News for today's 2018

Step aboard the USS Fort McHenry!

1:01 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrCzXT6FpNP3X_DrnlfATZZICZlOmdf7LFDBV-GgGMOmfxQcEw0n2IbfbtwSNKwoebRPUy7e4fTMB-93w8KVY9qqxQ4YiR-J_q1WAXcllH7wWWjSyOQzWdgXKo-xEPAVpgP2ksavDp13u/s1600/Navy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrCzXT6FpNP3X_DrnlfATZZICZlOmdf7LFDBV-GgGMOmfxQcEw0n2IbfbtwSNKwoebRPUy7e4fTMB-93w8KVY9qqxQ4YiR-J_q1WAXcllH7wWWjSyOQzWdgXKo-xEPAVpgP2ksavDp13u/s320/Navy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">We toured the USS Fort McHenry Naval ship this evening down at Dublin Port.  It was just wonderful.  We saw so many elements of the ship and the weaponry. All of the personnel aboard were just great, just so friendly and informative.  They said that they loved Dublin.  They head on to Africa next to do humanitarian work.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The above is a picture of myself and my sisters at the entrance to the ship.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQYfUIke_A7FXrva_qdLWuUnYvSA6mnVQF96b9wVExxiI3KthPlrntIaVXmqd9lQhUcPti2yoIIHYSrzOCgqiHMKPVSS-gpDNH6jewDXunTAjjr91C_XL4-ruNsRPZsDwkxWNJJbeJWRY/s1600/navy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQYfUIke_A7FXrva_qdLWuUnYvSA6mnVQF96b9wVExxiI3KthPlrntIaVXmqd9lQhUcPti2yoIIHYSrzOCgqiHMKPVSS-gpDNH6jewDXunTAjjr91C_XL4-ruNsRPZsDwkxWNJJbeJWRY/s320/navy2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">A perfect end to a Navy weekend in Dublin!</span>

Step aboard the USS Fort McHenry!

We toured the USS Fort McHenry Naval ship this evening down at Dublin Port. It was just wonderful. We saw so many elements of the ship and...

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 09/02/2012

12:30 PM Tukiyooo 0

<ul class="diigo-linkroll">      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://mrsjacksonsclasswebsiteblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/september-lesson-plan-ideas.html">Mrs. Jackson's Class Website Blog: September Lesson Plan Ideas</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">Mrs. Jackson shares lots of great ideas. Here's her September list of ideas.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/lessonplans">lessonplans</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.edgalaxy.com/journal/2012/8/30/12-great-google-sites-for-teachers.html">12 Great Google Sites for Teachers - HOME - Edgalaxy: Where Education and Technology Meet.</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">A list of sites you can use in your classroom. Think twice about blogger, but many of these others are great.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/google">google</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://thelearningjourney.org/2012/09/01/in-with-the-new-giving-time/">In with the new……Giving Time « The Learning Journey</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">"As a teacher of young learners, time needs to be on our side. One thing Ive become over the last few years is that one size does NOT fit all. We do not march to the same beat in education or eat the same breakfast for that matter. We each have out own ways of learning, thinking. Some just need more time that others." says Jason Graham, a new friend via Twitter and our Flat Classroom Certified Teacher course. I love how he describes the first grade classroom and am saddened for how many I think don't have the flexibility or perspective that he has.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/elemchat">elemchat</a></p>                                        </li>  </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 09/02/2012

Mrs. Jackson's Class Website Blog: September Lesson Plan Ideas Mrs. Jackson shares lots of great...

Today's archidose #614

12:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

Here are photos of a hospice converted into a hotel at St. Gotthard Pass in the Swiss Alps by Basel's <a href="http://www.millermaranta.ch/">Miller & Maranta</a> (2010), photographed by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/">John Hill</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915602470/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8451/7915602470_11a3cfddfe_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915603220/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/7915603220_8d0ee09b5b_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915604058/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/7915604058_d14bbe511b_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915604758/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8457/7915604758_fb57d35e2a_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915605762/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/7915605762_76a6e1e1c9_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915607284/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7915607284_0ef47cdb40_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915608120/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7915608120_855a2fffc1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/7915608686/" title="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Hotel, St. Gotthard's Pass" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/7915608686_73e682052e_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #614

Here are photos of a hospice converted into a hotel at St. Gotthard Pass in the Swiss Alps by Basel's Miller & Maranta (2010), phot...

