Jamaica: Days 5, 6 and 7

The rest of our time spent in Jamaica was filled with many trips to the beach, snorkeling, a ride on a catamaran, and enjoying amazing dinners. <br /><br />Oh, and photo shoots.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHuaFN3_W6fFwAwxlhGfnxzhmjVDaB2_sFplL8CRvVCJuwhfcUHcd9v9cX-9pUoTgkQ9qLSlXfou9LAYQFcw_xNSCWVjO5FsdLOAvRvpS8xhekSWtkcJPKz8e3Rlk_Zy6brt6nYsAtLM/s1600/honeymoon+photoshoot+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHuaFN3_W6fFwAwxlhGfnxzhmjVDaB2_sFplL8CRvVCJuwhfcUHcd9v9cX-9pUoTgkQ9qLSlXfou9LAYQFcw_xNSCWVjO5FsdLOAvRvpS8xhekSWtkcJPKz8e3Rlk_Zy6brt6nYsAtLM/s400/honeymoon+photoshoot+1.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3dFTQe3mXLTUkpehi8z5d1IetZQewVHkygCT5mc3_HjDXuenlJqo5R9yeP2xOHG8E8EQFdvTiiytn0mawnplylRknPPiHzvPWzcftGf4jeMLJvStenlnNYJcVzUR0RsvXhayK6lRsig/s1600/honeymoon+photoshoot+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3dFTQe3mXLTUkpehi8z5d1IetZQewVHkygCT5mc3_HjDXuenlJqo5R9yeP2xOHG8E8EQFdvTiiytn0mawnplylRknPPiHzvPWzcftGf4jeMLJvStenlnNYJcVzUR0RsvXhayK6lRsig/s400/honeymoon+photoshoot+2.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><br />Oh yeah, and those sunsets.<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/AVvXsEhvJ1py32IN6fa-dLSr8IIzypXGSZCVKFULfb8IQ_iXo8QSYkdH-HaAFfoCf2KvGvooD3ZFW77W4g7Ey2gq3lTGY-FITgzcU9JM0VPTv1syCmWdfmIgGBOE0grDFV_6JPmiEdE6PY16nPs/s1600/sunset+wedding+gazebo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJ1py32IN6fa-dLSr8IIzypXGSZCVKFULfb8IQ_iXo8QSYkdH-HaAFfoCf2KvGvooD3ZFW77W4g7Ey2gq3lTGY-FITgzcU9JM0VPTv1syCmWdfmIgGBOE0grDFV_6JPmiEdE6PY16nPs/s400/sunset+wedding+gazebo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sunset at our wedding gazebo</td></tr></tbody></table><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/AVvXsEhAM0T_Cq_saZ_HuQF1ls8geCeeGQq8gtbXyQFVZ-SA55XZbVXruK5ZUbF4iSMv4HIRtbAVKJmt_eBsU9lCUfz1dSM24Znkq7pYYAAja4CU9TFaNaCnetK7AS2alA4Zz4zcauh5Svo4G9s/s1600/Jamaica+2012+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAM0T_Cq_saZ_HuQF1ls8geCeeGQq8gtbXyQFVZ-SA55XZbVXruK5ZUbF4iSMv4HIRtbAVKJmt_eBsU9lCUfz1dSM24Znkq7pYYAAja4CU9TFaNaCnetK7AS2alA4Zz4zcauh5Svo4G9s/s400/Jamaica+2012+015.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus fingers!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTa7mv8bAQStae_RI0j7sQsVr0NaixZomtODW1y2iafgrwQL93LqDtfv8pqh7gIQVMmqD3RgPY7kG_mNVyAOj_86cPF9MqLJ6LIIMCy9Y5SVKH7e3TcHm5GkDC39xr9lcYJ5q1Fjuwj4/s1600/Jamaica+2012+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTa7mv8bAQStae_RI0j7sQsVr0NaixZomtODW1y2iafgrwQL93LqDtfv8pqh7gIQVMmqD3RgPY7kG_mNVyAOj_86cPF9MqLJ6LIIMCy9Y5SVKH7e3TcHm5GkDC39xr9lcYJ5q1Fjuwj4/s400/Jamaica+2012+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtKDyeSzcB9hZ6s8QIi9P7SJda5Cm-ZI_8WE0Y3TvqRkYON6zh4x8-Dq3LEBm4Kvsj7OtcLKm2nqmmfTh8SOWOg9xIXABiy8-Z0LWBxyOyU6YUvNT2gCbrM1F7uJgxXHCm4T_Xkhj4zI/s1600/Jamaica+2012+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtKDyeSzcB9hZ6s8QIi9P7SJda5Cm-ZI_8WE0Y3TvqRkYON6zh4x8-Dq3LEBm4Kvsj7OtcLKm2nqmmfTh8SOWOg9xIXABiy8-Z0LWBxyOyU6YUvNT2gCbrM1F7uJgxXHCm4T_Xkhj4zI/s400/Jamaica+2012+005.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />Snorkeling was one of my favorite things we did while in Jamaica.  It was like seeing the fish you see in Petco in the wild!  It was one of the coolest things I've ever done.  We traveled a short distance away from shore on a glass bottom boat where we enjoyed the view of coral as we made our way to the honey hole.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs_MgDzB5VZi57TX0UY6Pf68MNPS0lr7PHH2EGFLSiOBQjL_VmKb2SIpp5aF5ACLBruzd7AdtPWmTXIj39Dj5mnp9tyLo9vjOr_9TuryE8gdoniFavHC0lNEdrWzFqI_HedrfwjK5Ej8/s1600/Jamaica+2012+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs_MgDzB5VZi57TX0UY6Pf68MNPS0lr7PHH2EGFLSiOBQjL_VmKb2SIpp5aF5ACLBruzd7AdtPWmTXIj39Dj5mnp9tyLo9vjOr_9TuryE8gdoniFavHC0lNEdrWzFqI_HedrfwjK5Ej8/s400/Jamaica+2012+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />It's a wonder I'm smiling here, considering I just rammed my shin off of the ladder getting onto the boat.  Given that this was my first time snorkeling, me and the flippers just did not mix.  I'm a decent swimmer, and those flippers... pardon the expression.... those flippers kept flipping me around!  By the time I started to get somewhat used to them, it was time to go.  In my attempt to climb the ladder back onto the boat, still struggling with those darn flippers, a wave came and rocked the boat to and fro, causing me to nail my shin against it.  Instant blood (thankfully we were peacin' out - sharks! eek!).  A short time later - a nice goose egg and bruise!  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_Ozf1yx1CPhvRH1wX58AqFzdG7VV7XzKy1cipmH7n_LwB5tAS7ld_l4DaGhnOFji5XxkFGBH2823TMBYRyJJ1H0ZyvUbgTCEXANzCWPLOZnF4M-esYyuPCJWF0JOxgGp1DNUGZWUeeE/s1600/Jamaica+2012+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_Ozf1yx1CPhvRH1wX58AqFzdG7VV7XzKy1cipmH7n_LwB5tAS7ld_l4DaGhnOFji5XxkFGBH2823TMBYRyJJ1H0ZyvUbgTCEXANzCWPLOZnF4M-esYyuPCJWF0JOxgGp1DNUGZWUeeE/s400/Jamaica+2012+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Naturally, it wouldn't be a vacation if fishing wasn't involved.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvyJm5pItfEXU2M21HBVKwsQdHScQSfPAOlB0-0Ru8uxRv43h9eGZcHk-g_Xz48FCTKzsXxi_xedyNHdOGUammcyEemOLpUM5Z-TWaT4vB3gXuwknigBE1s9ryyZqXdvUDLTE-6HbmSs/s1600/Jamaica+2012+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvyJm5pItfEXU2M21HBVKwsQdHScQSfPAOlB0-0Ru8uxRv43h9eGZcHk-g_Xz48FCTKzsXxi_xedyNHdOGUammcyEemOLpUM5Z-TWaT4vB3gXuwknigBE1s9ryyZqXdvUDLTE-6HbmSs/s400/Jamaica+2012+003.