdDmbqKyxRbj6v8u5zEHm_I9C0QtETLFffYL-miHh-kX8vE84yX51-jhnbmAzOixsr9pvSlQ0tBlWrHCbp/s1600/5+favs+of+fall+Banner.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ta-Oet2bezIasgdnJNWbSXcsewCHzlGSc23LLhVroVff_mKBrV7sZrhLXpLdDmbqKyxRbj6v8u5zEHm_I9C0QtETLFffYL-miHh-kX8vE84yX51-jhnbmAzOixsr9pvSlQ0tBlWrHCbp/s640/5+favs+of+fall+Banner.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>

guest posting at living savvy

I'm 'out of the office today' helping out my friend Tiffany while she moves into her fab new house. I'm talking about my 5 ...

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South Africa and Lesotho’s success at Microsoft’s Innovative Teacher Forum (PILF) in Morocco

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72uo6EaOLUOAp1TeqnsneG54k7HAtPyBE_uCItayVhFkos-o1oAARpJiBYYtn8658PpEnCZW1MCK4eW75i-7prHuKeR94chf36L1SsPGjIOh9GUPsK-1yOCViUXyAkPMXxrqZBV2f0qk/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzIxjJVff73FAYh9odG-_Dz2_PYlFU1fuo-ANSn-lgO2EesfniV1Rh8Wb8mIpTNXHmfQYbbzlGUnbA8RZLNw5TKHmrK35s2qpmIsnwuatNqF69zvN3mrZ04DeGoy-SNa9D03mpNLb7WE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="200" /></a></div><br /><i>Submitted by Megan Rademeyer of School<span style="font-size: small;"><b>N</b></span>et</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From 27 – 29 September 2012 more than 200 participants from 25 countries participated in the Middle East and Africa Partners in Learning Forum held in Marrakesh, Morocco. Included in the group were seven winning teachers from the South African and Lesotho Partners in Learning Forums who presented their projects to other innovative teachers from the region. </span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKigaNoQsDS3txvKF9B2CQiX9xD8dfHJv1ZsANz2YTAcD_7_D-v2VO-PK-u89DPc9Sfua6JJYCjeElmaqZXKPKOF473VWfKPLo4di2nvEKzK21dzpDllGTp9VlvvNjCm318qowotNMc0/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuRAW_hH8jJXJyNVGfJbPtgV_SAfPH5lCTGK3u2dS_TR7su2TF1zEpySaU3nO8p9MX2ko7nNPE7FfQ_9_B-KQVzwJQYB0Cn0AZ8uohtVFp-M17s3OhgoId81AymB-shllq9np0hbA_dw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We are proud of our two winners from SA and Lesotho</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Charli Wiggill (from Eden College in Durban, South Africa) and Kabelo Lucille Mahlatsi (from Leqele High School in Maseru, Lesotho) were among the winners selected to represent their region at the Global Partners in Learning Forum which will be held in Prague in November, 2012.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5oHN2kqVznHO_sGdLqctaAm7dv-5BdXiMigYO32Zb95uOv5ZIJ6duE503_hd1EvqatrjOSAADkXKAwfZughMpbZOIzp2QAliUftbvSr1oorTgkTJVRlzthTzE_nQbRA7r4tmeB51npk/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIv88-oDXkUjeA2iZzNnGMPqz5_GhwVTWFjwha3jD41A2uC5ZKCMt9gTba3vzMg1jMpSN3YpZtXSVilZ8gbMuDeEssR2A14Z5mZogdH0Q8wcExy53WDTD2upY1JRUTQUKTHBO3Lu6t15k/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="298" /></a></div><br /><u></u><u></u> <br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Charli Wiggil’s project ‘Pay it Forward for the Blind’</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Charli Wiggill’s project, “Pay it Forward for the Blind” involved learners identifying with the blind and manufacturing memory game cards in Braille. As an extension project, they adapted existing educational games and designed and created new educational games and toys for the blind. As a Pass it Forward-type exercise, they communicated with and collaborated with other learners in their class and around the world to collect stories recorded as MP3 files which blind children can access and listen to.To read more about this project and to see a short video about it see: <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/Resources/LearningActivities/Details/e3f3b4c6-5d17-4c6d-a939-02f5ef60bdae">http://www.pil-network.com/Resources/LearningActivities/Details/e3f3b4c6-5d17-4c6d-a939-02f5ef60bdae</a></span></span><br />  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLx7T1KbgF9lJnMrvKKUk96aLdbsfKJ2qtIEavmpxne29TlZij-IhigVc44B3lQPbik0q7SpSiPQ0FeVni0pvwZeDnZGxGKVGSn79aI6gmT28n_yRhQxiy-OX7MAuykBveTGgasXrYUk/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqVXr8k7xI40CltYkx_AVLoyh27VEsqdhPNQSQvHGkBWqotJMdgycLjGgPR0iBzVC0L44zw1LrCz5jy5F7OtwP9-IwCfGYuUZ7YtWpFepgZhMOQ3YMwUWJwjKAwvfm1c1AG-8xQiyEyo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lucille Mahlatsi’d project ‘Literature at our fingertips’</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Lucille Kabelo Mahlatsi’s project entitled “Literature at our fingertips” involved learners becoming familiar with the language and background of Shakespearian play “Julius Caesar” through a number of activities. One group of artists created portraits of complex scenes from the play. The researcher group compared Julius Caesar and Moshoeshoe. The third group conducted a debate and the fourth group modernized and simplified the play whilst the actor group performed the play.