EDC = Every Day Carry

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig60s-zc3WQa3zooqpFaParTCoJH93qs506OEmg1b_RI9v0fe93lI94k_gTfF-c7xFyYPMoNXMjU51N-qlz9zS2HQb7JsfZ35EifhPyV6wNJush9zQR3fs3TD0NfuX-JKg2hEGKQnvLJY/s1600/IMG_5404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig60s-zc3WQa3zooqpFaParTCoJH93qs506OEmg1b_RI9v0fe93lI94k_gTfF-c7xFyYPMoNXMjU51N-qlz9zS2HQb7JsfZ35EifhPyV6wNJush9zQR3fs3TD0NfuX-JKg2hEGKQnvLJY/s320/IMG_5404.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> I may need a guest writer for this entry because I am an absolute EDC novice. Most people have at least one EDC item on their person: car keys; a wallet; a phone; a prophylactic device (kids, don't ask); etc. I'm here to tell you that one item is not enough. According to well established EDC principles, you must keep on your person as much as humanly possible. Every. Day. To demonstrate, the picture over there to the right is exactly what my keychain looked like back in October 2011. I didn't carry anything else other than my wallet and phone. In fact, my theory at that time was "less is more." These days, "more is more."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FQFUZNfc705p3ggkfjBfWWko2I1KAvvM7_P-ZIztwaZ0lIi78jDsvMYE-AiFrYwmYIaEvcfkywZGGosaQ2zp-npEMxF0OZfTqWv60jOBhf2uyAvku5eiaqcUBpFgY0Ry4rOJ4Tiw-Lk/s1600/IMG_5406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FQFUZNfc705p3ggkfjBfWWko2I1KAvvM7_P-ZIztwaZ0lIi78jDsvMYE-AiFrYwmYIaEvcfkywZGGosaQ2zp-npEMxF0OZfTqWv60jOBhf2uyAvku5eiaqcUBpFgY0Ry4rOJ4Tiw-Lk/s320/IMG_5406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> October 2011 is when I acquired a decent keychain flashlight: the Photon X-Light Micro. At the time, I didn't even know what the acronym "EDC" stood for (what, "Electronic Direct Current"?). Nor did I care . . . I just needed a damn light to find keyholes and avoid walking into scooters, basketballs, rocks, Beyblades, and skateboards on the way to my car. The little light also proved to be very useful for certain situations, i.e., scenarios where one might say something like "I need some light." This light remains on my keychain to this day, as shown in my loadout picture.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Let me be clear that carrying a boad load of crap is a 180 degree paradigm shift for me because until very recently I liked the streamlined feel that empty pockets provide. In fact, my EDC gear is still fairly minimalist in comparison to the stuff carried by real EDC junkies such as the nice folks over at <a href="http://edcforums.com/" target="_blank">EDC Forums</a> or the people who show off their gear on <a href="http://everyday-carry.com/" target="_blank">Everyday-Carry.Com</a>. Honestly, my stuff is realistic and reasonably practical for MY needs.  I'm not a mechanic, I don't work outdoors, and I'm not in law enforcement. I don't need a pry bar or a pistol. I don't climb mountains and, therefore, don't need a rope cinching device. Sometimes I wish I was a border patrol car mechanic by day slash search and rescue volunteer by night so that I could rationalize more EDC gear, but "computer staring desk monkey" is reality. That reality doesn't call for much in the EDC department.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In the second picture, from left to right: keychain with Photon X-Light Micro and an HP USB drive; Moleskine softcover pocket notebook; Benchmade Mini-Griptilian knife; Zebra SL-F1 ballpoint pen; and FourSevens Preon P1 flashlight. Not shown are my wallet and phone (which I'm embarrassed to show because it's lame). I tend to unload my keychain when I'm at work or at home, which is why I always carry the Preon P1 flashlight in my pocket. I have other knives that I switch out from week to week, but I always try to keep at least one on me at all times, because that is the tool that gets the most use. For example, that knife was used to open the Amazon boxes for the USB drive, the Preon, and the Moleskine.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> So that's a quick summary of how the EDC concept has invaded my life. Are there any essential items that I'm missing?</div> </div>

EDC = Every Day Carry

I may need a guest writer for this entry because I am an absolute EDC novice. Most people have at least one EDC item on their person: ca...

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The Acquisition Process Flow

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Um9o_Ate-a8RQQVz_Zd-9uoKt6WfNqPZNKBR2RXAWY-X0E956gPC_j0TG9nZ5wJgfzn9kX221e6xlECIiE5HAtroqYOZs7uAD2jwDu8e4KdfzzpzW7tpyGxQCNR3wqta-ochLw9nC4/s1600/20120808+-+DA+process+flow2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Um9o_Ate-a8RQQVz_Zd-9uoKt6WfNqPZNKBR2RXAWY-X0E956gPC_j0TG9nZ5wJgfzn9kX221e6xlECIiE5HAtroqYOZs7uAD2jwDu8e4KdfzzpzW7tpyGxQCNR3wqta-ochLw9nC4/s400/20120808+-+DA+process+flow2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The theme of this blog relates to my thought process for getting interested in stuff. I thought that a self-explanatory flow chart would make sense. When I preview this post, however, the image of the flow chart is blurry. It might be readable if you click on it; I'm not sure. So this might be a failed experiment.</div> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Even though I said the flow chart is self-explanatory, let me explain. The process begins with a seed of curiosity, which may come from a friend, a news article, a real world experience, a TV commercial, another blog, an Internet forum, etc. For instance, my interest in Japanese denim jeans came from a post I read on <a href="http://www.head-fi.org/t/445976/the-jeans-fi-thread" target="_blank">Head-Fi</a> of all places. The seed germinates into a round of preliminary research that determines whether or not I remain at least somewhat interested in the topic. If not, I'll just spend more time on Head-Fi, no worries. If so, the initial research becomes a whole lotta research, which typically makes me want to acquire one or more items (pens, ridiculously spendy jeans, headphones, whatever).</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A normal person would just pull the trigger and buy something, especially if it's inexpensive like, say, a PEN that costs a buck fifty. Not me. I tend to get stuck in a loop of analysis paralysis during which additional research is performed before ultimately making a purchase. My theory is that informed consuming is the only way to go to prevent buyer's remorse and to ensure that you are getting the best possible product for whatever your budget might be. This sounds great in theory. In practice, however, it can become difficult for me to follow the "No" branch of the analysis paralysis decision box. Because I'm cheap. And because I know that I spend too much money on things that most people find stupid, compulsive, and/or excessive.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> So there you have it. This is my process.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Update (about two hours after making this post): I am currently in the "Perform In-Depth Research" step regarding shaved ice machines. LOL, there goes my morning.</div> </div>

The Acquisition Process Flow

The theme of this blog relates to my thought process for getting interested in stuff. I thought that a self-explanatory flow chart would ...

