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Tuesday, November 29, 2005People are seperated by continental boundaries, vast expanses of the ocean blue and borders between countries. Borders and boundaries aside, the populace of the planet wherever they hail from have much in common at heart This includes visiting my blog to catch the latest on my writing, The Tattoo Teen Newspaper, travel tools and pieces, the latest of Canadian and affairs abroad, emotional and social sides of life and much much more! Over the course of the next 4 months I will be jetting and riding the rails to four countries on two continents as well as going on a winter trip snoeshowing amongst the woods of Temagami, Ontario a well established widely popular outdoor recreation hotspot here in Canada with my alternate school, the 5 month outdoor leadership program I'm posting regulary on The Bronte Creek Project . I will have journals, humour political and photography covering the countries of Mexico, Belgium including Brussels , France including Paris and New York State, Connecticut and Massachusetts in that order in the USA. Over the past 5 weeks here's a the majority of where all of you have been clicking your way into my blog from. Now with the dawn of a new Canadian Prime Minister and my first opportunity to make my premiere electoral vote I will provide weekly coverage on all things Canadian election. As always travel, foreign affairs and interelationships, and the social sectors of society will be covered with creative flair. Enjoy and keep checking back, I always love to hear from you. Please feel free to email me any comments, questions or queries to me at teague.neal@gmail.com or enter your name and post on my comment board on the right-hand side of my blog. Enjoy! A selection people have been visiting from across the world: Japan Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, United States Queensland, Townsville, Australia New York, Queensbury, United States Singapore Arizona, Tucson, United States Cumming, Georgia, United States Canyon Country, California, United States Western Australia, Perth, Australia Riverside, California , United States Ontario, Ottawa, Canada Allentown, Pennsylvania , United States Atlanta, Georgia , United States Saskatoon, Saskatchewan , Canada Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States Nashville, Tennessee, United States Pakistan Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Aurora, Nebraska, United States India Colchester, Connecticut, United States United Kingdom Spain Herdon, Virginia, United States Alcalá De Henares, Spain Waco, Texas, United States Spain Iceland Calgary, Alberta, Canada Malta Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States Everett, Washington, United States as well as yesterday's vistors all on November 28th: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Singapore Colchester, Connecticut, United States New York City, New York, United States San Francisco, California, United States Toronto, Ontario, Canada Tuscon, Arizona, United States Malaysia Queretaro, Mexico Calgary, Alberta, Canada Tuscon, Arizona , United States Pasadena, Texas, United States Urbana, Illinois, United States Queretaro, Mexico My fans have been hailing from 13 countries spanning the globe from: Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan, India United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain Canada, United States, Mexico Australia, Iceland  My fellow Canadians have been visiting from across Canada coast to coast from 4 provinces and major Canadian cities including: Alberta including Calgary Saskatchewan including Saskatoon Ontario including Ottawa & Toronto Nova Scotia including Halifax  Americans have been hopping on my blog from across the United States from 13 states including: New York , Connecticut, Penselvaynia, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Illinois, Wyoming, Nebraska,Oklohoma Tennessee, California, Georgia, Arizona and Texas including the major American cities: New York City, San Francisco, Pasedena, Tuscon, Nashville, Atlanta and Oklohoma City 
Teague Neal blogged on 12:27 AM
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Monday, November 28, 2005Do you wonder where the sometime secret, perfect potion of love comes from. Where is that mysterious mixture concoted from? Where does the beautiful balance that pulls the weights evenly the majority of the time like a perfectly balanced scale come from? Why is is that these teams of two love yet hate, maintain peace yet inflict internal war upon themselves? Why is that the pod containing the peas bursts? Why does the window of oppurtunity, of lusty love crack and shatter? Where is human attraction for that beloved boyfriend or gorgeous girlfriend obtained from? Let's take it down to the basics and take a peek at the chemistry. Courtesy of my Indian friend from Calcutta, India:  Chemistry of Love Symbol : ILU Atomic No. : 2 Atomic Weight : Varies from couple to couple Position on Periodic Table : Close to Heart Occurance : Occurs in highly reactive state in college compounds, cinema halls, parks and bus stops. Method of Preparation : By action of beauty upon heart, an exothermic reaction resulting in higher rate of blood circulation and faster heart beat. By combination