Happy Hallowe'en From The Moose Marsh~!!

May it be SAFE and CANDY filled~!!

How to Save Money on Groceries

Grocery shopping is a regular practice in many homes and takes up quite a chunk of a family’s budget. It is usually a delicate balance. Trying to get all the required groceries seems crucial, but there may never be enough money. However, with the following tips, you could cut your grocery shopping bills by up to 60 per cent. This can be achieved through a combination of several steps as described below.

1. Have a Plan
Before venturing to the grocery store or the mall, always plan ahead and make firm decisions regarding what is required. This prevents purchase of items already at home. Planning also ensures that only what is required is purchased. Some shoppers tend to purchase whatever they come across and end up spending a whole lot more than was initially intended.

2.  Do Your Homework
There are many grocery stores that sell similar items at different prices. It is prudent that before making any purchases or before embarking on a grocery shopping spree, thorough homework is done to find the cheapest locations selling the grocery items on the list.

3. Get Healthy
According to a study conducted in 2002 in the US and published in the journal of American Dietetic Association, healthy diets can save families money. Healthy foods and diets enable consumers to lose weight, feel full and start consuming less.

4. Stick to a Budget
Shoppers should always prepare a budget for their grocery shopping. The budget comes complete with a shopping list. Once the shopping gets underway, the list should be strictly adhered to. Even if kids start demanding items not on the list, strict adherence should be enforced.

5. Coupon!
Shoppers should look for and collect as many discount vouchers and shopping coupons as they possibly could. There are thousands of these contained in magazines, at shopping mall counters and also come with the mail. Shopping coupons have been known to reduce a shopping list cost by up to 67 per cent. Using coupons presents great savings opportunities. Some coupons may have a discount on items already on offer or up for sale. This provides a double opportunity for savings.

6. Waste Not, Want Not
A great way to reduce waste and save money is to not throw away leftovers. Rather than bin the remains of last evening’s dinner, store them up using suitable storage bags and put them away nicely in the refrigerator. These leftovers can be warmed up the following day and served for lunch or snacks. Rather than spend extra money buying snacks, leftovers can do that just as well.

When buying seasoning or other ingredients for a recipe, try to find frozen or dried, rather than fresh. Fresh is always expensive whereas frozen or dried is much cheaper, lasts much longer yet brings the same results. Frozen foods are great as only the required amount is used while the rest is packed up and stacked back in the freezer.

Tammy Barnett likes to write about shopping, cook & Find Buy.com Coupons at Frugal Dad.

5 Tips to Help You Tame Your Leather Jacket

You finally got that leather jacket you’ve been dreaming of for so long but it is not hugging your body like you imagined it would?

You should know that when leather is new, even when it is a soft kind of fabric like shearling or sheepskin, it feels a bit stiff, bulky, and not quite comfy. Within time, though, the leather will get a new cozier feel, and this is mainly due to use.

Nevertheless, if you don’t want to wait years to feel your leather jacket hugging you in a cozy embrace, there are ways to tame it.

Here we give you 5 tips to rush the feeling of old leather that makes these garments so special and a life-long passion for their owners:

1.  Find out what kind of leather you’re dealing with
You don’t tame all leathers in the same way. Some are very soft and would not endure well-intended abuse.

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It is not the same to tame very strong leathers like cowhide or goatskin than to work with a soft lavish fabric like shearling. Any marks and scratches leather gets, leather keeps; so, make sure your leather jacket is tough enough to be tamed like a wild horse.

2.  Go slow
Remember that whatever you do to leather can’t be reversed. If possible, take a look at an old leather jacket that has been used till its last breath and notice where it is worn out the most.

It will normally be the collar, the pockets, the elbows, and under the sleeves, because of the level friction and rubbing these areas are exposed to.

In due course, the leather will give in on its own; so, whatever you do, try not to over do it.

3.  Dance in the rain

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When Fred Astaire danced in the rain he was wearing a suit, but it could have very well been a new leather jacket!

