My dad was a prisoner of war in WW II. From his camp, he and fellow American soldiers watched as the Germans tested a new "jet engine" plane. They laughed that a plane without a prop would never get off the ground.
Had they seen the engineering in this chest, built circa 1778, with only hand tools and imagination, they might have thought otherwise.
This is one time of year that we take that old adage to heart – to light a candle rather than curse the darkness. Homes everywhere this time of year are ablaze with them. Candlelight shimmers from every window – small paned and large – homes are aglow. It's a beautiful sight. One that not only evokes memories of a special season and holiday, but one that celebrates hope. Hope, a light that is never quenched. A light that, no matter how weak the embers, someone will always come along to stoke it back to life. That is the message of the season, whether you are religious or not. Christmas was not celebrated in colonial times, but their homes were brightly lit with candles, at all times. What was once a necessity is now a charm, and a reminder from the struggles of their past that with perseverance, kindness and compassion, good will prevail.
During the recession of the 1930's FDR provided hope for the unemployed with his New Deal. Through the Works Progress Administration, millions were put to work. Artists painted murals, engineers built bridges and roadways, architects and draftsmen documented American architecture.
I was looking for a book recently on Georgian architecture and pulled one off my shelf called Great Georgian Houses of America. Usually I just flip through the pages looking for specific design elements and details, but this day I happened to notice the cover text above the title which read – "Architects' Emergency Committee." What on earth was that? The Preface explained all, and it was inspiring. Thank goodness that these men were given this task, to give them a sense of dignity and hope during difficult times, and in return, they rekindled the hope that our most important American architecture would be preserved for the future.
I want to share with you the words that Mr. William Lawrence Bottomley, Editorial Committee Chairman, wrote in his Preface to Volume II of this Dover Publication.
"….The object in publishing these volumes was to give work to draughtsmen thrown out of employment in the recent difficult years and in so doing improving their morale, giving them training in an exact and serious technique and rendering financial aid. It has been a great pleasure to this committee to see that many of these men joining in this work did so with great enthusiasm and to find that from being in a state of discouragement, with all its attendant ills, new courage, energy and happiness were the result.
This committee has made it a policy to give employment to all men making application irrespective of their experience in this type of drawing. Many were well qualified and experienced while others needed much coaching. While this training was valuable to all from the educational and technical points of view it was particularly useful to those whose training had been more on commercial and less on artistic lines.
May we remember these old fashioned values during our own difficult times, and find ways to light candles, instill hope, and help others during this season, and beyond. May hope, health and good will be with you over the Christmas holiday and throughout the new year.
Well, gone fishin' for fun historic adventures. It's summer! Great time to visit all the houses listed in Historic New England's "passport" – especially the ones in shore towns. I'm anxious to visit Nina Fletcher Little's in Essex, MA next. A quick trip to the Massachusetts shore always brings surprises. The trick is to go with a general destination in mind, and then let yourself be wowed by the great architecture along the way. The scenery and the people are pretty good too.
It's been a hot one so far this year, so the sea is a perfect escape. On a recent trip to check out a sailboat in Gloucester, MA, we visited one of the most interesting houses, I think, ever created – Beauport. This house sits on a cliff overlooking Gloucester harbor, with views that rival the Mediterranean. It's worth a three hour drive just to sit on the grounds! Even if you don't get inside – the outside has a story to tell, if not, there's enough texture, detail and carvings to make one up. Go, find out the story of how Henry Sleeper created this masterpiece, from its humble family cottage beginnings and turned it into a fun and eclectic trip through interior design history. I guarantee an adventure!
Here are some photos to whet your appetite, or to just enjoy if you can't get there yourself – but I urge you to try!
a beautiful day for – sash repair?
Weekends in New England lately have been heaven. Seventy degrees in springtime draws out man, beast and foliage, and instills in us an urge to burst out of the pall of winter to rejoice, regroup, renew. For those of us with old homes, it's the perfect time to address, and renew, whatever havoc Jack Frost and Father Winter have wrought.
On a recent weekend I decided to tackle some of that havoc. It was a sunny 72 degrees, birds were chirping, bees buzzing – a delightful backdrop to re-nail a clapboard, oil a rusty latch, and get to that kitchen window repair. The day before, I had tapped a little too heavily on a pane of glass and quickly found myself tapping on air. The little 6 by 8 inch glass plunked to the ground. Obviously, it was time for some maintenance.
Old wood windows, with true divided lights and wavy glass, are aesthetically pleasing, but they take a terrific beating in all seasons. The thin bead of putty that holds the glass in and the weather out, goes in pliable but over time will harden and crack. If the paint finish is kept up, it will stay in good shape for years. But left untended, like anything made of wood, it will deteriorate, crack and fail.
It was a warm and perfect day to remove a window. First, all of the impediments had to go – the clutter, the interior storm, the jamb – to get to the 12/8 sash. The original plan was to replace one pane, repair the putty in the rest, lightly sand and repaint. What's that they say about the best laid plans? Before the robins had chirped thirty three times, I had denied twenty panes of glass, their window glazing.
With just a putty knife and an occasional coaxing with a utility blade, the old putty was scraped out and into a pile beneath my sawhorses. I cleaned the glass, installed new points where needed, oiled the beds with a mix of linseed and turp, and began to re-glaze.
Now, for some folks, this is where heaven ends (no matter how beautiful the day) and hell begins. I remember those frustrating days years ago. Never thought I'd get the knack. I could roll the worms alright, and press them into the bed just fine. But running the knife down along the pane to get that perfectly smooth and angled shape, well, it pulled and cracked and frustrated the hell out of me. Thirty thousand glazed panes later, (we used to make a lot of windows) I had the knack. And although now many years removed, it all came back, just like riding a bike. The exercise can be relaxing and satisfying to see all those tight little panes framed in soft white, refreshed and ready for paint.
Something that could have been an annoying chore was actually a delight. Coaxed by the birds and sunshine, it is rewarding to create a little order out of chaos now and then – if only in eight square feet of house. But it's a start. With over twenty more sash to go, I figure it'll take at least twenty more nice weekends. Then again, maybe forty, since I won't want to use them all up on window repair. Then again, what's a few more years, and a missing pane of glass now and then?


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In Memoriam: Animation & VFX Greats We Lost in 2019
Treasure Trove of Disney Maquettes Hits the Market with Heritage
WGA Awards Nominates 'Tuca & Bertie', 'Simpsons,' 'Bob's Burgers' & 'Family Guy'
Genius Brands Launching Subscription-Based Video & Virtual Hub Kidaverse
Toonami Ramps Up for 2022 with New Show Every Week
Kyoto Fire Memorial
These past 12 months, we had to say goodbye to many talented men and women who made our favorite art form, and our world as a whole, so much richer with their contributions. We honor their memory here, and thank them for giving us some many wonderful moments of entertainment, artistry and introspection. We are also grateful to animator, historian and author Tom Sito, who produces an animation Afternoon of Remembrance each year to celebrate the lives and art of these individuals. This year, the event will be held on February 29 (Leap Day) at the Animation Guild in Burbank.
Patricia Alice Albrecht
Patricia Alice Albrecht. Actress and poet known for voicing Pizzazz, the antagonist of '80s cartoon classic Jem and the Holograms. Animation credits also include Batman: The Animated Series, Snorks and Tom & Jerry Kids. Died Dec. 25 in Nashville, TN.
Rene Auberjonois
René Auberjonois. Honey-voiced stage and screen actor who is best known for his roles in the movie M.A.S.H. and TV series such as Benson, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Boston Legal. He lent his voice to Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid and numerous other characters in Ben 10: Omniverse, Pound Puppies, Archer, The Looney Tunes Show, Young Justice, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Family Guy, Duck Dodgers, Justice League, The Legend of Tarzan, The Wild Thornberrys, Men in Black: The Seriesand Batman: The Animated Series. Died Dec. 8, age 79.
