News for today's 2018

Monday, Monday

12:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.archidose.org/wp/">A Weekly Dose of Architecture</a> Updates:</span><br /><br />This week's dose features the <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/06/10/water-treatment-plant/">Water Treatment Plant</a> in Évry, France, by AWP:<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/06/10/water-treatment-plant/"><img alt="this week's dose" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Jun13-10.jpg" title="This week's dose" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The featured past dose is the <a href="http://www.archidose.org/Aug06/081406.html">Concrete and Water Building</a> in Cerro Blanco, Chile by Philippe Blanc C.:<br /><a href="http://www.archidose.org/Aug06/081406.html"><img alt="this       week's  dose" src="http://www.archidose.org/Aug06/polpaico2.jpg" title="featured past dose" width="640" /></a><br /><br />This week's book review is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/06/10/instigations/"><i>Instigations: Engaging Architecture, Landscape, and the City</i></a> edited by Mohsen Mostafavi and Peter Christensen (L):<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/06/10/instigations/"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/instigations.jpg" title="This week's book review" /></a> <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2011/01/17/the-liberal-monument/"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dhooghe.jpg" title="This week's book review" /></a><br />(R): The featured past book review is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2011/01/17/the-liberal-monument/"><i>The Liberal Monument: Urban Design and the Late Modern Project</i></a> by Alexander D'Hooghe.<br /><br />: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">American-Architects <a href="http://www.american-architects.com/en/pages/50x50">Building of the Week</a>:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.american-architects.com/en/projects/project-review-detail/41621_hall_house">Hall House</a> in Duluth, Minnesota, by Salmela Architect:<br /><a href="http://www.american-architects.com/en/projects/project-review-detail/41621_hall_house"><img alt="this week's Building of the Week" src="http://c214210.r10.cf3.rackcdn.com/files/projects/41621/images/900:w/HallHouse5.jpg" title="Current Building of the Week on american-architects.com" width="640" /></a>

Monday, Monday

A Weekly Dose of Architecture Updates: This week's dose features the Water Treatment Plant in Évry, France, by AWP: The featured past...

ARE THEY STILL FIGHTING? -- HOW CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES MAKE US WORSE

11:46 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A new priest at one of our small town churches goes to a local gathering place. He tells the people he is the new priest at St. Swithens. The locals ask, “Are they still fighting?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A layperson at another small town church tells a friend where she worships. The friend says, “I’ve been to several events there. Every time, your church members are gossiping about people here in town. I wouldn’t want them to know much about me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of the church people I know are pretty good folks. Members of faith communities are statistically healthier, happier, and more likely to do civic good where they live. There is plenty of objective evidence that we are doing something right. So here’s what I wonder about:  Why is there also so much unhealthy behavior in congregations: selfishness, power grabbing, cultural insensitivity, undermining, manipulation, stinginess, and a whole list of moral failings? People who have been practicing Christian spirituality their whole long lives, people who love the Lord and receive the sacraments behave in ways no self-respecting garden club would tolerate in its members. Truth be told, it shakes my faith – not in Christ, but in Christianity. The only proof of any religion is that it makes people better. I’m not sure we are doing that as well as we might. People outside our walls are outside our walls because they don’t like what they see going on inside our walls. They are not entirely wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Epistles (and the New Testament in general) teach that Christianity is a group project. Our Bible is a guide to how we are to behave toward each other so that we can be the ongoing incarnation, the Body of Christ in the world, the human channels of God’s love and mercy. “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” the song says. That’s what I don’t always see us doing very well. Again, most church folks do quite well and churches do plenty of good. But the good we do is eclipsed in the eyes of outsiders by all the petty badness – emphasis on <b>petty </b>because we misbehave in big ways over embarrassingly small issues. So what’s up with these good people doing bad things?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My hypothesis: a big part of the problem is good intentions badly implemented. Meaning well actually gets us in moral trouble. “The path to hell is paved with good intentions.” We start with this right principle: The Church should accept, befriend, and embrace people the rest of the world does not. Some churches understandably don’t do that. But most of us do accept the outcasts. The problem is: what then do we do with them? This is where the trouble starts. To make them feel welcome, we put them in charge – not always formally, but <i>de facto</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dennis Maynard’s book, <i>When Sheep Attack</i>, is about how small minority groups in congregations can destroy a pastor’s ministry and run him or her right out of town. That isn’t all they do. Vocal minorities do all manner of mischief in faith communities. Maynard characterizes the small minorities as pathological. But the problem isn’t the pathological minorities. It’s that the congregation as a whole defers to them. The least healthy people in a congregation often seek to control it and are able to do so precisely because all the nice church folks want to appease them. Love means doing whatever it takes to make the crazy folks happy. The result: a nutocracy. Maynard prescribes pretty aggressive responses, a sort of surgical removal of the malignant cells. I don’t’ think that is either right or effective. But his analysis of church dynamics is on the mark.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The implicit cultural norm of churches is to not only tolerate but to appease unhealthy behavior. Some clergy undertake to police those behaviors, but those clergy don’t usually survive long. The policy of appeasement always wins if the ordained leader is the only person trying to change the system. The worst part of it is that by cow towing to bad behavior in our midst, we encourage our weakest members to act worse. And people who might behave well in the rest of life learn that church is the place they can act out their worst selves because church is where they can get away with it. The normative behavior of a congregation does not look like the Kingdom of God and the people do not function together as the Body of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So how might we turn this around? The first generation Christians understood their fellowship as a crucible of moral and spiritual transformation, a place where we are changed. My pastoral consultant once said to me, “Programs don’t change people. People change people.” True enough, but how can we organize our relationships in way that allows us to make each other better instead of worse?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have three basic suggestions for starters:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">    </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Behavioral Covenants.  A tennis court needs boundary lines. We all need to know where they are. It doesn’t work nearly as well for an authority figure (the pastor for example) to draw the boundary lines. Then the pastor becomes the enforcer and will soon be driven out by a congregation that never owned the boundaries. We need boundary lines drawn by the community itself. A clergy leader can facilitate a process of setting behavioral norms, but cannot be the lawmaker. Gilbert Rendle has written a helpful little book, Behavioral Covenants In Congregations, available from Alban Institute. It is a guide to how a congregation can establish its own healthy boundaries. Of course, people are imperfect. We will hit the ball out of bounds from time to time. Any of us will do that. But the community that has drawn the boundaries will recognize when the ball is out of bounds and can remind the out-of-bounds person of the norms for discourse in the community. Examples: What kind of communications can be done by e-mail? What communications need to be face to face? What is it appropriate to say about someone who is not in the room? What kind of communication is appropriate for confidentiality? Which are unhealthy secrets? Having answers to those questions in advance can make a huge difference. I know of one congregation that went from crippling civil strife to vibrant health and growth thanks to such a behavioral covenant. I know another that weathered a short failed rectorate without falling into blaming each other, again because of a sound behavioral covenant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">    </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Circles Practice. Attentive listening, intentional speaking, and mindful relationship do not come naturally, especially when we are enculturated to act contentiously. These practices require skill and discipline. We can teach people these skills in church. These are basic skills for virtuous participation in the human community. Christians ought to be good at that; so the Church ought to be in the business of training us. There are a variety of approaches to these practices. I started with Industrial Areas Foundation broad-based community organizing where I learned one-on-one and small group relational meeting skills. I moved from there to Parker Palmer’s Circles of Trust work. The main book is Palmer’s A Hidden Wholeness. Training is offered through the Center For Courage & Renewal. <a href="http://www.couragerenewal.org/">http://www.couragerenewal.org</a>. The clearest, most usual friendly book on how to do such a process may be The Circle Way by Baldwin and Linnea. The World Café is another approach to this kind of respectful discourse. <a href="http://www.theworldcafe.com/">http://www.theworldcafe.com</a>. We can intentionally create safe place situations for honest conversation. We can cultivate healthy, wise habits like speaking from curiosity instead of judgment. These are processes we can use to deepen and improve relationships, build character, and strengthen our communities to become what we were meant to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">    </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alternative Models Of Decision-Making. We could combine behavioral covenants and circle practice to change our ways of making decisions. That would profoundly transform the power dynamics in congregational life. Today, most congregations have two decision-making processes – the formal visible one and the informal invisible one. Formal visible decision-making is done in public meetings with Roberts Rules. Motions are made and voted up or down. It is a contest with winners and losers. But we rarely actually make decisions that way. When we do, conflict has become hotter than the system can bear for long. Usually, those formal public meetings just document the decisions that have been made informally. The informal invisible process is consensus achieved by finding the lowest common denominator. The person in the room who is hardest to pacify wins by getting his or her way. A third option is to pull the informal process into public view and talk things through in a healthy way using a circles practice like World Cafe. We can find an authentic consensus of those operating inside the boundaries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These are just three starter suggestions for how a church might shift its culture. We can become the kind of community that people want to join because we are a safe place to be ourselves and explore new truths, a place that challenges us to change without coercing us with guilt. We can become clearer channels for grace. But it won’t happen without an intentional decision to undertake a process of deep change in how we go about being Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>

