Four Futures for MSG and Penn Station

This morning I attended the <a href="http://mas.org/">Municipal Art Society</a>'s Design Challenge for Penn Station presentation at the TimesCenter, in which four architects proposed future scenarios for Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. With their <a href="http://mas.org/new-penn-station-alliance/">Alliance for a New Penn Station</a>, MAS and RPA are pushing for a major overhaul of the sports and transportation facilities, and this design exercise is one way to drum up interest in the site's potential.<br /><br />I won't go into any detail on why MSG and Penn Station should change, or why it's getting so much attention now, but I'd recommend Michael Kimmelman's articles on the subject from the <i>Times</i>, one from <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/arts/design/a-proposal-for-penn-station-and-madison-square-garden.html">last February</a> and one from just <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/arts/design/at-penn-station-seizing-a-chance-to-right-a-wrong.html?">last week</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8881262247/" title="MAS Design Challenge for Penn Station by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="MAS Design Challenge for Penn Station" height="450" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/8881262247_c712328a5f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Below are some photos I took (pardon the rough quality and odd angle) followed by brief descriptions from the architects, courtesy MAS. They are in the same order as this morning's presentations.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.h3hc.com/">H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture</a>:<br /><object height="480" width="640"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790571458%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8880490713%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790571458%2Fwith%2F8880490713%2F&set_id=72157633790571458&jump_to=8880490713"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790571458%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8880490713%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790571458%2Fwith%2F8880490713%2F&set_id=72157633790571458&jump_to=8880490713" width="640" height="480"></embed></object><br /><blockquote>In pursuit of making rail the “mode of choice”, H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture asserts that several inextricably linked interventions must be made to improve the City’s essential systems and better express its culture: Public Space, Entertainment, and the Environment; Transportation; Education; and Economic Development. A relocation of Madison Square Garden to a 16-acre site on the west side waterfront provides an enhanced venue with a singular new identity and expanded tourist, hospitality, and entertainment opportunities. The New Penn Station, including an eight-track high-speed rail expansion to the south, accommodates increased capacity and integrates community and traveler amenities, including a new three-acre public park, retail complex, and two-acre roof garden. Redevelopment of the Farley Post Office creates a centrally located Center for Education. And, perhaps most importantly, 24 million square feet of private development around Penn Station and up Seventh Avenue serves as an economic engine for improvements and a revived world-class commercial district.</blockquote><br /><a href="https://www.som.com/">SOM</a>:<br /><object height="480" width="640"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633789754783%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8881456516%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633789754783%2Fwith%2F8881456516%2F&set_id=72157633789754783&jump_to=8881456516"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633789754783%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8881456516%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633789754783%2Fwith%2F8881456516%2F&set_id=72157633789754783&jump_to=8881456516" width="640" height="480"></embed></object><br /><blockquote>SOM proposes to grow the footprint of Penn Station by two additional blocks to accommodate high speed rail lines for the Northeast Corridor, expanded commuter rail service for all of the tri-state area, and direct rail connections to JFK, LGA, and EWR. This last connection would allow one to go straight from the curb of 7th Avenue , through security at Penn, onto a train, and directly to one’s gate. The station itself is open and intuitive. A central, transparent Ticketing Hall is placed at the center of the site, with dedicated vehicular drop-off and radial, pedestrian connections to the city surrounding it. Below this are two concourses running North-South, seamlessly enabling passengers to move from ground level to below grade. Retail lines these circulation spaces, integrating the station into the surrounding streetscape. Finally, at the lowest levels are the expanded platforms, where visitors arriving from an overnight flight from Hong Kong rub elbows with a commuter on her way to Morristown . With all of these networks intersecting at Penn Station, its central hall would become the iconic gateway for nearly every visitor around the world. Around the Station, Midtown West will continue to grow. Private development adjacent to a major transportation node is perfectly sensible – even desirable. That includes MSG, whose natural location would be adjacent to, but not on top of, a transit hub.</blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.dsrny.com/">Diller Scofidio + Renfro</a>:<br /><object height="480" width="640"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790079987%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8880980205%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790079987%2Fwith%2F8880980205%2F&set_id=72157633790079987&jump_to=8880980205"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790079987%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8880980205%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790079987%2Fwith%2F8880980205%2F&set_id=72157633790079987&jump_to=8880980205" width="640" height="480"></embed></object><br /><blockquote>Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Josh Sirefman offers Penn Station 3.0, which will be a city within a city, a porous and light-filled civic structure filled with diverse new programs that reflect the hybridity of contemporary urban life. Not just a gateway to New York , the station will be a destination in itself with fast, transit-oriented programs layered with slower destinations in a gradient of decelerating speeds from tracks to roof. The building will host transient and resident populations including commuters, office workers, fabricators, shoppers, foodies, culture seekers and urban explorers. In this plan, MSG will be located to the west end of the Farley building on Ninth Avenue , with access to Eighth Avenue.</blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.shoparc.com/">SHoP Architects</a>:<br /><object height="480" width="640"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790430497%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8881129367%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790430497%2Fwith%2F8881129367%2F&set_id=72157633790430497&jump_to=8881129367"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790430497%2Fshow%2Fwith%2F8881129367%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Farchidose%2Fsets%2F72157633790430497%2Fwith%2F8881129367%2F&set_id=72157633790430497&jump_to=8881129367" width="640" height="480"></embed></object><br /><blockquote>SHoP Architects’ plan imagines an expanded main hall of Penn Station as a bright, airy and easily navigable space that defines a center of a new destination district, Gotham Gateway. In addition to striking public architecture, the project proposes significant security and rail capacity improvements that address major needs at the existing station. The team proposes new development, as well as new parks and amenities, around the station to help defray the required public investment, including an extension of the High Line that connects the new station to a glorious and financeable new Madison Square Garden.</blockquote>Kimmelman and representatives from the four architects in conversation after the presentations:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8881884674/" title="MAS Design Challenge for Penn Station by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="MAS Design Challenge for Penn Station" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/8881884674_aa6455787c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />This is a topic that will be getting plenty of press today and in the coming weeks, leading up to the June 19 City Council meeting that will decide how long MSG's permit for operating above Penn Station will be renewed for; MAS is recommending 10 years. Stay tuned for more on the above designs and on the unfolding story of Penn Station's future.<br /><br /><b>Update 05.30:</b> <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-29/madison-square-gardens-owner-will-not-be-moved">Businessweek publishes a statement</a> from Madison Square Garden Co.'s spokesperson Kimberly Kerns:<br /><blockquote>“It’s curious to see that there are so many ideas on how to tear down a privately owned building that is a thriving New York icon, supports thousands of jobs, and is currently completing a $1 billion transformation. These pie-in-the-sky drawings completely ignore the fact that no viable plans or funding to rebuild Penn Station and relocate MSG actually exist. Not that long ago, MSG spent millions of dollars and three years exploring a move to the Farley building as part of the new vision for Moynihan Station. That plan collapsed for a number of reasons that did not involve MSG, but did involve many of the same people now pressuring MSG to move, including the Municipal Art Society, which created enormous obstacles to achieving the relocation. The restoration of Moynihan Station has been a 20-year discussion that has led to very little progress or funding. The fact that this exercise does not include anyone who actually has detailed knowledge of this issue or understands the realities of this complex project exposes this exercise for exactly what it is.”</blockquote>

Four Futures for MSG and Penn Station

This morning I attended the Municipal Art Society 's Design Challenge for Penn Station presentation at the TimesCenter, in which four ar...

