Now watch porn in public libraries! | |
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People of New York can now watch internet porn at the city`s public libraries, thanks to a policy of free speech, officials said.--
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Showing posts with label jAiFBlog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jAiFBlog. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Now watch porn in public libraries!
--
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Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Now, Kiss your love online for real
Now, Kiss your love online for real | |
|
In a bid to enhance long-distance relationships, Japanese researchers have developed a kissing machine that lets users 'transmit the feeling of a kiss' over the Internet.--
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Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
Sunday, May 1, 2011
MAY Day
May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to several public holidays. In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by communists, anarchists, socialists, and activist groups. May Day is also a traditional holiday in many cultures.
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Well, it is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.
The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were *****ed permanently.
The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. One of the great Maypoles, was
The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.
Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were *****ed permanently.
The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. One of the great Maypoles, was
The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.
Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.
Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James' description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome's Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James' description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome's Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.
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Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
FIFA World Cup Gyan ... 81 Years!!!
FIFA World Cup Gyan ... 81 Years!!!
World Cup 1930 :
Winners Uruguay
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers N/A
Notable absentees Of the major European countries, only France took part
Surprises USA, who finished third
Golden Boot Guillermo Stábile (Argentina) - 8
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (3.89 per match); Argentina (18) scored the most
Format One group of four and three groups of three in the qualifying stage, with the top from each group going into the semi-finals
Number of matches 18 t
World Cup 1934 :
Winners Italy
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 32
Notable absentees Holders Uruguay, England
Surprises Egypt
Golden Boot Oldrich Nejedlý (Czechoslovakia) - 5
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (4.12 per match); Italy (12) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 17
World Cup 1938 :
Winners Italy
Teams 15
Teams in qualifiers 37
Notable absentees Argentina, England, Spain, Uruguay
Surprises Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Cuba
Golden Boot Leônidas (Brazil) - 7
Stats A total of 84 goals were scored (4.67 per match); Hungary (15) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 18
World Cup 1950 :
Winners Uruguay
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers 34
Notable absentees France, Germany, Hungary
Surprises Bolivia
Golden Boot Ademir (Brazil) - 9
Stats A total of 88 goals were scored (4.00 per match); Brazil (22) scored the most
Format Four groups, with the winners of each progressing to a four-team round-robin final group. Withdrawals meant there were two groups of four, one of three and one of two
Number of matches 22
World Cup 1954 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees Spain
Surprises Korean Republic
Golden Boot Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) - 11
Stats A total of 140 goals were scored (5.38 per match); Hungary (27) scored the most
Format Four groups of four with two seeded and two unseeded teams in each group. However, the teams played just two matches per group rather than the usual three, with the seeded sides facing unseeded sides. Where teams ended up tied for the second qualifying position by points, they required a play-off. The two teams finishing at the top of their group went through to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 26
World Cup 1958 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees Italy, Uruguay
Surprises Wales, Northern Ireland
Golden Boot Just Fontaine (France) - 13
Stats A total of 126 goals were scored (3.60 per match); France (23) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 35
World Cup 1962 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 56
Notable absentees Sweden
Surprises Colombia
Golden Boot Garrincha, Vavá (Brazil), Leonel Sánchez (Chile), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia), Flórián Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR) - 4
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Brazil (14) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1966 :
Winners England
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 70
Notable absentees None
Surprises North Korea
Golden Boot Eusébio (Portugal) - 9
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Portugal (17) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1970 :
Winners Brazil
Teams16
Teams in qualifiers 75
Number of matches 32
Notable absentees Argentina, France, Portugal, Spain
Surprises Morocco, the first African qualifiers since World War II
Golden Boot Gerd Muller (Germany) - 10
World Cup 1974 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 99
Notable absentees England, France, Hungary, Spain, USSR
Surprises Australia, Haiti and Zaire
Golden Boot Grzegorz Lato (Poland) - 7
Stats A total of 97 goals were scored (2.55 per match); Poland (16) scored the most
