A Conversation with God

Hey all - switching things up a little today on TBW.  When I read this from a friend's Facebook page, I nearly cried.... because right now this is really speaking to me and I thought you could benefit by reading it too.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***********************************</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Me: God, can I ask you a question?<br /><br />God: Sure<br /><br />Me: Promise u won't get mad<br />...<br />God: I promise<br /><br />Me: Why did u let so much stuff happen to me today?<br /><br />God: What do u mean?<br /><br />Me: Well, I woke up late<br /><br />God: Yes<br /><br />Me: My car took forever to start<br /><br />God: Okay<br /><br />Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait<br /><br />God:Huummm<br /><br />Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call<br /><br />God: All right<br /><br />Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?<br /><br />God: Let me see, the Death Angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that<br /><br />Me (humbled): OH<br /><br />GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.<br /><br />Me: (ashamed)<br /><br />God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.<br /><br />Me (embarrassed):Ok<br /><br />God: Your phone went dead bcuz the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.<br /><br />Me (softly): I see God<br /><br />God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.<br /><br />Me: I'm sorry God<br /><br />God: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.....in all things , the good & the bad.<br /><br />Me: I will trust you<br /><br />God: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.<br /><br />Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.<br /><br />God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children...<br /></div>

Miscellaneous A Conversation with God

Hey all - switching things up a little today on TBW.  When I read this from a friend's Facebook page, I nearly cried.... because right n...

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Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as a guest and join us if you can: <a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Ngaka Ralekoala from Bloemfontein</b></span><br />We have Ngaka Ralekoala who worked in a team of four in a project about vulnerable children. In this project l<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">earners from participating schools received training in ethics and research methodology and then conducted research in their local community to determine the needs of vulnerable children.  Through this project, learners have been given the opportunity to collaborate with other schools, the University of the Free State as well as experts in the field of Social Action research from the De </span><span style="color: black;">Montford</span><span style="color: black;"> University in the United Kingdom via the Internet. </span></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s1600/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s400/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Charli Wiggil from Eden College in Durban</b></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; language: en-ZA; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; mso-line-break-override: none; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;"> We also have Charli Wiggil from Durban who did a project around the world cup in South Africa called ‘Tweenzites’. In t<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">his grade 10 Life Orientation project involved learners identifying a contemporary problem in their community and exploring it using various technological tools (Intel Thinking with Technology, GPRS, cell phones, Microsoft Office Applications etc). Learners were then challenged to devise strategies to address the problem that they identified and these were presented to local community and government leaders, community members, educators and learners from other schools. It is hoped that the municipality might implement some of the suggestions through their Department Planning Programme. One of the groups developed a DVD to be used in Life Skills by other schools.</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s1600/Charli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s400/Charli.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Glen Williams from Sunridge Primary in Port Elizabeth</b></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> The third teacher is Glen Williams who did a project which he calls ‘Silent Morals’ around a particular IT programme called Scratch.Glen says " <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;">Well</span><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> , m</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">y grade 6 learners had to USE what they learnt in basic programming, EXPLORE, and CREATE an ANIMATED SILENT MOVIE which DEPICTS a MORAL VALUE or LESSON.You will see that I start AND end this presentation with the word FUN, because I believe that education must be ENGAGING in a FUN way. </span><span style="color: black;">Projects</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"> allow learners the FREEDOM to EXPERIMENT with what they already learnt in a STRUCTURED way AND forces them to EXPLORE things which they haven’t learnt yet, without RELYING on a teacher."</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s1600/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s400/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br />This all makes for some interesting listening this evening. If you can’t make it the recording will be placed on the wiki tomorrow. (<a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings</a>) But please join us if you can this evening at 5pm:<br /><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br />Well, five 'o clock has now been and gone and the webinar is over. Here is a Slideshare with embedded YouTube videos showing the webinars of these three finalists. Take a watch and a listen if you have the time. <br /><br /><div id="__ss_11539587" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-pil-winners-webinars-in-south-africa-4" target="_blank" title="Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa ">Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa </a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11539587" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br />Otherwise, listen to their podcasts instead<br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665090" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Ngaka+Ralekoala+-+Children+who+care&mp3Time=09.12pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care&rootID=boo_embed_665090" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Ngaka Ralekoala - Children who care (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665100" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Charli+Wiggil+-+Tweenzite&mp3Time=09.18pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite&rootID=boo_embed_665100" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Charli Wiggil - Tweenzite (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665112" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Glen+Williams+-+Silent+Morals&mp3Time=09.31pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals&rootID=boo_embed_665112" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Glen Williams - Silent Morals (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><br /></div>

Competitions Microsoft podcasts Project-based learning Slideshare Teaching videos webinars Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as ...

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What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting competition that used to be called the Innovative Teacher competition. There are some superb prizes available, and it is <b>really</b> worth giving it your best shot. The competition involves taking something you are doing in class and adding technology to it. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s1600/Victor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s400/Victor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you are successful you could be in for a year that involves travel and adventure! If you haven't started a project yet and you are still floundering for ideas, well, I have prepared a Slideshare to help you. Just remember that entries have to be uploaded by 12 March 2102. For more information please look at the wiki we have created to guide you through the days until closing date - <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces</a>. You can still sign up so that we can take a special interest in you. <br /><br />Here is the Slideshare:<br /><div style="width:425px" id="__ss_11488569"><strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum" title="Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum">Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum</a></strong><object height="355" id="__sse11488569" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed name="__sse11488569" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="padding:5px 0 12px">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div><br />So, what are <b>YOU</b> doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Microsoft Project-based learning Slideshare What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting co...

