Live Blogging Dr. Kari Stubbs from BrainPop #pilUS presentations

Today at the Microsoft Partners in Learning Innovative Teacher awards, we are having professional development and inspiration. These are my notes taken quickly and I'm sharing them with you - forgive my lack of links and perhaps some typos.<br /><br />Dr. Kari Stubbs - BrainPop<br />Some teachers are trying to navigate change in a wilderness full of obstacles. <br /><br />(NOTE: I really wish every speaker would put their Twitter handle on their opening slides.)<br /><br />Describes BrainPop as a "loved and trusted collection of resources across the curriculum. BrainPop Jr. and BrainPOP esl, and Brain Pop Spanish are all there. 185K in BrainPop educators community now. BrainPOP GameUP now launched - charge to provide education games to teachers FOR FREE so check that out.<br /><br />They have mobile apps from BrainPOP so ready to support Bring Your Own Device environments.<br />In next few months have opportunity for teachers to create their own BrainPop quizzes.<br /><br />(In the "Oprah" moment - each teacher here got a subscription as part of being selected to be here! Cool, hope the judges got it too. ;-)<br /><br />Game Up. Play. Seriously. - They are partnering with "best of game" creators to work with teachers to play their games. Best of breed games paired with brainpop content and lesson plans, etc.<br /><br />They did a study with Joan Ganz Cooney Center - 500 teachers - their teacher attitudes around use of games. 18% using games daily. 70% of teachers thought it increased motivation and student engagement. 60% said they believed in power of games to personalize instruction.<br /><br />They are showing a video of my friend Lisa Parisi - 4th grade teacher in New York using BrainPop.<br />(NOTE: LISA PARISI rocks- she has a new book about blogging with Brian Crosby. She's an amazing, no excuses educator!)<br /><br />Lisa says that kids come with "lack of fear" with technology which is great. She says "games can show me a little window into their thinking." <br /><br />Now we're seeing some games that are free: Guts and Bolts - that is a new game. It is a twist on Frankenstein - to build "Tim" Moby has to understand all of the systems of the body. Looks like a good game for those studying the body.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5771739433749757186'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYL1bGiZSd5l94A-tQEkJ9dJHt7b1ig5fBQeDX9f8qXs612vt_uSpHli4lDw1t3puADh4GTTrc__nR9UNec9I1noqGS1obMU58fb99MJWQElAPYGk34z48LdcvxWcJuc75RnHA4AQsymw/s288/0.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />

Live Blogging Dr. Kari Stubbs from BrainPop #pilUS presentations

Today at the Microsoft Partners in Learning Innovative Teacher awards, we are having professional development and inspiration. These are my ...

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Today's archidose #603

Here are photos of a couple projects in Groningen, Netherlands, shot by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/">Ken Lee</a>.<br /><br />Duisenberg Pavilion at the University of Groningen, designed by <a href="http://www.pvanb.nl/">pvanb architecten</a> (2010):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/7668255034/" title="Duisenberg Pavilion, University of Groningen, The Netherlands by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="Duisenberg Pavilion, University of Groningen, The Netherlands" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7668255034_0586ebdeec_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Transferium (bus stop) in Hoogkerk, designed by <a href="http://www.lyvr.nl/">lyvr</a> (lysbeth de vries - 2010):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/7668255548/" title="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands" height="360" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7668255548_9247eb6390_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/7668255772/" title="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands" height="360" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7668255772_e51267baee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/7668256060/" title="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7668256060_9ef2fd76bf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/7668255324/" title="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="Transferium, busstop, Hoogkerk, Groningen, The Netherlands" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7668255324_768effc51a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #603

Here are photos of a couple projects in Groningen, Netherlands, shot by Ken Lee . Duisenberg Pavilion at the University of Groningen, design...

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Reference and Instruction Librarian - Fairfield University Library

<strong>Reference and Instruction Librarian - </strong><span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Fairfield University Library</strong></span> (Two-Year Appointment). Academic library invites applications from creative, flexible, self-motivated librarians with strong public services commitment and a vision and enthusiasm for the future of electronic technologies to join collegial team. The successful candidate will be hired at the Librarian I level. This position is a two-year appointment. The position may include some evening and weekend hours. RESPONSIBILITIES: Plays a key role in the library instruction program. Creates and maintains web-based and print instructional resources. Provides reference services. Participates in the Library Liaison program. REQUIREMENTS: MLS from ALA accredited program. Recent experience or course work in reference. Evidence of potential in teaching. Must be self-directed, well organized, and able to meet deadlines and multiple demands. Demonstrated ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences. Inventive approach to the development of new services; commitment to responsive and innovative service is essential. Highly Desirable: Teaching experience using active learning techniques; demonstrated competence in using web-based tools and software in the creative design and delivery of instruction are highly desirable. Science background; demonstrated technological competencies; second Master’s degree. CAMPUS AND LIBRARY:<br />Fairfield University is a comprehensive Jesuit institution that prepares students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world. Founded in 1942 after the purchase of the adjoining estates of Jennings and Lashar off North Benson Road in Fairfield, the University has grown from an initial class of 303 undergraduate male students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences in 1947 into a coeducational university of more than 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies students enrolled in six distinct schools. Along the way, the University has awarded more than 45,000 degrees since 1951, and has developed a reputation for educational excellence both regionally and nationally. DiMenna-Nyselius Library has over 600,000 volumes in a state-of-the-art building. TO APPLY: Submit letter of application, resume, and telephone numbers/e-mail addresses of three references to JoAnn Garrity, Administrative assistant, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06824-5195, or directed electronically to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:librarian@ fairfield.edu" href="mailto:librarian@%20fairfield.edu">librarian@ fairfield.edu</a>. Preference given to applications received by <span style="color: red;">August 24, 2012</span>. Fairfield University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Reference and Instruction Librarian - Fairfield University Library

Reference and Instruction Librarian - Fairfield University Library (Two-Year Appointment). Academic library invites applications from crea...

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one room challenge reveal... times 20

It's like Christmas morning! Only I don't remember having this good a tan at Christmas time. Today is reveal day for the <a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">One Room Challenge</a> ladies. These ladies have been busting their arses for the past six weeks and I would imagine they are all passed out at this point in a state of exhaustion and delirium.<br /><br />The One Room Challenge is the brain child of my lovely <a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Linda</a> and its about as addictive as just about anything on Bravo. Make sure to head over to 1, 10 or all 20 of these sites to see the wonderful results. This is great pinning action people.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5NJ01LGIjtrG5-tksie8nRhLvUQVj266pxxwjXv3mbHor-JZD38nmpQjBjidq5OoLinNxQO6Vt6ftUnhCSY1DLPAWlJHF6C6ZeUZx2zCT6DeO5xb5bMaw_rBAF_3jrF2zTlLOtrZsv_f/s1600/One+Room+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5NJ01LGIjtrG5-tksie8nRhLvUQVj266pxxwjXv3mbHor-JZD38nmpQjBjidq5OoLinNxQO6Vt6ftUnhCSY1DLPAWlJHF6C6ZeUZx2zCT6DeO5xb5bMaw_rBAF_3jrF2zTlLOtrZsv_f/s320/One+Room+banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />

one room challenge reveal... times 20

It's like Christmas morning! Only I don't remember having this good a tan at Christmas time. Today is reveal day for the One Room Ch...