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group going into a second round of two four-team groups and the winners facing each other in the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1978 :
Winners Argentina
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 107
Notable absentees England, Czechoslovakia, USSR
Surprises Iran, Tunisia
Golden Boot Mario Kempes (Argentina) - 6
Stats A total of 102 goals were scored (2.68 per match); Argentina and Netherlands (15) scored the most
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group into a second round of two groups of four, the top side in each progressing into the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1982 :
Winners Italy
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 109
Notable absentees Netherlands, Mexico
Surprises Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait, New Zealand
Golden Boot Paolo Rossi (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 146 goals were scored (2.81 per match); France (16) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the second round, where they split into four groups of three. The winners of each group advanced to the semi-finals
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1986 :
Winners Argentina
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 121
Notable absentees Netherlands
Surprises Canada, Iraq
Golden Boot Gary Lineker (England) - 6
Stats A total of 132 goals were scored (2.54 per match); Argentina (14) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third-place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1990 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 116
Notable absentees Denmark, France, Portugal
Surprises Costa Rica, Republic of Ireland, UAE
Golden Boot Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 115 goals were scored (2.21 per match), which was the lowest goals-per-match ratio in World Cup history; West Germany (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1994 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 147
Notable absentees England, France
Surprises Greece, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia
Golden Boot Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Oleg Salenko (Russia) - 6
Stats A total of 141 goals were scored (2.71 per match); Sweden (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best 3rd place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1998 :
Winners France
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 174
Notable absentees Russia
Surprises Jamaica, Japan, South Africa
Golden Boot Davor Suker (Croatia) - 6
Stats A total of 171 goals were scored (2.67 per match); France (15) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2002 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 199
Notable absentees Netherlands
Surprises Senegal, South Korea, Turkey
Golden Boot Ronaldo (Brazil) - 8
Stats A total of 161 goals were scored (2.52 per match); Brazil (18) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2006 :
Winners Italy
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 198
Notable Absentees Cameroon, Nigeria
Surprises Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago
Golden Boot Miroslav Klose (Germany) - 5
Stats A total of 147 goals were scored (2.30 per match); Germany (14) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2010 :
Winners Spain
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 205
Notable Absentees Ronaldhino – Brazil, Ronalo – Brazil,
Surprises Japan's Squad Rises , Apathy from Italy's Beloved Azzuri , French Football's Three-Game Circus
Golden Boot : Thomas Muller (Germany) - 5
Stats 145 goals were scored in the 64 games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 44 of these goals were scored in the sixteen Knockout Games and101 goals were scored in the forty-eight Group Games
Winners Uruguay
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers N/A
Notable absentees Of the major European countries, only France took part
Surprises USA, who finished third
Golden Boot Guillermo Stábile (Argentina) - 8
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (3.89 per match); Argentina (18) scored the most
Format One group of four and three groups of three in the qualifying stage, with the top from each group going into the semi-finals
Number of matches 18 t
World Cup 1934 :
Winners Italy
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 32
Notable absentees Holders Uruguay, England
Surprises Egypt
Golden Boot Oldrich Nejedlý (Czechoslovakia) - 5
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (4.12 per match); Italy (12) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 17
World Cup 1938 :
Winners Italy
Teams 15
Teams in qualifiers 37
Notable absentees Argentina, England, Spain, Uruguay
Surprises Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Cuba
Golden Boot Leônidas (Brazil) - 7
Stats A total of 84 goals were scored (4.67 per match); Hungary (15) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 18
World Cup 1950 :
Winners Uruguay
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers 34
Notable absentees France, Germany, Hungary
Surprises Bolivia
Golden Boot Ademir (Brazil) - 9
Stats A total of 88 goals were scored (4.00 per match); Brazil (22) scored the most
Format Four groups, with the winners of each progressing to a four-team round-robin final group. Withdrawals meant there were two groups of four, one of three and one of two
Number of matches 22
World Cup 1954 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees Spain
Surprises Korean Republic
Golden Boot Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) - 11
Stats A total of 140 goals were scored (5.38 per match); Hungary (27) scored the most
Format Four groups of four with two seeded and two unseeded teams in each group. However, the teams played just two matches per group rather than the usual three, with the seeded sides facing unseeded sides. Where teams ended up tied for the second qualifying position by points, they required a play-off. The two teams finishing at the top of their group went through to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 26
World Cup 1958 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees Italy, Uruguay
Surprises Wales, Northern Ireland
