Click on the picture above and... have fun!
27.12.13
26.12.13
Jamie Oliver's Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich - video recipe with subtitles in English
Check out this Turkey Banh Mi - the perfect recipe for the day after Christmas! Warm baguette, spread with pate, then filled with succulent leftover turkey meat, cooked in sweet chilli sauce. Topped with fresh pickle & flavoured mayonnaise, it's a delicious twist on classic Vietnamiese street food.
25.12.13
Pope Francis Christmas message and "Urbi et Orbi" blessing 2013
Pope Francis is celebrating his first Christmas as leader of the world's Catholics, riding a wave of popularity and influence after a year shaking up the papacy with his humble style, sense of humour and common touch.
Francis's inaugural Christmas blessing will be closely watched for the messages chosen by Latin America's first pope, who has accumulated 10 million followers on Twitter - nearing rock-star popularity - and was named "Person of the Year" by Time and the US gay rights magazine The Advocate.
Popes often delve into politics and current events in the message whose title literally means "To the City and the World" - praying, for instance, for the victims of conflict or economic injustice.
Her Magesty Queen Elizabeth II - Christmas Message 2013 - Buckingham Palace, 25th December 2013
«I once knew someone who spent a year in a plaster cast recovering from an operation on his back. He read a lot, and thought a lot, and felt miserable.
Later, he realised this time of forced retreat from the world had helped him to understand the world more clearly.
We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock. Be it through contemplation, prayer, or even keeping a diary, many have found the practice of quiet personal reflection surprisingly rewarding, even discovering greater spiritual depth to their lives.
Reflection can take many forms. When families and friends come together at Christmas, it's often a time for happy memories and reminiscing. Our thoughts are with those we have loved who are no longer with us. We also remember those who through doing their duty cannot be at home for Christmas, such as workers in essential or emergency services.
And especially at this time of year we think of the men and women serving overseas in our armed forces. We are forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe.
Service and duty are not just the guiding principles of yesteryear; they have an enduring value which spans the generations.
I myself had cause to reflect this year, at Westminster Abbey, on my own pledge of service made in that great church on Coronation Day 60 years earlier.
The anniversary reminded me of the remarkable changes that have occurred since the Coronation, many of them for the better; and of the things that have remained constant, such as the importance of family, friendship and good neighbourliness.
But reflection is not just about looking back. I and many others are looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.
The baton relay left London in October and is now the other side of the world, on its way across 70 nations and territories before arriving in Scotland next summer. Its journey is a reminder that the Commonwealth can offer us a fresh view of life.
My son Charles summed this up at the recent meeting in Sri Lanka. He spoke of the Commonwealth's 'family ties' that are a source of encouragement to many. Like any family there can be differences of opinion. But however strongly they're expressed they are held within the common bond of friendship and shared experiences.
Here at home my own family is a little larger this Christmas.
As so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope. For the new parents, life will never be quite the same again.
As with all who are christened, George was baptised into a joyful faith of Christian duty and service. After the christening, we gathered for the traditional photograph.
It was a happy occasion, bringing together four generations.
In the year ahead, I hope you will have time to pause for moments of quiet reflection. As the man in the plaster cast discovered, the results can sometimes be surprising.
For Christians, as for all people of faith, reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God's love, as we strive daily to become better people. The Christmas message shows us that this love is for everyone. There is no one beyond its reach.
On the first Christmas, in the fields above Bethlehem, as they sat in the cold of night watching their resting sheep, the local shepherds must have had no shortage of time for reflection. Suddenly all this was to change. These humble shepherds were the first to hear and ponder the wondrous news of the birth of Christ – the first noel – the joy of which we celebrate today.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas.»
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A great range of different types of Christmas cards available to download for free
Click on the picture and... have FUN!
6.12.13
11 inspiring quotes from Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela's fight for freedom inspired the world. Here's a list of some of his most memorable quotes, which remind us all to work toward peace and equality.
1) "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
(Gareth Davies/Getty Images)
From his essay, "Working Towards Peace."
2) "Hope is a powerful weapon, and (one) no one power on earth can deprive you of."
(Clive Rose/Getty Images)
From Notes to the Future, 2012
3) “Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end."
(Trevor Samson/Getty Images)
From his Letter to Winne Mandela, written on Robben Island, 1975
4) "Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity."
(Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
From an interview for the documentary, "Mandela," 1994
5) "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
(Debbie Yazbek/Nelson Mandela Foundation)
Addressing students at Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, 2009
6) “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
(Walter Dhladhla/Getty Images)
Speech at the University of the Witwatersrand South Africa, 2003
7) "A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed."
(Denis Farrell/Getty Images)
From his interview with "O," the Oprah Magazine, 2001.
8) "Long speeches, the shaking of fists, the banging of tables and strongly worded resolutions out of touch with the objective conditions do not bring about mass action and can do a great deal of harm to the organisation and the struggle we serve."
(Walter Dhladhia/Getty Images)
From the presidential address, "No Easy Walk to Freedom" speech, 1953
9) "Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do."
Walter Dhladhia/AFP Getty Images.
From his Letter to Makhaya Ntini on his 100th cricket test, 2009
10) “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Michel Clement, Daniel Janin/AFP Getty Images.
-Long Walk to Freedom, 1995
11) "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
Dylan Martinez/AFP Getty Images.
-90th birthday celebration of Walter Sisulu, 2002
Nelson Mandela’s Life and Times in Photographs (click on the picture above)
5.12.13
Lots and lots of ideas for Christmas Crafts
Click on the picture and see all of these FUNtastic crafts!...
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2.12.13
1.12.13
A Tribute to Paul Walker
Born in California in 1973, Paul Walker made his big-screen debut in the 1986 horror spoof Monster in Your Closet. After appearing in several television shows in the 1990s, including Charles in Charge, Who's the Boss? and The Young and the Restless, Walker gained attention with a role in the 1999 film Varsity Blues, and his TV days were officially behind him. After working in teen movies such as She's All That and The Skulls,
Walker got his breakthrough role in 2001 with The Fast and the Furious, which would become his star vehicle and keep him busy through four sequels and a short prequel. The Fast and the Furiousfranchise established Walker as an action-film mainstay, and he went on to appear in several films in the genre, including Takers, Hoursand Vehicle 19. Walker died in a car accident on November 30, 2013, at age 40.
Early Years
Born on September 12, 1973, in Glendale, California, Paul Walker appeared in front of the camera at a young age, modeling and acting in television shows such asCharles in Charge, Highway to Heaven and Who's the Boss. In 1986, he made his film debut in the horror spoof Monster in the Closet while also landing a recurring role on TV's Throb.
After high school, Walker attended various California community colleges, but he dove into acting full-time in 1993, taking a role in the soap opera The Young and the Restless. After a handful of TV guest roles and the lead in Tammy and the T-Rex, Walker starred in the family comedy Meet the Deedles and left his TV career behind for good.
Walker's next role was a big one for his career: He appeared opposite Reese Witherspoon in the critically acclaimed, high-conceptPleasantville. From that point on, Walker found himself in starring roles in such late-1990s films as She's All That, Varsity Blues andThe Skulls—all pitched at a teen audience which helped turn Walker into a heartthrob.
The Role of a Lifetime
In 2001, Walker's career hit overdrive when he landed a leading role alongside up-and-comer Vin Diesel in The Fast and the Furious. A film that paid homage to road films of the 1970s, The Fast and the Furious brought Walker to new heights of fame on the way to box-office receipts of more than $200 million.
Two years later, the franchise was back with its first sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Walker was again along for the ride. The film's gross was even larger than the first, and a bona fide hit series was under way. Walker then appeared in a few more action-oriented movies, including Timeline (2003), Into the Blue (2005) and Running Scared(2006), while also signing on to appear in the ensemble drama Noel(2004) and the children's adventure movie Eight Below (2006).
Walker also showed his range as an actor in the 2006 war dramaFlags of Our Fathers, directed by Clint Eastwood. He continued to take on more action movie roles in The Death and Life of Bobby Z(2007), Takers (2010) and Fast Five (2011)—the third installment of the Fast and Furious franchise.
In 2012, Walker signed on to filmThe Fast and the Furious 6 (2013), keeping the series' momentum going.
While not filming, Walker was active in Reach Out Worldwide, a nonprofit organization he formed in 2010 to bring aid to regions devastated by natural disasters.
Walker died in a car accident on November 30, 2013 at the age of 40. Walker was in Santa Clarita, California to attend a charity event for Reach Out Worldwide to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. He was reportedly in the passenger seat of a Porsche when his friend who was driving lost control, crashing the vehicle into a tree. The car was engulfed in flames and both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
At the time of his death, Walker was working on two upcoming films: Brick Mansions and Fast & Furious 7, both slated to be released in 2014.
