News for today's 2018

ISRAEL, AZERBAIJAN AND KAZAKHSTAN

10:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxbsPnT7WfQU3q3GbFXSJY5cObluwMIwaSOi8uDLWXs0XHRKWFSeZpEbqwNvtna9nKf94Ir9muXm5f1cPckuTlGfNCMDyCZYlJQMZ3TntmQbWtML6wF3s_WrJAAZiRCNLaMtpcUHNVJa2/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxbsPnT7WfQU3q3GbFXSJY5cObluwMIwaSOi8uDLWXs0XHRKWFSeZpEbqwNvtna9nKf94Ir9muXm5f1cPckuTlGfNCMDyCZYlJQMZ3TntmQbWtML6wF3s_WrJAAZiRCNLaMtpcUHNVJa2/s320/index.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL’S IRAN “WARMONGERING RHETORIC’S” ARE DECEIVING TACTICS FOR A GREATER CAUSE</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">See related topic:  </span></span><span style="color: red;"> </span><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">TURKEY’S ENERGY DEPENDENCY ON COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA AND IRAN HAVE A RESTRAINING EFFECT ON ITS FOREIGN POLICY </span></b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-energy-dependency-on-countries.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-energy-dependency-on-countries.html</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In recent past mainstream media and ISRAEL itself, increasingly stipulated that it is pushing for a preemptive airstrike on IRAN. Looking at ISRAEL history and how it conducts its wars and covert operations, it becomes imminent that it relies heavily on the element of surprise. Such was the case during most of its wars, rescue operations such as Entebbe, UGANDA in 1976, the IRAQI nuclear reactor air strike in 1981 and the alleged SYRIAN nuclear reactor airstrike in 2007. Thus as long as ISRAEL is “threatening” to attack IRAN on a daily base, and media coverage is in full swing, one can be sure that no such strike is imminent, for the element of surprise is lost. In most likelihood, ISRAEL’S threats of attacking IRAN and at the same time urging the USA to set a red line are calculated tactics and strategies in order to obtain certain concessions from the USA and indeed other allies. In most likelihood ISRAEL pursues a much more complex goal with its warmongering rhetoric’s against IRAN, than really intending to attack IRAN, one that will give ISRAEL inevitably some significant advantage, be it geopolitical, strategically or economically. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE KEY FACTOR FOR ISRAEL’S DECISION MAKING: IRAN’S “PRESENCE” IN SYRIA</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The minute ISRAEL and the media stop mentioning air strikes against IRAN that is the time one should become concerned, for that is the time when an attack is most likely imminent. (Given that the result of such attack will provide huge geostrategical and political advantages for ISRAEL). For the time being the saber rattling are just geopolitical tactics. Nevertheless, the chances of ISRAEL launching an airstrike against IRAN’S nuclear facilities are unlikely, especially with IRAN’S “presence” in SYRIA and SYRIA’S Bio-Chemical arsenal at its disposal. Current rhetoric’s by ISRAEL, USA and IRAN are primarily here to reshuffle the geopolitical landscape as well as counteract the current geostrategical shift occurring in the region due to new findings of natural resources and increased power struggle between Sunni and Shiite  Muslims, as well as TURKEYS increased muscle flexing in order to become the key player in the region.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israel’s “warmongering” against IRAN is a well orchestrated strategy in order to gain geopolitical and economic concessions and advantages from the USA and its allies. Under current conditions ISRAEL will never initiate a full scale attack against IRAN.  Nevertheless one should be aware that all current assumptions, analysis, opinions regarding the Israel - Iran confrontation is based on information fed to the broad public and media by the upper echelons of world politics. No one knows what wheeling and dealings regarding IRAN, SYRIA, ISRAEL, SAUDI ARABIA, the USA, TURKEY etc. are currently going on behind closed doors. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information: </span></u></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Why prospects of an Israel Iran conflict remain low</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/israel-and-iran-airstrike-unlikely.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/israel-and-iran-airstrike-unlikely.html</span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WAR STRATEGIES </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Continues saber rattling however has prompted countless thesis and speculations how ISRAEL would go about conduct such attack, given the complexity of such operation, both tactically as well as logistically. To complicate the issues is the necessity of involving foreign countries with no official diplomatic ties to ISRAEL, to utilize their airspace in order to be able to conduct the airstrike. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In most cases military strategists and analysts believe ISRAEL would attack via SAUDI ARABIA or TURKEY, given that these two countries are in alignment with the USA and ISRAEL when it comes to the topic of IRAN and of toppling the SYRIAN government, a close ally of IRAN. (Though in the case of SYRIA, ISRAEL has refrained from voicing decisive disagreement on the current upraise, simply because the Assad regime, for more than thirty years has been the most stable entity on ISRAEL’S northern frontier. Despite the fact that the two countries are technically still at war with one another) Furthermore ISRAEL obtained permission by SAUDI ARABIA to use its airspace in 1981, in order to destroy an IRAQI nuclear reactor.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaZPy-g8qMe-p4Pl8hL6Nuc4NkOrHKYwwhEBa9ZgE1r5aET1CsLmBuYjq0DsruFp6_SDnjsXKATkKOkPuj8aP6_jqIhXAadCURZIVkVwQeK1rfZsw9sfnIdR7S9UtIfiRcOW2M2eK__La/s1600/280px-OsirakLocation.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaZPy-g8qMe-p4Pl8hL6Nuc4NkOrHKYwwhEBa9ZgE1r5aET1CsLmBuYjq0DsruFp6_SDnjsXKATkKOkPuj8aP6_jqIhXAadCURZIVkVwQeK1rfZsw9sfnIdR7S9UtIfiRcOW2M2eK__La/s1600/280px-OsirakLocation.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1981 Nuclear Reactor attack</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4zLHHsuaGFkvK16uxuYbse3vjP-368XoRmyfYR-xmtzEp78xiDjTttFz_XMoeMd7NzITp7zUBbIammrjFqGNo2WQW3aJT3Rpro5Fc2kvIwMenymAC1eGw92Y_XDt1IvkSFD-SVqWbg0r/s1600/conventionsl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4zLHHsuaGFkvK16uxuYbse3vjP-368XoRmyfYR-xmtzEp78xiDjTttFz_XMoeMd7NzITp7zUBbIammrjFqGNo2WQW3aJT3Rpro5Fc2kvIwMenymAC1eGw92Y_XDt1IvkSFD-SVqWbg0r/s400/conventionsl.jpg" width="341" /></a> </span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>Possible attack routes: See map on the right </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Taking off from Paphos AF base in Cyprus would reduce the trip through Turkish airspace by about 100 km. Because of the political discrepancies between Cyprus and Turkey this option is not feasible, though it would save fuel and increase range. The other option is to take off from Haifa, follow the coast of Lebanon and Syria, enter Turkish airspace, thus lengthening the trip by 150 km and risking detection from Syrian radar.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Taking off from Israel’s most southern airbase and crossing entire Saudi Arabia only to head north after entering the Persian Gulf will stretch the fighters to their limit. Another shorter rout would be to fly via Saudi Arabia through Iraq, which would require cooperation with Iraq and the USA.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><span style="color: red;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ncreased Iranian influence in Syria provoked Israel to change its longstanding tactics regarding Syria</span></b></span><b></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/06/syria-israel-iran-and-usa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/06/syria-israel-iran-and-usa.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The other commonly described scenario is that of ISRAEL using TURKISH airspace in order to enter IRAN, despite the fact that the two countries political ties, (officially) have been entirely severed. Since TURKEY strongly opposes IRAN’S stance on SYRIA and envisions itself becoming a regional Sunni powerhouse, TURKEY would let Geo-strategic interests prevailed over political discourses with Israel. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israeli Exports to Turkey rise 42% to equal exports to Germany. </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/01/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil.html"><span lang="EN-US">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/01/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil.html</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israeli Turkish economic ties</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/turkey-israel-economic-relations-continue-despite-tensions-16-08.html"><span lang="ES-AR">http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/turkey-israel-economic-relations-continue-despite-tensions-16-08.html</span></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 30pt 11.25pt 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israel's trade with Turkey worth $2b in first half</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 7.5pt 30pt 11.25pt 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000675654&fid=1725">http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000675654&fid=1725</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Analysts then go into great details speculating where the attack force would conduct its midair refueling etc. What many analysts neglect to take into consideration is that ISRAEL has another joker up its sleeve, should it real wish to venture out attacking IRAN, namely AZERBAIJAN and KAZAKHSTAN: </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUG10pYTNfYuNWhRJm3nvag70Y7eyHVUB50Z8mXqvBJhLcV8001f8amC_zy15X-YQOGnu2YtcOKqiImf8Od1duMaTI4Sc8Idq7Es_gcyVcrcWwH0kzmN1jK3CDHhPjwd560ms0Wz1camY/s1600/north+routs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUG10pYTNfYuNWhRJm3nvag70Y7eyHVUB50Z8mXqvBJhLcV8001f8amC_zy15X-YQOGnu2YtcOKqiImf8Od1duMaTI4Sc8Idq7Es_gcyVcrcWwH0kzmN1jK3CDHhPjwd560ms0Wz1camY/s400/north+routs.jpg" width="341" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL’S GENIUSES CHESS MOVE </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As in CYPRUS, where ISRAEL secured military cooperation agreements to utilize western Cyprus’s airbase, it is believe that the ISRAELIS have also gained access to airbases in AZERBAIJAN as well as KAZAKHSTAN. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="color: red;">:</span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israel to station military jets in Cyprus</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/geo-strategic-dynamics-in-eastern.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/geo-strategic-dynamics-in-eastern.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqroquQiYoUqPNvj5myLs0T4LHL2clWui9Pcy0pal4thYiB8Xy6YuXIV6F2tgdSbv2ufcmGwevs16zgXYV27jDDkf0AaWraBXTmwU679JTWIObF5gY33ABXluUuq0ngrnqa381Esz6687w/s1600/Israel-DTN-News-June-29-2009-Baku-Azerbaijan-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqroquQiYoUqPNvj5myLs0T4LHL2clWui9Pcy0pal4thYiB8Xy6YuXIV6F2tgdSbv2ufcmGwevs16zgXYV27jDDkf0AaWraBXTmwU679JTWIObF5gY33ABXluUuq0ngrnqa381Esz6687w/s320/Israel-DTN-News-June-29-2009-Baku-Azerbaijan-2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As early as 2009, speculations of increased ISRAELI and AZERBAIJANIAN and indeed KAZAKHSTAN ties emerged in US diplomatic circles prompting the U.S. embassy in Baku to inform Washington that AZERBAIJAN'S discreetly symbiosis with ISRAEL. The memo, later released by WikiLeaks, quotes AZERBAIJAN'S President Ilham Aliyev as describing his country's relationship with ISRAEL as an iceberg: "nine-tenths of it is below the surface." On the other hand, ISRAEL’S increasingly close relations, both military and economically, with KAZAKHSTAN go by virtually unnoticed.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Allegedly ISRAEL has recently been granted access to airbases on IRAN'S northern border, the purpose of which is not clear. The USA seems to be extremely agitated by ISRAEL’S alleged move, worrying that ISRAEL’S presence in the region could pivot the entire geopolitical landscape of the region and give ISRAEL an enormous strategic as well as economic advantage. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The UNITED STATES concern is that ISRAEL’S presence could spread a war scenario that includes not only the PERSIAN GULF -- but also the CAUCASUS. The burgeoning ISRAEL-AZERBAIJAN relationship has also become a flashpoint in US relationship with TURKEY, a regional heavyweight that has its own agenda in the region. Thus it comes of no surprise that TURKEY have raised their concerns with their U.S. counterparts, as well as with the AZERIS.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Turkey’s current Middle East policy makes enemies with everyone</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/turkey-everyones-enemy.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/turkey-everyones-enemy.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/seismic-shift-in-middle-east.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/seismic-shift-in-middle-east.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In turkeys view, Israel supports Cyprus with which it shares many interests in a bid to pressurize the regional countries in different ways</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/cyprus-and-turkey-never-ending-story.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/cyprus-and-turkey-never-ending-story.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As with CYPRUS, AZERBAIJAN and ISRAEL did not comment on alleged security agreements between the two countries. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Officially, AZERBAIJAN'S defense minister ruled out the use of AZERBAIJAN for a strike on IRAN. AZERBAIJAN, just as was the case in CYPRUS, officially denied that the government had granted ISRAEL access to AZERI airbases. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AZERBAIJAN’S claim that it would not grant ISRAEL to conduct an airstrike from its airbases does not mean it would bar ISRAELI bombers from landing in the country after a strike. Nor does AZERBAIJAN ruled out the basing of ISRAELI search-and-rescue units in the country. (Same official statements as was the case in CYPRUS, when speculations raised that ISRAEL would station IAF fighters permanently in CYPRUS) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Israel’s first state visit to Cyprus and its geo-strategic repercussion for the region</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="color: red;">AZERI MINORITY IN IRAN, PART OF THE EQUATION</span> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Proffering such landing rights -- and mounting search and rescue operations closer to IRAN -- would make an ISRAELI attack on IRAN easier. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ISRAEL'S deepening relationship with the Baku government was cemented by a $1.6 billion arms agreement that provides AZERBAIJAN with sophisticated drones and missile-defense systems. At the same time, Baku's ties with Tehran have frayed: IRAN presented a note to AZERBAIJAN'S ambassador claiming that Baku has supported ISRAELI-trained assassination squads targeting IRANIAN scientists, an accusation the AZERI government called "a slander." In February, a member of Yeni Azerbadzhan -- the ruling party – called on the government to change the country's name to "NORTH AZERBAIJAN," implicitly suggesting that the 16 million AZERIS who live in northern IRAN ("SOUTH AZERBAIJAN") are in need of liberation. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hihf-hgvW7JMuyFi35K97mrD61oKUQPq4lcym9dTlBLNhQXBEZAiaeh_Xvaoq7HQ2JDvtha4uNEc6kDdyEjVQi3lwpwIINTWFS3Qi-zPd-V0M0OkFa_mEeDLKDdzf1XhHREAQ38sd7n2/s1600/dron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hihf-hgvW7JMuyFi35K97mrD61oKUQPq4lcym9dTlBLNhQXBEZAiaeh_Xvaoq7HQ2JDvtha4uNEc6kDdyEjVQi3lwpwIINTWFS3Qi-zPd-V0M0OkFa_mEeDLKDdzf1XhHREAQ38sd7n2/s200/dron.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span>It's clear why the ISRAELIS prize their ties to AZERBAIJAN -- and why the IRANIANS are infuriated by them. The AZERI military has four abandoned, SOVIET-era airfields that would potentially be available to the ISRAELIS, as well as four airbases for their own aircraft, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies “Military Balance 2011”.</span></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOT ONLY AZERBAIJAN, ALSO KAZAKHSTAN</b></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Allegedly ISRAEL has gained access to these airbases through a series of quiet political and military understandings, because ISRAEL is deeply embedded in AZERBAIJAN, and has been for the last two decades. In addition ISRAEL’S ties with KAZAKHSTAN continue to grow.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Background Information: </u></b></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kazakhstan–Israeli Relations</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.kazakhemb.org.il/?CategoryID=165&ArticleID=163"><span lang="DE-AT">http://www.kazakhemb.org.il/?CategoryID=165&ArticleID=163</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Kazakhstan_relations">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Kazakhstan_relations</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Israelis to help build industry parks in Kazakhstan </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://iplanetenergynews.com/index.php/2010/04/20/israelis-to-help-build-industry-parks-in-kazakhstan/">http://iplanetenergynews.com/index.php/2010/04/20/israelis-to-help-build-industry-parks-in-kazakhstan/</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzae54z_ofnaFwTW0v1N0dyIEs_P6Y13adeklNaxNr6gdpNOL-g-ETMSPJ6hj70Fq0K-248n_C0iRkTGubDEryyo8Hf2oD-OqlkRZMIqVWfOr2zaRtCwSUgpJDgcxW54tJxBrUThrl5feU/s1600/kazakhstan_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzae54z_ofnaFwTW0v1N0dyIEs_P6Y13adeklNaxNr6gdpNOL-g-ETMSPJ6hj70Fq0K-248n_C0iRkTGubDEryyo8Hf2oD-OqlkRZMIqVWfOr2zaRtCwSUgpJDgcxW54tJxBrUThrl5feU/s400/kazakhstan_map.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The prospect of ISRAEL using AZERBAIJAN'S airfields for an IRANIAN attack first became public in December 2006, when retired ISRAELI Brig. Gen. Oded Tira <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3346275,00.html" target="_blank">angrily denounced</a> the George W. Bush administration's lack of action on the IRANIAN nuclear program. "For our part," he wrote in a widely cited commentary, "we should also coordinate with AZERBAIJAN the use of airbases in its territory and also enlist the support of the AZERI minority in IRAN." </span></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>HYPOTHETICAL STRIKE SCENARIO </b></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Access to such airfields is important for ISRAEL, because it would mean that ISRAELI F-15I and F-16I fighter-bombers would not have to refuel midflight during a strike on IRAN'S nuclear facilities, but could simply continue north and land in AZERBAIJAN. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ability to use AZERI airfields are no doubt an significant asset to any ISRAEL military operation, calculating that the 4400 km trip from ISRAEL to IRAN and back again would stretch ISRAEL'S warplanes to their limits, even with auxiliary fuel tanks. Thus being allowed access to AZERI airfields or even launch attacks from there, would be crucial.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some strategist claim that ISRAEL is capable of using its fleet of F-15I and F-16I warplanes in a strike on IRAN without refueling after the initial top-off over ISRAEL, for it seems not a weight problem but the numbers of weapons that are mounted on each aircraft. The more distance a fighter-bomber is required to travel, the more fuel it will need and the fewer weapons it can carry. Shortening the distance adds firepower, and enhances the chances for a successful strike and even engage in short aerial combat if required. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to defense experts, the F-15s who would go in as fighters to protect the F-16 bombers and stay over the target are the problem. In the likely event that Iran scrambled its fighters to intercept the Israeli jets the F-15s would be used to engage them. Those F-15s would burn up fuel over the target, and would need to land within close proximity.  Thus AZERBAIJAN would be ideal, or if need be even KAZAKHSTAN. In view of the political implications such move would have the entire operation would have to be low profile, so that means it would have to be outside of Baku and it would have to be highly developed. One possible location for such operation could be the Sitalchay airstrip, located just over 80 km northwest of Baku and 600km from Tehran. Prior to the collapse of the SOVIET UNION, Sitalchay two tarmacs and the adjacent facilities were used by a squadron of SOVIET Sukhoi SU-25 jets -- perfect for ISRAELI fighters and bombers.</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6-THsFWXlDThnUT7tOtszXKC2290d9uAy20Go0Wgzz0NEUu6tTkRaSUNGBofmeAKhYUEF_J-bKoAkp6Dy2PGHQUoYCYMRziEmrad3dS9SSFwlzNq1FQhhJCSm4m3FU5UInJjqP08rYL1/s1600/Sital+Chay+Airstrip,+Azerbaijan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6-THsFWXlDThnUT7tOtszXKC2290d9uAy20Go0Wgzz0NEUu6tTkRaSUNGBofmeAKhYUEF_J-bKoAkp6Dy2PGHQUoYCYMRziEmrad3dS9SSFwlzNq1FQhhJCSm4m3FU5UInJjqP08rYL1/s400/Sital+Chay+Airstrip,+Azerbaijan.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sitalchay airstrip</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even if ISRAELI jets did not land in AZERBAIJAN or use its airbases, access to AZERI airfields holds a number of advantages for the ISRAEL Defense Forces. The airfields not only have facilities to service fighter-bombers but could be utilized to base helicopter rescue units in the days just prior to a strike for possible search and rescue missions. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 2010, ISRAELI – ROMANIAN conducted a joint exercise that tested ISRAELI air capabilities in mountainous areas -- like those the ISRAELI Air Force would face during a bombing mission against IRANIAN nuclear facilities that the IRANIANS have buried deep into mountainsides. The USA watched the exercises closely, not least because they objected to the large number of ISRAELI fighters operating from airbases of a NATO-member country, but also because 100 ISRAELI fighters overflew GREECE as a part of a simulation of an attack on IRAN. Allegedly the ISRAELIS eventually curtailed their ROMANIAN military activities when the UNITED STATES expressed discomfort with what they believed was an alleged bombing practice of IRAN, staged from a NATO country. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ISRAEL IS THE SECOND LARGEST CUSTOMER FOR AZERI OIL</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition, ISRAEL could also use AZERBAIJAN as a base for ISRAELI drones, either as part of recognizance missions, follow-on attack against IRAN, or to mount aerial assessment in an attack's aftermath. </span></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/AVvXsEgBXcMWHiQNRIkdgeO_73tMBPN_w9vlRU5fpNM1VXVZgDGwqDhIuEGaA2Xpy6FJ21jYy3PcBrad0a_amMebmD3jfxjwmGu3RHMrQr39SnpgCqiJVaYRHFYmJNYCmKB13pys4cE1wdC70_Uh/s1600/800px-Baku_pipelines.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXcMWHiQNRIkdgeO_73tMBPN_w9vlRU5fpNM1VXVZgDGwqDhIuEGaA2Xpy6FJ21jYy3PcBrad0a_amMebmD3jfxjwmGu3RHMrQr39SnpgCqiJVaYRHFYmJNYCmKB13pys4cE1wdC70_Uh/s400/800px-Baku_pipelines.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baku Tibilisi Ceyhan pipeline</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">AZERBAIJAN clearly profits from its deepening relationship with ISRAEL. ISRAEL is the second largest customer for AZERI oil - shipped through the <b>Baku-Tibilisi-Ceyhan</b> pipeline -- and its military trade allows AZERBAIJAN to upgrade its military after the Organization for Cooperation and Security in EUROPE (OSCE) slapped it with an arms embargo after its six-year undeclared war with ARMENIA over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Finally, modernizing the AZERI military sends a clear signal to Iran that interference in AZERBAIJAN could be costly. </span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The deepening AZERI-ISRAELI relationship has also escalated the TURKISH ISRAELI dispute over gas findings and extraction activities in conjunction with CYPRUS in the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA. “Officially” and according to mainstream media, the dispute between ISRAEL and TURKEY however originated because of ISRAELI commandos boarded a TURKISH ship destined for Gaza in May 2010, killing nine TURKISH citizens. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">When TURKEY demanded an apology, ISRAEL not only refused, it abruptly canceled a $150 million contract to develop and manufacture drones with the TURKISH military – then entered negotiations with AZERBAIJAN to jointly manufacture 60 ISRAELI drones of varying types. The $1.6 billion arms agreement between ISRAEL and AZERBAIJAN also left TURKISH Prime Minister Erdogan "sputtering in rage". However the true reason behind the TURKISH ISRAELI rift originates from natural resource discoveries in the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Background Information:</u></b></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The true reason behind the warmongering between Turkey and Israel. </span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/turkeys-middle-east-chess-game.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/turkeys-middle-east-chess-game.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE CENTERPIECE OF THE RECENT ARMS DEAL IS AZERBAIJAN'S ACQUISITION OF ISRAELI DRONES</b>, </span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">which has only heightened TURKISH anxieties further. In November 2011, the TURKISH government retrieved the wreckage of an ISRAELI "Heron" drone in the Mediterranean, south of the city of Adana -- well inside its maritime borders. Erdogan's government believed the drone's flight had originated in the KURDISH areas of northern IRAQ and demanded that ISRAEL provide an explanation, but got none. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">ISRAEL began cultivating strong relations with Baku in 1994, when ISRAELI telecommunications firm Bezeq bought a large share of the nationally controlled telephone operating system. By 1995, AZERBAIJAN'S marketplace was awash with ISRAELI goods: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKf4pLrOobrlZ-7mcC5SzDgjfnpocHXUFiZ7D2cPkqRmRsDhmLKWQDkdkT-NguUyPp06dLXNQWWZuMBeyKta6qGGzee6413RZ1dSju4X0ORrBMrxNHSDkr69Rv4SlZir32oJpnkqM8jI8/s1600/4643326085_9659e2ed79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKf4pLrOobrlZ-7mcC5SzDgjfnpocHXUFiZ7D2cPkqRmRsDhmLKWQDkdkT-NguUyPp06dLXNQWWZuMBeyKta6qGGzee6413RZ1dSju4X0ORrBMrxNHSDkr69Rv4SlZir32oJpnkqM8jI8/s320/4643326085_9659e2ed79.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Azerbaijan’s acquisition of Israeli drones</b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In March 1996, then-Health Minister Ephraim Sneh became the first senior ISRAELI official to visit Baku -- but not the last. Benjamin Netanyahu made the trip in 1997, a high-level Knesset delegation in 1998, Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in 2007, ISRAELI President Shimon Peres in 2009, and Lieberman again, as foreign minister, this last February. Accompanying Peres on his visit to Baku was  the CEO of ISRAEL'S Aeronautics Defense Systems and a former Mossad official who paved the way for the drone agreement. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 2001, ISRAELI arms manufacturer <b>Elbit Systems</b> contracted with GEORGIA'S Tbilisi <b>Aerospace Manufacturing</b> to upgrade the SOVIET SU-25 Scorpion, a close air-support fighter, and one of its first customers was AZERBAIJAN. More recently, ISRAEL'S Elta Systems has cooperated with AZERBAIJAN in building the <b>TecSar reconnaissance satellite system</b>and, in 2009, the two countries began negotiations over AZERI production of the Namer infantry fighting vehicle. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;"><br /></span></span>  <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">ISRAELI firms built and guard the fence around Baku's international airport, monitor and help protect AZERBAIJAN'S energy infrastructure, and even provide security for AZERBAIJAN'S president on foreign visits. Allegedly AZERBAIJAN shares intelligence data on IRAN with ISRAEL and the chances of ISRAEL having set up electronic listening stations along AZERBAIJAN'S IRANIAN border are increasingly likely.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">ISRAELI apparently is downplaying its military cooperation with Baku, pointing out that AZERBAIJAN is one of the few Muslim nations that makes ISRAELIS feel welcome but does not deny it is focused on AZERBAIJAN as a military ally and preserve AZERBAIJAN as an ally against IRAN in order to use it as a platform for reconnaissance and as a market for military hardware.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since ISRAEL, in most likelihood has no intentions to launch an attack on IRAN, all above mentioned moves and speculations are part of geopolitical strategies which will benefit ISRAEL in the long run as well as give it bargaining power and tactical leeway in case of significant geopolitical changes in the region. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Parts of above article have been adapted from Mark Perry</span></span></div>

