Summer 2005
"The Internet Magazine for the disAble Woman. The 'dis' is small, it's the Ability that Counts".
We have been delighted by your responses, keep the articles flowing. In this issue there are Beauty and Fashion, Crafts, Fiction, Garden and Home, Health issues, Hints and Tips, Junior Crew articles, life Features articles, Poetry, Paintings and Recipes contributions from readers. Our links page increases each issue, and our Quiz becomes easier!
Quarterly Quote
If you think you have what it takes to face the Queen of Mean, you could be just what the BBC is looking for. The producers of the popular quiz show The Weakest Link are keen to feature more disabled contestants on the show, and will shortly be holding contestant auditions for the forthcoming new series. If you want to win up to £10.000 and you think you can stand Anne Robinson's sharp tongue call James Medhurst on 0208225 9747 for an application form or send an email to:
anAurora readership increases daily and has already reached Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, and India. Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, UK and the USA, which is fantastic. Please, continue to support anAurora by sending in your articles to: editor@anAurora.co.uk
Last date for articles to go into the next issue is 1st August, 2005, email them to editor@anAurora.co.uk. All articles will be available in back issues for a minimum of two years. Some issues since Spring 2000 have been withdrawn, but if you would like us to email you an electronic copy please email your request to editor@anAurora.co.uk. The file is quite large, and you should be sure that your email provider will allow you to download a file of 3Megabytes in size.
The views expressed in this magazine by readers are personal and not necessarily those of anAurora, but she will not print any offensive material regarding ability, creed, race, religion or gender.
The contents of this Internet Magazine may be reproduced without seeking permission from anAurora, but please mention your source.
This is a free magazine, in that anAurora is not supported in any way by either charity funds or advertising, and she would like to keep it that way. But the Magazine will dry up after a short time unless you contribute your articles.
anAurora does not have a "Mission Statement" but her intention is to continue to develop, with your help, a magazine that women with any disAbility can contribute to and read with enjoyment.
Goodbye until September
This summer there are two very different forms of Art.
The first consists of a series of paintings by the late Flora Richings Surgenor.
The second has some photographs and a synopsis from Mark J Scott, a final fourth year film student at Napier University, of his film, BrainSStorm.
If anyone would like to send some of their own poetry, paintings, and crafts, etc, please contact: editor@anAurora.co.uk
Florence Richings Surgenor - know as Flora to her family and friends - sent us some of her paintings for use in previous editions of anAurora. She had hoped to spend a long retiral period getting back to painting and enjoying it, but that was not to be. She suffered a very disabling stroke six months ago and passed away after having borne her difficulties with dignity and strength.
To remember her, the following paintings and drawings have been assembled, and are shown on the graphic version of the website, here.
If you are a poet or a writer with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Mark J Scott has been contributing to anAurora, but now it is his turn to attract the accolades. As a fourth-year student at Napier University, Mark has been busy putting together a short film - Brainsstorm - as a part of his final year project work.
Some of the stills from the final picture, and a poster, accompany the work and are shown on the graphic version of the website, here..
If you are an artist with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
There is only one article on beauty this issue but a very important one
Always remember you're unique,
just like everyone else.
If you're having a C5 -- or higher -- spinal op, and have droopy chins, ask
your surgeon to put a couple of stitches in as he pulls the skintight!
Well, it's worth a try. My surgeon told me to get lost but he did laugh.
PS: For the record, I'm still droopy.
Pat
Remember, if you have any fashion and beauty tips or ideas or know someone who has, please contact editor@anAurora.co.uk
Whether you have the job interview of a lifetime, a hot date or merely a night out on the town, countless beauty SNAFUs may be lurking just around the corner! Don't fall victim to some of womankind's oldest enemies instead, be ready and armed for whatever beauty blunders may await.
Different situations may call for suitable actions, so consider your destination and any possible disasters that may come up while you are there.
At a very bare minimum, your beauty survival kit should include the following:
Clear lip-gloss or chapstick
No matter how kissably soft you know your lips are, it can never hurt to add some moisture and shine with a deliciously flavoured lip-gloss. Applying gloss in front of your date may even entice him to test out your soft and supple lips!
Dental floss and toothpick
A single strand of floss coiled up and tucked away can really save the day in case your romantic candlelit dinner for two becomes a dinner for three, if you count the broccoli between your teeth as a single entity! A toothpick may also be a good item to include for dental hygiene purposes away from home.
Mini mouthwash
Fresh breathe in an instant! Just take a small swig of mouthwash after dinner or before you head out the door. Chase the taste of your lunch, dinner or even strong coffee away with a quick rinse with some minty mouthwash.
Mini trial size perfume spritzer
Freshen up anytime you like by carrying a miniature purse-sized fragrance spritzer with you. Scent is often considered the sense most tied to memory, so let your fragrance linger and leave a lasting impression wherever you go!
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Keeping your choppers a pretty pearly white can really be a daunting task if you are on the run all the time. Why not buy an extra toothbrush and tube of toothpaste to keep with you in your car, or in your purse when you know you'll need it? Fresh breath and clean teeth can be yours all the time, even if it does mean brushing away in the office restroom!
Hairspray or gel
Long events often leave much room for hair calamities to engage by the end of the night. If you simply can't stand to have a single hair out of place, it is in your best interests to pack a miniature bottle of hairspray or gel. Just a spritz here or a dab there will fix any potential problems before anyone else even notices!
Visine and pressed powder
Did you know that Visine doesn't just “get the red out” of your eyes? A tiny drop applied to a bright red blemish can often tone down the abrasive colour, which can then be further diminished with a gentle blotting of pressed powder complementary to your skin tone. A concealer stick may also come in handy!
Tissues
You never know when your allergies might act up or a sudden event may cause the waterworks to spring a leak. By prepared to sop up any unexpected tears with a few tissues packed handily inside your pocketbook.
Miniature bottle of lotion
Whether dry hands or peeling skin from harsh sunburn ail you, ward off any unsightly flakes with a few drops of your favourite lotion in a travel-sized bottle. In the dire absence of hairspray or gel, you can also use a tiny bit of lotion to smooth down fly-always and cowlicks.
Extra tights or at least clear nail polish
The last thing you want to deal with is a runner in your tights when you're off to nail that job interview so you can get your foot in the door of your dream occupational field. Worse yet, imagine being in the bridal party with a short bridal dress and a foot-long runner from just above your ankle to your knee! Always be prepared, even if it means stashing an extra pair of tights in your car's glove box.
Depending on the size of your purse, you may wish to compile your own beauty survival kit and store it all inside a zippered pouch that you can bring with you from place to place. Keeping a number of these items, if not all of them, in your vehicle is a great idea – especially if you travel a good deal. Add your own beauty items to the pouch to create the ultimate survival kit especially for you!
Remember, if you have any fashion and beauty tips or ideas or know someone who has, please contact editor@anAurora.co.uk
Dirleton Castle by the late Flora Surgenor is situated just outside Edinburgh, Scotland.
Also by the same writer there is a photographic feature on Gigha, a small Island of the west coast of Scotland.
Feature Facts in this issue includes information on buying a mobility scooter
ISdAC International Association want a database to bring together people with varying disabilities to act as test IT users.
Relief World in Sri Lanka wish to set up a training project in western and eastern music, drama and arts.
This edition's Junior Crew consists of Class Room Howlers.
Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.
The ruins of Dirleton Castle are set in one of the prettiest villages in Scotland. When we visited it on a sunny April day the spring flowers were a blaze of colour.
The original castle was built in 1239 but was overcome in 1298 by Anthony Bick, the fighting Bishop of Durham, in one of Edward 1st forays against Scotland. It was rebuilt over the next century as a cluster donjon. It had three towers, two circular and the square one dating from the first building. They were built round a triangular courtyard and the whole conformed to the contours of the ground and was strengthened by the addition of a deep moat, at least 50 feet wide, a moveable wooden bridge resting on four piers, and the castle further defended by a drawbridge spanning the moat.
These innovations were not acceptable to the Ruthven family who acquired the castle in 1515 and built an up to the minute Renaissance mansion beside the old buildings. They however forfeited the castle to the Crown after being implicated in an attempt to assassinate King James VI.
