River of Doubt: The Only Good Educator is a Dead Educator?

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:River-doubt-team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="From left to right (seated): Father Zahm, Rond..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/River-doubt-team.jpg/300px-River-doubt-team.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">From left to right (seated): Father Zahm, Rondon, Kermit, Cherrie, Miller, four Brazilians, Roosevelt, Fiala. Photo taken in 1914. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:River-doubt-team.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table>I'm reading a completely engrossing account of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Theodore Roosevelt">Theodore Roosevelt's</a> expedition up the River of Doubt in South America (See <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767913736/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0767913736&linkCode=as2&tag=httpwwwbrighc-20" id="static_txt_preview" style="background-color: white; color: #996633; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey</a>), where he almost died, but made incredible strides forward for science. I've been soaking up biographies of great men and women since my friend <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.angelamaiers.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Angela Maiers">Angela Maiers</a> challenged me to find my "dream team."<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"You become most like the five people you ponder the most, who will those people be?" she said.</blockquote>When set back, Theodore Roosevelt always went into nature to meet some great challenge or danger. But not only did he go and hunt (as he did in Africa), his purpose in South America was to advance science.<br /><br />I think that there is a big lesson to take from "Teddy's" life. When beset by struggle and setbacks, set your mind on another great task and get busy. Life is short, you have things to do and wallowing in sadness is not one of us.<br /><br />If you're alive, you've experienced setbacks. If you haven't experienced a setback, I would guess you either have memory loss or you're not very old, because in my own life, even when I was a child, I had personal setbacks and hurts - not being invited to a birthday party, being made fun of, being left out. These are all things that are part of life.<br /><br /><h2>Little Trickles of Doubt.</h2><br />The last book I finished was <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Mother Teresa">Mother Teresa</a>'s "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Greater-Walker-Large-Print-Books/dp/0802727271%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dhttpwwwbrighc-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0802727271" rel="amazon" target="_blank" title="No Greater Love (Walker Large Print Books)">No Greater Love</a>" - another great book. She said something that has stuck with me,<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"May I be so humble that I cannot be insulted or put on a pedestal." </blockquote>While such words may not be for many of you, they are perfectly for me. If I spend my life waiting for someone to say I'm so great -- what a sad life. Life isn't about being praised by men or women -- such praise is very temporary and quickly changes tenor when the tide goes out, leaving behind, just a river of doubt flowing from the inland of your heart.<br /><br />My biggest river of doubt I know now comes flowing out of the tv every time I look at the "news."<br /><br />Seeing the media feeding frenzy like the Pirana's in Roosevelt's River of Doubt, upon my friend Suzie Nestico, based upon the word of a unscrupulous lawyer has told me all I need to know. The media is in search of a sensational story and doesn't care about reporting the truth.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://coalcrackerclassroom.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/cimg2912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://coalcrackerclassroom.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/cimg2912.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzie Nestico and me at <a href="http://coalcrackerclassroom.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/hello-world/" target="_blank">PETE&C</a> in 2011. I am proud to<br />say I'm her friend.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Right now, my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/nesticos" target="_blank">Suzie Nestico</a>, surely must be experiencing a River of Doubt. She's a great educator and I've known her at least five years (likely longer.) I was in India with her as she stood between one of my students and an overly aggressive street vendor and turned down the order and walked on. She loves kids. My friend Suzie is now a principal... at Mt. Carmel Elementary in Pennsylvania where a child threatened another one at a bus stop it turned out to be a "<a href="http://newsitem.com/news/mention-of-bubble-gun-gets-child-5-suspended-1.1431911#.UPqfRlamDos.email" target="_blank">hello kitty bubble gun</a>" according to the news media.<br /><br />I wonder how did it get from the bus stop to the front office? I'm guessing another child had to be scared somewhere in there? Where are the parents of the other children who (obviously) complained?<br /><br /><br />I refuse to ever again let the media try educators in the court of public opinion without giving the educator the benefit of the doubt. If a story is ridiculous, it is likely a LIE and watching the video of the lawyer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Ficker" target="_blank">Robin Ficker</a> (also a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vSb1o0Inag" target="_blank">famous NBA heckler</a>)  and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Ficker" target="_blank">reading his bio on Wikipedia</a>, I can't tell you the revulsion I feel for the entire situation. Ficker also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Ficker" target="_blank">lost his license in Maryland</a> for a period of time for misconduct.<br /><br />I'm ashamed that the news media would take the word of such a man and the desire for a sensational story over the integrity and longstanding history of a woman like Suzie Nestico. A man who craves the media over a woman who shows up every day helping kids. I know Suzie and I know she wouldn't "grill" anything but chicken on the stove. (The lawyer said she "grilled" the child for 3 hours, a fact I find preposterous, although, I don't know the other side, which is just the point.)<br /><br /><br />The media is going to write entire articles based upon this man's version of what a<a href="http://newsitem.com/news/mention-of-bubble-gun-gets-child-5-suspended-1.1431911#.UPqfRlamDos.email" target="_blank"> five year old says happened</a>.  The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/kindergarten-suspension-pink-bubble-gun_n_2507017.html" target="_blank">early articles</a> are clear to state that the bubble gun was not with the child. In fact, when I first told my husband about it, he couldn't even understand the words "bubble gun" and thought I said gun or bubble gum. Is a five year old going to clearly communicate? How did the other children feel about the threat?