KOSOVO

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDElxI6QixsmqA7HSlkoi5Kz4KaZMXYL6b_Dpj0OHr3kcQbs0Qw0hxbUiuWRzv8reKL5YEYdm_djyVYR2dA7jhaexpl1p8Wsxju8BXk_QRgu7PDLfgG65sFYSsWJ8NL7mc7jgQjkKYfqq5/s1600/kosovo-flag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDElxI6QixsmqA7HSlkoi5Kz4KaZMXYL6b_Dpj0OHr3kcQbs0Qw0hxbUiuWRzv8reKL5YEYdm_djyVYR2dA7jhaexpl1p8Wsxju8BXk_QRgu7PDLfgG65sFYSsWJ8NL7mc7jgQjkKYfqq5/s320/kosovo-flag1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Washington’s Kosovo Strategy </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b>By F. William Engdahl </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In one of the more bizarre foreign policy announcements of the Obama Administration, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that Washington will “help” Kosovo to join NATO as well as the European Union. She made the pledge after a recent Washington meeting with Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in Washington where she praised the progress of the Thaci government in its progress in “European integration and economic development.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Her announcement no doubt caused serious gas pains among government and military officials in the various capitals of European NATO. Few people  appreciate just how mad Clinton’s plan to push Kosovo into NATO and the EU is. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Basic Kosovo geopolitics</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The controversial piece of real estate today called Kosovo was a part of Yugoslavia and tied to Serbia until the NATO bombing campaign in 1999 demolished what remained of Milosevic’s Serbia and  opened the way for the United States, with the dubious assist of EU nations, above all Germany, to carve up the former Yugoslavia into tiny, dependent pseudo states. Kosovo became one, as did Macedonia. Slovenia and Croatia had earlier split off from Yugoslavia with a strong assist from the German Foreign Ministry.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7gC-AA11xvQX9crAsXZpeGxmxqo0OLOeXpWiq5K8lkngAuiEWpL5EU1Af-UgbBooRAmH9hTQOfnxJNzlviaNcCaI-gR4IgbMoYRlFNWEUI-FG3XdpxJjItm2yKr6zDyJ_duAJ43MAYTu/s1600/timthumb.333php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7gC-AA11xvQX9crAsXZpeGxmxqo0OLOeXpWiq5K8lkngAuiEWpL5EU1Af-UgbBooRAmH9hTQOfnxJNzlviaNcCaI-gR4IgbMoYRlFNWEUI-FG3XdpxJjItm2yKr6zDyJ_duAJ43MAYTu/s320/timthumb.333php.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Some brief review of the circumstances leading to the secession of Kosovo from Yugoslavia will help locate how risky a NATO membership or EU membership would be for the future of Europe. Hashim Thaci the current Kosovo Prime Minister, got his job, so to speak, through the US State Department and not via free democratic Kosovo elections. Kosovo is not recognized as a legitimate state by either Russia or Serbia or over one hundred other nations. However, it was immediately recognized when it declared independence in 2008 by the Bush Administration and by Berlin.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Membership into the EU for Kosovo would be welcoming another failed state, something which may not bother US Secretary Clinton, but which the EU at this juncture definitely can do without. Best estimates place unemployment in the country at as much as 60%. That is not just Third World level. The economy was always the poorest in Yugoslavia and today it is worse. Yet the real issue in terms of the future of EU peace and security is the nature of the Kosovo state that has been created by Washington since the late 1990’s.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mafia State and Camp Bondsteel </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kosovo is a tiny parcel of land in one of the most strategic locations in all Europe from a geopolitical standpoint of the US military objective of controlling oil flows and political developments from the oil-rich Middle East to Russia and Western Europe. The current US-led recognition of the self-declared Republic of Kosovo is a continuation of US policy for the Balkans since the 1999 US-led NATO bombing of Serbia—a NATO “out-of-area” deployment never approved by the UN Security Council, allegedly on the premise that Milosevic’s army was on the verge of carrying out a genocidal massacre of Kosovo Albanians. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLJ5SSkeEl1aMCgRlQAhlKRWUYcc2MOeJR2o5ih_igqqtrHa4Wj8K_ry0otKxJ4ld3O2PD40nhxt-UiPyVkeycHrV_5wEEmgVvh3N42FO8Ha5SsbVz-F3-62-c9WORhzE7yaIUs_VyJDq/s1600/Pogled_na_Bondstil_iz_vazduha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLJ5SSkeEl1aMCgRlQAhlKRWUYcc2MOeJR2o5ih_igqqtrHa4Wj8K_ry0otKxJ4ld3O2PD40nhxt-UiPyVkeycHrV_5wEEmgVvh3N42FO8Ha5SsbVz-F3-62-c9WORhzE7yaIUs_VyJDq/s400/Pogled_na_Bondstil_iz_vazduha.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Some months before the US-led bombing of Serbian targets, one of the heaviest bombings since World War II, a senior US intelligence official in private conversation told Croatian senior army officers in Zagreb about Washington’s strategy for former Yugoslavia. According to these reports, communicated privately to this author, the Pentagon goal already in late 1998 was to take control of Kosovo in order to secure a military base to control the entire southeast European region down to the Middle East oil lands. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since June 1999 when the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) entered Kosovo, then an integral part of then-Yugoslavia, Kosovo was technically under a United Nations mandate, UN Security Council Resolution 1244. Russia and China also agreed to that mandate, which specifies the role of KFOR to ensure an end to inter-ethnic fighting and atrocities between the Serb minority population, others and the Kosovo Albanian Islamic majority. Under 1244 Kosovo would remain part of Serbia pending a peaceful resolution of its status. That UN Resolution was blatantly ignored by the US, German and other EU parties in 2008. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Germany’s and Washington’s prompt recognition of Kosovo’s independence in February 2008, significantly, came days after elections for President in Serbia confirmed pro-Washington Boris Tadic had won a second four year term. With Tadic’s post secured, Washington could count on a compliant Serbian reaction to its support for Kosovo.   </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Immediately after the bombing of Serbia in 1999 the Pentagon seized a 1000 acre large parcel of land in Kosovo at Uresevic near the border to Macedonia, and awarded a contract to <b>Halliburton when Dick Cheney was CEO there, to build one of the largest US overseas military bases in the world, Camp Bondsteel, with more than 7000 troops today.</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The Pentagon has already secured seven new military bases in Bulgaria and Romania on the Black Sea in the Northern Balkans, including the Graf Ignatievo and Bezmer airbases in Bulgaria and Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania, which are used for "downrange" military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Romanian installation hosts the Pentagon's Joint Task Force–East. The US's colossal Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo and the use and upgrading of Croatian and Montenegrin Adriatic harbors for US Navy deployments complete the militarization of the Balkans.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6896989063397229776#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></a></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The US strategic agenda for Kosovo is primarily military, secondarily, it seems, narcotics trafficking. Its prime focus is against Russia and for control of oil flows from the Caspian Sea to the Middle East into Western Europe. By declaring its independence, Washington gains a weak state which it can fully control. So long as it remained a part of Serbia, that NATO military control would be politically insecure. Today Kosovo is controlled by NATO, whose KFOR has 16,000 troops there for a tiny population of 2 million. Its Camp Bondsteel is one of a string of so-called forward operating bases and "lily pads" as Donald Rumsfeld called them, for military action to the east and south. Now formally bringing Kosovo into the EU and to NATO will solidify that military base now that the Republic of Georgia under US protégé Saakashvili failed so miserably in 2008 to fill that NATO role. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Heroin Transport Corridor</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">US-NATO military control of Kosovo serves several purposes for Washington’s greater geo-strategic agenda. First it enables greater US control over potential oil and gas pipeline routes into the EU from the Caspian and Middle East as well as control of the transport corridors linking the EU to the Black Sea. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It also protects the multi-billion dollar heroin trade, which, significantly, has grown to record dimensions in Afghanistan according to UN narcotics officials, since the US occupation. Kosovo and Albania are major heroin transit routes into Europe. According to a 2008 US State Department annual report on international narcotics traffic, several key drug trafficking routes pass through the Balkans. Kosovo is mentioned as a key point for the transfer of heroin from Turkey and Afghanistan to Western Europe. Those drugs flow under the watchful eye of the Thaci government. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since its dealings with the Meo tribesmen in Laos during the Vietnam era, the CIA has protected narcotics traffic in key locations in order partly to finance its covert operations. The scale of international narcotics traffic today is such that major US banks such as Citigroup are reported to derive a significant share of their profits from laundering the proceeds.  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One of the notable features of the indecent rush by Washington and other states to immediately recognize the independence of Kosovo is the fact that they well knew its government and both major political parties were in fact run by Kosovo Albanian organized crime. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc-1nnQlawT0zKUb4IlfiGi4HZlpeplkNBZHjVCiPjxXMkXVCKZ3AIW0WZBGQPOTmKgYhc1GaXkfvOMo-8foZB96djCmeM5iZ70qQ0RvaIIJh79UvHqW1RL38RWripbEcgqcJmr2M6Ok2/s1600/uck-memorial-sharr-1_JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc-1nnQlawT0zKUb4IlfiGi4HZlpeplkNBZHjVCiPjxXMkXVCKZ3AIW0WZBGQPOTmKgYhc1GaXkfvOMo-8foZB96djCmeM5iZ70qQ0RvaIIJh79UvHqW1RL38RWripbEcgqcJmr2M6Ok2/s320/uck-memorial-sharr-1_JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister of Kosovo and head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, is the former leader of the terrorist organization which the US and NATO trained and called the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, or in Albanian, UCK. In Kosovo crime circles he is known as Hashim “The Snake” for his personal ruthlessness against opponents. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In 1997, President Clinton’s Special Balkans Envoy, Robert Gelbard described the KLA as, “without any question a terrorist group.” It was far more. It was a klan-based mafia, impossible therefore to infiltrate, which controlled the underground black economy of Kosovo. Today the Democratic Party of Thaci, according to European police sources, retains its links to organized crime. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A February 22, 2005 German BND report, labeled Top Secret, which has since been leaked, stated, <i style="color: blue;">“Über die Key-Player (wie z. B. Haliti, Thaci, Haradinaj) bestehen engste Verflechtungen zwischen Politik, Wirtschaft und international operierenden OK-Strukturen im Kosovo. Die dahinter stehenden kriminellen Netzwerke fördern dort die politische Instabilität. Sie haben kein Interesse am Aufbau einer funktionierenden staatlichen Ordnung, durch die ihre florierenden Geschäfte beeinträchtigt werden können.“ </i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i style="color: blue;">(OK=Organized Kriminalität)</i>. (Translation: “Through the key players—for example Thaci, Haliti, Haradinaj—there is the closest interlink between politics, the economy and international organized crime in Kosovo. The criminal organizations in the background there foster political instability. They have no interest at all in the building of a functioning orderly state that could be detrimental to their booming business.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The KLA began action in 1996 with the bombing of refugee camps housing Serbian refugees from the wars in Bosnia and Croatia. The KLA repeatedly called for the “liberation” of areas of Montenegro, Macedonia and parts of Northern Greece. Thaci is hardly a figure of regional stability to put it mildly.  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The 44 year old Thaci was a personal protégé of Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright during the 1990s, when he was a mere 30-year old gangster. The KLA was supported from the outset by the CIA and the German BND. During the 1999 war the KLA was directly supported by NATO. At the time he was picked up by the USA in the mid-1990s, Thaci was founder of the Drenica Group, a criminal syndicate in Kosovo with ties to Albanian, Macedonian and Italian organized mafias.  A classified January 2007 report prepared for the EU Commission, labeled “VS-Nur für den Dienstgebrauch” was leaked to the media. It detailed the organized criminal activity of KLA and its successor Democratic Party under Thaci. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A December 2010 Council of Europe report, released a day after Kosovo's election commission said Mr Thaci's party won the first post-independence election, accused Western powers of complicity in ignoring the activities of the crime ring headed by Thaci: "Thaci and these other 'Drenica Group' members are consistently named as 'key players' in intelligence reports on Kosovo's mafia-like structures of organised crime," the report said. "We found that the 'Drenica Group' had as its chief – or, to use the terminology of organised crime networks, its 'boss' – the renowned political operator ... Hashim Thaci."</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The report stated that Thaci exerted "violent control" over the heroin trade. Dick Marty, the European Union investigator, presented the report to European diplomats from all member states. The response was silence. Washington was behind Thaci.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The same Council of Europe report on Kosovo organized crime accused Thaci’s mafia organization of dealing in trade in human organs. Figures from Thaçi's inner circle were accused of taking captives across the border into Albania after the war, where a number of Serbs are said to have been murdered for their kidneys that were sold on the black market. In one case revealed in legal proceedings in a Pristina district court in 2008 organs were said to have been taken from impoverished victims at a clinic known as Medicus – linked to Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) organ harvesting in 2000.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The question then becomes, why are Washington, NATO, the EU and inclusive and importantly, the German Government, so eager to legitimize the breakaway Kosovo? A Kosovo run internally by organized criminal networks is easy for NATO to control. It insures a weak state which is far easier to bring under NATO domination. Combined with NATO control over Afghanistan where the Kosovo heroin controlled by Prime Minister Thaci originates, the Pentagon is building a web of encirclement around Russia that is anything but peaceful.  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">The Thaci dependence on US and NATO good graces insures Thaci’s government will do what it is asked. That, in turn, assures the US a major military gain consolidating its permanent presence in the strategically vital southeast Europe. It is a major step in consolidating NATO control of Eurasia, and gives the US a large swing its way in the European balance of power. Little wonder Moscow has not welcomed the development, nor have numerous other states. The US is literally playing with dynamite, potentially as well with nuclear war in the Balkans.     <br /><br /><i></i><b></b></span> <br /><div style="mso-element: endnote-list;"><br /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div></div>

