Sea Chi Organics ~ Kombucha based products ~ GIVEAWAY!!! ~ Ends 7/17

Made With Lots of Love

Organic & Wildcrafted Ingredients

Kombucha Based

High End ~ High Quality ~ High Vibrational

No Chemical Preservatives

Synthetic Fragrance FREE

Cruelty FREE

Widely Used By Many Practitioners In The Healing Arts

Serving Conscious Communities Since 1995

The intro almost says enough right there. But let me tell you there are no words to quite describe - you just have to try Sea Chi products to truly understand.

First of all the packaging - you can choose glass or plastic which I really appreciate. And the bottles are beautiful. The pictures don't capture the twinkle and shine - almost whimsical. They look really wonderful in the bathroom.

I feel very lucky to have gotten to try the Leave On Moisturizing Treatment & Hair Growth Formula & the Travelers' Package.

Let me tell you the hair treatment is out of this world. My hair is loving this stuff! Meant to stimulate blood circulation which has been known to promote hair growth. The creator of Sea Chi personally grew two inches of hair in two months using it. My hair feels smooth and strong, fuller even. Not the soft soft feeling of conditioner, but healthy soft. I love it!

And the Travelers Package is giving me a sample of everything. I've tried a bit of it all and what I can say from only a small use is that it feels clean and pure - high quality. The scents are natural and the products all perform well. I'm going to pack it in my hospital bag for when I deliver.

Sea Chi is kombucha based skin and hair products. Kombucha tea Contains beneficial organic acids: Acetic acid ~ Acts as a natural preservative and inhibits growth of harmful organisms. Gluconic acid ~ A building block for connective cell tissue. A by-product of Gluconic acid is collagen, the structure associated with cartilage. Collagen and the fluids which lubricate the joints, reduce wrinkles and provide relief to arthritis sufferers. Helps balance skin tone. Oxalic acid ~ A natural preservative and enhances vitality.

I used to brew and drink kombucha tea as a general wellness drink but have fallen away from it. I think in using Sea Chi I have been inspired to start up again. Maybe just a couple ounces a day since I'll be breast feeding.

About the founder and owner - I found it very inspirational:

Sea Chi Organics is a product of my imagination. By following my daily intuition this was created, it was not planned for. Up until this point in my life I did not know what I "should" be doing with my time. I was a good employee, supporting others' dreams. I thought they knew what was best for me. Having this awareness was enough to keep me motivated to find out what my life was about.

I was told that in order to live my purpose I must simply be who I am and follow my God given thoughts with action. My "real" life then began to take shape. It was easy, just be yourself and follow through. The journey is so fun!!! I am no longer afraid. I have so much faith in the process of my life knowing that through this fabulous experience called life, I have been given a vehicle by which I am able to better care for myself and with plenty to spare and to share with others. My ideas are abundant, this is merely the beginning. I gratefully learn from all my experiences, for I know that they lead me to a higher level of understanding and "livingness." I say to you who feel lost, trust yourself. You've already been given all that you need to live the life you choose, if you believe in yourself.

The lotus flower is the flower of enlightenment. Its roots start off in the mud and it grows up through the water towards the sunlight. Enlightenment can be achieved from the muddiest of beginnings; it is the route you take and the goal you reach that matters, not where you started from. I chose this as my logo in honor of my own life. I am grateful.

- Sanandra

Very healthy, high vibrational , made with love - you have to try it to see the difference.

BUY IT:

You can purchase Sea Chi products online at http://www.seachi.com/

WIN IT!!!

One lucky winner will receive a product of their choice from Sea Chi Organics - excluding the large professional sizes. You probably notice this contest is running a super long time - I will be on a week long vacation and will let it run while I'm gone :)

MAIN ENTRY:

Visit Sea Chi and tell me which product you'd love to try & become a friend at Wishing Penny via Google Friends Connect. Both parts must be done in order to win :)

EXTRAS:

*Fan/like Sea Chi Organics at Facebook ( 2 bonus entries )

*Leave a brief description of this giveaway with link to this giveaway on the wall of Sea Chi Organics @ Facebook ( 3 bonus entries )

*Follow me @jamaise at Twitter & Tweet this : RT @jamaise #GIVEAWAY #WIN your choice of skin or hair care product from Sea Chi Organics http://bit.ly/9hcIyH Ends 7/17 - tweet each day for one entry each !

*Blog about this giveaway & leave me the link ( 5 bonus entries)

*Grab my button & tell me where to find it ( 2 bonus entries )

*Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect ( 3 bonus entries )

*Follow me via Networked Blogs ( 2 bonus entries )

*Enter my Tomat Organic Onesie Giveaway!!!( 3 bonus entries )

*Enter any other giveaway here for one entry each

That's 10 entry methods with tons of bonus & a chance for unlimited entries with daily tweets!

Giveaway will end on July 17th at 11 :59 am EST. Winner will be selected using Random .org. I will email the winner & you will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner . Please remember to leave me your email address if it is not visible on your profile so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck to everyone :)

Disclaimer: Sea Chi Organics provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. These views are my own.

