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Appalachian Adventures FREE chapters. Author Maggie Bishop presents fun, fiction and facts.
About The Cousins
Lucky, Wes, Grady and Tucker are cousins born and raised in the deep mountins of North Carolina not far from the Tennessee
line. A strong sense of family and history keep them in Watauga County.
Detective Tucker could count on two hands the number of murders
he'd investigated during his career. The murder at Blue Falls Ranch was the most frustrating. Until meeting Jemma, all his
thoughts and drive were for his work. He liked solving crimes and helping bring justice to his territory.
Lucky loves to ski and keep the slopes safe for everyone. He even volunteers
as a First Responder for emergencies near his home. In his spare time, he's crafting his home with the help of Hambone, his
four-legged evening companion. Sunday dinners with Grandma and family keep his priorities straight until he rescues Emerald
in the snow. She's flirts with him and captures his attention.
Grady's story won't be told until next year. He's a mountain
climber recently released from the army. He's seen the world but the old Appalachians called him back.
Wes is the most successful business man of the cousins but he lives low-key. Weekly poker games keep him
humble. Sisters living nearby keep him fed. Hiking in the woods is a favorite endeavor. When losing at poker leads him on
a backpacking trip of a lifetime, his world changes forever.


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A Square-Peg People Book Review
Thriving Through Crisis
by Bill O'Hanlon
A number of years ago I had the extreme pleasure of attending a seminar by Bill O'Hanlon.
That seminar was a version of his current: "KEEPING YOUR SOUL ALIVE AS A THERAPIST IN THE ERA OF MANAGED CARE: A personal and professional recharging".
The seminar included multi-media presentations - music, scenes from movies, quotes, pictures - as well as anecdotes, thought-provoking information and questions to ponder from the wise and energetic Bill O'Hanlon.
I seem to remember Bill saying that his point was to touch us - whether he said it in those specific words or not - that's what he did. It's very cliche, but true - there was "not a dry eye in the room". I left there knowing the directions I needed to move into. I left there very connected to myself. And I left there really respecting and appreciating Bill O'Hanlon!
You get the same feel from his books - they come across respectfully - person to person and story-centered, practical and heart touching (as opposed to giving you the feeling of being talked down to and/or being purely theoretical). His writing is filled with word play. You can see that in some of the chapter and sub-chapter titles:
• Having a Nervous Breakthrough
• Blissed or Pissed: Two Clear Signals from Your Heart and Soul...
• When You Discover You're Riding a Dead Horse, Dismount
Bill O'Hanlon says: "Thriving Through Crisis is a road map for how to recover from breakdowns and crises and reconnect with a life of meaning, passion, and aliveness..."
He also offers this hopeful message:
"I believe that one can go beyond merely recovering from crises and breakdowns and thrive and grow from these experiences. Most people do everything they can to avoid breakdowns and seem to be dreadfully ashamed of having them..."
Bill continues:
"I see crises as an expected and normal part of life and believe thinking about them in certain ways can make them more survivable and even valuable. I am not suggesting that they are fun or 'good' growth experiences that people should run out and try to have. But I believe they can be valuable and if one is going to have a breakdown anyway, it may as well be a good one."
He talks about two varieties of crises:
"I think crises come in two varieties. One is random and external. Something terrible, not of our own making, occurs and affects us in a big way. It overwhelms our usual coping mechanisms. The other kind of crisis is self-made. We have some complicity in this kind of crisis."
Throughout the book Bill highlights important points in list form - these are great for quick review/reminder. Some of them are:
• What constitutes a Breakdown or overwhelming crisis
• Crises as WakeUp calls
• Common Avoidance or Distraction Techniques
• Identifying What Blisses You out
and there are plenty more.
In one of these highlight boxes, entitled "What Constitutes a Breakdown or Overwhelming Crisis?" Bill gives us his description of a breakdown:
"...I mean something that breaks you down, stops you and affects your life and your sense of yourself so completely that life cannot go on as usual..."
In the same box he also gives several examples of overwhelming crises, which are helpful if you're anything like me - prone to miss the forest for the trees.
There's an entire chapter called "How to Help Someone You Love Through a Crisis".
This is another very personal book - and again I'm going to say: any other kind isn't worth reading! In it Bill O'Hanlon tells about "...two significant breakdowns in my life. (If breakdowns is too strong a word for you, you can substitute overwhelming crises. They felt like breakdowns to me.)"
He shares about his wife's painful medical condition and his own failings and triumphs in relationship with someone who is dealing with a serious illness. He brings in many stories of other people.
And I love that Bill isn't "selling" the "everything is coming up roses" formulaic answer to suffering. He knows life can hurt:
"Not all crises are growth experiences, of course, and I don't mean to minimize the suffering and pain involved in them. Some of them have no redeeming social (or soul) value; they are merely tragedies. Not all breakdowns happen because you need to have a learning experience or a major life change."
In this hopeful, pragmatic and kind ("kind" meaning: he writes respectfully to us - does not offer a one-way-fits-all mentality AND it feels like Bill O'Hanlon's been there, and he even tells us a bit about his own crises) book you'll find much to reflect on. There are even some work book pages with ideas to reflect on and write about.
In the chapter "Having a Nervous Breakthrough: Key Points in Finding the Benefits of Crises (Including How to Avoid Unnecessary Breakdowns)" Bill O'Hanlon voices several big questions, one is: "...has the crisis made you more compassionate or empathic with people or has it led you to be more judgmental or cynical and alienated?"
In a sub-chapter entitled: "How to Have a Good Breakdown: The Difference between Post-traumatic Stress and Post-traumatic Success" Bill O'Hanlon describes ways of using crises to our benefit. He names - and elaborates on - "...the three C's: Connection, Compassion, and Contribution."
I'm wondering if there's something Square-Peg here! I've often thought that one of the identifying marks of a Square-Peg tribe member might be: being AWAKE in crises experiences.
Maybe our crises have been SO large that we can't ignore them - maybe we have some driving Square-Peg force that pushes us to really experience them (as opposed to ignore them, rationalize them, hide from the truth). But somehow, a big percentage of the Square-Pegs I've gotten to know have had crises and have turned them into "thriver" (big steps past "survivor") experiences. Would love to hear your views!!
Thriving Through Crisis is full of practical help. The keyword here is "practical" - wisdom grounded, not theoretical fact-listing (though there's plenty of theory and explanation). Bill O'Hanlon knows how to touch hearts (he's a master at it), but more importantly he knows how to help us connect heart, mind and spirit to our journey.
The book ends with this blessing:
"May all your breakdowns lead to breakthroughs."
~ ~ ~ ~
Full Disclosure: we're affiliates of Amazon.com - so when you buy from the links above you don't pay a penny more, but you help support Square-Peg People. Thanks!

subset: commoncrawl


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Also, I am just getting a start in designing, and have decided to sell some things on Etsy and a personal store front. Sign up to my newsletter in the sidebar to get first hand info about freebies and new releases. I won't spam, I promise!
Also, having a bit of a CT call. Exciting!! Below the call are some teasers of my first products. Not all are included in the preview of previews, have to keep some thing secret for now ;)


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You are browsing > Service Trade > Trade Info
President Tsai lauds Taiwan-EU economic ties at Europe Day DinnerTaiwan External Trade Development Council
Source:Taiwan External Trade Development Council
President Tsai Ing-wen said May 17 that Taiwan is committed to boosting robust economic ties with the EU by fostering collaboration in emerging sectors like green energy and smart machinery, as well as strengthening the nation's investment environment.
Two-way trade rose 9 percent year on year to a record US$53.2 billion in 2017, while the EU is Taiwan's largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), Tsai said. The government aims to build on this momentum by promoting the involvement of European businesses in industrial transformation projects and achieving tangible progress in the years ahead on a bilateral investment agreement, she added.
Tsai made the remarks at the 2018 Europe Day Dinner organized by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan in Taipei City.
According to the president, the government's five-plus-two innovative industries initiative and Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program (FIDP) provide ample opportunities for deepening technological cooperation with EU enterprises in such areas as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and renewables.
Five-plus-two seeks to foster the biotech and pharmaceuticals, green energy, national defense, smart machinery and IoT sectors, as well as the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development. The US$14.4 billion FIDP, running through August 2021, aims to meet Taiwan's infrastructure needs for the next 30 years.
European firms can play an important role in advancing these national development programs, Tsai said, noting that the country's offshore wind farm program is drawing strong interest from many world-leading EU companies.
To boost FDI and modernize the nation's regulatory environment, the government has enacted a host of reforms such as changes to the tax code reducing operating costs for businesses and the easing of visa and residency requirements for foreign professionals, the president said. Further policies in the pipeline include the relaxation of investment restrictions.
According to Tsai, as Taiwan enacts these reforms, it will continue to work with the EU to achieve progress on a BIA. Such an agreement would deliver substantial mutual benefits while demonstrating both sides' commitment to free trade, she said.
Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the ECCT as well as the 15th anniversary of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan, the president expressed gratitude to the organizations for their dedicated efforts to advancing ties.
Strong relations are evidenced by the large number of European officials and parliamentarians that visit each year as well as the first-ever Taiwan-EU Human Rights Consultation held March 22 in Taipei, Tsai said.
As like-minded partners united by their shared belief in democracy and rule of law, Taiwan and the EU can work together to make a positive difference throughout the region, she added.
Blake Lin (email@example.com)
Source: Taiwan News
Photo Credit: Office of the President/Taiwan Today


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BRISTOL - The Bristol Blues could not manufacture any runs against the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs pitching staff on Monday, losing in a 16-2 blowout.
Dirt Dawgs starter Jonathan Gegetskas, allowed two earned runs in six strong innings. He walked two Blues batter in the contest and allowed just three hits. Gegetskas did not strike out a batter but received the win.
Blues starter Jake Frasca was hit hard by the Dirt Dawgs' lineup. He allowed five earned runs in the game on seven hits and one walk. Frasca struck out five batters and received the loss.
For the Blues, Max Golone had a strong offensive performance. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI.
The Dirt Dawgs had an abundance of strong offensive performances, led by leadoff hitter Jack Gethings. He was 2-for-5 in the game with a pair of runs driven in.
Cleanup hitter Zack Tower was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.