In spite of the enormous amount of defence work put in on the castle Generals Monk and Lambert attacked it and overcame the resistance. Three of the leaders of the moss garrison stationed within were hanged from the walls as a lesson to others.
General Cromwell also managed to have a go at the beautiful and apparently impregnable castle, starting a bombardment at noon and entering the castle in time for tea. In spite of its stormy history the ruins are still an indication of the power and strength of the building customs of the day.
Massive and broody the castle towers over the grounds and churchyard, putting in the shade the lovely little village straggling round its base.
The gravestones round the square towered church bare mute testimony to the length of time the buildings have been in existence, still there to this day although the inscriptions on a lot of the gravestones are indecipherable. The grounds are immaculately kept and beautiful to see, belying the tales of violence, treachery and death that are part of any old building.
There is a village green around which are an art gallery - showing works of local artists - a tearoom, pottery and knitwear. Listening to a story of Macbeth by Nigel Tranter made the juxtaposition of ancient and modern even more poignant, and although the sun was shining we left, reflecting on the horrors Scotland has endured and inflicted in the space of some eight centuries.
Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.
Here is the story of a journey to the Scottish island of Gigha.
We left Edinburgh about 10 a.m. It was a lovely morning, the sun was shining, and this was my first holiday break for a few months. I felt both Bob and I needed a break. We took the road to Glasgow passing over the Erskine bridge, and stopping at the Tourist Board office as we usually did to buy a map and to peruse the huge stock of books and information on Scottish life. It is a beautiful shop and we always spend about 2 hours looking round and choosing a Nigel Tranter paperback to be read on holiday.
The scenery was as breathtaking as it usually is. The heather had just come out and the landscape stunned us with its beauty and the punctuation of the masses of wild flowers. We forgot about the electricity bill, the rates demand and a hundred other little niggles were all left behind. This was another world; the highland story was rolled out in front of us, and silenced the words we uttered as the scene had at last been set for our holiday to Gigha.
The island of Gigha is the most southerly of the Hebridean islands. There is a 20-minute roll-on, roll-off ferry crossing the Sounds of Gigha. The climate is affected by the influence of the North Atlantic Drift. The temperature is warm and drier than you might expect.
The first person we met was the Purser on the Ferry. Strangely, she looked like a Spanish princess, with a long neck, treacle-coloured hair and dark, dark eyes. She was smiling and saying,
"I knew you were coming, Valerie asked me to look out for you." She had the smiling friendliness of the islanders.
"What part of the island are you from?" asked Bob.
"The North," she answered with her soft voice, smiling.
"We stroked the tiny foal there last year," I said.
"It's not so tiny now!" she laughed.
"Is that the farm that is so well managed?" asked Bob. In fact, it was the neatest on the island.
"My brother and three sisters run the farm and I help out when I can", she said.
A voice rang out from below. Her slim silhouette disappeared, and we heard her laughing below deck with the crew. I now turned my attention to the water. It was beautiful, pale eau de nil with fingers of blue stroking the waters. The beaches are silver, the land is fertile and the people are full of humour and soft-spoken. This is the reason why the island is called "God's Island". The ferry clanged to a halt. We climbed back into the car. The purser gave us a cheery wave and we moved off towards the hotel. Valerie handed us the key to our room.
The room overlooked the Sounds of Gigha where the boats bobbed up and down and we soaked up the tranquillity of the scene. We did have a job to do, though. Every year we clear off the moss and cut round the grave of Malcolm McNeill, the first laird of Gigha. He died in 1495. The old church is nothing but a wall now, but some ancient stones remain. Adjoining the cemetery there is a modern graveyard where the graves tell their own story of island lives.
After our pilgrimage, we looked into the only local shop, packed from top to bottom with food to fishing tackle. We heard the latest gossip of the island. We learned that the McSporrans are leaving the island after running the shop for 35 years and that Mr McSporran is at last giving up his 14 jobs on the island and will be moving to the mainland in October.
Next day, we decided to re-explore the island. A turbot farm had started up. The cheese farm had closed and moved to Cambeltown. The Achamore Gardens are simply stunning. They are accessed by a footpath from the village hall. Many of the plants, trees and shrubs are rare and exotic, and the path leads up to a viewpoint giving fine views of Islay, Jura and the hills of Northern Ireland.
After our walk we decided to head for dinner but first we phoned our friend on the island to have lunch with her the next day. There was a haar the next day so I donned a raincoat. The atmosphere was warm so we continued our exploration of the island. We stopped outside a farm to close a gate and the owner and his wife stopped to chat. We told our friend of our encounter and she said: "So you met the murderess." In unison we said "What murderess?" She told us that in 1960 there was a murder on the island. There was a dance that night in the Village Hall and a furious row broke out that continued all the way home, where she shot her husband in the chest. She was tried, sent to prison and only returned to the Island years later.
We went to the Village Hall that night and met the woman there with her new husband. I also met the sister of the Purser on the Ferry. She was very tall and slender with the same beautiful treacle-coloured hair and dark eyes as the girl. The fiddle concert was lively, and the food had been prepared by the villagers. It was an excellent spread with lashings of tea and coffee.
It was velvet black when we left, walking along the tree-lined road to the hotel, where the laughter of the voices in the bar wafted towards us.
Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.
Mobility Scooters
Be very careful when deciding where and how to buy a mobility scooter in the UK.
Adverts have been appearing for sales professionals in the national press, offering a £5,000 signing-on bonus and potential earnings of more than £150,000 a year. For selling you a mobility scooter!
Having had Polio as a child, I needed a mobility scooter for years, but couldn't afford one through Motability, the government-accredited charity that was set up to help disabled people get mobile by making the most of their benefit money.
I thought: "They must be the cheapest way to get one, and if I can't afford one from them, there's no point in looking anywhere else."
Wrong! Take the Shoprider Cadiz – a very reliable scooter capable of 8 mph, allowed to travel on the road if necessary, and with comfortable suspension. The recommended retail price is £2,625, but if you shop around you can buy it for less than half at £1,255. However if you use your benefit money and go through Motability the cost over three years increases to £3,831.
That's THREE TIMES more than you need to pay. Buyer beware indeed.
As a result of my discoveries, I have set up www.mobility-scooters.info to give independent advice, and anybody with any information about mobility scooters is invited to send in their experiences.
S Darrington.
With this message we want to inform you that ISdAC International Association has established a user database online. In this database we want to bring together people with varying disabilities who want to act as test users, in case ICT producers and/or web designers want to have their products and websites tested by experts regarding their accessibility and user friendly
Because we will be able to guarantee a better feedback to suppliers and Web designers with a large database, we are constantly looking for as many people as possible with a disability who are willing to register to our database.
You can find more information about this database through the link on the homepage of our website, www.isdac.org. You can register yourself by filling in the application form. Also, if you know any person that might have an interest in this, please feel free to pass this message on. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us on Xavier@isdac.org . Remarks about our website and database are also always welcome.
With kind regards,
Xavier Du Chateau
Administrative assistant
ISdAC International Association
c/o IGL
Boddenveldweg 11
B-3520 Zonhoven
Tel. +32 11 819465
Direct phone +32 11 720012
Fax +32 11 271622
Xavier@isdac.org
www.isdac.org
Dear Sir/Madam
We are a social firm based in Sri Lanka interested in setting up an entertainment project in any part of UK that will offer training facilities for deaf/blind/or any disabled persons/children and also later to perform as trained musicians and artists as permanent staff in our stage shows in UK and various countries both western and eastern music, drama and arts.
The project will train and set-up panels that will consist deaf/blind and any other disabled person to perform arts and musical shows, and dramas in indoor and open theatres to the public.
The project will also set-up a complex that will provide recreational facilities and accommodation for disabled persons who take part in training sessions.
Trained persons are entitled to visit other countries and perform their talents in stage shows organized by the company. The centre will provide training facilities for at least 200 persons in stages initially.
We are looking for a suitable space or buildable land for the purpose. Trainable deaf/blind/ or any other disabled persons/ children. We are interested in investing for the above project and wish to know your comments/views on the above project and whether you can assist in our effort.