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Library Director - Beacon Falls Public Library

<strong>Library Director -</strong> <strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Beacon Falls Public Library</span></strong>. Works under the direction of the Library Board of Trustees. Develops, administers, supervises and coordinates the work of the Library and staff. Performs managerial duties related to budget, collection development, library operations and services in conformity of the policies established by the Board of Trustees and the regulations of the Connecticut State Library. Hours of Work: Full-time. Thirty (30) hours per week. Qualifications, Education, Experience: The skills and knowledge required would usually be acquired with a Master’s Degree in Library Science and ten (10) years of progressively responsible library work, including five (5) years in the supervision of a Public Library major department or as a Director of a smaller Public Library. A combination of education and experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully meet the requirements of the position may be considered. Excellent communications skills and organizational skills. Ability to administer the activities of a Public Library and to supervise the work of others. Ability to develop short and long term development, plans and objectives. Current knowledge of standard Library principles and practices, concepts of freedom of speech, copyrights, collection development, patron confidentiality, censorship, and other Library ethical issues. Proficiency with computers, popular Library software, internet, digital Communications and social medias. Thorough ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with superiors, subordinates, associates, officials of other agencies, and the general public. Good customer service focus, able to handle constant interruptions. Physical demands: standing, lifting, reaching, moving office furniture when necessary. More specific duties required are available in the First Selectman’s Office, Town Hall, 10 Maple Avenue, Beacon Falls, CT 06403. Applications for this union position paying $28.46 per hour with full benefits can be picked up at the Office of the First Selectman, 10 Maple Avenue, Beacon Falls, CT from 9:00 A.M to 12:00 noon and l:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. no later than 2:30 P.M. on Friday. Applications may also be requested electronically by sending an email to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:KWilson@townofbeaconfalls.com" href="mailto:KWilson@townofbeaconfalls.com">KWilson@townofbeaconfalls.com</a>. Deadline for submission of application, resume and references to the First Selectman’s Office is Wednesday, <span style="color: red;">June 12, 2013</span>. No phone calls please. EOE.

Library Director - Beacon Falls Public Library

Library Director - Beacon Falls Public Library . Works under the direction of the Library Board of Trustees. Develops, administers, supe...

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McDonnell's years of work lead to voting rights restoration ... Cuccinelli jumps on board

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k_mb12nXU-bSUyM840DbivBHAd9TVcdf72XwtjUrqjr9Fy822sdPe-D1qyBawjcmgrnhhtZwGBHFPCSaRTaMwNksvy_EylsEmcqKEzGG93nG4nghZSx3uKZ65vZIKv5YNhnqVLj6JioI/s1600/Bob+McDonnell+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k_mb12nXU-bSUyM840DbivBHAd9TVcdf72XwtjUrqjr9Fy822sdPe-D1qyBawjcmgrnhhtZwGBHFPCSaRTaMwNksvy_EylsEmcqKEzGG93nG4nghZSx3uKZ65vZIKv5YNhnqVLj6JioI/s320/Bob+McDonnell+6.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell</i></div><br />Since 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has restored the voting rights of 4,843 nonviolent felons, a campaign goal the Republican leader has pursued for years.<br /><br />Effective July 15, he will automatically restore those rights to nonviolent felons on an individual basis, writes reporter Olympia Meola at the <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_08d1b42c-c80c-11e2-8950-0019bb30f31a.html"><i>Richmond Times-Dispatch</i></a>:<br /><blockquote>Gov. Bob McDonnell today will announce that he is automatically restoring the voting rights of nonviolent felons on an individual basis.<br /><br />The sweeping administrative action -- while not an instantaneous blanket restoration -- is as far as the governor can go within current Virginia law, administration officials said.<br />...<br />Janet Kelly, Secretary of the Commonwealth, added, "We are on the as-soon-as-possible timeline." </blockquote>Wednesday's announcement is just the latest installment on an issue McDonnell has been working on since the beginning of his administration.<br /><br />Reporter Meola explained the process:<br /><blockquote>McDonnell's change applies only to nonviolent felons. Under current procedures, there is a two-year waiting period before a nonviolent felon can apply for restoration of rights. Under the current process, the governor does not have to approve any particular application.<br /><br />McDonnell is removing the waiting period and the subjectivity. Once the administration verifies that a nonviolent felon has completed his sentence and probation or parole, and paid all fines and restitution, the governor will send the person a letter restoring his rights, provided the individual has no pending felony or misdemeanor charges.</blockquote>Staff members have said that former prosecutor McDonnell believes in punishment but he also believes in redemption and opportunity. <br /><br />"Virginia is one of only four states to permanently take away the right to vote from citizens with felony convictions," write <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/columnists-blogs/guest-columnists/article_c18839be-533d-59b2-b534-1141836873f8.html">Darrell K. White and Mark Croston</a> at the<i> Times-Dispatch</i>.<br /><br />White, president of the Baptist General Convention, and Croston, president of the Virginia Baptist State Convention, noted that "restoring voting rights sends the message that citizens who want a second chance are welcome as full members of our communities," and added:<br /><blockquote>Gov. Bob McDonnell understands this. A man of deep Christian faith himself, he has repeatedly called on the General Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment to automatically restore rights to people with nonviolent felony convictions upon completion of their sentences. “Once individuals have served their time, and paid their fines, restitution and other costs, they should have the opportunity to rejoin society as fully contributing members,” McDonnell said in a January statement. “As a nation that believes in redemption, we want more productive citizens and fewer people returning to prison.”<br />...<br />Unfortunately, the governor’s pleas to the legislature have gone unheeded. The General Assembly has refused to pass several proposals for automatic voting rights restoration, leaving no further legislative options. But there is another way. While Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli recently announced his view that McDonnell does not have the constitutional authority to issue an executive order to automatically restore civil rights for citizens with felony convictions after they have completed their sentences, we disagree with that analysis. The Virginia Constitution makes it clear that the governor has the exclusive power to do so, making a difference for hundreds of thousands of citizens who have paid their debts to society. </blockquote>Perhaps in a bit of "me, too" campaign enthusiasm, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli jumped the Governor's planned announcement with one of his own on Tuesday. <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2013/05/cuccinelli-has-change-heart-felons-voting-rights"><i>Virginian-Pilot</i></a> reporter Julian Walker took a look at Cuccinelli's change of heart<a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2013/05/cuccinelli-has-change-heart-felons-voting-rights"><i></i></a>:<br /><blockquote>Time and again during his state Senate service, Ken Cuccinelli opposed attempts to change Virginia’s Constitution so certain nonviolent felons automatically regain their voting rights.<br /><br />Now, the attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate has positioned himself at the vanguard of efforts to improve the state’s rights-restoration process, saying he has had a change of heart.</blockquote>Governor McDonnell has public opinion on his side as well as the Baptist Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Virginia, the United Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church USA, proving once again to be a leader who is willing to fight for the issues that are important for Virginians.

Bob McDonnell Janet Kelly Julian Walker Ken Cuccinelli Lynn R. Mitchell nonviolent felons Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginian-Pilot McDonnell's years of work lead to voting rights restoration ... Cuccinelli jumps on board

  Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell Since 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has restored the voting rights of 4,843 nonviolent felons, a campai...