Robert Axelrod
Robert Axelrod. Veteran actor who voiced Lord Zedd and Finister (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and Wizardmon (Digimon). Died Sept. 7, age 70.
Edle Bakke
Edle Bakke. Pioneering woman who was the first person at Disney to train as a live-action script supervisor. Worked on Old Yeller, Davy Crockett, The Hardy Boys, Zorro, The Mickey Mouse Club, Escape to Witch Mountain, TRON and Something Wicked This Way Comes. Died March 10, age 91.
Bruce Bickford
Bruce Bickford. Seattle-based indie claymation director, who collaborated with Frank Zappa on videos and movies such as The Amazing Mr. Bickford and Baby Snakes. Other works include Prometheus' Garden, Monster Road and Cas'l. Died April 28, age 72.
Bradley Bolke
Bradley Bolke. Actor best known for voicing Chumley the Walrus in the Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales series. Died Jan. 15, age 94.
Gordon Bressiak
Gordon Bressack. Three-time Emmy-winning writer best known for shows such as Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs and Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain. Also wrote for Jimmy Neutron, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Smurfs, and co-wrote the feature CarGo with his son James Cullen Bressak, who directed the film. Died May 25, age 68.
John Carl Buechler. Special effects artist, director, producer, writer and actor who was best known for directing Troll, Friday the 13th Part VII, Dolls, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Halloween 4 and Hatchet. Died March 18, age 67.
James Frawley
James Frawley. Prolific TV and film director, who helmed the 1979 Henson pic The Muppet Movie and won an Emmy for directing the pilot episode of The Monkees. Died Jan. 22, age 82.
Rutger Hauer. Popular Dutch character actor, best known for portraying the replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's 1982 classic Blade Runner. He had many memorable roles in titles such as Soldier of Orange, Ladyhawke, The Osterman Weekend, The Hitcher, Hobo with a Shotgun, Escape from Sobibor and Sin City. Died July 19, age 75.
Kyoto Animation Arson Victims. The 36 employees of Kyoto Animation studio who died because of the fire set by an arsonist on July 18. In a show of resilience, the studio announced that it will continue to offer training programs for aspiring animators in 2020.
Art Lozzi
Art Lozzi. Veteran background artist who worked on numerous Hanna-Barbera shows and movies including Quick Draw McGraw, The Huckleberry Hound Show, Snagglepuss, Top Cat, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, A Man Called Flintstone, Space Ghost, The Archies and The Batman/Superman Hour. Died Nov. 4, age 90.
Don Lusk
Don Lusk. Animator and director who worked on many Disney classics, from Ferdinand the Bull to Pinocchio, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. After leaving Disney in 1960, he directed many TV toons, including Peanuts specials and series such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, The Smurfs and Tom and Jerry. Died Dec. 24, 2018, age 108.
Peter Mayhew
Peter Mayhew. English-American actor best known for portraying the much-loved Chewbacca character in the Star Wars series from 1977 to 2015. Died April 30, age 74.
Syd Mead. Conceptual artist, industrial designer and self-described "visual futurist" known for iconic sci-fi films Blade Runner, Tron and Alien. The recipient of the 2020 William Cameron Menzies Award from the Art Directors Guild as well as 2017 VES Visionary Award in recognition of his 60+ year career. Died Dec. 30, age 86.
J. Mike Mendel
J. Mike Mendel. Emmy-winning animation producer who worked on The Simpsons and Rick and Morty. Died Sept. 27, age 54.
Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelson. Twelve-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer of Peanuts animated specials, including A Charlie Brown Christmas. In addition to Charles Schulz's beloved characters, Mendelson created animated specials and series inspired by popular comic strips Mother Goose and Grimm, Garfield and Cathy as well as children's book series Babar. Died Dec. 25, age 86.
Ron Miller
Ron Miller. Former president and COO of Walt Disney Productions from 1978 to 1984. Miller was married to Diane Disney, Walt's elder daughter. He worked as producer and exec producer of Disney pics such as The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, TRON, That Darn Cat!, Escape to Witch Mountain and Freaky Friday. Died Feb. 9, age 85.
Ram Mohan. Indian animator, title designer and educator who was known as the father of Indian animation. He was chairman and CCO at Mumbai-based Graphiti Multimedia and the founder of Graphiti School of Animation. Among his best-known films were You Said It, Fire Games, This Our India and Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. Died on Oct. 11, age 88.
Kaj Pindal
Kaj Pindal. Danish-born Canadian cartoonist, animator and educator who worked at the National Film Board of Canada who directed the Oscar-nominated What on Earth! and the 1988 NFB short Peep and the Big Wide World, which inspired the PBS TV series. Died June 28, age 91.
Suzan Pitt
Suzan Pitt. Celebrated American animator, painter and educator (CalArts), who also created animated pieces for operas. Her best-known film, Asparagus debuted as part of an installation at the Whitney Museum of American Art and screened with David Lynch's Eraserhead for two years. Other shorts included Joy Street, El Doctor and Pinball. Died June 19, age 75
Monkey Punch
Monkey Punch. Born Kazuhiko Katō. Japanese manga artist best known for his globally popular series Lupin III. Died April 11, age 82.
Milton Quon
Milton Quon. Disney animator, artist and actor, who worked on Fantasia and Dumbo. He was also the first Chinese-American art director at a national ad agency, BBDO. He appeared as an actor in Speed and Sweet Jane. Died June 18, age 105.
Chris Reccardi
Chris Reccardi. Acclaimed animation director, graphic designer, character designer, musician, producer, writer and storyboard artist who worked on shows such as The Ren & Stimpy Show, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls and Tiny Toon Adventures, directed episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, was supervising producer for Regular Show and creative director of Secret Mountain Fort Awesome. Died May 2, age 54.
Borge RIng
Børge Ring. Danish animator and director who worked on the animated movie The Tinderbox, worked for Disney in London and directed the Oscar-nominated short Oh My Darling (1978), the Oscar-winning Anna & Bella (1985), and the UNICEF award-winning short Run of the Mill. He also worked on It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Heavy Metal and We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story. Died Dec. 27, 2018, age 97.
Stu Rosen
Stu Rosen. Voice and casting director, actor and exec producer, who created and hosted the Emmy-winning children's puppet show Dusty's Playhouse. Credits included MASK, Fraggle Rock, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 2 Stupid Dogs, Biker Mice from Mars, Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series. Died August 4, age 80.
Rosto. Dutch artist and filmmaker best known for his award-winning short trilogy and online graphic novel Mind My Gap. Among his acclaimed animated projects where No Place Like Home (2008), The Monster of Nix (2011), Lonely Bones (2013) and Reruns (2018), all of which played in festivals around the world. Died March 7, age 50.
Dave Smith. Beloved Walt Disney Archives founder who spent 40 years cataloging and preserving the studio's rich legacy of entertainment. Was named a Disney Legend in 2007. Author of numerous books including the company's official encyclopedia Disney A to Z, Disney: The First 100 Years, The Quotable Walt Disney, Disney Trivia from the Vault and The Ultimate Disney Trivia Books. Died Feb. 15, age 78.
Caroll Spinney. Beloved Emmy-winning actor and puppeteer who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch from 1969 to 2018 on TV's Sesame Street and in movies such as The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, Follow That Bird and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Died Dec. 8, age 85.