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domino is coming back

A friend gave me the best news this morning - Domino is coming back!!<br /><br />I bet you have more pictures from that magazine pinned than you realize and now we'll be able to see even more. You can read the announcement <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/press/cond-nast-revive-domino-special-newsstand-editions-138107" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />"Quick Fixes" will have at least two issues, one in April and another in the fall. And when they sell as well as I suspect they will, maybe Condé Nast will pull the trigger and bring back the monthly treasure!<br /><br />Is anyone else as excited as I am? Have a favorite article or imagine from Domino? Anyone else have  a pile of them in your bedroom closet like I do? Yet another reason to look forward to spring!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUcCMWbV7lSDliVkow-7XJkihBqvvpJPJuC0PUKGEgfa-Ytm16Fkt5FJcr3z_PVIDmhbZIFaOnD-h-YO5XqidMSKDhv3pyIIOOoAtwQMfhYtKXcPUtr6fHY4KYLxHeNBspOcHdI2psZ4f/s1600/6a00d83539e9ed69e20105358a7e04970b-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUcCMWbV7lSDliVkow-7XJkihBqvvpJPJuC0PUKGEgfa-Ytm16Fkt5FJcr3z_PVIDmhbZIFaOnD-h-YO5XqidMSKDhv3pyIIOOoAtwQMfhYtKXcPUtr6fHY4KYLxHeNBspOcHdI2psZ4f/s400/6a00d83539e9ed69e20105358a7e04970b-800wi.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHcsxbddtvRb3imslWN5ppGPZePqcu5HmEvZv8bwMNwc7_1Yd96btbzu-WFAeh4MVJNm4o31U_xloUtAbfnRbUCCrtBtxYaOg7Gg1Ep5CLevPT71Hp91kad17XuHQtDMhyphenhyphenJpjEBxozPX0/s1600/200px-Domino_-_premier_issue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHcsxbddtvRb3imslWN5ppGPZePqcu5HmEvZv8bwMNwc7_1Yd96btbzu-WFAeh4MVJNm4o31U_xloUtAbfnRbUCCrtBtxYaOg7Gg1Ep5CLevPT71Hp91kad17XuHQtDMhyphenhyphenJpjEBxozPX0/s400/200px-Domino_-_premier_issue.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu10O8pF2TTt7TkRqCB1-zDuLWrx7MeQV-nfzHDAj0Jfk4m7IsATs0lwXsmlAzmzZYPEC7kq0HhjylXxyD-fBPlyVaU8o29p3a9p8wcApjoMOZyEl75m614-DyIAuvEIBngNyORRTBTSY/s1600/domino-magazine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu10O8pF2TTt7TkRqCB1-zDuLWrx7MeQV-nfzHDAj0Jfk4m7IsATs0lwXsmlAzmzZYPEC7kq0HhjylXxyD-fBPlyVaU8o29p3a9p8wcApjoMOZyEl75m614-DyIAuvEIBngNyORRTBTSY/s400/domino-magazine.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br />

domino is coming back

A friend gave me the best news this morning - Domino is coming back!! I bet you have more pictures from that magazine pinned than you realiz...

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Super Bowl Sunday

Here is how my Sunday went:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">1. Woke up around 8 AM and decided to hit the gym shortly thereafter.  I had a big day ahead of me and wanted to get my 2nd round of the activity out of the way for the week. - <i>Great job!</i><br /><br />2. After the gym, I showered up and got ready to meet with an old friend at Applebees.  I chose there because of the WW menu.  I didn't order off of that menu however.  Instead I ordered from their "Under 550" calories menu, choosing the Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Sauce.  Turns out that Applebees no longer serves the WW shrimp skewers I used to order.  Overall, this wasn't a terrible choice, but it did clock in at 13 PointsPlus, which I discovered once I returned home {there were WW dishes on there for that much too!}. - <i>Unprepared.</i></blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX5KmiY4oNDZkrtMEZo23BUxMB8qW9SZOTUB47COPmeVc5CkiDjrfU2plHa-gT8XfK9_Gajf3QHoKsMGHxAiaWfKFNRDL6Vm3v75ykAan7Xnv1K2ZkytMhOMuA_-v4_neLjDi8V6YHaw/s1600/applebees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX5KmiY4oNDZkrtMEZo23BUxMB8qW9SZOTUB47COPmeVc5CkiDjrfU2plHa-gT8XfK9_Gajf3QHoKsMGHxAiaWfKFNRDL6Vm3v75ykAan7Xnv1K2ZkytMhOMuA_-v4_neLjDi8V6YHaw/s400/applebees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">3.  Even after that steak and potatoes meal, I was still hungry when I came home.  I have no idea why.  I drank 3 glasses of unsweetened iced tea at the restaurant, and downed a glass of water when I got home, and I was still hungry.  And this is where the downfall begins... - <i>Unprepared with better alternatives and ravenous/stressed out as a result. </i></blockquote><br />It is almost as if once I tell myself I have to <i>really </i>stay on track when a social event occurs, I inevitably do the exact opposite.  I place so much emphasis on it, I fail.  I panic, and then I start to eat.  I had set myself up for success on Sunday, going to the gym early, picking a decent choice while out to eat, but in the end I failed. {I had already had my "special" meal for the week too - that was on Friday night}. <br /><br />I know I was worrying about the SB party and the tempting food that would be there.  So I ate before we left.  Stupid.  I never understood this logic about eating before you go to a party.  Supposedly this will prevent you from being "tempted" to eat when you get there because you'll be full.  <i>That does not work for me.  </i>Since when has being "full" ever stopped me before?<i>  </i>I mean, hello - 263.8 lbs?  I didn't get to that point by only eating when I was hungry!<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/AVvXsEiPYyff_gLaV8JEYxmNFeBMkqh1jiFR1K792ebo_0vK7NiOq4yZKsUsqSJcjJVZ_8-1Eztml2qixqnnHknA2rK2MlMz7BA-Pu8LUZQBiJHx5YtEzgzTuum-DKeLUmnC0vcKRFbkBASAr1k/s1600/pentagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYyff_gLaV8JEYxmNFeBMkqh1jiFR1K792ebo_0vK7NiOq4yZKsUsqSJcjJVZ_8-1Eztml2qixqnnHknA2rK2MlMz7BA-Pu8LUZQBiJHx5YtEzgzTuum-DKeLUmnC0vcKRFbkBASAr1k/s400/pentagon.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view outside of their apartment:<br />Washington Monument & the Pentagon in the foreground</td></tr></tbody></table><br />But I tried this approach, because I've read about this idea time and time again in magazines and have heard it on TV {I've tried this in the past without success too}.  This is why I wrote that post last week about the gym.  The same logic applies here:  no matter how many studies say this, that and the other, I have to know Hilary and how Hilary operates in given situations.  Despite how many studies say that eating before going to a social event will curb my appetite, it won't.  In fact, it was all I could do to NOT think about food.  All I wanted was to eat.<br /><br />Joel made wings and I made meatballs  {plus the Hungry Girl Pigs in a Blanket}.  I had 1 wing and 1 turkey meatball {appetizer size, not baseball size}.  Then I ate a ton of broccoli.  Then people started making comments about how I wasn't gorging myself like the rest of them.  Ugh.  I don't like to draw attention to myself with food.  At. All.  So then I went back for more food {even though I was pretty much out of Points for the day by the time we got to the party}, and I got a few more of those Hungry Girl Pigs in a Blanket.  None of this looks bad in black and white, and really it wasn't bad and I should've just stopped there, but I didn't because at the time I was entering in to the "I'm blowing it" mindset.<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/AVvXsEiZV32Tdjtdx1h5C9h9KtKrd43CBpxVUkz8n78Beo1slYtuGPk7Mzhgq60Nk4CM8zG68QaSP2l9THfMEVts0JIt5UX6P8S174oqgT9hzvMxkuT0nebwupMO8Kowf7dgQZoDy3wxdJDOs1Q/s1600/air+force+memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV32Tdjtdx1h5C9h9KtKrd43CBpxVUkz8n78Beo1slYtuGPk7Mzhgq60Nk4CM8zG68QaSP2l9THfMEVts0JIt5UX6P8S174oqgT9hzvMxkuT0nebwupMO8Kowf7dgQZoDy3wxdJDOs1Q/s400/air+force+memorial.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from their apartment:<br />The Airforce Memorial & the Arlington National Cemetery (background)</td></tr></tbody></table>Then we made an even more brilliant move and we took food home with us.  UGH.  I had fudge & pizza before this gorge-fest ended.  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.<br /><br />I could speculate all I want to as to how to have redone Super Bowl Sunday.  But the bottom line is this: I need to do what I know is right for Hilary.  Not what a million and one studies say because clearly those studies must apply to every single person out there.  No.  I know what works for me and what makes me successful.  I definitely ate out of boredom at the party, and that's another problem that needs to be reckoned with.  Still, I also know I could've planned things better if I would've just really listened to myself instead of doing what "they" say to do.  <br /><br />Right now I feel like I've undone all of the success from last week, and it sucks.  I'm not out of the 230s {I got on the scale Tuesday morning}, but the numbers are creeping back up, instead of back down.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">How did you make it through Super Bowl Sunday? </span></b>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Super Bowl Sunday

