SYRIA: INTERNATIONAL WAR MONGERING, OR REAL THREAT?

<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>INTERESTING GEO – STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In recent past TURKEY has permitted NATO to erect missile defense radar that will detect Iranian Missile launches and thus indirectly supports ISRAEL with whom in recent past, diplomatic ties have somewhat suffered, officially because of the GAZA Flotilla incident, unofficially because of the gas findings in the Easter Mediterranean Sea and ISRAELS “flirting” with TURKEYS arch enemy, GREECE and CYPRUS.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a remarkable turn of events RUSSIA suddenly announced it has activated a radar warning system in the western region of KALININGRAD in response to a planned US missile shield in EUROPE. That is the official statement. In reality it is a response to NATO radar in TURKEY and the looming threat of NATO or other foreign intervention in SYRIA. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxw-tAi0FTr7wTYtnsx6ESkHVNbJi53nL87hvYqzdtC1b4yz6KYl1Af0KjGxJKPTa5MGGs1O_4oKj1oxD3H6MhGV1oMr-wBBJOJEnPZfiAb4tR9WJ9UDdSpfnrsiDem8kk85CYiYjBszd/s1600/Syrian_Naval_Base_at_Tartus-hr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxw-tAi0FTr7wTYtnsx6ESkHVNbJi53nL87hvYqzdtC1b4yz6KYl1Af0KjGxJKPTa5MGGs1O_4oKj1oxD3H6MhGV1oMr-wBBJOJEnPZfiAb4tR9WJ9UDdSpfnrsiDem8kk85CYiYjBszd/s320/Syrian_Naval_Base_at_Tartus-hr.jpg" width="320" /></a>Furthermore MOSCOW is deploying warships to its base in the SYRIAN port of TARTUS. The long-planned mission comes, providentially, at the very moment when it could help prevent a potential conflict in the strategically important MIDDLE EASTERN country.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The RUSSIAN battle group will consist of three vessels led by the heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser.<br />This move was planned a year ago and has nothing to do with the ongoing crisis in the region; according to a RUSSIAN military official who was quoted by Izvestia newspaper. Apart from SYRIA, the aircraft carrier and its escort ships are set to visit the LEBANESE capital, BEIRUT, GENOA in ITALY and CYPRUS.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Nevertheless, the RUSSIAN Military official stated that the presence of a military force other than NATO’s is very useful for this region, as it will apparently prevent the outbreak of an armed conflict in the region. <br />Russia allegedly created a special naval squadron to deter Western military forces in the Mediterranean Sea. To repair and supply its ships, Moscow needed its own maintenance base in the region, and that was how the base in Tartus came into being. At present, the base is mostly used to support vessels of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Some 600 military and civilian personnel of the Defense Ministry serve there.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br />News of Russia’s naval deployment in TARTUS came shortly after the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush anchored off Syria, along with additional naval vessels. The US battle group is to remain in the Mediterranean, allegedly to conduct maritime security operations and support missions as part of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>RUSSIAN UAV DEPLOYMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Allegedly RUSSIA has increased its research and development program into UAV (Unman Aerial Vehicles, also known as (UAS) unmanned aircraft system, or (RPA) remotely piloted aircraft) operations and is rumored to deploy them in the region in due course.</span></div>

SYRIA: INTERNATIONAL WAR MONGERING, OR REAL THREAT?

INTERESTING GEO – STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT In recent past TURKEY has permitted NATO to erect missile defense radar that will detect Iranian M...

Read more »

How to add a YouTube video to your blog

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I was very pleased to find out today, through one of my social networking links, that Blogger has its own YouTube Help Channel. It's called BloggerHelp and you can find it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BloggerHelp#p/u/7/TwQPsWDKdIA">here</a>. When I took a look I saw they had one on one of this week's topics - <i>How to add a YouTube video to your blog</i>. So I thought I would add it here. For those of you that are still unsure on how to do this here are some screen shots. <br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Find the video you want to download<br /><br /></b></span> </div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNvVLXgms8NXp50mcmStUDi_te8lWz7ANR2xr-BB5dxUPE7AnKjEMP9ocEHsiSL9Q9NOWU5jsxrjoeOjNrO_I7hotyUmOzY8_6hFVzlVPDGwYbVQ2cPZ08i_L868YoxXMLulhNJk72KY/s1600/bloggerhelp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNvVLXgms8NXp50mcmStUDi_te8lWz7ANR2xr-BB5dxUPE7AnKjEMP9ocEHsiSL9Q9NOWU5jsxrjoeOjNrO_I7hotyUmOzY8_6hFVzlVPDGwYbVQ2cPZ08i_L868YoxXMLulhNJk72KY/s320/bloggerhelp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Click on <i>Share</i> to first get the <i>Internet address</i> and <i>embed button<br /></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nAPakAcuvLOv2AsyD07u0zsUa1JsGxgOl3KqgXhoxqSqbCL3ggDxEptEx-7nmbSwNVsv7KRx7cRi5LhVZGI1EFYdgPniRlE96AXOARbAGqMlada8s24b1oiNgO4NJlLyEM-rfCYAgD4/s1600/internet+address.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nAPakAcuvLOv2AsyD07u0zsUa1JsGxgOl3KqgXhoxqSqbCL3ggDxEptEx-7nmbSwNVsv7KRx7cRi5LhVZGI1EFYdgPniRlE96AXOARbAGqMlada8s24b1oiNgO4NJlLyEM-rfCYAgD4/s320/internet+address.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Click on <i>embed</i> to get the HTML code<br /><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3LaJSAUzka3ptwOtKtXTMLYM9vrWupY10dwzIxjfe6r_I9h1n-7e0RPpvaUbCjBHp3TWVQ9mRjSObKAYpr14I2OIVMPfP0Cmyc5W9QN-fF69ZXcel3oAPN0SsdPmUMgg1XhdiVIati0/s1600/embed+code+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3LaJSAUzka3ptwOtKtXTMLYM9vrWupY10dwzIxjfe6r_I9h1n-7e0RPpvaUbCjBHp3TWVQ9mRjSObKAYpr14I2OIVMPfP0Cmyc5W9QN-fF69ZXcel3oAPN0SsdPmUMgg1XhdiVIati0/s320/embed+code+box.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. Paste the code into the HTML part of your blog<br /><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZ-mo0YxVFclqWRkRLpXH03s2nZyVDsj_czieM8UWuTjKuzp9nU2oY-Y87eEHuzoId45Cq1UytoKKjGrYGc63y6v27GRPLlexT8ihMe3YY_ZU3oyaIBTqfWQvyGUyvPHA82w4Qocdm6w/s1600/gibberish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZ-mo0YxVFclqWRkRLpXH03s2nZyVDsj_czieM8UWuTjKuzp9nU2oY-Y87eEHuzoId45Cq1UytoKKjGrYGc63y6v27GRPLlexT8ihMe3YY_ZU3oyaIBTqfWQvyGUyvPHA82w4Qocdm6w/s320/gibberish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5. Your video will now appear miraculously on the Compose side of your blog<br /><br /></b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TwQPsWDKdIA" width="420"></iframe></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you are reading this post, why not give it a go right now! </div></div>

videos How to add a YouTube video to your blog

I was very pleased to find out today, through one of my social networking links, that Blogger has its own YouTube Help Channel. It's cal...