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The last of Microsoft PIL, Johannesburg’s webinars on assessing 21st Century skills takes place from 6pm-6:30pm tonight (1 August)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmNet5acmD7LQwPzLg21ZJk6HnfLEhwwoDRYXsSDzL1MkgNQVdcX7HxkJsNurkuLZ2qWO0s9BgXLnEtcZCsoyF_lGIbQI1BvyCpcCs5q2j0wbbXzQRhbDPAgDVdf8rawfH5UHnF8Rick/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVuW8vXr6nAvJCEMiloBNyjBS-lNZlTl9wl0Sfubpn1idQ4HTPe9NYMJ_5Yy4f9ATh3zLdFgVMcR64Xu270h5eetVFtoovdnVRHczFVj1C78bm5_CrELHsl-shCDGdR3ywAMqGzw6F_U/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the last two weeks Microsoft Partners in Learning in Johannesburg has been holding weekly webinars on Wednesday evenings on assessing 21st Century skills and using the LEAP21 materials. These are held on Wednesdays from 6pm – 6:30 pm. Please use the following URL to join but if you are joining the Lync webinar platformfor the first time you’ll be asked to download an add-on for Lync and that might take a while (give yourselves 40 mins to be safe!) Here is the link:  <a href="https://join.microsoft.com/meet/v-angels/Q6Z25RJQ">https://join.microsoft.com/meet/v-angels/Q6Z25RJQ.</a></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What is LEAP21?</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tonight sees the last of these webinars. It is on “<i>Use of ICT -Enhancing your projects using ideas from LEAP21</i>”  LEAP21 is based on the way ITL Research studies measures innovative teaching practices. LEAP21 asks teachers and school leaders to analyse and 'score' learning activities to see how deeply they integrate 21st century skills, collaborate in designing new learning activities that provide deeper 21st century skills development, examine the impact of these learning activities on students' work, and use ICT as part of the process.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Discussion Forum for this series</b></span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to obtain the PowerPoints for the last two webinars on assessing ‘<i>Collaboration</i>’ and assessing  ‘<i>Knowledge-building</i>’ please look for the Discussion Forum on the Partners in Learning Network. (You will need to join this network if you haven’t already done so – its free and well worth it!) <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/auth/signin?returnUrl=%2fDiscussion%2fccc93868-82a8-4c32-98a3-a8afb555a34b">Join here</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Previous two webinars and relating documents</b></span></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. You’ll find the PowerPoint for the first discussion on <i>Assessing Collaboration </i>in the above-mentioned Discussion Forum. The webinar wasn’t recorded but may be recorded privately later (I’ll keep you posted if this happens)</span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. You’ll find the recording for the last webinar on <i>Assessing Knowledge-Building </i>as well as the PowerPoint used in the presentation in the Discussion Forum.</span></div></div>

Microsoft The last of Microsoft PIL, Johannesburg’s webinars on assessing 21st Century skills takes place from 6pm-6:30pm tonight (1 August)

Over the last two weeks Microsoft Partners in Learning in Johannesburg has been holding weekly webinars on Wednesday evenings on assessing 2...

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Smiling and Dancing in the Face of Pressure

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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Main Blurb</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The floor routine in gymnastics: It seems to be a bane for the men, but a joy for the women. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Think about it: When you watch the men do a floor routine, they look like a robot when they are not leaping in the air. When they land and move around the floor, their legs are as straight as tree trunks. “Dance” to male gymnasts is a four letter word that should never be uttered. There is no music in men’s gymnastics. The goal is to do as many tumbling passes as possible in the allotted time and get off that thing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">On the other hand, music is heard throughout the arena when the women are performing. It can almost be annoying when you’re trying to watch another apparatus because someone else is dancing their floor routine to some weird little piece of music. But they shimmy, they shake, they…smile! They almost seem to be enjoying themselves – for some of them, they actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> enjoying themselves!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Normally when I am watching someone’s floor routine, it is fun to watch them tumble around. I had made note that I rarely saw anyone royally mess up a floor routine. They know those tumbling passes like the back of their hand, because it’s all set to song. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tonight had been no different. I watched many floor routines (since I watched the online feed which provided more routines than NBC’s evening coverage did), and they were all fun. British gymnast Beth Tweddle even danced her routine to Wing’s “Live and Let Die.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As those fun routines were being performed, Russia and the United States were fiercely building up the points on the other three apparati. The lead for the US was slim going in to the final apparatus for the two of them: the floor routine.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have seen the US do those same floor routines (with the same songs) many times. I watched the Visa Championships. I watched the Team Trials. And I watched on Sunday. There were a couple of flubs on Sunday, which surprised me. Sometimes the pressure can get in your head. On Sunday, it was in the US women’s head. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And today, it was in the Russian women’s head.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Russian women went first, and I was absolutely shocked to see them make so many huge mistakes on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">floor routine</i> with so much on the line. They missed parts of their tumbling combination. They didn’t jump high enough and landed on their knees. And with each mistake, the opportunity for the US women to win gold got bigger and bigger. The tears flowed, and I sat in shock. Was their music off? Were they smiling? I had never seen such huge mistakes in the floor routine – and at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Olympics</i>, no less!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So now it was time for the American women. And they didn’t disappoint. The three routines done by Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, and Aly Raisman were spot-on. They were exactly what they needed to secure the gold medal. And they didn’t let the pressure of Olympic gold get in their head. I actually clapped when Wieber finished her routine!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Congrats, ladies of the gymnastics squad. You took the pressure and dominated. And while everyone else will be putting Michael Phelps on their front pages, I am making you my Main Blurb.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mini Blurbs</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Speaking of women’s gymnastics, I rewound my DVR three times to watch McKayla Maroney’s vault. There is such a thing as a perfect vault, and I had just watched it. I hope she can do that in the individual event finals and get the gold. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Shannon Miller was the color analyst for the online coverage. She was a lot of fun to listen to!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The medals ceremony music is the theme from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chariots of Fire</i>. I don’t think any Olympic athlete will like that song ever again. It’s been playing over and over and over and over and over and over…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">He Kexin from China is a holdover from the 2008 gold medal gymnastics squad. But now she actually looks like she’s old enough to compete! (In 2008 she looked about 10 years old.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh – Michael Phelps has 19 Olympic medals. If he were to wear all of them around his neck, I don’t think he’d be able to raise his head up! It was fun to see Happy Laughing Michael again. Even after he got outtouched by Chad le Clos in the 200 butterfly, he was talking to le Clos and telling him what to do on the podium and around the photo ops. Then both of them were swimming in the 4x200 relay about 40 minutes later!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Five small gymnasts had a hard time fitting on the medal podium in the arena. Four large male swimmers had room on either side of them on the medal podium in the pool arena. Maybe the podiums got switched by accident?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I heard the phrase “Sculling Sloth” today, which apparently is the name of Niger sculler Djibo Issaka Hamadou, who only took up the sport three months ago and somehow qualified. He finished 1 ½ minutes behind the rest of his heat. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mad props to Allison Schmitt for winning gold in the 200 freestyle. With all the promotions going towards Missy Franklin, I’d forgotten she was the favorite in the event! She cruised; Missy missed a medal. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Do the rowers ever have the finals? It seems like all I’ve [been forced to] watch has been a heat for this, a heat for that, a heat for something else…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I added a new sport today: women’s field hockey. They play on what has been called “Smurf turf” (yes it’s blue) like Boise State’s football field! It’s pretty much floor hockey with shorter sticks and they’re forced to wear skorts. Really? It still looked like fun.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tonights roundup: field hockey, whitewater canoe, gymnastics, men’s volleyball, men’s beach volleyball, rowing, swimming, men’s water polo, diving.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">One more thing about the gymnasts (sorry, they made my morning): They were rooting for each other and supporting each other like no other. That was quality teamwork.</div>

