Merry Christmas
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Dec 19, 2008 10:10 pm
371 Views
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In predominantly Christian countries, Christmas has become the most significant holiday of the year, and it is also celebrated as a secular holiday in many other countries. It is largely character-ized by exchanging gifts within familes, and by gifts brought by Santa Claus or other mythical fig-ures.
Local and regional christmas traditions are still rich and varied, despite the widespread influence of American and British christmas motifs through literature, television, and other media . Most of the familiar traditional practices and symbols of Christmas, such as the Christmas tree, the Yule Log, holly, mistletoe, and the giving of presents, were adopted by Christian missionaries from the earlier pagan midwinter holiday of Yule.
Gift-giving is a near-universal part of Christmas cel-ebrations. The concept of a mythical figure who brings gifts to children derives from Saint Nicholas, a good hearted bishop of 4th-century Asia Minor. The Dutch modeled a gift-giving Saint Nicholas around his feast day of December 6. In North Ameri-ca, English colonists adopted aspects of this celebra-tion into their Christmas holiday, and Sinterklaas be-came Santa Claus. In the UK, whilst this name is widely known, "Father Christmas'' is more common, and is also used in many west African countries.
In the Anglo-American tradition, this jovial fel-low arrives on Christmas Eve on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and lands on the roofs of houses. He then climbs down the chimney, leaves gifts for the chil-dren, and eats the food they leave for him. He spends the rest of the year making toys and keeping lists on the behavior of the children.
In many countries, children leave empty contain-ers for Santa to fill with small gifts such as toys, can-dy, or fruit. In the United States, children hang a Christmas stocking by the fireplace on Christmas Evs, because Santa is said to come down the chimney the night before Christmas to fill them. In other countries, children place their empty shoes out for santa to fill on the night before Christmas, or for Saint Nicholas on December 5. Gift giving is not re-stricted to these special gift-bringers, as family mem-bers and friends also bestow gifts on each other.
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Thin line between love and hate
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Dec 13, 2008 8:48 pm
486 Views
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It often seems a thin line between love and hate, and now scientists think they know why.
Brain scans of people shown images of individuals they hated revealed a pattern of brain activity that partly occurs in areas also activated by romantic love, semir Zeki and John Pual Romaya of University College London reported.
"This linkage may account for why love and hate are so closely linked to each other in life,''the researchers wrote in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS One. "Our results show that there is a unique pattern of activity in the brain in the context of hate.''
In their study, the researchers showed 17 men and women pictures of someone the volunteers said they hated along with three familiar, neutral faces. The hated individuals were all former loves or work rivals, except for one famous Politician.
The brain scans identified a pattern of activity in different areas of the brain the researchers called a "hate circuit'' that switched on when people saw faces they despised, the researchers said.
"As far as we can determine it is unique to the sentiment of hate even though individual sites within it have been shown to be active in other conditions that are related to hate,'' the researchers wrote.
The so-called hate circuit inludes structures in the cortex and the sub-cortex and represented a pattern distinct from emotions such as fear, threat and danger, Zeki said in a telephone interview.
The brain activity also occurred in the putamen and insula, two areas activated when people viewed the face of a loved person. Scientists have linked the regions to aggressive action and distressing situations, Zeki said.
But there were important differences as well. A bigger part of the (1) cerebral cortex de-activates with love compared to hate. While both emotions are all-consuming passions, it may be that people in love are often less critical and judgmental about their partner but need to maintain their focus when dealing with a hated rival, the researchers said.
Reuters
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Ride a motorcycle lover
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Oct 26, 2008 6:32 am
624 Views
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A girl and a boy were on a motorcycle, speeding through the night. They loved each other a lot.
Girl:"Slow down a little... I'm scared...''
Boy:"No, it's so fun...''
Girl:"please... it's so scary...''
Boy:"Then say that you love me...''
Girl:"Fine... I love you... can you slow down now?''
Boy:"Give me a big bug...'' The girl gave him a big hug.
Girl:"Now can you slow down?''
Boy:"can you take off my helmet and put it on? It's uncomfortable and it's bother-ing me while I drive.''
The next day, there was a story in the newspaper. A motorcycle had crashed into a building because its brakes were broken. There were two people on the motorcycle, of which one died, and the other had survived... The guy knew that the brakes were broken. He didn't want to let the girl know, because he knew that the girl would have gotten scared. Instead, he was told the last time that she loved him, got a hug from her, put his helmet on her so that she can live, and died himself...
Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale...
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Tomorrow could Be Too Late
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Oct 4, 2008 8:02 am
772 Views
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There was a teenager with terminal cancer. He was 17 years old and could die at any moment. He was always at home, under his mother's care.
One day he decided to go out, even if it was just once. He asked his mother for permission and she agreed. Walking down his block he saw many stores. Stopping at a music store he looked in and saw a very pretty girl of his own age, it was love at first sight and he walked in.
