Hitchcock Biographer Patrick McGilligan Discusses VERTIGO with John Greco

<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>by guest contributor John Greco</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7MW8mtlG8AEiw16ZotH9r_0G4bm9HE1BQkgCmR8zdL9_5NORnvdoR79J1uUPG6oHiEiAQ1NmH-WKPb8cfLTJihUTkeyL480Z31rhGsXvqauBOOmsznpqI1FoSONrwYoheo3jXFF3w9yH/s1600/novak+and+hitchcock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7MW8mtlG8AEiw16ZotH9r_0G4bm9HE1BQkgCmR8zdL9_5NORnvdoR79J1uUPG6oHiEiAQ1NmH-WKPb8cfLTJihUTkeyL480Z31rhGsXvqauBOOmsznpqI1FoSONrwYoheo3jXFF3w9yH/s400/novak+and+hitchcock.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">J<i>ohn Greco of <a href="http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/" style="color: #990000;">Twenty Four Frames</a> recently interviewed award-winning biographer Patrick McGilligan, author of <u>Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light</u> (Harper Collins, 2004). The focus of their dialogue was the director's mysterious and magnificent</i><i> </i>Vertigo<i>.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><a name='more'></a><br /></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;"><b>John Greco</b> (<b>JG</b>): Where does <i>Vertigo</i> fall within your pantheon of Hitchcock films and films in general?</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;"><b>Patrick McGilligan</b> (<b>PM</b>): Honestly, I admire <i>Vertigo</i> more than I adore it but perhaps the reason for that is I am more inclined towards Hitchcock’s dark comedies with their playful humor -with major exceptions, I should say. Also, I have had the unfortunate experience, in recent years, of showing this film to undergraduates while teaching university film courses and have heard audible snickering in the audience during certain scenes, which isn’t true when you screen most of Hitchcock’s other accepted masterpieces. I think that is because there are some things about the film that can only be accepted by auteurists (the fact, for example, that it takes Scottie so long to recognize that Judy is/was Madeleine); you could say the same thing about the special effects for <i>The Birds</i> – brilliant then, somewhat dated now. And yet we fear the remake!</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;"><b>JG</b>: How important was shooting the film in San Francisco to the film and Hitchcock?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></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/AVvXsEgk7Kf6ZfGxC8fcc7W7Ha7OHQU8OeVz_hmMDnoz5QgU-NlKkq2N2pTrB4oRML7fd1ceLlsO5LTh91nQXjozogoRVhiGFDiPA8HSYxI1R3kqjav3tnUiu40zVkeM5XuZEtMwNRNMwijQ4gJR/s1600/Palace+of+Fine+Arts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7Kf6ZfGxC8fcc7W7Ha7OHQU8OeVz_hmMDnoz5QgU-NlKkq2N2pTrB4oRML7fd1ceLlsO5LTh91nQXjozogoRVhiGFDiPA8HSYxI1R3kqjav3tnUiu40zVkeM5XuZEtMwNRNMwijQ4gJR/s400/Palace+of+Fine+Arts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy and Scottie and San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PM</b>: San Francisco and the Bay area became increasingly important to Hitchcock after he bought a house up there during World War II and began commuting up on many weekends. It was part of his “Americanization,” though obviously, considering his accent and usual costume, never a completed process. The romance with the Bay Area really began with <i>Shadow of a Doubt</i>, which was a Hitchcock original tailored for that area, and it was a great pleasure for the director to imagine or (in the cases of <i>Vertigo</i> and <i>The Birds</i>) re-imagine European stories in his veritable backyard. Filming in the Bay Area, or even living there on weekends, was radically independent for Hollywood in the 1940s. Incidentally, I think this penchant is one of the things that makes Hitchcock a very intimate, personal director as well as a universal one. They now give <i>Vertigo</i> tours of San Francisco, I’m sure you know. </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;"><b>JG</b>: <i> Vertigo</i> seems to have been a very personal film for Hitchcock. Scottie's obsession with the makeover of Judy into Madeline mirrors to an extent Hitchcock's own obsession with the making over of some of his leading ladies into his own vision of the icy blonde Hitchcockian ideal. Tippi Hedren, for example - true?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div><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/AVvXsEhmCWElv1VUS_0-lTuwjbjfOsV6l5AQBGGOsVpeDaC9OzkpYNepi6sy0cxflN879rO4n9A9Pzdp7wIvwFT16PwM-yEFNYFVQ8jywMeODuFqhbMz0DjQTRxgtX3WEGepB1RFv9wMTvd3GJVc/s1600/kim_novak_spiral-french_twist_vertigo_1958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCWElv1VUS_0-lTuwjbjfOsV6l5AQBGGOsVpeDaC9OzkpYNepi6sy0cxflN879rO4n9A9Pzdp7wIvwFT16PwM-yEFNYFVQ8jywMeODuFqhbMz0DjQTRxgtX3WEGepB1RFv9wMTvd3GJVc/s200/kim_novak_spiral-french_twist_vertigo_1958.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An iconic twist</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PM</b>: I don’t really buy this notion except very generally. Hitchcock’s career is full of different types of women, and not all the blondes are icy – Grace Kelly really isn’t, either in <i>Rear Window</i> or <i>To Catch a Thief</i>. I think it is a cliché about Hitchcock that is sometimes true and that he helped to promulgate as part of his self-publicity. At the same time, it is also true that, especially in the early days of the silent cinema, particularly in America, the blonde heroine was a fixture – the Mary Pickford type, whose looks photographed dramatically in black and white. Hitchcock was very aware of that tradition. Yet it is also true that Hitchcock liked to make over his leading ladies, picking out their costumes, consulting on their hair-dos, offering behavioral tips for scenes. So, I guess it is fair to say that Scottie’s make-over of Judy in <i>Vertigo</i> echoes (or prefigures) Hitchcock’s make- over of Tippi Hedren for <i>The Birds</i>, as long as it is understood that sometimes the make-overs had little to do with the icy blonde cliché, or that he did the same thing more subtly, often, with the male characters and actors.</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;"><b>JG</b><i>: </i>Vera Miles was originally set to play Madeleine/Judy but due to delays in pre-production and her eventual pregnancy she was replaced by Kim Novak. Any thoughts of how Ms. Miles would have been in the dual role?</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;"><b>PM</b>: Originally I think the part was tailored for Miles. Hitchcock had a yen for Miles and really tried to elevate her to a ‘name’ stardom. But Miles couldn’t play the part because of her pregnancy, and gradually the role was reworked, the script rewritten, for another type of actress, Kim Novak. James Stewart was really in favor of Novak, importantly, and so was Lew Wasserman. She really gives a stellar performance, although you almost can sense her squirming under Hitchcock’s not entirely satisfied direction. I think that gives the film a piquancy that wouldn’t have been there with Vera Miles, but it’s almost not fair to speculate. Ultimately Vera Miles would have played it differently, Hitchcock would have directed her differently, and the script would have been written differently.</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;"><b>JG</b>: Kim Novak has been criticized over the years as being too lightweight an actress for the role. I, for one, think her lack of depth, her innocence, if you will, added a dimension that would have been missing with a more seriously trained actress. Does she hurt the film as some have said?</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: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqGpYf_lJ1btDJnjVPW9GMgIOGki6mlZohBNnwhNOnzUl3OCmj-HhWJoALhSNbT5ybGN56109qjMbt9tqhpvfe5Niu4haXXG_Qpmm3-7UhXXQs7p8dLf1EFl_VoMPZoehLii3HMXX1aqW/s1600/novak+vertigo+lombard+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqGpYf_lJ1btDJnjVPW9GMgIOGki6mlZohBNnwhNOnzUl3OCmj-HhWJoALhSNbT5ybGN56109qjMbt9tqhpvfe5Niu4haXXG_Qpmm3-7UhXXQs7p8dLf1EFl_VoMPZoehLii3HMXX1aqW/s320/novak+vertigo+lombard+street.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mysterious 'Madeleine Elster'</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PM</b>: I agree with you that Kim Novak adds rather than subtracts to the film. I’d say the first requisite for the character she plays is ‘mysteriousness.’ Neither Judy nor Madeleine is intended to have any depth, per se. For the ordinary moviegoer Novak is convincing and beguiling. For the serious moviegoer she is more: she overcomes all prejudices against her limitations while adding to the ‘subtext’ of the film. Hitchcock’s ability to mold the actress, to cast a spell over her, is part of the grand achievement of the film.</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;"><b>JG</b>: Hitchcock's films were always filled with eroticism<i>. The 39 Steps </i>with the implications of the two handcuffed together, the kissing scene in <i>Notorious,</i> the afternoon tryst in <i>Psycho,</i> to name a few. In <i>Vertigo</i> it is implied, after Scottie saved Madeleine from drowning and took her back to his apartment, that she is naked (under the sheets), suggesting he most likely undressed her. Was Hitchcock playing out personal fantasies or fulfilling a need missing in his life?</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/AVvXsEhat5q0TJXrISIbZqbEEzGPhVMAAofGx0I6jUGTH4wNHlnDDdxTKpsFw013MG5tCvhTzk4XD_1ZqV3Ty3XtU-qwhtcWzZZQ-2n7zB1eCHl7hrBorwk_BY_RH2t-zNdo32mErbpKFkCNAvQt/s1600/Ernies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat5q0TJXrISIbZqbEEzGPhVMAAofGx0I6jUGTH4wNHlnDDdxTKpsFw013MG5tCvhTzk4XD_1ZqV3Ty3XtU-qwhtcWzZZQ-2n7zB1eCHl7hrBorwk_BY_RH2t-zNdo32mErbpKFkCNAvQt/s320/Ernies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gavin Elster and 'Madeleine' at Ernies</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PM</b>: I certainly think that all the great directors play out their personal fantasies as well as fulfill needs missing in their personal lives. That is true of Hitchcock’s preoccupation with erotic symbolism, sexy actresses undressing before the camera, double entendre dialogue, and so on. At the same time it was part of his sophistication as well as his identification with his audience, that Hitchcock understood the ramifications of scenes that sometimes slipped by the censors, and that this quality in his films was enormously appealing and subversive to critics as well as ordinary moviegoers. One of the reasons the Hitchcockian sensibility can’t really be replicated by other filmmakers (despite many valiant efforts) is that it has so many components that are organic with him – his personality, his character, his life story - and yet work as part of his entertainment formula. The eroticization of scenes belongs to Hitchcock as much as the Macguffin or “the wrong man.”</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;"><b>JG</b>: Scottie is fanatical in transforming Judy into the image of the dead Madeleine, he is a man possessed. I found this to be one of James Stewart's most intense acting performances, maybe with the exception of some of his roles in Anthony Mann's westerns, his most extreme. He actually becomes less likeable as the film progresses.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"></div><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/AVvXsEiKjewP8nQhfb0OveVRKyJzHrqKXi80sWVzcFpbNPL68C_Wb-pzU3SbGuVz0cW7OXWr4x-GiQahlhq7a-2E0sZ2gYQMKLkenanMPHi_DTXr0a2JRTtuLgbBVOIqHkiv5aE0KIemy83ra8yA/s1600/vertigo+in+vertigo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjewP8nQhfb0OveVRKyJzHrqKXi80sWVzcFpbNPL68C_Wb-pzU3SbGuVz0cW7OXWr4x-GiQahlhq7a-2E0sZ2gYQMKLkenanMPHi_DTXr0a2JRTtuLgbBVOIqHkiv5aE0KIemy83ra8yA/s400/vertigo+in+vertigo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"...a resurrection parable."</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PM</b>: I think Scottie becomes pitiful as well as pitiable, which may be traced to Hitchcock’s Catholicism. (The whole story is a resurrection parable.) Stewart was a brave actor, willing to try anything and risk falling flat, and he had remarkable close collaborations with several of Hollywood’s top directors – Capra, Ford, Mann, besides Hitchcock. But he and Hitchcock had more of a true friendship and partnership; they were actual business partners on the four films they made together. When an actor lets himself go emotionally like Stewart does in <i>Vertigo</i>, or in the Anthony Mann films you mention – <i>even It’s a Wonderful Life</i> – apart from his considerable talent it shows his trust in the director.</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;"><b>JG</b>: <i>Vertigo</i> was a critical and commercial failure at the time of its original release. Was the film too complex for audiences of the day to appreciate or was there another reason? It certainly has gained in stature in later years.</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;"><b>PM</b>: Who knows? It could have been doomed by the advertising or release pattern. It may have done well overseas. It was certainly embraced by the French. It might be too strong to call it a failure – maybe a disappointment. I know that Hitchcock found fault with the film, even with James Stewart, not his performance, but with hindsight the director thought Stewart might not have had the necessary romantic appeal. But it’s a curious love story after all, and not the usual mystery or suspense, so American audiences in the 1950s may have been left scratching their heads. And much of what Hitchcock critics and scholars treasure about it – all the embedded auteurism – wouldn’t have been obvious to those moviegoers. I’m not sure it is obvious to audiences today. After all, while <i>Vertigo</i> wins over the critics and scholars, other Hitchcock films like <i>Rear Window</i>, <i>North by Northwest</i> or <i>Psycho</i> are more reliable as crowd pleasers.</span><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/AVvXsEheFIt01WO-tLLn2zD6ZAtveriUq5xtVHglepLorBSDgu-XgHNVxvoA6U3AJMWatzQqraDmeBRQkaDspJwOK-pkappqFxQLCGTwyj5ac_KT6XPf0QE0bdW6wSnVb8ql3rSamr7-qURyze3b/s1600/Patrick_McGilligan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFIt01WO-tLLn2zD6ZAtveriUq5xtVHglepLorBSDgu-XgHNVxvoA6U3AJMWatzQqraDmeBRQkaDspJwOK-pkappqFxQLCGTwyj5ac_KT6XPf0QE0bdW6wSnVb8ql3rSamr7-qURyze3b/s400/Patrick_McGilligan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biographer Patrick McGilligan</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> ~</div><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Guest author <b>John Greco</b> has entertained a lifelong fascination with cinema and photography and has been blogging on classic film for about 3½ years at </i>Twenty Four Frames<i>. He recently launched another blog featuring his own photography (<a href="http://johngrecophotograpy.com/" style="color: #990000;">johngrecophotograpy.com</a>). Pat McGilligan’s <u>Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director</u>, was published in July. <a href="http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/interview-with-author-patrick-mcgilligan/" style="color: #990000;">Click here</a> for John’s interview with the author regarding this most recent biography.</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT53j16b-pwmkt7HV-Uysf8aZUAY8xU1SPdsjBI3cPuS542tIu9O6MrHWgMAPoBlg0yNT0LaRmZplM9QIS_UFPjkfCIpcTuz1CAtxN94TZ4He4PRm_s6cRAoCE1WK4bUDqHrER_YpycL8/s1600/Twenty+Four+Frames+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT53j16b-pwmkt7HV-Uysf8aZUAY8xU1SPdsjBI3cPuS542tIu9O6MrHWgMAPoBlg0yNT0LaRmZplM9QIS_UFPjkfCIpcTuz1CAtxN94TZ4He4PRm_s6cRAoCE1WK4bUDqHrER_YpycL8/s400/Twenty+Four+Frames+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>

