7 Healthy Seafood Choices

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">7 Healthy Seafood Choices:</span></h1><div style="text-align: center;"> </br><center> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-5028478688240504"; /* LargeInPost_waysforweightloss_300-600 */ google_ad_slot = "6695176472"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 600; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> </center></br> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSCTihACboW2duUc_oFvROHv4MH0L1n478hJz-DaexpdJPyBccy8WSHTYTGg7paYHbi8tGODwJtNBHZqVEWIMDN57Jp2rrJLysSxtL0n1OpEvXosjFy0kAjmTCBaXsA9UGPJYYQ2CnVU/s1600/7+Healthy+Seafood+Choices.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Salmon:</b></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're looking for a satisfying meal choose Salmon, This delicious fish is packed with the most protein of any seafood, and it's also a great source of these significant nutrients: Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Selenium, Riboflavin and Phosphorus.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Rainbow Trout:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and the farmed variety doesn't contain much mercury. it has high levels of selenium, niacin, phosphorus and vitamin B12.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Alaskan King Crab:</b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alaskan king crab is good source of these important nutrients: Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Phosphorus, Protein, and Vitamin C & B12. But regrettably, king crab does have sodium and cholesterol levels are high.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Oysters:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oysters are your best bet If you're concerned about the mercury levels in fish, as they have just 0.01 parts per million. Oysters is good source of protein and it's also zinc levels are extremely high! Which improves your performance in the bedroom!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Scallops:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Has low calories, a relatively low amount of cholesterol.. Contain a balanced portion of minerals and are a good source for protein. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sardines:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can get high levels of these beneficial nutrients in Sardines: Iron, Calcium, Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin D. Sardines contain very small amounts of mercury and is good sources for protein.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Advice: buy sardines packaged in tomato juice.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Eel meat:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eel meat is very healthy and also contains small amounts of mercury. Eel meat  contains the highest levels of any seafood for vitamin D, and it's also a great source for vitamin A, vitamin B12 and protein.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> </br><center> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-5028478688240504"; /* inPost_waysforweightloss_336-280 */ google_ad_slot = "6975892477"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> </center></br> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>

Healthy Weight Loss 7 Healthy Seafood Choices

7 Healthy Seafood Choices: Salmon: If you're looking for a satisfying meal choose Salmon, This delicious fish is packed with the mos...

Read more »

Nokia Works on 6-Inch Phablet With 20 MP Camera: Report

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">After launching its biggest ever smartphone, <a href="http://www.pc-gadgetworld.com/2013/07/nokia-lumia-625-will-get-in-market-in.html" target="_blank">Lumia 625</a>, Nokia is ready to make entry in Phablet section with 6-inch wide screen. The smartphone Lumia 625 with 4.7- inch screen (biggest in Nokia smartphones) may be replaced by this phablet in future. The size of this device will be 6-inch, rumors says.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeml5Vw5Vy8/UhTmL8_GzeI/AAAAAAAAANA/93Xp-lcumTU/s1600/1-nokia-lumia-625-230713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeml5Vw5Vy8/UhTmL8_GzeI/AAAAAAAAANA/93Xp-lcumTU/s1600/1-nokia-lumia-625-230713.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lumia 625</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The way of phablet section is not easy for Nokia because other major companies like Sony, Samsung and Huawei is already present there with their products. The news came from the tech news site "The verge, source of news site reported that Nokia is working on phablet with 6-inch display". The photo of this phablet is also leaked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rwjU-fg6HRE/UhTlsKJ-OwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/ly-GlVR-D2s/s1600/21363404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nokia works on 6-inch phablet with 20 MP camera" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rwjU-fg6HRE/UhTlsKJ-OwI/AAAAAAAAAM4/ly-GlVR-D2s/s1600/21363404.jpg" title="nokia's phablet" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">timesofindia.com</td></tr></tbody></table><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Tech Specification</span>:</h4><div style="text-align: justify;">Nokia’s new phablet will run on quad-core Snapdragon processor with full HD display. A 20 megapixel camera will be present in phablet to capture you movements. The OS will be windows 8, as usual. The report says "Bandit will be the first of many planned 1080p Windows Phone devices".<br /><br />Currently windows 8 smart phone does not support full HD display, but this one came with GDR3 update that will be also realize with same device. This update will also support quad-core processor which will running on Windows OS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Other phablets like Sony Xperia Z Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Note III and Huawei Ascent Mate are available in the market with same features except Android OS, so it is not a path of flower for Nokia, and will get good compete from the other company.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nokia will introduce the device in fourth quarter of this year. The price of Nokia Phablet will be approx. $620 to $780.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author">Anil Swami</a></div></div>

HD Nokia phablet processor.OS Nokia Works on 6-Inch Phablet With 20 MP Camera: Report

After launching its biggest ever smartphone,  Lumia 625 , Nokia is ready to make entry in Phablet section with 6-inch wide screen. The smart...

Read more »

Quickly Lose Weight Following These Simple Steps

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Mark Shayn</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Chew your meals slowly to ensure you don't overeat at mealtimes. This promotes weight loss by taking advantage of the natural timing of the digestive process. It takes several minutes for your brain to catch up to your stomach, making it easy to unintentionally eat past the point of fullness.<br /> <br /> Sneak in your much needed exercise. By sneaking in little exercises here and there, you will burn additional calories without the effort of an extra workout. For example, do calf raises or squats for two minutes while you brush your teeth or do crunches and push-ups during commercial breaks of your favorite TV show.<br /> <br /> Simply turning down the temperature on your thermostat can have a big impact on your overall weight loss. Studies have shown that people who go to sleep in a cooler environment (not exceeding 70 degrees) burn an extra 100 to 200 calories per day. This is due to a process called non-shivering thermogenesis.<br /> <br /> A great way to help you lose weight is to invest in a blender. It can be difficult trying to eat all of the food items that dieting requires sometimes. With a blender you can toss everything in and get all of your nutrition in one drink.<br /> <br /> Splurge once a week. That's right, order that pizza and eat that ice cream at least one time a week. Why? For two reasons: first, your body's metabolism will kick into high gear when it realizes that there will be fluctuations in what you're eating; and secondly, you'll discover that it doesn't taste as good to you as it once did, and you can't eat as much as you used to. You'll see how far you've come.<br /> <br /> If you are just starting to exercise, you should start by walking. You can actually burn a lot of calories by walking, and it is a good way to workout the muscles in your legs. This is a good choice if you want to start really losing weight, as this is an easy transition to running.<br /> <br /> In order to maintain your weight loss it is important to keep the new habits you learned while losing weight. If you increased your fruits and vegetables, stopped drinking soda, and started exercising, you will still need to do that. You cannot work hard to reach your goal and then expect to stay there without effort.<br /> <br /> Weighing yourself on a regular basis and keeping track of your progress will help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. When you weigh yourself every morning, you will know instantly if you are doing the right thing, or if you need to change what you are doing a little bit.<br /> <br /> Reduce the fat and calories that you consume. A single gram of fat contains twice as many calories as a gram of carbohydrate or fat. Avoid foods high in fat and reduce your dairy intake. Watch out for overusing oils, too. When you add fiber from vegetables and fruits to your diet, you are going to always feel full, even if you cut high calorie fats.<br /> <br /> One of the best and most effective ways to keep yourself motivated is to regularly document your progress, even if it is slower than you'd like. Once or twice per month, jot down the results of your body measurements, BMI, or bench press and compare them against your end goal. This holds you accountable and provides the motivation needed to reach your goal.<br /> <br /> You should bring your own lunch to work instead of trying to buy one from a restaurant or the work cafeteria. Not only will this save you money, but it will give you the opportunity to be in control of your fat and caloric intake.<br /> <br /> Whenever possible, cut calories in areas where you won't notice them. Make substitutions like low-fat cheese, sherbet instead of ice cream and turkey bacon instead of pork. Learn to read food labels and look for low-calorie alternatives. If you can consume fewer calories without noticing the reductions, you'll have an easier time sticking to the diet without feeling deprived.<br /> <br /> Swimming is a great way for you to lose excess weight because it burns off many calories. Go to your local gym and sign up for a gym class even if you have a pool at home. Feeling self conscious in a bathing suit might be the boost you need to lose more weight.<br /> <br /> Psyching yourself up for your weight loss journey can be the hardest thing you do. Many people get feelings of dread and panic when they think they will be depriving themselves. This can lead to failing at dieting. Thinking positive and planning ahead can make you very successful at weight loss of any amount.<br /> <br /> Drink all the water you can to aid in weight loss. Most drinks contain fat or sugar, so hydrating with water is the best way to keep your body healthy and slim. Milk is okay to have one glass of per day, but make sure it's skim so the fat content is low.<br /> <br /> When you are sitting in your chair in class or at your job, make sure that you practice good posture at all times. Sitting upright can help to strengthen your core and reduce the stress level that you have. Proper posture can yield great benefits towards your weight loss success.<br /> <br /> To clear up confusion and maintain focus within your weight loss goals, use the advice within this article. There is a lot of misinformation within weight loss conversations that may throw you off track. Pay attention to the basics and take time to enact the tips you have read here.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Those extreme <a href="http://goarticles.com/article/Weight-Loss-Diet-Lose-Weight-And-Keep-It-Off-With-These-Great-Tips/7768339">Weight Loss Diet</a> goals are well within your reach. Go to <a href="http://weightlossdietcoaching.wordpress.com/2013/07/26/weight-loss-diet-drop-some-pounds-effectively-with-these-tips-and-tricks/">Weight Loss Diet blog</a> to see why you Probably DON'T want weight loss and why your weight loss goals are more than likely completely screwed up.</div><br /> </div><br />

Quickly Lose Weight Following These Simple Steps

By Mark Shayn Chew your meals slowly to ensure you don't overeat at mealtimes. This promotes weight loss by taking advantage of the ...