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"The Boys of the Bible," by Hartwell James, published by Henry Altemus Company, 1905, 1916
Daniel 6 (NIV)
Narrator: 6.1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent …
120 Satraps: 5 "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."
Narrator: 6So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king …
120 Satraps: "May King Darius live forever! 7The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
Narrator: 9So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree:
120 Satraps: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions' den?"
King Darius: … "The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
120 Satraps: 13 … "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."
Narrator: 14When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
120 Satraps: 15 … "Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."
Narrator: 16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den …
King Darius: "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
Narrator: 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. 18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.19At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. 20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice,
King Darius: "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
Daniel: 21 … "May the king live forever! 22My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty."
Narrator: 23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:
King Darius: "May you prosper greatly! 26"I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."
Narrator: 28So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian
- Do you have a habit, routine, or practice that you would never stop doing no matter the consequences?
In Daniel's story, we see there was something Daniel would never stop doing, not matter what.
As we live as disciples of Jesus, we are given resources, sometimes people call them spiritual practices or disciplines, that deepen and grow our relationship with God. These practices are things like prayer and reading the Bible, but they can also include fasting or practicing generosity. In Daniel's story we his commitment to spiritual practices and how they can have significance beyond our own spiritual growth.
Daniel has a lot in common with other stories we have looked at this summer. Like Joseph, Mordecai, and Esther, Daniel is an Israelite living in an unfamiliar culture who winds up rising through the ranks and being trusted with surprising authority and power. Daniel stays faithful to the ways God called him to live, and he was used by God to make a difference in his new place.
Most Bible scholars agree Daniel was one of the last Old Testament books that was written. These stories and prophecies of Daniel and his friends were probably intended to encourage people who were living in exile.
I can't think of a more anxiety and sadness producing experience than the exile … Imagine being snatched away against your will from your home … from your family … You have no idea when you will be able to go home … and if you do finally get to go home, you know most everything that was familiar has been destroyed. The markers of your identity are taken away … language … government … traditions … favorite foods … maybe even your name has been changed … And then to top it all off, in Daniel's case, the king who is in charge of everything is weak and driven by the whims of the people around him.
The Israelite exiles were stuck. They had to figure out what it looked like to live faithfully when so much that was key to their faith and identity had been taken from them. Israelite spiritual practices would catch attention and make them look strange. Sometimes Israelites had to choose which practices they would hold on to, which practices would continue to shape their identity, and which ones they would abandon to help them fit in. Sometimes whoever was in charge would make laws forcing Israelites to choose between keeping the practices that marked them and nurtured their relationship with God, or obeying the law of the land. The Israelites had to figure out where to draw the line.
How much could they compromise and still live faithfully?
How far could they bend to accommodate their new culture?
Where would they have to stand up and take a risk?
One of the questions I ask when I study scripture is, "Who changes in this story?" This question can help me to look at a familiar story from a different perspective … maybe even to see that the person I thought the story focused on is different from what I first thought, or that the point of the story is bigger than I assumed.
So often we look at Daniel and only see the part where Daniel is faithful and God is faithful back –this is a big deal and important to our faith, but there is another piece to the story here, there is a part of the story that points us toward change.
So, who changes in this story?
I don't think it is Daniel.
It is Daniel's not changing that actually gets him into trouble.
Daniel was exceptional. He was faithful to God. He was honest, trustworthy, upstanding, and responsible. The king couldn't find anyone like him and planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom.
The satraps, these provisional local governors, grew jealous of Daniel. They knew they would never find a weakness in Daniel's character, so they decided to use his character and his faith, his strengths, against him. The satraps approached the king with a plan to trap Daniel. It wasn't difficult to manipulate King Darius into approving a law that for the next month, anyone who prayed to someone other than the king, would be thrown into the lion's den.
The satraps set up a conflict between King Darius' law and God's law.
Daniel was stuck in the middle.
It was a contest. The jealous satraps bet Daniel would honor God's law before anything else. Even when so much was at stake, Daniel wouldn't bend to any law that would undermine his dedication to God.
In his commentary on Daniel, John Goldingay writes,
The Torah prescribes the offering of sacrifices twice a day, at dawn and dusk, and these sacrifices would be accompanied by prayer; most Israelites wouldn't be present for the sacrifices, but they could naturally make those times for prayer. Praying three times a day shows how Daniel is committed beyond anything you could call a legal requirement" (John Goldingay "Daniel and the Twelve Prophets for Everyone," Kindle Locations 711-712).
Daniel was devoted to God, above and beyond the required practices.
Daniel would rather die than compromise his relationship with God.
They bet Daniel wouldn't change.
They were right.
So, who changes in the story?
King Darius.
King Darius was weak. His advisors were crafty and manipulated him into doing something he would regret. When Darius realized his decree would hurt Daniel he was troubled. He tried to figure out a way to save Daniel. But the satraps insisted Darius couldn't change the decree. (Maybe this is a sign of his weakness and the ridiculous position he put himself in.) Finally, Darius gave the order. Daniel was thrown into the pit with all those hungry lions. And Darius (kind of) prayed for Daniel, "May the God whom your serve continually (the one you wound up in this mess because you are so devoted to) rescue you."
Darius couldn't eat. He couldn't stand any entertainment. That night he tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
At the first sign of morning King Darius hurried to the lions' den. Near the den, he called out, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
Daniel answered that yes, the God he served continually, had rescued him. The lions didn't eat him. The means of judgement hadn't harmed him, in fact this was a sign he was innocent before God and even before King Darius. Darius was moved. He got Daniel out of the pit and he made an interesting affirmation of faith –
"I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
"For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions" (Daniel 6.26-27 NIV).
King Darius changes from someone who is weak and lets other people speak for him, to someone who actually sounds faithful to God, who makes his own commitment, and breaks his own unbreakable decree by calling his whole kingdom to honor and revere David's God.
Daniel teaches that faithful living matters. Daniel is steadfast in his commitment to God, even though it puts him in danger. Faithful living makes a difference, and it even gets the king's attention and leads the king to something like a faith commitment. Daniel's faith practices help him to keep his faith, but they are bigger than that and wind up making a difference in someone else's life.
I hadn't noticed before how Daniel's commitment to God is revealed in his spiritual disciplines and how his commitment to these faithful practices that nurture his relationship with God are what get him into trouble. That is such a challenge for me, Daniel would rather risk death than stop praying or worshiping God. So often when I get busy or stressed out, the first things I compromise are spiritual disciplines. When there is a lot to do, I often will accommodate to busyness and catch myself praying less, reading the bible less, making worship a lower priority … maybe you have noticed yourself giving less time to spiritual disciplines when you are busy.
When Daniel experienced pressure and stress, he held tightly to his faith practices. For Daniel, prayer and worship even turn out to be acts of resistance … acts of commitment to God when there is pressure to turn away from God.
This story encourages us that faithfulness to God matters. Even in the midst of threats and pressure, faithfulness is worth it. Faithfulness makes a difference.
One of the claims, this story makes on us, one of the things Daniel's example points us toward, is the significance of the spiritual disciplines that connect us with God and deepen our relationship with God.


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Sacramento's Farm-to-Fork program launches a food drive starting at 5 a.m. Wednesday on Capitol Mall.
The primary goal of the drive is to collect enough food to make sure fresh, local produce from the Sacramento region's farms reach "every fork in the community."
But Farm-to-Fork Program Director Nicole Rogers says there is another goal.
"We need to collect at least 25,000 pounds of fresh produce, so that's just fruits and vegetables only," says Rogers.
Rogers says that's the total needed to set a record for the world's largest fresh food donation.
"I want to say that we're absolutely going to crush this goal," says Rogers. "And that we're going to see our community rally and we're going to do great things."
She says a representative from Guinness World Records will be on-site as the food is weighed.
Rogers says the fresh produce will first go to a cold storage facility operated by Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services before it's distributed within a day after the collection.