ARE THEY STILL FIGHTING? -- HOW CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES MAKE US WORSE

A new priest at one of our small town churches goes to a local gathering place. He tells the people he is the new priest at St....

38 weeks & 2 days Pregnant

11:11 AM Tukiyooo 0

Two milestones were reached this past weekend!<br /><br />First, I made it to the 38 week mark in my pregnancy - that is great news!  I know she's still growing because by the day it seems as though my stomach is getting tighter and tighter.  More aches and pains keep occurring in the lady parts.  Sleep is getting harder and harder by the day.  For example, last night I started in a laying down position.  At around 1 AM, I transferred to a sitting up position.  By 3:15 AM, I moved to the couch.  The couch may be my permanent bed from here on out.  I need something to grab onto to help lift myself up and roll over.  I haven't had much exhaustion during this final trimester, but I credit that in large part to working at home.  I'm sure if I was getting up everyday at 4:30 to head downtown, it'd be a much different story.   The exhaustion I've been facing recently is no doubt due to the restless sleep I've been getting.  Nearly everyday I've been taking a nap to help make up for it. <br /><br />This afternoon I have a doctor's appointment, so I hope it fairs good news for us!  I should be learning more about whether or not I'll have another rate-of-growth ultrasound.  If they do decide to do another, then I should also learn after that how quickly I'll have her.  Part of me wants her to arrive on her own time (preferably before the 40 week mark), but part of me hopes they say - "let's schedule you for a c-section" - and that way I may not have to endure the pain of labor.  Right now, I just really want her out!!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U5W5fEewWOHPSD8BuG8ti97dj8GFxoyokQclarkKpS0hOJ_FY6zLehhvw1uR0MMF8NMsTt_I-IYuM6BP9eAl-jyPP0DKvKyutxtsk2FT5NfudXlQzEL1pbwwtYzboTBi2h4GAsKWn8Y/s1600/38+weeks+pregnant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U5W5fEewWOHPSD8BuG8ti97dj8GFxoyokQclarkKpS0hOJ_FY6zLehhvw1uR0MMF8NMsTt_I-IYuM6BP9eAl-jyPP0DKvKyutxtsk2FT5NfudXlQzEL1pbwwtYzboTBi2h4GAsKWn8Y/s400/38+weeks+pregnant.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><br />Also on the milestone marker this weekend was the celebration of our one year wedding anniversary.  It is so hard to believe that it was <i>just </i>one year ago, on June 9, that we were married in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  A lot sure has changed in just 1 year!<br /><br />From wedding dresses...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgex5hG8Xr4a5rctYxEvCafCvA42lsH53hysLekSE6YHUmwPivTIXYncaQWwp9mgYRbr2RldLoVDNJVL6S4_y0SGJZc1o-FyYh0xhpjMLZBiAp1fYwNS7s9_typ0NYAdN3YnwZ-pICpKM/s1600/palm+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgex5hG8Xr4a5rctYxEvCafCvA42lsH53hysLekSE6YHUmwPivTIXYncaQWwp9mgYRbr2RldLoVDNJVL6S4_y0SGJZc1o-FyYh0xhpjMLZBiAp1fYwNS7s9_typ0NYAdN3YnwZ-pICpKM/s400/palm+tree.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROIdxaOlQ3SKvSOyWiEt6J23mAo6L3qJvnU4yv6ZfPYKUPeIu1saURANsvJC7zeLPNVd4nz049UTZMAhMHvB9tRmAd_2tsUKsLC9hVRhVvBqwPaG3uwWvAmf3YZNRVH7n_ctBYyM8yf4/s1600/051_51+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROIdxaOlQ3SKvSOyWiEt6J23mAo6L3qJvnU4yv6ZfPYKUPeIu1saURANsvJC7zeLPNVd4nz049UTZMAhMHvB9tRmAd_2tsUKsLC9hVRhVvBqwPaG3uwWvAmf3YZNRVH7n_ctBYyM8yf4/s400/051_51+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">......to maternity dresses!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuzQ2IEdG_o8HdXpRb9EZJsvPRjC7GXmqf1eMmYdBhsS6_uDm1VFTUNahUi6GUBgKvrzLik3b1x2Nw4ozY2-y2_hLpfZXtsBXE6yBSdfHOKCCstC_1cNMbtJi10N798h7WbQYTyWVHyo/s1600/38+weeks+pregnant+anniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuzQ2IEdG_o8HdXpRb9EZJsvPRjC7GXmqf1eMmYdBhsS6_uDm1VFTUNahUi6GUBgKvrzLik3b1x2Nw4ozY2-y2_hLpfZXtsBXE6yBSdfHOKCCstC_1cNMbtJi10N798h7WbQYTyWVHyo/s400/38+weeks+pregnant+anniversary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>For our anniversary meal, we dined at the <a href="http://nationalharbor.com/" target="_blank">National Harbor</a> at <a href="http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/" target="_blank">McCormick & Schmick's</a>.  We chose that restaurant because they offered red snapper, which was part of our main dish for our wedding dinner. It was so incredibly tasty - especially with the added lemon garlic butter crab on top.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrrZMCfpc_QwVHXURtGSdOHS69g4xdFibAJwm94YeGpEXRaV7352yDHZVYKC5sLbziGi7zsgDa0p5zVNgmALeynCBoS5BcB7zEDJGkmFIOZEGcZfDJ3vVJcv-LXbmU5DgBkyRCgqBXk4/s1600/red+snapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrrZMCfpc_QwVHXURtGSdOHS69g4xdFibAJwm94YeGpEXRaV7352yDHZVYKC5sLbziGi7zsgDa0p5zVNgmALeynCBoS5BcB7zEDJGkmFIOZEGcZfDJ3vVJcv-LXbmU5DgBkyRCgqBXk4/s320/red+snapper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Afterward, we came home and had a very tiny piece of our wedding cake.  It actually tasted just fine, but rest assured the remainder will be going into the trash.  That is far too much cake for either of us to consume!  The flavor was a Jamaican spice cake, which we chose for obvious reasons.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcVbIcQW5VoQPLu8w9XQtEJOGTU58sxguC4_anbbT6HAMCSytrx3yHHECe7tuqtq0NPq7ybmZNd1ylk6abGW0WK8x2DrkWmaae-lTurOI5sH-Ci9rUNRJvVgH8EYVTWB0TgkJtu4_LWo/s1600/wedding+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcVbIcQW5VoQPLu8w9XQtEJOGTU58sxguC4_anbbT6HAMCSytrx3yHHECe7tuqtq0NPq7ybmZNd1ylk6abGW0WK8x2DrkWmaae-lTurOI5sH-Ci9rUNRJvVgH8EYVTWB0TgkJtu4_LWo/s400/wedding+cake.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br /><br />If you would have asked me a year ago how I thought we would be celebrating our first anniversary, I would have said via a cruise back to the Caribbean.  But as they say, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans."  Honestly, our little dinner out at the National Harbor was perfect.<br /><br />The month of June has been fabulous to us so far, and it's only going to get better with the impending arrival of our little lady!