Golden Boot Just Fontaine (France) - 13
Stats A total of 126 goals were scored (3.60 per match); France (23) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 35
World Cup 1962 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 56
Notable absentees Sweden
Surprises Colombia
Golden Boot Garrincha, Vavá (Brazil), Leonel Sánchez (Chile), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia), Flórián Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR) - 4
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Brazil (14) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1966 :
Winners England
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 70
Notable absentees None
Surprises North Korea
Golden Boot Eusébio (Portugal) - 9
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Portugal (17) scored the most
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1970 :
Winners Brazil
Teams16
Teams in qualifiers 75
Number of matches 32
Notable absentees Argentina, France, Portugal, Spain
Surprises Morocco, the first African qualifiers since World War II
Golden Boot Gerd Muller (Germany) - 10
World Cup 1974 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 99
Notable absentees England, France, Hungary, Spain, USSR
Surprises Australia, Haiti and Zaire
Golden Boot Grzegorz Lato (Poland) - 7
Stats A total of 97 goals were scored (2.55 per match); Poland (16) scored the most
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group going into a second round of two four-team groups and the winners facing each other in the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1978 :
Winners Argentina
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 107
Notable absentees England, Czechoslovakia, USSR
Surprises Iran, Tunisia
Golden Boot Mario Kempes (Argentina) - 6
Stats A total of 102 goals were scored (2.68 per match); Argentina and Netherlands (15) scored the most
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group into a second round of two groups of four, the top side in each progressing into the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1982 :
Winners Italy
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 109
Notable absentees Netherlands, Mexico
Surprises Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait, New Zealand
Golden Boot Paolo Rossi (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 146 goals were scored (2.81 per match); France (16) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the second round, where they split into four groups of three. The winners of each group advanced to the semi-finals
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1986 :
Winners Argentina
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 121
Notable absentees Netherlands
Surprises Canada, Iraq
Golden Boot Gary Lineker (England) - 6
Stats A total of 132 goals were scored (2.54 per match); Argentina (14) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third-place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1990 :
Winners West Germany
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 116
Notable absentees Denmark, France, Portugal
Surprises Costa Rica, Republic of Ireland, UAE
Golden Boot Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 115 goals were scored (2.21 per match), which was the lowest goals-per-match ratio in World Cup history; West Germany (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1994 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 147
Notable absentees England, France
Surprises Greece, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia
Golden Boot Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Oleg Salenko (Russia) - 6
Stats A total of 141 goals were scored (2.71 per match); Sweden (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best 3rd place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1998 :
Winners France
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 174
Notable absentees Russia
Surprises Jamaica, Japan, South Africa
Golden Boot Davor Suker (Croatia) - 6
Stats A total of 171 goals were scored (2.67 per match); France (15) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2002 :
Winners Brazil
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 199
Notable absentees Netherlands
Surprises Senegal, South Korea, Turkey
Golden Boot Ronaldo (Brazil) - 8
Stats A total of 161 goals were scored (2.52 per match); Brazil (18) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2006 :
Winners Italy
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 198
Notable Absentees Cameroon, Nigeria
Surprises Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago
Golden Boot Miroslav Klose (Germany) - 5
Stats A total of 147 goals were scored (2.30 per match); Germany (14) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2010 :
Winners Spain
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 205
Notable Absentees Ronaldhino – Brazil, Ronalo – Brazil,
Surprises Japan's Squad Rises , Apathy from Italy's Beloved Azzuri , French Football's Three-Game Circus
Golden Boot : Thomas Muller (Germany) - 5
Stats 145 goals were scored in the 64 games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 44 of these goals were scored in the sixteen Knockout Games and101 goals were scored in the forty-eight Group Games
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Best Regards,
Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Man They Could Not Hang
The Man They Could Not Hang
When someone was sentenced for execution in the not too distant past, being left to hang from a rope until dead was always the most popular method. It provided an easy to observe spectacle without being blatantly gruesome or cruel since the victim would generally be required to wear a type of cloth bag over their heads to keep the spectators from watching the terrified faces made in the man or woman's last moments. However, even though this aspect of the event was denied to onlookers, they could still get an entertaining kick from watching a supposed bad guy either have his neck broken from the initial drop or be strangled to death. It comes as a shock then that one man made this very common execution method almost impossible.