Ted Stearn
Ted Stearn. Creator of the alternative comic Fuzz & Pluck and art director and storyboard artists on many primetime animated series. Credits included Rick and Morty, Daria, Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill, Futurama, Drawn Together, Animals, Squirrel Boy and The Simpsons Movie. Died Feb. 1, age 57.
Danny Gordon Taylor
Danny Gordon Taylor. Animation supervisor and VFX professional who worked at ILM, WETA and Digital Domain on numerous acclaimed VFX-laden studio movies. He earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Real Steel. Among his other works: The Mask, Jumanji, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Terminator 3, Transformers, The Hobbit, The Jungle Book, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Alita: Battle Angel. Died July 10, age 69.
Russi Taylor
Russi Taylor. Voice actress and Disney Legend, best known for voicing Minnie Mouse for 30 years). She was also the voice of Strawberry Shortcake and many other characters from shows such as The Flintstone Comedy Show, The Smurfs, My Little Pony, Muppet Babies, DuckTales (in which she played all three nephews) and The Simpsons (as Martin Prince and Sherri & Terri). Other credits include The Rescuers Down Under, TaleSpin, The Little Mermaid, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Kim Possible, Sofia the First, The Lion Guard and Tangled: The Series. Taylor was predeceased by her husband, Wayne Allwine (the third voice of Mickey Mouse), who died in 2009. Died July 26, age 75.
Richard Williams
Richard Williams. Renowned Canadian-British animator, director and writer best known for serving as animation director on Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1998), for which he won two Oscars, and for his unfinished feature The Thief and the Cobbler (1993). He also created the title sequences to What's New Pussycat, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and two of the later Pink Panther movies. He directed the Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated short Prologue. Author of The Animator's Survival Kit. Died Aug. 16, age 86.
John Witherspoon. Actor and stand-up comedian who played Ice Cube's grouchy father in the Friday movies. He voiced Gramps on the animated series The Boondocks. Died Oct. 29, at age 77.
Alan Zaslove
Alan Zaslove. Animator, producer and director of animated series who worked at UPA, Hanna-Barbera and Disney. Zaslove worked on cartoons such as Gerald McBoing-Boing, Mr. Magoo, Popeye the Sailor, Roger Ramjet, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Phantom Tollbooth, Fractured Fairy Tale and George of the Jungle. At Hanna-Barbera, his credits included The Smurfs, Yogi's Treasure Hunt and The Jetsons (1985). At Disney, he produced and directed DuckTales, Aladdin, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Darkwing Duck, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, The Return of Jafar and Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World. Also produced and directed The New Woody Woodpecker Show. Died Oct. 2, age 91.
Related Topics:2 Stupid Dogs, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Man Called Flintstone, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Aladdin, Alan Zaslove, Alice in Wonderland, Alie, Alita: Battle Angel, Animals, Animaniacs, Animation Guild, Art Lozzi, Baby Snakes, Bambi, Batman: The Animated Series, BBD&O, Beavis and Butt-head, Benson, Biker Mice From Mars, Blade Runner, Borge Ring, Boston Legal, Bradley Bolke, Bruce Bickford, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, CalArts, Cargo, Caroll Spinney, Cas'l, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chris Reccardi, Cinderella, Danny Gordon Taylor, Daria, Darkwing Duck, Dave Smith, David Lynch, Davy Crockett, Diane Disney, Digimon, Disney A to Z, Disney Trivia from the Vault, Disney: The First 100 Years, Don Lusk, Drawn Together, DuckTales, Dumbo, Edle Bakke, El Doctor, Eraserhead, Escape from Sobibor, Escape to Witch Mountain, Family Guy, Fantasia, featured, Ferdinand the Bull, Fire Games, Follow That Bird, Fractured Fairy Tale, Fraggle Rock, Frank Zappa, Freaky Friday, Friday, Friday the 13th Part VII, Futurama, George of the Jungle, Gerald McBoing Boing, Gordon Bressiak, Graphiti Multimedia, Graphiti School of Animation, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Halloween 4, Hatchet, Heavy Metal, Hobo with a Shotgun, Ice Cube, J. Mike Mendel, James Cullen Bressak, James Frawley, Jem and the Holograms, Jimmy Neutron, John Carl Buechler, John Witherspoon, Joy Street, Jumanji, Justice League, Kaj Pindal, Kazuhiko Katō, Kim Possible, King of the Hill, Kyoto Animation, Lady and the Tramp, Ladyhawke, Lee Mendelson, Lonely Bones, Lupin III, M.A.S.H., Men In Black: The Series, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Milton Quon, Monkey Punch, Monster Road, Mr. Magoo, Muppet Babies, My Little Pony, No Place Like Home, Oh My Darling, Old Yeller, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Patricia Alice Albrecht, PBS, Peanuts, Peep and the Big Wide World, Peter Mayhew, Peter Pan, Pinball, Pink Panther, Pinky and the Brain, Pinky Elmyra and the Brain, Pinocchio, Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World, Popeye the Sailor, Prometheus' Garden, Quick-Draw McGraw, Ram Mohan, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, Regular Show, René Auberjonois, Reruns, Richard Williams, Rick and Morty, Ridley Scott, Robert Axelrod, Roger Ramjet, Ron Miller, Rosto, Run of the Mill, Russi Taylor, Rutger Hauer, Samurai Jack, Scooby-Doo, Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, Sin City, Sleeping Beauty, Snagglepuss, Snorks, Sofia the First, Soldier of Orange, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Space Ghost, Speed, SpongeBob Squarepants, Squirrel Boy, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Wars, Stu Rosen, Superman: The Animated Series, Suzan Pitt, Sweet Jane, Syd Mead, TaleSpin, Tangled: The Series, Ted Stearn, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Terminator 3, That Darn Cat!, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, The Amazing Mr. Bickford, The Archies, The Batman/Superman Hour, The Black Cauldron, The Flintstone Comedy Show, The Flintstones, The Fox and The Hound, The Great Muppet Caper, The Hardy Boys, The Hitcher, The Hobbit, The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Jetsons, The Jungle Book, The Lion Guard, The Little Mermaid, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, The Mask, The Mickey Mouse Club, The Monkees, The Monster of Nix, The Muppet Movie, The New Woody Woodpecker show, The Osterman Weekend, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Powerpuff Girls, The Quotable Walt Disney, The Ren & Stimpy Show, The Rescuers Down Under, The Return of Jafar, The Simpsons, The Simpsons Movie, The Smurfs, The Tinderbox, The Ultimate Disney Trivia Books, The Wild Thornberrys, This Our India, Tiny Toon Adventures, Tom & Jerry Kids, Tom and Jerry, Tom Sito, Top Cat, Transformers, Tron, Walt Disney Productions, Wayne Allwine, We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, What's New Pussycat, Yogi's Treasure Hunt, You Said It, Young Justice, Zorro
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home » TV » Peter Andre 'always getting sick' to achieve signature six-pack in 20s
Peter Andre 'always getting sick' to achieve signature six-pack in 20s
Peter Andre has opened up about the body image issues he has had in the past, recalling how he would 'always get sick' while restricting his diet in his 20s before 'eating everything' in his 30s.
On Wednesday's edition of Loose Women, the singer made an appearance via video chat to speak with Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Janet Street-Porter and Linda Robson about his past.
The TV personality, who is married to Dr Emily MacDonagh, explained that at the height of his pop career, when he churned out hits including Mysterious Girl and Flava, he was following a very strict regimen to maintain his signature six-pack.
'It's really weird. At that period of time, I felt great. I mean I was watching everything I ate, I was doing everything that you're told you're supposed to do by cutting out fats and being really strict,' he said.
'I was having raw eggs in the morning, protein shakes, training very hard, but I felt great.'