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/02/2012

2:31 AM Tukiyooo 0

<ul class="diigo-linkroll">      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.edgalaxy.com/journal/2012/8/30/10-creative-uses-for-dropbox.html">10 Creative uses for Dropbox - HOME - Edgalaxy: Where Education and Technology Meet.</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I love Dropbox. Now that I use If this then that, I've found many more uses for it. Here at edgalaxy, are 10 creative uses for Dropbox.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5938565/heres-everywhere-you-should-enable-two+factor-authentication-right-now">Here's Everywhere You Should Enable Two-Factor Authentication Right Now</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I recommend moving towards two-factor authentication - a higher level of security. From Gmail to Facebook, take the time to do it now. Here's how in this article.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/hacking">hacking</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/security">security</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5939054/make-your-computer-more-self+sufficient-this-weekend">Make Your Computer More Self-Sufficient This Weekend</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">Take this weekend and automate your computer in many ways with these tips from Lifehacker. Labor Day is a perfect day for tune up.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/backup">backup</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/technology">technology</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/automation">automation</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/08/for_those_who_want_to_lead_rea.html">For Those Who Want to Lead, Read - John Coleman - Harvard Business Review</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">This fantastic article from Harvard links to research on why leaders read. This is an example, in my opinion, of how the modern scholarly article should look. It is convincing about the topic but also has hours of reading and research behind it. I think that such articles should be required writing for college and high school students and are entirely different from traditional academic papers. Hyperlinks are the modern footnote but are different in how they are used. Great article to share for two reasons: he who reads leads, and he who can write this way can disseminate scholarly writing effectively. Hats off to the author, John Coleman on a very well written, convincing piece.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/literacy">literacy</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/reading">reading</a></p>                                <ul class="diigo-comments">                  </ul>                      </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/education/students-of-harvard-cheating-scandal-say-group-work-was-accepted.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss">Students of Harvard Cheating Scandal Say Group Work Was Accepted - NYTimes.com</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">Students say that notes sharing on a confusing course caused their open book exams to look similar and that collaborative notetaking was accepted because the professor didn't require them to go to the course. "Introduction to Congress" may become an Introduction to Collaboration in the 21st century as this cheating scandal is played out in a very public way.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.good.is/post/artful-thinking-maryland-middle-school-proves-arts-ed-improves-grades-and-behavior/">Artful Thinking: Maryland Middle School Proves Arts Ed Improves Grades and Behavior - Education - GOOD</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">"Arts exposure makes students more altruistic, civically engaged, and socially tolerant." For more information, read this profile of a school by Liz Dwyer. </p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/art">art</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/research">research</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=58948">Georgia College Produces Student-Written E-Textbook</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">Pick up a free textbook written by college students on education technology. Of course, as I tried this with my high schoolers, the problem isn't drafting, it is in the editing. ;-)</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/professionaldevelopment">professionaldevelopment</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5939479/the-annoying-thing-facebook-is-about-to-do-with-your-phone-numbers-and-emails">The Annoying Thing Facebook Is About to Do with Your Phone Numbers and Emails (UPDATED)</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I think I'm going to delete my phone number off Facebook for this reason. Be aware that "power" advertisers are going to "get" your email and phone number from Facebook. Personally, I don't appreciate this at all, but then again, any of us who think anything is "free" are being foolhardy. There is no such thing as free, you're always giving something.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/facebook">facebook</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/privacy">privacy</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/advertising">advertising</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/08/advertisings-bumpy-transition-and-why-it-matters-to-you.html">Advertising's bumpy transition (and why it matters to you)</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I've struggled with advertising and Seth Godin's recent post on "supported by advertising" hits home. I often talk with my husband about a desire to respect educator's time and space by not inundating them with tons of ads. I'd like a few well selected companies in my sidebar and turn down most companies who want to buy ads.  I know there are many I respect who fill their blogs with ads and they're probably laughing their way to the bank, however, I'd rather have a relationship with readers who trust me. Hopefully that will convert to book sales and people who come to see me when I present. Maybe I'll end up eating these words when I realize how much money I'm leaving on the table. But I agree with Seth that the way advertising works on the web doesn't respect consumers and isn't "there" yet as to where it needs to be. I find popups and tons of ads annoying.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/advertising">advertising</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-rappaport/sexual-misconduct-by-educ_b_1836982.html?utm_hp_ref=education">Nancy Rappaport: Sexual Misconduct by Educators: What We Need to Do to Protect Students</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">This is an important article for school administrators and other teachers to read with the warning signs to look for in teachers who may be sexual predators. As professionals who love our students, we must not tolerate or allow such behavior in our midst. It is alarming that up to 10% of students will be the target of sexual misconduct by teachers some time in their school career and there is no real way to find out who such people are - as they often shift from school to school. Be wary and be wise. Let's do something and not sit by awkwardly when the alarm bells go off. Children are a heritage and we are the guardians. </p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/all_teachers">all_teachers</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/professional">professional</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/new-york-state-department_n_1847102.html">New York School Closures: Department Of Education Identifies 123 City Schools That Must Improve By 2015</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">What happens when these schools close? Where do the students and teachers go? Will the new schools need to construct new space and the old location rust and die. The problem isn't location it is what is happening in that location. It is time to start using common sense to these sorts of problems. Is closing the school the answer if we have no plan for opening something that is better in its place. If poverty is the problem, are we penalizing the poor further by requiring them to go further frrom home to get a good education. I don't have answers - just wondering.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/nclb">nclb</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/internt-users-attempt-to-_n_1847491.html">Taylor Swift Could Perform At Horace Mann School For The Deaf Via Internet Contest Prank</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I don't know how it is described when groups suddenly mobilize to "rig" a contest unless it would be "flashvoting" instead of flashmobbing. People on Reddit decided to vote for a school of the deaf to receive a Taylor Swift Concert and others mobbed to send a rapper to Kodiak, Alaska. This happened in a local contest where one of our students was up against a young man in the voting whose cousin mobilized the washington redskins nation to vote. (We won anyway as grandparents stayed up through the night voting - we are a small town that sticks together, but that is another story.) Meanwhile, those who have online contests to get votes and promote views need to know that not all such views and reviews are the same.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/flashvoting">flashvoting</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/internet">internet</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/society">society</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/claire-moshenberg/childhood-obesity_b_1847724.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education">Claire Moshenberg: School Rules = Lower Obesity</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I wish every school would read this article about the links between school vending machines and nutrition rules and obesity. I also think that when overactive children are in trouble on the playground that they should "run the track" (as my child's teacher does) rather than stand on the fence. Kids need to get moving and eat healthy foods.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/research">research</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/obesity">obesity</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://gigaom.com/2012/09/01/hp-dell-and-the-paradox-of-the-disrupted/">HP, Dell and the paradox of the disrupted — Tech News and Analysis</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">"Disruption doesn't care about legagies" says this article discussing the major disruption hitting the "wintel" market as the computing industry is becoming forever changed by the new preferences in computing devices and how we use them since the inception of broadband. An important article to read, the graphic in this article says it all about the size of businesses.   Education would do well to read and understand that a similar disruption is coming to education and indeed, is already here. "Disruption doesn't care about legacy."  From the school on the corner to the pristine ivory tower down the road, read these words and know that in 10 years someone is going to be doing a similar chart on education. The parallels are ground shaking.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/microsoft">microsoft</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/hp">hp</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/dell">dell</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apple">apple</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/amazon">amazon</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/google">google</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/computing">computing</a></p>                                        </li>  </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/02/2012