ISRAEL, AZERBAIJAN AND KAZAKHSTAN

ISRAEL’S IRAN “WARMONGERING RHETORIC’S” ARE DECEIVING TACTICS FOR A GREATER CAUSE See related topic: TURKEY’S ENERGY DEPENDENCY ON COUN...

"I Love Architecture"

5:30 AM Tukiyooo 0

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8055384231/" title="Architectural Record Innovation Conference 2012 by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Architectural Record Innovation Conference 2012" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/8055384231_0b50d34ba1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />On Thursday I attended the <a href="http://construction.com/events/2012/innovation/">2012 Innovation Conference</a>, organized by <i>Architectural Record</i> and held appropriately in the McGraw-Hill Auditorium in Midtown Manhattan. After a string of panels that focused on various strands of innovation—research and development, technological tools, design vanguards, supertall buildings—<a href="http://www.kere-architecture.com/">Francis Kéré</a> gave a keynote that was easily the highlight of the day, only partly because his low-tech means of realizing buildings in his native Burkina Faso and other places was in sharp contrast to the goings-on the rest of the day. Kéré was also very personable, humble, honest, and passionate, as the title of this blog post—the first words of his talk—clearly attests. Visit <i>Architectural Record</i>'s <a href="http://archrecord.construction.com/video/">video page</a> to watch his talk in its entirety.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8055383809/" title="Architectural Record Innovation Conference 2012 by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Architectural Record Innovation Conference 2012" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/8055383809_d91e8e7b47_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>

"I Love Architecture"

On Thursday I attended the 2012 Innovation Conference , organized by Architectural Record and held appropriately in the McGraw-Hill Auditor...

