elcome to lobal xpress April 25th Edition Published by the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends for the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends about the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends. We are everyday people doing extraordinary things on an International Scale on the web! We have different life experiences, different cultures, different ideas and some of us even speak different languages but by learning to see what we have in common, we can more easily overlook any differences. "We are family" and we care and love to share! <BGSOUND balance=0 src="http://www.bigsispat.0catch.com/Audio/CircleOfFriends.wav" volume=0 loop=10> Hello everyone. Just thought I should probably give some explanation as to what happened to me. The divorce is now final. I have to move and I have less than 30 days to pack up my entire life and to find a place to start over. I will be looking at some "hopeful" homes on Thursday. Kendra is moving at the end of the month also and I had previously promised to help her with that and to help her paint. Kendra is 8 weeks pregnant -- due date November 27. One of our Mastiffs, Mercedes has to have major knee/hip surgery mid May. Thank goodness I have to work two mornings this week (Wednesday & Friday) because my routine when I work, now that Bigsis is back, is to drive into Crofton and have a visit with her .... what a relief that has been in the midst of all my recent challenges. I had to cancel a trip to see my mum last Sunday because of the SNOW but I will be going there for certain this Sunday. So as you can see all is well but I am just a little bit busy so if you do not see much of me it is because I am off somewhere just trying to "pick up the pieces". Wish me luck!!!!!!!! I will be back in full force probably mid June but I will pop around every so often; would really not like to be forgotten! All my love, Sharon To the Top Bigsis Pat's Journal After yet another 9 day weight I finally got my new modem. So this issue of the Global Express will be for two weeks, last week and this week. Next week, barring any unforseen accidents, I shoul dbe back on track. And as we are now into May, here is the link for the May Trivia Pages I would like to announce an exciting new addition to growing number of WWWCOF sites. We have finally caught up with the rest of the world, and the WWWCOF, now has it's own blog. WWWCOF Spaces Please take a moment to take a look, leave a comment on the blog and sign the guest book. For my Journal entry this week I thought I would share some info about Crofton, the little community where I live. Face your past without regrets. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear! Please visit my Art by Patricia blog. P.S. I have been busy adding to, and updating the WWWCOF Albums. Do please take a moment to check them out! Crofton Crofton Ferry Terminal Cradled by verdant hillsides and surrounding mountains, the active community of Crofton is situated on the calm waters of Osborne Bay in the Cowichan Valley. The original townsite of Osborne Bay was homesteaded by a handful of families in the mid-1800s. The pioneers farmed land and timber claims granted by the government of the day. Then, just before the turn of the century, a chain of events reshaped the town forever. Australian-born Henry Croft, a lumber and mining magnate, had developed the prosperous Lenora mine at nearby Mount Sicker. By 1902, his mine was producing more ore than railway cars could load and haul away to the Ladysmith and Nanaimo ports. Inspired by significant profits, Croft bought the townsite to build a copper smelter and house his workers. The town prospered until world copper prices plummeted, causing the closure of the mine in 1908. The miners struggled to find work in the logging and fishing industries until 1956, when a large pulp and paper mill was built on the outskirts of town, attracted by Crofton's deep-sea port. These days, this friendly forestry community offers quiet parks, comfortable accommodation and a host of family activities, such as golfing, swimming, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. If this sounds too strenuous, you can just relax in Osborne Bay and watch the sun rise over Saltspring Island. Central to Victoria and Nanaimo, and with ferry access to Saltspring Island, Crofton is a great place from which to base your south island activities. Population: 2,500 Location: Crofton is located off the Trans-Canada Highway 1, on the southeast coast of Vancouver Island, 5 miles (8 km) north of Maple Bay, and 7 miles (11 km) south of Chemainus. Crofton can be reached by taking the scenic drive from Maple Bay Road to Herd Road, and Herd Road to Osborne Bay Road. Olde School House Museum in Crofton Visit the Old School House Museum, a one-room schoolhouse built in 1905 and used as a school until 1948. The restored Old School Museum, located on the waterfront near the ferry to Saltspring Island, now houses Crofton's historic artifacts and a delightful gift gallery. The museum features displays of pioneer and smelter-town life, and an interesting section on the Crofton school. Crofton is the location of a BC