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzrjEdEJSWZu7w3avzZfdpZ1UOWtHFvVIaxe5X6KpvG2cUivKJY3GZhAHUWh6a_LF34Nud7nJzCGTyY_bvFyHktGXyn1vnBK9ZvY88e-7lD33o5Pbyayj_q4qNAXr-tfCgw_wnyrMktU/s1600/Jamaica+2012+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzrjEdEJSWZu7w3avzZfdpZ1UOWtHFvVIaxe5X6KpvG2cUivKJY3GZhAHUWh6a_LF34Nud7nJzCGTyY_bvFyHktGXyn1vnBK9ZvY88e-7lD33o5Pbyayj_q4qNAXr-tfCgw_wnyrMktU/s400/Jamaica+2012+016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Believe it or not, they allow a fishing pole as a carry on.  Very shocking TSA, very shocking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQJnIf9WefRDee4FnOMfbs-T6VGpkKklWHii4Ah7r_nSMc_riFqjFm3_24rAGkPUrRsVYfhQ3XV7quS3wcYc6PlAQh8Dfk5SNmazW-lpnqyfLKqwb2Uk_FS3jS8eP79VUn0na6nOBSd8/s1600/Jamaica+2012+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQJnIf9WefRDee4FnOMfbs-T6VGpkKklWHii4Ah7r_nSMc_riFqjFm3_24rAGkPUrRsVYfhQ3XV7quS3wcYc6PlAQh8Dfk5SNmazW-lpnqyfLKqwb2Uk_FS3jS8eP79VUn0na6nOBSd8/s400/Jamaica+2012+017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>We also enjoyed another special dinner in honor of our recent marriage.  It was exciting seeing our names displayed as "Mr & Mrs".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTuRFDfjozHfQiaS6yHGyVC1HimGAXu3BojdUYsUCzKterv76WjjPBOCLwpS-9_HE7xdzEeb2-EDJsDrZxQ4o3dnDvmpSNvCscwcleBNGVWbNVFeNKlKKfZiWtfV777dSL7YZRvODlus/s1600/Jamaica+2012+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTuRFDfjozHfQiaS6yHGyVC1HimGAXu3BojdUYsUCzKterv76WjjPBOCLwpS-9_HE7xdzEeb2-EDJsDrZxQ4o3dnDvmpSNvCscwcleBNGVWbNVFeNKlKKfZiWtfV777dSL7YZRvODlus/s400/Jamaica+2012+010.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuW6z1wp04Brx6ml9ZTXhbEuHNFofGyf11owCzL3xaQRobS8oeApF0T3ukNSfPBl5fmqgP4gJuavlNaVnIlpjtpIUeWjR81HQAa6QtD1U_4hYPdPZRhvTtyIPTTOOX2YCHqBM8l8HKeY/s1600/Jamaica+2012+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuW6z1wp04Brx6ml9ZTXhbEuHNFofGyf11owCzL3xaQRobS8oeApF0T3ukNSfPBl5fmqgP4gJuavlNaVnIlpjtpIUeWjR81HQAa6QtD1U_4hYPdPZRhvTtyIPTTOOX2YCHqBM8l8HKeY/s400/Jamaica+2012+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The time went by so quickly in Jamaica that it was no surprise that before we knew it, it was time to leave paradise.   But believe it or not, we were ready to go home.  (Actually, we were ready to get that flight over with!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFd91s-pSNdcboK45SKf2jXaAjLZ_DtuIRsmckIX8TcQAL-lpOlroa3wNkvBkl9U0SjUd0VwW40ErqDt-pO9X2L7q0yQLjHozjY6_PgJ18JcX_ayS7125yvOfaAOJa5riko9Ai5yV4wo/s1600/Jamaica+2012+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFd91s-pSNdcboK45SKf2jXaAjLZ_DtuIRsmckIX8TcQAL-lpOlroa3wNkvBkl9U0SjUd0VwW40ErqDt-pO9X2L7q0yQLjHozjY6_PgJ18JcX_ayS7125yvOfaAOJa5riko9Ai5yV4wo/s400/Jamaica+2012+001.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX3dAJ3LClzZ5GCBF50RXOlFJZDOauCCF7_dis-3lVlbewBviU2QkUb_uOSc9vDuXSrC14WdMwTIrhxUfMr0sNQlzsF7qSIwHn1ABDHABTgjMOBI3LFEbPRttyTb4IwDyLjixSxitmw4/s1600/Jamaica+2012+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX3dAJ3LClzZ5GCBF50RXOlFJZDOauCCF7_dis-3lVlbewBviU2QkUb_uOSc9vDuXSrC14WdMwTIrhxUfMr0sNQlzsF7qSIwHn1ABDHABTgjMOBI3LFEbPRttyTb4IwDyLjixSxitmw4/s400/Jamaica+2012+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />We enjoyed taking in all the resort had to offer, including the beautiful plants!  If you know me, then you know I love my plants - they're like my children.  Jamaica sure did have some beauties.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8yXor49sKhk1h2geINzw3cYcZ0E_E-s9BItN4OjXI3HOGW4sAYbYHd0bd6ugrknFHtoEjrxScy5ui9YMBY-y1s9ZDcURw_34OCvAu9rwdtFUMuKRHlZDgb6a_dKtEhNA6BcFj7QBXf4/s1600/Jamaica+2012+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8yXor49sKhk1h2geINzw3cYcZ0E_E-s9BItN4OjXI3HOGW4sAYbYHd0bd6ugrknFHtoEjrxScy5ui9YMBY-y1s9ZDcURw_34OCvAu9rwdtFUMuKRHlZDgb6a_dKtEhNA6BcFj7QBXf4/s400/Jamaica+2012+033.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZpYE_hudftijYvAsQJ7Hvffu3Kf5ddzl7yaz_og0WK0-NmTtsfWcSqtGmKGm85StykvYh7VTyhi6IBLsdiLe0z7jEf1kYlyyQRTUr_olQreb99Bo0UygBV240aEkqqH7gMZVzG2-kVY/s1600/Jamaica+2012+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZpYE_hudftijYvAsQJ7Hvffu3Kf5ddzl7yaz_og0WK0-NmTtsfWcSqtGmKGm85StykvYh7VTyhi6IBLsdiLe0z7jEf1kYlyyQRTUr_olQreb99Bo0UygBV240aEkqqH7gMZVzG2-kVY/s640/Jamaica+2012+019.JPG" width="425" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NQaDTLQ-bobSvZ_Yw4829ZkivJJ18VXvGkNcAbuiBsh_ztNy47LlbCyDWD1SBOvE4SmYUMmunPyrxQjwH5wW4_BTTWTFOjRY1vl9BsvNwx_PPTD4OYQNOssAo4QcrrKIwmjZOCcBFRU/s1600/pink+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NQaDTLQ-bobSvZ_Yw4829ZkivJJ18VXvGkNcAbuiBsh_ztNy47LlbCyDWD1SBOvE4SmYUMmunPyrxQjwH5wW4_BTTWTFOjRY1vl9BsvNwx_PPTD4OYQNOssAo4QcrrKIwmjZOCcBFRU/s400/pink+flower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPKDZU0JexM41NGDs1XpCUa-NWWo5vzkW6WMUWlgd8P8G8FLs9SmDwpU48YUhmjZGCsHtCR1f-dPeTi8PnVnDPVu6wU3cM5gxZlC2zE_uio0Kweu5FeXmk-t_EVzZSDsEB1YlcTawGI4/s1600/blurry+red+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPKDZU0JexM41NGDs1XpCUa-NWWo5vzkW6WMUWlgd8P8G8FLs9SmDwpU48YUhmjZGCsHtCR1f-dPeTi8PnVnDPVu6wU3cM5gxZlC2zE_uio0Kweu5FeXmk-t_EVzZSDsEB1YlcTawGI4/s400/blurry+red+flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca2UgKEMBazjOJ6GHhXhyJJmM5mprsyIKlMgtGNAol8P_1KGpI7J1KM0XDkK8GzzoNhZCGFdlLz6Jj_K5AQ3LSyZOCKd58ezqH4EPP8QZN5TZUv4tHKYxHDZgzRXk2ho_GArK6C1c-rc/s1600/Jamaica+2012+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca2UgKEMBazjOJ6GHhXhyJJmM5mprsyIKlMgtGNAol8P_1KGpI7J1KM0XDkK8GzzoNhZCGFdlLz6Jj_K5AQ3LSyZOCKd58ezqH4EPP8QZN5TZUv4tHKYxHDZgzRXk2ho_GArK6C1c-rc/s400/Jamaica+2012+091.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Joel & I both feel so incredibly blessed to have experienced this beautiful resort and all it had to offer.  It was truly a memorable experience and I couldn't have asked for the entire WeddingMoon to go any more perfectly. <br /><br /><b>Joel </b>- I love you so much, and I look forward to many more years together!  <br /><br />Readers - Thank you for recounting this special memory with me :)!<br /><br />