Water softens leather, allowing you to stretch and wrinkle it at very precise places. Although some people will recommend you put your leather jacket in the washing machine and dryer, do not do it, because the leather will shrink too much.

The best way is to get it wet by wearing it under a light rain until it is fully damp. Once this happens, and until it dries on you, do some jumping jacks and bend your arms in several ways to create wrinkles in the right spots.

If you’re in the middle of summer and there’s no rain to be expected, spray the jacket with water, but be careful not to soak it. Wear it while it dries, and it will mold to your figure.

4.  Abuse the leather a bit

Yes, mistreat your leather garment, but in well-intended way. Use steel wool to scratch the fabric in the areas where normal wear happens.

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Strike in an irregular way and take it easy, check the result after every scrape to make sure you’re not overdoing it, remember you can’t undo anything.

You can also fold the jacket into a ball, tie it up with a string and throw it around some. The more you hurl it around the more it softens and the more it seizes your body shape.

5.  Wear your jacket as much as possible
This is probably the best way to tame any leather jacket: just wear it, and wear it, and wear it. The more you wear it, the more visible your story will show on it, and the more intimate it will get.

Wendy Jones is a freelance writer in the Pacific Northwest who loves her sheepskin jacket.

Children and Radio Control Toys

From the beginning of time our children have learned through play. Simple games taught vital life skills of which many are now obsolete. Technological advances ensure we live longer and healthier but that in itself brings new challenges. Our childrens' life skill set has changed, they need to be able to operate machinery and get the best out of computers. So where do they begin to learn these vital skills ? Well that's something that hasn't changed, they play. Computer games can be educational but for the most part parents would much rather their children were more active and imaginative in their play. Where better to begin than with a toy that replicates some of the machines they will experience in real life? What if that toy could be controlled by a child and follow instructions given by a control unit simulating real life actions? The same technology that changes our world brings us radio controlled toys.

Before radio control autonomous toys used clockwork mechanisms. All movements were pre-determined by a set of cogs and push rods and were entirely predictable. Although some very complex toys were starting to appear it wasn't until the 1990's that miniature components became available for even the smallest models. Since then the radio control systems have become more and more complex, multiple channels control different functions simultaneously. Simple on /off remote controls have been replaced by full proportional digital systems such that a model car for example no longer just turns right and left but the amount of turn can be varied as well. This has allowed much more detail in toy replicas whilst still keeping them relatively inexpensive.



There's no doubt about it, children love radio controlled toys. In fact, if we are honest, its something we all love and that's due to the diversity and variety available today. Cars, tanks, boats, planes, helicopters and more. Just about anything you can drive, steer or fly is available, replicated in detail and in many cases fully functional. The radio controlled toy world fires imaginations in youngsters who build their own real life scenarios around the models, this often prompts inventive building of race tracks or detailed workings of airports, rail stations, boat harbours and just about anything else you can imagine all centered around the radio controlled toys.

The play sometimes goes beyond realism and into a world of fiction where anything is possible. A flying car, perhaps not yet possible but may well be common place in the next century. It will be our children that are the scientists of tomorrow sparked by ideas seeded today through play and exploration.

For our children it's all endless fun and exploration. Its a safe experimental learning experience that teaches coordination while introducing electronics and control systems similar to those used in industry today. Some radio controlled toys even have small simple computers that can be given basic tasks to carry out drawing similarities with today's big industry robots. In many ways toys, especially radio controlled toys will benefit every child in our ever advancing world.

The article was written on behalf of Cobra Toys , manufacturers of children Toy Helicopters.

Keep Kids Safe during Halloween

Research shows that double the number of children are injured or killed by Halloween-related accidents that could have been prevented had safety measures been followed. These incidents include getting hit by cars because drivers could not see children's costumes or children were not mindful of the traffic, getting injured by a sword, or burned by a candle of a jack-o-lantern. If parents and children follow a few safety tips they can enjoy a fun Halloween without any tragedies. 