Read more »

Report back on the Elkanah House TeachMeet and IpadMeet

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Saturday 26 November 2011</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>This morning I woke up feeling excited. It was TeachMeet day at Elkanah house! Two '<i>meets</i>' to look forward to at the same venue - one to do with general technology (TeachMeet) and one to do with using Ipads in the classroom (Ipadmeet).  I have written about TeachMeets before on this blog. <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-not-hold-teachmeet-in-your-area.html">http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-not-hold-teachmeet-in-your-area.html</a>. They are a very exciting form of professional development. I have been to two in South Africa, and both times I have come away with new technology friends, new ideas and new enthusiasm. I normally go home and start trying out everything I learned about!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9c6xn9bdwpUisQYzl9jABwU-yUPdvonHlI9-oefSJ_VVxRqqZ5aWhlfvH6AZovsrocS_9yvgtRggjOHWZSoIljchwuNOELdJz_P01k5jUuisReyeGR4k7tYMLOhjVDyqro5qjfOZRes/s1600/DSCF8449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9c6xn9bdwpUisQYzl9jABwU-yUPdvonHlI9-oefSJ_VVxRqqZ5aWhlfvH6AZovsrocS_9yvgtRggjOHWZSoIljchwuNOELdJz_P01k5jUuisReyeGR4k7tYMLOhjVDyqro5qjfOZRes/s200/DSCF8449.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE9zosqJ2Kc9lnvrw-_JqZZrvoVyN9aSFpyZhruL_LQJu5Vh2jAxRp8Eab-Lcv22lV_kjjlUHvjtso61yB5GUzfvX86F543kkGlDoM9HIn4I0D4otImIj0vrEvZnk7J6dwe4pF7N0Stk/s1600/DSCF8457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE9zosqJ2Kc9lnvrw-_JqZZrvoVyN9aSFpyZhruL_LQJu5Vh2jAxRp8Eab-Lcv22lV_kjjlUHvjtso61yB5GUzfvX86F543kkGlDoM9HIn4I0D4otImIj0vrEvZnk7J6dwe4pF7N0Stk/s200/DSCF8457.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Highlights from the Teachmeet</b><br /><br />Unfortunately there weren't too many 'Keen Beans' that were willing to share something today. Only five of us! But there were quite a number of 'Enthusiastic Lurkers' who will hopefully think about giving a presentation at the next Teachmeet in February. I was thrilled to see that there were four principals at the 'meets'. Lucky schools! If the Head shows an interest there is no telling what can be achieved. There was a Twitter stream going on in the background. You can view it at <i>#elkteachmeet.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Use Diigo for bookmarking</b></span><br />Linda Foulkes showed us all the uses of bookmarking using Diigo<i>.</i> I am an avid user of Diigo but there was a lot I didn't know. I must explore more!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9xoxwfMSxZBrkMy7qyQBLTkicyY-yY4BosfQQA4sVvEl1UCwlof8NgA8XxWDOiVNiN-PhHVmruTiSLKhy9SEiDj2xdrouKJh9MJg_Yb1E5OUHmeqKPlh2QVZ82dDk-C-3lajZt8nrjU/s1600/DSCF8461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9xoxwfMSxZBrkMy7qyQBLTkicyY-yY4BosfQQA4sVvEl1UCwlof8NgA8XxWDOiVNiN-PhHVmruTiSLKhy9SEiDj2xdrouKJh9MJg_Yb1E5OUHmeqKPlh2QVZ82dDk-C-3lajZt8nrjU/s320/DSCF8461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maryne from Elkanah House and Alan from Digicape</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Use a free video programme called VLC</b></span><br />Jonathon Manley showed us a programme called VLC and highlighted VLC's extra features where you can take snapshots of DVDs played. You can also add Audacity and create your own soundclips. I don't know this programme at all but am certainly going to try it. VLC can be found at <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/">http://www.videolan.org/vlc/</a><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Combine creative writing with stop animation movies</span></b><br />Micahel Botha, a Grade 7 teacher showed how her class recreated a Greek myth by using digital cameras and stop animation. They used digital cameras and then MovieMaker to pull it all together. They included voice over and music. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Each movie was unique. I can imagine that this makes writing come alive for even the most relectant writer. </span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKRdt4W0_HedS7tQHYnvDA7ZSAw5n1pL0ixbcZN-jHfhIXTNIYZCAPD2q-jWaMvAHcAkm4Rpyzzg9ZuwbutadYg0l0br92ZOVBm6w_v2vWcRylmNDcYBUqTuplm26-mxH-qbOc5Hqnpk/s1600/DSCF8453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKRdt4W0_HedS7tQHYnvDA7ZSAw5n1pL0ixbcZN-jHfhIXTNIYZCAPD2q-jWaMvAHcAkm4Rpyzzg9ZuwbutadYg0l0br92ZOVBm6w_v2vWcRylmNDcYBUqTuplm26-mxH-qbOc5Hqnpk/s320/DSCF8453.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Di and Esther from Someset College</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. How to use your blog as a teaching tool</b></span><br />This was my presentation.  I am currently presenting an online blogging course for teachers around South Africa using a blog as a teaching tool. I have found that the following five programmes come in very handy - <i>Box.net, Embedit.in, Vocaroo.com, Slideshare</i> and <i>Screencast-o-matic</i>.  You can view my presentation <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-can-be-fantastic-teaching-tool-in.html">here</a> since I also presented it from a blog!<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Use Scoopit.com to find information on your topic</span></b><br />Karen Stadler gave this presentation. You join Scoopit <a href="http://www.scoop.it/">http://www.scoop.it/</a> and tell it what topic you want it to investigate. It finds relevant website links and brings them to you. You choose what you want, and hey presto you have a lovely magazine to share with others. I loved this idea. So Scoopit...here I come! Incidentally at the Teachmeet two people belonged to Scoopit and you might want to take a look at their magazines. Karen - <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/just-ipadding-along">http://www.scoop.it/t/just-ipadding-along</a>, and Arthur<br /><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/edtechconf">http://www.scoop.it/t/edtechconf</a><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVvyfAGZAUy0b0M9bSNiU_a8F1Sze-q4swRVgs9AGo69l2AFn4yItuzF73nzD0bTxPb8J0UH-KfWpRx05XSDh16bGVhSJw0nurLQ_V-u_n6aJw4S_yQUF4jqnmuGzBlF8igG3kihx9GM/s1600/DSCF8463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVvyfAGZAUy0b0M9bSNiU_a8F1Sze-q4swRVgs9AGo69l2AFn4yItuzF73nzD0bTxPb8J0UH-KfWpRx05XSDh16bGVhSJw0nurLQ_V-u_n6aJw4S_yQUF4jqnmuGzBlF8igG3kihx9GM/s320/DSCF8463.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arthur and Karen from Elkanah House in foreground</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Highlights from the Ipadmeet</b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />After a break and lots of chatting, eating and interacting it was time for the IpadMeet. Some new teachers arrived. Linda Foulkes write a blogpost previous to this giving ideas on what we should do at this first Ipadmeet. You can read about it <a href="http://folklind.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/discuss-all-things-ipad-the-ipadmeet/">here</a>. <br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. A marvellous app called Book Creator</b></span><br />Alan Goldberg (Head of Education Development, Digicape) was at the IpadMeet.  He did a workshop at Elkanah House last Saturday where he demonstrated  a wonderful app called Book Creator.   <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Karen Stadler started off showing the book she created at that workshop. Then Alan showed his book called 'Ethan and Alan in Italy'. It was a recap of a holiday with his teen son.  He showed us how you can embed videos, add hyperlinks and other media into your book and make it come alive. Links at the bottom of the page allow you to email links to your students and colleagues. Any epub reader will open the book.  As a keen writer myself I was completely taken with this app. and its potential. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></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/AVvXsEjBJqq8NBBLB8UAA0ct0eyLrB7zV7lqIW8WDAU6tbbzN-OJzkIPDv1gkMzv2KsPhF-lSIDDnsRpeUs28NzuklPhKPv3nVUwhCkJboKdFd17qzZG6njwOFronQaBoH-G7Whx42_XBC2miic/s1600/DSCF8465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJqq8NBBLB8UAA0ct0eyLrB7zV7lqIW8WDAU6tbbzN-OJzkIPDv1gkMzv2KsPhF-lSIDDnsRpeUs28NzuklPhKPv3nVUwhCkJboKdFd17qzZG6njwOFronQaBoH-G7Whx42_XBC2miic/s320/DSCF8465.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolynn from Springfield College</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>2. Read tweets on the Ipad using Flipboard</b></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">Karen Stadler showed us this application. This is a great way to read tweets on the Ipad. It gives you your tweets like a newspaper.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">Two thoughts struck me at the Ipadmeet.<br />*Tablets are definitely the way forward.<br />*I didn't realise the potential in this little device that I am so privileged to own. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></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/AVvXsEhDFt5XdXRAZ4XTLyVpP5CCR7Trgrg28PAAGN1RxJmT45dgHcklTpb1JgfVlfqD0AZle7UQ9xOS7F5OadufRO6vs89U21x_0VmGLTZoIDHMJf5AqYYpPtbogBYlG6Q52W4rIZi8y1G7XfM/s1600/DSCF8467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFt5XdXRAZ4XTLyVpP5CCR7Trgrg28PAAGN1RxJmT45dgHcklTpb1JgfVlfqD0AZle7UQ9xOS7F5OadufRO6vs89U21x_0VmGLTZoIDHMJf5AqYYpPtbogBYlG6Q52W4rIZi8y1G7XfM/s320/DSCF8467.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicki from Bishops College</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">It really was worth giving up a Saturday to attend these <i>meets</i> at Elkanah House. The next dual session is to take place on 25 February 2012. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br /><br /></div>

