The All Hollows Eve...

Origin of name

The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hālgena mæssedæg, mass-day of all saints),All-Hallows-Even is itself not attested until 1556.

History

Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in thefestival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)". The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av).The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".

The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.

The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.

The Lovely Bones review..!!!

Isa to sa mga moviesnah ang tindi ng emotional sense.tungkol sa isang teen na molested at pinatay sa corn fields at nachop-chop yng katawan niya,nilagay siya sa loob ng isang vault ng kanyang killer na kapitbahay nila. Halos ang tagal din siya hinahanap ng kanyang ama...Ok din yung artistic rendition ni peter jackson..medyo deppresing din yung movie na to... Nice concept na ghost siya na minumulto niya yung kanyang killer. Hope yung mga taong gumagawa nito ay mahuli at makulong agad..!!

The Wawa Dam Advent Part 2

10-10-10 Sunday ito ang araw na napili namin ni jef na mag treking sa Wawa Dam,pngalawang punta ko na dito at hindi parin ako nagsasawa dito sa lugar na to...nice view of the mountains,the river tapos ang simplicity ng buhay along the riverbanks feels like an old movie...simple perook siyang tignan..sana madevelope pa ng husto ang lugar na to para makikilala lalo ang bayan ng montalban sa pinas..!!!

legacy of kain,Soul Reaver,Soul Reaver 2/3

Hayzzz yung unang puzzle game na nilaro ko nun ps1 days pa tapos naulit dahil bitin yung ending ng part 1 sa psx,dahil tumakas si Kain dun sa laban nila ni Raziel. Gusto ko kasi yung concept ng freeze time kapag pumasok ka na sa spectral plane,na isang spirit nalang si Raziel dahil sa part 1 tinapon siya ni Kain yung kanyang master at nag revive sa kanya bilang isang vampire,dahil sa tindi ng jealousy na tinubuan si Raziel ng pakpak,dahil once in every millenia nangyayari yun sa isang piling vampire. As a result tinapon siya sa Lake of  the Dead para mamatay di ba ang vampire number one weakness nila ay yung water's touch madali lang madissolve yung balat nila tapos deadzs na sila. Habang nag dudusa siya sa ilalaim ng Lake of the Dead bigla siyang binati ni Void isang ancient entity sa underworld,imbes nah mamatay ng tuluyan ang katawan ni Raziel naging isang wraith si Raziel nah di nah dugo ang habol niya kundi isang kaluluwa ng mga namatay na. Ang kinaganda nito sa laro nito ang concept din ng real time puzzle solving kasi nag iiba din ang paligid at structure ng isang lugar habang nag lalakbay ka sa material plane to spectral plane and vice versa.Yung kanyang simbiotic weapon niya yung sword ni Kain ang Soul Reaver isa din yun sa highlights ng laro kung pano niya nakuha yun...nah parang destiny na ni Kain na basagin ang Soul Reaver sa katawan ni Raziel at destiny rin ni Raziel na maging amo ng Soul Reaver...hayyyzzz next update ko nlng tatapusin tong blog ko..!!! ahehehhehe...

Sa Wakas........MSA din....

Sa wakas nakaloots din ng osm msa sa eod sa tagal ko na pumapasok dito sinuwerte na rin tayo...ahahahhahahaha...im one lucky bastard...ahehhehehehehe.......

On Midnight

kagabi meron isang kakaibang nangyari dito sa lugar namin noong nagpapalipas ako ng oras sa paglalaro ng Castlevania mga 1.30 am n yun may mga kakaibang ingay nah ako naririnig sa likod ng bahay namin sinubukan kong tignan yun kaso wala nmn...at nung mga 2:00am nmn may mga tao akong naririnig sa harap ng bahay kaso wala nmn taong nandun...hayyyzzzzz cguro antok lng yun...o kaya may mga naggagala na mga espiritu sa mundo ntn nah hindi naten nakikita..!!!!

Emerald weapon in Final Fantasy 7

Itong boss na to ang isa sa mga 5 weapon nah lumabas sa lupa ng geae kakabadtrip to
kasi masiyadong technical ang pagtalo dito sa boss na to...nid mo dito ang Knight of the Round materia (Summon) Mime materia, Final Atack materia,Phoenix materia,mga HP nad Mp materia para lumaki ang HP/MP tapos yng combination ng bawat materia sa Mp turbo materia...(Knights of the Round+Mp Turbo) (Mime) (Final Atack+Phoenix) upper or lower slots sa weapon o sa bracelet...dapat din may golden chocobo ka din kasi need mo para makuha ang Knights of the Round..hayyyzzzzz ang laki ng abala tlga.!!! pero worth it naman eh...laki ng exprience at ap points...ahahahhaha...happy hunting.!!!!

