Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

Feather on the Wind of Change

“Feather on the ‘Wind of Change’ Safaris, Surgery and Stentgrafts,” by Dr. Michael Lawrence-Brown is a captivating memoir that recounts the author’s life story, from his unconventional upbringing in East Africa to his ground-breaking work in developing the stent graft for aortic aneurysms. Born in colonized Kenya to British parents, Dr. Lawrence-Brown enjoyed a picturesque, relatively ungoverned childhood full of safari adventures and eccentric pets. However, he also came of age during an era of change in the British empire. In 1960, Prime Minister Harold McMillan gave his “Wind of Change” speech, acknowledging the upsurge of decolonization across African colonies and signaling the end of the British empire. Faced with the ultimatum of accepting Kenyan citizenship thereby limiting his educational opportunities or seeking British citizenship and migrating, Dr. Lawrence-Brown ultimately made the move to Australia, where he attended medical school, discovered his passion for vascular surgery and pioneered research in the cutting-edge treatment of aortic aneurysms.

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Stormy’s World: Inside Porn by Edward Shorter

Stormy Daniels became front page news. The transformation in what used to be called “smut” is astonishing. One moment it’s a “public health crisis” in Nebraska, the next moment Stormy’s bodyguards are fighting off the photographers as she swans into a court hearing that directly affects the president of the United States.

This book sets Stormy in context. But it’s not just a biopic. It’s about the larger forces at play here.

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Stress Snacking? Here’s A (Sneaky) Way To Eat Healthier

If you’re like me, you’re out of pandemic snacks (if I’m honest, it was a few days ago).

To stay healthy (and sane) we need nutrients. It’s more important than ever to eat our fruits and veggies (even when we’d rather have chips and chocolate).

Romaine calm, nutritious and tasty Pure Synergy fruit and veggie powders can help bump up nutrition when you end up WFF (working from fridge):

Don’t Carrot All? Mac and cheese for dinner (and breakfast – no judgment)? Just add some Organic Carrot Powder for peace of mind (and a rich source of antioxidants).
Stay Up-Beet: Get an energy boost from Organic Beet Powder by adding it to some brownie mix. The naturally-sweet powder supports a healthy heart and liver and gives you essential antioxidants.
Easier than Algae-bra: Adding a scoop of Pure Synergy’s Organic Blue-Green Algae to pasta sauce provides extra energy while supporting overall health. The beautiful blue/green sparkling powder also enhances mental clarity and focus.

We know, just thinking about ‘healthy’ can be overwhelming during stressful times. And, we need easy ways to work these needed nutrients into our lives to support our overall well-being. And during these trying times, we need to be well.

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The Gift You Give Yourself by E. Gaylon McCollough MD FACS

Ah, quarantine. It’s something many of us are already experiencing, and with Coronavirus spreading like wildfire across the U.S., it doesn’t seem like it’ll be long before we are all stuck inside for precautionary measure. But how can we make sure we maintain a healthy lifestyle during this time, especially when gyms are closed and the pantry is right next to your new desk (aka, the kitchen table)? Dr. E. Gaylon McCollough, a facial and nasal plastic surgeon and founder of McCollough Plastic Surgery Clinic & Skin Center and Total Health Spa, has some ideas of how to do so. In his forthcoming book, The Gift You Give Yourself: Surgical and Other Choices That Enhance Your Appearance, Confidence, and Health, he explains that “the key to remaining healthier and more prosperous through good times and bad is to do the things that have been shown to be effective on all-the-time basis. With the unprecedented restrictions being imposed upon us by state and local governments, people are being confined to their homes and may become careless about doing the things that keep us healthier and happier. Here are several measures you can take to avoid falling into that trap.”

Here are Dr. McCollough’s top 10 ways to stay healthy while under quarantine:

1. Keep a positive attitude. Think healthy and productive thoughts. Remember, “Your body is the servant of your mind.” The mind that harbors negative thoughts usually causes its body to function in negative ways.

2. Exercise vigilance and safety. Follow the protocols that health organizations have published. Contact your personal physician if you should develop the signs and symptoms of Coronovirus: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and fatigue. Then follow your doctor’s recommendations.