Ferries terminal. Car and passenger ferries to Vesuvius Bay on Saltspring Island leave regularly from morning to early evening. Stroll along the new seawalk that starts from the lower parking lot at the fishing docks, pack a picnic lunch and explore Osborne Bay Regional Park, or hike the trails on nearby Maple Mountain (Maple Mountain Centennial Park), Mt. Richards and Mt. Prevost. Fishing is good at Osborne Bay Park and many of the lakes in the area, including Quamichan Lake, Somenos Lake, and Fuller Lake just south of Chemainus. Saltwater fishing is excellent in Sansum Narrows, between Vancouver Island and Saltspring Island. Boat launch facilities are available in Crofton and Maple Bay. Golf: Golfers have a few golf courses in the area to choose from; Cowichan Golf and Country Club in Duncan (20 minutes from Crofton), Duncan Meadows Golf Course (15 minutes from Crofton), Mount Brenton Golf Course in Chemainus (10 minutes from Crofton), and Arbutus Ridge Golf and Country Club in nearby Cobble Hill. Golf Vacations on Vancouver Island. Take a tour of Crofton's pulp mill and paper making facility. Watching giant paper machines make newsprint at 80 km per hour is a highlight of the summer walking tour. In the pulping operation, you'll see skilled operators in a modern plant manufacturing market pulp for export around the world. Visitors can also enjoy the tranquil beauty of the mill's Japanese Garden. You can clam on the beach at Osborne Bay, home to a herd of barking sea lions, and you might see a pod of killer whales swim by during the salmon runs. Just to the west of Crofton, approximately 15 Km south of Chemainus on the Island Highway, is the B.C. Forestry Museum. This is an extensive display covering several acres of wooded land and boasts its own working logging road. The main power for this operation is a refurbished Shay locomotive. Besides locomotives, there are many other pieces of early forestry equipment, including a Ruston steam road roller in full working order and looking "like the day it left the factory" in England. Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge Adjacent to the B.C. Forestry Museum on the Island Highway, is the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge. Somenos Lake is part of the Pacific Coast flyway, where thousands of birds cut in from Cowichan through Somenos Marsh, up the Cowichan Valley, and over to the west side of Vancouver Island. Over 200 species of birds have been identified on the Marsh, which has a boardwalk and nature viewing platform. The Great Blue Heron Festival began at Somenos Marsh in 2001, and over 300 members are currently committed to keeping this wondrous resource as pristine as possible for future generations. South of Crofton is the pretty seaside community of Maple Bay, located in a narrow inlet and surrounded by smooth, pebbled beaches. Maple Bay is one of the finest natural harbours on the West Coast, and bustles with marine activity all year round. North of Crofton is the town of Chemainus, world renowned for its 33 murals. Artists from around the globe were invited to paint huge heritage murals on the sides of buildings, transforming a small coastal mill town into the world's largest outdoor art gallery. From Crofton, you can catch a ferry across to Saltspring Island - another one of BC's treasures. Saltspring Island is the largest, most populated, and most visited of the Gulf Islands chain. The setting is West Coast Canadian, forested islands surrounded by emerald ocean, with wonderful vistas. Spend the day browsing through the marketplace in Ganges. To the Top days until Reunion 2008 in INTRIGUING SOUTH AMERICA ! Some of the people you will meet during the Reunion in Argentina! Please say hello to To the Top Do be sure to visit the awesome April Trivia Pages! April is Poetry Month; Letter Writing Month; Garden Month (celebrate gardening during April - Garden Month); Autism Awareness Month; Humor Month; Pets are Wonderful Month and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Special Days in April include: April 16 - Peachy Marie and Uncle G, aka Ma & Pa heading home to Canada and getting ready for camping season! April 18 - Pet Owner's Day April 20 - Passover - Passover is one of the most important religious festivals in the Jewish calendar. Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. Jews have celebrated Passover since about 1300 BC, following the rules laid down by God in Exodus 13. April 19 - Car Free Day April 20 - Volunteer Recognition Day April 22 - Earth Day April 23 - St. George's Day - England's National Day. St. George is the patron saint of England. April 24 - Arbor Day April 25 - Anzac Day (Australia / New Zealand) marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. To the Top Welshgog WelshGoG aka Owen from Wales Please take a moment to visit Owen's Space To the Top Jan's Ramblings ANZAC DAY - 25th April - Australia ANZAC DAY is probably the most important national occasion in Australia. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and the pride they soon took in the name endures to this day. In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The plan was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war. During the 1920s ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who died during the WWI. The first year in which all states observed some form of public holiday together on ANZAC Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s all the rituals we today associate with the day ? dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, two-up games ? were firmly established as part of ANZAC Day culture. Nowadays we remember those who have fallen in wars since then too. Lest we forget.... One traditional recitation on ANZAC Day is the Ode, the fourth stanza of the poem For the fallen by Laurence Binyon (1869?1943). They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn*. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Links: The ANZAC Day tradition ANZAC Day This is a free Exhibition that is on in Melbourne, Australia, that I would love to see. The Medieval Imagination Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand 28 March - 15 June 2008 Open 10am-5pm daily (to 9pm Thursdays) Curated by Professor Emeritus Margaret Manion AO This spectacular free exhibition of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts celebrates the art of the hand-written book or manuscript. Around half the works are from Cambridge University and its colleges, which together hold one of the greatest collections of medieval manuscripts in the western world. The remainder are from distinguished public collections in Australia and New Zealand, including works from the State Library of Victoria's own collection. Over 90 manuscripts are on display. Dating from the 8th to the 16th centuries, they include examples of deluxe book production from Byzantium, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Works on display include sacred traditional texts as well as works of music, law, history, science and literature. These exquisite manuscripts offer a wealth of information on art and learning, and provide fascinating insights into the life and times of the medieval and Renaissance periods. The exhibition is presented in five thematic sections: * The Bible: Illuminating the Word * The Book and Church Services: Liturgy and Ritual * The Personal Prayer Book: Psalters and Books of Hours * The Book and Knowledge: Science, Law, Literature and History * The Book and the Renaissance: The Humanist Book. This landmark exhibition is curated by Professor Emeritus Margaret Manion AO, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and an international expert on illuminated manuscripts. The Medieval Imagination Catalogue A 228-page, lavishly illustrated catalogue, with contributions by scholars from England, Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand has been produced. It is available at a special price through official exhibition booksellers Reader's Feast. Exhibition Catalogue Aussie Jan. Please visit my Diary of events To the Top Welcome to Charla's World To the Top Collections What do you collect? To the Top Emergency Preparedness Week 2008 is taking place May 4 -10. This is a great time to learn about emergency preparedness and take practical steps to prepare. Have you lived through an emergency? Share your story with us! Visit this Public Safety Canada site to learn how to prepare for a range of emergencies. To the Top

In this issue ... Click on any of the following to be taken to that section of the newsletter. If you can come up with any icons for the sections below I would sure appreciate you sending them to me. Please notify me of any broken links. Australian Report Bigsis Pat Journal Bragging Rights Canadian 'Eh Collections Coffee & Chat Common Expressions Crafts Did You Know Emergency Prepardness Featured Sites Feature Story of the Week Fun Gardening Google Question of the Week Global Citizen Award Health Matters Inspirational Meet the Members Member of the Month Messages from Members Nature"s SKY Photo Contest Pet of the Week Planet Kryzys Prayer Requests WWWCOF International Poetry Contest Recipes Reunion 2008 Survey of the Week Tests & Quizzes Weather Updates Welshgog Challenge yourself to get to know a WWWCOF member that you don't already know. You can start by emailing any of the members who have contributed to this week's issue to say hello from your corner of the globe. To the Top Member of the Month Nominations Our member of the month for April is Aussie Jan. Congratulations Jan. days to vote for May's Member of the Month! This award is not intended to be a comparison of member to member; each member's time and contributions are valuable and we acknowledge with pride that every member does what they can do. The "winner" is the member who has received the most votes from the membership and nominations for Member of the Month for May closes April 30th so be sure to cast your ballot here today! Do be sure to add your comments as to why you have selected the member you are nominating. Every member of the WWWCOF gives their best of their time and abilities; each one deserves this award! It is the pieces (our members) that make the whole (The World Wide Web Circle of Friends). To the Top Our Furry Friends/ Family Members Featured Pet of the Week Good Morning Folks: Since I have not recieved any submissions for the Furry Friends column as yet I decided to put in some helpful ways to "Be Kind to All Animals" Enjoy, and please, please someone send me your stories about your PETS be them granddogs/grandcats, or your own children (furry ones) Look forward to hearing from you real soon. What Do You Mean, "Be Kind to Animals"? We created Be Kind to Animals Week in 1915 to celebrate the unique bond between humans and animals and to spread kindness and compassion. Here are seven ways to be kind to animals: 1. Report animal abuse. Violence against animals is terrible enough, but it could also be a sign that other violent behavior, like domestic abuse, is happening. 