January 20, 2013

A Portuguese Love Story and Valentine's Day Cards



Shop for more greeting cards online at Zazzle.

Hello Friends and Zazzlers!

In less of a month, 14th of February will be upon us. Maybe it was more clever of me if I was showing you some ideas for Valentine's Gifts. If you are looking for Valentine's Day Tshirts I have some pretty ones right here. But if there's one thing I like is cards. So I went on a crusade for romantic, funny, edgy, beautiful V Day cards and as usual, I ended up discovering new stores and artists. There are so many talented people at Zazzle. It's impossible not to go WOW! I have a problem - when I start looking at Zazzle's stores I just can't stop. So I'll be doing two postages with some of my favorite Valentine's Day Cards. This is post number one.

I also remember to tell you about some famous Portuguese love stories. The first one is about PEDRO AND INÊS and it's a Portuguese medieval love story. It's a true story.

It was 1340. The heir to the throne of Portugal was 20 years old and his name was Pedro. His father was King Afonso IV and he had secretly arranged the marriage of Pedro to Lady Constanza, a Castillian Princess. But when the Spanish Princess arrived Pedro fell in love with one of her maid ladies, Inês de Castro. They become lovers even if the King did not approve.The counselors of the King begun to suggest that Inês should be killed. So the King send Inês back to Spain for two years. But Pedro and Inês manage to keep communication and exchanged letters and poems. In 1935 Princess Constanza died while giving birth to a son. Pedro sent for Inês, and she came to live at Santa Clara's Convent in Coimbra, - it's only 50km from where I live. The couple met secretly at the nearby Quinta das Lágrimas and Pedro decided to ask the King and the Pope to marry her. But he was not allowed! Counselors where again whishing Inês's death because Portugal needed a marriage with a Spanish Princess so the territory could have peace. The King and some close men planned the murder. Inês head was chopped off at Quinta das Lágrimas! Pedro become crazy with the death of his beautiful love and his only thoughts were about revenge but the assassins flew to Spain. When his father died Pedro become King and then he hunted the men in Spain. One escaped to France. The two men were brought to Pedro and he ripped their hearts. Also, it is said that he ate some flesh of his hearts while they were still beating! He then claimed he had married Inês in secret so he had her body exhumed. She was Queen. Inês sat on the throne beside him covered with a veil and the royal crown was placed on her head. All court was forced to kneel and kiss the hand of the dead Portuguese Queen Inês.

This is a true story. The tombs of Pedro and Inês can be seen today in the Monastery of Alcobaça and they are wonderful works of art. Pedro is called Pedro, o Cru, or Pedro, o Cruel, and literally this means "Pedro, the raw one" or "Pedro, the Cruel", I would say, Pedro, the one without heart.

I hope you enjoyed this story! Until next post with more Valentine Day Cards and a new story!


Meanwhile here's a selection of Valentines Greeting Cards you can buy online from Zazzle!



Love You a Ton, Elephant Valentine Cards
Love You a Ton, Elephant Valentine Cards by cutencomfy
You can sell cards , invitations, stamps and more on Zazzle.com!
Loving heart cards
Loving heart cards by Trikona
Create personalized cards online at Zazzle.
Red Hearts for Valentine's Day Cards
Red Hearts for Valentine's Day Cards by susanmossart
Browse more Red heart Cards at Zazzle
Love Robot with Flowers Cards
Love Robot with Flowers Cards by SLScheibe
Check out more Robot Cards at Zazzle
I Love you More than Zazzle Card
I Love you More than Zazzle Card by samack
Check out other Gag Cards at zazzle.com
Bee Love you Greeting Card
Bee Love you Greeting Card by Lajucestmoi
Browse more Love Cards at Zazzle
Teapot Love - Note Card
Teapot Love - Note Card by marainey1
Add your photos and text to blank greeting cards at Zazzle
dopamine heart cards
dopamine heart cards by MadeWithMolecules
Find more Love Cards at Zazzle
Princess and Prince Cards
Princess and Prince Cards by dmorganajonz
Browse more Silhouette Cards at Zazzle
Two Hearts Cards
Two Hearts Cards by PurpleAndSparkle
Check out other Valentine Cards at zazzle.com
UMBRELLA SHOWERS OF LOVE by SHARON SHARPE Greeting Card
UMBRELLA SHOWERS OF LOVE by SHARON SHARPE Greeting Card by sharonsharpe
You can sell cards , invitations, stamps and more on Zazzle.com!
Vintage Valentine Kitty Card for Kids
Vintage Valentine Kitty Card for Kids by kidsonly
View other Vintage valentines for kids Cards at Zazzle.com
Published by em 10 comments:

Bad weather in Portugal - lots of trees uprooted!