teachmeets Report back on the Elkanah House TeachMeet and IpadMeet

Submitted by Fiona Beal Saturday 26 November 2011 This morning I woke up feeling excited. It was TeachMeet day at Elkanah house! Two ' m...

Read more »

The elements of résumé style

<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px;"><div style="color: #333333; font: italic normal normal 16px/normal arial, helvetica;"><span id="cbArticle_lblHeadline2">Writing wisdom from Strunk and White</span></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/dd/ar5l6zz5wfn6y0656hdd.gif?time=8/21/2011%2012:10:04%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/dd/ar5l6zz5wfn6y0656hdd.gif?time=8/21/2011%2012:10:04%20pm" /></a></div><div class="cbmsnArticleImage">The The classic "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is not just for term papers. If your copy has been buried in a box since graduation, dust it off and polish your résumé with its timeless advice.</div></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Elementary rules of usage and composition</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Use the active voice."</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Put statements in positive form."</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Use definite, specific, concrete language."</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As the book's introduction states, the authors are all for "cleanliness, accuracy and brevity." They want writers to select words that convey exact meaning -- an excellent idea on résumés when you want to make a big impression in a small space.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"I often see dry, passive language that makes the job seeker appear as a follower or simple doer rather than a leader or someone who drives results," says Abby M. Locke, master résumé <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/writer/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">writer</a>and personal brand strategist for Premier Writing Solutions in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/washington+d.c./" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Washington, D.C</a>. "For example, 'Responsible for the development of new programs and services' works better when rewritten with active, engaging language like 'Conceptualized and created revenue-generating programs and services that increased the company's bottom line by 20 percent.'"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Locke also reports that candidates get stuck in a rut of using the same verb over and over again, such as "developed new brochures," "developed marketing materials" and "developed a system." "When bullets like these are read very quickly, the only words that the reader remembers are 'developed, developed, developed.'"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another elementary rule to remember: Watch tenses. Strunk and White note that "shifting from one tense to another gives the appearance of uncertainty and irresolution." Tiffani Murray, a résumé writer and career <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/consultant/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">consultant</a> for PersonalityOnaPage.com, says that she's seen gaffes where the applicant has used two different tenses in the same sentence.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"For past roles, you should use past tense," Murray says. "For the current job that you are working in, present tense works unless you are referring to a project that is completed. You want to be consistent and accurate with your tense in portraying what you have done in the past for an employer and what you are doing now."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Words and expressions commonly misused</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Many a candidate writes that he "lead a team" when he meant "led." Another common dilemma: "effect" versus "affect." (The former can be a noun meaning "result" or a verb meaning "to accomplish" or "to bring about." The latter is a verb meaning "to influence.")</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Carolyn Yencharis Corcoran, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/assistant+director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">assistant director</a> of the Insalaco Center for Career Development at Misericordia University in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/pennsylvania/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Dallas, Pa</a>., reports that job seekers often confuse:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "to" and "too"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "your" and "you're"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "there" and "their"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "then" and "than"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "wonder" and "wander"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "its" and "it's"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· "a" and "an" before a word that begins with a vowel (as in "a excellent opportunity" when it should be "an excellent opportunity")</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>An approach to style</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Avoid fancy words."</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Using language that is too formal or too academic can make an applicant's résumé and/or cover letter sound derogatory or speechlike, which may appear like you are trying to fool the employer about your qualifications," Corcoran says. "The best way to set yourself apart is with examples that use industry-relevant words from your experience, not formal words that may make the reviewer feel stupid or -- if used incorrectly -- laugh at your application."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity."</i><i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Most people write about their titles and functions in terms they understand, instead of taking into account if it will be understood by a hiring authority," says Tony Beshara, author of "Unbeatable Résumés: America's Top Recruiter Reveals What Really Gets You Hired." "Likewise, most people write the names of the companies they have worked for with no explanation about what the companies do. There are 7.5 million companies in the United States ... most of us don't know what any of them do. It needs to be explained in detail."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· <i>"Do not overstate."</i><i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Finally, heed Strunk and White's warning, "When you overstate, the reader will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in his mind."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"I advise students not to say they are 'excellent speakers who have extensively ... ' or other similar phrases," says Cynthia Favre, director of career services at Gustavus Adolphus College in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/minnesota/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">St. Peter, Minn</a>. "Comparative words like 'excellent' raise the question: Compared to whom? And most hiring managers will have a hard time believing a 21-year-old new graduate has done anything 'extensively' anyway. Instead, give evidence, and let the reader decide if it is excellent or extensive."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.</i></div></div>

The elements of résumé style

Writing wisdom from Strunk and White Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder The The classic "The Elements of Style" by Will...