However, the 48-year-old added that he was 'getting sick a lot', as he recollected 'getting colds all the time'.
'I remember getting colds all the time and my brothers going, "Mate, you're sick again, you're sick again." And that's probably because there wasn't a lot of body fat,' he stated.
When he decided to 'step away from that image' in his late 20s and 30s, he said that he ended up going 'the opposite way', veering from restrictive eating to the other extreme.
'I'd just eat anything and everything and I wouldn't care and I wouldn't train and then I put on three stone. It's the only time in my life that I put on three stone,' he said.
'And then I thought ok, there's gotta be a middle ground here.'
Peter said that his 40s are the 'most comfortable I think I've ever been', as he's managed to find a 'balance'.
'I found a way to be able to sort of eat what I want to eat, keep active, but not restrict anything,' he outlined.
'I treat myself every day. I don't do the whole watch what I eat all week and then on Saturday I binge eat – I have what I want.
'But I counter it by balancing it with healthy food and balancing it with exercise, but also eating my pizzas, eating my McDonald's when I want, eating my chocolates. I think there's a balance, definitely. And I feel so much better now.
Peter is co-founder of the itsfine app, which is designed to help people lead healthy, balanced lives by avoiding 'fad dieting'.
'Experiencing the pressure put on people in the entertainment industry to lose weight caused me to see a wider problem in society. In searching for my own solution I found Ben and the itsfine lifestyle and joined the business with the goal of rescuing people from fad diets,' he said in a statement.
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.
If you suspect you, a family member or friend has an eating disorder, contact Beat on 0808 801 0677 or at [email protected], for information and advice on the best way to get appropriate treatment
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HomeLatest NewsRegionsAsia LeadsChina State Railway Group established a European subsidiary
China State Railway Group established a European subsidiary
China Railway Container Transport Corporation (CRCT), part of China State Railway Group, has established an European subsidiary in Duisburg, with an opening ceremony being held at the end of November.
"Duisburg is an important logistics hub in Europe and an important location for the railway freight route between China and Europe. CRCT established a subsidiary in Duisburg that would use the location advantage of Duisburg to expand its strategic cooperation with all partners," Jiyi Zhang, president of CRCT, said.
During the ceremony, the mayor of Duisburg, Sören Link, said that around 100 Chinese companies that have established in Duisburg and have opened up great opportunities for development and cooperation. CRCT Europe Logistics GmbH would continue this tradition. In his view, the initiative of the New Silk Roads made the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between Duisburg and China closer, and the city of Duisburg would spare no effort to support and participate in the initiative of the New Silk Roads.
China Railway Container Transport Corporation, as the single operating and service platform of China Railway Express, provides container transport services on China-Europe route.
The company has an annual turnover of EUR 300 million.
To develop the freight traffic on China-Europe route, Duisburger Hafen AG and China Railway Container Transport have recently signed a framework agreement for the continued expansion of the China Railway Express traffic. Under the agreement, the two companies will promote the rail freight between China and Duisburg. In addition, Duisburger Hafen also strengthens its position as Europe's main hinterland hub and expands its international network. At this time, up to 40 trains already travel between Duisburg and China every week.
According to CRCT, in more than 6,700 eurasian freight trains have traveled to and from China between January and October 2019, an increase compared to previously year, when 6,300 trains transported goods along the route.


Quotes and Pictures for Inspiration - Page 2 - The Chicken Coup - Chickensomething What Are You Afraid Of?
A tree is made up of seven elements – the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, fruit and the seeds of the fruit, which when sown will give birth to a new tree. Of course, you know that, but what you may not know is that a tree is a kind of solar system, for each of the seven elements that make it up corresponds to one of the seven traditional planets. Now let's find the correspondences. The roots, working in the dark, buried deep in the earth – that's Saturn. The trunk, rising powerfully and solidly, is Jupiter. The branches, setting out to conquer space – that's Mars. The leaves, in which photosynthesis takes place due to light – that's the Sun. The flowers, whose shapes, colours and perfume make up the tree's charm, are Venus. The fruit, the flesh, where all the juices are concentrated, is the Moon. And as for the seeds, with which the whole cycle can begin again, they are Mercury, the child.


When I discovered my gluten intolerance five years ago, baking was a big, foreign challenge. All the new to me flours, getting things to rise, not crumble into pieces or be dense and gummy, and most importantly – to taste identical to their glutenful partners.
But whoa. Nothing could prepare me for what I was going to experience while trying to make an AIP carrot cake, not even my dabbles in paleo baking because that relies heavily on eggs. No flours from grains/seeds/nuts, dairy, eggs (which also means flax or chia eggs were out), gums for binding or refined sugar.
Although I don't find myself craving sweets, I have missed the pleasure of a special treat. I wanted to change that, for myself and you, especially with Easter coming up.
So six fails and a few choice words later, the Carrot Cake that I had envisioned finally came out of the oven. I hate the word moist, but truly it is. And just sweet enough from maple syrup, spring carrots and plump golden raisins. The smell of cinnamon, ginger and cloves float through the air while it bakes, and bring classic flavors to each forkful.
Topped with airy Whipped Coconut Milk Frosting and toasted coconut flakes, it was the best bite I've taken in a long time. For a combination of reasons, as healing through the autoimmune protocol is more emotional than I expected, and because I haven't had anything dessert-like other than these little coconut gems in a month.
Without the chemistry of regular baking ingredients, there were a lot of components that were going to have to work just right to get this AIP/Paleo cake to work and be utterly delicious.
My flour arsenal was arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch), coconut flour and tigernut flour. Tigernuts are actually a root vegetable, not a nut even though they kind of act and look like them. I've been enjoying them raw as a snack, mostly savory but kind of sweet like the profile of cashews.
It looked pretty and tasted really good, but I couldn't get it to bake through. Too much liquid compared to flour, and it didn't rise much. It kind of held together, but it was dense, not fluffy like a cake should be.
I started with a large amount of tigernut flour to little arrowroot & coconut, but found that less tigernut flour made for the best balance. The skin on a tigernut is quite tough, similar to the other outer bran of brown rice so it's best for it to blend into the softer flours instead of dominate.
I took out the dates, which made it too sweet, and from there I worked on the egg replacement. I really struggled with that piece, but making "eggs" from grassfed gelatin was the winning answer.
They have mighty binding power, but do not result in rise. That becomes the job of baking soda in this recipe. And figuring that out ended up in another fail – too much of it with no acid to counteract meant a beautiful cake, but a terrible metallic taste. And then I finally hit the jackpot on this luscious Carrot Cake that looked good, tasted good, and felt so good to eat.
I've been excited to share this recipe with you because I want all of us experiencing autoimmune conditions or food sensitivities to feel normal, especially on holidays when food is at the center of family and friends. I'd have to say that beyond the flares I'm experiencing about once a week, social settings have been difficult.
But for now let's all make carrot cake, and embrace the sunshine of spring. It's the arrival of a new season, new again fruits and vegetables, and opportunities to embrace the beautiful life around us.
I highly, highly recommend using a scale and measuring for weight for any type of AIP/paleo/gluten-free baking because the weight of the flour is adjusted just perfectly for the amount of liquid. If you decide to use a measuring cup, don't pack the flour in. Take a spoon and add the flour to the cup, then level off.
2 gelatin eggs made by using these simple instructions - Make sure you use this make sure it is this red can of Great Lakes, not the green & wait until the below directions tell you to make them. If you wish to make these recipe vegan, you can use 2 vegan eggs using flax or chia seeds, but then this recipe will not be AIP compliant.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan with a thin layer of coconut oil on the bottom and up the sides, in the corners.