Take a look at Pedro Agostinho's photos here

Hello friends and Zazzlers!

Yesterday morning I had no electricity in the house and internet was off all day and night! How ironic! This had to happen just a few days after I've been writing about our mild Portuguese winter! So this weekend was - and still is - an example of what you usually don't get when coming to Portugal. Heavy downpours from time to time and very strong winds (over 140 km/hour ) caused damages all over the country but mainly in Coimbra district, that is my district, Lisbon, and Porto. In the city where I live now (Figueira da Foz) there's damaged roofs and covers smashed windows, many advertising signs, and plates of transit were ripped and ended on the floor. There are lots of uprooted trees everywhere, maybe some smashed cars and structures there too. The sea got pretty wild, so the port was closed for sure. On Saturday I went to bed very late after watching some movies. The wind was already very strong. Eventually, it got so strong that the buzzing around my house made it impossible for me to sleep at all. I spent yesterday feeling like a zombie. At 5 o'clock I had to listen to the news on my mobile phone radio - that's how I knew that constraints on transit were affecting thousands of Portuguese. Some trains that left Lisbon in the morning with Porto as a destination were still waiting in Coimbra and this was afternoon already. Those people expected two hours and a half trip! They were inside of those trains for maybe 8 hours. Many trees fell on the highway and circulation had to be interrupted. At least one person died due to the strong wind and two people suffered serious injuries due to tree collapse. Today skies are still heavy clouded, rain is still falling but the strong wind has stopped. At least in my city. I am staying inside.

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January 18, 2013

Learn Portuguese language online with Duolingo

Do you want to learn some Portuguese language? Duolingo offers Brazilian Portuguese language and it seems to be one of the best free tools for practicing a new language. I read on this TechCrunch article that it only takes a Duolingo user 34 hours to learn the equivalent of a first college semester’s worth of Spanish. And more:

"Being self-motivated enough to learn a language by yourself is obviously hard and it’s no surprise that many participants dropped out or only studied for two hours over the course of the study. A student in a college class, by contrast, may not learn as effectively as the Duolingo users who made it through the program, but chances are most students will make it through the semester with more than 2 hours of instruction and without dropping out. Still, almost 94% of the participants in the study said they would continue to use the product after the end of the eight weeks. Duolingo is clearly doing something right. Overall, von Ahn tells us, Duolingo now has over 1 million active users and 100,000 daily users."

How does it work? It works by asking you to participate in translating the Web. Users vote on the best translation submitted by other users, and eventually, the translated Web pages can be published so that more speakers of other languages can read them. I would like to refresh my French and Spanish. This site might be just what I need. I think I may take a look into it in a few months, not now. What do you think about Duolingo?
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January 17, 2013

A visit to Algarve caves in Portugal


Video here!
Hello my friends and Zazzlers!

It's winter in Portugal and usually, I don't feel that good. Winter weather in Portugal remains mild (average temperature 11 degrees centigrade), from November to March. We might get some snow in the north and at Serra da Estrela in the center. But we can have glorious sunny days during Winter too. Nevertheless, I miss summer days all the time! Just look at the video I picked for you. It's impossible not to dream about summer. The video shows the most beautiful cliffs, caves and beaches shot from a traditional Portuguese boat with capt Fernando Cabrita. It's a visit to Algarve's famous arches, the Cathedral, the Church, the unbelievable Temple and many huge private beaches that can only be reached by water.

I do live by the sea in the center, it's colder than Algarve, sometimes I get an entire week of unstoppable rain. High winds that blow from the Atlantic are not that pleasant, sometimes when there's snow at Serra da Estrela, these winds are very cold. Most people don't have central heating. We use air conditioning, or electric devices or fireplaces. Last night I could hear the waves crashing in the distance, even though the house is 25 minutes from the beach. The winds bring that sound around. I like that but when I ear it I miss summer. If you're in Algarve, at the south, you will have a milder winter. The minimum temperature in January is about 15 degrees centigrade. Take a look at that Summer in Algarve video. Isn't that a dream? There are two places where I would like to live: Oporto or Algarve. Algarve area is a popular winter retreat for those from colder countries. I usually go there in September on vacation, once I went in August and it was too crowdy. If you want to visit Portugal, the best time would be during spring and autumn, when days are sunny and warm and tourist areas relatively quiet. Enjoy the video!