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Open Borders "Conservatives" Win Election

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /> </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPX7j6LPuEaKx87p4-5rSBmusfW2_UjrbZ0j7D6PAxbMoK3txghmBdDrr7GU2Ht2WGC-TH4PCK9DpUAeTTubUkGmbcL9rlFpCIDkTaf0BJqm4r4k0C0dOy0C7jMXW313GkLKssVtsde6U/s1600/11marinelepenMPI.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Anti-immigration National Front leader Marine Le Pen</span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Suicide by "Conservatism"</span></u></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li><u><b><span style="color: blue;">The Death of the West</span></b></u> - 75% of French voters opposed the anti-immigration Nation Front Party in elections Sunday.  Right of center voters knee-jerked and supported the open borders "Conservatives" of the UPM.</li> <li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">Both the Socialists and former "Conservative" UMP President Nicolas Sarkozy </span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="background-color: white;">called for a “mobilization” of voters next week to defeat the anti-immigration National Front.</span></span></li> <li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">The Islamization of Europe goes on and on.</span></li> </ul> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">(<i>New York Times</i>)  -  French voters turned toward right-leaning parties in local elections held Sunday across the country, signaling their disappointment and frustration with </span>France<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">’s governing Socialist Party.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, they did not appear to flock in droves to the far-right party, the National Front, although it appeared to make a stronger showing than in any previous local elections, according to exit polls and some early returns on the Interior Ministry’s election website.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo5aUl3HGlkYN5j9Y9CcVCv51GcVpzX-u5Mzq6WTw_yQWlsDtbTThD4ZVTdkII6zMvLn24LqKCLbZJswylU7O0dKkS9AXKHqUQCbZNWXdLOVSNXteKMM-TME_fZmbTVaXFTRwYzwdw5Q/s400/11islamic-eiffel.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“This is the first layer of the 2017 presidential election,” said Michaël Darmon, the chief political editor at the news network i-Télé.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Exit polls showed the mainstream conservative party, <b><u>the Union for a Popular Movement, and allied center-right parties taking about <span style="color: red;">30</span> percent of the vote and the National Front about <span style="color: red;">25</span> percent. About <span style="color: red;">20</span> percent went to the Socialists</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white;">, while other left-leaning parties had far smaller numbers.</span></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If those figures prove accurate once complete returns are in, they will mean that the National Front advanced considerably from the 15 percent it received in the first round of similar local elections in 2011 and that the Socialists lost ground, dropping from 25 percent in 2011.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">Voters on Sunday chose 4,108 representatives on local councils in </span>France<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">’s 101 departments, which are administrative subdivisions somewhere between a state and a county but with relatively little power in the highly centralized French government. Parties could put forward a two-person ticket; if no team received more than 50 percent of the ballots, the top pairs in each district will head to a runoff next Sunday.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leaders from each of the three main parties claimed a victory of sorts. Prime Minister Manuel Valls, a Socialist, said that even if the Socialists did not do well, the total number of voters who cast a ballot for left-leaning parties was the same as those on the right.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Mr. Valls and former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was recently elected to lead the Union for a Popular Movement, or the UMP, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>called for a “mobilization” of voters next week to defeat the National Front.</u></b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Mr. Sarkozy stopped short of calling on voters to support Socialist candidates in the runoffs in order to stop a National Front candidate from winning. In contrast, Mr. Valls said </span><span style="background-color: white;">voters should vote for anyone who was running against the National Front. He also <i>implored left-leaning voters</i> to band together “and adopt a clear position against the extreme right.”</span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rQWqH5OKulcCOUoLjGY4uFTwe6iIcpFFPdiHVwSmZ-HeRq1WBsm9rYJ2B0FrZqydGTotV6l_gIn1aPFTFlUsq-iY-roTdA3hofFjDZrDivby2KlNkM4wdg04chZ-t1qparhr_AW7T88/s320/11eurabia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before the election, many analysts noted that while the conservative and center-right parties had managed to form coalitions, the left remained fractured. Some French analysts also saw the Socialists’ losses as a referendum on the presidency of François Hollande, who has been unable to make significant progress on promises to improve the economy, reduce unemployment and overhaul the system of social benefits to make them more sustainable.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;">The National Front, once seen as a fringe party, has </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/world/seeking-new-heights-in-france-national-front-thinks-locally.html" style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;" target="_blank" title="The New York Times, Sept. 30, 2014">sought to broaden its appeal</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"> in recent years, seizing on dissatisfaction with Mr. Hollande and the economy, disarray within the UMP, and widening resentment of immigrants in France. Its leader, Marine Le Pen, projects an image as a pragmatic nationalist who is tough, patriotic and accessible.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What emerged clearly in this election is the “tripolarization” of the French political landscape, said Thomas Guénolé, a political analyst. He pointed to the development of three distinct strands: the mainstream right and left parties, both contending with internal troubles, and the National Front, which has gained ground over the last few elections.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nearly half of France’s eligible voters cast their ballots on Sunday. It is difficult to get a clear sense of voters’ bottom line, however, until after the runoffs. While the National Front historically does well in the first round of voting, it has not in the past been able to maintain that momentum into the second round. Although it will be a contender, few people believe it will even win enough seats to control any department in France.</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/world/europe/frances-conservative-parties-show-strength-in-local-elections.html?_r=0" target="_blank">Read More . . . . </a><br /><br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Rs2mY_1rkM2WBsB3oMJBNoge3lnyomgkxduBQZ5aFF7JEM0gQMDD6jLIpbCvmiwX_Mg6xBJhZJ3o488-Yw6ww7mgAHKNwofCbaQ79z6yzrlzKdHRQhqiyfDzHeBtcCROKrB0Jwi_PvQ/s1600/11france.jpg" /></a></div> </div>

Open Borders "Conservatives" Win Election

Anti-immigration National Front leader Marine Le Pen Suicide by "Conservatism" The Death of the West - 75% of F...

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US-Trained Militias Far More Terrifying than Taliban