KOSOVO

Washington’s Kosovo Strategy   By F. William Engdahl  In one of the more bizarre foreign policy announcements of the Obama Administration, ...

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Weigh In & ANOTHER WWM & Miscellaneous

Another week in the weight loss journey has come and gone, this time affording me a move in the right direction.  During these last few weeks I've been really struggling with staying On Plan, and that has certainly been a reason why I haven't posted as often.  I've been gaining and losing the same 2.5-3 lbs for weeks now.<br /><br />No one, myself included, wants to hear constant re-declarations of "This is it!" and "It's a new week and I'm going to get my butt back in gear!",  only to find out as the week progresses that I'm not doing so well after all.  I need to refocus and get motivated so I can move past the 30 lbs mark.  I need to go back over the Weight Watchers material to refresh my memory of what I'm supposed to be doing.  I know what this is, but I need to re-read it.  I need to see those words in black/white and "hear" it again.  <br /><br />What I have been doing well is exercising, which is probably why the weight gain hasn't been more significant.  My weekly activity goal has moved up a day, bringing me to three total days of activity.  Most weeks, I've even went beyond those 3 days thanks to lunchtime walks with Katie and Meghan, and weekend excursions with Joel.   Girls - you really don't even know how much I appreciate our little walks!<br /><br />Guess what I received two of in the mail this week?  That's right, another Weight Watchers Magazine! <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/AVvXsEgPAQU8pCW-sCbooz6k5xE6uU18gEGyiUNLIRIgBubyA3iVQUcUSUnakYB1XxdUURcUj652T5GCGM5aBA6-SXYFmC_Lm-PYun6xVxWmLPDEQTXQs9UxPj0qHnWc-zD_Nni9qsjPL_PNF5E/s1600/weight+watchers+may+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAQU8pCW-sCbooz6k5xE6uU18gEGyiUNLIRIgBubyA3iVQUcUSUnakYB1XxdUURcUj652T5GCGM5aBA6-SXYFmC_Lm-PYun6xVxWmLPDEQTXQs9UxPj0qHnWc-zD_Nni9qsjPL_PNF5E/s400/weight+watchers+may+2012.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May/June 2012</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I FINALLY contacted customer service about this, but in the meantime you are going to benefit yet again.  The first person to leave a comment below stating that they want it wins!  Just say you want it then drop me an email with your mailing address (thebigweight@hotmail.com).   <br /><br />This weekend is going to keep me busy between the National MS Walk (there's still time to donate - just click on the button on the right), baby showers and birthday parties, not to mention a wine night with the ladies tonight - I cannot WAIT for that!<br /><br />I'm going to leave you with this ridiculous picture taken last weekend.  We were in Maryland touring some covered bridges and Joel took this pic of me looking up through the floor boards of the bridge.  I can promise you my hair is not <i>that </i>purple!  It was all lighting!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslAKvjzk89pcywHmlAhOVRmOofKZD4jFknYpie69kY3xMahAv1aitg0y7fUZHbqFslNCJeOk8uMkBiPht3lIUcZeAeXmFxw3W64K_VIignQ0eje07RaxV75PxpOCHeCVwQELmsc6oo2A/s1600/purple+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslAKvjzk89pcywHmlAhOVRmOofKZD4jFknYpie69kY3xMahAv1aitg0y7fUZHbqFslNCJeOk8uMkBiPht3lIUcZeAeXmFxw3W64K_VIignQ0eje07RaxV75PxpOCHeCVwQELmsc6oo2A/s400/purple+hair.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br />Have a great weekend!

Loss Success Walk MS weigh in Weight Watchers Magazine Weigh In & ANOTHER WWM & Miscellaneous

Another week in the weight loss journey has come and gone, this time affording me a move in the right direction.  During these last few week...

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Give 'Em the Old Pizzazz - Funny Face (1957)

<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/AVvXsEgPtny_gfVAQdWtE2utDdfEmx7prXKSAU7O1vOV_XkwTjNtRlDBvM058zeyrEzXWvlGEibSL_r9EHQdwByC21q2gK6WgU-w-KHetwW35txnBLtaJb6mn3Q9kgLtQ_R2zc_DwvZqsC5oNATK/s1600/funny+face+red+dress+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtny_gfVAQdWtE2utDdfEmx7prXKSAU7O1vOV_XkwTjNtRlDBvM058zeyrEzXWvlGEibSL_r9EHQdwByC21q2gK6WgU-w-KHetwW35txnBLtaJb6mn3Q9kgLtQ_R2zc_DwvZqsC5oNATK/s400/funny+face+red+dress+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Director Stanley Donen and actress Audrey Hepburn are being honored separately and together at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. The director, who will be making personal appearances at all screenings of his films, did some of his best work with the sublime Audrey as his leading lady. With a "happy birthday" to Stanley Donen who celebrates his 88th birthday today, this post is dedicated to them both... </span></i></span><br /><i>  </i><br />Pizzazz! The very word came into being with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny Face</i> in 1957.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">Stylish and energetic, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny Face</i><b> </b>is a collaboration extraordinaire involving some of the great talents of the era: Producer Roger Edens and director Stanley Donen, screenwriter Leonard Gershe, cinematographer Ray June, costumer Edith Head, couture designer Hubert de Givenchy, photographer Richard Avedon and the film's matchless stars Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson. Sprinkled with an assortment of Gershwin tunes, this is a movie of considerable pizzazz...</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5ZN2jsdSujI2QpKuGzSPEwGQFvVLijCcuyxbH18A0jZdclAiFV4wkNomCLrUUhQvQiS2NdsLa5aHp037Vbmts31Bd0HpfSaXVNMfi__vYH_UUf6YivQGJnVlXMKVkY7ESOJhUZF2gdQB/s1600/audrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5ZN2jsdSujI2QpKuGzSPEwGQFvVLijCcuyxbH18A0jZdclAiFV4wkNomCLrUUhQvQiS2NdsLa5aHp037Vbmts31Bd0HpfSaXVNMfi__vYH_UUf6YivQGJnVlXMKVkY7ESOJhUZF2gdQB/s200/audrey.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Audrey Hepburn as Jo Stockton</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny Face</i> had been a work in progress for years, but the vital element that finally brought the project together was Audrey Hepburn. Then under contract to Paramount, Hepburn was a white-hot star at the time and any picture with her name attached had a very good chance of being made. She loved both the script and the opportunity to dance with Fred Astaire and quickly agreed to do the picture.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">Astaire, then nearing 60, was coming to the end of his career in musical films. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny Face</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silk Stockings</i> were released within months of each other in 1957 and were his last popular movie musicals.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">Though its name was taken from a '20s Gershwin musical in which Astaire had starred, the title and a few tunes were all the film had in common with the original New York show. The film's story came from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wedding Day</i>, Leonard Gershe's Broadway musical about the fashion world based on 'the aura' (rather than the life) of legend-to-be photographer Richard Avedon and his wife. Doe Avedon, a great beauty of the time, was a reluctant muse; it was her husband who turned her into a top-notch model and who guided her career.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">Kay Thompson, ace vocal coach, arranger and cabaret star, had worked with Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Lena Horne and many others during her years in MGM's music department. Gershe had her in mind from the start for the role of Maggie Prescott, a character closely modeled on powerhouse fashion editor and style doyenne of the era, Diana Vreeland. According to Leonard Gershe, it was Vreeland who coined the word 'bizzazz' that mutated into 'pizzazz.' Thompson as Prescott is an invigorating presence and she steals just about every scene she's in; early on, her "Think Pink!" number kicks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny Face</i> into high gear...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gVserRvKyec" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Think Pink!</span></span></i></div><br /><i>Funny Face</i> is a Cinderella tale, the kind of story that was Audrey Hepburn's bread and butter. The film begins in the offices of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Quality</i> magazine where editor Maggie Prescott (Thompson) decrees that the world of fashion shall think and wear pink (though she does not)! Soon after, she and photographer Dick Avery (Astaire) venture to bohemian Greenwich Village on a shoot...where bookstore clerk Jo Stockton (Hepburn), an ugly duckling with swan potential, is unearthed. The plot takes off from here. Cut to Paris where newly made-over model Jo wears exquisite Givenchy haute couture and is gorgeously photographed by Dick everywhere in the City of Light. Songs are sung. Dances are danced. Love blooms. A fairytale ending eventually comes to pass.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemEVIDuyxPcTXg3TX10wcoDJXUyFXiJ4P2pBPem0mf8hqE8OCQC8yYoiSVhdxNcU7uXZROOzCFDMFCXPykH-QmBD8r3SxzXwVR_GDAN6rmRcuz5W0bx8l6462RQvOywe4JRHIrMnCWFX7/s1600/funny+face+astaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemEVIDuyxPcTXg3TX10wcoDJXUyFXiJ4P2pBPem0mf8hqE8OCQC8yYoiSVhdxNcU7uXZROOzCFDMFCXPykH-QmBD8r3SxzXwVR_GDAN6rmRcuz5W0bx8l6462RQvOywe4JRHIrMnCWFX7/s320/funny+face+astaire.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred Astaire as Dick Avery</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">The basic storyline is nothing new, but watching Hepburn, Astaire and Thompson cut loose in New York and Paris (and in song) is so easy on the eyes and ears that in so many ways...'s wonderful.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">And there's the 'beatnik' interlude, most noteworthy for Audrey's dance routine in a subterranean Parisian club dressed in black turtleneck and capris with white socks. Though Hepburn battled Donen over the color of her socks, he won and the result is memorable.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;">Stanley Donen was never nominated for an Academy Award, although he created some of the greatest musicals in movie history - including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Singin' in the Rain</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Brides for Seven Brothers</i>. He also made several successful non-musicals, films like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charade</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Two for the Road</i>. In 1998, the Academy honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award and in his acceptance speech he both sang and danced to Cole Porter's "Cheek to Cheek"...he still knew how to "give 'em the old pizzazz!"</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 14pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></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/AVvXsEj70JUAfe2Dr48tA0F1Fv2MSF_72CKQAlarV-GByOkoklG-Tv7ycEQOxACz1GHKoQmLfBaDS-JICRWWblqOkLz1ws7vjwRSW5paGgQOjwlIGT_caDk70zQ_aq5gcIBo7gF_69e5tTOjnDY9/s1600/Stanley+Donen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70JUAfe2Dr48tA0F1Fv2MSF_72CKQAlarV-GByOkoklG-Tv7ycEQOxACz1GHKoQmLfBaDS-JICRWWblqOkLz1ws7vjwRSW5paGgQOjwlIGT_caDk70zQ_aq5gcIBo7gF_69e5tTOjnDY9/s320/Stanley+Donen.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanley Donen and his Lifetime Achievement Oscar, 1998</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://youtu.be/JMC8kHycgwM" style="color: #990000;">Click here</a> to watch his acceptance of his Lifetime Achievement Award</div><br /></div></div>