of two complex compounds commonly known as a boy and a girl or two of the same. Catalysts Used : Friends, cousins, movies, restaurants and a highly active imagination. Reducing Agents : Parents, neighbours, teachers and society. Girl + Parents , Explosion resulting in loss of saline water from tear glands. Boy + Reducing Agents , Rebellions Physical Properties: Physical State : Gas at human temperature. Colour : Varying shades of pink. Odour : Strong enough to sweep one off one's feet. Chemical Properties : Action on Scientists : Love + Scientist Philosopher Action on Teenagers : Love + Teenager Poet Reacts vigourously with suppression. Cannot be dissociated by use of "Scold" and "Beat" energy. Uses : Helps in food economy, as one who is in love forgets to eat and drink. Small and subtle dosage is necessary, as it is good for the body and the mind Raw material for movie theme. Non-conventional source of energy. Physical Properties :- Physical State : Gas at human temperature. Colour : Varying shades of pink. Odour : Strong enough to sweep one off one's feet. Chemical Properties :- Action on Scientists : Love + Scientist equates Philosopher Action on Teenagers : Love + Teenagers equates Poet Reacts vigourously with suppression. Cannot be dissociated by use of "Scold" and "Beat" energy. Uses : Helps in food economy, as one who is in love forgets to eat and drink. Small and subtle dosage is necessary, as it is good for the body and the mind. Raw material for movie theme. Non-conventional source of energy. Inference : Though chemistry and I tried to define love, it still remains undefined!!! 
Teague Neal blogged on 11:45 PM
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The Tattoo continues game play this week with the third of four editions we are taking to print and the Internet. Visit The Tattoo now to read all the reviews that were part of a extensive playing period where writers across the United States and myself in Canada outside Toronto tested and tried an assortment of games. Now out just at the brink of the Christmas shopping spree is the continued series of these reviews and news pieces of all things game. This week includes my latest article for The Tattoo: a review on the nifty and novel fast paced card game Zigity co-written with staff writer & cartoonist Joe Keo of Bristol, Connecticut, USA. Today's page also includes: Bristol, CT staff writers Katie Jordan's review on the downer game Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul The Game any why it didn't pass the test, Katie Haire's review on the visual artsy game Squint and review of challenging trial like trivia game Whad ya know and a look at the 20th anniversary edition of trivia classic Trivial Pursuit and what it's like now by staff writer Zach Brokenrope of Nebraska, USA. Last but not least check the cartoon, the newest piece by our California cartoonist Michel Lee taking a jab at Monopoly and its many versions. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com Teague Neal blogged on 1:36 AM
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Saturday, November 26, 2005 In commeration of the Canadian and American International Buy Nothing Day today November 25th at The Bronte Creek Project we held a bartering blowout in the dining hall. All laid out their goods up for trading at tables filling the room. Some selections included books, toys, clothing of all sorts that was no longer wanted by their owner. There was a ton of goodies out on display including skateboard & band hooded sweaters, gift cards for music stores, DVD's, Nintendo GameCube games, chunks of fudge, pieces of chocolate cake and much more. Everyone perused the tables carrying armfuls of some truly super stuff up for trading. People debated back and forth what they were willing to trade and for what. One of the Bronte teachers suggested that people write what they could make for other people in case their mind blanked or they couldn't scrounge up any selling materials. The idea caught on and fast, even people with masses of materials up for sale started writing out everything under the sun on slips of paper. This included a beautiful paid date out, food from McDonalds, cups of coffee, and promises of a batch or two of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies among other goodies! Over the past couple weeks my family scanned corners of our house for a bunch of items and in the end came up with a wide variety to vend. I laid out all my goods in a section of tabletop and many people had their interest captured by my items. My grouping of goods included : a bottle of high quality scented hand lotion, a stuffed animal of a baby chick, a new toothbrush, a leather belt, notepads with different designs imprinted, handmade beaded bracelets I've made and a pair of pink shades! Entering this novel brainstorm of a bazaar I really was completely open minded and very naive and not at all sure what was to come forth. In keeping with the usual attitude at Bronte people were extremely friendly and even more open for different deals and ways to go about making the deal successful. You would either rest at your post in your personal mini market where your stuff was and barter there. Bartering also happened on the fly where you would simply grab a bunch of what you thought