A Month of Vertigo Alfred Hitchcock James Stewart John Greco Kim Novak Patrick McGilligan San Francisco Vertigo Hitchcock Biographer Patrick McGilligan Discusses VERTIGO with John Greco

by guest contributor John Greco J ohn Greco of Twenty Four Frames recently interviewed award-winning biographer Patrick McGilligan, author ...

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Food for Thought

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-sa3XS7BB5afRVcU-EG_QkBEtJoeC_ETcOA4RbjbR20_yNksQoZ3iKltzkbZj4EpTLK1bVfIGHdImRQNpvD48SbWWbGHfC8tUJJSPPPX1YjSaGaO8wMs7goebfbZX97a-zgLdwvkdDyH/s1600/alsaud_kings.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-sa3XS7BB5afRVcU-EG_QkBEtJoeC_ETcOA4RbjbR20_yNksQoZ3iKltzkbZj4EpTLK1bVfIGHdImRQNpvD48SbWWbGHfC8tUJJSPPPX1YjSaGaO8wMs7goebfbZX97a-zgLdwvkdDyH/s320/alsaud_kings.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The quiet war in Saudi Arabia</b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Joshua Jacobs, via Open Democracy Net </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />While western powers have been happy to use SAUDI ARABIA as an ally to ratchet up the pressure on Assad's beleaguered regime in SYRIA, it has not caught a whiff of the silent crackdown occurring within the kingdom. Since late November the protest movement which was largely snuffed out last spring has returned to the streets in force, largely centered on the oil rich and largely SHIA Eastern Province. <br /><br />The SAUDI response was both brutal and predictable. Security forces shot and killed three protesters and wounded many more over several days of crackdowns in the eastern city of QATIF. Clashes continued throughout December as demonstrators battled security forces who routinely utilized live ammunition. In a series of retaliatory raids on the homes and districts of protest sympathizers hundreds were arrested and wounded. The killings along with the continued discrimination and mistreatment of the SHIA of the Eastern Province has formed the basis of the current protest movement - a protest movement that has suffered heavily like its neighbour in BAHRAIN, but with little in the way of a headline.<br /><br />Today, while attention was focused on the Strait of Hormuz, on SYRIA, and on the rising tensions in BAHRAIN, SAUDI security forces launched an assault on the city of AWAMIYAH killing at least one and wounding half a dozen more. Eye witnesses have stated that soldiers on trucks opened fire on demonstrators, hitting many as they fled. The attack bears all the hallmarks of a planned operation with electricity being cut to the area prior to the assault. The area at the time of writing is apparently still under military lock-down and reflects a state of siege with clashes continuing to occur and gunfire being heard.<br /><br />This attack was almost certainly condoned by the royal family and comes on the heels of a series of indictments against demonstrators and high profile invectives against the protest movement. Despite this attack and others like it, the rumblings and tremors of protest and crackdown show no sign of abatement. Indeed in the past few months they have once again reared their head in the south west in NAJRAN and JAZAN, compounded with protests over women’s rights in RIYADH and BURAYDAH.<br /><br />These protests bear all the hallmarks of a movement which could coalesce and burst anew from the ashes of the disjointed and largely suppressed protests of last spring. They also come at an extremely troubling time for the kingdom. The death of Crown Prince Sultan highlighted the geriatric character of the upper echelons of the ruling family, and the potential uncertainty and disquiet surrounding the issue of succession.<br /><br />Meanwhile, continuing tensions in the STRAIT OF HORMUZ and rising furor on the streets of BAHRAIN open up the risk of unrest spreading to the kingdom in a domino effect. Indeed the extremely aggressive SAUDI position on BAHRAIN and the continued quartering of troops in the tiny island monarchy has a direct relationship to their fears of domestic instability. The possibility of SAUDI SHIA rallying on behalf of their co-religionists in BAHRAIN, or vice versa is a looming threat that the SAUDIS are taking great pains to neutralize.<br /><br />Though the protests currently centre on a single province, the Eastern Province is home to the majority of SAUDI energy reserves, terminals, and processing facilities. Disruption and upheaval in this province has a disproportionate impact on SAUDI ARABIA. A protracted and visible uprising would not only weaken the SAUDI government internally but could have a tumultuous impact on the global energy market. This is all the more reason for not only the media, but for western governments to begin taking an active interest in the ongoing street conflict.<br /><br />SAUDI rulers certainly understand the threat posed by the protesters and the risk of an expanding movement: their actions are a testament to that fact. So why is the world’s media apparently incapable of recognizing the same thing? Arab media has been noticeably silent, with the two largest ARAB MEDIA entities the Saudi-owned AL-ARABIYA and the QATARI-owned AL-JAZEERA having said almost nothing. However there is little excuse for western media. SAUDI ARABIA is probably AMERICA'S most important ARAB ally, the world’s most important single energy node, and one of the most influential countries in the region.<br />It's also experiencing its worst domestic upheavals since its rebellions of the early 1980's. Taken in a vacuum this is a significant news story. When set against the context of the unfolding drama in the GULF and the wider contours of the ARAB SPRING, it is incredible.<br /><br />The past year was a bad one for SAUDI ARABIA: the coming year augurs to be even worse. The time has come to slice through the veil SAUDI ARABIA has kept around its crackdown and recognize that the Arab Spring at least in limited form has hit the kingdom. What comes next is difficult to say, but with the rapidity of change that the Arab Spring has introduced us to, it would be wise to pay close attention to the warning signs as they appear. It is entirely possible that we will see a very, very, warm spring in SAUDI ARABIA.<br /><br />