In a medium bowl whisk together the tigernut flour, arrowroot/tapioca starch, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coconut milk, applesauce, maple syrup and cooled coconut oil.
Add ½ of the wet ingredients to the dry, stir until combined. Then add the remaining half of wet ingredients and stir until no streaks remain. Fold in the carrots and raisins. At this time make your gelatin eggs, and stir them fully into the mixture. From here you will need to work quickly because the mixture gets very sticky. Spread into the pan, pressing down with a piece of wax paper to make smooth as needed.
Bake for 18 minutes then set a piece of aluminum foil on top (not securing it, just covering it) and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove and test with a toothpick. When it comes out clean and not gooey, the cake is done. If not done, continue baking in 2 minute increments until it is. Let cool completely.
Carrot cake just can't be beat, right?!
Beautiful! What a perfect addition to the Easter table. Thank you for your persistence, I'm looking very forward to making this.
You're a wizard, Harry. (I hope you read Harry Potter.) The crumb on that cake looks perfect.
Thank you so much for all of your hard work on this recipe! It looks and sounds amazing and I can't wait to try it. I still am struggling with gut issues. Thank you for what you do for all of us!
I've been waiting to see the results of your baking experiments! This sounds perfect… and to echo Melissa, yep, you're a wizard. Love.
Wowowoow! My goodness, this was made for me in every way!
What a baking challenge! Good for you for sticking with it, despite all the frustrations. I'm so excited to try this cake because I know it was an especially laborious labor of love. I hope the new protocol works well for you, I'll be following our journey and wish you all the best. XOX.
Thanks for stopping by Steph! It's kind of fun to have a challenge, and the end result paid off. I am feeling pretty good lately, so that helps my daily energy a lot. XO!
Wizardry! What a handsome cake, and I loved reading about how you created it. And I've been curious about tigernut flour, I'll have to try some out. Serious kudos my friend!!
Oh my goodness, this sounds delicious. I am so intrigued about tigernut flour now, I have never used it. Great work. I can't wait to try this!
The tigernut itself is such an interesting little vegetable! They look kind of like brown shriveled peas, but a little bigger. The flour kind of reminds of the natural sweetness in oat flour. The horchata is soooo good too, and they even have strawberry, banana chai flavors. And they're just sweetened with a little date puree. xo!
I'm in awe of what you are discovering through this journey! You must feel like you are in a food chemistry class! It was so interesting to read how you are finding these different substitutions work together. So thankful you persevered to the end with this one – it looks delicious!
I tried clicking on both the Organic Gemini entry by visiting their FB page as well as your and I "liked" both of them and yet it won't count points toward it for my entries. Do you know why that is happening?
Hi Nicky! Once you've done that you'll need to come back to those line items in the raffle copter and hit the little button in the bottom right hand corner that says "I Visited". It can be easy to miss. Thanks!
Yes I did that and it still won't apply the points.
AMAZING! I love you for this because I am not a baker. I am so happy you are. I am going to see if I can whip these together for Sunday because CARROT CAKE IS MY FAVORITE DESSERT!!!!!
This is the first I have heard of tigernut flour. The cake looks great, however, I am especially inclined to try your version of whipped Coconut frosting. Perfect combo with carrot cake and so many others.
It looks delicious! I definitely have to try it.
Are the carrots cooked before folding into the rest of the ingredients? Do you just grate the carrots or blend them?
Hi Nadine! Sorry I didn't clarify that, I've update the recipe, but yes – grated raw carrots. Hope you enjoy!
This is gorgeous in every possible way. Would you believe I've never heard of tigernut until now? I learned something new today. I'm a big fan of carrot cake, but I'm steering clear of grains/sugars so this beautiful treat is right up my alley. And girl, all that recipe testing! I appreciate you getting it perfect. Genius use of gelatin here!
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This looks delicious! Carrot cake is my favorite.
I'm so excited to make this, it's my birthday and was looking for a cake to be able to eat. My only question is I really can't digest Tigetnuts and it's so frustrating. Do you think I can use Cassava flour instead? You have amazing recipes and appreciate all your hard work. THANKS!
Hi Sylvie! Sorry you have trouble with Tigernuts. It can be such a process to test what our bodies are okay with.
This looks soooo tasty Amanda, perfect for Easter!
Thanks for the great recipe! I made it this weekend. It actually has a moist crumb, although is maybe a little on the soft side (even after an extra 10 minutes or so). I would also add a bit of salt and I think you can also up the cinnamon if you like a really spicey cake. The tigernut flour has a crunchy/sandy feeling at times- I wonder if they make peeled tigernut flour? Anyway, this is one of the first AIP baked goods that I would actually make again. Nice treat.
Hi Anna! I'm so glad you enjoyed. I was so happy when I finally figured out the recipe because I had been missing a treat too. I did have salt in the recipe, but it may have just gotten missed. As for the tigernut flour, I also wish I could find one that was peeled, like blanched almond flour is, but I think that would be really difficult as the skin on tigernuts is bumpy and irregular. That's why I ended up going with a higher proportion of tapioca/arrowroot so it would blend in better, yet work with the chemistry of the cake. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks Amanda! It wouldn't be the first time I've forgotten/missed the salt in the list of ingredients, oops! I also read that the peeled tigernuts you can find have been bathed in some chemical bath to remove the skin, so maybe the gritty feeling is all the better for us!
Hi there! Your cake looks gorgeous! I just tried making cookies with tigernut flour today and thought that the texture was sort of gritty, but in a chewy sort of way. Is the texture of your cake also on the gritty/mealy side?
Hi Tasha! I tested this recipe a lot because you're right, tigernut does have a coarser texture than other flours. The blend I use in this recipe makes it soft and moist, and I've had other followers make it and have a great experience. Hope that helps!
Thanks for doing all the work to make this recipe work. Our 4 yr. old daughter is on AIP and we're always looking for ways to help her through her healing while letting her enjoy life's simple eating pleasures. Her Daddy's birthday is coming up and we wanted to share a cake together. This might be our winner!
Hi! This recipe was a reader favorite and is featured at this week's Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable. Thanks for linking up!
Oh great Eileen, that's so fun to hear! I always enjoy all the inspiration that comes from your roundups and the wonderful community. Thank you!
I'm so excited to have found this recipe! I've been on AIP for only a week and a half, but my birthday is in 2weeks and it will be nice to have an option to celebrate with. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful Emily! We loved it. And I hope you're AIP transition is going well. It can be difficult, but know that the road to healing is a journey.
This looks great and I have been wanting to try gelatin eggs. Being allergic to eggs and gluten I am always trying for the best baking results. I am interested in the tigernut flour, until we find some what is a good sub? We have almond flour, hazelnut, cassava, oat, millet, etc. thanks for this!
Hi Jillian! The gelatin eggs are a really nice substitution. Just remember that you'll have to work fast once you stir them in. Although I have not tested the recipe with the flours you have at home, if I were to guess which it would turn out best with I would say almond flour. You'll need to measure it to the exact weight of what I used, not the cup measurement. I can't guarantee that it will turn out since I've never made it that way, but let me know if you do try it!
I've only RECENTLY heard of tigernut flour and have been dying to try it ever since! I'm so glad you shared a recipe using it – I've got to pick some up soon! This cake looks so delicious, Amanda! Can I have a slice?
The recipe and resulting cake were perfect! Thank you so much for sharing.
We did the calculations and a 1/16th piece is about 225 calories. It's only my husband and me in the house now so I'm wondering how long you think the cake is "good" in the fridge and if you think leftovers could be frozen .
Hi Diana! So fabulous that your family liked it. If you frosted the cake, I wouldn't freeze it, but it should stay good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Thanks for sharing your joy!