We can send a detailed description of the above project on your response please
Also, Appreciated if you may refer our enquiry to a suitable organizations or persons or advertise in your magazine please
Thanking you. kind regards
Ernest Gunetilleke
Brighton Management Services (Pvt) Ltd
Tele 112896400 (Colombo)
Mobile 0712329449
reliefworld@yahoo.comFeature
Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.
There is just one contribution to the Junior Crew in this edition, and that is the Junior Quiz. Also, we have the answers to the Adult Quiz.
Here is our Junior Quiz. Remember that the "answers" are Classrom Howlers, so they may not be quite what you expect! They are in the Regulars front page. Click here
| 1 |
Name the four seasons. |
| 2 | Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink. |
| 3 | How is dew formed? |
| 4 | How can you delay milk turning sour? |
| 5 | What causes the tides in the oceans? |
| 6 | What are steroids? |
| 7 | What happens to your body as you age? |
| 8 | What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty? |
| 9 | Name a major disease associated with cigarettes. |
| 10 | What is artificial insemination? |
| 11 | How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.) |
| 12 | What is the fibula? |
| 13 | What does varicose mean? |
| 14 | Give the meaning of the term Caesarean Section |
| 15 | What does the word benign mean? |
| 16 | What does Chicago produce? |
| 1 | What was the former name of Ho Chi Minh City? ...Saigon |
| 2 | In which English county is Cheddar Gorge? ...Somerset |
| 3 | What is the last letter of the Greek Alphabet? ...Omega |
| 4 | Who wrote Pride and Prejudice? ...Jane Austen |
| 5 | Who was married to JR in Dallas? ...Sue Ellen |
| 6 | Who created the TV shows Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks? ...Phil Redmond |
| 7 | What is the smallest (in size) coin currently in circulation in the UK? ...5p |
| 8 | What word can be added to the following to make 3 more words – Spoon, Tennis, Wine? ...Table |
| 9 | Who recently won BBC TV's Fame Academy? ...Alex Parks |
| 10 | One of Sir Bobby Moore's middle names was also the name of a Premiership football club but which one? ...Chelsea |
Please contact the editor@anAurora.co.uk with any stories or features that you would like us to publish for you.
anAurora's regular light hearted Horoscope is here.
There is a story from a dog to some of his relatives in Australia.
A reminder how quickly time seems to pass
And A Winter Encounter
If you enjoy writing, and have a story, poem or narrative that you would like to share, send them to editor@anAurora.co.uk If you wish to attach a drawing or sketch, then so much the better!
anAurora's horoscope is here with her light hearted view of the stars.
In the Stars
|
SIGN |
HOROSCOPE |
|
CANCER |
Crabs are seen at times with fear and distrust, like many politicians nowadays, who promise a lot but deliver very little. Yet they are a symbol of diplomacy, of an ability to keep talking to allow tempers to cool. They seem never to advance and never to retreat. |
|
LEO |
Leo the King of the Beasts, he fights to get a mate, he fights to keep her and to protect her and his cubs. He allows her to provide him with food and to adore him. As do we all who see him! Big, beautiful, powerful, beloved, respected and he knows what he has to do. |
|
VIRGO |
Virgin, the symbol of purity, of something untainted, childlike but not childish, on the earth but not of it, forever pursued but usually unattainable, adored, protected, cherished and shared by everyone on the earth. |
For those who want a more personal horoscope: Please contact your local newspaper!
If you enjoy writing, and have a story, poem or narrative that you would like to share, send them to editor@anAurora.co.uk If you wish to attach a drawing or sketch, then so much the better!
TO ALL THE LIVESTOCK AT GLENHAVEN
Hi, you guys! Now that I'm two years old, I can tell you a little about my life (but be gentle about my spelling mistakes!)
My full name is Domino Felix Merriman, "Dom" for short. I live in a family of three: my "Shoe-man-Bean" is called Ann, and my "Big Sistie" is Chrissie, and she's a dog. You might find it strange that a mag should write to a dog in the first place, but I'm a mag with cattitude! This moggie quite likes (most) doggies, after all I've got one all of my own. We often communicate in Mogadog and I've learnt a lot from her when she's calm and I'm purrpussful after scoffing my favourite treats. This only happens when we're alone, though, 'cos she says "Shoe-mans just don't understand Mogadog". But sometimes we let Her play with us ...
(I don't know how Ann would catareact if she knew I was using her computer in secret. But my excuse for being in here is that I'm still searching for "the Mouse" and I will find him, I will.)
During one of our early mogadog lessons, Chrissie told me that as soon as she saw me she took me right under her paw. She said that I was a little blob of fur and that she wanted to wash me right away and carry me to safety. She wanted to play that first day, but I was tired after taking in so much and fell asleep on my shoe-man-bean's arm. (Now I'm so big I can hardly fit myself onto her lap and it's much easier if she lies down on the couch. When we're comfy, you could hear my purr from Oz.)
When I was hungry, I used to scale up shoe-man-Ann's legs until I could reach the table or the fridge or anywhere high up, and I often draped myself around her until she fed me. And I got into everything, even the bath one night. I slept in a big box with furry warm things in it and learnt how to use a cataloo tray.
But now I spend a lot of time on my perch in the bedroom. It's a lovely soft doo-vay on top of the wardrobe, I can see out of the window if I want, it's free from draughts and disturbances, and up there I'm in a delightful state of catamorphia for most of the day. It's absolutely purr- fect. But in the late afternoons my tummy tells me it's time to find food, and J've learnt that some categies work better than others. It is of catmount importance to get the right quality of food at hungry times, and I'm training my shoe-man slowly, but boy, it takes time and patience. She's always pussy-footing about and it would reduce a less intelligent moggie to irreversible catatonia.
My most favourite treats in all the world are these packets of "pockets". They're crunchie and taste totally cataclismic. But the only way to really enjoy them is to have your shoe-man finger- flick them in the air, and you have to hunt them down before they hit the deck. Trouble is, though, her aim is not very good (even though she says she still misses her "X" but her aim is improving - hah!) and the only categy is to squint first and dive second. Catacosmic!
My best categy to get closest to the fire is: squeeze with all my might between dog and fire; slowly, ever so slowly, roll over on side and, accidentally on purrpuss, extend claws to within one millimetre of her. She jumps up in disgust and flounces off in the mutt-huff. It works, it works! But we still play, mostly on Sunday mornings, when she's in a great mood for it's Sausage-Day! I stalk her, with my ears up, ready for the jugular, but so far she's too quick. Laughing with mogadog mirth, she bounces around me in dog-play-pose, wuffing, and I'm supposed to catch her off guard. (Her doggie breath is enough to catapult me into a parallel universe, for mog's sake!) I chase her into the kitchen, where we're both skidding on the lino until she hits the Mogadog Door. I hide behind a chair until she rushes past again, then I
lunge. And she wuffs. One of these days ... she'll be mogadog meat. And I'll be the boss in this doss.
"Peanuf' is the local red hairball grumpy old lady mag along the prom. She peers down drains, does catsentric things like that. When I was very small she was interested and came to sit on top of the shed but Chrissie barked her hairy head off and she fluffed into a furrball and flounced off. Next time I saw her, she said she owned the grass in the garden at the front of my house and that I could only go out the back way through the Mogadog Door. Now that I'm grown up I sit under the bushes in my garden and she doesn't say a single thing.
So far I have hunted down two birds, two mice (but not the computer one yet) and several frogs. I find frogs fascinating, and have brought them in to play. The first time I was only six months old and when Ann saw a frog in the kitchen she knew she had a real problem with a damp wall and that there were probably dozens of tiny frogs under the floor, but she didn't think that it was little me who had brought it in. They're cold, though, not worth eating. A nice warm mouse is quite tasty, on the other paw.
Harvey and Minnie are giant dogs in the next garden. I learnt very early on to avoid them
totally and never to hunt in their garden during the day. And then there's Prince in the garden across the road. He's a big, big black lab and his bark is bigger than his bite (they say, but I don't get close enough to find out).