to be suitable objects and carry them over to your desired stuff of someone else's. While the exchange was open for trading, I would do a combination of these methods and it was highly successful. Many delightful products were attained through several successful trades. I got a copy of The Bourne Identity which I have been mentally meaning to buy for a longtime and now it's mine. In exchange for simply a single package of the dipping candy similar to FunDip. BEST BARTER: FOR Mark Ciesluk a student writer penned an opinion piece on Buy Nothing Day from the student newspaper of Brock University in Canada's capital Ottawa, Ontario among many believe that it's just a superficial hoax of a day that does nothing for people's mindsets, opinions and the world of people's purchasing powers globally. He believes that the fact that we are so entrenched in material culture that it is far too late and there is little point in even trying to turn back now. You may as well sit back and enjoy it. That life is not fair, the world is not filled with equality and you may as well face it. An Estonian man by the name of Kalle Lasn brought about the beginnings of International Buy Nothing Day after he moved across the pond to the USA. His concept on creating this day set aside from what was modeled at Bronte, spending a day trading goods back and forth amognst family, friends and an assortment of traders. This is to show the world of consumerism that we do believe in the essence of life and we don't absolutely need to have the latest multi purpose printer, the latest model of ipod, the best of the best and we can spend 24 hours without putting money down at stores across our own countries and around the world. Promoting a world and lifestyle where we don't need to be completely obsessed and self reliant of the masses of material stuff that we crave and collect. The day is honored by anti-consumerist shoppers across the planet in Canada & the USA on the same day as well as on different days across Asia, Europe and in Oceania in New Zealand compromising 22 countries on four continents. This day really opens eyes and makes people ponder, ponder a life of simpler means with less impact. MY OTHER TRADING SUCCESSES: FOR  A colourful purse similar to the one I bartered for!  FOR  The Travel Lite Brite I bartered for, a great deal!  AND  FOR   FOR  FROM   FOR  A box of the beloved bubbly Chinese tea creation!  FOR
In return I was handed a handbook on all things writer similar to this one after I grabbed I saw it sticking out of a bag, the beggining of this trade! Teague Neal blogged on 5:46 PM
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Thursday, November 24, 2005Log onto The Tattoo and read a unique take on the Thanksgiving table that is taken during American Thanksgiving that was officially celebrated today across the United States. Michel Lee of Turlock, California outside San Francisco writes all about the most innovative approach her and her family takes for Thanksgiving. Her whole family minus her father is vegetarian and they enjoy celebrating their native Korean culture. See how it's all done in her latest articleBetween Plymouth Rock and a hard place detailing how it's done. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com Teague Neal blogged on 7:34 PM
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Wednesday, November 23, 2005 The Family Guy movie recently came out to impress and awe fans, check what The Tattoo thinks! Good friend and Terryville, Connecticut, USA writer Stefan Koski has watched the movie then watched it again and once more for good measure. He tells all about what his observations are and gives his views. Why it's a star rated movie and the sides of the story that deserve a turkey. Don't miss it, check out his piece called Family Guy movie delivers laughs online now. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com or Stefan himself on his blog Teague Neal blogged on 5:00 PM
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Tuesday, November 22, 2005 Scanning through my Singapore friend Geri Soon's blog tonight I came across this very cool personality quiz she took which I just finished taking myself. It peers into your persona posing pertinent questions. Tabulating the results it creates a character for you that best resembles you on Sesame Street! Check it out and take the test. In my younger days I used to be a major fan and constant watcher of Sesame Street, I loved every moment of it. To this day we still have many Sesame Street videos lining our shelves. In fact it's nearly time to pull out probably the oldest we own yet my all time favourite. It's a Christmas special that has tons of carol singing, humourous Christmas parties and much more. The classic moment of the movie though is when Bert, Ernie and Oscar the grouch (the grump who is permanently planted in the garbage can if you can't recall) are spinning super fast around the skating rink. Oscar then goes flying through the glass shattering it and crashes down several sets of staircases landing badly banged at the feet of my favourite character Big Bird! How I adore Big Bird but Snuffleupagus is interesting no doubt, never thought of myself as a brown elephant like creature, though I do love elephants. Enjoy and have fun with the test!
