Need Drug Rehab? Don't Go to One That Doesn't Offer Family Therapy

Having an educated and supportive family to come home to after drug or alcohol rehab is one of the best ways to promote long term sobriety. Also to minimize the risks of relapse, and one of the best ways that family can learn to support the addict in recovery is through involved participation in family therapies at drug rehab.

Addictions professionals agree that the family participation is enormously beneficial to the recovering addict, so why don't all rehabs include family therapy and programming as a part of standard care?

The issues, as it so often does, comes back to costs of service; and it simply costs more money for a drug or alcohol rehab to run additional and peripheral therapies, educational seminars and family group meetings. Although these are proven very effective, too many rehabs get away with sending family to al anon as a substitute for true and active participation in the therapies of rehab.

How does family involvement in rehab help?

Individual therapy with a psychologist and the whole family, including the addict, can help the family to learn together why the drinking or drugging occurs, learn what family dynamics may be contributing to the problem, and also begin to heal some of the negative emotions invariably created out of the behaviors of substance abuse.

Family educational seminars educate the family about the nature and manipulations of addiction, about the dangers of the drug taken in particular, and about concrete strategies they can use to assist the recovering addict maintain sobriety once out of rehab and back in the home.

Family group sessions, in which the families of all recovering addicts in the program share experiences together, can also help to heal some of the rifts created by addiction; and families learn that their pain and suffering is in no way unique, and they also learn that they need not feel guilty for things beyond their control.

Family participation is important

Family involvement in a drug or alcohol rehab is incredibly helpful to all members of the family, and really assists the recovering addict tremendously once back home, and as such finding a rehab that is close enough for easy family participation should be a priority in the selection process.

If two rehabs are under consideration, and all else seems equal, choose the facility that offers more comprehensive family involvement. It will help a lot, and it indicates that a good portion of your admissions check is being spent on therapy and programming to benefit the recovering addict, and not on exorbitant profits for the owner.

Even if the family does not intend on participating, rehabs that do not offer family therapy, or offer very minimal familial participation, should be considered a little bit suspect. Family participation helps, and if a rehab doesn't offer it; why not?

Nostalgic Christmas Tree Ornaments and More - Many Created From Nature

Whether it's from your own backyard; the local nursery; or a farmer's market... nature provides for stunning decorations. Toss in a few store-bought touches and the combination is beautifully nostalgic. And speaking of nature let's face it: People first decorated their tree with what they found in nature.

Let's begin with Christmas tree ornaments.

Before you rake up all the colorful fall leaves, gather some for ornaments. Wrap them around Styrofoam balls or other shapes. Hold in place with a little bit of glue and then cover with a thin coat of shellac if necessary. If you're especially creative you can add some gold gilting that outlines the veins in the leaves. Or paint another favorite design onto the leaf ornaments.

Sprigs of holly full of red berries can be placed throughout your tree. They add color and a different texture to your fir or spruce tree.

And don't forget pine cones! Do your best to gather different shapes and sizes for interesting variety. You can paint the tips white to look like snow, or use a metallic gold or silver paint. Sometimes using gold and silver on the same cones can really warm up the silver (it tends to look "cold").

There are a several ways to hang the cones. One way is to use a dollop of glue applied to the bottom of the pine cone and add string for hanging the cone from the tree. Another option is using a very thin wire. Bend it around the cone and then use the remaining length to create a hook for hanging from the branch. For eco-friendly decorating, use strips of organic cotton fabric in holiday colors to hang the pine cone ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Real mistletoe also adds some magic to your Christmas tree. Simply take a sprig, wrap one end in ribbon and hang them throughout the tree. Depending on your color scheme you can use red ribbon or try purple and gold with a splash of green.

Eucalyptus is another natural decoration that compliments the dark green pine colors nicely. Try tying it up like mistletoe. Or maybe you prefer to use it as a garland for your tree.

And speaking of garland... there are many berries from the yard that will add bright color to your holiday tree. And as you make your string of berries, include popcorn on the same string of garland. It makes for a very colorful decoration that you and your children will enjoy making. Just string it all together with needle and thread. And if you don't have any berries in your yard you can always get cranberries from the grocery store.

Two final tips for your garland: Use a small brush to carefully add a little shellac to your berries and popcorn. It will keep away the bugs and your garland will last longer too. And second, here's a rule of thumb for all types of garland: For every 1-foot of vertical tree height you'll need about 10 linear feet of garland.

Garlands from centuries long gone by were made from flowers, leaves, feathers, and even precious metal and jewels. Maybe you can create something all your own from those ideas and your local craft store.

Some of the first decorations on trees included fruit and nuts. You can hang the fruit by stabbing a pipe cleaner through the apples, oranges, lemons, or pears. And if you want to get a little bit fancy you can coat the fruit in sugar. Dip it in egg whites; let the excess drip off, roll it in a bowl of granular sugar and carefully set aside to dry. Give your fruit plenty of time to dry, at least overnight.

Nuts might be sugared almonds in tiny paper baskets hung on the tree. Or use whole walnuts in the shell hung with fishing line. Again you can paint the walnut shells in metallic colors if you wish.

I know a couple who use poinsettia plants in different colors throughout their home as their only decoration. Wrap the bases in colorful foils with ribbons and it's truly a beautiful sight. You could even create poinsettia trees by stacking several of them on stands arranged in the shape of a tree!