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Facebook cracking down on hate speech

After protests from various activist groups, Facebook has <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22701082">rolled out a new policy on hate speech</a>.<br /><br />In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-safety/controversial-harmful-and-hateful-speech-on-facebook/574430655911054">post on Facebook</a>, Marne Levine, vice president of Global Public Policy, made the announcement that began:<br /><blockquote>Recently there has been some attention given to Facebook’s content policy. The current concern, voiced by Women, Action and The Media, The Everyday Sexism Project, and the coalition they represent, has focused on content that targets women with images and content that threatens or incites gender-based violence or hate. <br /><br />Many different groups which have historically faced discrimination in society, including representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, and LGBT communities, have reached out to us in the past to help us understand the threatening nature of content, and we are grateful for the thoughtful and constructive feedback we have received. In light of this recent attention, we want to take this opportunity to explain our philosophy and policies regarding controversial or harmful content, including hate speech, and to explain some of the steps we are taking to reduce the proliferation of content that could create an unsafe environment for users.<br /><br />Facebook’s mission has always been to make the world more open and connected. We seek to provide a platform where people can share and surface content, messages and ideas freely, while still respecting the rights of others. When people can engage in meaningful conversations and exchanges with their friends, family and communities online, amazingly positive things can happen.</blockquote>There followed a number of steps that Facebook hopes will prevent further issues as they noted they are constantly working to balance open communication with protection of users.<br /><br />Hundreds of comments left on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-safety/controversial-harmful-and-hateful-speech-on-facebook/574430655911054">post</a> ranged from praise to criticism as commenters debated the pros and cons of the new policy.

facebook hate speech Marne Levine Facebook cracking down on hate speech

After protests from various activist groups, Facebook has rolled out a new policy on hate speech . In a post on Facebook , Marne Levine, vic...

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the fourteen bears in summer and winter

Happy Wednesday all! How is your week moving along? We are on day three of summer vacation and I'm already worn out. We've been spending a lot of time outside and playing many many games of 'library'. Basically I sit on the floor in their room and pick out books and the girls check them out. It is one of those great games that requires minimal brain power from me and keeps the girls occupied for hours. I am a game creating genius.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTXmChfcMEFZhgYeYvodNUaxbhoGm5RJ0qo1tao-XWkzu2wtQbkB3mkniECEdPN_vZnV_2LOzQtqRnIfxFK7G1ypnp4zI_a858JzwQj3OBQ0P6hHH4DIOc3r_y1cpNhnFMJJ0dYgRaSEN/s1600/61047G33CBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTXmChfcMEFZhgYeYvodNUaxbhoGm5RJ0qo1tao-XWkzu2wtQbkB3mkniECEdPN_vZnV_2LOzQtqRnIfxFK7G1ypnp4zI_a858JzwQj3OBQ0P6hHH4DIOc3r_y1cpNhnFMJJ0dYgRaSEN/s400/61047G33CBL.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />The hot item at 'the library' these days is my absolute favorite childhood book. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fourteen-Summer-Winter-Deluxe-Golden/dp/0375832793/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369800464&sr=8-1&keywords=fourteen+bears" target="_blank">The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter</a>. The fourteen bears are kind of like the Duggars of the literary world - 12 sisters and one brother who live with their mom and dad in the forrest. They have great adventures in the summer and winter (duh, as the title implies) but what I would pour over for hours were the pictures.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIvpQD5duJcExVgURPStv93BY1dcMLvTIvSx8zMpU7giA053jb7ERcJX-VaRF9uNNc1zxDuZosG8ANJxJJUe-_s5ODZHa5O5sIx6iv7fspA2fkEJLSHsqrqdzQ4jDDOPVsPP3CxF6zUul/s1600/14bears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIvpQD5duJcExVgURPStv93BY1dcMLvTIvSx8zMpU7giA053jb7ERcJX-VaRF9uNNc1zxDuZosG8ANJxJJUe-_s5ODZHa5O5sIx6iv7fspA2fkEJLSHsqrqdzQ4jDDOPVsPP3CxF6zUul/s400/14bears.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><br />Each sister had her own tree and each tree was decorated differently. It was like House Beautiful for those under 10. You had traditional, mid century, chippendale, country; you name it they covered it. There is even a feature on how they decorated their front doors. Pure heaven.<br /><br />My copy is well loved, shall we say, and over 35 years old. So just for fun I did some digging to see if I could get a new copy. And I can, for $641.70.<br /><br />Excuse me?!<br /><br />Apparently this book went out of print not long after my sisters and I got it for Christmas and it became quite the collectors item. They started a reprint in 2005 but it went back out of print in 2008 and has been 'a get' ever since. Who knew?<br /><br />Makes me think twice about playing library with it. But part of what I love about the book is how used it is. One page even has a rug that has been colored in by...someone. I vividly remember doing it oddly enough. I was watching Punky Brewster at the time. Ah, like it was yesterday.<br /><br />Do you have any items from childhood that were a glimpse into what you wanted to do when you grew up? Any happy memories about an old book? Ever color in a book? Yeah, me neither.

the fourteen bears in summer and winter

Happy Wednesday all! How is your week moving along? We are on day three of summer vacation and I'm already worn out. We've been spen...