Teague Neal blogged on 6:02 PM
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Monday, November 21, 2005The Fun and Games series continues rolling along with The Tattoo with a collection of further game reviews done our staff writers who tried, tested and think through over many months. The countless game sessions have come together forming a four part collection of pages showing these reviews and articles that provide insight into how the behind the scenes production, marketing, selection and invention of board games happen nowadays. This week's issue includes: my good friend & Terryvillce, Connecticut, U.S. Tattoo staff writer Stefan Koski's game review of Face 2 Face's aggressive and ardent Boomtown, review of Scrabble like word game BuyWord by Bristol, Connecticut staff writer Katie Jordan, review of Hoopla an activity based game by Bristol, CTstaff writer Josh Blacker- his Tattoo debut! Also part of today's package includes review of Out of the Box's word expression game Apples to Apples by Bristol, CT staff writers Katie Haire & Justin Skaradosky. Nebraska, U.S. staff writer Zach Brokenrope looks at the jobs of those who design and develop board games for their living. Don't miss the cartoons by award winning Bristol, CT Tattoo cartoonist Joe Keo & the cartoons by staff writer & cartoonist of California Michel Lee. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com Teague Neal blogged on 12:00 AM
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Saturday, November 19, 2005Global Trading and Perspective Both groups headed to the huge space that reminds me of what British authour and mastermind of Harry Potter J.K Rowling pens, The Bronte Creek Project's Great Hall. It's a vast space with huge beams lining the vaulted celings where a wide variety of events and activities are held. We came in off the bus and were sent into groups of several citizens of countries, seven to be exact. Tables were set up around the dining hall each representing one of the countries belonging to the World Trade Organization mimicing life in the reality. We partook in a global trading activity that started with stencils at our table. These stencils must be cut out, by hand in undeveloped nations including Niger, Nigeria & Hati, using protractors and rulers in developing nations including Brazil, Cuba & India and using scissors in the developed nation of Japan. These shapes once cut out must be fabricated constantly using the stack of construction paper on the table. Just as in real life depending on the quality of the product (the shapes) the workers at the Desk would reject or accept the shapes based on a number of factors. These factors being whether the shapes were cut correctly, well formed as well as whether or not they filled the If not then the price was lowered, this especially took a toll on the undeveloped nations such as my country of Nigeria. United Nations meetings were also held periodically with certain trade treaties being formed and agreed upon simulating reality and other disputes settled. A variety of natural resources were also on the table represented by stickers including fish, parrots and other wildlife that could be sold to the World Trade Organization Desk. This game continued on for an hour or so as countries suceeded and struggled. Certain countries rain into deficit as much as 1.5 million for Niger which is much the same as you would have in real life. Wealthy and powerful countries including Japan did extremely well whisking up the money and countries. Very quickly a major alliance formed taking in Cuba almost instaneously along with India, Hati and others. Following the trading a break was taken and all leaders took a repose. We then broke away from our country groups and were led back up again by the COOP students once again, this time with them acting as security guards. They led us into the completely transformed dining hall to one of three eating areas. Two students were sent to sit on the fireplace with nothing, absolutely nothing but a couple costume pieces. These people represented the more than 1.2 billion beggars on the streets across the globe scrambling for morsels of food and a couple coins. This represents over 1/6th of the world's population. Many people living in wealthy countries including Canada, the United States, Eastern Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand live their life in extreme comfort and the bulk of the population would not see or fully comprehend this serious lack of justice, balance and even basics. These two students simply had to go around and beg for everything including a cup, cutlery, water and food. A desperate beggar in India trying to rub off a few coins or a piece of food where the distance between the haves and have nots is one of the highest in the world The next level up from the beggars were the poverty stricken who sat cross legged on a tarp. They represent the more than 2/3 of the globe who live with barely anything. They have very little money from their meagrely paid jobs from picking peaches in Canada & the U.S. to sewing shirts in China or making beds at a Spanish run resort in the Caribbean. They do eat and drink but never or rarely enough and not quality food that is causing them serious malnutrition issues across Africa and across the world. This group of students simply had washed but not cut carrot and celery stalks. Along with bowls of plain white rice and pitchers of water to drink. They were very boerd of eating such a simple meal and got a lot of deliveries of food from the rich and middle class tables. This does occur in the real world though sadly much less than what was occuring at The Bronte Creek Project. These students represented the poor people of the earth.   