And to help the wild birds during the winter you can decorate your outdoor trees. Make garlands from unsalted popcorn or cranberries. Also hang orange halves and seed-covered suet cakes. You'll help feed the birds and get the added enjoyment of watching them.

Nature, a few touches from the craft store, and your imagination all combine for a nostalgic Christmas that promises many great memories. Make ornaments, garland, or other centerpieces using the ideas in this article. It will be a wholesome family Christmas that you'll treasure for years to come.

This Is It - Heal The World Credits - Video - HD 1080p - Buy The Movie Right Now!

Michael Jackson's This Is It (commonly known as This Is It) is a 2009 American documentaryconcert film directed by Kenny Ortega that documents Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, but canceled due to his death eighteen days prior on June 25. The film is now the highest grossing concert movie and documentary in the history of cinema.[6] The film consists of Jackson rehearsing musical numbers and directing his team, and additional behind the scenes footage including dancer auditions and costume design. The film's director Kenny Ortega confirmed that none of this footage was originally intended for release, but after Jackson's death it was agreed that the film be made for his fans. Ortega dedicated the film to Jackson's three children. The footage was filmed at both the Staples Center arena and The Forum in Los Angeles, California. Despite originally being set for October 30, the film's release date was rescheduled for October 28, 2009 due to a strong demand by Jackson's fans. The film was given a wide worldwide release and a limited two-week theatrical run from October 28, to November 12, 2009. Tickets went on sale a month early on September 27, 2009, to satisfy a high anticipated demand; to date, the film has broken numerous records via tickets both pre-sale and sales worldwide. Since the film's confirmation, AEG Live has faced criticism; mostly consisting of claims that they had only made ...



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The ABC's of DADA (2 of 3)

EXCERPTS FROM DADA TEXTS: I say unto you: there is no beginning and we do not tremble, we are not sentimental. We are a furious Wind, tearing the dirty linen of clouds and prayers, preparing the great spectacle of disaster, fire, decomposition.* We will put an end to mourning and replace tears by sirens screeching from one continent to another. Pavilions of intense joy and widowers with the sadness of poison. Dada is the signboard of abstraction; advertising and business are also elements of poetry. Science disgusts me as soon as it becomes a speculative system, loses its character of utility-that is so useless but is at least individual. I detest greasy objectivity, and harmony, the science that finds everything in order. Carry on, my children, humanity . . . Science says we are the servants of nature: everything is in order, make love and bash your brains in. Carry on, my children, humanity, kind bourgeois and journalist virgins . . . I am against systems, the most acceptable system is on principle to have none. The beginnings of Dada were not the beginnings of an art, but of a disgust. Disgust with the magnificence of philosophers who for 3000 years have been explaining everything to us (what for? ), disgust with the pretensions of these artists-God's-representatives-on-earth, disgust with passion and with real pathological wickedness where it was not worth the bother; disgust with a false form of domination and restriction *en masse*, that accentuates rather than ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJICH4R9n8w&hl=en

Black Man :Vs: Black Woman : "The Method abaft the MADNESS" pt.3/3

I, along with the aid of Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, present the "reasons" and the root cause of all of the dissention in relationships involving Black Women and Black Men. The video actually explains the root cause for the entire "seemingly unexplainable" destructive nature of the BLACK COMMUNITY. Frances Cress Welsing (born March 18, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is psychiatrist practicing in Washington,DC She is famous for her "Cress Theory of Color Confrontation", which explores the practice of white supremacy. She is the author of "The Isis Papers; The Keys to the Colors" (1991). To learn More about Francis Cress Welsing www.francescresswelsing.com The audio snippets of Dr. Welsing were taken from The ALEXYSS K.TYLOR VP Radio show that aired on 12/5/2008 For the full 2 hour version of the show clink this the link below. www.blogtalkradio.com To view actual lectures given by Dr. Frances Cress Welsing click the links Below: www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFj9Dl9DWbM&hl=en

American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 2 - Dragon Breath (part 3 of 3)

PLEASE CHECK out my new site where you can download free games and American Dragon Jake Long Season 1 & 2 Episodes thelairofthedragon.webs.com Click Here . Then Hit Confirm ! : www.youtube.com Please Rate 5/5 , Comment , Favorite and Subscribe for more American Dragon Jake Long videos American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 2 - Dragon Breath (part 3 of 3) ok so am going upload Season 1 (21 Episodes) and Season 2 ( 31 Episodes ) PART 1 www.youtube.com PART 2 www.youtube.com PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PLAY LIST @ www.youtube.com Set in Manhattan, this animated series tells the story of 14-year-old who must balance ordinary adolescent transformation with a very cool secret...he is a descendant of dragons, the Chinese culture's ultimate representation of excellence and the forces of Mother Nature. When he eventually unlocks his full potential and turns into the American Dragon, he will overcome obstacles to protect the magical creatures living in the city, but as his ordinary self, Jake Long can't conquer his crush on pretty blond schoolmate Rose who, unbeknownst to Jake, has an amazing secret of her own... she's a dragon slayer!. Jake navigates the city with fellow skateboarders Trixie and Spud, and when he gets home, it's to an extended family: a businessman dad originally from the Midwest who doesn't know he's married into a family of dragons, Jake's Chinese mom, his grandfather (who recently immigrated to train his grandson in the ways of the ancient dragon), younger ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY1v3Z5x4CM&hl=en