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYgDDY5cKdoLbGHBR4V3T1F9JTEZl21pfd6gmHXDEHJwZOhAYS4Rz3ds48NM-f9SePzmFyeOnDlg3H9IwljR8vuhlrZwwOraNras9KGfbrbUBh-ZJqa7xJWyEtQlXsw3TGGbh-gEXzng/s1600/11afghan.jpg" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">"Which side are we on today?"</span></u></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li>Neither the Russians nor the Americans ever had enough troops to truly control Afghanistan.  To make up for the lack of manpower we now see U.S. backed thug-like militias to enforce their own brand of "Law & Order".  That will really make the locals love America.</li> </ul> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="239" data-total-count="239" id="story-continues-1" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> KABUL, Afghanistan (<i>New York Times</i>)  —  Rahimullah used to be a farmer — just a “normal person living an ordinary life,” as he put it. Then he formed his own militia last year and found himself swept up in America’s exit strategy from Afghanistan.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="251" data-total-count="490" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> With about 20 men loyal to him, Rahimullah, 56, soon discovered a patron in the United States Special Forces, who provided everything he needed: rifles, ammunition, cash, even sandbags for a guard post in Aghu Jan, a remote village in Ghazni Province.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="144" data-total-count="634" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Then the Americans pulled out, leaving Rahimullah behind as the local strongman, and as his village’s only defense against a Taliban takeover.<br /> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="247" data-total-count="881" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"> <b><u>“We are shivering with fear,”</u></b></span> said one resident, Abdul Ahad. Then he explained: He and his neighbors did not fear the Taliban nearly as much as they did their protectors, Rahimullah’s militiamen, who have turned to kidnappings and extortion.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="192" data-total-count="1073" id="story-continues-2" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Mr. Ahad ran afoul of them in January, he said in a telephone interview. Militiamen hauled him to a guard station and beat him so badly that neighbors had to use a wheelbarrow to get him home.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="313" data-total-count="1386" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Scattered across Afghanistan, men like Rahimullah continue to hold ground and rule villages. They are a significant part of the legacy of the American war here, brought to power amid a Special Operations counterinsurgency strategy that mobilized anti-Taliban militias in areas beyond the grasp of the Afghan Army.</div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="313" data-total-count="1386" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0nGqKK6KtWxHD5YYTPqY4ArePDns_DGz7jLGgnJPjh4o55rtbD7vacyNJ6TKI3DGfNajKBbi4r3ngraRpMPjITRt9fNsOnFYVSSkRBawKrEpeZZRLKZqUVVc6YQZz-AB5gi7vo6H4nU/s1600/11militias-web-superJumbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="caption-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Members of the Afghan local police from Kandahar </i></span></span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="313" data-total-count="1386" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="372" data-total-count="1758" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> From the start, some Afghan officials, including former President Hamid Karzai, objected to the Americans’ practice of forming militias that did not answer directly to the Afghan government. They saw the militias as destabilizing forces that undermined the government’s authority and competed with efforts to build up large and professional military and police forces.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="75" data-total-count="1833" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Now, many of those concerns have become a daily reality in Afghan villages.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="143" data-total-count="1976" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>“For God’s sake, take these people away from us,”</u></b></span> Mr. Ahad, 36, said of Rahimullah’s militiamen. “We cannot stand their <b><u><span style="color: red;">brutality</span></u></b>.”<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="168" data-total-count="2144" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> About 50 miles northeast of Mr. Ahad’s village, other anti-Taliban fighters arrested a 13- or 14-year-old boy in January and then killed him, the boy’s father said.</div> <div class="ad moses-ad nocontent robots-nocontent hidden" id="Moses" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="191" data-total-count="2335" id="story-continues-3" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> And in the northern province of Kunduz, men in a militia that had received American support raped a 15-year-old boy last year after forcing him to join, according to a United Nations inquiry.<br /> <br /> From the beginning of the American presence here, the United States doled out cash to militias and warlords. Paramilitary forces were raised to guard American bases. The C.I.A. trained and funded at least <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/world/asia/21intel.html?_r=2&" target="_blank">six paramilitary </a>forces, with names such as the Khost Protection Force and 0-4, to pursue the Taliban and Al Qaeda.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF0ajdmQZ2e0-t0gZXf-NBkQKpHwDWC_Kp0XuLWsLiU4wm_2egPB3WAEEyjZ9cFBpYrUO1CdOSIdu_n7mq06h-CX01_pVrzRWT8hKy-AjTsXMs9GtRQFcR3r1DPkUISLLsRFKFjBtolM/s1600/11afghanistan_laghman_09.05.11.gif" width="400" /></a></div> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="320" data-total-count="2655" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> The Afghan Local Police program, with nearly <b><u><span style="color: blue;">30,000 Special Forces-trained militiamen</span></u></b> nominally answering to the central government, is the biggest and best-known result of the American counterinsurgency strategy, and it has been successful in places. But reports of abuses and banditry by units in the program have hurt its reputation.</div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Then there are militia groups like Rahimullah’s that have also received American training or support over the years but operate under even less oversight.</div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> In Ghazni Province, the drive to create militias gained momentum after a series of anti-Taliban uprisings in 2012 emerged in areas once considered lost. Until they pulled out of Ghazni’s districts last year, <span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>American Special Operations units gave cash, ammunition and even armored vehicles to men who had little or no official connection to the Afghan government and were often <span style="color: red;">former insurgents</span> themselves.</u></b></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="336" data-total-count="2991" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="319" data-total-count="3875" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> One of them is Abdullah, a militia commander with a chiseled, almost gaunt face, who wishes “my brothers,” as he still calls the American Special Forces soldiers, had not left late last year. “Whatever they wanted me to do, I would do for them,” he said. “If they tell me to kill someone, I will kill them.”<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="160" data-total-count="4035" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> The Americans, he said, had once fought alongside him in Ghazni’s Andar district, offering a sense of discipline — not to mention firepower and air support.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="323" data-total-count="4358" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Abdullah described the growing desperation and brutality of a war he and his 150 men now fight mostly alone against the Taliban. Abdullah said 11 of his men were killed in their sleep in late January by a Taliban infiltrator posing as a new recruit. Then the Taliban followed up with a coordinated attack on his guard post.</div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="425" data-total-count="5035" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="217" data-total-count="5252" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> “After they killed my son, they said he was involved in planting bombs on roadsides and cooperating with the Taliban fighters,” Mr. Mohammad said. But he added that his son had had no involvement with the Taliban.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="126" data-total-count="5378" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Abdullah insisted that he did not kill civilians. The Taliban, he said, not he, were responsible for escalating the brutality.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="184" data-total-count="5562" id="story-continues-6" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> Abdullah recalled the Americans lecturing him about the laws of war and human rights, but those notions barely seemed to register. He admitted to desecrating the bodies of his enemies.<br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="99" data-total-count="5661" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> “Yes, dead bodies are left on the ground,” he said. <b><u><span style="color: blue;">“We drag their dead bodies with a car.”</span></u></b><br /> </div> <div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="164" data-total-count="6306" itemprop="articleBody" style="text-align: justify;"> “These uprisers, they are like roundworms in your stomach,” said Khial Mohammad Hussaini, a tribal elder from Ghazni Province. “They are eating everything.”</div> <div class="ad ad-placeholder nocontent robots-nocontent" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/world/asia/afghan-militia-leaders-empowered-by-us-to-fight-taliban-inspire-fear-in-villages.html?_r=0" target="_blank">Read the full article . . . . </a></div> </div>

US-Trained Militias Far More Terrifying than Taliban

"Which side are we on today?" Neither the Russians nor the Americans ever had enough troops to truly control Afghani...

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College bans Christian group for requiring leaders to be Christian