Jamaica Montego Bay Sandals wedding Jamaica: Days 5, 6 and 7

The rest of our time spent in Jamaica was filled with many trips to the beach, snorkeling, a ride on a catamaran, and enjoying amazing dinne...

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Google #1: Have you discovered Google Docs?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you discovered Google Docs? It is one of the best technology finds available! What I love most about it is its versatility</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yJCAAuT6avTqQ_So2-0201yHXLosjYSiggXSSc-E5a2ZCUQajLm86psofTs2B4Nhmgl0x7yYNpTZfF0FWz4DYmBM1YqZsraYYynBsS94sE0k9Jsch-eUXjKzZS2jim2QU0LSisOaw6A/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" height="53" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtKuQEFULoENcvqrt_ZygRb8OUdxHuMQbOB6U6QhH64x0WxYqb9Oed1pFjPv4LWElVid1QAI5D7ew4frZAqV482jHDh3XeBneAcT9sQOb1Vwy-Q83hUgRV8ljnm7waKCVyja0xFWG-E0/?imgmax=800" style="display: inline;" title="image" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just recently I have been exploring Google Docs more fully and here are some of the things I have really enjoyed about using it:</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Benefits of  using Google Docs</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*When you create and or store files in your Google Documents account, those files are available from wherever you go, through any computer with an Internet connection. This means that you don’t have to send file attachments to yourself via email, carry a flash drive, or worry about file compatibility.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*Google Docs can have a multitude of people writing on the same document at the same time – it’s great for collaboration.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*I love the fact that you don’t have to save – it saves everything automatically. </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*You can easily share documents with others even if they don’t have a Google account. Once a document is shared comments suggested edits can be placed in the margins of the document, which is great for marking purposes.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*Google Docs have a web link so they can be shown as webpages when you want to show someone somewhere else something.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*Google Docs is now integrated into Google Drive which means you can now install Google Drive on all the computers you work on and work offline. It will sync everything just like Dropbox does. </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*Google Docs gives you 5Gb of free space which won’t take all your photos etc – but it is big enough to be <u>very</u> useful.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*You can keep your documents in folders.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*Google forms have so many amazing uses. You can set tests on them etc. </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">*You can upload AND download easily to Microsoft Office. </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Create your own Google document</span></b></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Actually…the list of benefits is endless… So my advice is, open a Google account if you don’t already have one and start experimenting with Google Docs which are now housed in Google drive. Oh yes, one tip – try and use Google Chrome as your browser with Google Docs – the two go together like a horse and carriage! </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;">Once you have joined Google and you want to explore Google Docs, well, why not create a Google document while you are about it? Here is a Slideshare with some pointers if you need them. </span> </div><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><div id="__ss_13462537" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/how-to-create-a-new-google-document" title="How to create a new Google document">How to create a new Google document</a></b><object height="355" id="__sse13462537" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=howtocreateanewdocumentingoogle-120626161447-phpapp01&stripped_title=how-to-create-a-new-google-document&userName=fionabeal" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed name="__sse13462537" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=howtocreateanewdocumentingoogle-120626161447-phpapp01&stripped_title=how-to-create-a-new-google-document&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> <br /><div style="padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">Fiona Beal</a>.</div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See? What did I tell you? Google Docs is an amazing suite!</span></div></div>

30 days of web tools google Google #1: Have you discovered Google Docs?

Have you discovered Google Docs? It is one of the best technology finds available! What I love most about it is its versatility Just recentl...

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Adobe Youth Voices webinar on June 28

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SchoolNet SA runs a multimedia programme for Adobe, for South African teachers, called <i>Adobe Youth Voices</i>. We would like to announce their upcoming webinar on June 28th. If you are interested in joining this webinar which is given in US time, please go to <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html">http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html</a> to convert the webinar time to your time zone. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Details of the webinar</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're writing with a special reminder about the Webinar on <i>Working with Special Populations</i> coming up this Thursday, June 28.  (Please note slight time change.)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Title</b></u>: Working With Special Populations<b><u> </u></b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Time: </u></b>June 28 - at 8am PST / 10am CST / 11am EST US<br /><b><u></u></b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Presenters</u></b>: Presented by Lead Educators <i>Justin Warren</i> and <i>Hank Machtay</i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Information</b></u>: Adobe Youth Voices programs exist in many different contexts connecting with lives and experiences of youth from all over the world. How are the unique needs of youth addressed in these programs? Join AYV Lead Educators Hank Machtay and Justin Warren as they share their approaches and insights on working with the youth in their programs.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>To join the meeting</b></u>, Login as a Guest here: <a href="http://edc.adobeconnect.com/ayvweb/">http://edc.adobeconnect.com/ayvweb/</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Note</b></u>: If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:<br />Test your connection: <a href="http://edc.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm">http://edc.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm</a><br />Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview</div></div>

Adobe Youth voices Adobe Youth Voices webinar on June 28

SchoolNet SA runs a multimedia programme for Adobe, for South African teachers, called Adobe Youth Voices . We would like to announce their ...

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need vs want; summer edition

This week my oldest has camp, so my 1-year-old and I have been enjoying some alone time together. And since she isn't old enough to say she otherwise, I've decided dragging her to store after store was the way to go. She is one fab shopper and just a general 'go with the flow' awesome baby, so she appeases me. As long as we stop to pet the occasional ceramic dog, we are good.<br /><br />It has been a while since I've <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/12/need-vs-want.html" target="_blank">checked in at my favorite antique mall</a> (don't let the word 'mall' fool you, its good loot) so of course it was on my list of places to visit. And as always, there were a million and one things I wanted.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5N13PtlErFW_CmckKYDXtHLfCL_QqC_cVdiosgWEyXSVslw1AwfRqgqBDnsMip38IPOVGvWjKU2TAxxlQlqeralCbtYTIx_Z6gWrDiNhjGu1DH8Kst-jZU2ZPG-8zFuaIi_Z2UkIUyu_/s1600/Stool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5N13PtlErFW_CmckKYDXtHLfCL_QqC_cVdiosgWEyXSVslw1AwfRqgqBDnsMip38IPOVGvWjKU2TAxxlQlqeralCbtYTIx_Z6gWrDiNhjGu1DH8Kst-jZU2ZPG-8zFuaIi_Z2UkIUyu_/s640/Stool.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are four of these chairs although he would let you buy them individually. Die.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh5fxz0y82bTSASBD6J0EWZBKulZh0EAgFx-NE3REiGPZ2xs6D4LwjWQZmJcwgdHP2TGGoQxHiWV2Ahh98cDu6vmRKohEcVFvytnBRNMQbEwin5JNMVuso3nRpqJCXqmy7NHERTMMX7co/s1600/chairbeauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh5fxz0y82bTSASBD6J0EWZBKulZh0EAgFx-NE3REiGPZ2xs6D4LwjWQZmJcwgdHP2TGGoQxHiWV2Ahh98cDu6vmRKohEcVFvytnBRNMQbEwin5JNMVuso3nRpqJCXqmy7NHERTMMX7co/s640/chairbeauty.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One saucy ice bucket. This would turn my cocktail hour into something a bit more respectable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBkjFxine-kTDq8L73_pilujt-XdZhJf3DvBWlzHmWwV0zne2w5kJY2wYAyG9tP9h6D7A4-csr-4omM3GKSaV8UnWeOahcAsg2IhGlLKrq_sBbWiCyGeHw1zxo9jf8pGA1upid4sD2Zz0/s1600/icebucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBkjFxine-kTDq8L73_pilujt-XdZhJf3DvBWlzHmWwV0zne2w5kJY2wYAyG9tP9h6D7A4-csr-4omM3GKSaV8UnWeOahcAsg2IhGlLKrq_sBbWiCyGeHw1zxo9jf8pGA1upid4sD2Zz0/s640/icebucket.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Sorry, this seat is saved...for someone with a clean house. Considering most surfaces in my house have sticky finger prints and dog hair on them, I don't think the dealer would allow these to go home with me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPrlhChNdRdVEptjHRWO1XQcdbt78xTQWk_VAg_C4vFOcr0wlsX_3uICyQc6xy0pTNZlkxFMreY2OcrSDyYezftU5MTzk60GEsgu3qyRUmoSMVEhVlFLkdC_6UVCVd5ct6oFU2pC9FdLA/s1600/stool2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPrlhChNdRdVEptjHRWO1XQcdbt78xTQWk_VAg_C4vFOcr0wlsX_3uICyQc6xy0pTNZlkxFMreY2OcrSDyYezftU5MTzk60GEsgu3qyRUmoSMVEhVlFLkdC_6UVCVd5ct6oFU2pC9FdLA/s640/stool2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hello luva!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGLrQ8viUwVgdrWJcd4baJwTduIvoFP4lyORxTCjYJ2fhpREkG5jgarcp8sXPnJzZRUZKv5ZcOrvs8d_EuCwh2fCXGhffTac1t4HFzTJYi8BD6ADZOKMRI-7X47K1bVpJICQON2SWBeF/s1600/lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGLrQ8viUwVgdrWJcd4baJwTduIvoFP4lyORxTCjYJ2fhpREkG5jgarcp8sXPnJzZRUZKv5ZcOrvs8d_EuCwh2fCXGhffTac1t4HFzTJYi8BD6ADZOKMRI-7X47K1bVpJICQON2SWBeF/s640/lantern.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />It was obviously a chinoiserie kinda day at the mall.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFJ_mC6DpqI-AiNixHVw4iTZSHV9Pw8ZyKM9IS6s91Z7klwnwynx_J7j63iMO1ij1AhfcblzmdJa2cs27Svs7ynjmyeCjPPM5Sa-VgOpNZwKrd57gDPZO5IV7aweeriKTT9N_BBVp9B-R/s1600/table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFJ_mC6DpqI-AiNixHVw4iTZSHV9Pw8ZyKM9IS6s91Z7klwnwynx_J7j63iMO1ij1AhfcblzmdJa2cs27Svs7ynjmyeCjPPM5Sa-VgOpNZwKrd57gDPZO5IV7aweeriKTT9N_BBVp9B-R/s640/table.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And lucite.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-CdjGqEM0mwmpbwuQTXiMqEeEFcXQ3WbLhfMncyO9aFpb4SeWtXPUHArjijTP3_ikgkYcOHQTB47QTzHw0ieCCnBANOGc2uXQVfoRjWKXK_CqyckMbVV1bAjK8QPzma14LyaGF1biIPO/s1600/chandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-CdjGqEM0mwmpbwuQTXiMqEeEFcXQ3WbLhfMncyO9aFpb4SeWtXPUHArjijTP3_ikgkYcOHQTB47QTzHw0ieCCnBANOGc2uXQVfoRjWKXK_CqyckMbVV1bAjK8QPzma14LyaGF1biIPO/s640/chandy.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this one is neither chinoiserie nor lucite, but made me smile.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2tPF1dnRjl_YNyFjtdaSXnggZQnrpOQ_tE5Uh9KYKbJL5W7I3Jq0wf9IXWToAfXROwlfjtuHGnpVpI9q6Hmir-NegdO6o9bruKH5lz8cn1-hgZ0pReU2MKTORs9zgGMMXSVDXngLjzxH/s1600/owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2tPF1dnRjl_YNyFjtdaSXnggZQnrpOQ_tE5Uh9KYKbJL5W7I3Jq0wf9IXWToAfXROwlfjtuHGnpVpI9q6Hmir-NegdO6o9bruKH5lz8cn1-hgZ0pReU2MKTORs9zgGMMXSVDXngLjzxH/s640/owl.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is the Mary Katherine Gallagher of owls.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpLBhkhzvug9R6ViwrTHzNkpMCA6PN_XvxSQxzFLg8MEHtc-3oHezWboZ8M_Z64DyV3VUHMrQQq3EMLFuRmyoVg6rmxAbTh2UnQA_u7Qbe4lUHsISx9PtAjmslWIEADur4s7lJa4evyBO/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpLBhkhzvug9R6ViwrTHzNkpMCA6PN_XvxSQxzFLg8MEHtc-3oHezWboZ8M_Z64DyV3VUHMrQQq3EMLFuRmyoVg6rmxAbTh2UnQA_u7Qbe4lUHsISx9PtAjmslWIEADur4s7lJa4evyBO/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a>Another great day at the ol' mall. And the cherry on top was the old <span style="background-color: white;">lady who went on and on about all the things should would buy if she didn't have "so much junk in my trunk." Don't we all lady. </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Do you have a favorite spot you like to go to for inspiration? A place to waste time? A place to laugh at other people while eavesdropping on their conversations? Me neither. I would never do such a thing!</span></div>