Here is how my Sunday went: 1. Woke up around 8 AM and decided to hit the gym shortly thereafter.  I had a big day ahead of me and wanted to...

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DIY 100 Calorie Packs

<p>Remember my <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2012/02/being-honest.html">Being Honest</a> post? Well I think the reason I was consuming starbursts and eating those cupcakes is because I'm a self described snacker! I can be 100% on plan during the main meals, but in between I LOVE to snack! To ensure I have healthy, portion controlled snacks readily available I found this great idea from <a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/">Hungry Girl</a> and put together some homemade 100 calorie packs! <p align="left">For this particular combo I use Chex cereal, mini chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDxnrhC2rF4JcIZBng0Z13vkl4LrCq6PF5aBvqpnyeaDezerNK7bfRRtLY5x4ITeHMYdTq_xBsgUGDLfshH-CpjJAwuxiqds159RroFBXrtDRF4x_yF1iAQbf6zObXeFb63xyBp5fL_fN/s1600-h/IMG_10614.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1061" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou4UjtoKFUj8xoNhMHRXUMzhgZzElbSHLP9DUFlyR_xE2a2PF8JaMokTmTvY1VAnVsijJDwfBQ2hLRTQDd29aiDRI6V_ozfXkO7OdvLYEq5yeels5gHx51Fhj1511OPa0jrWyh8VWA9J4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1061" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">I combined the following to a make a s’mores 100 calorie pack:</p> <ul> <li> <div align="left">15 mini marshmallows</div> <li> <div align="left">1/4 Chex cereal</div> <li> <div align="left">1/2 T mini chocolate chips</div></li></ul> <p align="left">Makes 1 serving. 2 points+/serving. I put them in individual Rubbermaid containers for easy, on the go snacking.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqz3PCR6UnqgjqhLD1hHxZHXcaJPGN5D76c4peL3vH2KMmhYLpW70y2k_zm1oOv87NvCsaEh-gtbcCCg-T54N4ohqTffmhrJxOCYBGLpilhYeT9Xm2C7OLQbmH57GkAdtXgcNsTjJXNlF/s1600-h/IMG_10634.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1063" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mxVG3p3VYv-VTSGvbEywX9d3Vs-i4xObklK3BikZiJ3VzCq0dCsBmU0h35DRi9JIyLG5iAfKRtgk6uNSCV1xpog8nZDvy7byDh8yzh-eq9CO9gLAEAKR_CcXY_AqvS9Oiv3b-8r1irtU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1063" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">Not only did I make some homemade 100 calorie packs, I also separated out a bag of pretzels into individual portions. 3 points+ each!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXm0XSrxefDb2tQIKzONxwlkN3gGtrssNBIcBRnAqthAECltBRKRHTYL4oliu3kx14J2ojZBPEvli0dFYAcL2yVNgDr-FBUgFyukDMFGSEXXqQ9HinjarkByvN9t74pSqxlxqnFjjVrZ_/s1600-h/IMG_10644.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1064" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI51p9RcWpmqFx9bmacVplSBDeUEEtCe1Ndi95Fo7jupXsonUuMSG3SAVbNZJCFkM8fqRzXLiCYkmi3A7mqHA1Tn5f_4bkPXxBt7vWLDVXEvd1NTBokrf2tcUKiJNmrXMUcLMqbIvCnnAK/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_1064" width="404"></a></p> <p>I am going to use these portion controlled servings to help me stay on track in between meals! <p><strong>What do you do to keep your snacking in check?</strong></p>

DIY 100 Calorie Packs

Remember my Being Honest post? Well I think the reason I was consuming starbursts and eating those cupcakes is because I'm a self descr...

