Blind photographer takes unique shots

Blind photographer takes unique shots. Blind photographer creates visionary art. Craig Royal hasn't let his disability stop him from crafting a successful fine arts career. Craig Royal, a fine art photographer, was born with vision loss due to a congenital form of optic atrophy. He has been practicing photography for the last four years and his subject matter is wide and far; nature, architecture, objects and their potential for abstraction and a philosophical perspective that explores the human condition. Royal believes, "Photography is more than a form of artistic expression but also a visual aide that allows me to revel in the exquisite detail that surrounds us."

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee - Moms fume over a restaurant chain's $5 charge for infants who didn't even eat. Restaurant Apologizes for Charging $5 Baby Tax. Moms Still Fuming. Natasha Young's six-week-old son wasn't ordering off the menu at Cosmo's Restaurant in Croyden. But his mom still had to pay about $5 just to keep him on her lap at the table at England's largest eatery. Another new mom, Ana Sheridan, was told the same thing when she brought her 6-month-old daughter to the same restaurant.

"I was astonished as we explained she was exclusively breastfed and would be sitting on our laps, therefore not consuming any food or occupying an extra seat. They said it was their new policy. That was all," Sheridan told London's Evening Standard.

After an uproar over Cosmo's baby tax policy erupted in parenting forums around the Web, the restaurant posted a public apology to both women on their website for the "mistreatment by our staff."

In the same message, management also clarified their baby fee was only supposed to apply to toddlers who are actually eating the restaurant's food, not those who are swaddled in blankets, clamoring for breast-milk. "COSMO would like to assure customers that this is an isolated incident," writes Cosmo's management. "We will be retraining all employees at Croydon as a matter of urgency."

Maybe it was all a misunderstanding, but through this incident, a larger message was broadcast: Parents with young kids aren't going to take being penalized any longer. The recent trend in kid-free zones and bans on toddlers in restaurants has sparked a backlash. Many parents feel marginalized, even bullied when they take their toddlers out to a restaurant. While they may have gotten used to fellow patrons complaining about their crying babies, being charged extra for the privilege is the last straw.

Earlier this year, at a restaurant in the town of Bath, a group of moms were charged about $3 each for bringing in baby food as opposed to ordering off the children's menu. One message-board mom called the idea of a baby corkage fee "disgusting." Another wrote: "They don't charge for breastfeeding but it's probably only a matter of time!" Two weeks after the story erupted, the Bath restaurant withdrew of its baby fee and donated the profits made off of the surcharge to charity.

It was a victory for long-scorned parents and a battle cry to other establishments considering similar policies. So when word got out of Cosmo's baby charge a few months later, tempers really flared. "Shocking and shame on the management," writes one commenter on the Evening Standard's article. "You might as well charge a pregnant women for taking up extra space."

But not every parent sees it the same way. The Guardian's Hilary Osbourne defends Cosmo's staff for charging customers a baby fee. "As a parent, I know that once babies start weaning they can make a mess, and I can see why restaurants might want to charge for having to clean up after someone who is probably eating something their parents brought from home," she writes.

Guess it all boils down to what kind of 'mess' restaurants are will to clean up: a table full of baby food or a chorus of hungry parents, fed-up with being penalized every time they bring their child out to eat. Suddenly, that table isn't looking so messy.

via: yahoo

Man repays cash stolen from Sears in 1940s

Man repays cash stolen from Sears in 1940s - An elderly man haunted by a decades-old crime drops off a surprise at a Seattle store. Elderly man returns cash stolen from Sears in '40s. The manager of the Sears store in downtown Seattle says an elderly man has repaid — with interest — cash the man says he stole in the late 1940s.

5 biggest brain myths busted

5 biggest brain myths busted - It’s often said that we use only 10% of our brain, but imaging studies show a different picture. True or false: The brain’s hippocampus contains an “Oprah neuron” that lights up when we see pictures of Ms. Winfrey or even hear her name. If you guessed “false,” check out British neuroscientist Rodrigo Quian Quiroga’s quirky research, which not only found specialized Oprah neurons, but also brain cells devoted to Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, basketball great Michael Jordan, and even Luke Skywalker. There was also a brain cell that preferred watching “The Simpsons” to Madonna and Quiroga, researchers found.

Wandering wolf inspires hope and dread

Wandering wolf inspires hope and dread - Wandering wolf triggers media sensation. Sightings of a creature named "OR-7" rattle nerves and inspire an unusual campaign. A young wolf from Oregon has become a media celebrity while looking for love, tracing a zigzag path that has carried him hundreds of miles nearly to California, while his alpha male sire and a sibling that stayed home near the Idaho border are under a death warrant for killing cattle.