Another group who made up the middle class of society one that makes up the majority of society in many countries around the world. This as in the article above can be classified into categories of all sorts. This is very much dependant upon those who are doing so. However generally speaking this group does not lap in luxury with palaces, multiple Mercedes or groups of golden gauntlets. These people live a extremely privelaged life even though they don't have every fragment that could have. Depending on what part of this populace you are a part of you can live very comfortably with lots of flexibility. You donate to a series of charities as I do, you are able to partake in quite a bit of travel and own several cars and have the technology and comforts such as air conditioning, heat and space, space in a house where you do not feel cramped up to the person next to you. This group also is made up of those who do have a fair amount but do need to keep an eye on their budjet and spending habits as they have less yet still much more than those in other less fortunate countries. These students sat at the regular painted wooden table used in the dining hall, with cutlery and pitchers of juice. We had toasted pita triangles to begin our meal followed by a bean and vegetable stew. This group that I was personally part of also donated to the poor and beggars as they wished.    The wealthy of the planet have many definitions according to many including in this article in the Global Policy Forum. The wealthy are those who don't have to worry about money, unless they are wasting vast amounts of it or deciding what cause it needs to go to. The line between upper middle class and rich is a dotted line but does have a difference. That difference is simply the level of living is that much higher with the extra creature comforts such as exquisite imported vehicles, lavish trips or vast sums of money that are sent forth to charities such as World Vision Canada. Many are generous and spread this wealth, some take it all for themselves. This collection of cash can be gathered through inheritance through family lines, owning a large corporation or through wise investment and living. For the lunch these select students sat at a linen lined table topped with lit Chinese lanterns, candles and a host of condiments including everything from two types of hot sauce to two types of mustard and all the additions you would ever want. They began their meal with a series of extensive fruit and cheese trays piled high. This continued with a healthy portion of pasta salad. They then feasted on vegetarian burgers with their array of fixings. Following fondue was next up on their table, they dunked large chunks of fruit into the silky smooth chocolate as it simmered over a flame. They were then served coffee tableside from shining stainless steel pitchers. This represented the upper scale of society.       This shows in essence that the top portion of the glass being the majority of the globe's money reserve. Though this is the majority of money used across the planet, it's only used by 20% of the world though its 80% of the cash. The other 20% live or tragically often die off of this remaining corner of currency being the stem of the champagne glass. This truly along spotlights the extreme inequality that we have in our modern day world in 2005. One that we need to continue to crush not create. One that has us giving World Vision a call and not just flipping stations when their commercial comes up on our telelvisions. This lunch truly gave a glimpse into this delicate world we live in together. Living together in my and millions of minds should be one that is shared and enjoyed by all, not just a majority. Each and every one of the 6 billion people walking Earth deserves a chance. A chance to take in life for all it's worth, a chance to see the world for all its worth and a chance live their life for all its worth and then some more. Teague Neal blogged on 4:15 PM
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Wednesday, November 16, 2005American Tattoo staffer Samantha Perez of St. Bernard, Louisiana just outside New Orleans is still penning words of emotion and excitement. She's a survivor of the August 23rd , 2005 Hurricane Katrina that washed through the Gulf Coast of the southern U.S. killing many and completely devastating the region. Perez has been garnering lots of attention across media and the Internet. Many readers pulled their resources and money together in response to The Tattoo's call from the cause of giving Perez a new laptop as her former home computer was completely submerged in the unforgiving waters of Katrina that plunged her house and town in deep depths destroying and devastating. Today Perez's two further journals documenting her life in a trailer in another part of lashed Louisiana along the Gulf Coast and much more about the state of affairs in her, friend, family and state's of affairs. Be sure to check them out by going to The Tattoo and clicking on the Hurricane Journal icon on the left-hand side of our homepage. Her latest entries including the latest issue as printed in The Bristol Press in Connecticut, USA. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com Teague Neal blogged on 8:43 PM