Read more »

Union members lead Minnesota anti-TPP march

<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/AVvXsEgQqYPmBjC4OmF8E7tJfA_uAtK2kBMUQ4I7vWkcwdi0zlfFaag4KivgYU6eLbNOOzm2cT0RAoMDuNAnT8vCUj_7kv8KEJvp1_MdM7BNAAzlLDLtwOBCebUYtmlj9_GTOw1aNYKd3DTHpQ0V/s1600/8-20tpprally4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqYPmBjC4OmF8E7tJfA_uAtK2kBMUQ4I7vWkcwdi0zlfFaag4KivgYU6eLbNOOzm2cT0RAoMDuNAnT8vCUj_7kv8KEJvp1_MdM7BNAAzlLDLtwOBCebUYtmlj9_GTOw1aNYKd3DTHpQ0V/s400/8-20tpprally4.jpg" title="Hundreds of union members marched through downtown Minneapolis to protest the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Union members took to the street in Minneapolis to protest the TPP.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 200 Teamsters and other union members <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://advocate.stpaulunions.org/2013/08/20/cwa-delegates-lead-march-against-trans-pacific-partnership/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">marched against the  corporate-dominated Trans-Pacific Partnership</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (TPP) during a protest in downtown Minneapolis <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yesterday afternoon. They targeted companies involved in negotiations over the secret Pacific Rim trade pact and said the deal’s details should be public.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Demonstrators </span><a href="https://twitter.com/TakeActionMN" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gathered outside offices of telecom giant Verizon as well as U.S. Bank</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. They pointed red foam fingers at the businesses to question why they have access to TPP documents when the rest of the nation – including members of Congress – do not. They also heard about why the proposed agreement is a bad deal for U.S. workers from Rep. Keith Ellison, union leaders and activists.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Several speakers demanded that workers have a seat at the table so they can share their concerns about TPP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>And the crowd, engaging in chants, agreed:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Secrets, secrets are no fun! TPP hurts everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The march, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CWAUnion" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">organized by the Communications Workers of America (CWA)</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, was especially timely as TPP supporters are lobbying Congress to rubber stamp the secret deal through “fast track authority.” Protesters railed against fast track, which would allow Congress to take a quick up-or-down vote on the TPP and for which, debate would be <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>limited <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and amendments would be barred. Fast track would keep the deal shrouded in secrecy from the public until it is too late. By approving fast track, Congress would be abrogating its constitutional requirement to review all trade deals before they are approved. CWA President Larry Cohen said we can’t allow that to happen:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need fair trade, not fast track. We have to say this to the White House, loud and clear.</span></blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No one disagrees that, in an increasingly global economy, America should expand its trade with other countries so we can create jobs for American workers and maintain our global leadership. What we disagree on are the terms of trade, which need to be fair and promote a living wage for workers. It is something U.S. trade representatives should focus on as <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130819-704151.html" rel="nofollow">they resume TPP trade negotiations in Brunei</a> later this week.</span></div>

fast track Teamsters TPP Union members lead Minnesota anti-TPP march

Union members took to the street in Minneapolis to protest the TPP. About 200 Teamsters and other union members   marched against the  corpo...

Read more »