10 Creative uses for Dropbox - HOME - Edgalaxy: Where Education and Technology Meet. I love Dropbox....

ARGENTINE PROTECTIONISM POLICIES

4:45 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sknVksliC8mEf56P4ZySp_-ukCXnCX_N7-1UPacwfa6O0Ln1yRMS_Ke9FzDfoSc57U8amFkIdtRCVZ2qS3jehYW9CODvJKKAAKdZrEMDzbFAaZ4YBLyDJ5v56KBUPJ6MY4w0DFehMHW3/s1600/echegaray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sknVksliC8mEf56P4ZySp_-ukCXnCX_N7-1UPacwfa6O0Ln1yRMS_Ke9FzDfoSc57U8amFkIdtRCVZ2qS3jehYW9CODvJKKAAKdZrEMDzbFAaZ4YBLyDJ5v56KBUPJ6MY4w0DFehMHW3/s320/echegaray.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">   </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Top tax-man suggests Argentines spend vacations in the country, but he prefers Punta del Este</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">via MercoPress</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Argentines should stay at home and spend their vacation in Argentina, suggested the head of the tax revenue office, AFIP, arguing in favour of the latest measures severely limiting debit and credit card purchases abroad by charging them an additional 15% expense.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Echegaray announced the ‘dollar clamp’ extensive to credit and debit cards and overseas on-line shopping </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We prefer that Argentines remain at home and spend their vacations in Argentina”, admitted Ricardo Echegaray in support of the President Cristina Fernandez administration decision that all purchases overseas with credit cards issued in Argentina will have to pay an additional 15% including purchases online from abroad.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However he did not mention that only last year he purchased a condo in Punta del Este, the Uruguayan sea resort, supposedly where he is planning to spend his vacation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The additional charge on credit card purchases will be deductible by tax payers when they present their annual balances and referred to taxes on profits and personal assets.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AFIP seeks to have a stronger grasp on contributors, who according the agency’s data spent 7.4 billion pesos between January and 18 June 2012 in purchases paid with 168.000 credit cards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Credit card companies will have to report all the purchases by credit card holders, including those done in foreign countries and in Argentina. The data will be cross checked with requests to buy foreign currency.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Buenos Aires media reveals that the 15% charge measure has now been made extensive to debit card purchases abroad and online purchases from foreign websites, according to AFIP sources.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Echegaray had originally assured the new regulation would not affect neither online shopping nor debit card purchases.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But <i>La Nacion</i> from Buenos Aires also reveals that according to Echegaray’s annual assets statement before the anti-corruption office, he is the owner of a summer condo in the Uruguayan seaside resort of Punta del Este, which he purchased last year. The condo has 108 sq metres and cost according to the statement, in the range of 220.000 US dollars.  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>DOUBLE STANDARDS</b>  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the last year Echegaray’s assets climbed 38% and among other things has the equivalent of 100.000 US dollars deposited in banks, mostly in US dollars and Euros. Not precisely what his boss Cristina Fernandez suggested to the Argentines and instructed to his ministerial cabinet: all holdings in Argentine Pesos.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The limits on credit and debit cards and online shopping is the latest of a long list of measures adopted by the Argentine government to impede the outflow of capital from the country as mistrust grows towards current policies and are draining the country’s dollars holdings and deposits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

ARGENTINE PROTECTIONISM POLICIES

Top tax-man suggests Argentines spend vacations in the country, but he prefers Punta del Este via MercoPress Argentines should stay at ...