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Why Pray?
Jesus lived a life of prayer - so much that His disciples came to him and asked, "Lord, [would you] teach us to pray?" They could see how his prayer life affected his ministry. The Bible is full of examples of prayer and its effects on situations and circumstances. Elijah, Moses, Daniel, King David, Abraham, Jacob, Jonah, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Peter (and his house church), Zechariah, and Paul are just some examples of characters who were intensely committed to prayer and saw God's miracles firsthand. We would only be able to do a small fraction of what God has in store for us without prayer.
Prayer Resources & Initiatives
Praying for Faith Church
Download the weekly prayer guide
Tuesdays at 1:30pm
Monthly Prayer for Our District
Download the monthly guide


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JUST FOR KIDS: Explore the World of Sauces!
JUST FOR KIDS: Explore the World of Sauces!
We have a wide range of delicious sauces on our Deli shelves and we want to taste them with you! In this tasting JUST FOR KIDS, we'll explore the world of sweet and savory sauces and the places all over the world where we get them from. We'll talk all about their special ingredients and our favorite ways to eat them.
We think kids ages 4-14 would most enjoy this tasting. Parents are welcome to attend at no charge and observe on the sidelines. All participants will receive a 20% off coupon to use after the tasting to eat and/or shop at the Deli. Please include your child's name, age, and any allergy information in the comments field when you register. Thank you!


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Lushlife's Interview about his week recording at Residencia Gorila
Musician, producer, rapper and dear friend Raj, better known as Lushlife in the music industry, stayed with us at Residencia Gorila.
2015 is the year of music for Residencia Gorila. We are now welcoming musicians and producers from around the world to explore the element of sound at our artist residence in Tulum. This is a video of SunRun and Nereo II performing in front of our Murals in Tulum pueblo. For more info about music collaborations contact us […]
Ampersan live @ Residencia Gorila
Tonight we'll have a barbecue with nice people from Mexican folk band Ampersan and later they will play us acoustic versions of some of their beautiful songs. You are very welcome to join us!


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One of the few communities I belong to here are LJ, does a "friday four" thing where four questions or statements are posed for the membership to respond to. Last Friday, one of the challenges was:
Name the 4 people that influenced you in your life the most:
Without going into the names I included on my list, several hours later it came to me that I had left someone off ..
Charles Patranella began his teaching career in the RISD in 1968. He arrived at RHS to teach Junior and Senior English classes. Only a decade older than most of his students, he was the exception rather than the rule of matronly guidance and his students identified with him almost immediately. I was fortunate enough to have his classes for my last two years of high school.
Mister Patranella was a moderately large man of Italian descent. He was gregarious, bombastic and humorous .. having all the traits missing in most of our other teachers (or at least less recognizable in all our other teachers) I can't say that I recall a single "English" lesson presented by him, but I do know that he engendered and fanned my desire to write (and photograph (and listen to loud rock and roll)) .. encouragement that led to my poet habit, my degree in Journalism from Texas A&M, and my presence on the internet as a journalist (yes, he is the fellow to whom all blame should be assigned)
Charles was generous with his time beyond the hallowed halls of Rockdale High. His lived his life with an open door policy. His immaculately clean home was a favorite weeknight gathering spot for many of his students .. including me .. where we provided the entertainment with our gossip, our music and our questions about what happens next ..
Eventually he left teaching and, for a some time, ran a liquor store in College Station.
Even in this seemingly out of character endeavor, his cheerful and truly caring personality became the bright spot in many lives of those he referred to as "my regulars"
He treated everyone as a human being, deserving of respect and compassion.
In the realization that I had neglected him by leaving him off the list, I utilized http://www.pipl.com to do a name search. Where I had found nothing before, I was now faced with several listings of his name with a date of birth that fell within the correct time frame, and a date of death of August 2006. Fearing that this was in fact my Charles Patranella, I plugged his name and the single word "obit" into a Google search .. and received a hit I did not want ..
Charles Marco Patranella
13 November 1942 - 24 August 2006
A giving and loving man
Paid Obituary
Charles Marco Patranella was the first born child of Joe C. and Josephine P. Patranella. Weighing only four pounds and twelve ounces, he was the first premature infant born at the old St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan, Texas. Upon his arrival, Sister M.Gregory, the hospital administrator ordered an incubator to sustain his life.
From an early age, Charles was motivated to read and learn on his own, in addition to what he was taught at school and from his parents; he was also very creative and imaginative. He told stories of how he spent his days before computers, video games and iPods. In the mornings, he and his sister, Janice, would play outside; he was Roy Rogers and she was Dale Evans. Dressed for the occasion, they wore the outfits right down to the boots, chaps, skirt and vests. In the afternoons, he would read the World Book Encyclopedias from cover to cover, one volume to the next. Often he would read to Janice.
Charles was doted on by loving parents and grandparents who instilled in him a sense of responsibility, confidence, and nurturing. At an early age he helped his parents operate a grocery store on Main Street in downtown Bryan, as well as other family-owned stores throughout his high school years. His father gave him the choice of the meat market or the sale of general goods. He chose the meat market and loved waiting on the customers. He was an obedient and dependable son who was entrusted with the care of his brother, Michael, and sisters, Janice and Anna Jo; a role that he took seriously. He watched them so his mother could relieve his father at the grocery store. Although Charles was young, he was confident and in-charge, yet caring and protective of his siblings. They were in capable and loving hands. Charles was not only their brother; but also a surrogate parent.
Charles was dedicated to his faith and family. As an Italian American, raised in the Catholic Church, religion was central to his upbringing. Church was a given each Sunday, followed by visits to both sets of grandparents. Grandma and Grandpa Perrone's home in Steele's Store was the first stop after mass, where all thirty-something grandchildren literally had a field day. Evenings at Grandpa's and Aunt Lena's were highlighted by Aunt Lena's smothered potatoes and onions and playing with the five Patranella cousins. To date, all of Charles' cousins remain close and supportive of each other. Charles became interested in genealogy and later became one of the foremost local Italian historians. He was a superb storyteller and responsible for handing down stories of the old days from one generation to another.
In May of 1960, Charles graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School and attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. In those days it was not as common for a college student to have his own vehicle. Some of the most memorable family times were the drives to Huntsville; the entire family would pray the rosary immediately, followed by singing "Leader of the Pack," "Tell Laura I Love Her," and various Elvis songs. The trip back to Bryan was more sedate, especially in the back seat, where there was a silence and sadness after Charles was dropped off at his dorm; but the family knew that he would be home on Friday.
After college graduation, Charles lived in Rockdale, Texas where he taught high school English for several years. His students learned grammar and literature from the book; but Charles went beyond the book and counseled them in the lessons of life. Many of his students continued to correspond with him throughout the years. Charles was the owner of the Night Owl Liquor Store in Bryan for several years and later worked income taxes with his parents. Prior to his illness he was involved in the family farming, ranching and rental businesses.
A connoisseur of music, movies, books and various art collections, Charles enjoyed giving and sharing his knowledge with his family. He was proud and supportive of his niece and nephews and enjoyed special relationships with each of them. They adored him and valued the times spent with him, as well as the thoughtful deeds and presents given to them. They took special care of his needs and supported him throughout his illness; he expressed much gratitude to them.
Religion was an important part of Charles' life. He was generous in giving to St. Anthony's Church in Bryan and especially liked to furnish fresh flowers for the main and side altars on Sundays. Although he gave to various charities, it pleased Charles most to contribute to individuals going through hard times.
Charles enjoyed interacting with people and had many friends that span the generations. He will be missed by his friends and loved ones; but the memories of his wit, wisdom, and caring nature will continue to warm the hearts of those who knew him.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Joe C. and Josephine P. Patranella, of Bryan. As happens in life, he and his brother and sisters reversed roles with their parents. Charles moved in to help with the family business and care for his parents. He was a wonderful cook and prepared many delicious meals for them; his dressing was unapproachable. Upon the death of his father, Charles became even closer to his mother as she struggled with the death of her husband. Upon her passing, Charles was filled with a heavy heart and a yearning for life as it was before the aging and death of his parents. His sisters and brother remained devoted to him and cared for him as if they were his parents, recalling how he had cared for them.
Survivors include his sisters and their families, Walter G. and Janice Jo Ann Patranella Albert of San Antonio and their children Michael Charles of Plano and Luke Perrone Albert of Phoenix, Arizona; Fred F. and Anna Jo Patranella Mitchell of Bryan and their children, Joseph Frank and Mark Christopher Mitchell of Bryan; his sister-in-law and brother, Joanne Riordan and Michael Gerard Patranella and their children Lucille Josephine of South Bend, Indiana and Joseph Riordan Patranella of Bryan.
Charles' family would like to thank Msgr. John C. Malinowski, the Chaplain of St. Joseph Regional Health Center, for his friendship and support, as well as Paul G. and Yvonne Davis and Ozella Moore for their continued love and support. To be commended is Dora, Charles' nurse in the Critical Care Unit of St. Joseph Regional Health Center, for her efforts in caring for him during the critical hours.
Special thanks go to his team of caregivers, Joyce Martin, Rana Turner, Pearl Williams, Kimberly Sparks, Jo Ann Turner and Jean Davis for their sincere dedication to and care of Charles. His family would also like to thank Father Sang Lee, Pastor of St. Anthony's Church in Bryan, for caring for Charles' spiritual needs.
I know these type of obituaries often sound contrived .. overdone. Someone trying to convince the world that regardless of the circumstances of death (unknown in this case) the person was better than you might have imagined.
In this particular case, I cannot argue with a single word .. he was all of that and more.
The knowledge that he is no longer out there somewhere, makes his legacy richer in each of us, who knew him.
.. it was my privilege to have known him
- where from:the dumps
( 3 thoughts — whataya think )
( 3 thoughts — whataya think )