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I got a new job! At least I think I did

<br /><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px; text-align: left;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/21/ar5l6h2766y7px212b21.gif?time=12/6/2011%202:56:01%20pm" /></div><div style="color: #333333; font: italic normal normal 16px/normal arial, helvetica;"><span id="cbArticle_lblHeadline2">How to handle strange hiring situations</span></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b><br /></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">For a job seeker, there is no better feeling than picking up the phone and hearing those magical words, "We'd like to make you an offer." After a call like that, it's natural to want to shout the news from the <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/roofing/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">rooftops</a>, hand in your two weeks' notice and buy yourself a "Congratulations on the new job" present.<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">But what happens when a week goes by and you have yet to receive official new-hire paperwork or any additional <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/communications/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">communication</a> from the hiring <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/manager/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">manager</a>? You don't want to bother the new company, but you start to panic. Perhaps your celebration was a bit premature?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Given today's up-and-down economy, strange or untraditional hiring situations are becoming more common. Perhaps you get an oral offer but then never hear back. Or you accept a job with the understanding that it's for a certain role but later learn the position has become drastically different. You're just happy to be offered a job, so you don't want to come across as pushy or a complainer. You do, however, want -- and deserve -- to get some confirmation or clarity.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">If you ever find yourself on the receiving end of what appears to be an awkward or ambiguous hiring situation, here is some advice to help you avoid getting burned:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>Don't put all your eggs in one career basket</b><br />You may be asked back for multiple interviews and get some hints from the people you speak with that the job is yours, but until you hear officially, keep your options open. "The job search is never over until the offer is in hand," says Roy Cohen, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/career+coach/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">career coach</a> and author of "The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide." "It is inevitable that an opportunity will disappear through no fault of yours. So it is essential that you continue to network and job search until the very final moments. Having multiple irons in the fire will also make you a lot more desirable and enhance the potential to negotiate in a meaningful way."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>Leave no room for misunderstanding</b><br />At this point, you've received the oral offer from the hiring manager. Before you give notice at your current company, make sure that you have an official offer letter and that it's signed, sealed and delivered. "Don't leave a meeting where you've received a verbal offer without solidifying the details," says Sandra Lamb, career, lifestyle and etiquette expert, and author of "How to Write It, Third Edition." "Say, 'Just to be clear here, I understand you are offering me the position of X, with a salary of Y, to start Z.' Cover all the details and get them in writing. Absent [of] this, write your own letter of employment and cover all these items, and ask for a signature."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>Don't be afraid to follow up</b><br />As teams shrink and companies become short-staffed, it's not uncommon for the hiring process to take a little bit of time, and days or weeks may go by before the official paperwork is in the job seeker's hand. While the job may be the only thing on your mind, it's important to remember that the hiring team is likely <a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=juggling&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=msns07" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">juggling</a> multiple hiring and personnel matters. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't follow up periodically; doing so will not only help to push the process along, but it will also show them your continued interest in and excitement for the position.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Daniel Newell, job development and <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/marketing/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">marketing</a> specialist for San Jose State University's Career Center in <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/california/san+jose/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">San Jose</a>, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/california/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">Calif</a>., suggests that if you don't hear back after seven to 10 days, it's time to follow up. "When calling the employer, thank them for taking your call and inform them that you were calling to follow up on the job offer made to you," Newell says. "Let them know that you have been preparing yourself for the opportunity and are simply inquiring about a general estimate of when they anticipate you starting the position. It's not a bad idea to ask if you will receive a formal offer via email or by mail."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">If after multiple attempts you're still hitting a brick wall, it may be a sign that it's time to move on. "If a job seeker has interviewed with an employer and has checked in with them at least twice within three weeks and has still not received a formal job offer or any sign of moving forward in the hiring process, that job seeker should reconsider working for that employer," Newell says. "This looks bad on a company and tarnishes their image as a professional business or representative."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>Be open to changes</b><br />"Anyone offered a position today should anticipate -- or almost expect -- that the job for which they were hired to do is probably not the job they are going to be asked to do," says Lee Igel, Ph.D., associate <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/professor/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">professor</a> at <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/new+york/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;">New York</a> University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. "Organizations today are focused on fitting the human to the task, which means the job description is either a starting point for work or something that serves as little more than a basis for hiring. In the old world of work, employees conformed to the needs of a distinct job; in today's world of work, employees have to conform to the needs of a task or project."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">That's not to say that if you're unsure about the drastic change you can't speak up. Just do it in a way that shows you're a team player and happy to pitch in where needed, but you want to have a complete understanding of the expectations and goals for the position.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><b>Look for red flags</b><br />While companies may be approaching hiring in more untraditional ways, if something doesn't feel right, listen to your gut. If you have a bad feeling about a company or its hiring practices, chances are it's not a good place to work. "If the hiring procedure is strange, it should be a very large red flag," Lamb says. "Even in these times, getting a flaky boss, ending up working for nothing or doing a job that isn't what you thought you were being hired for isn't going to serve you well."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, </i><a href="http://www.theworkbuzz.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><i>The Work Buzz</i></a><i>. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.</i></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />

I got a new job! At least I think I did

How to handle strange hiring situations Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer For a job seeker, there is no better feeling than picking up th...

