Things I'm Loving This Week

Back in the day, as in the college days, I used to thrive on Lean Cuisine's and granola bars.  I've had every single granola bar under the sun.  Frankly, just as I got burned out on the LC's (and all frozen meals for that matter), I also got tired of granola bars.  BUT, there is still an "oldie" out there than I still enjoy, but I've added two new ones to that list as well.<br /><br /><div style="color: #351c75;"><b>1. Kashi/Kellogg's Special K/Luna Granola Bars</b></div><br />My all time favorite "granola" bar is the <a href="http://www.kashi.com/products/tlc_cereal_bars_cherry_vanilla" target="_blank">Kashi TLC Cherry Vanilla</a>.  My mom told me that as a baby one of my favorite Gerber jars was the cherry vanilla flavor.  These Kashi bars are a very close representation of the Gerber days and that is precisely why I love them.  They are 3 PointsPlus each.<br /><br />  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLCheUNj9JuGwdNs9m7AJEAwJniX4a-28FOj03kuFJKlq8pWWmcQWWhq9DIEcbtUuKOjoy71tnKi0AacXeFmsDZs3qNefOrTwV_V4woH1ICeP44_8dUZOr8lXoYhkQrIwgCTvMYGzYwM/s1600/kashi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLCheUNj9JuGwdNs9m7AJEAwJniX4a-28FOj03kuFJKlq8pWWmcQWWhq9DIEcbtUuKOjoy71tnKi0AacXeFmsDZs3qNefOrTwV_V4woH1ICeP44_8dUZOr8lXoYhkQrIwgCTvMYGzYwM/s1600/kashi.jpg" /></a></div><br />Next up are the new <a href="http://www.specialk.com/granola-bars" target="_blank">Special K Granola Bars</a>.  I like these because they're not overly sweet but they're sweet enough and flavorful enough to not taste like cardboard.  I've only tried the dark chocolate (3 PointsPlus) so far and I really like them:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyWNH17Zl8AtZIR1ZYyf5yYXE-Ze4-mRZGH_b6XjF1MYzOtWu_g6f0sI9zMUuV2Ch8uu-XEVG5B7ojdwJ35a-K5Sbg8FIlDx2vYcPYKGFIfHhfiqq_-v9Rdv_6NDhVYTgj1-kk6z3NkE/s1600/special+k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyWNH17Zl8AtZIR1ZYyf5yYXE-Ze4-mRZGH_b6XjF1MYzOtWu_g6f0sI9zMUuV2Ch8uu-XEVG5B7ojdwJ35a-K5Sbg8FIlDx2vYcPYKGFIfHhfiqq_-v9Rdv_6NDhVYTgj1-kk6z3NkE/s1600/special+k.jpg" /></a></div><br />Other Luna bars I've tried taste a little too vitamin-y for me, but I really find the S'mores flavor tasty (5 PointsPlus):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay3LRg2nHUqQUPvh48Fi3LFrIrLRO8W7vjtLo_aGELLhrE8sXrzBJYe__aCZtetjK8jhQlKBivcL1g9CvnEY0x0-Qpu_6kQiCX42M5-JamQf8_-l1DYZlalcSRu7495Z75ofeuDBD18c/s1600/luna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay3LRg2nHUqQUPvh48Fi3LFrIrLRO8W7vjtLo_aGELLhrE8sXrzBJYe__aCZtetjK8jhQlKBivcL1g9CvnEY0x0-Qpu_6kQiCX42M5-JamQf8_-l1DYZlalcSRu7495Z75ofeuDBD18c/s320/luna.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: #351c75;"><b>2.  <a href="http://www.seltzerslebanonbologna.com/index.html" target="_blank">Seltzer's Sweet Lebanon Bologna</a></b></div><br />I've grown completely tired of a turkey sandwich.  Again, I've eaten so much of that crap over my lifetime that the thought of another turkey sandwich almost gags me.  I've always been in the mindset that other lunch-meat would just be too high in calories/fat and so I never considered anything else (I don't like ham by the way).<br /><br />Then I came upon Seltzer's Sweet Lebanon Bologna at my local Giant!!  Man do I <b>LOVE </b>this stuff! Two slices of the bologna is 2 PointsPlus, and that is PLENTY of meat to make for a satisfying sandwich.  Now, I believe Seltzer's is a regional thing, so depending on where you live you may not be able to find this brand in your store.  They are out of Palmyra, PA (go motherland!) and they seem like they're a small operation, but I don't know that for sure.  However, I think Boar's Head seems to be a national meat chain and their Lebanon bologna is comparable in PointsPlus (though not nearly as good!).  If you're on the east coast - request this at your supermarket if you enjoy Lebanon bologna.  Giant stocks mine with the other prepackaged lunch-meats.   <br /><br />**Update on Seltzer's - you can go <a href="http://www.seltzerslebanonbologna.com/where.asp" target="_blank">here</a> to find out if they sell it in your state.  If not, you can order their products online!** <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF968yQHEjVqZaZNofBA1JcKz-UKmGwFGOphr0t7jxDn8hmseLjMbdQcgaobtWQop0luB0b7fvl82sGdO1VB8xYTyD1GwwaNdetm1FB0-k5flqPJWKCO_gTV_SEFGPsyB_Ygnq4AQBaB0/s1600/seltzers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF968yQHEjVqZaZNofBA1JcKz-UKmGwFGOphr0t7jxDn8hmseLjMbdQcgaobtWQop0luB0b7fvl82sGdO1VB8xYTyD1GwwaNdetm1FB0-k5flqPJWKCO_gTV_SEFGPsyB_Ygnq4AQBaB0/s320/seltzers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #351c75;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="color: #351c75;"><b>3. Walks During an Awesome Weather Week!</b></div><br />The weather in Virginia has been absolutely superb all week.  It's so typical of this area - it seems like we'll just skip seasons all together and go straight into the next one.  For example, it's March and we're already seeing temps in the 80s here!  What happened to Spring?!<br /><br />Uhhhh, can you believe I've done some form of activity almost every single day since Saturday (minus Monday)? I went to the gym on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday afternoon Joel and I did <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/03/weekweekend-recap.html" target="_blank">that walk</a> through the park.  Tuesday night we went for a walk around our neighborhood.  Wednesday and Thursday I had lunch hour walks with Katie and Meghan (thank you ladies!).  All of this activity was almost effortless because it was enjoyable.  When you're walking and talking, you're not thinking about "How much longer do I have to go?".<br /><br />Katie helped me snag this pic of me and the Washington Monument today - thank you Katherine!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPy3xTrhp2I1cYnARq91dISDKzCguX9qCV0ppTCJiO_dxEItdr7COoeEf7g9U9QrLTkPJCLtcuyec-uIRqnj72VDanrSsf0njRgdMPyG-MSQoWMD-k54aVViGfdpQIUx9i8oHZfvy6Zo/s1600/me+and+wash+monument.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPy3xTrhp2I1cYnARq91dISDKzCguX9qCV0ppTCJiO_dxEItdr7COoeEf7g9U9QrLTkPJCLtcuyec-uIRqnj72VDanrSsf0njRgdMPyG-MSQoWMD-k54aVViGfdpQIUx9i8oHZfvy6Zo/s400/me+and+wash+monument.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">Anything that you're finding exceptionally helpful this week for your own weight loss journey?</b><br />These summer temps sure are motivating!

Things I Love Things I'm Loving This Week

Back in the day, as in the college days, I used to thrive on Lean Cuisine's and granola bars.  I've had every single granola bar und...

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Coming to a Theater Near You: Turner Classic Movies Presents "Casablanca"