Costumes
Choose costumes that fit well so children will not trip over them at night and that are flame-resistant. Help children select ones that light-colored if possible so they will be more visible at night. Decorate costumes with reflective stickers to improve visibility even more. Since Halloween masks limit children's eyesight, decorate their faces with non-toxic face paint or make-up, remembering to test the make-up on the children first to check for allergic reactions. Even if your child's costume calls for it, prevent him from carrying a sword as he might accidentally hit another child. Provide children with flashlights so they can see better that night.

Carving Jack-o-Lanterns
Provide markers for children to draw funny faces on the pumpkins so that one of the parents can carve it out. Alternatively, let the children paint faces on the pumpkins with colored non-toxic paint. Keeping sure children are away from the knife, carve out their design. To prevent accidents, consider lighting your creation with a small glow stick instead. Display your scary pumpkin on a sturdy base, where it will not catch fire or tip over.

Trick- or-Treat Night
Accompany children younger than 12 years old trick-or-treating. Encourage older children to go out in groups and review the planned route with one of the parents and establish a meeting spot. Stay in your local neighborhood, only ringing the doorbell of houses with their porch light on. Tell children never to go into a neighbor's house, even if they know them. Walk along lighted sidewalks and only cross at official crosswalks. This helps drivers see children at crosswalks and they will be expecting larger amounts of children walking than normal so they be on high-alert.

Healthy Tips
Provide a healthy dinner for your children before they head out so they have some nourishment in them and will not just gorge on sweets. After returning home from trick-or-treating, divide treats into different piles such as chocolate candy, chips, and sour candy, while checking each wrapper. If you suspect it has been tampered with, throw it out.

Kenneth enjoys blogging, and blogs about an array of subjects. Additonally he works for fast cash for cars a company that buys damaged cars.

Chocolate: A History of Innovation

Stop! Before you take your next bite of chocolate, think about this. It's a complete accident of history that we are able to eat chocolate today.

Deep in the Jungle
The origins of this delicious treat are hidden deep in the South American jungle - literally. That's where cocoa trees were growing back in the times of the Mayans. Famous for many things, including a developed and highly ordered civilization and a fantastic way of calculating and measuring time, the Mayans also indirectly brought us chocolate. They took the beans, which were growing wild and made them into a drink called xocoatl. The name meant bitter water, but bitter or not, the drink was prized as a tonic. Meanwhile, the beans were used as currency and traded to many of the Amerindian groups ot the time, including the Aztecs, who also loved the drink.

Spanish Travels
The Aztecs introduced the beans and the drink to the Spanish, who lost no time in taking it to Europe with them. It's hard to imagine these days, but back in those times you had to be of noble birth or very rich to be able to enjoy a chocolate drink - no commoners allowed. That's because it had been imported and was expensive. Even though it tasted nothing like the chocolate we have today - it was still very bitter - people loved it. Soon, though, another innovation made chocolate closer to what we know today: the addition of milk. At this time, chocolate was still mainly a drink and when Sir Hans Sloane experimented with milk, it suddenly became truly drinkable.

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From Drinking to Eating
But there was one more innovation that had to happen to bring chocolate closer to what we know today. We now take it for granted that chocolate is available in edible form, but the chocolate bar is a relatively recent invention. Fry and Son of Bristol, famous in the UK for chocolate biscuits, were the first to add cocoa butter and sugar to chocolate and mold it into a bar. Unfortunately, it still had a very bitter taste which would no doubt have hampered its popularity.

Getting the Taste Right
The final innovation came from Switzerland - and is perhaps the reason why the Swiss are famous for their chocolate today. Daniel Peter, a manufacturer, added powdered milk to the mix, making the bars much more palatable and then, to stay ahead of the competition, replaced that with condensed milk, giving that characteristic smooth texture and flavor associated with Swiss chocolate.

As you can see, chocolate has traveled the world, getting better and better all the time. So the next time you have a piece of chocolate, remember the history - and thank the Mayans!

Sharon Hurley Hall loves chocolate. She hopes to find some in her Christmas food hamper from Scottish Hampers.