3. Keep your mind active. Learn more about things you’ve always wanted to know or master. Read books you’ve put aside for such times.

4. Keep your body active. Exercise the muscles of your body every day and throughout the day, whether walking up and down stairs, jogging in place, and performing calisthenics.

5. Get in touch with your spiritual side. Meditate or pray every day for yourself and your fellowman.

6. If possible spend at least 30 minutes outdoors in God’s Grand Cathedral, on your balcony, terrace, yard, or nearby woods or beach.

7. Take nostalgic trip into the past. Review old photographic albums, scrapbooks, and journals.

8. Write a manuscript for the book or memoir you’ve always wanted to publish. Don’t worry about getting it right. Just begin writing down your unfiltered thoughts. There’ll be time, later, for editing and formatting.

9. Pick up the phone and call friends, family, and customers you’ve neglected. Write letters or emails to everyone who you owe a “thank you”—co-workers, classmates, teammates, teachers, coaches and mentors.

10. Review and revise your “bucket list.” Peruse the internet for vacation and educational packages. Make tentative plans for the trip(s) you’ve always wanted to take and places you’ve always wanted to visit.

For more information about Dr. McCollough and his book, please visit www.mccolloughplasticsurgery.com.

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Drinkmate At-Home Carbonator

Create sparkling drinks anywhere! The Drinkmate Spritzer is portable – use it outdoors or at home … it can even fit in a kitchen drawer. Use it at picnics, BBQs, or tailgate events. The available countertop stand makes it easy to use in the kitchen, too!

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Live Virtual Baking Happy Hour

Friday, April 17 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Facebook Live

Join Middleburg Life for a LIVE virtual Baking Happy Hour! Learn how to make ~ Key Lime Pie ~ with Kaitlin Hill (Chef, Food Editor, Caterer)

We invite you to follow along with Kaitlin baking your own pie using her recipe from April’s issue: bit.ly/SpringBreakDesserts

Can’t get the ingredients in time? Just sit back with a glass of wine and watch the magic happen! BONUS – Post of picture of your finished pie in the comments section of the video and the BEST PIE picture wins a GIFT CARD to Greenhill Winery & Vineyards

When: Friday, April 17th – 4 PM
Where: Facebook.com/Middleburglife

For more information click here

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Cygenic by Monique Poirier

Circlet Press, an imprint of Riverdale Avenue Books, has just published Cygenics by Monique Poirier. The book takes place in the not-so-distant future, where human DNA and advanced technology have combined to create sentient machines that look and feel oh-so-human, whether they are used as nannies, nurses, or sex toys. But what happens when a sex toy sits up and demands rights?

Dante is blond, brilliant, and beautiful because he was made that way, commissioned and raised by an eccentric professor to prove a point. After the professor’s untimely death, Dante’s life is reduced to usage by the state, because technically a cygenic is a machine, not a person. To everyone, Dante is just a piece of “wetware” that happens to think and feel like a human. Drudgery at the hands of the state isn’t the worst fate, though. Many humans have developed cruel tastes they satisfy with cygenic exploitation. Can Dante rise above the sordid and sadistic circumstances he finds himself in?

Nate is a programming prodigy with a righteous soul. Fresh out of college, he goes to work for a nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating destitute cygenics. But cyborgs aren’t the only ones being taken for granted and exploited by those who may be human but are far from humane.

Dante and Nate are both lonely, angry, and left vulnerable by a world that should have treated them better… and they are on a collision course. Can they navigate the pitfalls of love, lust, and systematic oppression together, or will the system rip them apart?

“Like all the best robot and cyborg stories, Cygenic asks us to examine our own humanity, in particular the very human needs for sex and love,” said Editor of Circlet Press Cecilia Tan. “I’m so pleased to have Monique Poirier’s first novel. She has been selling brilliant erotic short stories to Circlet Press for over a decade and it has been fantastic to watch her stretch her wings with a full-length book.”

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Stay Kool-We Will Get Through This-Spring/Summer Keepzit Kooler!