need vs want; summer edition

This week my oldest has camp, so my 1-year-old and I have been enjoying some alone time together. And since she isn't old enough to say ...

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Part-time Library Circulation Assistant - Middlebury Public Library

<strong>Part-time Library Circulation Assistan</strong><strong>t -</strong> <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Middlebury Public Library</strong></span>. 19 hours a week including one evening; no benefits. Duties include but are not limited to working at the circulation desk, checking books in and out, collecting fines, reader’s advisory and assisting with public computers. Strong computer skills required. Knowledge and experience with Evergreen Circulation software helpful. Ability to work with the public mandatory and a four year college degree required. Public Library experience preferred. Email resume and cover letter by <span style="color: red;">July 11, 2012</span> to Claudia Greenfield, Administrative Manager, Town of Middlebury, CT, <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org" href="mailto:cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org">cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org</a>, Attention: Library Director. AA/EOE.

Part-time Library Circulation Assistant - Middlebury Public Library

Part-time Library Circulation Assistan t - Middlebury Public Library . 19 hours a week including one evening; no benefits. Duties include...

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Technology Services Librarian - Middlebury Public Library

<strong>Technology Services Librarian -</strong> <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Middlebury Public Library</strong></span> seeks a full-time Technology Services Librarian to manage its website, cover circulation desk functions, set up audio/visual presentations and maintain equipment. Excellent computer skills, including Word Press, Microsoft Office 2003, 2007 and 2010 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook), web browsers, web-based email, and photo editing software. Duties include daily updating of website, setting up/operating audio/visual equipment (computers, projectors, microphones, movies, etc.), marketing events online and offline; teaching technology classes to staff and public, providing exceptional help desk support for patrons and staff; updating and maintaining computers, iPads, Nooks, and Kindles; rebuilding computers and replacing/repairing peripherals as directed; implementing social networking and cloud based programs as it pertains to the library, and other assignments as required. Successful applicant will be eager to learn, flexible, creative, a team player, and have proven interpersonal and teaching skills, along with problem solving abilities. This position requires strong technology skills with the ability to organize, direct, and expand all library functions. The position includes working with the public at the circulation desk as part of the duties and sharing supervision of the cataloger duties with Adult Services Librarian. The library is in the process of developing a teen program and this position would be part of the development team. Public library experience recommended. Four year college degree required, MLS preferred. Evenings and Saturday hours included. Middlebury Public Library is a member of Bibliomation, a consortium using Evergreen Open Source as the ILS. Excellent benefits included. Position available immediately. Email resume and cover letter by <span style="color: red;">July 11, 2012</span> to Claudia Greenfield, Administrative Manager, Town of Middlebury, CT, <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org" href="mailto:cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org">cgreenfield@middlebury-ct.org</a>, Attention: Library Director. AA/EOE.

Technology Services Librarian - Middlebury Public Library

Technology Services Librarian - Middlebury Public Library seeks a full-time Technology Services Librarian to manage its website, cover ci...

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A day at TEDxCapeTown ED on 16 June 2012