How To Make Halloween A Success Without Haunting Your Bank Account

Halloween is a big holiday. It can also be an expensive holiday when you add up all the costumes, parties, and trick or treating. You don’t have to go Trick or Treating to make Halloween a success. There are so many hauntingly brilliant ideas for a stay at home Halloween party. Maybe your children are a little old for trick or treating, or perhaps your neighbourhood isn’t suited to door-to-door Halloween fun. You can turn your home into a haunted house that’ll have your kids enthralled and even a little spooked if you like.

Present these ideas to your little ghouls and get the party started:

1. Pumpkin Carving: Yes, you can buy ready carved pumpkins, but it’s so much more fun to carve your own. Little ones may need a helping hand, but you can make your Jack-o-Lanterns original, and spooky. Never let your child handle a knife, you can buy inexpensive pumpkin carving sets for children and guide them through the process.
2. Your own Haunted House: Children love the idea of turning your home into a haunted house. You can assign each child a room to decorate and get their friends to help too. You need to make a show of it, so get your little Morticia’s and Dracula’s to plan their roles and act the part in their room. You can make smoking cauldrons with dry ice and a slow cooker, or turn your spare room into Count Dracula’s castle. All you need is a little creativity and a lot of kids.
3. Host a Scary Story Party: Ghost stories around the campfire. Nothing is better than being outdoors around a fire on Halloween. If you have the space, create a small campfire and decorate the garden with cheap Halloween decorations. Plan an outdoor meal and ask each child to prepare a ghost story that’ll freeze your blood and turn your bones to jelly. Younger children love to get involved but their scary stories may not haunt older children. Try to keep it age appropriate and save your terrifying ghost stories for last. If you’re indoors, then make the room completely dark and allow each storyteller to hold a single torch in front of their face as they tell their story. It’s guaranteed to raise some screams.
4. Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt: Instead of hitting the neighbourhood this year, why not organise a terrifying treasure hunt. Perfect for the garden at night, especially if you have some creepy decor and some things that really do go bump in the night.
5. Movie Mayhem: Older children and teens love the thrill of watching scary movies on Halloween. Make a party of it and have some Halloween themed food, and rent some of the classic tales of fright, horror and gore on Halloween. If they want to do something more interactive, or if you’re having an all-girls sleep over then purchase a bunch of inexpensive Halloween make up sets and allow them to create their own gory masks and weird witches with a Halloween Beauty/Beast Party

Staying in doesn’t mean missing out on Halloween when you invite all the young witches and wizards in your neighbourhood over to your haunted house for a festive fright night.

This guest post has been provided on behalf of vouchercloud.com; check out their fancy dress hire offers for savings this Halloween.

The Greatest Patriot by Daniel Sullivan

The Greatest Patriot is a Political Thriller.

Top secret messages are arriving to the Kennedy administration stating that Kruscheyev hates JFK and wishes him dead because of the Bay of Pigs mishap where Kruscheyev lost face in his political party.  Kruscheyev continues to push the American president's buttons until only one solution is left on the table.  In order to prevent World War 3, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, must fake his own death, creating the biggest conspiracy the world has ever known.

Its present day and the Greeks are reporting that 93 year old JFK was just killed in a helicopter accident off the island coast of Skorpios.  Hal Rumsey has heard the news on the television and believes it is time that the world learns of the truth.

Calling up The Washington Post's, Mike Mahoney, he begins to share his tale, however, before Mike will believe him, Hal sends Mike to look at the PT109 coconut for the truth.  When Mike learns that Hal is telling the truth, he flies out to Florida to hear the rest of his tale.

Hal reminisces about the days when he was first assigned the case.  He had no family and no commitments and was a perfect candidate for the job, unknown to him was that the job was going to take up the next 40 or so years of his life.  Upon first learning of the truth, Hal is shocked but agrees to defend the President's life at all costs.  Hal and Jack become friends and confidantes while the President works his politics from behind closed doors, moving and shaping the world without anyone knowing any wiser.

Hal explains the assassination, how everyone had a role to play, except Jack Ruby, who was, in fact, a wild card to the whole ordeal.  From the bullet hole found in the curb at Dealey Plaza that is purported to have been fired from Oswald's gun, to the reasons for Jackie's friendship with Ari Onassis, all details are given to the reader in another light, a different outcome to an old story.