Audrey Hepburn Fred Astaire Funny Face Hubert de Givenchy Kay Thompson Leonard Gershe Richard Avedon Stanley Donen TCM Classic Film Festival The Lady Eve (author) Give 'Em the Old Pizzazz - Funny Face (1957)

Director Stanley Donen and actress Audrey Hepburn are being honored separately and together at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival in ...

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Information Technology Director - West Hartford Public Schools

<strong>Information Technology Director</strong> - <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>West Hartford Public Schools</strong></span>. Description: Under the general direction of the Superintendent of Schools and Town Manager, and in consultation with school administrators and department directors, provide organization-wide vision, leadership and management in all areas of information technology for the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Public Schools. Essential Job Functions: Responsible for the overall planning, coordination and management of information technology strategies and initiatives in support of the operational missions and objectives of the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Public Schools. Develop organizational technology strategies by consulting with the user community, investigating and understanding informational and operational requirements and establishing new technology goals and objectives in line with organizational objectives. Develop and implement technology solutions by assembling staff, vendor and service resources to evaluate, design, test, install, and maintain hardware, applications and systems software, and networks. Work closely with Town and School leaders to understand the user communities' system requirements and ensure that the technical direction is consistent across projects. Provide cost effective and secure computer systems and services to meet Town and School needs. Improve availability, accuracy and eliminate redundancy of existing data and information from disparate systems. Organize and manage Town-wide network infrastructure to support and guide individual departments/sites in computing and information technology efforts. Devise, promulgate and enforce information technology policies and standards for Town and School departments. Establish policies and controls to coordinate and support the implementation of hardware and software consistent with established standards. Support and promote continuous improvement efforts to enhance performance and provide increased functionality. Evaluate prototypes and recommend applicable tools and technologies. Review and approve all contracts for computing and information technology software, services and equipment. Coordinate and manage the development, evaluation and implementation of all back-up and disaster recovery procedures and business continuity plans. Develop, recommend and defend departmental budget and capital improvement requests for the Town Manager, Superintendent of Schools, and the Budget & Finance Committee; authorize and expend funds consistent with town policies and procedures; monitor budgets to ensure compliance within approved levels and take action as required. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with vendors to maximize return on investment and performance of installed solutions. Ensure employees receive timely training and support from information technology staff and vendors. Ensure compliance with all applicable Federal and State privacy and public records laws. Ability to recognize Town-wide priorities and work cooperatively to support their accomplishment as part of the Town Manager's and Superintendent's management teams. Knowledge of continuous quality improvement policies and techniques. Ensure the availability of network resources on a 24/7 basis and effectively trouble shoot network problems in a timely manner. Demonstrated expertise in various technologies including: client/server and Web security, Web servers, browsers, various third-party utilities and tools for integrating applications with databases and legacy systems; LAN and WAN networking including Fiber Optics, Broadband, TCP/IP, routers, switchers, load balancers and firewalls. Ability to establish a high level of user confidence. Strong analytical and conceptual skills; ability to create original concepts/theories for various projects. Must have managed full life cycle from point of inception, analysis, Development, QA, implementation and acceptance. Ability to quickly learn and understand custom software programs. Prior experience managing a service provider organization with a strong track record in software and network architecture and technology innovation in software applications. Experience with project management of infrastructure initiatives, business case analysis, network architecture development, and network design. Ability to work independently, retain flexibility and maintain composure under pressure. Proven experience in maintaining project schedules, documentation, communications, and meeting deadlines. Strong commitment to professional development as it relates to knowledge of emerging information technology's "best practices" and standards. Supervisor Responsibility: Supervise Town and School technology staff (15). Job Environment: Work is performed primarily in a business office setting subject to continuous interruptions and background noise. Works independently with minimal supervision. Position requires an ability to frequently move throughout town and school facilities and travel to off-site locations for regular inspection of buildings and attendance at meetings. Must be able to work under stress from demanding deadlines and changing priorities and conditions. Manages and coordinates multiple priorities adhering to established time frames and performance standards. Attends to tasks/functions for more than thirty (30) minutes at a time. Attendance and participation required at occasional extended night meetings outside the normal business workday. Minimum Qualifications: Successful candidates will have a Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree preferred, in information systems, computer science, business administration, or Master's in Educational Technology, and/or comparable work experience in information systems, information technology oreducational technology. Seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in information technology involving systems planning, management operations, training, network operations and procurement. Five (5) years of supervisory experience in similar management positions within the public or private sector. Valid driver's license required. <a href="http://www.applitrack.com/whps/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?category=Technology" target="_blank">Get more information and apply online</a>.

Information Technology Director - West Hartford Public Schools

Information Technology Director - West Hartford Public Schools . Description: Under the general direction of the Superintendent of School...

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Systems Librarian - Southern Connecticut State University

<strong>Systems Librarian</strong> - <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Southern Connecticut State University</strong></span> is currently recruiting a Tenure-Track Assistant Librarian – Systems Librarian. Brief Description of Duties/Responsibilities: The Systems Librarian provides leadership for planning, implementing, and managing library systems, digital services, and information technologies, serves on a variety of internal and external committees, maintains the library website and other library systems, and provides staff technology training. The Systems Librarian may also serve as liaison to one or more academic departments, providing subject-specific instruction, creating instructional materials and developing collections. Required Qualifications: ALA accredited MLS, or equivalent. Minimum of two years of current professional experience with an integrated library system. Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, both oral and written, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. Proven ability to manage multiple projects and to meet deadlines. Familiarity with emerging trends in library services and systems. Experience with web site development. Experience with OCLC and document delivery systems. Experience with Windows operating systems. Familiarity with Macintosh platforms and familiarity with programing languages. Preferred Qualifications: Academic library experience. Experience with staff training. Experience with Innovative Interfaces Incorporated comprehensive automated system, Ariel, and ILLIAD. Experience with electronic reserves and digitization software. Experience with link resolvers and citation managers software. Experience with CCS, HTML, PHP, Mac OS, UNIX, and Linux. Experience with liaising on behalf of the library to the university IT department. Application Process: Please submit Letter of Interest, Resume, and Three References to: Dr. Christina D. Baum, Director of Library Services, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515 (<a href="mailto:baumc1@southernct.edu">baumc1@southernct.edu</a>). In order for your application to be given full consideration, all materials must be received by <span style="color: red;">May 18, 2012</span>. Position will remain open until filled.