World's Most Secret Islands

World's Most Secret Islands - Secret islands around the world. Each of these destinations offers travelers a little patch of unspoiled paradise. We turned up 10 dreamy islands unknown to the average U.S. traveler. Looking for the perfect place to get away from it all? We searched the world and turned up 10 dreamy islands unknown to the average U.S. traveler. These little patches of unspoiled paradise, from the Great Lakes to the South China Sea, are relatively affordable and easy to get to. And the idea of getting stranded on any one of them would be, well, absolutely OK with us.

Bridal Beauty Advice from Real Brides

Bridal Beauty Advice from Real Brides - Brides share their wedding style regrets. These women wish they’d handled one or two style choices differently. Okay, okay, we know. Every bride looks gorgeous on her big day. Yet when a bride looks back at her pictures, there always seems to be something she wishes she'd done differently. That's why we rounded up 5 brides to reveal what they wish they would have done with their wedding look. Take their beauty advice and be regret-free!

1. Wedding wish: "I should have stayed truer to my fun, bold everyday style." "Now that I look back on my wedding, I think I went way too traditional with my look. I have never been labeled 'traditional' when it came to my [personal style]. I wore my hair in a very traditional way, pulled back and curled under the veil. I love bold colors but don't think that showed with my look. I am a wedding photographer now and most of the brides I shoot know exactly what they want! They have these great headpieces, small funky veils, hot pink shoes-just fun! They show their personality much more than I did."

More advice: As a photographer I'd say being too tan is out. Don't go to your wedding orange! Just be yourself. 
-Nicole Shilliday, 28, Centreville, VA

2. Wedding wish: "I could've brightened my smile more." "I loved my wedding look! I did my own hair, and a friend did my wedding makeup. I felt like me, which was key but I could have whitened my teeth. I kind of wish I'd done that, but the [teeth whitening strips] made my teeth sore so I gave it up. My teeth look fine, but sometimes I see those gleaming white bridal smiles and wish I'd had one, too!"

More advice: Keep a curling iron in your beauty station. My hair was pretty flat by the end of the night--I wish I'd set up a quick 5-minute refresher station where my bridesmaids and I could have re-fluffed a little together. -Melissa Walker, 33, Brooklyn, NY

3. Wedding wish: "I should have worn more makeup." "I didn't have any help with my wedding makeup and I felt I could have used some more to make my eye shadow stand out and last longer."

More advice: "Don't rule out wearing a veil. I was against wearing one until my mom made me try it on. I loved it so much and I wore the veil during the ceremony and the reception." -Kristin Burstein, 28, Las Vegas, NV

4. Wedding wish: "My hair was darker than I would have liked." "I am a natural blonde, but recently my hair started to get a little darker, so I got highlights before the wedding. I should have noticed that I needed more highlights before the big day. No one else probably thinks twice about this, but with my hair back, I think it was too dark."

More advice: "If you want to wear your hair up or down or however-do it. Choose what you want and feel good in, not what others think will make you happy on your big day. Practice your wedding day look and take photos of it from all angles to see what looks good." 
-Bethany Lyons, 31, New York, NY

5.Wedding wish: "I should have done my own makeup." "I had my wedding makeup professionally done and I paid way too much money for a look that wasn't special at all! I think I should have had a makeup consultation at the mall or something so that I had some pointers that I would benefit from-not just for my wedding makeup but every day as well. I didn't even like my lipstick color!"

More advice: "For my wedding I meant to be tanner, smaller, have whiter teeth, and blonder hair by the big day. Whoops! It turns out, you're great just the way you are so I would say don't stress so much about those things." -Jen Mills, 28, Lexington, KY

via: yahoo

Christmas flowers

Christmas flowers - Holiday flowers like it cool. When it comes to holiday flowers, including poinsettias, paper white narcissus, Christmas cactus, cyclamen and mums, remember to watch the heat. These lovely plants, carefully nurtured in climate-controlled greenhouses, do not demand the same room temperature as do you. You may prefer about 70 for sheer comfort. Flowering plants like it lower. And too-warm temps can shorten their life.

Hot fashion deals for Black Friday

Hot fashion deals for Black Friday - Here are the 10 stores that will have the deepest discounts, and the chicest offerings. The Ultimate Black Friday Sales. Planning your Black Friday shopping strategy? Here are the 10 stores with the deepest discounts—and chicest offerings.

When: 11/25

Deal: At least 50 percent off already discounted wool coats, cashmere, leather gloves—pretty much everything you’d already want to get at this mid-priced department store. Labels include Calvin Klein, Michael Michael Kors and Nicole Miller.

When: 11/25 and 11/26—doors open at 6pm.

Deal: The cosmetics superstore offers up its own brand of "doorbusters," from “buy 2 get 2 free” deals on items like body wash and blush, to 50 percent off items like a Conair curling iron ($9.99, marked down from $19.99). And everyone who spends $50 gets an ice bucket and a pair of glasses.

