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Monday, December 21, 2009

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

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Lovin’ the Bus! Casper, a 12 year old cat in Plymouth, Devon, England, makes his way around town by riding city buses.

On April 21, 2009, Tyler Bradt kayaked over the Palouse Falls in Washington State, USA – a drop of 186 feet.

Naked Plow-Girls! Female villagers in Banke Bazaar, Bihar, India, plowed their fields while nude in July, chanting hymns in an attempt to make it rain.

A group of French travel agencies offers Sunshine Insurance, which means refunds are given if it rains excessively during a trip.

The Stars within the ancient and tiny galaxy 1255-0 move at speeds in excess of 1 million miles per hour.

Socks, a cat owned by Michelle Maher of Arbroath, Scotland, survived 34 days trapped in a metal shipping container.

Most Meteors that hit the earth’s atmosphere are pea-sized or smaller.

On the moon, it’s easier to run that it is to walk.

On four separate occasions during his 1905 – 1928 major league baseball career, Ty Cobb stole 2nd base, 3rd base and home plate in a single inning.

In October 2008, thieves stole a 199- year- old church in Komarovo, Russia, brick by brick, leaving only parts of the walls and foundation.

Help Window! Researchers at Yeshiva University in New York City, NY, USA, surgically implanted glass windows into the skin of lab mice to directly watch the development of cancer tumors.

Peruvian seamstresses created a pair of blue jeans 141 feet tall and 98 feet wide. The jeans weighed 8.25 tons and three cranes working together couldn’t lift it.

Cold Desert! The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica receive less than 4 inches of snow per year and are the most free locations on the continent!

ZAP.. Otto, an octopus at the sea-star aquarium in Coburg, Germany, caused electrical shorts by crawling to the rim of his tank and squirting a jet of water at a light fixture.

Ri Fahnestock carried Sarah Silverberg to victory in the 2008 Wife Carrying Championship Race in Newry, Maine, USA. They received Sarah’s weight (122 lbs.) in beer as top prize.

Born with half of a brain, a 10-year-old German girl’s optic nerves uniquely rewired themselves – giving her an eye with perfect vision.

One large group of Argentine Ants has colonized Europe, Japan and California. The ants, all related, groom each other and behave like allies when brought into contact.

The Netherlands’ Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren has rooms made from 14,000 liter wine casks.

Feed Your Mind

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Riddles

If sixteen boys share a chocolate cake, what is the time?

     A quarter to four.



Idioms

clear the air
     lessen or remove fears, worries or suspicions

ex. Her confusion cleared up the air between them.


to play one’s cards well
     to act with skill and good judgment; to make the best of one’s chances

ex. Jack played his cards well at the meeting with the chairman and was selected to represent the company.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

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         “It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”
                                                                                        Mahatma Gandhi

        “The dirty secret of art is you don’t have to show people your bad writing. That’s what we have the delete key for.”
                                 Robert McKee

       “You cannot ask the question which is more important, plot or character, because they are the same thing.”
                                                                                       Robert McKee

        “Like ability or a muscle, hearing your inner wisdom is strengthened by doing it.”
                                                                                       Robbie Gass

        “Not by age but by capacity is wisdom acquired.”
                                                                                       Titus Maccius Plautus

        “Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.”
                                                                                       Socrates

        “When will people understand that words can cut as sharply as any blade, and that those cuts leave scars upon our souls?”
                                                                                       Author Unknown

        “People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Must because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.”
                                                                                       Author Unknown

       “I got in trouble with the police, and that was a rude awakening. That was it. I’d seen the bottom of the pit, and it was time to scrape myself out of it.”
                                                                                       Bryan Adams

       “The surprises of the thought are like those of love: they wear out. But here too you can carry on for a long time doing your conjugal duty.”
                                                                                      Jean Baudrillard

      “Some fear the dark; I embrace it. It is the only place where my eyes are blind, and my soul wanders freely from the truth of reality.”
                                                                                      Sushi Girl - Laura

Your 20th Century Saints Search

Saint Maria Goretti
Saint Dominic Savio
Father Maximilian Kolbe

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Find out how much you know about the men and women canonized in the last 100 years

The Church has canonized some 400 holy men and women – and even a few teenagers – during the 20th century. How much do you know about our newest saints? Begin with no. 1 and then follow the directions.

1.      Let’s start at the beginning of the list. 1. John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719) was declared a saint in 1900. For what is he best known?
a.      Devotion to the Sacred Heart. (Go to 28)
b.      Founding the Brothers of the Christian Schools. (Head for 38)

2.      2.Sorry. Return to 39.

3.      Yes.3. Pope Pius X is known as “The Pope of the Eucharist” for recommending frequent reception of Holy Communion and early reception of the sacrament by children. His papacy began in 1903, running until his death in 1914. He was canonized in 1954. Now head for 18.