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MRk0xA1i4frMdG3SKO-QMLRh4ryFNwi3Gzi_WPsTvPY8sq6jcHEbGyajfHtU-QchfNHyn-UjaKnhKCvLXCAIFMHqvgLQILzaH9GuQIQDH7YTSRcdVU3GTRiZax54tCe1vGkTc9JKL1Uz/s1600/casablanca+event.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MRk0xA1i4frMdG3SKO-QMLRh4ryFNwi3Gzi_WPsTvPY8sq6jcHEbGyajfHtU-QchfNHyn-UjaKnhKCvLXCAIFMHqvgLQILzaH9GuQIQDH7YTSRcdVU3GTRiZax54tCe1vGkTc9JKL1Uz/s1600/casablanca+event.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Turner Classic Movies, Warner Bros. and NCM Fathom have joined in celebration of <i>Casablanca</i> as it turns 70 with <i>Turner Classic Movies Presents the Casablanca 70th Anniversary Event</i>. On Wednesday, March 21, at 7:00 pm (local time), the film that topped the AFI's list of the "100 Greatest Love Stories of All Time," will screen at select theaters nationwide.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">  </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqE7BrIbIWNKDk81SRGxMqS_NFgXq5zqrBa5tksFErwxE7vC0AuCPYTrrbzIGjy2nD78_MtrqDq8fw5CDKA-sJBq1u7Lngd2GAsCqwu6x5KcFOc8Kf8gcdvsH8q9EPTfB0aeFpois7PIT/s1600/Claude++Rains,+Conrad+Veidt++%28Casablanca%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqE7BrIbIWNKDk81SRGxMqS_NFgXq5zqrBa5tksFErwxE7vC0AuCPYTrrbzIGjy2nD78_MtrqDq8fw5CDKA-sJBq1u7Lngd2GAsCqwu6x5KcFOc8Kf8gcdvsH8q9EPTfB0aeFpois7PIT/s200/Claude++Rains,+Conrad+Veidt++%28Casablanca%29.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conrad Veidt and Claude Rains</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Winner of Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Curtiz) and Best Original Screenplay (the Epstein brothers and Howard Koch), <i>Casablanca </i>was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards in 1942, including nominations for Best Actor (Humphrey Bogart), Best Supporting Actor (Claude Rains) and Best Musical Score (Max Steiner). Is there a silver screen classic that better defines World War II romance? I don't think so. Who can resist a wartime tale of lost love and broken hearts with stars like Bogart and Ingrid Bergman - </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> set in Morocco and Paris</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">? And then there's the phenomenal supporting cast - Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt, S.Z. Sakall, Dooley Wilson, Leonid Kinskey, Joy Page and Madeleine Lebeau (still with us at age 88) - a brilliant script and Max Steiner's iconic score. </span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnjSJsPSmqJg8KTt4jTwwOZ5xcnQ5KTbr2dd4QUc7hui3MSIJbcl4SFq1HdbgOJyWNXT1rMpUZkUJIog8Dw8OsmTQbFSdBWPt0L7cVKlATn68Uypgb3ZK_rETn3UbC9Fmh1YtqF13jOzn/s1600/Casablanca+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnjSJsPSmqJg8KTt4jTwwOZ5xcnQ5KTbr2dd4QUc7hui3MSIJbcl4SFq1HdbgOJyWNXT1rMpUZkUJIog8Dw8OsmTQbFSdBWPt0L7cVKlATn68Uypgb3ZK_rETn3UbC9Fmh1YtqF13jOzn/s200/Casablanca+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of a beautiful friendship</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The presentation will begin with a special 15-minute segment hosted by TCM's  Robert Osborne who will take the audience behind the scenes on the making of the <i>Casablanca</i>...and more. This is a one night only event, although some participating theaters will present additional matinee screenings.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tickets are available now, </span><a href="http://www.fathomevents.com/upcoming/alllocations.aspx?eventid=1067"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click here</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>for a list of theaters taking part in this extraordinary event.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.fathomevents.com/upcoming/alllocations.aspx?eventid=1067"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WO9nZmSl1Yc" width="420"></iframe></div><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://eves-reel-life.blogspot.com/2011/07/casablanca-with-san-francisco-symphony.html" style="color: #cc0000;">Click here</a> for my July 2011 review, <i>Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony</i>.</div>

Casablanca TCM The Lady Eve (author) Turner Classic Movies Presents Casablanca Coming to a Theater Near You: Turner Classic Movies Presents "Casablanca"

Turner Classic Movies, Warner Bros. and NCM Fathom have joined in celebration of Casablanca as it turns 70 with Turner Classic Movies Prese...

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a few clips of spring

Today I had a baby who wouldn't nap and a toddler jumping out of her skin. So we took advantage of the lovely spring weather to play in the yard.<br /><br />This quickly turned into "let's pick flowers".<br /><br />One small hitch in this plan though - flowers haven't bloomed in our yard yet (with the exception of some hyacinth that have already been <strike>man</strike> toddler-handled). After a discussion about why picking flowers out of our neighbors yard isn't really a good plan the crowd was starting to turn on me. I offered kick ball, bike riding, a walk, but no takers. It was all about the flowers damn it.<br /><br />So with the natives getting restless and the screams getting louder, I improvised. I got out the clippers and cut off my ears. Just kidding. (I only considered that for a <strike>few minutes</strike> second)<br /><br />We snipped a few branches off our pear tree.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhyphenhyphenMx9hyphenhyphenHBMq4sdCEX2pCiXt-vXBauIOE9gsuYfOqkz99zqGuNuSOrhQqZmDfYUvkFwx6GghtZnTwIJpm-as1KJa8i8yIRuzBAgKnyPOBzaZ_EcNMaAepoD6LdOyW6LwBEjWNXXc3SYhg/s1600/P3145169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhyphenhyphenMx9hyphenhyphenHBMq4sdCEX2pCiXt-vXBauIOE9gsuYfOqkz99zqGuNuSOrhQqZmDfYUvkFwx6GghtZnTwIJpm-as1KJa8i8yIRuzBAgKnyPOBzaZ_EcNMaAepoD6LdOyW6LwBEjWNXXc3SYhg/s640/P3145169.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />And what does any 4-year-old (or 30-something) want to do with a bunch of cut flowers? Make a "boookay" of course. Amelia wanted to do her own arrangement, as all independent 4-year -olds do, so she got the milk glass and I stuck to the ginger jar. Finally a happy household.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEiFIfJh07ZBxrwDYUflg0vmjI-eBPrpuwShq1yX3T2k30Tuw__7E6XUiTJGRiWMMf8hWrFnIWubGpMgnLj3CZoPi88JQeOPP3iMH-1EryfpIOFpCJcgCJP5CxmMhsnU0pScqaNNrjZiG/s1600/P3145179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEiFIfJh07ZBxrwDYUflg0vmjI-eBPrpuwShq1yX3T2k30Tuw__7E6XUiTJGRiWMMf8hWrFnIWubGpMgnLj3CZoPi88JQeOPP3iMH-1EryfpIOFpCJcgCJP5CxmMhsnU0pScqaNNrjZiG/s640/P3145179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />And a bit of spring to brighten up the house.<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/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s1600/P3145191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb8FwRZyQkKVBxLeGb1jmTOpxn6P9DjT7ocrW6_C31PoByLctHs7w4kK8eu8UZEPrjlofPgda_6oCbg9bAYZmHWLBiDn-kKLEprTRVsQ1mNfGVHGof0xJaXXx_NaH86VY70tcqBi4lYU-/s640/P3145191.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amelia ditched me and took her "boookay" into her room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXq22A0AXF_QHxGXbwVU9kiXrdkCDGrQxXGuA2R0JVIgFv_LzxhCYAsNBgQIsndvvBgHnfzhWUzmqLIETpN_l3pGO5Bx6BUH6ier13iOYmLcE1XXWdGXmfbUldT5SXHnyi7Rl02Fu39Ac/s1600/P3145199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXq22A0AXF_QHxGXbwVU9kiXrdkCDGrQxXGuA2R0JVIgFv_LzxhCYAsNBgQIsndvvBgHnfzhWUzmqLIETpN_l3pGO5Bx6BUH6ier13iOYmLcE1XXWdGXmfbUldT5SXHnyi7Rl02Fu39Ac/s640/P3145199.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Have you brought any flowers in from the yard yet? Is anyone else as excited for the peonies to come out as I am? I can smell them now!

flowers a few clips of spring

Today I had a baby who wouldn't nap and a toddler jumping out of her skin. So we took advantage of the lovely spring weather to play in ...