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Tuesday, November 15, 2005 The Bronte Creek Project is a 5 month sensational school alternative program that students in areas just outside Toronto can go to. It teaches those students who are accepted after the application an array of skills including: leadership , cooperation, appreciation, outdoor living , cooking , geography, environmental, teaching and working with kids ranging in age from 10- 12 years and much much more. Those 40 or so who enter the program have the unique opportunity to live as a small community of just over 40 including teacher assistants, teachers and COOP students. COOP students are those who have completed The Bronte Creek Project recently or even a couple years back in time, they maintain a leading and teaching role alongside the teachers. They guide and mentor the students to whom Bronte Creek is a whole new experience. It's run by the Halton District School Board , a area of five cities that range in size from my city Oakville of 150,000 to the small town of Georgetown at 31,000. The program is run on a stunning site spanning 100 acres in the city of Milton an hour north-west of Toronto. Here students are placed into two groups with funky names such as my current semester "Burnt Salads" being my group and "Pine Cones" or "Nodules" being the other. These are created using inside jokes that developed early on. They indentify the two groups that form the group at large which are approximately 15 or so students in size. We do a wide range of activities that are all much more hands-on and creatively based than what you find in traditional classroom based schools, that has become for many students the laborious and dry school they attend. One where they only want to return home as they spend nearly all their time staring at a blackboard or overhead screen copying notes or listening to the teacher. Bronte Creek Project is in its own class all together, what fills the 5 1/2 hours each day changes completely each day. You walk off the bus that's provided for all students up the stairs in the main entrance of the lodge style building and read your group's whiteboard. It may say "Meet in the Dining Hall for a work period", "Meet by the flagpole for a hike", "Meet at the bottom of the big hill for a special surprise" or anything else under the sun literally you go on a large group hike into the woods exploring the acres of forest around you and then sit down in a circle in a valley, inside a shelter or a hill and compare your weekend to a metaphor. This week's for example how was your weekend like a cereal? We do healthy active living activities that relate to the program either through cooperation and teamwork such as indoor and outdoor versions of the beloved classic Capture the Flag or Bronte's very own creations. One favourite of many is called "Pirate's Gold". "Pirate's Gold has two hula hoops each with a crate inside them on either side of a outdoor area or our Great Hall in the lodge. Filling the crate are chunks of precious blue gold or chunks of foam that each team must bring to the opposing side. You must not get caught traveling to or from or you are sent to jail. It's a face paced game that promotes lots of strategy forming, teamwork and cooperation. A multitude of highly creative activities are done daily. When we were learning about how soil is formed and created we had to go outside with our teacher assistant and collect a pile of decomposing material including leaves, twigs soil and silt. We put these into our ZipLoc bags, sealing them tightly. As the TA led us through a sudden series of extreme and common weather patterns we smashed the contents. She would say "There is a light rain so the soil is getting a light workout as we would crash hammers and mallets into our bags. "Oh my god there is a huge hurricane crashing through the area" and we would pound the living daylights out in the end creating a form of soil. Perhaps going to a grouping of trees and standing inside our "home" either a hula hoop or marked area and searching for food. Food consisted of various coloured cards representing food, water, shelter and more. We had to run back and forth from our home gathering as many resources as possible. The catch was that 3 of the bears that we became each had their own disabilities. One was blinded, having a blindfold over her eyes. Another bear had a broken leg and scarred head with a partial eye cover and hopping as his only form of transportation. Another was mother bear with a huge stomach created by stuffing a towel up their shirt. She had to gather much more food than everyone else to feed her starving young. We then collected the cards and head inside to the laid back classroom called 'The Fishbowl" and sat inside a taped box. This box we remained in as we totaled the points on of many portable white boards that rotate throughout the lodge and classrooms. The number of food, water, meat and resources dictated whether you remained off dead or alive. We were asked how we felt about sitting in the cramped taped area of the floor and if we would like to remain living there. This furthered our knowledge as we studied biocapacities and the ecocapacities of the environment and that everything has a limit in a certain area. That