Many Thanks

3:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRKOCzGO_S52VPA76majIL7vIMH_jCPgf2LXZ-SzLttLZbmXjrvvlcuRZ0xYj_gh6LBoi1nCo8vz5YvR_WppqdYV5mPX6vM-C-XxvXDHH41PFaXZBSWCuMtT4mC_mX-hxLdErIB4Qtqw/s1600/CiMBA-+Best+Classic+Movie+Blog+Event+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRKOCzGO_S52VPA76majIL7vIMH_jCPgf2LXZ-SzLttLZbmXjrvvlcuRZ0xYj_gh6LBoi1nCo8vz5YvR_WppqdYV5mPX6vM-C-XxvXDHH41PFaXZBSWCuMtT4mC_mX-hxLdErIB4Qtqw/s400/CiMBA-+Best+Classic+Movie+Blog+Event+2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was nearly a year ago that I began to think about hosting a blog event focused on Alfred Hitchcock's <i>Vertigo</i>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I had just read an English translation of the French noir novel the film was adapted from and wanted to blog about it. But to simply write a book-to-film piece didn't appeal. And a straight-ahead review struck me as not only daunting but - redundant - so much has been written on <i>Vertigo </i>by so many over the years, beginning with France's <i>Cahiers du Cinema </i>set 50+ years ago. So, I thought it might be interesting to try something different. What evolved was "A Month of <i>Vertigo</i>," a more-than-a-month-long meditation on the masterpiece from many angles by many bloggers. This turned out to be much more work than I ever anticipated - and much more rewarding than I ever imagined. The icing on the cake has been the honor of being voted a 2012 CiMBA for "Best Classic Movie Blog Event" by the Classic Movie Blog Association</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This award would never have come my way if not for the incredible contributions of the superb guest bloggers who joined me in celebrating Hitchcock's great masterwork (now, according to <i>Sight and Sound</i>, the best film ever). I owe a special debt of gratitude to Brandon Kyle Goco (of <i>Brandon Kyle the Cinephile</i>) who created this wonderful teaser/promo as the event prepared to launch:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KyZfpNb1ilc" width="560"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'd like to again thank each of the bloggers who participated - this award belongs to them as much as it does <i>The Lady Eve</i>:</span><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">R.D. Finch of <i>The Movie Projector</i>, who kicked off "A Month of <i>Vertigo</i>" on January 1, 2012 with <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Deadly Obsession: Alfred Hitchcock's <i>Vertigo,</i>"<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> a reflection on the film's structure and themes.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Whistlingypsy of <i>Distant Voices and Flickering Shadows</i> who offered her contemplation of "Bernard Herrmann ~ Composer of Haunting Music and Treacherous Dreams."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Blogger and author Christian Esquevin (<i>Silver Screen Modiste</i> is his blog,  <u>Adrian: Silver Sc</u><u>reen to Custom Label</u> is his book) who explored "The Costumes of <i>Vertigo.</i>"</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Brandie Ashe of <i>True Classics</i>,<i> </i>who assessed Kim Novak's greatest role and performance with "Kim Novak in <i>Vertigo</i>: A Hypnotic Presence."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Michael Nazarewycz of <i>Scribe Hard on Film</i>,<i> </i>who considered the film's iconic setting with "More Than Just the Streets of San Francisco."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Author Steven DeRosa (<u>Writing with Hitchcock</u>), expert on the Hitchcock screenwriters and screenplays, who explored the story behind Samuel Taylor's best known screenplay with "An Inconsequential Yarn."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">John Greco of <i>Twenty Four Frames</i>, who had recently interviewed award-winning biographer Patrick McGilligan about his new Nicholas Ray bio - and interviewed him again for our event on the subject Alfred Hitchcock, about whom McGilligan had written a 2004 biography, and <i>Vertigo</i>.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Allen Hefner of <i>Bit Part Actors</i>, a man who knows his supporting players well, who took a closer look at some of the film's unsung character actors (and more) with <i>Vertigo, The Bit Players</i>.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Brian/Classicfilmboy of <i>Classicfilmboy's Movie Paradise</i>, who examined one of James Stewart's greatest performances with "James Stewart: A Walk on the Dark Side."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Brandon Kyle Goco who contributed not only the promo but also the vlog (video blog), "<i>Vertigo</i>: Alfred Hitchcock's Edifice to Obsession."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Vertigo </i>authority Dan Auiler, author of the definitive <u>VERTIGO: The Making of a Hitchcock Classic</u>, who wrote of the film's mesmerizing impact with "<i>Vertigo </i>for Life."</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Joel Gunz aka/the <i>Alfred Hitchcock Geek</i>, who meditated upon one moment of the film with "Hitchcock's Most Beautiful Shot Ever; Or, A Single Frame So Good, 2,000 Words Don't Do it Justice." </span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(My own contribution, "A Month of <i>Vertigo</i>, The Final Chapter," contemplated the transformation of a genre novel into a cinematic work of art.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you to the members of CMBA for honoring the blog event, the contributors and <i>Vertigo</i> with this deeply appreciated award.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxab3I1eZ9e-JGaQBsSXGbVoO13VsnrA-W3LoJVoQWHkgH0LeIfWQ04GyZ01oECUqbTdDYQLXm5_LOvNH5Igu7zjLiVdWMD-vLptJTKlnumceQiuXv8dwy5HiOBeRX0GDRCxcMPF4D2g/s1600/vertigo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxab3I1eZ9e-JGaQBsSXGbVoO13VsnrA-W3LoJVoQWHkgH0LeIfWQ04GyZ01oECUqbTdDYQLXm5_LOvNH5Igu7zjLiVdWMD-vLptJTKlnumceQiuXv8dwy5HiOBeRX0GDRCxcMPF4D2g/s1600/vertigo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://clamba.blogspot.com/2012/10/and-winners-of-2012-cimbas-are.html"><b>Click here</b></a></span> <span style="color: black;">for the complete list of 2012 CiMBA award winners.</span></span></span>

It was nearly a year ago that I began to think about hosting a blog event focused on Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo . I had just read an Eng...

MSJS LVII (featuring: Schmoop)

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Matt said some things, Jay said some things, You just sat there and listened.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0YNQIfqFlwb-_TaBrr31fYPMMG62Wuv4Imk-FkcqCYz8BMVTdl66xcyuScn4-W7L4adLixQ2IiXWKFf0fvchrSfEUvTLW0SHOqFd6Lw0hxkUSXdwJjphF6PgUONoy7pIc-ojGZNryxw/s1600/B-52s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0YNQIfqFlwb-_TaBrr31fYPMMG62Wuv4Imk-FkcqCYz8BMVTdl66xcyuScn4-W7L4adLixQ2IiXWKFf0fvchrSfEUvTLW0SHOqFd6Lw0hxkUSXdwJjphF6PgUONoy7pIc-ojGZNryxw/s320/B-52s.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Matt: HUSH! I’m listening to the B-52’s!<br />Jay:<br />Matt: Are you there?<br />Jay: Yeah<br />Matt: Okay<br />Jay: You said you were listening to the B-52’s<br />Matt: I turned it off cause YOU RUINED IT!<br />Jay: Oh, okay. Anyway, what’s up?<br />Matt: You’re heartless<br />Jay: No, I just don’t have any social skills.<br />Matt: We’ve all noticed. A few people have even said something about it.<br />Jay: Very hurtful<br />Matt: You should appreciate their honesty though<br />Jay: Whatever. Anyway, get ready for some Heidi Montag hits on the blog<br />Matt: Why?<br />Jay: She’s headlining the Crazy Horse III strip club in Vegas<br />Matt: Well I’m glad things are going well for her.  Here, talk to Schmoop.<br /><br />Schmoop: Where the hell did Heidi come from anyway?<br />Jay: She came from her mom’s va…<br />Schmoop: NOOO … I mean how did she become a celebrity<br />Jay: Oh, she was on The Hills on MTV<br />Schmoop: I don’t think I ever saw it<br />Jay: Oh I did. I watched it for the first few years.<br />Schmoop: Seriously? You watched that?<br />Jay: Oh yeah. Love Lauren Conrad<br />Schmoop: Oh stop!<br />Jay: I’m serious! I loved her on Laguna Beach then The Hills<br />Schmoop: I’m worried about you<br />Jay: At least I don’t watch The Kardashians<br />Schmoop: You know Kloe doesn’t have the same dad? (allegedly)<br />Jay: O.J. Simpson is her dad?<br />Schmoop: Maybe. Or possibly several other men. But, you can tell by looking.<br />Jay: I know. She’s so much hotter than Kim and Kourtney<br />Schmoop: Where the hell is Matt?<br /><br />Matt: What were you two talking about?<br />Jay: The Hills<br />Matt: Heidi Montag’s hills?<br />Jay: The show on MTV<br />Matt: Do you think we could actually get some work done?<br />Jay: This is work. It’s all part of the creative process.<br />Matt: Well, that’s true.<br />Jay: I’m inspired by booze and broads<br />Matt: How did we not think of naming the show that?<br />Jay: I have no idea<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRMSs_zG5-vYOJXQW-qYMAVbf9EbO6cCVHNAC_G-Uliv7qhZOoxKkBNFQj5X08d0UekdXGD2SmxY2mSJTHdXKdHn1YgM8QeThbxs28TBGcNOQPEUPO_08Eb_nc5MV29rHW39RHUWYNIQ/s1600/Missy+Cali+Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRMSs_zG5-vYOJXQW-qYMAVbf9EbO6cCVHNAC_G-Uliv7qhZOoxKkBNFQj5X08d0UekdXGD2SmxY2mSJTHdXKdHn1YgM8QeThbxs28TBGcNOQPEUPO_08Eb_nc5MV29rHW39RHUWYNIQ/s320/Missy+Cali+Love.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Matt: So, this week we have the HAWT Missalicious!<br />Jay: Oh yeah baby!<br />Matt: She has hilarious stories to tell<br />Jay: She’s been in some weird situations<br />Matt: And she’s met Eddie Murphy<br />Jay: But, not without incident<br />Matt: Ha! Just as it should be<br />Jay: Okay, this will be great. We’ll just let Miss be her usual charming self.<br />Matt: It’ll be a fun time<br />Jay: Alright, I guess we’re ready<br />Matt: I guess we are.<br /><br />So there you go kids! Another thrilling edition of MSJS. And, don’t forget to join us as we welcome the lovely and hilarious Missy as our special guest on <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2012/10/07/one-hot-miss">IWS this Sunday at 12 Noon ET</a>! You’ll fall in love with her, guaranteed!<br /><br /></div>

MSJS LVII (featuring: Schmoop)

Matt said some things, Jay said some things, You just sat there and listened. Matt: HUSH! I’m listening to the B-52’s! Jay: Matt: Are you th...