Read more »

The Ring

Back in 2009, Joel and I took our first vacation to Niagara Falls, ON. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyeQJErGQEzlr-fjlGrXq3Ly2CNOeNyav1ig96FCMh0W2mG-aGuUnQIoDW47MOwpQMIYK2BiV030TpxbUQ7_PCzkmjsNz-aEuDLOs95VzXRDnfib7SRjsmjSZM0Hj4x6BTVSTstRwa98/s1600/niagara1+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyeQJErGQEzlr-fjlGrXq3Ly2CNOeNyav1ig96FCMh0W2mG-aGuUnQIoDW47MOwpQMIYK2BiV030TpxbUQ7_PCzkmjsNz-aEuDLOs95VzXRDnfib7SRjsmjSZM0Hj4x6BTVSTstRwa98/s400/niagara1+080.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Canadian Falls (aka "Horseshoe Falls")</td></tr></tbody></table><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/AVvXsEg3yrptMFMjrbsoMRgDhOn4CntvC07teU1ncmNYmDtBHuxO1VRh03J0etwgq0-Cz6E94_VXj48TRuwXDm3amGKsRHaV0vTztb1MCvYKcV772AIn7xtmG2AK2hTGI04k2cGGO6SEzSXivnI/s1600/niagara1+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yrptMFMjrbsoMRgDhOn4CntvC07teU1ncmNYmDtBHuxO1VRh03J0etwgq0-Cz6E94_VXj48TRuwXDm3amGKsRHaV0vTztb1MCvYKcV772AIn7xtmG2AK2hTGI04k2cGGO6SEzSXivnI/s400/niagara1+079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Falls</td></tr></tbody></table>Have you ever been there?  I LOVED it! <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenFOOfI4xFCY2ht8_mXoYwltIM3j12kJMarvL49caVAFeWP5gv_5Dtqb1puD-Ex94OjTL4EkIoXgAJ7hiy6DdLcDjeKRmSwRRhIUfkE975WLPGvH4JeUrE9TAIIWo_IuiCZPaWBH_47U/s1600/niagara1+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenFOOfI4xFCY2ht8_mXoYwltIM3j12kJMarvL49caVAFeWP5gv_5Dtqb1puD-Ex94OjTL4EkIoXgAJ7hiy6DdLcDjeKRmSwRRhIUfkE975WLPGvH4JeUrE9TAIIWo_IuiCZPaWBH_47U/s400/niagara1+070.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maid of the Mist</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Canada was a lot like Pennsylvania (what I deem "The Motherland").  It had mild summer temperatures (we were there in mid-July) and the people were sooooo incredibly nice.  Even just outside the huge tourist attraction that are the great and glorious Falls, sprawling farmland was abundant, including many-a-vineyard :). <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDW1kigQBuf2p0QnXblKX8y4bnNTsDWy4qPw2hv1MlWFpl41xc0yLL5T5PZD4h4FywBzMYX987ve5KUOaHmdzMG4JfWDNcsK-7iZ-YAm09yylpI_19UoVXbohVzdTCUnWx0kjZS-ilzk/s1600/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDW1kigQBuf2p0QnXblKX8y4bnNTsDWy4qPw2hv1MlWFpl41xc0yLL5T5PZD4h4FywBzMYX987ve5KUOaHmdzMG4JfWDNcsK-7iZ-YAm09yylpI_19UoVXbohVzdTCUnWx0kjZS-ilzk/s400/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+143.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />This was all a welcome change compared to what we're used to here in our nation's capital.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vyQ3-izbLOSub4ySEJoOmPmelLK8Wfo-oXN0KxXJlAOgZx6wqcmUOi-yPVH_g0pEPX5Qbb-u5lKv9qiIs_CyoPyIYL5jebsPLeci1VbQivtaq9ihrOzckx5qsS6VRvnjbzWI-xAqL48/s1600/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vyQ3-izbLOSub4ySEJoOmPmelLK8Wfo-oXN0KxXJlAOgZx6wqcmUOi-yPVH_g0pEPX5Qbb-u5lKv9qiIs_CyoPyIYL5jebsPLeci1VbQivtaq9ihrOzckx5qsS6VRvnjbzWI-xAqL48/s400/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />I took full advantage of <a href="http://www.frommers.com/store/9781118100264.html">Frommer's guide to Niagara Falls</a> (just like with <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/07/hey-yall.html">Savannah</a>) and we hit up as many places on the Niagara escarpment as possible. <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/AVvXsEjBDva502bp8lkucQeb5g_E9N8tKua2FCdqmuie709S-B4h68F9bwtxoAY4E2mvyrCbgvP4jzGvmyQUKMoP1XaIySLq0h_2t3GBspPvAyWEH1zGAsBMee34qr5tMiB4Kcw-aBjow0_Q6cE/s1600/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDva502bp8lkucQeb5g_E9N8tKua2FCdqmuie709S-B4h68F9bwtxoAY4E2mvyrCbgvP4jzGvmyQUKMoP1XaIySLq0h_2t3GBspPvAyWEH1zGAsBMee34qr5tMiB4Kcw-aBjow0_Q6cE/s400/Hilary%2527s+Canada+Pics+003.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamp posts in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON</td></tr></tbody></table>One place we ventured to was St. Catharines, which had a Made in Canada store.  I like to buy locally when on travel - please do not give me anything that says Canada on the front but says "Made in China" on the bottom.  The store had a jewelry section complete with diamond jewelry (<a href="http://www.fifthavenuejewellers.com/ice925.html">ICE 925</a> was the company/brand) that originated from the northern parts of Canada.  Well, an avid lover of jewelery, I LOVED this concept, and I immediately said to Joel, "If we ever get married some day, I want my ring to come from Canada."<br /><br />And that's just what he did :).<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV_qWMblq_CNIe5Nu91fJ9woQIzVCOrkj-XMwPe5F70DlStQ2NWIpxBY0aInowr1GHQwkqOHJcakG-e-oh4GGmYLDatXaSQxg04LuDkIDesqjTMLBF5-wLyggGjtnApS711_-2lsRUjc/s1600/engagement+ring+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV_qWMblq_CNIe5Nu91fJ9woQIzVCOrkj-XMwPe5F70DlStQ2NWIpxBY0aInowr1GHQwkqOHJcakG-e-oh4GGmYLDatXaSQxg04LuDkIDesqjTMLBF5-wLyggGjtnApS711_-2lsRUjc/s400/engagement+ring+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCamFbFacy0hT1Zdre7MjkGJZOZycg3XiS5zncLR0pDNV7RtUdPMsW2WKh2a2smzrtdR7sj_JH614dg9YXTpqoF-nQc0mVn8_15hhwGXrA8ZUiRfphsLrQBA8OmxH9ZqvXxV-dmgCKPs/s1600/ring+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCamFbFacy0hT1Zdre7MjkGJZOZycg3XiS5zncLR0pDNV7RtUdPMsW2WKh2a2smzrtdR7sj_JH614dg9YXTpqoF-nQc0mVn8_15hhwGXrA8ZUiRfphsLrQBA8OmxH9ZqvXxV-dmgCKPs/s400/ring+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>It's hard to determine from the pictures above, but the ring is actually pink gold.  I love pink, and I love gold and this marks the second pink gold ring Joel has bought me - the first one being a diamond band I received for Christmas a few years ago.  <br /><br />I love this ring more and more each day, and I'm so happy and honored to be wearing this beauty for the rest of my life!

wedding The Ring

Back in 2009, Joel and I took our first vacation to Niagara Falls, ON.  The Canadian Falls (aka "Horseshoe Falls") American Falls ...