John "Babbicombe" Lee
One of the most infamous execution stories of all times that still causes shock, awe, and several question marks even 100 years later is that of John "Babbacombe" Lee. The story of why he was convicted surrounds a suspicious and very brutal murder. Miss Emma Anne Whitehead Keyse lived alone in "The Glen" which was near the small hamlet of Babbacombe in Devon with two home servants (Jane and Eliza Neck), a cook (Elizabeth Harris), and the cook's half brother—John Henry George Lee. On November 15, 1884, Emma Keyse was found savagely murdered. Her throat had been slit, she had three additional wounds to her head, and it seemed that the murderer had also tried to burn the body.
One of the most infamous execution stories of all times that still causes shock, awe, and several question marks even 100 years later is that of John "Babbacombe" Lee. The story of why he was convicted surrounds a suspicious and very brutal murder. Miss Emma Anne Whitehead Keyse lived alone in "The Glen" which was near the small hamlet of Babbacombe in Devon with two home servants (Jane and Eliza Neck), a cook (Elizabeth Harris), and the cook's half brother—John Henry George Lee. On November 15, 1884, Emma Keyse was found savagely murdered. Her throat had been slit, she had three additional wounds to her head, and it seemed that the murderer had also tried to burn the body.
Evidence Against Lee
John Lee's history contributed to him being considered as a suspect. After leaving school, he was a servant at "The Glen" before he joined the navy in 1879. He was later deemed to be an invalid candidate and was forced out of the service. This led him to Torquay where he worked as a footman for a while until his employer accused him of stealing. Lee was convicted of the crime and sent to prison for a short while as was sentenced by the court. In 1884, John Lee was released from prison and returned to work at "The Glen" since other employers looked down on his time in prison and especially his reason for being there. Since Lee was the only male in the house at the time of the murder, he was automatically the initial suspect for the crime. He also had a cut on his arm that he could not sufficiently explain. While this collection of evidence is completely circumstantial in the eyes of modern society, it was enough to send John Lee to trial for murder and then convict him for it at the time. Lee publicly declared to the judge of his trial and all witnesses that he was innocent of the crime and never admitted to anyone that it might have been him.
John Lee's history contributed to him being considered as a suspect. After leaving school, he was a servant at "The Glen" before he joined the navy in 1879. He was later deemed to be an invalid candidate and was forced out of the service. This led him to Torquay where he worked as a footman for a while until his employer accused him of stealing. Lee was convicted of the crime and sent to prison for a short while as was sentenced by the court. In 1884, John Lee was released from prison and returned to work at "The Glen" since other employers looked down on his time in prison and especially his reason for being there. Since Lee was the only male in the house at the time of the murder, he was automatically the initial suspect for the crime. He also had a cut on his arm that he could not sufficiently explain. While this collection of evidence is completely circumstantial in the eyes of modern society, it was enough to send John Lee to trial for murder and then convict him for it at the time. Lee publicly declared to the judge of his trial and all witnesses that he was innocent of the crime and never admitted to anyone that it might have been him.
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Best Regards,
Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
A romantic love story bY jAiF
A romantic love story
It was a lovely December morning in the hottest city in the world. All right, so that was a little unfair. Chennai is not the hottest city in the world. But it certainly is the city with the most uncomfortable weather among the cities that I have lived in. And I've been around. But I digress.
I was in the company bus on my way to work, as usual trying to catch up with my sleep. On this particular day, a girl got on the bus, came to my seat and sat down. "Good Morning," she said. I looked back at her through half closed eyes, replied "Good Night," and then proceeded to return to my half hour nap before the bus reached the office. Unfortunately, I was woken up by a punch in the arm.
"Wake up, bozo!" She was looking at me with a big smile on her face. "I'm not sitting next to you to listen to you snore."
Half-heartedly, I opened my eyes and turned to her. "What's up?" I asked.
Preeti Mehra was tall, good-looking and slightly tomboyish. She was also my best buddy. "Come on," she said. "Don't look so disappointed. You'd rather sleep than talk to me?"
"I talk to you everyday, Preeti."
"You also sleep everyday."
"It's not enough."
"So you've had enough of talking to me, eh?"
You can't argue with a statement like that, so I had to give up. I grinned and said, "OK, sweetheart. What's on your mind?"
"I wanted to tell you what happened yesterday. Can you guess?"
"Anurag called you last night."
"How did you know?" She was stunned.
"Oh, he asked me for your number yesterday."
"And you gave it to him?"
"What else could I do? And stop complaining. You've been drooling over him for weeks now. He must have thought he had a chance."