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones — Completely mundane

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/themortalinstrumentscityofbones/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>2.5 stars. Rating: PG-13, for intense fantasy violence and action, and mild sensuality</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a></b></span></b></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every time I endure a clumsy fantasy such as this one, I’m reminded of what a rare and wonderful creature television’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i>was, during its run from 1997 through 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagqN3MQuanRkW2K3HN8Q0AeHai7uChYy0Dlgcw5gAVEenjzxgLeeGv36ooO0T06inbpCVHj72T5zkOCJMkcJ-LPJsKxEMwZxokI3weSti8KtugfuO477lM_C7sVNFc56Mjj_vmz65IlM/s1600/Mortal+Instruments+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagqN3MQuanRkW2K3HN8Q0AeHai7uChYy0Dlgcw5gAVEenjzxgLeeGv36ooO0T06inbpCVHj72T5zkOCJMkcJ-LPJsKxEMwZxokI3weSti8KtugfuO477lM_C7sVNFc56Mjj_vmz65IlM/s400/Mortal+Instruments+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Our so-called heroine is Clary (Lily Collins), the one cowering at the far right. Despite<br />some intriguing powers, she's pretty useless in a fight, unlike her new colleague<br />Isabelle (Jemima West), every inch a gritty warrior. Goodness, even Clary's longtime<br />— and fully human — friend Simon (Robert Sheehan), despite his constant terror, is<br />more resourceful.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which is to say, I’m reminded of the care that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffy</i> creator Joss Whedon took, with respect to characters, plotlines and — most essential of all — tone. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffy</i> was droll without being stupid, and Whedon and his fellow writers rigorously obeyed the rules that had been set forth, sometimes years earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if characters developed a fondness for each other — sometimes pairing off in highly unexpected fashion — they did so reasonably maturely (well, allowing for the crazed parameters of the show’s universe, anyway). They behaved like strong, self-assured and intelligent young adults. Most of the time. When not driven by ill-advised impulses ... but, even then, we rarely rolled our eyes in scorn. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whedon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">respected</i> us, as viewers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In great contrast, director Harald Zwart and scripter Jessica Postigo don’t respect us at all, with their big-screen adaptation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i>. It’s the epitome of a dumb fantasy, and its core characters — male or female — behave, at all times, like puerile little girls with absolutely no control over their emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which begs the question: What is this film’s target audience? The violence and monsters are too vicious for 8-year-olds, but the material and tone are too juvenile for older tweens and teens.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hoped, going in, that this film would be a gender-flipped Harry Potter clone, with a stalwart female lead whom viewers could embrace. Instead, Zwart borrows much more heavily from the long-suffering sighs, pouty expressions and moronic motivations typical of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twilight</i> series. Our so-called heroine, Clary, simply isn’t worthy. And if our mortal realm honestly depends on her — and her hormones-in-hyperdrive “Scooby gang” — for survival, then we’re all in a lotta trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zwart’s film is based on the young adult fantasy series by Cassandra Clare (actually a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nom de plume</i> for Judith Rumelt), currently up to six books and counting. I’m not familiar with the books, and therefore unsure who to blame for this film’s breathlessly melodramatic tone. Perhaps Postigo made the best of what she was given, in which case Clare’s young readers deserve better. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I can say this much with certainty: The film frequently feels more like a genre rip-off than a fantasy homage, whether dealing with little details — referring to us ordinary types as “mundanes,” a term swiped from both Piers Anthony’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Xanth</i> novels and television’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Babylon 5</i> — and larger plot twists, such as a familial theme shamelessly snitched from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> series.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Factor in a longstanding antipathy between werewolves and our “Shadowhunter” protagonists, and one can’t help hearing echoes of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twilight</i>books, as well. Indeed, it feels as though Postigo (and/or Clare) borrowed key elements from several existing (superior) properties, mashed ’em all together and expected a result that, by definition, couldn’t help being just as popular.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doesn’t work that way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mostly, though, I’m irritated by Postigo’s reliance on half-baked plot developments, absurd narrative twists and characters who can’t decide whether to be good, evil or something in between. Then, too, it’s mighty convenient that all these nasty demons can appear and disappear at will, be all-powerful enough to kill in the blink of an eye — victims hauled away, screaming, before we can register the attack — and yet be dispatched deftly by our heroes whenever a given scene demands as much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again — and how many times have I complained, bitterly, about this? — our heroes and villains are only as strong, or as weak, as they need to be, at a given moment. All of which gives this film a slapdash feel, its momentum akin to the random behavior of a pinball machine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The plot, such as it is:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of late, Brooklyn-based Clarissa “Clary” Fray (Lily Collins) has been obsessed with an odd symbol that she keeps doodling, even in her sleep. This clearly troubles her mother, Jocelyn (Lena Headey), who exchanges worried glances with longtime family friend Luke (Aidan Turner). Jocelyn’s husband — Clary’s father — is long out of the picture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, while visiting a nightclub with best friend Simon (Robert Sheehan), Clary witnesses a horrific murder committed by a hooded young man with eerie eyes; oddly, nobody else in the club notices anything amiss.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clary soon meets this fellow more formally, learning that he’s Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower). He explains — knowing that she won’t believe him — that he’s a veteran demon hunter, a Shadowhunter, and that the apparent “murder” was merely a demon being dispatched. Indeed, Clary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t</i> accept this crazed information ... but then she receives a frantic phone call from her mother, hurries home to find the place trashed and her mother gone, and very nearly loses her own life to a ghastly dog-type monster (a “ravener demon,” for those keeping track).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jace, trying to be helpful, takes Clary — and tag-along Simon — to The Institute, a Shadowhunter stronghold whose mentor, Hodge (Jared Harris), possesses the wisdom to teach her how to control and use an increasing variety of supernatural talents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least, that’s what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> happen next. But we see little evidence of actual training; Clary spends all her time mooning over the hunky Jace, much to the displeasure of both Simon — who has loved her from afar, since childhood — and fellow Shadowhunter Alec Lightwood (Kevin Zegers), who has his own not-so-secret crush on Jace. Cue romantic interludes, chaste kisses and bosom-heaving sighs, particularly every time Clary glances at Jace, who obligingly flips his long blond hair in the manner of a male model in a bodice-ripping romance novel cover shoot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, minor points to all concerned for the unusual romantic trapezoid, with two corners occupied by a potential gay relationship. But this development is handled with bizarre incompetence by Postigo, who has Clary confront Alec over his concealed desires, only to abandon this plot thread for the rest of the film. And while this heated exchange between Clary and Alec is lifted directly from Clare’s novel, the point is that Zwart doesn’t elicit believable performances from his two actors, as they squabble. The result is unintentionally hilarious. And painful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the gag-me-with-a-pitchfork moment arrives when Jace and Clary, enjoying some quiet time in The Institute’s attic greenhouse, wander among the plants in what becomes a music montage, with a maudlin, third-rate love song complementing their mutual come-hither expressions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you imagine a Harry Potter movie interrupted by such a gratuitous sequence? The howls from enraged fans would have been heard for miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this still the state of things, in the 21st century? Where is it written that girl-oriented fantasy must be marred by such soggy, sentimental, senses-dulling slush?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our primary cast is completed by Isabelle (Jemima West), Alec’s battle-hardened sister, who is every inch the take-charge warrior that we wish Clary could be. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Should</i> be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything subsequently revolves around the “Mortal Cup,” a mystical totem bequeathed to the original, long-ago Shadowhunters by the angel Raziel, and which now is sought by the evil Valentine (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and his two vicious acolytes, Blackwell and Pangborn (Robert Maillet and Kevin Durand). The latter remind me an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">awful</i> lot of Croup and Vandemar, the vicious acolytes from Neil Gaiman’s 1996 TV miniseries-turned-novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Neverwhere</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fairness, Zwart and Postigo handle a few things fairly well, most notably Clary’s various encounters with her spooky, fortune-teller neighbor (CCH Pounder, playing the part superbly). I also got a kick out of J.S. Bach’s historical role as an early Shadowhunter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand, it’s rather odd that a story subtitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">City of Bones</i>spends only a few minutes within the actual, mystical “city of bones” ... and to no effect, I might add. Frankly, given this film’s primary focus, it should have been titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mortal Instruments: Young Love at The Institute</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collins, perhaps remembered as Snow White in last year’s lamentable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2012/03/mirror-mirror-shattering-disappointment.html">Mirror, Mirror</a></i>, tries to make something of her character, but she’s given little by Postigo’s script; Clary is the least interesting character in this story, which is bad news for a so-called heroine. Zegers’ Alec remains a cipher, and Headey remains underused as Clary’s mother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">West fares better as Isabelle, and Godfrey Gao makes a strong impression as Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Sheehan does reasonably well as the love-struck Simon, also the focus of a subtle plot device left unresolved, apparently in anticipation of a sequel (and good luck with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>). And poor Harris can’t begin to get a bead on his performance as Hodge, whose allegiance seems to shift by the nanosecond.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bower delivers the strongest performance, his Jace a young man of genuine mystery. Bower carries himself properly, looks capable in a demon-infested fight, and is the only cast member capable of putting the correct spin on a sarcastic one-liner. Everybody else flops miserably, while trying to deliver a quip; the so-called jokes rip us out of the story every time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s also impossible to track how we’re supposed to feel about whom, during the course of a 120-minute flick that overstays its welcome by at least half an hour. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jace warns Clary, early on, that demons can take on any form, without a “mundane” being able to tell, and that she should trust nobody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He should have warned us viewers not to trust Zwart and Postigo, because they’ve absolutely <i>no</i> feel for this genre.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><!--EndFragment-->

2013 Aidan Turner CCH Pounder fantasy Jamie Campbell Bower Jemima West Jonathan Rhys Meyers Kevin Zegers Lena Headey Lily Collins Robert Sheehan The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones — Completely mundane

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones   (2013) •  View trailer   2.5 stars. Rating: PG-13, for intense fantasy violence and action, and mild...

Read more »

The Ideal Rep Range For Muscle Building

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Russ Howe</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>How many reps should you do to build muscular size and strength? Today we'll give you that answer and a few others as we help you on your quest to discover how to build muscle quickly and effectively with proven, science backed methods in the gym.<br /> <br /> First of all don't worry. If you're a little lost on your training and what you should or shouldn't be doing, one thing is for certain. You are not alone. In fact, most people are in the exact same situation, they just don't do anything about it and spend years going through the motions without seeing any results. Today, you separate yourself from that crowd. <br /> <br /> The reason most men get a bit lost with fitness is they're training for two different goals simultaneously. Whereas the majority of girls just want to shed fat, guys want to build while losing unwanted fat.<br /> <br /> The first step to achieving the body you want is to learn that your body will not change by itself. You literally have to force it into change. It's only concern is keeping you alive, it really doesn't care if you'd like to look different. In order to make it more powerful you need to force it to become so.<br /> <br /> The first thing to do is to understand the different repetition ranges and what they do:<br /> <br /> * The hypertrophy zone.<br /> <br /> * Endurance.<br /> <br /> Given that you want size and strength you should be trying to hit your hypertrophy zone. This means you should be aiming towards the eight to twelve rep range. This will ensure you fall within the correct zone for building a more powerful physique.<br /> <br /> The other zone we mentioned is for muscular endurance. It's suited to those looking to build stamina as well as tone up, but it will not be a fantastic way to train for those more concerned with pure strength and size. That zone is made up of sets which end in the 15-20 range.<br /> <br /> If you'd like to give yourself a confidence boost, we urge you to take a look around the resistance section the next time you walk into your local gym. You will see people training with seemingly no structure, going through the motions and, despite putting in effort while training, not seeing any results specific to what they want to achieve.<br /> <br /> The majority of people don't learn the different training methods and as a result they don't make much progress. It's up there with common gym myths, such as women who are afraid to touch resistance machines for fear they'll get big.<br /> <br /> The second thing you need to do to make the most of hitting the hypertrophy zone is to progress. Your body's only job is to keep you alive, it does not care about your desire to build a more appealing look. It's not going to change unless you force it to change.<br /> <br /> The rep range we brought your attention to is a good way to do this. Many people ask us how much weight they should be using on a particular exercise and your rep range will determine this for you. For hypertrophy, find a weight which forces you to quit at around eight reps and then keep working with that weight until you get stronger. Once you can manage twelve reps at that level it's time to increase the resistance, forcing yourself back down to eight reps at a slightly heavier level and beginning the cycle again.<br /> <br /> And there you have it, guys. You now know the two things which many gym users never discover. You know how to build muscle with the right amount of reps for your goal and you know when to increase the resistance. Say hello to new results.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Publisher: Russ Howe PTI is the UK's most subscribed <a href="http://RussHowePTI.com">Personal Trainer</a>. Learn <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KFcTIpXe90">how to build muscle</a> with our free video guide teaching the five rules to a more muscular body.</div><br /> </div><br />

The Ideal Rep Range For Muscle Building

By Russ Howe How many reps should you do to build muscular size and strength? Today we'll give you that answer and a few others as w...