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Kirsten Price
- 5 ft. 4 in.
- Brown Eyes
- Born: November 13
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Profile
Kirsten Price Profile
This well-deserved success is all indicative of the same drive to succeed that Kirsten has exhibited ever since she left Massachusetts for New York's Big Apple and the greater opportunity it represented. Once there, it didn't take long to find her calling. With her natural beauty and infectious personality, Kirsten quickly made a name for herself on the modeling and pageant circuits. She won several titles, including the prestigious Hawaiian Tropic competition. Kirsten soon relocated to Los Angeles, where she landed a spot in Playboy's Girls Next Door. Impressed with her beauty, Playboy also shot her for additional Special Editions, including the highly popular Book of Lingerie. With her Playboy Magazine shoots under her belt, Kirsten started posing for more men's magazines, and has since been seen in Adam Film World, Hustler, Club, Cheri, High Society, and Strip Las Vegas. By early 2005, Kirsten's life took a high octane turn as she made her debut in adult films. With her stunning beauty and passionate sexual performances, she quickly captured the attention of Wicked Pictures president and owner Steve Orenstein. Intrigued with her charming personality and thirst for success, Orenstein immediately signed the charismatic performer to a two-year deal.
The sultry star has shot many acclaimed productions for Wicked since then, including Brad Armstrong's Country Style, and Michael Raven's The Visitors, Duality and Just Like That. With such classics under her belt, it's no surprise that she was the Temptation Awards' choice for Best New Starlet of 2006. In Europe, she received a MEDIEN ELine nom in the same category at the 10th Annual Venus Berlin Fair. Since then, Kirsten has turned in a host of impressive performances since, including the lead in Michael Raven's epic Supernatural. In two of Wicked's biggest projects, Armstrong's Manhunters and FUCK, she displayed a confidence that further solidified her stardom. In 2007, she received five AVN Award noms, including Best Actress (for Just Like That) Best New Starlet, and Best Supporting Actress (for Manhunters, which she also won). She's continued to impress fans with quality performances in titles like On The Air, Crescendo 2012, and Girl Talk. In addition to her Wicked work, she's hosted Playboy TV's The Bang and appeared on Night Calls. In the mainstream, Fox Reality's My Bare Lady saw her proving her thespian skills in a London production of Romeo And Juliet. She's also hosted podcasts for rock legends Poison and made guest appearances on Showtime's Weeds. And she always loves to hear from her fans at www.kristenpricexxx.com
With projects like Uptown Girl, Roommates, House Of Wicked, and the critically acclaimed 2040 giving her ambitious career more momentum every day, you can expect to see much more of this stunning Wicked Girl on TV, on the web, and on the red carpet!
Biography Text © Wicked


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Collected Voices
Are you wondering what to say when you "add your voice"? Wondering who else has added their's? Want to be inspired by other people's messages? Get to know some of our global community below.
"The Stop the Violence campaign is the perfect example of what WAGGGS does best – empowering girls and young women to speak out, take action and influence change – all whilst knowing that they are supported by a network of millions of other girls who share the same passion for change."
"I will: 1, promote the campaign within Girlguiding UK and 2, create local partnerships with the domestic violence service at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and local guiding in London"
"I support WAGGGS' Stop the Violence campaign because I belief no faith, culture or tradition should tolerate the violation of girls' rights. This is your chance to join a campaign that unifies people across the world in the fight for girls' rights – a fight that I know we can win with WAGGGS behind us. Add your voice today."
"The only way women will ever truly be empowered is if they are free of all forms of violence – sexual, physical, social and economic violence. I support the World Association's Stop the Violence campaign because I know that the violence will simply not stop until we speak out… Make sure you add your voice today."
"I'm proud to be supporting the launch of the Girl Guide's Stop the Violence campaign. Plan believes that investing in girls' rights is the right, fair and smart thing to do. Plan UK looks forward to working in partnership, helping ensure all girls can achieve their rights and aspirations and be all that they can be."
"I congratulate WAGGGS for trying to unite the voice of girls and young women on such an important issue. The stronger that voice grows, the more powerful our position will be. I support WAGGGS' Stop the Violence campaign because I know what it takes to advocate and lobby successfully – and it starts with your voice and mine. Sign up and join us today."
Add your voice
Call on ALL countries in the Council of Europe to ratify the Istanbul Convention and commit to ending the violence!Add your voice


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Harris Teeter Online Shopping
At my mommy's group on Thursday we had a chat about shopping with kids. And given our conversation, it occurs to me that if you don't know about the Harris Teeter Online Shopping option, then I am not being useful to you.
Now you may know from reading our little blog that I was very anti-drive thru. Until I had a child. And he would do stuff like fall asleep in the car, or get sick, or need to go down for a nap, or be screaming, and so on. So I still love the environment. But I also love ease. (see our list of coffee drive thrus)
On that note, I gave the Harris Teeter Online Shopping a trial run recently. And I loved it.
To get started, head to www.harristeeter.com. You need to log on, create an account (be sure to link your VIC account to it), and then you can get to clicking. Everything you need is on here, just as it is in your store. And yes, you can even pick your diapers. By clicking drop-down menus or by searching by key word, you get pictures and a lists of things you are looking for. The process looks something like this:
Now, of course, this is online shopping. There can be a lot of options that pop up if you search, so it can be overwhelming. And you can't touch things or see things so picking your produce might worry you. Also, you can make mistakes and won't know it until you get home. And then minor details that you never noticed before (was that 'Jello instant pudding and pie mix' or just 'Jello instant pudding mix') suddenly become important. You can't browse. That can be good or bad. Good if you are prone to buying things that you don't really need (like those super-cute Easter decorations) and bad if you aren't list-oriented and focused.
After you complete your order, you get offered a time slot for pick up. Here's the catch: you must give them about a 4 hour lead time. So don't go expecting to put in your order during nap time at 1 and pick it up when your child wakes up (assuming yours doesn't nap for 4 hours! if so, count your blessings).
You get a call when it is done, and you can go pick it up. I was pleasantly surprised when they called to tell me they finished my order before my window, and I could go early.
You show up, head to the Express Lane, and hit the call button. Then they bring you your groceries. All you have to do is pop your trunk, and hand them your credit card or check. They swipe your credit card right there at your car, and zoom, off you go.
If there are items that you have purchased and they aren't available, Harris Teeter will try to make a reasonable substitution. I was all worried about that (I have control issues), until I realized that the issue was the said Jello I mentioned above. And they called me to confirm before substituting.
Again, since it gets packed in your car and you head out you can't really look it over before you leave. You kind of paid for it the minute you put it in your online shopping cart.
If you are a coupon user, they will take your coupons and apply your savings amount to your next online order (so it works more like a credit).
Your online orders are saved in your account, thus you can repeat items and entire carts if you wish.
This service costs a fee: $4.95 per order or $16.95 unlimited online shopping for the month. I paid to do this once so far and, especially with a sick child, it seems worth it. This service is not available at all Harris Teeter locations, but many do have this option now. You can check online (of course).
Despite my guilt over feeling like I 'gave in,' it made life so lovely for the day, so much easier. And I did turn my car off completely while I waited, got my groceries loaded, and paid. So I'd like to think my environmental footprint was the same as a regular ole grocery store trip. I just didn't have to get out and push a cranky toddler around!