Preeti was the kind of girl who would openly ogle at every other guy she saw. And yet, she would not respond to any advances of a romantic nature. She'd happily join a group of boys to go to a cricket match, but if asked out to a movie, dinner, or even coffee, she'd never say yes. She defined 'Hard-To-Get'.
"You like putting me in these situations, don't you?" she said.
"No. That's not true. I love putting you in these situations!"
That invited another punch in the arm.
I had known Preeti for a year. We'd tell each other about our joys and our sorrows, our victories and our defeats. I'd tell her about all my crushes and she'd scold me for being silly. She'd drag me to classical music concerts and I'd add them to the list of things she 'owed me' for.
And though I never let it show, I must say that she punched pretty hard.
----
It was 12:00 am and my phone was ringing. "Hello," I said, as I picked it up.
"Happy Birthday!" It was she.
"You're supposed to throw me a surprise party, sweetheart. Not just call to say Happy Birthday."
"Well then open your door, dumbo!"
So I did and found her, cell-phone in hand, at my doorstep -- with what seemed like half the population of my company. My roommates were supposed to be working late that night. Now I knew why.
I blew a lot of candles (seemed like much more than 25), cut my cake, got kicked in the behind, and got painted with the cake's icing. If Preeti had had her way, she'd probably have preferred to use a paintbrush and a can of paint. But I bribed her with a copy of the book "Lord of the Rings". She'd borrowed it from me three times already. I thought it was about time I gave her a copy for herself.
We chatted for an hour after everyone had gone. "I think it's time I left," she said finally, trying to stifle a yawn. I nodded. I dropped her home in my roommate's car. As she was getting out of the car, I stopped her.
"Hey, Preeti."
"What?"
"Thanks."
"Hey, don't get senti on me now!" she smiled. "Are you trying to worm out of that gift you promised me?"
"You know, it's interesting how I'm getting you a gift on my birthday."
"That's just because you're stupid," she grinned. "And you better get me that book, or I won't return your copy."
"Hey, that copy was a gift to me from my dear friend Preeti Mehra. I can't let you keep that."
She wasn't falling for that. "Your dear friend? And what about me? Am I not dear to you?"
"Very smart. That won't work with me. I'm not one of your Love Crazy suitors. Why do you need the book anyway? You've read it umpteen times already."
"That is besides the point. You are getting me the book. We both know that." She smiled that wide confident smile of hers. "Good night." And she got out of the car.
We chatted for an hour after everyone had gone. "I think it's time I left," she said finally, trying to stifle a yawn. I nodded. I dropped her home in my roommate's car. As she was getting out of the car, I stopped her.
"Hey, Preeti."
"What?"
"Thanks."
"Hey, don't get senti on me now!" she smiled. "Are you trying to worm out of that gift you promised me?"
"You know, it's interesting how I'm getting you a gift on my birthday."
"That's just because you're stupid," she grinned. "And you better get me that book, or I won't return your copy."
"Hey, that copy was a gift to me from my dear friend Preeti Mehra. I can't let you keep that."
She wasn't falling for that. "Your dear friend? And what about me? Am I not dear to you?"
"Very smart. That won't work with me. I'm not one of your Love Crazy suitors. Why do you need the book anyway? You've read it umpteen times already."
"That is besides the point. You are getting me the book. We both know that." She smiled that wide confident smile of hers. "Good night." And she got out of the car.
I sat there for some time, just thinking. Our conversations were always like this – a little joking, a little teasing and a lot of demanding. But somehow, I felt that something had changed since the moment she had turned up at my door that night. I was still in my reverie when a paper ball landed on the windshield. I craned my neck out of the window and looked up. She was standing in her balcony.
"What are you still doing there?" she whispered loudly.
"Waiting for you to start a paper-ball fight," I whispered back.
"We can do that tomorrow. Go home now. It's way past your bedtime!"
"Ok, mommy," I grinned back. "I'm going home now!"
"What are you still doing there?" she whispered loudly.
"Waiting for you to start a paper-ball fight," I whispered back.
"We can do that tomorrow. Go home now. It's way past your bedtime!"
"Ok, mommy," I grinned back. "I'm going home now!"
~*~
I'm an extravagant gift-giver, and it is definitely going to be my downfall some day. I made her wait for it, but finally bought her the book. That, and half-a-dozen other omnibus collections of various authors, including a copy each of `The Complete Works of Shakespeare' and `The Complete Short Stories of Charles ****ens'. All I got for it was an "I told you so."