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/05/2012

12:30 PM Tukiyooo 0

<ul class="diigo-linkroll">      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/1002/Great-Barrier-Reef-declining-faster-than-ever-coral-cover-could-be-5-percent-in-a-decade-video">Great Barrier Reef declining faster than ever, coral cover could be 5 percent in a decade (+video) - CSMonitor.com</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">(via Great Barrier Reef declining faster than ever, coral cover could be 5 percent in a decade ( video) - CSMonitor.com)  I find this very upsetting and hope that teachers and schoolchildren talk about this very real threat. This is the kind of thing we should be talking about in schools.     The Great Barrier Reef is declining faster than ever and  coral cover could fall to 5% in the next decade according to a study released Tuesday. The accompanying video is something you can use.  </p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/science">science</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/scichat">scichat</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a></p>                                        </li>  </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/05/2012

Great Barrier Reef declining faster than ever, coral cover could be 5 percent in a decade (+video) - CSMonitor.c...

Children's Librarian - Southington Library and Museum

11:21 AM Anonymous 0

Children's Librarian - Southington Library and Museum

Children's Librarian - Southington Library and Museum is looking for an energetic individual to join the staff of our very busy child...

The greatness of a teacher

7:03 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifrVGdVBHA17iDzfr3x4g8aeQ9DFICXXOeB5wmwizHXEzzfs9GhP6WQk7Seaii8j5mCXUSAZx5DGOp_ixouZtdepziCOLIodKkGQBFW2JufYmyrHVRE6MjygJQDyopWWslQJ1K0p_cH5a/s1600/greatness-of-a-teacher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifrVGdVBHA17iDzfr3x4g8aeQ9DFICXXOeB5wmwizHXEzzfs9GhP6WQk7Seaii8j5mCXUSAZx5DGOp_ixouZtdepziCOLIodKkGQBFW2JufYmyrHVRE6MjygJQDyopWWslQJ1K0p_cH5a/s640/greatness-of-a-teacher.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>"My greatness shall not in the annals of history be<br />but in the words and deeds my students learned through me."<br />Vicki Davis @<a class="zem_slink" href="http://twitter.com/coolcatteacher" rel="twitter" target="_blank" title="@coolcatteacher">coolcatteacher</a><br /><br />Just a thought I penned last night in the car that I thought I'd share and combine with this lovely photo on Bigstock. Hope it inspires you. ;-)<br /><br />Photo Credit: Big Stock<br />  <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=eb8ceedd-c3d1-40b3-b1f4-4545d306375c" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Teaching The greatness of a teacher

"My greatness shall not in the annals of history be but in the words and deeds my students learned through me." Vicki Davis @ cool...

Open House

5:16 AM Tukiyooo 0

Open House

Open House (Dublin's biggest Architectural Festival) is on this weekend. We have a busy weekend planned with friends calling to us on S...

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/05/2012

2:30 AM Tukiyooo 0

<ul class="diigo-linkroll">      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/early-windows-8-adoption-lags-behind-windows-7s-rates-6239747">Early Windows 8 adoption lags behind Windows 7's rates - Technology on NBCNews.com</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I have played with the Windows 8 system and am definitely installing it on my touch screen at home. The integration with social media is fantastic. Perhaps what I like best is what live.edu can do -- of course the struggle is now I'm committed to Google Apps for Domains. I do think that people should take a serious look at the collaborative features in the system. They are powerful but are also very new and different and basically require relearning in some ways.  "Only 0.33 percent — or 33 out of every 10,000 PCs — currently run a Preview version or RTM trial of Windows 8, Computerworld reports, citing statistics from metrics firm Net Applications. At the same point to the release of Windows 7, 1.64 percent of all Windows PCs were running the upcoming operating system. That's a full five times more than Windows 8 adoptees — and the gap between early Windows 7 adoption and early Windows 8 adoption is actually increasing as Oct. 26 draws closer."</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/microsoft">microsoft</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/windows">windows</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/7">7</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2012/10/02/iphone-5-first-the-hype-now-the-gripes/">iPhone 5: First the Hype, Now the Gripes - Forbes</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">I'm sorry, but the idea that "ScuffGate" and "purplegate" are really any kind of world-impacting problem is ridiculous. Forbes in this article explains,  "ScuffGate refers to scuff marks or scratches some users have encountered on the aluminum back, prompting Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller to point out in an email obtained by 9 to 5 Mac that “any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural silver color.” I immediately bought a $29 case for my iPhone 5 to protect it against breaking and got scuff mark protection for no extra charge.  Some users, says Mashable, are even complaining about an iPhone 5 camera flaw causing a “purple haze.”  I’m not sure what I like better, “CameraGate” or “PurpleGate.”"  Just fix it and move on, but the world has not ended.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/iphone">iphone</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apple">apple</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://hc.visibli.com/share/j4GMH2">Ed Tech: 4 Tips from Cool Cat Teacher that Will Make You a Tech Savvy Teacher | HotChalk's Lesson Plans Page</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">An article hotchalk did that talks about some of the habitgs I have in my classroom. One of the biggest is taking and making time to learn.  "Davis used her daily break time – 15 minutes – two to three times a week to do this. First she’d discover what she wanted to learn about and make a list – from wiki to QR codes and beyond. Then she’d spend her next breaks working her way through the list.  “Break it down,” she said. “If you want to eat a watermelon, you don’t eat it whole. You eat it a bite at a time.”"</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/inthenews">inthenews</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/10/03/bieber-fansite-sued.html">Justin Bieber fansite operator sued over minors' personal info - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">COPPA gets a Bieber site. The lawsuit wants $16K PER violation. They are dealing with young fans and asking them not to give personal information, but I think they don't understand COPPA. They will lose.  "A Manhattan-based company running unofficial fan websites for artists like Justin Bieber and Rihanna has been hit with a lawsuit for requesting personal information from minors without parental consent.  The U.S. Justice Department says Artist Arena violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by demanding information such as first and last names, email addresses, birthdates, and cellphone numbers from kids under age 13.  Information was gathered from more than 100,000 young people under age 13, without parental consent, the suit claims.  Registered fan club members could create online portfolios and interact publicly online by posting comments."</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/coppa">coppa</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/laws.">laws.</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_in_education/archive/2012/10/04/creating-amp-supporting-a-climate-of-innovation-in-education.aspx">Creating & Supporting a Climate of Innovation in Education - Microsoft in Education blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">My friend Eric Williams is just one of the superstars profiled in the Microsoft Innovative Schools awards. There are 99 schools from 51 countries in the program this year. I've seen some incredible work being done by many schools as I've worked with the Microsoft Innovative Educators forum in the US and Worldwide. It is worth a read.  "In Virginia, Superintendent Eric Williams and the York County School Division is in its 7th year of providing a virtual university, offering high quality online courses and experienced staff.  Students demonstrate mastery of the content as they gain 21st century skills with real world experiences.  Recently, students had the opportunity to work with software programmers, graphic designers, product developers, and marketers to develop mobile applications for learners.  The process allowed students to further develop and reinforce their interest in coding.  Application development is one of the fastest growing career interests of students."</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p>                                        </li>  </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/05/2012

Early Windows 8 adoption lags behind Windows 7's rates - Technology on NBCNews.com I have played...

Careful What You Wish For

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDj5n4v9Qmyge2gRP3FM1MolMopD13-L43FsVZ5umMcftu-BZCuEjblfAXd8FeuGVIbnhSiwgOeAVzknCgypuh2cilqGVuiE47R6-yDbFYJhRt1EblAMOI2AdEGDE6hmzEvVzxHnBTVU/s1600/Matt+Man+Thoughtful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDj5n4v9Qmyge2gRP3FM1MolMopD13-L43FsVZ5umMcftu-BZCuEjblfAXd8FeuGVIbnhSiwgOeAVzknCgypuh2cilqGVuiE47R6-yDbFYJhRt1EblAMOI2AdEGDE6hmzEvVzxHnBTVU/s400/Matt+Man+Thoughtful.jpg" width="287" /></a>Cheers and Hello my IWS friends.<br /><br />Matt-Man here to give you a little something, something, about friendship.<br /><br />Now, dig it…<br /><br />Many months ago, I told a strange yet true story about how my wife would never divorce me, because well, it wasn’t on her “things to do list”, even though I had begged her to do so for years.<br /><br />Well, lo and behold, I guess it is now.<br /><br />It seems that as our son Ryno, is creeping upon college age, she would finally like to get divorced, so that he can accrue more Financial Aid and perhaps tuition relief than he would get if his mom were otherwise married to me.<br /><br />Really?  Not so fast, Miss Matriculation.  Allow us to cover some facts…<br /><br />We split up some twelve years ago…In those twelve years, you berated me, chided me, told me I was no good, and otherwise said to me and the world, <i>“Matt sucks.”</i><br /><br />In addition to never being able to see my own kid (because I’m a danger, and live with a woman who neither hits me nor spits on me) within the confines of my own house, which I could have court ordered that I did, I let it go, and amicably let by gones be by gones and serviced you with money.<br /><br />But…You never seemed to want that divorce thing, and in fact, you said it was me that was preventing it.  We both know that was, well…not true.<br /><br />But I digress…Okay no I don’t ..In fact, I have more shit to say about you.<br /><br />Nowwwwww it seems, you want that divorce so you can get a little more money from those who give financial aid.  Sure, you make fun of my income because it comes from a Drive-Thru, all the while accepting my income in the form of child support, but now…You want to make it appear as though it doesn't exist.<br /><br />I don’t hate you, however, you never really thought all this out did you?  You just decided that you and Ryno could get by on life by hating me, and every month you could collect your version of 200 dollars and Go.<br /><br />There were many nights that I cried, because you took hold of Ryno, and kept him from me.  There were many days that I felt awful, because I felt that I did the wrong thing by leaving, but…<br /><br />Not so much anymore, because of the things you do, and you do it with such a, <i>“What?  I am just trying to look out for Ryno.”</i>  M’eh…you are looking out for yourself.<br /><br />And that’s fine, and whatever you want I’ll give to you, because I have been dreaming of this day for years, but just remember….<br /><br />Once we get divorced, there is no tax-free money, there is no "can I have some extra", there is no anything, in fact…<br /><br />Come June 2013, there is no nothing, other than what I give Ryno, and just like my soul at that point, you’ll have no control over it.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS"><span style="color: blue;">@MattMan_IWS</span></a></i></div>

Careful What You Wish For

Cheers and Hello my IWS friends. Matt-Man here to give you a little something, something, about friendship. Now, dig it… Many months ago, I ...