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It's the beginning of the year so I thought it was only appropriate to start where health begins…
So where does health begin? We can find all kinds of quotes from people like Hippocrates that state:
"All disease begins in the gut."
If Hippocrates figured this out over 2,000 years ago, then why do so many people not look at the gut? Even today most doctors will say that 70-80% of our immune system is found within our gut. Shouldn't we be looking there for answers?
I believe the biggest problem is the lack of education on gut health from western medicine. We often take a pill or have something removed when symptoms begin to show. What we need to do is start taking care of our gut. There are many functional medicine doctors that have begun educating other doctors and teaching their clients more about gut health. There are also some excellent books out in the market on this very topic. One of my favorites is Digestion Connection by Elizabeth Lipski.
So what exactly is our gut?
Our gut is our digestive system. This system starts at the mouth and ends when we expel waste. We need our digestive system to work at its highest capacity because if it's not working, then the healthiest of foods won't be processed properly.
If most chronic health problems and weight gain leads back to the gut and the digestive system is one of the main roots of disease, it only makes since that health begins in the gut.
It All Begins In The Gut
How do we know if we have an optimal digestive system or an unhealthy gut?
Today, we are not going to get into the disease process, but after reading this list you might be thinking- my gut is unhealthy. You are not alone. Due to our Standard American Diet (SAD) most of us have some type of gut issue going on in our body. Let dis-ease be a sign that you need to start from the top and work on a few wellness strategies targeting the gut.
Optimal Digestion
If your digestive system is not working optimally to break down food properly, then this can cause a deficiency in the vitamins and minerals necessary for your body to burn fat efficiently. Studies have shown that micronutrient deficiency can cause as much as an 80% increase in the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese.
WHAT? You mean being overweight could be more about malnutrition than overeating? YEP!
Did you know that if your gut is not digesting proteins properly that you can have a spike in blood sugar levels that also cause weight gain?
What about the popular term going around these days called "leaky gut". What's that? If you have poor digestion, the walls in your stomach and or intestines become compromised and they begin to allow food particles to "leak" into the bloodstream. When these food particles enter the bloodstream your body views them as a foreign invader and begins to attack them. This creates inflammation and the body slows down other processes like fat burning. It is also what makes you have the appearance of being swollen and bloated.
Did you know that if your digestive system is not working properly and eliminating waste that the waste continues to cycle through your body. Yuck! It's kind of like never taking out the trash.
As you can see the digestive system is pretty important. So what can we do to help improve it?
All of these ways seem simple enough right. I know it's not always easy to say "no" to sweets and "yes" to veggies, but doing so helps our gut and prevents an unhealthy gut.
Wellness Strategies with Young Living
Young Living has some awesome products that may help you support your digestive system daily. These are my top 5 daily products to support my digestive system.
NingXia Red is a great way to get my fruits and antioxidants in every morning. Adding a drop of Peppermint Vitality in my NingXia Red, tea or water is a powerful way to promote and enhance healthy intestinal function, along with overall healthy G.I. system comfort. Peppermint is celebrated for maintaining the efficiency of the digestive tract and supporting normal digestion.
Before meals I like to take Essentialzyme to help improve and balance digestive health and to stimulate and improve enzymatic activity, reduce pancreatic stress, and support healthy pancreatic function. DiGize Vitality is also part of my wellness routine.
Every evening I use Life 9, which is a high-potency probiotic that combines 17 billion live cultures from 9 beneficial bacteria strains that promotes healthy digestion, supports gut health, and helps maintain normal intestinal function for overall support of a healthy immune system.
Taking care of our digestive system can be easy if we choose to take a few steps towards our wellness each and everyday. Ready to discover ways you can optimize your digestive system? Click here
Gut Health in January
- Love Your Guts! : Dr. April Morford and Sheena Edge, RN, BSN will be speaking on January 13th at a community forum called Extraordinary Wellness in 2017. This class will be a live event and recorded Live on Facebook. Click here to attend class live or online.
- Gut Feelings: Emotions play a big part in both our emotional and physical health. I will be teaching a FB Live Class January 26, 2017 on how our emotions and gut are connected. Click here to learn more.
Have an awesome January and remember it all begins in the gut!
Happy New Year,
Shawna Cale, Got-Oils? Administrator
I am a M.O.M: Mom on a Mission to help educate and empower other mom's to build healthy homes and bodies, and have the energy to do the things they enjoy with their families.


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LOCAL clubs' cricket nets are already underway for some teams and begin later this month for other sides.
For anyone interested in joining a club or taking up the sport, here are the details for winter nets locally for our Sussex League and West Sussex Invitation League sides.
The Sussex League season begins on May 9, after the first round of the T20 Cup the previous week, while the first West Sussex Invitation League match is on April 25, with all of the teams getting underway the following week.
Sussex League
Findon – captain: Bradley Bridson. Nets: Start today at Durrington High School (8.30pm to 9.30pm). Visit www.findoncricketclub.co.uk for more details.
Worthing – captain: John Glover. Nets: Start on February 12 at The County Ground, Hove (6.30pm to 8.30pm). Visit www.worthingcc.com for more information.
Goring – captain: Alex Maynard. Nets: Start on February 23 at Durrington High School. Visit www.goringcricketclub.co.uk for more information.
Portslade – captain: Paul Glover. Nets: Underway on Thursdays and Fridays (6pm to 8pm at Blatchington Mill School). Visit www.portslade.play-cricket.com for more information.
Steyning – captain: David Kennett. Nets: Start February 24 at Steyning Leisure Centre (8pm to 10pm). Visit www.steyningcricketclub.com or call David on 07585 601213 for more information.
West Sussex Invitation League
Arundel – captain: Joe Bain. Nets: Start March 2 at Arundel Castle (7pm to 8.30pm). Contact Tim Pitts on firstname.lastname@example.com or 01903 889953 for more information.
Broadwater – captain: Paul O'Sullivan. Nets: Start March 4 at Durrington High School (6.45pm to 7.45pm). Visit www.broadwater.play-cricket.com for more information.
East Preston – captain: Gary Weedon. Nets: Start today at Littlehampton Academy (8pm to 9pm) Visit www.epcc.play-cricket.com or Twitter @EPCC1860 for more details.
Littlehampton – captain: James Askew. Nets: Start on February 13 at The Littlehampton Academy (8pm to 9.30pm). Contact Dan Rive on 07775 668129 for more information.
The club are also starting a fourth team, who will play in Division 10 this season.
Chippingdale – captain: Ollie Hall. Nets: Start Saturday, February 28, at St Andrew's School (2.30pm to 5pm). Visit www.chippingdale.play-cricket.com for more information.
Clymping – captain: To be confirmed. Nets: To be confirmed. Contact Paul Challen on 07831 515985 or visit www.clympingcc.play-cricket.com for more information.
Southwick – captain: Russell Martin. Nets: Start March 24 at Shoreham Academy (6.30pm to 7.30pm)For more information, visit www.southwick.play-cricket.com or call Ian Beattie on 07775 912883.
Lancing Manor – captain: Chris Salt. Nets: Start February 19 at Steyning Leisure Centre (9pm to 10pm). Contact Nick Brown on 07799 417721 for more information.
Rustington – captain: Alan Hylands. Nets: Underway on Sunday evenings 7pm to 9pm at The Littlehampton Academy. Visit www.rustington.play-cricket.com for more information.


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Police are appealing for information after a serious assault in Luton on Wednesday (2 December).
The victim was approached by a woman in Havelock Road who assaulted her as she walked past People's Park from the direction of Mussons Path.
The offender made off via Frederick Street Passage towards William Street.
The offender is described as white, in her mid-to-late 20s, around five foot, slim with blonde hair. She wore a three-quarter-length green jacket with a hood.
Detective Sergeant Tom Hamm, investigating, said: "This incident has significantly impacted upon the victim and the offender needs to be brought to justice. I would appeal to the person responsible or others that may know her identity to come forward."
Anyone with any information should call DS Hamm on 101, text information to 07786 200011 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting reference C/46780/15.


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Slightly hungover shopping and food haul
So I had a few too many wines last night!! Naughty me. Skipped dinner too which wasn't good!! So bang, queue the hangover!! Going food shopping when you're hungover is dangerous!!!! I badly wanted haribo but I didn't succumb. Lunch was sweet chilli chicken pasta salad, 1.5 syns for the sauce. Dessert my usual fav… Read More Slightly hungover shopping and food haul


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Location: South Western Chernarus
Coordinates: Various
Build: Experimental 0.45 & Stable 0.48
Our research teams have categorized all downed UH-60 crash sites into 3 zones. In this episode we will cover the southwestern zone which has 25 sites.
If your looking for western military weapons like the M4A1, flashbangs, grenades, M4A1 attachments and optics…these locations should be noted.
Topographical Map w/25 Locations: 2:58


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- Oral presentation
- Open Access
Learning olfactory codes using matrix factorization on 2DG uptake patterns from rats
- Amir Madany Mamlouk1
© Mamlouk; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014
- Published: 16 April 2014
- Olfactory Bulb
- Matrix Factorization
- Olfactory Epithelium
- Code Word
- Olfactory Perception
Recent studies based on both the analysis of odor descriptors [1] and psychophysical studies [2] have suggested that olfactory perception is mainly dominated by odor pleasantness. In contrast, findings on the sensory side [3] as well as on the perceptual side [4] indicate an odor perception space that is spanned by about 30 dimensions. On the way to understand the basic principles in the decoding of olfactory information from the single molecular compounds, we are focusing in this study on the first level of information processing in the sense of smell: The olfactory bulb (OB). We know that the olfactory epithelium is separated into four regions [5] of olfactory receptor protein expression and we expect a similar organization in the olfactory bulb [6]. With 2-DG-uptake-images, Johnson et al. [7] measured odorant-specific activity patterns, covering 98% of the bulbar surface with a resolution of one glomerulus per pixel. Using a database of 143 such bulbar activity fingerprints, we propose the so called non-negative matrix factorization [8] to decompose the data into a set of common features. These features can be best described as the coding alphabet while the uptake images of single molecular compounds resemble natural occurring code words. Interestingly, we can achieve three meaningful alphabets with a different size: 4, 6, and 9 digits. Only the last one is suitable for actually coding the compounds, as a single compound is evoking activity of only about 1/8 of the bulbar surface, with an average code word length of two to three digits. The other two decompositions might reflect the superglomerular organization of the receptor neurons in the bulb, like e.g. the above mentioned expression patterns and neuronal subnetworks that directly result from the targeting mechanisms guiding the neurons from the OE to the OB. We argue that the proposed decompositions are not only reflecting the chemotopic organization of the bulbus but rather giving a first hint on the coding scheme underlying olfactory perception.
Authors' Affiliations
- Madany Mamlouk A, Chee-Ruiter C, Hofmann UG, Bower JM: Quantifying olfactory perception: mapping olfactory perception space by using multidimensional scaling and self-organizing maps. Neurocomputing. 2003, 52-54: 591-597.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Khan RM, Luk C-H, Flinker A, Aggarwal A, Lapid H, Haddad R, Sobel N: Predicting odor pleasantness from odorant structure: pleasantness as a reflection of the physical world. J Neurosci. 2007, 27: 10015-23.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Haddad R, Khan R, Takahashi Y, Mori K, Harel D, Sobel N: A metric for odorant comparison. Nat Methods. 2008, 5: 425-429.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Madany Mamlouk A, Martinetz T: On the dimensions of the olfactory perception space. Neurocomputing. 2004, 58-60: 1019-1025.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Ressler KJ, Sullivan SL, Buck LB: A zonal organization of odorant receptor gene expression in the olfactory epithelium. Cell. 1993, 73: 597-609.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Mori K, Takahashi YK, Igarashi KM, Yamaguchi M: Maps of odorant molecular features in the Mammalian olfactory bulb. Physiol Rev. 2006, 86: 409-33.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Johnson Ba, Woo CC, Leon M: Spatial coding of odorant features in the glomerular layer of the rat olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol. 1998, 393: 457-71.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Lee DD, Seung HS: Learning the parts of objects by non-negative matrix factorization. Nature. 1999, 401: 788-91.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.