Read more »

THESE AMAZING SHADOWS: The Film Preservation Act and the National Film Registry

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogjUwYYTNIqX552IogP-aPIByboHR3kg9FSji57qXh_xw8mm7imKWQUJS4oNaM_SbJhv10_KFRQ2C_oKxdkLnm5WWnYOP2uPd5CD26jCWdEGRsz-8KE8a1xcmBHMnX73dtI4leqGVox6i/s1600/These+Amazing+Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogjUwYYTNIqX552IogP-aPIByboHR3kg9FSji57qXh_xw8mm7imKWQUJS4oNaM_SbJhv10_KFRQ2C_oKxdkLnm5WWnYOP2uPd5CD26jCWdEGRsz-8KE8a1xcmBHMnX73dtI4leqGVox6i/s400/These+Amazing+Shadows.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span lang="EN">Independent Lens</span></i></b><b><span lang="EN">, the Emmy-winning PBS series, <span style="font-size: small;">airs</span> Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton’s <i>These Amazing Shadows</i>, a one-hour documentary, on Thursday, December 29, at 10:00pm (check local listings).</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN">These Amazing Shadows </span></i><span lang="EN">i</span><span lang="EN">s an often kaleidoscopic swirl of film clips iconic and obscure, from <i>Casablanca</i>, <i>Gone with the Wind</i> and <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> to <i>2001</i>, <i>The Godfather</i> and <i>E.T., </i>plus culturally noteworthy home movies, the odd sound film demo and theater intermission bumper. The documentary also outlines the background of the Film Preservation Act and the creation of the National Film Registry.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEjFI_kXbSmXL4TEs8m06FcBFrZFMO2-1kpvFF7qn9Zw4h7zM6oBMBpabEpYWG0wJTx2K5Jsk8yWkHAYGwGcMCSJwIpH0w_Aptd8ZougqeWMGv4SHelFOVVqn8CqE69jWWLza5u3Ucx6wDyY/s1600/The+Night+of+the+Hunter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI_kXbSmXL4TEs8m06FcBFrZFMO2-1kpvFF7qn9Zw4h7zM6oBMBpabEpYWG0wJTx2K5Jsk8yWkHAYGwGcMCSJwIpH0w_Aptd8ZougqeWMGv4SHelFOVVqn8CqE69jWWLza5u3Ucx6wDyY/s320/The+Night+of+the+Hunter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Night of the Hunter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">When Ted Turner purchased MGM in 1986 for $1.6 billion he sold off parts of his acquisition, but kept the film and TV libraries, which included those of MGM/UA, RKO and Warner Bros. With the hope of expanding the appeal of classic black and white films on his ‘SuperStation’ WTBS and elsewhere, Turner devised a plan to “colorize” them. In September 1986, Turner Broadcasting System released a list of 100 films set for “colorizing” – the list included <i>Casablanca</i>, <i>The Maltese Falcon</i>, <i>The Postman Always Rings Twice</i>, <i>Out of the Past</i> and other legends of black and white American cinema. Turner’s decision met with loud opposition from Hollywood filmmakers. The Director’s Guild was outspoken and an indignant Billy Wilder snarled: “Those fools! Do they really think that colorization will make <i>The Informer</i> any better? Or <i>Citizen Kane</i> or <i>Casablanca</i>? Or do they hope to palm off some of the old stinkers by dipping them in 31 flavors? Is there no end to their greed?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><a name='more'></a><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">The outcry against Turner’s penchant for colorizing the classics culminated in Congressional hearings.<i> These Amazing Shadows</i> navigates the colorization controversy, illustrating the hue and cry with news footage of directors Sydney Pollack and Woody Allen appearing before Congress and clips of James Stewart speaking out on network TV. In 1988, the Film Preservation Act was passed and, through the Library of Congress’ National Film Preservation Board, brought about the National Film Registry.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEhC7nTb3EQYZNcv3bH1Fd-ha4Uaic8Vog5IqMSuYk5GW7KNc4x_GexTNEDEy98E-bLuxz8gY__BQPGmkZBHeRschf9ZwPgFjxjPRRJhtsJeV_wzF9BVKagHOIjnSqO_NfgnwX4RzQZjoALd/s1600/a+man+and+his+duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7nTb3EQYZNcv3bH1Fd-ha4Uaic8Vog5IqMSuYk5GW7KNc4x_GexTNEDEy98E-bLuxz8gY__BQPGmkZBHeRschf9ZwPgFjxjPRRJhtsJeV_wzF9BVKagHOIjnSqO_NfgnwX4RzQZjoALd/s320/a+man+and+his+duck.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gus Visser and his Singing Duck</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">Among the tumble of Registry “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” films glimpsed in <i>These Amazing Shadows</i> are dramas, comedies, musicals and animated features. The documentary‘s tone is generally serious, but there is also a fair sprinkling of whimsy. The grim but seared-into-memory footage of Abraham Zapruder’s famous home movie of the Kennedy Assassination is on the list as is a thought-provoking home movie (<i>Topaz</i>)<i> </i>taken in a U.S. internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II. Yet there’s the bizarre sound film demo of Gus Visser and His Singing Duck, not to mention the jaunty theater intermission promo, “Let’s All Go to the Lobby (to get ourselves a treat)”…a mélange!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN">These Amazing Shadows </span></i><span lang="EN">covers a lot of ground in an hour. There are nearly as many interviews (Debbie Reynolds, Paul Schrader, Christopher Nolan, Rob Reiner, Peter Coyote, John Waters and many others) as there are film clips. The program features reflections on movies in general as well as specific films and genres but also explores attitudes and issues (race relations, women in film, cold war propaganda). Naturally, D.W. Griffith’s legendary <i>Birth of a Nation </i>has its moment in the spotlight. Though an innovative groundbreaker, this film affects me in the same way Leni Riefenstahl’s <i>Triumph of the Will </i>does. Each is historically and cinematically relevant but promotes deeply offensive propaganda; Riefenstahl extolled the Nazis, Griffith the Ku Klux Klan.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEgM-ZX1rFXGICrgRgHW74a71ot-yrFTwbpEuT6zt_MreFhr1LTPu6cBqIu4wPGl85X3hHp6H1OaXzBtBBHRVGUj3qNC5SCOs3mpPLx23TVEWCrwQQo49pb4JEpBkyj-qDm5WrSxbslyEEt3/s1600/Brando+and+cat.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/AVvXsEgM-ZX1rFXGICrgRgHW74a71ot-yrFTwbpEuT6zt_MreFhr1LTPu6cBqIu4wPGl85X3hHp6H1OaXzBtBBHRVGUj3qNC5SCOs3mpPLx23TVEWCrwQQo49pb4JEpBkyj-qDm5WrSxbslyEEt3/s320/Brando+and+cat.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Godfather</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">A central point, hammered home as the documentary comes to its conclusion, is the importance of preservation and restoration. It was news to me that the original negative of <i>The Godfather</i> had been reduced to “tatters.” Overused because of the film’s immense popularity (“loved to death”) it was at one time in dire need of restoration. It’s no stretch to imagine that if <i>The Godfather </i>could nearly come to ruin, a terrible fate could easily befall less prominent, smaller films.  And why would anyone care about saving movies? Well, that’s not a hard question for a film lover/blogger like me. Without film, my soul would shrivel and die. <i>These Amazing Shadows</i> takes the larger view - film is “our family album,” a part of American history and culture.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">Currently there are <a href="http://www.loc.gov/film/registry_titles.php" style="color: #990000;"><b>550 films listed</b></a> in the National Film Registry. Each year the Librarian of Congress, with input from the public and the National Film Preservation Board, picks 25 films to add to the Registry. </span><span lang="EN">To learn more about <i>These Amazing Shadows</i>, an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival, <a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/these-amazing-shadows/" style="color: #990000;"><b>click here</b></a>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN">A footnote: I can’t ignore the irony that Ted Turner, who eventually abandoned colorization (a prohibitively expensive process), just a few years later launched</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Turner Classic Movies. The channel stands today as a beacon in the night for classic film fans - and airs predominantly black and white films...</span></span></i><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/28aSBRPDfh4" width="420"></iframe></div></div>

National Film Preservation Board National Film Registry The Lady Eve (author) These Amazing Shadows THESE AMAZING SHADOWS: The Film Preservation Act and the National Film Registry

Independent Lens , the Emmy-winning PBS series, airs Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton’s These Amazing Shadows , a one-hour documentary, on Thur...