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/04/2012

12:30 PM Tukiyooo 0

<ul class="diigo-linkroll">      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://hc.visibli.com/share/j4GMH2">Ed Tech: 4 Tips from Cool Cat Teacher that Will Make You a Tech Savvy Teacher | HotChalk's Lesson Plans Page</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">An article hotchalk did that talks about some of the habitgs I have in my classroom. One of the biggest is taking and making time to learn.  "Davis used her daily break time – 15 minutes – two to three times a week to do this. First she’d discover what she wanted to learn about and make a list – from wiki to QR codes and beyond. Then she’d spend her next breaks working her way through the list.  “Break it down,” she said. “If you want to eat a watermelon, you don’t eat it whole. You eat it a bite at a time.”"</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/inthenews">inthenews</a></p>                                        </li>      <li>      <p class="diigo-link">                <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnGI76__sSA&feature=player_embedded">Jonathan Ive - Tribute to Steve Jobs - YouTube</a>      </p>      <p class="diigo-description">This tribute to Steve Jobs is gaining traction in the anniversary of his death on Friday. It is another take that you might want to share with your students if you're talking about this Friday. 7 minutes and 30 seconds.</p>              <p class="diigo-tags">          <span>tags:</span>                      <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a>            <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apple">apple</a></p>                                        </li>  </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/04/2012

Ed Tech: 4 Tips from Cool Cat Teacher that Will Make You a Tech Savvy Teacher | HotChalk's Lesson Plans Page...

When a Drug Addict Isn't Ready to Accept Help - NYTimes.com

7:57 AM Tukiyooo 0

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div id="well" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div align="left"><div class="entry-content"><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"I'm addicted to painkillers," J., a thickset construction worker, told me on a recent afternoon in the emergency room, his wife at his side.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Two years before, after months of pain, stiffness and <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/swelling/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">swelling</a> in his hands and neck, his primary physician had diagnosed <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/rheumatoid-arthritis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">rheumatoid arthritis</a> and had prescribed three medications: two to slow the disease and one, oxycodone, for pain.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Bolstered by the painkiller, J. had felt more limber and energetic than he had in years. "I could finally keep up with the other guys," he told me. He worked harder, and his pain worsened. His primary physician increased the oxycodone dose.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Soon, J. was looking forward more to the buzz than to the relief the pills brought. He went to see two other physicians who, unaware that he was double-dipping, prescribed similar medications. When a co-worker offered to sell him painkillers directly, J.'s use spiraled out of control.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">By the time I saw him, he was taking dozens of pills a day, often crushing and snorting them to speed the onset of his high. With remarkable candor, he described how the drugs had marred every facet of his life - from days of missed work to increasing debt, deteriorating health and marital strain.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">But when I listed the treatment options that might help, J. shook his head, looked from me to his wife, and got up. "I'm all set," he said, holding up his hands.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Then he walked out of the room.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Despair fell on his wife's face. "Please," she said, grabbing my arm, "you can't let him leave."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">She'd found him twice in the past week slumped on the bathroom floor, impossible to arouse. Though she'd called 911, both times the hospital released J. within hours after he came to and insisted the overdose was accidental. "I just know I'm going to come home one day to find him dead," she said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">She had good reason to worry. Prescription <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/drug-abuse/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">drug abuse</a> is America's fastest-growing drug problem. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/index.html" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Every 19 minutes, someone dies from a prescription drug overdose</a> in the United States, triple the rate in 1990. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription painkillers (like oxycodone) are largely to blame. More <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6043a4.htm" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">people die from ingesting these drugs than from cocaine and heroin combined</a>. Yet while I shared her concern, there was little I could do to force J. into treatment.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">My hospital happens to be in Rhode Island, one of about a dozen states where compulsory treatment for someone like J. (that is, someone not under the purview of the criminal justice system) does not exist. Had J. been a resident of nearby Massachusetts - or from one of more than 20 other states that permit involuntary addiction treatment - I would have suggested his wife petition a judge to force him into care. Had we met in any of a dozen states, I could have hospitalized J. myself - against his will and for up to several days.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The requirements for involuntary substance treatment vary widely across the nation, from posing a serious danger to oneself, others or property, to impaired decision-making or even something as vague as losing control of oneself. States approach compulsory treatment for mental illness with far greater uniformity. All allow it, and almost all restrict it to instances in which a patient poses an immediate danger to himself or another.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">This common standard stems from a series of federal court cases that set procedural and substantive requirements for <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/mentalhealthanddisorders/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">mental health</a> commitments. But involuntary commitment for addiction treatment, while certainly not new, has received considerably less judicial attention.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">In a 1962 case, Robinson v. California, the Supreme Court held that while conviction solely for <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/drug-abuse-and-dependence/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">drug addiction</a> was unconstitutional, "a state might establish a program of compulsory treatment for those addicted to narcotics." Many did, others didn't. The high court has yet to revisit the issue.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Another complicating factor is society's disagreement about what addiction really is: a disease, a moral failing or something in between. Many (often patients themselves) see drug abuse as purely a choice. Under this view, justifying the lost autonomy and expense to taxpayers that accompany mandated treatment becomes a hard sell.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Yet a large and ever-growing body of research paints a far more complicated picture of addiction.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The cognitive concepts that we typically associate with "willpower" - motivation, resolve and an ability to delay gratification, resist impulses and consider and choose among alternatives - arise from distinct neural pathways in the brain. The characteristic elements of drug abuse - craving, intoxication, dependency and withdrawal - correspond with disruptions in these circuits. A host of genetic or environmental factors serve to reinforce or mitigate these effects. These data underscore the powerful ways in which addiction constrains one's ability to resist.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The spotty existence of commitment laws for addiction has created something odd in medicine: a landscape where the standard of care differs dramatically from one place to the next. But change seems to be afoot. In March, Ohio passed a law authorizing substance-related commitments. Pennsylvania is considering a similar bill.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">In July, Massachusetts extended its maximum period of addiction commitment from 30 days to 90 days, a move driven by the state's growing opioid abuse epidemic. In the same month, however, California terminated its commitment program for drug abuse.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">These shifts come at a time when private insurers increasingly refuse to cover even brief inpatient stays for treatment of opioid abuse and as states grapple with dwindling resources. Still, while short periods of involuntary custody make intuitive sense - to provide protection until the effects of intoxication or withdrawal subside - surprisingly little evidence exists to suggest that a longer period of commitment will lead to abstinence or prevent the behavior that justified commitment in the first place. Science must guide the crafting of these laws, but for now the empirical jury is decidedly out.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">As I watched the color drain from J.'s wife's face, I decided to speak with him again. Short of forcing him to stay, I knew what she wanted was for me to change J.'s mind.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">He stood near the exit, arms folded, coat zipped. I waited next to him and for several moments said nothing. Then I wondered aloud whether he feared the physical pain that existed apart from his addiction. Without looking at me, he nodded.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"What if we can find a way to treat your pain and also bring an end to the hurt this is causing you and your family?" I asked. "Perhaps together we can help you get your life back."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">J. paused to consider my offer. For an instant, his face softened.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Then, just as quickly, he jerked his head and was gone. His wife followed him out, in tears.</div></div></div></div></div><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/addicted-to-painkillers-but-not-ready-for-help/?ref=health&pagewanted=print">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/addicted-to-painkillers-but-not-ready-for-help/?ref=health&pagewanted=print</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

When a Drug Addict Isn't Ready to Accept Help - NYTimes.com

"I'm addicted to painkillers," J., a thickset construction worker, told me on a recent afternoon in the emergency room, his wi...

Healing what ails us: A look at Jeffrey Simpson’s ‘Chronic Condition’ | iPolitics