Read more »

Reasons To Enroll To Advocare Diet Plan

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Andrea Davidson</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Health is a key issue in the current society. It can be hard to maintain a healthy body. This is the reason Advocare came up with a 24 day challenge. There is a provided Advocare diet plan that an individual is expected to observe. Rules are set for them to make it easier for the to observe the right diet set.<br /> <br /> The whole challenge is made up of a total of two phases. The cleanse phase is the first one to be done. This is the stage that calls for removal of initial waste from the body. This can also be referred to as detoxification. The max phase is the second stage. In this stage an individual starts the work of cutting their weight.<br /> <br /> Vegetables and other non fatty food are the ones that should be taken during this 24day challenge. Vegetables such as romaine lettuce. There are some that are already washed and just ready for consumption. This can serve as a very good snack instead of consuming junk. One can also eat it as they prepare their food. It has fiber and also the amount of calories in it is below 50.<br /> <br /> Spices are the other things that the diet should not be having. It is however advisable to just use mustard spice. The reason for this is that it has less or no sugar compared to the other spices. These spices could also be having too much calories compared to the mustard that has a 0% calorie content. However it is good to make sure that the mustard that you are buying is free from calories.<br /> <br /> Herbal tea is also a health tip provided for the 24day challenge. Wine is the normal drink that people opt to drink after meals as they relax. Herbal tea can be a substitute for this as it is way healthier. Due to the natural ingredients, it is even more recommended. Its sweetness even without sugar is outstanding and it also helps an individual relax.<br /> <br /> Brown rice comes in as a better option in the main course. This is because it has portrayed great advantages over white rice. One of the reasons for this is that it has fiber necessary for digestion. It also has less sodium compared to even white rice. One is also required to just confirm that the rice they are buying has no sodium since some companies have it in some amounts.<br /> <br /> There are challenges face between the 24day period causing one to break the rules. They can however just get back on track within a few minutes. After they have gone partying and taken alcohol, fruits should be taken first. Preferable blackberries as their fiber content is high. They could also do with a whole load of vegetable meal. Some of the best include broccoli, orange cherry tomatoes and steamed asparagus.<br /> <br /> The last thing is water. Water should be something that one takes so many times in a day. It is generally good for the body. It is very crucial in digestion. However after 24 day <A href="http://www.advomsds.com">Advocare diet plan</A>, one ha to make a decision. This may entail them going on with the healthy diet or returning to their initial diet. It all depend on whether they want to lose more weight.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'><a href="http://www.advomsds.com">Read more about</a> Importance Of Enrolling To Advocare Diet Plan visiting our website.</div><br /> </div><br />

Reasons To Enroll To Advocare Diet Plan

By Andrea Davidson Health is a key issue in the current society. It can be hard to maintain a healthy body. This is the reason Advocare ...

Read more »

Minimum wage lower today than during the March on Washington

<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/AVvXsEgK0ug9BnZqnIlQISicPY7fDwH67YljQFsmp4dcuVbGlygAHXOXCI9WfcqHX6r94-T1sHgLb8S7U3oRXYcrB_tOYOd3mzVL562DMNPBRux0niDO3pCqlHW72A2U8-5lbUFEa6T9_eQsycXj/s1600/March+on+Washington+equality+for+all.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0ug9BnZqnIlQISicPY7fDwH67YljQFsmp4dcuVbGlygAHXOXCI9WfcqHX6r94-T1sHgLb8S7U3oRXYcrB_tOYOd3mzVL562DMNPBRux0niDO3pCqlHW72A2U8-5lbUFEa6T9_eQsycXj/s320/March+on+Washington+equality+for+all.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">50 years ago: Teamsters head to D.C.</td></tr></tbody></table>Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, a significant moment in civil rights and labor history. In the days leading up to the celebration, we are going to reexamine the demands of protesters, <a href="http://www.teamster.org/history/teamster-history/civil-rights">including many Teamsters</a>, and measure them against the progress made in the past 50 years.<br /><br />The march was as much about creating more good jobs as it was about racial discrimination. Organizers, after all, called it, "The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom">March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom</a>." Since 1963, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States">percentage of people in poverty has fallen</a>, from about 20 percent in 1963 to about 15 percent today.<br /><br />One of the most overlooked demands of the march was “a national minimum wage act that will give all Americans a decent standard of living.” Protesters wanted $2.00 an hour.<br /><br />Today, that $2.00 hourly wage would equal $15.26 per hour, similar to what the “<a href="http://lowpayisnotok.org/">Strike for 15</a>” coalition of fast food and other low-paid workers across the country are advocating.<br /><br />Though low-wage workers are fighting for the same economic opportunities they were 50 years ago, their current economic reality is much worse.<br /><br />Today the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Some political leaders have been talking about increasing the wage, but <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/29/politics/minimum-wage-congress-obama/">no significant effort has been put into reform</a>.<br /><br />In August of 1963, <a href="http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.pdf">theminimum wage was $1.15</a>. Today, a minimum wage worker who attended the March on Washington would be making an hourly rate of $8.78, according to the <a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm">ConsumerPrice Index converter</a>. The difference is that back then that rate was considered so low that Congress increased the rate less than a month later.<br /><br />If the minimum wage were tied to inflation, full-time minimum wage workers would be making over $3,000 extra annually.<br /><br />The impact is readily felt. Assuming a minimum wage employee works full time, with no time off for vacation, holidays, or illness, they would still need $7,000 to avoid falling below the official poverty line if they take care of anyone else<br /><br />For a family of four with two kids, the Census Bureau says the absolute minimum workers need to support themselves is $22,811. At minimum wage, one worker would need to work more than 60 hours a week to support a family with the bare essentials.<br /><br />Back in 1963, the same worker would have worked 10 fewer hours to meet the same requirements.<br /><br />Obviously, many workers are forced to look for additional help.<br /><br />The food stamp program, known as SNAP, was established permanently in 1963 to feed hungry low-income American families.<br /><br />In the first two years of the program, fewer than a half million people were enrolled. Today 47 million people, or <a href="http://www.wltx.com/news/article/245507/2/Congress-Eyes-Cuts-to-Food-Stamps">15 percent of Americans</a>, are enrolled. Another 15 million people are financially eligible for SNAP, but haven't enrolled in the program.<br /><br />With wages stagnating and low income jobs on the rise, maybe it’s time to start marching again.<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>

Minimum wage lower today than during the March on Washington

50 years ago: Teamsters head to D.C. Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, a significant moment in civil rights a...

Read more »

SchoolNet Webinar on Mindmapping - Thursday at 3:30pm and again at 6:00pm. Join us!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="image" border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND-7vR_S5KetCsRuiieJuCP3U3OHj3UNxhloEod3lPFHPju3U1tJVxacSYItDmPFAlMHHTxuD6VDaRJ0prUjpmqbG04eU506o6iXHUyjCydLdCTWaD6v8UZUEcy9PpirzM3U0UCPXeLg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are pleased to announce that we will be holding Carolyn Bruton's webinar on <i>Mindmapping using the Ipad and other devices</i> in two different time slots on Thursday. The first will be at 3:30 pm and the repeat slot will be at 6:00 pm. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Details</b></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Name</b></span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;">: <b>Mindmapping using an Pad and other devices</b>: 3:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Summary</b></span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;">: Carolyn says. "We will examine the development and use of mind mapping with toddlers through to senior students using freehand drawing activities and how they are constructed. I will discuss my journey with mind maps in a junior school (Kidspiration & Inspiration) and my search for iPad alternatives at the iStore. We will look at resources, blogs, articles and websites which summarise and compare mind mapping software and will conclude the webinar by considering those which worked best for the presenter and those attending the webinar."<br /><u><b>Presenter</b></u>: Carolyn Bruton</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><u>Starting Time</u>:</b> Thursday 22 August: 3:30 PM</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>Duration</b></u>:30 mins </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>URL</b></u>:</span><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/mindmapping1/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/mindmapping1/</a></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>Access</b></u>: Anyone who has the URL for the meeting can enter the room </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Name</b></span></u><span style="line-height: 18px;">: <b>Mindmapping using an Pad and other devices</b>: 6:00pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Summary</b></span></u><span style="line-height: 18px;">: Carolyn says. "We will examine the development and use of mind mapping with toddlers through to senior students using freehand drawing activities and how they are constructed. I will discuss my journey with mind maps in a junior school (Kidspiration & Inspiration) and my search for iPad alternatives at the iStore. We will look at resources, blogs, articles and websites which summarise and compare mind mapping software and will conclude the webinar by considering those which worked best for the presenter and those attending the webinar."<br /><u><b>Presenter</b></u>: Carolyn Bruton</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>Starting Time</b></u>: Thursday 22 August: 6:00 PM</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>Duration</b></u>:30 mins </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><u><b>URL</b></u>:</span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/mindmapping2/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/mindmapping2/</a>   </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(This is a repeat of the earlier Mindmapping webinar)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><b><u>Access</u>:</b> Anyone who has the URL for the meeting can enter the room </span></div></div><table cellpadding="4" class="infoTable" style="background-color: white; padding: 2px 5px;"><tbody></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>More about Carolyn Bruton</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Carolynn Bruton retired from formal teaching in 2011 after teaching IT at Springfield Junior School in Cape Town for 18 years.  Her interest in mind mapping led to her receiving an Inspired Teacher Scholarship in 2006 which included a trip to the USA and Canada. She attended technology events and workshops using hand held devices there. Carolynn now runs her own company IT at Home </span><a href="http://www.itathome.co.za/"><span lang="EN-US">www.itathome.co.za</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> where she teaches adults to use their own laptops, iPads and other devices in a computer room in her <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6067349343549361447" name="_GoBack"></a>home in Rondebosch.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div></div>