4.      4.Canonized in 1982, only 41 years after his death, this saint was a Franciscan priest with a strong devotion to Mary. What is his name?
a.      Maximilian Kolbe. (Go to 12)
b.      John Neumann. (Move to 42)

5.      5.No. John Fisher (1469 – 1535, canonized in 1935) was an English bishop ordered killed by Henry VIII for refusing to recognize the validity of the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn and for upholding the supremacy of the pope. Return to 13.

6.      6. Another French priest named John was known for hearing Confessions 16 to 18 hours a day. What is his last name?

a.      de Porres. (Move to 36)
b.      Vianney. (Go to 41)

7.      7.One of the most popular saints in the 20th century died in the latter half of the 19th. Who is this person?
a.      Therese of Lisieux. (Go to 17)
b.      Bernadette Soubirous. (Move to 27)

8.      8. No. Return to 35.

9.      9. St. John Fisher, mentioned in question 13, was canonized with another English person who opposed Henry VIII. Who is the other saint?
a.      Thomas More. (Go to 16)
b.      Joan of Arc. (Head for 34)

10.  10. Since 1930, groups of martyrs from five continents have been canonized. Antarctica and what other continent are not represented?
a.      Australia. (Go to 15)
b.      Asia. (Head for 33)

11.  11. That’s right! For the first 17 years after his ordination, Pius X was in parish work. After he became pope, he was asked what his sisters should be called. At that time, it was common to confer titles of nobility on the pope’s family. His reply? “Call them the sisters of the pope.” Head now for 32.

12.  12. Yes. The Saint of Auschwitz was born in 1894 and canonized by fellow Pole, Pope John Paul II, in 1982. Now head for 43.

13.  13. Teenagers were among the martyrs killed in Uganda. Another teen was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954. What is his name?
a.      John Fisher. (Move to 5)
b.      Dominic Savio. (Go to 22)

14.  14. Yes. St. Therese was only 24 when she died. And only 28 years later Pope Pius XI canonized her. Now head for 25.

15.  15. Correct!They are the Jesuit North American martyrs (canonized in 1930); Charles Lwanga and 21 companions, the martyrs of Uganda (1964); 40 English and Welsh martyrs (1970); 103 Korean martyrs (1984); Lorenzo Ruiz and 15 companions, martyrs of Japan (1987); 117 martyrs of Vietnam (1988); and Roque Gonzalez, Alfonso Rodriguez, and Juan de Castillo, Jesuit martyrs of Paraguay (1988). Now move to 13.

16.  16. Of course! St. Thomas More (1478 -1535) was killed two weeks after St. John Fisher. They share a feast day: June 22. Now head for your last question, 4.

17.  17. Both answers are correct. Now move to 39.

18.  18. Let’s try one more on St. Pius X. As the last wrong answer mentioned, St. Gregory the Great referred to himself as ”the servant of the servants of God.”What did Pius X call himself?
a.      “A country priest.” (Go to 11)
b.      “Proof God has a sense of humor.” (Move to 40)

19.  19. No. Return to 25.

20.  20. Pope Gregory I (reigned 590-604) was declared a saint long before our century. He chose the papal title “servant of the servants of God” – one used by pontiffs ever since. Return to 31.

21.  21. No. Return to 32.

22.  22. Yes. Dominic Savio, a student of St. John Bosco, died before his 15th birthday. Dominic (1842 – 1857) is the patron of choir boys. Now go to 37.

23.  23. You’re right! St. Catherine Laboure (1806 – 1876, canonized in 1947) told her confessor what she had seen but wouldn’t allow him to tell anyone her name. He was responsible for having the Miraculous Medal first struck and distributed. For 45 years, St. Catherine took care of household chores at a hospice for the aged on the outskirts of Paris. Eight months before her death, she told her superiors she was the one who had seen Our Lady. She did that so a statue the Blessed Mother had requested could be made. Now head for 31.

24.  24. Martin was a Dominican Brother who lived in Lima, Peru. His mother, Anna Velasquez, was a free black woman; his father, Juan de Porres, a Spanish grandee. Now head for 7.

25.  25. It was St. Bernadette who died at age 35 (1844-1879, canonized in 1933). How old was she when the Blessed Mother appeared to her at Lourdes in France?
a.      16. (Go to 19)
b.      14. (Head for 30)

26.  26. No. Blessed Kateri (1656 – 1680) has yet to be canonized. Return to 37.

27.  27. Both answers are correct. Now move to 39.

28.  28. No. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690, canonized in 1920) is known for spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart. Return to 1.

29.  29. Maria was born in 1890 and hadn’t yet turned 12 when, in 1902, she died after being assaulted. Her death came just five weeks after she had received her First Holy Communion. Now head for 9.

30.  30. Yes. After she became an adult and joined the Sisters of Notre Dame of Nevers, Bernadette wanted to remain hidden and forgotten. She compared herself to a broom. “Our Lady used me,” she said. “They put me back in my corner. I am happy there and remain there.” Now move to 10.

