Kim Kardashian Biography

Date of Birth: 21 October 1980, Los Angeles, California, USA.Birth Name: Kimberly Noel Kardashian.Height: 5' 2" (1.57 m). Spouse: Damon Thomas (22 January 2000 - 2004) (divorced). Is of Armenian descent.Along with being Armenian, Kim is also German and Irish from her mother's side.

Daughter of Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner (nee Kristen Houghton). Sister of Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and Robert Kardashian Jr.. Half-sister of Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner. Step-sister of Brandon Jenner, Brody Jenner, and Casey Jenner.
Stepdaughter of Bruce Jenner.

Along with Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Tara Reid, Bijou Phillips, Kimberly Stewart, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, is one of Hollywood's most famous party girls.Good friend of Brittny Gastineau. Split from Reggie Bush [July 27, 2009].

Was nominated in 2009 for the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her performance in Disaster Movie (2008). She mentioned it in her blog and rather than being insulted by it, she took it in good stride and was flattered by it. She wrote; "I'm having a really good laugh over the fact that I've been nominated for a Razzie this year. I had so much fun filming Disaster Movie (2008) and giggled the entire time during the shoot. There is steep competition in my 'worst supporting actress' category, I have to admit... including my fantastic costar Carmen Electra (you go girl!), Leelee Sobieski (what a surprise!), Jenny McCarthy (really?) and Paris Hilton (who could technically sweep this year's awards with a whopping three nominations!). It's an honor just being nominated! LOL!".

Kim Kardashian, the wealthy daughter of the high-powered defense attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Kardashian (and the stepdaughter of Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner), grew up in Beverly Hills, CA, and attended an exclusive all-girls Catholic high school in the City of Angels. As a young woman, Kardashian worked at her father's music marketing firm, Movie Tunes, then parlayed her entrepreneurial instincts into a successful career as a wardrobe stylist for television programs, magazine photo layouts, and infomercials.

She also gained attention in the mid- to late 2000s for her friendship with heiress and media darling Paris Hilton. In terms of on-camera roles, Kardashian's resumé sports appearances on The Simple Life and a stint as one of the co-stars on the N network's Beyond the Break series. She also runs her own production shingle, Kimsaprincess Productions, LLC. In 2007, The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Kardashian had signed with the E! network to host her own reality series that fall, in the wake of The Simple Life's departure. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide.

Next: Hot Photos and Pictures of Kim Kardashian...

image is courtesy of fancast.com

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Pamplona Festival (Bulls Running)

About the Festival (Pamplona festival)
* The Spanish city of Pamplona is famous for 'San Fermin festival'.
* It celebrates the life of ‘San Fermin’, the first Bishop of Pamplona who was martyred by the Romans.
* The modern day Festival has evolved from this as well as individual commercial and bullfighting fiestas which can be traced back to the 14th century.
* The festival runs from midday on the 6th July until midnight on the 14th July.
* Over many years the mainly religious festival of San Fermin was diluted by music, dancing, bullfights and markets.

What happens
* Opening Ceremony – the ‘fiesta San Fermin’ is officially opened at midday.
* Traditional dress for the Festival is all white clothes with a red scarf that is worn around the wrist.
* As the bell strikes wave your scarf over head before tying it around your neck where it should be worn for the duration of the festival.
* During the day you can expect atmospheric singing, dancing, copious amounts of sangria and non-stop partying in the streets.
* The Bull Runs – The best-known event of the festival is the ‘encierro’ (Running of the Bulls).
* This event is held each morning at 08:00 am from the 7th -14th July inclusive.
* Runners do not need to enter, simply turn up before 8am in preparation for the run, which is approximately 830 metres long.
* The runners begin and are followed by 6 fighting bulls, which are herded by some old steers.
* The bulls run through the streets and on into the arena.
* Parade of the Giants - held each morning with huge paper mache figures dancing and swirling in the streets.
* Fire bull - or what appears to be a man in a steel drum covered in firecrackers, is let loose to entertain young and old, each evening.
* Corrida - or Bull Fights are held each evening from 6.30pm in the arena when three Matadors fight two bulls each.
* Firework display - is put on each evening near the old Citadel at 11.00pm.
* Closing Ceremony - the locals gather in the main square, the Plaza de Castillo, to form a candle light procession to the old church to bid farewell to the festivities for another year which is followed by yet another massive firework display at midnight.

What is Pamplona?

Pamplona is the capital city of Navarre, Spain. It has a population of 171,150, and is 92 kilometres from the town of San Sebastian, and 407 kilometres from Madrid.
Pamplona is famous for the San Fermin festival, in July 7, also known as The running of the bulls or encierro.
Ernest Hemingway made Pamplona famous and was duly rewarded for it by having a street named after him, Avenida de Hemingway.
The area around Pamplona is hot, dry, arid and very similar to the landscape found in parts of Southern California and Northern Mexico. The city itself is very green: together with the old section of the city, which hosts San Fermin, with its cobbled streets, it is a pleasant tourist destination.

History

Located at an altitude of 444m above sea level on a hill overlooking the Arga River and which overlooked the surrounding valley, Pamplona was populated from very remote times. In the winter of 74-75 B.C., the area served as a camp for the Roman general Pompeyo. He is considered to be the founder of "Pompaelo" (Pamplona).
By the 2nd century, Pamplona was a significant Roman town with a forum and hot baths. By 409, however, Pamplona was controlled by the Visigoths - it serves as an episcopal see from the end of the seventh century - and from the eighth century, it was under domination by the Moors. After his expedition to Zaragoza in 778, Charlemagne tore down the walls surrounding Pamplona.
In 781 Abd al-Rahman reconquered the city. Destroyed by Abd al Rahman III in 924, Pamplona was reduced to a small country village also called Iruga and later Navarreria .
By the 10th century, Pamplona was benefitted from pilgrimages to Santiago, and gave rise to new city areas beside the original site.
In 1515 the area of Navarra associated itself with the Castiles and became an autonomous kingdom with its own institutions and laws. By the 17th century, Pamplona became a fortress on the edge of the Pyrenees.
During the 18th century, several beautiful palaces were built in the capital of Navarra such as the Casa Consistorial or Town Hall in 1752.
The neoclassic facade of the Cathedral was undertaken in 1783.
The city did not escape the regional wars of the 19th century. French troops occupied the city after a surprise attack, pretending to be citizens playing nearby with snow balls, remained in Pamplona until 1813. During the Carlist Wars (1833, 1872) Pamplona supported the Isabelian monarchy, as opposed to rural Navarra which fought in favor of the pretender to the throne, Don Carlos.

Pamplona has maintained the medieval outlay of the town, but expanded to include suburbs in the past 100 years. The city is home to two universities: the Universidad de Navarra in 1960, founded by the Opus Dei, and the Universidad Publica de Navarra, created by the government of Navarra in 1987.

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British Open Golf Championship 2010 (St Andrews Open 2010)

The British Open is golf's oldest national championship and the only one of the majors that is played outside the USA. First held in October, 1860, The Open was mostly played in Scotland during its early years. Prestwick Golf Club was the birthplace of the event, which saw just eight players compete in its inaugural year. The following year, the tournament was declared open to the whole world and the event has been known simply as The Open ever since.