Smiling and Dancing in the Face of Pressure

The Main Blurb The floor routine in gymnastics: It seems to be a bane for the men, but a joy for the women. Think about it: When you watch ...

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Alan November - Live Blog from #pilUS

I'm taking notes from Alan November's keynote conversation. He asked 3 questions and facilitated our conversation. This is a live blog post, so please forgive the lack of links and perhaps typos.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/115916382183421477315/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPCp6bK0YDF6gE#5771381254591380978'><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBANruF00YOpv9LSygZ2hCBQrTyPmjwkaDKfNRpQR3HFE-teGdNCBJ2Ozf1uxlFGjqhztOlWAELt3MrN3NO85tIuLHCbq0nu7bWUWFgmVZoLUP_g7zjZ6RMjQfVhDHBSswcucfUsM-ztKl/s288/0.jpg" style="margin:5px" width="267"></a></center><br />Alan November 1985 - he was one of the first Krista McCauliff Educator (sp?) . He got call that he was one of first 5 Krista McCauliff educators and he said "I don't want to go into space" and hung up on them. They called back and said they wanted him to go around the country.<br /><br />3 limitations on programming back then on programming<br />Processing speed<br />Amount of ram<br />Memory in hard drive<br />(fourth now would be bandwidth)<br /><br />They told him they didn't focus on physical limitations - they told him they imagined that their limitations were infinite and then set to work in the "ideal" environment and then when done playing in the ideal environment of infinity then we look back at what we had to do. "if we started with our limits, we would go out of business because we wouldn't be pushing the envelope." He says this changed his thinking.<br /><br />He says that workshops in schools and that now we start with our limitations. He goes and works everywhere and in many places he goes, when he comes back 6 months later and there is change. In the US, 6 months later, inevitably nothing happened. He says we can conjecture about why the US has amazing individuals and creative people but there is no systemic change in the culture of teaching and learning. These systemic changes are happening in Australia and Shanghai. Our capacity in the US to adopt the changes that have happened may not do you justice. Many of you are going to be frustrated about sharing with colleagues and see changes that are systemic.<br /><br />**What were your limits you designed when you put your project in place?<br />If there were no limits what would your project look like? Is your project already designed to be as good as it could possibility be or would you push it forward.<br /><br />**Asked the question how many of us will have others adopt to use and do another project? How many of us will join with others to do the project? How many will adopt others?<br /><br />(NOTE: This is so important to flattening the classroom. The grassroots movement of teachers to connect is vital.)<br /><br />Question: Tell me about your project because I want to adopt it. Explain your reality of what you do. <br /><br />(NOTE: We should be sharing projects but also INVITING each other to join together. YES! This is what we talk about in Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds)<br /><br />He talks to schools about how some teachers are innovative and those who aren't. Some have the same things, computers and even support staff -- but the answer about schools that are really innovative and the answer is always "the principal." He says that Principals are role models, they take risks and they don't mind and know how to support risk taking teachers. It is important to support those not taking risks as well - they know how to support both.<br /><br />Because of this, take your principal out to lunch to share your story when you go back to your colleagues. How do you go back to a school where you are the ambassador and the innovation leader? How can you do that without securing the support of your principal?<br /><br />Can anyone make the case that your project has increased test scores? Quite a few raised their hands. <br /><br />Talk about getting reporters. He says the fact that teachers are so humble and haven't been to business school to sell what they are doing - that is their biggest problem.<br /><br />(I agree with this - I'm a business school grad and it has directly impacted personal branding in my life. There are times to share and you can do it without being egotistical.)<br /><br />Stephen Anderson says "what does innovation look like so how do they know what is innovative. They think if a teacher is standing in front of a smartboard when they walk by that the person is being innovative and the important thing is for teachers and kids show admin what innovation looks like."<br /><br />Latest strategy from Alan November -- he asks to have breakfast with students first. Before looking at anything. Want to have breakfast with kids with the principal with him/ her. Your job is to watch me interact with your kids. He starts giving them problems to solve on the web. In front of the principal, he'll say - can you think of a time you did really well and go an "A." They'll always say, "yes." Then, he'll say - show me right now how you did the search because he said he used the web for all of his sources. <br /><br />Then, he says "what is wrong with these results." He points out "there aren't any sources from Iran" when a child searches the Iranian hostage crisis and only uses US sources. The child doesn't know how to search for iranian sources. The child can't get any Iranian sources- had to show the child how to do it. <br /><br />Did anyone teach you about country codes. So he has them google a top level domain and the country codes -- "root zone database.' Every second grader should know the country codes - root zone database. Iran is "ir" and say site:ir then he types in the information. so he searched site:ir "American hostage crisis" and he was able to see different perspectives. He doesn't care which child he's talking to, the principal is stunned because principals have a misdirected assumption that kids understand technology. The fastest way for a principal to understand there is a problem is to show them what their kids have done. He pulls a "trump card" - you need the right information at the right time.<br /><br />This isn't about technology, it is about information. You've been labeling this wrong. He asks the principal "Do you want your students to get the right information at the right time across the curriculum?" Then, principals don't know what to do. The real issue is changing the design - make sure you get 3 Iranian sources but the teachers don't do that. <br /><br />He has never met a student in the US who knows how to use the Internet well. Every kid says "I know what I'm doing." <br /><br />(NOTE: I agree with this, even my students get lazy about this. It requires constant encouragement and reinforcement from all teachers. This is one of the best speeches I've heard Alan November give b/c this is a great point here.)<br /><br />The local conclusion - he suggests to every district to get rid of "technology planning committee" and instead call it "learning design committee." There should be "learning design facilitators." The child HAD the technology, the kid had the wrong assignment.<br /><br />Last question was going to be: "The first 5 days of school" activity. He asked the introduction about that teacher who inspired her, "did that happen on the first day of school." Go to vimeo -- first day of school. <br /><br />It is about the first day of school. They made a series on vimeo called "the first 5 days of school" - 1st5days - look for it in Vimeo. He asks teachers about the first 5 days of school and what happens the first 5 days. Have you ever had a faculty meeting on designing the first 5 days of school. Never had any staff development on "the first 5 days of school."<br /><br />What will you do the first 5 days of school to SET YOUR STUDENTS ON FIRE??????<br /><br />This is a vital question. Think about the first day of your favorite class. It was very hands on based. This is a nice video series about doing something intentional.<br /><br />"You get caught by a song by the beginning notes."<br /><br />(NOTE: The first few days of school are VITAL. you need to energize and excite students AT THE BEGINNING.) <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />

Alan November - Live Blog from #pilUS

I'm taking notes from Alan November's keynote conversation. He asked 3 questions and facilitated our conversation. This is a live bl...