2. Speak out for animals. Get active in local animal welfare policies and legislation. Sign up with us to receive timely action alerts about issues affecting animals. You'll be able to make a difference for animals with just the click of your mouse. 3. Kindness starts at home. Teach the people in your life, especially children, about the importance of treating animals humanely. 4. Adopt a pet from a shelter or breed-specific rescue. About 8 to 12 million animals enter shelters every year, and more than half of these pets will have to be euthanized because of a lack of homes. Want a purebred Labrador? Check with your local shelter first -- they take in mutts and purebreds. 5. Help solve the tragedy of euthanasia of adoptable animals by not contributing to the problem. If you have pets, make sure they are spayed or neutered. 6. Make a donation to your local animal shelter. A donation can be your time, money or needed items like pet food or laundry detergent. Call them first and see what they need. 7. Be a responsible pet guardian. Pets should be microchipped and should always wear a collar with an ID tag, so they can be reunited with you quickly if they are ever lost. And take your pet to the veterinarian every year for vaccinations and a health check. Check out American Humane's new weekly blog, The Humane Exchange. -- Remember: Your pets are your most loyal family members, giving unconditional Love. So Don't forget to give them a big hug today. I am looking for more stories about your PET ....... please submit to me so I may feature them in the newsletter Pet Column. email your stories to me, Jami from Maryland To the Top REUNION ARGENTINA OCTOBER 2008 With little more than five months to go before Reunion 2008, those of us in the host country, are over-whelmed by the amount of interest taken in this event. But in order to make the arrangements necessary for a successful reunion we need to know how many will be attending and that a commitment has to be made by the end of April, 2008, especially if we want to take full advantage of group bookings and possible discounts. This week I am going to talk about the proposed accommodation for the stay in Argentina First of all, for the two nights we expect to stay in Buenos Aires, we will stay in the naval hotel. There are many others, but this is the one we know the best and trust In Mar del Plata, we have several options. The Sennac Hotel where Circle member Charito's husband is a receptionist is very near the city shopping centre and just 3 blocks from the beach. Fees there are between 30-50 US$ breakfast included. The naval hotel Antartida, right across from the beach with rooms at 30US$ a night with breakfast. Hotel Antartida Or another branch of the naval hotel in the city centre with room at about 20 US$ . We have also been offered one or all three of a set of 4-6 person apartments right across from the central casino and central beaches 'APART LA CÚPULA' for 100US$ per day the apartment (not per person) Each apartment is independent from the rest, all in the same building and are complete living quarters including kitchen, are provided with bedding and towels and have a daily cleaning service included. They include breakfast in a neighbouring coffee shop. And finally, accommodation includes staying with host families, where the cost would be enough to cover expenses. For a decent restaurant meal visitors can expect to pay upwards of 10 US$ (a McDonald?s meal would be about 6 US$) I have put all the prices into US dollars for your convenience though of course you would actually pay in Argentine pesos? 1 US dollar is just over 3 Argentine pesos 100 US dollars would give you about 310 pesos, but please wait till you get here before changing your cash We are still waiting to get estimates of minibus to take us everywhere, but all the companies insist on knowing how many they have to cater for. When we have an approximate price of this vital element, then we can calculate roughly how much visitors can expect to spend once here For more details and estimated costs , Daphne The inscription form to take part in this unforgettable event can be found here: Inscription Form Look forward to getting lots of them!! days until Reunion 2008! Argentina here we come! "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow line, sail away from the safe harbour, explore, dream and discover. Mark Twain" To hold a Reunion we need people. If only one or two attend it would be just a