Happy Thanksgiving Gay Family Values

Ok this year is going way to fast for my liking. Its Thanksgiving again here in the USA and we want to wish every one a happy day full of cheer and food. I work on Thanksgiving so hopefully its a quiet day in the city. I want to send a very special thanks to LukeBasarab for the new opener for our holiday videos. www.youtube.com Please check out Lukes channel he is a very talented Animator.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQS88YSvyiI&hl=en

Velda Pine Moth Pupation Creepshow

This could be from a Sci-Fi mutant insect invasion movie - but it's actually 100% nature! These are actual photos and video documenting the pupation process of the Velda Pine Moth (Coloradia velda), a member of the Saturniidae family of giant silk moths. This pupation process normally happens a few inches underground, in a small chamber constructed in the soft earth by the caterpillar. After spending the winter in this underground cocoon chamber, it develops, emerges from the pupal case and claws its way to he surface. Once there, it expands its wings and begins the short (2-7 days) adult phase of its life where the primary function is reproduction. The soundtrack is "Monster Music" from the Technician CD "Halloween 2001". Much more Lepidoptera documentary at JCMDI.COM, free to the public. Enjoy!



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American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 11 Shapeshifter (part 1 of 3)

PLEASE CHECK out my new site where you can download free games and American Dragon Jake Long Season 1 & 2 Episodes thelairofthedragon.webs.com Click Here . Then Hit Confirm ! www.youtube.com Facebook FAN PAGE www.facebook.com Please Rate 5/5 , Comment , Favorite and Subscribe for more American Dragon Jake Long videos American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 11 Shapeshifter (part 1 of 3) PART 2 www.youtube.com PART 3 www.youtube.com PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PLAY LIST @ www.youtube.com THE GROUP www.youtube.com Set in Manhattan, this animated series tells the story of 14-year-old who must balance ordinary adolescent transformation with a very cool secret...he is a descendant of dragons, the Chinese culture's ultimate representation of excellence and the forces of Mother Nature. When he eventually unlocks his full potential and turns into the American Dragon, he will overcome obstacles to protect the magical creatures living in the city, but as his ordinary self, Jake Long can't conquer his crush on pretty blond schoolmate Rose who, unbeknownst to Jake, has an amazing secret of her own... she's a dragon slayer!. Jake navigates the city with fellow skateboarders Trixie and Spud, and when he gets home, it's to an extended family: a businessman dad originally from the Midwest who doesn't know he's married into a family of dragons, Jake's Chinese mom, his grandfather (who recently immigrated to train his grandson in the ways of the ancient dragon), younger sister Haley (a ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tElVp7W1xcs&hl=en

THINLEY NORBU RINPOCHE: WHITE SAIL allotment 1

VISUAL DHARMA 54 (2005)- THINLEY NORBU RINPOCHE- OFFERING PRAISE from the WHITE SAIL is published to nourish all beings. Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, great saints and sublime Dharma practitioners appear in this world constantly to lead beings from samsaric turbulance to the peace of nirvana. To embed and to sponsor the preparation of Visual Dharmas of OBF International means to perform 1st Dharmic Activity as taught by the Buddhas. Visual Dharma Art is compassionate skillful means to help beings in third millenium, to accomplish inner peace of nirvana and to illuminate radiant wisdom spirit of our precious Buddha nature. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas don´t appear only in human forms : manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are limitless. As it is said in the Sutras : „A Tathagatas forms are endless. And so is his awareness..." Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche (born 1931 in Tibet, now living in USA) is very eminent Nyingma Buddhist master, the emanation of Drimed Ödser who accomplished the Rainbow Body in Tibet (1924). Rinpoche was born as the eldest son of HHDudjom Rinpoche II who was the principal of Nyingma Vajrayana Buddhism. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche is the author of sublime Dharma works in English : The Small Golden Key, Magic Dance, White Sail, Gypsy Gossip, Welcoming Flowers, Cascading Waterfall of Nectar. His Collected Works is published in Tibetan. At the beginning and the end of this Visual Dharma we see very rare Therma/Hidden treasure-statue of Guru Padmasambhava. *Ku ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1kIQn33DDM&hl=en

distilled baptize vs. bounce water

WATER AS PURE AS NATURE INTENDED In the Beginning, two hydrogen atoms paired with a single oxygen atom to establish the triplet structure—H2O—called water. Among all the nutrients that humans consume, water is, as one scientist described it, the indispensable nutrient on which all forms of life depend. Water is the most abundant substance on Earth and in the human body, accounting for approximately 70% of total body weight. It carved the Grand Canyon and gently cradled you in your mothers womb. The Villains of Pollution Throughout early history, life on Earth existed in a natural environment with abundant water supplies from rain, unpolluted springs, streams, rivers and wells. Water was relatively pure, containing only moderate amounts of naturally occurring substances. But theres more to the story. Since the Industrial Revolution, and especially since World War II, weve dumped all kinds of chemicals into the environment, almost universally contaminating our precious, life-sustaining water supplies. The function of water is impaired when these toxic chemicals are introduced into your system. Your health declines as your body becomes a chemical cesspool. Back to Nature Faced with the complex problems of pollution, we turned to nature for the wisest and safest solution. Water in its purest form is found in the vapor that rises from the Earths surface, leaving behind any contaminants it may have collected. This process of evaporation, condensation and precipitation is known ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RoPpa7VAlQ&hl=en

