There was a story in the Hamilton Spectator today about Kansas City's Secret Santa who passed away earlier this year , but seems to have started something incredible, much like the "Pay it Forward" movement. This is a story that will be made into a movie one day, an easy prediction from me.

Larry Dean Stewart 1948 – 2007 was the creator and original Secret Santa. Through his personal example over a twenty year period, he demonstrated and defined the role and mission of Secret Santa. “Secret Santa's” random acts of kindness over the years had an impact on people throughout the world who either were beneficiaries or who read in media reports his random acts of kindness and giving; especially three months before his death in January 2007 when his personal identity was made public. The Society of Secret Santas builds upon the legacy of Larry Dean Stewart.

There is now a Society Of Secret Santas and there is a website - http://www.secretsantaworld.net/ that should be checked out by anyone who has started to doubt that there is goodness in the world. 

 Could you be a Secret Santa?

The compassion shared  from one spontaneous random act of kindness is elevating, priceless and not easily explained. It is an instant connection between souls that can change a life forever. This is the experience of being a Secret Santa. Being a Secret Santa has blessings beyond words.

Society of Secret  Santas

The Society of Secret Santas is an anonymous group of leaders throughout the world, performing random acts of kindness to those less fortunate.

Using their own financial resources and without a tax deduction, these leaders share their wealth with those in need. They give from their hearts remaining forever anonymous.

I got Elfed ... and Scrooged this weekend.

Two recipes to help get you through the long cold winter months - if you're old enough!

Home made Bailey's Irish Cream

12 oz rye whisky                         3 eggs                        16 oz table cream

1 1/2 tbsp chocolate syrup       1 tbsp vanilla            1 tin condensed milk         1/4 tsp almond extract

Blend at medium, then refridgerate.     Good for up to 6 weeks - but never, ever lasts that long.

Home made Kahlua

3 cups brown sugar                   3 cups water              3-5 tbsp Camp's coffee

Boil for 5 minutes

Add 26 oz Alcohol         3 tsp vanilla       4 oz rum      3 oz Creme de Cacao

Enjoy !

Hey Everybody.

My fathers name is Robert (Bob) Curran and we havent had a relationship since i was a child. His mom left an abusive home and never came back. My dad had 3 sisters and she left them all there with the father who eventually passes due to alcoholism. Just kind of wondering where their mother went ?????

 

markcurran@gmail.com

Hi

Iam looking for a Bernadette Curran that was living in London in 1968 and gave birth to a daughter Michelle Curran. I believe she also had a young son and lived in or around the Islington area, originally from Ireland. Please contact beckleberry@hotmail.co.uk

 

John Curran: trying to find any information regarding a John Curran, who was born in1830/died 1916, was married to Eliza Ann Shangraw, in Ontario, Canada, had 5 children/ names,Elizabeth Curran (1857-1927),George Curran (1858-?),James Curran (1861-?), Hugh Curran(1863-1928),Wellington Curran(1870-?)  All were born in Ontario, Canada. If anyone has any information about this family, could you let me know, than

Here's a pretty damned simple ice-cream recipe: combine ingredients in a baggie. Fill a bigger baggie with ice, salt and the baggie of ingredients. Shake for five minutes. Ice cream. Who knew?

1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one and seal again carefully.
4. Shake until mixture is ice cream, about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off top of small bag, then open carefully and enjoy!

David Pescovitz: Researchers are beginning to understand why some plants have beautiful repeating spiral patterns to their structures that incorporate the so-called golden angle (approx 137.5 degrees). Math buffs, artists, and mystics will appreciate that the golden angle is related to the golden ratio, also known as the "divine proportion," that frequently appears in aesthetically-pleasing forms. From Science News (photo by Scott Hotton): Plants with spiral patterns related to the golden angle also display another curious mathematical property. The seeds of a flower head form interlocking spirals in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The number of clockwise spirals differs from the number of counterclockwise spirals, and these two numbers are called the plant's parastichy numbers (pronounced pi-RAS-tik-ee or PEHR-us-tik-ee).

These numbers have a remarkable consistency. They are almost always two consecutive Fibonacci numbers, which are another one of nature's mathematical favorites. The Fibonacci numbers form the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 . . . , in which each number is the sum of the previous two...

Initially, researchers thought these patterns might provide an evolutionary advantage by somehow promoting plants' survival. But more recently, they have come to believe that the answer lies in the biochemistry of plants as they develop new leaves, flowers, or other structures.
Link

Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist who captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," died Wednesday, April 11th. He was 84.  Kurt also wrote the lyrics for the Ambrosia song called Nice, Nice, Very Nice on their first album.  

On Thursday, April 19th, 2007- my dad will be turning 44!

On Sunday, April 8th, 2007- my sister will be turning 12!

 

Cameron