webinars SchoolNet Webinar on Mindmapping - Thursday at 3:30pm and again at 6:00pm. Join us!

We are pleased to announce that we will be holding Carolyn Bruton's webinar on Mindmapping using the Ipad and other devices in two diff...

Read more »

Apply to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7g56hiXC6QzhF82MF6XuC0N0tJIMaYBpM7DgPmfRmWdiYHSyki5QLtuqBTp-ntL4ACTeOZsqCvFVwHfGgKGMSTw8Tb53ecetVpDlxNyugzl9mdeg2PkJ4eb1fdKIJRdFdXjXcbqDpFY/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLbOfUfa6t3LqLzCWwGN3F1bZnAHY5Wwz-obRke3a3EunAP81sj1Uu6Cy5f5DzUAdjG56TgwUtuMC8o9KDfEnZX0kJWgZzxuVeMgYSjljjuzdTmuE1Jh4FP_z4edlkgiq0g_UWpgoXus/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="144" /></a><br /><em>Submitted by Megan Rademeyer</em><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like to win a trip to Barcelona, Spain to participate in the Global Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum you have until 30 September 2013 to apply to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert  (<a href="http://www.pil-network.com/Educators/expert">http://www.pil-network.com/Educators/expert</a>). If you are passionate about using technology to enhance education and motivating others you could be selected to join this exclusive global community by applying to be an Educator Expert and sharing your Learning Activity on the Partners in Learning Network (<a href="http://www.pil-network.com/">http://www.pil-network.com</a>). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To see some of the Learning Activities that were presented by teachers at the SchoolNet SA ICT in the Classroom conference, have a look at the 2013 South Africa and Lesotho Partners in Learning Discussion on the Partners in Learning Network (<a href="http://www.pil-network.com/Discussion/488ae828-fa68-4ef5-83a0-faa249c866c4">http://www.pil-network.com/Discussion/488ae828-fa68-4ef5-83a0-faa249c866c4</a>). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><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/AVvXsEgfDB2LBf-_P3mjMjJA7QAP2vma2IJKmTZgaYezuEt-R4Sl7-SGWMS6cPWQdclvAcUcl6aD9Zn2833RLZQBjvNjjzeOdMCNaNr-LHWil-VVBJa3CzTkUUCMHVpIIGCHkzpdnNPgUwBzmZo/s1600-h/WP_20130702_002%252520%2525281%252529%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="WP_20130702_002 (1)" border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnY4b69YE4mwRgayntwCKGXKc5lBdpC8S3nKZvh-4lsxxt3SNBZkNlIf28pJu2_FCRzXyc5AvipJ0Npvl3i3sH5HdLQnKZzbLk_2HfU4aAEIfCas4BVN-ynIxqSh6VhZMX22QroEHDy8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="WP_20130702_002 (1)" width="403" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the teachers <span style="text-align: left;">who presented their Learning Activities at the SchoolNet Conference in July 2013</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of these teachers will be selected to go to the Global Partners in Learning Forum – but there is still time for others to enter by 30 September 2013 to be part of the team that will represent South Africa and Lesotho in Barcelona, Spain. You have nothing to lose by applying and sharing your Learning Activity – so show the world what you can do and stand a chance of winning the professional development experience of a lifetime!</span><br /><br /><br /></div>

Microsoft Apply to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert

Submitted by Megan Rademeyer If you would like to win a trip to Barcelona, Spain to participate in the Global Microsoft Partners in Learning...

Read more »

The Elder Scrolls Online Payment Model Revealed

<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qUUpeyJG01s/UhTFJq7oA1I/AAAAAAAADDo/QZs_P4ireZk/s1600-h/f8e75680cc7b1ab067%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="f8e75680cc7b1ab067" border="0" height="529" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ar4gi3E-ktU/UhTFKO90oNI/AAAAAAAADDw/oX2ZkRZyq_M/f8e75680cc7b1ab067_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" title="f8e75680cc7b1ab067" width="844"></a> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">The German gaming site, <a href="http://www.gamestar.de/" target="_blank">Game Star</a>, released an </font><a href="http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/the-elder-scrolls-online/artikel/the_elder_scrolls_online,44578,3026853.html" target="_blank"><font size="3">article</font></a><font size="3"> this morning interviewing  Matt Firor, General Manager of Zenimax Online.  The Elder Scrolls Online will be a subscription based game. The first thirty days of game play are free with the purchase of the game, after that there is a per month fee associated with continued play.  The monthly fee will be the standard MMO subscription fee of $14.99/€12.99/£8.99.</font>  </p> <div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ffdfabe2-acb9-4340-b568-2e186c4d4e98" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/The+Elder+Scrolls+Online.+TESO" rel="tag">The Elder Scrolls Online. TESO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Zenimax" rel="tag">Zenimax</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bethesda" rel="tag">Bethesda</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MMO" rel="tag">MMO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/video+games" rel="tag">video games</a></div>

Bethesda MMO TESO The Elder Scrolls video games Zenimax The Elder Scrolls Online Payment Model Revealed

The German gaming site, Game Star , released an article this morning interviewing  Matt Firor, General Manager of Zenimax Online.  The El...

Read more »

SchoolNet attends the Intel® Oxford Curriculum Roundtable in the UK - July 2013

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><em>Submitted by Omashani Naidoo</em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Intel Roundtable curriculum discussion  was held at Wolfson's College, Oxford, United  Kingdom. South Africa participated with 25 other countries from Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. This event was well represented by over 70 delegates from various Education sectors with Omashani Naidoo representing SchoolNetSA. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx00y2bHfo_90P-MbcxjF6TEDwOA89LkxWkgOHV8fefE57_zKFsaSCwCebb9ghXY-ZsN5BjjkL_v4uQv7V9TMc-bnCkcF0wXw-dmFByezK7-LI00RzBpxFuw8O0-G-J9CjBoRyjReeQE/s1600/oxford.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx00y2bHfo_90P-MbcxjF6TEDwOA89LkxWkgOHV8fefE57_zKFsaSCwCebb9ghXY-ZsN5BjjkL_v4uQv7V9TMc-bnCkcF0wXw-dmFByezK7-LI00RzBpxFuw8O0-G-J9CjBoRyjReeQE/s1600/oxford.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Omashani says, "The Roundtable workshop was indeed an eye-opener. There are many parallels and actually being a third world country is irrelevant when it comes down to being innovative. South Africa is engaging in many implementation strategies that our counterparts in Europe and Asia are currently working on. Yes we have a lot of social challenges but we are not laggards when it comes to trending in education."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Download or read the rest of this report <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7qOnpaO5hRldmhidk9FSTdGajQ/edit?usp=sharing">here</a>.</span></div>

Intel SchoolNet attends the Intel® Oxford Curriculum Roundtable in the UK - July 2013

Submitted by Omashani Naidoo The Intel Roundtable curriculum discussion  was held at Wolfson's College, Oxford, United  Kingdom. South A...