In Depth with Steven Pinker pt. 5/18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkAlG7STVCs&hl=en

American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 4 - The Legend of Dragon Tooth (part 3 of 3)

Click Here . Then Hit Confirm ! : www.youtube.com Please Rate 5/5 , Comment , Favorite and Subscribe for more American Dragon Jake Long videos American Dragon Jake Long - Season 1 Episode 4 - The Legend of Dragon Tooth (part 3 of 3) Original Air Date—4 February 2005 Jake's little sister is about to lose her first tooth. But since it's a dragon tooth, it has mystical powers. The Tooth Fairy's assistant, Dr. Diente, has been biding his time until a dragon tooth came along. Seizing his opportunity, Diente grabs the Tooth Fairy's wand and goes after Haley. But he didn't figure on a mystical shield guarding the Long house, as well as the American Dragon. PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PLAY LIST @ www.youtube.com Set in Manhattan, this animated series tells the story of 14-year-old who must balance ordinary adolescent transformation with a very cool secret...he is a descendant of dragons, the Chinese culture's ultimate representation of excellence and the forces of Mother Nature. When he eventually unlocks his full potential and turns into the American Dragon, he will overcome obstacles to protect the magical creatures living in the city, but as his ordinary self, Jake Long can't conquer his crush on pretty blond schoolmate Rose who, unbeknownst to Jake, has an amazing secret of her own... she's a dragon slayer!. Jake navigates the city with fellow skateboarders Trixie and Spud, and when he gets home, it's to an extended family: a businessman dad originally from the Midwest who doesn't ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KqcmtfTfIg&hl=en

The English Holly - Nature's Creative Handiwork

Progress in all the Arts is promoted in times of peace, and the history of gardening is an obvious manifestation of this fact. During the reign of Queen Victoria, when Brittania ruled the seven seas and the swords of war were sheathed, the gardens of England flowered as never before.

Of special significance was the attention showered upon hollies by England's noted nurserymen during the Victorian era. In no other country in the world was the same loving care bestowed upon these beautiful and time revered trees. Competitive displays were held with England's foremost horticulturists receiving prized awards for introductions of hollies of exceptional distinction and beauty. Vying with one another, these English nurserymen searched far and wide to extend their collections to include many other species of Ilex from foreign lands.

Thus in the years of 1874-76 the English Gardeners' Chronicle illustrated and described 153 named garden varieties of English holly in a monumental monograph by Thomas Moore. This effort at holly nomenclature was followed in a noteworthy manner by the publication, in 1908, of Holly, Yew and Box, compiled and written by Dr. William Dallimore while serving as curator of Kew Gardens in London.

English Holly Transported

Interestingly enough, an exportation of hollies from old England to the newly colonized country of the Pacific Northwest was made during the years from 1850-75. These transplanted hollies found such salubrious climate and ideal soil for their growth that today, 150 years later, many of Oregon's inhabitants consider them as trees native to their state. During these past decades, many new varietal forms have made their appearance in the Northwest, until we have assembled in Oregon and Washington a most creditable series of English holly varieties.

English holly (Ilex aquifolium) may be described briefly as a tree-like shrub of dense, compact and symmetrical growth, with spiny, wavy leaves of glossiest green. The female or pistillate hollies produce clusters of bright red berries prized highly for their decorative value. The all important male or staminate holly is admired for its luxuriant foliage.

Before attempting any classification of the many garden varieties of English holly, the origin of the various varieties must be mentioned. One of nature's amazing phenomena is the curious capacity of vegetative growth to spontaneously mutate or change itself from its apparently fixed habit to an entirely new form. Such miracles or mutations are usually referred to as sports, and they may make their appearance in seedling form or as unusual branches called bud sports.

Illustrations of holly seed sports are those producing yellow or orange berries in place of the usual red, the weeping or pendulous hollies, those with leaves of purest gold and the many spineless or smooth-leaved varieties. Bud sports occur when a terminal bud swells to bursting in the spring season and, Willy nilly, as if from nowhere, there emerges a pixilated branchlet garbed with color or form which is distinctly different.

Thus through nature's creative handiwork and some back yard ideas our gardens have been endowed with a dazzling display of gorgeous hollies arrayed in brightest silver and gold. When Mother Nature turns herself loose with abandon, her miracles to perform, we are permitted to perceive the ultimate in bizarre and unusual coloration, as well as the grotesque in form. Truly the hollies have been nature's willing subjects, ever yielding to her whimsy and caprice.

Most of the colorful mutants appear as bud sports and may be classified generally as follows: first as those where the margins of the leaves are edged or banded with silver or gold and known as the "Marginates". The second group known as the "mediopietas" are varieties where the individual leaves are centrally (medio) illuminated or painted (pieta) with either silver or golden coloration. The first group of these hollies, the marginates, are the more fixed or constant and seldom do they revert to the form of their parent. The mediopictas, where the coloration is confined to the leaf centers, are more fickle and frequently send forth branches corresponding to those of the holly of their origin.

Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg

Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte, Princess de Bourbon de Parme, Duchess of Nassau,Princess of Belgium, Countess Palatine of the Rhine, Countess of Sayn, Königstein, Katzenelnbogen and Diez, Burgrave of Hammerstein, Lady of Mahlberg, Wiesbaden, Idstein, Merenberg, Limburg and Eppstein She was born at the Royal Palace of Brussels as the oldest child and only daughter of Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden. The young princess spent her childhood at the Stuyvenberg Palace just outside of Brussels with her parents, King Léopold and the legendary Snow Queen Astrid. Her mother, who was born a Princess of Sweden and a direct descendant of Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife Joséphine, was killed in an automobile accident in 1935 at age 29. Her father was a direct descendant of Stéphanie de Beauharnais, cousin of Joséphine's first husband and adopted daughter of Joséphine's second husband. On 9 April 1953 in Luxembourg, the princess married Prince Jean, then Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. They had five children: Princess Marie-Astrid, who was born on February 17, 1954; Grand Duke Henri, who was born on April 16, 1955; Prince Jean, who was born on May 15, 1957; Princess Margaretha, who was born on May 15, 1957; Prince Guillaume, who was born on May 1, 1963. As Hereditary Grand Duchess first, then, from Jean's accession to the throne on November 12, 1964, until his abdication in 2001, as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, she carried out the many and varied duties (particularly ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr89m_-Mi2U&hl=en

Lifestyle Design - Celebrate Your Home - Part I

Home is truly our external heart and as such it needs a lot of care and attention in its decorating and development. Invite friends and family to contribute to the creation of your home. A house is merely a dwelling; it becomes a home when you use your heart to express your environment in a comfortable and inviting manner.

Here are some easy ways to celebrate your home with friends and family.

Housewarming by the Room
So few people it seems remember to throw a housewarming or if they do it is a couple of years after moving in. So, to get this ball rolling, don't wait for the entire house to be complete; instead, celebrate room by room. Very few folks decorate their entire home at once anyway, and it counts to measure the small successes, even if it is a powder room, not to mention the big successes like a kitchen or bath remodel.

How many entertaining opportunities have you missed by waiting to get your house complete? Remember if your friends are waiting to see your drapery and not you, you might want to consider some new friends! Life is in the connection, not in the stuff. Celebrate every step rather than waiting for just one big one.

Celebrate your home with room by room housewarmings!

Stock the Pantry Party
No one likes to show up at a party empty handed and this is an easy way to get guests to bring what you need and want, while you share the welcome of your home and hospitality.

Create a master list of pantry stockers desired or even register if you are including kitchen appliances like blenders, toasters, and food processors. Let everyone know what you are into, whether it is a pantry full of bottled water, chips and dip or you are a bit more of a cook and want great exotic spices, tins of imported specialty foods, and international flavors. Sure flour and sugar are necessary staples, but I bet you can get more creative.

On appliances and kitchen tools, think hard about what you want and what you'll use. Sure some are almost required like the blender and even a toaster still, but what about a divine bread maker, the latest ergonomic palm held peeler, a butterfly trash can by Simply Human, or a classic wine rack. You can even suggest gift cards from favorite big box retail kitchen good stores like Bed Bath Beyond, Williams Sonoma, and Crate and Barrel.

Celebrate your home with a stock the pantry party!
Grow the Garden Party
This is one of my favorites as I've come relatively late to the realization of a green thumb. The grow the garden party is ideal if you enjoy potting house plants, or dream of a cutting garden, or perhaps harbor visions of growing your own herbs and vegetables. Invite your friends to an outdoor picnic and while you provide the food and drink, ask them to provide a plant or garden tool.

Of course you may want to suggest gift cards from local nurseries for those that are green thumb challenged, and you'll want to specify full sunshine or shade for desired plants. The point is that you get a more eclectic mix and when all are in bloom, they remind you of each guest and their personal contribution. You could even name each plant with tags after the person that provided it.

Celebrate your home and Mother Nature with a Grow the Garden Party!

Demolition Bash
Okay, you've made the decision to remodel and it is a big project. Kick it off in style with a Demolition Bash. Perhaps you are tearing out the kitchen or bath making way for a major update or reconfiguration. In any case, it's got to go. Be sure you time this with your contractor's schedule, and invite friends to bring a dish and a camp out in your newly emptied space.

(If you have handy careful friends you can actually invite them to assist with demolition, but be cautious in mixing a party atmosphere with hammers and other serious remodeling tools.)

It is always rewarding to enjoy even a day of the space unfinished before the work of putting it all together gets underway. Do be sure you have made all of your decisions at this stage and you don't open up the event to brainstorming. Too many opinions will only result in confusion and frustration.

Remodeling can be an exhausting and sometimes chaotic process so celebrating at demolition can make it that much more tolerable. Be sure to plan the next bash at completion!

Paint Party
Personally, I can't think of anything I'd rather avoid, but I can do it myself if necessary without training. (Heck, I once sponge painted my whole house, since the contractor had reversed the paint colors in the final coat!) But I do have friends that not only enjoy painting but actually find it relaxing, imagine it.

So if you have one or two rooms to get done and would be willing to do the same for friends or family (turn about is fair play in this), plan a painting party. You supply the paint, of course, but I'm betting you have friends with extra drop cloths, ladders, and even brushes that will be game to come and join you for an afternoon or a day of painting to be rewarded with pizza and beer or a cold cut sandwich buffet and icy sodas.

This can save the cost of a contractor and actually make an otherwise mundane and potentially arduous task fun. Many hands make light work, so invite others to help.