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SYRIA

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7nifYKd-272TYpg42kioGpvNOzkhbLoauoRIOirrmlgJb_4-Y8gLwnhHERefYcXaXbiAPOgCrdcAdoE5OLIqL-uaSqqMJqtx4B-PyHYGOl7sDB-j-h4qObfu0-s_nlREP7cEJgZrzFSB/s1600/monthly_12_2010-thumb-dd95be94ad041c3cbbfdeb589dc63714-mig29_syrian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7nifYKd-272TYpg42kioGpvNOzkhbLoauoRIOirrmlgJb_4-Y8gLwnhHERefYcXaXbiAPOgCrdcAdoE5OLIqL-uaSqqMJqtx4B-PyHYGOl7sDB-j-h4qObfu0-s_nlREP7cEJgZrzFSB/s1600/monthly_12_2010-thumb-dd95be94ad041c3cbbfdeb589dc63714-mig29_syrian.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syrian MIG 29</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">US INTELLIGENCE: ASSAD FIRMLY IN CHARGE IN SYRIA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666;">One year after the unrest in SYRIA started President BASHAR ASSAD is still firmly in control of his country, US intelligence services say, despite their leaders claiming his regime is doomed.</div><div style="color: #666666;">Speaking on condition of anonymity, three US senior intelligence officials have said ASSAD holds a strong position in SYRIA and his inner circle is also very determined to back the cause and remain <i>"steadfast," </i>AP reports.</div><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LACK OF UNITY AMONG OPPOSITION GROUPS VERSUS WELL EQUIPPED GOVERNMENT FORCES</b></div><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #666666; float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXTqveuJz6S65eSe1AQwm9a9lkngHZ8034jBZ0x9sPdtQdzSGQQh2V9Z89vvZu8FqyYYRJrkfXE2PihX8EiBd6dmQEpRdXKCfSLvpheuMDX0PoqgOj4lAjWOEw53PI5xIlw94FFjaPi1/s1600/132446078927844543a_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXTqveuJz6S65eSe1AQwm9a9lkngHZ8034jBZ0x9sPdtQdzSGQQh2V9Z89vvZu8FqyYYRJrkfXE2PihX8EiBd6dmQEpRdXKCfSLvpheuMDX0PoqgOj4lAjWOEw53PI5xIlw94FFjaPi1/s320/132446078927844543a_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syrian Tanks in action</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: #666666;">Intelligence officers noted that the disorganized SYRIAN opposition is providing little challenge to the regime and that the political leaders of the SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL do not work as a team and often fight among themselves.</div><div style="color: #666666;">Meanwhile, government forces are very well equipped, US intelligence experts assert. They describe SYRIA as a formidable military power, with some 330,000 soldiers on active duty, surveillance drones and a dense network of air-defense installations that would make it difficult to establish a no-fly zone.</div><div style="color: #666666;"><i>“That leadership is going to fight very hard,”</i> said one of them.</div><div style="color: #666666;">According to the experts, ASSAD and his inner circle believe that the unrest is being driven by external forces and their army is sufficiently well equipped to withstand anything but a large-scale military intervention.</div><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CONFLICT MAY LAST SEVERAL MORE MONTHS IF NOT LONGER</b></div><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #666666; float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzxy_6BbPwDpYwifoAIZlqnp_S6Xc6AYQ1Vmcw6PthqROroF6Fc35WbTXqKpv3u-wAd8R8E6XSJHFIM3RceY2Ev9lXSwAh6Q6k6kWUpBQURDLna7w5XTi2h2Yjzx2Ue5w9UcNBYuY9Crs/s1600/72150-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzxy_6BbPwDpYwifoAIZlqnp_S6Xc6AYQ1Vmcw6PthqROroF6Fc35WbTXqKpv3u-wAd8R8E6XSJHFIM3RceY2Ev9lXSwAh6Q6k6kWUpBQURDLna7w5XTi2h2Yjzx2Ue5w9UcNBYuY9Crs/s320/72150-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syrian Missile Launcher </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: #666666;">While the statement did not speak directly about the timeline of the conflict, it made an impression that the conflict may last several more months if not longer.</div><div style="color: #666666;">The assessment comes with many senior US officials predicting the end of the ASSAD regime in the very near future. US President BARACK OBAMA recently said that ASSAD’S fall <a href="http://rt.com/news/cameron-assad-rebels-crescent-711/">is a matter of time</a>.</div><div style="color: #666666;">US Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON has also repeatedly stated that the regime’s days are numbered and Assad cannot hold on to power in the long term.</div><div style="color: #666666;">The US defense secretary, Leon Panetta, has claimed that sanctions and diplomatic pressure are already <i>“having a significant impact on Assad” </i>and are weakening his regime. ISRAEL has also predicted that the end is near for ASSAD.</div><div class="articleheader" style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div class="articleheader" style="color: #666666;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GENERAL COMMENT AND BACKGROUND INFO</b>:</div><div class="articleheader" style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div class="articleheader" style="color: #666666;">It still raises the question as to why Israel suddenly supports a regime change in Syria after following a decade long safety doctrine that favored the predictable Assad regime over an unpredictable Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition fractions. Israel’s eastern frontier has been the most stable one for more than two decades despite the fact that the two countries are technically still at war. </div><div class="articleheader" style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div class="articleheader" style="color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;">Worthwhile to recall is also the fact that during the 6 day war Israel’s ground forces could have advanced beyond the Golan Heights and entered Damascus, but refrained from doing so because the Geo political implications of such move would have most probably triggered a civil war and ultimately destabilized the region even further. This move, indirectly, helped Hafez al ASSAD and his clan to seize power in Syria and establish a “hate doctrine” against Israel, the paradox of which helped to create the most stable frontier between the two arch enemies. So why all of a sudden Israel is prepared to scrap this decade long success formula in exchange for a in-stable future in Syria  is beyond logic reasoning, unless Israel has been promised enormous  Geo - strategic, economic and political advantages.</span>ould justify such move. </div>

SYRIA

Syrian MIG 29 US INTELLIGENCE: ASSAD FIRMLY IN CHARGE IN SYRIA One year after the unrest in SYRIA started President BASHAR ASSAD is still fi...

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Self Sabotage

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last week during one of my Bible study sessions, I came across this verse that I thought was an absolute perfect depiction of my weight loss journey:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.  When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.</i> ~Romans 7:15-19</blockquote>I don't know about you, but this describes my weight loss journey almost to a tee.  I have sabotaged my weight loss efforts time and again by telling myself things like:<br /><br /><div style="color: #351c75; text-align: center;">"<i>Housing this entire package of Oreos in 2 days won't hurt - I'll get back on track after that.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>OR</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #351c75; text-align: center;">"<i>It's been a terrible 'off plan' week, I'll finish out this week as I please and start again next week.</i>"   </div><br />I've had 2 weeks in a row most recently where I've fallen back into that thought pattern.  I know I'm capable of eating mind<i>fully</i>, but lately I've been eating mind<i>lessly</i>.  Just like issues in relationships somehow always point back to poor communication, challenges with eating always come back to poor planning.<br /><br />I know there are things I am doing well though.  Every two weeks I come up with meal ideas for a two week time frame.  I write down 3 breakfast options, 3 lunch options and 4 dinner options for the two week period (bear in mind that there are only two people in my household - so lunches/dinners often turn into leftovers).  I'm good at this part!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ-4V0ffwXY49civn9Ee8zgRuHsF2LDZi-KFSwPTR2nhcanDenMlaGccANJmkQsHWyXvYKn5IfhDnCLdtjUjCMP19RJWgAwjt-p4opTvmoKA9i7_hPUSpd7-S04K6WsOQhJTNoAHn6a0/s1600/planfail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ-4V0ffwXY49civn9Ee8zgRuHsF2LDZi-KFSwPTR2nhcanDenMlaGccANJmkQsHWyXvYKn5IfhDnCLdtjUjCMP19RJWgAwjt-p4opTvmoKA9i7_hPUSpd7-S04K6WsOQhJTNoAHn6a0/s320/planfail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />What I'm NOT good at is sitting down and planning out a <i>day</i>.  Even though I plan out a menu, I don't calculate the PointsPlus at that time.  I just write down the meal ideas (which are almost always recipes that I have to calculate the PointsPlus values for).  This is obviously one area that can use improvement.  If I knew the PointsPlus values of my meals before I ate them, I would be in much better shape, instead of waiting to calculate it after the fact.  I realize how absurd this sounds, but I'm obviously lazy.<br /><br />Case in point: last night I made this beef stroganoff from the <a href="http://www.marlenekoch.com/" target="_blank">Eat What You Love</a> cookbook.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S92YDXyNPGUmKujy-H7VXMAxa1fNk4RkWA-DeWYGhHrEj94lMKhXO1VyuPfSpYi6X70lnrnlSEzTH9yqtJA-zWxXM4SDX9m9UdWtcv5Sodeo02Kd4ujeK07ci_1RpfChKnZmqQyQUlk/s1600/beef+strog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S92YDXyNPGUmKujy-H7VXMAxa1fNk4RkWA-DeWYGhHrEj94lMKhXO1VyuPfSpYi6X70lnrnlSEzTH9yqtJA-zWxXM4SDX9m9UdWtcv5Sodeo02Kd4ujeK07ci_1RpfChKnZmqQyQUlk/s400/beef+strog.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />While her recent cookbooks do list PointsPlus values, the version I have only lists the old Points value.  So, I knew it was going to be approximately 7 PointsPlus for the meal.  Turns out it was 8 PointsPlus for just the meat mixture alone - that did not include the 5 PointsPlus for the serving of egg noodles!  To combat this problem I could have cut my serving size in half, but that thought never crossed my mind until after I finished the 13 PointsPlus meal!<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">Next approach to meal planning/success:</b>  calculate the PointsPlus values of all recipe menu items ahead of time!

Eat What You Love Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Self Sabotage

Last week during one of my Bible study sessions, I came across this verse that I thought was an absolute perfect depiction of my weight loss...

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ADDICTION: SEARCHING FOR YOUR SOUL