Read more »

False rumors + anonymous accusers = gossip

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzY9BoIxGa4OCzevihFItZ6L48-6kftICvCO7HaxTV9twUtBpoT2JIzYaXhbsiOqUbOvkrzgbC5R-YQs-K3KeU1zaOzeSq5t_klMZzZ3GThLCGaf3pLOcX1Yk39AotKveDLc2J1yRzEFf/s1600/Pineapple-coconut+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzY9BoIxGa4OCzevihFItZ6L48-6kftICvCO7HaxTV9twUtBpoT2JIzYaXhbsiOqUbOvkrzgbC5R-YQs-K3KeU1zaOzeSq5t_klMZzZ3GThLCGaf3pLOcX1Yk39AotKveDLc2J1yRzEFf/s320/Pineapple-coconut+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />False rumors ... anonymous accusers. Seems to be a staple not only in politics but in many walks of life. What it amounts to is "Gossip," the subject of Pineapple and Coconut's latest adventure at <a href="http://vapolitics.us/2013/08/gossip/">Virginia Politics On Demand</a>.<br /><br /><i>Graphic by Kurt Michael</i><br /><i>PoliticalPineapple.com</i>

Kurt Michael Pineapple and Coconut political cartoon Va Political Pineapple Virginia Politics On Demand False rumors + anonymous accusers = gossip

False rumors ... anonymous accusers. Seems to be a staple not only in politics but in many walks of life. What it amounts to is "Gossip...

Read more »

Foggy late-summer Shenandoah Valley sunrise

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFtGrGz8Wj8Gm25b02sAQDh9F3xHjXEewDqce6vNNKp72RSafI_HQqzPo4Fwp2InO_5ZZpO-INPjSWoVzv58BOxHW3ZF17wZ4ab3Ne0vFuTw7j99UnhDMhhCsGaeySBL_i7J8JCnybhwk/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFtGrGz8Wj8Gm25b02sAQDh9F3xHjXEewDqce6vNNKp72RSafI_HQqzPo4Fwp2InO_5ZZpO-INPjSWoVzv58BOxHW3ZF17wZ4ab3Ne0vFuTw7j99UnhDMhhCsGaeySBL_i7J8JCnybhwk/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Foggy morning in the Shenandoah Valley as I tiptoed with bare feet through the cold, dew-covered grass to grab a photo of the sun rising behind the ridge. </div><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />August 21, 2013

Augusta County foggy morning summer in Shenandoah Valley sunrise Foggy late-summer Shenandoah Valley sunrise

  Foggy morning in the Shenandoah Valley as I tiptoed with bare feet through the cold, dew-covered grass to grab a photo of the sun rising b...

Read more »

5 Ways to Resolve Social Media Misunderstandings and a conversation with @swpax

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Social_media_revolution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Infographic on how Social Media are b..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="493" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Social_media_revolution.jpg/300px-Social_media_revolution.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Infographic on how Social Media are being used, and how everything is changed by them. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Social_media_revolution.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table>Misunderstandings happen. They happen on Twitter. They happen on Facebook. They happen in our lives. <br /><br /><h2>Case in Point...</h2>A few weeks a go, a teacher, <a href="https://twitter.com/swpax" target="_blank">Shawn White</a> contacted me through direct message on Twitter. He and I had exchanged a tweet on a Friday night. Then, I got up Saturday and started continuing to write a post I had started earlier in the week. This post turned into "<a href="http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/08/questioning-rigor.html" target="_blank">Questioning Rigor</a>" and was prompted by <a href="http://www.twitter.com/#/burgessdave" target="_blank">Dave Burgess</a>' ponderings in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0988217600/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0988217600&linkCode=as2&tag=httpwwwbrighc-20" id="static_txt_preview" style="background-color: white; color: #996633; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Teach Like a PIRATE</a>.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Shawn had messaged back and somehow the conversation had turned to this term of Rigor. Shawn <a href="http://swpax.us/685?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferd3fec&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">feels that "vigor"</a> is a better word to use and expresses it well in his blog post and also at the beginning of this recording. I understand his argument.<br /><br />Well, our tweets, and my post were all sort of happening at the same time. He had texted me a link but I hadn't read it yet. I was offline writing and then posted my post. Shawn was offline when my post went live but got on later and after we had conversed a bit, heard I had written a post. At the time, he was a bit curious and perhaps a tad upset that I hadn't cited our conversation although later understood what happened.<br /><br />Fortunately, he reached out to me on Twitter DM. He reached out for two reasons.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>First, to make sure that I knew that although he'd read Dave's book that his own post came out of his own thoughts and wasn't a knock off of what Dave said since Shawn hadn't gotten to that part of the book.<br /></li><li>Second, he just wanted to ask or let me know on the misunderstanding of his part as to my timing of the post just to get it off his chest.</li></ul><br /><br />I went back and looked at all the timings of the tweets and my post and realized that it was one of those things were two people really were thinking about the same thing at the same time. Similarly when Shawn pondered his own post - he knew that although it was in Dave's book that he had come up with what he said before he read that part of the book.<br /><h3>Yet the worries nag</h3>So, if Shawn and I both knew that we were OK in our timing and our motivations were true. Why should we do anything about it? Why should we be transparent?<br /><br />Honestly, there was no need to write this post. There was no need to have Shawn <a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1188:teaching-teachers-with-technology&catid=91:every-classroom-matters&Itemid=259" target="_blank">on my online show</a> to talk about Vigor and Rigor and also discuss what happens when we have misunderstandings on social media. EXCEPT.<br /><br />Except that this happens all the time. It happens. It happens even more now that social media is part of our lives.<br /><h3>A typical social media misunderstanding</h3>I'm not going to say it happens ALL THE TIME with me, but perhaps 2 or 3 times a year.<br /><br />Someone might tweet me a link and I don't have time to read it (I star them to <a href="http://www.getpocket.com/" target="_blank">Pocket</a> and sit down and read links in the evenings b/c my students are my focus at school.) But in the meantime, I write or share something that I've been thinking. Then, I get a message "but my link was on that too and you didn't cite me." Well, I didn't cite you because I hadn't read your post yet. It isn't a brushoff - it is just the reality of how all this stuff works that we can't pay attention to everything.<br /><h3>Some people make misunderstandings while others make friends</h3>So, what was different about this time? First of all, Shawn talked to me privately. It took 4-5 Dm's but he shared his thoughts and questions with me. That took a lot of courage and transparency to do that.<br /><br />I immediately thought to myself - <br /><blockquote>"whatever the outcome after I look back at what happened, I like this guy. He's courageous, transparent, and open and that is a trait of the kind of person who needs more attention in social media."</blockquote>Plus one for Shawn here. (OK, I know it is Twitter but go with me here. ;-)<br /><br />Then, as I looked, I figured out what happened (as I shared above) and was open back with him. By this time, he'd already realized that there was no intent and what had happened and wanted to move on. Yet, then it opened up discussions about being honest and transparent about this.<br />In my opinion, Shawn handled this very well. I hope my own behavior stacks up as well.<br /><h3>Being transparent to help others</h3>So, Shawn agreed to go <a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1188:teaching-teachers-with-technology&catid=91:every-classroom-matters&Itemid=259" target="_blank">on my online show</a>, <a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1188:teaching-teachers-with-technology&catid=91:every-classroom-matters&Itemid=259" target="_blank">Every Classroom Matters</a>, and we talked about the misunderstanding. <br /><br />Meanwhile, after I listened to the show, I was a bit bothered and realized that if I would have included Shawn's <a href="http://swpax.us/685?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferd3fec&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">Vigor instead of Rigor </a>post, why not <a href="http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/08/questioning-rigor.html" target="_blank">go back </a>and add it anyway? If I see now that I would have included it, this is not a book, this is my blog and I can go back and add things as I see fit, so now, his post is at the top of the post where I would have put it had I read it in a different order anyway.<br /><h3>Work through misunderstandings and you might just make a friend</h3>Now, I have someone new I follow more closely. Shawn is really a cool person and a courageous educator. I'm glad that I've gotten to know him just a tad better and hope to meet him in person.<br />I'm also amazed and proud that he had the courage to openly talk with me about the misunderstanding. Most would just sweep it under and move on.<br /><br />Sometimes misunderstandings arise when no one even DOES anything but circumstances happen. But you don't have to let it go. You can talk about it. Here's how.<br /><h2>5 Ways to Reach out when you have a Social Media Misunderstanding</h2>What to do with you think you have hard feelings on social media:<br /><h4>1. Look at the person behind the misunderstanding.</h4>You know what kind of person they seem to be. Is this their persona. Would that person even care if such happened. Do they know you're there? If they haven't replied to you or had conversation, the likelihood is no. But, if they have followed you and engaged in conversation it is probably worth taking the next step.<br /><br />For example, I think <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.michaelhyatt.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Michael Hyatt">Michael Hyatt</a> is great and follow him on Twitter. But he doesn't know me from Abraham's goat. Honestly, I don't exist to him. I'm ok with that. I learn enough from him to make it worth my while.<br /><br />I'm not going to say that Michael doesn't have time for us "little people" but I will say that with all the dm's and people begging for his attention - besides the mention or two, I'm not that desperate to do what it takes to get his attention. I don't get into this idol worship sort of thing that seems to happen with the top bloggers. I learn a lot from his <a href="http://www.platformuniversity.com/" target="_blank">Platform University</a> and that is great. Should I get to shake his hand and say thank you in the right venue, I will. But I know that I'm small potatoes in his area of expertise. My audience and network is educators and teachers and it thrills me to no end to be trusted by many of the best of them.<br /><h4>2. Reach out if it is appropriate, privately if possible.</h4>I appreciated that Shawn DM (direct messaged) me. For those of you not familiar with Twitter, this is one of the best things about following cool people. You can send private messages to each other that often get read (if not overused.) I'm very careful to never use spambots to dm my followers and treasure that conduit by only using it for essential communication.<br /><br />If someone doesn't follow you, you can't dm them. You could reach out publicly and let them know you'd have a question not for public view and if they're savvy, they might follow you so you can be private. Honestly, though, if they won't follow you, it is likely they don't care what you have to say, so you can just move on from there.<br /><h4>3. Expect good intentions</h4>Some of the maddest things I've ever encountered is when people expect me to have bad intentions. When they actually think I'd try to do harm to another person. It is infuriating and a mischaracterization of who I am as a person.<br /><br />So, when you contact someone, do it in a way that lets them know without accusing or attributing bad intent. <br /><h4>4. Choose words wisely</h4>Word choice is important when you only have a few characters so ponder them. Be open to the fact you might have misunderstood. If you handle it well (like Shawn did) you might actually earn the respect of the person you're reaching out to.<br /><h4>5. You decide what to do about it</h4>Of course, if someone treats you like "who do you think you are" you decide if you'll unfollow. It is likely that they're a very busy person and had no idea. You can move on. But you make your choice.<br /><br />If this happens a lot with one person, you'll have to make a call. You can probably figure out if they're reading your work or if they're a spambot. Sometimes when you get copied a lot it is a compliment. <br /><h3>Finally, be hard to offend</h3>I've found that "thin skinned" easily offended people tend to look for offense.<br />As my friend <a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/109890903621985352592" target="_blank">+Lee Kolbert</a>  @<a href="http://www.twitter.com/teachakidd" target="_blank">teachakidd</a> says, <br /><blockquote>"People don't think about you nearly as much as you think about you."</blockquote>Others say it like this:<br /><blockquote>"If you wonder what others think about you. They don't."</blockquote>In a world of people who are thinking of themselves, think of others. If someone reaches out to you asking about a possible misunderstanding, don't brush them off, look at it. If you have something you really think it is a problem, reach out.<br /><br />Honestly, you might just make a friend. <br /><br />Remember your noble calling teacher, we teach with our actions much more than we teach with our words.<br /><h3>Speak out</h3>Have you ever had a misunderstanding on social media? If you shared about it on your blog or want to talk about it here in the comments, please add to the conversation. You're always welcome here to teach with your life. Include your Twitter handle so I can find and follow you too. Thanks!<br /><br /><div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds </a></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=ab0b2188-3d58-40c9-93ef-332008f6bbf0" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Inspiration social media 5 Ways to Resolve Social Media Misunderstandings and a conversation with @swpax

