Thursday, December 14, 2006

Christmas opening times & holidays

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting




Magna Carta Bookshop will be open as normal until Saturday 23rd December. After that date we will be closed until 3rd January 2007.
During this time we'll still be accepting your book orders, either via our web site or e-mail.
Merry Christmas
Thank you all so much for another great year and for all the support.

Monday, December 11, 2006

APAA Support

We strongly support the animal cause in the Algarve, therefore we have posted the message below hoping there will be someone out there who may contribute to the solution to the problems the "Associação Protecção Animal do Algarve" is currently facing.

Any other charities needing any kind of help are also welcome to use this space. Please contact our bookshop for the effect.

Thank you,
Susana

APAA FACES DIFFICULT CHALLENGE – URGENT NEW PREMISES APPEAL



OVER 800 PEOPLE CELEBRATED AT THE APAA’S (ASSOCIAÇÃO DE PROTECÇÃO ANIMAL DO ALGARGE) RECENT WORLD ANIMAL DAY EVENTS. IN PARTICULAR, THE ANNUAL SCRUFFTS ‘DOG OF THE YEAR’ SHOW. THE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED TO THE UK’S RSPCA (ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS), RAISED AN ESTIMATED 3,000 EUROS ON THE DAY WHICH WILL GO TOWARDS THE SNIP (SPAYING AND NEUTERING IN PORTUGAL) CAMPAIGN, TREATMENT AND FOOD FOR THE ABANDONED DOGS AND CATS AT THE KENNELS.

HOWEVER, THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME THE ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES WORLD ANIMAL DAY IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION. ALTHOUGH THE APAA HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR RESCUING ABANDONED ANIMALS IN THE ALGARVE, IT IS BEING FORCED TO LEAVE ITS CURRENT PREMISES BY MARCH 2007. THE ASSOCIATION’S ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRE IS ON LEASED LAND AND THE LANDLORD HAS INFORMED US THAT HE IS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LEASE BEYOND MARCH 2007.

AT PRESENT THE ASSOCIATION IS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS AREAS OF ANIMAL PROTECTION, INCLUDING RESCUE, REHOMING, SPAYING AND NEUTERING. ARE THESE ACTIVITIES TO CONTINUE?

CLEARLY THE ASSOCIATION CAN ONLY CONTINUE AS AT PRESENT IF IT IS ABLE TO ACQUIRE LAND ON WHICH TO ESTABLISH A NEW RESCUE CENTRE. THIS WILL TAKE TIME, TO FIND SUITABLE LAND, AND TO RAISE THE NECESSARY FINANCE TO BUILD SHELTER FOR THE ANIMALS.

APAA HAS VAST EXPERIENCE AT REHOMING AND WE WORK HARD TO FIND NEW HOMES FOR THE MANY RESCUED ANIMALS IN OUR KENNELS.


WE WERE GRATEFUL WHEN SOS STRAYS ORGANISATION OFFERED TO HELP BY FOSTERING SOME OF THE APAA ANIMALS. THE AIM OF SOS STRAYS IS TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF STRAY ANIMALS IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THE DOGS AND CATS ARE FIRST PLACED IN A NETWORK OF FOSTER HOMES AND SOS STRAYS FOLLOW A STRICT ADOPTION PROCEDURE FOR REHOMING. APAA HAS A COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DOGS AND CATS THAT HAVE BEEN REHOMED IN EUROPE.

WORKING CLOSELY WITH SOS STRAYS AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN EUROPE AND THE UK PET PASSPORT SCHEME TO FIND HOMES HAS HELPED TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE ABANDONED DOGS AND CATS IN PORTUGAL.

SEVERAL DOGS HAVE ALREADY FOUND LOVING HOMES IN GERMANY VIA OUR VETERINARY CLINIC FERREL IN ESPICHE. THE GERMAN VET, HEIKE RAUTERBERG, WHO OWNS THE CLINIC HAS HELPED THE APAA TO FIND NEW HOMES FOR ITS DOGS, GIVING THE ASSOCIATION SEVERAL CONTACTS FOR KENNELS IN GERMANY.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE APAA IS DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME FOR ITS KENNELS. IT CURRENTLY HAS 82 DOGS AND 24 CATS.

I HOPE THAT I HAVE EXPLAINED AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE THE SITUATION FACING THE ASSOCIATION. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE THEY WILL BE VERY WELCOME.

IDEALLY, WE REQUIRE AN AREA OF LAND IN THE ALGARVE REGION WITH WATER AND ELECTRICITY, SOME OUTBUILDINGS WOULD BE USEFUL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE 82 DOGS AND 24 CATS IN OUR CARE.