And there's Sandy-man. He can't even talk Mogadog. "Furr-off, kill all moggies and motorbikes" is the extent of his vocabulary. He's a big yellow lab and he terrifies me, but Chrissie says he's just the hostest with the mostest when she visits, and she quite likes him.
I have several feline friends in the neighbourhood, and go hunting with Tigger sometimes. We're still catmates after many dangerous missions and cat-spats, and would defend each other to death when faced with the enemies of the night.
Chrissie has just come through and asked me wot I'm doing, and I've told her in Mogadog that I'm writing to all the Livestock at Glenhaven (even the green birdies). After a paws for
thought, she said "tell them I'm sorry I can't write myself - I'm dogslegslick".
I've secretly read all the letters that Bonnie wrote and I loved every one of them. Even though she now rests in the Great Kennel in the Sky, her letters live on.
Love
Domino
(cc to Skippy King in Musselburgh and my mates in Portobello)
If you are a poet or a writer with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Love waxes and wanes.
Hearts break.
Careers end.
Jobs come and go.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favours.
BUT
Girlfriends are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.
A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it for yourself, your girlfriends will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you. Or come in and carry you out.
Daughters, Daughter-in-laws, sisters, sisters-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, aunties, nieces, cousins, extended family, and friends bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without them, and neither would I. incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.
If you are a poet or a writer with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Time to go back to Glasgow. I hurriedly get dressed and stagger down to breakfast. The hotel is attached to a Leisure Centre and I want to have a brief swim and visit the Solarium before departing on my journey. I have to come back to my room to get ready for the trip back. I am surprised, I am hungry: the array of cereals, fruit juices, fresh fruit tickle my senses. The smell of bacon eggs, black pudding, sausages, and tomatoes. I am now starving. I settle for grapefruit juice, bacon, egg and fried bread. I mumble to the smiling waitress, “Toast and tea, please.”
I must look awful. I have remembered, I have not combed my hair. With a jolt it comes to me, the end of my holiday. For the first time I look out of the window, taken aback by the blaze of sunshine. The snow is four inches deep. I blink and stuff the last piece of toast into my mouth. I have got to get to the leisure centre before the sun goes away and the snow melts. I have got to get a suntan before I leave. The taxi is ten minutes late but so is the train.
The train is warm, with a buffet service. The lad opposite me has a large black scruffy dog, which immediately settles down by his master's feet with his muzzle on his Doc Martens boots. The train is smooth: chickaty-chat chakaty-chat goes the engine. It rocks gently. The ground is thickly covered with snow. Spangles of glittering branches cover the forest of small fir trees. The sky is deep blue, the sun shining. The scene is so beautiful. The mountains or my left they, too, did not expect a beautiful day in February.
The train says clickety clack, it sways and I feel caught up in its hypnotic spell. We now pass Spean Bridge, its swollen torrents coughing and spitting out spume over and under huge boulders. We pass by a dam, the water now so calm and smooth I can hardly believe I have left those bad tempered waters behind. The weather is still calm, not a breath of wind. The snow hangs motionless suspended by some enchantress who has waved her magic wand stilling anything that dared to move.
There are white fluffy clouds lazily gazing down at the winter wonderland, holding their breath not to break the tranquillity of the day. We reached Corrour, the summit. A herd of stags snuffling into the soft snow for last years heather stumpy roots. Rannock Station stumbles into the warm winter scene. A large hawk is seen gliding along beside the train, no wind, he turns on his side and glides slowly overhead.
The train passes the bridge Orchy then we meander along to Upper Tyndrum. The river sparkles in the icy air. Transformed to stone the spell has transfixed its movement. As the train turns the corner we come into Ardlu station. I sit bolt upright, shocked, as now the sunshine blinds me. Banished are the jewels of winter, the snow has suddenly turned the winter wonderland into black twigs, and the snow is sparse, the bracken showing. I must travel on to Glasgow leaving behind the shattered spell of a perfect journey.
If you are a poet or a writer with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
If you are a poet or a writer with some work to share, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Paddy is back but living in Spain. Look forward to some tasty Spanish vegan dishes!
If you have any recipies or hints on cooking, would you like to send some of it to us? Email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Ingredients and Method:
One or two whole garlic bulbs peeled and chopped as small as you can. Put the chopped garlic in a bowl and just cover with olive oil.
About the same weight of wee fat red and green chilies, also chopped as small as you can. Put them with the garlic and add olive oil to just cover them.
About the same weight of fresh ginger, chopped as small as you can.
The juice of about half a lime poured into the garlic, chili and ginger mix and olive oil to just cover.
A handful of fresh parsley chopped very small and gently stirred into the mixture.Wee note: Remember to cook all vegetables as quickly as you can to keep the vitamin C content high, but be careful with how much vitamin C you eat! You can develop an interesting orange complexion if you eat too much orange or mandarin over a long period. Remember, a little bit of what you fancy does you good!!
If you have any recipes or tips about food, then editor@anAurora.co.uk would love to know.
Ingredients:
Cauliflower, cut into small florets.
Broccoli, cut into small florets.
Potatoes cut into small pieces.
Large onion, chopped small.
Cloves of garlic, chopped small.
A piece of fresh ginger chopped small (about the same weight as the garlic).
A fresh green or red chilli chopped small.
A tin of chopped tomatoes or 6 or 7 fresh ones chopped small.
A packet of puff pastry (defrosted!!).
Olive oil.
Method:
Heat the oil in your soup pan while you're chopping up the onion.
Put the onion into the pan to sizzle away while you're chopping the rest of the vegetables.
Add the vegetables, except the tomatoes, to the onion and sizzle away, with the lid on, stirring gently and occasionally.
Add the tomatoes when the potatoes start to feel soft but have not lost their shape.
Simmer very gently for 5 - 10 minutes while the potatoes absorb the tomato juice.
Allow to cool in the pan.
Grease your baking tray. Put your oven on to heat.
Scatter a wee handful each of caraway seed and sesame seed onto your pastry board (or whatever is doing duty as pastry board) and roll the pastry on them fairly thin.
Cut the pastry into squares.
Place the squares onto your greased baking tray.
Plop a small amount of the vegetables onto the middle of each square.
Wet the edges of the squares with water or Soya milk.
Fold one half of the square over the mixture and seal the edges by pressing them with a fork.
Mix a small amount of Soya milk and olive oil together and brush the tops of the triangles with this.
Make a small hole in the middle of the triangle to let the steam escape.
Bake in a hot oven till the pastry is golden brown.
Remove from the baking tray with your spatula and cool on the wire tray.
Wee note: Broccoli can lower your chances of getting cancer and can suppress the formation of free radicals. It is good for joints and can help prevent heart disease.
Another wee note: Cauliflower is a useful source of biotin, which is essential for the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Yet another wee note : the body needs biotin to avoid eczema, fatigue, depression and nausea, oh boy! It is also good for healthy growth of hair, skin, sex glands, nerves, nails and bone marrow. What a Winner!
If you have any recipes or tips about food, then editor@anAurora.co.uk would love to know.
Violet Lutea is here once more, a basic kit of the most used gardening tools
She dug the plot on Monday-
The soil was rich and fine,
She forgot to thaw out dinner-
So we went out to dine...
She planted roses Tuesday-
She says they are a must,
They really are quite lovely,
But she forgot to dust...
On Wednesday it was daisies-
They opened up with the sun,
All whites and pinks and yellows-
But the laundry wasn't done...
The poppies came on Thursday-
A bright and cheery red,
I guess she really was engrossed-
She never made the bed...
It was violets on Friday-
In colours she adores,
It never bothered her at all-
All the crumbs upon the floors...
I hired a maid on Saturday-
My week is now complete,
My wife can garden all she wants-
The house will still be neat!
It's nearly lunchtime Sunday-
And I cannot find the maid,
Oh no! I don't believe it!
She's out there
WITH THE SPADE!!!
Author Unknown
Please keep them coming. Send your articles on Gardening and Home to editor@anAurora.co.uk
LIKE A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
by Violet Lutea
When you're weary, feelin', small, when tears are in your eyes I will dry them all. I'm on your side oh' when times get ru-hu-huf and friends just can't be found. Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind.