IPMA - If you want to check on the weather on Portugal

this is the best site. It has English version.
Published by em 1 comment:

January 15, 2013

# Zazzle Stores:Incredible art of Anita Inverarity

Hello friends and Zazzlers!

Just discovered a beautiful new store on Zazzle. It's Anita's Inverarity store. She's an artist living and working in the North East of Scotland, at Aberdeen. She works with traditional ink mediums with an illustrative style. Influences include Fairy Tales, Myth, Legend, Pop Surrealism and Classic Victorian Inkings. As an example of her wonderful work I sellected this collection of Avery 3 ring binders. It's just difficult to pick just one!

Fionas Highland Fling Binder
Fionas Highland Fling Binder by AnitaInverarity
Find other Highland Binders at zazzle.com
Published by em 1 comment:

January 14, 2013

International Book Giving Day - spread the word!



Hi folks!

International Book Giving Day is a volunteer initiative aimed at increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for the book. Someone invited me to this event and I found it so great I decided to join and promote! Do you remember to get books when you were a child? How magical that was for you? I still remember some of the first stories I read and cherish those book's illustrations. Books can be amazing companions for kids and many children in the world don't own any books. In order to celebrate this day let's try to help children in need in their communities.

International Book Giving Day is an international holiday. In 2012, International Book Giving Day was celebrated by people in Australia, Canada, South Africa, France, India, Ireland, Japan, the Phillippines, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the US.

Everyone can invite others to participate, organize a book drive, a fundraiser for a literacy nonprofit, a volunteer event for a literacy nonprofit or just help publicize International Book Giving Day.

International Book Giving Day’s focus is on encouraging people worldwide to give a book to a child on February 14th:

give a book to a friend or family member
leave a book in a waiting room for children to read,
donate a gently used book to a local library, hospital or shelter or to an organization that distributes used books to children in need internationally.


I am calling out all my Bloggers friends! Let's encourage our readers to celebrate International Book Giving Day by writing a post or adding the International Book Giving Day badge to their website! Can I count on you?
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January 12, 2013

The Sketchbook Project 2013 - Sketchbook sent!




You may remember me telling you I joined this project called The Sketchbook Project 2013. I wrote about it here and here. Yesterday I finally sent my sketchbook to Brooklyn Library. Yeah, it's in the mail!!

This was the first time I joined the Sketchbook Project. Next year I want to do it again if I can! Making it made me want to create more with pencils and inks and give the computer some rest for a while. I knew I wanted to draw about my favorite Portuguese city. I did not plan it much. I just took a look at some photos I made and sketched from it. It meant a lot because I have a great passion for Oporto and it feels wonderful to know that I can share it with some people far away in the USA. I don't consider myself an artist but I like the fact I can express myself with words but also visually. I enjoyed creating the drawings but did not have much time to do it. Got the sketchbook in early December but I think the project started in April. I am really thrilled that people from several cities in the USA will have a chance to look into it! The sketchbook will tour Brooklyn, Austin, Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Portland, SF, and LA!






From the Sketchbook site: The Sketchbook Project 2013 is a global, crowd-sourced art project where participants from all walks of life were sent a sketchbook and had until January 15th to fill the pages and return it for inclusion in a traveling exhibition and permanent collection at The Brooklyn Art Library.


From Facebook Page: Art House creates community-supported, worldwide art projects that are open to everyone. It's an independent Brooklyn-based company that organizes global, collaborative art projects. The projects are open to everyone. Art House's flagship endeavor is the Sketchbook Project: an evolving library that features more than 18,000 artists' books contributed by creative people from 130+ countries. They also operate the Brooklyn Art Library, it's the storefront exhibition space in the heart of Williamsburg, as a home for all of the projects.

Art House began in 2006 in Atlanta, GA and moved to New York City in 2009. Since that time, the small organization has grown into a worldwide community of more than 60,000 artists. By focusing on the intersection of hands-on art making and new technology, Art House nurtures community-supported art projects that harness the power of the virtual world to share inspiration in the real world.





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January 8, 2013

Lovely Giveaway from Cara Carmina


Hello once more! Yes, I bring you another Giveaway! It's Cara Carmina's Giveaway. Cara makes paper dolls, textile creations, and children illustration! She's celebrating the new year and the fact she has reached over 1,700 fans here on her Facebook page! You can also check her blog here.