Food for Thought

The quiet war in Saudi Arabia By Joshua Jacobs, via Open Democracy Net While western powers have been happy to use SAUDI ARABIA as an ally t...

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Your boss quits. Now what?

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/28/ar5l3xv5xrm1t64h0828.gif?time=11/4/2011%2012:22:37%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/28/ar5l3xv5xrm1t64h0828.gif?time=11/4/2011%2012:22:37%20pm" /></a></div><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px;"><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer</span></b><br /><br /><div class="cbmsnArticleImage">For those of you who are fans of NBC's "<a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-office" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">The Office</a>," you know that Michael Scott, aka the "<a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Michael+Scott+world's+best+boss+mug+&FORM=BIFD" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">World's Best Boss</a>," departed at the end of last season and moved with his fiancée to Colorado to be near her parents. There was much speculation about who would replace him and if that person could ever truly fill the much-loved boss man's shoes.</div></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This season, "The Office" followers found out that Andy Bernard -- the preppy, overeager salesman who often spontaneously breaks out into song -- had been appointed the new Big Cheese. As Andy steps up to the plate, he's faced with a variety of obstacles: How can he get his former peers to respect him and listen? How should he handle those in his company who are miffed they didn't get the promotion?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This situation is common in the real-world workplace. These days, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who has worked at only one company in her lifetime. There are a variety of reasons why someone may depart. Like Michael Scott, it could be due to a big move; other reasons include being laid off, finding a better opportunity or just being unhappy. Whatever the reason, it usually has a big impact on the boss's team.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So what should you do if your boss says goodbye? Here are some tips to help you navigate through these often muddy workplace waters.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Be supportive and stay connected</b><br />Deciding to leave a job is never easy, even for the boss, so be supportive and encouraging. Try to avoid participating in water-cooler gossip or secretive speculation about why she's leaving. Lynne Sarikas, director of the College of Business Administration's career center at <a href="http://www.northeastern.edu/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Northeastern University</a> in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/massachusetts/boston/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Boston</a>, suggests thanking your boss for her support and letting her know you've appreciated all she's taught you -- even if you didn't always get along. "Regardless of any issues you may have had, stay positive," Sarikas says. "Ask if you can stay connected. This is someone you may need as a reference one day."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Get to the root of the departure</b><br />If your boss announces he's leaving for another opportunity, it's worth asking yourself why. Was it a personal decision, or was it because he suspects, or knows, the company isn't doing well? Was he unhappy in the role or disgruntled with his boss? Was it by choice or was he forced out? Mary Hladio, founder and president of organizational performance consultancy Ember Carriers Leadership Group, recommends conducting such an investigation, especially if you are vying to take over the vacant spot. "If the sudden lack of leadership is also accompanied by staff cutbacks, tighter budgets and shrinking sales, these are definite danger signs that you should not ignore."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Look for leadership opportunities</b><br />When the boss leaves, it's often by surprise, and there isn't always a succession strategy in place. While the transition can be a burden on those left to pick up the slack, use it as an opportunity to step up and demonstrate leadership -- regardless of whether or not you hope to become the boss. Offer to take over some of the work, meet with your boss's boss to strategize about ways to restructure the team, and use this time to prove that you have what it takes to lead in times of uncertainty.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you are hoping to be promoted into the boss's position, don't hesitate to express your interest in taking on the role. If you have a good relationship with the departing boss, consider asking him before he leaves to recommend you for the position.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Things can move fast in an organization, so if your boss leaves and you know you're interested in that role, it's appropriate to share that interest with both the boss and his or her boss," says workplace coach Darcy Eikenberg, founder of <a href="http://redcaperevolution.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">RedCapeRevolution.com</a> and author of the forthcoming book "Bring Your Superpowers to Work: Your Guide to More Clarity, Confidence and Control." "Try saying something like, 'I've appreciated the example you've set in this role, and it's one where I think I can make a contribution, too. We'll miss you, but I'm aware that we'll need to fill the post soon. What's the right next step to be considered as your replacement?'"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Eikenberg also suggests ensuring you truly know the responsibilities of and expectations for the position before pushing for it. There may be a side to the job that you didn't realize existed. If you're longing for the boss's job, Eikenberg encourages asking him questions like, "What's the one work activity that takes most of your time in this role?" or "What's the part of your job that keeps you up at night?" That way, you have a stronger sense of the role and can determine if you are up for the challenge.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Consider following the leader</b><br />What if your boss is the reason you're at your current job? Perhaps she brought you over from another company, or her mentorship is the reason you haven't hightailed it out of there yet. When you consider your boss a friend and someone you admire, it can be tough when she decides to jump ship, but try not to let your emotions get the best of you. Consider whether you're happy in your current role and if it may be worth following your boss to her new company.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"If you had a good relationship with your boss, continue to stay in touch. Your boss might have left for a much better opportunity, and if he or she has opportunities for you, let him or her know you might have an interest," says Renee Weisman, owner of Winning at Work Consulting, a company providing workplace leadership seminars and classes, and author of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Mans-World-Advice-Succeed/dp/1436364221" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Winning in a Man's World: Advice for Women Who Want to Succeed and the Men Who Work With Them</a>."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So what if you pull an <a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=andy+bernard&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-12&form=QBRE" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Andy Bernard</a> and actually become the boss? Here are some tips on how to step out from the old boss's shadow.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Find a balance between friendship and leadership</b><br />When taking over as the boss, your relationship with your co-workers will likely need to change. While it would be nice to keep them as buddies, you may have to distance yourself if you want them to take you seriously. However, don't take your newfound authority so far that it borders on condescending, or you'll end up alienating your new team. Chances are there are others on your team who were hoping to take over as the boss, so be sensitive to the fact that they might be frustrated or upset at the outcome. Make them your allies by tapping them for their advice or asking them to mentor or guide younger workers; that will show them you value their opinion and see them as a key member of the team.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Understand expectations</b><br />"Take some time initially to understand what you are expected to accomplish...and by when," says Roy Cohen, career coach and author of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Street-Professional-92s-Survival-Guide/dp/0137052642" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide</a>." "Ask your new boss, 'How will you measure my success -- and know that I have been successful -- in six months or a year?' Having a benchmark will enable you to work toward accomplishing their goals and offer feedback should those goals be unrealistic or unfair. This knowledge will also allow you to modify those goals to reflect your own unique potential to contribute."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Give it some time</b><br />Remember that change is never easy, so there will likely be some growing pains as you transition into the new role. No one is expecting you to be a carbon copy of your former boss, so take this opportunity to carve out your own path. Be patient and stay levelheaded, and you'll be on your way to succeeding as a company leader.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, </i><a href="http://www.theworkbuzz.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><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>

Your boss quits. Now what?

Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder Writer For those of you who are fans of NBC's " The Office ," you know that Michael Scott, aka t...