By the turn of the century The Open was being held at more and more courses and in 1923 it was held at Troon for the first time, the venue for this year's event. Since those early days, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club has established a rota of seaside courses to host the event. It means the Open has a unique links-course character among the majors. The biggest obstacles facing the players are the wind and the bunkers - and it certainly makes for some thrilling competitions.

Originally, the winner of the tournament was awarded a red, Morocco leather belt embellished with a silver buckle. But in 1870 Tom Morris completed a trio of victories and was given the belt to keep. That left the championship without a trophy - although The Open was not staged in 1871, and only a standard medal was issued a year later. It wasn't until 1873 that the famous Claret Jug trophy was commissioned and presented to the winner for the first time.

Close History
Open Championship (as it is known in the United Kingdom) or British Open history dates back to 1860, and the tournament has been played every year since, save for two breaks during the wartime years of 1915 to 1919 and 1940 to 1945.
The first Open Championship was played over three rounds at the 12-hole Prestwick Golf Course (now known as the Royal Prestwick) in October, 1860. Just eight men played in that first challenge and Willie Park of Musselburgh beat Tom Morris by two strokes with a score of 174.

It was only in 1894 that English golf clubs began to be included in the venue rotation of what, over the years, has become one of the most famous and widely viewed sporting events in the world. Of the 136 times the British Open has been staged since 1860, a Scottish club has hosted 90 of them. The Open Championship still clings to the roots of its prestigious history; spending its formative years exclusively in Scotland, the tournament retains a rich Scottish vein.

Today, Scotland is home to five of the nine British courses that share the privilege of hosting the British Open. St Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Troon, Carnoustie and Turnberry are the cream of the crop in terms of Scottish links course. Indeed, they are among the best is the world.
But in Scotland, golf is the game of the people and readily accessible to everyone. Unlike privileged courses in other parts of the globe, these fabled links also remain very much available for visitors to play, allowing the general public to experience the thrill of playing courses steeped in history and tradition and born of a rich golfing heritage.

The Trophy
British Open history began in 1860, when Willie Park Snr was awarded the Challenge Belt, made of wide, red Moroccan leather and gilded with silver buckles and emblems.
The first man to hold the present trophy aloft was 1873 champion Tom Kidd. This trophy has come to be the oldest and most coveted in world golf. The original Championship Cup, or "Claret Jug", as it is known, has remained permanently at the R&A since 1927, with a copy being presented to each British Open winner to keep until the crowning of the new champion.

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Bastille Day; French Celebrate Revolution

Bastille Day (14 July), the French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille (name use for Bastille Day) was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th's Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.

The Bastille
The Bastille was built in 1382 and was originally used to defend the east side of Paris from attack. The Bastille had walls more than 80 feet high and was surrounded by a moat. Hundreds of years later, the French monarchy converted The Bastille into a prison to lock up people who didn't agree with their decisions. People were jailed by arbitrary decision of the King. The Bastille was, in particular, known for holding political prisoners whose writings had displeased the royal government. The prisoners inside the Bastille were given no trial - they were placed there under the king's orders and only he could decide when and if they would be freed.

The Bastille became a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of King Louis XVI's Ancient Regime. For the peasant class, the Bastille stood as a symbol of the hypocrisy and corruption of the aristocratic government - controlled mostly by nobility and clergy. The monarchy wasn't just undemocratic. The king and the aristocracy also owned the land and extracted not only the rent, but imposed taxes and restrictions on the people. The French people of all classes were frustrated with many of the problems of their government, including wanting the king to share his absolute powers, the right to own land and vote, tithes and feudal rights, religious staff wanting more money.

The Beginning of the Revolution
Due to these many reasons, the French people stormed and seized The Bastille on July 14th, 1789. Violent peasants pillaged and burned chateaux, and destroyed records of feudal dues.
At the time of its capture, the Bastille only held seven prisoners. But the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be passed on to the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.
The storming of the Bastille was the beginning of the French Revolution that toppled King Louis XVI and the aristocracy. For all citizens of France, the storming of the Bastille came to symbolize liberty and democracy in the struggle against oppression.

Modern Day Celebrations
Bastille Day was declared a French national holiday on July 6th, 1880. Bastille Day has such a strong signification for the French because the holiday symbolizes the birth of the Republic.Bastille Day is commemorated world-wide. For instance, in Philadelphia people dressed as French revolutionaries mark the day by singing the speaker icon La Marseillaise, the French national anthem.

In France, the day holds many festivities. Military parades are held in the morning, the largest of which takes place on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic. The parade opens with cadets from certain schools, followed by infantry troops, which are then followed by motorized troops. During the entire parade, aviation flies above. In recent times, it has become customary to invite units from France's close allies into the parade. For instance, in 2002 cadets from the United States Military Academy paraded. Bastille Day also falls during the running of the Tour de France, and is traditionally the day upon which French riders will make a special effort to take a stage victory for France. Parisians celebrate this national holiday with colorful arts festivals and raucous parties. Many cities hold fireworks during the night. It is also customary that firefighters organize dancing parties.

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Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States an Canada. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. Myths such as this tie our present to the distant past when nature did, indeed, influence our lives. It is the day that the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.

If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole.
If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground. The groundhog tradition stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and the days of early Christians in Europe, and for centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather that day was important.

According to an old English song:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

According to an old Scotch couplet:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be twa (two) winters in the year.

Another variation of the Scottish rhyme:

If Candlemas day be dry and fair,
The half o' winter to come and mair,
If Candlemas day be wet and foul,
The half of winter's gone at Yule.

The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, supposedly brought this tradition to the Teutons, or Germans, who picked it up and concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather, which they interpolated as the length of the "Second Winter."

Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs to in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.

The Germans recited:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until the May.

This passage may be the one most closely represented by the first Punxsutawney Groundhog Day observances because there were references to the length of shadows in early Groundhog Day predictions.
Another February 2nd belief, used by American 19th century farmers, was:

Groundhog Day - Half your hay.
New England farmers knew that we were not close to the end of winter, no matter how cloudy February 2nd was. Indeed, February 2nd is often the heart of winter. If the farmer didn't have half his hay remaining, there may have been lean times for the cows before spring and fresh grass arrived.
The ancient Candlemas legend and similar belief continue to be recognized annually on February 2nd due to the efforts of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

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Ferragosto

What is Ferragosto? Ferragosto is a day off from work, a day of relax, a day of food, sun, and fun. Ferragosto is a great time to spend with family and friends, a day when most retail, commercial, industrial and governmental offices are closed. Ferragosto is religious processions and many towns celebrate Ferragosto with communal fairs, fireworks and dancing in the square. Ferragosto is fun!

A visit to Italy during the period stretching from the 25th of July through the 10 of September can be of extremes. The cities are empty, it only takes about 15 minutes to drive from one side of Milan to the other, and in the cities along the coast millions of people gather increasing the local population 10 times. On the 15th of August, Ferragosto, whether in the city or along the sea, the streets are empty until well into the afternoon. Most Catholics will tell you that Ferragosto is the celebration of the Assumption, that is when the Madonna was allowed into heaven, but the origins of Ferragosto are deeply rooted in the Roman Empire.