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1YuzHlZAX_T6vhuXC_mE6YJTji-TeQ8gu7hkKY5XworStBAloop7HSBKR3NbGLnRCC_7javMN5HicdDoNONJnqJuYQ0kyGi-wRdU4UQc1_LUrtz6Ju6B2M55FMtumbgQhBRIBMopiuQ/s1600/11cristiani-iran.jpg" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Freedom of Religion - Not in California</span></u></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">"Liberal" educators now act as the shock troops </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">for politically incorrect intolerance.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">(<i>Christian News</i>)  -  A Christian campus organization has lost recognition from its university and been accused of “religious discrimination” for not allowing non-Christians to hold leadership positions in the group.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Chi Alpha is a national student ministry organization with a presence in over 300 college campuses across the United States. According to the group’s website, Chi Alpha exists to “reconcile students to Christ, equipping them through Spirit-filled communities of prayer, worship, fellowship, discipleship and mission to transform the university, the marketplace and the world.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">On September 11, 2014, Chi Alpha’s chapter at California State University-Stanislaus was informed by the university that </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>the group would no longer be recognized as a campus organization.</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white;"> The school accused the organization of religious discrimination and abruptly severed ties with the Christian group.</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJcmnJGaltZhEs2EZb14eSIJZoFReT19IQ9PXMmbxk0U5dnsjO29lUC9DuxrZ6ikpEpty1bwQq7-E1ZxR-8xvBNPKQRgkvPHiciV5MkqqYj_G4dKVD0VwVk_DeftHhyphenhyphenbotBHgq741dbs/s320/Flag_of_Communist_California.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">In a <a href="http://www.becketfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3-16-15_XA-letter-to-CSUS_email3.pdf" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">letter</a> mailed last week to Cal State Stanislaus, Chi Alpha’s National Director, E. Scott Martin, explained that the Christian group was effectively “exiled from campus.”</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">“Within twenty-four hours, <b><u><span style="color: blue;">university personnel </span><span style="color: red;">locked</span><span style="color: blue;"> Chi Alpha students out of their reserved meeting space</span></u></b> and forced them to hold their meetings off campus—in effect our Chi Alpha chapter was exiled from campus,” Martin wrote. “The harm from these incidents is ongoing, as it continues to affect Chi Alpha’s student members to this day.”</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Chi Alpha was allegedly kicked off the Cal State Stanislaus campus because, although any student can become a member of the group, its leaders must affirm the organization’s Christian beliefs. University officials claim that this requirement violates the school’s non-discrimination policy.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">“No campus shall recognize any fraternity, sorority, living group, honor society, or other student organization that discriminates on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability,” states the university’s official policy.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">However, Chi Alpha leaders argue that the organization’s standards for group leaders are simply common sense.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">“How can someone lead us if they don’t share our mission?” said Bianca Travis, president of the Chi Alpha chapter at Cal State Stanislaus, in a <a href="http://www.becketfund.org/chialphalettertocalstate/" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">press release</a>. “It’s impossible to genuinely lead a worship service or Bible study unless you believe what you’re teaching.”</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px none; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is representing Chi Alpha, urging the university to reinstate the organization.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://christiannews.net/2015/03/23/college-ministry-kicked-off-campus-for-requiring-leaders-to-be-christian/" target="_blank">Read More . . . . </a><br /><br /></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyFcT6yiYG-_vrWGD5o2ON7QyBglmhjmUrfh5TW7rujE1i4FQYZuqL74C13OYphc8sHp00sk23qMLazcBQWt3h9BKw7c1a8Zxre-GJK1j485vW9Pz0P74czq7bxSjnJ-dUqnA6hyphenhyphenmde0/s1600/11Christian-Persecution.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">.You can add the People's Republic of California to the list.</a></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjox3WTCgQzIXEYP4PLn2LzWegQYRtBtkzqLh4nAbYUlzPphyphenhyphendnbijxB4ReLkrDCwUFT8cpOQmZbyLfX_XLghSdF1D1dCpipaCMMVSXA6EWR76sKK1iq2colW_JAkYT3G88EG3-LxWc64s/s1600/liberal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> </div>

College bans Christian group for requiring leaders to be Christian

Freedom of Religion - Not in California "Liberal" educators now act as the shock troops  for politically incorrect in...

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Iranian official: "All of the Middle East is Iranian"

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Pa6UEToYYUUa6e7iFjup3sAbVc4lOesfMi8-xgh_g2SzwvvAwGjHVyzBaj7tkMSCw1rzAC3mGUKLe4jaUR1VrUzG1nQyfSyieRBBpMsD-pmP1voB47DWQpM8CuJdel57lxcvkUSENn0/s1600/11iran22.jpg" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Persian Empire Reborn</span></u></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Today, Iran has become an empire again, as it was throughout history. <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><b><u>Its capital is Baghdad</u></b>,</span> the center of our culture and identity as in the past. The geography of Iran and Iraq is indivisible, just as our culture is indivisible. <span style="background-color: white;">All of the Middle East is Iranian</span> and its people are part of Iran. We intend to form an Iranian Union in this region.”</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/721966" target="_blank">Iranian Presidential Adviser Ali Younesi</a></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(<i>Rudaw News</i>)  -  Iran is once again an empire whose influence extends to Iraq and beyond, a top Iranian presidential advisor said Sunday, days after Saudi Arabia expressed alarm that “Iran is taking over Iraq."</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">”</span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“At the moment Iraq is not only the bastion of our civilization, it is also our identity, culture and capital and this is true now as in the past,” Ali Younesi, an advisor to the Iranian president said at a forum on Iran’s ethnic identifies.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">.</span></span></span></div> <div style="outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">“The geography of Iran and Iraq cannot be divided,”</span><span style="background-color: white;"> said Younesi, a former intelligence minister, speaking at a Tehran forum titled “Iran: nationality, history and heritage."</span></span></span></div> <div style="outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white;">” </span></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFacNQ9Zt2s7-wHUTOmYSz2iGXRfJyUzhaE1BHPeAc7fApSDx9BK2NNrnRh-iK4gKtI34Yy7URpRboDEBV5VtRB0oZgZmrSz-q6PcPDm4iK6AreIRrGWNDMPEED58_GZocQdyAtJzt3pA/s1600/11iran.jpg" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“All of the Middle East is Iranian,” Younesi declared, warning that no one had the right to oppose Iran’s influence in the region.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">.</span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He said that people now living in neighboring countries are also Iranian “because their countries were separated from the empire east and west."</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">”</span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Protecting our security and historical national identity would not be possible unless we look at our influence in the region,” the ISNA news agency quoted Younesi as saying.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">.</span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iran “does not eye beyond its borders but a natural unification in the region is on the table right now,” he declared.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">. </span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I do not mean that we should once again conquer the world, I mean that we have to remain vigilant and know where we stand,” he said. “We have to think globally but act Iranian."</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">”</span> </span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Younesi said that, as Iranian forces back the Iraqi army in its war with Islamic State (ISIS), “our historical rivals are upset and they help our enemies to spite us."</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;">” </span></span></span></div> <div style="outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">In a clear jibe at archrivals Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Younesi said Tehran’s military involvement in the region is to </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>“protect the Iranian people against the Wahabis and Ottoman rule.”</u></b></span></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">II</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; outline: medium none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"> <span style="outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iranian influence has grown tremendously in Iraq and beyond since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq upset the regional balance.</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><a href="http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/09032015" target="_blank">Read More . . . . </a></div> </div>

Iranian official: "All of the Middle East is Iranian"

The Persian Empire Reborn “Today, Iran has become an empire again, as it was throughout history. Its capital is Baghdad , the c...