5:45 AM Tukiyooo 0

<base href="data:">Many say that the discussions around Canadian healthcare need more 'light' than 'heat' – that our debates far too often tend to the emotions of the issue, which cause our political leaders to shrink away from it, rather than some clear-headed focus on resilient solutions.<br><br>Over two decades of countless studies, reports, and commissions tackling how we preserve, develop or transform our system of healthcare has not resulted in much change. Canadians consistently underline the fact that health is the top public policy issue. Researchers continue to crank out options in areas ranging from models of delivery to broad socio-economic underpinnings. Stakeholders put forward endless arguments for either stability or change. Public leaders, including most recently the provincial and territorial premiers faced with demographic and fiscal pressures, regularly come together to try and navigate a way forward. Through all of this, we still have not found a solution.<br><br>Against this backdrop, Jeffery Simpson's new book, Chronic Condition: Why Canada's Health-Care System Needs to be Dragged into the 21st Century is a refreshing, important and constructive contribution to the challenge of tackling our healthcare conundrum. Part story, part history, and part white paper, Simpson does a superb job of showing how we got ourselves into the situation we are in now and, most importantly, provides some directions of how we can get ourselves out of it.<br><br>Playing the role of doctor to the Canadian healthcare system, Simpson proceeds in a sensitive and focused manner to address the case. He talks to the patient, through the eyes of Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull, chief of staff at the Ottawa Hospital and past president at the Canadian Medical Association. He delves into the patient's history, particularly its genetics. He scopes out the various interconnected maladies affecting the patient, including some environmental context, drawing a line of how these issues ultimately affect the patient's health. Finally, he determines a broad course of treatment, and writes some prescriptions the patient needs to get healthy.<br><br>Ironically, perhaps the most striking absence in Simpson's book is the perspective of patients, which we see only through the eyes of the doctor and the system. A patient-centred approach and the need to have the resources follow patients, rather than institutions, is a major theme in healthcare discussions that should have more central presence in his argument. This absence parallels a challenge we currently face in policy-making: how to effectively engage citizens on issues that matter to them and in whose solutions they have a significant role to play themselves.<br><br>Regardless, Simpson provides readers – from experts in health policy to those in civil society who genuinely want to better understand the system – an accessible, cogent and comprehensive analysis of the main issues bedeviling Canadian healthcare, as well as some significant solutions and recommendations.<br><br>Most effectively, he disabuses us of basic fallacies about the Canadian healthcare system. While it is true, for example, that we are in many ways better off than our American neighbours, Canadian healthcare has declined sharply relative to most other developed countries as well as against our own standards. Despite increased investments at all levels, we are simply not getting the results we should.<br><br>Moreover, while we like to believe that Canada's system is fully public, the reality is that 30% of our annual $200 billion in expenditures come from private sources.<br><br>What we have in Canada, Simpson argues, is a system that is 'deep, narrow and expensive' as opposed to our comparators internationally with systems 'somewhat shallower, wider and cheaper.' He underlines that these realities need to more front and centre in our policy discussions if we are to find real solutions.<br><br>Arguments will certainly be generated about some of the remedies he raises. Should all doctors be salaried? Should all professional salaries be capped? Should we more aggressively pursue new practice areas, such as nurse practitioners, and better cluster medical professionals? Should we better integrate our various healthcare institutions or de-hospitalize our care through increased community access?<br><br>How can we better invite and incent innovation in patient care and in every institution, especially our largest hospitals? Should we more intelligently introduce private, fee-based delivery in our largely public systems? How do we get lower costs of drugs, while seeking better medications for a diversified and aging population? Why do we accept a national formulary on acceptable and needed drugs that is applied so drastically different across Canada? Should we have a personal, pre-payment plan for healthcare fashioned on the Canada Pension Plan as we prepare for our aged years when our healthcare needs will be the greatest?<br><br>Simpson does not answer all these questions definitively, but he does lay out in one place some of the best integrated considerations of the most significant factors all policymakers need to address. His conclusion is that while the patient is not at death's door, it is in failing health and needs immediate, regular and comprehensive attention.<br><br>Simpson points us to where and how we can look to fix, or at least substantially improve, the national treasure that is our healthcare system. Leaders and policymakers at all levels in Canada should join him in this pursuit.<br><br><i>Paul Ledwell is Executive VP of Canada's Public Policy Forum where, among other things, he leads the Forum's work on health policy.</i><br><br><a href="http://www.ipolitics.ca/2012/10/03/healing-what-ails-us-a-look-at-jeffrey-simpsons-chronic-condition/">http://www.ipolitics.ca/2012/10/03/healing-what-ails-us-a-look-at-jeffrey-simpsons-chronic-condition/</a><br><br>

Healing what ails us: A look at Jeffrey Simpson’s ‘Chronic Condition’ | iPolitics

Many say that the discussions around Canadian healthcare need more 'light' than 'heat' – that our debates far too often tend...