For hundreds of years before the birth of Christ the end of the summer agricultural season was celebrated with 15 days of feasts, elaborate parties and orgies. All members, including the Plebe and Slaves, of the Roman Empire participated in the festivities. Octavian, heir of Julius Caesar, became Augustus, or the one consecrated. The sixth month of the Roman calendar took his name. Augustus had been involved in a long battle with Mark Anthony. Mark Anthony had moved to Egypt, married Cleopatra, ex wife of Julius Caesar, and had established a small kingdom around Alexandria. In a great naval battle Mark Anthony’s navy was defeated. Shortly thereafter the son-in-law of Augustus entered Egypt and made Egypt one of Rome’s provinces.

(article by David Anderson,image from 123rf.com)

On August 13, 29 B.C. Octavian, emperor of Rome known as Augustus, celebrated the triumph related to the conquest of Egypt: the memory of that day survives in the Italian holiday of Ferragosto (Feriae Augusti), now celebrated on the 15th. Over the centuries to follow the Catholic Church became more powerful and slowly attempted to eliminate the pagan and social holidays making the church’s traditions the center of everyday life. Ferragosto was too important to simply do away with and following the recognition of Catholicism as the official religion of Rome in 386 B.C. decided that Ferragosto should be celebrated as the day the Virgin Mary was taken into heaven, obviously eliminating the orgies.

In the 30s, Mussolini made Ferragosto a national holiday and initiated the process of vacationing in August. Italian workers earn 6 weeks paid vacation for every year worked. In the 60s, the Italian economy was in full swing of its industrial revolution. The make-up of the workforce had moved from agricultural to heavy industry. This created a serious problem during the hot month of August. The working conditions in the plants were unbearable because of the heat. The Unions and Industrialists got together and decided to close the plants for 3 weeks during the hottest days of August and required the employees to use part of their paid vacation.

Although changes in the Italian economy from Industrial to high-tech and the implementation of air conditioning have made obsolete the necessity to close the plants, the tradition exists. Presently companies rarely shut-down for more than the 4 days surrounding Ferragosto and the vacations are now spread out from June through late September, however they do run on limited personnel as most Italians prefer vacationing in August.

One of the great things about Ferragosto and tourists is that if you get to the museums early, before 9:00 AM, you will be able to go through without masses of people or lines. The Italians will sleep in!

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Bank Holiday

Many public holidays in Britain are known as ‘bank’ holidays - so called because these are days on which banks are legally closed. Most fall on a Monday. In England and Wales there are six bank holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

In Scotland there are nine public holidays: New Year’s Day, January 2, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), Spring and Summer Holidays at the end of May and the beginning of August respectively, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

In Northern Ireland there are seven bank holidays: New Year’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day (17 March), Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day and a public holiday on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne (12 July)

There are holidays in lieu of those public holidays which fall at weekends. Shops, museums and other public attractions, such as historic houses and sports centres, may close on certain public holidays, particularly Christmas Day. As this varies, it is advisable to check with the individual establishment beforehand.

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Epiphany Day

January 6 is known in western Christian tradition as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past. Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar. The exceptions are some Greek Orthodox Churches and related traditions (e.g., Russian and Serbian Orthodox) that still follow the older calendar and celebrate Epiphany as the Theophany on January 19th.

Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are counted from December 25th until January 5th. The day before Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas, and is sometimes called Twelfth Night, an occasion for feasting in some cultures. In some cultures, the baking of a special King's Cake is part of the festivities of Epiphany (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA).

In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of Christmas begins with the First Sunday of Advent, marked by expectation and anticipation, and concludes with Epiphany, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity. The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide. For many Protestant church traditions, the season of Epiphany extends from January 6th until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent leading to Easter. Depending on the timing of Easter, this includes from four to nine Sundays. Other traditions, especially the Roman Catholic tradition, observe Epiphany as a single day, with the Sundays following Epiphany counted as Ordinary Time. In some western traditions, the last Sunday of Epiphany is celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday.

The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. In some Central and South American countries influenced by Catholic tradition, Three Kings’ Day, or the night before, is the time for opening Christmas presents. In some eastern churches, Epiphany or the Theophany commemorates Jesus’ baptism, with the visit of the Magi linked to Christmas. In some churches the day is celebrated as Christmas, with Epiphany/Theophany occurring on January 19th.

The colors of Epiphany are usually the colors of Christmas, white and gold, the colors of celebration, newness, and hope that mark the most sacred days of the church year. In traditions that only observe a single day for Epiphany, the colors are often changed after Epiphany to the colors of Ordinary Time, usually green or thematic sanctuary colors, until Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before the beginning of Lent. The colors for Transfiguration Sunday are usually the colors of Holy Days, white and gold.

As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ. This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.

The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.

An Epiphany Prayer

Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.

As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!

Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance. As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?

May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people.

We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen

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Celebration Mardi Gras

Just the name Mardi Gras conjures up images of drunken, bead-wearing revelers dancing through the streets of New Orleans. But how, and when, did this huge mid-winter party get started? Here's a look at the history of Mardi Gras throughout the ages and across the nations.

Historians tell us that the ancient Romans probably kicked off the Mardi Gras celebrations. Their mid-February festival known as Lupercalia honored the god Lupercus, alternately known as the god of fertility and the god of agriculture and pastoral shepherds. In either case, his party definitely had Mardi Gras-like qualities, including days of feasting and drinking. And a little enjoying the "pleasures of the flesh", probably, too -- in fact, the term Carnival, often synonymous with Mardi Gras, is derived from the Latin expression meaning "farewell to the flesh."

Like most of the ancient Roman and Greek festivals, Lupercalia was adopted and adapted by the Church as a way of subtly converting the local pagans to Christianity. The carnival-like celebration of Lupercalia thus morphed into a last "fling" before the beginning of the Lenten period. Lent refers to the 40 days of pertinence and purification celebrated between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, the religiously faithful refrain from a number of indulgences of the "flesh", including eating meat.

What began as a Roman-based celebration quickly spread across the European continent. By medieval times, lords were hosting carnivals prior to Lent in honor of the conscription of their new knights. Each region and country celebrated their own traditions, but all were indulgent. In England, for example, pancake feasts were served -- a tradition that lasts until today. Shrove Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, is widely known in the UK as "Pancake Tuesday" and is celebrated with pancake-eating competition and pancake races.

In France, this period of revelry before Lent was especially raucous. In fact, the term Mardi Gras is a French expression meaning "Fat Tuesday" -- likely referring to the indulgent nature of the pre-Lenten celebration. The name may have been more than just allegorical, however. Ancient pagans often marked their fertility ritual by parading a fattened ox through the town before sacrificing it.

It was also the French who brought the celebration to America. Many historians believe the party crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1699, on the ship of a French explorer named Sieur d'Iberville. The Frenchman landed in what is today Louisiana, just south of New Orleans, the heart of America's modern-day Mardi Gras celebrations. In fact, his landing is believed to have coincided with the French celebration of Mardi Gras, explaining his choice of name for his point of entry: Point du Mardi Gras.

Other historians, however, dispute the d'Iberville connection, contending that it was the early French settlers to Louisiana who introduced Mardi Gras to America. Regardless of the precise origin, Mardi Gras can clearly be attributed to a Franco-influence. By the mid 1820s, Mardi Gras was firmly rooted in the New Orleans culture. Today, the city's celebrations are considered one of America's biggest parties, with towns and cities throughout the Gulf Coast Region getting in on the fun.