Read more »

Middle East

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Arab Spring Revisited </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Article by Mark Silverberg<b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.analyst-network.com/profile.php?user_id=203"><br /></a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">With all the talk of revolutions, the Middle East continues to slip backwards. We see mobs burning buildings, and President Obama quoting Martin Luther King - “There is something in the soul that cries out for freedom” - while the leaders of this "democratic transformation" read <i>Mein Kampf</i> and are well on their way to establishing Islamic theocracies across the region.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">While the Administration has sought “clarifications” from the Muslim Brotherhood concerning future relations with Israel, and minority and women’s rights, it has not received any formal response. What it did receive was news that Muslim Brotherhood leader Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb had just told thousands of his followers in a major Cairo mosque: “In order to build Egypt, we must be one. Politics is insufficient. Faith in Allah is the basis for everything.” Time and again, a Koran quote vowing that "one day we shall kill all the Jews" was uttered at the site.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Change is indeed coming, but it is not the sort of change this Administration has in mind. For anyone who has the slightest understanding of the socio-political crises gripping the Arab Middle East today, it is clear that the “Arab Spring” is morphing into an “Arab Winter” leaving in its wake political instability, Sunni-Shiite rivalries, bloody clashes, assassinations, bombings, massacres of civilians, sectarian violence, Islamic theocracies, and massive refugee problems – most notably from Syria - everything except liberal democracy as we know it. If anything, it's an "Islamic awakening", and the only winners will be the Muslim Brotherhood (whose political aims are akin to those of the revolutionary Khomeinists in Iran), its ideological ally Hamas, and the Salafists (who are even more extreme in their Islamic views).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">We never learn from history. In 1979, as the Ayatollah Khomeini was seizing power in Iran and turning a largely peaceful secular revolution into a brutal Islamic theocracy, the <i>New York Times</i> ran an op-ed column entitled "Trusting Khomenei." The column argued that Khomeini was being depicted unfairly as an anti-Semitic theocratic reactionary when instead, "Iran may yet provide us with a desperately-needed model of humane governance for a third-world country." We all know how that turned out, but that didn't stop the <i>Times</i> from running another front page "news analysis" in February 2011 extolling the virtues of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. What happened in Iran, it assured us, could never happen in Egypt as the Brotherhood "is a mainstream group that stands as the most venerable of the Arab world's Islamic movements." And then there is the senior member of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Kamal al-Halbavi, who said he hoped Egypt would have “a good government, like the Iranian government, and a good president like Mr. Ahmadinejad, who is very brave.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even now, the Administration does not yet fully understand the implications of probable Muslim Brotherhood victories in Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco and the West Bank. To do so, it need only consult the April 2011 Pew Research Center poll results in Egypt (and Egypt is typical of other Arab countries in this regard) where 60% of Egyptians said that <i>Shari'a</i> must be the only source of legislation in their country, 82% said they favored stoning adulterers, and 77% supported flogging or cutting off the hands of thieves. In such a society, acceptance of Islamism and <i>Sharia</i> is to be expected, especially when 30% of the population is illiterate, 40% live on less than $2 a day, and the nation can barely feed itself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">When these attitudes translate themselves into an electoral victory, the Brotherhood can be expected to prevent parliament from passing any law that contradicts the explicit commands of Allah as conveyed through the Koran, the <i>Hadith</i>, and the example set by the prophet. Uriya Shavit of Tel Aviv University explains the implications of this in the autumn issue of <i>AzureOnline</i> (<i>Shalem Center</i>): “As Islamist scholars have explained repeatedly, human beings cannot permit what Allah has forbidden, nor can they ban what Allah permits.” She continues: “The inevitable result of (the Muslim Brotherhood’s) electoral victory will be the formation of a theocracy. It will not permit the scientific and technological revolution of which Arab societies are in such dire need.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">If<i> Sharia</i> is to become the supreme adjudicator of future legislation across the Arab world, non-Muslims will be excluded from full participation in Arab societies, official second-class status (<i>dhimmitude</i>) will be conferred on them, and their lives and property will be protected only so long as they pay the <i>Jizya</i> – a discriminatory tax that must be paid by non-Muslims under Islamic law. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">It can also be assumed that Islamic law will validate polygamy, the amputation of limbs, gender apartheid, the ethnic cleansing of Jews, mandatory donning of the veil for women, honor killings, the execution of homosexuals, prostitutes and apostates (those who convert away from Islam), female genital mutilation, bans on music, dancing, men and women mixing in public, the blowing up of liquor stores, restrictions on scientific and technological inquiry (the effect of which will suffocate philosophy, art and research), suppression of freedom of expression for artists, journalists and writers, the punishment of those in the media who disagree with their government, and the practicing of any religion other than Islam (witness the recent attacks on Copts and Christian Coptic churches in Egypt).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In his blog, analyst Daniel Greenfield also notes…“If the Brotherhood achieves its aims, the military will be taken apart and replaced by an Iranian-style Revolutionary Guard. That process is already underway in Turkey where there are more generals in prison than on the front lines. But if the military waits out all its rivals and then picks up Western support for stabilizing Egypt, then a new Mubarak will be in power.” Only the army can prevent the establishment of an Islamic state.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">All this should lead the Western powers to reflect on the true meaning of democracy. It is much more than the process of voting in free elections. When we speak of democracy, we assume it means the same thing to all peoples everywhere. The assumption is that popular power goes hand-in-hand with freedom and tolerance for minorities. It is an assumption not founded on history or reason, but on wishful thinking. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Democracy is no solution in countries where tolerance and the freedom to organize or dissent do not exist. In the Arab Middle East, Islamic democracy will justify democratic tyranny by the majority and will unify countries </span><i style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">by purging them of all their divisive elements</i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">. And if the rest of the population</span></span> doesn't agree - especially non-Muslim minorities - elections will be rigged, bullets will fly, protesters will be slaughtered in the streets, and the prisons will be full.</span></div>

Middle East

The Arab Spring Revisited  Article by Mark Silverberg With all the talk of revolutions, the Middle East continues to slip backwards. We se...

Read more »

THE MEGA BANKS:

<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> GOLDMAN SACHS, JPMORGAN CHASE, ETC. CONTROL EUROPE'S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>by Bob Chapman</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Europe each time a new player is presented we find he is a Goldman Sachs’ alumnus. Recent entries are Mario Monti “appointed” PM of Italy, Lucas Papademas “appointed” PM of Greece and Mario Dragahi “appointed” President of the European Central Bank. The banks blatantly control governments and agencies presenting us with an oligarchy, which controls most of the nations on the planet. In America politicians are bought and paid for. In Europe there is a different mind set, a shared worldview of bureaucrats, technocrats, politicians and the elite bankers of world government and domination. What has happened in this process is that Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and other mega-banking has retained power for decades. They control all the players in the field, so the outcome is always in their favor. The bankers and others in turn are paid via billions of dollars in bonuses. Banks are now bank holding companies having become that to avoid failure as brokerage firms. That is the case in the US, UK and Europe.<br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">One of our subscribers in Brussels sent us a copy of “A European Mechanism for Financial Stability.” The present danger is seen in sovereigns heavily in debt and the heard effect of hedge funds. They say they won’t allow speculators to govern their societies. If they are serious why don’t they ban them from their markets? A universal ban would be even better and they could throw in derivatives for good measure.<br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Europe still does not have a longer-term structural solution to their debt crisis and none is in the offering. Germany cannot sell its total tranche of bonds and Mrs. Merkel says that if Germany can only sell 65% of its bonds how can Eurobonds or bonds of the six insolvent nations sell theirs? The debt crisis is burrowing even deeper like a large worm undermining the entire continent. Worse yet, we just found out that the Bundesbank usually holds back bonds for market making operations, thus, they only sold about half of the issue. If the crisis continues to deepen Germany and the other euro zone nations will have to reexamine where they are headed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> As we know all currencies and debt rates are increasing, which ties the banks of all the participants, including the solvent ones. Even with the German bunds, who is going to want to hold debt in a country that will have to guarantee one-half or more of the debt of other countries? At the same time the call goes out for strict supervision and enforcement of budget discipline. We have lived in these countries and that is not possible for any sustained period of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Spanish election turned out as well as could be expected Calling for a vote on November 20th, the anniversary of Generalisimo’s death, turned out to be the kiss of death for Socialist PM Joe Luis Zapatero. There are too many people who liked Franco. The PP is a pro business party and already governs 11 of 17 of the country’s autonomous regions. If PP beats the Socialists in their stronghold in March, the PP will be in power for a number of years. Zapater’s legacy to the PP will have its work cut out for it with 22% unemployment and almost 7% yields to contend with. They will have to also try to restore the country’s AAA rating. Many voted for the lesser of two evils.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">In France we have another case of government bailing out the banks and other euro zone members. These efforts could cost France its AAA rating. We’ll know in mid-January, but it does not look good.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Funding costs on a 10-year bond level are up and they look like they are going to stay there. Major countries are still paying close to 7%, which is the highest funding cost since the creation of the euro. The spread between French and German rates is about 2%, which is unheard of. The euro continues to be hammered vs. the dollar and the same is happening worldwide in stock markets. Most two-year paper has risen in yield over the past month. France is paying close to 4% versus .40% in Germany and in the US .28%. In Europe these bond markets could not function without the assistance of the ECB and the money and credit creation of sovereign governments, some banks are showing desperate signs. The biggest bank in Italy, Unibank, has to refinance $51 billion of bonds shortly. Their bond yields are now over 10%. Only the ECB can bail them out like the Fed bailed out banks in the US and Europe three years ago.</span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">While this transpires 70% of Americans are unaware of the seriousness of what is taking place in Europe. Wait until 2012. Banks alone have to raise $660 billion of maturing debt, most 10-year paper is selling above 7-1/4%, which is a sign that they all need the help; Greece, Ireland and Portugal has already received. Remember, we are talking $6 trillion just to bail these countries out and to keep their economies going sideways. The solvent countries cannot come up with that kind of money without failing themselves. You have to ask why did the bankers let things go so far? They deliberately impeded the system, because they cannot be that stupid. Then there is the matter of capital flight. This year Greek banks have lost 20% of their deposits. We hope they bought gold and silver. We ask are Italian and Spanish deposits next? Over in Hungary Moody’s has cut their debt to non-investment grade. In the wake of that announcement France’s Sarkozy and Germany’s Merkel tell us that the ECB will act appropriately, whatever that means. These leaders do not know what to say or what to do. The situation is unsustainable, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this phase lasted into late January. Remember, Europe virtually closes down from December 7th until January 10th. This while the future of the European banking system is in dire trouble. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">While this transpires we wonder how many derivative failures there are and what their consequences could be? At last we heard from the US government, US bank exposure was $670 billion, mostly in credit default swaps. If the six European countries default on their debt, US banks cannot possibly stay solvent. The knack on contagion could take the US banking system down with it. In Europe there is no question that all European banks will have to be recapitalized by the countries in which they do business. In fact, it has already begun, just as it did in the US three years ago. That makes their currencies worth much less and gold and silver worth much more. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">This is the greatest risk the EU has ever faced and as yet no one has any solutions. The euro and the entire 27-country union are at risk. This as we predicted has no solution. The weaker states have to be cut loose and the euro has to be phased out. Article 123 of the EU Treaty, prohibiting monetary financing or central bank funding of government, is illegal. That certainly is a stopper. That means the euro zone and the EU are trapped by their treaty and would have to change the treaty and, of course, the outcome would be massive inflation. If they stick to the treaty the euro will collapse. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">What it comes down to is that desperate violators do not care about the law. All they want is survival. On the other hand, Germans are unwilling to sacrifice their credibility or to abandon the legal path. Crisis or no crisis there is no reason to break the rules for those who have already broken them. Monetary inflation is the direct result of bailout and purging the system is the only solution for the long-term. We do not think Germany will abandon the rules and their principals. That means they are prepared to cut loose the six insolvents and hope the core euro nations can hold together. It is not only inflation, but credibility and trust as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Monetary financing only extends the problem; it is illegal and destroys the credibility and trust in national institutions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>

THE MEGA BANKS:

 GOLDMAN SACHS, JPMORGAN CHASE, ETC. CONTROL EUROPE'S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE by Bob Chapman In Europe each time a new player is presented w...

Read more »

Guest Post by Joel

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></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/AVvXsEhvpTpdWyFc5OGwPCXSQNtzc0k4XWI01YhDez8BBbuUVB2-Wui6fPGcrVDcNUp8ay-GFzeK0gABqPLyz7r00oIh6uQaeG4LZ61pWJgDx1x2x9pTCfexJomEfhSvl4siVMrQ8jBtBQGZWRs/s1600/hiljoelfacebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpTpdWyFc5OGwPCXSQNtzc0k4XWI01YhDez8BBbuUVB2-Wui6fPGcrVDcNUp8ay-GFzeK0gABqPLyz7r00oIh6uQaeG4LZ61pWJgDx1x2x9pTCfexJomEfhSvl4siVMrQ8jBtBQGZWRs/s320/hiljoelfacebook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September 2011</td></tr></tbody></table>My name is Joel, future husband to the future Mrs. Hilary Busbee.  Hilary has asked me to write a guest post about my weight loss journey.  I’m at a loss of how to go about this because I’m not very detail oriented.  I could simply say I’ve been eating better and losing weight and that would suffice; but, I know Hilary wouldn’t have it.  I will try and draw this out as much as possible for God, country and Hilary!<br /><br />Making better food choices and staying mobile has been my cause for success.  I’m very lucky because there are only a handful of foods that I won’t eat.  I can even eat that mislabeled rabbit food of a cereal, Fiber One, and enjoy it!  Instead of putting the trash in my car and driving it the 1/8 of a mile to the dumpster I walk it.  Even though it seems small, that stuff adds up.  Here’s the big secret folks, I rarely, <i>rarely </i>eat fast food anymore.  Shocker, I know!  Who would have guessed that refraining from a steady diet of McDoubles would help someone lose weight?  <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDyhL5FUZPvWGh6L0jJnrm_DlyFWde2QKk2V6TsnsvgFlu86YyeJ6IDIjB_HUFqxFTa0foJJfKttf510ooPevxq13YlZVaYDBDyoUOrzicnQQElXvp8XelGtE0v_BpxQWGgBgoCmPePE/s1600/Paw+Paws+80th+Birthday+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDyhL5FUZPvWGh6L0jJnrm_DlyFWde2QKk2V6TsnsvgFlu86YyeJ6IDIjB_HUFqxFTa0foJJfKttf510ooPevxq13YlZVaYDBDyoUOrzicnQQElXvp8XelGtE0v_BpxQWGgBgoCmPePE/s400/Paw+Paws+80th+Birthday+069.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">November 2011</td></tr></tbody></table>Even though I know you’re growing more intrigued with each word you read, I have to say that’s it and wrap this up.  I eat better and feel better.  I also want to quickly say how grateful I am for Hilary doing this with me.  She’s the reason this is happening.  Love you.