<br /><br />So, then people descend upon Suzie, sending her threatening mail and taking a picture of her and her child and <a href="http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/another-school-massacre-narrowly-thwarted/#comments" target="_blank">calling her a slut</a>? <i>(I have left the blogger in question a comment, on his "about" page which I doubt will be published. I've left comments on the hate filled idiotic people who profess to have the same faith I do, but if you take a descent into debauchery and look at the comments on any of the articles I've linked to, understand that the ugliness there doesn't represent the Christian faith I cherish.)</i> Really? What does sex have to do with this incident anyway? Do they call men a "gigolo" when they are at the center of a controversy?<br /><br />I say according to the news media, because the only time I got to talk to Suzie last weekend, she choked back sobs telling me she wasn't allowed to say her side but the inaccuracies were killing her.<br /><br /> She was also very afraid, I know fear when I hear it.<br /><h2>A river of doubt.</h2>She must be feeling it. She's given her life in love to children and she gets this? There's a verse in Proverbs that says <b>you believe one side of the story, until you hear the other</b>. Well, no one has heard the other.<br /><br />Principals, administrators, and teachers are maligned all of the time because parents and students are not bound by the confidentiality that we must cherish. Our job is to protect the privacy of the children, even to our own detriment.<br /><br />Suzie, I'm sure is having doubts, but I don't. <b>I know that there is another side to this story. </b><br /><br /><ul><li>I don't doubt my friend for a moment that she tried to protect the children under her care. </li><li>I don't doubt that she found out what happened at the bus stop because another child was scared and went home and told Mom and Dad.</li><li> I don't doubt that there is a bigger story and I KNOW that Suzie doesn't grill children and wouldn't do that for 3 hours. Now, it might have been 3 hours from dropoff to when Mom and Dad could be reached about what had happened, but I'm quite sure that the child wasn't "grilled" as Ficker alleges.</li></ul><br /><h2>A river of doubt.</h2>Educators, you are heroes. Maybe one day my friend Suzie will be able to talk about this and we'll be ashamed of ourselves. By then, the media will have moved on and not care about righting the wrong they have done. This Ficker lawyer will be on to another educator or person that will allow him to get on TV, because that seems to be what he likes the most.<br /><br />But my friend Suzie will know that I publicly told her that I know that her side is there and I won't form an opinion until both sides are known. It isn't my job to pass judgement anyway, that is the Boss' job.<br /><h2>The media thinks the only good educator is a dead educator.</h2>The educators at Sandy Hook were praised for their sacrifice. Stepping in the way of the bullet. They are heroes.<br /><br />But must we die for people to know our dedication? Must our love be written upon our dead faces and cold hands for people to know it is there? Surely not.<br /><br />If my friend Suzie hadn't investigated, and a child had brought a gun to school and shot her classmates, she would have been vilified.<br /><br />My friend Suzie did investigate, and it turns out it was a bubble gun and now she is villified.<br /><br />But if a child brought a gun to school and she jumped in front of it and took the bullet and died, she'd be a hero.<br /><br /><b>Her love is written in her silence.</b> She cherishes the confidentiality of the family who is going after her and has chosen the right course, silence. The fact that she hasn't come out to tell her side of the story, even to me, her friend. I don't know the facts, but I know Suzie and what has and is happening to her is wrong.<br /><br />I'm not going to go down this river of doubt.<br /><br />I am sure that even though the media only reports bad things that happen in education that I will not go down that river. My calling is noble and so is yours. If my passion to love kids, protect them, and do my job to the best of my ability leads to being blasted on the front page of the newspaper or on the news, then so be it. <br /><br />And to the fools who blindly believe that the media actually reports "stories" based in fact and all sides of the story - particularly when education is involved and one party is obligated to silence and confidentiality - those fools who take that story and write hate mail or make hateful phone calls to the educator involved -- you are despicable. <br /><br />As for me, I don't know the facts in the story, I do admit that. But it isn't for me to judge. It is, however, for me to speak out at a great injustice happening to educators in the media. I don't understand why the media would believe anything this particular lawyer would say anyway.<br /><br />This is now the fourth post I've written in the last two weeks, the others were far too emotional and will just languish in my blogger drafts, but one I am determined to post. I will post it today.<br /><br />As for me, I refuse to traverse the river of doubt. We are on a dangerous journey, no doubt. We are dealing with a toxic society that has confused news with reality television and a people of itching ears that can only be scratched with bad news. There are some very mean, unkind, sick people out there. I've gotten my letters too.<br /><br /><strong>But we will not doubt for one moment that our work is not important</strong>. <br /><br />Teaching is important. <br /><br />We won't wait for others to respect us - we will respect ourselves.<br />We will be unafraid to speak out that educators should get the benefit of the doubt because they aren't allowed to tell their side of the story.<br />We will call out lawyers who make a life destroying the careers and lives of others.<br /><br />One day, my friend will tell her story. But until then, I hope that you'll join me and #supportsuzie - there are two sides to every story and hers isn't being told - I have no doubt.<br /><br />When mainstream media becomes infected with the cess of society's cravings for another sensational story, the naive will be swept away with the refuse as their minds become tainted with discontent and anger, without an ability to discern truth. Ignorance isn't bliss... ignorance is the bane of civilized society. <br /><br />I hope that we will learn from this. When you hear a sensational "story" about what "that educator" has done realize that there are two sides to the story and one day "that educator" might be you. The words you say today or think today about this situation will come back to haunt or bless you when it is your turn.<br /><br />I also want to point out that getting "on the news" DOESN'T END YOUR CAREER - not always.<br /><br /><b>There are worse things than being lambasted in the news. </b>You could be a coward. You could be a bully. You could use children for your personal gain. You could forget your nobility as a teacher and get down about your chosen profession. <br /><br />Get out of that river of doubt. Remember your noble calling, teacher.<br /><br /><div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div><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=4d0e915e-135c-4cbe-9477-dcb737d4155d" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Teaching River of Doubt: The Only Good Educator is a Dead Educator?