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St Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, to honor and celebrate the death anniversary of St. Patrick the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick's day is celebrated with parades and marching bands. People eat corned beef, cabbage and Irish soda bread. Some people sing and dance the Irish jig. The shamrock leaf is a symbol of St. Patrick and Ireland. St. Patrick used a three leafed clover to explain the concept of the Trinity (father,son and holy spirit). Many people wear green on this day. Green symbolizes the color of spring, Ireland and the shamrock. Ireland is called the "Emerald Isle"as it has lots of green pastures.

Saint Patrick:
The whole thing started with Saint Patrick. Actually, Saint Patrick was not Irish. He was born around 373 A.D. in either Scotland (near the town of Dumbarton) or in Roman Britain (the Romans left Britain in 410 A.D.). His real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat (he took on Patrick, or Patricus, after he became a priest). He was kidnapped at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland. During his 6-year captivity (he worked as a shepherd), he began to have religious visions. He finally escaped (after voices in one of his visions told him where he could find a getaway ship) and went to France, where he became a priest (and later a bishop). When he was about 60 years old, Saint Patrick returned to Ireland to spread the Christian word. It's said that Patrick had an unusually winning personality, and that helped him win converts.

Shamrocks:
Shamrock (Irish Seamrog or Seamroy for "little clover") is the common name for any of several trifoliate (3 leaf) clovers native to Ireland. The shamrock was originally chosen as the national emblem of Ireland because of the legend that Saint Patrick used the trefoil plant to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Most shamrocks, particularly the small-leaved white clover, have been considered by the Irish as good-luck symbols since earliest times. Before the Christian era it was a sacred plant among the Druids of Ireland because its leaves formed a triad.

Throughout history, the number three is one of the numbers considered special or magical. This superstition has persisted in modern times among people of many nationalities. In the modern Western World, the rare finding of a four leaf clover is said to double one's good luck.

The trefoil in Arabia is called Shamrakh and was sacred in Iran as an emblem of the Persian triads. As the number three was sacred in the Celtic and other religions, it is thought that Saint Patrick must have considered this in choosing the three leafed plant to demonstrate the three-in-one nature of the Christian Ttrinity of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit. A group of his followers came to him and admitted it was difficult for them to believe in the Holy Trinity. Saint Patrick thought for a moment. He stooped down and plucked a leaf from the Shamrock growing at his feet. He held it before them and said, "Behold the living example of the Three-in-One." From that day forward, the Shamrock has been revered throughout Ireland!

The mystique of the Shamrock (white clover plant) continues today since there is not a clover plant that produces four leaflets. A fourth leaflet is a rare occurrence! One leaf is for HOPE, the second for FAITH, the third for LOVE, and the fourth for LUCK! Having had a bad time with Great Britain over the years, the Luck 'o the Irish, obviously is a misnomer. It seems that Irish luck is strictly related to four leaf clovers.

The Blarney stone
The Blarney stone is in the Irish village of Blarney in the wall of the Blarney castle. Legend has it that kissing the stone gives a person the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.

Snakes:
Legend has it that Saint Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland -- that they all went into the sea and drowned. Poor snakes. I don't know why he would want to do this, except that the snake was a revered pagan symbol, and perhaps this was a figurative tale alluding to the fact that he drove paganism out of Ireland. He was said to have done this by beating a drum. He also made the soil fatal to all serpents who touched it. One day, there was a stubborn snake that refused to leave. Saint Patrick constructed a box and tried to lure the snake into it. The snake refused, stating that the box was too small. Saint Patrick told the snake that it was big enough and to just give it a try. The snake agreed, just to prove that the box was too small, and he entered the box. Saint Patrick immediately closed the lid on the snake and threw the box, snake and all, into the ocean.

Leprechauns:
Leprechauns are also associated with Saint Patrick's Day, although I'm not sure why. Leprechauns of legend are actually mean little creatures, with the exception of the Lucky Charms guy. They were probably added later on to give card makers something cute to put on their cards. A Leprechaun looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, Leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly, live alone, and pass the time making shoes. They also possess a hidden pot of gold. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer. If caught, he can be forced (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal the whereabouts of his treasure, but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the Leprechaun (and he often tricks them into looking away), he vanishes, and all hopes of finding the treasure are lost.

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Hanukkah Day

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, celebrates a miracle in Jewish history that is also significant for Messianic Jews and Christians. Hanukkah marks the rededication of the Temple by the Jews in 164 BC. Antiochus of Syria had invaded and conquered Jerusalem, killing many Jews and outlawing the Temple sacrifices and worship. He defiled the altar by sacrificing a pig on it and erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple.

Judah the Maccabee led a Jewish revolt and drove the Syrians from the country in 165 BC. When the Jews rededicated the Temple, they only had enough sacred oil to light the seven-branched menorah for one day. But miraculously, the menorah kept burning for eight days, until a new batch of oil was prepared. Therefore, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, this year from December 16th to 23rd.

The main ritual of the holiday is the lighting of the hanukiah (the eight-candle menorah), usually placed in a window to proclaim the great miracle. One candle is lit the first night and an additional candle every subsequent night. The eight days are marked by prayers of thanksgiving and hymns of praise.
Jews celebrate Hanukkah on each of the eight days with festive meals of traditional food, such as potato pancakes, or latkes, and jelly doughnuts. Gifts are exchanged nightly. In Israel, children receive Hanukkah gelt (money).

Religious Jews recite the hallel, psalms of praise celebrating God’s mighty acts on behalf of His chosen people Israel. The text, from Psalms 113 through 118, is recited in the morning service throughout the eight days of Hanukkah.

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Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest beer festival has been more recently absorbed into the cultural fabric of American society in much the way the St Patrick’s Day Parade has been. However, what the fall beer drinking festival may lack in universal family appeal—this is an adult affair— it more than makes up in active participation. Tents spring up across the United States on September 15, even in communities with sparse German representation, to celebrate the tradition of autumn beer and bratwursts.

It all started in Munich as a public party for the royal wedding of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony on October 12, 1811. The now famous beer tents were introduced in 1896, and these continue to be the focal point of the festival to this day. In modern times the Munich festival runs during the last two weeks of September and is an epic beer-drinking affair. Around 30% of the annual production of Munichs breweries is consumed during these two weeks. This is a prodigious feat considering that the good folk of Munich drink an awful lot of beer during the other 50 weeks of the year.

The origins of the Oktoberfest date back to 1810 when a festival was held to honor the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. This festival has been held each year since then but was brought forward slightly in order to maximise the benefits of the September weather. It is now held in late September/early October each year with the centre of the festivities being the Theresienwiesen (Theresa fields) a short distance south-west of the main train station.

The format is always similar - plenty of beertents and plenty of beer to drink once you are there. This is often served in staggering measures with a litre being quite normal! Beer is served from 09.00/10.00 in the morning until 22.30 at night, although certain tents have later licenses until 01.00. During the festival there are also plenty of special events, entertainment and activities to keep you amused.

When one considers that six and a half million people attended the 1998 Munich Oktoberfest, the amount of beer consumed is put into perspective. What does 700,000 liters of Oktoberfest beer wash down? The answer: 600,000 whole chickens, 180,000 pairs of pork sausages, 100,000 pork knuckles, and 84 oxen.