30 Days of webtools: #25 Create a Prezi

12:26 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsmVT34TLz5Jh4H3BFVSmr_f9KTSSxDUfVzKDYsXu1g8ZI9TRgAi_YExF5UdQQ1Kc9NDkq-bOmiuv5g4tO8ivRB3GJ-z-czS_QHjEexesL6Fnyi2t3XYkmf91C1MaFyj2DNDNzyY8AxnZ/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNTxE07Mm0mcD42ZAWUFdI0T_bS5mf7mccR3-NbRjXqe9GMp030SE8dn8CHX8yCT25R6oEsh6pRQ_HviN5uQLcR-iDWDmu-04Xclr5IeUJ-RwOjJFjsAfJRXJFTkCNT0PAqXfGa5Azrii/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is a Prezi?</span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Prezi is another presentation tool that is fascinating to use.You will find Prezi at <a href="http://prezi.com/">http://prezi.com</a>. It is a zooming digital presentation editor that holds the attention of students possibly more than would a PowerPoint.  (Last week I attended a primary school ‘Technology Show’ at Micklefield Primary – totally amazing! One grade demonstrated the use of Prezi and their comment was that they think ALL the teachers should use Prezi!) With Prezi you can type text, embed pictures, and insert video in very creative ways! I doubt if anyone would fall asleep during a Prezi demonstration!.  Because it's web based, <a href="http://www.prezi.com/">Prezi</a> can be created and shown on any computer with web access. If there is no web access available during your presentation, a downloadable version can be obtained to show offline anywhere. No other software is needed, not even flash!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />How does Prezi compare to PowerPoint?</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prezi differs from PowerPoint in that it is a web-based program that allows you to create more of a canvas presentation instead of a sequential slide presentation. You have to think non-linear! It allows you to incorporate text and pictures,  videos and other presentation objects which is what PowerPoint does as well. You can create your presentation online and then download the final product so that you don’t require an internet connection to display the presentation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Examples of prezis</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />This example is from Martin Burrett in England who presented his TeachMeet presentation on useful classroom tools using a Prezi.</span><br /><br /><div class="prezi-player"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="400" id="prezi_vskppld5jufb" name="prezi_vskppld5jufb" width="550"><param name="movie" value="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowFullScreenInteractive" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="flashvars" value="prezi_id=vskppld5jufb&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0" /><embed id="preziEmbed_vskppld5jufb" name="preziEmbed_vskppld5jufb" src="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowFullScreenInteractive="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="550" height="400" bgcolor="#ffffff" flashvars="prezi_id=vskppld5jufb&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0"></embed></object> <br /><div class="prezi-player-links"><a href="http://prezi.com/vskppld5jufb/teachmeet-cambridge/" title="TeachMeet Cambridge">TeachMeet Cambridge</a> on <a href="http://prezi.com/">Prezi</a></div></div><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where does one start?</span></b><br /><b><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get to know Prezi terminology</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="prezi-player"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="400" id="prezi_ystpnaz3oiom" name="prezi_ystpnaz3oiom" width="550"><param name="movie" value="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowFullScreenInteractive" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="flashvars" value="prezi_id=ystpnaz3oiom&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0" /><embed id="preziEmbed_ystpnaz3oiom" name="preziEmbed_ystpnaz3oiom" src="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowFullScreenInteractive="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="550" height="400" bgcolor="#ffffff" flashvars="prezi_id=ystpnaz3oiom&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0"></embed></object> <br /><div class="prezi-player-links"><a href="http://prezi.com/ystpnaz3oiom/copy-of-techguru-project/" title="Copy of Techguru Project">Copy of Techguru Project</a> on <a href="http://prezi.com/">Prezi</a></div></div><div class="prezi-player"></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Let’s start by viewing a step by step tutorial on YouTube</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><a href="http://youtu.be/MAloWJiCQ-o" title="http://youtu.be/MAloWJiCQ-o">http://youtu.be/MAloWJiCQ-o</a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MAloWJiCQ-o?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. If you find you learn best from videos there’s a lovely site called ‘Undertenminutes’ and he has two excellent  videos on how he introduced Prezi at his school.</span><br /><a href="http://www.undertenminutes.com/?p=173">http://www.undertenminutes.com/?p=173</a><br /><b><br /></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What else can you do with a Prezi?