Come in to the garden and all will be well.
However hard life has become life goes on and the cycle continues. For most of us in our protected bubble of city living our garden reminds of this cycle of life.
Our gardens are a conduit to nature and keep us in touch with our ancestral roots. A garden will never judge unfairly, will not be influenced by the right clothes or accent. It does not care about gender, race or age.
Our gardens hold up to us a truthful image and honest reflection of our worth. Like a good friend a garden will change and grow with you.
From your garden you will get back equally and fairly everything that you put in.
When times get rough and friends just can't be found you can find your place in the scheme of things in your garden.
Like a breedge o-over tro-ubled wa-ater I will lay me dow-ow-ow-n
Peace and love. Peace and love.
Please keep them coming. Send your articles on Gardening and Home to editor@anAurora.co.uk
A basic kit of the most used gardening tools
To start gardening all you need is a few basic inexpensive garden tools.
A trowel - this is a favourite among gardeners. Make sure you buy one that feels comfortable in your hands and is made of quality materials. One with a wooden handle and a hardened steel blade works best. A good trowel can last for years.
Weeder-. Weeding is no longer a dreaded task. Find one with a wooden handle and a thin steel neck attached to a triangular steel head. This tool comes in both right and left-handed versions.
Soil Knife- This thing is great it digs, cuts and saws. It comes with either a 6 or a 7-inch stainless steel blade.
Hand Rake- It's great for getting into those small spaces between plants to remove unwanted debris or diseased leaves. It also works great to smooth out soil and mulch.
Kneeling Pad -. A kneeling pad is an inexpensive investment that will also save your ack. It allows gardeners to kneel on a soft cushion rather that bending from the waist and risking back strain and bruises on your knees.
Please keep them coming. Send your articles on Garden and Home to editor@anAurora.co.uk
Jeni has another email from Mark Slattery VES organisation.
Information on Recent Supreme Court Decision in the USA on Marijuana and Multiple Sclerosis, and;
Street and Trade names for drugs starting with the letter “M”.
If you have any similar experiences and would like to share them then email jeni@anAurora.co.uk
Jeni is here to help and advise.
Please email her at Jeni@anAurora.co.uk
Did you get much feedback on the assisted dying feature at all? May I ask about your feelings or opinion on the issue? VES has many disabled campaigners, many of who are disabled as a result of a terminal illness and so face in a sense two barriers to having their wishes listened to and expected by medical professionals and other people. Many of our members are quite elderly as you might expect. We know that some people are afraid of this sensitive subject, but it really is about choice for competent adults regardless of their age or physical condition. And that must be exercised within a properly regulated and open framework so that doctors are accountable to patients and not allowed to make decisions about what is in their best interests behind closed doors. I hope that the feature created some interest.
With best wishes,
Mark Slattery
Head of Communications, VES (Voluntary Euthanasia Society)
13 Prince of Wales Terrace
London, W8 5PG
Landline 020 7937 8721
Mobile 07956 528 200
Mark
Very little feedback but readers may contact your organisation direct
Jeni
If you would like to give information to others who may have a condition similar to yours, you can email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Recent Supreme Court Decision
On June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government has the power to prohibit and prosecute the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes, even in the 11 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington) that currently permit it. The decision overturned a 2003 ruling by a federal appeals court that shielded California's Compassionate Use Act, the medical-marijuana initiative adopted by the state's voters nine years ago, from federal drug enforcement.
The appeals court had held that Congress lacked constitutional authority to regulate the non-commercial cultivation and use of marijuana that did not cross state lines. The current decision reinforces the government's authority over intra-state activities that might impact inter-state commerce.
Background
A great deal of attention has been focused on the potential role of marijuana and its derivatives in the treatment of MS. In spite of large numbers of anecdotal reports from individuals who indicate they have received relief from some of their symptoms, it is important for everyone to realize that we still do not have the necessary scientific information to determine the safety and efficacy of marijuana for medical use in MS.
Anecdotal reports, that smoking marijuana (produced from the plant, Cannabis sativa ) reduced MS spasticity, led to a number of very small clinical trials in people with MS to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC—the active ingredient in marijuana) in treating spasticity, tremor, and balance control. The results of these studies were quite mixed, and participants reported experiencing uncomfortable side effects, including weakness, dry mouth, dizziness, mental clouding, short-term memory problems, and some general discomfort, as well as feelings of being "high." In addition, smoked marijuana carries health risks that are similar to, or more severe than, those associated with tobacco. Other, well-tested, FDA-approved drugs are available to treat spasticity—including baclofen and tizanidine—which produce few side effects and pose no significant threats to overall health.
In addition to these small human trials, investigators in the United Kingdom and the United States have tested the ability of two of the derivatives of marijuana—called cannabinoids), as well as three synthetic cannabinoids, to control spasticity and tremor in mice with the MS-like disease called EAE. Based on the somewhat positive results in EAE, a large, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 657 people with MS at 33 clinical centres was carried out in Britain to determine if extracts of marijuana and its component THC (taken in capsule form) can relieve spasticity and other symptoms of MS.
Each participant was randomly assigned to receive cannabis oil, synthetic THC, or inactive placebo. Spasticity was measured using the standardized Ashworth scale, a 5-point scale that measures restriction of movement in specific muscle groups. No objective evidence (detectable by the examining physician) of a treatment effect was found on this standardized measure. However, significantly more participants taking either cannabis oil or THC reported subjective improvements in spasticity and pain (but not in tremor or bladder symptoms).
In other words, participants reported feeling improvements in spasticity and pain that could not be confirmed by a physician using a standardized assessment tool). Unfortunately, the study became unblinded because episodes of dizziness/light-headedness, dry mouth, and gastrointestinal symptoms that occurred in the treatment group made it apparent to these participants that they were receiving the treatment rather than the placebo.
These results provided the first systematically-gathered data on the effects of marijuana extracts for the treatment of MS-associated symptoms. The data indicated that these oral derivatives of marijuana do not provide improvement in spasticity as measured by an objective scale. The data did confirm, however, that people using marijuana feel better in ways that cannot be measured by their physicians.
In the view of the National MS Society's Chief Medical Officer, Aaron Miller, MD, "Oral cannabis oil or synthetic THC appears to have significant benefits on pain and on patient perceptions of spasticity, but not on objective measurement of spasticity. Whether the positive effects that patients reported resulted from a specific chemical effect of cannabinoids or a heightened placebo effect cannot be determined from this study, because unpleasant side effects allowed more than three-quarters of patients to recognize that they were taking the active drug. Also, the study provided no quantitative information about the extent of pain relief, so it is unclear whether patients perceived the benefits of cannabinoids to outweigh the side effects."
In April 2005, Health Canada, the drug regulatory agency for Canada, approved the use of the cannabis-derived drug Sativex® (GW Pharmaceuticals) to treat MS-related pain. The approval was based on a small, four-week clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom in 66 people with MS, the results of which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Sativex contains extracts from the marijuana plant and is administered as a spray into the mouth. Details about the Sativex approval are available on the Web site of the MS Society of Canada. This drug is not approved in the United States.
Other Potential Uses for Marijuana and Its Derivatives
In addition to studying the potential role of marijuana and its derivatives in the treatment of MS-related symptoms, scientists are exploring the potential of cannabinoids to inhibit neurodegeneration. In a recent study published in Brain (Pryce, Ahmed, Hankey et al., 2003), it was demonstrated that cannabinoids were able to slow the disease process in mice with EAE. While this is an interesting and potentially exciting finding, it is important to keep in mind that EAE is an animal model of MS that is similar, but not identical to MS. Many substances that have had positive effects in EAE trials have subsequently had no effects—or even negative effects—when tested in people with MS. Therefore, we need to wait for outcomes of human trials of cannabinoids in order to determine if these substances have a disease-modifying effect in MS.
In the meantime, it is the opinion of the National MS Society's Medical Advisory Board that there are currently insufficient data to recommend cannabinoids in any form as a treatment for MS. More research is needed to determine the potential role of cannabinoids in MS treatment. Smoking marijuana is unwise because the toxic effects appear to exceed those associated with tobacco smoking.