Celebrate your home with friends that will help you transform a room or two and a Paint Party!

Family Relationships

Of all relationships we build in the course of our life, perhaps the most fundamental is that of family. The family relationship is like no other in that often the boundaries are blurred. Whatever family may mean for you, it is precious and serves your growth.

Family embraces multiple-aspect relationships, including:  parent with its child, child with parent, parents with their children, children with parents, parent with their partner as parent, brother with sister and vice versa, and child as one of several siblings. And these are only some of the relationships formed within the nuclear birth family!

From there we find the single parent family relationship, and the family in which each parent has brought to the relationship their children from another union, thus forming a his-hers-ours family. Or perhaps one partner walks into a parental role without actually physically having parented a child at all. And no doubt you can find other examples of how the modern day family constitutes itself.

Multi-generation aspects to family relationships are also vitally important, as many baby boomers are discovering to their delight. Grandparents build uniquely special relationships with grandchildren, and grandchildren with their grandparents. Aunts, uncles, cousins, step relatives - the list goes on. But each of these connections gives us a certain identity, a place of belonging, a home base.

However your family is for you, it is still family; it is the people from whom you can expect unconditional acceptance. Where do you stand in the giving of unconditional love to members of your family?

It is the gift of evolution that we children somehow surpass the boundaries of our parents. If we do not improve our species with every generational step, humanity will never continue to evolve; it will stall and then stagnate.

But always, family relationship, as with any relationship, comes down to connection and love. The differences we inevitably develop as we individually grow into our life purpose, need not divide; they can simply add to the mix that makes family so challenging and yet safe, relaxing and allowing of who and how we are.

Never take your heart away from your parents, brothers or sisters. If you have reason to associate emotional or physical pain with any member of your family, remember, their pain must equal, if not go deeper than yours.

Forgiveness will expand your love and reach over to touch the heart of the person to whom you offer it. Do not deny love and forgiveness to those who have every right, through family, to expect you will always be there for them, no matter what.

And that, in a nutshell, is our definition of family relationship: unconditional love for each other, no matter what differences we may have developed.

You have a clean slate to build new aspects to your experience of family, either by creating your present family as a loving, supportive home base, by your example and presence, or by extending your love to a wider family aspect within the community.

Friendship is similar to family. Always, it is about connection, belonging and above all, love and understanding. So no matter what your family experience has been, you can still make it exactly what you desire. 

In all relationships, it is how we choose to feel that generates for us the experience of love. Where you cannot see love, put love, and you will find love. Perhaps someone in your family is waiting in pain and longing for you to take the first step towards them with arms out-stretched in love and forgiveness. Be that one for them. 

All the love, the unconditional love, you offer to another will come back to you many times expanded, and that same love will fill you with joy, as that is the nature of love. 

Love gives, expands in the giving and expresses as joy. Want more joy? Give more love, for love evolves into love-joy. Want more family? Give more love, for love creates family. Want a home? Give more love, for love is home-coming.

Family has many aspects, as you can see. Relationships within the family are different for each person. But the blessing of family recognition is the unconditional-ness of the love exchanged. Don't look for love, give it, and let love find you. It will!

Wilderer in Österreich / Poacher in Austria

A program about an Austrian poacher named Karl. He tells about his motives and how he has become a poacher in his early years because his family could not afford enough food. Different as other poacher, Karl keeps a moral commitment even though his acts are criminal.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pejo9ElEIiY&hl=en

In Depth with Steven Pinker pt. 2/18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y98IwsgVCUw&hl=en

Oregano Oil - Keep Your Family Hale and Hearty

Sometimes it becomes difficult to maintain the health of family members consisting of all age groups. Your family may include elderly members, youths, and children of varying age. Raising a family is a great responsibility. You have to be conscious of each family member's health along with many other aspects. If you are the head of all, you get surplus accountability of looking after them. We all know this fact and hence do everything to keep our family hale and hearty. Each of us get older with time and get many and varying health problems. To fight with day to day troubles related to our health we need a regular companion that can watch out our health.

Oregano oil thus emerges as a great solution for us. It is a natural product and free of any side effects. Discovered several centuries back by Greek is now available in the market easily in the form of oil or capsules. You can use this without worrying about any negative out come. This oil is a safe product and has been approved by medical organisation. But of course you have to be alert from your side as there are many companies which manufacture this oil violating several rules of manufacturing process and claim to be the best. If you get original or government approved oil you will surely notice its qualities.

It is important to note that the Oregano oil is different from the Oregano used as spice in kitchen. There are total 60-70 variety of Oregano plant and each of them are not used for medicinal purposes. The one that is used for this purpose is very rare and has unlimited medical application. Few are known and for others researches are being conducted.

This is an incredible medicine for children suffering from cold and flue due to changing weather. On the other hand it is also very effective in joint and muscular pain. So, your aged family members will be definitely benefited as joint pain at old age is very common complain. Secondly, if you are a weekend player you must be often injured of muscles pain. Rubbing the affected area with Oregano oil will immediately relief you. Massaging with this oil is beneficial for both muscles and joint pain. Asthma is another common problem which is increasing in children. Oregano can also cure this completely if it is at initial stage. You may get tired of counting its healing abilities but the list will not. You can hence stop all the health complains of your family with one magical medicine that is Oregano oil.