visit! Daphne is perfectly willing to take care of "just a visit!" or a full blown reunion!!! She and others in Argentina have been hard at work finding out prices of different accomodation, transport, entry to events and places of interest, food meals etc. Of course, if it turns out to be "just a visit" that simplifies everything, down to home cooking and their own car! So in fairness to our "hosts" and in order to make whatever arrangements are necessary they must know how many will be attending therefore a commitment has to be made by the end of April, 2008. The organization is already well underway as shown in our 2008 Reunion Website; now we need the cooporation and participation of members everywhere. REUNION ARGENTINA OCTOBER 2008 Please drop by and visit the official 2008 reunion website where you'll find alot of the information you need Don't forget to start the action to get your passport up to date. Life is too short not to come to Argentine at least once, and Reunion 2008 is an excellent opportunity for that, a well as a good chance to meet all your on-line buddies in real life and have some fun getting to know them better. So come on, fill in the inscription form, let us know you are booking your ticket. This Week, with views to reunion Argentina 2008: REUNION QUIZ #1 When is Reunion 2008 being held? Where is Reunion 2008 being held, (city and country)? Approx How far is that from the country's capital? Is it on the coast or inland? if you answered on the coast; would that be the Pacific or the Atlantic or somewhere else? If you answered inland; would that be near mountains, hills or plains? What season will it be at reunion time? Oh dear, I wonder, Are there any hotels there? Where is the International airport we would land at? What is the official language of the host country? So, Does our host/ hostess speak English? What colours are in the National Flag of the host country? (Baker's dozen) what is the local currency there? Please send your answers to Sharon or Daphne, thank you More information about MAR DEL PLATA and Argentina in Pictures Daphne from Argentina To the Top Don't forget to check the Birthday Calendar to see when members are celebrating their special days. April birthday / anniversary celebrations: April 11 - my lovely daughter, Kendra from Nanaimo, BC, Canada's Birthday April 18 - Linda from China's birthday (and our 100th member) April 19 - Barb from Rockford, Illinois' birthday April 23 - Georgene Indiana, USA's birthday April 28 - Bigsis Pat from Ontario, Canada's hubby, Darryl's birthday HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND/OR ANNIVERSARY TO EVERYONE CELEBRATING!! We look forward to hearing all about your special day. If you are not listed in the calendar please be sure to email Jami from Maryland. To the Top Hugs Lindalou        Linda T Rhodes lindalou@elmore.rr.com To the Top WWWCOF Poetry Contest - April is National Poetry Month. National Poetry Month was established by the Academy of American Poets as a month-long, national celebration of poetry. The concept was to increase the attention paid-by individuals and the media to the art of poetry, to living poets, to our poetic heritage, and to poetry books and magazines. A lot of the WWWCOF members are wonderful poets and from time to time we are honoured to be given the opportunity to publish their poetry in Global Express so I thought why not hold a WWWCOF Poetry Contest. The goals of this would be to: introduce to our members the pleasures of reading other member's poetry; to reread some favorite poems. to encourage us to try to write at least one poem; to attend poetry readings in our community; and to create a poetry book of our members' orginal poems. The rules are very simple -- Poems submitted for consideration must be your own original work! Please submit your poems directly to me for posting - Sharon from Paradise Island, aka Vancouver Island, BC, Canada prior to the deadline for entries of April 30th, 2008. Voting will close on May 15th, 2008 and the contest winner will be announced in the May 16th issue of Global Express. Good luck to all! View Poems Other poems can be found on our Member Poetry Pages which I will be trying to transfer to the poetry journal but this task may not be completed by the deadline so do be sure to check out the poetry contained within these sites as well. days until WWWCOF Poetry Contest Closes Last fall I was surprised by a visit from my good friend Linda from Red Deer, Alberta and she suggested that I read a children's book called "The Precious Present". Thought I would share the following with you. "The Place to Be" - There is only ONE moment that you ever experience ... and that moment is NOW. The PAST is history. The FUTURE is a mystery. Living in the here and NOW is the ONLY place to be. For it is all you ever truly have. The Precious Present The precious present is not something that someone gives you, it is a gift you give yourself. It is wise for me to learn from the past, But it is not wise for me to be in the past. For that is how I lose myself. It is also wise to think about the future, and to prepare for the future, But it is not wise for me to be in the future. For