To participate in this Lovely Giveaway:

1. You have to be a fan of her page (like it) and write a comment below the photo I am showing above BUT ON HER FACEBOOK PAGE letting her know your favorite love story and why!

2. You can have a 2nd vote if you share this giveaway in any social network or blog (please write a 2nd comment letting her know you did so and where)

The winner will get:

-1 Calendar
-1 print of the inside illustrations with an 8x10" mat
-1 brooch with one of my fav. illustrations

LAST DAY TO PARTICIPATE is Saturday until midnight - Cara will announce the winner on SUNDAY!

♥♥♥ GOOD LUCK ♥♥♥
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January 7, 2013

Floating Lemmons's Giveaway Treat for Valentine's Day



Enter this lovely Giveaway Treat for Valentine's Day from Floating Lemmons! Hurry, hurry! Here's what Mariana posted on her blog:

"Hey, listen, guys - we're celebrating the new year with our first Giveaway Treat! As Valentine's Day is coming up, we're giving away our adorable Sulky Sue (she's part of our new Grumpy Cat Collection) on a really cute Valentine's Day Note Card, and also Candy Heart Stickers. So she won't feel too lonely, we've got some other fun items lined up to join her. Here's what we've got for you...

One lucky person will be receiving all of the above. If you like the giveaway treats we've put together and would like to be that person, just leave a comment below and we'll pick a winner at random in 3 days time.
We'd also truly appreciate it if you spread the goodness and shared our January 2013 giveaway with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, your blogs or anywhere else you prefer.
This giveaway is running for just 3 days, so remember to leave your comment by 9 January 2013 (that's Central European Time to the rest of you around the world). We will ship internationally, so anyone can enter :)
The winner will be announced on this blog on 10 January 2013.

Notes about entering:*The giveaway is as listed above and can be shipped internationally*There is no fee to the enter*The giveaway is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative* Only 1 winner will be selected at random using a random number generator, and the decision on the winner is final."
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December 19, 2012

33rd CRITICS' CIRCLE FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS



It's not difficult to make a list of films that are about or otherwise related to the Christmas holiday. With the cold weather to stay home and watch a movie with our family is a good idea for sure. I have some titles I watched over Christmas and every time I think about it they remind me of Christmas, it's movies like About a boy or Bridget Jone's Diary, or

Edward Scissor's Hands. This week I had the chance to watch Warrior and I think it will fall into that category also. It's an excellent movie, you can watch it any time of the year. Even if Warrior it's about the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting, this movie it's also about family. It has a good story. Even if you don't like fighting I dare you to watch it. It will surprise you, I really loved it.

Well, I just read that Critics' Circle announced the nominations for its 33rd Film Awards. Michael Haneke’s Amour and Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master lead the nominations. I was surprised to find a Portuguese film on the list. It's TABU. It's running for FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR with Amour, Holy Motors, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and Rust and Bone. Tabu was already nominated for Golden Berlin Bear at Berlin International Film Festival.

If you don't know what these Awards are, you can read more about it at the site of Critics Circle Organization.

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December 17, 2012

Happy Christmas to all my friends



Hello friends!


The upcoming holidays and New Year celebrations are about spending quality time with your loved ones, gathering around the dinner table, unwrapping gifts!! I want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Maybe you are wondering how's Christmas in Portugal. Well, in Portugal children and adults get their Christmas gifts either at midnight on Christmas Eve or on early Christmas Day morning. It was like this when I was a child and with my nephew, it's just the same. Shoes are placed near the fireplace and that's where we place the presents. For many years I lived in houses without a fireplace. So the shoes were placed under the Christmas tree after they were properly cleaned and shiny to please the Pai Natal (=Father Christmas) - he's the guy who delivers the presents along with the help of Baby Jesus. Have you got all your Christmas gifts already? Well, I have. I bought several books because that's something I really enjoy giving. I hand made some gifts myself too. I have most of it ready to go.

Many Portuguese families set up a Nativity scene, called Presépio, with Mary, Joseph, the stable animals, and the Baby. Other characters can be the Three Wise Men and shepherds. Some cities or church nativity scenes can have hundreds of little clay figurines and movement.