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br /><br />Imagine receiving a phone call on the morning of the totally booked-out TEDxCapeTownED event on 16 June and being asked, “Would you still like to attend TEDx – we have a ticket for you?” Well, it happened to me, and I got there at lightning speed as excited as a kid in a candy store! What a worthwhile day it proved to be – with the words of movers and shakers in education pounding at one's heart and leaving their mark. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyk218zBdhXG_z1IXef2tD7S6vqbFaueu2OBo-KLJQrN9o-bhDxWL1JBJ6T2JivuuaagKCyrfPDQmaZyETWfQvKI91n540Odng5_hfYQSwA3Kf1_bZDa9p8ENmpB4QLYGX6FcycKjNhLY/s1600-h/image%25255B37%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-byUUMM3wfSKZ5ggsiAkm3pQDELZoPNWfVk-laEhiJgYM7LgeMSGranmHXV5xVW5O1QQcQX2QBkyEOffklXFR1WVOGXwiMfOUKM5Z-YTvE6nwXgHwNm_k_ZYET5RC8e9-ChqcDjQtx8A/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="415" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let me explain what a TEDx event is. The famous international TED talks are riveting short talks given by remarkable people on relevant topics. The TEDx program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the <i><b>local</b></i> level. This particular event centred around education – 19 twelve minute talks by innovative thinkers in South African education. </div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjuPoAx3AgAEtUNXc8K-3BH_D_PynKnU8b1M2EFOJUvL2jbIGTCrGuoCuu4UYO4aCqe2eNtSCcvndRoBP0FO83DKVKpX9Er7AKMv5zppLcAaelZudjnzN2NBy1DUTrzKwuVpKLlDDPbk/s1600-h/image3%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggqlGJgOcmdzbQSiLX91vgc3xjTiOc13bkuCFXVnzyO6g_pNpiSSt86Y09nvgzdLJ1jrq1ICRrPI2Bh2piCZxfhHPJcSjqfTBUWmCDunhmsWwb2BwbjASLBLH3ZLoRcK4eDrVnCiCFyo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="105" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64Usdm2IcvKlgKtU-EtXn9ErfnNbpx7L3YdEb-da_JCbjAgeCl7OjHa0IpW5SKpM9lH2yIRalfPCoHhrDi5ozTE9ETROXRXwR4MVsH1nNze_aHw0L_k1slr3lR1xcGF7beiyv5EAHxyQ/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAr3dMV3XDjdBoHboL8mv-FADMgw_s1DYelulBDcFXjk_2vzLEnEvhyznkJECOugwRbd8sAGUz06Ul6u4uGm-H_ndRIkQzjpR1D8U6COa_z0h1DZzWjv_9d84Wo4aMQTw2pVb2mLMmcDo/?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="113" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4AXXY8GYbl5fYvTOaxSroj_Ncnc21qFUBEsTiWdWlig9c2W7YzmtP0nLftvRLpzqWs1ePyan_hk81J_Ln8UQwRn7r-LfRTdSVAQlcsO3P4BC7XEj_wgjk_2JOrv9C_j_mIedIraeD_Q/s1600-h/image%25255B17%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mBUUocr2hmUN3ykwqlfrLxtC0_yxuL7Lps6b3-jNj_k3yMZXhyphenhyphenoYyN6zOUMtsdRv-RX8m3iUTPo-CmYlpTnHBS6O1T4zGxKcFOVm-UG0hW_Fg5PfIhyphenhyphenPyB2iNrJLtndYLFm9BUY5pR4/?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="117" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u2xIDH1wB7wzoIO-rRfAWRCqd9ovMl95sGbnFLb-cLM5_MN628tVhmhXMd20pnQjI4BUlailMXt_U64TCTdW76DOHqL-rrbJEQ7IP3FUgmzcxE4wwokcFKTxU1OHYqnC4256ihVhuyc/s1600-h/image%25255B16%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjVtSu1GNUXieGR7kQw1lIILko-ukdd1xRXVrp9ib-ud_oCjwHpZepNMVsmxjzwLTUY44qBXaFpjvmKrxalS69huBorh-YUVuK1OwZkgRlSmdZNc5Qcle9SXfl1F7Q5jDvivDtEI5PJ8/?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="133" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There’s no doubt that education in South Africa has a long way to go and many of the speakers echoed this feeling. Solly Philander said of his now grown-up children, “I had to apologise to my children for sending them to school.” Now that might be taking things a bit far, but then Dr Mamphela Ramphele, who was introduced as someone who ‘says it like it is’, said our failed system has only one competitor… At that point she placed on the screen a picture of the sinking ship ‘Costa Concordia’. “Our education system is on the rocks,” she said. Sam Paddock painted a gloomy picture of Unisa’s distance education saying that it is ‘too distant'. Out of 300,000 enrolled students only 9% graduate. Professor Ian Scott from UCT gave alarming statistics of our Higher Education drop out rate. “Higher education has not come to terms with the needs of students”, he said.  </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But TEDx wouldn’t be TEDx if speakers left us drowning in the pool of doom and gloom. The picture IS marred, and many, many children have been lost to a poorly managed system but the innovative solutions that were offered by the speakers planted seeds of hope. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhemu6La7xI99DD-I8gTGbEoV3v0W3ybCiQQsU01fGBbCq9_w1OW9cwcLD9jAKM0iQ7-trcpeX2DLFUEOaCzfnR78lcV-mMQD_KFkBQ3EzAHMLH7mYzYrXXVdN0JsT-Oul_zlpnr6nQ5U/s1600-h/image%25255B24%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGISqEOlMWTs-3m6_qch_osHnkpdum0CSvqBmplRIGjZPehAwLn0loyVPB1_fafX6_bF4v0vhzLoZso6y3jpctONX2wmMO-VMb4I4YSL_FmA2PyhT6VE8wy718nEXVXiWv3ip8YAlaaIY/?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="84" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVhf60ERqRZhiuq3dnxNHHguGiUJ3ttsCthd-UeYQjjTlPKLSxWKg4FuOgMZvNPgzYOvDyXnYJB13S7_-N99JGj4TSnwPoH2S5-jycHAMPZNNokKaH67QFWwJjVGI6M2D59FqvGrkFoM/s1600-h/image%25255B28%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2FC5KYYt8dqa-SQm0cowNp4n0jJsR1ujmLFSSCXKaMatUke-czfdItiqSt8YWb6Jd-J_ne0iUM9UYlPsz-eA062_0K3Mw3y0c3wqyMmHIJybEcTTZ908t6SrCpUGWNAOj4oJ55L71Gg/?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="95" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rJSJHvw5V32ysjyEQ-IaVcUg9WcigWwEsU9QA02gzo7M8T-6NiD2-fx0zr3JauwE9uyhZtWGmqbGmnsgDMkvsmreWHuP5yGVNk4WZN9G5y8AbkkZFrf9JTYKn5pQNNjT8jtIQxGyXFk/s1600-h/image%25255B32%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFotO-oKnqkIKtjKHwQATxOrgNUjKKHOnIK2Nj-UGe-hodaRuUeW-2BMmi0-ag6X0mgU4F4ljZNhPh9VnA3NlVhSDqLdDB2LfvPLD9fWp4IZCPJQ8bd2z3MNTk0h3bMeqLy8sv2ohS2w/?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="108" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="91"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1I4w4uP0g6KqFx-wo55uUUPF-pSaR9piSX_ARG4fA0qxylhLpCEIHLO0p_P2Ral9yxFSv-gQGPIidePejNMuSNH3TWXf0LWdM8d4B6q9nGo_kR47KptDVnWutfgb84cCrr5XNprLmWEA/s1600-h/image%25255B36%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2YgauO80BUL3SxVXQ9u60jiiBwyMInYG7aEo0alVHOEZss4p0KMEpCQadfI-tc97-eEh0y-9FIKIobtMzQu08ER4BODM0mfeXiMCHprs0q_ftO2at7oMOZT07Z5ropNJNVO_x0LHsMc/?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="152" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are just a few of the highlights that I noted. Brent van Rensburg spoke on ‘Your failures are our superstars’ and stressed how important it is for teachers to go with their students’ strengths rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Students from his Zip Zap circus show illustrated his point with their amazing expertise and skill. Steve Sherman, the MD of Living Maths, related how a teacher once said to him as a child, “I think you should drop Maths". Fortunately he didn’t listen!  Richard Malholland spoke about the different kind of career paths that await our students. ‘They will resemble mindmaps’. He caused a reaction from the audience when he suggested that degrees have a sell-by date of maybe five years unless certain requirements are met in professional development! Tim Noakes urged  teachers to become like coaches who “generate belief in themselves in the students we teach".</div><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="50"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTsDSOc3abCvoGsx5Iui7-WFP_y3RrNNH3vWuGvwuuRrC1beYy-4JEdixEW2AEWCh8rAJdJymOeLBXagS0x08wzYhwuQbodd1dBkpZmcuBL-6pr0xS_5Bm-PslipNucGqDWIWTYJKYWg/s1600-h/image38%25255B1%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpQRErAII8b24fJrNv1lNJNvBO_rQ0LtRck4waUTwU2JrgDDoKx586L778iDMLt7E-_auR3VBfZrw7fG0VD34Qhd_QLzni_kJGAyq_VYCM3Og8E_mMuf-xBDWuBrKd0zkagszbu51nnk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="128" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlgtiW2BbHH7CypL390XK_NDE9-2QiwpHQYjdwqfkja_B7smjecqGxngMYdWRBDm8_vTwL7VdOaTfHLCAFzs3bFsJRPXFlgHvl21VGySzmlo-xYk4sR_zk0gNbqtFUP6KkkSz0d63pN4/s1600-h/image%25255B45%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM44fSluXMHNfk9PYnSGJ-R6oCJNlZSFuIbQjc78Wt0G4Xh4ke5rVh8qb1EuhyphenhyphenE0uUV1ROuONtLo0M28A6i8udbmPmDSkaiCgKmPsHOQuo_S_tli1JQkkZNdPaJhtE8w-kENiNWfzjYP8/?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="94" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="92"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjGcjOuF3mG_8u746pjOwpxo84ExxmGGLl3cJwDRmaxj7xQs5fAc-4JbxmJEVg5gyykDq6mAMY2SuCrN9ek4MAMJ5I_Z-0ULpf2lpXGJUIwHufYBjudXaCD4XP4XQ8fTGwJkoSspg3Qw/s1600-h/image%25255B49%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrZnuDmCERH1s03qZUalqcE6GYsJHm78iocVS4pChGKqMTwBk-_Mu4jVa1PKUe72KrnvmhKGRqnFz4WOJUdVVs-2RR9x-AP8sCzu9bkOpsKR3P3KwS0acuRCqAw182GwmOFBRS-xWLeA/?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="109" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="35"><br /></td> <td valign="top" width="65"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgm7y0Mgr4QemnOfkY0m1fv5iDehExB6N7fUdnTheUT_LG3hayrGTAWdUu0Ao96zVg-_Wp-WtY_NziA_qoOWIlCEDlxAltTjjSaGi89bO5CxymgWPi6U7uxXWlCLDXUP6tlf-RYFNzUc/s1600-h/image%25255B54%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsn4ym3O9z0DVnQx7WZ_NPpzgBFdQHK3ybWR-8SbWa3a13NfrTlWJG-U798VeuRhUWZ3851iu-iP1gOR7NPWkf-w-WgkTdg5IrfjL5g2M9I2BtGazFpgNA-QegKfMSHr9JINiHVxhptHQ/?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="111" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="50"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">John Gilmour encouraged us to concentrate on producing good mothers and fathers for the sake of society. At least two of the speakers suggested that  all graduates spend two years in community service teaching before continuing with their own career paths. Christopher Hagspihl has been doing just that, teaching Maths in a township school before continuing with a career in banking, and he spoke of the rewards of such an experience. Leigh Maynert who co-founded a business university at age 25 with no educational background spoke of nurturing the souls of students. TSiBA Institute has produced four Nelson Mandela Rhodes scholars in the last few years. Each and every speaker added their flavour to the pot as the day progressed.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div>.  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnp7z_wqhM40DO4qRvZml6nkPfMFmahAXxXDJYqU5lTvf8EOAFQd03_Xepk2ezILUnAPZi4mlL4SWtj9GmT7dbA9PhJaHvSUqGXT0VYlIFhyphenhyphen0gAugXi3a5jl6agY3sxV80hV9t-MnoKXU/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jH1EsZJqwex6KjSSC6QSinhMscs3NQTYdkiVUGPPnMuoidcdURcMk676qxd7oidQ7dYGbdukMQvWFhEaoFQmT0HcHwZ_LNeHP4WWG-feUpxNFybyjrl2NOKMWBBr1NbseR3bzSPgJ-E/?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="233" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGl9Tnm3JmY82vorxeEzVjO4RcWrWuPToJMLyPCrDXJHtDrISvlxfYu71BXbfo13bDtPjocmTKmqnjTQAnolLNxV_KRiu2UH9siIP9sGlOlyoHtWJUMSCYtIcTNUJf2rI-d8Hxxj0nIM0/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrhzH2_dMv-6ZJerjh69DvykoBBMFwPkVf6j4KhZBFccDKmMGJ0Ihph8juK7hXB2oBWVgfzX_QuhWDdahugDiDlL-XNVIhikxLTTsMX-Y2Bvh8fUj7VashzNDAlgjjVuQSW7ngZhDzE8/?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><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Judging by the tweets on the Twitter stream we all left inspired and refreshed by the ideas of others put forward during the day. It was the kind of day one wouldn't want to have spent in any other way! It was also a day of connecting with old friends (like my TeachMeet buddies from Somerset West pictured above), and making new ones. But the question always is…What now? Inspired as we are by events like this, is it going to lead to any major change anywhere? Is government likely to listen? I guess the conclusion we are forced into adopting is that WE have to do our bit in society as transformative agents. It is actually up to us! Dr Mamphela Ramphele left us with these words, "We are ALL responsible for improving education." </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Note</u>: If you would like to listen to any of these talks, the videos are now available online at <a href="http://www.tedxcapetown.org/videos">http://www.tedxcapetown.org/videos</a> </div></div>