Peregrinos do Mayflower (Mayflower Pilgrims)

Um grupo de famílias (ca 100 pessoas), comandado por William Brewster partiram do porto holandês de Delft a 22 de Julho de 1620 no navio Mayflower. Chegaram ao porto inglês de Dartmouth onde se juntaram à embarcação Speedwell. Seguiram para Plymouth donde zarparam sós a 16 de Setembro do mesmo ano. Após uma viagem marítima de 66 dias chegaram à costa do Massachusetts.

A group of families (ca 100 people), led by William Brewster left the Dutch port of Delft to July 22, 1620 on the ship Mayflower. Arrived at the English port of Dartmouth where they joined the ship Speedwell. Went to Plymouth where it set sail alone on September 16 of that year. After a sea journey of 66 days reached the coast of Massachusetts.

Robert Walter Weir (1803-1829)-'embarkation of the Pilgrims at Delft Haven(Holland) July 22nd 1620'-oil on canvas-1843 Washington (DC)-Capitol Rotunda

Leslie Arthur Wilcox (1904-1982)-'Mayflower and Speedwell in Dartmouth Harbor' Plymouth (Ma)-Pilgrim Hall Museum

Anónimo-'signing of the Mayflower compact in the the cabin'-Bas relief Provincetowm (Ma)-Pilgrim Monument

Gilbert Tucker Margeson (1852-1940)-'the Mayflower at sea' Plymouth (Ma)-Pilgrim Hall Museum

Jennie Augusta Browncombe (1850-1936)-'the first Thanksgivig' Plymouth (Ma)-Pilgrim Hall Museum

New GIVEAWAYS !!! @ Sweeps4Bloggers

*Simpler Living by Jeff Davidson ( 7/10)
*Omnibalm Tea Tree Oil Products ( 7/13)
*La La's Boutique Sunglasses ( 7/14)
*OtterBox Tech Device Cases ( 7/14)
*Beesilk Dry Skin Care Kit ( 7/15)
*Scout, Atticus & Boo -book ( 7/15)
*Elyse Essentials Spa Gift Set ( 7/16)




Buzz on over and check out all the GIVEAWAYS going on! More added everyday @ Sweeps4Bloggers!

Bees remind us we all need more sweetness in our lives :))

Tomat ~ Organic Onsie ~ GIVEAWAY!!! ~ Ends 7/17

Pure Goodness for your Funky Little Monkey...



Tomat cares about comfort and conscious, made with 100% cotton - the creations of Tomat are homegrown & sweatshop free. So you can feel good about outfitting your little ones in fun and funky designs that modern infants, kids, and parents will love!



Creator Efi Latief, graphic designer and mom has has accumulated over ten years of graphic design experience after completing graphic design college in Indonesia and graduating with honors from Art Center Collage of Design in California. Her daughter keeps her inspired with new designs at Tomat.

Tomat means Tomato in Indonesian - Fresh, Healthy, Kids Love it & it's Good for You!!

Offering fresh fun clothing for infants & toddlers, boys , girls, & unisex and even organics. You'll love Tomat!

BUY IT:

You can purchase a fun variety online at http://www.tomatkids.com/ or at these fine stores and online retailers.

WIN IT!!!

One lucky winner will receive the "cassette" organic onesie pictured above :)

MAIN ENTRY:

Visit Tomat and take a look around - tell me your favorite item & become a friend here at Wishing Penny via Google Friends Connect - both parts must be done to win - thanks :)

EXTRAS:

*Leave a brief description of this giveaway with link to this giveaway on your wall @ Facebook and leave me your facebook name i.e - jamaise.wilson ( 3 bonus entries )

*Follow @tomatkids at Twitter ( 2 bonus entries )

*Follow me @jamaise at Twitter & Tweet this : RT @jamaise #GIVEAWAY #WIN a Organic Onesie from Tomat Kids - fresh, modern design http://bit.ly/aVXzte Ends 7/17 - tweet each day for one entry each !

*Blog about this giveaway & leave me the link ( 5 bonus entries)

*Grab my button & tell me where to find it ( 2 bonus entries )

*Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect ( 3 bonus entries )

*Follow me via Networked Blogs ( 2 bonus entries )

*Enter my Happy Heinys Pipsqueaks Diapers GIVEAWAY !!!( 3 bonus entries )

*Enter any other giveaway here for one entry each

That's 10 entry methods with tons of bonus & a chance for unlimited entries with daily tweets!

Giveaway will end on July 17th at 11 :59 am EST. Winner will be selected using Random .org. I will email the winner & you will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner . Please remember to leave me your email address if it is not visible on your profile so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck to everyone :)

Disclaimer: Tomat Kids provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. These views are my own.

Spartacus Blood and Sand: Delicate Things

Apparently, according to Announcer Woman, this episode is 'sexy and raunchy' - what, more so than usual?! The review below contains spoilers and is probably a bit less witty and sarky than usual, for reasons which will become clear...