Could these be made into cupcakes?
Hi Jessie! Yes, these could be made into cupcakes. Grease the inside of muffin tins with a good amount of coconut oil, then fill 2/3 way full. The baking time will be a little less, so I would maybe test bake one cupcake before doing them all to get a good idea of the time. Enjoy!
Oh YUM! I love me a good carrot cake, and I love that you chose to make a coconut frosting! I can't wait to give this a try! Pinned!
yes, definitely a fan of the coconut milk frosting too!
This looks AMAZING. I just got my hands on this flour last weekend and have all sorts of plans for it, I'm obsessed with the snacks and horchata they make. This will be on my list to try!!
Isn't the horchata delicious?! I loved the coffee flavor. So fun to have cool new products like tigernuts.
Just made this and WOW. Perfect cake crumb and texture, great flavor. Just superb!
The best gluten free cake I have ever had. Couldn't get tigernut flower. Substituted with chestnut flour and it worked really well. Very moist and soft; taste great. Can't wait to share it after dinner with my family.
The best gluten free cake I have ever had. Couldn't get tigernut flour. Substituted with chestnut flour and it worked really well. Very moist and soft; tastes great. Can't wait to share it after dinner with my family.
Menesia, I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! And wonderful to know that chestnut flour works as well. Sometimes we just need to use what's in our pantry! Thanks for sharing your success.
Hi Viviana! Another reader has used chestnut flour to replace the tigernut flour. Another option would be almond flour. Hope that helps!
Oh, sounds devine! I'm so glad you don't have to use dates! I don't do well on dates. I am strict AIP and I really want to make this cake! Question.. Can I use the orange canister of great Lakes gelatin? That is porcine gelatin. But I think you said you had to use the red can? I am highly allergic to beef, so I have to use the pork kind! Oh please tell me I can still make this!
Hi Jenny! Yes, the orange canister (porcine) will work. The reason why I don't use that is because the pork is not grass-fed, but the beef is. I would not worry about that in your situation though, as you do the best with what you can. Enjoy!
I made this tonight and it was amazing. So happy to have found your blog!
I have tried several Tigernut recipes but this time I sifted all the dry ingredients and it made the cake WAY less grainy/crunchy!!! My husband and I both love it so much!
Oh, YAY! So glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. And great idea to sift when using Tigernut flour.
Is arrowroot starch different from arrowroot powder?
No, they are the same thing. Happy baking!
Not sure if this has been pointed out yet but the link for instructions on how to make the gelatin eggs isn't working. I'm really excited to try this recipe but without the instructions I'm scared to try it. I tried making muffins from another site and I replaced the eggs with gelatin eggs and it didn't turn out :( I didn't use the Great Lakes brand, is it better than the stuff you get from the health food store? I'm going to order some today. Thank you so much and I can't wait to try this carrot cake!!!
This is my go to way to make gelatin eggs and works so well as a binder.
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This looks amazing Amanda! Can't wait to try it. I'm intolerant to maple syrup though…would you be able to suggest a substitution for it here?
Hi Cara! You could use honey (at the runny stage) in place of the maple syrup.
Hello! I think another gluten-free flour of choice like millet or sorghum would work well in place of the tigernut, but I have not tested it this way. Anything that isn't super starchy would be a good choice.
This recipe sounds amazing. Unfortunately, I seem to be having a reaction to apples. I wonder if anything else could be substituted – pumpkin puree maybe?
Hi Sheri! Pumpkin puree should also work. I would just add one more tablespoon lemon juice, as you'll be missing some of the acid from the apples.
I'm going to make this for my son's first birthday! Is it best made the day of or could I make it the night before? Thanks!
You could make it the night before, just store at room temperature, covered. Then frost when ready to serve. Enjoy!
I just made this about 2 weeks into AIP. I know very well I should try to avoid the sweets and cakes but when you first eliminate, you search in vain for something that will satisfy the cravings. THIS was better than any cheat! Thank you so much for this recipe. I still consider myself fully complaint and very satisfied! My two boys also love it!!
This cake si delicious, thank you! I have been on the AIP for a couple of weeks and this has come as a welcome treat! I haven't done the frosting because I am not a frosting person, but the cake is indeed very good.
Going to try this with green banana flour in the place of tigernut which is just to expensive for me….but it looks great!
Okay, I've never tested in that way Teri, but let me know if it works!
Fantastic! I made this for easter and it was a real hit. I'm on the AIP, but now tolerate cashews so I made a cashew cream cheese frosting that made this seem like it was totally the real deal. The boyfriend loved it too. Will be making this one again!
Gosh Kim, that cashew cream cheese frosting sounds amazing, I must try. So glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for letting me know your joy!
How important is the apple sauce? I'm allergic to apples (and pears) and would like to make this for my husband's birthday.
Bananas would be an equal replacement!
Hi can I substitute the maple syrup with more Apple sauce and add stevia for sweetener. I can't do honey or maple syrup right now.
not enough maple syrup – only used half the amount – not missing it.
Still turned out great! This is a great basic cake recipe!
LOVE this recipe – so amazing to have an option for my son who has multiple allergies and a healing gut, thank you!! Just have to share – don't use Trader Joe's canned coconut milk for the icing….Does not froth up like the Whole Foods brand I previously used.
Have you tried the recipe as cupcakes/muffins? I can't wait to try this! I also love carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, so I might try using some coconut yoghurt in the frosting recipe for a bit of that tangy flavor.
It is a very good cake. The kids were amazed. I love carrot cake. I read through all the comments before I made it. I sifted through the tigernut flour. A lot of it does not go through the sift! It was a fine powder after that. It was such a good moisture and texture. It was just like any regular flour cake. It cooks so quickly too. I've never toasted coconut flakes so the first batch got burnt. I put them in the toaster oven on toast for 2:30 and that was enough to make them black. The second time I toasted them for 1 minute. They all wanted more! Thank you for taking the time to get this right. I appreciate it.
Amanda, my mom always put drained crushed pineapple in her carrot cake. I was wondering what changes I would need to make to put in some crushed pineapple, 1/2 cup. Could I use it instead of applesauce?
Hi Katherine! I'm not sure if pineapple would substitute equally because some of the reason I use applesauce for its acidic properties that react in a certain way to replace the egg.
Loved this. Made the cake two days ahead of serving and stored it wrapped at room temperature Made the icing the morning of the party but kept it separate in the fridge for a few hours then served it on the side. It was really good and the texture was nice, like a spice cake. I did sift the tigernut flour through a fine mesh strainer. Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! And great make-ahead idea.
THANK-YOU!!! So hard to find egg free thats also grain free DF n nut free. Have so many "allergies" I just eat mostly plain foods because I can't have most spices. This cake was SO delicious! I finally used my tigernut flour n had to restrain myself from eating the whole thing in one night in case my reaction was delayed. I only had to make a couple minor changes which I can share for others out there who struggle.
Did change the applesauce to pineapple which I just chopped n drained from can no sugar.
Had to leave out cinnamon so heaping measures of ginger n cloves but it really had a bite which I loved but if my daughter had been home she would not have. Also used half honey n half malpe syrup. Did sift flour like others suggested. Took me so long bc I never bake that I didn't toast my coconut for top but still loved it with or without any toppings.
This recipe worked perfectly. I would add vanilla extract, but then I'm not worrying about AIP or paleo–just can't handle wheat. Definitely making this again.