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DECEIVING TACTICS

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GqttNi-dqlcO0OVm5Mod1-qF_j3zIM8X52MBAGnpgnLdSxTrvyaHuqjITPWwT0rsuTwPdnCM3FNoPOdoaWT8vNYaLJv5FxkoSAfaA-ab9jL10TvsFFbXMm_xYzCzygEybo9vXzAkA7XY/s1600/energy-shock-how-peak-oil-will-change-your-life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GqttNi-dqlcO0OVm5Mod1-qF_j3zIM8X52MBAGnpgnLdSxTrvyaHuqjITPWwT0rsuTwPdnCM3FNoPOdoaWT8vNYaLJv5FxkoSAfaA-ab9jL10TvsFFbXMm_xYzCzygEybo9vXzAkA7XY/s400/energy-shock-how-peak-oil-will-change-your-life.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As I see it </b></span></div><br />Mainstream media as well as alternative media alike have been jumping on the warmongering bandwagon, claiming that war between IRAN and the USA is imminent, and that subsequently ISRAEL is about to strike IRAN in order to prevent IRAN from concluding its alleged nuclear weapon program.<br /><br /><div style="color: red;"><b>NO ARMED CONFLICT BETWEEN USA AND IRAN</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In my opinion there will be no military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz nor will there be a full out war between IRAN and the USA, nor will ISRAEL strike IRAN. The entire warmongering is nothing but deceiving tactics, either to work out a behind the scene natural resources distribution deal or to entirely reshuffle the geo political landscape. <br />There are too many unknowns about IRAN to enter a full scale war. Though current USA political rhetoric’s and claims are frightening similar to that of prior to the IRAQ invasion, invading or waging a war with IRAN would most likely trigger a strong response from RUSSIA CHINA and the southern hemisphere, INDIA, VIETNAM etc. <br />For now at least, a full scale war between USA and IRAN for me is a no go situation. But then again who knows what the worlds”CORPOCRACY” goal in all this is. Are we made to believe that this is about natural resources? <br /><br /><div style="color: red;"><b>DIMINISHING OIL RESOURCES? FACT OR DECEPTION? </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Are we really facing a crude oil shortage for which it is necessary to stage another war or are we once again the fair game of speculators?<br />There is the hypothesis that the USA has enough oil reserves on its own territory to supply the entire country, thus making it totally independent from oil imports, but for geo political and economic reasons, dictated by “CORPOCRACY”, chose to “play the game of misinformation” in order to keep worldwide demand for oil at a premium, just as the Diamond Cartel did in SOUTH AFRICA, when a huge “Diamond Belt” was discovered in the country. The finding was so enormous, supplying these stones to the marked would have reduced the value of diamonds to almost nothing, and thus they covered the entire area with concrete in order to control the amount of stones entering the market. <br />The so-called demand for Natural resources is the perfect excuse to stage crisis situations, of which speculators gain most of and which help key political entities and financial institutions to dictated and manipulated geo politics and economy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">......................................................................................... </div><br /><br /><div style="color: blue;"><i><b>FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON SUBJECT MATTER</b> </i><br /><br /><div><b>ARE CLAIMS OF CRUDE OIL RESOURCES DIMINISHING LEGITIMATE OR A DELIBERATE LIE? </b></div></div><div style="color: blue;"><br /></div><div style="color: blue;"><i>Could it be that crude oil was not formed from fossils but in a complete different way? Is crude oil still formed nowadays?</i></div><div style="color: blue;"><b>Are crude oil resources diminishing………….for the last 100 years?</b></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Is not it strange that even our grandparents were told that our oil resources are diminishing and that we soon will run out of oil ?  Is it not strange that even 100 years later there still exists the fear of “the end of the oil”, even though every day more oil is consumed and new oil resources are found continuously? <br />Well, what if all of this is a lie? Who would benefit from convincing us that we are running out of crude oil?<br />Actually, everyone knows the answer for it is so obvious: When something is scarce, prices soar. Price also rises when products are made artificially scarce. (Speculators)<br />Oil prices keep rising despite the fact that there are more oil reserves than mankind can ever consume!<br /><br /><div style="color: blue;"><b>WHERE ARE THE FACTS?</b></div><br />Why have fossils never been found in petroleum deposits? How could these supposedly fossil materials disappear thousands of meters beneath the surface? Were there in 3000 or even 13,000 meters beneath the earth once upon a time forests and meadows?<br />Could it be that crude oil was or is not at all formed in the way we are told but entirely different?<br /><br />A documentary broadcasted on 3SAT (German, Austrian and Swiss TV station) on March 3rd 2010 casts an even bigger doubt on alleged biological origin theory of petroleum and natural gas. The global oil industry and cartel as well as international financial institutions dealing with oil commodities would never permit that such "endless" oil regenerating porcess would become publicly known.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lQKAcJu62Rs?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Der Energie Irrtum</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EtkLc4tgIkI?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><div style="color: blue;"><b>HOW DOES OIL AND GAS REACH THE SATURN MOON TITAN?</b></div>Scientists have found natural gas on Titan, Saturn’s moon:<br /><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100921144133.htm">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100921144133.htm</a><br /><br />Following current hypothesis regarding the formation of oil and gas, oil and gas on Titan must have been created by dry plants, which miraculously flew from planet earth trough space to Titan. Or the oil residue evaporated on earth and was transferred to the Saturn moon where it down poured in form of precipitation. If it is not that way, then oil is not formed the way they tell us.<br /><br /><div style="color: blue;"><b>Bacteria decompose oil in the ground</b></div><br />Scientists at the University of Cologne have proven the existence of bacteria in 2,000 meters depth. Bacteria have never been detected so deep in the earth’s core, said a university spokesperson. Together with colleagues from Perth in Australia, researchers have discovered phospholipids acids in oil reserves. This indicates that living bacteria, biologically quarry oil.<br /><br /><div style="color: blue;"><b>If oil was originally created from fossils, it would have been eaten by these bacteria in the millions of years since its creation. According to this process crude oil regenerates itself continuously, but not the way we are made to believe by those entities that could lose big-time, once the truth is revealed.</b></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Via Wahrheit Organisation </span><br /><br />

DECEIVING TACTICS

As I see it Mainstream media as well as alternative media alike have been jumping on the warmongering bandwagon, claiming that war between I...

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Your favorite green vegetable

Part of my lunch today, plain old green beans with Pam butter flavored spray and a dash of sea salt.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_hVOnX7ae9S03vzzT7rTpFRx9mKzFdHejcWwhI7EcHu0tpFO3SA4K5-ecFEhHIIQehr1K-maerBwIszVgw-Yo6KwME10t5gxXs4xFeOpIt_AVZJ0EJ8kqRCuReNBFM9Zzp0l-r4Tk6cl/s1600/P1030999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_hVOnX7ae9S03vzzT7rTpFRx9mKzFdHejcWwhI7EcHu0tpFO3SA4K5-ecFEhHIIQehr1K-maerBwIszVgw-Yo6KwME10t5gxXs4xFeOpIt_AVZJ0EJ8kqRCuReNBFM9Zzp0l-r4Tk6cl/s320/P1030999.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I haven't eaten green beans for years. I've never really liked them much. I've always thought they were boring and tasteless. These aren't bad, in fact, I'll probably eat them again. <br /><br />I eat too many Brussels sprouts. Seriously, I eat them several times a week. I've had an ongoing love affair with Brussels sprouts for years. My favorite is fresh Brussels sprouts, roasted with olive oil and sea salt. I could eat these every day (heck, I have eaten them almost every day for months!).<br /><br /> I've decided to branch out and only eat Brussels sprouts a couple times a week (this will be hard), and start eating a greater variety of fresh, green vegetables. I know this would be healthier. <br /><br />Do you have a favorite green vegetable? How do you prepare it?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Your favorite green vegetable

Part of my lunch today, plain old green beans with Pam butter flavored spray and a dash of sea salt. I haven't eaten green beans for yea...

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Snow in Seattle!

The view out my home office window (on break at lunch, working from home), Federal Way, WA - 22 miles south of Seattle:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8DTqJw2JFRklmI0NgiJSOUB8cn_VPowp0xiCIDcj87fX-Dk-lEgxGH6-FNtP2UBUdk6S7cDUzkkTrSKd-vQFMJ_DGAv90CFfIYMUQSuN29zVmiKKNWVO7Mi3IT1g6OMw0wiF9zfxUXUK/s1600/Backyard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8DTqJw2JFRklmI0NgiJSOUB8cn_VPowp0xiCIDcj87fX-Dk-lEgxGH6-FNtP2UBUdk6S7cDUzkkTrSKd-vQFMJ_DGAv90CFfIYMUQSuN29zVmiKKNWVO7Mi3IT1g6OMw0wiF9zfxUXUK/s400/Backyard.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />This isn't a view I see very often at my house. I love it. It's gorgeous! It's a very gray day so it's doesn't look as spectacular as it could. However, when the sun comes out the snow will melt. It's suppose to stay below freezing all day today, but warm up tomorrow and then all the snow will melt.<br /><br />I made up with my niece this morning, the one that's been calling me a bitch and a liar. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.<br /><br />I sent her an email and told her I wanted to get along and not fight anymore. I didn't want to have to deal with lawyers and restraining orders. I didn't want to have to go to court again. I just wanted to work with her.<br /><br />A few hours later after I knew my niece had read my email, I called her. After she burst into tears and asked why I hated her so much, we talked (well, she talked) for half an hour, and I listened, trying to calm her down and listen to her grievances against me. I simply can't live with the hatred and fighting any longer. This is one more attempt at peace, and I hope it sticks this time. I know she's mentally ill, which makes this all very difficult. I have much more empathy for those that deal with the mentally ill. This is the most challenging thing I've ever had to deal with in my entire life.<br /><br />It's time to grab some lunch. Breakfast was on track and is in the Weight Watcher tracker. I'm drinking water, and focusing on the healthy eating guidelines. I still feel like I'm starving again today, probably from the carbs in the pizza last night (or the wine). I just want to make it through this one day eating entirely on plan (and stay within my 26 Points...not 80 like the last few days!).