I started spending a lot of time at her place after that. Mostly because I wanted to read all those books, and she wouldn't lend them to me.
"I'm not as stupid as you, ape-man. I'm not falling into the same trap I laid for you. Plus, you dog-ear your books. You're not doing that to these masterpieces. So if you want to read them, you read them here. And if you want to mark your place, use a bookmark."
So that's what I did. She'd even make me wash my hands before I touched the books. It was as if they were sacred.
"Need I remind you that it was me that bought you the books in the first place? For my birthday!"
"So? They're mine now."
"Well, then. I've been meaning to ask you this for a long time. Where exactly is my birthday gift?"
"It was in your tummy at one point of time. It's probably been washed into the sea by now."
"Huh?"
"Remember the cake I baked you on your birthday?"
"You what? You can't bake cakes!" That was a mistake. She looked hurt. "You baked me a cake?" She didn't say a word. She just shrugged.
I'm an extravagant gift-giver, and it is definitely going to be my downfall some day. I made her wait for it, but finally bought her the book. That, and half-a-dozen other omnibus collections of various authors, including a copy each of `The Complete Works of Shakespeare' and `The Complete Short Stories of Charles ****ens'. All I got for it was an "I told you so."
I started spending a lot of time at her place after that. Mostly because I wanted to read all those books, and she wouldn't lend them to me.
"I'm not as stupid as you, ape-man. I'm not falling into the same trap I laid for you. Plus, you dog-ear your books. You're not doing that to these masterpieces. So if you want to read them, you read them here. And if you want to mark your place, use a bookmark."
So that's what I did. She'd even make me wash my hands before I touched the books. It was as if they were sacred.
"Need I remind you that it was me that bought you the books in the first place? For my birthday!"
"So? They're mine now."
"Well, then. I've been meaning to ask you this for a long time. Where exactly is my birthday gift?"
"It was in your tummy at one point of time. It's probably been washed into the sea by now."
"Huh?"
"Remember the cake I baked you on your birthday?"
"You what? You can't bake cakes!" That was a mistake. She looked hurt. "You baked me a cake?" She didn't say a word. She just shrugged.
I was stunned. "But you never told me."
"You didn't ask." That was typical of her.
"It was fantastic! And you wasted most of the icing on me!"
"The cake was for you, dumbo."
"How long did it take you to make the whole thing?" It had been a two-layered vanilla-chocolate cake with three flavors of very creamy icing. She had done all that!
"Well, the chocolate cake took an hour and fifteen minutes, and so did the vanilla. Then cutting them up and putting them together took another 15 minutes. Each flavor of icing took 20 minutes for preparation, and then putting it on the cake took another half hour. Cleaning up the mess took an hour."
She seldom claimed the credit for anything, but once she started bragging, there was no stopping her. However, I wasn't thinking about that right then.
"You spent over five hours on that cake?"
"A little over four hours preparing it, and an hour cleaning up. Yes."
I was speechless. I didn't know how to react. She hated cooking.
"I forgot to mention," she continued, "the hours I spent the week before that, practicing. Even the birds wouldn't touch the first three cakes!"
I couldn't help but ask. "Why?"
"Because the first one got burnt, the second one was only half cooked, and in the third one, I forgot to add sugar."
It was just like her, to try to divert the conversation. "I mean why did you spend so much time on baking me a cake?"
She looked at me like I'd asked her why the sun rises in the east. "For your birthday, stupid. Of course, I also wanted to beat every gift you've ever got me. Try beating this one." She was grinning like she'd won the world championship.
As far as I was concerned, she had. I'd never spent a week making her anything. I'd never even spent an hour making her anything. Getting her a gift normally involved me taking her to the store, letting her choose and use my credit card. Suddenly, I felt cheap. "Thanks," was the only thing I could say. "Thanks a lot."
"Hey. Are you getting senti on me again?"
I was.
"You didn't ask." That was typical of her.
"It was fantastic! And you wasted most of the icing on me!"
"The cake was for you, dumbo."
"How long did it take you to make the whole thing?" It had been a two-layered vanilla-chocolate cake with three flavors of very creamy icing. She had done all that!