On Christmas Eve we have a light dinner- it's called Consoada. Usually, we eat boiled (dried) codfish, and potatos, vegetables, and eggs as a side dish. Bacalhau (cod) is a fish with a bland taste that needs to be salted and dried in the sun, so it becomes the perfect foil for garlic and olive oil. After that we have cakes and sweet desserts to finish the meal. Bolo rei is the most famous - it's a round cake with glazed fruits, nuts, and sugar, quite colorful. And also rabanadas! Rabanadas are slices of white bread that have been soaked in milk and eggs and then fried. Then the fried golden slices get cinnamon and sugar and are dipped in sugar and Oporto wine sauce. In some places, a traditional Mess takes place at midnight and that's called The rooster mess or Missa do Galo. Families usually come together on Christmas Day and have lunch together. This meal is a meat one. And that's it!
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December 11, 2012

Video : Belém Tower from the sky



Belém Tower was completed in 1521. Imagine the sailors who crossed the Atlantic or rounded the Cape of Good Hope to India returning home in their ships and preparing to enter big Tagus river mouth - that would be the first sign of land they saw. In 1983 UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site.

Belém Tower was built in the Age of the Discoveries as a tribute to the patron saint of the city, Saint Vicente. That's why she's called Saint Vicente's Tower. But most people know it as Belém Tower. This tower planted in the water was part of Lisbon's defense by the time of King João II. It's a beautiful monument that contains North African Moorish styled watchtowers, Manueline decoration, symbols of the King’s power like cables encircling the building terminating knots, armillary spheres, crosses of the Military Order of Christ. Also naturalistic elements such as the rhinoceros. This is the first rhinoceros representation in stone known in Europe. Later in time, Belém Tower would be a customs control point, a telegraph station, a lighthouse, and a political prison. The Tower's storerooms were transformed into dungeons, since the time when Philip II of Spain became king of Portugal (1580) and during periods of political unrest. Now it's one of the most popular icons of Lisbon and Portugal.


Pink Floyd filmed the tower for a promotional video. Pink Floyd was here 22 and 23rd July 1994. 120 000 persons joined at Alvalade Stadium to watch the two memorable shows.





Cool video here!
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December 5, 2012

Portugal is one of Globe Spots' Top 10 Travel Destinations for 2013!




For the fifth year, GLOBE SPOTS have captured what's happening on the travel scene. Globe Spots focused on destinations they think will be hot! As they say, "all this is of course based on dubious rumors, crazy speculations and a bit of travel experience." Well, it's nice to find Portugal on the Globe Spots' Top 10 for 2013!

Portugal oozes 'old European charm'. Medieval towns and historical quarters are full of squares, churches, and monasteries. Narrow lanes are flanked by old skew houses with crooked balconies draped in drying laundry. Here, neighbors still share the latest gossip or discuss politics from their windows. Pastry shops and taverns are found in such abundance it makes you wonder whether the Portuguese eat at home at all. The pace is soothingly slow and any day seems to be a good day for a drink. Chances are that after a few days in Portugal, you’ll find yourself sitting in a small square with a glass of tawny port in your hand, no matter whether you previously liked the stuff or not. It's just one of those things Portugal does to you.
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2013 Sketchbook project - just got my sketchbook!

Do you remember this? I wrote about The 2013 Sketchbook project back in November. It's a creative project. I explained about it here. So, like I wrote, I signed up so for the project. In three weeks, yesterday, I got the package containing a custom-designed Sketchbook Project sketchbook with a barcode on it and detailed instructions about the project. Now, I can start filling the white pages!! In January I'll send the sketchbook back to them and it will be archived in the Brooklyn Art Library and exhibited to the public! My idea is to share my sketching with you! What do you think?

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Mustache is king!





Better late than never! Do you know MOVEMBER?

During the month of November each year, Movember asks men across the world to grow a mustache with the aim of raising vital funds and awareness for men’s health issues. Movember mustaches were first grown in Australia back in 2003 and since that time word of Movember and its men’s health messages have spread across the globe. Movember currently runs official campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, South Africa, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, Movember is aware of supportive Mo Bros and Mo Sistas dotted around the world; all of whom have played an important role in growing Movember into what it is today.

Registering at movember.com, guys then start Movember 1st with a clean-shaven face and for the remainder of the month dedicate themselves to growing a fine mustache. Supported by the women in their lives, known as Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts. At the end of the month, it’s traditional for Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to celebrate their awareness and fundraising efforts by throwing a Movember party and awarding the highly sought after titles of Miss Movember and Man of Movember.

Mo Bros are helping to change the face of men’s health by effectively becoming walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by promoting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. Together, we are truly changing the face of men’s health.
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December 2, 2012

Portugal. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year?How?