that too, is how I lose myself. And when I lose myself I lose what is most precious to me, my life my present moment. But learning to be in the present is not going to be easy. Learning to be in the present is a process that will, have to be done over and over till It becomes a habit. The present is what is. It is valuable, even if we don't know why. It is already just the way it is supposed to be. When I see the present, accept the present, and experience the present, I am well, and I am happy! Pain is simply the difference between what is and what I want it to be. When I feel guilty over my imperfect past, or I am anxious over my unknown future, I do not live in the present I experience pain, I make myself ill, and I am unhappy. My past was the present and my future will be the present. The present moment is the only reality I ever experience. As long as I continue to stay in the present, I am happy forever: Because forever is always the present, The present is simply who I am, just the way I am, Right now. And it is precious. I am precious, I am the precious present! I can only live in the now. Living in the now makes me happy and I feel at peace with myself! I will savor each moment in my life... the apparently good and the apparently bad... Even if I don't understand why, for the first time in my life It doesn't really matter. I now accept each of my precious moments on this planet as a gift. Credits: from Spencer Johnson MD author "The Precious Present". Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then, be that life. What the world needs is people who have come alive. Howard Thurman To the Top Is Laughter The Best Medicine? Feeling run down? Try laughing more. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you feel better and putting that spring back in your step. "I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off," says Steve Wilson, M.A., CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. "They might be healthier, too." Yet researchers aren't sure if it's actually the act of laughing that makes people feel better. A good sense of humor, a positive attitude, and the support of friends and family might play a role, too. "The definitive research into the potential health benefits of laughter just hasn?t been done yet," says Robert R. Provine, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. But while we don't know for sure that laughter helps people feel better, it certainly isn't hurting. (To continue reading click here) Laughter Therapy: What Happens When We Laugh? To the Top Plant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness! Scatter seeds of kindness everywhere you go! One of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends' best kept secrets is Jeanette's Garden Room. Jeanette from the Land Down Under has set up this site for all of those who love gardening - like she does, and loves to be creative in making garden junk. Do take some time to visit and join her site and share ideas, seeds, photos of your garden and plants, laughter and great sites to visit. To the Top Recipe Corner Members Favourites All that will be left is a smile! Our Recipe book Our Recipe book has recently been updated with a further few dozen recipes bringing our total to close on 2.000, not counting the many others in various links World Recipes There are several "cookbooks" in there, General, Regional/seasonal, Mexican, Oriental, and within those, recipes set out in many categories. If your recipe isn?t in there I?ll be happy to add it for you. It has its very own search engine, so you can find things according to ingredient, origin, category etc. The extensive kitchen help section has also grown! And there are tips and hints on just about everything from Alcohols in cooking to "Why didn"t I think of that" type tips: Cookery Tips Again if you have anything you would like added, or if you want info on anything that isn?t there, just let us know. Much more information about MAR DEL PLATA Argentina in Pictures: PLANET KRYZYS, our Planet awareness site: The finals for our photo contest "Nature"s Water Features" were so close, we cannot say there is an overall winner. So , congratulations and well done to all those who sent in their pictures A new contest has started and as fitting with our Planet awareness site, it is of course nature based, and the theme this time is "Nature"s SKY". You have plenty of time to watch out for those sunsets, cloud formations, rainbows, storms, night skies etc etc Photos sent in just have to be member"s own or member"s family and friends. Look forward to seeing what you all come up with. Comments and suggestions: If you read this page write to me anyway. For now I"ll leave you wishing you all a VERY HAPPY Week Would love to hear from you all. Daphne Daphne from Argentina To the Top Be sure to check out all the wonderful craft ideas in the WWWCOF Craft Site and let us get this group active and crafting. Any ideas, please send them to Aussie Jan. Hey all I have been quite but things been a little on the busy side. I have been teaching classes and have had very little time. Just thought I would come in and say hi and add to the candles page with a