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30 days of Web Tools #14: Use the AMAZING Print Friendly to print any web page… and much more!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever found that you are on a website and you want to quickly print the page or a portion of the page? When it prints it is lopsided because it was meant to be on landscape, it is 16 pages long which you didn’t realise  plus you have wasted ink with a whole lot if unnecessary pictures and words (not to mention unwanted ads!)?  That has happened to me so I was delighted to come across Print Friendly (<a href="http://www.printfriendly.com/">http://www.printfriendly.com/</a>) . </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbofrKAIif8Nbv1l-j2GCRtaCZsxrISAwnasNuio-H0e8bCb24RaWVtW79rGRuOZkp7i3mDUyxCHaWhj8tYrHh8lOEerLS2U3AWXQ4MHn8q3z-4MxjVohAxYwSgFP01sRHePx4xbAbGE/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaKAqN8sICOm2Eyxn8S4rJlR3paxT0krwfKnYUfhaIOfe5CP5FGqhsPQ5FJo7_rcB3VfhDo7cdpwzCFxuxpUTmUn1eu4zQDo0hdVPVVWDgD4JG1umYabl56uhiMNN4C9ZARsStbnYw2I/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After opening Print Friendly, the first thing I did was impulsively add the little button to the browser bar so that Print Friendly is easily accessible.  After that I watched the video on how to use it! I am embedding this video below because it is very useful. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SOYKL7KYeSQ?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So how does Print friendly work?</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>1. Find the article you want to print and copy the URL.</b></u></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paste it into Print Friendly at the designated place</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA-6IMlZ65sb3aOX5KAbEA0ZuV30UEVWenOvc-9JdDn7KLlz0hz4I6mae9BWW3BHTMkaDOcWf3GWZXqrODPov57yGQyd_SErELQEEEcThH0oZIJdloHjz9B4iG_K8ANuvkSa1PkocOgA/s1600-h/print%252520friendly%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="print friendly" border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29aqx9tRjpTdDQsibgz0jqJNb84PXXrCmpTgIScfC1DD-LRQLw86zSPXi6xtM2nBLFUKDXuGKdYQ9Muv43rlJB1FckzSLIw6vkLsMVgUhq8GQwVQGWmcf-LrzmjsVM7ZNE2QpUPuYWkE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="print friendly" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>2. Look at your amazing options:</b></u></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can print, make a PDF, email, make th print bigger, remove pictures and more!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2O59iPfp-wPx-fqFw9xu8e7NH2pZkNxmFegYrQMg6b9nkLP1w1irFkLq8YOccA9e2RGMdXuRmnhG8FG11jU2YFYdQJaXDVh9epfY0XQ_jcJx5EaEnXZgggZf867xj59CskmhfxMx_dFA/s1600-h/print%252520friendly2%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="print friendly2" border="0" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWbi4dGBjH5nEx7mTuimZZXHtDrdkklFP5k5gS5PNyCUW2LpZn5amZl5HyhmZCX81cdwbN9ZXoeJ0iPVWtYvQ8gbqaWFpeDdWbQYSfYNRAWFwJTkcxiKXEZM55Mb8pCi-5KILKmrmJ_c/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="print friendly2" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>3. Let’s take a detailed look:</u></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>a) Print: </b></u></span>I tried this and it worked like a charm</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><b>b) Make a PDF: </b></span></u>This is such a useful feature. I always do this using Google Docs but here is another way. When you click on this feature it gives you a button to download as a PDF. This could be WAY quicker than using Google Docs. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwSDdwpegTfAjMHxm4boZH5NXcDSqDickDwGVpCsWaQqSWG45tBOi724jKe_-60vEhk5oVTLBDD-D6V9wTdfDx7ZRkBleEqYHE84XzEUZY3SGX3qVwcuI3pLn_VKwrRKV01vGiEvSC3k/s1600-h/image%25255B17%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnUMhEISoPKnadtLMim85yVfO6-qTXFxiW5XJgLHaAo5o5HUbWNPEgH8k-1F4oqdC-O_YN-m3vEQ2C-2PpVvXvZYTm6s6GWD9NbU1s9MhWJXA0YuxuSGmzeZLJLf8qkX1Z2BMV6S0Qqo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>c) Email</u>: </b>When you click on email it opens a window. I have emailed this article to mayself so let’s see if it arrives. WOW! it worked like a charm!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjze1l8wVZj3ayEN22y5JdF2RSmJkP8cMaR41E-ZH4hIFvF4bNixQ14pkXcqrUvcmvElNN758VKl4TA0DoZdUnJ9dVB5fsnWZdcIVy9Y6QT5nBZY5Ig1UTUpQxdXG0HgXUJkJs4mXtDYp0/s1600-h/image%25255B20%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpwESVzQ6FDsWIqPrAYpj-QoxtjlVdY3XrO4knL3GjYhj34B2UWU7Zat9Gn5l9WgPUP-Z8MPrarWU41WPuoQl92SGzPaYuM7Qj7QvuPyzcOwUnyHyWq5covEPZhy3-ykw5NhUwpX5loA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><b>d) Increase text size</b></span></u>: The highest seemed to be size 15 but that was okay. </div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><b>e) Remove images: </b></span></u><span style="font-size: small;">They all disappeared. Quite amazing. What I also discovered is that if you have say three images and you just want to include 1, you can click on the other two and they disappear.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. This is the best - Add a Chrome extension</b></span></u></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Being a lover of Chrome and all its extensions I used this last. It neatly added itself to my Chrome extensions on the browser bar. </span></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQLJPyRyt1ZU_G9ukX7pc_ulyxpWYjETLv44oDev_986Vvlz0E-cToUyPpBMGQaPjXGCYXmUL6zTZE5FXJ6J3fTxw_xdUpLDGevmE0EJhoQhEDSsrYNMleQfwFIIg3IiPCO03Y45rL7Q/s1600-h/image%25255B24%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqOVM3zR0hXNxvUNzbp3iF4or67j0RO8mEHZcq9XszUy7GGiyk5yEFS7xQsd7rEewxf9s3G-xfnUG2d8gDUJuV9eJgz43MJCI0Xosy3UKSPMW5my6Asi2Yu6YVUMBuTsQuXAA61aS7EE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDJE_V3KwySgNuWm0hZSEzsxOEkBmCfgc38jy-0LMw8rP5RcWYRlwE2Bk2SCHshUF2NRSSRReZgBaCuWdLbAouG15oa0sveXSjwbvfrJxOyUtQDjXDKtzF78IHOEAJr-xMvNaLP3-dbw/s1600-h/image%25255B25%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBGK3uCtpUsGUuq3diOPNjbeD1Vaz8kfq_BmwJRNy_nFypHYnsuMmqy3Kugms29kjyZ3UbyoXPas8-Mqm2jGwFrbak5zZYn4eE1WTla7V5EP3I6Vlj1TuroaAp66Qg5ImXAJVdVJpO1U/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is definitely the best option! You can do so much more. You can highlight and just click on text you don’t want to include and it disappears. (So that little bookmarklet I added to my browser when i first started will no longer be used by me – I will go for the Chrome extension! This image shows some of the benefits.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyMDe0P3-_9faXggEe-Qh6gI_NB9nTQV0LZLHf6jJPKnd85S8l0twLc57lgxCNL_uyKovhAEZUWoBsVYv8QRJDvEu91SGsvbM6QjHaL9hw8CH1p_GSohJ_ZQaIuzihNr_v3XpAvSo8_I/s1600-h/print%252520friendly3%25255B2%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="print friendly3" border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrw5UdT_BBr4ApSUZUcgF4pewg5UHeA3kSN7vCOne9EOECI-47JzZvLWY-0as6rrt-yZBXDWsbNbg4A8jRD_ewBimWvnYNMcOAKapwSBk5-2JflhVqlbkJ6L6ED5do0YWRARtPBZK3Ac/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="print friendly3" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is going to be a very useful tool. It will be especially important and useful for your students when they want to print something and just print bits of the page. Do try Print Friendly as soon as you can. </div></div>