</span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />You can download your completed as a PDF. Use the “Print” option in the middle of the editor screen to create handouts for your audience. In PreziDesktop, there is a "print" option in your window menu bar as well under “File”. When you click Print, your prezi will be converted to a PDF document, where every path step will be one document page. The exported PDF will also include an overview page of your whole prezi.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classroom ideas</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. This Prezi puts forward a case for using Prezi. I like the way he adds YouTube videos in his Prezi.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="prezi-player"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="400" id="prezi_gjcaodop9is1" name="prezi_gjcaodop9is1" width="550"><param name="movie" value="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowFullScreenInteractive" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="flashvars" value="prezi_id=gjcaodop9is1&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0" /><embed id="preziEmbed_gjcaodop9is1" name="preziEmbed_gjcaodop9is1" src="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowFullScreenInteractive="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="550" height="400" bgcolor="#ffffff" flashvars="prezi_id=gjcaodop9is1&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0"></embed></object> <br /><div class="prezi-player-links"><a href="http://prezi.com/gjcaodop9is1/the-21st-century-learner-and-prezis/" title="The 21st Century Learner and Prezis.">The 21st Century Learner and Prezis.</a> on <a href="http://prezi.com/">Prezi</a></div></div><b></b> <br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Make a group presentation on a project. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Prezi could be used as a getting to know you tool. Students could write their first name and tell us about themselves and their family. There are numerous charts (timelines, flow charts, etc.) that could be utilized in the content areas as well.”<br /><br />4. Here is a Prezi giving some thoughts on using Prezi as a teaching tool.<a href="http://prezi.com/rfsnedhqmhqa/thoughts-on-using-prezi-as-a-teaching-tool/"><br />http://prezi.com/rfsnedhqmhqa/thoughts-on-using-prezi-as-a-teaching-tool/</a> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. This is a presentation in Google Docs showing 17 interesting ways of using Prezi in the classroom. Unfortunately this doesn't give an embed code, but just click on the link to get to the original. </span><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_238djxmbfhd"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_238djxmbfhd</span></a>  <br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/schoolnet.org.za/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_238djxmbfhd&pli=1"><img alt="image" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43B4SPKgmzgk-YIqop-RqAORPNfgYOEHeKEQbNx7ImHCVoElzNLVI6gux9UjBz4YOQamVI9hLGtljDMdU_KQTgsz0BTZAakcLCG8NhbxFQ2Kdm2GGa-lKBjdAegO0fwdeeYvJLDrKJ-Hh/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a>  <br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Other ways to use Prezi </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a) Zoom into details of a picture<br />b) A way of embedding a number of relevant YouTube videos<br />c) You could build up a Prezi over the duration of a topic<br />d) Use a Prezi as a mind map<br />e) You could us a Prezi to learn vocabulary <br />f) You could use a  Prezi to share information in a global class project  </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Optional task</b></span><br /><br />Make a Prezi and share the link with me<br />  <br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Further Reading</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />1. <a href="http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/01/teachers-recommendations-for-academic-uses-of-5-fun-free-presentation-tools/">http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/01/teachers-recommendations-for-academic-uses-of-5-fun-free-presentation-tools/</a></span><br /><a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/02/prezi.html#.UDlh9NbiZSg"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/02/prezi.html#.UDlh9NbiZSg</span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Here are some prezis that one could re-use and just add one’s own information. <a href="http://prezi.com/learn/selection-great-reusable-prezis/">http://prezi.com/learn/selection-great-reusable-prezis/</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/20/prezi-is-the-coolest-online-presentation-tool-ive-ever-seen/">. http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/20/prezi-is-the-coolest-online-presentation-tool-ive-ever-seen/</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://prezi.com/ystpnaz3oiom/copy-of-techguru-project/">5. http://prezi.com/ystpnaz3oiom/copy-of-techguru-project/</a></span></div></div>