If you have any information on health that you would want to share, you can email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Street and Trade Drug Terms: "M"
Street Term |
Definition |
M |
marijuana; morphine |
M.J. |
marijuana |
M.O. |
marijuana |
M.S. |
morphine |
M.U. |
marijuana |
M&M |
depressant |
Machinery |
marijuana |
Macon |
marijuana |
Maconha |
marijuana |
Mad dog |
PCP |
Madman |
PCP |
Mafu |
(Spanish) marijuana |
Magic |
PCP |
Magic dust |
PCP |
Magic mushroom |
psilocybin/psilocin |
Magic smoke |
marijuana |
Main line |
to inject a drug |
Mainliner |
person who injects into the vein |
Make up |
need to find more drugs |
Mama coca |
cocaine |
Manteca |
(Spanish) heroin |
Manhattan silver |
marijuana |
MAO |
amphetamines |
Marathons |
amphetamine |
Mari |
marijuana cigarette |
Marimba |
(Spanish) marijuana |
Marshmallow reds |
depressant |
Mary |
marijuana |
Mary and Johnny |
marijuana |
Mary Ann |
marijuana |
Mary Jane |
marijuana |
Mary Jonas |
marijuana |
Mary Warner |
marijuana |
Mary Weaver |
marijuana |
Maserati |
crack pipe made from a plastic rum bottle and a rubber sparkplug cover |
Matchbox |
1/4 ounce of marijuana or 6 marijuana cigarettes |
Matsakow |
heroin |
Maui wauie |
marijuana from Hawaii |
Max |
gamma hydroxy butyrate dissolved in water and mixed with amphetamines |
Maxibolin |
oral steroid |
Mayo |
cocaine; heroin |
MDM |
MDMA |
MDMA |
methylenedioxy- methamphetamine |
Mean green |
PCP |
Medusa |
inhalant |
Meg |
marijuana |
Megg |
marijuana cigarette |
Meggie |
marijuana |
Mellow yellow |
LSD |
Merchandise |
drugs |
Merck |
cocaine |
Merk |
cocaine |
Mesc |
mescaline |
Mescal |
mescaline |
Mese |
mescaline |
Messorole |
marijuana |
Meth |
methamphetamine |
Meth head |
regular user of methamphetamine |
Meth monster |
person who has a violent reaction to methamphetamine |
Meth speed ball |
methamphetamine combined with heroin |
Methatriol |
injectable steroid |
Methedrine |
amphetamines |
Methlies Quik |
methamphetamine |
Methyltestosterone |
oral steroid |
Mexican brown |
heroin; marijuana |
Mexican crack |
methamphetamine with the appearance of crack |
Mexican green |
marijuana |
Mexican horse |
heroin |
Mexican locoweed |
marijuana |
Mexican mud |
heroin |
Mexican mushroom |
psilocybin/psilocin |
Mexican red |
marijuana |
Mexican reds |
depressant |
Mexican valium |
rohypnol |
Mezc |
mescaline |
Mickey Finn |
depressant |
Mickey's |
depressant |
Microdot |
LSD |
Midnight oil |
opium |
Mighty Quinn |
LSD |
Mighty Joe Young |
depressant |
Mighty mezz |
marijuana cigarette |
Mind detergent |
LSD |
Mini beans |
amphetamine |
Minibennie |
amphetamine |
Mint leaf |
PCP |
Mint weed |
PCP |
Mira |
opium |
Miss |
to inject a drug |
Miss Emma |
morphine |
Missile basing |
crack liquid and PCP |
Mission |
trip out of the crackhouse to obtain crack |
Mist |
PCP; crack smoke |
Mister blue |
morphine |
Mixed jive |
crack cocaine |
Modams |
marijuana |
Mohasky |
marijuana |
Mojo |
cocaine; heroin |
Monkey |
drug dependency; cigarette made from cocaine paste and tobacco |
Monkey dust |
PCP |
Monkey tranquilizer |
PCP |
Monoamine oxidase |
amphetamine |
Monos |
(Spanish) cigarette made from cocaine paste and tobacco |
Monte |
marijuana from South America |
Mooca/moocah |
marijuana |
Moon |
mescaline |
Moon gas |
inhalant |
Moonrock |
crack and heroin |
Mooster |
marijuana |
Moota/mutah |
marijuana |
Mooters |
marijuana cigarette |
Mootie |
marijuana |
Mootos |
marijuana |
Mor a grifa |
marijuana |
More |
PCP |
Morf |
morphine |
Morning wake-up |
first blast of crack from the pipe |
Morning shot |
amphetamine |
Morotgara |
heroin |
Morpho |
morphine |
Mortal combat |
high potency heroin |
Mosquitos |
cocaine |
Mota/moto |
(Spanish) marijuana |
Mother |
marijuana |
Mother's little helper |
depressant |
Mouth worker |
one who takes drugs orally |
Movie star drug |
cocaine |
Mow the grass |
to smoke marijuana |
Mu |
marijuana |
Mud |
opium; heroin |
Muggie |
marijuana |
Muggles |
marijuana |
Mujer |
(Spanish) cocaine |
Mule |
carrier of drugs |
Murder one |
heroin and cocaine |
Murder 8 |
fentanyl |
Mushrooms |
psilocybin/psilocin |
Musk |
psilocybin/psilocin |
Muta |
marijuana |
Mutha |
marijuana |
Muzzle |
heroin |
If you have any information on health that you would want to share, you can email editor@anAurora.co.uk
Life is fragile handle with care
Emails from Acapela, Marek in Poland, Denis Shovlin how has just started the web site www.disabilities-r-us.co.uk
Get your free copy of Disability Now newspaper http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/sexsurvey.htm .
Silly hints and tips to make you laugh
Yet again we have extended our links page thank you readers for continuing to email them to anAurora
Just remember
every silver lining has a cloud
Here are the answers to the Junior Quiz for the Summer 2005 issue. If you want to visit the Junior Crew quiz first, then click here.
The answers to the Adult Quiz are in the Features section, after the Junior Crew quiz. Click here
| 1 |
Name the four seasons. ... Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar |
| 2 | Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink ...Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists |
| 3 | How is dew formed? ...The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire. |
| 4 | How can you delay milk turning sour? ...Keep it in the cow. |
| 5 | What causes the tides in the oceans? ...The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight. |
| 6 | What are steroids? ...Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs. |
| 7 | What happens to your body as you age? ...When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental. |
| 8 | What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty? ...He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. |
| 9 | Name a major disease associated with cigarettes. ...Premature death. |
| 10 | What is artificial insemination? ...When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow. |
| 11 | How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.) ...The body is consisted into three parts---the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U. |
| 12 | What is the fibula? ...A small lie. |
| 13 | What does varicose mean? ...Nearby. |
| 14 | Give the meaning of the term Caesarean Section. ...The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome. |
| 15 | What does the word benign mean? ...Benign is what you will be after you be eight |
| 16 | What does Chicago produce? ...Gangsters |
Please continue to send your emails, Hints and Tips, Jokes, Web Links that you think readers would enjoy looking at and any questions and answers for our Quiz to: - editor@anAurora.co.uk
Dear Heather Macdonald,
Have you successfully received our press releases detailing this text-to-speech product? Would you be interested in conducting an interview with Antoine Kauffeisen of Acapela detailing how this solution can be used to give visually impaired people greater freedom in information access?
Please check out the Acapela website at www.acapela-group.com to hear the very natural sounding Acapela voices!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards,
Dalyce
Open 2 Europe
4, rue de la Sablière
92230 Gennevilliers
Paris - France
+33 (0) 1 55 02 14 58
Dalyce
Thank you very much for the information we will pass it on to our readers in the next edition of anAurora
Regards
editor
www.anAurora.co.uk
anAurora the Internet Magazine for the disAble Woman the 'dis' is small it's the Ability that counts
Hello,
My name's Marek. I teach English in a secondary school in Poland. It's a school attended both by the disabled students and by the students who are not physically handicapped. The idea is to integrate both communities and to act in solidarity with disabled people. I'm looking for contact. I sincerely want our school to exchange students, experiences, educational information, etc. both on the school-to-school basis and, if possible, on the person-to-person basis. If you can help me and us, please, drop me a line. Thanks a lot.