few tips of our own. * Never throw away your old candles keep them in a tin and when you have enough you can melt these down and add a little strine (steric acid) or H1 hardener to the mixture. and taking your favorite mold create a new candle. * If you are looking for a reallly unique finnish to a candle dribble 2 diferent coulours down the side of your molds and then finnish off with cold wax pour (82 deg c) * Always rememeber to prime your wick for any new candles, this is to make sure that it burn properly. you do this by dipping your wick into you hot wax (90 - 100 deg c) and letting all th eair bubbles boil out. Well that is just a few tips will be uploading a new craft to our site tonight dealing with recycling candles if you want a full step by step on how to do it. Crafty Corner Regards Mark     Join WWWCOF KRAFT CORNER      MSN Groups WWWCOF Kraft Corner To the Top Featured Sites This week I would like to Congratulate Charla on her Prayer Request site. she has done an incredible job. She also includes a photo gallery and a guest book, along with all the prayer requests. After years of hard work and putting together the Prayer Requests and emailing them to sharon of me to published in the newsletter, charla decided it was time to have her ow prayer request page. Way to go Charla, great job, keep up the good work. Click her t o visit the Prayer Request Page If you would like to see your blog or website featured here, please email the particulars with a brief explanation. Thanks BigSisPat. To the Top Here's To Friendship! Sometimes in life, you find a special friend; Someone who changes your life just by being part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop; Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world. Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it. This is Forever Friendship. This is the sacred RED ROSE. To the Top

Charla, from Florida, USA is our Good Global Citizen for April. Congratulations Charla. days to vote for May's Global Citizen! Do you think one of our members should be the May Global Citizen. Please email me, Sharon from Paradise Island, aka Vancouver Island, BC, Canada by April 30th, 2008 and don't forget to add your comments as to why you have selected this particular member. To the Top The Google Board Question of the week is: If I sped past some people at the speed of sound with my radio blasting, would they be able to identify the tune? What if I accelerated to the speed of light? Answer can be found somewhere in this issue of Global Express. To the Top Tests & Quizzes Have you started playing our Trivia Quiz Game yet? Go on try it ... it is fun and it is hosted by Aussie Jeanette To the Top International Weather Station Click on map to see the weather anywhere in the world! To the Top Did You Know Cows don't have upper front teeth Although a cow has no upper front teeth, it grazes up to 8 hours a day, taking in about 45 kg (100 lb) of feed and the equivalent of a bath tub full of water. A healthy cow gives about 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime. A cow has four stomachs: the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. The rumen is the largest stomach and acts as a fermentation chamber. The abomasum is last of the four and is comparable in both structure and function to the human stomach. With all its grazing and many stomachs, it is no wonder that cows are one of the main contributors to the hole in the ozone layer. Apart from CFC, the biggest culprit is hydrocarbon emissions from cars and cows. Yes, cows! Cows release some 100 million tons of hydrocarbon annually - by releasing gas. To give you an idea of how much gas a cow emits: if the gas of 10 cows could be captured, it would provide heating for a small house for a year. But unlike what you think, cows release hydrocarbon mostly by burping. Cow factoids The average lifespan of a cow is 7 years. The oldest cow ever recorded was Big Bertha. She reached 48 in 1993. She also holds the record for producing 39 calves. There are more than a billion cattle in the world, about 200 million in India. Twelve cows are known as a "flink." To the Top Answer to this week's Google question is: First of all kids, don't try this at home... The speed of sound, or Mach I, is about 700 miles per hour. Driving at this speed you would not be able to hear anything going on behind you (because the sound waves could not catch up with you) so any speakers in the rear deck would be inaudible. You would hear sounds coming from in front of you but they would be increased in pitch 1 octave (the Doppler effect) so if you have speakers in the dashboard you're in luck. Along these same lines, the people on the street wouldn't hear you coming but would hear a loud sonic boom after you passed. As for the 'speed of light' part of the question... Sorry to break this to you but there is a well known and heavily enforced speed limit in effect. It is highly advisable that you don't break it... Planet Kryzys Sylvia our environmental correspondent for Dorset, UK. Our planet awareness site, Planet Kryzys has many interesting stories of different aspects of a planet under Crisis. Do please take a moment to visit it. Daphne from Argentina To the Top days until Reunion 2008! To the Top Common Expressions - Origin & Meaning "Rule of Thumb" Now Means: A common or ubiquitous benchmark. As in, "The rule of thumb is one part tonic to four parts gin." Most say it came from ... 