So much for the Munich festival and its many imitators. How about Oktoberfest beer itself? It is generally defined as a reddish hued lager, deriving its color from "Vienna roasted" malt, or malt that has been kilned until its sugars have caramelized to a reddish hue. The origins of these red lagers are the Austrian City of Vienna where brewers developed the Vienna style of lager in the 19th Century. Bavarian brewers subsequently adapted this style for their fest beers. We now call the Munich take on Vienna style lager an Oktoberfest.

There are some important considerations to take into account when fashioning an Oktoberfest beer. It is generally not going to be drunk in little sips, but rather large mouthfuls at a time. Drinkability is an important factor. Too much dryness or too much bitterness might make it tough to drink by the Stein. Even worse, too much alcohol will certainly slow down consumption. With apologies in advance to neo-prohibitionists, Oktoberfest beer is about immoderate consumption and merriment.

A true example of the Oktoberfest style should have a toasty malt accent with a subtle hop balance. Good Oktoberfests are not hoppy beers. That said, many brewpubs produce their own versions of Oktoberfest beers that stray from the classic parameters. Hoppy, ale-like Oktoberfest beers are not unknown, and while they would be an affront to a Bavarian reveler they have their place among US fall seasonal beers.

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La Merce Festival

Barcelona's biggest annual festival celebrates Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona, who according to legend did a good job in removing a tiresome plague of locusts that once visited the city. They never came back so she is still protecting us! To honour her La Mercè festival has over 500 big and small activities, parades, concerts, firework displays, air shows, a 10km run and lots more events happening through out the city of Barcelona from the 21st of September until 24th September.A festival not only dedicated to the cultural aspect of Barcelona, but the fun aspect, this festival has been running since 1902 and is definitely worth a visit.

The activities are fall into 4 main areas:

The Festival of Music
Concerts in the streets and parks all over Barcelona, including the BAM music festival
The Festival of Tradition
Castellers competitions (human towers), capgrossos and gegant parades (dwarves with big heads and giants) and an entire menagerie of festive animals, accompanied by guests from Mediterranean countries.
The Festival in the Sky - Festa al Cel
The biggest event of the the Air festival is the acrobatic airshow featuring jets, balloons and gliders and more. This event is actually at the weekend after the Merce and takes place on Sunday 30th September at the Parc del Forum at 09.00 to 14.00
The Festival of Fire
All types of sparks, from the pyrotechnical fireworks and music show to the correfoc (literally a fire-run).

Food and wine tasting festivals

There are several smaller festivals that are part of the Merce festival. A popular one is the "25a Mostra de Vins i Caves de Catalunya" - which is wine tasting from the Catalan vineyards. That is on September 21, 22 and 23rd on the Moll de la Fusta, which is the waterfront quay that runs parallel to the Passeig de Colon.

Among other popular festivals during the Merce is the street book fair, Fira del Llibre, which starts during the Merce on 21st September and stays open until 7th October. It can be found on the streets of Passeig de Gracia from Plaza Catalunya to Arago. Lots of bargains to be found!

And last but definately not least we must mention the Festival Solar which takes place in the Parc de la Ciutadella. The purpose is to raise awareness of environmental issues and renewable energy.

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How to Be Fit

Fitness refers to ability of the body to function with vigor and alertness. Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes.

But do we know if we are really fit? How do we tell?
First, you might want to look at your exercise habits, if there are any. If there aren’t any exercise routines to examine, no fitness. Everyone, no matter what their age, benefits from exercise. It keeps our bodies conditioned, our mental sharpness working at top speed, and thanks to the physical aspect, we get a boost to our cardio health, extra calorie burn,and more oxygen to those cells!

Do you take in more calories than your body needs? Are you supplementing your vitamins and minerals to make sure you are getting your recommended daily allowances? If you’re not making the most basic of efforts to take care of your nutritional needs, you aren’t a fit individual. You may not look sick, you may not have any noticeable symptoms of ill-health, but you’re not the fit and toned individual you could be.

What about the stress levels in your life? Do work in an environment with high levels of stress? Is your personal life a source of comfort or does it add to your stress levels? Do you engage in some form of stress-relieving activity? Stress is the number on contributor to heart attacks and strokes, since they manage to speed up the affect of the real culprits. Stress is basically an out of control situation for most adults today. We manage to schedule every moment of our free time, and leave ourselves with no time for quiet reflection, or time to deal with life’s unexpected emergencies.

Fitness requires us to examine more than just our exercise routine. The mere definition of fitness refers to the body’s ability to meet physical stresses. That includes coping with our day to day life, getting from the beginning of the day to the end, without being worn completely out. In order to be truly fit, we find ways to rid ourselves of built up stress, the kind that begins to affect our muscles, muscle tone, and composition. Massages are the best cure for ridding our bodies of the stress buildup that can occur, even with exercise regimens and detract from our overall fitness.

Exercises that demand total body involvement are the best for maintaining and improving your level of fitness most effectively. Running, swimming, jogging, dancing, cycling, and very brisk walking are some of the more popular total body involvement exercises.

There are so many occasions to stop and question our efforts at maintaining optimal health, that we usually don’t even take the time to begin the examination. But it is beneficial to our overall health, the quality and quantity of our life, to make every effort to be fit, healthy, individuals.

article by Andrew Mills, image from 123rf.com

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Indonesian Furniture and Home Decoration

Indonesian furniture has taken the world by storm over the past three years, especially Balinese décor products. Seventy percent of the furniture produced in Indonesia is made by hand by small co-operatives scattered throughout the archipelago. Villagers use skills handed down from generation to generation. Invariably you will find an amazing piece of high end furniture starting its life in a small shack with children and chickens running through the wood shavings on the workshop floor.

These craftsmen supply factories that collate, dry and finish the furniture. There are different areas in Indonesia that specialize in certain products like Jepara for instance; it produces reproduction furniture from Mahogany wood. The Jogyakarta and Solo region produce the bulk of the rustic, colonial and ethnic furniture. Electric Saws, planers and routers are unheard of in these villages as electricity supplies are intermitant and expensive. Carpenters rely on skill and old fashioned hard work to produce your unique and exotic piece of furniture.

It is hard for some Westerners who are accustomed to machine produced furniture to come to grasp with these imperfections as we have all been educated and steered toward perfection in our societies. Solid wood is a living and breathing organism that will adapt to its environment consequently there will be movement in your original piece of handcrafted furniture. Antique furniture from the late eighteen to the early nineteen hundreds which was produced from solid wood is known to move up to sixty to a hundred years after production. If we can accept these imperfections in Antique furniture then we can accept this in Indonesian Solid wood furniture that will be antiques and highly sought after in the next century. Wood supply around the world is dwindling at an astonishing rate and these handcrafted exotic décor pieces will be collector’s items in the years to come.

(article by Margarette Haskell,image from 123rf.com)

Concerned citizens around the world have expressed their concern to me about Indonesia’s rainforests and some get quite heated up about the subject and quite rightly so. Firstly; Teak and Mahogany are not indigenous woods to Indonesia. Secondly; Teak and Mahogany saplings were bought to Indonesia in the late eighteen hundreds by the Dutch from Honduras. The Dutch settlers used Teak to make boats and the Mahogany to build their furniture. They created a sustainable plantation of these timbers and ran a strict rotation program which was later discarded by the Indonesian Government due to lack of funds after the country attained independence.