English: Infographic on how Social Media are being used, and how everything is changed by them. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Misunderstandings...

Read more »

My grandparents' anniversary ... August 21, 1904

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CpXkUNZcH3Fc_FJKCrLfMGcXCIFIhOAwk7RpeVQsMsg-SYF3Ut8desaCyxXQiPVepS41iFTqnn_xLn7thNSerJs-CfSaZ5PpNgdJFGhEU2zqTlZbGvWUBAalrjVaoupnC5AARurcWJcW/s1600/a+cabin.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="271" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508032850494499970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CpXkUNZcH3Fc_FJKCrLfMGcXCIFIhOAwk7RpeVQsMsg-SYF3Ut8desaCyxXQiPVepS41iFTqnn_xLn7thNSerJs-CfSaZ5PpNgdJFGhEU2zqTlZbGvWUBAalrjVaoupnC5AARurcWJcW/s400/a+cabin.jpeg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a><br /><br />There's a narrow gold wedding band I wear on my left hand along with my own. It is my grandmother's wedding band that was left to me when she passed away many years ago. Inside is engraved my grandparents' initials and the date of their wedding ... August 21, 1904 ... 109 years ago today.<br /><br />My grandfather was from Grayson County in southwest Virginia. My grandmother was from Allegheny County, NC, just across the New River and state line. They met at an all-night dance, a tradition during those days in the mountains where the young people would meet at someone's house for a dance party. The social gatherings would last all night because folks lived such long distances from one another and it was difficult and dangerous to travel through the mountains after dark.<br /><br />I don't know how long they courted but my grandmother, whose father was a <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-great-grandfathers-kennedy-country.html">prominent and prosperous store keeper and farmer</a> in the Turkey Knob community outside Sparta, NC, consented to become my grandfather's wife and move away from her family. Because the marriage license was obtained in Virginia, my grandparents, along with the wedding party, walked to the Virginia-North Carolina state line and were married in the middle of the road. My mother said that was a common practice back in those days.<br /><br />Their names were John and Molly and they were two teenagers beginning life together as generations had done before in those isolated, hard-scrapple mountains. They settled in a small cabin on the side of a mountain near an area known as Mouth of Wilson, located in the shadow of Grayson Highlands and Mt. Rogers in the days before they became a state park.<br /><br />The land was sloped and rocky ... the elevation was over 3,500 feet ... and to walk it today makes me wonder how they were able to survive in the harsh winters and difficult summers. In two rooms, they began raising their family that would eventually include 10 children ... my mother was the youngest. My grandfather farmed with a mule and plow, piling rocks on the hillside that are still in place to this day. A small creek passes below the cabin, a source of water during the days they lived in those cramped, sparse conditions.<br /><br />They were surrounded by family. Our relatives are all through those hills, most staying close as they grew into adulthood, married, and raised families of their own. My grandfather's parents lived in a log cabin on the Knob, the family place that was made up of two rooms and a fireplace on the ground floor, and one large room upstairs. <br /><br />Because they were tough and made their own way, they set a work ethic for those of us who followed that continues to this day. And, as I once again look at the gold band on my ring finger, I think about how it all began on this day 109 years ago when John and Molly became man and wife.

Appalachian Mountains family Grayson County Grayson Highlands Mt. Rogers My grandparents' anniversary ... August 21, 1904

There's a narrow gold wedding band I wear on my left hand along with my own. It is my grandmother's wedding band that was left to me...

Read more »