news TED talks A day at TEDxCapeTown ED on 16 June 2012

Submitted by Fiona Beal Imagine receiving a phone call on the morning of the totally booked-out TEDxCapeTownED event on 16 June and being as...

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We Need an Education Victory Garden #iste12

<b style="background-color: white;">I'm convinced that politicians, actors, and businesses are in the business of education because education hasn't taken care of its business.</b><span style="background-color: white;"> I don't think that educators should sit back and complain about the current state of education because the current state of education is in place largely because of our own state of mind. It is time to change our minds about what we can do and do it. It is time to stop talking and start living it. Get to work at work worth doing.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">We need educational victory gardens</span></b><br />I think that an excellent example of a massive societal effort is that of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Victory garden">Victory Garden</a> which resulted in over $1.2 billion in food being produced by the end of World War 2. Victory Gardens were planted on public and private lands to grow food and take the pressure off of suppliers. In Britain up to 40% of their vegetables came from Victory Gardens. Everyone took responsibility to do their part or more than their part to help.<br /><br />We need lots of educational opportunities from many sectors. Creating educational opportunities and helping kids find them should be our education victory garden. Everyone should do it but it cannot replace schools who should be a virtual garden of educational choices.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Laborers together</b></span><br />The great thing about going to ISTE is the kind of people you meet and are around. People in IT in education are some of the hardest working people I know. Teachers are very hard working. The people that take time out of their summer and money out of their own pocketbooks to attend such a conference are the "salt of the earth" type people who guide their lives with their hearts and work hard with their hands to make the world a better place.<br /><br />We need to equip us to know what to do with those hearts and hands. I spoke on Saturday to the "ISTE affiliates" a message that I want to give here because it needs to be said. The 3 things we need in our education victory garden are:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzPROlERQuxh8lJBAus3TNNdrnt-SdrzBaRN082PMcxY0IYCOrvRLiaYo4E2KabG4PZ6SKll3CaBFl3dhqGJMjVJMNEiHbf2o5zvq_PLA5L44DDS8FhjpPIQ5S1zWDIYHCC2yRr2UNZvs/s1600/Slide38.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzPROlERQuxh8lJBAus3TNNdrnt-SdrzBaRN082PMcxY0IYCOrvRLiaYo4E2KabG4PZ6SKll3CaBFl3dhqGJMjVJMNEiHbf2o5zvq_PLA5L44DDS8FhjpPIQ5S1zWDIYHCC2yRr2UNZvs/s320/Slide38.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="background-color: white;">Hope</span></h2><span style="background-color: white;">Educators need to know it is possible to improve education and that society supports their efforts to work every day towards improvement knowing that we are all flawed people. The toxic environment of un</span><span style="background-color: white;">forgiveness</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and crucifixion of those who make mistakes is making education into a place where people don't want to innovate for risk of hurting themselves and their families.  </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><b>Never mistake the threats to industries that support education (like textbook companies) as a threat on education itself. Learning is an essential part of any advanced society. The way we learn must change to adapt to the ways we now interact and share.</b><br /><br />Many education-related companies and organizations including publishers, traditional higher education, and eventually schools are going to experience MAJOR upheaval in the next 10 years but remember that it is because new ways of educating and sharing are emerging. Teacherpreneurs are going to be a hot commodity. Traditional ivory tower, exclusive, organizations are going to be in trouble. The change coming to the education industry is going to make the music/ Hollywood transitions of the last 10 years look like ants fighting on an ant hill. We are talking major societal shifts and scared company execs. Scared people are easy to control.<br /><br />If educators are well educated, life long learners, plugged into a PLN and are networking online -your opportunities are going to be profound. I can't say the same for unplugged teachers - it may be a lot harder for them, however, even then, don't give up hope. Likely you may look at having to change jobs and schools as administrators look for people to blame for the shifts happening in education but you'll still be needed. As older educators retire, we're actually looking at a shortage of teachers in the next few years.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLCMdGDODmAV8_NKeidplYRwGo1bDjluWP-QZrwJxNnzkqlS7qIQT7d_qBe3WQflEKI3DmEsrH1MJJ1F5XgD8r8QSXh_se56VeShNQ95RHURgKJ5TvSRO95giYJNiJPoL0x2xmzKOL_Bs/s1600/Slide32.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLCMdGDODmAV8_NKeidplYRwGo1bDjluWP-QZrwJxNnzkqlS7qIQT7d_qBe3WQflEKI3DmEsrH1MJJ1F5XgD8r8QSXh_se56VeShNQ95RHURgKJ5TvSRO95giYJNiJPoL0x2xmzKOL_Bs/s320/Slide32.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>But there are those who would rather have a pity party than a victory party because it is easier to be afraid and complain. Times are tough but if you look at the great Depression, they've been worse. <b>Work hard at work worth doing and you'll find meaning money can't buy.</b><br /><br />Massive change equals massive opportunity for those with a little savvy about it. Just like surfers like those big waves, some people (like me) are in for the ride of our lives. I'm excited and full of hope because great teachers are no longer islands - we're finding other teachers to magnify and make us even better. For us, this is a great time to live and teach.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq6GSG9BN_olbgIsJrELcE0B5I8vNcamd87Owak0ZfO7Z0myDUOA7sEyo5vX-5sO8wCxf8slJTpLWVRtum2xNt4IkbHpRHLnB4aMukH1k4kslrhZkjdRn5xrG30VNor_cNGwO9cW6z14M/s1600/Slide27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq6GSG9BN_olbgIsJrELcE0B5I8vNcamd87Owak0ZfO7Z0myDUOA7sEyo5vX-5sO8wCxf8slJTpLWVRtum2xNt4IkbHpRHLnB4aMukH1k4kslrhZkjdRn5xrG30VNor_cNGwO9cW6z14M/s320/Slide27.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Help</span></span></h2><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Technology is maturing and so are the best practices</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> that surround the use of education tools. If you talk about apps you should be talking about application. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">App makers of educational apps need to be held accountable to give us the learning analytics and link back to parents and teachers we need to help kids improve by integrating apps into the overall personalized learning environment for students. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Teachers want to know what to do and how to improve. Tell them. Encourage them. Show them. But most of all INVOLVE them in the change. Stop the hypocrisy PD! We can't talk about all of these educational theories about how to properly teach students and hypocritically lecture to teachers about it. Teachers should be involved and integrated in PD (like we talk about in Chapter 11 of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132610353/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwbrighc-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0132610353" id="static_txt_preview" style="color: #e47911; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds</a>) and in the change that needs to happen as schools transition to an electronic architecture under girding their education.<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIFVGLdWi6WHfdKL5QcJytH_6Gcn110FDk5sRtteqOT3n5aIDllbh1GURq_58_ucOIqszwh7JwE9fA9RuW-tXRiQXM5rdpXo2Ro5cqxmRRzLhTMbMdEsUY3FeWoPHYB1bsxU4kQLAscn-/s1600/Slide34.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIFVGLdWi6WHfdKL5QcJytH_6Gcn110FDk5sRtteqOT3n5aIDllbh1GURq_58_ucOIqszwh7JwE9fA9RuW-tXRiQXM5rdpXo2Ro5cqxmRRzLhTMbMdEsUY3FeWoPHYB1bsxU4kQLAscn-/s320/Slide34.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Heart</span></span></h2><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">We need to give teachers back their hearts. </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">These are numbers...</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyWnqLMXxiMMMQQ_mw3MkQaSRISf4PLBgYO9_R2xLWqTpwM8HP1OoBla6r_Ci1A0c7yF4E0DV1JJy46GEpv-4vexHZ5YM0u8jhQsPNfAFDDFTWfuJ0hNQvkV8bRvoeOGiGnhs_8lDGfu2/s1600/Slide35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyWnqLMXxiMMMQQ_mw3MkQaSRISf4PLBgYO9_R2xLWqTpwM8HP1OoBla6r_Ci1A0c7yF4E0DV1JJy46GEpv-4vexHZ5YM0u8jhQsPNfAFDDFTWfuJ0hNQvkV8bRvoeOGiGnhs_8lDGfu2/s320/Slide35.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">These are not....</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPn4xu7GnM0PWAkQ-wFSEVp05DcwlZan02ZjSc9weVA35dtDfIfa1Abcgdz0UKKbnuFSboGmcYjfKc0v-X7wf-SuqAHsyCauzP6tJPB4MagKj3_qKz63_2wO88GA6RNGOg4me1T0Z4cimd/s1600/Slide36.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPn4xu7GnM0PWAkQ-wFSEVp05DcwlZan02ZjSc9weVA35dtDfIfa1Abcgdz0UKKbnuFSboGmcYjfKc0v-X7wf-SuqAHsyCauzP6tJPB4MagKj3_qKz63_2wO88GA6RNGOg4me1T0Z4cimd/s320/Slide36.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>As <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.sirkenrobinson.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Sir Ken Robinson">Sir Ken Robinson</a> said in last night's keynote, as parents we know that every child is different. We have attempted to standardize something that is entirely personal: children. We must personalize the learning experience and change how we approach education. It is time.<br /><br />Thinking we can standardize children is like telling artists to standardize their paintings. You end up with one original and a ton of bad copies. We must become artists adept at helping children paint their own lives full of meaning, a quest of knowledge, and excellence. This doesn't mean we sit around all day, drink tea and throw rose petals in meadows. We have hard work to do and so must our students, but the drill and kill is killing our education system as we know it. Which brings me to my last point.<br /><br /><h2>This is a no Hype Zone</h2><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJNPChcDEVWuoabjenAUcenRSf5gArwgczXlETsFyote1Q50tN9mSFrCrhNKzCNE6_1qjYFPkDhobyT2sLHK_xR2bvZzycaih9Z3mrXusFS56YgDwY53DVgKutGNrVxPgvsN7WUdKhrrX/s1600/Slide37.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJNPChcDEVWuoabjenAUcenRSf5gArwgczXlETsFyote1Q50tN9mSFrCrhNKzCNE6_1qjYFPkDhobyT2sLHK_xR2bvZzycaih9Z3mrXusFS56YgDwY53DVgKutGNrVxPgvsN7WUdKhrrX/s320/Slide37.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I pondered last night's keynote at ISTE all night and into this morning. Hype is like spinach -- kids always know it is there even when it is made to look different. Kids feel deceived. Last night we got political infomercials and an advertisement for a company wrapped up in the Brilliance of Sir Ken Robinson.<br /><br />While I firmly advocate no mob behavior on Twitter, our collective #iste12 frustration was apparent with the Hype-laced session last night. Never confuse being nice with being agreeable. I can respectfully disagree with the choice to put a vendor on stage without the qualifications to engage one of the foremost minds in education thinking in the world. It wasn't a good fit for the audience and what we needed to be doing.<br /><br />I can also respectfully disagree that ISTE is the International Society of Technology Educators and it should act like it. I do think that best wishes for Don Knezek were in order (but also Anita McAnear) and it is appropriate for many people to thank him. I think, however, that political speeches targeted exclusively to US voters and comments directed to exclusively US public school educators alienated many of the audience in one way or another and didn't fit with what ISTE is SUPPOSED to be.<br /><br />There was no reason for anyone to walk out of a speech by Sir Ken Robinson, the problem was they didn't walk out on a speech given by Sir Ken Robinson. The audience was enraptured as he spoke. He just didn't speak enough and they walked out when they realized what was happening.<br /><br />It is time to get real and cut out the bull. We know when hype is there so stop it. Be honest and authentic - disclose motivations. There is a place for vendors and making money but don't pretend it is what it isn't. And remember that we can be kind as we confront injustice. Our kids need us to focus on them. When improving education is less important than selling a product, then we won't have a victory garden - we'll have rich vendors and poor students. That is where we are right now.<br /><br />We need practical advice and honest researchers instead of the "researcher for hire" (a/k/a "researcher for hype") approach that is becoming an alarming trend in education circles. Be skeptical of any research that proves the efficacy of a product that was paid for by the maker of that product. Just as journalists have now been exposed as having bias, unfortunately it is becoming apparent that that bias extends to some researchers. Educators grab onto it, however, because it gives us a way to justify purchases that we know we need to make, so in some ways, we are to blame for this trend. We say we need it so they give us what we "need" and we've gotten what we don't want. We don't know who to trust anymore.<i style="background-color: white;"> </i><br /><h2>In Summary</h2>So, am I negative about education? No.<br /><br />But I'm reading the Last Lion this summer and notice how Winston Churchill continued to warn the English about the threat of Germany but no one wanted to hear it. He was ostracized but he was right.<br /><br /><h3><b>Courage not stupidity</b></h3>I go to the church that filmed the movie  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0062NAX1U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwbrighc-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0062NAX1U" id="static_txt_preview" style="color: #e47911; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Courageous</a>  and our pastor talks a lot about having courage. This is a time that calls for courageous people. A person who jumps off a bridge blindly doesn't have courage - he is dumb. A person, however, who climbs a mountain to rescue a child using the best technology to get there and good guides, is courageous. We have lots of mountains and lots of children but we also have lots of guides with the wisdom to help us get there.<br /><br />We're not going to get there thinking that we can be transported by any software, app, hardware, or technique. We need good, solid, educators making the best use of the best technology they can afford and supportive administration who is willing to remove obstacles accompanied by supportive parents who know that education doesn't stop at the door of the schoolhouse. We need schoolboards that understand that spending must shift into technology from other areas that are being rendered obsolete. We are accountable.<br /><br />We must work hard. It is time to get real, get serious, and get honest about education. I, for one, am not going to be quiet. I want to encourage and help teachers change from the inside out. It starts today.<br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>Another quick note from ISTE12.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>Speaking of today...</i><br /><i> If you want to say "hi" - I'll be running around but will be on the stage outside room 20D from 10:30-11 and presenting in Wonderful World of Wiki Teaching in SDCC 31AB at 2:30-3:30, and facilitating helping teachers find each other to plan their own global projects from 5:30-6:45 at the Flat Classroom Birds of a Feather in SDCC30CD. </i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>Tuesday morning I'll be sharing a 2 minute shred at 7 am in SDCC 33C, having a book signing from 10-11 in Pearson's booth 3513 for </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132610353/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwbrighc-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0132610353" id="static_txt_preview" style="color: #e47911; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds</a> <i>, and facilitating a panel on "Collaborative Writing and Common Core in the Classroom" (including info from my new book <a href="http://www.eyeoneducation.com/Collaborative-Writing-Project">Collaborative Writing in the Cloud</a>) where the panel will take the 10 writing standards and show what they look like in the classroom from 12:15-1:15 in Room 8. At 3:45-4:45 - I'll be sharing with Suzie Nestico and Diigo founder Maggie Tsai "Bookmarks, PLN's and MOre" in 31AB. I'll finish up the day at Sylvia Martinez and the Gen YES Birds of a Feather talking about getting more girls into STEM with my daughter where she'll say a word. (This is an important topic, I hope some of you who care about girls in sTEM will come to this birds of a feather.)</i><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=f14b0598-c14f-4643-b238-855d1d29c2c9" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