Revisiting the 9-11 atack on the World Trade Center

First time ko nakita tong horrific scene na to sa t.v. grabe napaicip ako america na to pero pinasok prn cla ng mga terorista at nagawa pa nila mag high jack ng mga eroplano...yng dalawa pinabagsak ang WTC yng isa sa Pentagon...at yng isa malapit sa white house..sayang ang mga buhay ng mga tao dun sa eroplano,lalo nah din yng nsa WTC...mga empleyado,bumbero at mga pulis...sana sa araw na to nah nag mourn ang boung mundo sa nangyari noon...at maging tanda na rin to nah kahit saang lugar di tayo ligtas....sa mga taong naghahasik ng lagim sa kapaligiran...!!!!

Wawa adventure short time

First time ko nakapunta sa Wawa Dam dito sa montalban rizal...ganda ng tanawin dun lallo na yung pagragasa ng tubig pababa sa dulo ng dam..after 10 years nakatapak din sa lugar na yun...Busy kasi eh kaya di makapunta dun tapos di ko pa alam ang papunta dun plus pa yung balita na may namamatay pa dun kaya alangan pa ako pumunta dun...ngyn gusto ko na ulit pumunta dun..!!! hehehehehhee

Smoking is dangerous to your health: The rationale behind the warning

There's no other way to say it. Smoking is dangerous to your health. This warning is written in every cigarette pack every smoker consumes but, over time, has lost its effect and value. According to QuitsmokingHub, about 1.35 billion people worldwide are smokers. In Asia alone, 9.6% are smokers. And five million deaths recorded around the world yearly are caused by smoking. Composition of a cigarette

Aside from nicotine, which is an addictive drug found in cigarettes, there are many more cigarette ingredients that even smokers do not know about. QuitsmokingHub has named seven human carcinogens found in cigarettes. Carcinogens are substances known to cause cancer in humans and animals. These carcinogens include Aminobiphenyl, 2-Naphthylamine, Chromium, N-Nitrosodiethylamine, N-Nitrosopyrrolidine, N-Nitrosodiethanolamine and Cadmium.

But the list doesn't end there. Aside from these carcinogens, cigarettes are composed of different ingredients like lead, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and ammonia that aside from respiratory problems, may also cause weakness in the fingers, wrists and ankles, negatively affect memory, disrupt blood cell production and the male reproductive system, cause hearing and color vision loss and many other negative effects that one body cannot take all in.

Why it's harder to stop smoking now than ten years ago

The Massachusetts Department of Health released a report in 2007 that the level of nicotine found in U.S. cigarettes has risen since 2001, making it harder to quit and easier to get hooked, as reported by the Associated Press.

The study shows a steady climb in the amount of nicotine delivered to the lungs of smokers regardless of brand, with overall nicotine yields increasing by about 10 percent.

The study found the three most popular cigarette brands - Marlboro, Newport and Camel - delivered significantly more nicotine than they did years ago.

Smokers who choose "light" brands hoping to reduce their nicotine intake are out of luck, according to the report that found for all brands tested in 1998 and 2004, there was no significant difference in the total nicotine content between "full flavor," "medium," "light," or "ultra-light" cigarettes.

With all the statistics of smokers and the ill-effects of smoking listed over the years, it is obvious that smoking is a very hard habit to break. But knowing all the ill-effects of smoking to a smoker's body can at least make one fall into a deep thought and take a second look before puffing his/er next cigarette.

Again.????

kaninang hapon habang papunta ako sa san rafael para puntahan ang friend ko dun may mga certain events na nangyari saken sa jeep habang tinatahak nmn ang daan papunta sa san rafael chances are na the same 4 people nah kasama ko sa loob ng jeep nakasabay ko ulit pauwi now here's the funny part pati yng same jeep  na sinakyan namin yun parin the same group of people and the jeep all the same...how weird can it gets di ba.???

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.....

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is associated by symptoms and signs, which are caused by compression of the median nerve travelling through thecarpal tunnel. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects the hands since it is an upper limb neuropathy that results in motor and sensory disturbance of the median nerve.

This condition affects individuals by causing pain, paresthesias, and sometimes weakness in the median nerve distribution. Those diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may experience pain, numbness and tingling sensations in the arm, which may extend to the shoulder and neck area; these feelings are more prevalent at night due to various sleeping positions. To aid in the prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, stretching exercises of the wrist, hand, and fingers have been used to combat against the pain and numbness caused by repetitive actions. Other than using recommended stretches and exercises, useful treatments for CTS include use of night splints, corticosteroid injections and ultimately surgery.