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Style Crush:
April 15, 2013
Queen Charlotte!
Meet the ruler of the NEW shoe guard
By Nancy Staab
London It-Girl Charlotte Dellal Brings her Charlotte Olympia shoe confections to Neiman Marcus, Lenox Square, Wed. April 17.
Her look may be retro, Charlotte Dellal favors Rita Hayworth waves (after her "favorite movie star"), signature red lipstick, and 40's-era tea dresses, and her Charlotte Olympia shoe designs may have a similar throwback glamour, but her creations are also decidedly modern. And they are the latest it-thing in the fashion world. The 30-something Dellal comes by her style instincts quite naturally as the daughter of a famous English model and a Brazilian gallery owner. Her sister is famous British model Alice Dellal. But Charlotte's fashion instincts were also honed via internships with designers Ungaro and Giambattista Valli. The look, however, is pure Charlotte. Think: femme fatale Lauren Bacall or Ava Gardner mixed with a little screwball Lucille Ball.
Charlotte's line offers vampy high heels for days that are equal parts glamour and whimsy. For every come-hither satin, leopard print, or maribou pom-pom-trimmed boudoir heel in her collection, Dellal also creates more whimsical shoes like a kitten-faced slipper, or a Mondrian-inspired, Parisian pink poodle, or piano-keyboard heel. The fruit and flower-adorned wedges would have been favored by Carmen Miranda.
Needless to say, since she launched her shoe line Charlotte Olympia in 2007, all the fashion glossies, from Harper's Bazaar to W magazine, have hailed Dellal as part of the new shoe guard. Hollywood's A-list starlets like Keira Knightley, Sarah Jessica Parker and Blake Lively have also been photographed stepping out in her girly shoes. Her latest shoe foray: the Cosmic Collection with shoes and matching bags embellished with each astrological sign. For the record Dellal says "I'm a Geminimi, but my feet wear Virgo!" And for fall: get ready for her "Once Upon a Time..." Collection of fairytale-inspired shoes... and perhaps even a Cinderalla slipper? "There will be sleeping beauties, Rapunzels, enchanted forests and I have my own big, bad wolves," says Dellal.
Dellal also designs a separate bridal line, in addition to her main shoe line, that is anything but traditional. One pair includes a daring leopard print combined with the "something blue." (Dellal wore leopard print shoes for her own wedding.] She also has a growing accessories line, including her signature transparent clutches with a spider clasp --a reference to her name Charlotte and the spider in Charlotte's web. And each Charlotte Olympia creation comes with her trademark cobweb on the sole—its wearers caught in her expanding fashion web.
Meet Charlotte Dellal in person and see her latest collection of shoe designs at Neiman Marcus at Lenox Square on Wed. April 17 from 1:30 -3PM in the shoe salon.


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Joshua Abella
Mililani High Class of 1996
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It was officially established in 2001 with 31,422 ha and 20,000 hectares of sea with the natural biodiversity. It is really a lively biology museum.
On the way of Northern tour, tourists can sightsee fr0m the vehicles through the forest fr0m Duong Dong to Ganh Dau or Bai Thom of 40 km.
However, there is no tour to get into the forest.
The managing board: 1 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Town section 5. Tel: 84 77 38 46 344
Phu Quoc is known as an emeral island in the Western sea of Viet Nam. Mother nature gave it such an unique traits and attractions of a heaven for sea tourism with such an ever lasting long immaculate sugary-white beach, crystal blue seawaters, splendid marine creatures,...


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Chantelle completed her formative ballet training in Calgary, Alberta, under the guidance of respected classical educators such as, Tara Silvaggio ( Alberta Ballet School & RWB ), Elaine Werner Hutchison ( former teacher with the RWB ), and ballet master Brian MacDonald (former Artistic Director, Royal Swedish Ballet). As a dancer Chantelle trained at the Alberta Ballet School, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Banff Centre of Performing Arts, and The National Ballet School of Canada. She was awarded various scholarships, such as, the 'Most Promising Artist' scholarship from the Wild Rose Dance Arts Association, ' Outstanding Classical Dancer' from Expressions the Dance Gallery, and 'Recognition of Excellence' from the Mayor of Calgary.
Before locating to Vancouver Island in 2006, Ms. Norris was ballet Director of "Expressions the Dance Gallery" in Strathmore, AB. There, she began her CBTS with the Royal Academy of Dance under the detailed guidance of Umran Sumen, former leading soloist with The National Ballet Company of Turkey. In 2006 she was awarded Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance, then continuing on to obtain her Associate Diploma of the Imperial Society of Teacher's of Dancing under Lorraine Blake ( FISTD/Examiner). Chantelle had the privilege of travelling to Chichester, England in 2009 and 2011, to obtain direct mentorship from ISTD syllabi creators Lyn Richardson( ISTD Senior Examiner ) and Teresa Theodoulou ( Vice Chair of the ISTD Modern Committe).
Over her 11 years on Vancouver Island, Chantelle's creative choreography and classical knowledge has gained her respect in the community, classroom and on the stage. Many of her students have gone on to dance full time with prestigious ballet schools such as, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, and have received coveted top placements at international ballet competitions such as, the Youth American Grand Prix. She is currently Artistic Director of the Kirkwood Academy Pre-Professional Program, an enriched program for talented and driven students to train in classical ballet, as well as a guest teacher for various schools both local and abroad.
In 2016, Chantelle created 'Nanaimo Contemporary Ballet' to serve as a platform for emerging young ballet dancers to expand on their neo-classical knowledge and skills. She is passionate about creating meaningful contemporary work for students and audiences, which stokes discussion, critical thinking and most importantly, a love for the arts.
Artistic Director
AISTD Diploma
Member of the CID
The highest expression of the human soul is dance.
Each movement is a gift that is meant to be shared without hesitation