He walked up to the counter where the girl was. She smiled at him and asked, "Can I help you with anything?'' The guy could only think that it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and stuttered,"Well, ummm, I'd like to buy a CD.'' He grabbed the first one he saw and gave her the money. "Do you want me to wrap it?'' the smiling girl asked. The guy said yes and the girl went into the back room to wrap it. The guy took the wrapped CD and walked home.
From that day on he visited the music store everyday, and each day he bought a CD. And each day the girl wrapped them up and the guy stored them unopened in his closet.
He was a very shy boy, and although he tried, he couldn't find the nerve to ask the girl out. His mother noticed this and encouraged him.
The next day the guy set out for the store with a determined mind, like the previous days he bought a CD and the girl wrapped it as usual. While she was busy he left his telephone on the counter and rushed out of the store.
The following day the guy didn't visit the store, and the girl called him. His mother answered the phone, wondering who it could be. It was the girl from the music storel. She asked to speak with her son and his mother started crying. The girl asked her what was the matter."Don't you know? He died yesterday.'' There was a long silence on the phone...
Later that afternoon the guy's mother entered his room to remember her son. she decided to start with his closet, and to her surprise she saw a big pile of unopened CDs wrapped in festive paper. She was curious because there were so many of them, and she opened one. As she tore open the package, she noticed a slip of paper that said;"Hi! you're cute, I would love to meet you. Let's go out sometime. Sophie''
The mother started crying as she opened another. And another, and another. Every single CD contained a slip of paper that said the same.
That's the way life is; don't wait to show those special people the way you feel tomorrow could be too late.
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Movie
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Sep 25, 2008 7:14 am
727 Views
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Many Olympic movies have been made, trying to capture those universal themes of excellence, commitment, and personal sacrifice.
Here are the 10 best movie quotes about the essence of Olympian ideals.
"It doesn't matter tomorrow if they come in first or fiftieth. Those guys have earned the right to walk into that stadium and wave their nation's flag. That's the single greatest honor an athlete can ever have. That's what the Olympics are all about.''
Cool Runnings(1993)-Irwin Blitzer(John Candy)
"Well, as they say in the Olympics, it's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts.''
Sleuth(1972)-Milo Tindle(Michael Caine)
"Where does the power come from to see the race to its end? From within.''
Chariots of Fire(1981)-Eric Liddell(Ian Charleson)
"Once in a generation an athlete pits himself against such overwhelming odds that even the most jaded spectator finds himself cheering breathlessly.''
Iron Will(1994)-Harry Kingsley(Kevin Spacey)
"If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.''
Grease(197 -Principal McGee(Eve Arden)
"The high jump is a masochist's event-it always ends in failure.''
Personal Best(1982)-Terry Tingloff(Scott Glenn)
"Fear is not what's important, it's how you deal with it. It would be like asking a marathon runner if they feel pain. It's not a matter of whether you feel it, it's how you manage it.''
War Photographer(2001)-James Nachtwey(himself)
"The Olympics, the NBA, the NFL, all filled up with children who didn't have fathers. You may be a flawed character, but you're building hers.''
Jackpot(2001)-Lester(Garrett Morris)
"I don't want to win unless I know I've done my best.''
Without Limits(199-Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup)
"A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But if you're not enough without one, you'll never be enough with one.''
Cool Runnings(1993)-Irwin Blitzer(John Candy)
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Dilemma
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Sep 18, 2008 8:29 am
820 Views
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You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus: An old lady who looks as if she is about to die./ An old friend who once saved your life./ The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think before you read on
.....
This is a moral/ethical dilemma what was once actually used as part of a job application. You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the per-fect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate a-gain.
The candidate who was hired simply answered :" I would give the car keys to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams.''
Sometimes, We gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Think outside of the Box.
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Understanding Women
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Sep 13, 2008 7:48 am
1160 Views
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If you kiss her, you are not a gentleman
If you don't , you are not a man
If you praise her, she thinks you are lying
If you don't , you are good for nothing
If you agree to all her likes, she is abusing
If you don't , you are not understanding
If you make romance, you are an "experienced man''
If you don't, you are half a man
If you visit her too often, she thinks it is boring
If you don't, she accuses you of double crossing
If you are well dressed, she says you are a playboy
If you don't, you are a dull boy
If you are jealous , she says it's bad
If you don't, she thinks you do not love her
If you attempt a romance, she says you didn't respect her
If you don't, she thinks you do not like her
If you are a minute late, she complains it's hard to wait
If she is late, she says that's a girl's way
If you visit another, she accuses you of being a heel
If she is visited by another, "oh it's natural, we are girls''
If you kiss her once in a while, she professes you are cold
If you kiss her too many, she yells that you are taking advantage
If you fail to help her in crossing the street, you lack ethics
If you do, she thinks it's just one of the man's tactics
If you stare at others, she accuses you of flirting
If she is stared by others, she says that they are just admiring
If you talk, she wants you to listen
If you listen , she wants you to talk
Oh God! You created those creatures called "WOMAN''
So simple , yet so complex
So weak, yet so powerful
So confusing, yet so desirable
"OLORD, tell me what to do. AMEN''
( 2008. The Times )
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