Photo by Mauricio Lima for The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/11/27/world/europe/20121128-PORTUGAL.html?smid=pl-share

Portugal Passes Another Austere Budget is the title of a New York Times piece. It reads" Since the spring of 2010, Portugal has been battered by the debt crisis that began in Greece and has spread across much of Europe’s periphery. On Tuesday, it passed another round of tax increases and spending cuts." This appalling photo is just one of the 16 available at the photo gallery. This is my country one month before the year ends. Watch and read.

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L'AMOUR!



The more than 2,700 members of the European Film Academy - filmmakers from across Europe - have voted for this year’s European Film Awards. At the awards ceremony in Malta AMOUR won as EUROPEAN FILM of 2012. It's a France, Germany, and Austria ensemble, produced by Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz. "Amour", from director Michael Haneke won at EFA all the way. Best movie, best director, best actor (Jean-Louis Trintignant) best actrice (Emmanuelle Riva)! Here's the full Awards list.

Haneke's movies are very good and often not easy because they document the not so beautiful side of our society. I watched La pianiste a long time ago. It's about a woman that works as a piano teacher. She still lives with her mother. She secretly watches porn movies and plays sadomasochistic games with herself. When a student falls in love with her, she wants to play her games with him, but he's disgusted. This year I watched The white ribbon a movie that won Cannes Palm d'Or in 2009 and that was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. This film is set in 1913 and deals with an authoritarian, fascist-like atmosphere in a small German city where children are subjected to rigid rules. As for L'amour I don't know much about it yet but I know it has great European actors and a Portuguese one called Rita Blanco plays a part in it too...
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AIDS - the fight is still going on!



Video! "For this last Saturday, December 1st, World AIDS Day, an incredible group of people have shared the reason why they're in the fight against AIDS with ONE. These are their stories. Watch one. Share one. Join ONE.
On World AIDS Day, Saturday 1 December, we should all pledge to speak out, to sign and share the petition, share one film, tell one friend that the world must get back on track towards the beginning of the end of AIDS: it starts with you.T his year also marks thirty years in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and One's latest report shows that global progress is way off track – at this rate we won’t see the beginning of the end of AIDS until 2022. That’s not for the lack of thousands of activists trying, tirelessly, in the face of prejudice, discrimination, ignorance and often a lack of political will. " The evolution of AIDS epidemic in Portugal. The first case was detected in 1983, a man, Hospital Curry Cabral, Lisbon.




Source:INFECÇÃO VIH/SIDAA situação em Portugal - 31 de Dezembro de 2010
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P
Departamento de Doenças InfecciosasUnidade de Referência e Vigilância Epidemiológica
Núcleo de Vigilância Laboratorial de Doenças Infecciosas
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November 30, 2012

Portuguese Rooster Pillows!


Hi Zazzlers and friends!


I'll be short in words today because my cold got worse and I am about to go to bed with a cup of hot tea, honey and cinnamon.

This Rooster=Galo is the national non-official symbol of Portugal and its stands for honesty, faith, justice and luck. I forgot if I ever told you the legend of the Rooster of Barcelos on this blog. Barcelos is a small town in the north of Portugal. It is known for its pottery and clay sculptures. The most famous is the colorful clay rooster!!

There are several versions of the legend but they are all more or less the same. It goes like this. Once upon a time, Barcelos's inhabitants were alarmed with a crime - someone had stolen a silver piece from an important landowner. Suspicion fell on a stranger from the neighboring Spanish province of Galiza. He was just passing by on is way to worship St. Tiago of Compostela following a pilgrimage route also known as the Way of St James, which is still walked by devout Christians to this day. Nobody believed him but he kept saying he was innocent. He was imprisoned and condemned to death by hanging. As of last request, he asked to see the Judge once more to beg for his life. When he arrived at the Judge's house he was eating a fine meal with guests. Again, the magistrate did not believe him, he just laughed and said, So you say you're innocent?!! The pilgrim told him that he was, he was innocent, he could swear it before God! He looked everyone in the eye but no one showed him any mercy. All his pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears. Then he saw a servant carrying in a large platter with a roasted rooster. He reached him and fell to his knees. Good Lord, he implored, as sure as I'm innocent, so will this rooster crow! The Judge sent him to death as nothing happened the following minutes. But when the man was about to die in the gibbet the dead rooster stood up on the table and crowed! It was a sign of God! The Judge proclaimed that a lesson should be learned, that is, never to sit in quick judgment of our fellow man. The pilgrim was immediately set free and the rooster, henceforth, became a reminder and a symbol for honesty, faith, justice, and good luck. Years later the pilgrim returned to the town of Barcelos to carve the Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo which is now housed in the Museu Arqueológico in Barcelos. The rooster of Barcelos stands for Honesty because the pilgrim was innocent and therefore God provided him a miracle. It also stands for Faith as the pilgrim had faith in God, so he was saved. The Portuguese Rooster also stands for Justice as we should avoid making snap judgments or accusations without proof. As for LUCK, Good luck rooster or Lucky rooster are also popular names for Barcelos Rooster. The rooster brought good luck to the pilgrim. So it's nice to have one around and that's why you can find it everywhere!