30 days of web tools Prezi Tutorials Web tools 30 Days of webtools: #25 Create a Prezi

What is a Prezi? Prezi is another presentation tool that is fascinating to use.You will find Prezi at http://prezi.com . It is a zooming dig...

THE U.S. TURNS ITS BACK ON EUROPE,

5:28 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNRFyWFoaFZIxfjn4CRcO7p1GknaUatK-h_7wjQyjfRJukNLo1M187xgZIaLZWzVF2-jzkn377fHrCDXVxwU9TKHEOJQCSxyalOL8FTbvr6EL5a515fLI9G_huhLYLicXiCA3QlNzFHYK/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNRFyWFoaFZIxfjn4CRcO7p1GknaUatK-h_7wjQyjfRJukNLo1M187xgZIaLZWzVF2-jzkn377fHrCDXVxwU9TKHEOJQCSxyalOL8FTbvr6EL5a515fLI9G_huhLYLicXiCA3QlNzFHYK/s400/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></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: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ALLOWING RUSSIA AND CHINA TO APPROACH</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">EUROPE is at a pivotal point. Or, rather, it is at a point where its structural transformation can no longer be ignored. <br /><br />Events in EUROPE have finally led us to the dénouement of the 20th Century. It may presage a new EUROPE tied more firmly into the EURASIAN heartland than old EUROPE. It is the end — ’though not without economic, social, and political pain — of the 20th Century form of ATLANTICISM. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">US EASTWARD FOCUSES</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgOf0YpF9dCfaS2viW9IqedF2S6hIyGQvRPLmLB6L8Gl4YqnUtRz_TxYneYFUIRN2I07H6rZVI-mjWSkqWhGAjr6nx5Rv3M0l_4a-tN0HKyZCIGPNJ0gP5ISb4GHhsnLQAL6pdQrwRe5Z/s1600/250px-United_States_Pacific_Command.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgOf0YpF9dCfaS2viW9IqedF2S6hIyGQvRPLmLB6L8Gl4YqnUtRz_TxYneYFUIRN2I07H6rZVI-mjWSkqWhGAjr6nx5Rv3M0l_4a-tN0HKyZCIGPNJ0gP5ISb4GHhsnLQAL6pdQrwRe5Z/s320/250px-United_States_Pacific_Command.png" width="316" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Similarly, the UNITED STATES and much of the WEST is at a pivotal point, except that — by almost all public reaction — this reality can be, and is being, ignored. Within the morphing of the US, as it sidesteps the question of its own strategic pivot (and the signs of its own strategic mortality), Washington has — like EUROPE — walked away from the 20th Century form of ATLANTICISM, in favour of a PACIFIC orientation (but a PACIFIC orientation which continues to remain ignorant of the reality that it is the INDIAN OCEAN which is the dynamic). <br /><br />The Presidential elections in FRANCE on May 6, 2012, and Parliamentary elections in GREECE on the same day — each overturning the status quo — brought some aspects of the EUROPEAN “crisis” back into international debate. <br /><br /><b style="color: red;">THERE IS AS YET NO REVOLUTION IN EUROPE, OR THE US</b><span style="color: red;">, </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">or elsewhere in the greater WEST, which will see massive transformation from one day to the next. The process of change is more gradual; more evolutionary than revolutionary. It is nonetheless profound. The election of a doctrinaire socialist, <b>François Holland</b>, to the French Presidency will not appear at first to yield dramatic change. Neither did the election of a doctrinaire socialist to the US Presidency when <b>Barack Obama</b> took office. And <b>Holland </b>knows that, however much he wishes to appease his electorate by offering to extend the benefits of government employment, he has little room for manoeuvre within the GERMAN-dominated EUROZONE. If anything, the removal of <b>Nicolas Sarkozy</b> as FRENCH President places GERMANY even more at the centre, and in control, of EUROPEAN continental power. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">EUROPE HAS BECOME GERMANY</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMehtcO38IejYZVI9_y7SvobgvQ4CgtG975rrZvwNqFws1itNayzF8Yd4-i54VrVWmXpGZvN-arUaEtfM2iFYsTr23Mc44eXDpL3NXDMXjI7ZCGhLMR0tz8SU8RBQNh2iDKBsZUEWHOM_c/s1600/German2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMehtcO38IejYZVI9_y7SvobgvQ4CgtG975rrZvwNqFws1itNayzF8Yd4-i54VrVWmXpGZvN-arUaEtfM2iFYsTr23Mc44eXDpL3NXDMXjI7ZCGhLMR0tz8SU8RBQNh2iDKBsZUEWHOM_c/s320/German2.gif" width="310" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Arguably, now, more than ever, the EUROPEAN UNION is GERMANY. And GERMANY, which wishes this outcome above all else because it sees it as an alternative to a fratricidal, war-torn EUROPE, then has to accept that a high level of structural inefficiencies in most EUROZONE member states degrades the average economic performance of the whole. <b>Even so, it gives GERMANY, essentially, a massive market and manpower base. </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" 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/AVvXsEgzT7QvBR0vDSIK2UEe1qEVY1f4bBUqPk_UVqtrD7eaUercDTYiE9SEC6VUx_S7ztjdTg5B8DsEOYV0CTFEhYUTu-a6IfrXhEHbsNR7d3lzOt2z6eGkrsX9_CRE8UqzWkUKbd-BRcUzwEUT/s1600/word_document_73539372_canonical_25af175517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT7QvBR0vDSIK2UEe1qEVY1f4bBUqPk_UVqtrD7eaUercDTYiE9SEC6VUx_S7ztjdTg5B8DsEOYV0CTFEhYUTu-a6IfrXhEHbsNR7d3lzOt2z6eGkrsX9_CRE8UqzWkUKbd-BRcUzwEUT/s1600/word_document_73539372_canonical_25af175517.