When: 11/25

Deal: Special “doorbuster” prices on tons of electronics. Apple’s iPod Touch 8GB comes with at $40 gift card ($195), Xbox 360 4GB console is marked down to $139 (from $199.99) and Samsung 32” LCD HDTV is discounted to $277.99 (from $443.99).

When: 11/25 from 4am-1pm; 11/26 from 8am-1pm.

Deal: At Macy's, you'll get markdowns on plenty of jewelry, handbags, shoes, home goods and travel accessories. A five-piece Fairfield luggage set is $49.99 (from $200), Tommy Hilfiger’s men’s leather jacket is $99.99 (from $450) and cashmere sweaters start at $39.99 (from $99).

When: 11/24 at 10pm-11/25 until closing.

Deal: Yes, there are massive discounts to be had on computers and assorted gadgets, but you can stock up on jewelry and clothes at Walmart, too. Ladies’ bangle watches start at $5, Isotoner gloves start at $6.97 and Lei jeans are just $9.97.

When: 11/24 from midnight to midnight; 11/26 6am-midnight.

Deal: Not only will shoppers get $15 for every $50 they spend, they’ll also get 55-60 percent off selected jewelry (plus an extra 20 percent off of that price). For instance, a 2 ct diamond bracelet, originally $800, will be discounted to $149.99.

When: 11/23-11/27

Deal: Save up to 60 percent off the entire store.

Get discounts on everything you need for cold weather, from cable knit sweaters to the perfect skinny jeans. And there’s more: from the time your local Gap opens on Black Friday until noon, women’s jeans and sweaters start at $19, kids’ hoodies are $15 and men’s and women’s long-sleeved tees are $10.

When: 11/25-11/28

Deal: Along with 10-75 percent off clearance items, including bedroom furniture and linens, the home goods emporium is also offering 25 percent off its range of wine glasses.

When: 11/25

Deal: Almost everything in the store is half-off. Black Friday is particularly special at Brooks Brothers. The preppy purveyor slashes its regular prices in half—as in, stuff that NEVER goes on sale is discounted. A lambswool sweater dress, for instance, will be marked down from $198 to $99.

When: 11/25

Deal: Whether you’re looking for an I Heart Ronson dress or Liz Claiborne jewelry, there will be discounts up to 70 percent off in-store. Several styles of kids’ coats, for instance, are just $15.99.

via: yahoo

Black Friday shoppers find bargains with less brouhaha

Black Friday shoppers find bargains with less brouhaha - Extended Black Friday hours may have angered those store employees who had to work before their turkey dinners were digested, but many shoppers were happy with this year's earlier store opening times because they found fewer raucous crowds and shorter lines as a result of the extended hours.

Best Black Friday deals at big box stores

Best Black Friday deals at big box stores - Get a handy list of the biggest doorbusters at the major retailers before heading out. Black Friday 2011: Deals From Walmart, Target, Best Buy and More. While Black Friday is not necessarily the best day of the year to shop, it is still the most ritualistic shopping "holiday" with several stores opening at 12 a.m. Friday (or even earlier) with limited-time deals.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Celebrating a Thanksgiving tradition. The annual parade rolls through the crowded streets of New York beneath brilliant sunshine. Spectators cheered and sang on Thursday as the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade made its way through the crowded streets of Manhattan beneath brilliant sunshine.

Little Girl & Beatboxer Create Catchy Tune

Little Girl & Beatboxer Create Catchy Tune - Video: This unlikely duo comes up with one sweet track by combining bird-calling noises with traditional beatboxing. Street performer shows off dubstep beatboxing skills.

Black Friday guide

Black Friday guide: Where to go and shop - One retail expert calls out three stores you should make your "go-to" stops. Black Friday 101 Where to Go, What to Buy. As Thanksgiving approaches, many consumers aren't talking turkey. They're talking deals, and already have visions of doorbusters dancing in their heads. Despite the weak economy, this year's Black Friday is expected to be bigger than ever, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Best Black Friday Deals

Best Black Friday Deals - Best Black Friday Deals on TVs, Computers and iPads, Media Players and Other Electronics. Black Friday has something of a reputation -- and for good reason. If you're willing to brave the hordes, the discounts are substantial. I've been covering this shopping frenzy for the last eight years, and this year may be one of the best ever for doorbuster deals on TVs, Blu-ray DVD players, and oddly, laser printers. Here are my top picks for the best Black Friday deals available.

Millions savor NYC Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade

Millions savor Macy's NYC Thanksgiving Day parade - Thanksgiving Day parade, About 3.5 million people were expected to crowd the route of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York on Thursday while an additional 50 million watched from home. A jetpack-wearing monkey and a freakish creation from filmmaker Tim Burton are two of the big new balloons that will make their inaugural appearances, while Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne and the Muppets are scheduled to take the stage at the end of the route in Herald Square.