We Need an Education Victory Garden #iste12

I'm convinced that politicians, actors, and businesses are in the business of education because education hasn't taken care of its b...

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guest posting at the aestate

What better way to start off the week than with <a href="http://www.theaestate.com/2012/06/guest-post-elizabeth-from-little-black.html" target="_blank">a guest post</a>! Head over to <a href="http://www.theaestate.com/2012/06/guest-post-elizabeth-from-little-black.html" target="_blank">The Aestate</a> and check me out. I'm talking about my favorite color. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may even get hungry. (If talking about colors makes you hungry)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG0iaS5Q2sIdmIoYYUhyphenhyphen-9ciVEAkgDgwpGVLO-rdv41r23eSJuViaseZpbLnORzx0i9KdF8ObsY1YbdH9AY3Y7adE2VXrlzyQOyq2ci1A1N4KFluAT_3i_-jsYcBJN9269ERClJayEbOZ/s1600/header-1000px-the-aestate.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG0iaS5Q2sIdmIoYYUhyphenhyphen-9ciVEAkgDgwpGVLO-rdv41r23eSJuViaseZpbLnORzx0i9KdF8ObsY1YbdH9AY3Y7adE2VXrlzyQOyq2ci1A1N4KFluAT_3i_-jsYcBJN9269ERClJayEbOZ/s400/header-1000px-the-aestate.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />

guest posting at the aestate

What better way to start off the week than with a guest post ! Head over to The Aestate and check me out. I'm talking about my favorite...

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NATO “DRESS REHEARSAL” FOR MILITARY INTERVENTION IN SYRIA?