paint a rug party - week 3 reveal

4:00 AM Anonymous 0

Happy Paint a Rug Party Reveal Day! Did you get the day off work? Just you wait, next year it will be a national holiday.<br /><br />I've had three weeks to put this sucker together (catch up on <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/09/paint-rug-party-week-1.html" target="_blank">week 1</a> and <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/09/paint-rug-party-week-2.html" target="_blank">week 2</a> if you missed it) so let's see what we've got.<br /><br />First, to answer the question from last week. The votes were a lot tighter than I thought (thanks to everyone who shared their opinion), with Navy/White squeaking out a win. However, I forgot about one important voter - the hubs. He came home that night and said 'yeah, I don't want a pink rug.' I was so impressed that he actually read it, that I gave him the deciding vote. So Navy/White it is. (Don't worry, you'll be seeing the raspberry somewhere else soon)<br /><br />As I mentioned in week 1 I read thru a few tutorials and decided what I would need to make this happen. With the kids in bed and a nice cocktail in hand. I got started.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FpLbQ8Dc8sdJrU4wXbUT2bL4jqfW59a1_sFa2EsWalo1RQG0tHy1Ot21ly1lpXjI3NcTypQsdtDva-Dm69imSttNmR9QPtpDf9mUuQxmK3LbtrwcRT_zL3rXJGraUmLmeBcjMOzpostD/s1600/PaintARugSupplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FpLbQ8Dc8sdJrU4wXbUT2bL4jqfW59a1_sFa2EsWalo1RQG0tHy1Ot21ly1lpXjI3NcTypQsdtDva-Dm69imSttNmR9QPtpDf9mUuQxmK3LbtrwcRT_zL3rXJGraUmLmeBcjMOzpostD/s640/PaintARugSupplies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The rug was brand new ($9 from HomeGoods) so no cleaning was needed. If you were doing this with an existing rug, I would make sure you vacuum the crap out of that sucker before painting.<br />The first coat of paint needs to be the color under the tape (remember that whole negative space thing) so the white paint went on first. I just used some Kilz (in white) I had on hand and mixed it with one bottle of fabric medium. But I didn't measure it out exactly. I guess I'm more of a chef than a baker. Anyone who watches Top Chef knows this difference.<br /><br />The first coat went on and I wasn't encouraged. The paint did not spread. At all. It basically just stays wherever you pour it. It took a lot of muscle to get that paint to spread at all. I tried both a brush and a roller and found that the brush is best to begin with to get in all the little crevasses. (with a sisal rug)  Then, finish off with the roller.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M_cUSDXvmUKwwLGYQR-w9T_FIsw6FU_Fz2NSyneAejR5Y9o5UPBBgbquiiVqQuuxPEuBr7pNL6KSYWGMXq6zwUix6URXzspwpb8EIuUKUeYQ6skT_2LVuM75UKFjfYT4iyAjDTciKZGU/s1600/FirstCoatCloseUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M_cUSDXvmUKwwLGYQR-w9T_FIsw6FU_Fz2NSyneAejR5Y9o5UPBBgbquiiVqQuuxPEuBr7pNL6KSYWGMXq6zwUix6URXzspwpb8EIuUKUeYQ6skT_2LVuM75UKFjfYT4iyAjDTciKZGU/s640/FirstCoatCloseUp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />THREE coats later (2 coats with a brush and 1 with a roller), here is where the night ended. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhTNaMzEeGrH4BU0s6T6tpKZPfjVa16AegdDrmi2XlFyPbam58WIbmkg2rK_6eadmxJ2ukGm2W_qA3HpH0UUY-IRyr5feqJFvqJHxwYBtcRx1JCPnrRSdu9CLmGFPGmtEsHRACQwis67G/s1600/PaintARugFirstCoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhTNaMzEeGrH4BU0s6T6tpKZPfjVa16AegdDrmi2XlFyPbam58WIbmkg2rK_6eadmxJ2ukGm2W_qA3HpH0UUY-IRyr5feqJFvqJHxwYBtcRx1JCPnrRSdu9CLmGFPGmtEsHRACQwis67G/s640/PaintARugFirstCoat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />With Step 1 complete, I let it dry overnight.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFr405z7PhjGKf7tx6fnsYJ9D4tyKuLMgZ31MjO9cssQAenmhVIdcRS6qrMUwvUQBp6LeVBDFwgqLn6Tl8odYPA4WKx4k22BEIKyKBrz2YPkLL3fP3KAD6lVRf4i6wP9m_ny8BhdeuYuL/s1600/PaintARugDrying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFr405z7PhjGKf7tx6fnsYJ9D4tyKuLMgZ31MjO9cssQAenmhVIdcRS6qrMUwvUQBp6LeVBDFwgqLn6Tl8odYPA4WKx4k22BEIKyKBrz2YPkLL3fP3KAD6lVRf4i6wP9m_ny8BhdeuYuL/s400/PaintARugDrying.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><br />Next up. Tape.<br /><br />I made my two base lines, making sure that the tape met right in the middle of the rug (the only measuring I did.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWwvuIwaOSgexM28puwWvUuQTqjHdsqvWCCncM58mL-297JUNRXKS0ve8lbAgCqVolp1wZXrw_InQZw1MRAYp62NGcmmPbWzmX6YgqZrY-_fAFM2e9wr3iCfcuNioJFKcKnrVqTeI8f6o/s1600/PaintARugTapeOut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWwvuIwaOSgexM28puwWvUuQTqjHdsqvWCCncM58mL-297JUNRXKS0ve8lbAgCqVolp1wZXrw_InQZw1MRAYp62NGcmmPbWzmX6YgqZrY-_fAFM2e9wr3iCfcuNioJFKcKnrVqTeI8f6o/s640/PaintARugTapeOut.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I thought I'd have to measure out each piece of tape to make sure everything was consistant. But to my great pleasure, once I had the middle taped and knew that it was in the center of the rug, I realized I just needed to tape from that center outward in each section and they would all work out to be even.<br /><br /><br />So using my level as my spacer I taped out the first section.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtnNx1wOg_rRr_EygjPezpQAdUQJB-8rQgaJbFNIinDbN6j38kttEcmyLhpBsJfOJznzrAoga9oSG86cw1hwUSWiWLVC8MV0rmfTYr2MomWhuPBLeeTAGhKf9KPnSFMi3c6uR5mO6xq-5/s1600/PaintARugTapeOut2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtnNx1wOg_rRr_EygjPezpQAdUQJB-8rQgaJbFNIinDbN6j38kttEcmyLhpBsJfOJznzrAoga9oSG86cw1hwUSWiWLVC8MV0rmfTYr2MomWhuPBLeeTAGhKf9KPnSFMi3c6uR5mO6xq-5/s640/PaintARugTapeOut2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It spaced out perfectly. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgkbYvnFgVGqveAAHGIT1YxUzvXcjDD-TSd4rPVquyOkMRxCJhlMgBYsTanNJMdpdl1myaRVg_BEl62WeD9_sZRJSy10A0SSs_8FlTmVio3Igr7D_PlLNhEElkZVvXX2Os9aliGPX_HGa/s1600/PaintARugTapeOut3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgkbYvnFgVGqveAAHGIT1YxUzvXcjDD-TSd4rPVquyOkMRxCJhlMgBYsTanNJMdpdl1myaRVg_BEl62WeD9_sZRJSy10A0SSs_8FlTmVio3Igr7D_PlLNhEElkZVvXX2Os9aliGPX_HGa/s640/PaintARugTapeOut3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It can get a bit confusing to keep track of which lines should go which way so it is best to think by section. The lines of each section should go the opposite way of the lines from the previous section. Clear as mud?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_eVL89Z5-eUfUj5nzDDgMhGSks_cAqChq-0XHk5cS8XlgL8oHD1llNIYlR5CvZWOEo8k9Z1rRlRc-_qSPmVE1Dg58CEgkda662J41SO0pb11iLkklI6g2jLSBRO-OmN7JvseDZFrAgHs/s1600/PaintARugReady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_eVL89Z5-eUfUj5nzDDgMhGSks_cAqChq-0XHk5cS8XlgL8oHD1llNIYlR5CvZWOEo8k9Z1rRlRc-_qSPmVE1Dg58CEgkda662J41SO0pb11iLkklI6g2jLSBRO-OmN7JvseDZFrAgHs/s640/PaintARugReady.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />With the rug taped out, I pressed the hell out of that tape working to get it as tight as possible to limit bleed.<br /><br />Then, I poured out my paint and fabric medium to mix together. Hmm, I could have sworn the paint chip I gave to Home Depot was Navy. This looks awfully...royal.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx35hDco9jDZwb0FPj4kB9iuibVDpPBaPpUjJQZzoYhFy8oxWQ-8MqFGsiEImdyE4eavDguPY7B0-s3vCo4tp9obh46ukDqgZQlU_8ukfOGDSJdlx7occIgctDTSoSk610btKY1cczTv7K/s1600/PaintARugPaint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx35hDco9jDZwb0FPj4kB9iuibVDpPBaPpUjJQZzoYhFy8oxWQ-8MqFGsiEImdyE4eavDguPY7B0-s3vCo4tp9obh46ukDqgZQlU_8ukfOGDSJdlx7occIgctDTSoSk610btKY1cczTv7K/s400/PaintARugPaint.jpg" width="377" /></a></div><br />Worried about the color, I went ahead with the first coat. It covered only slightly better than the other paint, probably because there was already 3 coats of paint that had filled in some of the gaps in the rug. However, you still gotta put some muscle into it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQQqbIPA4F9T0rKpaSB2YInJPtTrL7dqMIb_QpnyqlarFxEQl4KnrR2MaDVElZnONbiBnSkikxfukR-CvEh1KtGl3mKbtunI-1Pmy2KlVYbBYQpd2tf3PiAIrsjOOYmM9qBgMIFXnhdkH/s1600/PaintARugSecondCoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQQqbIPA4F9T0rKpaSB2YInJPtTrL7dqMIb_QpnyqlarFxEQl4KnrR2MaDVElZnONbiBnSkikxfukR-CvEh1KtGl3mKbtunI-1Pmy2KlVYbBYQpd2tf3PiAIrsjOOYmM9qBgMIFXnhdkH/s400/PaintARugSecondCoat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />After the first coat it still looked more royal than navy. I tried not to freak out and hoped it would get darker once it was dry.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZWcZMkFKx_JXvkPe4lrGI3NWVBfIzDwbUZMVr2xvEF7Mxzii6Gl0DYb1uDrRIaSc9Juul1mhOxoxe5QYqPnwZXflPUlcKyAK31QH1hISwLTRgiZGUewkfnab7OPOgaPkM_Zrifdu6qac/s1600/PaintARugBlue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZWcZMkFKx_JXvkPe4lrGI3NWVBfIzDwbUZMVr2xvEF7Mxzii6Gl0DYb1uDrRIaSc9Juul1mhOxoxe5QYqPnwZXflPUlcKyAK31QH1hISwLTRgiZGUewkfnab7OPOgaPkM_Zrifdu6qac/s400/PaintARugBlue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />No dice. Not blue enough and not the color on the chip. Mistint. Not cool Home Depot. Not cool. Luckily my brilliant hubs suggested we add some left over Farrow&Ball black to darken it up a bit. Extra birthday present for you my dear. So I mixed in some black and arrived at a color I think I want to market. I will call it Midnight in St. Louis. It will sell like hot cakes.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pNzYkG3QN6TLCqpmF4P6H1Lo6q1zzfAus4kmDliICRjE3Wzoba9VBybmOHfi-rm5NqXW44JJw8w3j_N54PNdprscFmJVkRwN5U3121xP6GFd8olUwYa2FCNpuvSQ_R8MwBi8bsc91NYH/s1600/PaintARugDarkerBlue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pNzYkG3QN6TLCqpmF4P6H1Lo6q1zzfAus4kmDliICRjE3Wzoba9VBybmOHfi-rm5NqXW44JJw8w3j_N54PNdprscFmJVkRwN5U3121xP6GFd8olUwYa2FCNpuvSQ_R8MwBi8bsc91NYH/s400/PaintARugDarkerBlue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Much better. Just like with the white, I went ahead and did three coats of the blue as well. I let it dry, again, over night. Then pulled off the tape to discover this.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVh0YXAdf8JZ6rk79YcQQJO0rh-2BnLr6DbfHLH-8qqTL2FJBmUX15HCGQThCK8Vl61UqSmyy11Ndri4N4op1XMWe_bg1_Tcg1kMW5f52gvWpK8VIGNOpKwo-N_hKuiPYY8I2GSw4pLIy/s1600/PaintARugCloseUp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVh0YXAdf8JZ6rk79YcQQJO0rh-2BnLr6DbfHLH-8qqTL2FJBmUX15HCGQThCK8Vl61UqSmyy11Ndri4N4op1XMWe_bg1_Tcg1kMW5f52gvWpK8VIGNOpKwo-N_hKuiPYY8I2GSw4pLIy/s640/PaintARugCloseUp2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Wahoo! I was actually really impressed with how well the tape did to prevent bleed. There are a few spots that could use some touch ups, but I've decided I kind of like the imperfections. And I'm not at all saying this because I'm tired of painting this sucker.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxV0VwZP8ud8kOAXq7aCNETWTnUawD4H-wRHwfMXEwQgOBE9mIHinfyK00Cxn3nt8loVcCVyMtIO7qRCOstq252Lt3j-UDNenWyWNmVPPkl8FMloyNEWg8AaVjDE1_XgCPn_TVjSKbU-W/s1600/PaintARugCloseUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxV0VwZP8ud8kOAXq7aCNETWTnUawD4H-wRHwfMXEwQgOBE9mIHinfyK00Cxn3nt8loVcCVyMtIO7qRCOstq252Lt3j-UDNenWyWNmVPPkl8FMloyNEWg8AaVjDE1_XgCPn_TVjSKbU-W/s400/PaintARugCloseUp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It looked so good I decided it was the perfect addition to the kitchen.  It's happy and does a great job of hiding all of the things that <i>someone</i> seems to drop in front of the sink.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48wcreJ1PSWxsHgmOBKJ42UGhCsEnorbASRWloHKPi6TLbw5smGIe3eYNFvutzhyphenhyphenIuptThV_O1q091wnmuHe57oFgmd0uoliKtKUbuZ9ocbopIeFcdL73QAD-xbYrMzysR5Rkmyu_eCW4/s1600/PaintARugComplete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48wcreJ1PSWxsHgmOBKJ42UGhCsEnorbASRWloHKPi6TLbw5smGIe3eYNFvutzhyphenhyphenIuptThV_O1q091wnmuHe57oFgmd0uoliKtKUbuZ9ocbopIeFcdL73QAD-xbYrMzysR5Rkmyu_eCW4/s640/PaintARugComplete.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><br />It also feels a lot better under foot than I had anticipated. Not sticky and maybe even a little less scratchy that plain old sisal.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t4WjRUf4NklUirP578ksSYsNWsQG5wGh9j__W-Kk4afZ3UpG6LeKIrf-V7YhdZtXFK6YR2rJ3-1AFUGr2CzIhCjdHWpXaYeXa0xMfeiOY_Jj0S7gpSnnNRFfwa1i2udOns_8gMr7I4AH/s1600/PaintARugTopView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t4WjRUf4NklUirP578ksSYsNWsQG5wGh9j__W-Kk4afZ3UpG6LeKIrf-V7YhdZtXFK6YR2rJ3-1AFUGr2CzIhCjdHWpXaYeXa0xMfeiOY_Jj0S7gpSnnNRFfwa1i2udOns_8gMr7I4AH/s640/PaintARugTopView.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>I'm glad I did this and I'm happy with how it turned out. I say give it a try. It's much easier than you would have thought. Thanks <a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Linda</a> for thinking this fun up!<br /><br />Now let's go check out how all the other ladies did!<br /><br /><br /><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://chinoiseriechic.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Chinoiserie Chic</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://designdumonde.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Design du Monde</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.designpostdaily.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Design Post Interiors</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://thejunkhouse.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Junk House</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">My Best Friend Cr</a><a href="http://mybestfriendcraig.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">aig</a></div><span class="HOEnZb" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #888888;"></span></span></span></span><br /><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"><span class="HOEnZb" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">My Crafty Home Life</a></span></span></span></span></span></div><span class="HOEnZb" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pawleysislandposh.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Pawleys Island Posh</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.thepinkpagoda.us/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Pink Pagoda</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://roomrx.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Room Rx</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://seekersbazaar.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Seekers Bazaar</a></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://simpledetailsblog.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Simple Details</a></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><a href="http://trappedinnorthjersey.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Trapped In North Jersey</a></span></div></div></span></span></span></span>

paint a rug party - week 3 reveal

Happy Paint a Rug Party Reveal Day! Did you get the day off work? Just you wait, next year it will be a national holiday. I've had three...