text:
1 September 2010 Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds
Henry Bennet-Clark
Henry Bennet-Clark*
*Henry Bennet-Clark (henry.bennetclark@zoo.ox.ac.uk) is a reader emeritus in invertebrate zoology with the Department of Zoology at University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
BioScience, 60(8):654-655 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2010.60.8.17
Steven Vogel has written a number of books on biomechanics, from the diverting and amusing Life's Devices (1988) and Cats' Paws and Catapults (1998) to the scholarly, insightful, and amazingly useful Comparative Biomechanics (2003). The success of these works has been so great that Vogel has been largely immune from the rat race of the research grants system, and instead has been able to pursue his interests in such areas as the flowinduced ventilation of sponges and prairie-dog burrows, or the responses of leaves and trees to wind.
Vogel is part of the school of physiology and biomechanics, fostered by the legendary Knut Schmidt-Nielsen, at Duke University, and his eclecticism and inventiveness are remarkable. He has a good knowledge of both the animal and plant kingdoms, plus a knowledge of physics, engineering, and physical chemistry, and thus is able to apply principles used in, for example, commercial chemical engineering to the problems of gaseous exchange or water loss by leaves. He also has the ability to sense a problem and an enviable knack for explaining what is happening.
Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds is a reworking of essays published in the Journal of Biosciences between 2004 and 2007 that approximately form the chapters of this book. In the reworking, these articles have been edited to allow cross-referencing, and the older material has been updated to account for more recent findings. Vogel admits to retreating from optics or acoustics and toward an abiding interest in the behavior of fluids and solids. What we have then are 12 chapters, loosely interrelated, covering topics in physical chemistry, fluid dynamics, the dynamic and static behavior of structures, and the solutions of living organisms to everyday physical problems.
In his earlier works, Vogel has shown a fondness for alliteration, double entendre, and puns, but in this book he is curiously restrained. One chapter, however, titled "Getting Up to Speed," is subtitled "Leaping, Launching and Lurching." This lovely chapter is about biological projectiles: spores, seeds, fleas, and even kangaroos. Here Vogel relates acceleration to the size of the projectile: Mulberry pollen is shot out with an acceleration of nearly one million times that of gravity (g), whereas a kangaroo achieves only 6.7 g of acceleration. He then goes on to discuss the limitations of muscle as a source of mechanical work and power, and the widespread use of elastic materials to store muscle energy in jumping insects, showing that these are far less regularly used by mammals. The real winners in the ballistics record book are plants and fungi, which eject seeds or spores by wonderful osmotic engines in reproduction-bound selfdestructive devices, but these singleshot mechanisms are too diverse to detail here.
One area of interest to Vogel's mentor Schmidt Nielsen was the thermal relations of organisms in their environments. On this topic, not surprisingly, Vogel starts with a comparatively conventional look at the ways by which heat is transferred—some very familiar to biologists (and in everyday life), such as radiation and convection—but he moves on to surprising areas such as infrared radiation from seaweeds into the sky. He explores how animals can adjust their rates of heat transfer by balancing internal forced convection using the blood system with natural convection or conduction at the body surface. (A nice example is the seaweed-munching Galápagos iguana, which balances solar heating while on land with conductive and convective cooling while foraging underwater.)
On the topics of water and waterbased biological fluids, such as sap or blood, the reader finds studies of the effects of ice crystals on cells and on biological antifreezes, as well as the effects of temperature and solutes such as salt on the amount of gas that dissolves in water. There is a delightful account of how water can be condensed from seemingly arid desert sand and how a similar process might be exploited by a desert-living tunnel spider. And then there is a discussion of cryptobiosis: Life without water as a trick for survival in one sort of extreme environment. I could go on, picking out more plums from a rich pie, but I shall leave the rest for the reader to find.
Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds does not profess to have a "target"; rather, Vogel looks at a particular area of physics or mechanics and wonders (or is it wanders?) on paper whither it will lead. The wandering often goes in unexpected directions, such as the observation that it is rare to find gliding seeds that weigh less than one gram, or the trajectories of fungal spores, or that there are both mechanical and fluiddynamic constraints on the height of trees.
Vogel also has a liking for dimensionless numbers. Some of these are familiar: the Reynolds number and its use in describing the relative importance of viscous and inertial effects in fluid dynamics; and the Froude number describing the relationhip between size, velocity, and the acceleration due to gravity in the walk-to-gallop transitions in quadrupeds. Others, such as the Péclet number, describing the relationship between velocity and distance on the rate of diffusion in a system, or the Grashof number, describing the intensity of free convection, are less familiar. I did sometimes find myself wondering about the importance of a particular number and seeking an everyday explanation of its relevance. And yet curious omissions exist, such as the Strouhal number, which describes the relationship between size, velocity, and the frequency of vortex shedding in, for example, fish swimming, but this is an area into which Vogel does not enter in this book.
The bibliography is commendable for three reasons: First, it covers 24 pages and lists some 500 references; second, it extends from the early 19th century (amusingly including the overture to Rossini's opera William Tell) up to 2008; and third—and I wish more authors did this—it provides the pages on which the reference is cited in the text. There is also a list of the symbols used in the text—vital both as a space saver and as a ready cross-reference.
Overall, I found Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds to be rather less accessible than some of Vogel's earlier, and more popular, books. I think this is because of the welter of equations that require serious concentration and are sometimes unsupported by examples. As ever, Vogel is inspiring and his insights are remarkable—but this time it's harder work.
Henry Bennet-Clark "Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds," BioScience 60(8), 654-655, (1 September 2010). https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2010.60.8.17
Henry Bennet-Clark "Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds," BioScience, 60(8), 654-655, (1 September 2010)


Industrial music is an abrasive mix of rock and electronic sound. It became popular in the 70's with an experimental genre influenced by provocative and transgressive themes. Indie music as it is nicknamed is an underground movement found in Second Life clubs. If you're not sure where to go in Second Life to listen then here is a list of some clubs which I feel you will enjoy not only for the music but also for the atmosphere too.
Twisted Dreams is a club for all you twisted souls out there in SL. Featuring some of the best DJ's in SL, playing dubstep, industrial, EBM, Electro Swing.....and anything else the crowd wants to hear. They are all about the music and fun. They do not play only industrial music so if you are looking for a club that plays just indie then maybe this isn't the right club for you, however, if you're looking for a club that spins industrial and other tunes then TP down and hang out.
At ALT7 you will find a wide variety of indie music as well as alternative tunes spun by DJs across the world. Nice club. It is small yet inviting.
Here you will find indie to alternative music as well as other genre such as new wave and punk or as they call it post punk. It is an underground effect club with a twist.
The Velvet has been rocking the grid with alternative and eclectic DJs since 2006. It is also home to some of the most passionate Djs in Second Life. They take pride in sharing their music collection and take music tunes seriously. The vibe here is always fun and inviting.
The Attic is well known for being a friendly entertainment spot on the grid. Regular scheduled DJs keep the stream hot with great indie/alternative style tunes. The club has plenty of activity with cool toys laying around for guests to enjoy, such as scooters wagons and even shopping carts.
The indie scene in Second Life has such a large number of members who love and appreciate industrial music. This genre has evolved throughout the years and as the demand gets bigger the more clubs will open.


This morning I was washing dishes and noticed something covering the filtering screen over the drain. "That's not helpful," I thought. "Nothings gonna get down the drain with that kind of mess in the way." I reached into the filter and scooped out the potentially drain-clogging muck. Later, as I was driving to a meeting, it occurred to me that the muck in the drain was holding a great bit of information for my soul-searching self.
1) I didn't know for sure if the drain would be clogged by what was hanging out in the filter. I assumed it would.
2) I took action based on previous life experiences.
3) My action potentially allowed for things (water, etc.) to flow more easily and quickly through a wider passage in the drain.
My BIG TAKEAWAY is: OPEN WIDER and let more good stuff flow to you!