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Brand new smart phone Carbon Titanium S5 comes in market and it has some special thats why it makes sense to buy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="GingerNoCheckStart"></span>There is a big compititon in the budget smart phone market because of smart phone popularity amoung the peoples. So in this series there not only small companies but also big companies are going to launch cheap and low cost smart phone in the market to compite to each other. Although the big companies are defeating by new and small companies in cost. but there are some  local companies like Micromax and Carbon are giving tremdous collision.</div><br /><strong><em><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Carbon Titanium S5 </span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></em></strong><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88D4frtyKRsDuqnd11A1t1z1CRA86878Y54ICcOA2JQXaKAJgO5_1Lg_dYlAPcXvPeFWOJauvCLaI9oby-ur6XyNuDnRkmyRGzxGYZ1TR-6xOpAbFApbeazNZT5Z2cDmWr3iFb6YEylw/s1600/carbon+t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88D4frtyKRsDuqnd11A1t1z1CRA86878Y54ICcOA2JQXaKAJgO5_1Lg_dYlAPcXvPeFWOJauvCLaI9oby-ur6XyNuDnRkmyRGzxGYZ1TR-6xOpAbFApbeazNZT5Z2cDmWr3iFb6YEylw/s1600/carbon+t.jpg" /></a></div><strong><em><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></em></strong><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><brdiv div=""></brdiv></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today we giving some suggestions to buy Carbon Titanium S5 the new launch by the carbon mobile company </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> in the market by its some special features like 5 inch display catagories smart phone hows it makes sense to buy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Design of Look and Display</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4sVqQUth39gVcCydqWMWvWsa97RgUaBaP3OO16BcDHyVzAldl4d2xEMusW5R0e04dfOUEW5I_4G9inPEEELVY4QgLWW4KnyyTCl2H8ac21kJraSmsQdVScJF2-pt5qRGdV3CnDaYmJs/s1600/titanium+design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4sVqQUth39gVcCydqWMWvWsa97RgUaBaP3OO16BcDHyVzAldl4d2xEMusW5R0e04dfOUEW5I_4G9inPEEELVY4QgLWW4KnyyTCl2H8ac21kJraSmsQdVScJF2-pt5qRGdV3CnDaYmJs/s1600/titanium+design.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There is done hard work on the designing of Carbon Titanium S5 thats why it looks primium in comparision of Micromax Canvas HD.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There are some soft curve and designs who makes its very cool and wonderfull. and its back panel are glassy type.and this device is available in three colors Black,White and blue and all three colors handy are charming and attractive. But there has to keep very special care when it is putting on smooth surface to safe from slipping.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and this device is very light weighted and handy type.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: #741b47;">Operating System</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpF7LrPtS3FNe4MrHGcXpE_9gyMv-gH94ih8fHoUvwKj1BSGurDqcD7wmv5PWg2vX6Uyl0UsxQ2y-U8UZJDXT5Grs2VyT-qlSnuSLfovIuugpr_N1KiZZ5t_HUfHKqBe8UrFJsHA88DM/s1600/titaniun+os.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpF7LrPtS3FNe4MrHGcXpE_9gyMv-gH94ih8fHoUvwKj1BSGurDqcD7wmv5PWg2vX6Uyl0UsxQ2y-U8UZJDXT5Grs2VyT-qlSnuSLfovIuugpr_N1KiZZ5t_HUfHKqBe8UrFJsHA88DM/s1600/titaniun+os.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span a="undefined" c="4" closure_uid_923016508="46" id="result_box" lang="en" sd="null"><span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="140" sd="null">The Carbon mobile's Titanium</span> <span class="hps atn" closure_uid_923016508="141" sd="null">S</span><span closure_uid_923016508="142" sd="null">5</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="143" sd="null">is based</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="144" sd="null">on</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="145" sd="null">Android</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="146" sd="null">4.1.2</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="148" sd="null">jellybean OS</span><span closure_uid_923016508="149" sd="null">.</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="150" sd="null">Due to the</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="151" sd="null">updated version of</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="152" sd="null">the Android</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="153" sd="null">operating system it </span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_923016508="154" sd="null">get good performance</span><span closure_uid_923016508="155" sd="null">.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">Battery backup</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">There comes the common problem of less battery backup with android phones so here provide 2000mah battery as satisfactory work.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4LYT1thV7ROCqsvBwnw1CGupNcq_gI-Yj3qX3JMEVOCaUt_-bQgBMlJKiSk24jz4yYia8mLEt7MiBZ2W3xxzppOl0r8REru-9ZxhxT8lq2w0poEiYZfutPy1j_wR7uRm5wgIncKz62g/s1600/c+tit+backup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4LYT1thV7ROCqsvBwnw1CGupNcq_gI-Yj3qX3JMEVOCaUt_-bQgBMlJKiSk24jz4yYia8mLEt7MiBZ2W3xxzppOl0r8REru-9ZxhxT8lq2w0poEiYZfutPy1j_wR7uRm5wgIncKz62g/s1600/c+tit+backup.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">  </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: magenta;">Cost</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span a="undefined" c="4" closure_uid_167828063="46" id="result_box" lang="en" sd="null"><span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="67" sd="null">If</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="68" sd="null">you</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="69" sd="null">want to buy</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="70" sd="null">an affordable price</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="71" sd="null">smartphone</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="72" sd="null">with</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="73" sd="null">a five</span><span closure_uid_167828063="74" sd="null">-inch</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="75" sd="null">display</span><span closure_uid_167828063="76" sd="null">, the</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="77" sd="null">carbon mobile </span><span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="78" sd="null">may</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="79" sd="null">make sense</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="80" sd="null">to buy</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="85" sd="null">Carbon</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="86" sd="null">Titanium</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="87" sd="null">S</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="88" sd="null">5</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="89" sd="null">is</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="90" sd="null">worth only</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_167828063="92" sd="null">11,999 rupees</span><span closure_uid_167828063="93" sd="null">. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br />Published by <br /><a href="https://plus.google.com/102418621855646948908" rel="author">Narendra Kumar</a></div><span class="GingerNoCheckEnd"></span></div>

carbon gadget news smart phone Brand new smart phone Carbon Titanium S5 comes in market and it has some special thats why it makes sense to buy

There is a big compititon in the budget smart phone market because of smart phone popularity amoung the peoples. So in this series there not...

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Cutting Ties

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbre-us1qCa_udE4RIvuSNXhNoR8VptmC5OsrqUr7qPBbkPP_0GloCYGBNla3UEW8mTXOEZEvO64oMP_WxBGe2o-XVNGTbfAqpaLVjJYbP_51Q9KRAhfmiYlruVgtEtpJqVhScmvt-cl0/s1600/Cutting+Ties+With+Love+Family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbre-us1qCa_udE4RIvuSNXhNoR8VptmC5OsrqUr7qPBbkPP_0GloCYGBNla3UEW8mTXOEZEvO64oMP_WxBGe2o-XVNGTbfAqpaLVjJYbP_51Q9KRAhfmiYlruVgtEtpJqVhScmvt-cl0/s400/Cutting+Ties+With+Love+Family.jpg" width="400" /></a>Cheers and Happy Hump Day Peoples!!<br /><br />Y’know?  Sometimes?  One needs to cut ties.  Sometimes, things just don’t work out.  And today?  That is exactly what I am doing.<br /><br />No, you morons, I’m not cutting romantic ties with Jayman…I’m cutting romantic ties with IWS’ favorite ingénue and bit player, Schmoop.<br /><br />It’s been a great, nearly thirteen year run, and I have loved every minute of it, okay, well, except for the last few months, but overall, she is, and has been, a sweetie.<br /><br />She asked me not to mention her any longer, but well…I have to have closure (touchy, feely phrase).<br /><br />Here’s the thing, and I know some of you, including the sexy man himself, Jayman, will be pissed at me for writing this, but as I proffered earlier, here’s the thing…<br /><br />It is harder and harder to write funny stuff when I think of Schmoop’s* current frame of mind and her actions, and in fact, it has affected me and what I write and what I say on the show.<br /><br />Her attitude, especially towards me, consumes me, and I apologize.<br /><br />I can’t write as I normally do, because instead of writing something funny, I am writing about Schmoop. Shut Up!!  I do occasionally write something fumy!!  But no, and you are correct, I am always thinking of her.<br /><br />Ha…you know what pisses me off the most?  Ryno is graduating this Saturday, Schmoop and I will have more money, I’ll have no guilt, and yet?<br /><br />Schmoop goes all angst on me.  WTF?<br /><br />And I thought that <i>others </i>had bad timing.  Pfffffffffft...I win!!<br /><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank">@MattMan_IWS</a></span><br /><br />*But being the most respectful guy that I am, this is the last post that invokes her name, as requested.</div>

Cutting Ties

Cheers and Happy Hump Day Peoples!! Y’know?  Sometimes?  One needs to cut ties.  Sometimes, things just don’t work out.  And today?  That is...