30 days of web tools PrintFriendly Tutorials Web tools 30 days of Web Tools #14: Use the AMAZING Print Friendly to print any web page… and much more!

Have you ever found that you are on a website and you want to quickly print the page or a portion of the page? When it prints it is lopsided...

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30 days of Web Tools #13: Use KeepVid to successfully download YouTube videos to use offline

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkUw71U1LjR3_yRCEYsee0GkTZ-XOaz-Hjgep9YGerJ_oGjGhdRVmkGjUqoEcFx1-xyiJJtQiRzCViPzj484ciHDf7XWkMGRD0iDGSsz068T1vpoPksHWykXY-bBjcFrA94Nlt1F24KQ/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JkxtTBF0bz2utlwSL0YYRoGahS6U9wHDvIPpax7wfUJiDS6DDs68lZYZxUho-G8FmMq8SsfZZ1yNWW0uzDfqV0j7ts7S8_gj1caKk9LGoGazz9W-pUFCkKuThSE0PHeNSrShLV8q5pM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You may run into times when you're offline and want to watch a YouTube video, or you want to share a YouTube video with your class without going online and waiting for the video to open (a problem in SA with bandwidth). In those cases, you need an actual copy of the video rather than a link to the YouTube site. You can download videos to your computer using a marvelous free online tool called KeepVid (<a href="http://keepvid.com/">http://keepvid.com</a>). This post aims to give directions on how to do this if you are new to KeepVid</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1.</span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Find the video you would like to download on </span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a></span><b><br /></b><br />For example I have chose a LEARNit-in-5 video called ‘How to use Lino’.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjKznCvdClpY22vStZ0ezsyUHdAmhrTHN0RkoacbO2XwJXwl44YUQJMKfNqL6k7kmPRMngf__Tiyok8QMsa8dIwrJPjdE1SU31tddmUkSxMVkHr8fIhkghflRsY6Z58anLBTvAU54OnU/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LdKc52JA8gWk0iVRu6STKhgvUZmGjCw1pBatEHQG801aVT3PLPeNnv4GF2Sp7vjm9KiHSUTvyuQ2MTpjvSAZgyF6DF6OJ_peXZPSOuXsVqFv2o-wTPxQAVKvH0oUbIlyYyC6HupPhyY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2.<b> Highlight and copy the URL from YouTube</b></span> </div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This video from LEARNit-in-5 has the following YouTube URL: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTLYxmrNATs&feature=channel&list=UL">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTLYxmrNATs&feature=channel&list=UL</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Open </span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://keepvid.com/">http://keepvid.com/</a></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.keepvid.com/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></a> in another window</span></b></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7OQPlBM89RVx9AdZBH60f_jEic9oI-Ld0rIBOYdRmt0WJR5GtVZF1FVYAL1KR7fPhzLa61r_QRgNd5YP8C79eVNjZJs9MPTs7j9SnAUuT4NT-Vu3C_bGgYKUXZ-EXqMC6dtA1B2ltzo/s1600-h/image%25255B19%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrifwC4ku_JN4YZNe1K6EQSbz_IzeMBa2uidb8-CEZHy7x6Z0CCVcxzvXoQpsYHXkbjpP8Aoe7VSh8vOtLR5K3dFQPosYFoq9_bArLzc4bXQFt4Crp1WmJ4DfGaOgG3YEWPnbBfTXI8E/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. <b>Paste your copied URL from YouTube into the blue rectangle and click on Download</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Ignore any big blue and green download advertisement buttons! It is easy to click them in error) By the way you will need to have Java installed – but most computers today have Java installed in order to open a lot of web applications. It is available free online.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3db6JTemH6FfWIA8BBjcVs2AQf94Qn-feKRIC657r0weLN2da5mKh7h42g30VfzhU8RbJiaz4iC1uh9yAaips1fXomsnwMnZ4jURHZAZxCdnSkaflBX1QBHybI3mb-WYk-DNzK4g3Qqo/s1600-h/image%25255B24%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="79" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVDoT_KzDTQlBfPSRMNGCv5CaDhsIE0f8tF1tSA04gWydw566h5NPiC07sSDsHHf9RDEWBlYBCeKh1AJz1Cba_lyJi7_XLs4GYInG8kyBXAoSpNkZBe99lekIr18vzfj4svcPT80OBbk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. <b>You will always get this security warning, so accept the risk and click "Run"</b></span></div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your video will start the download process and suddenly the security warning appears. Accept it to continue. </span></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFyDLrnzj8qfArWf_l0SkAbHbWg0q4ahbi8zHCgBJ1hcUwZrSXBobBRKq8sZj0wpn72F5hqFwkUf6WI11jhtTGpUx8o2pDbj9Y5LKPmPstTxtljdsX7Wf-V_m6kD_8kH5GLuBmmdbnPk/s1600-h/image%25255B34%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUK5oMgKyIkjlGRFZz1bFXX7bGYiYamKQlbhWmMlAktEhyphenhyphenpUelBcdt8jeb1V5jbDGBlD1rkH7ivoo8neMJxSXkaYue4ZG-4tGLCvpDS_y3OI22uA7looWoZX_i9QOB49oA_YeJKGIA5K4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="350" /> </a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmV_iMWgccP7I02djwWJfP5vXs0O1jHk0zkbVDH38h1gNZXAh84InI3CCM3iYD1rbTWQZDUIhDFlVsb6qHHun3-C60cAruJ6K2IraCHhXwoxxEvjppbQWwSF1u_H-P8FuenDAvOvLFBU/s1600-h/image%25255B33%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkRGCsZJVk5yW5m6edqd_yxvz_BU0H7TucOO3ulrCbx6dyT8tynqS91V8ODLVhAou2N_JCkgUmvRN4oiMqZv-NcQUCOmw1c5i_hZwE2B80EsbTlm5w4sxyEOaaeQEEreV-nJQK0uoQT4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="365" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. <b>Keepvid will give you many different options for the download.</b></span> </div><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I nearly always choose MP4 because it will play in PowerPoint if you insert it there, but .FLV is also an option. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpt9SLdgIQKrW8DjG1g4lhgg2s7fpHgrKPRHUNnGINlrcS6HotS5xncnRJiUCRLyTbj8IA4Q8b1Fa7hVBt7K6HyET9CQnGCt-Tcc8koYt7XH-I-EnNcBDC1dTTZMKWWtYPIFvR_cCPZDA/s1600-h/image%25255B38%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVNGX39mgl-UnFzS1hmPpYIBW1p8n8ddBooauhs-VNCR9gAm3PqrDn18t6n4pmePzORMWapwI6NLmNaAORp2hRUQOvT3Vs-W3RqmovE4i692NWRinYBRfahMHM7kMLl9Ygv0FPIIetxg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">7<b>. Click the download that you would like to make and save it</b></span><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Save it wherever you would like to save it – probably in <i>My Videos</i> on your PC. If your computer just saves it without asking you, you will most likely find it in your Downloads file.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your video will now be available to play whenever you need to. I have discovered in the past that this is the best way to go when you want to play something from YouTube for students in a class. </span></div><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Further reading</span></b><br /><h1 class="articleTitle Heading1" data-module="article-title" id="nointelliTXT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/How%20to%20Download%20Videos%20From%20YouTube%20Using%20KeepVid%20%7C%20eHow.com%20http://www.ehow.com/how_5837386_download-videos-youtube-using-keepvid.html#ixzz22D29YuEw"><span style="font-size: small;">How to Download Videos From YouTube Using KeepVid</span></a></h1>  </div>