<span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span>This project can be viewed as a Learning Activity on the Partners in Learning Network at: <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/Resources/LearningActivities/Details/512e34b3-98f4-4c73-8311-e3767408fd21">http://www.pil-network.com/Resources/LearningActivities/Details/512e34b3-98f4-4c73-8311-e3767408fd21</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Qm21HCkxo09AQ_0yFqOBnR5iWj6wJF_QvrivWA4h1EiMJeyFDaBF2qL3EcuE0L_QVboYqQHy_PMf4OAnrtiH674LBXFMOSExuXrNptyS34w6TzWt34tPtAcPghoRDJbGmv1asG_7sjs/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYJs1b819MpWPwjuIDiiO6Dlt-4Q7-XC9QvFQ1nNrXRWeUiol16AhErfbt8xie_niraoipu3vQQIfVsxwt-cIPDQeo23TU4b9C0o82UPRMq3UXxPQxQTG6omVHd6qyc4SQ4yzMqXI99E/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />The Innovative School’s track at the Forum</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Middle East and Africa Partners in Learning Forum included a track for Innovative Schools and representatives from a number of schools in the region enjoyed sharing their experiences and learning from one another. The South African delegation included a representative from St Cyprians School, which has been asked to be a Mentor school, and two representatives from St Marys School – Waverly, which has been selected as an Innovative Pilot School. </span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA8v_M4YgSFRyBpfOrEabVJJ1WAi0qFO_2SSL0cKtzhIpIvE58DEu53PQY54iwmp1pLQeU58xPqJVxQM0QCwqIKREErjxiian-g47-qxKavLcus2xOT9GwQoHw5inXwcIoUAi7Ewiw-Q/s1600-h/image%25255B20%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF_WAci-pIPrUbHOOOC4sYYtdBljCd3SQfDAYZVKFQvvUJuXlyFauy1pukf_k-ztDANpB9rGiR0V_WF3JwFhs04Mf-0Of7eECk6rCtWCsus621P_MAke9TTc7Ck7t47cj5l5Dv4qAy7Y/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i>Partners in Learning </span>Prague Gobal Forum is coming up in November</b></span></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During the Forum the South African and Lesotho teachers were grouped with teachers from other countries and asked to develop a new project that they can work on in their respective countries. The best project that is produced will be selected to be showcased at the Global Partners in Learning Forum in Prague. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTNKZeTDBQeRZISf9McX-pOczpQc2dkW3Ae85Jm74Yin1TibfAXYMRuuU3SVjqCIAlrAQNfqwgL3VCOCkleBoP0QjvkD_kQP5PJujkPwDUPoSUXBp9HlsRS0iPMHjefZoZSDCwwHvzV4/s1600-h/image%25255B23%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8cjJ10XJS4ZfkaHvoyyUq1E17fWkL7Iv8oiEDRiMe291eWRgnwJ8bm-f2J5N64buJE_cjYMGNDDtnRlytF7AUzBuR2veUJ0LTfaI1nxpgqUODoyFlaW75XNt968jZfiXcAsqm-K3BUU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Morocco was<span style="font-size: large;"> a </span>great experience!</b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />In addition to the workshops, presentations and networking opportunities, the group was treated to a Moroccan cultural dinner which showcased traditional foods, dancing and entertainment; as well as an outing to the Medina which included shopping in the souk (traditional market).</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08uOL1B9QkITRlXvwCWwdSVOcB_pJyVsROj8q8XvDwXcYrpXz-5RWiEflTRKUtbP1qeC1LX4Ptx1Xc4WU3p7UVy6U3NJ-g1KZP6Lym9xmFAZIrFAsY_af_bbS_fru0USH71wJCLnaDgM/s1600-h/image%25255B17%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAlNI_Ptqm2CuXVyBB-KxGZWxqz4wjNZP6vI-KdUmmElsDm-5asSzk4NQpOKTkYBCxFzWlGum0oNDEQb8YOlFvdaBSl898BrBI40xwIQFCtDp301T8FtZMg9mHM2ZaETIE2bT5rE2D_M/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Teachers - why not think about entering this Forum in 2013?</span></span></b> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SchoolNet encourages teachers in South Africa and Lesotho to consider entering an innovative project in this great competition in 2013.<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Keep watching our website for more details<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/">http://www.schoolnet.org.za/</a> . </span></span></span></span><br /><br /></div>