Spartacus certainly seems to be more popular following his victory over Theocoles, which is nice, but poor old Crixus is in a bad way. Looking like Messala in his final scene in Ben-Hur is not a ticket to long life.

It's nice to see Xena horrified by the murder of Aufidius and his family. In the first few episodes, she seemed to be yet another Livia/Atia, sex-mad like Atia and cold as Livia, but there's more humanity under there, even if she concedes the problem John Hannah had (or at least, so it seems until her next scene). Spartacus, meanwhile, still doesn't quite seem to understand the actual concept of slavery, which seems unlikely for someone who grew up in the ancient world. Barca has slightly more realistic ambitions, to buy freedom for himself and his boyfriend, but his plans are no doubt equally doomed.

Xena has acquired quite some bath - she looks like Cleopatra, though possibly the Carry on Cleo version. Also, she and JH are apparently once again too lazy to do their own foreplay, and Xena gets off on watching JH rape a slave girl in her bath - this is pretty excessively kinky, even for her.

I like the scene with Spartacus and Neighbours Reject discussing the geography of the Bay of Naples - this is the first real bit of foreshadowing of the eventual rebellion that we've seen. It's immediately followed by some rather more obvious foreshadowing, which is all the less effective for being a thousand times less subtle. It finishes on a nice bit about opportunity though, which is effective even if it did make me think of Pirates of the Carribbean. It also reminds us that Drill Sergeant Guy could stop Spartacus' escape attempt - so, presumably, when he finally rebels, he'll have to either get Drill Sergeant Guy on side or get rid of him.

We keep being treated to Spartacus' fantasies about his violent escape - it seems that, since there is less fighting in this episode, we have to see repeated images of escape fantasies instead. This seems a shame to me, for two reasons - firstly, it will make the eventual rebellion less different and exciting, and secondly, it makes the show 'blood and tits' again, insisting on violence and sex where character and dialogue would be more appropriate. Spartacus' snaky new armour and equally new abilty to wheedle important young Romans are nice though.

At last, we get back to poor Crixus, still bleeding all over a table in the back of the ludus somewhere. Not for long, though. The posh kid reminds me of the kid from Gladiator, though it remains to be seen if he will be as much trouble as Lucius Verus was.

Barca's betrayal and the living little blonde boy are a nice twist, assuming the boy is genuinely alive, but oh look! a Roman orgy. Clearly, it had been too long since we'd seen one, though Spartacus has an ulterior motive and Drill Sergeant Guy isn't interested. Meanwhile, poor Crixus, the character I'm really interested in, lingers in a coma, and I am feeling distinct concern for Barca and his boyfriend (whose name I can't remember) as well. Spartacus, on the other hand, just lost all my sympathy in using his dying comrade as a tool in his plan, though I suppose Crixus might have agreed, given the opportunity.

I like the bit with the Falernian, though poor young boyfriend doesn't catch the threat in the bit about being brought closer to the gods, nor has he quite followed what's going on, poor kid. I'm warming to Drill Sergeant Guy as well, while wondering what religion/cult he belongs to, which involves wearing a stole. I hope Spartacus feels very, very guilty for being such a traitor to all his fellow gladiators (well, except for Neighbours Reject, who's in on it, but who's not happy about the plan either).

Oh dear, there goes Barca - now I'm really upset, the two gladiators whose names I actually knew are both dead or dying! Hmpf. I was really starting to root for Barca and his naive boyfriend as well. I'm guessing Drill Sergeant Guy will survive his encounter with some serious medicine, but the comaraderie will be ruined - how on earth will Spartacus lead an army when he's betrayed everyone around him?!

Surprise, surprise, the boy is dead after all and now JH feels really guilty. Good. It's very hard to be funny about this episode, though - it's so tragic, just one disaster after another. If Crixus dies, I think I'll be left with just Neighbours Reject and Drill Sergeant Guy to care about. Plus, we finally get to the disaster we've been waiting for for six weeks - dear old wifey is, to absolutely no one's surprise, dead as a doornail, or she is within a few minutes of bleeding all over Spartacus, anyway. Mum and I think John Hannah arranged it, and so does Xena, who seems OK with it.

In some ways, this episode was a bit of a case of one step forward, two steps back - for every instance of character development and real connection, there was a bit of gratuitous violence or almost-gratuitous sex (the prostitutes were, I have to acknowledge, part of Spartacus' plan). It's also terribly depressing, as just about everyone ends up miserable (even Xena and JH seem to feel a little bit guilty about poor old Barca). But then I suppose, since the series leads up to a rebellion, it does rather have to be a story of one disaster after another, though I'd expect to see Spartacus, the eventual leader, bonding more with his fellow gladiators by this point. It's also a shame to lose two central characters in one episode. All in all, a good episode, and it certainly moved the series forwards in leaps and bounds, but, well, a bit of a downer, to put it mildly. And I still don't know what's going to happen to Crixus!