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Ted Cruz - The Tea Party Opportunity

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQW5-sYT9BUP4JBFiKTkY6HuRMkbeXv8u4xDqIJF945s28L0r3DtfnRfD5owRlpDQJKq85ajmyPdmuWqan_MRSwJZ6kx0NJHLO3bTP0E71O1IPfoytY5xE9DZeeoLVL2tTiaREHpkplYA/s1600/11Ted-Cruz-tea-party-oath-keepers-flag.jpg" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Tea Party Candidate</span></u></b></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li><span style="background-color: white;">There is a reason every nation on earth (except the U.S.) has multiple political parties. All societies break down into many different factions.  I can't imagine the big government loving, pro wealth redistribution GOP nominating a Tea Party candidate for President.  Hell would freeze over first.</span></li> <li><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>Best case scenario.</u></b>  -  I am impressed with Governor Scott Walker who comes to the Presidential table with his spine fully intact.  Depending on the campaign I can see a possible Walker-Cruz or Walker-Rubio ticket.</span></li> </ul> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /><br /> (<i>Reason.com</i>)  -  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) just announced that he’s running for president at a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He’s the first candidate to make the announcement official in the 2016 cycle. Here are five things to know about Cruz and his candidacy.<br /><br /><strong>1. He wanted to be the first candidate to announce because he thought it would bring him attention</strong>. Being first out of the gate, his campaign hopes, will catch the eye of both high-engagement Republican primary voters and the media—and, in the process, might slow or stop Gov. Scott Walker’s rapid rise. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/us/politics/ted-cruz-2016-presidential-race.html?partner=socialflow&smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank">Via</a><em>The New York Times</em>:</span><blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> By becoming the first candidate to declare himself officially in the race, Republicans briefed on his strategy said, Mr. Cruz hopes to reclaim the affection and attention of those on the party’s right wing who have begun eyeing other contenders, particularly Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin. </span></blockquote> <blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> “It’s the shiny object principle. He wants to be first, get in the conversation, not show any doubt or hesitation,” said Dave Carney, a longtime Republican strategist. “There’s an advantage to being first. He’s now the only one running for president, instead of engaging in this Kabuki dance that the others are.”</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> Of course there’s always a danger to being first, too, which is that by the time the big scrum gets going, you’re old news.<em> </em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><strong>2. <u>He’s targeting tea party conservatives first</u>, social conservatives and libertarians second.</strong> A Houston <em>Chronicle</em><a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/us/article/Ted-Cruz-to-announce-presidential-bid-Monday-6150894.php?t=ec04aca79dc2a96c75&cmpid=twitter-premium" target="_blank">report</a> over the weekend sketched out the basic strategy: “Cruz will vie for the support of the tea party electorate, his advisers say, but will fare well enough with social conservative and libertarian voters to assemble a powerful coalition.” The content of the speech, which leaned heavily on Cruz’s personal faith, and the location of the announcement, at a prominent evangelical college founded by the late Jerry Falwell, make me wonder if perhaps he’s targeting social cons as much as tea party types—leaving libertarians a distant, lonely second.<br /></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBQq-OjMmiYAobRjyr1N1SkBz5Jxv0hrfs8bd5jQamigCNJbVC25juWRkdiR6DRjrxt0qPN_zLPFljS_InHjLhgslSW_MNA3KXRIv-Htw92kOcBGn-4LN7tw7twWOwNre7CayPtwUBKY/s1600/11ted.jpg" /></a></span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /><strong>3. He’s practically adored by the GOP’s conservative base.</strong> As Ben Domenech writes in this morning’s <a href="http://bendomenech.com/transom/" target="_blank">Transom</a> newsletter:</span><blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> Ted Cruz matches up with the activist base better than any other significant candidate in a long time. I don’t think people outside of that base really understand how powerful Cruz’s appeal is to the populist energized conservative voter, which is of course just a faction of the right, but is a sizable faction. Cruz’s critics need to hope that he is limited to this faction, and incapable of appealing outside of it. But that may not prove to be the case, particularly if Cruz is able to cut into the appeal of, say, Walker for pro-business types, Huckabee for social conservatives, Paul for libertarianish Republicans and the like. And he doesn’t just match up with them on policy, he matches up with their brashness, their yearning for someone who loves the taste of blood in his mouth.</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> I can vouch for this. I saw Cruz’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference a few weeks ago, and the crowd ate it up. He was speaking their language; it was a rock-concert-like mind-meld between speaker and audience. Cruz really connects with these folks, and, perhaps just as importantly, he doesn't embarass them like some other base-friendly candidates in years past.<br /><br /><b><u> <strong>4. Cruz is running on a flat ta<span></span>x.</strong> </u></b> He hasn’t offered a whole lot of details, but he’s said repeatedly that he wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service entirely. And in today’s speech, he touted the idea using a familiar pitch, saying his goal would be to “let every American fill out his or her taxes on a postcard."<br /><br /><strong>5. Cruz is adamantly against ethanol cronyism—even in Iowa.</strong> Cruz has pushed a bill to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard, and, as Politico’s Morning Energy <a href="http://www.politico.com/morningenergy/" target="_blank">notes</a>, he stood his ground against the RFS in a recent trip to Iowa.</span><blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> Cruz has co-sponsored legislation that would repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard over a period of five years, and when he spoke at an agriculture summit in RFS-loving Iowa earlier this month, he stuck to his guns. "The answer you'd like me to give is 'I'm for the RFS, darn it,'" Cruz responded to Bruce Rastetter, the agribusiness mogul who organized the summit. "That'd be the easy thing to do. But people are pretty fed up with politicians that run around and tell one group one thing and tell another group another thing. Then they go to Washington and don't do anything they said they would do."</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: white;"> That’s a real contrast to Scott Walker, <a href="http://reason.com/blog/2015/03/09/scott-walker-flip-flops-in-favor-of-fede" target="_blank">who flip-flopped on the issue</a> at a recent Iowa stop. Indeed, Cruz’s clear stance against the federal ethanol mandate makes him somewhat <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/republican-candidates-tiptoe-around-ethanol-subsidies-in-iowa/article/2561208" target="_blank">rare</a> in the GOP field.</span></div> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>

Ted Cruz - The Tea Party Opportunity

The Tea Party Candidate There is a reason every nation on earth (except the U.S.) has multiple political parties. All soci...

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Employers and Colleagues are Affected Too