Two milestones were reached this past weekend! First, I made it to the 38 week mark in my pregnancy - that is great news! I know she's ...

E3 2013: Microsoft Press Conference Highlights, Reveals, & Hype

11:06 AM Tukiyooo 0

<p><a><img src="http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/design/2013/5/xbox_one.jpg"></a></p> <p></p> <ul> <li><font size="3">Opening scene is beautiful, Metal Gear Solid 5 set in Afghanistan and it is gorgeous </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Open world game game </font> <li><font size="3">Military shooters aren’t my thing but it looks intriguing </font> <li><font size="3"></font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">13 exclusive titles to Xbox One </font> <li><font size="3">Xbox 360 Upcoming titles </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">new console design coming </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">available starting today, it’s smaller</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Gold Membership </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">New Program begins July1 thru XboxOne release: two new game downloads for free -- </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Assassin’s Creed 2 and Halo 3 given as examples</font></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">GTA 5 </font> <li><font size="3">World of Tanks exclusive to Xbox360 </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">15 v 15 team based tank warfare </font> <li><font size="3">Adapted and tailored to the 360, integrated with Live </font> <li><font size="3">Free download and free to play</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Max the Curse of Brotherhood from Press Play </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">looks fun and entertaining </font> <li><font size="3">bright, colorful, puzzle platformer</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Dark Souls II </font> <li><font size="3">Crimson Dragon </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">looks like a dragon based shooter</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Dead Rising 3 </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Open world zombie game </font> <li><font size="3">Zombies are much scarier looking </font> <li><font size="3">no load times </font> <li><font size="3">massive world </font> <li><font size="3">ok I’m very interested and I don’t generally like zombie games </font> <li><font size="3">hundreds of weapons to discover and customize </font> <li><font size="3">driving critical part of exploration (CRAP on a stick lol) but zombies are still a threat </font> <li><font size="3">smart glass compatible (shown using a windows phone!) </font> <li><font size="3">Available this holiday</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">What Lie Below </font> <li><font size="3">Black Tusk Studio Game </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">more coming </font> <li><font size="3">game play footage shown </font> <li><font size="3">Franchise builder game</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">HALO </font> <ul> <li><font size="3"><strong>EPIC </strong>scene featuring Master Chief </font> <li><font size="3">60 frames per second on the console </font> <li><font size="3">2014 game</font></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Non Exclusive Games </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Witcher 3: Wild Hunt  from CD Projekt Red </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">combat rebuilt from ground up </font> <li><font size="3">free roaming, open world </font> <li><font size="3">non-linear questing </font> <li><font size="3">optional voice commands</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Battlefield 4 </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">game play footage shown, 60 frames per second </font> <li><font size="3">Second Assault (map pack) releases first to the Xbox One</font></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Xbox One </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">more titles in development now than ever before in Xbox history </font> <li><font size="3">New Franchises: </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Ryse: Son of Rome </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">first impression, I’m ALL over this! </font> <li><font size="3">graphic violent images, not recommended for children (personal opinion) </font> <li><font size="3">Roman General Marius Titus is the lead character you play as </font> <li><font size="3">Exclusive and available at launch</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">KIller Instinct </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Exclusive to One</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">INsominac Games: Sunset Overdrive </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Exclusive to One </font> <li><font size="3">Stylized shooter </font> <li><font size="3">Open world, living game </font> <li><font size="3">looks like fun </font> <li><font size="3">Weapon that fires records!!  Looks crazy fun</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Forza Motorsport 5 </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Pimping MacLauren racing </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">MacLauren P1 is on stage!</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">footage showing on screen looks like real life footage, not like previous versions of Forza </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">God Rays are truly impressive</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Drive-atar </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">opponents drive like people not AI </font> <li><font size="3">Learns and adapt based on how you drive </font> <li><font size="3">Races against the world while you are offline, away from the game and you get credit for those races </font> <li><font size="3">World Premiere trailer with all in-game footage </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">beautiful, detailed and again the god rays are stunning</font></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Launch title</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">  Titanfall </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">shooter, mech fighting – definitely mech fighting </font> <li><font size="3">Spring 2014 release</font></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Indie Titles published under Microsoft Studios </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Minecraft, exclusive </font> <li><font size="3">Quantum Break, exclusive </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">works with the television show </font> <li><font size="3">actual gameplay footage shown </font> <li><font size="3">Looks fascinating, again a me type of game</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">D4 </font> <li><font size="3">Project Spark </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Making a game, is the game </font> <li><font size="3">OMG </font> <li><font size="3">uses smart glass </font> <li><font size="3">ALL over this!!!!!!! </font> <li><font size="3">Game you can create, can be shared with the community</font></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Xbox Live </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">Smart glass, smart match, Upload Studio </font> <li><font size="3">Smart Glass with Rye, Son of Rome </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">if you can do it on the console, you can do it from the smart glass device --- exception of course for actual game play</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Smart match </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">can play one game while waiting for another match in a different game </font> <li><font size="3">Upload Studio </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">records, uploads, and shares game play </font> <li><font size="3">commentary, personalization available</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Twitch partnership announced </font> <ul> <li><font size="3">built into One </font> <li><font size="3">Live streaming</font></li></ul> <li><font size="3">Friends list no longer limited to 100 </font> <li><font size="3">No more points, real money in your local currency </font> <li><font size="3">Household no benefits from gold membership</font></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <p><strong><u><font size="3">Launches November 2013 for $499 in the US and can be reserved starting today</font></u></strong></p> <p><strong><u></u></strong> </p> <div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:240afa74-3074-458a-a67e-c359846b9f3e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Xbox+ONe" rel="tag">Xbox ONe</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Xbox+360" rel="tag">Xbox 360</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/E3" rel="tag">E3</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Halo" rel="tag">Halo</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Master+Chief" rel="tag">Master Chief</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Witcher" rel="tag">Witcher</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Titanfall" rel="tag">Titanfall</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ryse" rel="tag">Ryse</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Forza+5" rel="tag">Forza 5</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dead+RIsing+3" rel="tag">Dead RIsing 3</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Twitch" rel="tag">Twitch</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Upload+Studio" rel="tag">Upload Studio</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Smart+Glass" rel="tag">Smart Glass</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sunset+Overdrive" rel="tag">Sunset Overdrive</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Project+Spark" rel="tag">Project Spark</a></div>

fps graphics Microsoft open world Smart Glass video games Xbox XBox 360 Xbox One E3 2013: Microsoft Press Conference Highlights, Reveals, & Hype

Opening scene is beautiful, Metal Gear Solid 5 set in Afghanistan and it is gorgeous Open world game game Military shooters aren’t my ...