17th century English Judge Sir Francis Buller, who allegedly ruled that it was A-OK for a husband to beat his wife with a stick, given that said stick was no wider then his thumb. This is the stuff that white trash dreams are made of. So is that true? As it turns out there isn't any record of Buller actually making this ruling, though he was known to be a big powdered wig-wearing dickhead to everyone around him regardless of sex. Still, roughly a year after the supposed ruling, British satirist James Gillray called out Buller in this cartoon, selling his thumb-width wife beating sticks: So why would Gillray create this poster if the ruling it referenced didn't exist? Who knows. Maybe it was already an urban legend back then. The truth of the phrase is that it likely just refers to carpenters and tailors who, without a ruler handy, would just measure things in thumb-lengths. We tried digging up evidence that they were using actual severed thumbs for the task, but even that turned out to be too awesome to be true. To the Top Health Matters Stop Losing Sleep A sleep doc who's been there shares her top three tips for battling insomnia By Angela Pirisi Sleep is vital for good health, but getting enough can be a challenge?even for a sleep expert. "Yes, I too have problems with insomnia," says Dr. Rachel Morehouse, medical director of the Atlantic Health Sciences Sleep Centre in Saint John, N.B. "It happens only three or four times a year, when I"m really frustrated about something. I get up and do something boring for a while until I get sleepy again.? She also admits to drinking up to 10 cups of coffee a day. So you know that Morehouse speaks from personal and professional experience when she shares her top sleep strategies. 1. I give the steak a pass and have the pasta. "Generally, carbohydrate-rich foods are more soporific, while foods that contain protein are more alerting," says Morehouse. Just don?t stuff yourself too close to bedtime. "A big meal before bed encourages heartburn and reflux, isn't well metabolized and usually leads to weight gain. I try to avoid eating before bed," she says. 2. I rest before I get on a plane. Don't wear yourself out before hopping onto that red-eye flight, suggests this lights-out expert. What people often call "jet lag" usually results from trying to finish things up at work or at home, packing at the last minute, and then arriving at their destination totally exhausted. Catching a few zzz's on the plane can?t really make up for that. If you land somewhere at seven in the morning, but it?s 2 a.m. your time, follow the locals. "Eat, sleep and work as everyone else does in that time zone," Morehouse suggests. You can also help synchronize your inner clock with exercise and outdoor light. 3. I close my bedroom closet doors. "I will get out of bed to shut them if I forget?I don?t know why," Morehouse says. The point is, you should respect your sleep quirks. Whether you need to sprinkle lavender on your pillow, listen to a CD of chanting monks or have your bed facing northeast, indulge yourself. Don?t lie there for 30 minutes, wishing it were darker or quieter, or that you had a different pillow. Invest in eyeshades and earplugs"whatever it takes to create your ideal sleep conditions. As for Morehouse, she also likes extra-puffy duvets, and "a little Medieval pillow, either under my shoulder, or to cuddle if I roll onto my side." Newspaper cutting, note from Sylvia from Dorset, UK: Pain herbs fight menstrual pains better than drugs - Chinese herbs may be more effective in relieving period pains, than many of the drugs on the market. Researchers in Australia said herbal mixtures extracted from bark and roots � liquorice root, cinnamon bark and fennel fruit, not only relieve menstrual cramps, but also reduce the recurrence of the conditions, by affecting the hormonal balance in ovaries, reducing the pain. While there is no indication that that Chinese herbal medicines caused secondary effects, doubt was cast on the claim by saying that very few were clinical studies with no evidence that such herbs were safe To the Top Please visit Charla's Prayer Request Page. Please email Charla, from Florida, USA with any Praises, Requests and/or UPDATES Thank you. May God Bless Each One and Have a Great Week! To the Top I hope you have enjoyed this week's edition of Global Express which I would like to close with the following: To the Top designed and created by Emma from Maryland, USA To the Top View the WWWCOF Global Express Beefs & Bouquets We want to hear from you and remember these comments just go to show that teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success. To the Top We don't have to be perfect today. We don't have to be better than someone else. All we have to do is to be the very best we can.

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I am only one
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