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WERE THE TURKISH PHANTOMS “TEASING” SYRIAN AIR DEFENSES FOR NATO’S ELINT (ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE GATHERING MISSION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">) <b>COLLECTION?</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZ9eMyD77ssV5B83NGSZFib3uoqFf2hYFs3y-vNlFtoKrvHbukcHu63joh-MYkNW0NCoO57Sm0PfJlUQBLumP8NicoPtcaw1gw33W1sz6270cnNjbITAWZ5kEAq9ub_YqRbe0w2EhUPFH/s1600/2049852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZ9eMyD77ssV5B83NGSZFib3uoqFf2hYFs3y-vNlFtoKrvHbukcHu63joh-MYkNW0NCoO57Sm0PfJlUQBLumP8NicoPtcaw1gw33W1sz6270cnNjbITAWZ5kEAq9ub_YqRbe0w2EhUPFH/s400/2049852.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="rg_ctlv"></span><span class="st"><em>Type of Turkish RF</em>-4E <em>Phantom</em> <i>photo-</i><em>reconnaissance fighter shot down in Syrian Airspace </em> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">By Tamir Eshel</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TURKISH PHANTOMS IN SYRIAN AIRSPACE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The SYRIAN news agency SANA confirmed that at 11:40 AM on Friday (June 22, 2012) the SYRIAN air defense forces have downed an ‘unidentified target’ that violated SYRIAN airspace coming from the west (seaside) at a very low altitude and at high speed over SYRIAN territorial water. After spotting the aircraft SYRIAN air defense artillery units opened fire with anti-aircraft artillery, hitting the target about one kilometer from the coastline, causing it to crash into SYRIAN territorial waters about seven kilometers west of the Om al-Tuyour village in Lattakia province. The two crewmen are still missing.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">DEFENDING SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Apparently, the target headed west before crashing, hitting the water about ten kilometers from the coastline. The SYRIAN agency released a map showing the target’s route before the intercept. SYRIA has tried to play down the incident. SYRIAN foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said the incident was “not an attack”.”There was no hostile act against TURKEY whatsoever. It was just an act of defense for our sovereignty.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkhQqL04D1UXC3qZ236yv6m0vC9S5a82zqXyicRmLEtfc6ggZickKsEu9s7PB1ylm2V5gm64vXo9Y_XRxSQBZyR6bmKxxqraF4qTR7dx-O9OogiB6cqG4mOgwjUULZpTpS9c-gKO1ziMz/s1600/sana-route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkhQqL04D1UXC3qZ236yv6m0vC9S5a82zqXyicRmLEtfc6ggZickKsEu9s7PB1ylm2V5gm64vXo9Y_XRxSQBZyR6bmKxxqraF4qTR7dx-O9OogiB6cqG4mOgwjUULZpTpS9c-gKO1ziMz/s400/sana-route.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The SYRIAN news agency SANA published this map showing the tracks of the TURKISH aircraft before it was shot down by its anti-aircraft artillery seven kilometers off the Lattakia coastline. Photo: SANA</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE (ELINT) GATHERING MISSION</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to this map, the aircraft, apparently an unarmed reconnaissance version of the TURKISH Air Force F-4E, was circling at higher altitude in TURKISH airspace north of the area. If this was the case, the aircraft could have possibly using Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) payloads (similar to the system TURKEY bought in ISRAEL few years ago). LOROP provides high quality imagery form very long range (up to 100 km), when taken from high altitude. However, it is less suitable for fast, low-altitude tactical recce missions characteristic of the final dash the Phantom performed just before it was shot down. What drew the pilot to act this way? One possible explanation for the Turkish maneuver is an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering mission.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TURKEYS VERSION OF THE INCIDENT</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The TURKS confirmed that two Phantom fighters (the type was not identified) have left the Erhac Air Base at around 09:30 local time, one of these planes disappeared from the radar screen about one and half hour later. TURKISH authorities said the plane was flying in international airspace but crashed in Syrian waters near Lattakia. They admitted the plane had entered Syrian airspace but quickly left when warned by Turkey and was shot down in international airspace several minutes later.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TURKISH NATO RECONNAISSANCE MISSION</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Officially, TURKEY said the planes were on a training mission but more likely they were on a reconnaissance mission, peeking along the SYRIAN MEDITERRANEAN coastline, where SYRIA is known to maintain a strong anti-aircraft, coastal defense and radar coverage. Based on the flight profile (if the SYRIAN description is correct) the TURKS could have performed a ‘teasing’ game, in an attempt to stimulate the SYRIAN air defenses to activate their fire control radars, therefore give away critical data that could be used to optimize electronic countermeasures if NATO decides to involve in the situation and enforce a ‘no fly zone’ over SYRIA, similar to what the alliance did in LIBYA in 2011. Apparently, the SYRIANS weren’t tempted, and challenged the intruder with anti-aircraft fire rather than surface-to-air missiles.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“TRAINING FLIGHT” ALONG SYRIA’S COAST!!??</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Indeed, TURKISH foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu said the plane was “on a training flight to test TURKEY’S radar capabilities and had no covert mission related to SYRIA”. Davutoglu, said Ankara would formally present the incident to its NATO allies to prepare a response under article four of the organization’s founding treaty. The article provides for states to “consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened”. It stops short of the explicit mention of possible armed responses cited in article five.</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 LIBYAN and SYRIAN air defense systems are similar in terms of hardware – SA-5, 6, 3 and 2, linked through an advanced command and control network and backed by a dense radar surveillance network. For the low level air defense, SYRIA uses the SA-8, and more recently deployed the SA-22 Pantsir S1. Air defense artillery SYRIAN air defense is maintained at higher alert levels and better equipped with more modern equipment, including the new Pantsir (recently demonstrated on official video firing on a nearby coastal range), likely to be deployed in the western region. NATO is also concerned about the RUSSIAN intentions to beef up its garrison maintaining and protecting a small facility established recently at the port of Tartus, south of Lattakia. Currently the base is manned my about 100 sailors and marines, but the RUSSIANS were reportedly preparing two landing ships loaded with Marines at Sevastopol on high alert, to be sent to protect the base if required.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

NATO “DRESS REHEARSAL” FOR MILITARY INTERVENTION IN SYRIA?

WERE THE TURKISH PHANTOMS “TEASING” SYRIAN AIR DEFENSES FOR NATO’S ELINT (ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE GATHERING MISSION ) COLLECTION? Type of T...

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Elearning and global competency #flatclass #globaled 06/25/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.speakerconfessions.com/2009/06/how-to-give-a-great-ignite-talk/">How to give a great ignite talk « Speaker Confessions</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">INformation on the ignite speech format. I'll be giving one tomorrow at the global education summit at #iste between 2-5 pm at ISTE.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/globaled">globaled</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/flatclass">flatclass</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Elearning and global competency #flatclass #globaled 06/25/2012

How to give a great ignite talk « Speaker Confessions INformation on the ignite speech format. I'...

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Gauteng Vodacom ICT Resource Centre Launched

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submitted by Megan Rademeyer from SchoolNet</i></span><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On 13 June 2012 the third of nine provincial ICT Resource Centres was<br />launched in Sunnyside, Tshwane by the Gauteng MEC for Education, Barbara<br />Creecy. The intention of the Vodacom Resource Centres is to help the<br />Department of Education to meet its goal of exposing a significant number of<br />learners to ICT and to upgrade the quality of instruction given by teachers.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWs7BpT_9VchoTAUkO4irs7Gw8tazYFFiNecj-F6to62yZ25MqeZ-op_1q9y1SpcW5tSSdH9YLqK8Xh-wWsupmfxL_y_-hY8W7LOeHpgEqLddWiyQHOY0gg24w6CMuo0Bgh8wPwQPXNdE/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjeosKQh1Dd00dcitvxHfKR6wQzagltWDBvu0P_MXyuGfm-ffWU_arqqYIZiLPLebzJCGmKbrNWiOZgafTLzgEMb1fCYlRgXGPtfzK_djdkUOZt8YqMGFrwSTtAXLtIQtxPVEmXEfBIE/?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></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gauteng MEC for Education, Barbara Creecy</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Improving the quality of education is mission critical for the future of</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">South Africa and skilled teachers are a key element of the education value</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">chain," said Head of Innovation and Partnering at Vodacom, Portia Maurice.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Barbara Creecy said at the launch, "The establishment of this computer centre is in line with government's</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">commitment to making schools resource rich environments that also promote</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the use of modern information and communication technologies to improve </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Maths and Science teaching in the classroom." </span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SchoolNet SA has been commissioned by the Vodacom Foundation to train staff<br />who will be based at the Centres in resource centre management. SchoolNet is<br />also training trainers at each Centre to be able to offer the <i>Sizanani ICT<br />Skills for Community Members </i>course, the <i>Microsoft ICT Skills for Teachers</i><br />and<i> HelpDesk </i>courses, as well as the<i> Intel Getting Started </i>course.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click on <a href="http://www.digitalclassroom.co.za/">http://www.digitalclassroom.co.za</a> for more information</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div></div>

news Gauteng Vodacom ICT Resource Centre Launched

Submitted by Megan Rademeyer from SchoolNet On 13 June 2012 the third of nine provincial ICT Resource Centres was launched in Sunnyside, Tsh...

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