<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You know that feeling you get right before you decide you’re breaking the rules? No matter what the consequence, you don’t care? No matter if someone gets hurt, you’re going to do it anyways, lie about it, and if someone gets in your way, they better watch out. There is no stopping you, and you’ll hide, cheat, and steal to get your entitled addiction. If someone finds out, there’s always a lie you can tell to distract the blame from yourself and to make your decision seem justifiable. </span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The force between you and your addiction is so strong that you’re willing to mutilate relationships, your body, and your life to get it. For me, that lying, cheating, scandalous force was against my extremist control and restriction from food and from gaining fat. As soon as I had a bite of something I judged as bad, or that was off my pre-determined and calculated food allotment (like a pastry), my mind would go into a tunnel. My decision to go off plan was usually because I thought I could handle it. That one bite wouldn’t hurt my body (which is true). But what I wasn’t aware of was the emotional reaction that one bite would start within my over controlled and rigid frame of mind. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>That one bite became a sin. It was something that created guilt, shame, and something to hide.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That one split second, gave me a taste of freedom--a taste of fun and excitement that my restriction would never allow. That one bite would cascade into an emotional pendulum swing, from extreme control and protection on one side, to entitled liberty and freedom on the other. But I’d never let go of my control, until I meditated a way to get rid of the guilt, and remove my shame that arose as soon as I broke my crazy rules. I was the abuser, I enslaved myself from food, yet I was the one who justified breaking the rules for emotional freedom. However again, I justified mutilating my body through exercise and purging to make up for the shame and guilt that occurred as a direct reaction to my insane perfectionism and self criticism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? It all starts with extremist ideology that defines emotional value. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what it’s like to be insane: control, compensate, control, and compensate again. CRAZY. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At any point during this game with food and my body, if anyone got in my way, I’d lie or hide. Waking at 3:00am to exercise, puking in the shower so no one would know (even if they were in the bathroom with me). No one could get in my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Once I decided to break my rigidity, I’d time just perfectly what to eat, where it was, how I’d get it, and if I needed to hide, where I’d go and what lie I’d tell, just in case someone found out. In a single day I might puke 8 times and I’d exercise at least 90 minutes. My entire life revolved around counting calories, restricting food, eating on a strict schedule, studying food and recipes, researching exercise, obsessing over how many calories I burned, my weight, and my waist size. I’d measure my waist at least 5 times a day! Then the rest of my day was spent calculating how to get rid of shame, guilt, and anxiety when I’d cheat or break my rigidity. You can imagine the fear that occurred if I wasn’t able to puke or exercise. It felt like death. Literally, like emotional death and my body would physically react with all of the same fight or flight symptoms, as if I was getting murdered. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take this description of my past addiction and recognize that all addicts have the same view of the world, the same need to control and defend their addiction of choice. Wouldn’t you if you lived in that type of insanity? Whether it’s drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, dieting, exercise, binging, working, hording, cutting, controlling another person, or liberty to physically and psychologically abuse another person-- if you relate to what I described, you can understand why people do weird things to feel better emotionally, even if it hurts another human being. I’ve come to realize it’s also very predictable and most people with addiction follow the same severe pendulum cycle of thinking. The wonderful news: you are also capable of getting out of this insanity if you choose and if you’re willing to feel vulnerable and submissive to NOT compensate, even when it feels like an emotional atomic bomb- or death.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>You have to be willing to let go of restrictive control and judgment, which causes the resulting excessive liberating compensations, that when ended reduces the feeling of guilt, shame, fear, and rejection. With the submission to all of that, is the end of your need for your addiction.</em> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me, I had to let myself eat too much (relative to my crazy restrictions) and then refuse to exercise and purge even when I felt severe anxiety. I had to assume the worse and submit to the idea that if I wanted to end my psychological illness, I had to face what I thought would make my life miserable: fat gain. It was a matter of choosing to stop controlling, to stop compensating, and to accept the outcome, no matter what. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like death, and that emotional death came with a tremendous amount of vulnerability, acceptance of rejection, admittance of the weakness of my soul, and exposure to life without hiding. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For you, the only way to climb out of the dark, dreary, cold, grave you dug yourself into is to let go of everything that got you there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No more control, no more perfection, no more rules, no more judgment. Let the real you be vulnerable to rejection, but first you have to stop defining yourself by outside views, objects, attainments, people, and activities. Who are you with nothing? How then do you define your value? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you identify and sense your value that requires nothing to achieve, who can take that away or who can make it better? NO ONE. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><em>What then creates rejection and vulnerability? </em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Your indefinable awesomeness is innate to your soul and already exists, has always existed, and will continue to exist no matter what. Once you connect with the essence of your soul, it becomes obvious that others who judge you obviously haven’t yet found their own soul – the soul they lost growing up with criticism and judgment. They still think they are only as valuable as you can see, they can tell you, or from a limit that has to be communicated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They still believe value has to be earned, controlled, followed, and that perfection based on rules is what matters most. They are addicts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any person who’s retrieved their soul from a psychologically controlling grave will tell you: love comes from that essence of the soul, and until you reconnect with that, you haven’t started living yet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moment you were taught you only have value if you do this, this, and this…was the moment you starting dying. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the moment you lost the awesomeness of your soul, and the moment you started focusing on seeking life outside of that soul. It’s time to go back to that child, back to that soul, and start living again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love who you are without control and if you don’t know what that is, list all of the rules you follow by and get rid of them. All of your definitions, let go of. Imagine who you’d be without them. Can you even imagine your value if it didn’t have to be designated by some type of conformity? If that is what you want, you’re addiction is about to end. Freedom is outside of the emotional jail and it’s yours when you’re ready to walk out. LET GO…</span></div>

ADDICTION: SEARCHING FOR YOUR SOUL

You know that feeling you get right before you decide you’re breaking the rules? No matter what the consequence, you don’t care? No matter i...

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Schoolnet completes a study on the use of Xbox Kinect to improve literacy scores – interesting findings…