You are invited to a ToolTeach in Cape Town on Thursday 13 June from 4pm–5:30pm

11:01 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you live in Cape Town and want to know more about creating movies in the classroom, or maybe you have ideas to share on how you have done this - please join our 1.5 hours networking & ToolTeach on Thursday afternoon from 4pm – 5:30pm at St Cyprians. This is something new that we would like to introduce to Cape Town teachers.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001fh46cqk37TzB1gju87dqLKX_fB4C6CmZ2I04gChtzIJC2q4Oqj7Don-v8rMiqnYfzChMfZQW46PDgpRMYNZeCPRasJS2As-HK93NL2P9VgFHPU4rBG89Cw=="><img align="right" alt="Windows Live Movie maker" border="0" height="140" hspace="5" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs134/1104470199137/img/174.jpg" title="" vspace="5" width="165" /></a><u></u><u></u><u></u>  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At a recent Innovation workshop <i>Glenn Bunger </i>from LEAP Schools,   <i>Corrine Cornelius</i> from St Cyprians and <i>Fiona Beal </i>from SchoolNet  felt they wanted to start a regular ToolTeach for teachers who would like to share creative ideas on how to bring more technology into their teaching. This ToolTeach will encourage networking among teachers and will concentrate on one particular tool that teachers will find useful in the classroom. The tool selected for the first ToolTeach is Windows Live Movie Maker which is a free tool from Microsoft's Partners in Learning Network. The reason this was chosen is because Microsoft’s Innovative Educator Expert competition is in progress and it requires a two minute video about the lesson you enter for the competition. This ToolTeach will show you some ideas for this.  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The format of the ToolTeach on 13 June</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>16:00</u>:<br />Networking. Tea and coffee will be served<br /><u>16:15</u>:  <br />An introduction to this tool and its effectiveness.<br /><u>16:25</u>:  <br />Teachers who have used Windows Live Movie maker in the classroom will share on how they have used this tool successfully. You are invited to share.<br /><u>16:45</u>:       <br />Practical session. How to make a video using Windows Movie Maker (bring a few digital photos and/or movie footage along for this session if you would like to)<br /><u>16:25</u>:<br />Plan the next ToolTeach</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong></span><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Join us via this Eventbrite link</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><u></u></span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></strong> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like to join us at this first meeting please click on this Eventbrite link to add your name to confirm your attendance: <a href="http://toolteach-moviemaker.eventbrite.com/">http://toolteach-moviemaker.eventbrite.com</a></span></div>

teachmeets You are invited to a ToolTeach in Cape Town on Thursday 13 June from 4pm–5:30pm

If you live in Cape Town and want to know more about creating movies in the classroom, or maybe you have ideas to share on how you have done...

Vote for our house!

10:31 AM Tukiyooo 0

Vote for our house!

Our house is up for a public choice award in the Irish Architecture Awards!! (So happy!) Click here to vote for Emerging Practise:ODKM Arc...

'Those who don't know the value of loyalty ...'

10:26 AM Tukiyooo 0

betrayal friendship loyalty 'Those who don't know the value of loyalty ...'

"Those who don't know the value of loyalty can never appreciate the cost of betrayal." --Anonymous

Memorial to remember people removed by creation of Shenandoah National Park: meeting tonight

10:15 AM Tukiyooo 0

The Blue Ridge Heritage Project will hold a meeting from 7-9:00 tonight at the Blue Ridge Cafe in Ruckersville for those interested in getting in on the ground floor for a memorial to the people who were displaced from the Blue Ridge Mountains when the Shenandoah National Park took over that area.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nbc29.com/story/22543174/memorial-to-honor-people-displaced-by-creation-of-national-park">Reporter Molly Balkenbush at NBC-29</a> covered the story:<br /><blockquote>Bill Henry, the project creator, says  he hopes the memorial is more than a stone monument.  He wants it to be a  living museum dedicated to the people who lost their mountain land to  make way for the national park.<br /><br />Henry says he hopes Monday night's meeting will get the project up and going.<br /><br />"We're going to start forming  committees tomorrow.  We're going to ask for a design committee.  We're  going to try to have people get involved in starting initial  fundraising, we're going to start working on, have a committee work on  where we can locate the project," Henry said.</blockquote>Tonight's meeting is open to the public.

Memorial to remember people removed by creation of Shenandoah National Park: meeting tonight

Bill Henry Blue Ridge Cafe people of the Blue Ridge Mountains Ruckersville Shenandoah National Park Memorial to remember people removed by creation of Shenandoah National Park: meeting tonight

The Blue Ridge Heritage Project will hold a meeting from 7-9:00 tonight at the Blue Ridge Cafe in Ruckersville for those interested in getti...

Rubin: 'Maybe Christie got it exactly right in New Jersey'

10:07 AM Tukiyooo 0

The <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2013/06/10/maybe-christie-got-it-exactly-right-in-new-jersey/">Washinton Post's Jennifer Rubin</a> doesn't pull any punches when it comes to tea party criticism of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie:<br /><blockquote>It is fitting, I suppose, that the right-wing screechers have it so wrong again. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is the most popular politician in the country, but they hate him. They have generally fallen for pols who are anathemas to everyone but them (Rick Santorum, Sharron Angle, Richard Mourdock, Todd Aiken), so it make sense that the Republicans who appeal to a wide cross-section of voters are anathemas to the crowd that seeks refuge in policy positions — be it gay marriage or immigration — rejected by so many Americans.<br /><br />It just might be that Christie, who is super-popular in a deep-blue state, understands New Jersey and its voters a tad better than talk-show hosts,  junior  lawmakers from deep-red locales and right-wing bloggers with fewer readers than there are residents of Newark. They are excoriating Christie for setting the U.S. Senate special election for October rather than holding out until November 2014.</blockquote>Rubin goes on to make the case that a Republican winning the U.S. Senate seat left open by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg is a long shot but there are even more reasons for having separate elections, as she lays out in her column.<br /><br />It is easy to get caught up in the anti-Democrat echo chamber but Rubin hits the nail on the head as she concludes:<br /><blockquote>It’s a challenge for any elected Republican to screen out the noise from pundits and far-right lawmakers. But Trenton, in a lot of ways, is far from D.C., and Christie is a confident man. Maybe that is why his staff seems indifferent to the fussing of national right-wing pundits. A Republican doesn’t get to a 20- or 30-point lead in New Jersey by being a sap.</blockquote>

bloggers Chris Christie Jennifer Rubin New Jersey right wing writers Washington Post Rubin: 'Maybe Christie got it exactly right in New Jersey'

The Washinton Post's Jennifer Rubin doesn't pull any punches when it comes to tea party criticism of New Jersey Governor Chris Chri...

Circulation Supervisor - Groton Public Library

10:03 AM Anonymous 0

<strong>Circulation Supervisor - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Groton Public Library</span></strong></strong>.   We are seeking a candidate with strong communication, customer service  and team building skills to manage a busy circulation desk and  full-time and part-time staff. The Assistant Librarian – Circulation is  responsible for the circulation of library materials and for the  supervision and training of circulation staff, preparation of financial  and statistical reports, supervision of stack management and  participation in collection development and library programming.   Demonstrated experience with an automated circulation system, preferably  SIRSI, and proficiency in the use of computers, especially Word and  Excel is required.  This position reports to the Manager of Library  Technical Services & Circulation ; full time, 35 hours/week,  evenings and Saturdays included.  BA/BS degree plus two years’  experience in a public library, preferably in Circulation.  $25.14/hr.  Job posting and application are available online at <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.groton-ct.gov/jobs" href="http://www.groton-ct.gov/jobs" target="_blank">www.groton-ct.gov/jobs</a> or Human Resources Office, Town of Groton, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT  06340.  Applications accepted through <span style="color: red;">June 28, 2013</span>.

Circulation Supervisor - Groton Public Library

Circulation Supervisor - Groton Public Library . We are seeking a candidate with strong communication, customer service and team building...

UPDATE Library Director - Milford Public Library

8:40 AM Anonymous 0

<strong></strong><strong>Library Director - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Milford Public Library</span></strong></strong> is seeking a community oriented, adaptive and technically proficient  Director to lead a growing, progressive library toward the next  generation library. This is a unique opportunity to work in the  wonderful shoreline community of Milford, Connecticut, located just 90  minutes outside of New York City. The Director will work with a dynamic  Board of Directors, in a team environment composed of 15 full time,  dedicated staff members, temporary workers and volunteers, to design and  implement programs and services to serve a variety of cultures and age  groups. Duties: For a complete job description and application, please  visit our website, www.ci.milford.ct.us and click on Employment  Opportunities. Requirements: Master’s Degree in Library Science from an  accredited ALA Institution and 7 years public library experience,  including five years of increasing administrative experience. Able to  effectively administer and supervise the work of the Library, work well  with government offices and community organizations, be a visionary for  technology and libraries of the future, and act as a community outreach  collaborator. Experience with SIRSI DYNIX (or similar) automated book  circulation system preferred. Good sense of library public relations and  publicity. Salary Range: $84.6 – 91.4K per year. Benefits: Defined  benefit pension plan, medical, dental and life insurance. Paid time off  includes sick time, personal business time and vacation leave. To Apply:  Submit cover letter, three references (Not reference letters,)  completed/signed application, and resume by <span style="color: red;">June 28, 2013</span> to Personnel Department, 70 West River Street, Milford, CT 06460, or email <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us" href="mailto:lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us">lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us</a>.