30 days of web tools KeepVid Tutorials Web tools 30 days of Web Tools #13: Use KeepVid to successfully download YouTube videos to use offline

You may run into times when you're offline and want to watch a YouTube video, or you want to share a YouTube video with your class witho...

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WAHHABISM IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA Part 2

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGcuMO_bh1xxkh_XrIltXJOy-zu6RCeyCaQ8rmXyZ8CmWoKyL6h8Y9-wwyEBs1HlxBAQMXSsNev2GN9YfRkAzsMAIiQ2SUfdmpskGMszBP6Zn4iSxtMJ8xRTVZ_0B9C-xzSCNnplmH_az/s1600/220px-BosniaIslam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGcuMO_bh1xxkh_XrIltXJOy-zu6RCeyCaQ8rmXyZ8CmWoKyL6h8Y9-wwyEBs1HlxBAQMXSsNev2GN9YfRkAzsMAIiQ2SUfdmpskGMszBP6Zn4iSxtMJ8xRTVZ_0B9C-xzSCNnplmH_az/s1600/220px-BosniaIslam.png" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: 309.75pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">WAHHABISM AT THE DOORSTEPS OF EUROPE</span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">     </span><span style="color: red;">     </span> </span></b></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: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE ISLAMIC REVIVAL</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;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">During the 1970s and 1980s, Bosnia and other parts of Yugoslavia witnessed Islamic revival.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The Islamic revival in BIH started in the 1970s due to several factors:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- a certain aperture of the then Yugoslav regime.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- an improved economic situation.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- the graduation of a new generation of young Muslims intellectuals from Yugoslav and Middle Eastern universities.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- global trends in the Muslim world that began in the Petroleum Crisis in 1973 and culminated in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- the main manifestations of revival until 1992 were:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- rebuilding or construction of mosques financed by local money except in a few cases.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- opening or reopening of education institutions.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- publishing of Islamic texts and periodicals.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- intensified personal religiosity and use of Islamic social symbols.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- establishment of Muslim political organizations.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- emergence of Muslim solidarity institutions.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">SUPREME ISLAMIC ASSEMBLY IN SARAJEVO PASSED A NEW CONSTITUTION OF THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">During this period, the Islamic revival in BIH merged with the institutional framework of the Islamic Community. Alternative organizations were practically ignored. This would be dramatically changed after April 1992.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For all these activities the existing Constitution of the Islamic Community was too narrow. Also in 1974 Yugoslavia adopted a new constitution, which moved the state organization toward confederacy. As in the past, changes in the political system found reflection in the organization of the Islamic Community.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On 12 April 1990 the Supreme Islamic Assembly in Sarajevo passed a new Constitution of the Islamic Community. This constitution divided the institutional structure of the Islamic Community into organs, institutions, and officials. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The organs of the Community were local yamaas boards, formed mostly formed in the level of boroughs, Mufti offices which were almost at the level of district, the Islamic Communities assemblies and their executive organs, mashiats, the jurisdiction of which coincided with the borders of the Yugoslav states, and finally, the Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Community as the highest representative body of the Muslims in Yugoslavia. The executive body of this assembly was the Riaset, at the head of which stands Rais Ul Ulema as a religious leader of the Muslims in Yugoslavia. The seat of Riaset is in Sarajevo. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Members of all these bodies were to be elected and their term of office was limited. There was also the Islamic Council, a body of scholars in charge of keeping constitution within the Islamic Community and providing interpretation of Islamic teachings.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE COLLAPSE OF THE YUGOSLAV FEDERATION CAUSED A ‘DOMINO EFFECT’ ENDING ALL ORGANIZATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl8zf-xPEFnb8A7Ho-02OYzGqZJJULFgzXFqRFr6Zvt1QumUYAt9xt8PHQ0i7Ivo7vUUBgdoa7brSMofvIpaqahxiiFult6QdQv49HTOH6XoeOe5-WD9yzc0LuJn3k4nghyflAOxA_Rfx/s1600/bosnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl8zf-xPEFnb8A7Ho-02OYzGqZJJULFgzXFqRFr6Zvt1QumUYAt9xt8PHQ0i7Ivo7vUUBgdoa7brSMofvIpaqahxiiFult6QdQv49HTOH6XoeOe5-WD9yzc0LuJn3k4nghyflAOxA_Rfx/s1600/bosnia.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The institutions of the Islamic Community were madrasas, faculties, institutes, libraries and a museum. The Constitution also provided for the establishment of charitable, humanitarian and other institution, something that was unimaginable in BOSNIA during previous decades.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In 1992 the Yugoslav Federation broke down and its ‘domino effect’ brought an end to all organizations, associations and institutions built on the same principle.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In 1993 the representatives of different bodies of the Islamic Community, Muslim organizations and institutions, met in Sarajevo and proclaimed themselves as the Constituent Assembly of the Islamic Community. This Assembly called for the reconstruction of the autonomous Islamic Community in BOSNIA and proclaimed itself as the highest authority in the Community and passed on the same day an interim Basic Regulation that will serve as a legal basis for the organization and function of the Islamic Community until the end of the war.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, the interim Basic Regulation for all practical purposes relied mainly on the Constitution of the Islamic Community of 1990, which had been adjusted in certain aspects to meet demands of the new situation. The new organization structure again was composed of organs, institutions and officials. Basic organs were the same: yamaa, boards, Mufti offices. Others were adjusted: Naibu Ar Rais, Deputy Rais, replaced the President of the Mashiat, the Riaset replaced Mashiat and Constituent Assembly replaced the Assembly of the Islamic Community. Institutions and officials remained the same.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The organization of the Islamic Community from the time of the Yugoslav Federation was slightly modified to fit the circumstances of independent Republic of BIH. The basic regulation of 1993 provides that the Constituent Assembly will call for elections after the war and thus replace the emergency administration with a permanent one. The elections were conducted in the spring of 1995 and permanent Assembly of the Islamic Community was constituted on 28 April 1995. On 26 November 1997 this Assembly adopted a new Constitution, which is a legal basis for the present administration of Islamic Affairs in BOSNIA.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TRADITIONAL ISLAM IN BIH VERSUS WAHABISM / SALAFISM</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For more than 500 years BOSNIAN Muslims have maintained the Hanafi tradition, following a moderate and open-minded version of Islam: rich on tradition, tolerant of other communities and compatible with western values. The Islamic revival in BIH, which began after the secularist Tito period, underwent radical changes from the beginning of the war in April 1992. In those parts of BIH under SERBIAN and CROATIAN forces, 75 per cent of BOSNIAN territory was ‘cleansed’ of Muslims, while mosques and other Islamic buildings were in almost all cases destroyed.