The replanting of saplings has been reintroduced over the past decade. The only problem we have as producers of wood in present time would be illegal logging by border countries making it difficult to source wood for furniture production within Indonesia. This problem is now being addressed by the Indonesian government and hopefully will protect the furniture industry in the future.

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Bulgaria; Why to Choose?

Located in South Eastern Europe, Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey to the South, Romania to the North and Macedonia and Serbia to the West. Its Eastern Border is formed by the beautiful Black Sea Coast. A country of outstanding natural beauty the environment remains unspoilt and is incredibly varied. A relatively small country, a few hours drive will take you from the snow covered central Pirin mountain Ranges to the long sandy beaches of the Black Sea coast.

Forming the heart of several of ancient histories greatest civilizations Bulgaria's rich culture is reflected in a vast number of architectural treasures. Only Greece and Italy have a greater number of historical monuments. Throughout the country you will find ancient Greek sites, Roman amphitheatres and Byzantine churches.The country is home to 160 monasteries, 36 cultural centres and 40,000 listed archaeological monuments. Seven sites have achieved a coveted place on the UNESCO world heritage list.

What is the cost of living in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria is said to have one of the lowest costs of living in Europe. A wonderful meal for 2 including wine will rarely exceed around? 7.00 GBP. The cost of a 10 minute journey in a taxi will only be about ?1.00 GBP. Cigarettes cost just 40p per packet and a day out in a museum or the theatre will cost just a couple of pounds. A quality beer will cost 25p!

(article by Jolis Elitlib,image from 123rf.com)

Quality of life
First time visitors to Bulgaria are surprised by its diversity and its stunning natural beauty. For years a real effort has been made to preserve the country's rich and unspoilt flora and fauna. As a result, Bulgaria is ecologically one of the purest countries in Europe, with exceptionally clear air and water resources. There are 7 national parks, more than 3000 protected natural sites and 17 bio-spherical reserves (the greatest recorded number in Europe). There are also 419 protected animal species and 63 protected types of plant.

Not only is the quality of life in Bulgaria good, but the cost of living is one of the lowest in Europe. A meal for two, made from locally grown and organically pure products and including a bottle of nice wine will rarely cost you more than six or so pounds. A quality beer will cost 40 pence!

The Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria (Map)
The 380 kilometres of beaches are amongst some of Europe's cleanest and safest. Many of them have been awarded prestigious “Blue Flag” status. The region enjoys average summer temperatures of between 25-30 degrees. The season extends from April to October. Coupled with the renowned low cost of living it is easy to see why the Black Sea coast provides and an ideal summer destination – and is surprisingly easy to access from an ever increasing number of European Airports.

Even though the Black Sea coast is an established tourist area, with resorts such as Sunny Beach attracting tourists since the late 1950's, it has recently become one of the fastest growing summer tourist destinations in Europe. So fast growing in fact that last year demands for tourist beds outstripped supply by 20%!

Bulgaria is said to be the fastest growing holiday destination for 2004 and at least 200,000 Britons were likely to visit the summer resorts this year - nearly double last year's total. Next year three new major UK tour operators will also be offering summer holidays in Bulgaria.
British owned and managed, the company was incorporated by in the mid 90”s to prepare for the very significant opportunities that would occur in the Bulgarian real estate market as the country emerged from the communist era. As Bulgaria begins to grow and develop economically - and at the same time stabilize itself politically, the Company believed the time was right to commence operations in the area and in early 2004 began to work towards the opening of its main commercial centre in Burgas, the bustling City port that sits at the heart of the Black Sea Coast. to grow and develop economically - and at the same time stabilize itself politically, the Company believed the time was right to commence operations in the area and in early 2004 began to work towards the opening of its main commercial centre in Burgas, the bustling City port that sits at the heart of the Black Sea Coast. In Burgas, the bustling City port that sits at the heart of the Black Sea Coast.

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Investing Tips

Many people want to take advantage of the opportunity to invest as a way to supplement their income, but few people have the knowledge or the time to monitor stocks and they are reluctant to pay the high fees associated with full-service brokers.
As well, most people know that a diversified portfolio is the best-performing portfolio, but few people have the huge capital it takes to properly diversify a portfolio made up only of stocks.

One option for those people is to purchase mutual funds.
A mutual fund is a pool of money from a number of investors and it is given to a mutual fund manager to go out and buy a good selection of diversified, well-performing investments.

There are many different types of mutual funds, so there is something out there for everyone. If you like bonds, for example, you can buy a mutual fund made up just of bonds and its return is probably better than most bonds available on the market today because they use a laddering concept to buy and sell bonds strategically. The income from this fund comes from the interest paid on the bonds. These are called fixed income mutual funds.

(article from Jeff Lakie,image from 123rf.com)

If you like stocks, there are many mutual funds available for you to consider, from riskier ones to safer ones to funds that trade primarily in overseas marketplaces. You will likely find a mutual fund that matches your risk tolerance, gives you a good return, and provides you with some diversification. The income from this fund comes from buying it the stocks low and selling them high. These are growth mutual funds.

Some of the consistently best-performing mutual funds are funds that are a combination of fixed income and growth. These are called growth and income mutual funds and they combine bonds, dividend paying stocks, and growth stocks altogether in a diversified fund. The income from this fund comes from a combination of bond interest, dividend payments, and growth-style selling. It is an excellent choice for putting in your portfolio. If you can only afford one mutual fund, this is probably the fund to purchase.

Whether you are trying to avoid the fees of a full-service broker, or are trying to invest wisely with a brief amount of time you have in the week, or are simply trying to diversify your portfolio, a mutual fund is an excellent choice. And a growth and income mutual fund, is usually the best choice.

What's more, mutual funds are professionally managed, which means you don't have to spend your day watching stock prices go up and down. The mutual fund manager does that for you. He or she watches the individual stock prices, makes adjustments, and sends you a report on a regular basis.

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Wedding Anniversary Symbol by Years

Most people are aware that significant wedding anniversaries such as 40th and 60th are linked to precious stones, in these cases ruby and diamond; and that the 25th and 50th anniversaries are linked to precious metals: silver and gold .
However, it is less well known that all anniversaries up to and including the 15th, and then every 5th anniversary, have their own particular symbol. So, if you are looking for a present for your spouse to commemorate your wedding anniversary, you can now buy something appropriate. However, if it your sixth anniversary, I doubt whether a bag of sugar or a candy bar will be quite enough! The list below shows the symbol traditionally associated with each anniversary.

ANNIVERSARY

1st - Paper
2nd - Cotton
3rd - Leather
4th - Books
5th - Wood
6th - Sugar, candy
7th - Wool, cooper
8th - Bronze, pottery
9th - Pottery, willow
10th - Tin, aluminium
11th - Steel
12th - Silk, linen
13th - Lace
14th - Ivory
15th - Crystal
20th - China
25th - Silver
30th - Pearl
35th - Coral
40th - Ruby
45th - Sapphire
50th - Gold
60th - Diamond
75th - Diamond

The Silver (25th) and Golden (50th) Anniversaries appear to be the most traditional. In Central Europe going back hundreds of years a man would present his wife with a silver or golden garland to mark the occasion of their anniversary.

The other materials have been added to the list more recently, and there is now a more modern list which incorporates the missing years 16-19. Amazingly, a ten carat diamond has been added for a 100th Wedding Anniversary! How many couples will get that far?