*UPDATE* Library Director - Milford Public Library

Library Director - Milford Public Library is seeking a community oriented, adaptive and technically proficient Director to lead a growing,...

My speaking Schedule for 2013: Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Florida & Hawaii

8:39 AM Tukiyooo 0

You are very important. If you're reading my blog, you're probably an educator of some sort. Your professional development is important. You don't want to waste your time.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VzgwXv3K_xI/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VzgwXv3K_xI/0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last year being live streamed at Fall CUE.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2>Here's the schedule.</h2><br />June 13 - <a href="http://ktt3.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Knight Time Technology Conference</a> - Kendalville, Indiana - East Noble High School<br />June 18-19 - <a href="http://www.aea1.k12.ia.us/en/school_technology/tic_technology_integration_conference/" target="_blank">Keystone AEA Technology Integration Conference</a> - Dubuque, Iowa<br />June 28 - <a href="http://www.collegecareer.org/National_Conference.aspx" target="_blank">National Conference for College & Career Readiness and Common Core State Standards</a> - Orlando, Florida<br />July 18 - <a href="http://www.uvawise.edu/cte/TECHSPLASH13" target="_blank">Tech Splash</a> - Lebanon, Virginia<br />July 23-26 - <a href="http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/hawaii---flat-classroom-live.html" target="_blank">Flat Classroom Live! Hawaii</a><br />December 9 - <a href="http://lanyrd.com/2013/vste13/" target="_blank">Virginia Society for Technology in Education</a> Roanoke, Virginia<br /><br />You are important. If you take the time to come to one of these conferences, I'll make sure your time is well spent. I'm excited to get out and meet you all and have some things to say that I hope will help unleash your potential, balance your life, and teach in incredible ways.<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><a href="http://drspikecook.com/files/2012/10/vicki-change-2al2vde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://drspikecook.com/files/2012/10/vicki-change-2al2vde.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Last fall at Edscape at Eric Sheninger's school Wow.<br />via my friend<a href="http://drspikecook.com/category/edscape/" target="_blank"> Dr. Spike Cook's blog</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I hope that if you live in these areas, you'll try to make the time to join us at these conferences. There are so many great conferences out there! Many volunteers work tirelessly to bring you the best in professional development. Working with these amazing people throughout the country, it is stunning how much work they have to do.<br /><br />It is a blessing to be included in some of these conferences each year. If you read this blog and would like to come say hello - I always give everything I have to customize the message to the audience at hand. I hope you'll tweet out that you'll be there and let me know. I'd like to help make your conference special and get a chance to say hello to the educators who take the time to converse and teach me too.<br /><br /><br />Hope to see some of you this summer and fall. If you're interested in checking availability, I have room for just a few more conferences this school year. Just <a href="http://www.coolcatteacher.com/speaking.html" target="_blank">contact me</a> and let's see what we can work out.<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/AVvXsEiWcbECgpiol7Mr9MVkUZnJ3NfDGKt8c1xQPw0ndJt5kY3g_TkFd78I0a8OnVWhSGjpTvV0tFM1Waogs2mogSFC-EZJK-RlPFM0LQYhPgPP4B8r_uLrUWTp3fxVyGanuIEXvx9RclrgmAcZ/s288/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcbECgpiol7Mr9MVkUZnJ3NfDGKt8c1xQPw0ndJt5kY3g_TkFd78I0a8OnVWhSGjpTvV0tFM1Waogs2mogSFC-EZJK-RlPFM0LQYhPgPP4B8r_uLrUWTp3fxVyGanuIEXvx9RclrgmAcZ/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This motto from our football team is my own motto when speaking.<br />I will give all I have and leave nothing else behind. I hope when<br />you do your presentations this summer, you'll do the same.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Thank you to all of those conferences who have invited me to join you in the past. It is a joy to be an educator. I'll give everything I have to inspire and encourage you to reach all of your students. It will be an exciting summer.<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/AVvXsEjdaVpG4LvwDfveqYeBlbwk-Pw1x-geEVJ5u_nbJlSyQcptSju2smFrdvB587TB9CdHNsnTlOq1v6I6N2BYbrpS3f7PKMXMxPyemohemAghM6PKvxIF0tHCiDCbkjiLDVd2L6jzW9241Ch6/s288/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdaVpG4LvwDfveqYeBlbwk-Pw1x-geEVJ5u_nbJlSyQcptSju2smFrdvB587TB9CdHNsnTlOq1v6I6N2BYbrpS3f7PKMXMxPyemohemAghM6PKvxIF0tHCiDCbkjiLDVd2L6jzW9241Ch6/s288/2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me and a few friends last year at ISTE 12 in<br />San Diego. It was AWESOME! This year I'll be<br />moving my son in at college and spending time<br />at wedding celebrations of a first cousin of mine.<br />ISTE 13 in San Antonio will be awesome and<br />I hope to pick back up and see some of you at ISTE 14 in<br />Atlanta! <a href="http://www.iste.org/">www.iste.org</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />

My speaking Schedule for 2013: Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Florida & Hawaii

You are very important. If you're reading my blog, you're probably an educator of some sort. Your professional development is import...

Jokes and Boobies

5:46 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF12k1KoG24ixOR1cGikGg69E5VJGd395RdRI2cHJd9_Hqi51D7c5LvYmXxRlqcpiTCdm4sPGtCvcFljH0q3UVG2sqZKu7jNU17MChPRtElW_0ZugqThTHXIf2OSsRpBolSzdOg5R3J3Y/s1600/Kate+Upton+Hot+Sexy+Naked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF12k1KoG24ixOR1cGikGg69E5VJGd395RdRI2cHJd9_Hqi51D7c5LvYmXxRlqcpiTCdm4sPGtCvcFljH0q3UVG2sqZKu7jNU17MChPRtElW_0ZugqThTHXIf2OSsRpBolSzdOg5R3J3Y/s320/Kate+Upton+Hot+Sexy+Naked.jpg" width="320" /></a>Cheers and Happy Monday chuckleheads…<br /><br />Long last couple of days for the Matt-Man.  Wow things have popping and happening all over the greater Bagwine metroplex of late.<br /><br />After things calmed down to a point, a big tasty bowl of chili was consumed by yours truly, and it knocked me out pretty damn early last night.<br /><br />However…<br /><br />I did help to get to complete a pretty damn amazing and funny show yesterday.  I along with Jayman and the entire IWS Radio team broadcast our 3rd Annual Joke Show.<br /><br />It’s true!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bf1Ftx0d5hcyV0hqlYF8ivHqGCYwFYyS6pyUhpq84ZGymy1Ed2DS0E3FMSMcPkXzlFPzg0z2LpGZOGJ1oQkqPtj4yHOkgtQhMthPcT8M1qym-T42TPLMvZ8ad0UDogJ5ctVoSMnB6fc/s1600/kate-upton+boobs+naked+sexy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bf1Ftx0d5hcyV0hqlYF8ivHqGCYwFYyS6pyUhpq84ZGymy1Ed2DS0E3FMSMcPkXzlFPzg0z2LpGZOGJ1oQkqPtj4yHOkgtQhMthPcT8M1qym-T42TPLMvZ8ad0UDogJ5ctVoSMnB6fc/s320/kate-upton+boobs+naked+sexy.jpg" width="320" /></a>Jay and I joked and quipped comedically, but dig it…We were joined by a cast of thousands…okay, a giant handful of guest quipsters.<br /><br />We had jokes from the IWS Team.  Joshua, Kirk Douglas, Guy Ahnyurdyck, Rev. Moneymaker, Buddy Acapella, Paul Piatt and…Dixie Ozark really brought the house down with her hilarious iron lung joke!!<br /><br />On top of that…<br /><br />Our favorite fan and the sexiest Canadian ever Jamie chimed in with three of her own, one of which was a scandalous joke attack on Americans!!<br /><br />Fellow Ohioan and neer-do-well Jesse Ferg had some last minute humor.  That boy is a mess!!<br /><br />Greg popped in and waxed comedically from the Circle G Ranch.  Annnnnnd…<br /><br />Schmoop told a joke that both insulted <i>and</i> complimented the Jayman and I.  Brilliant!!<br /><br />It was all in all an exciting and funny time and you simply must give the 3rd Annual Joke Show a listen, especially if you are a fan of iron lung jokes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=4955871&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;"><br /></div>Just play the playa above and enjoy, oh…What’s with the pictures of Kate Upton, you ask?<br /><br />Kate Upton being naked in the studio during the broadcast is the only thing that could have made this show any better.<br /><br />Thanks to all who listened live, and recorded and/or called in with their jokes.  It was a blast.<br /><br />Cheers!!<br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><i>@mattman_iws</i></span></a></div>