From left to right (seated): Father Zahm, Rondon, Kermit, Cherrie, Miller, four Brazilians, Roosevelt, Fiala. Photo taken in 1914. (Photo cr...

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THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME, RADICAL ISLAM AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION PART 5

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6Kg-XEfSKdg1P1BWSyGacaMYbR0zF46HR0iIw6ivALigqHVsACq2G936XyFWUA4yHSH81-8IVlU1PcOu6KJ_N7q0XHPS5NZ48_0CNuszRXvO1bEYT5RBtyCnOJYqE8fNTDMkIJXLINao/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6Kg-XEfSKdg1P1BWSyGacaMYbR0zF46HR0iIw6ivALigqHVsACq2G936XyFWUA4yHSH81-8IVlU1PcOu6KJ_N7q0XHPS5NZ48_0CNuszRXvO1bEYT5RBtyCnOJYqE8fNTDMkIJXLINao/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> 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Roman","serif";">  </span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">INFILTRATION INTO THE BALKAN STATES EDUCATIONS SYSTEM - THE KEY AIM OF WAHHABISM</span></b></span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">and </span></b></span></span><br /><h1><span style="color: #38761d;">KOSOVO: RADIKALER ISLAM ALS "TICKENDE BOMBE"</span></h1></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException 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table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 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; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from Ioannis Michaletos<b><span style="mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">A new Islamist university has opened in Novi Pazar, ostensibly a normal college, but led by an Islamist mufti of little formal education. This modern institution — whose officials proclaim it a normal educational institution — reveals its character in its symbol: the Wahabbi/Salafi Dawa symbol, an open Q’uran surmounted with a rising sun. The university, in a renovated former textile factory, is a known center of radical Islamist thinking. Book fairs held there on a regular basis, distributed radical Islamist literature, specifically advocating conflict with the West.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">The Dawa sign indicates that the university is predominantly SAUDI-funded, although some Western funding is known to have been pumped into the institution, reportedly largely to undermine SERB interests in the region.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Western tolerance of Islamic radicals, however, was one of the gravest mistakes of modern times. In addition, a well organized criminal network has already been established in Sarajevo that in a large extent facilitates illegal immigration from ASIA to EUROPE. That activity is coupled with the narcotics trade that is being supplemented by the infamous “Balkan Drug route”. The route passes mostly through areas which are under the influence of Muslims. </span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE ALBANIAN FACTOR</span></b></span></span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">ALBANIA was under the Communist rule during the Cold War, the most isolated country in EUROPE. In 1992 ALBANIA become a member of the “Islamic Conference”, an international Islamic organization. The same year the government of Sali Berisha, the current Prime Minister, signed a military agreement with TURKEY, thus enacting a series of discussions in the neighboring states, regarding the possibility of an Islamic arch from Istanbul to Sarajevo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">One of the main reasons the ALBANIAN officials were eager to form strong ties with the Muslim world was to attract investment from the Gulf, which would help to kick start the stagnating Albanian economy. Therefore the religious sentiment of the majority of ALBANIANS, mostly from the North, was suppressed in order to gain funding from the Islamic world. Unfortunately no serious investment initiatives were undertaken; instead Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, found another state to expand their illegal activities. Many different and respectable sources have indicated two visits by Bin Laden in Tirana, the aim of which was to create an Islamic platform for the country and the construction of terrorist networks within the territory.</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVeXJlJAF3d0_ZPBZjoz1BFqHbUCg_KUIkkZqzxyzJnYKocu8OqQ9bQvLkIvJ-NbvV3Ax92fqmJaJR9nDXvLSOSjmfM4pvcXsb_Bi3bdOoXhMF1thQwvEhswAbf-_l1UPHmxV1LqvNvsU/s1600/albkosmac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVeXJlJAF3d0_ZPBZjoz1BFqHbUCg_KUIkkZqzxyzJnYKocu8OqQ9bQvLkIvJ-NbvV3Ax92fqmJaJR9nDXvLSOSjmfM4pvcXsb_Bi3bdOoXhMF1thQwvEhswAbf-_l1UPHmxV1LqvNvsU/s320/albkosmac.jpg" width="312" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">An ALBANIAN called Naseroudin Albani played an instrumental role in spreading extremist Islamic values into ALBANIAN society. He was a fugitive from ALBANIA since 1963 and resided in Amman-JORDAN. Sources from ALBANIA point out that Albani organized radical Sunni sects back in the 70’s in the MIDDLE EAST that became the nucleus of the modern day Mujahedin. Another ALBANIAN, the then head of ALBANIA’S Secret service, SHIK, called Bashkim Gazidente assisted implementing radical Islamic agendas in ALBANIAN domestic policies. During the 1997 ALBANIAN riots Gazidente fled from ALBANIA and he is said to be an instrumental part in global Fundamentalist Islamic networks. Allegedly he fled to a Middle Eastern country and later moved to Rome-ITALY. </span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE AL QAEDA FACTOR IN ALBANIA,</span></b></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">was consolidated by the creation of the ARABIC-ALBANIAN bank, in which Bin Laden allegedly invested the sum of 11.4 million USD. This financial institution acted as a front cover for the transfer of capital for Islamic activities within the country. Just before Berisha’s political overturn in 1997, another Islamic institution called “El Farouk”, acted as a recruitment agency for young ALBANIANS, under the pretext of a charity. One of the most dramatic indicators of the degree of Islamic presence in ALBANIA is the militant Islamic training camp just outside Tirana. At this point it is interesting to note that it was a well known fact among the international community of the nexus between organized crime syndicates, terrorist cells and the KLA, operating under and with ALBANIAN assistance. Actually ALBANIA was mainly used as launch pad to neighboring KOSOVO. In April 1999, some 500 Arab Mujahedeen were smuggled into the capital of Tirana. Their mission was to conduct special operations against YUGOSLAV forces in KOSOVO. They entered KOSOVO from Northern ALBANIA. The whole operation was led by Bin Laden’s deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;"><br />The Nairobi and TANZANIA bombings of 1998 shocked the US administration into taking some action, for the first time, to dismantle terrorist’s networks. Soon, pressure fell on ALBANIA and in the October of the same month individuals of Middle Eastern origin were rounded up and deported. The head of SHIK, Fatos Clozi, admitted for the first time the existence of Islamic extremists in ALBANIA and promised the eradication of the terrorist nucleus.