Competitions Microsoft news South Africa and Lesotho’s success at Microsoft’s Innovative Teacher Forum (PILF) in Morocco

Submitted by Megan Rademeyer of School N et   From 27 – 29 September 2012 more than 200 participants from 25 countries participated in the M...

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Wild weather

<span style="font-size: large;">Last night in Dublin there was a high tide combined with heavy rainfall.  Met Eireann had issued flood warnings all day and boy did it get wild last night.  I could hear heavy rain all night pelting against the windows and also against the glass studio roof.  This morning when I got up there were leaves everywhere.  Luckily I am off work today so I don't have to drive through flooded streets.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I have 3 days leave from work so I am not back in until Monday.  Today I have plans to buy some large kilner jars.  I want to make some chocolate dipped strawberries to bring to dinner tomorrow.    </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">On Saturday, my twin sister and I are going to a play called "<a href="http://projectartscentre.ie/programme/whats-on/1617-the-talk-of-the-town">The talk of the town</a>" on Saturday evening along with our cousin. It is written by Emma Donoghue who wrote the award winning "Room"  The play is set in the 1950's and is about an Irish woman, Maeve Brennan, who moves from Ranelagh to New York City and writes for the New Yorker for The talk of the town under the byline the "Long winded woman".  We plan to dress in the style of the 1950's and go for a cocktail beforehand!  Should be fun......</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I should also mention that plans are afoot to finish the final things that need to be done in the house.  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dean-Cooper-Furniture-Design-Ltd/68624570948?fref=ts">Dean Cooper</a>, who made our kitchen is also making the wardrobes in the master bedroom, the bar and also a screen to cover the TV in the living room.  He called to the house yesterday to go over a few details with the builder who needs to do some remedial works.  Can't wait for these to be all finished!!  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Next job then is to to something with the kitchen table.  I'm really not happy with it.  We brought it from our old house and it is not the right colour for our new kitchen - not to mention the scratches on it from the bold Bones jumping up onto it when he was a puppy.  What a naughty boy!  I might go chat to someone in the hardware shop up the road and see if they can recommend something to cover up the scratches for the moment.  I have a nice Ralph Lauren floral tablecloth on the table at the moment but it is not complimentary to the kitchen.  I'll have to sort something out.....</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>

Wild weather

Last night in Dublin there was a high tide combined with heavy rainfall.  Met Eireann had issued flood warnings all day and boy did it get w...

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