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November 27, 2012

Blessing Bags for the Homeless - please, spread the word!


Photo of one of the bags ready to be delivered!


Today I learned that two young American teen children (13 and 16 years old) from Florida are working to help the homeless of their residence area with small gift bags filled with necessities they want to deliver the weekend before Christmas. Their mother is a fellow Zazzler. As I opened my Facebook today I was appalled by what I read. The kid's mother sent a message to a local online newspaper and asked if they'd be interested in running a story on her 2 boys. They need a little exposure to their cause, of course. The message must go out and as far as possible. It's not just about asking money. It's about putting together concrete actions to help people have a better Christmas.

The online newspaper guy just wasn't interested. First, because kids are just using Facebook and somehow Facebook must be an instrument of the devil, it seems the online newspaper guy disapproves its use to do good. Then he considered that these kids aren't doing nothing special. That's not a story, he wrote. They are just begging for money on Facebook. Ok, teens, please go to the streets and smash some windows, do some graffiti on city walls, step on the grass... or just get fat in front of TV and computer screens. Maybe then you can get Mr. Newspaper Man's attention.

Now, read this one, this is the story inside the story. If the boys could find some actual homeless people and then find homes or jobs for them then he would be interested in covering the story! What a bright man. I never thought that the solution for homeless and jobless people could be solved by teens! These are revolutionary ideas!! Someone must tell Obama about this social strategy!! I would be laughing now if I wasn't too shocked with the guy's lack of sensibility or humanity or whatever. Of course, he can do what he wants with his newspaper but I was a newspaperwoman myself once, so I can't understand his reasons completely. Was he high on drugs when he wrote that email? Why so rude on this mother and kids?

Maybe he was but I hope you are not when you read about Devon and Breydon's project. It's called Blessing Bags for the Homeless. How can you help? (Continue reading for contact details)

1. Send some goods;

2. Send a small donation;

3. Promote on Facebook, Blogs, and Twitter.

I sent a small donation.

This teen project is inspiring and should be cherished.

I challenge you not to be indifferent!


Read:


Our names are Devon and Breydon and we're brothers who are on a mission. Our mission is to deliver Blessing Bags to the homeless this holiday season. We are 13 and 16 years old and we want to make a difference in someone's life. Do you know what it feels like to live on the streets? Do you know what it feels like to go hungry? Do you know what it feels like to not have a blanket when you're cold? Do you know what it feels like to not have socks on your feet? Do you know what it feels like to never brush your teeth? Do you know what it feels like to not have a comb to brush your hair? Neither do we! We are blessed with these SIMPLE things every day. We are fortunate enough to have parents to help make these small things a part of our every day living.
So we have decided to make blessing bags for the homeless full of things we take for granted. We will fill gallon size Ziplock bags with things like soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, etc. These are small things we never think we'll go without and never give it a second thought. We will be collecting a list of items to put in the Ziplock bags and BLANKETS. We will collect these items and deliver them to the homeless the weekend before Christmas. IF we get enough supplies to fill a LOT of bags, we may even be able to hand some out for Thanksgiving. If this does well, we will continue to collect these items and hand them out throughout the year.
Can YOU help? Can you buy a pack of 4 toothbrushes at the Dollar Store for $1 and donate? Can you buy an 8 pack of crackers for $2 and donate? That would help EIGHT bags for $2. Your donation would be greatly appreciated by us brothers and the homeless.
We have put together a list of things to include in the bags. If you'd rather donate a small amount of money and us do the shopping, that would be great too. ANY help from you will be put to great use. We thank you for taking the time to read this and hope you can help in any way.


Suggested Items:

Gallon size Ziplock Bags - Chap Stick - Toothbrushes - Toothpaste - Combs/Brushes - Soap (travel size is ok) - Bandaids - Hand Wipes - Mouthwash (travel size ok) - Deodorant (travel size ok) - Wash Rags - Gum - Trail Mix - Granola Bars - Crackers - Socks - Gloves - Hats - Non Perishable Snacks (fruit cups, apple sauce, etc) - Disposable spoons - $5 McDonalds Gift Certificates - BLANKETS!!