Deer in the Yard - the video

An extended deer family has befriended us. Photos and commentary on the Deer in the Yard pages at www.pelorian.com Music by Starseed www.starseedmusic.net "Dancing on the Lotus" and "Ware Soku Kami Nari" from the CD "Lakshmi Smiles"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAc-5kNWPd0&hl=en

Marie Digby on Tokyo FM - Translation in Description

08-27-08 update Upcoming Acoustic Showcase in Japan ＜マリエ・ディグビースペシャル・アコースティック・ライヴ＞ 2008年8月29日（金） 18：00 オープン 20：00 スタート＠Rolling Stone CAFE 東京都港区六本木5-10-25 ゼルコートＡ棟3Ｆ TEL ： 03-5771-6969 FAX ： 03-5771-6968 rs-cafe.jp fans from japan, remember to bring your camera!!~ --- Marie' being a guest on Tokyo FM's saturday program "Cosmo Pops Best 10" in Tokyo, Aug 23, 2008. she performed two songs there, "Say It Again" and "Umbrella", unfortunately they were edited out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [translation] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ...... (Marie performs "Say it again") ...... Host: Thank you so much for performing for us. Your voice is so silky & clear, it not only has a healing effect for the listeners, it makes us happy, too! [Host: to the listeners} Here she is...Miss Marie Digby! Marie: Konnichiwa! Hajimemashite! (Hello, Nice to meet you everyone)! Thank you! Host: Wow, you speak Japanese so fluently! We've never had a guest who can speak Japanese so fluently, you're the first so, today is special. Marie: So, I'm the first? Host: Yes, you're the first. Your father is an Irish American, your mother is Japanese. And you were born in? Marie: New York City. Host: Oh, you're a city girl. Which do you like better, the countryside or the city ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4oqWcJQMyM&hl=en

Marriage and Family Are the Most Primal Aspect of Human Nature and Civilization

Marriage is the first rule of law. Adam first revealed the Law of Marriage during the genesis of human nature. Language and marriage are the two attributes of human nature spoken of in the story about Adam and Eve.

Now, I am not an expert on marriage or religion or anything like that. I am just an individual human being seeking the truth about human nature. I study natural history and religion in the process of seeking the truth.

I believe that Adam naming all the animals in the Garden of Eden is a reference to the evolution of human language. The joining of Adam and Eve into one family is the revelation of the Law of Marriage, the first rule of law.

Marriage and language are the two most primal attributes of human nature, the difference between a wild animal and a civilized human being. The divine education that Adam revealed caused the mystical transformation of a troop of homosapiens into the first tribe of human beings.

It was thousands of years later that the revelation of Moses established the spiritual nation. And now, Baha'u'llah's revelation has united all the people of every nation, race and religion into one universal and divine civilization.

I was married for about 5 years. I like my wife and I regret that I was not able to give her what she wanted. I still love her like a sister and consider her to be my friend. I am a better person because of our relationship.

I want my wife to be my best friend. I want her to be my equal. I want to practice consultation in our relationship. I want my marriage to last forever. I'm 49 years old so I figure its a little late to be having any kids. I like kids, I wouldn't mind having step kids, but that is not essential. There are plenty of people in the world today.

I am acutely aware of the benefits of marriage. The fortress for wellbeing. My life would be so much better if I had a partner for all kinds of things, including this business I am working on. The sex is really fun too. Its all good. I want someone to play with, as well as work with.

I want to travel together, all around earth, healing and teaching people to improve ourselves and help others. I want to go on pilgrimage to the Baha'i Holy Places, especially the World Center on Mount Carmel and the Mansion at Bahji.

The law of marriage has evolved through various manifestations over the years but it has always been the union of a man and a woman. Men have had the right to marry several women for most of human history. Today, the marriage of one man with one woman is a manifestation of the justice and equality inherent in human nature.

"God is the Source of every religion, except a few which are the result of human perversity." (Baha'u'llah) Religion is the source, the spiritual foundation, of both the family and the state. Any individual, family, tribe or nation that ignores this reality, does so at our own peril.

Healing and improving our families is a vitally important aspect of healing and improving human nature. Healthy families unite into healthy tribes and nations. Healthy families, tribes and nations are evolving into a healthy, universal and divine civilization.

Establishing a universal language for our global civilization is another aspect of healing human nature. Language is one of the most primal, probably the most primal attribute of human nature. Every human being will be able to communicate effectively with every other human being in the next generation of human civilization.

Human civilization is whatever we human beings make it. We can make it healthy, safe and fair, or not. I, for one, choose to serve Baha'u'llah to the best of my ability.

Have fun and be careful.

The Eagles of Homer-A Story aggressive by Jean Keene-

Educational and Meaningful Entertainment for all ages about Eagles. Children and Adults alike can connect with their natural surroundings and enjoy the simplicity of nature with inspiring photography and video of eagles in their natural envirionment. Comments that inspire children to learn about animals and the natural environment will be approved. Jean Keene is a contraversial subject, and certainly there are two sides to every story. This video was created for children to enjoy-those that don't have the opportunity to see Eagles, and that's why it's here on youtube. Enjoy it, be inspired, and give something back to the land to honor family, self, and friends so that there will always be wildlife and habitat. Director of Photography and Editor: Scott Nocella ----Dedicated with love to my Daughter, Casey---



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiAtFvr1C0o&hl=en

Nature Shares Her Brilliant Array of Colors

In many parts of the West region, a couple of frosty nights damaging to many tender garden plants will be followed by a long warm, fall period called "Indian Summer." It is a shame that so many plants are lost in this first short period of frost, for if protected, they might go on blooming for as long as a month or more. Covering with blankets, newspapers, or polyethylene tents during the nights when frosts threaten, will help ward off frost damage.