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FOREIGN AGENCIES BECAME THE PRIME FOUNDERS OF THE ISLAMIC REVIVAL</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, freedom for Islamic activities became almost unlimited in some territories under the control of the Army of the Republic of BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. It is reported that several hundred <b>Afghan-Arab Mujahidin</b>, or Holy Warriors, joined with, fought alongside BOSNIAKS during the 1992-5 war in BIH. Highly religious and motivated, they brought a specific understanding of Islam with them and they tried to indoctrinate those ideas into BOSNIAK minds, having the opportunity to preach and spread propaganda freely. Thus the Wahhabi ideas surfaced for the first time on a wider scale. This foreign creed was different from the moderate and traditional version of Islam in BIH. During this time the relations between BIH and the Muslim world were elevated to an unprecedented level. The number of graduates of Islamic Studies outside the country increased and Islamic literature arrived in significant quantities. Additionally, the economic power of local populations was practically reduced to nothing and the foreign agencies became the prime founders of the Islamic revival. This financial support, coming from foreign Muslim countries, undermined the power of the well-organized and structured Bosnian Islamic community. SAUDI ARABIAN funding of mosques and economic help aimed to confirm SAUDI global Muslim leadership (vs. IRAN) and to bring BOSNIAN Muslims closer to beliefs and practices acceptable to <b>Wahhabism</b>.</span></span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZZkjE5PXr_xJbDRTD4pIV__-pj69emDi__LDUBv084MF4hH734rD2cLmsrEWWo3M29qDLuYaMfBCSc7s1AyU-nspZ56glOPLPPS4haNfhwl0TBOxKRTv1t5G9NtTURTJIJpxqXcfrOLP/s1600/bugojno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZZkjE5PXr_xJbDRTD4pIV__-pj69emDi__LDUBv084MF4hH734rD2cLmsrEWWo3M29qDLuYaMfBCSc7s1AyU-nspZ56glOPLPPS4haNfhwl0TBOxKRTv1t5G9NtTURTJIJpxqXcfrOLP/s320/bugojno.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bugojno Police Station bombing June 2010</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The activities of the Islamic Community in BIH have always included charity, income-generating projects and Waqf (religious endowment). The Islamic Community of BIH has been the exclusive administrator of these endowments for decades. However, several multimillion dollar foreign Waqfs were established after 1995, which, according to the contract with the Islamic Community, were granted full autonomy for various periods of time, usually two decades. The <b>Cultural Centre King Fahd</b> (CCKF) in Sarajevo is an example of this process, together with the SAUDI cultural centre in <b>Bugojno</b>and the Cultural Centre in <b>Hadžići.</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>  </b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The June 2010 <b>Bugojno</b> police station bomb attack was carried out by Wahhabis. For further background information see:  <a href="http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Security-Watch/Articles/Detail//?lng=en&id=118664">http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Security-Watch/Articles/Detail//?lng=en&id=118664</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE FINANCING OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF A MOSQUE BY A SAUDI BASED ORGANIZATION WAS A PART OF A STRATEGY AIMED AT ACQUIRING THE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The result of this process is the replacement of the Hanafi, the moderate traditional local version of Islam, with Wahhabism, a more radical and intolerant SAUDI version that in some cases might be a shift toward more radical and, possibly, terrorist activities. The elder and established Imams in some areas, who stand for a more moderate Islam, were more controlled and restricted in their activities.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the past, the <b>High SAUDI Commission for the Relief of Bosnian Muslims</b> (HSC) has administered the Cultural Centre King Fahd without consulting the Islamic Community of BIH. The HSC gave full support to different Wahhabi organizations, including Active Islamic Youth (AIO) and different Islamic NGO’s. After the terrorist attacks in the US on 11 Sep 01, the situation changed because the media identified the HSC and related organizations as potential sources of extremism. Some of their members were arrested or questioned by local police or international forces about their links to terrorism. At the end of 2002, the <b>Cultural Centre King Fahd</b>, tried to change its public image and attempted to distance itself from these extremist circles, and established closer relations with the official Islamic Community of BIH. When the government of SAUDI ARABIA decided to close the HSC all the mosques whose construction was financed by the HSC were handed over to the BIH Islamic Community, and the King Fahd Cultural Centres in Sarajevo and Mostar to the Embassy of SAUDI ARABIA for management. According to the Cultural Attaché of the Saudi Arabia Embassy in BIH, the King Fahd Cultural Centre is a cultural institution that remains under the supervision and care of the SAUDI ARABIAN Embassy. Despite of this fact, the facilities of the Cultural Centre King Fahd and the King Fahd Mosque in Dobrinje, Sarajevo, are still the epicenter of the spreading of radical ideas in BIH.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">RADICAL MOVEMENTS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE POOR CONDITION OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES, IN SOME AREAS IN BIH, AND OFFERING YOUNG PEOPLE A VARIETY OF POSSIBILITIES, AS MEANS TO SUBSEQUENTLY RECRUIT THEM</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The spreading of radical ideas in BIH has been linked to the return process of the people who were displaced during the war and to the social, economic and education situation within the country. The return of Muslims to some areas of BIH controlled by BOSNIAN SERBS or B-CROATS is creating an unstable local climate, potentially leading to increased ethnic tensions and inter-ethnic incidents. Some of these Muslim returnees are members of the Wahhabi sect. The perceived harassment of BOSNIAKS may stimulate an increased involvement of organizations tied to Islamic extremism in local communities. Reportedly, Wahhabism was already attempting to take advantage of BOSNIAK feelings of frustration by trying to radicalize the youth of these areas. These radical movements are taking advantage of the poor condition of education and social services, in some areas, and offering young people a variety of possibilities, as means to subsequently recruit them. The same policy has been used by different radical Islamic movements all over the world.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Extremist recruiters, who are likely to be a few years older, take the young people under their care, organizing bonding activities like camping trips and sporting events. The recruiter gradually isolates the recruits from their families and steps into the role of mentor. In this newfound clique, young recruits find the social integration and spiritual space they have yearned for, as radical indoctrination intensifies, and bonds tighten around a shared worldview.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">DRUG ADDICTS, THE PRIME TARGET FOR INDOCTRINATION AND RECRUITMENT TACTICS</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Radical religious groups are also offering health and social services to former drug users and petty criminals. The weak mental and physical condition of the addicts makes them easy targets for indoctrination and recruiting. In addition, former drug users are familiar with illegal activities and once recruited these individuals may be used to support the organization, through criminal activity. For these reasons petty criminals inside jails all around Europe are also recruited. The FBIH (Federation) houses numerous drug rehabilitation centers, funded by SAUDI ARABIAN as well as IRANIAN NGOs who use “spiritual rehabilitation techniques” to “cure” their patients.</span></span></div>