Systems Librarian - Southern Connecticut State University

Systems Librarian - Southern Connecticut State University is currently recruiting a Tenure-Track Assistant Librarian – Systems Librarian....

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Library Clerk - Windsor Locks Public Library

<strong>Library Clerk (Part time)</strong> - <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Windsor Locks Public Library</strong></span> seeks one or two individuals with excellent customer service skills to serve a diverse public. Prior library experience and familiarity with SIRSI system preferred. Candidates must possess strong computer skills and the ability to perform a variety of circulation duties, including shelving of materials. Hours include Thursday and Friday afternoons, and Saturday mornings. Availability to fill additional hours as needed is a plus. Hourly rate is $8.50-9.50 commensurate with experience. Interested applicants may apply to the Director, Windsor Locks Public Library, 28 Main Street, Windsor Locks 06096.

Library Clerk - Windsor Locks Public Library

Library Clerk (Part time) - Windsor Locks Public Library seeks one or two individuals with excellent customer service skills to serve a d...

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Office Assistant, Teen Services - West Hartford Public Library

<strong>Office Assistant, Teen Services</strong> - The <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>West Hartford Public Library</strong></span>’s Teen department seeks an enthusiastic and energetic part-time office assistant to cover weekend, evening and occasional weekday hours in busy Teen Room. Job Description: The successful candidate will apply library techniques and procedures as directed and be proficient with Microsoft Office applications. A familiarity with the Sirsi Automation System is a plus. Duties include, but are not limited to: supervising the Teen Room; providing reader’s advisory service in all genres of Young Adult literature; being familiar with teen movies, music and pop culture; instructing patrons in the use of library’s technology including public access computers, online catalog and the Internet. Shelving library materials in the teen room is required and assisting the Teen Librarian with clerical duties such as preparing flyer or brochures. Send your resume and cover letter to <a href="mailto:jobs@westhartfordlibrary.org">jobs@westhartfordlibrary.org</a>, attention Ann Marie Salerno by <span style="color: red;">May 4th, 2012</span>. Salary: $17.08 per hour. For more information: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cjbaf9e" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/cjbaf9e</a>.

Office Assistant, Teen Services - West Hartford Public Library

Office Assistant, Teen Services - The West Hartford Public Library ’s Teen department seeks an enthusiastic and energetic part-time office...

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Library Associate - New Britain Public Library

<strong>Library Associate</strong> - Full-time position (37.5 hrs/wk) for Adult Programmer that includes at least one evening per week, as well as alternate Fridays & Saturdays. Responsible for creating, publizing, implementing, and tracking the results of adult programs and Outreach services to the community under the supervision of the Head of Adult Services. Additional duties include backup on various service points. Interfaces with all other departments to assure good communication and parallel marketing efforts library-wide. $31,295.52. Bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience in programming and marketing of public library services. Ability to research and analyze data, to perform detailed work, and to plan, organize, and implement both long and short termed projects. Apply in writing to the Library Director, <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>New Britain Public Library</strong></span> Administration, 20 High Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Candidates can also apply via email at <a href="mailto:prutkowski@nbpl.info">prutkowski@nbpl.info</a>. No phone calls please.

Library Associate - New Britain Public Library

Library Associate - Full-time position (37.5 hrs/wk) for Adult Programmer that includes at least one evening per week, as well as alterna...

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seeing spots

We don't have a lot of art in our house.<br /><br />Correction.<br /><br />We have a lot of the crayon/marker/glue and dried pasta variety. However, we don't have a lot of grown-up art. Tons of pictures, a few prints and one etching (fancy I know) but not much art to speak of.<br /><br />So I find it funny that I have a <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/art/" target="_blank">whole board on Pinterest</a> dedicated to that very thing. Lots of paintings - abstract, landscapes etc. A whole bunch of things I absolutely love but would never in a million years be able to create not to mention the fact that they aren't very budget friendly.<br /><br />But what good is Pinterest if it doesn't inspire you to get off your arse once in a while and try something new. Can I get an amen?<br /><br />So with a <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/04/gotta-know-when-to-fold-em.html" target="_blank">perfect blank slate</a> just waiting to be 'arted' (I don't think that is a word but I am here by declaring it a verb. I'll alert Webster's.) I decided to give it a shot.<br /><br />I've always loved this painting by <a href="http://www.damienhirst.com/opium" target="_blank">Damien Hirst (<i>Opium</i>)</a>. So with the <strike>ignorance</strike> confidence of a novice I uttered those famous 5 words, "how hard could it be?"<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/AVvXsEhgQu4MTLjXSdFCGphz2M5x-Z2cZQq8YXH5da9tqMj_pHPXI_j0BK2scHcQp__BsAleG9IonMkNQKfb1tnjid3tefQ4_gA_VkaZkdoaFFb6FYlOKT-vEol7GMMD_gJmnpDshtV5jlkDmNHv/s1600/style-profile-luis-bustamante.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQu4MTLjXSdFCGphz2M5x-Z2cZQq8YXH5da9tqMj_pHPXI_j0BK2scHcQp__BsAleG9IonMkNQKfb1tnjid3tefQ4_gA_VkaZkdoaFFb6FYlOKT-vEol7GMMD_gJmnpDshtV5jlkDmNHv/s640/style-profile-luis-bustamante.jpeg" width="476" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.luisbustamante.com/ingles/main.html#/Home" target="_blank">Luis Bustamante</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/6896205649371889/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr></tbody></table>I went to Michael's with my coupons and a list of colors I wanted to use. First big break, the canvas was on sale. I went with a 16x20 so as not to overwhelm myself with a big vast white board screaming 'ok, so make me beautiful ms. know-it-all.'<br /><br />Picking out the paint colors was a huge time suck. Apparently I don't craft enough as I had no idea how many shades of every color in the rainbow there was in the world of craft paint. Luckily at $.60 a bottle, I stayed within my meager budget. Two packs of small round stencil sponge brushes to create my circles and I was armed and read to create.<br /><br />Maybe it was the fumes from all of the craft paint but I was psyched. I couldn't wait for nap time so I could get to work.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fITYZf31qbcp5GwYbyZKsxZStsOvhcy4zEKYER75O6Uy1GqqBFNmruZ7wywU16EaUFuDyDr9WRdcQd2w72Poh4zHGwK_qADjeE_PEFjTpzODwETiJmAARXwcvv6330whDbKK1WQ_ueuD/s1600/P4125937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fITYZf31qbcp5GwYbyZKsxZStsOvhcy4zEKYER75O6Uy1GqqBFNmruZ7wywU16EaUFuDyDr9WRdcQd2w72Poh4zHGwK_qADjeE_PEFjTpzODwETiJmAARXwcvv6330whDbKK1WQ_ueuD/s640/P4125937.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>In order to keep those perfect lines I figured a grid pattern would do the trick. With the very thin painters tape left over from my <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/shirt-turned-tray.html" target="_blank">tray</a>, I first made all of my horizontal lines using a piece of tape as my spacer. Then, I repeated the same process vertically.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiLaWO7RiBuh6_mg41MzV_UHG0lv4knMrBzB9pXuvqsLiyrK-kF3fwRgLWa97tfAnRnRowiXT4aayyRlCdkSLjV6PJXp2gQBNLsnrAKsEc2C80qZTn0mqWk6p5RxcfUrzs9NakCVoy8NG/s1600/P4105897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiLaWO7RiBuh6_mg41MzV_UHG0lv4knMrBzB9pXuvqsLiyrK-kF3fwRgLWa97tfAnRnRowiXT4aayyRlCdkSLjV6PJXp2gQBNLsnrAKsEc2C80qZTn0mqWk6p5RxcfUrzs9NakCVoy8NG/s640/P4105897.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Although it made a lovely gingham pattern, the squares were just a bit too small for my spongy circle things. Big bummer.<br /><br />Attempt number two. I used my wide painters tape for my spacer...and that was a total bust. That tape was too wide and I only got a few rows in.<br /><br />Third time is a charm. I put two pieces of the thin painters tape together, overlapping them slightly and used that for my spacer. Just right. Do I sound like goldilocks?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pEqZ-_bIVznSZsrjijXa2j9egMHs5L_AlVrQHYG9GLQIXlCS1QQWdEXvEOKqKANyCqvOxr1IUXyYv9o9hAIRzU6bgB8oXTso6_d8c6kz8Yx2E-Cmc7waL6MY7tc4gwVTdVbmZ8wRGvgo/s1600/P4105899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pEqZ-_bIVznSZsrjijXa2j9egMHs5L_AlVrQHYG9GLQIXlCS1QQWdEXvEOKqKANyCqvOxr1IUXyYv9o9hAIRzU6bgB8oXTso6_d8c6kz8Yx2E-Cmc7waL6MY7tc4gwVTdVbmZ8wRGvgo/s640/P4105899.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>With some old cardboard I made myself a little painters palet and got to work. At first I thought about trying to follow the colors in the original painting dot for dot. But that would have driven me bonkers. So I went random.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQr41ecH5EgMBS8MpIcRrLdHpxLvUmwRn3JkZWmfTK-rz6Dcs4Un7qRFOpPbBNVPg6SkBRyUietBbOCTHVo7D4difA3g1l0LuXPyw5rb22_tgVvgUpJFioKC5A5Ba2I2p_hLKxf9guIex/s1600/P4105900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQr41ecH5EgMBS8MpIcRrLdHpxLvUmwRn3JkZWmfTK-rz6Dcs4Un7qRFOpPbBNVPg6SkBRyUietBbOCTHVo7D4difA3g1l0LuXPyw5rb22_tgVvgUpJFioKC5A5Ba2I2p_hLKxf9guIex/s640/P4105900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Starting with one color, I would fill in 3 random squares. (I don't know why I picked 3). Then, move to the next color. I went thru the whole rainbow, doing 3 squares of each color before starting over again with the first color. Repeating this over and over until I got to the last few empty squares. At that point it became a bit of a chess game but turned out pretty well.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ADCe0WLzKky7o3IDmw2XRpvhOhtfwksl410iyuwJki_DABDIqZZM_XVW98ismYhh-FRcj8gjBkHcnuZvgu0l1Yhn1KUzEsZURA_VKXfZRCOOJgMMWCUs8a40cZMshMdgwpqqfUIp9_kF/s1600/P4115904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ADCe0WLzKky7o3IDmw2XRpvhOhtfwksl410iyuwJki_DABDIqZZM_XVW98ismYhh-FRcj8gjBkHcnuZvgu0l1Yhn1KUzEsZURA_VKXfZRCOOJgMMWCUs8a40cZMshMdgwpqqfUIp9_kF/s640/P4115904.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Some of the circles got a little wonky and aren't exactly uniform, but I kind of like that actually. Because really, what in my house isn't a little wonky and not exactly uniform?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQPATNd0-bKVqGv9wvbQFFyqb2O6GLFHBFBPFkSgF5iR4y0kmsMZOKiXQNgFBfH7jhkHBW4cWuPhGKry8gD-_mhKwysCgY8zciq8s7QV7QDH-cDyrnAHP3T08b_UFRr5XNgTlVhLMeQK9/s1600/P4125930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQPATNd0-bKVqGv9wvbQFFyqb2O6GLFHBFBPFkSgF5iR4y0kmsMZOKiXQNgFBfH7jhkHBW4cWuPhGKry8gD-_mhKwysCgY8zciq8s7QV7QDH-cDyrnAHP3T08b_UFRr5XNgTlVhLMeQK9/s640/P4125930.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>The whole project only took about an hour (would have been shorter if I didn't have to tape and retape) and was under $20. A great deal I would say.<br /><br />Have you attempted to recreate a piece you've seen on Pinterest?