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When individuals list their doctored credentials on resumes, sometimes this does get by the initial hiring procedures and people with diploma mill papers are hired. In the long run this hurts companies because these employees are sometimes not equipped with the knowledge or skills required to handle the job. Not to mention it's a waste of time during the hiring process.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also, as a result, other potential and qualified job applicants lose out on the jobs to those who really did not earn their degrees through actual work. Colleagues are forced to pick up the slack for those not prepped for the job and employers end up wasting their resources on an employee not qualified for the job.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Windmills" height="480" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/194614_max.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While many people who sign up for a diploma mill <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/Common_Mistakes_New_College_Students_Make" target="_blank">do not realize</a> at first they are not signing up for an accredited and/or legitimately recognized program, there are some people who do and go with it anyway. Speaking of accreditation, prospective students need to check these out too, as many diploma mills set up fake accreditation agencies (A.K.A. "Accreditation Mills").</div> <div class="articleImage" style="text-align: center; width: 632px;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Those who are truly interested in pursuing a legitimate online degree and are not sure how to avoid a diploma mill, it is important to learn how to differentiate. Basically, as the old adage states, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Diploma mills serve no good to anyone except the fraudsters behind the schemes, so to avoid them, the first step is to know what to look for and have a solid understanding about these schemers are about. Arming yourself with this information will help you avoid them when <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_Prepare_for_a_College_Transfer" target="_blank">seeking a good degree program</a>.</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> Signs of a Diploma Mill</h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When trying to identify a diploma mill there are a few areas you should look at:</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Registration Procedures</strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Does the school consider previous learning and is there a vetting process? Does the school ask you to send a check to a mailbox and promises a fast and easy degree? Or worse, does the school promise an immediate degree? If so, run the other way.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Time Invested in the Degree </strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The road to higher learning is not a short cut and any school that promises fast and easy results is likely a scam. Even if nominal work is required, this still won't equate to a real degree program offered by an accredited college.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While there are some legitimate accelerated degrees, these are demanding and time consuming, if only for the short-term. Diploma mills, on the other hand, offer degrees in short periods of time, low levels of work and don't demand many, if any, requirements to be met.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Contact Information</strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Is it difficult to see who is running the school? Is the information provided to interested learners vague and using the aforementioned P.O. Box? This is a definite red flag and a probability someone is looking to take your money without providing you with an education.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Pricing</strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> There is a definitive range of tuition and fee scales charged by colleges, but if a relatively unheard of school charges fees that are either too high or too low, this is another red flag and should immediately trigger more investigation before registering.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Name of University</strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Another warning sign is if the school's name is very closely aligned with a legitimate school. Often diploma mills will try and mimic real schools to confuse potential students and trick them into investing into their fake programs.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Ability to Back up Claims</strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Most diploma mills are cloaked in secrecy, do not offer faculty lists or other informative publications. Instead they focus on the idea of an easy education and, of course the biggest priority - collecting tuition and fees. Discussing educational quality is probably pretty low on the list, if they are <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_Deal_with_Unhelpful_College_Professors" target="_blank">helpful in this area at all</a>.</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> U.S. Government Takes Action</h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In January 2010 United States introduced the Diploma and Accreditation Integrity Protection Act.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <blockquote> <em>"The bill’s purpose is to reduce and prevent the sale and use of fraudulent degrees in order to protect the integrity of valid higher education degrees that are used for Federal employment purposes". ²</em><br /> </blockquote> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Many in higher education are applauding this bill for making a strong move to eliminate diploma mills which don't do anyone any good except those getting their pockets lined with the cash made from selling degrees.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The problem is when one of these "schools" get caught, they end up shifting outside of the United States, such as the case with the formerly Wyoming-based "Hamilton University" which simply moved to the Bahamas, where it is difficult to get the operation shut down. ⁴ And this isn't the only example. Take "Commonwealth Open University", which in 2012 was a "school" registered in the British Virgin Islands. Many college professors and U.S. government workers obtained their degrees from this diploma mill, some of them at taxpayer expense. These are just two, there are many other fraudulent schools out there, as it's a billion dollar industry. ⁵</div> <div class="articleVideo" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="videoCaption"> The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland shares more signs to look out for when investigating online schools</div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Obtaining a diploma mill degree is really useless. Sure the credentials might appear to be there, but many employers are savvy and typically know which schools are accredited and which are not. Even if an employer does not pick up on an illegal and / or fraudulent degree right away, in the long run people do themselves an injustice. The bottom line is they did not earn the degree.  More often than not falsifying knowledge and /or skills on a <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/Turn_Your_Life_Experience_Into_A_Great_Resume" target="_blank">resume</a> leads to a bad ending. Either the fraud is detected or the person with the falsified credentials finds he or she does not have the ability to handle what is being asked to do on the job.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Diploma mills serve no good to anyone except the fraudsters behind the schemes. However, knowing what to look for and having a strong understanding about what diploma mills are about will help you avoid them when seeking schools to obtain <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/College_What_to_Do_if_You_Dont_Know_Which_Major_to_Choose" target="_blank">higher education</a>.</div> <div class="articleVideo" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="videoCaption" style="text-align: justify;"> What to look for in terms of accreditation as it has a specific meaning, some mills substitute other convincing language, but  it still does not mean they are legitimately accredited.</div> </div> </div>

Employers and Colleagues are Affected Too

When individuals list their doctored credentials on resumes, sometimes this does get by the initial hiring procedures and people with di...

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Why Diploma Mills Do Everyone a Disservice

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Online schools have become popular resources for those continuing their education, but either want or need to work from home. Distance learning effectively fills the void for those who cannot or prefer not to attend traditional campus classes.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While there are many excellent benefits to distance learning, unfortunately some schools have emerged on the web for the sole purpose of handing out degrees in exchange for money with no or little academic work required. These are referred to as "diploma mills."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines a diploma mill as:</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <blockquote> <em> "An institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or because of the lack of proper standards worthless." ¹</em><br /> </blockquote> </div> <div class="articleImage articleImageRight" style="max-width: 52.8481%; text-align: center; width: 334px;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Diploma mills </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Fake diploma" border="0" height="640" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/194615_max.jpg" style="width: 265px;" width="427" /></a></div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> How Enrollees Are Done a Disservice</h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> These so-called schools offer prospective students an easy education which is most often simply comprised of accepted students paying some fees and maybe submitting a paper for entry. Assignments are minimal, if any are given at all. There may or may not be a quiz (usually an easy one) involved. Many of these "schools" offer extraordinary levels of college credit for "life experience." Subsequently, after meeting the mill's "requirements", those enrolled in these fraudulent organizations do not really learn anything. Essentially, people are buying these degrees whether they realize it or not.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While the easy route may seem appealing to some, in reality enrollees are simply paying for a piece of paper which they may be able to skate by with for a short while, but most businesses and professional organizations are becoming aware of known diploma mills and, as a result, credentials are checked.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In the end, graduates of the diploma mills often end up paying a lot more than they'd bargained for when they find their fake credentials aren't worth a whole lot in the educational or job markets. Saving a few bucks for a degree in the long run probably turns out to be a waste of both time and money.</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> How Diploma Mills Can Impact Other Colleges</h3> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Churn" height="265" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/194620_max.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Students are not the only ones who lose out due to the actions of diploma mills.  Legitimate colleges, universities and technical schools could lose enrollment when hopeful students are lured to the clever marketing promoted by diploma mill operations. In some specific degree (subject area) markets, this is an issue as colleges compete for student enrollment and lose out to the "easy way out" at a cheaper costs offered by degree churners.</div> <div class="articleImage" style="text-align: justify; width: 500px;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="articleImagePin" style="top: 278px;"> <a data-pin-do="0" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.infobarrel.com/Why_Diploma_Mills_Do_Everyone_a_Disservice&media=http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/194620.jpg&description=Why%20Diploma%20Mills%20Do%20Everyone%20a%20Disservice" style="background-color: #ca2128;" target="_blank"><span></span></a></div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In addition, students pursuing legitimate degrees lose out if classes can get cancelled due to low enrollment numbers. As an effort to cut the cost of overhead, colleges often need to cancel classes that don't at least cover costs to run the class. When would-be students decide to sign up at a diploma mill, these are enrollments that could have helped fill classes at legitimate and accredited institutions.</div> </div>

Why Diploma Mills Do Everyone a Disservice

Online schools have become popular resources for those continuing their education, but either want or need to work from home. Distance l...