Tropical Traditions ~ Mint Massage Oil ~ GIVEAWAY!!! ~ Ends 7/17

Tropical Traditions massage oils are a unique combination of oils and esters that are not processed with high heat or solvents that have been developed by a professional massage therapist. These oils provide superior glide yet work well for massage. They are made from our own organic Virgin Coconut Oil and Virgin Palm Oil, and include organic jojoba oil. No other products on the market are made with finer oils as their base. Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil is traditionally made from fresh organic coconuts, and independent laboratory tests show that it has a higher level of antioxidants than other coconut oils.



Virgin Palm Oil contains high concentrations of a powerful form of Vitamin E called “tocotrienols” which published research has shown is 40–60 times more potent than alpha-tocopherol (the most common form of Vitamin E found as an additive in most skin care products.) In addition to these powerful Vitamin E tocotrienols, Virgin Palm Oil is also rich in natural carotenes. It is one of the richest natural plant sources of carotenes with concentrations of 500–700 ppm. It is 15 times more retinol-equivalent than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes, for example.



Tropical Traditions only use high quality organic essential oils which are distilled with low temperature and low pressure over an extended period of time. Low temperature and lower pressure have proven to be the most effective method of obtaining all of the essential constituents from the plant, and provide our products with the very best quality fragrances available. These premium essential oils are imported directly from the manufacturer in France.



My sister is currently schooling for massage therapy & natural healing. When I discovered that Tropical Traditions carried massage oils, I knew I had to try them out. I am always so impressed by the quality and healthfulness of Tropical Traditions products, I knew the massage oils would provide the same quality and healthfulness I've come to expect. My sister only uses natural products and I wanted to introduce her to TT - knowing she'd be hooked.



By reviewing the massage oils, I'm getting wonderful massages from her!! This is giving her practice and me some much needed therapeutic massage.



This time we used the Mint Massage oil. The mint was stimulating and refreshing. I'm mean don't get me wrong, I was super relaxed, I could have stayed in bed and forgotten about the world. Zonked out! But in the heat of the Summer the mint was cooling.

My sister is totally impressed with the Tropical Traditions massage oil . She has always used one brand and says she might be ordering some to use for herself :)



BUY IT:

You can buy Tropical Traditions massage oil online at Tropical Traditions http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//organic_massage_oils.htm

WIN IT!!!

One lucky winner will receive a 8 oz. Mint Massage Oil from Tropical Traditions . You'll notice this giveaway is running SUPER long. I'm going on a week long vacation and so I'll let it run while I'm gone and will draw when I get back.

MAIN ENTRY:

Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions newsletter & become a friend here at Wishing Penny via Google Friends Connect - both parts must be done to win - thanks :)

EXTRAS:



*Like/Fan Tropical Traditions at Facebook ( 2 bonus entries )



*Leave a brief description of this giveaway with link to this giveaway on the wall of Tropical Traditions @ Facebook ( 3 bonus entries )



*Follow @Troptraditions at Twitter ( 2 bonus entries )



*Follow me @jamaise at Twitter & Tweet this : RT @jamaise #GIVEAWAY #WIN Tropical Traditions Mint Massage Oil - all natural & refreshing http://bit.ly/9GRPro Ends 7/17 - tweet each day for one entry each !



*Blog about this giveaway & leave me the link ( 5 bonus entries)



*Grab my button & tell me where to find it ( 2 bonus entries )



*Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect ( 3 bonus entries )



*Follow me via Networked Blogs ( 2 bonus entries )



*Enter my Colette Kids Giveaway!!!( 2 bonus entries )



*Enter any other giveaway here for one entry each



That's 11 entry methods with tons of bonus & a chance for unlimited entries with daily tweets!



Giveaway will end on July 17th at 11 :59 am EST. Winner will be selected using Random .org. I will email the winner & you will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner . Please remember to leave me your email address if it is not visible on your profile so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck to everyone :)

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. These views are my own.

Jogo de morra (the morra players) (le jeu de morra)

Consiste em adivinhar a soma do número de dedos mostrados pelos jogadores em simultâneo enquanto gritam para intimidar os adversários. Pode ser jogado entre vários contendores, individualmente ou por equipas. O jogador que acerta no conjunto de dedos grita (mio ! alla morra !) e fica com a 'mão' para o próximo jogo. Parece simples mas é difícil e fatigante. Exige concentração por causa do ritmo elevado e cadenciado. Mencionado por Marco Túlio Cícero (séc. aC) «dignus est quicum in tenebras micas ou é pessoa digna aquela com que se pode jogar morra na escuridão». No séc. XV era proibido na República de Veneza fora das tabernas.

It consists of guessing the total number of fingers shown by the players while simultaneously yelling to intimidate opponents. It can be played between several contenders, individually or in teams. The player who hits the set of fingers scream (mio! Alla die!) And gets the 'hand' for the next game. It sounds simple but is difficult and stressful. Requires concentration because of fast paced and cadenced. Mentioned by Marcus Tullius Cicero (century BC) "In Tenebris dignus est quicum mica or worthy person is the one with which you can play die in darkness'. In the 15th century was forbidden in the Republic of Venice out of the taverns.