</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ALBANIAN-ISLAMIC CONNECTION NOW FOCUSES ON KOSOVO</span></b></span></span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">The 9/11 attacks proved to be a fatal blow for radicals in ALBANIA due to USA forces having more or less neutralize any remaining cells operating or hiding in ALBANA. The government of ALBANIA, which is more than willing to become inducted in the Euro-Atlantic security framework, has ceased to seek Islamic assistance and the current Berisha’s administration has refaced its Islamic outlook into a modern EUROPEAN one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, the ALBANIAN-Islamic connection is now concentrated in KOSOVO, the very same location NATO forces are stationed! Allegedly there are an overwhelming variety of sources and reports that indicate a well established fundamentalist presence in that area. It is a common secret in the IC (International Community) that the West kept a blind eye during the 1998-1999 Winter where hundreds of Mujahedin joined the UCK forces and helped it expand. Shaul Shay describes “The KLA (KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY) enjoyed the support of former ALBANIAN President Sali Berisha, who regarded the war in KOSOVO as a Jihad and issued a call to all Muslims to fight for the protection of their homeland.</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">MONTENEGRO: BY 2050 - 50% MUSLIM</span></b></span></span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">At that period the means justified the end which was the disbandment of the RUSSIAN influence in the BALKANS, as the Clinton administration viewed the Milosevic one. The result was a resurge of Islamic radical networks in the region, thus eliminating the beneficial results of previous actions against it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">The newly independent MONTENEGRO nowadays faces a long term Islamic population bomb and it is certain that should current trends continue, in 2050 half of the population will be Muslim That is not of course a prelude of terrorism action per se, but the overall turbulent BALKAN history and the existence of terror networks in nearby KOSOVO do not assure a tranquil political future for the newest BALKAN state.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">FYROM is also another terrain where the delicate balance between radicalism and Muslim secularism is taking place. Back in 2001, an ALBANIAN uprising nearly resulted in the disintegration of the state although nowadays there is an uneasy stability. However any negative developments in KOSOVO will affect directly the country which is also the epicenter of the BALKANS, from a geopolitical point of view.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Lastly the SANJAK area in Southern SERBIA is a territory to watch, where the Wahhabi strain of Islam has gained tremendous influence in the local Muslim population. In March 2007 a terrorist cell was disbanded by the SERBIAN authorities and a terrorist plan was dwarfed at the last minute. Again KOSOVO as the centre of radicalism in the BALKANS could play the role of the powder keg for any developments in SANJAK.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Interesting to note is that a<span style="font-size: large;">n Austrian Daily picked up on the Bal<span style="font-size: large;">kan topic in regards to radical Islam and published this artic<span style="font-size: large;">le:</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="artikelBody" id="artikelHeader"><h1><span style="color: red;">Kosovo: Radikaler Islam als "tickende Bombe"</span></h1><h6><span class="author">Arbana Xharra via Der Standard </span><span class="date"></span></h6></div><div class="artikelLeft" id="artikelLeft"><ul class="mediaList"><li id="m1_1358304930146"><img alt="Beim traditionellen Freitagsgebet kann die Hauptmoschee von Prishtina die Masse der Gläubigen nicht mehr fassen." src="http://images.derStandard.at/t/12/2013/01/28/1358349826538.jpg" style="height: 225px; width: 300px;" title="Beim traditionellen Freitagsgebet kann die Hauptmoschee von Prishtina die Masse der Gläubigen nicht mehr fassen." /><div class="credits context">foto: ap/kryeziu</div><div class="description">Beim traditionellen Freitagsgebet kann die Hauptmoschee von Prishtina die Masse der Gläubigen nicht mehr fassen.</div></li><li id="m2_1358304930716"><img alt="Osman Musliu, Imam in Drenas, wurde tätlich angegriffen." src="http://images.derStandard.at/t/12/2013/01/28/1358349841653.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 300px;" title="Osman Musliu, Imam in Drenas, wurde tätlich angegriffen." /><div class="credits context">foto: xharra</div><div class="description">Osman Musliu, Imam in Drenas, wurde tätlich angegriffen.</div></li><li id="m3_1358304930688"><img alt="Shefqet Krasniqi, Imam in Prishtina, fordert Religionsfreiheit." src="http://images.derStandard.at/t/12/2013/01/28/1358349841252.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 300px;" title="Shefqet Krasniqi, Imam in Prishtina, fordert Religionsfreiheit." /><div class="credits context">foto: xharra</div><div class="description">Shefqet Krasniqi, Imam in Prishtina, fordert Religionsfreiheit.</div></li><li id="m4_1358304931094"><img alt="Artikelbild" src="http://images.derStandard.at//2013/01/28/1358349860396.jpg" style="height: 337px; width: 297px;" /><div class="credits context">grafik: standard</div></li></ul></div><h2><span style="color: blue;">Der Kosovo erlebt, begünstigt durch Armut und Arbeitslosigkeit, ein Erstarken des radikalen Islam. Dessen Anhänger fordern mehr Rechte und provozieren damit Gegenreaktionen von säkularen Kosovaren</span></h2>Die Gläubigen, die nicht in die Moschee passen, sitzen vor den Eingängen auf dem Gehsteig, der mit Gebetsteppichen belegt ist. Die über Lautsprecher verstärkte Stimme des Geistlichen tönt über sie hinweg auf die Straße. Beim Freitagsgebet in Prishtina, der Hauptstadt des <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span>, kann die Hauptmoschee weder die Gläubigen noch den Schall der Predigt, die zu hören sie gekommen sind, fassen.<br /><br />"Allahs Feinde führen die muslimische Jugend in die Irre", warnt der Geistliche. Er listet Alkohol, Drogen und den verderblichen Einfluss des Internet als Teil einer konzertierten Aktion auf, "um die Schwungkraft des Islam zu stoppen". "Die Unmoral ist auf dem Vormarsch", so seine Diagnose.