seeing spots

We don't have a lot of art in our house. Correction. We have a lot of the crayon/marker/glue and dried pasta variety. However, we don...

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Sr. Optical Design Engineer (CodeV | Zemax | Oslo | Matlab | interferometry | metrology-tool ) (#107715)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Job Title:</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Sr. Optical Design Enginee</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">r</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Location:</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Milpitas, CA</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Duration:</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Fulltime</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Job Descriptio</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">n</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">:</span></b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Surfscan Division specializes in developing unpatterned wafer surface inspection tool that provides the sensitivity and throughput required for qualification of current and next-generation wafer substrates, as well as qualification and monitoring of process tools.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This position is with the Surfscan Division Optical Development Engineering Group, which facilitates the specification, design, and integration of new products.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></b></span><br /><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Responsibilities:</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Construct complex systems models having all critical parameters needed to produce accurate and efficient models of illumination beam shape and size, focal depth, polarization, and transmission is required. </span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Perform illumination system modeling, simulation of 2D phase grating/diffraction efficiency as a function of illumination spot shape and size as well as the effects of background wavefront errors and other coherent noise artifacts and beam depolarization is highly desirable</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Qualifications/Education Desire</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">d</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">:</span></b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">In addition to basic qualifications the selected candidate should be a sequential ray tracing (CodeV, Zemax, Oslo) expert user, non-sequential ray tracing (</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Light Tools</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">, Zemax, TracePro) intermediate user, and physical optics diffraction/phase perturbation modeling software (Virtual Lab, Gsolver, DigiOpt) intermediate user. </span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Must have practical experience in optical system architecture (building and testing), bringing product to market and operating within tight timelines</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Thorough understanding of Gaussian beam propagation theory, geometric optics aberration theory, and physical optics coherence and diffraction theory. </span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">4.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Candidate should experience with either Matlab or other data simulation and image processing algorithm development software packages. </span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">5.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Use of industry standard interferometry or generic metrology-tool post-processing software is highly desirable. </span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">PhD or MS in optics, physics or related discipline desire</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">d</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Basic Qualification</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">s</span></b></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">:</span></b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bachelor's Level Degree with at least 7 years of experience.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">OR</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Master's Level Degree with at least 6 years of experience.</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">OR</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Doctorate (Academic) with at least 5 years of experience</span></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Please send your resumes to <b>vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com</b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span><span lang="en-us" style="font-size: small;"></span></div></div>

Sr. Optical Design Engineer (CodeV | Zemax | Oslo | Matlab | interferometry | metrology-tool ) (#107715)

Job Title: Sr. Optical Design Enginee r Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Fulltime Job Descriptio n : The Surfscan Division specializes i...

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What happened to day 3, 4, 5 and 6?