The traditional version is still preferred by most people.

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Bad Boys (His Charming and Appeals)

In case you did not know, a healthy traditionally raised woman would run as far away as she can from a bad boy because she knows that he will bring too much drama, pain and hurt to her in the long run. In a traditional society that is not influenced by popular American culture, the bad boy is seen as an outcast of society (unless idolized from American cinema).

They're only real chance used to be with slummy women or those who were on the outside of society as well. Now of course the bad boy is glorified, as he is often the answer to a lot of our so called 'bitches' (in a respectful sense of those that define themselves as such) and their need for social validation on their level and also to keep them in check in the more traditional male-female relationship dynamic. It is important for you to realize that bad boys do have a lot of drama, and troubles. Traditional women, I have seen personally stay away from these kinds of men.

I think if you can be a natural man and yet still possess some of these characteristics will still been in control of them, you will be able to also appeal to a woman's social persona as well. This means doing things like being a little bit cocky, teasing her, enforcing your independent boundaries and generally not giving a damn. Today's women are so desperate for the underlying male-female relationship dynamic where the man is really the one in control, that they will often settle for bad boys and loser type jerks only because they treat them in the traditional dynamic of not letting them get away with crap.

(article by Rion Williams,image from 123rf.com)

A traditional woman does not have to try to get away with crap, because she doesn't have crap that she is coming with to get away with. She is MUCH simpler and this is not a bad thing. This is why a normal healthy nice guy can easily attract a traditional woman anywhere in the world (as I've done dozens of times) and be fascinated how everything just is 'natural'. It is this 'cultural differentiation' especially that allows me to bring a great level of insight to the table. If you are a nice guy or a great catch, you should not want to become a bad boy just in order to get women because that may be all that you are a seeing that is going on and is not the only solution (not to mention unhealthy if you really aren't like that).

A bad boy is successful with our (American) independent, hot women because he does not let them get away with crap. He knows how to naturally trigger the physiological and emotional response mechanisms of attraction in her because he is playing a strong male role that she is biologically forced to respond to.
There is a high amount of leverage in these women that will either work for you or against. She can be repulsed by one man and that same energy, even more strongly attracted to another. Maybe you have seen this in front of your very eyes.
Nothing has really changed when you look beneath it all, because our women find that none of their 'real' counterparts are acting like men anymore, so they end up going with the bad boy or someone who they know is not healthy to be around, yet is the only one that is giving her the natural triggers of uncontrollable attraction which is irresistible to her.

My good news for you is that you do not have to become a bad boy, like I said, you can actually be a pure natural who is above the level of player status when it comes to attracting women and being successful with them.

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Care of the Hands and Nails

What is beauty of hand ? It is not so much the shape, just
as in hair it is not the color, which counts here. Texture, skin quality and skin tint, the manner in which the hands are used, the nails, these determine their beauty.

Care is what produces beautiful hands. If you are not your own manicurist then visit a professional one every week. Protect your hands against water by using gloves, rubber or canvas. Always have a cut of lemon handy to the sink. Whether you have a "psychic" or a merely plebeian hand, lemon juice removes stains, whitens the skin and cleans the nails. Vaseline, which keeps the nails from growing brittle, also makes up for the drying effect of hot dishwater. Dish washing should always be followed by a vaseline or cold cream application. Always wear gloves when gardening, and use vanishing cream on them before you expose them to the bright sunshine or cold. A cold cream application before retiring and cotton gloves should accompany chapped hands into bed.

Red Hands.—When red hands are not caused by some trouble which calls for a doctor's care, use a good rich, cream massage, for it will help circulation if bad circulation is the reason. A mere surface redness may be treated by rubbing in some standard skin food, after washing with hot water and soap, and leaving it overnight.

The Ideal Hand.—The ideal hand has smooth, tapering fingers. If you have square or knotty fingers give them treatment for pressing out the ends. A soft, white skin, a firm palm, firm and supple wrists and well-kept nails and fingers are all possible of attainment by manicuring, massage and constant cleanliness. Hands should be neither too fat nor too thin. Regular diet in the first place, then massage and special exercises are correctives. This applies as well to fat wrists. Remember that, like the ideal face and figure, the ideal hand is only relatively so. There is a different style of hand for nearly every style of being, and there are as many different hands as there are face beauties.

Gloves.—Tight gloves will make your palms perspire, give your hands a pudgy look, and, if you wear them right along, will turn the hands red and mottled. Red hands often result from continual wearing of tight-fitting gloves. And—if you do not chemically clean your gloves after each wearing—your hands will grow dirty as soon as you put them on. Gloves which are not perfectly clean chap and coarsen the skin texture of the hand, and at times cause infections .A narrow palm is supposed to be a sign of a feeble temperament, one lacking imagination. A fairly generous palm shows imagination and a nature capable of greatly enjoying physical pleasures. Too large, broad and pronounced a palm denotes egoism and sensuality. Hard, thick palms, out of proportion to the rest of the hand, show an animal nature, void of intelligence. Knotty fingers mean originality, imagination and a scientific trend. Smooth, tapering fingers hint at aptitude in art and sentiment predominating over reason. Square fingers mean a sense of method and order. Spatulate fingers are a sign of ability, activity, tact and knowledge.

THE NAILS
A woman's nails should have home attention, but this should be supplemented by occasional visits to the manicurist. Else it is impossible to keep them in perfect condition. You may use an orange stick or an ivory pusher to push back the cuticle from the nails (after it has been softened by cold cream or vaseline), but do not cut the cuticle yourself. This had far better be left to the professional. If you use the professional cutting tools you may easily cut and scar the surface of the nail, and weeks may elapse before the scar disappears. If the cuticle be cut

Manicuring.—Always see to it that your orange stick is well covered with absorbent cotton or a bit of silk. When you have shaped the external edge of the nails with a fine pair of scissors, finish with emery or a steel nail file. And always, before beginning to manicure your nails, soak them in hot soap water and cleanse with the nail brush. When you polish the nails, use paste first, and do not apply the powder till afterward. As a buffer you can use the palm of the other hand. A thorough "home" manicuring should be undertaken at least once a week.

There are many very satisfactory nail pastes and polishes on the market. A liquid polish is usually best for the nails, all the more if there is no paste foundation. Carmine, which gives a pleasing pink tint, should be the paste used. Never use the liquid varnishes which produce a sheen without the aid of the buffer. They have a deteriorating action on the nails themselves. You brush your teeth every night. It is just as easy to devote a few minutes to your nail cuticles as well.

The Nail Bleach.—A good and simple nail bleach for use beneath the free edges of the nails is made by mixing an ounce of hydrogen peroxide with a quarterounce, respectively, of ammonia and lemon juice. Before polishing the nails wash out the bleach with hot water. Keep your manicuring tools in good condition, and throw away your orange stick as soon as it roughens. For a buffer, if you do not care to use your palm, buy a buffer frame and renew the chamois skin.

Bruised Nails.—A hot water dip, with an overnight application of antiphlogiston, is good for bruised nails. The white nail spots which often result from a bruise will fade out slowly of themselves as a rule. Their departure can be hastened, however, by application of refined pitch and myrrh in equal parts.

Nail-Bite.—The only real cure for nail biting is not to bite the nails. The application of tincture of myrrh is merely a reminder not to do so.