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><i>This report is given by Janet Thomson the Executive Director of SchoolNetSA in South Africa. The study used Microsoft Xbox Kinect gaming in a primary school in deep rural KwaZulu-Natal to investigate its effect on second language English Literacy. The results are extremely positive.  </i> <br />  <br /><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Findings of evaluation study released - 'Using gaming to improve second language English Literacy'</span></b></h3><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"></h3><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Research findings have just been released from a year-long study conducted by Mindset Learn and Verbeeks Education Specialists that investigated the impact that gaming had in improving second language literacy in primary school classrooms in Lakeside Primary in rural KwaZulu Natal. SchoolNet SA was commissioned by Microsoft to install Xbox 360 Kinect technology in each of the Foundation Phase classrooms and to assist teachers to effectively integrate this techology into their lesson plans in order to improve literacy levels. The research supports the premise that the effective use of innovative technology can impact on literacy levels of learners. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BzAFv2RN88mxLn3n_3RnfnEbkSvbVleQ3lwSkJ_rItP4RkXL0SKAwpoLq2kypLPXadnIcoWBlf4FRWpojkfKnHNlGwLFIuzCRGudxrWSmb35yjgCGyTDsK8DO68vZXeXg-ZCLivW2Q4/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFXiKbz-jbSYNGU_MsGsju0IvNYnP-XFVrlPu_biF_L-25Jo-89OoHTaL5MYS1pln1_pMsNIKnkb83BL9hWLzL6ehU0-1Ny9SXQSLG-xVBa_wshYM_DR3ZIfvzSjJQ-fzrEOvR34S9fs/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="291" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the December holidays of 2010, Microsoft commissioned SchoolNet to install six fifty-five inch television screens above the traditional chalkboards in six junior primary classrooms at Lakeside Park Primary in KwaZulu-Natal. These television screens were connected to the Xbox 360 Kinect gaming console. Teachers spent their January 2011 holidays becoming familiar with Kinect technology and devising learning experiences that were designed to engage learners and enhance learning.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7B9dqJsv6q4vIS7T1DMH2UfAVGGbvYK_pxxhRCoM7eMfL68TwcB9nPfwsPvmdz8VKgiaHSJIseWyCTR5PSCk5huq-hYLW0Vg-HApM96EO18ouDY88GgyQyPVrWL9IgIDj5cDLAZOsXM/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCudwqM6OyEMRoZGPvhcADm5Jb7b3K99Yg99LefJ_B-7SJjiibfwjgTnwUYhTXoQGGJ1NmWAyzq_RBdwBluM1eq6ZCbShnti4YkdH22xY_xmWg4K9_Ly0vh-N4_tZK1qtpzHsDVZ7MwM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: 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;"><b>Teacher training requirements</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This Microsoft Xbox pilot project called for the development of specialist training materials for Foundation Phase teachers to focus on second language English acquisition for use with new technologies of this genre. The teacher training workshop that SchoolNet conducted in January 2011 encouraged teachers to mediate learning in relation to the curriculum while learners would be using XBox Kinect gaming technology. Lakeside teachers had already mapped out their schemes of work for the following year so for 2011 the new activities had to be infused into existing lesson plans. The course materials for this workshop were developed by Peter de Lisle of Hliton College, a former winner in the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum competition, who deliberately focused on language supportive pedagogy and grounded this within a specific approach to education, the learner-centred approach, which is of particular relevance to gaming because it requires teachers to do the following:</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Create environments in which learners are encouraged to discover and explore concepts and skills;<br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">2. Adopt an approach which recognises the need for cognitive development, through encouraging thinking, problem solving, fantasy and creativity;<br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">3. Accept that learners are all different, that they prefer a variety of ways of learning and expressing themselves, and that merely listening to the teacher does not work for many learners;<br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">4. Develop ways for learners to be active, physically, cognitively and emotionally by creating activities that are fun, challenging and relevant to their lives in the real world outside of the classroom;<br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5. Encourage motivation in learners through their own enthusiasm and involvement, and through creating activities which are naturally engaging.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOSTo6AGefde-yl2wfrS7F6lK_C3YlaqFbcrdqkaZbJY7zmwXUvYxn4NWaM7QNdijQpYTaak3iz6UNtw0jjZJiamGFtU8bjNfpU_P6sSGznVNMzU9JZuRr3YlYbzlZ5unqterVbG-qco/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTG4e8TaoLmvXhtZETdnC0KcE9cyoCMDmde4n3K_yRgqfyoH9EAPjh0oYiyRO4JACg2Yd0M1buPyolvmIAekAj392RkMmVQMPbYB05x1xukPLdhv55LXTmXyMDRItm1EOvWi1_wgGkrU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="331" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Learning through play</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The dedicated teachers at Lakeside guided by their Deputy Head, Karen Kirsten and their Foundation Phase Head, Dian Ogle, readily addressed these challenges throughout the 2011 academic year and found numerous ways of enlivening the learning experiences that they developed for their classrooms. Teachers and senior management reported that learning through play is the most effective for this age group and that, “… <i>this learning increases their intrinsic and cognitive understanding of aspects of the curriculum. The use of this gaming technology has aroused their interest and it has energised the classroom atmosphere</i>.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn1_6776" name="_ftnref1_6776">[1]</a></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUmg6PVRZ9_ys_9NBTJhas-9j-Dt2Vt8Xi4wYzJ4Oza5wKYQb0Q7twzz4sbuG_ZgAJztXBzyFjv1yh6UrxS9Em7IcdJlywSqbJZ_KoW7EwuCjSoR6XTqWAQuaV0yA1QLh2bbmTwNib7Q/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuK3s1o7qDphS6s1cy-nod5Cw_CY3Lv7hfhU-GL8H3QGq7bsp4NrXpax4_QV8UB900p57SEL_d9_dRnpX6ATFMUfcZezluCohlxnEycCSiOuWpYUxI10Wjkpq6eapzMzDhlhYP1E9v_FY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="301" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The reason why this pilot project chose to focus on improving second language English literacy was because the use of English as the language of teaching and learning (LOTL) is problematic in South Africa, a country with eleven official languages where low levels of English language competence characterise many rural primary schools. SchoolNet SA was commissioned by Microsoft to test the hypothesis that English language skills of primary school learners could improve through exposure to English while using Xbox Kinect gaming technology.</span></span> <br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Language concerns at rural schools</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are two language concerns at Lakeside Primary. Firstly there is a dissimilarity </span><span style="font-size: small;">between the formal LOTL and the language used for social interaction. In contrast to formal language used in the classroom which in this school is English from Grade 1, the language used in the playground is isiZulu and this is mainly oral and informal. Secondly, and obviously, proficiency in formal cognitive academic language  takes longer to acquire than it does in informal social discourse.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvlHhWWCaC2LEFDboGq3KrVvLxyx-60nrKcJGY25PHi1gW6qmCzetGFZuLx8ljd1Du2l26DqxNj4v_16vT0pjfQjJf6r9czy4drJhyphenhyphenFIXBSWfs99YiLMKR8z2XKx1XiAuXZKhnORtGMg/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJdYIq_h1QexRFt1myDs1cTCXyrb3jR1ip-zrlr1T7xX92DFWI22vq-CyBf3JiCYlW9Cj3k26EZ4szWfZtJPZwR9-apq4Yn9GbYWCzf-tG8-h-gW8mOGw5_Gpa8iCUTyB_pWb7wli5sQ/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="273" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Findings  </b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">1. The evaluation for this project used a mixed method approach combining quantitive as well as qualitative instruments. One might be forgiven for assuming that the games played by learners could only affect their oral use of English and not impact on levels of reading or other literacies, especially as there is very little reading involved in the playing of most of the Kinect games. On the contrary the evaluators found that the reading age of all learners improved during the course of the year.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn2_6776" name="_ftnref2_6776">[2]</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> While this might be expected the study surprisingly found that it was not only the language and literacy skills of learners that improved but numeracy levels as well as their understanding of general knowledge were reported as having also improved. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The study noted:</span></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>“There is a marked change in the levels of competency of the foundation phase learners. A comparison between assessment aggregates of 2010 and 2011 shows that there is a distinct movement of learners away from Level 1 (Not Achieved). This concerns both numeracy and literacy irrespective of grade.” <a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn3_6776" name="_ftnref3_6776"><b>[3]</b></a></i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Microsoft’s Xbox used at Lakeside Primary video</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qsZ-SYZtwos?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2</span><span style="font-size: small;">. Teachers who specialise in reading skills readily appreciate that the more opportunities learners have of hearing words and being able to sound them out aloud the more benefit there is for their actual reading skills. The evaluation report notes that some teachers who focused on phonics teaching at Lakeside were able to harness the potential of the technology, and noted that “increased word recognition filters into improved sentence structures which increases their self-confidence and eventually intensifies their willingness to read a book and join the library.” <a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn4_6776" name="_ftnref4_6776">[4]</a></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>  <span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. The researchers documented another finding over and above the impact on literacy by reporting that an increase in general knowledge assisted the learners to “unlock the curriculum”. The study found an that an important additional benefit of the Xbox was <br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“an increase of general knowledge of learners, a very crucial factor taking into account the socio-economic background and the limited access that most of these learners have concerning multi-media…. Through this improved general knowledge, learners gain a better grasp of what the content of the curriculum is trying to teach them.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn5_6776" name="_ftnref5_6776"><b>[5]</b></a></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4. The evaluation report further documents that teachers detailed “<i>the enthusiasm that learners were showing for the learning process, their eagerness to improve their general knowledge so that they could understand the context within which the curriculum was implemented.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn6_6776" name="_ftnref6_6776"><b>[6]</b></a></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5. Kinect allows learners to play a variety of sport, “edutainment” and instructive games using body movements and voice. Unlike other gaming consols such as the Nintendo Wii there are no remote controls with Kinect. Instead sensors replicate motions via an on-screen avatar – the player’s ‘mirror image’. Teachers had reported that learners, especially shy learners, normally take many months to speak even in their home language whereas while playing the Xbox games within a short period learners were calling out without inhibition - and in English. </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6. If a school has connectivity then the Xbox Kinect console allows the TV screen to become a normal internet browser that can be used for an infinite range of activities of educational value. The cost of an Xbox and a TV is not high when one considers that six classrooms can be equipped with Xbox Kinect technology for the same cost or less than one traditional computer lab. </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7. The evaluation study records an overall marked improvement in vocabulary which in turn impacted on comprehension and overal literacy skills, </span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“The incorporation of the XBOX within the literacy curriculum focuses on improving the vocabulary of the learners. Through this improvement, learners can express themselves better which results in an improved comprehension which in turn influences the grammar and the sentence structure of the learners.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftn7_6776" name="_ftnref7_6776"><b>[7]</b></a></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8. At the end of 2011 there was an announcement that National Geographic, Microsoft and Sesame Street had partnered on creating specifically tailored episodes of <b><i>Kinect Nat Geo TV</i></b>, and <b><i>Kinect Sesame Street TV</i> </b>for Xbox Live. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of these educational games in South Africa as we believe that they could further enhace the use of the Xbox as an educational tool.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Further needs for this project</b></span> </div><br /><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SchoolNet South Africa believes that a courageous and innovative funder could make a significant impact on the educational environment in some of the poorest and most under resourced primary schools in the country by sponsoring the scaling of this Xbox pilot project to other schools. The impact on teacher and learner morale is immeasurable.</span> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref1_6776" name="_ftn1_6776">[1]</a> Mindset Learn and Verbeeks Education Specialists cc <b><i>Impact Evaluation Report</i></b> November 2011 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref2_6776" name="_ftn2_6776">[2]</a> Ibid p.6 and p.55 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref3_6776" name="_ftn3_6776">[3]</a> Ibid p.6 and p.55 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref4_6776" name="_ftn4_6776">[4]</a> Ibid p.32 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref5_6776" name="_ftn5_6776">[5]</a> Ibid p.7 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref6_6776" name="_ftn6_6776">[6]</a> Ibid. p.9 <br /><a href="file:///C:/Users/Fiona/Dropbox/1%29%20A%20SCHOOLNET/ADMIN/#_ftnref7_6776" name="_ftn7_6776">[7]</a> Ibid.p.50 </div>

case study Guest post Literacy Microsoft Schoolnet completes a study on the use of Xbox Kinect to improve literacy scores – interesting findings…

This report is given by Janet Thomson the Executive Director of SchoolNetSA in South Africa. The study used Microsoft Xbox Kinect gaming in ...

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What’s up next!

<p>Thank you so much friends for all your advice & support!! It really helped me a lot get things turned around to get me going in the right direction again!</p> <p>After posting last week about my broken record I thought back to what kept me motived when I originally lost 45+ lbs and a big part of it was  having and plan & working towards that next race. Guess what I did…..??? Yep, I signed up for a 5K that takes place on March 31st right here in my town!! That means in less than 3 weeks I’ll be running (probably walk/running) 3.1 miles!!</p> <p>I haven’t ran a <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/10/applefest-5k.html">5K race since I was just 4-5 weeks pregnant in October 2010</a>. Seems like such a long time ago! I have to admit I got those “pre race jitters” after I signed up…don’t ask why, the race is still a ways off! </p> <p>Time to get to work!</p>

What’s up next!

Thank you so much friends for all your advice & support!! It really helped me a lot get things turned around to get me going in the righ...

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Vernalpalooza! The Crazy World that Lies Beneath!