WAHHABISM IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA Part 2

WAHHABISM AT THE DOORSTEPS OF EUROPE             THE ISLAMIC REVIVAL During the 1970s and 1980s, Bosnia and other parts of Yugoslavia witne...

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Strength and Disappointment

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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Main Blurb</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">If anyone assumes that men’s gymnastics is exactly like women’s gymnastics, they can’t be more further from the truth. Although both sports require power, strength, and finesse, both emphasize different aspects. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The women’s area requires much more finesse. Ladies are usually very small (which is usually why most gymnasts are under the age of 20), and their tumbling and leaping skills are important for all four of their events. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Men, on the other hand, is all about power. There are six apparatus for the men, and most of them are about the upper body strength. Still rings, pommel horse, and parallel bars all demand holding up your body by your hands. You’ll rarely find a men’s gymnast with a small frame. Normally they are all upper body. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I actually enjoy watching men’s gymnastics more than women’s – but not just because I’m a woman. I can’t get over the raw strength and power that these men show!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Could you do a handstand as you’re suspended eight feet in the air and you’re just holding two rings? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, today my admiration for men’s gymnastics was tarnished by two different things: 1) The American men stunk up the joint, and 2) The streaming on my computer kept crashing when it started to air an ad. Which was a lot – because it’s NBC and all they think about is ad money. I was shocked to see how dismal their routines looked – they were hitting the pommel horse, they were stepping off to the sides (or sitting!) in their vaults, and their finesse routines didn’t have enough difficulty to get them back in it. They finished fifth. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was saddened to hear about the appeal of the Japanese to reconsider the starting difficulty and have it be accepted. But I wasn’t sad for Great Britain – shape up Brits: they were still on the medal stand! I was sad for the Ukranian team! No one had talked about their potential for a medal, and they went out there and did everything they could. They had the bronze in their grasp, and it was taken away when the Japanese were placed second. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And what did I tell you on Saturday about the Chinese?! I’m just going to get a banner or something and hang it outside my window that says “I WAS RIGHT!” They rebounded from that atrocious performance on Saturday to win the gold. I knew that was going to happen. I didn’t want it to happen, but I knew it would. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Enough about gymnastics – it’s making me depressed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mini Blurbs</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Matt Grevers and Missy Franklin got my memo from yesterday – both of them won golds in the 100-m backstroke. Bonus win: Nick Thoman won silver! Rebecca Soni couldn’t outtouch Ruta Meilutyte, so she had to settle for silver in her case. And Ryan Lochte? You better shape up or think of better excuses for your less than stellar performances the past two days. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I would have really enjoyed the mass scoring that took place in the women’s water polo match against Hungary, except for that ear-piercing whistle that kept blowing every ten seconds. That just hurt too much. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Women’s volleyball was fun to watch, though – they beat Brazil three games to one. I would much rather watch indoor volleyball than beach volleyball – for more reasons than the obvious. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I always thought the national teams were all supposed to have the same or incredibly similar uniforms. Rebecca Soni has been wearing a gray swimsuit while some men have worn all black and sometimes have a flag on the sides. And what’s with the gray podium warmups? Is it to distinguish ourselves from the British? And why wasn’t Kim Rhode (skeet shooter) wearing the gray warmup when she accepted her gold medal? Let’s act unified here, Team USA. Right now I’m not feeling it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Something fun to watch has been rowing – not to watch the rowers, but to watch the bikers that are riding at the same speed as the rowers! How do they keep the pace and not run into anything? I’d love to be one of those bikers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Got to watch a little kayak action today, which is pretty much the Summer’s answer to Winter’s slalom skiing. As I watched it, I wondered, “This is what is preempting live coverage of gymnastics?” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Speaking of preempting/delay/primetime coverage, I read an excellent article about why NBC is living in ancient times when it comes to airing Olympic events. In summary, we Americans expect to hear news immediately – whether it is by the Internet, phone, or television. Sports is news. So when we are forced to find alternative means to get our sports news immediately, or are forced to wait till the sun is going down, we aren’t happy. Unfortunately, most of us can’t scramble addresses online to get coverage from other countries’ feeds, so we have to wait till primetime. And because of that, NBC’s numbers have been huge the past couple of days. So no matter how much people complain, NBC is proving through ratings that keeping their marquee events till primetime (and prime ad dollars) is working. Will they show a bit of humanity in 2014? There’s about a 10-12 hour difference between us and Sochi, so probably not. Rio is a definite possibility.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Today’s roundup: gymnastics, kayak, rowing, women’s volleyball, beach volleyball, women’s water polo, swimming of all kinds, and diving. </div>

Strength and Disappointment

The Main Blurb If anyone assumes that men’s gymnastics is exactly like women’s gymnastics, they can’t be more further from the truth. Altho...

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