My daily posting and getting back on track my exercise and dieting just went all to hell this week.<br /><br />Sunday was a day with my sister, Joyce, which sucks the life right out of me. I love her, I love taking her places and doing things with her, but it's hard to be with her for a long period of time. I'm getting better with the wheelchair transfers, her odd responses to things and her constant post-stroke nonsensical chatter. I don't want to discourage her talking because sometimes I hear a word that's familiar. So I do a lot of nodding and pretending I understand when really I don't have a clue what she's talking about. It's still hard for me, and I know it's hard for her.<br /><br />Then in Monday work hit me like a ton of bricks between the eyes. I still have to take a week of on-call every ten weeks. It's highly stressful. Getting called at odd hours to be told systems are down and there are flight delays and fees can't be charged to our customers is stressful.Tuesday turned out to be free checked bags day for several of our customers in several cities. It wasn't our software, but a vendor product we put into Prod that failed. Several other systems experienced slowdowns as well, unrelated to each other and it was just an all around bad Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at work. At one point I had 34 tickets assigned to me. Very unusual.<br /><br />Both Monday and Tuesday mornings at 6am I was ready for the gym, grabbing my purse to head out, and the on-call phone rang. That was the end of any thoughts of the gym as I started troubleshooting and making phone calls.<br /><br />My eating has been out of control too. I'm not eating candy or anything unhealthy. Just too much food. Way too much food. I often work through lunch without even a break and suddenly realize it's 5pm and I haven't eaten all day, except for a small breakfast. I know this is wrong and very unhealthy. This has been going on for weeks because all co-workers on my project do the same thing. They don't even leave their desk during lunch. Since we're all sequestered in a room to hurry up and finish the project we're on, it's very heads down coding.  Very little talk, and no breaks. Sort of reminds me of prison. I can't wait until this project is over and I can move back into my little cubicle and eat carrots without people listening to my crunching.<br /><br />Today I promised myself: 1.) take a lunch 2.) get up and stretch for 5 minutes every hours 3.) only work 8 hours and 4.) the gym. (which is where I'm going right now!).<br /><br />Tomorrow is day 7, and I promise I'll have a better attitude and post.  <br /><br />I'm off the on-call rotation today, and I'm dressed for the gym, ready to go.No excuses.<br /><br />Today will be a better day.

What happened to day 3, 4, 5 and 6?

My daily posting and getting back on track my exercise and dieting just went all to hell this week. Sunday was a day with my sister, Joyce, ...

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National Poetry Month...with a wildlife twist

<span style="font-family: inherit;">April is National Poetry Month! From the Poets.org website: "Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events."</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poetry has held a place in many cultures for thousands of years.  The Japanese consider it an art, European authors have expressed political and cultural messages and feeling though poetry for centuries.  And, in America, many naturalists have used peotry to convey the beauty of the American landscape for generations.  Some examples include:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Low-Anchored Cloud</em></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em></em></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilY3-855Wwd2GvQAYQhkjxdap-hjAeG3PbzHbBZnok8HkMxRzJoFwya6Ahf9Qq-DjGRC3uB8bHEEmkRajNnfsP3cyWMDhfp0NU2grwSBYml6d6gDtociPy7kBBaKq7CYbXIsC247NUOIyD/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; height: 139px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 309px;"><img border="0" height="133" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilY3-855Wwd2GvQAYQhkjxdap-hjAeG3PbzHbBZnok8HkMxRzJoFwya6Ahf9Qq-DjGRC3uB8bHEEmkRajNnfsP3cyWMDhfp0NU2grwSBYml6d6gDtociPy7kBBaKq7CYbXIsC247NUOIyD/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Low-anchored cloud, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Newfoundland air, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Fountain-head and source of rivers, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Dew-cloth, dream-drapery, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>And napkin spread by fays; </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Drifting meadow of the air, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Where bloom the daisied banks and violets, </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>And in whose fenny labyrinth </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The bittern booms and heron wades; </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Spirit of lakes and seas and rivers, </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Bear only perfumes and the scent </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Of healing herbs to just men's fields!</em></span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><em>by Henry David Thoreau</em></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>The Dalliance of the Eagles</strong></em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em></em></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhgJO3DkRrqbr3CqaNwrVwYfM3tEeW05kthb2nuP1Pxp5cetvWEkHaahvlcXbhNGIfAyN81rol5B0IXVBmko8xmID66jISoS3e7kjd53HBLwehwAVva-shLEJh5k9-_-Q2N5HWC59yVV7/s1600/imagesCAE0M8C3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhgJO3DkRrqbr3CqaNwrVwYfM3tEeW05kthb2nuP1Pxp5cetvWEkHaahvlcXbhNGIfAyN81rol5B0IXVBmko8xmID66jISoS3e7kjd53HBLwehwAVva-shLEJh5k9-_-Q2N5HWC59yVV7/s200/imagesCAE0M8C3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Skirting the river road, (my forenoon walk, my rest,) </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Skyward in air a sudden muffled sound, the dalliance of the eagles, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The rushing amorous contact high in space together, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The clinching interlocking claws, a living, fierce, gyrating wheel, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Four beating wings, two beaks, a swirling mass tight grappling, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>In tumbling turning clustering loops, straight downward falling </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Till o'er the river pois'd, the twain yet one, a moment's lull, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>A motionless still balance in the air, then parting, talons loosing, </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Upward again on slow-firm pinions slanting, their separate diverse flight, </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>She hers, he his, pursuing. </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><em>by Walt Whitman</em></strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Writing and poetry are fantastic ways to help kids learn more about nature and wildlife.  And, as you can see in the above examples, poetry allows for beauty and expressiveness that can often be left out of regular narrative writing.  </span></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">One exercise that we've often done with students and adults is the Project WILD activity Animal Poetry.  <em> </em>The objective of this activity is to help students recognize and experience the inspirational value of wildlife through poetry.  The students spend time outside and imagine themselves as animals, then write poems about that experience.  </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some suggested poem formats include Haiku, which is a Japanese lyric verse form that has three unryhmed lines that have 5, 7 and 5 syllables.  Haiku traditionally and ideally presents a pair of contrasting images: one suggestive of time and place, the other a vivid but fleeting observation.  When they work together, the poem evokes mood and emotion.  An example follows: </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The hawk soared over</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Spirit bird in my living</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Guide to harmony</span></em></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/AVvXsEjDp7F4E-6ppjmI5cR7yZOHhlKTEN6P-4E2agb3n6cd6HkmDL7F0MUss24wzm0BM1b-Phi8VIM4q9Cn81GiDFdR0YrD7xfo4cqjIFHUYniKQwNLEPn0KJSdPsxoEUXOD8xg_DEjS9AgB6v-/s1600/imagesCASYON3N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp7F4E-6ppjmI5cR7yZOHhlKTEN6P-4E2agb3n6cd6HkmDL7F0MUss24wzm0BM1b-Phi8VIM4q9Cn81GiDFdR0YrD7xfo4cqjIFHUYniKQwNLEPn0KJSdPsxoEUXOD8xg_DEjS9AgB6v-/s200/imagesCASYON3N.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any guesses on what species of hawk this is?</td></tr></tbody></table> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Another suggested format is Cinquain.  This is an American derived format that is comprised of five unrhyming lines of, respectively, two, four, six, eight and two syllables or words.  Each line has a purpose and number of syllables or words as follows: line 1 is a title of two syllables (words), line 2 is a description of the title in 4 syllables (words), line 3 is a descriptive action in 6 syllables (words), line 4 is a description of a feeling in 8 syllables (words) , and line 5 is another word for the title in two syllables or words.  An example follows:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Bobcat</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Vital, quiet</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Moving swiftly to live</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Endangered by human patterns</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Near lost</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEwQd7R-B8B241EpKD5QTEaQ5kEnOKDmXI5ntFA9S5amlx3CzTk8Bqf1ZR-JBpqKdUXqWd9HLJ0ltWAkslB7gR892zIP_lTaOgJEK-oI-eNH1uDtFDgMkd9sZl7pUDyEAJoy6NZZenx_V/s1600/imagesCA5XCJ7V.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEwQd7R-B8B241EpKD5QTEaQ5kEnOKDmXI5ntFA9S5amlx3CzTk8Bqf1ZR-JBpqKdUXqWd9HLJ0ltWAkslB7gR892zIP_lTaOgJEK-oI-eNH1uDtFDgMkd9sZl7pUDyEAJoy6NZZenx_V/s200/imagesCA5XCJ7V.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, Diamante is a poem that can be used with students.  It is a poem shaped in the form of a diamond.  It can be used to show that words are related through shades of meaning from one extreme to an opposite extreme, following a pattern of parts of speech like this:</span><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">noun</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">adjective  adjective</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">participle  participle  participle</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">noun  noun  noun  noun</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">participle  participle  participle</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">adjective  adjective</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit;">noun</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are having trouble remembering what a participle is, it is word that functions as a verb, but ends in ing or ed.  So you might be "carrying" something, carrying is a participle.  An example of a Diamante follows:</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">egg</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">light bright</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">living stretching growing</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">bird beak wing flight</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">soaring seeing seeking</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">feathered fluid</span></em></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">crow</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxatD1QXQ4HiiS-WiqZn7v3X5m8M97xW4_OtMkfmEYAYhqd9NBrHMeGXz3LOvCJGcDB2px-XckQg-Who-pol08H0R6Cr7QpNX3y9Kmf1i2UV7mzCQEhhi0hUcM507xmssgZcSRAzItcGt/s1600/imagesCAK1PMNO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxatD1QXQ4HiiS-WiqZn7v3X5m8M97xW4_OtMkfmEYAYhqd9NBrHMeGXz3LOvCJGcDB2px-XckQg-Who-pol08H0R6Cr7QpNX3y9Kmf1i2UV7mzCQEhhi0hUcM507xmssgZcSRAzItcGt/s200/imagesCAK1PMNO.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Students can take their completed poems and type them or print them neatly and then display them with their focus animal, either illustrated or with a photograph.  Some follow-up questions to ask the students after their lesson could be a discussion on why some people say they would not want to live in a world without animals, would they want to live in a world without animals, what kinds of wildlife would they want to see regularly, and why.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, enjoy April as National Poetry Month. And take your kids outside to find all that nature has to offer for inspiration.  There is no shortage no matter where you are.  You just have to look for it!</span></div><br /><em><br /></em><br /><em><br /></em><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><br /></em></div><em><br /></em><br /><em><br /></em><br /><em><br /></em><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><br /></em></div><em><br /></em>