Johann Liss (1597-1630)-'the morra players'-1622

Pieter van Laer (1599-1642)-'landscape with morra players' 'landschaft mit morra Spielern'-oil on oak wood Budapest-Szépmúveszeti Múzeum

Karel Dujardin (ca 1622-1678)-'jouers de morra'-oil on canvas Paris-Musée du Louvre

Bartolomeo Pinelli (1781-1835)-il gioco di morra-1809 in 'Costumi diversi inventati ed incise', Roma (1822)

Frederick Dielman (1847-1935)-'the mora players'-etching-1876 Philadelphia-Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Planet Wise ~ Hanging Wet/Dry Bag ~ GIVEAWAY!!! ~ Ends 7/17

Another great addition to the growing PATENT PENDING Planet Wise product line! Finally a solution where one bag can carry your wet and dry items at the same time while keeping them separate. Each bag is sewn and sealed for no wicking or leaking plus an added zippered dry pocket on the front including two handles so it can be easily hung on a doorknob and/or carried!





Great for when you are traveling for the weekend or if you don't want a traditional diaper pail. Both your clean or dirty diapers, towels, clothes, etc can be carried in the same bag. The clean or dry items in the front "dry" zippered pocket and the dirty or wet items in the zippered "wet" section keeping moisture and odors in.





Size: 16.5"x27" and holds approx. 20-24 cloth diapers

I got to try the Hanging Wet/Dry Bag like in the awesome Outer Space pattern like pictured right above. It's awesome - perfect. Depending on how often you wash, it could serve as your diaper pail. Our bathroom is smaller than I'd like and I was dreading the thought of keeping a full size diaper pail in there. I need all the space I can get. I've installed a hook and will hang the wet/dry bag in there instead. I think it will work out well.

Planet Wise carries a variety of sizes to choose from. I plan on purchasing a small diaper bag size for on the go.

I did my own test. I washed all my diapers , took them out and placed them in the bag dripping wet, hung the bag on the hook in the bathroom, went and got dinner started. Not a drop of wetness outside the bag. So I threw the whole bag in the wash and that was that! So easy & no mess!

BUY IT:



You can purchase Planet Wise products at this list of fine retailers



WIN IT!!!



One lucky winner will receive a hanging wet/dry bag from Planet Wise - winner's choice of print!

( Continental US Only ) You will notice this contest runs SUPER long - I'm going on a week vacation and so it will run until I get home. I figure since I won't be here to promote it, the extra time will be ok :)



MAIN ENTRY:



Visit Planet Wise and tell me which design you'd choose & become a friend at Wishing Penny via Google Friend Connect. Must do both in order to win - thanks :)

EXTRAS:



*Leave a brief description of this giveaway with link to this giveaway on your wall @ Facebook - leave me your profile name i.e.- jamaise.wilson (5 bonus entries )



*Follow @planetwiseinc at Twitter



*Follow me @jamaise at Twitter & Tweet this : RT @jamaise #GIVEAWAY #WIN a Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag #clothdiaper http://bit.ly/a6iPlC Ends 7/17 tweet each day for one entry each !



*Blog about this giveaway & leave me the link ( 5 bonus entries)



*Subscribe to my feed via email or reader ( 3 bonus entries )



*Grab my button & tell me where to find it ( 2 bonus entries )



*Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect ( 3 bonus entries )



*Follow me via Networked Blogs ( 2 bonus entries )



*Enter my Pipsqueaks Diapers GIVEAWAY !!! ( 3 bonus entries )



*Enter any other giveaway here for one entry each



That's 11 entry methods with tons of bonus & a chance for unlimited entries with daily tweets!



Giveaway will end on July 17th at 11 :59 am EST. Winner will be selected using Random .org. I will email the winner & you will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner . Please remember to leave me your email address if it is not visible on your profile so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck to everyone :)



Disclaimer: Planet Wise provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. These views are my own

Earth to Lend Helping Hand to Comet Craft

NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft will fly past Earth this Sunday (June 27). Mission navigators have tailored this trajectory so the spacecraft can "hitch a ride" on Earth's gravity field, which will help propel the mission toward its appointment with comet Hartley 2 this fall. At time of closest approach to Earth, the spacecraft will be about 30,400 kilometers (18,900 miles) above the South Atlantic.

"Earth is a great place to pick up orbital velocity," said Tim Larson, the EPOXI project manager from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "This flyby will give our spacecraft a 1.5-kilometer-per-second [3,470 mph] boost, setting us up to get up close and personal with comet Hartley 2."

EPOXI is an extended mission of the Deep Impact spacecraft. Its name is derived from its two tasked science investigations -- the Deep Impact Extended Investigation (DIXI) and the Extrasolar Planet Observation and Characterization (EPOCh). On Nov. 4, 2010, the mission will conduct an extended flyby of Hartley 2 using all three of the spacecraft's instruments (two telescopes with digital color cameras and an infrared spectrometer).