all living things in areas across the globe fluctuate naturally and forcefully depending on the circumstances. All without staring at a single overhead sheet. There are also 3 types of teaching programs for younger kids who come up to the site and spend the day, night or three days learning all about environmental studies. These activities that include a wide assortment of subjects all related to how the environment works, how it's being harmed and how it must be protected. The grade 4 program is a much easier more prop based set of activities that's called "Novice Earthkeepers" that takes place over the course of a day. In this secret messages are learned gradually teaching them more and more grade 5 program takes place over two days including a overnight called "Earthkeepers". In this type keys are earned standing for the acronyms: E xperience Y ou S haring Other programming including campfire, structured free time and a variety of indoor and outdoor games are also hosted. Students have the opportunity to cook and man meals for up to 150 people in the kitchen. During "regular" days cooking and cleaning groups rotate cooking a variety of vegetarian cuisine that can include pesto pasta, chili, stir fries, burritos or any one of a host of hot meals served up daily. This is often accompanied by fresh chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake or apple crisp among other deserts. Students really bond and create a real sense of teamwork as they hone their cooking skills, problem solve and direct the flow of creating masses of food each day in the commercial kitchen. For one day each semester each student has the opportunity to participate in the "Menu assignment". This involves researching your very own meal of choice, researching its impact, production and ingredients. In addition to going to grocery stores to price each item. On the chosen day you lead the group to help you form your culinary masterpieces kitchen is a good place to express yourself creatively as comments are always welcome and to really get to know your group and improve your skills in many regards. In addition to all of this, there is a more hands-on geography class that takes place by doing a similar creative activity to those previously mentioned and then heading inside. Teague Neal blogged on 4:05 PM
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Sunday, November 13, 2005Go online now to The Tattoo and check out the first of our four installments of Fun and Games. It's a series of issues that take a look at board, card, intellectual and electronic games. Tattoo staff writers from five American states and myself from Canada have been playing these games for many months testing them out and sorting the good from the bad. We have played them, looking at how easy they are to understand, how many people they appeal to, how solid the instructions and rules are that come with the game and much more. The Tattoo has also taken a magnifying glass to the relatively unkown world of the pondering and production of games in the 21st century. The premiere issue includes: game reviews on activity based Hoopla by Bristol, Connecticut, U.S. staff writer Josh Blacker by Cranium and wacky word Byword by Bristol, Connecticut staff writer Katie Jordan. Also don't forget to revel and read Nebraska, U.S. staff writer Zach Brokenrope's piece on taking a look at the highly successful American game company Out of the Box taking a behind the scenes look at the world and and workthat happens before a game hits the shelf. Also included a crazy cartoon by award winning Tattoo cartoonist Joe Keo of Bristol, Connecticut. Feel free to email your comments to The Tattoo at thetattoo@gmail.com THIS IS MY POST NUMBER 50! Teague Neal blogged on 11:40 PM
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Newly added my blog is now online with a feed through Feed Burner, subsribe to it through my new feed address at http://feeds.feedburner.com/TeagueNeal-hisLifeInterestsAndWriting. Be sure to subscribe to this to keep updated on all the writing for The Tattoo Teen Newspaper , software, travel, Canadian social services and programs, world issues and much much more. Alternatively simply enter your email address in the white box titled "Click here to join my feed"on the right-hand side of this blog. It can be under my "Services" heading and hit subscribe. Thus automatically signing you up for my feed and allowing you to receive updates periodically on my posts here on this site. Feel free to email any questions to me at teague.neal@gmail.com . Teague Neal blogged on 2:27 AM
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Saturday, November 12, 2005Have you ever wondered what our world looks like when most of the lights are extinguished? Ever sit in your bedroom with all your lights on whilst working away on a personal project? Wondering just how much light is going into the skies? How do the billions upon billions of lights of all sorts; street lights, airplane beacons, helicopters, houses, office towers, monuments, fishing boats, cruise ships and much more look from above and afar? The truth is that the planet is basked is a glorious or grotesque amount of light, depending on how you view it. It's wasteful how much light we waste even as most of us are sleeping though incredibly beautiful to see what all these twinkling lights look like across the globe. NASA and other satellite companies create photo overlays using digital satellite imagery by combining photos of the many parts of the world thus giving you a clear picture of what each part of the world looks like or the whole planet at once. Theoretically saying what it would look like if darkness fell upon us at the same time. Take in the beauty of these assorment of shots. Enjoy!  