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Weight Watchers Baked Fruit Cinnamon Oatmeal

I had a special request to post this recipe, so here it is.  I have no pictures of this one though.  I will warn you: this recipe says it serves 8.  When baked in an 8 x 8 pan, naturally you would cut it evenly in to 8 pieces.  Then you realize how small those pieces are, and it's 7 PointsPlus!  However, in the cookbook, it also gives the weight of the serving size, which is 126 grams.  THAT makes this worth the 7 PointsPlus, especially because it's so filling.<br /><br />Also, I find that adding milk to it is necessary, since it is definitely on the dryer side otherwise (especially if you make this for the week).  <br /><br />I hope you like it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJXlCNP6Pn0ZRzRcJ7nYu1P3q_FEP2LGstnjCozUxY_czjKAbMObMjB5qfCpDrDNgfvQeQbJ0sBIEOmoX19mc03vqyXx2McB1b4VkzfPgPGfUagGoSfcmNlDMckeTXG-O4pM1UZJI16E/s1600/ww+new+complete+cookbook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJXlCNP6Pn0ZRzRcJ7nYu1P3q_FEP2LGstnjCozUxY_czjKAbMObMjB5qfCpDrDNgfvQeQbJ0sBIEOmoX19mc03vqyXx2McB1b4VkzfPgPGfUagGoSfcmNlDMckeTXG-O4pM1UZJI16E/s320/ww+new+complete+cookbook.JPG" width="284" /></a></div><br /><b><u>Weight Watchers Baked Fruit Cinnamon Oatmeal</u> <i>(7 PointsPlus)</i></b><br /><ul><li>3 cup old-fashioned oats</li><li>1/2 cup chopped dried apricots</li><li>1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries <i>(I used bluebs!)</i></li><li>1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar</li><li>2 tsp baking powder</li><li>3/4 tsp ground cinnamon</li><li>1/4 tsp salt</li><li>1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt</li><li>1 cup reduced fat (2%) milk <i>(I used skim)</i></li><li>1/2 cup applesauce</li><li>1/2 cup Egg Beaters</li><li>2 Tbsp canola oil</li><li>1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract</li></ul><i>Directions:</i><br /><ol><li>Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly spray and 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.</li><li>Mix together oats, apricots, cranberries/blueberries, all but 2 Tbsp of brown sugar, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk together yogurt, 1/2 cup milk, the applesauce, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.  Add yogurt mixture to oat mixture, stirring until combined well.</li><li>Spoon into prepared baking dish and spread evenly; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar.  Bake oatmeal until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes in baking dish on wire rack.  Cut oatmeal into 8 equal portions and serve with remaining 1/2 cup milk.</li></ol>Makes 8 servings

Weight Watcher Recipes Weight Watchers Baked Fruit Cinnamon Oatmeal

I had a special request to post this recipe, so here it is.  I have no pictures of this one though.  I will warn you: this recipe says it se...

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Currency Warfare: What are the Real Targets of the E.U. Oil Embargo against Iran?