The University of Maryland is the Principal Investigator institution. JPL manages EPOXI for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The spacecraft was built for NASA by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.

For information about EPOXI, visit http://www.nasa.gov/epoxi or http://epoxi.umd.edu/.

Achamento do Brasil (Discovery of Brazil)

O navegador português Pedro Álvares Cabral (1467-ca 1526) foi o primeiro europeu a desembarcar no Brasil. Verificou-se em Porto Seguro (Estado da Baía) a 22 de Abril de 1500. Compreendia a armada da segunda expedição à India um conjunto de dez navios de grande porte e três pequenos e cerca de 1500 homens. Da notíca deu conhecimento ao rei o cronista Pero Vaz de Caminha. Rezou a primeira missa o frade Henrique de Coimbra no Domingo de Páscoa, a 26 de Abril.

The Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral (1467-ca 1526) was the first European to land in Brazil. There was at Porto Seguro (Bahia State) to April 22, 1500. Comprised the fleet's second expedition to India a set of ten large ships and three small, about 1500 men. News has made the king's chronicler Pero Vaz de Caminha. He prayed the first mass Friar Henrique de Coimbra on Easter Sunday, 26 April.

Nau de Pedro Alvares Cabral in the Armed Paper (Lisbon-Library of the Academy of Sciences)

Letter of Pero Vaz Caminha to King Manuel in the National Library in Lisbon-Portugal

Oscar Pereira da Silva (1865-1939-'landing in Port-Seguro' oil on canvas Museu Paulista- Sao Paulo

Adriano de Sousa Lopes (1879-1944)-'landing on the lands of Vera Cruz'-Lisbon-panel Assembly of the Republic

Victor Meirelles de Lima (1832-1903)-'first-missa'-oil on canvas Rio de Janeiro, National Museum of Fine Arts

Doctor Who: The Big Bang

Spoilers follow, and in fact, I haven't recapped the plot (mostly because, to be honest, I'm not actually sure that I followed it) so none of this will make any sense if you haven't seen the episode.

OK, first things first - my excuse for blogging this, aside from the odd Roman, is that River Song is an archaeologist, so let's look at that. I love her slightly Indiana Jones-y outfit - in fact, she was very much a female Indiana Jones throughout this episode. Since we haven't yet met a version of River who doesn't know the Doctor, this is less out of place than usual, as an archaeologist who may or may not be married to the Doctor is much more likely to be handy with a weapon and up for some action adventure than your average university lecturer. I especially loved her totally brutal, cold-hearted annihilation of the Dalek who killed her lover - perhaps she is Steven Moffat's version of Captain Jack, who can be the tough guy with a gun that the Doctor can't be.

I loved the Pandorica and the battered Dalek ending up in the museum, though I thought calling it 'The National Museum' was pure laziness - why not just mock up a couple of rooms from the British Museum and add some stock exterior shots? I loved the timeline of all the things that had happened to the Pandorica through the centuries as well - that felt like a very 'real' touch - and every time anyone mentioned the story of poor Plastic!Rory guarding Amy for 2000 years I welled up. The image of the Roman centurion running from a World War Two bomb was strangely awesome and powerful, though unfortunately it did lead me to wonder why he waited until World War Two to change his outfit.

(Edited to add: It appears that the 'National Museum' is in Wales - I've never been to Cardiff, which is presumably where it is, and hadn't heard of it. Depending where Leadworth is, that could be a more sensible location but I confess, even though I live in Wales at the moment, I'd still rather have seen the British Museum, there's no museum quite like the British Museum!).

As for other, non-history related things...

The plot made no sense. Maybe when I've watched it twelve times, like an episode of The West Wing, it will all come together and everything will be logical and sensible, but on first viewing (which is the viewing that counts, really, as if you don't enjoy it the first time, you won't bother watching again) none of it makes any sense whatsoever. I think the two biggest issues were, 1) Surely a universe without the Doctor will be a very unfortunate universe? With everyone being overrun by Daleks and so on? This is a very bad plan! (OK, the universe is in dire peril, but still). However, Dad then reminded me that actually, if I recall my nerdy internet reading correctly, Doctor 4 was at least partially responsible for the emergence of the Daleks anyway, so maybe the universe will actually be better off without the Doctor causing all the problems he then goes on to solve. And, 2) how exactly can the Pandorica bring people back to life? For much of this episode, it seemed like it was just a slightly updated version of the Goa'uld sarcophagi from Stargate.

There was also a distinct lack of tension, due to the fact that I know the show isn't ending, so the Doctor will be fine. All through the lovely, tender scenes with Amy and Amelia, I just wanted him to get on with it so I could see how it all resolved itself and get to the much, much more interesting questions - what's going on with River? When will she marry the Doctor? Who did she kill and, presuming she killed the Doctor (since she said it was a very good man, seems a bit obvious but it could be him) when will she do it and, most importantly of all, if she kills him, will he finally regenerate into Adrian Lester like I want him to?! Most of which, it seems, we'll have to wait for Christmas, if not longer, for answers. I wasn't quite sure whether I liked that the bigger story - including the 'silence' - isn't resolved yet, or whether it was annoying. On balance, I think I liked it, as it gives us all something to look forward to, though a couple more answers, or hints, in this episode might have been nice.