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“PIPELINEISTAN”

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font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-Tb6fnGpqueWxVhDR1aGMW7zkaWsN-5xyGpfZI5wUc6zfmSBIYGxEd-u4jQjhe8Ubp4ilUPZYpwCIxhu1Fzv9X_pO8PlscFz52Pbon0BF7N1w4oZYIQXiI_uutlHPnCNXAOE5oUy0xyZ/s1600/pipeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-Tb6fnGpqueWxVhDR1aGMW7zkaWsN-5xyGpfZI5wUc6zfmSBIYGxEd-u4jQjhe8Ubp4ilUPZYpwCIxhu1Fzv9X_pO8PlscFz52Pbon0BF7N1w4oZYIQXiI_uutlHPnCNXAOE5oUy0xyZ/s1600/pipeline.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ASSAD TALKS, RUSSIA WALKS</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Pepe Escobar via AsiaTimes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Executive Summary:</span></u></b></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><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";">Nusras is pursuing al Qaeda's agenda of a greater Islamic nation</span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Aassad didn't say</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></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assad talks, Russia walks</span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don't forget “PIPELINEISTAN”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><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";">IRAN-IRAQ-SYRIA gas pipeline agreement signed in July 2012 worth us$10 billion, a “win win” situation, but not for QATAR and TURKEY <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><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";">Is “PIPELINEISTAN”- energy, once more the real reason for the civil war in SYRIA?</span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The EU oil-for-al-Qaeda scheme</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><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";">Whoever gets their hands on the oil, water and agriculture, holds Sunni SYRIA by the throat</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So Bashar al-Assad has spoken - <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/may/18/interview-bashar-al-assad-syria-international-community-video">exclusively</a>, to ARGENTINE daily El Clarin (there's a huge SYRIAN diaspora in ARGENTINA, as well as in neighboring BRAZIL). <br /><br />Cutting through the fog of WESTERN hysteria, he made some valuable points. The record shows that, yes, the regime has agreed several times to talk to the opposition; but myriad "rebel" groups with no credible, unified leadership have always refuted. So there's no way a ceasefire, eventually agreed on a summit - such as the upcoming US/RUSSIA Geneva conference - can be implemented. Assad makes some sense when he says, "We can't discuss a timetable with a party if we don't know who they are." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><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="color: #cc0000;">NUSRAS IS PURSUING AL QAEDA'S AGENDA OF A GREATER ISLAMIC NATION</span><br /><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, by now everyone following the SYRIAN tragedy knows who most of them are. One knows that the Un-Free Syrian Cannibals, sorry, Army (FSA) is a ragged collection of warlords, gangsters and opportunists of every possible brand, intersecting with hardcore jihadis of the Jabhat al-Nusra kind (but also other al-Qaeda-linked or inspired outfits). <br /><br />It took Reuters months to finally admit that jihadis are running the show on the ground. A "rebel" commander even complained to Reuters, "Nusra is now two Nusras. One that is pursuing al Qaeda's agenda of a greater Islamic nation, and another that is SYRIAN with a national agenda to help us fight Assad." What he didn't say is that the real effective outfit is al-Qaeda-linked. <br /><br />SYRIA is now Militia Hell; much like IRAQ in the mid-2000s, much like the WESTERN-imposed, "liberated" LIBYAN failed state. This AFGHANIZATION/SOMALIZATION is a direct consequence of NATO-GCC axis interference. So Assad is also right when he says the West is adding fuel to the fire, and is only interested in regime change, whatever the cost. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">WHAT ASSAD DIDN'T SAY</span> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assad is not exactly a brilliant politician - so he wasted a golden opportunity to explain to WESTERN public opinion, even briefly, why GCC petro-monarchies SAUDI ARABIA and QATAR, plus TURKEY, have the hots for setting SYRIA on fire. He could have talked about QATAR wanting to hand over SYRIA to the Muslim Brotherhood, and SAUDI ARABIA dreaming of a crypto-emirate colony. He could have talked about them both being terrified of Shi'ites in the Persian Gulf harboring legitimate Arab Spring ideals. <br /><br />He could have pointed to the absolute shambles of TURKEY'S "zero problems with our neighbors" foreign policy; one day there's a triad of collaboration Ankara-Damascus-Baghdad, the next Ankara wants regime change in Damascus and routinely antagonizes Baghdad. And on top of it TURKEY is puzzled to see KURDS emboldened from northern IRAQ to northern SYRIA. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-erratic-foreign-policies-all.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-erratic-foreign-policies-all.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-syrian-policies.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-syrian-policies.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><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></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2013/03/turkey-and-kurds.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2013/03/turkey-and-kurds.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/10/turkeys-foreign-policy-poker-game.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/10/turkeys-foreign-policy-poker-game.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />He could have detailed how BRITAIN and FRANCE inside NATO, not to mention the US, as well as their petro-monarch puppets are using the disintegration of SYRIA to hit at IRAN - and how none of these actors supplying weapons and plenty of cash, give a damn about the suffering of the "Syrian people". The only thing that matters is strategic targets. <br /><br />While Bashar al-Assad was talking, RUSSIA was walking. President Vladimir Putin - well aware that the Geneva talks are being derailed by various actors even before they happen - moved RUSSIAN naval vessels to the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN; and offered SYRIA a batch of ultra-modern ground-to-sea Yakhont missiles plus a batch of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles - the RUSSIAN equivalent to the AMERICAN Patriot. Not to mention that SYRIA already has RUSSIAN SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DON'T FORGET "PIPELINEISTAN"</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBL0AHk5hgaHQZhBqfyyvRN-omCBhuJ3U6hHk6aVM8Z-2_8G2Hava4k2-lZQtAyZg9Z2Yru8d-0G5yJcBMh3urEAAT7czx_3W55uc23Wg9EfCY6R8aTjRxj2ifZ_yAtPFL5F7u4MqI4aX7/s1600/ill06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBL0AHk5hgaHQZhBqfyyvRN-omCBhuJ3U6hHk6aVM8Z-2_8G2Hava4k2-lZQtAyZg9Z2Yru8d-0G5yJcBMh3urEAAT7czx_3W55uc23Wg9EfCY6R8aTjRxj2ifZ_yAtPFL5F7u4MqI4aX7/s400/ill06.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NATO-GCC, now try to even bypassing the UN, to unleash a mini-Shock and Awe on Damascus. Or to install a no-fly zone. QATAR and the House of SAUD, militarily, are a joke. The BRITS and FRANCE are seriously tempted, but they don't have the means - or the stomach. Washington has the means - but no stomach. Putin was dead sure the Pentagon would read his message accordingly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">TRANS ARABIAN PIPELINE “TAPLINE”</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/12/syria-cause-and-effect.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/12/syria-cause-and-effect.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><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="color: #cc0000;">IRAN - IRAQ - SYRIA GAS PIPELINE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN JULY 2012 WORTH US$10 BILLION, A “WIN WIN” SITUATION, BUT NOT FOR QATAR AND TURKEY </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGPqIXFDohGoZuxU301yYxY81SZXJB8j5dnaxuwbsNJ0D9rgnDSBendTUiiCSIOKPACsKE6pNOoXPY_s8NYnXBrWyEcmvFlTf0qCHef9O60MICOIFwyYkZ0ir5wAjy8j0zm1by8ZGBEzL/s1600/1-s2.0-S0920410512000629-gr1-e1349998373550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGPqIXFDohGoZuxU301yYxY81SZXJB8j5dnaxuwbsNJ0D9rgnDSBendTUiiCSIOKPACsKE6pNOoXPY_s8NYnXBrWyEcmvFlTf0qCHef9O60MICOIFwyYkZ0ir5wAjy8j0zm1by8ZGBEzL/s400/1-s2.0-S0920410512000629-gr1-e1349998373550.jpg" width="400" /></a><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";">Assad could also have talked about - what else - Pipelineistan. It would have taken him two minutes to explain the meaning of the agreement for the US$10 billion IRAN-IRAQ-SYRIA gas pipeline that was signed in July 2012. This crucial Pipelineistan node will export gas from the South Pars field in IRAN (the largest in the world, shared with QATAR), through IRAQ, towards SYRIA, with a possible extension to LEBANON, with certified customers in WESTERN EUROPE. It's what the CHINESE call a "win-win" situation. <br /><br />But not for - guess who? - QATAR and TURKEY. QATAR dreams of a rival pipeline from its North field (contiguous with IRAN'S South Pars field), through SAUDI ARABIA, JORDAN, SYRIA and finally TURKEY, which bills itself as the privileged energy transit hub between East and West. Final destination: once again, WESTERN EUROPE. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><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></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As in all Pipelineistan matters, the crux of the game is bypassing both IRAN and RUSSIA. That's what happens with the Qatari pipeline - frantically US-supported. But with the Iran-Iraq-SYRIA pipeline, the export route may originate nowhere else than in Tartus, the SYRIAN port in the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN that hosts the RUSSIAN navy. Gazprom would obviously be part of the whole picture, from investment to distribution. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">IS “PIPELINEISTAN”- ENERGY, ONCE MORE THE REAL REASON FOR THE CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA?</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><br /><br />Make no mistake; Pipelineistan - once again tied up with bypassing both RUSSIA and IRAN - explains a great deal about why SYRIA is being destroyed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/complexity-of-eastern-med-energy-games.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/complexity-of-eastern-med-energy-games.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE EU OIL-FOR-AL-QAEDA SCHEME</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, the real SYRIAN army - backed by Hezbollah - is methodically retaking strategic Al-Qusayr out of "rebel" control. Their next step would be to look east - where Jabhat al-Nusra is merrily profiting from another typical EU blunder; the decision to lift oil sanctions on SYRIA.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">WHOEVER GETS THEIR HANDS ON THE OIL, WATER AND AGRICULTURE, HOLDS SUNNI SYRIA BY THE THROAT</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy14AF-5zi22ULUUU9f4NFySp1SRbHtdrzVRqY0MYt6eyeX5yRQMRBRUpsKUMJXh8jeqbbubmOSoHmp1aMgX2AQCsPR3BfNNY4VVUDNqyLTUruEVIFKXtEEkqVHfeQ1Lmlaz52DUZHbfnk/s1600/Gas+Dollar+Sign_eb0e7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy14AF-5zi22ULUUU9f4NFySp1SRbHtdrzVRqY0MYt6eyeX5yRQMRBRUpsKUMJXh8jeqbbubmOSoHmp1aMgX2AQCsPR3BfNNY4VVUDNqyLTUruEVIFKXtEEkqVHfeQ1Lmlaz52DUZHbfnk/s320/Gas+Dollar+Sign_eb0e7.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SYRIA Comment blogger Joshua Landis drew the necessary conclusions; "Whoever gets their hands on the oil, water and agriculture, holds Sunni SYRIA by the throat. At the moment, that's al-Nusra. EUROPE opening up the market for oil forced this issue. So the logical conclusion from this craziness is that EUROPE will be funding al-Qaeda." Call it the EU oil-for-al-Qaeda scheme.</span></div>