Jokes and Boobies

Cheers and Happy Monday chuckleheads… Long last couple of days for the Matt-Man. Wow things have popping and happening all over the greater...

Gregg Matte: To Believe in Evolution, We Must Declare Slaughter of Jews in Auschwitz Equal to Slaughter of Cattle

4:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFVABQ5GvgqrNhthEvdtpURNESepxO3ybr9yxkPUqCNSjfm42Nrn3seFp8DU57uVedngZF7GjNxuTxYjwz-r6ySQ-Wfsvo8pQx1qWzk3g-BgyecNm_KV0ZEmzJHn9AZ87TuasQB7p8iMf/s1600/Matte.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFVABQ5GvgqrNhthEvdtpURNESepxO3ybr9yxkPUqCNSjfm42Nrn3seFp8DU57uVedngZF7GjNxuTxYjwz-r6ySQ-Wfsvo8pQx1qWzk3g-BgyecNm_KV0ZEmzJHn9AZ87TuasQB7p8iMf/s320/Matte.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"If you believe in evolution, you must also believe that Auschwitz and Hitler's Germany is equal to mad cow's disease. Because there is no difference in cattle and a person besides opposable thumbs and reason...so the slaughtering of cattle and the slaughtering of Jewish folks in Auschwitch MUST BE DECLARED EQUAL."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>---------------------------</b></i></div>Gregg Matte is the <a href="http://houstonsfirst.org/staff-detail/pastor-gregg-matte/" target="_blank">senior pastor</a> of <a href="http://houstonsfirst.org/" target="_blank">First Baptist Church of Houston</a>, and the elected <a href="http://www.sbcpc.net/?page_id=211" target="_blank">president</a> of the <a href="http://www.sbcpc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention Pastor's Conference</a> this week at the <a href="http://www.sbcannualmeeting.net/sbc13/default.asp" target="_blank">SBC Annual Meeting</a> in Houston.<br /><br />In his June 2nd sermon entitled "Connecting the Dots Worldwide", Matte addresses the essential importance of a Christian believing in creationism and rejecting evolution. <br /><br />But to try to make his point, Matte makes an idiotic, nonsensical argument that evolution will lead people to not being to ascertain between right and wrong - in fact he declares: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><b>That’s what evolution is all about…if man is the highest thing, then man gets to  decide whatever he wants to do and then there is no longer anything called ‘sin’. There is not anything wrong, there is not anything right…<span style="color: red;">here’s what happens: if you believe in evolution, you must also believe that Auschwitz and Hitler’s Germany is equal to mad cow’s disease</span>. Because there’s no difference in cattle and a person besides opposable thumbs and reason. They’re all living creatures, <span style="color: red;">so the slaughtering of cattle and the slaughtering of Jewish folks in Auschwitz must be declared equal</span>. </b></i></blockquote>What is he talking about? We CAN and DO judge morality and immorality separate from the issue of creationism vs. evolution. People of faith, and people of no faith together, can rightly judge immoral acts like Hitler slaughtering Jews. We can rightly judge moral issues like adultery or murder or theft. Duh.<br /><br />If any person of faith - or an atheist or agnostic - believes in evolution vs. the biblical account of creation - they most certainly don't have to equate slaughter of Jews to slaughter of cattle. That's an offensive idea to begin with, that a person's view on the origin of the universe might render them completely incapable of seeing the atrocities of Hilter's regime. This idea that Matte puts forth is sick.<br /><br />It is too bad guys like Matte don't realize that this kind of nonsense drives people - especially young people - away from Christianity. A young person who is struggling with their faith and is thinking through matters like creationism vs. evolution and hears Matte's rubbish, they will likely reject the faith altogether.<br /><br />Listen to the above quote in the entire context of his argument, and it becomes even nuttier.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/68030624" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/68030624">Greg Matte: To Believe Evolution is to Equate Slaughter of Jews to Slaughter of Cattle</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4054328">FBCJax Watchdog</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>

Gregg Matte: To Believe in Evolution, We Must Declare Slaughter of Jews in Auschwitz Equal to Slaughter of Cattle

"If you believe in evolution, you must also believe that Auschwitz and Hitler's Germany is equal to mad cow's disease. Because ...

Huawei launched Huawei MediaPad 10 Link,10.1-inch tablet for Rs. 24,990

3:01 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiu26bSOpM-CoqCFtkChYcnpXQbrNt9iwiTy4R5GbWPMVA_VzixIbanGd4mlJYxDzkaUwCmR45UxJf8keHhBxoQnryfnDX4NThmyvl4Di-FGNp893wK3-K_Y-s0EfCxjO4vyNZz69bIVU/s1600/huawei_mediapad_10_link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiu26bSOpM-CoqCFtkChYcnpXQbrNt9iwiTy4R5GbWPMVA_VzixIbanGd4mlJYxDzkaUwCmR45UxJf8keHhBxoQnryfnDX4NThmyvl4Di-FGNp893wK3-K_Y-s0EfCxjO4vyNZz69bIVU/s320/huawei_mediapad_10_link.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="GingerNoCheckStart"></span>Huawei has launched Huawei MediaPad 10 Link, a <strong>10.1-inch tablet for Rs. 24,990</strong>. The device is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor alongside 1GB RAM. With a IPS display and a resolution of 800x1280 pixels, the tablet also comes with Dolby Surround Sound with dual speakers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The MediaPad 10 Link comes with 16GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 32 GB via an external microSD card. The tablet runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1. The device has a 3-megapixel fixed focus rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. All this hardware is backed by a 6600 mAh battery, which according to Huawei's claims, ensures continuous up to 6-hour gaming or 8-hour video playback.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Huawei had the MediaPad 10 LHD last year. When the specifications of the latest 10-inch device are compared to the existing one, there seem to be a few differences. While the processor and battery are somewhat the same, there is a downgrade from the 8-megapixel auto-focus camera on the MediaPad 10 LHD to a 3-megapixel camera on the MediaPad 10 Link. The 2GB of RAM on the former is also replaced with a 1GB RAM on the MediaPad 10 Link. There is also a downgrade with respect to the display resolution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Priced at Rs 24,990, the expense might be a bit too much with respect to what the tablet has to offer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Huawei MediaPad 10 Link is available through online retailers like Flipkart, Infibeam, Snapdeal, Shopclues.com and other retail stores like Croma and Ezone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the device's core specifications at a glance:-</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Price at Rs 24,990</strong></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dual-speakers with Dolby Surround Sound</span> </div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.2GHz Hi-Silicon K3V2 Cortex-A9 quad-core processor</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10.1-inch IPS display with 800x1280 resolution</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, up to 32GB expandable via microSD card slot</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3MP fixed focus rear camera, 0.3MP front camera</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6,600 mAh battery</span></div></li><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 6-hour gaming or 8-hour video playback</span></div></li></ul></div>Published by <br /><a href="https://plus.google.com/112865615030946176397" rel="author">Priyanka</a><br /><span class="GingerNoCheckEnd"></span></div>

Huawei news Tablet Huawei launched Huawei MediaPad 10 Link,10.1-inch tablet for Rs. 24,990

Huawei has launched Huawei MediaPad 10 Link, a 10.1-inch tablet for Rs. 24,990 . The device is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor along...