Be Kool with the ability to customize your Keepzit Kooler beverage insulator- it’s next level original and creative! Write your name, draw an image or symbol or whatever, it’s your choice. You can erase it with a wet rag to start over. *It will smudge with wet hands, so make sure to dry your hands. Keepzit Koolers come in a variety of other designs and are recyclable and BPA safe! *Neoprene Koozies are not bio-degradable and stay in the land fills for a long long time! Just released-and when it’s time for us to start gathering in groups again-Keepzit Kooler is perfect for family get togethers, bridal/bachelor or a neighborhood garden party (guests’ names to identify beverage). Whether it’ summer time fun on the deck, dock, boat, beach, camping, pool or lakeside Keepzit Koolers beverage holders are perfect! Keeps your drink cold for up to 2 hours and fits 12-16 oz bottles! PRICE (Varies): Solo-Premium w/marker: $9.97; 2-Pack w/marker $22.97; 4-Pack Premium w/marker; $39.97

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The Coffee Cartel by Paul H. Barrett

Paul H. Barrett, a Navy veteran and experienced yacht captain, recently published an adventure novel, “The Coffee Cartel,” which follows Paul Pilot as he discovers and investigates the worldwide spread of modified, super-addictive cocaine laced coffee that hooks each innocent, unsuspecting coffee drinker. This fictional exposé sheds light on the horrors of drug addiction in our world.

Paul Pilot and his fisherman friend were out at sea roughly 20 miles away from Cuba on Pilot’s 55’ Hatteras when they encountered intruders on their boat. The intruders are killed and Pilot, a retired FBI agent, discovers that these intruders were part of a drug cartel that circulate cocaine through coffee. Ultimately, Pilot stops the Cartel with the help of former FBI Associates, leading-edge surveillance, intense interrogations and a little luck.

Readers follow Pilot select Special Forces and all the FBI support required to stop ruthless villains operating cartel operations around the globe. Along his journey, Pilot falls in love with an Afro-Cuban woman named Sara Sonata, who he met in Trinidad.

Barrett wrote this book to inform readers how unsuspected drug addiction could impact humankind on a global scale. By providing this extreme example of drug circulation, “The Coffee Cartel” exposes readers to the severe consequences of innocent drug consumption.

“With ‘The Coffee Cartel,’ I want to entertain the reader with a suspenseful tale that involves state-of-the-art surveillance and present a unique perspective on unsuspected cocaine addiction and theoretical world domination,” Barrett said.

“The Coffee Cartel”

By Paul H. Barrett

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8475-1 (softcover); 978-1-5320-8476-8 (e-book)

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Milo’s Tea Supports Healthcare Professionals During COVID

To offer support to healthcare professionals during the coronavirus disaster, Milo’s Tea Company is giving away up to 2,000 free gallons of its tea and lemonade to first responders battling against and treating the coronavirus.

“In this tumultuous time, our hearts go out to all who have been affected by the outbreak of COVID-19,” said Tricia Wallwork, Milo’s CEO. “The world is confronting an issue of enormous scale and human impact, and the Milo’s team is committed to people first, which includes supporting the communities in which we live and work.”

The giveaway program is available for fireman, policeman, national guard, FEMA, paramedics, doctors, nurses, and hospital and nursing home staff until April 30. Individuals can sign up to receive a free gallon while supplies last at drinkmilos.com/healthcaregiveaway.

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STEEPED COFFEE LAUNCHES “YOU GIVE, WE GIVE” CAMPAIGN

HELP REFRESH DOCTORS, NURSES, AND FIRST RESPONDERS WITH SPECIALTY COFFEE AND STEEPED WILL MATCH EVERY GIFT AND DELIVER

Eco-Friendly Single Serve Coffee Bags Deliver Gourmet Brew Without Machines- just add hot water
Mild, Medium & Dark Roast + Decaf Delivered to your Door by Amazon

[Santa Cruz, CA, April 6, 2020] – The weight of the current health crisis is all around. Whether staying at home to help save lives or working at an essential business keeping critical infrastructure intact, people are facing unprecedented times. As each person does their part, frontline healthcare workers are facing one of the biggest challenges of their careers, and Steeped, Inc. (steepedcoffee.com) wants to help.