"Well, the chocolate cake took an hour and fifteen minutes, and so did the vanilla. Then cutting them up and putting them together took another 15 minutes. Each flavor of icing took 20 minutes for preparation, and then putting it on the cake took another half hour. Cleaning up the mess took an hour."
She seldom claimed the credit for anything, but once she started bragging, there was no stopping her. However, I wasn't thinking about that right then.
"You spent over five hours on that cake?"
"A little over four hours preparing it, and an hour cleaning up. Yes."
I was speechless. I didn't know how to react. She hated cooking.
"I forgot to mention," she continued, "the hours I spent the week before that, practicing. Even the birds wouldn't touch the first three cakes!"
I couldn't help but ask. "Why?"
"Because the first one got burnt, the second one was only half cooked, and in the third one, I forgot to add sugar."
It was just like her, to try to divert the conversation. "I mean why did you spend so much time on baking me a cake?"
She looked at me like I'd asked her why the sun rises in the east. "For your birthday, stupid. Of course, I also wanted to beat every gift you've ever got me. Try beating this one." She was grinning like she'd won the world championship.
As far as I was concerned, she had. I'd never spent a week making her anything. I'd never even spent an hour making her anything. Getting her a gift normally involved me taking her to the store, letting her choose and use my credit card. Suddenly, I felt cheap. "Thanks," was the only thing I could say. "Thanks a lot."
"Hey. Are you getting senti on me again?"
I was.
I was still mulling over my feelings for Preeti the next day at work when my boss asked to speak to me.
I went over to his cabin and he started with the usual greetings, asking how work was going and whether I was comfortable. He then told me that the company wanted to send me to New York for a couple of years. Normally, this wouldn't have made much of a difference to me. I could work anywhere and didn't have too much love for visiting places foreign. But right then, the first thought that came to me was that I'd be away from Preeti for two whole years. Twenty-four hours before, I'd have been disappointed to lose her company. But right then, I was devastated. That was when I knew I was in love with her. I'd had crushes before. Lots of them. But this was different.
"Do you have any problem in going?" my boss asked, since I hadn't responded.
"Not really," I replied. What else could I say? That I was in love, and couldn't bear the separation?
"When do I have to leave?"
I had a month.
I went over to his cabin and he started with the usual greetings, asking how work was going and whether I was comfortable. He then told me that the company wanted to send me to New York for a couple of years. Normally, this wouldn't have made much of a difference to me. I could work anywhere and didn't have too much love for visiting places foreign. But right then, the first thought that came to me was that I'd be away from Preeti for two whole years. Twenty-four hours before, I'd have been disappointed to lose her company. But right then, I was devastated. That was when I knew I was in love with her. I'd had crushes before. Lots of them. But this was different.
"Do you have any problem in going?" my boss asked, since I hadn't responded.
"Not really," I replied. What else could I say? That I was in love, and couldn't bear the separation?
"When do I have to leave?"
I had a month.
"Wow! New York! Great! I've heard it's a fantastic city! Did you know it snows there in winter?" Preeti was obviously very excited about my going. She didn't seem to share my disappointment on what I now saw as 'separation'.
I had not decided then if I was going to tell her how I felt. We'd known each other for a little over a year, and we were very close, but beyond some mild flirting, the relationship had never got even close to romantic. That was, of course, until I found out she had spent a week baking me a cake. It's funny how small things seem to make such a big difference.
I had not decided then if I was going to tell her how I felt. We'd known each other for a little over a year, and we were very close, but beyond some mild flirting, the relationship had never got even close to romantic. That was, of course, until I found out she had spent a week baking me a cake. It's funny how small things seem to make such a big difference.
"What happened?" she asked. "You don't seem very happy."
"Oh," I replied, "it's just that it's so sudden, that's all. And you know I was never all that interested in going to America."
"What an idiot. Go see the place. I've heard the women there are amazingly beautiful." She had a sly smile on her face. I wanted to tell her I didn't care if I laid my eyes on another woman again, if she wasn't with me. But I didn't.
I realized that I only had another month with her. She'd rejected every guy who'd asked her out ever since I'd known her. I didn't want the same to happen to me, and I didn't want to make it awkward between us. I didn't want to risk that month. I wanted it to be the best time I had ever spent with her. After I came back from the US, I might not even get to meet her again. Two years was a long time.
"Oh," I replied, "it's just that it's so sudden, that's all. And you know I was never all that interested in going to America."