“PIPELINEISTAN”

ASSAD TALKS, RUSSIA WALKS   By Pepe Escobar via AsiaTimes Executive Summary: Nusras is pursuing al Qaeda's agenda of a greater Islamic ...

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3.5 weeks To Go!

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><i>**all photos on this post, with the exception of the first one, were professionally taken by <a href="http://www.elkinks.com/" target="_blank">Emily at Elkinks Photography</a>. </i> </span></div><br />It's hard for me to imagine that I am <i>this</i> close to the end of my pregnancy.  It truly seems just like yesterday that I found out I was going to have a baby.  I remember laying on my couch in October thinking, "How am I ever going to survive this until June"?  Here we are!   <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ebA6Sp_0eQjdHrYVixAQrIAMsIfvHkuSB9PTFqoZSNRZOiAW6kyUwJgH8z5H-keuAuNEd4NO8BeTgnaarNt4r-sU_PFGW2pRm5PGtwKLycZvo90l9236iAVx2R3znJ168sUnGmdkho/s1600/36+weeks+pregnant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ebA6Sp_0eQjdHrYVixAQrIAMsIfvHkuSB9PTFqoZSNRZOiAW6kyUwJgH8z5H-keuAuNEd4NO8BeTgnaarNt4r-sU_PFGW2pRm5PGtwKLycZvo90l9236iAVx2R3znJ168sUnGmdkho/s400/36+weeks+pregnant.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 weeks</td></tr></tbody></table>If there is one thing I've learned throughout this entire process, it's that every single person responds to pregnancy differently, both physically and emotionally.   Sure, those who are able to get pregnant and carry a baby fullterm inevitably a) get pregnant and b) deliver a kid in some fashion.  But what goes on in each woman's pregnancy can vary greatly.  This isn't a bad thing!  It's just good to know that what I went through, or your mother went through, or your friend went through, doesn't automatically mean you will go through those same things when you are pregnant.   <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8kRdQGoSSYcmUDYSlUMpcz8ymPAU0m341SH_g1ygkq-0cUGkOual5lxzuylREoi-phcZSpgFG7OTA7tARhfuWFrHTyb_HoZDbmN3SwoM886PQJacSMe_0q6LQjnJi7T4mKL5oZSz3fw/s1600/facebook+prego+cover+photo+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8kRdQGoSSYcmUDYSlUMpcz8ymPAU0m341SH_g1ygkq-0cUGkOual5lxzuylREoi-phcZSpgFG7OTA7tARhfuWFrHTyb_HoZDbmN3SwoM886PQJacSMe_0q6LQjnJi7T4mKL5oZSz3fw/s400/facebook+prego+cover+photo+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />On top of that, there are so many parallels to draw between a person's weight loss journey and their pregnancy journey.  Both are physically demanding.  Both are emotionally demanding.  Both are unique to the individual.  And both involve receiving a lot of opinions, whether you asked for them or not!   And truth be told, I can say <i>all</i> these things and for some, this will not click until they go through their own journey.  That's fine too!  I am one of those people.  I've read a LOT about weight loss, and I've been around enough pregnant women to know the basics of what goes on.  But when you're not the one enduring the journey, it doesn't quite sink in the same way. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFRBSWLarMmNriaiskiGcDA6kN9uCpEl-k7Nd2Y2VgDLaNOWHFL6Z0403C0Vx-D4b7kEerDehKt-To9NC7j6v_yuwwnacfYlvgy9SVbbVXvqC6KrnuR2ssI4je-bqHLsCAJObKN8NxNE/s1600/facebook+prego+profile+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFRBSWLarMmNriaiskiGcDA6kN9uCpEl-k7Nd2Y2VgDLaNOWHFL6Z0403C0Vx-D4b7kEerDehKt-To9NC7j6v_yuwwnacfYlvgy9SVbbVXvqC6KrnuR2ssI4je-bqHLsCAJObKN8NxNE/s400/facebook+prego+profile+pic.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><br />I can now say that I am thankful to God for giving me the ability to make a human.  While I could not have seen myself voluntarily wanting to be pregnant ever in my life, I am so glad I've gone through this experience.  I know it has made me a better person because of it.  Pregnancy truly is a miracle - not only in the conception of the child, which is a miracle all on it's own, but also in how your body begins to respond to a growing human.  The hormones that automatically turn on, the way your bones start to shift, the ability of your heart to start pumping more blood through your system.  It all blows me away. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U6otWxpGmbjMVZ8kf3VS2zDU-Id1EhPiwStpFLr08tFpJygeMqk9C7WskSt9E1nWuGrZ9hCzBvpLbDc2Z_K99W9ni4sixGx1x19iiDyLU6vCapnY-2mJog_JHFUtK5ZPGWfkXSe2BEE/s1600/joel+fb+photocover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U6otWxpGmbjMVZ8kf3VS2zDU-Id1EhPiwStpFLr08tFpJygeMqk9C7WskSt9E1nWuGrZ9hCzBvpLbDc2Z_K99W9ni4sixGx1x19iiDyLU6vCapnY-2mJog_JHFUtK5ZPGWfkXSe2BEE/s400/joel+fb+photocover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />What blows me away even more is how <i>my</i> body has responded to pregnancy.  I've talked about this <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2013/04/minor-health-issues.html" target="_blank">before</a>, but it's worth jotting down again for my own sake.  I am most definitely not about to condone being overweight.  However, I feel a lot like my blogger friend <a href="http://www.coffeecakeandcardio.com/" target="_blank">Ashley</a>.  <span style="color: #999999;"><i>{</i></span><i><span style="color: #999999;">Ashley has her own weight loss journey that she talks about on her blog <a href="http://www.coffeecakeandcardio.com/" target="_blank">Coffee Cake and Cardio</a>.}</span></i>  The thing that draws me to Ashley is something I believe we share (or, rather, <i>shared</i> prior to becoming pregnant).  Ashley is very fit - she works out a ton each day, and also plays on a <a href="http://www.coffeecakeandcardio.com/category/dc-divas-football/" target="_blank">professional sports team</a> in the area.  Yet, she's talked about being ridiculed by doctors for being overweight.  Ashley has very clearly proven that the number on the scale is, just in fact, a number. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSDXPdPWznnWyPO7eo0aAUZ4CGB7tdVGHP9vXaiKg7mrVa6oeSOcSrEhpX4E_Y4VPOe5hFZ6ciwlqISm6LVdf4Rf1pe164OkWETQWIhi9PGu-ZHtOEVLWCcgTTFxASVRYKSMm308u4s4/s1600/joel+prego+fb+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSDXPdPWznnWyPO7eo0aAUZ4CGB7tdVGHP9vXaiKg7mrVa6oeSOcSrEhpX4E_Y4VPOe5hFZ6ciwlqISm6LVdf4Rf1pe164OkWETQWIhi9PGu-ZHtOEVLWCcgTTFxASVRYKSMm308u4s4/s400/joel+prego+fb+pic.