<br />Man muss nicht weit gehen, um Hinweise auf die "Unmoral" zu sehen. Unweit der Moschee sitzen junge Männer und Frauen bei Kaffee und Bier in den angesagten Bars der Innenstadt von Prishtina herum. In der Nähe stehen neue Denkmäler, die die jüngste Vergangenheit des <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> erzählen. Eine große Bronzestatue von Bill Clinton, seine Hand im Triumph oder zum Gruß erhoben, schmückt einen Boulevard, der seinen Namen trägt. Der ehemalige US-Präsident wird hier als Held gefeiert, weil er 1999 Nato-Flugzeuge gegen serbische Truppen entsandte.<br /><h3><b>Konvertiten und Hardliner </b></h3>Eine andere, indirekte Folge des Konflikts wird heute jedoch mit Argwohn betrachtet: Eine strenge Form des Islam zieht Konvertiten im gesamten <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> an. Der Aufstieg dieser Gruppe stellt die Traditionen und Ansprüche einer Gesellschaft infrage, die weniger durch ihren islamischen Glauben als durch ihre Zugehörigkeit zur albanischen Volksgruppe und ihren Proamerikanismus definiert war. Bis 1999 noch völlig unbekannt, sind die religiösen Konservativen und Hardliner heute eine kleine, aber zunehmend sichtbare Gruppe mit Anhängern in allen großen Städten und einigen der ärmsten Gegenden auf dem Land.<br />Sicherheitsbeamte berichten, dass diese strengeren Formen des Glaubens nach dem Krieg aufkeimten, als Folge des Zustroms von islamischen Hilfsorganisationen in den <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> und der Schulung von lokalen Geistlichen in arabischen Ländern. Die Sicherheitsexperten sprechen von 50.000 Anhängern dieses konservativen Islam im <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span>. Das ist ein Bruchteil der gesamten muslimischen Bevölkerung, die auf rund 1,8 Millionen Menschen geschätzt wird.<br /><h3>Diskriminierung der Frommen</h3>Einige Geistliche und Konvertiten haben aber die Aufmerksamkeit inländischer Geheimdienste auf sich gezogen. Diese neue Generation religiöser Konservativer sagt, die säkulare Verfassung des <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> diskriminiere die Frommen. Sie wollen eine Lockerung der Beschränkungen für religiöse Symbole in staatlichen Schulen, die muslimischen Frauen und Mädchen verbieten, ein Kopftuch zu tragen.<br />Die Beziehung zwischen dem Staat und den Konservativen ist von Unsicherheit und Unbehagen geprägt. Beide Seiten berufen sich auf internationale Menschenrechte. "Wenn jemand behauptet, wir haben Religionsfreiheit, ist das nicht wahr", sagt Shefqet Krasniqi, Imam der Hauptmoschee in Prishtina. "Wir fordern die gleichen Rechte, die Muslime in London oder den USA haben."<br />Innenminister Bajram Rexhepi sagt hingegen, dass in der Zwischenzeit menschenrechtliche Bedenken seine Versuche behindert hätten, Aktivitäten von mutmaßlichen islamistischen Hardlinern einzudämmen. Er berichtet, dass er während seiner Amtszeit als Ministerpräsident vor neun Jahren versucht habe, ein Gesetz gegen "radikale Sekten" anzustoßen. Doch er sei von "Internationals" davon abgebracht worden - nämlich von Beamten der UN-Mission, die von 1999 bis 2008 halfen, den <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> zu verwalten.<br /><h3>Gefahren von UNO und EU unterschätzt</h3>Behxhet Shala, Leiter der wichtigsten Menschenrechtsorganisation im <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span>, sagt, die Gefahr des Extremismus sei von den Vereinten Nationen und der EU unterschätzt worden. "Heute sind die Internationals hier, aber sie werden wieder gehen. Und sie verlassen uns mit einer tickenden Bombe", sagt Shala. Er meint, dass die Armut im <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> und die durchlässigen Grenzen das Land zu einem fruchtbaren Boden für Radikalismus machten.<br />Tatsächlich wurde der Zusammenbruch des sozialistischen Jugoslawien von einer religiösen Bewegung in der Region begleitet. Die katholischen und die orthodoxen Kirchen in Kroatien und Serbien sind heute stärker, als sie es vor den Kriegen der 1990er-Jahre waren. Der <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> ist dabei keine Ausnahme. Im ganzen Land wurden neue Moscheen gebaut, oft finanziert von Spendern aus islamischen Staaten.<br /><h3>Ramiqi auf Mavi Marmara</h3>Die meisten Kosovaren sind Muslime und üben eine relativ entspannte Form des Islam aus, die von osmanischen und mystischen Sufi-Traditionen geprägt ist. Die Hardliner scheinen mehr von arabischen Interpretationen des Glaubens beeinflusst zu sein. Sie selbst beschreiben sich als Verteidiger des Glaubens, die sich dem Vordringen des "westlichen" Säkularismus in den <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> widersetzen.<br />Fuad Ramiqi, ein Vertreter der Bashkohu-Bewegung sagt, seine Gruppierung befürworte öffentliche Proteste und gewaltfreien Widerstand. Die Gruppe beschwerte sich über das Verbot von Kopftüchern in Schulen und über die Bedeutung christlicher Denkmäler in Prishtina. "Das kann kein demokratischer Staat sein, der mir Säkularismus auferlegt", sagt er.<br />Ramiqi kämpfte in den 1990er-Jahren in Bosnien und war an Bord der Mavi Marmara, eines Schiffes mit Hilfsgütern für Palästinenser im Gazastreifen, das von israelischen Militärs im Jahr 2010 abgefangen wurde.<br /><h3><b>Angriffe auf Kritiker </b></h3>In unregelmäßigen Abständen kommt es zu Angriffen gegen Kritiker des extremistischen Islam. Musli Verbani, ein ehemaliger Imam in der Stadt Kacanik, warnte in einer Predigt im Jahr 2007 seine Gemeinde vor Extremismus. Kurz darauf wurde sein geparktes Auto in Brand gesetzt. Ein Mann aus der Gegend wurde für den Vorfall im Jänner 2011 zu drei Monaten Gefängnis verurteilt.<br />Andere Angriffe gegen Menschen, die sich gegen Extremismus ausgesprochen hatten, führten zu keinen Verhaftungen. Xhabir Hamidi, Professor für Islamische Studien an der Universität Prishtina und prominenter Kritiker der Wahhabiten, wurde im Jahr 2008 von maskierten Männern geschlagen. Er glaubt, dass er wegen seiner Ansichten angegriffen wurde. Osman Musliu, ein Imam aus der Stadt Drenas, wurde 2009 in einer Moschee geschlagen. "Ich verlor das Bewusstsein, und meine Hand wurde gebrochen", berichtet er. "Ich habe mich immer gegen die Wahhabiten in unserer Mitte ausgesprochen."<br />Ein hochrangiger Polizeibeamter, der nicht namentlich genannt werden will, sagt, dass es damals nicht genügend Beweise gegeben habe, um Anklagen wegen der Angriffe auf Hamidi und Musliu zu verfassen.<br />Musliu und Verbani sagen, dass sie von der Reaktion der Islamischen Gemeinschaft - der Dachorganisation, die die Moscheen im <span class="textHLMark">Kosovo</span> verwaltet - auf die Angriffe enttäuscht seien. Beide meinen, dass die Institution die Angriffe auf ihre Mitglieder stärker verurteilen hätte sollen. <br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><br /></div>

THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME, RADICAL ISLAM AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION PART 5

  INFILTRATION INTO THE BALKAN STATES EDUCATIONS SYSTEM - THE KEY AIM OF WAHHABISM and KOSOVO: RADIKALER ISLAM ALS "TICKENDE BOMBE"...

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Willamette Valley Granola Chips

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TRu6trcr9fmaUAeH9ATOXe1MqiyAfTmJ5Qj6NwEAqKsIb80UbBIMED3DMcVUVaOqXl1cNd1lP0jI8a5a9elz-uoMCd43fmMxI-ertZewNpHNTuZo1o-ZpfChUuCTKuXcFD4R4z6wZUU/s1600/granola+chips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TRu6trcr9fmaUAeH9ATOXe1MqiyAfTmJ5Qj6NwEAqKsIb80UbBIMED3DMcVUVaOqXl1cNd1lP0jI8a5a9elz-uoMCd43fmMxI-ertZewNpHNTuZo1o-ZpfChUuCTKuXcFD4R4z6wZUU/s200/granola+chips.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was sent these wonderful Granola chips to review, so first off I will tell you all about them!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are a crispy whole grain snack that's made up of oats, barley, amaranth and quiona.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did I mention that they are bite sized?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The perfect snack!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can sprinkle some of them onto ice cream as a topping or on yogurt!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are new and come in only a few flavors.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hoping they make more flavors soon because they are really good!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The flavors:</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fruity, sweet and nutty!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Butter Pecan:</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7tYWvHUsWkNaUzGddBtQxQHu7MthOedCymow6AmFQuireo-Poa1Z5EH_5_OuFyQJHGdgp3etumXXyJlGTweagNsgnw3Cj2gQhmCP53COQPY_FiQTjWN4d-lhvQfb3gS6HYFr6FOe5pw/s1600/butter+pecan+granola+chips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7tYWvHUsWkNaUzGddBtQxQHu7MthOedCymow6AmFQuireo-Poa1Z5EH_5_OuFyQJHGdgp3etumXXyJlGTweagNsgnw3Cj2gQhmCP53COQPY_FiQTjWN4d-lhvQfb3gS6HYFr6FOe5pw/s200/butter+pecan+granola+chips.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wow what can I say?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tried this flavor first when I got these.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mom and I dug right in and were blown away.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are crunchy, sweet and taste just like an unhealthy dessert but better!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love that they are bite sized and you can add them to practically anything. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facts: Good source of fiber</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great for snacking</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">low in fat and calories </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Honey nut:</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vanilla Bean:</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wild berry:</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Warning! </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These are addicting!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to check them out, you won't be disappointed. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check them out now on these webpages!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/willamettevalleygranola">https://www.facebook.com/willamettevalleygranola</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.willamettevalleygranola.com/products/">http://www.willamettevalleygranola.com/products/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sold in Stores:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meijer</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fairway Market</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Albertson's</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and more!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Willamette Valley Granola Chips

I was sent these wonderful Granola chips to review, so first off I will tell you all about them! They are a crispy whole grain snack that...

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 01/29/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/01/28/facebook-suicide-prevention/">Facebook Partners With Suicide Prevention Group for Research Project</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">In an interesting, but somewhat uncomfortable feeling research project, Facebook will partner with save.org to look at social data of those who committed suicide to see if there were warning signs. Of course, the question is... when they know, what do they do with it? If you see someone is likely to commit suicide - what do you do with that data? This is a question full of ethics worth debate and discussion. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/suicide">suicide</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/facebook">facebook</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/trends">trends</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/01/28/facebook-privacy-questions/">Facebook Wants to Answer Your Privacy Questions</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">You can ask Facebook's CPO (Chief Privacy Officer) your questions. If you discuss digital citizenship with your students, they might have good questions to ask. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/Facebook">Facebook</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/privacy">privacy</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/slashdot/eqWf/~3/vUd8IqYCR5s/story01.htm">Apple Has a New Porn Problem</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Be aware that some apps (like VINE mentioned in this article) have some adult content. This instance points out the importance of checking out apps PERSONALLY that you recommend to kids - just because apple recommends it, doesn't mean that it is safe for kids. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/ipadchat">ipadchat</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/opinion/sunday/friedman-revolution-hits-the-universities.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0">Revolution Hits the Universities - NYTimes.com</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Thomas Friedman pontificates on the meaning of MOOCs and the global impact they can have to lift many out of poverty. I think that one of the questions that will emerge is proving of mastery and also the potential for "microcredits" as Yong Zhao discusses. These are all questions that will need to be answered as we move forward into a very new, changing highered network. All educational organizations are bricks aND clicks and those universities who ignore the clicks may find their bricks being impacted. Whole buildings dedicated to broadcasting video and connecting online will be emerging on campuses that provide excellent learning around the world. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/mooc">mooc</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/19/169801500/music-multivitamins-and-other-modern-education-myths">Can You Boost Your Child's Intelligence? : 13.7: Cosmos And Culture : NPR</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">A set of studies of more than 70 research studies has yielded some interesting results. here is just a glimpse of some of the findings "When it comes to nutrition, there's not much evidence that multivitamins do any good, but having pregnant and lactating moms and young kids take Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (particularly DHA) likely does. Just having books in the home might not help, but interactive reading with children under 4 could boost IQ by around 6 points." I think if this is your area of research, you'll want to drill down into this meta analysis. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/research">research</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/iq">iq</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/children">children</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/parenting">parenting</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://edudemic.com/2013/01/papertab-the-flexible-location-aware-e-ink-screen-of-the-future/">PaperTab: A Flexible Location-Aware E-Ink Screen Of The Future</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This Edudemic article gives an overview of PaperTab technology - epaper that is location aware. It could do fascinating things for our kindles, etc. If you watch new technology, read this article.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/epaper">epaper</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/eink">eink</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/technology">technology</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/innovation">innovation</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=59900">MOOC-Covered Towers? Online Education's Coming Impact on Traditional College</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Fascinating discussion about how MOOC's are being sold and how outsourcing will likely hit education. Personally, I do think that a well educated, fascinating prof is worth it... of course, what happens when that prof is at a school that is underrated or underappreciated - some amazing people live all over the world. Professors may be the next rock stars. ;-)</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/mooc">mooc</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/technology-in-schools-who_n_2568413.html?utm_hp_ref=education">Technology In Schools: Who Does It Best, China Or The U.S.?</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">The biggest issue about looking at China to compare with the US is that not everyone in China goes to schools and often when schools are reviewed, they are the premier schools in urban areas. This is a good point, however, that they are using technology in all curriculum areas, not just one or two and one that we should note, particularly for college prep, as I think that it is comparing apples and oranges. Having been to China, often things that filter out aren't what they seem-- they tightly control the stories that emerge from their borders. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/china">china</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/us">us</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com/news/x3714509/Orange-County-library-offers-Common-Core-literacy-book-bags">Orange County library offers Common Core literacy book bags | The Herald-Sun</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Interesting approach. These "Common Core" bags have selecting things on a particular topic and only count as one thing when checked out. If well selected, this would be interesting. I'd love to know more. I also wonder how librarians are creating "packages" of ebooks and materials with the proliferation of BYOD - it seems that free books, etc. could be somehow packaged and distributed. "Each bag contains 10 books on a subject, “carefully chosen by grade level,” Shaver said. “We selected books that present the topic in a variety of formats, making it accessible to many different learners. For instance, many of the new bags include graphic novels and hands-on science guides, in addition to traditional research resources. For the younger grades, there is an equal mix of fiction and non-fiction; for older grades, the bags contain mainly non-fiction materials.” The bags can be checked out from the library for three weeks at a time. Although they contain multiple books, they count only as one checked-out item. One check-out renewal can be requested unless someone else has expressed interest in getting the same bag.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/literacy">literacy</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/common core">common core</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 01/29/2013

Facebook Partners With Suicide Prevention Group for Research Project In an interesting, but somewhat...