If you've ever let your mind wander into the slippery field of 'If only…', 'I/he/she/we/they should have or could have…','What if that happens tomorrow, or happens again, or never happens?', then you probably know that line of thinking and believing could lead to hours of distraction, unfruitful behavior, and feelings of loss, rejection, abandonment, or worry. Hello, fear-based mindset! Goodbye, joy!
A few weeks ago I found myself caught in the wacky web of thinking described above. My mind had a vice grip on me, and it was 100% unpleasant. After struggling with the chaos for a while, I decided to ride out the wild waves, and let my mind reveal the deeper burden, and treasure, that lay buried under all the rubbish. That surrender eventually led to a profound insight, and peace.
Many times I have asked myself, "Do you want to ride the peace train, or the crazy train?" There is a choice there, and that choice may require diving into the depths of the drama that the mind is offering. It may feel awful, but I always tell myself that it is temporary – like all things on this planet – and that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. BONUS insight! I am the light. I am the tunnel.
What's got your mind in turmoil these days? What are you willing to do to move beyond the turmoil?
Thanks – and be well – naturally!
What Is the Past Showing You?
I'm back in the city that I called home for 24 years. New York, New York! There is much to appreciate as I walk down familiar streets, see familiar faces and places, and take in many familiar smells and sounds. I watch tourists wandering around in awe as they stop to take photos, sometimes in the middle of a sidewalk that is packed with pedestrians. I watch the locals looking at the tourists in disdain as they rush by to get to wherever they think they must get to so hurriedly. All are part of daily life in this thriving metropolis, and all are me in one way, shape or form.
One thing that I am most aware of is that I am very grateful that I am no longer a resident of the place that once held me so kindly, and helped to shape my world view. I am no longer thrilled to be a part of the hustle and bustle. I no longer feel in synch with the pace, and the noise. As I observed the goings on from my perch at a cafe, I flashed back to my years of running through the streets to get from one appointment to the next, of pushing through crowds, of thinking that I needed to do more or be more, and of feeling important because I did all of those things. Ah! There was the golden nugget! I wanted to be important. I wanted to be well known. I wanted to show myself and the world that I could do it! And I often had a good time playing the game that way, despite an underlying, false belief that I had to physically push very hard to make things happen, and often feeling unworthy of receiving the things that I pursued.
Things are certainly different now. My pace has changed. My thoughts and beliefs about myself have changed. I am pursing new things, and am surrounded by a whole new set of people in a very different city. This morning I wondered if I would ever want to return to New York if it were not for my business ventures. That thought surprised me. I once believed that my old stomping ground was the center of the universe. Thankfully, I now, more than ever, see the universe – the connection between all things – wherever I go.
If you've been observing the news cycle since the end of the US Republican and Democratic national political conventions, you may have noticed that the drama from both sides has continued. Name calling, accusations, assumptions, and posturing, mixed with platform policy that some agree with and others disagree with.
I've been doing what I can to stay out of the fray, to check my political pulse, and to question my thoughts and actions in regard to the candidates, and their respective parties. Sometimes I am quite successful in not attaching to thoughts that create upset, or even thoughts that bring joy. I notice that I am most drawn to speeches and policies that align with my ideas about inclusiveness, and taking care of other beings and the environment. If something seems to oppose that then – whoops! – my mind can take me on a rough and tumble journey through the land of harsh judgement, and inflexibility. That is not a comfortable place, and I like to be comfortable, don't you?
What should we do? Do we roll over and let our ideals be trampled? Do we watch passively as human rights are violated, and violence erupts? Where do we place are focus? Below are some options to consider as we embrace change – which sometimes looks chaotic.
If we continue to let our thoughts and beliefs take us out of our clarity and contentment, and to move us away from the present moment, what happens? We are then quite possibly "free" to be miserable, to be fearful, to be resentful, to be jealous, to project our violent thoughts onto others, and in the end, to be in our suffering, which is often the last place we want to be. We become comfortable in our discomfort, and the ego/conditioned human mind will often do whatever it can to keep us there.
How can we transcend our suffering? What if we give into it, and feel the layers and depths of it in order to move beyond it? One of my mentors had the uncanny ability to guide me to places within myself that were often dark and scary from the outside. Once I was in those places, they weren't so overwhelming, and I was able to dive into the emotions, express them as fully as possible, and emerge with a greater understanding of the origin of my discomfort. I had to trust my teacher, myself, and the process in order to move beyond the grip I allowed my mind to have over me.
Where are your thoughts and beliefs taking you? What are the results of those thoughts and beliefs? If freedom is calling, and you feel stuck and miserable, I invite you to take time to dig a bit deeper, and find the way back home to yourself. The Work, a process of inquiry developed by Byron Katie, one of my favorite contemporary teachers of peace, is one way to move toward inner calm. In the video below, Katie uses herself as an example of how to move through each part of her simple process. It's worth watching!
For an inspiring dose of calming self-care, try rubbing a couple of drops each of Lavender and Rosemary essential oils on the bottoms of your feet. Make sure those oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade! Ask me how to get those superior grade essential oils.
Below are some things that help me maintain a loving and compassionate relationship with myself, others, and the world at large. Maybe you'll resonate with one or all of what is offered.
– Meditate! I start my day with a check in. I won't get out of bed without being aware of what is occurring in my body, where I am emotionally, and what is rolling around in my head. I particularly want to start off the day with a calm and clear mind.
– Breathe! Throughout the day I pause to notice my breath. I am often surprised how shallow my breathing is. A few deep breaths can shift many things, including tightness in the body, anxious feelings, and out-of-balance thinking.
– Exercise! Hit the gym and get sweaty with a weight training routine, do yoga, jog, go for a walk through your neighborhood, hike in the woods or mountains or along the beach, swim, take a long bike ride, or dance. Move that body!
– Laugh! Find something to bring out your silly side. Peruse YouTube for funny video clips. Shoot your own goofy video. Tell some jokes. Take a Laughter Yoga class. Find the humor in life. Bwaaahaaahaaahaa!
– Play! Break any pattern you feel you can or must in order to awaken that inner child, and break free of any cycle that keeps you from knowing that you are joy, and life is here for your to revel in – like a giant playground.
– Spend time in nature! When was the last time you watched the sun rise or set, observed a spider spinning a web, danced in the rain, opened your arms to the wind, watched a river flowing, or looked up at the sky and let your eyes linger there? Go do it!
– Go on an artist date! Have you been to a museum or art gallery lately? Ever taken a pottery-making class? How about grabbing your smart phone and taking inspiring or silly photos? Take in a play, or create your own theater group. Ask someone to sit and color with you. Read poetry aloud. Write a short story.
– Travel! Get out of town – and maybe out of your comfort zone. Observe how folks in other parts of the world live – even if it's an hour away.
– Cook a meal! Lovingly whip up something yummy for yourself. Set a beautiful place for yourself at the table. Bond with friends over some healthy foods (pot lucks are fun!), or indulge in something that you may normally avoid. Hello, chocolate!
– Hang out with people you love! Stay connected to those who make your heart sing and soar.
– Observe the behavior of young children! Have you noticed how often babies or toddlers judge each other, hold grudges, act physically violently toward one another, or complain about global issues? Yeah, me neither.
– Volunteer! Offer the world your time, talent, and treasure. Get involved in a community service project. Volunteer to clean up a park or pick up garbage on the street on which you live. Work with older adults. Serve food at a shelter. Be a foster mom or dad to a dog or cat. Perform a random act of kindness. Make a monetary donation to a charity. Get the idea?
Tangerine, Wild Orange, Bergamot, Lemon, Lime or other citrus oils.
ASK ME how to get superior grade essential oils!


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