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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1vKCzIpSyt2VsnkN7XO0ssw5G0P0FEh5jnkTTxT9Qy2is6Ru3C5FmOjUrANofrYCmmF-QknAKMlZiwpvARv6RoR0O1s6btFEiXx1yWz84qHb3KB2zz32Jrtmj3xxBx9GW7v_3SzyN_Gh/s1600/p_20101014082801FinancialSvcs600x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1vKCzIpSyt2VsnkN7XO0ssw5G0P0FEh5jnkTTxT9Qy2is6Ru3C5FmOjUrANofrYCmmF-QknAKMlZiwpvARv6RoR0O1s6btFEiXx1yWz84qHb3KB2zz32Jrtmj3xxBx9GW7v_3SzyN_Gh/s320/p_20101014082801FinancialSvcs600x500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Against whom is the European Union’s so-called “oil embargo on Iran” really aimed at? </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya</span><br /><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is an important geo-strategic question. Aside from rejecting the new E.U. measures against Iran as counter-productive, Tehran has warned the member states of the European Union that the E.U. oil embargo against Iran will hurt them and their economies far more than Iran. <br /><br />Tehran has thus warned the leaders of the E.U. countries that the new sanctions are foolish and against their national and bloc interests. But is this correct? At the end of the day, who will benefit from the chain of events that are being set into motion?</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oil Embargos against Iran are Not New <br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />In 1951, the Iranian government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh with the support of the Iranian Parliament nationalized the Iranian oil industry. As a result of Dr. Mossadegh’s nationalization program, the British militarily blockaded the territorial waters and national ports of Iran with the British Royal Navy and prevented Iran from exporting its oil. They also militarily prevented Iranian trade. London also froze Iranian assets and started a campaign to isolate Iran with sanctions. The government of Dr. Mossadegh was democratic and could not be vilified easily domestically by the British, so they began to portray Mossadegh as a pawn of the Soviet Union who would turn Iran into a communist country together with his Marxist political allies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The illegal British naval embargo was followed by regime change in Tehran via a 1953 Anglo-American engineered coup d’état. The 1953 coup transformed the Shah of Iran from a constitutional figure head to an absolute monarch and dictator, like the monarchs of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar. Iran was transformed overnight from a democratic constitutional monarchy into a dictatorship.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Today, a militarily imposed oil embargo against Iran is not possible like it was in the early 1950s. Instead London and Washington use the language of righteousness and hide behind false pretexts about Iranian nuclear weapons. Like in the 1950s, the oil embargo against Iran is tied to regime change. Yet, there are also broader objectives that go beyond the boundaries of Iran tied to Washington’s project to impose an oil embargo against the Iranians.<br /><br /><b>The European Union and Iranian Oil Sales</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Iran’s largest customer for oil is the People’s Republic of China. According to the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), which was created after the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo as the strategic wing of the Western Bloc’s Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Iran exports 543,000 oil barrels per day to China. Iran’s other large customers are India, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. India imports 341,000 barrels per day from Iran, Turkey imports 370,000 barrels per day from Iran, Japan imports 251,000 barrels per day from Iran, and South Korea imports 239,000 barrels per day from Iran.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum the European Union only accounts for 18% of Iranian oil exports, which means less than one-fifth of Iranian oil sales. Only “collectively” is the European Union the second largest customer of Iran. All the E.U. countries together import 510,000 barrels per day from Iran. This collective rank that all Iranian oil importing E.U. countries have together is being highlighted by those that want to emphasize the effectiveness of the E.U. oil embargo against Iran.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Iran can replace oil sales to the European Union via new buyers or by increasing sales to existing customers like China and India. An Iranian agreement to work with China for stockpiling Chinese strategic reserves would fill a large portion of the vacuum left by the European Union. Thus, the oil embargo against Iran will have minimal direct effects on Iran. Rather, it is most likely that any of the effects that the Iranian economy feels will be tied to the global ramifications of the oil embargo against Iran.<br /><br /><b>Iran and Global Currency Warfare</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), both the U.S. dollar and the euro together constitute 84.4% of the world’s currency exchange reserves (end of 2011 date). The U.S. dollar alone, was the largest share of the world’s currency exchange reserves in 2011, namely 61.7%. <br /><br />Energy sales are an important part of this equation, because the American dollar is tied to the oil trade. <br /><br />Thus, oil trade, through what is called the petro-dollar, is helping sustain the American dollar’s international standing. Countries around the world have been virtually forced to use the U.S. dollar to maintain their energy and trade needs and transactions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To highlight the importance of the international oil trade to the U.S., all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates – have their national currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar and thereby sustain the petro-dollar by trading oil in American dollars. Moreover, the currencies of Lebanon, Jordan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Belize, and several tropical islands in the Caribbean Sea are also all pegged to the U.S. dollar. Aside from the overseas territories of the United States, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Panama also all officially use the U.S. dollar as their national currencies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The euro on the other hand is both a rival of the U.S. dollar as well as an allied currency. Both currencies work in tandem against other currencies in many cases and seem to be controlled by increasingly merging centres of financial power. <br /><br />Aside from the seventeen European Union members using the euro as their currency, the Principality of Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City have issuing rights and both Montenegro and the Albanian-majority Serbian province of Kosovo also use the euro as their national currencies. Outside of the euro area (Eurozone), the currencies of Bosnia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Latvia, and Lithuania in Europe; the currencies of Cape Verde, Comoros, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, and the two CFA zones in Africa; and the currencies of several Western European overseas dependencies, such as Greenland, are all pegged to the euro. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Several monetary zones are directly tied to the euro. In Oceania, the Comptoirs Français du Pacifique (CFP) franc, simply called the Pacific franc (<i>franc pacifique</i>), used in a monetary union of the French dependencies of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands is pegged to the euro. As mentioned earlier, both the CFA zones in Africa are also pegged to the euro. Thus, both the Financial Community of Africa (<i>Communauté financière d’Afrique</i>, CFA) franc or West African CFA franc in West Africa – used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo – and the Financial Cooperation in Central Africa (<i>Coopération financière en Afrique central</i>, CFA) franc or Central African CFA franc – used by Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon – have their fates tied to the monetary value of the euro.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Iran is not looking for military confrontation in the rising hostilities with the United States and European Union. Despite the warped narrative being presented, Tehran has said that it will only close the Strait of Hormuz as a last resort. The Iranians have also said that they will not let U.S. or hostile ships go through Iranian territorial water, which is their legal right, and that hostile ships could navigate through Oman’s territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz instead. As a side note, among other things, the problem for the U.S. and Iran’s other adversaries is that the waters on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz are too shallow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instead of military confrontation, Tehran is fighting back economically in several ways. The first step, which started before 2012, was Iranian international oil sales and trade were diversified in regards to their currency transactions. This is part of a calculated move by Iran to move away from using the American dollar just like Saddam Hussein of Iraq did in 2000 as a means to fight back against the sanctions imposed on Iraq. In this context, Iran has created an international energy exchange or course competing with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and London’s International Petroleum Exchange (IPE), which both operate using the American dollar for transactions. This energy exchange, called the Kish Oil Bourse, was officially opened in August 2011 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. Its first transactions were made using the euro and the Emirati dirhem.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In context of euro and U.S. dollar rivalries, the Iranians originally wanted to turn to the euro and a petro-euro system with the hope that the competition between the American dollar and the euro would make the European Union an ally of Iran and de-link the E.U. from the United States. As political tensions have mounted with the E.U., the petro-euro has become less attractive for Tehran. Iran has realized that the European Union is submissive to U.S. interests under corrupt leaders. Thus, to a lesser extent, Iran has also tried to move away from the euro.