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Going Back to School as an Adult - Our Top 10 Tips Guide

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Taking that leap back to full- or part-time education as an adult can be both an exhilarating and terrifying journey. Many important decisions need to be considered before taking that leap, such as…</div> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li>How am I going to pay for my studies?</li> <li>Do I have enough money to support my dependents and myself whilst I am studying?</li> <li>Will this studying increase my ability to earn once completed, or will I be saddled with the debt that I will struggle to pay off?</li> <li>or even starting at the most basic question of questions “what should I study?”</li> </ul> <div style="text-align: justify;"> By taking your time to answer all your questions thoroughly, you can hopefully reach a decision which is not based on emotion, but a well thought out plan that will help lead you into a new and more positive future. Congratulations!</div> <div class="articleImage articleImageRight" style="max-width: 27.6899%; text-align: center; width: 175px;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Back to school" border="0" height="426" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/181932_max.jpg" width="640" /></a>By utilizing our Top-10 tips to survive this new adventure, hopefully you can avoid any potential pit-falls by putting the right strategies in place ahead of time.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  1. <strong><em>Create support systems</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> One of the most important aspects of successful study is having a support system in place from the very beginning. Whether it be your spouse, your parents, your children, or even your work colleagues, they need to be made to feel a part of your decision to return to study. By taking the time to explain your reasons why, and possibly even how it would benefit them in the long-term, having them on your side will most definitely be to your benefit.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  2. <strong><em>Check your finances</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Returning to study can be a tremendously expensive exercise, regardless of whether you plan to study full- or part-time. Not only is it the cost of the course, you need to factor in additional expenses such as stationery, text books, examination fees, additional transport costs (if required), as well as whether your normal income stream will be affected by your studying. Make sure you do your sums ahead of time; so no unexpected surprises can arise that will derail your plans.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  3. <strong><em>Organize, organize and organize</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Organize as much as possible ahead of time, and make sure you keep any organizational systems up to date. Technology can be your friend, utilize it fully. Create and share a Google Calendar with your support system, so that they are aware of upcoming exams and assignments. If your college has an online portal for submitting assignments online as opposed to in person – use it. Proper organization can really be the key to success or failure, and in a world bursting with new and free organizational apps and programs; there are no excuses!</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  4. <strong><em>Track your achievements</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Before you start studying, create a list of your short- and long-term goals that you hope to achieve. Add and revise the list regularly as you progress. When you achieve one of your goals, reward yourself! It might even be as simple as creating a ‘Grown-up’s Star Chart’ – for every 10 stars you treat yourself to something small! By creating a visual representation of your progress, you will be a lot more aware of just how far you have travelled down the path to educational success.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  5. <strong><em>Accept that struggling is inevitable</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It is almost a guarantee that there will be periods when you are struggling and feel simply unable to manage. After all, if it weren’t hard, it wouldn’t be worthwhile. The key to success is not to wait until the problem escalates, rather to get assistance as soon as you are aware there is a problem. Pride needs to take a back seat to success, so chat to your instructors, or ask fellow students for help. Do what ever is necessary to overcome the problem before it becomes unmanageable.</div> <div class="articleImage articleImageLeft" style="max-width: 39.0823%; text-align: justify; width: 247px;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Maths homework" height="424" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/181934_max.jpg" style="float: left;" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="articleImagePin" style="top: 110px;"> <br /><a data-pin-do="0" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.infobarrel.com/Going_Back_to_School_as_an_Adult_-_Our_Top_10_Tips_Guide&media=http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/181934.jpg&description=Going%20Back%20to%20School%20as%20an%20Adult%20-%20Our%20Top%2010%20Tips%20Guide" style="background-color: #ca2128;" target="_blank"><span></span></a></div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  6. <strong><em>Time management</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Make a date to study – whether you need to do it once a day, or once a week, set aside time in your diary as you would any meeting. As you would respect the time others set aside to meet with you, you owe it to yourself to show the same respect to you and your studies. Add it to your Google Calendar, so others know this time is sacred.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  7. <strong><em>Create the right study environment</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> As with many of us professional procrastinators, we are only looking for the next excuse to justify our inability to study and get work done. Ideally you need to create a distraction-free study environment, where you can study in peace. Even if it’s not possible to set aside an entire room, ensure that you have an area that is as far away as possible from the central hub of the house. Keep TVs off, cell phones and tablets in another room, and the door closed if possible.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  8. <strong><em>Use time wisely</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> If you are lucky enough to be ahead of schedule and with no imminent deadlines by all means reward yourself with some time off. However, your best plan would be for you to use this opportunity to get ahead of schedule, to give yourself a head start on upcoming assignments and studying. </div> <div class="articleImage" style="text-align: justify; width: 600px;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Graduation" height="426" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/181935_max.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="articleImagePin" style="top: 345px;"> <a data-pin-do="0" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.infobarrel.com/Going_Back_to_School_as_an_Adult_-_Our_Top_10_Tips_Guide&media=http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/181935.jpg&description=Going%20Back%20to%20School%20as%20an%20Adult%20-%20Our%20Top%2010%20Tips%20Guide" style="background-color: #ca2128;" target="_blank"><span></span></a></div> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  9. <strong><em>Be honest</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Be honest with friends, family and colleagues with what you can and can’t do. Don’t try and be the superhero that juggles everything, as something is bound to get dropped. Rather, admit that your plate is full - that studying is a priority right now, and that you are unable to manage with anything additional. Those who truly care about you will not view this is a sign of weakness, rather they will respect you for what you are trying to achieve.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">   10. <strong><em>Look after yourself</em></strong></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Eat healthily, refrain from drinking too much alcohol, if possible exercise regularly, and most importantly, aim to get a good night sleep every night. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, and it is your responsibility to take care of both. Try not to view time spent looking after yourself as time wasted, rather view it as an investment in your future.</div> </div>

Going Back to School as an Adult - Our Top 10 Tips Guide

Taking that leap back to full- or part-time education as an adult can be both an exhilarating and terrifying journey. Many important dec...

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Multi-Task Whenever Possible

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The art of multi-tasking is another time management skill which is a good one to acquire. Some people may argue multi-tasking isn't a good practice but, in my opinion, sometimes it is necessary. This doesn't mean you should stretch yourself so thin you have trouble concentrating, but rather smart doubling up on time.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> For instance, tote a book or some notes along when you <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/Dorm_Laundry_Supplies" target="_blank">do your laundry</a>, this way you get two tasks completed at the same time. Parents who are in school can bring along a text or notes while waiting for their kids' school or practice to let out. If you have a long ride where you're the passenger, bring along something to study.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Every bit of time saved can help reduce that feeling of time crunch. While it's true multi-tasking can have the opposite effect and make you distracted, if you carefully plan how you're going to multi-task, it can be a real time-saver.</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Stay Away from Cramming</strong></a></h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Comp and Lit textbooks" height="278" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/186620_max.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a>Cramming tends to put your brain on overload, end up tired and not absorb as much as you could have by taking on work at a steady pace. Cramming can lead into bad study habits which can impact your grades over the long-term. Avoid last-minute cramming sessions for tests and completion of projects because slow and steady wins the race; if you wait until the moments before your deadline, you are going to put yourself under unduly stress.To eliminate the temptation for cramming, try outlining your long-term assignments and semester chapters and break them up into segments. Set due dates for each segment if that will help you stay on track. Once you do this, you break long-term goals into short-term ones and into more doable blocks of time. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This way when your big test day arrives or a semester project comes due, you'll have been steadily working all along and the pressure will be off when trying to finalize your work.</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> Don't Forget Socialization</h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Practicing time management will not only benefit your academic career, it will help your social life too. Students who feel pressured and stressed out are more tempted by invitations and other social events, putting off work even further; this can lead to a problematic situation.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Changes can be overwhelming. Trying to adjust to a new routine with additional responsibilities is stressful. Whether going to school as a traditional full-time student, taking one or two classes part-time, are a <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/College_Education_Options_for_the_Nontraditional_Student" target="_blank">nontraditional<strong>,</strong></a> or a distance learning student, all students can benefit from acquiring strong time management skills.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Degree programs are time-consuming, and developing solid time management will help increase productivity and decrease academic stress. Balance is the key to successful time management. When you're in college, time is one luxury often lacking, but strong time management skills can help you put some extra hours back into your <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_Pick_Your_College_Classes" target="_blank">schedule</a>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Try to develop strategies that work for you, and then stick with them. It won't be long before you find how valuable these skills are to have to keep both your personal and academic goals <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_Prepare_for_a_College_Transfer" target="_blank">on target</a>. Once you learn how to budget your time and maximize each hour to the fullest, you'll find you can get your work done and likely find you still have a little time for some fun too.</div> </div>

Multi-Task Whenever Possible

The art of multi-tasking is another time management skill which is a good one to acquire. Some people may argue multi-tasking isn't ...