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat exaggerated US views on Germany "dominance" in Europe </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b></b>So now, whatever <b>Holland</b> might do to cause FRANCE to retreat somewhat from EUROZONE diktat, EUROPE has become GERMANY. How long it remains thus is still open to question. <br /><br />This structural shift, with CONTINENTAL EUROPE turning EASTWARD and the US turning Westward (with both actually gazing across the world to EAST ASIA), has some interesting ramifications for the continued viability of 20th Century alliances and even terms such as “WESTERNISM” and “EASTERN- ISM”. North Atlantic states, such as the UNITED KINGDOM and, to a degree, CANADA, and some of those EUROPEAN littoral states clinging to “WESTERNISM”, will need to look to their futures and decide how to ensure them. The UK, already facing a breakdown in internal sovereignty or cohesion as a unitary state, will have to consider whether it wishes to once again become a major state in its own right (and therefore resist the fissiparous tendencies of the Celts), or whether it will be content to be essentially a city-state built around the markets of London. [<b>The Scottish local council elections, giving great impetus to the secessionist Scottish National Party, on May 3, 2012, were a significant indicator of the UK’s coming difficulties.</b>] </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">US HAS WALKED AWAY FROM WESTERN EUROPE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /><br />What is clear is that the present Government of the US has walked away from WESTERN EUROPE, and the GERMAN-led EUROZONE now turns its attentions toward its major trading partners across the continent: the RUSSIAN FEDERATION, with its control of oil and gas; and the PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC), with its markets. <b>Clearly, if history is any guide, RUSSIA and the PRC will ultimately come to compete with GERMANY’S manufacturing. Eventually, restiveness within EUROPE — by such as the GREEKS, ITALIANS, and other “MEDITERRANEE” — may stir rebellion against Berlin. But for the time being GERMAN-led EUROPE is looking EAST, and RUSSIA and the PRC are happy to oblige. <br /></b><br /><b style="color: red;">WASHINGTON, MEANWHILE, PLAYS WITH NEW CLOTHES FOR WHAT IT STILL SUPPOSES TO BE ITS QUIESCENT PET, TURKEY</b><span style="color: red;">, </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-gK4mnsM6CAGM_zwSe0eA_seh8Tt1GN2NLymgKkRJQ9m0da3U6JkkFel0blRzZQDNpONzqwqDG-oqSIeOLZVl227D_TCdtYNBNxXwFEZhGOl-PtuLS-y0toFwk-fvv6DaV_lk9_H7YdO/s1600/OB-RL765_Obama__G_20120120122842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-gK4mnsM6CAGM_zwSe0eA_seh8Tt1GN2NLymgKkRJQ9m0da3U6JkkFel0blRzZQDNpONzqwqDG-oqSIeOLZVl227D_TCdtYNBNxXwFEZhGOl-PtuLS-y0toFwk-fvv6DaV_lk9_H7YdO/s400/OB-RL765_Obama__G_20120120122842.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">failing to recognize that TURKEY is neither stable nor obedient to the US. Nor will it, or can it, give Washington what it desires in the MIDDLE EAST or the <b>Muslim</b>world. When the Balfour Declaration was announced in 1919, one European Jew was heard to remark to another: “<b>If Britain wanted to give us a land it did not own, why didn’t it give us SWITZERLAND</b>?” Similarly, Ankara cannot give Washington — even if it wished — something it doesn’t own: the ARAB WORLD, the MAGHREB, or CENTRAL ASIA. So Washington toys with Ankara, and fawns to the radical <b>Islamist Muslim Brothers</b> (the Ikhwan), deceiving itself into believing itself still to be a player, if it ever was, in “<b>the Great Game</b>”. <br /><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">GERMANY AND RUSSIA HAD THE BENEFIT OF “RISING FROM THE ASHES”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br />In all of this, RUSSIA, once again with Vladimir Putin in the Presidency as of May 6, 2012, has some advantages. RUSSIA was able to begin building a new state when the USSR collapsed to rubble in 1990. It could reinvent itself, and is now pushing to reinvigorate its manufacturing sector, so that it is not merely a font of oil and gas for WESTERN EUROPE. GERMANY’S success post-World War II was also that it could rise from the ashes, unencumbered by the bureaucratic sclerosis of the past. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Why should AUSTRALIA, once a great manufacturing nation, not resume such a direction, instead of descending to become a Third World source of raw materials for the PRC? Because, as with much of EUROPE and the US, AUSTRALIA lacked the <b>great blessing of a traumatic collapse, </b>and government spending, rather than the stimulation of private investment, remains the focus. (Just as it is the case currently in ARGENTINA)<br /><br />But the frustrations of societies mount in EUROPE and the US, over bureaucracies which rule undemocratically, and which extort “electorates” to pay for governmental gluttony. In ITALY, indeed, they wonder why the world has ignored the coup which replaced their elected government, and which threatens to drive away all investment and prosperity.<br /><br />This is a new world.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">By. Gregory R. Copley</span></span></span></div>