*TIP* Save those small bottles of shampoo and conditioner, soaps and lotions that you are given when you stay in a motel. Those come in handy!!
ANYTHING else you think can be beneficial.We will pick up the items you donate.
If you would like to send the items through the mail they can be sent to Devon and Breydon Roberts PO Box 1482Bronson, Florida 32621
PAYPAL donations can be sent to: blessingbags@peoplepc.com
Thank you and God Bless!

FB Page:

http://www.facebook.com/BlessingBagsForTheHomeless
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November 26, 2012

Unique Christmas gifts - adopt a star!


While browsing the internet I found this page about adopting a star. It's almost Christmas. What better gift to offer ourselves than a star? The idea is so lovely and funds go for star research. It's just 10$. 10$ for a star...not much is it? Who's the father of this idea? Travis Metcalfe. Travis Metcalfe is an astronomer at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He started White Dwarf Research Corporation in 1999, while he was a graduate student at the University of Texas-Austin. There are no paid employees - WDRC is run entirely on a volunteer basis by himself and the board of directors.

The Pale Blue Dot project was launched in January 2008 to help raise research funds for the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium, which does not receive any funding from NASA even though our work is central to the science goals of the Kepler mission. The KASC is an international collaboration, and NASA is not allowed to fund foreign organizations. That's where you come in.

Adopt a star- pale blue dot is an experiment in grassroots fundraising for a major scientific project. Travis came up with the general idea in 2003 when thinking about how to fund a global telescope network. The details are simple: if they can recruit about 100,000 people to donate $10 each, they can establish an endowment to fund our research over the lifetime of the Kepler mission at a level comparable to the grant support that NASA could provide to a large U.S. research group.

Travis is professional astronomer, and WDRC is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. He says we can feel confident that our donation will actually support cutting-edge scientific research on the stars that we adopt. So let's select a star and join the team! Who knows? Maybe a Pale Blue Dot will be discovered around the star that we adopt. How cool would that be?
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November 25, 2012

Until death do us part horrible campaign





Hello friends and Zazzlers!


I'm with a big cold, no patience for Zazzle or anything. But I just came across this fresh campaign and felt like showing it here. A bit shocking, it really makes you stop to think about it. It reeds: Until death do us part. On November 25th International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is celebrate so Portuguese APAV - The Portuguese Association for Victim Support marked the anniversary by launching this tremendous awareness campaign on violence against women.What do you think about it?

How do you imagine domestic violence across Europe?

- 98% of people are now aware of domestic violence across the EU compared to
94% in the previous survey.
- Awareness of domestic violence against women is very high across the EU,
thanks to media such as television (92%), newspapers and magazines (59%)
informing the vast majority of EU citizens about the problem.
- Domestic violence remains very common: one respondent in four across the EU
knows a woman among friends or in the family circle who is a victim of
domestic violence. Since the previous survey, the proportion of Europeans (on a
comparable EU15 basis) that say they know a victim of domestic violence in
their circle of friends or family has increased from 19% to 25%.
- One person in five knows of someone who commits domestic violence in their
circle of friends and family (21%).
- Women are more likely than men to know a woman who has suffered from
domestic violence. They are also more likely than men to be aware of people
who commit this crime, and more likely to view the problem seriously and to
advocate tougher penalties for those responsible.
- 78% of Europeans recognise that domestic violence is a common problem. SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 344 “Domestic Violence Against Women”11

- Attitudes to domestic violence have generally become much tougher, with far
more people (86%, up from 63% for the EU15) now saying that domestic
violence is unacceptable and should always be punishable by law. In the
European Union as a whole, 84% consider that domestic violence is
unacceptable and should always be punishable by law.
- Sexual and physical violence are seen as the most serious forms of violence
suffered by women with 85% of respondents in both cases considering that
these are “very serious”.
- There is strong support for EU involvement in eradicating domestic violence
against women (87% of respondents feel that the EU should probably or
definitely be involved).
- However, while most people believe that laws are in place to prevent domestic
violence, very few (14%) are familiar with specific EU measures to tackle the problem.


Source of this postage data:

Domestic Violence against Women Report - Special Eurobarometer 344
Fieldwork: February – March 2010
Publication: September 2010 
This survey was requested by the former Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and
Security (after an administrative reorganisation now DG Justice) and coordinated by the
Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM "Research and Speechwriting" Unit).
This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission.
The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors.
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