I really liked this book, I found many aspects of it interesting.  The whole parrellel universe kind of feel to it was wonderful to read.  I thought the explanations shared with reader worked for the most part and liked how the back story was shared through the eyes of Hal.

I found many of the explanations on how things could have been if looked at from a different angle was quite commendable in its writing.  Many of the thoughts shared are believable and sometimes the author made you stop and wonder, which was excellent for its mystery and daring.

I found the characters weren't easily read from the other.  Sometimes I wasn't sure who was speaking as each seemed to have similar bearing in their character explanations.  When Bob McNamara and Bob Kennedy were in the same room it would get very confusing trying to figure out which Bob was which.

I also thought some of the thoughts shared gave too much detail to the reader and others not enough.  The dialogue appeared forced which made it appear as if the characters in the book were reading from a script.

I would give The Greatest Patriot a four out of five stars, while I loved the history and the way it was shared with the reader, sometimes in flashback and sometimes via the interview; I just wasn't that fond of how the characters interacted with the reader and couldn't find their rhythm.  As for the history and the what if aspect to that history, author, Daniel Sullivan does deliver.

The Greatest Patriot

SYNOPSIS:
A magnificent read that introduces the reader to an incredible account of one the most important events in American History. The Greatest Patriot provokes the reader's curiosity as it poses the question "what if?" Sullivan is Clancy-esque in his use of historical details, creating a world where Dealy Plaza was not the end, but only the beginning; a world in which President Kennedy makes an unspeakable, yet necessary, decision to save his country and the world. Sullivan successfully spins a suspenseful plot, delighting the reader with splendid historical nuggets woven into an intricate story of intrigue and mystery. Fans of Dan Brown, Clancy and Grisham will be enthralled by this thought-provoking drama that plunges them into an astonishing alternative view of history. The story follows the life of JFK after the "assassination," the struggles of Hal Rumsey, the secret service agent who guarded the president, and the journalist, Mike Mahoney, who must choose whether or not to expose the staggering truth. Will the truth be revealed or buried with the few who were entrusted to keep the secret of America's Greatest Patriot? From the opening paragraph to its extraordinary conclusion, The Greatest Patriot captivates the reader with the desire to know if this might just be how it really happened. As the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination rapidly approaches, Sullivan stimulates the imagination with a world where Camelot lived on.

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

The Value of a Hug

All humans have an innate need for physical, non-sexual, touch. Think of a baby, if the mother weren't there to hold a screaming baby, it would go on crying as it sought something to comfort it. There are many infants who have suffered from failure to thrive due to minimalistic touching by the parents. Basically, all humans need touch to survive and live a healthy life. Have you gotten a hug today? 

There have been several scientific studies done that prove there are health benefits to getting regular hugs. First, in the book The How of Happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky discusses an experiment she did in which she formed two groups, one a control and one with an assignment. The assignment was to hug five different people each day for a month.

Respondents in the hugging group reported that they felt happier.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina also carried out a study that measured brain chemicals before and after a hug. Results showed that hugging often can help lower blood pressure in women. This may be why women love to cuddle so much. On another note, about 10 years ago, Cornell's School of Hotel Administration completed a study showing that restaurant servers who casually touched their clients got a higher tip.

There is an actual chemical process that happens when we are touched, or receive a hug, from someone. Our brain begins to produce two of our “happy” hormones, oxytocin and serotonin. The production of these chemicals can be maximized if you hold a hug for at least six seconds. Many therapists recommend getting more physical touch in order helping their clients better their relationships between spouses or other family members. By touching, you create a deeper connection with a person.

It's harder to get angry at someone or be annoyed with them if you two are touching. Give it a try sometime and see if you are less annoyed with your children or an old friend by making it a point to give them a hug everyday. If there is a specific time of day when you always feel highly stressed, such as during the morning rush, take a second to give a loved one a hug. Not only will your own stress decrease, but you will be building a stronger relationship with your hug-ee.