Most cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been found to be without a specific cause and certain individuals may be genetically predisposed to this condition.

History

The condition known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has had major appearances throughout the years but it was most commonly heard of in the years following World War II.Individuals who had suffered from this condition have been depicted in surgical literature for the mid 1800’s. In 1854, Sir James Paget was the first to report median nerve compression at the wrist in a distal radius fracture. Following the early 1900s there were various cases of median nerve compression underneath the transverse carpal ligament. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was most commonly noted in medical literature in the early 20th century but the first use of the term was noted 1939. Physician Dr. George S. Phalen of the Cleveland Clinic identified the pathology after working with a group of patients in the 1950s and 1960s. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a disabling overuse injury to the hand is one of the most frequent work injuries reported by the medical profession 

natomy

Main article: Carpal tunnel

The carpal tunnel is an anatomical compartment located at the base of the wrist. Nine flexor tendons and the median nerve pass through the carpal tunnel that is surrounded on three sides by the carpal bones that form an arch. The nerve and the tendons provide function, feeling, and movement to some of the fingers. The finger and wrist flexor muscles including their tendons originate in the forearm at the medial epicondyle of the elbow joint and attach to the Metaphalangeal (MP), Proximal Interphalangeal (PIP), and Distal Interphalangeal bones of the fingers and thumb (BSI). The carpal tunnel is approximately as wide as the thumb and its boundary lies at the distal wrist skin crease and extends up the arm towards the elbow for approximately 3 cm.

The median nerve can be compressed by a decrease in the size of the canal, an increase in the size of the contents (such as the swelling of lubrication tissue around the flexor tendons), or both. Simply flexing the wrist to 90 degrees will decrease the size of the canal.

Compression of the median nerve as it runs deep to the transverse carpal ligament (TCL) causes atrophy of the thenar eminence, weakness of the flexor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, abductor pollicis brevis, as well as sensory loss in the distribution of the median nerve distal to the transverse carpal ligament. There is a superficial sensory branch of the median nerve, which branches proximal to the TCL and travels superficial to it. This branch is therefore spared, and it innervates the palm towards the thumb.

Symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome produces a series of symptoms from mild to extreme. These symptoms worsen over time and patients that have been diagnosed with CTS experience numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in the thumb and fingers, particularly the index and middle fingers, which are affected by the median nerve. Individuals also experience pain in the hands or wrists and some report to have lost gripping strength. Pain also develops in the arm and shoulder and swelling of the hand, which increases at night.

Numbness and paresthesias in the median nerve distribution are the neuropathic symptoms (NS) of carpal tunnel entrapment syndrome. Weakness and atrophy of the thenar muscles may occur if the condition remains untreated.

Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men.

Causes

Most cases of CTS are of unknown causes, or idiopathic. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be associated with any condition that causes pressure on the median nerve at the wrist. Some common conditions that can lead to CTS include obesity, hypothyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, and trauma.

Other causes of this condition include intrinsic factors that exert pressure within the tunnel, and extrinsic factors (pressure exerted from outside the tunnel), which include benign tumors such as lipomas, ganglion, and vascular malformation, and overuse factors. It is unclear whether there is a close relationship between work and CTS or if it’s due to underlying medical problems.

The Fear of the Friday the 13...

History

According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a "Friday the 13th" superstition before the 19th century. The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in an 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini:

[Rossini] was surrounded to the last by admiring and affectionate friends; and if it be true that, like so many other Italians, he regarded Friday as an unlucky day, and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday, the 13th of November, he died.

However, some folklore is passed on through oral traditions. In addition, "determining the origins of superstitions is an inexact science, at best. In fact, it's mostly guesswork." Consequently, several theories have been proposed about the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition.

One theory states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

• In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve hours of the clock, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, twelve gods of Olympus, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
• Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century's The Canterbury Tales, and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. It has also been suggested that Friday has been considered an unlucky day because, according to Christian scripture and tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

One theory suggested by OJ Ivey states that Jesus dies on a Friday and there were 13 people at the last supper.

On the other hand, another theory by author Charles Panati, one of the leading authorities on the subject of "Origins" maintains that the superstition can be traced back to ancient myth:

The actual origin of the superstition, though, appears also to be a tale in Norse mythology. Friday is named for Frigga, the free-spirited goddess of love and fertility. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil — a gathering of thirteen — and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. For many centuries in Scandinavia, Friday was known as "Witches' Sabbath."