THE U.S. TURNS ITS BACK ON EUROPE,

ALLOWING RUSSIA AND CHINA TO APPROACH EUROPE is at a pivotal point. Or, rather, it is at a point where its structural transformation can no...

Library Assistant - Booth & Dimock Memorial Library

12:56 PM Anonymous 0

Library Assistant - Booth & Dimock Memorial Library

Library Assistant - Booth & Dimock Memorial Library in Coventry has an immediate opening for an energetic, creative Library Assistant...

Cowboy Spaghetti & Weekend Plans

12:23 PM Tukiyooo 0

On the dinner menu this week was, quite frankly, a ton of pasta.  It started off with Cowboy Spaghetti, followed by penne with homemade meatballs, and we rounded it all out last night with Joel's favorite, <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/204702745533861060/" target="_blank">Million Dollar Spaghetti</a>.  <br /><br />But please allow me to share this recipe for the Cowboy Spaghetti.  I borrowed this meal from the <a href="http://www.marlenekoch.com/books/eat-what-you-love/" target="_blank">Eat What You Love</a> cookbook.  This was different from traditional spaghetti in that it combined 3 different meats (beef, turkey and bacon) and was topped off with cheddar cheese, instead of the traditional grated Parmesan.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctzzzglrVr3L_BpnAGVQDABQHvINAoMH8kWL7JSlofL9RhYeMtmj_xYwNH4Y7qHATaf4GGREd-_qVhVTc0E7jSeh8g3Fg7BvL-zUBdGKvdnlQx4UjicyLpeD6rwrNJA6ZHXZzKx5tud8/s1600/eatwhatyoulove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctzzzglrVr3L_BpnAGVQDABQHvINAoMH8kWL7JSlofL9RhYeMtmj_xYwNH4Y7qHATaf4GGREd-_qVhVTc0E7jSeh8g3Fg7BvL-zUBdGKvdnlQx4UjicyLpeD6rwrNJA6ZHXZzKx5tud8/s320/eatwhatyoulove.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><br />I had never heard of this version of pasta prior to making it but after soliciting feedback on Facebook, <a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/" target="_blank">Kelly</a> confirmed that she had!  As it turns out, a quick Google search proved that other versions exist out there too, including a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/cowboy-spaghetti-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">5 star version</a> by Rachael Ray (her version has 298 reviews!).  If you click over, you'll see that the ingredients in her recipe are practically the same as this one I'm about to share!<br /><br /><br /><b>Cowboy Spaghetti</b> - <i>4 PointsPlus (for the sauce only)</i><br /><br /><i>Ingredients:</i><br /><ul><li>3 slices center-cut bacon, chopped</li><li>1 medium onion, chopped</li><li>1 medium green bell pepper, chopped</li><li>3-4 garlic cloves, minced</li><li>2 tsp dried oregano</li><li>1/2 lbs lean ground beef</li><li>1/2 pound lean ground turkey</li><li>1/8 tsp black pepper</li><li>1 tsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)</li><li>2 tsp Worcestershire sauce</li><li>1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes</li><li>1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce</li><li>3/4 cup (3 oz) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese</li></ul><i>Directions:</i><br /><ol><li>Start by cooking your<a href="http://pasta-products-ronzonismarttaste.newworldpasta.com/Thin-Spaghetti-ZX0071300050016ZX2" target="_blank"> pasta of choice</a> according to the package directions while preparing the sauce.  Set aside when done.</li><li>Add the bacon to a large saute pan over medium-high heat and cook 5-6 minutes, or until slightly crispy.  Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and oregano and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until veggies are slightly softened.  Add the ground beef and turkey.  Break apart the meat as it cooks for 5-7 minutes, or until browned.</li><li> Add the black pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire, chopped tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Stir and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.</li><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IpnQbauO30pLN0esxFauEzwXKxiUs4nWjR9lmFp-UEe7Dee7mOS2l_jXo-95xDNmF_WTTeDUL3hIz1YMQS_2Ms_Bjvy9VqgpJIajQcbxrFpGvB_nBV-B2tZ7q1ogXJf0pBwSlMpwGc0/s1600/Camping+&+VA+Beach+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IpnQbauO30pLN0esxFauEzwXKxiUs4nWjR9lmFp-UEe7Dee7mOS2l_jXo-95xDNmF_WTTeDUL3hIz1YMQS_2Ms_Bjvy9VqgpJIajQcbxrFpGvB_nBV-B2tZ7q1ogXJf0pBwSlMpwGc0/s400/Camping+&+VA+Beach+014.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><br /><li>Serve the hot pasta topped with 1/2 cup of the cowboy sauce and shredded cheese.</li></ol><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTPYcyZeocKNRj4PK8fzvAHzEHeT_-MJYVyvR-E-opgS71vCa0QkjYIRDc4ah9HKMn8M-IvVKdv8EOpaeRfWs4Jiadhy4rR9V4SLieiEgaC37ejGtw45B4PQ0xAdgdHPOsoPNtWG4nUU/s1600/cowboy+spaghetti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTPYcyZeocKNRj4PK8fzvAHzEHeT_-MJYVyvR-E-opgS71vCa0QkjYIRDc4ah9HKMn8M-IvVKdv8EOpaeRfWs4Jiadhy4rR9V4SLieiEgaC37ejGtw45B4PQ0xAdgdHPOsoPNtWG4nUU/s320/cowboy+spaghetti.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="color: #674ea7; text-align: center;">*************************</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This weekend I'll be hitting the books and studying all there is to know about human anatomy and physiology.  In case you're new around here, I'm working on a second degree - I want to become a nurse!  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbRvLh0hN9ZEIKONGNi02E79fIc7QIBMuLnDaxixAKuJQ2W2KhhK7Mzi6abTJ7b6XuFoCuQSVx1xBXmAfuWbrDxDwiuepkVVajdnbRpSRIDrqrOapBQ3LAK0bKpCOUGOEiOjU5VMZ0E8/s1600/textbooks+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbRvLh0hN9ZEIKONGNi02E79fIc7QIBMuLnDaxixAKuJQ2W2KhhK7Mzi6abTJ7b6XuFoCuQSVx1xBXmAfuWbrDxDwiuepkVVajdnbRpSRIDrqrOapBQ3LAK0bKpCOUGOEiOjU5VMZ0E8/s400/textbooks+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's right - 4 textbooks for one measly class!  Other than studying, I may have a little shopping trip break to TJ Maxx and/or Lane Bryant.  Apparently LB is having major sales this weekend. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm setting myself up for a fantastic, on plan weekend.  I've already completed 1 of my workouts for the week and I'm feeling very focused and motivated.  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's to maintaining a positive, on plan and productive weekend! </div>

cowboy spaghetti Weight Watcher Recipes Cowboy Spaghetti & Weekend Plans

On the dinner menu this week was, quite frankly, a ton of pasta. It started off with Cowboy Spaghetti, followed by penne with homemade meat...