 <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0ok5lHolb6lnQPpGrWO_68H99pvJW8xpA8f1bU2PJBwn0cQ8HiH9JMgGWM-zOK2vXknu2vIIwsKdYx2Fk_GvwQXtG2zzmHJAcS_5z5116Bq9VoxDjcQH-mB6sBvFr8fE4Eql3JB8d4HL/s1600/IMG_9672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0ok5lHolb6lnQPpGrWO_68H99pvJW8xpA8f1bU2PJBwn0cQ8HiH9JMgGWM-zOK2vXknu2vIIwsKdYx2Fk_GvwQXtG2zzmHJAcS_5z5116Bq9VoxDjcQH-mB6sBvFr8fE4Eql3JB8d4HL/s320/IMG_9672.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Salamander--Photo by Kipp Brown</td></tr></tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Most days, I think I have one of the coolest jobs in the world.  I get to help people learn about wild animals.  It's fun, rewarding and I thoroughly enjoy it.  But once in awhile, even I get amazed at how cool my job is.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I had the good fortune to host a workshop about vernal pools a couple weeks ago down at Shawnee State Park Lodge called Vernalpalooza.  We invited around 40 educators from across Ohio to come down for three days to learn about and experience the facinating world that is one of our most unique and, unfortunately, declining habitats in the state.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For those that don't know, vernal pools are small, pocket wetlands that are usually found within woodland areas and only hold water in the spring and early summer, hence the term <em>vernal</em>.  They are free of fish, can be ground water or surface water fed, and are the nurseries to dozens of species of frogs, salamanders, aquatic invertebrates, and more.  On warm, early spring nights, especially if it's raining, you can find salamanders migrating en mass to these pools to breed.  In some parts of the state, roads are closed to traffic to minimize damage to these populations from vehicle traffic.</div><br /> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The objective of the workshop was for the participants to not only learn about vernal pools, but how to construct them in areas that could be used for educational purposes.  We had some outstanding and extremely knowledgeable instructors on topics such as vernal pool construction, vernal pool ecology, vernal pool monitoring, funding, collection and monitoring permits, and linkages to state education standards.  Overall, I think the participants learned a lot about these fragile and critical habitats and how to use them for education in a safe and ethical manner.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HM3XpI24c7-4JwtNw9xhbLxbAGNzglAS369aYjhcvJFLlfCaRXp45fepL15Z6acspAQITC1LYyr2dBlL2U6rqQQRqmhGUpRvJh1ndMWj3o0eUVmSQJRrr6HD94oJV10JJEiIrr83t8Hl/s1600/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(16).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HM3XpI24c7-4JwtNw9xhbLxbAGNzglAS369aYjhcvJFLlfCaRXp45fepL15Z6acspAQITC1LYyr2dBlL2U6rqQQRqmhGUpRvJh1ndMWj3o0eUVmSQJRrr6HD94oJV10JJEiIrr83t8Hl/s320/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(16).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the pools-Photos by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0vIZ_ToOb6h0C83ep-YHbgdP0rw7KLMdKJAd8yYS0nnf-0B5Gxl4818i50_i-ki8wHC7o_o68MTjEUQW-u5Wl6rzJ5tWZK5vUznOCNz2OMNRwQGvd3zX8RSaUxI3jwutgTwE9SeCnWWd/s1600/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(111).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0vIZ_ToOb6h0C83ep-YHbgdP0rw7KLMdKJAd8yYS0nnf-0B5Gxl4818i50_i-ki8wHC7o_o68MTjEUQW-u5Wl6rzJ5tWZK5vUznOCNz2OMNRwQGvd3zX8RSaUxI3jwutgTwE9SeCnWWd/s320/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(111).JPG" width="320" /></a>But, the best part for me was the field trip! We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to access the General Electric Jet Engine Testing Grounds in Adams County.  This 7,000 acre property is literally out in the middle of nowhere.  And, fortunately, it has been left alone for the most part on the areas that are not used by GE.  So, there are some phenomenal examples of vernal pools that we were able to explore.  We first went to a natural pool that was absolutely amazing.  You couldn't move without seeing spotted salamanders and their egg masses, some lingering Jefferson's and their egg masses, wood frogs and egg masses, fairy shrimp, and we were even fortunate to find a fairly rare four-toed salamander hiding under the moss.  The second pool was a constructed pool and it was just as interesting, although not as productive.  It was significantly younger in age than the first pool, but you could tell it was well on its way to becoming prime habitat for the area.  It was a tremendous exploration and you could hear everyone's excitement in their voices as they walked around and found all these treasures.  Some squealed with delight, others laughed with pure joy.  As a coordinator, it was so amazing to watch the sheer joy on the participant's faces.  For me, that was the best part.  Check that, I have <u><strong>THE</strong></u> coolest job in the world! <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here are some photos from the workshop.  If you'd like more information about our upcoming workshops, sign up for our E-Newsletter online at <a href="http://www.wildohio.com/">http://www.wildohio.com/</a>  Be sure to select the Educator Edition.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQA1tZZ6Ys5GH33TfUGyre8UYCu9ZEWTIYN7BsF-50mHncayF_DTq2n5mnhyphenhyphenD05aZgktRZBrB9qKC6lycnEC1f97PJ6ofEkg9fCrQKD412dqVCqgTw6AqLcLWFcoHPBCY1DNzXgQAfdxz/s1600/Wood+Frog+eggs,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(101).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQA1tZZ6Ys5GH33TfUGyre8UYCu9ZEWTIYN7BsF-50mHncayF_DTq2n5mnhyphenhyphenD05aZgktRZBrB9qKC6lycnEC1f97PJ6ofEkg9fCrQKD412dqVCqgTw6AqLcLWFcoHPBCY1DNzXgQAfdxz/s320/Wood+Frog+eggs,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(101).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Frog eggs<br />Photo by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyLKmM0GpXex2_sgoqzzPh87psF5OE6ZyttUfqXDk5LFqdvXcq3rckZO1wfp3u-luJui9eSNsVqw-dnmjNmFtZdNKB_oiop3Qe_UKgJ65WZbTAjKpBFDQDrwcPIwTJSrSuOJcNCx1GBej/s1600/IMG_9860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyLKmM0GpXex2_sgoqzzPh87psF5OE6ZyttUfqXDk5LFqdvXcq3rckZO1wfp3u-luJui9eSNsVqw-dnmjNmFtZdNKB_oiop3Qe_UKgJ65WZbTAjKpBFDQDrwcPIwTJSrSuOJcNCx1GBej/s320/IMG_9860.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Entire Crew<br />Photo by Kipp Brown</td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7sm18FtQg99VsyK8CKtQWFqo6F1dwZYePuGL7bj3ffZG_N8Zx9qo1RZM2GbIVeK80T3g_r23ogqG1SsxZzPWqQl4I9xcE6N8chkfWpbpduHXD3b1E-aAE-bZa4KI83hQePYhD-MayoVa/s1600/Spotted+Salamander,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(54).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7sm18FtQg99VsyK8CKtQWFqo6F1dwZYePuGL7bj3ffZG_N8Zx9qo1RZM2GbIVeK80T3g_r23ogqG1SsxZzPWqQl4I9xcE6N8chkfWpbpduHXD3b1E-aAE-bZa4KI83hQePYhD-MayoVa/s320/Spotted+Salamander,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(54).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Salamander--Photo by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table>

Vernalpalooza! The Crazy World that Lies Beneath!

 Spotted Salamander--Photo by Kipp Brown  Most days, I think I have one of the coolest jobs in the world.  I get to help people learn ...

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Two Upcoming 5K's

For those of you who read The Big Weight in a Reader, you may not have noticed that I added two new “widgets” to the sidebar recently.  If you're able, please click through now to see them :).<br /><br />The two new widgets are for the <a href="http://www.marchofdimes.com/" target="_blank">March of Dimes</a> – <a href="http://www.marchforbabies.org/hilaryjp248" target="_blank">March for Babies</a> benefit walk and the <a href="http://www.cff.org/" target="_blank">Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s</a> <a href="http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=7701&idUser=464368" target="_blank">Great Strides 5K</a>.  I did both of these walks last year and was definitely inspired to make them part of my annual routine.  <br /><br />The March of Dimes is near and dear to my heart, as this was a foundation that the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) heavily supported.  I was a very active member of FBLA in high school and learned the mission of the March of Dimes then.  The mission, by the way, is simple:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i>We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.</i></b></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohokAq7gDBBVVMLrIJtkcL2Nz-O1LQnCPy1TGx6HwNeYP_a959yTE1QmWUxYy1deT91UozQH3tgF1KJgVJu9Y5VHrfY-O7PRqzUDlGyEd5Fc82Gor0JQNyEa1IzzpvyUMY1CS5hVgrrY/s1600/dimesmarch2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohokAq7gDBBVVMLrIJtkcL2Nz-O1LQnCPy1TGx6HwNeYP_a959yTE1QmWUxYy1deT91UozQH3tgF1KJgVJu9Y5VHrfY-O7PRqzUDlGyEd5Fc82Gor0JQNyEa1IzzpvyUMY1CS5hVgrrY/s400/dimesmarch2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/05/march-of-dimes-march-for-babies-5k.html" target="_blank">Last year’s walk</a> provided some very emotional moments.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpevr9P7aXKDBHUoLpxzEMWxlHeIcSWMYzbej7Hn6uGBlT4KVYI049f9UWgINpE1f8UFOWXXsoXNT40aaSZuDTqGfTqEBlZ4XBAF-l4oZPiel4zNGeoGHlNtkpS6cnYiK_RF7-Rs5h0U/s1600/dimesmarch4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpevr9P7aXKDBHUoLpxzEMWxlHeIcSWMYzbej7Hn6uGBlT4KVYI049f9UWgINpE1f8UFOWXXsoXNT40aaSZuDTqGfTqEBlZ4XBAF-l4oZPiel4zNGeoGHlNtkpS6cnYiK_RF7-Rs5h0U/s400/dimesmarch4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/05/great-strides-5k.html" target="_blank">Last year</a>, I chose to walk for the CFF for no other reason than I wanted another 5K to enroll in.  However, when you go to events like that, you quickly realize how it’s more than just a walk.   You see firsthand how your money benefits those affected by cystic fibrosis.  In high school I worked at a locally owned pharmacy.  We had a customer who had CF.  He was just a child and was such a joyful little kid everytime he came in with his mom to pick up his prescriptions.  At the time I didn’t even realize the magnitude of his disease.  As an adult, and someone who is pursuing a nursing degree, I have started to understand and appreciate the challenges involved with such illnesses. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3goM43505i5XzO2w3ZFHHptDIRr0wjirOTXjcM6DT3OfFxNNjqE7551jmkkyQy7DO_BugccED1C-N_oaZI1W8p7WBdlwquzqhvg1jzfyF2xAVGBd9nbHWquMnwab16E9rVxN3PeShEMs/s1600/CFF+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3goM43505i5XzO2w3ZFHHptDIRr0wjirOTXjcM6DT3OfFxNNjqE7551jmkkyQy7DO_BugccED1C-N_oaZI1W8p7WBdlwquzqhvg1jzfyF2xAVGBd9nbHWquMnwab16E9rVxN3PeShEMs/s400/CFF+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you can find it in your heart to make a donation to one of these organizations, know that it will be put to good use.  There are plenty of children/parents out there who really need the help that each of these organizations provide, and even $5 can make a difference.  <br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">{Clicking on the widgets will take you to my campaign page where you can make a secure online donation.}  </span><br /><br />Thank you in advance on behalf of the March of Dimes and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for those of you who are able to contribute!