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Gunfire triggers rapper Rick Ross crash, police say

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="cnnByline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By <strong style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Alan Duke</strong>, CNN From: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.cnn.com</a></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">updated 7:52 PM EST, Mon January 28, 2013</div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Rapper Rick Ross performs at the Beats by Dr. Dre CES after-party in Las Vegas on January 10." src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130128194432-rick-ross-ces-story-top.jpg" /></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Rapper Rick Ross performs at the Beats by Dr. Dre CES after-party in Las Vegas on January 10</span></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Los Angeles (CNN)</strong> -- "Teflon Don" rapper Rick Ross crashed his silver Rolls Royce into an apartment building after he heard gunfire along a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, street Monday morning, police said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The driver of the Rolls Royce attempted to drive away from the direction of the shots being fired and lost control of the vehicle, striking a nearby apartment building," Fort Lauderdale Police Detective DeAnna Garcia said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross and a female passenger were not hurt by the wreck or the gunshots, Garcia said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph4" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The suspects fled from the area prior to police arrival," she said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The incident, however, called attention to threats against the artist's life made in a street gang's videos and posted online in recent months.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We're pulling up on you," a man who identified himself as a member of the Gangster Disciples warned in one of the videos. "Whatever city, whatever state, the pressure on."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Several videos purporting to be from Gangster Disciple members in several states -- including Georgia, North Carolina and Florida -- appeared on YouTube late last year demanding that Ross pay a fee to them for his use of the Star of David, which they claim as a gang symbol, and a reference to one of their founders in his music and marketing.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph8" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"You got to cut the check," one video said. "Tell your boss man he got to get that check, or all you in trouble."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We need that cash right now," another said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross, 37, whose albums include "Teflon Don" in 2010 and "Deeper Than Rap" a year earlier, told south Florida radio station 99 Jamz last month that he was not intimidated by the threats.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Ain't never no checks getting cut," he said. "I don't play those games. I consider that extortion."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/05/showbiz/rapper-nas-turns-40/index.html" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Is Nas hip-hop's finest MC?</a></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross did cancel his North Carolina shows last month just days after a video appeared online threatening his life if he performed there.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph14" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Never was it due to any threats," he told the radio station. Instead, he canceled because "the promoter wasn't really handling his business."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph15" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross wanted to make certain that listeners understood he was not frightened. "Don't ever get it twisted, Ricky Ross is the boss," he said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph16" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The death threats are not the only challenge to Ross. A former drug lord and gang leader is suing in a Los Angeles court, accusing him of stealing his name and reputation.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph17" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The reality is I want justice done," the original Ross wrote in an e-mail to CNN. "I know that he took his name and image from my life and believe he is unfairly profiting off my story."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph18" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ricky "Freeway" Ross was serving a prison sentence a decade ago when rapper William Roberts, who previously worked as a Florida correctional officer, adopted "Rick Ross" as his stage name, according to the lawsuit.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph19" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"This rapper and his labels clearly knew of my name and story, and have tried to suck out the lifeblood without license," the former drug lord said. "I have my own use for my intellectual property and did not need this confusion created."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph20" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">More recently, the rapper has been using the name "Ricky Rozay."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph21" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The rapper and his record label have not responded to CNN's request for comment.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph22" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite the death threats and legal issues, his music is doing well. Ross is nominated for a best rap album Grammy for his latest release, "God Forgives, I Don't."</div></div></div>

Gunfire triggers Gunfire triggers rapper Rick Ross crash, police say

By  Alan Duke , CNN From:  http://www.cnn.com updated 7:52 PM EST, Mon January 28, 2013 Rapper Rick Ross performs at the Beats by Dr. Dre CE...

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Frank Ocean Wants Chris Brown Charged Over Parking-Lot Brawl

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><h2 class="sub-title article" style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 30px;">Brown, meanwhile, posts a depiction of Jesus on the cross to Instagram with the caption: 'Painting the way I feel today.'</h2><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">By Kara Warner From:</span><a href="http://www.mtv.com/">http://www.mtv.com</a></div><div><img alt="Chris Brown and Frank Ocean" src="http://images1.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/bands/o/ocean_frank/chris_frank_fight_charges_012813/281x211.jpg?width=281&height=211" /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">The beef between</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://www.mtv.com/artists/frank-ocean/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Frank Ocean</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://www.mtv.com/artists/chris-brown/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">will not be put to rest anytime soon, particularly because in the wake of their</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700864/chris-brown-frank-ocean-fight.jhtml" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">parking-lot brawl over the weekend</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">, Ocean is looking to press charges against Brown.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/29/entertainment-us-chrisbrown-idUSBRE90R0LJ20130129" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><i>Reuters</i></a> on Monday (January 28) that Ocean "is desirous of prosecution in this incident," which could have serious implications for Brown's five-year probation from his 2009 assault of <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1698226/rihanna-chris-brown-instagram-are-they-dating-again.jhtml" style="text-decoration: none;">on-again, off-again girlfriend Rihanna</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Brown has one more year of probation left to serve from the highly publicized and scrutinized 2009 incident, but this new brawl with Ocean could see him in hot water again. Last June, <a href="http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/06/14/chris-brown-fight-drake-over-rihanna/" style="text-decoration: none;">Brown was injured in a New York nightclub</a> when his and Drake's respective entourages came to blows, and then back in November, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1694361/chris-brown-failed-drug-test.jhtml" style="text-decoration: none;">Brown received a stern warning from the judge</a> overseeing his case for failing a drug test conducted when he was fulfilling his <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693923/chris-brown-court-community-service.jhtml" style="text-decoration: none;">court-ordered community service</a> in Virginia last year.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Neither Brown nor Ocean has issued a formal statement on the matter, aside from taking to <a href="https://twitter.com/frank_ocean/status/295782033865711616" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">social media</a> to inform the masses about the scuffle. Brown <a href="http://web.stagram.com/p/378719498401649792_29394004" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">claimed</a> he was trying to focus on his work, "not negativity," before later posting a drawing of <a href="http://web.stagram.com/p/379131325736457552_29394004" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Jesus on the cross</a> to his Instagram account with the caption: "Painting the way I feel today. Focus on what matters!"</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><img src="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/17f27f1c69a311e2996322000a9f1313_7.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div></div>

Frank Ocean MTV Frank Ocean Wants Chris Brown Charged Over Parking-Lot Brawl

Brown, meanwhile, posts a depiction of Jesus on the cross to Instagram with the caption: 'Painting the way I feel today.' By Kara Wa...