Have you discovered Learnist boards? Try creating one...

2:05 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDkaNukvPsvi9xAKsIA_EM_fbD3D_iCTkJ3jJ5ZlNdjlA_mHVCYnTdEqP53cxQTbYAKmImBv7QuCmTQz2gSS1ILO9WvxQurT5CjPGrWOM40_v2kWiqOTcYhCqELoNhYCe8D0E-clziKc/s1600/learnist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDkaNukvPsvi9xAKsIA_EM_fbD3D_iCTkJ3jJ5ZlNdjlA_mHVCYnTdEqP53cxQTbYAKmImBv7QuCmTQz2gSS1ILO9WvxQurT5CjPGrWOM40_v2kWiqOTcYhCqELoNhYCe8D0E-clziKc/s320/learnist.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">With the Internet being so HUGE educators have to become master curators of content. I like this definition  from Robin Good (<a href="http://goo.gl/j3yVL" title="http://goo.gl/j3yVL">http://goo.gl/j3yVL</a>) </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQPZ0y3aAAaKKW2kfNoLVoqzJv7SI7mbx8qkXViz119b9-_LYL-3dG57kFC9ddyaOfMmXSHkI2YPf-OZaxONkVQuk51bs4uH6eAncHScBxdBmsIASgY7rzmmI_qBbE_IaaT7XybAzNB8/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHflgWtEDCCwlwe3ofNqhUJFPAAUqrqobsk7itZ8PE-bB9ZfD7gbJkZsjaG0Wj0Nwl_PRreumC3u5gi58YywduEaNzWlBZScEpLA9nOE_1ZZLxdLx5fStWSkcMXYQiDbnO5E02AA7JTNA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A Learnist Board is a really useful way to curate the information that you need. I love using Pinterest and I love using Scoopit, but what I like about Learnist is that it is only one column and you can set it out in steps of your own choosing. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Take a look around a Grade 1 teacher’s Learnist Boards</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a look around Carrie Sorenson’s Learnist boards. This is a screencast (without voice) just showing how this teacher has used Learnist to curate information that she wants to keep.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe frameborder="0" height="338" scrolling="no" src="http://screencast-o-matic.com/embed?sc=cI1irdVvNX&w=420&v=3" width="420"></iframe></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>How to create a Learnist Board</strong></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a presentation on creating a Learnist Board that I made as a recent TeachMeet presentation. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="356" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/22735240" style="border-bottom: #ccc 0px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin-bottom: 5px;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="427"> </iframe>  <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/have-you-considered-creating-a-learnist-board" target="_blank" title="Have you considered creating a Learnist Board?">Have you considered creating a Learnist Board?</a> </strong>from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a></strong> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white;">Embed your Learnist board in your</span></span> <span style="background-color: white;">blog</span></span></strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the newer improvements in Learnist boards is that you can embed them in your blog. So, to date I have created two Learnist boards and I am going to try embedding them in this post. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) iPad summit collection, Boston 2013 </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't go to the iPad summit in Boston, last year but I followed it closely and created a Learnist board about it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="456" scrolling="no" src="http://learni.st/users/36830/boards/7817-ipad-summit-posts/embed?o=v" width="300"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) Great tips for creating PowerPoint presentations</b></span><br /><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="456" scrolling="no" src="http://learni.st/users/36830/boards/23868-great-ideas-about-creating-presentations-using-powerpoint/embed?o=v" width="300"></iframe>  <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Education uses of Learnist boards</span></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;">Keeps all resources together in a particular order</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is accessible from wherever one is</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One can share a board with others</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One can follow others with similar interests.</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students could also use Learnist for a project to show the sites they used</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -22.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is available as an Ipad and an Android app</span></span></li></ul></div>

Learnist Have you discovered Learnist boards? Try creating one...

Submitted by Fiona Beal With the Internet being so HUGE educators have to become master curators of content. I like this definition from Ro...

Rainy nights

7:50 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3da9jM5nPYv1wK6IJrBRHUX_T99FKV19K_ANxOl5u89ObNHOgYF6HvtWpcCpFfO7RJ9SbOxUbCl57QaVVEGnNZ0U5F4MdOu2FyfbJCsYDGO5MpJndHt0I9tptT6XMl6mkFeJyCVI2F5L/s1600/Rain+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3da9jM5nPYv1wK6IJrBRHUX_T99FKV19K_ANxOl5u89ObNHOgYF6HvtWpcCpFfO7RJ9SbOxUbCl57QaVVEGnNZ0U5F4MdOu2FyfbJCsYDGO5MpJndHt0I9tptT6XMl6mkFeJyCVI2F5L/s1600/Rain+1.jpg" /></a></div>Lightning streaks across the western sky as thunder rolls along the ridges of the Allegheny Mountains of Augusta County. Weather forecasters have issued flash flood warnings for up to three inches of rain through Monday afternoon as powerful storms roll through the area.<br /><br />The windows are open as the cool night air drifts in ... it will be a night to fall asleep to the sound of falling rain and the smell of freshly soaked dirt.<br /><br />It's raining in Augusta County....

Augusta County Virginia Rainy nights

Lightning streaks across the western sky as thunder rolls along the ridges of the Allegheny Mountains of Augusta County. Weather forecasters...

Highland County phone service out - UPDATED: Service restored

6:25 PM Tukiyooo 0

<i>The Recorder</i> is reporting that phone service has been out all day for Highland County. The latest updates on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Recorder/126300954052731?hc_location=stream">Facebook</a> noted:<br /><blockquote>So it appears there is at least a countywide (Highland) problem with cell service and long distance. Both have been down all afternoon. No answers yet but we're working on finding out what's going on. This issue may extend at least in to Augusta and Rockingham as well. We'll keep you posted.</blockquote>And this ...<br /><blockquote>In the Highlands, still, even if long-distance callers try calling  residents here, they will get the superfast busy signal. We tested. The  Recorder is trying to get some answers tonight.... but you Highlanders  should consider yourselves on "the island" for now. At least the  Internet still works ... use your email and Facebook and Twitter,  etc., to communicate outside our borders.</blockquote><b>UPDATE 10:15 pm:</b> Service has been restored. <i>The Recorder</i> wrote on Facebook, "Long distance and cell service has returned to the Highlands! Still trying to find out what happened...."

facebook Highland County phone service telecommunications Highland County phone service out - UPDATED: Service restored

The Recorder is reporting that phone service has been out all day for Highland County. The latest updates on Facebook noted: So it appears...

ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE BALKANS final Part

4:19 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaD_7KeQpRFUlkkPNWztxcppds-1Yk5d6ODX4vj__E6rg4HqBtLLdePq8T3kQQM9VdqDJWACXO7FNYgnw_MUrcu3l7CIkDNsf4HYna1UtGMGq5ZOhf2Dxbf-3Rd3OvmWFgrHK9JxLxmxZo/s1600/433028_Map-of-the-Balkans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaD_7KeQpRFUlkkPNWztxcppds-1Yk5d6ODX4vj__E6rg4HqBtLLdePq8T3kQQM9VdqDJWACXO7FNYgnw_MUrcu3l7CIkDNsf4HYna1UtGMGq5ZOhf2Dxbf-3Rd3OvmWFgrHK9JxLxmxZo/s400/433028_Map-of-the-Balkans.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL’S SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE BALKANS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from the original article written by Chris Deliso</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TURKEY AND ISRAEL, BEYOND THE BALKANS: THE CAUCASUS AND AFRICA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reaching out to mutual allies – the most obvious and most extensively involved of course being the US – has also helped both ISRAEL and TURKEY sustain relations during the three-year impasse. US diplomatic sources reveal that despite the apparent lack of progress since May 2010, it was not due to lack of trying; in addition to the official visits, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made several secret trips to Ankara to try and get some traction from a stubborn TURKISH leadership.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are other mutual, but sometimes overlooked allies too, which play a key role in ISRAEL’S containment of IRAN but which are never mentioned in the context of wider bilateral Israel-TURKEY relations in other areas like the BALKANS. In this light, AZERBAIJAN is a vital ally to both ISRAEL and TURKEY, borders on IRAN, and thus becomes potentially important in a number of ways. Is it possible that the country has facilitated or could facilitate information-sharing between TURKEY and ISRAEL more discreetly during periods of public political discord?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISRAELI AND AZERBAIJANIAN RELATIONS, A GENIUS CHESS MOVE. Read entire article at:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/10/israel-azerbaijan-and-kazakhstan_6.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/10/israel-azerbaijan-and-kazakhstan_6.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISRAEL AND AZERBAIJAN BILATERAL COOPERATION</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Veteran CANADIAN war reporter Scott Taylor, who has traveled in and written extensively on TURKEY and AZERBAIJAN, notes that “intelligence agencies work on entirely different circuits than that of the diplomatic corps- policy differences would not preclude the necessity to share information on common threats, if necessary.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Interestingly, as with ALBANIA under Berisha, Baku has shown a bit of independence from its ethnic kin in TURKEY. This owes less to nationalism (as is the case with ALBANIA) and more to a new confidence and prominence as its wealth and geostrategic value have increased. A senior AZERBAIJANI diplomat addressed the question for Balkanalysis.com thus: “I cannot comment on the matter of intelligence cooperation in particular, but in general terms our relations with ISRAEL is strong and multifaceted, and we don’t look for the approval of this relationship from a third state, for example, TURKEY.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The only common approach between AZERBAIJAN and TURKEY towards Israel (or more precisely ISRAELI-Palestinian conflict) is that we are both for the two-state solution and we are supporting the independence of Palestine,” the diplomat continued. “AZERBAIJAN’S stance on this matter sits ok with ISRAEL, and does not hinder AZERBAIJAN-ISRAEL bilateral cooperation. There are a number of other issues (the Holocaust, anti-Semitism) where our position is also clear, and appreciated by ISRAEL.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AZERBAIJAN: GROUND ZERO FOR INTELLIGENCE WORK</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Something that was particularly appreciated by ISRAEL (as stated <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=255136">by President Shimon Peres</a>) last January was AZERBAIJAN’S disruption of a terrorist plot involving IRANIAN and AZERBAIJANI citizens. Authorities in Baku stated that terrorists had planned to attack Jewish schools and to bomb the ISRAELI embassy, “to avenge the death” of Hezbollah’s Imad Muganiyah (a possible similar motive behind the Burgas bombing mentioned above). Just a few weeks after, the <i>London Times</i> published <a href="http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=257470">a feature in which</a> an unnamed ISRAELI operative spoke of Baku as being “ground zero for intelligence work,” and discussing the presence of IRANIAN, AMERICAN and ISRAELI intelligence in this Caucasus country bordering IRAN.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These comments and the general context become even more interesting in light of recent publications on the ISRAELI-AZERBAIJANI strategic alliance. <a href="http://www.gloria-center.org/2013/03/israeli-azerbaijani-alliance-and-iran/">A comprehensive article by Mahir Khalifa-Zadeh</a> for the IDC Herzliya’s GLORIA Center discusses the intricacies of ISRAELI-AZERBAIJANI relations and active regional players IRAN, RUSSIA and ARMENIA. The author also discusses Baku’s proactive role during the breakdown in ISRAELI-TURKISH relations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“AZERBAIJAN has attempted to play the mediator between the two countries following tensions and disagreements that emerged as a result of the Mavi Marmara incident,” he writes. “Undoubtedly, this type of mediation can expand Baku’s role in MIDDLE EASTERN affairs and strengthen Azerbaijan’s international standing.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AFRICA: THE EMERGING CONTINENT </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROvseNlQcyMUy0L7SG3awzUaJdGzC5fBDAJzYSq-sFFw6pztzHKpPUtGbkkWic1CWh6Fk9TnGyrx89B8fRdP9IfPiV8LCD5ZOgb46JPErDKFKJqD7120yXrUa5VXPlSDRymmEsIq_gJZA/s1600/africa-economist.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROvseNlQcyMUy0L7SG3awzUaJdGzC5fBDAJzYSq-sFFw6pztzHKpPUtGbkkWic1CWh6Fk9TnGyrx89B8fRdP9IfPiV8LCD5ZOgb46JPErDKFKJqD7120yXrUa5VXPlSDRymmEsIq_gJZA/s320/africa-economist.png" width="278" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another region in which the future relationship between ISRAEL and TURKEY is going to be significant is AFRICA. The extent of IRANIAN and Hezbollah involvement across approximately 40 states here was assessed in the above-cited analysis by the IDC Herzliya’s Dr. Ely Karmon. In this case, TURKEY has cleverly taken steps to expand its diplomatic and commercial presence- thus making it a vital ally for the US and ISRAEL in the region, both in terms of mediating local intra-religious disputes and providing intelligence on IRANIAN moves. Although the foreign media has only become aware of TURKEY’S tilt towards AFRICA in the last few months, Balkanalysis.com devoted attention to it over two years ago <a href="http://www.balkanalysis.com/turkey/2011/01/01/turkey%E2%80%99s-developing-role-in-africa-interview-with-mehmet-ozkan-and-birol-akgun/">in this interview</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;">: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AFRICAN GEOPOLITICS</b></span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/usa-china-and-africa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/usa-china-and-africa.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/africa-and-usa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/africa-and-usa.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TURKEY’S TILT TOWARDS AFRICA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The present article cannot go into detail concerning the complexities of the evolving ISRAELI-TURKISH relationship and how both NORTH and SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA will affect it. However, it can reasonably be assumed that TURKEY’S developed presence on the emerging continent will place it in a strong position for its dealings with both ISRAEL and the US. The leverage that TURKEY has due to its established economic presence, and particularly in terms of its shared Islamic faith in African countries with Muslim populations, may well be exerted in ways favorable to Ankara, not only here but in other regions as well. However, indicators of such diplomacy in action will probably not be immediately visible or relatable except in a small number of individual cases.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nevertheless, if ISRAEL does eventually decide to limit its BALKAN activities, it may not be because of simple budgetary reasons: rather, if it perceives TURKEY as being essential to eliminating any IRANIAN threats emanating from AFRICA, Israel would probably choose to become less prominent in TURKEY’S EUROPEAN backyard, if the latter demands it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Considering the politicians involved, this is not as unlikely as occasional observers might think. Knowing what factors motivate TURKISH decision-making politically, emotionally, and strategically is necessary for deducing the likelihood of future ‘compromises’ to come in the BALKANS.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the end, it will be up to the ISRAELI leadership to game-plan for all of the possible outcomes and to convince their BALKAN partners (as they recently attempted with the GREEK government) that they really are ‘here to stay.’ With AMERICAN interest waning and the EUROPEAN UNION mired in its own financial and other problems, it is a good moment for any outside aspirants to gain influence in the BALKANS. The issue, for all concerned, is to what extent their potential involvement will be guaranteed, compared to other possible compromises with interested parties in other areas or other spheres of interest.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The End </span></div>

ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE BALKANS final Part

ISRAEL’S SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE BALKANS Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from the original article written by Chris Deliso...