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Troubles in Relationship

When you are in the middle of relationship troubles, you can feel depressed and hopeless. More often than not, you are experiencing the bulk of the suffering because your husband or boyfriend is either oblivious to the problem or insensitive to it. This can cause you to feel even more unhappy and resentful. The thing you have to remember is that it won't change if you don't change.

Taking Your Relationship into Your Own Hands

A lot of relationship troubles could be avoided if the woman felt truly happy, comfortable, and powerful in her own skin. Women have the unique ability to be both strong, powerful beings as well as vulnerable and emotional creatures. That paradox is one of the things that make women so fascinating and alluring to men. Too often, women embrace only one side of their personalities. They may be overly powerful and domineering, or they may be weak and insecure. In those situations, women are not owning their feminine grace.

Having feminine grace means being the strong woman who likes herself and is well-liked by others. Women with feminine grace are empowered by being a woman and accept with poise and dignity all of the rights and responsibilities that come with womanhood. Women who use their feminine grace exude beauty, confidence and sexuality from within. Men love women with feminine grace and they want to make them happy.

So, if you are experiencing troubles with your relationship, why not use it as an opportunity to see what positive changes you can make in yourself? You will be surprised how much embracing your feminine grace will affect how you are treated by the man in your life.

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Germany for World Cup 2010 Champion

Germany beats Argentina 4-0 and bring this wonderful team to the semifinal. Its showing that how the panzer team is strong for others. As three times world cup champion, Germany has chance to win their fourth winner. Go for germany...
This is the team profile for Germany footbal team on World Cup 2010 at South Africa.

Nr.	Name	Date of Birth	Position	Clubs	Height
1	Manuel NEUER	27/03/1986	GK	Schalke 04 (GER)	190
2	Marcell JANSEN	04/11/1985	MF	Hamburger SV (GER)	190
3	Arne FRIEDRICH	29/05/1979	DF	Hertha Berlin (GER)	185
4	Dennis AOGO	14/01/1987	DF	Hamburger SV (GER)	184
5	Serdar TASCI	24/04/1987	DF	VfB Stuttgart (GER)	186
6	Sami KHEDIRA	04/04/1987	MF	VfB Stuttgart (GER)	189
7	Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER	01/08/1984	MF	Bayern Munich (GER)	180
8	Mesut OEZIL	15/10/1988	MF	Werder Bremen (GER)	182
9	Stefan KIESSLING	25/01/1984	FW	Bayer Leverkusen (GER)	191
10	Lukas PODOLSKI	04/06/1985	FW	FC Cologne (GER)	180
11	Miroslav KLOSE	09/06/1978	FW	Bayern Munich (GER)	182
12	Tim WIESE	17/12/1981	GK	Werder Bremen (GER)	193
13	Thomas MUELLER	13/09/1989	MF	Bayern Munich (GER)	186
14	Holger BADSTUBER	13/03/1989	DF	Bayern Munich (GER)	190
15	Piotr TROCHOWSKI	22/03/1984	MF	Hamburger SV (GER)	168
16	Philipp LAHM	11/11/1983	DF	Bayern Munich (GER)	170
17	Per MERTESACKER	29/09/1984	DF	Werder Bremen (GER)	196
18	Toni KROOS	04/01/1990	MF	Bayer Leverkusen (GER)	180
19	CACAU	27/03/1981	FW	VfB Stuttgart (GER)	180
20	Jerome BOATENG	03/09/1988	DF	Hamburger SV (GER)	192
21	Marko MARIN	13/03/1989	MF	Werder Bremen (GER)	169
22	Hans Joerg BUTT	28/05/1974	GK	Bayern Munich (GER)	191
23	Mario GOMEZ	10/07/1985	FW	Bayern Munich (GER)	189

Coach: Joachim LOEW (GER)

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In a Relationship; What Must to Do?

If you find your soulmate and declare to make a relationship, and want to life together, you must do what must to do in one relationship.

Tip #1 - Communicate
Clear, open communication is vital for a successful relationship. Poor communication and an inability to talk can be a sign of a bad relationship, and one that's not 100%
Good communication is the only way you can tell your partner who you are, what you want and why you behave the way you do.
Talking and listening enables you to find out each other’s needs. Understand what your partner's needs are too, by really listening to them. Think about what your own needs are and tell your partner. If your needs are not being met, say so, and negotiate. Only by talking and listening, in equal measure, will your relationship develop and flourish. Good communication is about learning to say openly and honestly exactly what you think and feel. So...
* If you want a baby - tell your partner.
* If you don't want a baby - tell your partner.
* If you want more 'husband and wife realtionship' - tell your partner.
* If you want less 'husband and wife relationship' - tell your partner.
* If you want to move house - tell your partner.
* If you want more help around the house - tell your partner.
* If you get annoyed by their little habits like leaving the toilet seat up or leaving the toothpaste cap off - tell your partner.

Tip #2 - Don't go to bed on an argument
If you have a disagreement about something, try to understand each other's point of view, and don't finish the day seething, upset or bitter towards your partner.
Kiss and make up and promise to work things out together. A healthy relationship has a key element of mutual respect for one another. It's okay to disagree but you must respect each other’s opinions and differences, and settle them with love for each other.

Tip #3 - Love and respect yourself
Take care of yourself. Eat healthily, exercise and always try to look your very best. Feeling good about yourself will help you love yourself. If you can’t or don’t love yourself, it's hard for you to believe that anyone else will.
Good self-esteem is important for a successful relationship. When you truly love yourself, despite any faults or weaknesses you may have, you'll feel confident. And when you feel confident and secure within yourself, you can enjoy being with your partner for the joy they bring to your life, not because you feel you need them to survive.

Tip #5 - Honesty and trust
Being honest is crucial to a healthy relationship.
Some white lies might be OK, but if you feel you have to lie or hide things from your partner ask yourself - why?
If you feel you can’t trust your partner, then this is a sign of a bad relationship. For example, you know you’re in a good relationship when you don’t worry about your partner being unfaithful to you. They simply would not cheat on you if they truly love you.

Tip #6 - Be friends
Your relationship must be based on a solid, underlying friendship. Friends talk, laugh, share, and do things they're interested in together. Your partner should be your best friend.
If you genuinely like each other as friends, enjoy being together, agree with how each other thinks and behaves, and share the same dreams in life, then you are in a successful relationship.

Tip #7 - Touch each other
Physical touching is a vital human need. Being caressed lowers blood pressure and releases natural opiates in the brain, as well as the chemical oxytocin, which is essential for human pair-bonding.
Touching, holding hands, a kiss, a hug - all these are good signs of a great relationship.

Tip #8 - Don't spend more than 3 nights apart
The bond that is created between two people is strenghtened by intimacy. Spendind long periods apart should be avoided if possible, as this could loosen and weaken this close bond, which binds successful loving partners.

Tip #9 - Your place is with your partner
It is not right to spend time away from your partner in the company of other people. Constantly prefering the company of others is a sign of a poor relationship. Not being able to be with some friends or family members when you are together is a bad sign too.
If your partner is uncomfortable with some people you know or members of your family, and visa versa, ask yourself why.

Tip #10 - Make sure he or she is the One
The best Top Tip for a successful relationship is not to settle for anyone less than you deserve. You deserve the best. You deserve to be happy in your life - don't pass up the chance.

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