Snow in Seattle!

The view out my home office window (on break at lunch, working from home), Federal Way, WA - 22 miles south of Seattle: This isn't a vie...

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Wildlife Education Loaner Kits are rolling into a classroom near you!

<strong><em>From guest author, John Windau, Wildlife Communications Specialist in the District Two Office, Findlay, Ohio.</em></strong><br /><br />     Are you looking for a way to bring some fun and excitement into your teaching sessions? Well, here are some great opportunities to bring wildlife education into your classroom using hands on learning kits available from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife. These kits are available in the form of loaner trunks, and can be borrowed for two weeks at a time from your district office. There are wide varieties of trunks available, and each district may be slightly different, but here is a general guide to what you may find. <br /><br /><br />     If playing with, err, I mean using plaster of paris or air dry clay sounds exciting to you, then the animal track trunk may be right up your alley. This kit contains rubber molds for various wildlife creatures found in Ohio. But wait, this is more than just an art project. Once dried, these impressions can then be used to help teach children about the animal tracks they may encounter in the wild and what habitat types each animal can be found in. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjornMRBaU13dfWlfsC1zOdqKxQ9A-btzkfbVG7OQN4llZ4VQftIpxKWbnfGPpQdkYxj6MZtRftAXL5FgH8QCVbkrCN5mBu35Oa4xeEr2-RgPEiIA1RB6UjTcg0QvhxW_SbzuCm5FZ0Z6Oz/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjornMRBaU13dfWlfsC1zOdqKxQ9A-btzkfbVG7OQN4llZ4VQftIpxKWbnfGPpQdkYxj6MZtRftAXL5FgH8QCVbkrCN5mBu35Oa4xeEr2-RgPEiIA1RB6UjTcg0QvhxW_SbzuCm5FZ0Z6Oz/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>     Ok, if that sounds too messy for you, how about bringing in a map and a bunch of figurines? No, I am not talking about Candyland, Dungeons and Dragons, or Legos. The timeline activity is an interactive way to demonstrate how Ohio’s landscape has been impacted by settlement and development. Have your students interact with the map, tree and animal figures to see what impacts humans have had on Ohio through time. <br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAttFVX1baJ9uzFo0iP4V6w9fPB6sZX0jKoMfaFADRcaaRY7GVFpZaGDjX0cJ2L5-GIngnizncfg9nTeg0JYTXsu3idb8woyZOD4-0spr8cdJ3ruZ50n-KauZhsE2jJ5ETZIuITAwDhkY/s1600/youthcreekn162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAttFVX1baJ9uzFo0iP4V6w9fPB6sZX0jKoMfaFADRcaaRY7GVFpZaGDjX0cJ2L5-GIngnizncfg9nTeg0JYTXsu3idb8woyZOD4-0spr8cdJ3ruZ50n-KauZhsE2jJ5ETZIuITAwDhkY/s320/youthcreekn162.jpg" width="320" /></a>    Like playing in water? How about a stream trunk? Inside you will find all types of cool gadgets (that is the technical term) for sampling streams for insects, invertebrates, and small fish. Not a stream expert? Included along with the dip nets, magnifying glasses, stream seines, are keys and activity guides that will help you along the way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">    If insects sound interesting, how about borrowing an insect trunk? Students will enjoy learning about the insects living around them. They can capture insects with the included insect nets, hold and analyze them in the special bug jars that have magnifiers already included. Field guides and posters will make identifying the bugs another rewarding challenge. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">   Not everyone is comfortable with insects. Another excellent trunk is the fur and skull trunk. This trunk contains a variety of furs and skulls from Ohio’s wildlife. Students will enjoy guessing what type of animal the furs come from, as well as feeling how soft the pelts are. This is a great opportunity to introduce and teach children about the unique characteristics of individual species. Also included in this trunk are skulls from various mammals in Ohio. Ever stumble upon a skull in the wild and wonder what it was? Well here is your opportunity to learn to identify some of Ohio’s most common mammals using facial features and dental patterns. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">    What about reptiles and amphibians? These fascinating groups of animals are some of the most primitive on the planet. Their unique lifecycles and abilities fascinate students. The reptile and amphibian trunk contains guides and replicas for students to explore what makes these unique animals tick, how they survive, and why they are so special in our environment. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHbeZAyh1kUzo3iH1oYKeCpElaYsTE-tpyvzUhuLagCRr2Aq_8MBqGwz5gARzhB0bLZjFkTaikB14pHRlLr0l8o4T9tgdPcAGChLR-J1qkDa-Kfuf9aZb1Cuw3S1VhnX24zZxeJaGypUs/s1600/blu+wing+warb253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHbeZAyh1kUzo3iH1oYKeCpElaYsTE-tpyvzUhuLagCRr2Aq_8MBqGwz5gARzhB0bLZjFkTaikB14pHRlLr0l8o4T9tgdPcAGChLR-J1qkDa-Kfuf9aZb1Cuw3S1VhnX24zZxeJaGypUs/s320/blu+wing+warb253.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any guesses on this species?</td></tr></tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">    It may not seem like it now, but spring is right around the corner. Doesn’t a nice spring walk listening and looking for birds sound peaceful? The Division also has bird and birding trunks available. Field and activity guides will help guide you as you introduce birds and birding to your students. The kits also include binoculars, bird song CD’s, and other materials to help you along the way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">    If you haven’t guessed by now, the Division of Wildlife has a wide variety of resources available for educators. These are just a few of the kits available. In addition, there are dozens of publications, programs, and activity guides offered. Contact your district Communications Specialist to learn what else is available and how to make arrangements for borrowing one of these exciting kits for your students. You can find the Education Materials Brochure and the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s District contact information at <a href="http://www.ohioprojectwild.com/">http://www.ohioprojectwild.com/</a>  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div>

Wildlife Education Loaner Kits are rolling into a classroom near you!

From guest author, John Windau, Wildlife Communications Specialist in the District Two Office, Findlay, Ohio.      Are you looking for a way...

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A recap. of our South African teachers' involvement in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum in 2011