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Matt's Favorite Words

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoa4ILUsBqIvh61WCSERuytm12RrAy4sjfr80fGfQNhG4BkDKptxqa3f2fIkKKlQSXfg1TDgPCHsO8hJvOlOG2JOWTF7jdJko5n7Fx8NAQE5SUT_grNV4iR5pAy3vitxlNHP7QXowQes/s1600/Matt+Man+Thoughtful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoa4ILUsBqIvh61WCSERuytm12RrAy4sjfr80fGfQNhG4BkDKptxqa3f2fIkKKlQSXfg1TDgPCHsO8hJvOlOG2JOWTF7jdJko5n7Fx8NAQE5SUT_grNV4iR5pAy3vitxlNHP7QXowQes/s320/Matt+Man+Thoughtful.jpg" width="228" /></a>Cheers and good day to all of you inglorious, yet lovable, bitches and bastards.<br /><br />Yesterday on this here wildly popular IWS Radio website, the uber-sexy <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/01/jays-favorite-words.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: blue;">Jayman listed some of his favorite words.</span></i></a><br /><br />Today I shall do the same, because, well…Jayman and I are beginning to practice something called, <i>continuity</i>, which of course is an ugly word, and will not be appearing on my list of favorite words.<br /><br />Anyhoo (and in no particular order)…Let’s get to it.<br /><br /><b>Cacophony:</b>  Yes, yes, I know…The definition is, a discordant mixture of sounds, which may seem to make it a “bad” word, an “irritating” word, but I love saying it. Ca cahhhhhh phoe neeee.  C’mon say it with me.  Ca cahhhhhh phoe neeee.  See?  Doesn't that feel good to say?  Of course it does.<br /><br /><b>Sojourn:</b>  Oh sure one can stay for a day or two, or even a couple of months in one place, but it is much sexier to sojourn. Would you rather <i>stay</i> in Charleston, WV. for a week or <i>sojourn</i> in Charleston, WV. for a week?  I know that your answer is neither, but sojourning there is far more acceptable.<br /><br /><b>Epiphany:</b>  One of my favorite words EVAH!!  And no, I am not talking Epiphany in the sense of the three Wise Men showing up at Jeebus’ barnyard cradle.  I am speaking of the word as when one has a revelation out of the blue as to something that was not previously understood.  Kinda like me sitting on the toilet, and all of a sudden I realize, <i>“Hey!!  I just had an epiphany.  Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that fourth burrito!!”</i><br /><br /><b>Ubiquitous:</b>  I dig this this word and it reminds me of my days in High School taking Latin for three years. Uuch.  It means omnipresent, easily found, everywhere.  As an example…<i>“Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is ubiquitous; he <b>has stood</b> and <b>will continue</b> to stand before any and every God Damn TV camera that has or ever will exist.”</i><br /><br /><b>Foulard:</b>  It is pronounced foo-<i>lard</i> and it is a piece of clothing sewn of silk, typically a scarf or such, but…To me it is more delicate than that, and I have used the word in a poem before in which I described the snow-covered, winter landscape as being dressed in an ivory foulard.  It is a pretty word when one utters it softly.<br /><br /><b>Obsequious:</b>  I loooooove this word because it sounds like a regal compliment yet it is anything but. Obsequious is a fancy and descriptive word for an ass-kisser.  Oh Lord, I have used this word often in my many and varied places of employment.  Here’s the trick…with a smile, tell the co-workers whom you loathe, that you find them to be so damned obsequious and chances are they’ll smile back and say, <i>“Awwww, thanks!!”</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmi6hWQO21tlUKiieoCBxa3eFfFXa6dpcfCcmuF9qEHhxxs-tLmKzi3uBOu2_jsiidyJIGjSYYeTXrfK0GF0cAApPHRT73nZNiHvj4Pdl_o3ug1tp7tiHsl00XANaJ_UaeXE86R-Ez6s/s1600/Sen.+Chuck+Schumer+Asshole+Ubiquitous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmi6hWQO21tlUKiieoCBxa3eFfFXa6dpcfCcmuF9qEHhxxs-tLmKzi3uBOu2_jsiidyJIGjSYYeTXrfK0GF0cAApPHRT73nZNiHvj4Pdl_o3ug1tp7tiHsl00XANaJ_UaeXE86R-Ez6s/s400/Sen.+Chuck+Schumer+Asshole+Ubiquitous.jpg" width="275" /></a><b>Bacon:</b>  My BFF/OSP Schmoop offered this one up, and seriously…When guys hear the word bacon they get a hard-on, and when women hear it, their nipples get hard.  It’s that simple.<br /><br /><b>Retard:</b>  Oh I’m sorry…are your sensibilities offended?  If they are, well…suck it, you retard.  I love this word because I use it a tad bit differently than its mainstream sense.  I use it to describe people who through no known medically diagnosed mental challenges, still go through life dumb as hell. Rude, stupid, and oafish folks without a sense of humor get the “retard” tag from me.<br /><br />And lastly…<br /><br />While it has often been said that people with lesser IQs and lack of a solid vocabulary cuss a lot, I beg to differ, because I have a pretty damn expansive vocabulary, and my uber-favorite word is…<br /><br /><b>Fuck:</b>  While it is primarily a verb, it can also be a noun and an adjective.  Verb:  I would like to <i>fuck</i> you.  Noun:  You are a stupid<i> fuck</i>.  Adjective:  You are a <i>fucking</i> moron.  See?  Fuck is a multi-faceted word, and I fucking love it.  And dig it…<br /><br />If you combine the word fuck with retard, you get another word which I adore…<i>Fucktard!!</i><br /><br />May the lexicon of life smile down upon you, my friends.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattman_iws</span></a></i>   </div>

Matt's Favorite Words

Cheers and good day to all of you inglorious, yet lovable, bitches and bastards. Yesterday on this here wildly popular IWS Radio website, th...

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