Guest post Joel Weight Loss Weight Watchers Guest Post by Joel

September 2011 My name is Joel, future husband to the future Mrs. Hilary Busbee.  Hilary has asked me to write a guest post about my weight ...

Read more »

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Geopolitics

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1a_JawmNEg9h9VDl0u4hoM2hlpox-ga5xlOBA9EUQUY_jC-5eeImefeVYNGGR-h14Ab2pMMJxe8xuL17GOQ35ZuSRDEJJpFzmdMot51lYVAsVXFXAtwBdXAmVaJjVfJpjGhBZn8yCA9s/s1600/shia-in-ME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>GEO – STRATEGIC RESHUFFLE  </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">That there is currently a reshuffling of the geopolitical landscape is nothing new. The question is where does all this lead to? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>THE OLD CONTINENT </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let start in Europe. The current financial crisis in Europe some say is a monetary war between Anglo American establishment and the Europeans. If this is the case the current Rating Agencies hype makes sense for most of them are US Agencies and since we are living in a period where every move of our life is rated it is a easy task for corporate and politically motivated media to conduct a “PSY OPS” style propaganda where everyone seems to think the world is going to collapse because one of rating agency threatens to downgrade a country. Thus the Anglo American axis seems to have the upper hand in the monetary war against Europe. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another way of looking at it is that Europe’s current crisis is just a natural cycle that was bound to happen since Europe has prospered for more than 60 years and thus has reached its zenith; therefore it is only natural that a decline is imminent. Some even argue that a war in Europe is unavoidable and as a result of which the economy would once again kick start, political echelons of the European Union Powerhouse would shuffle new cards, as a subsequent of which Europe would enter another cycle of prosperity. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The prospect of war in Europe is not such a farfetched scenario if one looks deeper into Europe’s history and how multi cultural diversity triggered armed conflicts in the past.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last but not least there are the conspiracy theorists who view the current crisis in Europe as something triggered deliberately in order to justify a “new world order” in which Europe is part of one <i><span style="font-style: normal;">sovereign</span></i><i> </i>entity, one government and one monetary control body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u> </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>MIDDLE EAST</u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The euphoria bubble surrounding the Arab Spring has burst and brought back the harsh reality to its people. Only the naive ones truly believed that with the Arab Spring, true democracy would hold a triumphant victory march into Arab society. Instead we are back at square one. Egypt has and will not see significant changes, not now nor after the elections. Egypt will continue to be governed by an autocratic government. As for the rest of the “Arab Spring” countries, mainstream media naively continue to report that “Moderate” Islamic governments are about to take over and thus democracy is destined to take over in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Well keep on dreaming. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>SYRIA - SUNNI MONARCHIES VERSUS SHIITES AND ALAWITES?</u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The situation in Syria on the other hand is becoming increasingly complex and hard to analyze, because of a full out “PSY OPS” style covert operation by foreign entities, starting from the UK, USA and THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES. Monitoring main stream media such as BBC, CNN and the rest of corporate print media, one cannot avoid detecting certain PSY OPS tactics. First of all most of main stream media unquestioningly convey statements given by the Syrian Opposition in the UK and other countries as given fact. Furthermore many mainstream media outlets claim to have obtained information from opposition groups in Syria via cell phone and internet.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HHYF8IBvusM?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">People how lived or visited Syria, know how rigorously mobile phone services and the internet are monitored and controlled by the Assad clan and their security services. Thus it seems rather unlikely that information obtained from the opposition via cell phones and internet social networks are genuine. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In most likelihood these feedbacks are part of a PSY OPS strategy in order to destabilize the situation. One must not forget that SAUDIA ARABIA and TURKY seem to have a very strong geo- strategically interest in SYRIA and thus are eager to tumble the government.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWWPC4Dk8vDi7DOdeA9px9BKE8ID66Pnrf3vCEx9dtn-EMTvt4IZwO1OY5F90uFuAyy6O0JowqeAQYmC8PihnIl6F6a6RL1Oom4bCvFadvC2KoyLRwvtn-C0sPElXQMvlTH7D-IgtYFzj/s1600/shia-in-ME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWWPC4Dk8vDi7DOdeA9px9BKE8ID66Pnrf3vCEx9dtn-EMTvt4IZwO1OY5F90uFuAyy6O0JowqeAQYmC8PihnIl6F6a6RL1Oom4bCvFadvC2KoyLRwvtn-C0sPElXQMvlTH7D-IgtYFzj/s320/shia-in-ME.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mainstream media also neglects to provide in-depth analysis as to why suddenly THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES is so desperate to sanction SYRIA. THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES was formed by eight ARAB states, all of whom are governed by ROYAL FAMILIES, BAHRAIN, JORDAN, KUWAIT, MOROCCO, OMAN, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA and the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES and all of whom are predominantly SUNNI MUSLIMS, (including Turkey) and NATO allies, whereas SYRIA is ruled by the ASSAD clan which are ALAWITES and foster close ties to RUSSIA and IRAN which is predominantly SHIITE. Thus it becomes imminent why suddenly THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES is increasing its pressure on SYRIA. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Geo-Strategically RUSSIA needs to support SYRIA in order to keep its only “foot in the water” in the MEDITERRANEAN SEA with its naval base in TARTUS. A regime change in DAMASCUS would oust RUSSIA and IRANIAN navies from the sea, thus eliminating the only friendly docking facilities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I have mentioned in previous articles in this blog, toppling the current regime will turn the region into utmost chaos and civil war, something ISRAEL and the USA can’t afford to risk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>USA PACIFIC REACH</u></b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRjzUSJpWAMHBMxzufpVAcu1-7Y3QHIwdplr9ddfgB0xKMOZ1r-AyvcD7KMZyYooLF8ubEeBCAGDOvo_29WE5A3i4WM7By2paYm0IamtizB1Pb_ckK1TBFWhkv0fy8tdnvDejw0HKwMxB/s1600/malacca-straights.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRjzUSJpWAMHBMxzufpVAcu1-7Y3QHIwdplr9ddfgB0xKMOZ1r-AyvcD7KMZyYooLF8ubEeBCAGDOvo_29WE5A3i4WM7By2paYm0IamtizB1Pb_ckK1TBFWhkv0fy8tdnvDejw0HKwMxB/s320/malacca-straights.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The USA, despite its debt crisis, is always on the quest for new geo strategic advantages and thus does not hesitate to change its geo-political tactics. It therefore does not come as a surprise that the USA currently is trying to gain a footstep in the door of the Pacific Rim. The latest activities being the increase of  number of troops in AUSTRALIA and closer ties with VIETNAM in order to gain more influence in the CHINESE sea which would take them at the doorsteps of CHINA.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WeoyasUz7h4?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately RT is the only alternative video news resource on youtube that covers subjects mentioned in this blog,</span><span style="font-size: large;">which makes this blog not as impartial as intended to be!!</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CsPqtu7cx3o?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Aside from the pacific quest the USA increasingly are trying to mend relations with certain LATIN AMERICAN countries such as ARGENTINA and BRAZIL in order to gain a share of their economic boom and to have a “foot in the doorstep” in the food supply chain. (Related article will be published on this block in due course).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The current geopolitical seismic shift the world is experiencing will bring about changes upon many generations to come, and for sure they are not for the better.  </span></div>

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Geopolitics

GEO – STRATEGIC RESHUFFLE   That there is currently a reshuffling of the geopolitical landscape is nothing new. The question is where does a...

Read more »