How to Make Perfect Gravy

How to Make Perfect Gravy - Step-by-step guide to great gravy. The secret is in the delicious brown caramelized bits you get at the bottom of the turkey roasting pan. For the past couple of years, we've grilled our turkey outside on our charcoal grill. I love the subtle smokiness of the meat and I love the way it frees up space in the oven. But there is one downfall. The gravy suffers. Why? The secret to the perfect gravy (flavor-wise) is those delicious brown caramelized bits you get at the bottom of the roasting pan. And you can really only achieve those if you roast your bird in the oven.

Little Girl & Beatboxer Create Catchy Tune

Little Girl & Beatboxer Create Catchy Tune - Video: This unlikely duo comes up with one sweet track by combining bird-calling noises with traditional beatboxing. Street performer shows off dubstep beatboxing skills.

Thanksgiving prayers and blessings

We come to join in the banquet of love.

Let it open our hearts and break down the fears

that keep us from loving each other.

~sung by the Dominican nuns

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lord most giving and resourceful,

I implore you;

make it your will

that this people enjoy

the goods and riches you naturally give,

that naturally issue from you,

that are pleasing and savory,

that delight and comfort,

though lasting but briefly,

passing away as if in a dream.

~Aztec Prayer from the 1500's

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams,which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs,

which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

WE return thanks to the corn,

and to her sisters, the beans and squash, which give us life.

We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit.

We return thanks to the wind,

which, moving the air, has banished diseases.

We return thanks to the moon and the stars,

which have given us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to our grandfather He-no,

that he has protected his grandchildren from witches and reptiles,

and has given to us his rain.

We return thanks to the sun,

that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,

in whom is embodied all goodness,

and who directs all things for the good of his children.

~Iroquois Prayer from the 1800's

Though our mouths were full of song as the sea,

and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,

and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;

though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,

and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,

and our feet were swift as hinds,

we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,

O Lord our God and God of our fathers,

for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part of the bounties

which thou has bestowed upon our fathers and upon us.

~from the Hebrew Prayer Book

Call out to the Almighty

Everyone on earth!

Serve God with gladness.

Come before Him with joyous song!

Know that the Almighty, He is God.

It is He who made us and we are His,

His nation and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving.

Enter His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

The Almighty is good.

His loving-kindness endures forever.

And His faithfulness continues

From generation to generation.

~Psalm 100

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be

And bless these gifts

Bestowed by Thee.

And bless our loved ones everywhere,

And keep them in Your loving care.

~Moravian Blessing

To our Gods of old, we bless the ground

that you tred in search of our freedom!

We bless your presence in our lives and in our hearts!

Take of this offering to your delight,

and be filled with our prayers of thanksgiving!

May our lives remain as full as our hearts on this day!

~Yoruban Prayer

O, heavenly Father: We thank thee for food and remember the hungry.

We thank thee for health and remember the sick.

We thank thee for friends and remember the friendless.

We thank thee for freedom and remember the enslaved.

May these remembrances stir us to service,

that thy gifts to us may be used for others. Amen.

~Abigail van Buren “Dear Abby”

Thanks to Thee, O God, that I have risen today,

to the rising of this life itself;

may it be to Thine own glory,

O God of every gift, and to the glory, aid Thou my soul.

With the aiding of Thine own mercy,

even as I clothe my body with wool,

cover Thou my soul with the shadow of Thy wing.

Help me to avoid every sin,

And the source of every sin to forsake,

and as the mist scatters on the crest of the hills,

may each ill haze clear from my soul, O God.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - Irish

May the Lord accept this, our offering,

and bless our food that it may bring us strength in our body,

vigor in our mind and selfless devotion in our hearts for His service.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - India: Swami Paramananda

This ritual is one.

The food is one.

We who offer the food are one.

The fire of hunger is also one.

All action is one.

We who understand this are one.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - Hindu Prayer For Meals

Steve Jobs' $4.6B in Disney shares go to trust

Steve Jobs' $4.6B in Disney shares go to trust - Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs' $4.6 billion worth of shares in The Walt Disney Co. are now in a trust run by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs. That's according to a securities filing made Wednesday. Jobs acquired the 138 million shares when Disney bought his Pixar Animation Studios for $7.4 billion in 2006. With a 7.7 percent stake, Jobs' trust is Disney's largest single shareholder.

Jobs bought the fledgling computer imaging company from "Star Wars" creator George Lucas for a total investment of $10 million in 1986 and kept it going with his own money.

He later took Pixar public after the successful debut of "Toy Story" in 1995.

The creative executive behind the iPod, iPhone and iPad died last month at age 56 after battling pancreatic cancer.

via: yahoo