5K Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides March for Babies March of Dimes Two Upcoming 5K's

For those of you who read The Big Weight in a Reader, you may not have noticed that I added two new “widgets” to the sidebar recently.  If y...

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lonny love

Is anyone else draggy today? Whoever came up with the idea of Daylight Savings obviously did not have kids. A sick joke is what it is really.<br /><br />But on to happier things - like the latest issue of <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a>. Nothing makes me happier than sitting out in the warm sunshine with my laptop and ice tea reading it page by page. For those of you that <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/" target="_blank">follow me on Pinterest</a>, you know I'm pinning this issue like a crazy woman.<br /><br />I always find amazing things to add to my wish list, like this (which would look great in my bedroom)<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/AVvXsEhHL5cueL9fPM7WKbM8xduXva6QR31OMCSbyLakl9aivacX-Vc8OGziInxm9mGZEI4-KaCSq6miqy2JCihPu5gGJyEhL7v6i4A7UZdt_aRAhtYh3fYnbK9Qm76aqwQ3AVUAH0ckKTLPt9P9/s1600/product5189.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL5cueL9fPM7WKbM8xduXva6QR31OMCSbyLakl9aivacX-Vc8OGziInxm9mGZEI4-KaCSq6miqy2JCihPu5gGJyEhL7v6i4A7UZdt_aRAhtYh3fYnbK9Qm76aqwQ3AVUAH0ckKTLPt9P9/s320/product5189.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bunnywilliams.com/beeline/brush-stroke-lamp-blue/" target="_blank">BeeLine Home</a> via <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p11" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>and this.<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/AVvXsEgou8AuRx0WgJ2_tFESFu8rLNFwqlkwcfgfhmXgbCWDQfgA19zBwLQVS5TL8fu-OPGl8MhSgEuw0R0p5OXF0imqychf9hNlRg_oXOyI029WWOhl-DTokcoygeR8eySeYP7w0otCgp4G7EoB/s1600/turtle-shell-brass-tray.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou8AuRx0WgJ2_tFESFu8rLNFwqlkwcfgfhmXgbCWDQfgA19zBwLQVS5TL8fu-OPGl8MhSgEuw0R0p5OXF0imqychf9hNlRg_oXOyI029WWOhl-DTokcoygeR8eySeYP7w0otCgp4G7EoB/s320/turtle-shell-brass-tray.jpeg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.highstreetmarket.com/products/turtle-shell-brass-tray" target="_blank">Turtle Shell Brass Tray</a> via <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p24" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then there are always a few dozen things I want to try out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like this mirrored door.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcXIyk20ARdV37XK5vArVpES7ECbjoghbiLuZ_Fvhe84hyphenhyphen96BHseQuGgQ6_E0dlPsNK6wfiYVl1kUzmfzRXThY8fXtGFtOZ3tJkDD590a9iULGhugy72o1hcdBvN2HEGnkIcsMUWGvjNM/s1600/3481-1331353260.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcXIyk20ARdV37XK5vArVpES7ECbjoghbiLuZ_Fvhe84hyphenhyphen96BHseQuGgQ6_E0dlPsNK6wfiYVl1kUzmfzRXThY8fXtGFtOZ3tJkDD590a9iULGhugy72o1hcdBvN2HEGnkIcsMUWGvjNM/s640/3481-1331353260.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p57" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And painted faux molding (this would work great in my bedroom as well - I've got bedroom brain today).</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscT54deThP9xRE4zHKUZJTzkOZQHDr7ck5f_ILY6KEsYz7B00Adj6EwB5mdk5jtZDJVIBz3U9yQNuKG6ckinKOycu6XzA2a-8LwxWZbjakYkw-z4aPFmn-XkWfQ7Weadw9IbWLe0hEmpW/s1600/3498-1331353483.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscT54deThP9xRE4zHKUZJTzkOZQHDr7ck5f_ILY6KEsYz7B00Adj6EwB5mdk5jtZDJVIBz3U9yQNuKG6ckinKOycu6XzA2a-8LwxWZbjakYkw-z4aPFmn-XkWfQ7Weadw9IbWLe0hEmpW/s640/3498-1331353483.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p74" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are also great ideas for mixing high and low items.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZSgAsnCOh5D1mU0aTORmunamPAnbyVHUi5jQ0sGtrPlNzZqn_s619LAvTleN5sCOx0EHV-p5oDdq9fXTrD11G3EioEwRe7a_Jasz9YEmKMJitp6y1SUoWzpU-JkUmUqG4VB9Qq-oJynx/s1600/3525-1331353802.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZSgAsnCOh5D1mU0aTORmunamPAnbyVHUi5jQ0sGtrPlNzZqn_s619LAvTleN5sCOx0EHV-p5oDdq9fXTrD11G3EioEwRe7a_Jasz9YEmKMJitp6y1SUoWzpU-JkUmUqG4VB9Qq-oJynx/s640/3525-1331353802.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p101" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Be sure to take some time to look thru the latest issue. It is always a treat!</div>

lonny love

Is anyone else draggy today? Whoever came up with the idea of Daylight Savings obviously did not have kids. A sick joke is what it is really...

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EU propaganda video recalled

<br /><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A recalled EU propaganda video reveals more about 'the idea of Europe' than its makers intended</b></span></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlOzeJ5iqME?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="submitted" style="color: #444444;"><span class="timestamp"><abbr class="published" title="2012-03-10T23:14:41+00:00"></abbr></span> <span class="timestamp"><abbr class="published" title="2012-03-10T23:14:41+00:00">By  Anya Topolski  </abbr></span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">A few days ago the EU Directorate General for Enlargement released, only to recall it three days later, this video clip, entitled Growing Together^{<a href="http://archive.wikiwix.com/opendemocracy/?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlOzeJ5iqME%26feature=player_embedded&title=Growing%0ATogether" id="link14" rel="nofollow" title="archive de Growing Together"></a>}, aimed at young audiences with the intention of promoting EU policies.</div><div style="color: #444444;">Costing a whopping €127,000 ($167,000), this video did much more than that. It made transparent the all-too-often implicit xenophobia that is constitutive of ‘the idea of Europe’. The video not only taps into Europe’s foundational myth, it seems to justify the current existence of the European Union on the same grounds that once justified Europe’s imperialist adventures which led to its colonization of 85% of the globe. According to the relevant European Commission Director General, Stefano Sannino, the clip featured typical characters from the martial arts genre: kung fu, capoeira and kalaripayattu masters; it started with a demonstration of their skills and ended with all characters showing their mutual respect, concluding in a position of peace and harmony.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">In this clip Europe is symbolized as a white woman walking and wading through puddles of water in a warehouse. For those that know their Greek mythology, this cannot simply be a coincidence. Europa, the virgin daughter of an Asian king, was frolicking in the ocean when whisked away by the Greek God Zeus, disguised as a white bull, who then raped and abandoned her. The night before she was assaulted, Europa dreamt of being attacked by the continents of Asia and Libya (the Greek name for what is now Africa) and finally being rescued by ‘civilization’. Just as in the myth, Europe – in the EU video – is attacked by three ‘barbaric’ men. First comes the attack from the East, an aggressive Asian looking kung-fu fighter.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">Next Europe is attacked from the Orient by a sultan with a massive blade that cannot but convey images of the Crusades and the fight against the infidels. Last but not least comes that half-naked African. Enough said. Europe, reminding the world of its superiority and its ability to put violence in the past in the name of Reason simply stares condescendingly at the barbarians.  She multiplies herself – as a good woman ‘created’ to reproduce it implies ought to do – and encircles her enemies who relinquish their weapons. Each of the ‘identical’ women then becomes a star on the European flag and the three barbarians , that is the world in all its diversity, are erased – they vanish.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">While one can, and should, be shocked by this, what is even more appalling is that this was not obvious to those that filmed it – those same people who are currently constructing Europe. Yet, the point I want to make is that this video does in fact symbolically depict one version of the painfully ‘true’ story of the idea of Europe.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">What’s interesting for our story is that it was the threat of the infidels and the Orient that often helped to keep Christian Europe together.  First, in the period of the schisms between the Eastern and Western Churches, it was the Crusades that reminded Europe that our enemies were more important than our differences. Exemplified by the call to arms by Pope Urban II (1088-99) to join the Crusades, the most potent expression of this reality was captured in the <i>Song of Roland ‘Pagans are wrong and Christians right’ (v.1015).</i> In the 15th century, Europe sought to both purify itself of its unwanted siblings, both older and younger, by means of the Spanish inquisition.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">Similarly, in the sixteenth century, the threat of the Orient – specifically the Ottoman Turks – ‘helped’ Europe to resolve its internal conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. This brings us to the last part of our story. The Europe of today, in the aftermath of Auschwitz and Srebrenica, seems to want to define itself by means of the history of the Enlightenment, its ability to be rational, civilized, and secular. In doing so, it not only covers over its horrendous history of violence both within and beyond its borders, it also denies that secularism is simply another imperial Christian or should I say, European, project.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">While the EU certainly did not wish to tell this story, perhaps the story can be of some greater service to Europe if it only forces us to ask the question: what does ‘unity in diversity’ really mean? If it is nothing more than the cunning encircling of otherness by an abstract universal clone, then the narrative of imperialism has not changed, merely the dress. Quite literally.  It’s the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes all over again. I can only hope that this video might actually be both what the people want – transparency – and what the politicians need – a mirror. Unfortunately for those of us who are, have been, or will be Europe’s others, it is much easier to recall a video than it is to recall one’s history.</div>

EU propaganda video recalled

A recalled EU propaganda video reveals more about 'the idea of Europe' than its makers intended By  Anya Topolski  A few ...