Another theory about the origin of the superstition traces the event to the arrest of the legendary Knights Templar. According to one expert:

The Knights Templar were a monastic military order founded in Jerusalem in 1118 C.E., whose mission was to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades. Over the next two centuries, the Knights Templar became extraordinarily powerful and wealthy. Threatened by that power and eager to acquire their wealth, King Philip secretly ordered the mass arrest of all the Knights Templar in France on Friday, October 13, 1307 - Friday the 13th.

The connection between the superstition and the Knights Templar was popularized in the 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code. However, some experts think that it is relatively recent and is a modern-day invention. For example, the superstition is rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common. One author, noting that references are all but nonexistent before 1907 but frequently seen thereafter, has argued that its popularity derives from the publication that year of Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, in which an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.

A further theory goes back to a combination of Paganism, Christianity, and the Battle of Hastings. For many, the number 13 was considered a lucky number (such as 13 lunar cycles each year), but with the efforts of Christianity attempting to degrade all things Pagan, they promoted 13 as an unlucky number, with Friday thus also being considered a bad day of the week. However, on Friday the 13th of October 1066, the decision was made by King Harold II to go to battle on Saturday the 14th of October, rather than allow his troops a day of rest (despite his army having made a long and arduous march from a battle near York just 3 weeks earlier).

This decision in going to battle before the English troops were rested (the English lost and King Harold was killed) further established Friday the 13th as an unlucky day.

In Spanish-speaking countries, instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th is considered a day of bad luck. For example, the Fall of Constantinople, when the city fell to the Ottomans, a fact which marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, happened Tuesday, May 29th, 1453, that is why the Greeks consider Tuesday to be an unlucky day.

Coffee again...!!!!

Coffee is one of the world’s three favourite beverages

Coffee ranks in the top three most consumed beverages globally, alongside tea and water. Over 800 billion cups are enjoyed every year, and this number is growing at an annual rate of 1.5%. That’s an increase of 12 billions cups per year!

Coffee has a rich history

Since the Middle Ages, and its origins in the luxury coffee houses of the Middle East, this mysterious, complex, stimulating beverage has provoked love and fear. Considered by some to be a cure-all and by others to be the embodiment of evil, coffee has always aroused scientific interest. Today, experts agree that moderate coffee consumption of up to 5 cups per day has no detrimental effect on health. In fact, it may even have some protective benefits. Coffee engages the senses and emotions When roasted, every single coffee bean releases hundreds of different aromas. That’s why the taste and aroma of NESCAFÉ is so complex. We use only carefully selected Arabica and Robusta coffee beans and water to deliver a unique experience with every cup. The intriguing complexity of coffee means it can deliver a whole range of emotional benefits that go beyond taste - from stimulation to relaxation to refreshment, and beyond. Guilt-free hydration Water is the main ingredient in a cup of coffee. A typical 150 ml cup of coffee corresponds to 10% of your average daily water requirement from beverages. And soluble coffee is practically free of calories, with only 2kcal per cup, while brewed coffee, espresso, or coffee mixtures (coffee-chicory) have just 5kcal/cup.        Of course, the amount of caffeine per cup depends on the coffee blend and the amount of coffee used per cup. Caffeine stimulates mental performance by increasing alertness and concentration. It also contributes to enhanced physical performance by stimulating the metabolism and delaying the feeling of fatigue. While a lot of people believe coffee to have a diuretic effect because of its caffeine content, all recent scientific studies agree that moderate coffee consumption of 3 to 5 cups per day is actually no more diuretic than water. Caffeine stimulates the senses Coffee is a natural source of caffeine, just like tea, cocoa and guarana. Caffeine is well known for its mild stimulating properties on the body and mind. The body absorbs it rapidly, usually within 30 minutes, and its effects may last for 2-5 hours.    Coffee is a source of antioxidants You may know that eating foods with antioxidants is a great way to protect yourself from damaging free radicals and help support your body’s defences. But did you know that coffee is naturally rich in antioxidants? They naturally occur in green coffee beans. And a cup of decaffeinated coffee contains just as many antioxidants as regular coffee! So people who are sensitive to caffeine can enjoy the same benefits. Now, coffee with even more antioxidants… Nestlé Research has developed NESCAFÉ PROTECT and NESCAFÉ Greenblend, soluble coffees especially rich in antioxidants. They come from a unique combination of roasted coffee beans and unroasted green coffee beans. Now, the coffee experience you love has even more antioxidants!