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Prioritize

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Research Notes" border="0" height="266" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/195116_max.jpg" width="400" /></a>One of the central philosophies to good time management is to understand prioritization. This means you need to learn how to list all your tasks, due dates and other important academic obligations and figure out which ones take precedence.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This is an important talent to keep in your skill-set toolbox because, if you cannot figure out which assignments and deadlines need to be completed first or need long-term consistent attention, you will have a hard time staying on track.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> You can start prioritizing by planning each day the night before; this way you know ahead of time what's coming up the following day and you can schedule which assignments to read or write out first and tackle them in order.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Establishing your short and long-term goals is another facet of prioritization. You can even use your planner to do this. Once you have a visual of everything you need to do, you can organize them in order of precedence and focus on those first. This is helpful so your long-term projects and assignments don't get lost in the shuffle.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> </div>

Prioritize

One of the central philosophies to good time management is to understand prioritization. This means you need to learn how to list all yo...

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Time Management Skills for College Students

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Calendar Card" border="0" height="300" src="http://media.infobarrel.com/media/image/195115_max.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Time management is difficult for everyone, but for college students, it can be an obstacle. Prior to college young adults had the added support of family reminders to help them meet deadlines. Mom and Dad, who were very familiar with their child's schedule, would likely make casual comments such as, "You're going to be late"or gentle prodding with "Don't you have a test to study for?"</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> College is different because a student is now on his or her own, and <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/Starting_a_4-Year_Degree_at_a_2-Year_College" target="_blank">heading off to college</a> brings on a myriad of changes. One of the biggest adjustments students cope with is figuring out how to balance a full schedule with assignments, projects, social life, family or job without that gentle prodding from everyone at home.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This feeling of never having enough time is a common theme among college students, and doing the juggling act often gives a distinctive feeling of constantly being crunched for time. If you feel this way, you are not alone. There are only 24 hours in a day -  you can't change that - but one thing you can do is theoretically add hours to each day through practicing solid time management.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Students who develop a good time management system and live by these principles find they can balance school with other responsibilities, and perhaps even squeeze in a little time for fun.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> If you find you're having a time issue, here are a few ideas to help get you started in adding some time management philosophies into your daily routines:</div> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>Use a Planner or Calendar</strong></h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Scheduling time wisely helps you effectively manage coursework with the other areas of your life. One of the advantages of time management is you can prioritize your tasks and get them completed in a timely fashion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> One of the best ways is to keep a planner or track due dates and other important information on a planner or calendar. Make it a regular habit to write down assignments, appointments and other obligations and then religiously follow your planner. Monitoring responsibilities through written organization can help you stay on top of your work.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> If paper calendars are not your style, try using an online calendar or email reminder. Students these days have good options, just plug reminders into a smartphone or other mobile <a href="http://www.infobarrel.com/A_Look_at_the_Wearable_Electronics_Trend" target="_blank">device</a>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Putting a visual to your due dates and other obligations is a good tool to use to strengthen your ability to meet commitments.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> </div>

Time Management Skills for College Students

Time management is difficult for everyone, but for college students, it can be an obstacle. Prior to college young adults had the adde...

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4 MAPS THAT SUM UP ACIDIC FOOD CONSUMPTION AND OBESITY IN AMERICA

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">The future of the nations will depend on the manner of how they feed themselves,</b> wrote the French epicurean Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in 1826. Almost 200 years later, how nations feed themselves has gotten a lot more complicated. That’s particularly true in the US, where food insecurity coexists with an obesity crisis, where fast food is everywhere and farmer’s markets are spreading, where foodies have never had more power and McDonald’s has never had more locations, and where the possibility of a barbecue-based civil war is always near. <b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Here are just 4 maps out of 40 to give you a glimpse of where our food comes from and how we eat it! </a></b></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"></span> <br /> <h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 1. Obesity </h3> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-obesity-1985.png" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-obesity-1995.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-obesity-2010.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <br /> <br /> These maps show obesity rates since 1985. Many states were so unconcerned about obesity that they weren't even tracking it. Of those that were, none had an obesity rate higher than 14 percent. By 1994, all states had data, and the worst were 19 percent obese. And by 2010, 12 states reported that they were at least 30 percent obese. <b style="font-weight: bold;">That's a doubling over the course of these maps!</b> You can see that the obesity epidemic is especially bad in southern states, but this is truly a national problem.<br /> <br /> <h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 2. Fruits And Vegetable Consumption </h3> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-fruit-veg.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <br /> This data is from 2009, but it still shows interesting regional trends in who's eating their fruits and vegetables. The CDC suggests at least two servings of fruit and at least three servings of veggies a day. But its data shows every single state in the union is failing. Even in the areas that eat the more fruit — the Northeast, Colorado, and California — less than half the population is meeting the CDC's fruit goals. The situation for vegetables is even worse. Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and some New England states come out on top, but only<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">30 to 35 percent of their residents are meeting the CDC's vegetable goals.</a></b><br /> <br /> <h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 3. Distance From McDonald’s</h3> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-mcdonalds.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <br /> <b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">McDonald's has more than 35,000 locations on Earth, and the US has the highest concentration of them</a></b> — about one for every 20,000 residents, according to The Guardian's Datablog. This map, by artist and scientist, Stephen Von Worley, shows the distance to the nearest McDonald's throughout the continental US. It doesn't look all that different from what the Earth looks like at night — the crowded East and West Coast, the spa<br /> rsely populated areas west of the Rockies. And where is the "McFarthest Spot," as Von Worley puts it? Within that dark space in upper South Dakota, a 145-mile drive from the nearest Mickey D's.<br /> <br /> <h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 4. Fast Food Restaurants Coverage </h3> <img alt="" src="http://foodmatters.tv/images/articles/world-maps-fast-food.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><br /> <br /> Stephen Von Worley's Beefspace map shows a country of fast food. Each point has the colors of the three most popular restaurants at that location. Black is McDonald's, so you can feel the relative influence of non-Mickey D's restaurants by the splashes of color. <a href="http://articlesoninformation.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b style="font-weight: bold;">It's another example of the power of regional chains:</b> </a>look at the puddle of Sonic blue spilling out over the South.</div>

4 MAPS THAT SUM UP ACIDIC FOOD CONSUMPTION AND OBESITY IN AMERICA

The future of the nations will depend on the manner of how they feed themselves,  wrote the French epicurean Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin ...

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