The benefits to hugging are a lot more powerful than you may realize. If you are feeling sad or unhappy, why not try to set a goal to get at least one hug a day. Even if you feel shy about asking someone for a hug, it will be worth the effort. At the end of each day, as you get into bed, be accountable and ask yourself, “Did I get a hug today?”

About the Author

Tiffani Azani is a freelance writer on MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers is a tool for prospective students to help them connect with and online schools who can help them earn a college diploma.

Alli's Originals Review

Alli is a 35 year old stay at home Mom (Mompreneur) who began making jewelry as a hobby over 9 years ago. She began with beaded projects, key chains & wire work. After a few years of jewelry design, she began teaching courses in jewelry making and hosting jewelry making Birthday parties. After years of designing jewelry, Alli began taking courses in silversmithing and lost wax casting. Alli's Collection has expanded over the last couple of years and now includes hand stamped pendants and charms, hand cut pendants and unique casted charms that are only available exclusively through Alli's Originals. As well, a great collection for men. The Prince Charming Collection. 

 Alli's biggest inspiration came from her experience as a new Mom to her son Jacob. Jacob was the inspiration behind her latest collection of jewelry which led to her having a website and officially opening up her shop! Her collection now sells in stores worldwide.

Alli works closely with each client to design a piece that is truly unique, special and one of a kind. Her clients have a big part in the design and creative process so their vision can become a reality.

These make GREAT gifts for moms, dads, children, grandparents, teachers or anyone you have a special fondness for and you wish to share it with them or you can grab one for yourself.  You can give them for wedding presents, anniversaries, graduations or just to celebrate that special day.  Add your children's name and/or birthdates, your husbands or the first day you got your new job...the possibilities are endless~!!

If you don't wish to have it personalized, Alli's Originals has many non-personalized items to choose from.  There are toe rings, pet tags, key chains, Hebrew jewelry and much more. 

My Thoughts~!!

First of all, I need to tell you folks that Alli from Alli's Originals is one REALLY groovy lady~!!  I have to say that she is about one of the nicest people I have met since I began reviewing.  For that aspect ALONE, it would be worth anyone's while to purchase a few of her beautiful jewelry products for your very own~!!

I have six children and one grand daughter and I wasn't sure if Alli would be able to fit some of their names on the discs, a couple of my darlings have hyphenated names.  After some friendly collaboration betwixt the two of us, we were able to come up with a solution that was agreeable to us both.  It arrived in a timely manner in a delightful little tin box, that my daughter now uses to keep some of her small Pet Shop toy accessories inside.

It has been around my neck since the moment I put it on and is only removed when I shower.  I'm not much for wearing jewelry and I cannot even feel it around my neck. The discs are quite small and I was impressed to see that Alli was able to fit all the names upon it and they can be read quite illegibly. It sits really nice on the wearer, it's not heavy nor does it ever catch upon anything...not even my hair!! 

My youngest daughter touches her name EVERY day since I received it, she got a real kick out of seeing her name on a piece of jewelry.  Her name is in old Gaelic and she never EVER see's her name anywhere and when she saw it she was AMAZED~!!  OH and to find out that Alli has a niece with the exact same name was really neat to hear...most people spell her name incorrectly, I cannot blame them, it's not a common name and no one EVER says it the right way...however, Alli knew exactly what I meant and the worry that it would be spelled wrong was quickly removed!!

I truly LOVE my personalized necklace that I received from Alli Originals...thank you Alli for being a really great woman (you should check out the charity work she does...TRULY amazing~!!) and we at Mad Moose Mama wish you all the best of success in all that you do~!!

Lost Tribes of the Amazon and Beyond

Easter Island Image Source

There are still humans on earth that are totally cut off from "civilisation" - how do they live, where do they live, and is life all that bad without TV/technology?

Brazil has the most number of uncontacted groups in the world. In January 2007, FUNAI confirmed that there were 67 uncontacted tribes, which are up from 40 in 2005. There are seven Terras Indigenas or reservations reserved specifically for uncontactable tribes however there any many other tribes that live within another tribe’s reservation. Here are just a few.