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Norm Kelly began his soccer career in 1956 at the age of 17. His career was one to be respected by many as he dominated the game of soccer year after year.
He was an invaluable member of the St. Lawrence Soccer Team who was known for his 'bullet' shot and dominant play at midfield. Kelly is regarded by many as one of the top Laurentians of all time.
Norm was inducted into the St. Lawrence Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982, the Burin Peninsula Soccer Hall of Fame in 1989, and the Newfoundland Soccer Hall of Fame in 1989 and, in 2003 he was inducted into Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame.
Here are a few questions I asked Norm:
1. What is the biggest change in soccer you have seen in the last 50 years?
The biggest change I have seen in soccer in the past 50 years has to be the skill and fitness of the young players. It seems with the improvements to the regulation size soccer fields, the players have a lot more room to move about with greater ball control and accuracy, thus exercising their skills, speed and knowledge of the game.
The small fields created congestion and therefore allowed the game to be very chippy.
The Eastern Representative of CSFA, Jim Andrews, who has held that position for the past 13 years, predicts bigger fields are needed to boost soccer calibre. These fields are a must for every soccer-playing town in the province in order for the standard of soccer to improve.
2. You must have some great memories of playing soccer. Would you mind sharing a few of those stories with us?
I do have some great memories of playing soccer. One of these was in 1968 when we played the London Lions of St. John's in a home-home series for the Provincial title.
It was a carry-over from 1967, when we defeated London Lions to go to the Challenge Cup in Toronto. It was the toughest game we ever had to play. There were no cheap shots – everyone dished it out and everyone took their knocks.
The next morning our local doctor, Dr. Hollywood, was a busy man as about two-thirds of the London Lions were at his office in the hospital getting patched up. Believe it or not we won both the game and war.
3. Tell us what the games were actually like between St. Lawrence and Grand Bank back in the 60s and 70s?
The soccer games between St. Lawrence and Grand Bank were always highly competitive, and both players and fans looked forward to them with great enthusiasm.
Rivalry was the name of the game when it came to Grand Bank games and that always led to very tense, competitive games. There was a lot of animosity on the field but when the game was over, we all socialized and had great fun.
One of my most memorable soccer games against Grand Bank was in 1961. A riot broke out on the field; players and fans alike were all involved. I was not dressed for the game as I had been injured, but as the tempers flared, Theo Etchegary and I jumped onto the field to help out our players, to get them off the field.
All I could hear from the fans was 'Get Kelly'. Theo and I stood back to back and kept some of the fans away from us. The Town Cop from Grand Bank finally got us into the dressing room as we were surrounded by fans. I just couldn't believe what was happening as Grand Bank was leading 3-0.
I had a new Volkswagen so I threw the keys to my wife to go and start the car so we could make an early exit with the Town Cop escorting us off the field. I jumped into the car and took off with rocks bouncing off my new car. They chased my car, pelting rocks at me until I got to the welcome sign outside Grand Bank.
Needless to say, we did not finish the 1961 season.
4. You have always been a great supporter of the St. Lawrence Laurentians.
Realistically, how much longer can St. Lawrence continue to survive as a dominant force at both provincial and national soccer?
I think our Laurentians will continue to dominate for another year or two on the provincial level, and hopefully hold our own at the national level. At some point though we will have to start rebuilding, as there are still quite a number of potentially great soccer players in our town.
Hopefully, the economy in our town will pick up and we can go back to all our players practicing and living in our town. As it stands now the majority of our players, while they are from our town, are employed elsewhere and thus their practices, etc. go ahead in St. John's. It must be very challenging for coaches and players.
This practice also has an effect on our fans because, as you know, many of them thoroughly enjoyed watching the practice sessions every evening and they miss this very much.
5. Name three of the greatest players that you ever played with?
Three of the greatest players I ever played with were Reg Farrell, Wils Molloy and Frank Tobin.
6. Name three of the greatest players that you ever played against?
Three of the greatest players I ever played against were Bo Collier (Fortune), Tom Rose (Grand Bank) and Bernie Bennett (St. John's).
7. What's does the future hold for Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer?
I feel the future of NLSA soccer is still bright, as interest in the game continues to grow and more and more kids are joining our minor leagues.
My concern has to be the number of games played in our season compared to the other provinces. This is very evident each year when we enter the Nationals.
I realize money is the bottom line in any sport and money is needed to have exhibition games with top teams both here and other provinces during our regular season. I'm not sure what we can do to change this but, if we are to compete nationally and be successful, I feel we need a lot more competitions leading up to this event.
I think this is one thing the President of NLSA could look at in the future.
Norm's Picture
I can't help but share this Norm Kelly and wife Betty story with you.
In 2004, I was president of the St. Lawrence Soccer Association and I invited Gene Tsartolias from the Quebec Provincial Champion Panellinios Soccer Club to come to St. Lawrence and be guest speaker at our annual Soccer Association Awards Banquet.
When Gene arrived, I went to buy a renowned photo of a soccer ball and the pair of boots from a local photographer, Cynthia Farrell. My plans were to present this famous photo to Gene for coming to St. Lawrence and being our guest speaker.
When I checked with Cynthia about getting one of these pictures, she informed me she had neither one of these pictures left, but Norm Kelly bought one some time ago.
I then went over to Norm's home and marched right in their home and explained to them about Gene being in town and that they had a picture I would like to have. Norm and Betty took the picture off the living room wall and gave it to me to be present to Mr. Tartilios.
Betty, I can remember you wiping of the picture while myself and Norm just stood there laughing.


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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely bloody brilliant! Great characters, superb action, amazing battles and sparkling dialogue. Combined with a cleverly and well crafted plot that is full of surprises and a good dash of humour. A fine and fitting end for all involved, some remarkable plot twists that neatly bring the characters and storyline full circle with great storytelling. This final book was packed full of Norse mythical references and I was especially impressed with the introduction of a horror element to the magic used. It didn't revert to stereotype and still maintained a strong Nordic influence and style to its approach and indeed how the heroes and companions fought against this new and increasing threat.
Overall this trilogy is a masterful retelling of the raise of King Olaf and his blood-coated mission to make the Danes Christian and Snorri has cleverly captured the religious conflict of the time and presented it in a manner that really does remind the reader why the Vikings held firm to their belief in the Aesir and the Old Ways for no great heroes have ever truly emerged from Christian trials and adventures, only in the ways of the North are true heroes forged, their tales becoming legend.
View all my reviews


text: I had read your article on hair donation in chitralekha magazine. I was planning to but was not able to do it. That made me think that with a difficult time people go through when suddenly they r facing problem. I am glad to help them from my precious gift to them which god & my parents gave me.<!–more–> I surely pass this message to all my dear once so they can also be donate & help someone.


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RSPCA Surrey Woking & District Branch is a committee of volunteers that has been very active in the local area providing financial veterinary support through their welfare assistance scheme and are involved in neutering, micro-chipping and re-homing unwanted cats and dogs. The RSPCA Branches are all separately registered charities and they rely entirely on funds raised locally.
Contact Information


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There is something about Koolaide that reminds me of summertime! The flavors smell SO yummy! We prefer not to have our kids drink stuff high in artificial dyes – BUT they can still enjoy the flavors of summer, in Koolaid PLAY DOUGH. This recipe only takes 5 minutes to make!
5 Minute Play Dough Recipe
Many thanks to 36th Avenue and Fun at Home with Kids. Desiree inspired us to add koolaid to our dough this week and Asia told us that we didn't need to use the stove to make our dough – we can microwave it!! Thanks to both of you!
Ingredients you need to make play dough
- 1 cup of flour
- 1/4 cup of salt
- 1 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 2 Koolaid packets
- 3/4 cup of water
Koolaid playdough
Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and stir them until they are all wet and mixed. Put your bowl into the microwave for 50-60 seconds. Stir the edges of your bowl and then let it sit for a minute to set. With a spatula stir the dough and then scrape it out of the bowl. Add another tablespoon of flour to your table surface and dump the dough onto it. Work the playdough until it is elastic. Total time = 5 Minutes! Marvelous!
As we estimate our ingredients (see above video – my five year old is our playdough "cook") here are solutions we have discovered if our batch does not come out as we had planned:
- If the dough is stiff, add a teaspoon of water.
- If the dough crumbles, add another teaspoon of oil.
- If the dough is sticky, add another teaspoon of flour.
- If you prefer a "silky" dough, add a teaspoon of glycerin.
NOTE: While all the ingredients in this recipe are "edible" we do not advise people to eat the dough. Kids can easily get sodium toxicity from eating homemade dough. Please encourage your kids to keep this OUT of their mouths!


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Creative Casement Windows
Save the crazy shapes, it's time to get creative with the classics. Casement windows can be changed to fit any home style in Kingston. You want modern? You got it. How about eclectic? That's realistic, too.
Casement windows are seen in houses all over Kingston. This functional style is an easy to use and dynamic option to think about when looking for a replacement window. Easy-to-operate casement windows open outwards from a side-hinge with a simple crank of the handle. There's no need to push up or down on a heavy window to catch a breeze, which many homeowners acknowledge about the simple design.
This is also a perfect option for the most natural light. Casement windows operate by swinging outwards from a side-hinge, which means there is no extra material that blocks your view, or natural light, from coming into your home. On top of that, Pella provides Kingston homeowners with ENERGY STAR options for casement replacement windows.
Due to all of these awesome assets, many homeowners opt for the simple, yet tasteful casement window to gain these benefits:
· Sunlight Maximization: Pella replacement windows are used to hold heat in cold climates and cool air in hot climates. Along with a tight seal and top-quality glass, casement windows are perfect for every part of your home, especially locations like a sunroom. This grants your furniture to be protected from the outside elements, and still have colorful plants bring brightness indoors. When placed with ENERGY STAR approved glass that protects, locations like your sunroom that are usually scorching can be quaint and comfortable all year round, no matter where you live in Kingston.
· Simple Addition: Casement windows are also a perfect base to an even more complex design. As a rectangular shape, casement windows work as a great center of the puzzle. You can also add a customized window shape above the original casement window. The collaboration between creative and classic creates a unique and exclusive feel to your Kingston home.
· Grille Option: Pella provides grille options that are convenient on wood, vinyl and fiberglass windows and patio doors and are available in a few different choices: permanent, removable room side and removable snap-in between-the-glass1. Don't forget the wide variety of colors available and various pattern options. We aren't kidding, the possibilities are seemingly endless.Pella is here to help your creativity come to life. For more casement window inspiration, visit our showroom in Kingston or call us at 845-663-1025.
1. Snap-in grilles-between-the-glass are only available on Pella Designer Series products.