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><br />By no means was I ever as fit as she is right now, but I can relate to this ridicule.  Aside from my weight, I have excellent vitals.  My blood pressure is always normal and tends to even be slightly on the lower side.  My bloodwork is always as it should be (no high cholesterol, etc).  Now, perhaps age is on my side.  However, over the last 2.5 years, I've maintained a regularly active lifestyle.  And going through this pregnancy, my body has amazed me that it has actually been able to do it's normal job, despite my being overweight.  Sure, I have aches and pains, but I know what I experience is no different than what someone half my size is going through either.  I said before, I definitely never wanted to have a baby being as overweight as I was.  It didn't seem fair to my body, and certainly not to the child.  Here I am, 3.5 weeks to go, and all appears as it should be!  I am so grateful to God for this. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODx4LdQ6-f3xi31XQUCeB_OKka-_HcXWXgXG6fxaD8v5NXzHvOogIR9tWIDMUplyF5W2y7QSJscqOORZwjFCK-lHYCWu8jp1o8b4pI9n-I5quvh1NNzQ6TGQXlMMgcFAJpL5c-KmYSdY/s1600/IMG_3487-2510797688-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODx4LdQ6-f3xi31XQUCeB_OKka-_HcXWXgXG6fxaD8v5NXzHvOogIR9tWIDMUplyF5W2y7QSJscqOORZwjFCK-lHYCWu8jp1o8b4pI9n-I5quvh1NNzQ6TGQXlMMgcFAJpL5c-KmYSdY/s400/IMG_3487-2510797688-O.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Having said <i>that</i>, I had <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2013/04/weight-gain-and-pregnancy-son-of-a.html" target="_blank">another</a> bad doctor's appointment today.  I saw that same doctor today, that I saw <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2013/04/weight-gain-and-pregnancy-son-of-a.html" target="_blank">this time around</a>.  I tried to go into this appointment mentally prepared for the weight discussion.  And sure enough it happened.  It was the first thing out of her mouth.  So I asked her what the concern was with my weight gain (I had gained 7 lbs in 2 weeks).  She rattled off a list of medical terms, throwing in "fetal death" and "hardships with recovery postpartum".   These things are all risk factors with an overweight woman.  Now, part of me wants to call b-s on this.  I know that what she's saying is what <i>could</i> happen based on studies and evidence of previous pregnancies gone wrong.  But that doesn't mean that just because I'm overweight it automatically means my child will die, or I will have a hard time healing postpartum, or all of the other medical jargon she threw at me.  And I just got done saying how proud I was of my body for being so resilient.  Yet, it doesn't lessen the sting when a medical professional tells you these things.  The last thing I'd want to happen is for my child to die simply because I was overweight during their delivery. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZ6Qt3GETk9dlOOFyDQNMXLMLlfi-xBXw9MPt2MCh42cvy3ok5n-IkhgPijRiKS7LMl7P1ypJ2zsu9faarlC0DcARIrXZmjy_NYvS3xmgF6sw_Z8SZDqRRM-1OQrp10aFyhRoia5Wkd0/s1600/IMG_3516-2496789867-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZ6Qt3GETk9dlOOFyDQNMXLMLlfi-xBXw9MPt2MCh42cvy3ok5n-IkhgPijRiKS7LMl7P1ypJ2zsu9faarlC0DcARIrXZmjy_NYvS3xmgF6sw_Z8SZDqRRM-1OQrp10aFyhRoia5Wkd0/s400/IMG_3516-2496789867-O.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />The bottom line is, it hurts.  I know she's just doing her job.  But my being overweight has reared it's ugly head yet again.  Despite that the baby has passed all of her little tests, and I have passed all of mine (gestational diabetes, other bloodwork, etc), I'm still not good enough.  As I've said, I don't condone being overweight - as soon as she is born I cannot WAIT to return to eating normally again and getting back to exercise.  I also know that part of this is my fault for being overweight, then getting pregnant.  Still, the reality of it hurts. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQlkQSYPYDTI_Zjemliioe3WbUHYaEGdOzuYzyF9L4mEwjPKo5CO06YkIe9dpO25NMbOy3KnOQLKClEmYaJvPbVLSeYNIdplXcPRUyQF3E0pvJubuyZYgrH99u1tJJwTN0mXsc1P7zR0/s1600/IMG_3744-2514952436-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQlkQSYPYDTI_Zjemliioe3WbUHYaEGdOzuYzyF9L4mEwjPKo5CO06YkIe9dpO25NMbOy3KnOQLKClEmYaJvPbVLSeYNIdplXcPRUyQF3E0pvJubuyZYgrH99u1tJJwTN0mXsc1P7zR0/s400/IMG_3744-2514952436-O.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The appointment today ended with orders to get a "rate of growth" ultrasound.  If the baby is measuring too large at this point, I will be offered an elective c-section.  How embarrassing, and how awful of a person am I that I might have to have a c-section simply because my child is too big before the 40 week mark... and too big because of me.  How would I even make that kind of decision?  She said they'd offer it to me, but I could also just continue on to see how things go.  So, if I continue on to see how things go, and the baby goes into distress because now she's even bigger because I've waited <i>and</i> because I'm overweight, then what kind of person am I? <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64SewLLOVSES8L8axu-mZmVbKimg_MPw12PZNCF1C1qDLU2InmMetgv3nMKX7ZfGhfT9_AVWKdI_x1S5Wa7hPm1dLN_LPZ7JEBHFLSkMyl8TEi4q49LuoHpJGLas9N3stCPlU1zwBo3g/s1600/IMG_3510-2510902412-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64SewLLOVSES8L8axu-mZmVbKimg_MPw12PZNCF1C1qDLU2InmMetgv3nMKX7ZfGhfT9_AVWKdI_x1S5Wa7hPm1dLN_LPZ7JEBHFLSkMyl8TEi4q49LuoHpJGLas9N3stCPlU1zwBo3g/s400/IMG_3510-2510902412-O.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />I pray nothing happens to her or to myself during these next few weeks that remain. <br /><br /><br /><i>**all photos on this post, with the exception of the first one, were professionally taken by <a href="http://www.elkinks.com/" target="_blank">Emily at Elkinks Photography</a>. </i>