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moreover, Iran has broadened its move away from the use of the U.S. dollar and the euro as policy in bilateral trade relations. Iran and India are talking about gold payments for Iranian oil. Iranian and Russian trade is conducted in Iranian rials and Russian roubles, while Iranian trade with China and other Asian countries is conducted using the Chinese renminbi, Iranian rial, Japanese yen, and other non-dollar and non-euro currencies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While the euro could have been a big winner from a petro-euro system, the actions of the European Union have worked against this. The E.U. oil embargo against Iran is merely hammering the nails in the coffin. Globally, the emerging matrix of Eurasian and international trade and transaction outside of the umbrellas of the American dollar and the euro is weakening both currencies. The Iranian Parliament is now passing legislation to cut oil exports to the members of the European Union that will be part of the sanctions regime until they rescind the Iranian oil sanctions. The Iranian move will be a blow to the euro, especially since the European Union will not have time to prepare for the Iranian energy cuts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are several possibilities that could emerge. One of them is that this could be part of what Washington wants and it could be playing into its hands against the European Union. Another is that the U.S. and specific E.U. members are working together against strategic economic rivals and other markets.<br /><br /><b>Who Benefits? The Economic Targets are beyond Iran...</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The end of Iranian oil exports to the European Union and the decline of the euro will directly benefit the United States and the U.S. dollar. What the European Union is doing is merely weakening itself and giving the U.S. dollar the upper hand in its currency rivalry against the euro. Moreover, should the euro collapse, the American dollar will quickly fill much of the void. Despite the fact that Russia will benefit from higher oil prices and greater leverage over E.U. energy security as a supplier, the Kremlin has also warned the European Union that it is working against its own interests and subordinating itself to Washington.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many important questions are at play about the economic consequences of increased oil prices. <br /><br />Will the European Union be able to weather the economic storm or a currency collapse? <br /><br />What the E.U. oil embargo against Iran will do is destabilize the euro and snowball globally hurting non-E.U. economies. In this regard, Tehran has warned that the U.S. aims to hurt rival economies through the adoption of E.U. oil sanctions against Iran. Within this line of thinking, this is the reason why the U.S. is trying to force China, India, South Korea, and Japan in Asia to reduce or cut Iranian oil imports.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Within the European Union, it will be the most fragile and struggling economies, such as Greece and Spain, which will be hurt by the E.U. oil embargo against Iran. <br /><br />The oil refineries in the European Union countries that import Iranian oil will have to find new sellers as sources and will also be forced to adjust their operations. Piero De Simone, one of the leaders of Italy’s Unione Petrolifera, has warned that approximately seventy oil refineries in the E.U. could be shutdown and that Asian countries could start selling refined Iranian oil to the European Union at the expense of the local refineries and the local petroleum industries. <br /><br />Despite the political claims supporting an oil embargo against Iran, neither will Saudi Arabia be able to fill the void of Iranian oil exports to the European Union or other markets. A shortfall in oil supplies and the production changes could have spiralling effects in the European Union and on the costs of industrial production, transportation, and market prices. The prediction is that the E.U. will effectively be deepening the crisis in the euro area or Eurozone. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moreover, the rise in everyday prices, ranging from food to transportation, will not be limited to the European Union, but will have global ramifications. As prices rise on a global scale, the economies in Latin American, Caribbean, African, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Pacific countries will face new hardship, which the financial sector in the U.S. and several of its partners – including members of the European Union – could capitalize on by taking over certain sectors and markets. The IMF and World Bank, as the Bretton Woods proxies of Wall Street, could get into the mix and impose more privatization programs benefiting the financial sectors of the U.S. and its main partners. Furthermore, how Iran decides to sell the 18% of oil it will stop selling to E.U. members will also be a mediating factor.<br /><br /><b>The Ghosts of the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo: Libya and the International Energy Agency</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While countries in Africa or the Pacific have no strategic oil reserves and will be at the mercy of global price increases, the U.S. and the European Union have worked and tried to strategically insulate themselves from such scenarios. This is where the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) comes into the picture. Libyan oil reserves are also a factor to the hostilities and petro-politics involving Iran.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The IEA was created after the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo. As mentioned earlier it is a “strategic wing of the Western Bloc’s Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).” The OECD is a club of countries that includes the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Turkey, Australia, Israel, and New Zealand. It is essentially based on the contours of the Western Bloc, which is comprised of America’s allies and satellites. Aside from Israel, Chile, Estonia, Iceland, Slovenia, and Mexico all the members of the OECD are members of the IEA.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since its creation in 1974, one of the responsibilities of the IEA has been to stock strategic oil reserves for the OECD countries. During the NATO war against Libya the IEA actually opened its strategic oil reserves to compensate for the void left by a lack of Libyan oil exports. The only other two times this happened were in 1991, when Washington led a military coalition in its first war against Iraq, and in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the United States. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The war in Libya had many purposes: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(1) preventing African unity; <br /><br />(2) driving China out of Africa; <br /><br />(3) strategically controlling important energy reserves; and <br /><br />(4) guarding oil supplies in the scenario of any American-led conflicts against Syria and Iran. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What the NATO war in Libya has done is secure oil output from Libya, because there was a chance that the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya under Colonial Muammar Qaddafi could have suspended oil sales to the European Union in support of Syria or Iran in possible conflicts with the U.S., NATO, and Israel. It is also interesting to note that one of the Libyan figures that helped enable the war against Libya in the United Nations was Sliman Bouchuiguir, the head of the Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR) and the current Libyan ambassador to Switzerland, who worked on formulating a strategy against allowing oil from being used as a strategic weapon to insure that the 1973 oil crisis never repeat itself for the U.S. and its allies.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aside from Iran, the Syrians have also been a source of oil imports for the European Union. Like Iran, the E.U. has also cut their bloc off from Syrian oil via a sanctions regime engineered by the U.S. government. With Iranian and Syrian oil cut off from the E.U., the strategic value of Libyan oil rises. In this regard, the reports about the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to Libyan oil fields can also be analyzed as being coordinated or tied to the growing U.S. and E.U. hostilities with Syria and Iran. Rerouting Libyan oil shipments to the E.U. that were intended for China can also be part of such a strategy.<br /><br /><b>The Psychological War</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In reality, the sanctions regime engineered by the U.S. government against Iran has gone as far as it can go. All the speeches about Iranian isolation are bravado and far from the reality of current international relations and trade. Brazil, Russia, China, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, and various countries in the post-Soviet space, Asia, Africa, and Latin America have all refused to join the sanctions against the Iranian economy.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The E.U. oil embargo, coupled with the broader sanctions against Iran, has broad psychological implications. Iran and its ally Syria both face a multi-dimensional war that has economic, covert, diplomatic, media, and psychological scopes. <br /><br />The psychological war, which involves the mainstream media as a tool of foreign policy and war, constitutes an efficient propaganda instrument for the U.S. due to its lower costs. Yet, the psychological war can be fought on both sides. <br /><br />Much of the power of the U.S. is psychological and tied to fear. Like the geography of the Persian Gulf, time is on Iran’s side and working against the United States. <br /><br />If Iran continues on its present course and is undeterred by sanctions, this will help break a critical psychological threshold, which around the world tends to discourage countries from confronting and opposing the United States. <br /><br />Should many countries continue to refuse to bow down to the Obama Administration pertaining to the imposition of sanctions against Iran, this will also be a blow to the prestige and power of the U.S., which would also have economic and financial implications.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moreover, at the end of the day, the E.U. oil embargo will hurt the E.U. instead of Iran. In the long-term it could also hurt the United States. <br /><br />Structurally, the effects of the E.U. oil embargo will further entrench the E.U. in the orbit of Washington, but these effects will catalyze growing social opposition to Washington, which will eventually manifest in the political and economic arenas.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>