I liked Amy and Rory's happy ending a lot (SO happy that Rory is properly human again!) and loved Rory as 'Mr Pond', though I worry for poor Rory's safety. I love the idea of a married couple on the TARDIS, but how can the writers resist the urge to kill him off again? The Doctor's comedy dancing at their wedding was pretty cool, though no Angel.

Other random thoughts... Not sure about the ‘wacky’ music. No, Doctor, no one is listening to you because you’re making absolutely no sense whatsoever. It’s all getting a bit Time Traveller’s Wife again. ‘It might even work’ says River – yes, if it’s a million to one chance, it might.

We end on a couple more history related notes. The Christmas special may or may not revolve around an Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express... IN SPACE! Which could be cool. And Amy's father is called Augustus.... why, why, WHY??!! (I would like to finish on a snarky note, but just watch Steven Moffat, the Structure King, somehow tie Amy's father in with Father Octavian and make me sound like an idiot...)

Batalha de Lepanto (battle of Lepanto-7 October 1571)

No séc. XVI as esquadras do Império Otomano pretenderam tranformar o Mediterrâneo no se Mare Nostrum. Para combater a expansão muçulmana formou-se a Liga Santa (Holy League) (Heiligen Liga) no campo Cristão. Filipe II de Espanha nomeou seu irmão D. Juan de Austria, capitão general das Forças Reais. Os restantes comandantes eram: Sebastiano Venier (Veneza) e Marcantonio Colonna (Estados Papais). Miguel Cervantes Saavedra perdeu o braço esquerdo, donde a designação 'el manco de Lepanto'; depois esteve cativo em Argel. Apesar da derrota no Golfo de Patras (Mar Jónico), nos arredores de Naupaktos, os Otomanos conquistaram parte do Norte de África.

In the 16th century police stations of the Ottoman Empire wanted to transform the Mediterranean into the Mare Nostrum. To combat the Muslim expansion was formed the Holy League (Heiligen League) in the Christian. Philip II of Spain appointed his brother D. Juan de Austria, captain general of the Royalist forces. The other commanders were: Sebastiano Venier (Venice) and Marcantonio Colonna (Papal States). Miguel Cervantes Saavedra lost his left arm, hence the name 'el manco de Lepanto' and then was captive in Algiers. Despite the defeat in the Gulf of Patras (Ionian Sea), on the outskirts of Naupaktos, the Ottomans conquered part of North Africa.

Anónimo-'the victors of Lepanto'-öl auf Leinwand Wien-Kunsthistorisches Museum Gemäldegalerie

Paolo Caliari or Paolo Veronese (1528-1588)-'The battle of Lepanto'-oil on canvas

Yogesh Brahmbhlatt-'The battle of Lepanto'-oil on canvas Greenwich-National Maritime Museum (BH CO 261)

Fernando Bertelli (1505- )-'The battle of Lepanto'-oil on canvas-1572 Venezia-Museo Storico Navale

Tiziano Vecelli (1490-1576)-'Allegory of the battle of Lepanto'-oil on canvas-ca 1575 Madrid-Museo del Prado

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Perseu herói libertador (Perseus)

As lendas consideram Perseu como o herói mítico fundador de Micenas. Era filho de Zeus e de Danae. O rei Polidectes receoso que lhe usurpasse o reino propôs que ambos combatessem Medusa porque esta petrificava quem a olhava. Perseu decapitou-a com auxílio de: Palas Atena que lhe ofereceu um escudo bem polido que funcionava de espelho; de Hades fornecedor dum capacete que o tornava invisível; Hermes que lhe emprestou as suas sandálias aladas. Diversas representações mostram-no com a cabeça de Medusa (Gorgoneion Medusa's head) quando a oferecia à deusa Atena.

No regresso a casa encontrou Atlas no Jardim das Hespérides e este transformou-se em montanha porque desejou olhar a cabeça da Gorgona. Visitou Andrómeda, filha de Cassiopeia, que Poseidão oferecera ao monstro Citus pelos erros de sua mãe. Derrotou o monstro e libertou a jovem.
The legends consider as the mythical hero Perseus founder of Mycenae. Was son of Zeus and Danae. King Polydectes afraid it will usurp the kingdom has proposed that both fought Medusa because this petrified who looked at her. Perseus decapitated her with aid: Athene who offered him a shield that worked well polished mirror; provider of Hades a helmet that made him invisible; Hermes lent him his winged sandals. Several representations show him with the head of Medusa (Gorgoneion Medusa's head) when offered to the goddess Athena.
On returning home he found Atlas in the Garden of the Hesperides and this turned into a mountain because they wanted to look at the head of Gorgona. Visited Andromeda, the daughter of Cassiopeia, which offered the monster Poseida citus the mistakes of her mother. Defeated the monster and freed the girl.