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since the Partners in Learning Forum (formerly known as the Innovative Teachers’ Forum) has opened its 2012 competition and we at SchoolNet are encouraging all teachers to participate in our free online support group <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a> (so that we can support you with your entry), I thought I would write and tell you something about our participants last year. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Face-to-face Courses in 2011 and 2012</span><br /><br /></b>SchoolNet hosted a number of free face-to-face courses for this competition around the country in 2011 so that teachers could find out more about the requirements of the competition. We are doing the same this year and if you want to be included in one and you have heard nothing about them to date please contact <a href="mailto:almah@schoolnet.org.za">almah@schoolnet.org.za</a> to find out more.  </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s1600/PIL+wiki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">New this year – an Innovative Online Support Course!</span><br /><br /></b>This year we are also including a free online support course with daily posts which you can follow at at your own pace. It will include two (optional) webinars a week where you can find out about past finalists and winners and hear what they did. If you miss the webinars they will be recorded and you will get access to the link to listen at leisure. "Where will this link be posted?" I can hear you asking. Well, the course will be run from a wiki and if you sign up we will take an extra special interest in you all the way to the final date for entries! The place to sign up is: <br /><a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s1600/PIL+wiki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s400/PIL+wiki.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last year’s entrants</span><br /></b><br />So let me tell you about last year’s entrants. Quite a number uploaded their PowerPoint entries (don’t worry, we’ll guide you through all this) by the required date and 22 were chosen because they offered something that was considered innovative for their schools. Those 22 people were elated when they heard of their success especially as they were to be whisked off to Johannesburg to the South African Finals to present their projects to the judges. They stayed in excellent five star accommodation, and for once in their lives teachers were treated like royalty! They also experienced some really innovative workshops and were sponsored to attend the ICT in the Classroom Conference which SchoolNet hosted last year. The winners received their accolades on the last night of the Conference amidst the cheering of the large crowd of educators from around the country.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They had a ball! Did you think that innovative teacher finalists could be so crazy? Look at this!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjMk7XIijPLGkYujJlLVcXWFqA_ffBy6WR5WYJGEwf-ZJcakyiuDAa6VvpsTPGZtdnTDGK1NwKmgrdOF_xAB0G-haiI_XdiQEMenutNROSI3mWiP4mJnVEnINH7ISf_zRpI8spviYbgE/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg7n5cVCAlQKT7j5XAypexTrHn9UpGtZFxNcJ7GzIBPAJisBxR6jbsyBOlH-Ulrdq4uSIePPeLac_aimbIcLfo2VljOZ-3QtxgjjpkiGJjEdROm18PIKEijClbA2ZklQgp5ZVAD6ojTM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLMD8i_QKRKNhcPXd0Izel0zFXfCWMrzvTX1-q69HecHZ2J7BC9XervwVpWrOoO2LWeAwuCtPbX6-DlBtOfBJ2MdIDLPWTA7CRXdYzWJ-lcxWkPbrDEF7I0tWSzjHPXJ9soPzPAYX-pE/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg8Q9yRJpZIyET3QtH7HW29rwzibME5Ib2xWqJPEFk9O3sS1LORCSAB0cWONy9WkcWuysxtafgGQ5cDEXcvjcS-11UnfxO-5c1mP3BcD1l2W9FlogppQzN8nUY8ylj2e-9QUH2hN9rr0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmTbXItvJAn6SnvelsuIk5I8teczw8lNl27T6w2N2QM0PtF2R1GxEToVEI502dQcdiyBRvkcTnK7Zr5ZOWYUBmV9res9OHPaPeXF4TpW9nIyjR_Y7XHqN_NuioMBNG7IaJYvEHX8NAQA/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSSjafnSLvzvv148Brl_P-yvt5Gjfz5W33bpX2WvP1ZqOrilsqYvpB7Piieum4tnmWFAcN0NHk2wipBCoAvllwx7dwpp0WeFqDcLt6HSoVVG9iA8-qE67X0T3PRIrwlnH3xX6ucG8Ues/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1slaowwt8AmGw_ePz-p3SHOiXKCXOMY7CB90s-OmHZvSZoU38mbp74xl6UOsiGQsAqE_gyNArdEUrFsYSUdBgXOHvKLZhbfFRj-q2isaq72AIhQd5paJnBsSaeIrZJ58NeRe_uofkTw/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NeP84pohNGuTotrR-7xocSLiFmJE6auL_FZCIJZ6hVkj2WtDI9C6WW2635kcLW0g66aVTZ0ScBjDtMjFTPQpuHa5nj6w4o62GgW0fiLkwSULbTqCl-18BjwzWT2UXb9NhDPTYOlTkyg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the next video (created by Lisa Gair who was a finalist), you can see them riding trolleys down the ramp at the Oliver Thambo Airport in Johannesburg on the way home, excited and happy after an AMAZING week!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-d75a4589172a86d0-15944" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyH1y660CVDrgxrkjjPrszqoID5AzUB9oeIOon3AXff1dVPNQbZaD1M5ua8T7U37drV0UlpfThiyTCu89Ka5y0lavBEP4QB6UHpU-vrXoBJAnUnQFcjsqvZ3ChOKO-O-rhagX6D" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The South African winners</span><br /></b><br />The winners were:<br /><br />§ Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson of St Cyprians College in Cape Town for their class project “Tollbooth Movie Maker”; <br />§ Natalie Meerholz of Holy Rosary School in Edenvale for her class project “E-Waste Away”; <br />§ Lyneth Crighton of Brescia House in Bryanston for her class project “DigiGirlz puzzle IT out”; <br />§ Wessel Theron of Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town for his class project “School of Rock”; <br />§ Ryan Galvin of St Nicholas Diocesan School in Pietermaritzburg for his class project “R and J in R and B”. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately we don’t have a photo of the five winners all together, but here is Louise Clarke the overall winner (along with Kim her Grade 4 colleague who was in England at the time) receiving her award and prize.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2D8cYSKjbApuwarEhw7lmq_P6WeU1_Wyh3tzbaAT0hrHzccCEs7WC2T5Rly_Qgv7hpQhmPhHNRDU9JjDdIUz84xVBTpq_l2LsomavBEGakBn1C_wuy5jVzFz09PZzSzYe7ZB1yncbkE/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQSsqmgF3SEzKdFnyDsTNyyIGvpOnnsvx-_7uas_9v5mRKjBBON5zPQkxfqqxOsELVIz2DDR1-Hjw4jWKWg91lyzb5W1M-qbcgG2ADa1sccmMZiQKN4_gwg3wbbB1NI2FIgVFmzLctoU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Jordan finals</span><br /></b><br />The next round of the competition for the five winners was to attend the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan in September 2011. I have written a blog post about this if you would like to find out more. Once again it was loads of fun and Microsoft provided the most stunning accommodation. <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html" title="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html">http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html<br /><br /></a></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFWhsek9eiLsYwhfxgwpF4vtIFjXeDf6Q_dXTHufmFRQE6FJk7qEFGons0i1h6HpVTwcbZvBDcsLEbeFSLTQAd9dnbmOgZEXYf02cAmx9U2dsI5Yy5CpUHbzZ6vx89-wVrwowvStk_Lc/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib8_KZ7ayw3USohcg5Ya7mBar39_C7-beTIcJthgAd39j7mlf3ZFDvzmmFO7cKiqe6yp_9A2S6ibgKx_vzyxY5fLq_gHW10hD30j9x3VJZ2rAZQBJghhRrcVwL12F1E53KMj1kuO66Q/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4p-JoJ7uXHkXodXKuWbaajCwFompnxYOEfxdfRUloPOigH3bmdcZamjP-jm7gZ1n2_n3pOovU1_YSDbM10uCOfZ15hcISsEcWpg1lXorpDWpiTRh8-4kGojnl9xTAGEvUiMaqBbNHak/s1600-h/image%25255B21%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaLdOJgMHDNECHlbYAObgO9v1q-q9r0UibQWRYiaJT-uIpSg4JkM20m45tmeUbOWUQjT1oUfkv5x9g6_yztYgNDlIHqB_cgum_Zzn8xhp7AckjkxuQdwfjzPc8GmxAiXcQXlkeuLYQg8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The South African and Lesotho winners at this event were:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson from St Cyprians College in Cape Town won the 'Collaboration' category for their Grade 4 class project 'Tollbooth Movie Maker'.<br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth Crighton from Brescia House in Bryanston won the 'Cutting Edge' award for her class project 'DigiGirlz puzzle IT out'. <br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Natalie Meerholz of Holy Rosary School in Edenvale came 3rd in the ‘Beyond the Classroom’ award  for her class project 'E-Waste Away'.<br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Malatela  Monaheng from Lesotho came 2nd in the 'Challenging Contexts' category. </span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Wessel Theron from Bishops and Thejani Malakane from Lesotho were part of the group that won the 'group project' award in Jordan, which meant the whole group could compete in Washington.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEhT_TEl-MUx4h459h3fVQXaf1zn5rKcllm0t-bYeHU7pFbntErED_hS7HC8lqL39Ql2e1vwwvWekXf3t04uDdAuh24kcrTjXcIsxGHIcQsje5V0FZqOLzpT4ga3-ZtUfspWR8UO5ZREbkg/s1600-h/image%25255B39%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6-kvz9WRU_gociDhn8AHdzxnXAIi458YmhWJpNPfCL6e9rmyvVApnT-jW9sNjMA8P028dS1-6MVj8y_4vLkVaXmPlH4ieEHUBUaOYsR-g1Q5UX1V2KVuoQslFQQ9qXV1hRvfN7Zb9WU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Malatela  Monaheng and Wessel Theron (Thejane is seen below)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The World Finals in Washington in November<br /><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The winners from this event went on to the World Finals in Washington in November. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Here they are in Washington:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </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;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXJUgiOI7yQnilDRsAK6hIZW-Y5a4Rfytr747vDz-ppPC3_DLowBRKICwOoRJYrs-dEfcogHHq7la74WbK0z5aR-UtKyTtISTRKyZc8saN0Vi_FrNQTdRufsP6layKdQuMcEKDAM2_FE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the group with the Whitehouse in the background</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></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/AVvXsEgTVHxb80ypLsz-_v1RIQwy3lDoncTMUFYGLY85hCsjkBioyZGelwY_p-pbXpEwKCugP9fEo2W4qpy82V2GmLWg9xRi7DvEUvH-fchbP4PiKBBVbbgIdBbCrTWs61nGCsfEbjUSCHZyiGY/s1600-h/image%25255B30%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQimoehDIq2qLt0UZMixxMpkm3om60VjO8QnIrDMyjpqPiHDNJKS1zZqC_23adVbP1qvXQnOK5L8PFJ7o3oox14GcTMBreBYnNRAv3Vq3zU-KKJN0tt41yifYEwBmcb_yv55b6KPso4Q8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Natalie at her project stand</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEiipzwR8Zw2UiORzyVaw46xteY26SX0NS3jrefbuaKyS278Nj-gDC-PVi2kyWBzIAZF2Sw2p0Fg-hvmDCh78XSGI0xsUBptnJwuvI61lfstSVmfLpBElc2xr9-NvIgRvOOelp-Tp4qtBGE/s1600-h/image%25255B27%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQaxP99QDfNwmEiA2YPGJLz4rHCESS-Rh-_JKAZ3SklNWRuTa0QK4UQFEw7OUF-1tpCUptskLE1Ac9AMHJEFllI2qZbST5109aSE72GRFCU1ZWlE7AvGpKOrfLAgSd2Bo5zC6fkJYzN8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kim and Louise at their project stand</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><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/AVvXsEhaeOfkqS1X1FnJfPlXOrl8yvaRKRojQIn3r9UKjpy31dlKQR_wjcKjQYnBIil7tzS2k2cERgvUJJoxgVnB0qqVNcrkn99eGjI2fx5_UOchVV2ALnelLdJhfrEANkA7Wktn9wO263EIOTo/s1600/blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeOfkqS1X1FnJfPlXOrl8yvaRKRojQIn3r9UKjpy31dlKQR_wjcKjQYnBIil7tzS2k2cERgvUJJoxgVnB0qqVNcrkn99eGjI2fx5_UOchVV2ALnelLdJhfrEANkA7Wktn9wO263EIOTo/s400/blog.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wessel and Thejane with their winning group from Jordan</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span></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/AVvXsEiq5Qy-OztlxNKejsfMucdnJr_qTC3LDEVo5M4nell1aHkdYKfV5aaOtCE2gi6W8ghcc2GTycK5b7jBUFV7jvUyUsUIkR7ay2il6PE0rz_XXl1MPb7z0h0WDh_-X8kctd5vHy59QJ8vj8k/s1600-h/image%25255B33%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECzhMrO7xL5Kmwo9LTbnapoOL6xuz8t9xGSnpCJZTIo-f2zNdmAQCysC8o8cFR1bx2sHYMlPw4AWRCBJ94mcwLFlq2JmLmfPIkD2DlNqyAnS1iflkCIw9Y1xSSjBPqiy5_bXXSmH9gbk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth at her project stand</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth Crighton was also interveiwed by the Global Forum team and found herself being featured on YouTube</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">      </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pkHw8M3YhU4" width="420"></iframe></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is what Natalie Meerholtz said about the event in Facebook, “Awesome closing gala dinner in Washington DC. No SA awards. The Yanks cleaned up on innovative gaming projects! There should have been a category for most spirited country - no doubt South Africa!”</span></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/AVvXsEiK33lewmsrMv5bTxzYgLGN0dOfuifV0dghbJhAyj6HnKtO0eFPtOSqgN7_pFzBXkG8Ae8Ur8CKjqJCPyd1L4iWXo4bbfspizhhT5IDRn9fpW3hSTwIY38lY7ip5FiHSeQqxGIYj4YhGYY/s1600-h/image%25255B36%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMyvn-2ejhzKBgGlgAmbLpH1Z0jNcbsQabg10cgvoCw9iKxLD8gMui_kiJS6rj_t8lm0JVgS22tpOP_2DQV_Cl15KIBzJZw0eVSf11bQFu1k5HJy7ohD02sXnHxoirH93BoO04FzJYsI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The final Gala dinner when the Awards were announced</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">What this means for you!</span><br /></b><br />Please consider entering a project this year. You just never know what can happen!<br />Projects have to be uploaded by March 15th and the Awards will be handed out at the Basic Education conference in Durban in April. The winners will go on the Middle East and Africa forum in Morocco, and the winners from that occasion will participate in the Global Forum in Athens,  Greece. All expenses are paid by Microsoft each step of the way.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don’t know where to start? Sign up for our  free online support course so that we can take you through the steps and encourage you during the next 8 weeks.  <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div></div>