Korubo Warrior Image Source

The Korubo are some of the last people who have yet to be contacted by modern society. Much of what we know about them is based upon researcher Sydney Possuelo and Paul Raffaele in October 1996. They live within large communal huts, hunt with only clubs and poison darts and have a diet that includes spider monkeys, wild pig and peccary. Although occasionally practising infanticide for unknown reasons, the main cause of illness and death is malaria brought in by outsiders.


Tapirapé tribe Image Source

Deep inside the Amazon rainforest, live the indigenous Tapirapé tribe. Dating back to the 1500, they speak Tupi and originally lived on Brazil's coast then later moved inland to be near the resourceful Amazon River. They use hunting and fishing as a means of providing food but they also clear patches of forest with fire to produce fertile soil in order to grow crops. Annualy they hold a gift giving ceremony where by the men take a sip of “bad kiwi”, a disgusting tasting drink. Should the wealthy men decide not to drink, then that has to give gifts to those that do. The poorer men therefore generally do this in order to receive gifts. Although they do not wear clothes in day to day life, they are recognised by their use of body paint and occasionally wear skirts and wrist bands when performing dances and special ceremonies.


Terra Indigena Xinane Isolados Image Source

With an area of 1750km² and boarded with Bolivia and other reservations, the Terra Indigena Xinane Isolados only contains humans that have yet to be contacted. In fact, this is all that is known about them!

As well as Brazil, Chile also has a number of uncontacted tribes.


The Alacluf Tribe Image Source

The Alacluf are located on the southern peninsula of Chile and speak Kawésqar. They are known for being a fishing tribe and therefore have not farmed the land. The number of Alacluf members fluctuates but has never exceeded 5,000 although in 2002 there were only 15 full bloodied members remaining. During 1881, 11 members of the tribe were taken to be observed in Paris and Berlin but only 4 returned and it wasn't until 2010 that 5 out of the remaining 7 bodies were repatriated.


Rapa Nui People Image Credit

Another tribe based in Chile are the Rapa Nui people who are indigenous to Easter Island although some do live on mainland. They speak the Rapa Nui language and in 2002 there were 3,304 residents who all lived in the western village of Hanga Roa. Although their main source of income is from tourism (people coming to see the maoi), there are also some fruits grown for local use. Recent protests regarding the islanders self determination and possession of the island, led to violence with the Chilean army.

Baring in mind that these people live without electricity and survive off the land and seas, is watching the next episode of Eastenders really that important?

Lost Tribes of the Amazon and Beyond is a guest editorial written on behalf of Hotel Club; where you can find yourself and cheap Bali accommodation.

Top 10 Authentic Retro Reboots

We all love a bit of Retro, and good news - those gadgets and games that warmed our hearts in our childhood have returned, some are even better than they were before. These are the toys you yearned for when you were young. Remember that kid who had all the best toys? Now, you can recapture that little spark of youthful competitiveness.

It doesn’t matter that we’re not kids any more, or that we possibly should be old enough to know better. It’s impossible to resist the call of childhood nostalgia
.

We’ve selected our top 10 authentic retro toys & tech to capture your childish imagination. So pull up a chair and read on as we take you back...

Bigtrak

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Big Trak was an absolute hit in the early 80s, You might remember the large 6-wheeled tank. It might have a totally 70s colour scheme, but the programmable vehicle came complete with a blue photon beam headlamp (whatever that means) and, the most important part, a chunky keyboard on the top. You could actually programme the Big Trak to carry out sequences of movements like ‘Go forward 5 paces, go left 2 lengths, turn 15 minutes right’ etc.

It might not seem like an amazing feat of technology to us now, but back then it was amazing!

But the Big Trak is back. Styled on the old model, the new version is an exact copy. It’s been just as big a hit now as it was back then. Strangely enough, you still get the same giddy sense of joy when the tank carried out your orders.

Risk

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This one first entered our lives in the 1950s, but has stayed a staple item in the games cupboard ever since. It’s a game of strategy, nerve and, well, risk.