NASA's current pieced picture of the world at night, notice the mostly well lit countries include Canada, United States, Italy, Japan and India. The UK and the Eastern seaboard of North America is completely basked in a glow of light. South America, Australia and New Zealand are much darker. Land mass wise Africa, Eastern Europe and central China are dimly lit aside from certain coastal areas where cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Cape Town reside.  A different version of the world in black and blue showing night lights looking at Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. Again we can see light pouring across Eastern Europe, Japan and India. The East Coast of China have heavy patches of light where the bigger cities are located.  Zooming in on Canada, the United States & Mexico(top), the whole world from a tilt(centre) and the UK & Europe (bottom)  Toronto, Canada(top blotch along Lake Ontario) and Buffalo, U.S. (bottom blotch)on a typical night  New York City on a typical night  London on a typical night Canada's vast pieced picture at night  United States' lights on a typical night  East Coast of North America showing Toronto, Montreal in Canada and Cleveland, Detroit, and New York City in the United States before the major August 14th, 2003 blackout taken at 9:03 pm on August 13th, 2003 East Coast of North America after the major August 14,2003 blackout taken at 9:03 pm sending Toronto, Montreal in Canada, Cleveland, Detroit and New York City in the United States into blackness Teague Neal blogged on 2:12 AM
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Friday, November 11, 2005Want a whirl on waterskiis and see how you like surfing the waves before hitting the waves 200 feet below your ship along a Caribbean beach? American Miami based cruise line Royal Caribbean International are giving their passengers this unique opportunity aboard their latest giant cruise ship. The Flowrider as its dubbed will be spread across the uppermost deck on the stern of the future world's largest passenger ship Freedom of the Seas beating out Cunard's 150,000 ton Queen Mary 2. The Flowrider has a curved downward slope for surfing in the centre of the sports deck.  Flowrider A constant stream of waves crash across the surface made up of 30,000 gallons of water. Friends and family cruising with their surf savvy guy or gal can catch the action on flat-screen televisions from the nearby sports bar, here cruisers can purchase a selection of surfing wear and gear. The Flowrider designed by American water amusement company WaveLoch of Nevada will have a surcharge for passengers though RCI hasn't put a price as of yet.  Royal Promenade The Flowrider has captured the attention of passengers, travel agents and cruise experts and will be entertaining passengers come April 2006. Part of the many new water features that RCI will be rolling out aboard this innovative vessel. These innovations include two side by side Olympic pools in the pool deck like the earlier model of behemoth ships called the Voyager Class, though one is now used for aquatic activities. This will include such games as a wet version of volleyball and basketball as well as synchronized swimming and pole jousting games. The pool deck will continue to sparkle at night with a outdoor poolside disco. A dance floor sits between the pools and bars, a variety of teamed bashes are to be held here. Hammocks for the first time are placed throughout the pool spaces to ensure relaxation and rest. A pair of 16 seater whirlpools jut outside the outer walls of the ship over 100 feet above the Caribbean. Other features include an onboard Ben & Jerrys ice cream outlet and an enlarged 43 by 44 foot rock climbing wall over previous ships with 11 variations for climbers over 200 feet above the sea. All staterooms will include LCD televisions as an added luxury and each room will feature Wi-fi Internet capabilities with hot spots throughout the ship.  Parade on the Royal Promenade of 142,000 ton Voyager Class ship Explorer of the Seas Freedom of the Seas will also feature many other fantastic features including a bookstore along the football field long Royal Promenade. This is a first for cruising, giving passengers to perfect spot to pick up a good book to take to enjoy while taking in the sea vistas and tropical coasts. The Royal Promenade as seen on earlier mega-ships that Royal Caribbean has introduced over the past six years that is a meandering boulevard with shops, cafes, restaurants with 148 rooms with bay windows overlooking the street. Computer controlled lighting simulates the different times of day and night, street signs line the street and balconies and bridges also overlook the scene. Sidewalk sales and full fledged parades keep the boulevard bustling and the place to be during cruises Critics a popular cruise advice site took a tour in August 2005 of the ship and created a  Ocean view whirlpools jutting out from the superstructure with breathtaking views of the sea and sky Teague Neal blogged on 12:28 AM
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