Marek
Marek Ochrem
agnesmark@autograf.pl
Marek
Hope your students make some good pen friends
Editor
Scotland UnLtd Level 1 Award Winner Denis Shovlin has just launched the website which he was funded to develop. The site can be visited at www.disabilities-r-us.co.uk
Denis welcomes all feedback which should be sent to denisrshovlin@blueyonder.co.uk
He is hoping to recruit an additional voluntary member for his board of directors probably someone with a disability as this is the target market of the site Anyone who is interested should contact Denis on the above email address
Forwarded from Scotland UnLtd
Good luck in your new Venture
Editor
Get your free copy of Disability Now newspaper
And feel informed
Disability Now (DN) is the UK's leading disability publication for everyone with an interest in disability.
Each month, DN is packed full of news, features, campaigns, comment and motoring reviews, articles on holidays and jobs, advice and information. As a subscriber you will also get our subscriber-only edition DNExtra every month, free of charge!
Complete the UK's first sex survey
We hope that you will want to take part in the UK's first in depth survey, which we hope will supply essential information that can be used to lobby more effectively for better, accessible services. The questionnaire is on-line at http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/sexsurvey.htm .
Simply call 0845 120 7001
email dnsubs@cisubs.co.uk
Forwarded by a reader of anAurora
If you want to send an email to us on any subject at all, then email editor@anAurora.co.uk
If you have a hint or a tip that you would like to share, email editor@anAurora.co.uk
|
Here is a list of links. We will add any that you send to us
|
|
|
Website |
Notes |
| http://antivirus.about.com |
Help on computer viruses |
| http://antivirus.cai.com |
For protection and disinfection of websites |
| http://dawn.thot.net | Disabled women's network Ontario |
PenPals from across the world |
|
|
Poetry Home page |
|
Composers site |
|
Florida pageant for the disable woman |
|
Holiday studio flat La Cala, Costa Del Sol. Spain |
|
Search engine |
|
|
Microsoft knowledge base (for problems) |
|
| http://whatis.techtarget.com | Have all those mysterious terms which are used these days explained to you. There are also cheat sheets, quizzes and crosswords. Enough to keep you happily entertained for ages |
Has commercial information about products but charities and local groups can also upload their information for free |
|
Charity that brings the benefits of computer technology to adults and children with disabilities |
|
Help in making your computer easier to use |
|
|
Magazine |
|
Specialise in worldwide cruising for disabled people, their family and friends |
|
| http://www.accessibletravel.co.uk | "Accessible holidays and travel for wheelchair users, slow walkers, mature travellers, their families and friends" |
|
Useful information about getting around London |
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We invite any inclusive communication request and currently provide; Braille, audio, large print, disk, CD, makaton and plain language,sub-titling and BSL on videos |
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Site for retired persons |
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| http://www.ajkids.com | Site for monitoring web access for children |
AK Fitness Equipment body workout system suitable for wheelchair users |
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| http://www.albatross-books.co.uk |
Book club, run by Malcolm Birkenshaw |
| http://www.allexperts.com |
This free question-and-answer service is ideal for those who cannot find what they want to know on the Web of just want to talk to a real personYou click the link to your choosen cateegory, type in your question and wait for an answer |
Offers affordable women's jewels for weddings and formal occasions |
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| http://www.asciimation.co.nz. | Oh, loved the ASCII Star Wars site It appears to be pretty well scene for scene. |
Recruitment for disabled Asian members |
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Beautiful, user-friendly site. The virtual gallery is just that |
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The Arthritis Foundation's home page |
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The Arthritis Today magazine |
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The Fine Art website |
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Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus |
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A UK’s website for ethnic minority recruitment |
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| http://www.assistedlivingstore.com/ senior_gift_ideas.asp |
Gift ideas for the disabled |
| www.balihainursery.com | Gardening direct |
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Information on fashion for the disabled |
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| http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise | Site for monitoring web access for children |
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British Dyslexia Organisation |
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Bridal Shoes website |
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British Library. The only place on the Internet where you can find the title of any book |
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| http://www.bmj.com/cgi/collection/ systemic_lupus_erythematosus |
British Medical Journal page on SLE, or lupus |
The best lingerie on the web |
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Maternity wear and accessories |
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Online version of one of Britain's most successful mail-order clothes catalogues |
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Mobile massage in the Edinburgh area |
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Once you get the title or ISBN of a book, use this hunter site to get the best prices |
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Boston Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis |
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Buying bras for those who have problems getting one to fit |
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British Polio Fellowship |
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ALP - Adult Learning Project |
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Disabled site for the young |
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Maternity clothes for the professional woman |
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| http://www.charitynet.org/~NATLL | National Association of Toy Leisure Libraries |
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Web and IT designer |
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Stories: the site is not being updated, but is still good |
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Breeders of the highest Show quality chinchillas are bred from winning Canadian, Dutch and UK blood lines |
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| http://www..clickXchange.com/ fr.phtml?act=555682.1 |
A site for disabled patients and loved ones to find mutual supports by specific health issues |
Building Community Collaboration and Consensus |
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Recipes for every cook |
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Site for the artistic |
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Plant database |
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Site for monitoring web access for children |
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| A site for disabled young people entering Further/Higher education or employment | |
Education and training base for Diving & Hyperbaric courses, including disabled persons |
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Training on disability issues for taxi drivers |
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An amazing site to start from |
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| http://www.deli cates.co.uk | Designer made to measure silk lingerie catering for all sizes. |
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Action for Blind People website |
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Designer Lingerie Store for men and women |
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Dogs for the Disabled |
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A recently launched major new information resource for the UK Disabled Community |
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Fantastic site from chat rooms to music |
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Its aim is to promote the skills, services and products offered by disabled workers by creating a searchable (by anyone looking for whatever they need) database of these skills and services |
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| http://www.disablejobsite.co.uk | Disable Jobsite assists people with a disability to participate actively in employment |
| http://www.disabilitynet.co.uk/classified /penpal/penpaltwo1.html |
Website for penpals |
| http://www.disabilitynet.co.uk/groups/ crippen/crippen/_home_page.htm |
Cartoonist with a social model of disability |
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The Disability Now magazine |
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| http://www.disabilities-r-us.co.uk/ | A fun way to meet people all round the world |
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Magazine |
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Resourceful information |
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| http://www.disabilityworld.org.uk | A great site for all you want to know |
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One person site, the USA perspective |
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A database promoting skills, services and products offered by disabled workers |
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Quality beds and massage systems |
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Making high quality, impartial and independent disability information available to enquirers across the UK |
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| http://www.Double-d.com |
Quality lingerie in large sizes. They donate 50p from every order to breast cancer charities |
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Classic arcade games and desktop utilities; expand your software |
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| http://www.dps-uk.org.uk | Charity to encourage photography for the disabled |
Disability Rights Commission |
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Information on benefits |
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Hints and tips on how to decorate and furnish your home |
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The website of the UK Disability Forum for Europe Women's Committee – the UK's only national organisation of disabled women - is now online |
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| http://www.electric-scooters-galore.com | Electric scooters and mobility scooters that fit your budget and lifestyle |
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Poetry site |
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General woman's magazine |
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Therapeutic Beauty Salon |
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A site with everything you want to find out |
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Order Scooters directly from this website |
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Family friendly fun and special needs resources |
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Help on computer viruses |
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Knitware |
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Fieldfare works with people with disabilities and countryside managers to improve access to the countryside for everyone |
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| http://www.free-gourmet-recipes.com/ | Healthy recipes |
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Free games |
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| http://www.ftdr.com/rambles/prog.html | Forth and Tay disabled Ramblers |
Site for all your garden games |
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| http://www.GatesofRemembrance.com | Tributes to lost friends, colleagues and family |
Hanoi artist |
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| http://www.geoshare.org.uk/ | Edinburgh Council has recently launched a new map-based website for looking up information on schools, transport, public services |
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Help on computer viruses |
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| http://www.goodaccessguide.co.uk | "Accessible leisure pursuits, holidays and travel, transport, mobility products, and daily living services for disabled people, their families and friends |
| http://www.gotogifts.co.uk/redirect.html | Gift ideas for the disabled |
| http://www.greenfingers.com | All you need to know about plants in your garden |
| http://www.handi-ramp.com | Equipment for the disabled |