The game has been around for years, but this Christmas, it’s come back in its true retro form. The Nostalgia Edition comes in a retro wooden box, straight out of the 50s.

It’s back to its retro glory, so now you can conquer the world in true retro style.

Newtons cradle

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It’s one of those science things that you can’t quite explain, but you simply can’t take your eyes off.

Remember being transfixed by these hypnotic little things in the doctor’s office? Remember when doctors or other important people had these types of gizmos on their desks – you would hve given anything to play with it, but you were always told ‘No!’

Now you’re big and important enough to have one of your own. Go on, give it a try...

Space hopper

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A real blast from the past here. Whether you call them Space Hoppers, Moon Hoppers, Skippyballs, Kangaroo Balls, Bouncers, Hippity-Hops, or Hop Balls, they all mean one thing – fun!

It looks a little wrong, and you know that you’ll look monumentally stupid on it, but those things just don’t seem like such a big deal when you remember just how fun the Space Hopper is.

You might want to avoid going out in public with it though, Space Hoppers aren’t recommended modes of transport.

Phones

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Ever since Mr Edmond’s latest box-related gameshow, retro phones have come back in force.

Moulded plastic handsets, chunky rotary diallers, every feature you know and love from the telephone of the past is back here. But best of all, they’re packed full of modern-day gubbins so you don’t have to sacrifice the functionality you need.

They even make that good old fashioned ‘rrrrring, rrrrring’ noise – superb!

Stylophone

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That Rolf Harris had a lot of explaining to do back in 1967 when Kids around the world started tormenting their parents with a series of electronic buzzes, The stylophone was invented as a musical instrument, and Rolf Harris made it sing.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many other people with the same talent. In fact, anyone else who picks up the infernal thing can only create a skull-drilling racket.

But we’ve grown to love that racket. Now the Stylophone has returned, to a buzzing fanfare, into our lives. Contrary to all laws of sense, we’ve welcomed its return with open arms and open hearts.

Rubiks cube

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It’s infamously frustrating and absolutely addictive; the Rubik’s cube used to send us all into a crazed delirium full of colourful squares and twisting cuboids.

There are people in the world who can solve them in a matter of seconds. People have written entire books on the secrets to cracking the cube. Most of us mere mortals can only hope to fumble around with it for a few hours before leaving it on a shelf as a piece of Geek Chic art.
But that’s still a great use for this iconic piece of pop culture.

Slinky

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‘Everyone loves the Slinky!’ Invented in the early 1940s, Slinky has been a hit with kids for generations! In fact when it first went on sale in the 40s, the entire stock of Slinkies were sold out in just 90 minutes – talk about a must have toy!

We’ve seen the Slinky take on many different forms over the years, from rainbow-coloured plastic to animal themed springs. But now, the original steel Slinky is back and delighting kids once more.

There’s so much to do with a Slinky. Obviously you can walk it down the stairs, but you can also roll it up your arm and pretend to be a robot, or lik it together to make a fetching springy necklace. Leave it to your childlike imagination and you’ll find something new and exciting to do with it.

Retro Roberts radios

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Retro radios, like the telephones are coming back in force. With Digital radio making the whole wireless concept ‘cool’ again, the beautiful retro styling has become popular once more.

Each radio is like a piece of pop culture art – they look like they belong in the 50s but the insides tell a very different story. These digital radios let you listen to the stations you love in crystal clear digital sound quality. You couldn’t say that about an authentic 50s radio now, could you?

Commodore 64

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Now, for the geek in all of us, the one and only Commodore 64 has made a comeback. The big grey box that stole our heart and our imaginations in the 80s has returned complete with retro games for those of us who miss those clunky cartridge-games.

According to the website, it’s ‘a modern functional PC as close to the original as humanly possible.’ They’ve crammed a mini motherboard, dual core atom processor and even a graphics card into the original casing. Now that’s a blast from the past!

All of these retro reboots are a delight to the child within all of us. But which one will be gracing your home? Stop by Prezzybox for some even more great retro and unique ideas to make the perfect Christmas present.