Anónimo-'Perseus and Andromeda'-wall painting-Wandmalerei-Pompeii (casa dei Dioscuri, VI, 9, 6) Napoli-Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Piero di Cosimo (1462-1521)-'Perseus frees Andromeda'-oil on wood-ca 1513 Firenze-Galleria degli Uffizi

Joachim Wtewael (1566-1638)-' Perseus and Andromeda'-oil on canvas-1611 Paris-Musée du Louvre

Luca Giordano (1634-1705)-'Perseus turning Phineus and his followers to stone'-oil on canvas-ca 1680 London-National Gallery

Antonio Canova (1757-1822)-'Perseus holding Medusa's head'-marble-ca 1800 Città del Vaticano-Museo Pio-Clementino (Octagon Hall-Canova Cabinet)

Pipsqueaks Diapers~ Happy Heinys One Size ~ GIVEAWAY!!! ~ Ends 7/10

Pipsqueaks Diapers carries the major brands of cloth and hybrid diapers and baby carriers--and a few other items we think you might like. Pipsqueaks is a mother-owned online baby items and accessories store. If you see it for sale on this site, rest assured that we’ve tried it ourselves—and we liked it. More importantly, our babies liked it, too.

I am so excited to be working with Pipsqueaks not only because they offer a selection of trusted favorites, but because the owner is a Mama who by starting Pipsqueaks, is pursuing her dream to stay home with her babies. An English Professor by profession she hopes that one day her love of cloth diapering and baby wearing will allow her to stay her home with her 15 month old son and her new little she will be expecting in about seven months.

I love to be able to help promote Mamas. Please keep Pipsqueaks Diapers in mind for all your cloth diapering and baby wearing needs. It feels good to support another woman and mother :)

Pipsqueaks Diapers takes the clutter out of cloth diapering. Onsite info:

When we first started cloth diapering, we felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of manufacturers and products. Through trial and error, we have settled on three major brands (Bum Genius, Fuzzi Bunz, and Happy Heinys) and one small manufacturer (Snugglebums). Pipsqueaks Diapers will only carry these brands of cloth diapers. We seek to sell tried and trusted products and to take the clutter out of cloth diapering.

Many other retailers offer almost every brand of cloth diaper and baby carrier on the market. Pipsqueaks is different. We only carry products we can vouch for--ones we've tried ourselves. Additionally, most online cloth diaper retailers only carry diapers and accessories. Pipsqueaks recognizes that many parents who cloth diaper are not only environmentally conscious; they are also conscious of "alternative" baby raising practices. That's why we also stock carriers and slings.

Most prices for cloth diapers and accessories are set by the manufacturer. But, whenever possible, we pass savings onto our customers.

There is a very helpful section for those interested in clothdiapering. A great resource for those who want to learn more before investing. I know for me all the terms were confusing in the beginning. Now I feel comfortable with them. There is a list of all the terminology you'll need.


Today Pipsqueaks Diapers would like to feature the Happy Heinys One Size.





Happy Heinys One Size diapers are designed with the same quality of the Happy Heinys Pocket Diapers only they are made to fit baby from birth to potty training. Happy Heinys uses their own custom milled fleece and high quality products made right here in the USA. You will find on your one size diaper a total of 4 snaps on the front. This will give you a total of 4 different sizes for your diaper. This will allow the diaper to fit most babies from about 8 lbs - 35 lbs. An investment that will save you money throughout your diapering time.



Happy Heinys One Size diapers are available in many different colors and several adorable prints. The prints for the one size diapers are made out of the same high quality fabrics that the solids are made out of. These fabrics have been tested to last up to 12 hours at night for most babies. When you purchase a Happy Heinys One Size diaper you will receive 2 microfiber inserts (one small & one large). You may use 1 insert or both depending on how heavy your little one wets.

A big thank you to Pipsqueaks Diapers for offering a great selection, education, and for being an inspiration to us all!

BUY IT:

You can purchase Happy Heinys , Bum Genius , Fuzzi Bunz , and Snugglebums online at http://www.pipsqueaksdiapers.com

WIN IT!!!

Pipsqueaks Diapers would like to offer one lucky winner a Happy Heinys One Size in their choice of Blue Hibiscus or Burgundy - shown above!!!

MAIN ENTRY:

Visit Pipsqueaks Diapers and tell me which product they offer that you'd like to have & become a friend at Wishing Penny via Google Friend Connect. Must do both in order to win - thanks :)

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That's 10 entry methods with tons of bonus & a chance for unlimited entries with daily tweets!

Giveaway will end on July 10th at 11 :59 am EST. Winner will be selected using Random .org. I will email the winner & you will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner . Please remember to leave me your email address if it is not visible on your profile so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck to everyone :)

Disclaimer: Pipsqueaks Diapers provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. These views are my own.