Currency Warfare: What are the Real Targets of the E.U. Oil Embargo against Iran?

Against whom is the European Union’s so-called “oil embargo on Iran” really aimed at?  by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya This is an important geo-...

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SchoolNet's webinar and podcast programme now in full force

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />This is the time of the year where SchoolNet and Microsoft combine to prepare interested South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in Learning Forum. This competition used to be known as the Innovative Teacher's Forum. There are amazing prizes up for grabs for successful teachers, the most valued being a week long trip to participate in the Pan African and Middle East Finals in Morroco, and/or a week long trip to participate in the World Finals in Greece, for successful teachers. This year SchoolNet is running an online support course from  a wiki (<a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa/">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa</a>) to prepare teachers. We are also running, alongside this, a webinar and podcast programme of past winners sharing their successes.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Past finalists and winners group 1 </span></b><br /><br />These three past finalists and winners shared their projects in the same webinar<br /><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lyneth Crighton from Brescia House in Johannesburg</b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lyneth Crighton is from Brescia College in Johannesburg. She ran a workshop in which Grade 10 learners explored the novel “Cry the beloved Country” using Web 2.0 collaborative tools. The girls collaborated on a wiki, participated in an online discussion forum, created a pod-cast and developed a word cloud. Colleagues across learning areas got involved in the workshop to show that the themes in the novel were applicable to a range of learning areas.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Lyneth was a winner in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7-uGw96ZaMEpTfpUCj8DR8P_1YxDERdFOxutSTtosE8an4ainQnrtWQlzul5tyUOFyRAre9nMVcJfFCVsFDF_p7YFC3cn2XQEItjtUirH7GcfpCgTGHvdCYNZYYYmC_PQS2_vtww8A/s1600/Lyneth+%28336%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7-uGw96ZaMEpTfpUCj8DR8P_1YxDERdFOxutSTtosE8an4ainQnrtWQlzul5tyUOFyRAre9nMVcJfFCVsFDF_p7YFC3cn2XQEItjtUirH7GcfpCgTGHvdCYNZYYYmC_PQS2_vtww8A/s320/Lyneth+%28336%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Louise Clark from St Cyprians in Cape Town</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br />Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson are both Grade 4 teachers at St Cyprian's School in Cape Town. Their combined project for Grade four learners involved reading the first chapter of book called ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’ and predicting what adventures the main character would have in “The Lands Beyond”. Learners produced artwork and scripts describing what they thought would take place and they then narrated their predictions using Windows Movie Maker. This project only used free software – and its true success was in the way it promoted collaboration and creativity amongst young learners. Louse and Kim were winners in the South African Finals, and they went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. They won again and were able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Bb6Q6zMhdb30sdvun6lJrauvrR_3hOwbbvzU62_HA_HGVDJ7WoJbvayAWUU9_WFc2iTeR-86I1rEAa-XOd2gFrdkkEDhLGgWqm3Ag4GpS1spiqeOiTZli8wrJR4hyLN47YVFEZaphQ/s1600/Louise3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Bb6Q6zMhdb30sdvun6lJrauvrR_3hOwbbvzU62_HA_HGVDJ7WoJbvayAWUU9_WFc2iTeR-86I1rEAa-XOd2gFrdkkEDhLGgWqm3Ag4GpS1spiqeOiTZli8wrJR4hyLN47YVFEZaphQ/s320/Louise3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Natalie Meerholtz from Holy Rosary in Johannesburg</b><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br />Natalie Meerholz is from Holy Rosary School in Johannesburg. Natalie and her Grade 6 learners aimed to encourage the school and surrounding community to address the issue of e-waste. Activities included creating e-posters and e-advertisements; reusing e-waste in the form of sculptures; and holding an e-waste launch. An e-waste bin has been set up to encourage responsible e-waste disposal and recycling. Natalie<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">was a winner in the South African Finals, and she went on to represent South Africa at the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan. She achieved a winning place and was able to participate in the World Finals in Washington DC.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwoqHOl4I6uBut1Hv_iCdRH7g_aVjxGJSe03CUvWrTauhJULell095gMRlfmyKyX9sMst830INeb5NMFBRyN2NeFbAFjHLMP7Vq-4AlgndE4j_5y_vjF_dS5PoW1AUOMQCci9x3KSLXM/s1600/Natalie336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwoqHOl4I6uBut1Hv_iCdRH7g_aVjxGJSe03CUvWrTauhJULell095gMRlfmyKyX9sMst830INeb5NMFBRyN2NeFbAFjHLMP7Vq-4AlgndE4j_5y_vjF_dS5PoW1AUOMQCci9x3KSLXM/s320/Natalie336.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Watch and listen to their presentations</span></b><br /><br />Here is a Slideshare containing the webinar presentations of the first three past finalists who shared their stories recently. These webinars were converted into YouTube videos. Slideshare now has an amazing feature where you can insert a YouTube video after a slide! Take a look!<br /><br /><div id="__ss_11452848" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-winners-1" target="_blank" title="Past winners 1">Past winners 1</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11452848" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Listen to their podcasts</span></b></div><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_656455" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F656455-natalie-merholtz.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Natalie+Merholtz&mp3Time=12.05am+07+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F656455-natalie-merholtz&mp3Author=fibeal&rootID=boo_embed_656455" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/656455-natalie-merholtz.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Natalie Merholtz (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_662272" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662272-louise-clarke.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Louise+Clarke&mp3Time=03.54pm+10+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662272-louise-clarke&mp3Author=fibeal&rootID=boo_embed_662272" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/662272-louise-clarke.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Louise Clarke (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /></div><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_662317" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662317-lyneth-crighton.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Lyneth+Crighton&mp3Time=04.18pm+10+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F662317-lyneth-crighton&rootID=boo_embed_662317" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/662317-lyneth-crighton.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Lyneth Crighton (mp3)</a></object><br />South African teachers - we encourage you to participate - this year could be the adventure of your life!</div>

Microsoft podcasts Slideshare videos webinars SchoolNet's webinar and podcast programme now in full force

This is the time of the year where SchoolNet and Microsoft combine to prepare interested South African teachers for the upcoming Partners in...

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