National Poetry Month...with a wildlife twist

April is National Poetry Month! From the Poets.org website: "Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Mont...

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Have you thought about joining Microsoft's Partners in Learning Network?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />Currently I am busy running a course for teachers that includes four of the Microsoft Free tools, namely AutoCollage, Windows Live Movie Maker, Songsmith and Photostory 3. These tools are fantastic to use for technology integration and can be obtained free by  joining the Partners in Learning Network, and downloading them. Have you taken a look at the new Partners in Learning Network? It really is quite amazing and has a wealth of resources available for teachers. Some of the functionalities of the old network are not yet available such as creating a group, and uploading documents to the group folder, but I am sure they’ll be available in time. If you would like to take a look here are some screenshots to help you.   </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAIWAtxAayK3wd_kBxtdKjuHixRnvWBSZE7z_mAMIJUYWfG4a3CNtOtery2w-lWwoQUVwwA1FtdJq2y92oByD6vyxgBxX5-bJTukJizP6h6EB0Xj07lgbw4SmMC_xkgIwDhSXqj8xCNM/s1600-h/image%25255B31%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fSYFc7UaK17gjC_6zJsKznR7hUUzVXZgYVQfvUoSiEl0CXgcSUpC75bEhQXXDtVpvWpUFLgmnrHWOuzRekb1_w5TTDbyaVgwluY_aJDq-EG-IjLnmgmzZjDlF_ilIylAdEAmlG35THg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The address is <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/">http://www.pil-network.com/</a></span></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIObJwMqsKQa9fJri_k-aM9igDdHXueZtN690qw3rdVkTCr6f6QbD8txbJoKfr4f1922rwT4DS4EOJgv_v3PgsKo19ncyMZIUq7DDhhVax5yNZFuW3kJbgdTNFPgbTEI37Y6d6lqNixo/s1600-h/image%25255B32%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ggRRaAPvYhfxIowAVZjF7xM4u98GjUaOOTPWMbQkk2q1YPV3HfoW47TlFUyMa77uVdXiOYuC7S7_pdL7usrJEw4N5gRyDsbLmJEB1B27fGWphVnPqAdTDS-GVrPbodSbY52ZWaCN3JE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQJrqk2Xdi7ScbSqeK56n-f5dZyBWXVujJ999MMQrsoRuKLXG2C-QK_xpuU5NgSTKlnsK7bnk4BwnwKhjSaQ903TRn4kD5b4b5B9pB92GZ90ZysFNM2m5yE-koAYlBF9eEhssVPmtTOY/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13URCivBjevV3ktq3AhT8nr6KLkuZndV-MJSXWoOu3EioAbcB_Ius2VyPvpn5zZPaHx9J8gOUvJ5AKHaUi_4ROjCGRCZoSHHc25QZ01uWjQAwJds0E6XtBww32Y3NAPlTB7t5AO_1sTE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSVbRFDnQy5_NxGLKAKd6PxrA-5WwRkqbWKv6GCFftByrdhT8CcPvNHSethQ20tJTYU3ccLgqXNRnL-KrYJfEgfvlsLrRSdXds2B7hqdSUdxSva6Tvo-0_bDf6sfXm8nHJGJzJhm6-Mg/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwzSKvkBN7sH_Nkt39g6EOLyqlujfQS1MVmPlqF5LlB5ZOFthvkJanc1xfBvOKKLGM-j3_a2GvaARHMSOsSY5iV_a8GyrIWc51GWG6Ru8oXLy5baOHmfkdvLb4QcZ8DAGRt2gpoqidSk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5PfZgq66OI81biIq1gFNlZpaynsHXokFoq4xSPd86q3uS8Mo85u4eSrEq6VENmZKCxfM1cRdxDl2cOaaGUaI0tkbh8on_1o4waL0s87fQj1JJtt22NK2QqIa4kxdWH3CcM_QukSKopw/s1600-h/image%25255B19%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdwUF59uDnEajQjoL6-9CZdSanbqebXVMQTW2tAgBzijz1zyLg7hY4D-fpwX5Rm1EkstMWqjJyRv6nCtDrc0qpeJcuzCIgqdnyZs-0JjedCFTi86dKe1GfSNbYDR5Gu3sthCIC5mGBOY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfXzfPYJ3AYQ3myWrDUbqNx8vYOZohnfKf7ivcXv2pDeEH0vSlXhbf5JmozjRVBFOYK8-jgY-2t7IjGzzMv2QNzxDsZzfsNuKy93BF-YySx3v7bkXtThxdP3UETDj2efjh3-kLQq0wAQ/s1600-h/image%25255B26%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Xqxi-Z6GmGvWVz3Rr6JgW4cgPaTTLePbXWhCU-acM9gVo17C-qPQXu7oE3Ab49yoRcDYsj_Qgui-Dkg3vC2lADuXavVfuRd3tbbEVtZ2mx60ca5z2-y4Cr_a5Cb0IFxnfgaqq2yQ6iQ/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IHTt-FwWS8Gx_47o-6RmgGayE9tGdea8EBFNEWJ2ODOmb8uvXJOU0vP6YrTxJTn88qzdJm2FPfvLXKLViglwvtwMBOcnKtuvetIVojC4LjfYJX_GUQgkOJvFuIJEcGk6Ivftkc39COI/s1600-h/image%25255B30%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNUGsYe9yUZ4OPbMB9YsQlMDCnwDNBfK6POhUex_0Dn34QfHjU08pJLjfMhwv45twp6FmjUrPzOOdoaULdBMC2vcTom_I6X8YPbgve9HFSYrDcy3yl41uIYBRFKYUZ4-HnmKVQ4Pzrsg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enjoy! I am going to take another good look around right now!</span></div></div>

Microsoft Have you thought about joining Microsoft's Partners in Learning Network?

Submitted by Fiona Beal Currently I am busy running a course for teachers that includes four of the Microsoft Free tools, namely AutoCollage...

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