Baby Busbee Pregnancy 3.5 weeks To Go!

**all photos on this post, with the exception of the first one, were professionally taken by  Emily at Elkinks Photography .    It's har...

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Broken Silo

If you've ever visited the contact page for architectural photographer <a href="http://timothyhursley.com/">Timothy Hursley</a>, you've probably wondered about that warped structure that is represented in four photos at different angles.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sm4MX_FkXVanigNrUWxidlcSkLVAdgy2kr0aXc1CSGtpdtoKxvaWuuBwURDmRnHDiPvZogBrCCtt-Qfb1cTzsFoJO9NqU2EuHyLENZgiepIiRFW1DhqkSQdRLcotd84RUV4vld92wsza/s1600/hursley.jpg" /><br />[Screenshot of <a href="http://timothyhursley.com/">timothyhursley.com</a>]<br /><br />Some insight comes in the form of "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qj5yME3zh2c">The Beauty of a Broken Silo</a>," a seven-minute film from Oxford American that is definitely worth watching:<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Qj5yME3zh2c?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />(Thanks to Keith Z. for the heads up via Facebook.)<br /><br /><b>Update 05.31:</b> Timothy Hursley pointed out to me that <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/twisted_silo_baseball_cap-233895872005911705">there are even hats</a> with the "twisted silo" on it!<br /><a href="http://www.zazzle.com/twisted_silo_baseball_cap-233895872005911705"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98fak9NvVef1G-LHQ4AozIV_8VUqYqOTyf9gxJwRKDARlLZMxcrAL_Fy2qjQNYC31_UW5S3pXziHX3dv-O_dtkvdgGM5f806nGCsfkhPJR65Q5gumdCGchDnzw_HTPUc0W7mgJwDms7RG/s1600/twisted-silo.jpg" /></a>

Broken Silo

If you've ever visited the contact page for architectural photographer Timothy Hursley , you've probably wondered about that warped ...

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 offer advanced feature camera

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJxcAzsqBe05zJgUxgOeDZNNuLg26jUuj96aoMPrektR513vxoMvWa_jtMtr_njEuFqviexS8YIVktdAQ6xO-PBbdMV-owtDCQfrNFgMuuYh3lq1R3bFxgz4dtJa_kwVWPPhIlpN6Ybk/s320/Samsungglaxynote2.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 could see some major enhancements to its onboard camera.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Due out in the second half of 2013, the next Note may sport a 13-megapixel camera with an anti-shake feature designed to capture higher-quality pictures. Citing "industry insiders," Korean site ETNews claims that Samsung's mobile communications team is developing technologies to bring</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OSI and shutter functions to the Note 3, putting it more on par with traditional digital cameras.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An official from the communications division reportedly told ETNews that "we are pondering various technologies at this stage -- for example, OIS and shutter functions.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Best features of the Samsung Galaxy:-</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br /><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mmersive screen with smartphone portability</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easy tasking on the full screen</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free capturing and creation</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Powerful performance</span></li><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div>Published by <br /><a href="https://plus.google.com/112865615030946176397" rel="author">Priyanka</a>

Camera galaxy mobile phone samsung Tablet Samsung Galaxy Note 3 offer advanced feature camera

Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 could see some major enhancements to its onboard camera. Due out in the second half of 2013, the next Note may s...

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/28/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/222010/digested-sucks-notes-and-highlights-from-ibooks-and-spits-them-out-in-evernote-or-pdf/">Digested Sucks Notes And Highlights From iBooks And Spits Them Out In Evernote or PDF | Cult of Mac</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">If you use iBooks and have a mac, this program called Digested will pull your notes and highlights from iBooks into evernote.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="https://drive.google.com/keep/">Google Keep</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Here's the link to Google's new notetaking service. Honestly, I used to depend on Google notebook. Because I've lost so much with Google lately, I don't want to go back and depend on something else I'll lose. You can't tag the note but you can add a color to it. This is definitely something missing in the Google suite of services as schools are having to pick between Evernote and One Note, the two most prominent and ubiquitous services out currently.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/google">google</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/notebook">notebook</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/notetaking">notetaking</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edu_news">edu_news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edu_newapp">edu_newapp</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57586066-285/how-to-set-reminders-in-evernote/">How to set reminders in Evernote | How To - CNET</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">You can now set reminders in Evernote, here's how. (A student might want to remind themselves with a note about the quiz and a quick study guide, etc.)</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/notetaking">notetaking</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://lifehacker.com/everclip-automatically-imports-your-ios-clipboard-to-ev-477580643">EverClip Automatically Imports Your iOS Clipboard to Evernote</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Yes, you can clip from your ipad or iphone screen into Evernote using this handy app. "Once you're done clipping, hop back over to EverClip to organize your note. You can select any combination of the clippings to add to Evernote, rearrange them, add an additional photo or text note, then export it to your default Evernote notebook."</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/ipad">ipad</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/ios">ios</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/iphone">iphone</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://edudemic.com/2013/01/create-digital-portfolios/">How To Use Google Drive and Evernote To Create Digital Portfolios</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">ePortfolios can be done in just about any medium, with Google Drive and Evernote being two of the easiest. Here's Edudemic's guide for this.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/efolio">efolio</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/Google">Google</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/drive">drive</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://notanotherhistoryteacher.edublogs.org/2012/11/26/part-6-staying-secure-with-evernote/">Part 6: Staying Secure with Evernote</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Evernote security tips.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/245623">Evernote for Educators - LiveBinder</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">A lovely livebinder about Evernote and the uses in the classroom.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://help.studyblue.com/studyblue/topics/how_do_i_sync_my_studyblue_and_evernote_accounts">How do I connect my StudyBlue and Evernote accounts?</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">You can link Study Blue and evernote to pull your notes and study guides together.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/eduapp">eduapp</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='https://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/28/2013

Digested Sucks Notes And Highlights From iBooks And Spits Them Out In Evernote or PDF | Cult of Mac ...

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