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Week/Weekend Recap

First off, congratulations to <a href="http://www.myweightingplace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kari</a> for winning the Weight Watchers Magazine giveaway :)!  <br /><br />I think I'll start with the bad, then quickly move on to the good and pretend the bad was never discussed.<br /><br />I've been doing a lot of gaining, which means I've been doing a lot of eating {and drinking of beer}, and not abiding by eTools.  I have banished those practices and already have myself set up for some delicious meals this week.  Friday I <i>will </i>have a loss.<br /><br />Now to the fun stuff!<br /><br />Last week I made the <a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=203061&tab=2" target="_blank">Kielbasa Baked Ziti</a>, an eTools recipe.  I didn't change a thing about it and loved it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2NjXofYORDbVzU5TKBb0LgUMuF3IPRPNyNNqHp8Uc6SbV5dGVGn9DcKs5jo4jEQCfdZIoldnAXCwuTbOZuVPmeEtwB-Vmi1XbcmEl3sdYzbRsL5kSh2BcOavaEaqsIdU3erv3B8x0nE/s1600/WW+Ziti+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2NjXofYORDbVzU5TKBb0LgUMuF3IPRPNyNNqHp8Uc6SbV5dGVGn9DcKs5jo4jEQCfdZIoldnAXCwuTbOZuVPmeEtwB-Vmi1XbcmEl3sdYzbRsL5kSh2BcOavaEaqsIdU3erv3B8x0nE/s400/WW+Ziti+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It offered plenty of flavor with the cheeses, turkey kielbasa, peas and the <a href="http://www.redgold.com/tuttorosso/products.asp" target="_blank">sauce</a> I used.  Easy, quick, tasty and I will definitely make this again!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UeaDxABhv59DZHB0pAoP6pGC2OErjOZ4F0yWCvGmv0QHnNb_NxXmJnWtQI2X5VsAcHL-6j5OQbROWtIoY0BKACL5HxY1DdkcHhE4BDUEovtYLKezvk7KkRBUZ2_APqJIYo8T2BHeBtg/s1600/WW+Ziti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UeaDxABhv59DZHB0pAoP6pGC2OErjOZ4F0yWCvGmv0QHnNb_NxXmJnWtQI2X5VsAcHL-6j5OQbROWtIoY0BKACL5HxY1DdkcHhE4BDUEovtYLKezvk7KkRBUZ2_APqJIYo8T2BHeBtg/s400/WW+Ziti.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><br />Next up was an AWESOME meal at <a href="http://www.famousdaves.com/" target="_blank">Famous Daves</a>.  I have never been there before, mainly because I'm not a huge meat eater.  I do like meat, but I'm very basic with my meat choices - ground beef, chicken, and turkey.   I don't like ribs, steak, pulled pork, etc.  While Famous Daves is pretty "famous" for those latter entrees, they also had a great chicken sandwich that I loved, made especially delicious by adding some of their tasty barbeque sauce.<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/AVvXsEganBtoqPr4xlQrYBVujp0LY-hzA4ojtvH_LtgMBbGpPyVYM2fLCGyDwHKhfVDJz8rdJLxwJbzUvsYSPEv6ILZPLaXhQO5h-gjQWD77HAjbebfhlk7_l_K5LSYCylCyqUoYifLr98gAcx8/s1600/Famous+Daves+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBtoqPr4xlQrYBVujp0LY-hzA4ojtvH_LtgMBbGpPyVYM2fLCGyDwHKhfVDJz8rdJLxwJbzUvsYSPEv6ILZPLaXhQO5h-gjQWD77HAjbebfhlk7_l_K5LSYCylCyqUoYifLr98gAcx8/s400/Famous+Daves+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first letters of the different BBQ sauces they offer - presented by our server</td></tr></tbody></table>I felt like I was able to easily stay On Plan eating here.  Their dishes are all on eTools!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqCdgVYDgfflZ7FazGluZs4n1JQv6Wt4NMstrvw8Opj3ALjnkhEZO9kfYQrnR7hr3cIumIaG18iULk7E4EUdXZFCtxccCoYlheXiNZ5blV0nBWpAvdGRBDqON_e_slXbBWy-ld3Y6lHc/s1600/Famous+Daves+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqCdgVYDgfflZ7FazGluZs4n1JQv6Wt4NMstrvw8Opj3ALjnkhEZO9kfYQrnR7hr3cIumIaG18iULk7E4EUdXZFCtxccCoYlheXiNZ5blV0nBWpAvdGRBDqON_e_slXbBWy-ld3Y6lHc/s400/Famous+Daves+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I will definitely go back to this place in the near future!<br /><br />Because of all the poor eating I've been doing, I stayed exceptionally active this weekend.  I completed three workouts already!  I did two at the gym, and one at a nearby park.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdjkY1wB_OwMo3OdURxW2IzFn4XA131bru9bqokfN3BW2wYf6TI_5AnOgmxULH5aC-2A_PS68om8zebs8nnZOClzX9w2SwfnBKzUAJ9Krg5B6acJZGc8zJGbDJVhJKv0LVad5aUr9nXE/s1600/Huntley+path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdjkY1wB_OwMo3OdURxW2IzFn4XA131bru9bqokfN3BW2wYf6TI_5AnOgmxULH5aC-2A_PS68om8zebs8nnZOClzX9w2SwfnBKzUAJ9Krg5B6acJZGc8zJGbDJVhJKv0LVad5aUr9nXE/s400/Huntley+path.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />I got some pretty great pictures while there. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWrg-kKBJgL0CYkJdeoBqgzY1Fow1IRPnJqhh5E-cf-RQ16r9GGsIg0POtSGB849yv-idkW8s-UGb8dxMIF-2Rb1Qqk4caEHsPi5TFSn0XcpTYZKnVNOA_q4fHNsmVsVVf4qelVdqXc/s1600/Huntley+log.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWrg-kKBJgL0CYkJdeoBqgzY1Fow1IRPnJqhh5E-cf-RQ16r9GGsIg0POtSGB849yv-idkW8s-UGb8dxMIF-2Rb1Qqk4caEHsPi5TFSn0XcpTYZKnVNOA_q4fHNsmVsVVf4qelVdqXc/s400/Huntley+log.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />We decided to go off the neat and tidy path and head around the Pond Trail.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUPes8x2d6fEydSfK3fYc1Ylr9cvSB_6gDlMqfUyk5iM8AkdyuSd8fTcZDPSYmRok9bLuvCvGbyQaKd8qNESg2mDOrf-EHad5CZmzf4HOjy4WDUQdFd8ChA2cDPU-Jw9_iX7wXd7AOSc/s1600/pond+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUPes8x2d6fEydSfK3fYc1Ylr9cvSB_6gDlMqfUyk5iM8AkdyuSd8fTcZDPSYmRok9bLuvCvGbyQaKd8qNESg2mDOrf-EHad5CZmzf4HOjy4WDUQdFd8ChA2cDPU-Jw9_iX7wXd7AOSc/s400/pond+trail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It was fairly muddy, but still a nice stroll through the woods.  While on this little diversion, we came upon this crazy looking tree.  There were several trunks with branches that draped down to the ground {click for a larger pic that hopefully offers a better perspective}. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sx39tv362zKcliDM_wWNs2QzvyySp7PTV1VRmB5M18PU-UPlFY97SyfMJOZAEI38iAbasGdWyor1PnaTI-DbJ296wGQH9u_wNok_UnkUppnEHgcpW5Cesu386DdIcaPnj_ctc4AuqkY/s1600/Huntley+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sx39tv362zKcliDM_wWNs2QzvyySp7PTV1VRmB5M18PU-UPlFY97SyfMJOZAEI38iAbasGdWyor1PnaTI-DbJ296wGQH9u_wNok_UnkUppnEHgcpW5Cesu386DdIcaPnj_ctc4AuqkY/s400/Huntley+Tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Perhaps my favorite part of this walk was coming upon this guy:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x2_YqK_XuNRK6-Uda1BONbdZwfx2opu0CbgM8zWbuugm2F4tnx5X6XZ5D2gIMb7PlhgtOtyWKZX4zFkSYTk8v3Rs2IBL0dQnFnY3-FgNLTCwSIXz0QeD9xbz8yrNAgADTEADj7yW-50/s1600/cardinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x2_YqK_XuNRK6-Uda1BONbdZwfx2opu0CbgM8zWbuugm2F4tnx5X6XZ5D2gIMb7PlhgtOtyWKZX4zFkSYTk8v3Rs2IBL0dQnFnY3-FgNLTCwSIXz0QeD9xbz8yrNAgADTEADj7yW-50/s400/cardinal.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><br />My FAVORITE bird, the cardinal!  He also happens to be our state bird here in Virginia.  I love them so much. <br /><br />By the way, "we" in this story is myself and Joel.  By the grace of God <i>alone</i>, He brought Joel back to me.  Even after Joel moved out of our condo, even after all that was said, it was clear that there was no one who would be able to change Joel's heart and mind other than the G-man.  I have held off sharing this information so quickly because of the fragility of it all.  However, it is clear and understood that we are both committed to working on our relationship, placing God first in hearts, and each other second. <br /><br />I am SO happy again!<br /><br /><br />

Exercise Gain Joel Weekend Recap Week/Weekend Recap

First off, congratulations to Kari for winning the Weight Watchers Magazine giveaway :)!  I think I'll start with the bad, then quickly...

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