Today's Teamster News 08.21.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/republic-waste-workers-local-728-ratify-first-contract" rel="nofollow">Republic Waste Workers from Local 728 Ratify First Contract</a>  IBT   ...Waste workers employed by Republic Services near Atlanta have ratified their first contract, which boosts wages and on-the-job protections...<br /><a href="http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/members/labor-pact-ok-d-with-deputies/article_b9b5d6f4-0904-11e3-bc14-0019bb2963f4.html" rel="nofollow">Teamster Contract With Kittitas County Ratified</a>  Daily Record   ...Kittitas County commissioners recently ratified a new, four-year collective bargaining labor contract with Teamsters Local 760, which represents 28 county sheriff’s deputies...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/funeral-industry-giant-sci-locks-out-chicago-funeral-directors" rel="nofollow">Funeral Industry Giant SCI Locks Out Chicago Teamster Funeral Directors</a>  IBT   ...Funeral industry giant Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI) has locked out 59 Chicago-area funeral directors and drivers represented by Teamsters Local 727, despite an unconditional offer from the union to return to work...<br /><a href="http://www.perryvillenews.com/archive/article_d13e1034-099f-11e3-a2cf-0019bb30f31a.html" rel="nofollow">Contract negotiations with Teamsters back on at Sabreliner</a>  Republic Monitor   ...Members of Teamsters Local 600 in Maryland Heights, Missouri, unanimously voted last Thursday to reject the “ last and final” contract terms. But less than 24 hours later, both parties agreed to re-enter negotiations and extend the union’s current contract until this Saturday...<br /><a href="http://www.pe.com/business/business-headlines/20130819-labor-trucking-strike-ends-for-fontana-depot.ece" rel="nofollow">Trucking strike ends for Fontana depot</a>  Press-Enterprise  Drivers and dock workers at a Fontana trucking depot returned to work Monday following a three-day strike. The disputes between Teamsters Local 63 and company officials will be decided by an arbitrator later this week...<br /><a href="http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/gold-cross-strikers-are-attempting-negotiations-with-schaefer-ambulance-again/article_43fd4d32-0965-11e3-b04c-001a4bcf6878.html" rel="nofollow">Teamster strikers at Gold Cross are attempting negotiations with management again</a>  Imperial Valley Press   ...Teamsters at Gold Cross and their parent company, Schaefer Ambulance, are entering negotiations for the second time since the strike began for get better treatment for the employees, better working conditions, a pay increase, and no cuts to medical benefits...<br /><a href="http://www.record-bee.com/news/ci_23894957/driver-crashes-into-hillside-honda" rel="nofollow">Many Teamster strikers at Lake Transit return to picket line</a>  Lake County Record-Bee   ...Paratransit Services employees, who are members of Teamsters Local 665, went back to the picket line after ending a three-week strike following the news that the majority of workers will likely not get their jobs back immediately...<br /><a href="http://beyonddc.com/images/blogimages/AmtrakRidership2013July.pdf" rel="nofollow">Amtrak: Record-Breaking Ridership in July</a>  Amtrak   ...Year-over-year ridership in July grew 4.8 percent to more than 2.9 million passengers, an all-time record for most passengers in one month. Northeast Corridor services, state-supported and other short-distance routes, and long-distance trains all showed gains for July...<br /><a href="http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20130820/KAMLOOPS0101/130819875/-1/kamloops01/moly-cop-pushes-cp-rail-for-service" rel="nofollow">Moly-Cop pushes CP Rail for service</a>  Daily News   ...Moly-Cop’s Kamloops operation is demanding that rail service be returned to its plant six weeks after the Kelowna Pacific Railway shut down. The company contends to the Canadian Transportation Agency it has a right to service under the Fair Rail Freight Service Act — legislation that passed only last June...<br /><a href="http://pragcap.com/rail-traffic-picks-up-some-momentum" rel="nofollow">Rail Traffic Picks Up Some Momentum</a>  Pragmatic Capitalism   ...More decent news here in rail trends as we begin to see some signs of life in traffic. Intermodal jumped 6.1% year over year and total traffic was up 2.7%. Carloads were down marginally. This week’s reading brought the 12 week moving average in intermodal to 2.8% which is the highest reading since May...<br /><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/19/oligarchic-tendencies-study-finds-only-the-wealthy-get-represented-in-the-senate/" rel="nofollow">‘Oligarchic tendencies’: Study finds only the wealthy get represented in the Senate</a>  Raw Story   ...In all of the five Congresses examined, the voting records of Senators were consistently aligned with the opinions of their wealthiest constituents. The opinions of lower-class constituents, however, never appeared to influence the Senators’ voting behavior...<br /><a href="https://boldprogressives.org/2013/02/rand-paul-introduces-national-anti-union-right-to-work-bill-to-the-senate/" rel="nofollow">Koch-Funded Rand Paul Introduces National Anti-Union ‘Right To Work’ Bill To The Senate </a> Progressive Change Campaign Committee   ...Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) just introduced a federal so-called “right to work” law that would undermine labor organizing nationwide...<br /><a href="http://www.businessreviewusa.com/business_leaders/fast-food-workers-plan-nationwide-walkout-august-29" rel="nofollow">Fast Food Workers Plan Nationwide Walkout August 29</a>  Business Review USA   ...“If you work in a fast food or retail store anywhere in the country, we urge you to join our growing movement,” said Terrance Wise, a 34-year old father of three who earns $9.30 an hour after eight years at Burger King and $7.47 at Pizza Hut in Kansas City. “Get together with some or all of your co-workers and make plans to take to the streets on August 29...<br /><a href="http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130819/DA8941PG2.html" rel="nofollow">Unemployment rates rise in most US states in July </a> Associated Press   ...Unemployment rates rose in more than half of U.S. states in July and fewer states added jobs, echoing national data that show the job market may have lost some momentum...<br /><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-bankofamerica-fraud-20130819,0,6712375.story" rel="nofollow">Judge endorses use of fraud law against Bank of America</a>  Reuters   ...A federal judge has endorsed a broad interpretation of a savings-and-loan era law that the Justice Department is trying to use in cases against Wall Street banks...<br /><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/students-college-aid-federal-loans-95690.html" rel="nofollow">More students than ever rely on federal college aid</a>  Politico   ...Students and families are more willing than ever to borrow to pay for college and increasingly reliant on federal grants and loans to help with tuition bills, statistics released yesterday from the U.S. Education Department show...<br /><a href="http://news.firedoglake.com/2013/08/20/trans-pacific-partnership-will-remove-whats-left-of-american-democracy/" rel="nofollow">Trans-Pacific Partnership Will Remove What’s Left Of American Democracy</a>  firedoglake   ...If TPP passes it will override American law. Again: we will not be able to pass laws that reign in the corporations. We will not be able to protect our jobs and wages because, as we have seen, companies can just close a factory and move your job to a country that pays very little, doesn’t protect the environment, and doesn’t let working people do anything about it...<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23774633" rel="nofollow">Greece will need new bailout, says Germany's Schaeuble</a>  BBC News   ...The country's economy has shrunk further than any other in Europe, with bailout money only released on condition that the government imposes cuts and implements restructuring...<br /><a href="http://www.foxbangor.com/news/local-news/2682-first-maine-lobstering-union-meeting-held.html" rel="nofollow">First Maine Lobstering Union Meeting Held</a>  WFVX Bangor News   ...Lobstering in Maine has had its fair share of ups and downs over the past year few years, but now with the 'Maine Lobstering Union' officially formed Sunday, lobstermen are hoping to see changes come to this booming business in the Pine Tree State...<br /><a href="http://bhcourier.com/missouri-lt-governor-well-pass-right-to-work-in-2014-ohioans-prepare-for-legislative-fallout/2013/08/19" rel="nofollow">Missouri Lt. Governor: ‘We’ll pass Right to Work in 2014;’ Ohioans prepare for legislative fallout</a> Beverly Hills Courier   ...As pro-union supporters in Ohio begin preparations for the upcoming legislative session, their attention will also be focused on Missouri after Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder told an Associated Press reporter that he believes Right to Work is heading to the ballot in an attempt to bypass the state’s anti-right to work governor...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/19/indescribably_insane%E2%80%9D_philadelphias_public_school_nightmare/" rel="nofollow">“Indescribably insane”: A public school system from hell</a>  Salon   ...Pennsylvania's right-wing governor drains public schools of basic funds -- and the sickening details will shock you...<br /><a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-teacher-raises-20130818,0,6612351.story" rel="nofollow">Florida teachers still waiting for first raise in a long time</a>  Orlando Sentinel   ...Teachers welcomed the news earlier this year when Florida Gov. Rick Scott called for $2,500 pay hikes and then kept up the raises-for-teachers drumbeat in the months that followed. But seven months after Scott made his teacher-raise announcement, no Central Florida public-school teacher has gotten the pay hike he touted...<br /><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/california-discourages-needy-from-receiving-food-stamps-699902/" rel="nofollow">California discourages needy from receiving food stamps</a>  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette   ...For years, Texas was among a handful of states that required every resident seeking help with grocery bills to first be fingerprinted, an exercise typically associated with criminals. Texas remains one of the most effective states at keeping its poor out of the giant federal food stamp program. But it is not No. 1. That distinction belongs to California...<br /><a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2013/08/19/9-term-democratic-north-carolina-state-senator-leaves-office-people-voter-id.html" rel="nofollow">Democratic North Carolina State Senator Resigns From Office To Help People Get Voter ID</a> PoliticusUSA   ...Many Democrats talk about fighting back against voter suppression, but North Carolina state senator Ellie Kinnaird resigned from office today in order to work on a grassroots project to help people obtain voter IDs. Read her statement...<br /><a href="http://www.epi.org/blog/bankruptcy-detroit-rick-snyder-michigan-constitution/#sthash.AQUVfe7l.dpuf" rel="nofollow">Bankruptcy Judge Should Respect Michigan’s Constitution Even If Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Doesn’t</a>  Economic Policy Institute   ...By ignoring the state’s constitution and its protection for accrued public employee pensions, Snyder is undermining the rule of law and adopting the kind of “ends justify the means” reasoning that usually precedes violations of public trust...

Today's Teamster News 08.21.13

Republic Waste Workers from Local 728 Ratify First Contract   IBT   ...Waste workers employed by Republic Services near Atlanta have ratifie...

Read more »