New evergreens that were planted this year will benefit from extra protection over the first winter. They are extremely sensitive to drying out. A burlap barrier or tent built on the windward side of the plants will reduce drying out from winter winds. Evergreens planted in open, exposed parts of the yard will especially benefit from such protection.

Fall Color

Many trees and shrubs will be clothed soon in a brilliant array of colors. There will be the deep yellows of birch, poplar, and aspen, and brilliant reds from various maples. Japanese barberry, Peking cotoneaster, and red osier dogwood will show striking color. Some shrubs and trees retain their natural green coloring until the end of the season, offering a striking contrast with the red, orange and yellow foliage. Other shrubs will bear colorful fruits.

Fall is clean-up time in the garden. Leaves should be raked up from the lawn. Allowed to gather on the lawn, they mat down during the winter and may smother some of the grass. Carry them off to the compost pile. Waste plant materials can also be removed from the garden to put on the compost. However, there are some advantages in leaving stalks and stems of plants in the garden over winter. They catch additional snow and give added protection to perennial flowering plants and sensation plant. Of course, if any of the plant tops are harboring disease, it is best to remove and burn them.

It may not be wise to mulch trees and shrubs. One of the greatest dangers of mulches around woody plants is that they often harbor mice. These in turn can be harmful to trees and shrubs by feeding on the bark and young stems and causing girdling of the plants. Be sure to spread around some poison bait, if mulches are used.

Attenborough: Amazing DIY Orangutans - BBC Earth

If you thought the Lyre Bird was a good mimmic, you're in for a treat. This clip will bring your heart to your mouth as you wonder at how close orangutan behaviour is to our own. From the BBC documentary series, Life of Mammals. Watch more high quality videos on the BBC Earth YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com and visit www.BBCEarth.com for all the latest natural history exclusives and fantastic new wildlife videos.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFACrIx5SZ0&hl=en

Nature's First Aid Remedies For Camping Ailments

Think of this scenario: You're out there in the wild enjoying a camping trip with your family and then the inevitable happened, someone gets a bee sting. You try to find something to ease the sting, but you remember you forgot your first aid kit back home.

Relax and never panic, nature is known as the oldest provider of medicine and quick fixes for every sting, burn or sickness. Read along and remember these things next time you go out camping.

When the bee stings...

Being stung by a bee is definitely not one of my favorite things. If you get stung by a bee or a wasp while outside and have no first aid kit. Here's how you should deal with it.

Use the edge of a credit card or a butter knife to rub the stingers. Be careful in doing this. A pair of tweezers will also work if you have one. But remember: do not rub or touch the fleshy part, if you do this, you will only add damage to the injury because that's where the poison is.

Use toothpaste to help counter the poison. For wasp stings, vinegar will do the trick. If you have meat tenderizer at hand, then it's better to use it.

If the swelling does not stop and if the person has trouble breathing then bring him to the nearest hospital or call for an ambulance. Bee stings are dangerous especially if the person is allergic to it. It may even cause death in some cases.

Headaches and Sore Throats

If you experience headache and sore throat and do not have medicine at hand. Always remember the basics of reflexology. In reflexology, your foot and hand can be massaged in various places to ease other parts of the body. Remember that your thumb corresponds to your head. Gently massage your thumb for 5 minutes and the headache will be gone. For sore throats, massage the area between your thumb and index finger.

Skin Problems

If you get to the camp site and experience skin inflammation or eczema and don't have any medication or ointment to ease it, don't worry, all you need is a clean set of bandage, a couple of potatoes and do the following steps:

Take a couple of potatoes, leave them unpeeled and cut them into 1 inch squares.

Boil the potatoes and mash them.

Spread the mashed potatoes and spread them evenly in the bandage and fold it. Do it in a way that the potato will not touch your skin. Potato should be hot.

Apply the bandage to your skin and wrap it again in a dry bandage.

Remove the bandage when the potatoes are cold already.

Keep in mind that during camping, anything can happen and accidents are unavoidable. It's very important to keep safety in mind at all times. Don't forget to bring your first aid kit and always check it before you go to the camp site. Teach all your family members common first aid quick fixes for any ailment.

Robot Radaar 2

Here it is, the second episode to Robot Radaar! This one is a bit more random, and sadly not as funny as the last one. :( This video includes clips from the Meet the Robinsons movie and Gorillaz. 1.)Dark Ace teaches the theory of evolution 2.)SNIPE WANTED IT OVER-EASY 3.)Stork tells Wilbur Robinson that he's an embarrasment to nature 4.) Piper and Aerrow gives Junko and Finn a pony 5.) Aerrow discovers Dark Ace is gay 6.) You can't touch FInn 7.)Master Cyclonis has Piper mind-controlled EDIT: If you have any questions, please go to my profile. Also, if you would like to download this video into your ipod, follow this link: www.zamzar.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFk6QJa-w_I&hl=en