Competitions Microsoft Project-based learning Teaching Technology integration A recap. of our South African teachers' involvement in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum in 2011

Since the Partners in Learning Forum (formerly known as the Innovative Teachers’ Forum) has opened its 2012 competition and we at SchoolNet ...

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Snowmageddon

If you've been watching the weather channel you've probably already heard about our snowstorm here in the Pacific Northwest. They're not kidding! It's really bad. I live on the south end of Seattle (Federal Way), and we got a six inch snow dump early this morning. It's amazing, and I kind of love it. I wish it would stay for more than a few hours. Since it's 31 degrees I'm pretty sure it'll be gone by noon.<br /><br />Like an idiot I got dressed and headed out to the gym. I scraped off the six inches of fluffy, dry snow from my car, the most snow I've ever seen fall here at one time. I really wanted to make a snow angel in the front yard, but I had to get to the gym (or so I thought).<br /><br />I should have had a clue that it wasn't a good idea to drive anywhere when I got stuck in the street in front of my house where there's the tiniest incline. On my way to the gym, about a two-mile drive, I saw two cars in the ditch being pulled out by tow trucks. Then a semi-truck on the hill up to my house stopped in the middle of the road putting on chains. This sort of scared me so I drove right past the gym, and took the long way home (an extra three miles), to avoid the treacherous hill up to my house.<br /><br />Just like everyone on my team, I'm working from home today. Maybe when the snow melts I can head over the gym this afternoon.<br /><br />Last night was a real bust on the diet. I ate 3/4 of a California Pizza (frozen - I had bought two last weekend), barbecue chicken on extra thin crust and a then a big glass of red wine.<br /><br />Yesterday I felt like I was starving to death all day. I'm pretty sure it was my body's reaction to the 800-calorie workout Monday night. Thirty minutes on the StairMaster and then an hour cycle class just about killed me. My eating was good all day yesterday, then last night I spotted the pizza in the freezer (something I haven't bought for years), and I succumbed. Exhausted physically and emotionally drained (niece junk all day  yesterday--will it ever stop?), I just couldn't seem to stop myself.<br /><br />Today I feel better, more in control and more like I care. Last night, I just didn't care. My health didn't seem to matter. I just wanted comfort and sought it in food and alcohol. Stupid, yes. Regrets, no. Sometimes you just have to do what feels good, even if it's bad for you. <br /><br />Okay, so I'm moving on today. My plan for the day: Weight Watchers! I will track my food even if it kills me and work on getting in the healthy guidelines. Exercise this afternoon, after work and after the snow melts.<br /><br /><br />

Snowmageddon

If you've been watching the weather channel you've probably already heard about our snowstorm here in the Pacific Northwest. They...

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Papa Bear Oatmeal & Some Housecleaning

Good Tuesday to ya!<br /><br />Hopefully you all got to enjoy a nice, long holiday weekend.  I had 4 days off, but was busy for every single second of them!  The goal for the weekend was to get my life in order before classes started (today) and also to get our <a href="http://www.davisdeejays.com/" target="_blank">DJ</a> and <a href="http://photography.benpowellmedia.com/">wedding photographer</a> squared away.  Check. Check. Check!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photography.benpowellmedia.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsPxlL9kePNyff4LCtrIDQZWUGoeowBRld80-jOqECIDfOpKbRfe3qnOdFPBxkzjfN-bVUsithyzpaqHK3MXhjd1Lg1qEiNVXP6TKKKX7hyphenhyphenIZYHwNy30yo_bt2_C-Jc8mHBzJDtLBoJc/s1600/BPP.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Housecleaning</b><br />#1 - I'm <i>still </i>playing catch up on my Google Reader with all of your blog posts!  I try to follow every person who comes to The Big Weight and comments (plus a few others!), and I'm just extremely behind.  Ever since the holidays, I cannot get caught up.  It's going to get worse too because of school.  So having said that, know that I'm still reading your posts, I'm just VERY behind!<br /><br />#2 - I know that from now until the end of April my life is going to be devoted to: work, school, & wedding.  Tumbleweeds may start blowing around these parts.  I just want to put it out there.  I will <i>absolutely </i>check in weekly to let you all know how the weight loss is progressing, but by no means will I be posting daily.  I will <i>try </i>to post as often as I can.<br /><br />Phew! Glad I got that all off my chest.<br /><br /><b>Recipe</b><br />I tried this great recipe over the weekend, thanks to Paula Deen's Deen Family Cookbook.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.betterworldbooks.com/074/Paula-Deen-s-the-Deen-Family-Cookbook-Deen-Paula-H-9780743278133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.betterworldbooks.com/074/Paula-Deen-s-the-Deen-Family-Cookbook-Deen-Paula-H-9780743278133.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br />I had a hankering for some hearty oatmeal, and boy did I find it in the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/papa-bear-oatmeal-recipe/index.html">Papa Bear Oatmeal</a>.  Now, before you immediately discount it as a healthy recipe, just give it a chance!  It received, on average, 5 full stars on the Food Network website!  <br /><br />I admit that if you follow the recipe exactly as she lays it out, it becomes caloric quickly.  However, with some modifications, you can definitely make this fit within your Daily PointsPlus allowance (or whatever plan you follow).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrP0VkBoSiPHDhsQN9tn9peY8lHxS8-fv_WIdoBOchElf7b_zXuoKkPVLkqmornRJxbOnG9W6eQ_IE0vJqxfsV7Oo7fslzjlBKxuwNNzI0gFkA7-ZUB8NhzropjUpAs9q6-S197aKp2k/s1600/oatmeal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrP0VkBoSiPHDhsQN9tn9peY8lHxS8-fv_WIdoBOchElf7b_zXuoKkPVLkqmornRJxbOnG9W6eQ_IE0vJqxfsV7Oo7fslzjlBKxuwNNzI0gFkA7-ZUB8NhzropjUpAs9q6-S197aKp2k/s400/oatmeal.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>  <br />So, without further adieu:<br /><br /><b><u>Papa Bear Oatmeal</u> - <i>9 PointsPlus</i></b> <i>(don't be scared - make it to suit you!)</i><br /><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i><br /><ul><li>    1/8 teaspoon salt</li><li>    2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)</li><li>    3 1/2 cups water</li><li>    2/3 cup raisins</li><li>    1 banana, sliced</li><li>    1 cup sliced strawberries</li><li>    1/2 cup heavy cream <i>(I used half & half)</i></li><li>    Brown sugar, for serving</li><li>    Honey, for serving</li></ul><br /><i><b>Directions</b></i><br />In a medium saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups water and the salt to a boil. Stir in the oats and simmer until almost thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the raisins and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more<br /><br />Spoon the oatmeal into individual bowls and serve. Place the banana and strawberry slices, cream, brown sugar, and honey into the oatmeal bowl. Stir if desired.<br /><br />Makes 4 Servings<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoJUR-Up2rKNx3bT1YR3LNrVQET_Uh-VYQrWTqcCkBnpZvVg1qEOgv8V4B6ngOlG3tRRdFa2YLus0TcKIL63xdwxryb-bdnTAeZzIW30V2XOpGKVYTGS7K-AwpkXsSEmdegfkZSpErdI/s1600/oatmeal+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoJUR-Up2rKNx3bT1YR3LNrVQET_Uh-VYQrWTqcCkBnpZvVg1qEOgv8V4B6ngOlG3tRRdFa2YLus0TcKIL63xdwxryb-bdnTAeZzIW30V2XOpGKVYTGS7K-AwpkXsSEmdegfkZSpErdI/s400/oatmeal+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><b><i>Modifications</i></b><br />Let me just say... I'm used to eating my oatmeal with only water.  Never have I <i>ever </i>put milk/cream in mine.  Boy, what a difference that makes!  So, having said that, here is what I did:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">1. After making the oatmeal, I measured out 1 cup of the cooked oatmeal with the raisins.<br />2. I added 2 tsp of brown sugar, 1/2 sliced banana, 1 cup strawberries, 1/8 cup half & half, and 1 tsp of honey.  </blockquote><br />That is how I got to 9 PointsPlus.  However, you could cut back further on the sugar/honey or reduce your serving size of the oatmeal from 1 cup to a 1/2 cup.  You could eliminate the cream all together, but I would try not to :).... it really adds something to it!  Trust me, it's worth playing around with.  It's incredibly filling AND you're getting to knock out those fruit servings.  If you're someone who struggles with the daily fruit/veggie intake {like me}, then this is a great way to sneak those in.<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Do you have a favorite oatmeal combination you like?</span> </b><br /><br />