Steeped, a California-based Certified B Corporation, has launched “You Give, We Give” (steepedcoffee.com/yougivewegive), a campaign to help fuel and lift the spirits of frontline doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, and first responders as they battle the COVID-19 crisis. “You Give, We Give” invites people to gift Steeped Coffee Packs to those on the front lines, with Steeped matching all gifts, pack for pack, and providing free weekly deliveries directly to the hospitals, stations, and clinics where they’re needed most.

“We are always looking for ways Steeped can serve as a positive force for good. We were brainstorming ways to help when it dawned on us that Steeped Coffee could be a great option for the healthcare heroes working tirelessly around the clock to save lives,” said Josh Wilbur, founder and CEO of Steeped. “People don’t want to use shared coffee pots right now, and those on the front lines don’t have time to make coffee runs during crazy long shifts. Sometimes a simple cup of great coffee can make a difference.”

Steeped Coffee is one of the only brewing methods that doesn’t require a machine, grinder, or special equipment to prepare premium coffee. Brewed similar to tea, Steeped Packs only need hot water to make a fresh cup of barista approved coffee. Each pack contains hand roasted ground coffee that is nitro sealed for freshness in compostable packaging. The company’s proprietary brewing method bypasses any risks of using a communal coffee pot — welcomed news for anyone working on the front lines or in social spaces.

Steeped Coffee will kickstart “You Give, We Give” in the California Bay Area and hopes to expand giving efforts quickly by working with its national network of partnered roasters, some of which are already working on similar projects to help their local communities.

“There is no doubt we’ll never forget these times, but it’s what we do for others, even the small things, that will be remembered,” says Wilbur. “As a startup in these crazy times, Steeped is looking to do anything within reach to make a difference and encourage others to do the same. We’ve seen so many other selfless stories surface around the world that we know it will all add up to make a difference. We are in this together.”

In March, Steeped also launched the “Stay Home, Stay Steeped” campaign to encourage customers to stay home by providing free home delivery on all coffee, cups, kettles, and gear. The offer has been extended indefinitely and aims to help those adjusting to new rituals at home, and routines while working from home.

Visit steepedcoffee.com/yougivewegive to learn more and show your support for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

About Steeped Coffee

Steeped, Inc. based in Santa Cruz, California, is a Certified B Corp and Benefit Corporation focused on every detail from farm-to-cup and beyond, to bring people the most convenient, high quality, ethically sourced, and sustainably packaged products available. Steeped Coffee is the new standard for single-serve coffee that combines both convenience and quality all within Guilt-Free Packaging. The proprietary Steeped Brewing Method delivers 100% freshly roasted, precision ground, and nitro-sealed specialty coffee pre-portioned within Steeped Full Immersion Filters. Steeped Coffee is the simplest way to make a perfect cup of coffee by just adding water, with no machine needed.

Steeped Coffee is available on Amazon with Prime Free Delivery, at select Whole Foods, and through premium environmentally conscious supermarkets, luxury hotels, and offices with craft coffee services. Through licensed partnerships, Steeped, Inc. works with over 125 specialty coffee roasters to share its technology and brewing method around the globe. For more information, visit steepedcoffee.com. For business inquiries, contact sales@steepedcoffee.com or visit steepedcoffee.com/business.

Features of Steeped Coffee include:

Hand Roasted Specialty Coffee: no instant powers, just delicious coffee
No Machines Required: unplugged single-serve convenience
Guilt-Free Packaging: made using renewable and compostable materials
Nitro-Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
Full Immersion Filter: renewable plant-based non-GMO filters that regulate ideal water-in and maximum flavor-out
Ultrasonically Sealed: no glues, staples, or wasted materials for max steeping
Precision Ground: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
Pre-Portioned: optimal SCA recommended water-to-coffee ratios
Barista Approved: continuously tested by multiple independent specialty coffee Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste
Just + Water: a simple cup

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Bacon Jam in the midst of COVID-19

In the midst of COVID-19, what can you eat? Try this protein-packed shelf-stabled meat product that you can keep in the pantry. TBJ Gourmet’s Bacon Jam will help you forget that you’re on house arrest.

There hasn’t existed a better time to save our planet.

From their trendsetting ‘Bacon Jams’ to their globally-inspired spreads and condiments, TBJ enhances everyone’s recipes. The world can stock up on their latest shelf-stable meat product, now, in the midst of COVID-19, and not worry about the meat staying fresh!

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