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Typically a committed duo, salt and pepper have found a tarty friend – sumac – and they're bringing her in as their third. The perfect gustatory menage à trois, these chard chips are salty, citrusy, and peppery all at the same time. Invite this swinging threesome into your home as a snack, on a appetizer plate, alongside a sandwich or burger, even as an edible garnish on a cheese tray or hor d'oeuvre platter.
The first time I made these chips I made them the slow way, de-stalking the chard, chopping it into pieces, massaging the spice mixture in with my hands. If necessity is the mother of invention, then laziness is its wicked stepmother. After that crafty she-devil came out whining about how much time I spent on making chips, I did a bit of pondering and came up with a plan. The full details are below, but the takeaway is that you can save yourself a lot of time by putting the entire leaf, stalk and all, into the oven.
- 1 bunch red chard, wash and dry, do not remove stems or chop
- 1 bunch green chard, wash and dry, do not remove stems or chop
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (Please note if you are sub-ing with table salt then use less salt)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of peppercorns (I used a mixture of different colours)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sumac
- Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a small bowl and combine with the sumac and the oil.
- Lay an entire chard leaf on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the oil and spice mixture on the chard. You don't need to do the stalk as you'll be removing it later. Grab another leaf and repeat. Don't stack them on top of each other – have each in a single layer. This will probably take several baking sheets and you might need to do it in batches.
- Put the chard in the oven at 300. Check the chard after 6 minutes or so. My red chard took 10 minutes, the green took about 13 minutes. You want them crunchy but not burnt. They will crunch up a bit when you remove them from the oven, so err on the side of less done if you are concerned.
- Once done, remove from the oven and side aside until cool enough to handle.
- Using scissors, cut the leaves off of the stalks and then transfer the leaves/chips to your serving dish. (Compost the stalks)
- Enjoy! And tell me what you think! It's Fall here in Vancouver, Canada and these look a bit like the dried maple leaves that are all over the sidewalks now. But don't worry, they don't taste like them!
PS – If you are buying sumac for this recipe, here are a couple of very different recipes where you can use it again: Sexed-Up Shredded Wheat, and Seaweed, Avocado, and Nectarine Salad with Sumac and Honey Dressing.
Fall at My House
Isn't this a trippy pic? And probably even more so for a post that ostensibly celebrates the vegetal and wholesome! From that perspective, the gloves look vaguely disturbing. But they are just work gloves and my partner has been working really hard lately – hence the "Fall" of gloves. They're so red and full of movement – kind of like the crimson chard above. I actually went out and bought a tripod just so I could take the pic. The gloves were lying on the shower floor, so the tripod made it easier to get an overhead shot.


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29 Jul A new milestone in the history of Resuinsa
Look to the future but with your feet firmly in the present".
This phrase by Félix Martí Olivares, founder of Resuinsa, is the company's standard. This philosophy, together with effort, work and dedication, has enabled us to progress, grow, open new markets and celebrate our 40th anniversary.
Founded in 1976, Resuinsa is the leading sector company in Spain and operates in 81 countries on five continents. Our pillars are quality, innovation and the internationalisation of our products.
Now we've decided to mark these four decades of tireless activity with a celebration. We recently inaugurated our offices in Alboraya, facing the Mediterranean Sea. A bright, transparent work space. An updated image that we'll reinforce even more as of next month.
September 21st will mark a new milestone in the history of the company.


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Needlequest Update Post - Mon 24 Feb 2014
I was going to say it hasn't been a very stitchy week, but I did finish off that poppy on Friday and have done a couple of hour-long sessions on my cross stitch, but I haven't got as far as I would have liked. Still, there are a few days left for me to finish this month's challenge on time.=) Sadly, Hanako isn't very portable (nor is the Tudor Lady, come to that), so I can't work on her during the few dead hours I have to spend in transit to visit mum per week. It would be too bumpy for that too. Cross stitch bookmarks are good for in transit stitching, and I've done some hardanger work as well (surface work, not cutting out or filling stitches), but this kind of thing, nope. I did sort out a few mistakes on the Tudor Lady on the coach home a few weeks ago!!
What about you? Has anyone anything to share? I've only had one link left this month, so I'm hoping others have been saving theirs up for a big finale. Perhaps next month's topic of goldwork will be more inspiring for many.=)
Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014


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By MEGHAN HAAS
Though he has a concealed carry permit, one life-long gun owner says he almost never carries his gun. Dirk Wilker, 55, says he has the permit just in case he gets pulled over between home and the shooting range.
Wilker is at the Southern Michigan Gun Club shooting range in downtown Kalamazoo. He's readying himself to go into the indoor range, a long, narrow room with four stalls, three hold a shooter. At the end of each shoot is a black and white circular target. Gunshots, all fired from .22 pistols, sound off in syncopated pops.
Wilker says that target shooting requires muscular control. To shoot accurately, he says he has to stand perfectly still and focus on keeping the front of the gun steady. This is hard to do with a target down at the far end of the shooting range, he says.
"I imagine telling people how to shoot is like telling them how to bowl, it seems easier than it is," Wilker says.
*Dirk Wilker is not speaking on behalf of the Southern Michigan Gun Club.


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"The soul is healed by being with children" ~ Dostoyevsky
Her: Do you like cats or dogs?
Me: Dogs. But I don't mind cats.
Her: So you're not scared of them?
Me: No. They're alright.
Her: I have a really tall friend in school but she has the brain of a baby!
Me: What? What does that mean?
Her: She's tall and she's in my grade but she likes MINNIE MOUSE.
Me: Ah.
Her: She's not a Directioner, she's not a Belieber, she actually likes Minnie Mouse. So I told her to grow up.
Me: Oh!
Her: One day, when you have kids… what are you going to call your daughter?
Me: Well. I don't know. I didn't think about it.
Her: What about your son?
Me: That's a hard question! Girl names are easier.
Her: Yes, I agree. I'd call my daughter Majd or Reem. I hate my name. I told my Dad that he picked an ugly name.
Me: I love your name!
Her: No! I hate it. I want to get the MacBook Pro, but my parents say I don't need it. Do you have a MacBook Pro?
Me: I have an old one, but you certainly don't need one. Your parents are right.
Her: I fed my cat ice-cream today! Will you buy the iPhone 5? It'll be cheaper next week.
Me: Why would I buy it? My phone works fine.
Her: What about the iPad Mini?
Me: I don't need it.
Her: How come you didn't adopt any kids when you volunteered in Costa Rica?
Me: I can't just adopt a child. I'll have to change everything about my life and start a family.
Her: Why?
Me: It's like having a baby and becoming a parent. I have to take care of that child like my own.
Her: So?
Me: So, I can't do that right now. And besides, I can't bring someone from a different culture and expect them to adapt to life in Kuwait. It's hard.
Her: Has anyone ever asked you this question? "When you have kids one day, will you give them everything they want?"
Me: Nope, no one's asked me that.
Her: Well? Would you?
Me: Of course I wouldn't.
Her: It's a tough question. Hmm. Like if my four-year old daughter wanted an iPhone, I'd say NO WAY.
Me: That's very smart.
Her: Yeah, but if I had a twelve-year-old… and they wanted a phone? I'd probably get it for them. Because if someone is twelve or thirteen they should have a phone.
Me: Oh? How old are you?
Her: I'm twelve.
Me: So you think you should have a phone?
Her: YES! I wish! Did you ever really want to see a band when you were younger and your parents said no?
Me: Oh yeaaaah.
Her: It's NOT fair. I'd give my kids anything they wanted.


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Join Big Wave Surfer Andrew Cotton on Surfing Adventure
People across the country have an awesome chance to join one of the UK's leading big wave surfers and his crew, to witness some of the world's most gigantic XXL waves in either Portugal or Ireland, thanks to Cornwall's Sharp's Brewery. Devon-based Andrew Cotton has just returned from an intensive five day training trip to a high performance surf academy in
Categories: Blog , Surfing , Prize Competitions
Sharp's Brewery Launches Campaign to Inspire Adventure
Cornwall based Sharp's Brewery aims to inspire a sense of adventure with its latest campaign offering people a chance to join a number of adventures in Cornwall. As part of its 'There's an Adventure Brewing' campaign, Sharp's Brewery is giving people the opportunity to win a place on one of five unique and extraordinary adventures in 2015. Research
Categories: Adventure Sports , Prize Competitions
Born to Boogie Competition
Orca Publications have sent us their latest stunning book. It's an absolute beauty. Any bodyboard lover, or in fact photographer would love to get their mitts on one of these. Owen Pye has compiled a brilliant book chock full of the history of bodyboarding, it's legends lifestories and some of the greatest tricks you'll see a bodyboard pull are all documented
Categories: Blog , Prize Competitions
Win a Vintage VW Campervan
Authentic British clothing and accessories brand Fat Face will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer by giving fans the chance to win the ultimate 'great outdoors' prize. On Thursday 23rd May, Fat Face launched a nationwide summer competition to win 'Jim', a bespoke Fat Face, vintage 1960s VW campervan, worth £35,000. Jim, the name of the campervan, is an
Categories: Blog , Prize Competitions
Winter wins the English Nationals Surf comp
The 41st English Nationals Surf Championship in association with P20, hosted by Extreme Academy, was a huge success over the bank holiday weekend, thanks to the hard work of the Surf Science and Technology Foundation Degree students at Cornwall College Newquay, who helped organise the event in conjunction with UK Pro Surf Tour and the English Surfing
Categories: Blog , Surfing , Prize Competitions


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Petite Bourbon
Petite Bourbon is located on the famous Bourbon Street in the heart of the world renowned French Quarter. They are the ONLY facility in the Quarter with a petite ballroom, balcony, AND courtyard. Petite Bourbon is capable of handling any event with a capacity of 225 guests using the inside space, plus an additional 225 guests if you use the fabulous courtyard area. Petite Bourbon is the perfect place for an event that is uniquely New Orleans.