Let's choose a gift

Chocolate is the most widely and frequently craved food. People readily admit to being ‘addicted to chocolate’ or willingly label themselves as ‘chocoholics’. A popular explanation for this is that chocolate contains mood-enhancing (psychoactive) ingredients that give it special appeal.

Evidence and logic, however, find little support for this. Substances present in chocolate which have been highlighted as potentially pharmacologically significant include serotonin, tryptophan, phenylethylamine, tyramine and cannabinoids. However, many of these compounds exist in higher concentrations in other foods with less appeal than chocolate.

Professor Peter Rogers, from the University of Bristol, UK, explains: “A more compelling explanation lies in our ambivalent attitudes towards chocolate – it is highly desired but should be eaten with restraint (nice but naughty). Our unfulfilled desire to eat chocolate, resulting from restraint, is thus experienced as craving, which in turn is attributed to ‘addiction’.”

A further observation is that the most widely preferred chocolate is milk chocolate and chocolate-covered confectionery. These contain a lower amount of cocoa solids, and therefore a lower concentration of potentially psychoactive compounds, than ‘dark’ chocolate which is not so widely craved.

It is therefore far more plausible to suggest that a liking for chocolate, and its effects on mood, are due mainly to its principal constituents, sugar and fat, and their related orosensory and nutritional effects. Mens Jewelry | Bowling | Spotting Scope

The Make-A-Wish Foundation made a stop on the South Hill on Sunday to deliver an out-of-this-world gift to one young man.

His name may be Oshyn Wilhems, but his love is space. His mother asked him how much he wants to become an astronaut, and there was only one response.

"So much," Oshyn said.

His dream of becoming an astronaut was brought one step closer as the Make-A-Wish Foundation gave Oshyn his own rocket ship.

"He wants to be the first person with a serious medical condition to go into space. It's only appropriate he has a spaceship for his wish,” Leslie Woodfill of the Make-A-Wish Foundation said.

Oshyn was born with Chiari Malformation, which means that his brain has structural defects, and the sheath around the brain is deteriorating.

His parents turned to the Make-A-Wish foundation, to see if Oshyn's dream could come true, and thanks to community support, it has.

Oshyn was cheered as he saw his dream become a reality. The spaceship is more than just a toy, but a place for him to be independent, for him to dream, and for him to enjoy his teenage years.

At night, Oshyn will be able to see the stars through the ceiling of his spaceship.

Downtown Dallas residents hear this, Neiman Marcus is giving your neighborhood a gift for its 100th anniversary: Shopping on Sundays.

Beginning in mid-October and coinciding with a three-week centennial extravaganza that will be on par with its legendary fortnight events, the Dallas flagship store will be open on Sundays, said Shelle Sills vice president and general manager of the downtown store.

Sunday hours will be from 12 to 5 p.m., Ms. Sills said Monday morning after presiding over a birthday celebration in which she and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert cut a tiered cake with a butterfly motif.

“Who knew 100 years could feel so good,” Ms. Sills said to a gathering of several hundred shoppers and employees on the ground floor surrounded by luxury handbags.

John F. Crawford, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas said the downtown store has been a stalwart even when the city center was deserted by others.

Many Dallas streets were flooded and closed Monday morning, but that didn’t stop devoted shoppers from making the trip.

Bite-size cupcakes with chartreuse icing, free cookies in their own miniature shopping bags and lots of sweet accolades made up for the drenching rains.

Jeana Dickerson of Dallas said one of her earliest memories is of her mother leading her by the hand through the downtown store.

On Aug. 1, Plattsburgh State received the final disbursement from the estate of Olive Mason Flynt, which resulted in a gift totaling $1,007,943.

Plattsburgh State President John Ettling expressed gratitude to Olive Flynt, a longtime supporter, former employee, and alumna of the college. "This gift represents enormous confidence in the mission of SUNY Plattsburgh and the quality of our institution as a whole. It was an incredible surprise and most appreciated," he said.

Olive Flynt had a longtime connection with the College. She received her bachelor's of science and master's of science degrees from the college and after 27 years as a full-time employee retired as assistant to the president.

In addition to her involvement in many community organizations, she also served as a member of the College Alumni Association was a charter member of the College's Heritage Society, a member and honorary board member of the Plattsburgh College Foundation, and received the "Once in a Century Alumni Award" and the college's "Presidential Award of Honor." She passed away in October 2005. Her husband, Willard Flynt, former director of admissions, dean of students and vice president for student affairs at Plattsburgh State, died in October 2006.

The donation will be used to establish The Olive Flynt Endowed Scholarship to provide tuition assistance to students enrolled in the college's Nutrition Program, which prepares students for careers in dietetics, nutrition, food-service systems management and related areas. The curriculum focuses on dietetics, the science of nutrition, exercise and nutrition, foods, and food-service management, while providing a strong foundation in liberal arts and sciences, technology, and information literacy.

"This gift is an incredible expression of Olive's devotion to SUNY Plattsburgh," said Anne Hansen, vice president for Institutional Advancement and executive director of the Plattsburgh College Foundation. "It is also a breakthrough for the college's fund-raising program because it clearly states that our institution is worthy of such a significant philanthropic investment. We are deeply grateful."

Lauren Riggleman and Ally Hempleman were in a position at their joint birthday party Sunday to head home with a heavy haul of gifts. Instead, they left with nothing.

The two St. Francis de Sales School second-graders asked their 40-some guests to bring cash or checks for a local charity in lieu of the latest toy or gadget.

Me and Lauren thought it would be really good to do something nice for Camp O'Bannon," Ally, who along with Lauren turns 8 on Thursday, said during their party at the Olympic Academy of Gymnastics.

Camp O'Bannon is a Newark summer camp for disadvantaged or at-risk children.

Both Brooke Riggleman and Terri Hempleman, the mothers of the two girls, are members of the 20th Century Club and volunteers in the Camp O'Bannon program.

Terri Hempleman said after the girls got the idea to forgo presents they settled on Camp O'Bannon as their beneficiary because of their familiarity with the program.

Both girls said they had plenty of toys and would not miss a potential influx of new goodies.

Dozens of their classmates and friends romped around the heavily padded gymnasium after their parents handed over envelopes with signed checks or cash.

The pair personally will deliver the proceeds of their birthday bash, $390, to the Camp O'Bannon board of directors at its October meeting, Brooke Riggleman said.