31.   31. Only one pope has been canonized during this century. Which one?
a.      Pius X. (Move to 3)
b.      Gregory the Great. (Go to 20)

32.  32. Did the name “de Porres” strike a chord with you since you read question 6? St. Martin de Porres (1579-1639) was canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. To what order did St. Martin belong?
a.      Franciscan. (Go to 21)
b.      Dominican. (Move to 24)

33.  Oh, no.33. There have been three groups from Asia. Return to 10.

34.  34. No. Joan of Arc, a French woman, lived from 1412-1431 and was canonized in 1920. Return to 9.

35.   35.The Blessed Virgin Mary revealed the now-familiar Miraculous Medal to this French saint a few months after the woman entered the convent at the age of 24. What is her name?
a.      Bernadette Soubirous. (Move to 8)
b.      Catherine Laboure. (Go to 23)

36.  36. That name sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But no. Return to 6.

37.  37. There is another 20th century saint who was even younger than St. Dominic Savio when she died. Who is she?
a.      Kateri Tekakwitha. (Head for 26)
b.      Maria Goretti. (Move to 29)
38.  Right!38. He founded the Christian Brothers and revolutionized teaching by introducing the simultaneous classroom method to replace one-on-one instruction. (Thanks to St. John, it’s been possible since then for countless students who haven’t done their homework to take a back seat and hope the teacher won’t call on them.)

39.  39. The 100th anniversary of the death of St. Therese just celebrated 12 years ago. She died in 1897 at what age?
a.      35. (Move to 2)
b.      24. (Go to 14)

40.  40. No. Return to 18.
41.  41. Yes. St. John Vianney (1786-1859, canonized in 1925) was known as the Cure – parish priest – of Ars, France. St. John had little schooling as a child; when he was 18, the pastor from a neighboring parish helped him prepare for the seminary in Lyons, but he was booted from the major seminary because he just couldn’t learn Latin. The pastor was sure young John was a holy man and taught him theology from a French manual. Ordained at 29, he went on to become the patron saint of parish priests. Now head for 35.

42.  42. No. John Neumann was born in Bohemia in 1811 and ordained in New York in 1836. Later named bishop of Philadelphia, he died in 1860 and was canonized in 1977. Return to 4.

43.  43. Let’s end with a few words from that recent saint, Maximilian Kolbe: “Sanctity is not a luxury but a simple duty. It is one of Christ’s first principles, too.”

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye. The more light you shine on it, the more it will contract.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.


“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”
Seneca


“True religion is the poetry of the heart; it has enchantments useful to our manners; it gives us both happiness and virtue.”
Joubert


“The road to a knowledge of the stars leads through the atom; And important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.”
Sir Arthur Eddington


“The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous.”
Anna Quindlen


“You have to recognize when the right place and the right time fuse and take advantage of that opportunity. There are plenty of opportunities out there.”
Ellen Metcalf

Miss World 2009 Mudang Elaizzah screenshots

Mudang Elaizzah is the first woman of color from Uganda to win such a coveted title, the Miss World 2009 held last December 12, 2009 in South Africa. The owner and founder of the pageant Julia Morley who also announces the winner prefers nanny looking ladies to win the title because she has lots of children to take care of and house to clean in her year long reign.
She exhibits herself in the mall prior to her stint in Miss World 2009 where she competes with 114 other nannies in a gruelling month long of intense and stressful activities.
One of her natural pictures perfect to be Miss World 2009!
One of the much preferred photo of Julia Morley because it features a profile silhouette of Mudang in the picture.
Picture of Miss World 2009 back home all broadly smiling and adorable for Julia Morley.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

In January 2009, Doctors removed a kidney stone that was the size of a coconut from Sandor Sarkadi in Debrecen, Hungary.

On September 13, 1916 “Murderous Mary,”an elephant from the Sparks Brothers Circus, was hanged for murder in Erwin, Tennessee, USA.

The American Museum of Natural History lists more than 19,200 different species of bees, more than all bird and mammal species combined.

Police Dogs in Dusseldorf, Germany wear rubber shoes to protect their feet from broken glass.
King Sobhuza II (1899 -1982) was Swaziland’s monarch for more than 82 years, longer than any other ruler of any country in modern times.

In December 2006, Professor Masayuki Nakao and students from the University of Tokyo created a bowl of carbon nanotube noodles 1/25,000 of an inch across.

“Poetic Justice”
In December 2007, a large group of teenagers vandalized the home of U.S. poet Robert Frost (1874 – 1963). Their sentencing included attending classes to learn about Frost’s poetry.

Feed Your Mind

Riddles

How do mountains hear?

With mountaineers



Idiom

take one’s breath away
startle or surprise one

ex. Her beauty took my breath away.


Tongue twister

Double bubble gum bubbles double

2009 Grandslam Beauties

Miss Universe - Stefania Fernandez, Venezuela
Miss Earth - Larissa Ramos, Brazil
Miss International - Anagabriela Espinoza, Mexico
Miss World - Mudang Elaizzah, Uganda

Feed Your Mind

Riddles

How do mountains hear?

With mountaineers



Idiom

take one’s breath away
startle or surprise one

ex. Her beauty took my breath away.



Tongue twister

Double bubble gum bubbles double