Deen Family Cookbook Paula Deen wedding Weight Watcher Recipes Papa Bear Oatmeal & Some Housecleaning

Good Tuesday to ya! Hopefully you all got to enjoy a nice, long holiday weekend.  I had 4 days off, but was busy for every single second of ...

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STOP BLAMING FAT FOR BEING FAT

<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The biggest failure of the weight-loss and diet industry is the fixation on the consequence of fat. Fat causes disease. Fat creates hormonal problems. Fat can make you self-conscious in our superficial culture. WE HATE FAT AND FAT IS TO BLAME. I believe the blame on fat as the problem is very misdirected and is the reason why the majority of people who lose fat, gain it back.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fat is an organ, not a cancer. It doesn’t release fuel or multiply and create more fat cells without having been stimulated, or demanded to do so. Fat gain is a side-effect, a consequence, a reaction that preserves life and prevents death by continually adapting to maintain fueling balance. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Your fat cells provide the majority of fuel your entire body uses, both at night and during the day. It functions as the body’s most influential fueling source and when adequately provided, fat fuel prevents major drops in blood glucose, which prevents death. On the other hand, when fuel has over-saturated your system, and threatens life, fat provides life saving storage. Miraculously, fat is capable of multiplying to meet incredible stocking demand, adapting quickly to create more storage sites, and preventing death by flooding and drowning in fuel. How does fat know how to do release fuel and stock fuel? Leptin.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The key that unlocks the flood gates to fat fuel is the hormone, leptin. How much fuel is released is relative to how much leptin you have. How much leptin you create is relative to how many fat cells you have. How much fuel you get is relative to how big the fat cells are. The bigger the fat cell, the more leptin produced, which means the more fuel is released. That sounds like a good thing right? Wrong.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem arises when there’s more leptin than needed, and fat floods the body with fuel without the need, or demand. This threatens life because of fuel flooding. This is comparable to a clogged drain. The spout releases too much water and the drain can’t remove water as quickly as the spout gives water, which causes a back-up and flooding issue. But the incredible adaptability of the body is capable of creating an overspill hole (the same one you have in your own bathroom sink). The spill hole provides an extra drainage site, and prevents over-flow and drowning. But the overflow fuel must have a place to go and this is where fat’s ability to multiply comes in handy. The more fuel overflow you have, the more fat you create and these new fat cells are bigger and can accommodate more fuel spillage. But let’s not forget, these new and bigger fat cells create more leptin and also release more fuel, creating a higher risk of too much leptin, over-fueling, flooding, and even more fat gain as a life-saving consequence. Remember, leptin doesn’t just seep out of fat without cause. It requires a stimulus.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Leptin is created by fat only when there is a stimulus. Hormones stimulate the release of leptin, but the most influential stimulus daily, is food intake. All food stimulates fat cells to produce leptin, especially sugar. This is where hunger comes in. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hunger is an alarm signal from the brain, forewarning that there isn’t enough fuel being released from fat because of a drop in leptin. If we use our example of the sink and the water spout, hunger is a sign that the water is almost completely drained, and the sink almost empty. Eating would stimulate leptin to turn on the spout and for fat to release more fuel. Once enough fuel has been released and the sink comfortabley filled, the brain turns off the warning signal, and hunger subsides. The problem occurs when hunger isn’t used, and eating continues. Then there is a risk of fuel overflow, the need for a spill hole, and accommodation for the excess fuel with new fat cells. Fat is miraculous! The real problem isn’t the fat, but is any stimulus that forces fat to release fuel, without need. This is like turning on the water when the sink is already full. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, eating without hunger. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have you ever been told by a diet to only eat when you are hungry and to stop when hunger subsides? Probably not. That would eliminate your need for whatever they are selling. By telling you when and how much to eat, you are dependent on them, and need to pay them for their information. If you actually relied on your own body, and used the built in mechanism that perfectly gives notice for when and how much to eat, you wouldn’t need anybody. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem is that most people in our culture have lost touch with hunger, don’t know what it feels like, don’t know when it goes away, and have no idea how the body communicates it’s need for food. Why? Our emotionally driven food culture, and emotionally driven diet culture. We emotionalize eating excessively, and emotionalize the need for control. To make matters worse, we blame fat for being the problem.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Until we stop blaming fat for excess fuel release, and start pointing the finger at the unwarranted stimulus caused by eating without hunger, we’ll never take personal responsibility. We’ll continue to be at the mercy of our cultural gluttony, and under the control of the diet industry. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fat isn’t a cancer, it doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. It requires a stimulus to release fuel, and a cause that forces the need to create new fat cells. If you eat without hunger, you are the problem. If you eat until you are full, you are the stimulus. Stop blaming fat, and start taking personal responsibility for putting food in your mouth before the brain tells you it’s necessary.</span><br /><br /><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">IF YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY, DO NOT EAT.</span></div><br />

STOP BLAMING FAT FOR BEING FAT

The biggest failure of the weight-loss and diet industry is the fixation on the consequence of fat. Fat causes disease. Fat creates hormonal...

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Is it Friday yet?!

I'm exhausted. My visits with my sister drain me. I saw her Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It shouldn't hit me so hard, and I don't know why I don't handle it better. The truth is that there is a lot of brain damage from the stroke. She's very much like a little child, maybe five years old. She's fussy, bossy, and throws temper tantrums if she doesn't get her way.<br /><br />She doesn't remember people's names that she's know for years. When I tell her someone called and asked me to give her their love, she often just shrugs her shoulder, and puts her hand out like she doesn't know what or who the heck I'm talking about. I'll asked, "don't you remember -----?" and she'll shake her head no.<br /><br /> Yet when she holds my hand, squeezes it and looks at me with a smile, I know it's all worth it. All the hassle with her children (one in particular who is now calling me a liar and bitch to the rest of the family), the court system, lawyers, and trying to figure out her finances (Lord help me on that one), and all the time spent, it's worth it<br /><br />After my visit yesterday I headed to the gym. Thirty minutes of StairMaster love and then I was going to hit the weights. It was late, almost 5:30 p.m. and the weight section was packed with men. That's the thing I really don't like about L.A. Fitness, the free weight area. It's tiny in compared to what I had at Ballys where I had three free weight lifting areas and one of the areas was huge. L.A. Fitness only has about six workout benches and a ton of men (where are the women in the free weight area?!).<br /><br />Then I noticed the spin cycles had people on them, but more than just a few, a lot of people, and there were available bikes! I was so excited that I ran in, jumped on a bike, adjusted it a bit and off I went for an hour of intense cardio. About thirty minutes into I realized it wasn't a wise decision to do the StairMaster and then an hour of cycle, but it was too late. I couldn't quit in the middle of class. No one does that, right?<br /><br />I made it, but I'm paying for it this morning. I'm exhausted. I didn't get home until almost 7pm. I'm just really tired today. I wish it was Friday.

Is it Friday yet?!

I'm exhausted. My visits with my sister drain me. I saw her Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It shouldn't hit me so hard, and I don'...

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