| http://www.handidate.com | Dating agency for the able and disable |
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A company dealing in hand made woollen garments |
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List accessible holidays |
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If you are interested in how things work, you will be interested in this website |
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The American homesite of the Handicapped Scuba Association links page |
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The European homesite of the Handicapped Scuba Association links page |
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Company dealing in transport equipment for the disabled |
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Tell them where you're moving to and everything from magazine subscriptions to phone providers can be re-directed for you. IHM will even notify your friends and arrange for a free pizza to be delivered to your new abode |
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| http://www.inspire.melb.net/members/ home.htm |
Like-minded web magazine |
| http://www.intowork.org.uk/index.html | Website to secure employment opportunities for people with disabilities |
Free Dating Agency |
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As amazon.com does with books, so Island Trading does with skincare, makeup and accessories |
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| http://www.jackandsusie.com | Description: 6 Generations of needlework artisans. Over 50,000 arts, crafts and collectibles. Craft ideas, free patterns, Quilt-in-a-Day books, Alice Starmore knitting books! |
| http://www.javajane.com/ | The Original Message Board for Women |
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One of the oldest online job databases in the UK and still one of the busiest and easiest to use |
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Mobility road show web site |
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| http://www.kieto.com |
Great recipes new and old world, fun and games, clean jokes and lot's of fun |
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Online version of this Company's indispensable kitchen-lover's catalogue. |
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| http://www.lareau.org/disgraph.html | An excellent site for disability graphics |
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This is the site of the Disability Research Unit, which is an international centre of excellence, located at the University of Leeds,UK |
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Essential fatty acids |
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Aids for people with impairments to make like easier Hi, I have tried to design a fun, informative, family friendly and easy to use UK website dedicated to Chinchillas and everything about them. |
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uses technology to link passengers and drivers together, reducing congestion on the roads |
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Magazine for the Disabled |
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Website focusing on the plight of Lucy Lu |
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| http://www.lupus.org | Website for anyone interested in lupus (SLE, or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus |
Painless magnetic acupucture plaster |
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| http://www.mailorderplants4me.com | Specialises in Hostas and other cottage garden Perennials selling worldwide |
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Magazine |
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Maternity clothing on line |
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UK Search Engine has launched a specialist service called Medisearch |
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An artist from Texas |
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Cards for every occasion |
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| http://www.microbeacon.org.uk | An IT training resource run by Edinburgh University Settlement |
Like minded web site |
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Department of Transport, Mobility and Inclusion website: this is a new website, well worth paying a visit to |
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Maternity wear exchange |
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| http://www.molly-bather.co.uk | Makes getting into and out of a bath easier |
Wheel-less trailers |
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Online community for people living with MS |
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The website of the National Autistic Society. |
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Myelin Repair Foundation |
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The United States Healthcare Directory |
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| http://www.netflora.co.uk | On-line florist |
Website with information on lupus (SLE) |
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Holiday centre for those with special needs |
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A register of odd sized feet in the hopes to pair up |
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The website of the National Autism Society |
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Women's Issues, Chat and Forum |
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| http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk |
Supplier of 100%organic herb supplements and natural health remedies |
"Positive Action in Housing", Scottish wide minority-ethnic led charity |
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An A-Z of links to UK medical support groups and charities, this site includes the lot |
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| http://www.patient.co.uk/ illness/l/lupus.htm |
Support and information on lupus |
Web site full of stories and poetry |
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Essential vitamins |
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It is a site that has beauty tips and fantastic products, but most of all if you call them you get help with online shopping and brilliant customer service |
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Magazine |
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http://www.photoparismode.com/ |
Alexander Serafinov's knitwear |
| http://www.planetamber.com | Global health and disability resource centre |
| http://www.plants-magazine.com | Information for plant fanatics |
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Poets, not in general but particularly! |
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A well known Scottish poet |
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Leicestershire Polio Network |
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Princessbands creates freshwater pearl and Swarovski crystal jewellery |
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| http://www.protectabadge.co.uk | Supplier of blue badge wallets |
Queen Elizabeth Foundation for disabled people |
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Artist |
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http://www.rats2u.com/ |
Quirky Icons |
| Shop online for perfumes | |
Rehab Unit PMR Hospital |
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This site of the national registered charity, REMAP which has for more than 30 years provided one-off technical aids to help disabled people of all ages to enjoy a better lifestyle |
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New online site for maternity clothing made to order in any size or length |
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Site for the deaf |
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Scottish Sub-Aqua Association, with links for disabled access to this sport |
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Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations |
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Matt Sesow a disabled painter from Washington DC |
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Planning monthly groups for people with disabilities |
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Vickie McKenna's home page: Post Polio Syndrome and acupuncture |
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Shareware programs and free software |
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National Health Service Page |
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Nutrition site for women of any size |
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Easy-to-navigate site; vast array of downloadable software from drawing programs to tools that enable you to create your own icons and screen savers. Excellent utilities section |
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Scottish Post Polio Network |
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Poets corner Scotland |
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New Collection for maternity wear |
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| http://www.the-bag-lady.co.uk | Global Directory of Women in Business |
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One-stop shop for nature-based bath and body care, showing top-quality names |
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The Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh. A good linking site |
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| http://www.tills-innovations.com/ | Design, manufacture install landscapes gardens using natural stone |
Stories and poems from around the world |
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disAbled models |
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| http://www.travelability.co.uk | Site for travelling and holidays for the disabled |
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Learn to speak French, Spanish and dozens of other languages at this amazing site |
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Software, internet services |
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| http://www.ugotafriend.com | A site for all teenagers |
Register as an organ donor |
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| http://www.utyx.com/comics/ | Comics related news, books and web resources |
| http://www.valuestairlifts.co.uk | If you find it difficult to get around your home |
How to survive a heart attack on your own |
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An American site offering low pan vans for wheelchairs |
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| http://www.waacis.org.uk | London charity providing home internet training for the disabled |
Clothing desgined for the disabled |
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A Scottish women's centre |
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| http://www.wherecanido.com | Sports, fitness and health for disabled people |
| http://www.willtocharity.co.uk/ | This site has up to 10,000 UK charities listed |
Download files for your PC |
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| http://www.willtocharity.co.uk | List of charities in the UK |
Site for business women in London |
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Cute on-line snowballing game |
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A supplier of additive-free, unprocessed foods to your door |
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| http://www.yahooligans.com | Site for monitoring web access for children |
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Magazine |
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Site for the young |
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Alterations for homes for the disabled |
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City of Edinburgh council information |
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| http://www.yourlevelbest.com | Lists pubs and restaurants with disabled facilities (including toilets) |
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All you need to know about designing your own web page |
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If you know about a website that you think is interesting, then email editor@anAurora.co.uk |
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Here is the quiz for the Summer 2005 issue. You can get the right answers immediately by going to the Features section, after the Junior Crew quiz. Click here.
The Adult Quiz
| 1 | What was the former name of Ho Chi Minh City? |
| 2 | In which English county is Cheddar Gorge? |
| 3 | What is the last letter of the Greek Alphabet? |
| 4 | Who wrote Pride and Prejudice? |
| 5 | Who was married to JR in Dallas? |
| 6 | Who created the TV shows Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks? |
| 7 | What is the smallest (in size) coin currently in circulation in the UK? |
| 8 | What word can be added to the following to make 3 more words – Spoon, Tennis, Wine? |
| 9 | Who recently won BBC TV's Fame Academy? |
| 10 | One of Sir Bobby Moore's middle names was also the name of a Premiership football club but which one? |
If you have any questions that you think are interesting, then email editor@anAurora.co.uk