PLEASE CONTACT THE APAA BY TEL/FAX 00 351 282 471347 (PLEASE BE PREPARED TO LEAVE A MESSAGE AS WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ‘MAN’ THE TELEPHONE) OR YOU CAN CALL/TEXT MOBILE 91 9368726 OR E MAIL SAFEHANDSBOARDINGKENNELS@CLIX.PT OR WRITE TO APAA, APARTADO 101, 8501 903 MEXILHOEIRA GRANDE, PORTUGAL.
Thank you,
Linda Pixley
(APAA's President)

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Friday, December 08, 2006

Blue Christmas, Jon Bon Jovi

A nice christmas ballad for you....

I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas
by Bon Jovi


Sunday, December 03, 2006

More Christmas gift ideas...








This is a stunning Angel collection that'll add extra Christmassy atmosphere to your room. Prices start at only 3.50€. All angels can be used as candleholders. When you buy two or more Angel figurines you get ONE free (please quote BLOG promotion).

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Fiendish Fashion


"The Devil Wears Prada" by Lauren Weisberger
Book Review by Hayley Jones


I gave in to the hype. Being a fan of fiction, film and fashion (in that order), there was no way that The Devil Wears Prada could have passed me by. I wasn't sure what to expect: the last two books I've read that were classified as 'chick lit' (I hate that term) were drastically different, so I was dubious of whether this would be a true hit or a fashion faux pas.


Luckily for my faith in modern fiction, The Devil Wears Prada was far better than I expected.The most hyped-up thing about this novel is the rumour that the fashion editor, Miranda Priestly, is based on the notorious US Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Lauren Weisberger has denied this (well you would, if only to avoid getting sued) and Wintour took it all in good humour by turning up at a screening of the film wearing (yup, you've guessed it!) Prada.


There is something deliciously seductive about the idea of this novel being a woman's way of getting her own back on an evil boss though - anybody who's ever had a nightmare boss (which is pretty much everybody I know) will sympathize with the main character, Andy Sachs. Andy is hired as an assistant to Runway editor Miranda Priestly, despite knowing nothing about fashion, and is frequently reminded that it's a job "a million girls would die for" - despite it becoming obvious from Day One that it's a living hell.


Miranda makes all kinds of ludicrous demands (including ordering Andy to collect her car and chauffeur her cat) and has a nasty habit of saying very little, expecting her assistants to guess precisely what she means. She's an evil cow, but everyone kowtows to her because she's the editor and good at her job, so she calls the shots - and not just within the confines of Runway's HQ. This provides a perfect set-up for much comedy and, although it could've been funnier, it's extremely amusing and there are several laugh-out-loud moments. Thankfully though, unlike in other books I've read, Weisberger doesn't strive too hard to be funny and the humour comes off naturally rather than forced.


Andy herself is very endearing and, like me, has a penchant for sarcasm. She's fresh out of college and determined to forge a successful career for herself, hoping to become a writer. Trouble is, her work is so absorbing that she starts to neglect her family, her friends and her ever-understanding boyfriend. But what can she do? Surviving a year as Miranda's assistant without being fired virtually guarantees her any magazine job she wants. Surely everyone understands that?


Things spiral out of control and her roommate, Lily, seems to be heading towards a serious drinking problem, but Andy simply doesn't have the time - she has to be at work at 7am and is often expected to work until after 11pm. She barely has time for sleep, let alone relationships.Whilst The Devil Wears Prada is delightfully sharp and funny, it is also rather sweet.


I thought the end was a little too saccharine but, if I'm honest, I loved it and wouldn't have it any other way. The characters are excellent and the relationships intricate and realistic - I certainly get the impression that they're crafted from observation - from the horror of Miranda to the tense relationship between Andy and Emily, the head assistant. It certainly gives the flavour of working for a fashion magazine, even if I do suspect that a lot of it is exaggerated - at least, I hope it's exaggerated….Don't be put off if you're not into fashion - Andy isn't either.


Whilst the fashion industry provides the perfect cut-throat setting, it's still perfectly enjoyable if you don't know your French Connection from your Fendi. You probably won't learn a lot about fashion from this either, except perhaps never to reply "mine" when someone asks you whose shoes you're wearing.


The plot becomes a little predictable in places, but that's forgivable and the characters more than make up for it - it certainly doesn't suffer for its few slips into sentimental 'made for TV movie' territory. Over all, The Devil Wears Prada is smart, sassy and surprisingly sweet.
Buy it here for 12,00 euros


Friday, December 01, 2006

Last Minute Orders!


FOR SPECIAL BOOK ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS PLEASE CONTACT US BY WEDNESDAY 13TH DECEMBER. We cannot guarantee that the books will be delivered on time for Christmas after this date!
Thank you!