"What an idiot. Go see the place. I've heard the women there are amazingly beautiful." She had a sly smile on her face. I wanted to tell her I didn't care if I laid my eyes on another woman again, if she wasn't with me. But I didn't.
I realized that I only had another month with her. She'd rejected every guy who'd asked her out ever since I'd known her. I didn't want the same to happen to me, and I didn't want to make it awkward between us. I didn't want to risk that month. I wanted it to be the best time I had ever spent with her. After I came back from the US, I might not even get to meet her again. Two years was a long time.
We ate out almost every night. We visited some of the best restaurants in the city. She also helped me shop for warm clothes, formalwear, shoes, toothpaste and a million things I'd never have thought of on my own.
"You need to buy a nail-cutter." My roommates and I shared one.
"I've prepared a list of must-have medicines that you should carry."
"Your iron won't work in the US. No point buying one here as you need one that works at a hundred and ten volts and has flat pins. You can buy one at a K-Mart or Wal-Mart as soon as you get there."
"You need at least two pairs of formal shoes and at least ten pairs of dark socks. The East Coast has a formal dress code. And you won't do your laundry more than once a week or two."
"How many ties do you have? And which trousers do your blazers go with?"
"Better get a haircut before you leave from here. Knowing you, you'll postpone the first haircut for too long."
She'd call me up at one in the morning to tell me to add 'one more item' to my list.
And with every passing day, I was falling more deeply in love with her.
The month swept by quickly. The day I was supposed to leave, I asked her to come with me to the airport. "Of course, dumbo. You think I'd let you go just like that, or what?"
After packing my bags for me and checking the lists for the hundredth time, she finally pronounced me "Good to go."
"You need to buy a nail-cutter." My roommates and I shared one.
"I've prepared a list of must-have medicines that you should carry."
"Your iron won't work in the US. No point buying one here as you need one that works at a hundred and ten volts and has flat pins. You can buy one at a K-Mart or Wal-Mart as soon as you get there."
"You need at least two pairs of formal shoes and at least ten pairs of dark socks. The East Coast has a formal dress code. And you won't do your laundry more than once a week or two."
"How many ties do you have? And which trousers do your blazers go with?"
"Better get a haircut before you leave from here. Knowing you, you'll postpone the first haircut for too long."
She'd call me up at one in the morning to tell me to add 'one more item' to my list.
And with every passing day, I was falling more deeply in love with her.
The month swept by quickly. The day I was supposed to leave, I asked her to come with me to the airport. "Of course, dumbo. You think I'd let you go just like that, or what?"
After packing my bags for me and checking the lists for the hundredth time, she finally pronounced me "Good to go."
We reached the airport four hours early to beat the rush, because it was an international flight. She got a visitor's pass to sit in the waiting area while I went ahead and checked-in my bags. Preeti had got a spring balance from somewhere and so we knew my bags were well within the weight limit. I finished the formalities and came to sit with her. We had only a few hours before I had to go for my security-check. We decided to get something to eat at the food court. And all the time, the one thing that was going through my head was that, after this, I wouldn't see her for at least another two years.
"Hey, Champ. Why so glum?" She saved 'Champ' for special days. Normally, it was just 'dumbo', 'bozo', 'ape-man', 'matchstick man', 'weirdo', or if she was very irritated with me, 'nutcase'.
"I don't want to go," I said.
"I don't want you to go either."
"No, you don't understand." I couldn't hold it in any longer. "I can't stand the thought of living without you by my side."
She stared at me. There was a strange look in her eyes. I couldn't read it.
"I am madly in love with you, Preeti."
At this, a sound escaped her lips that sounded like a cross between a sob and a laugh. "Well, dumbo, you've picked an absolutely fabulous time to tell me about it!"
A tear escaped her eyes. It was all I could do to stop myself from wiping it off her cheeks.
"How long have you felt this way?" She seemed amused, though she was definitely crying. I didn't know what to make of it.
"From the day I found out you had baked me a cake."
She laughed. "That's all it took? Well, bozo, I guess a way to a man's heart is certainly through his stomach! Hold it. A month? You waited a month? You were the one who kept saying that if you really liked a girl you wouldn't waste a day in telling her!" She was smiling widely now. It looked funny, with her eyes all wet.
"I don't want to go," I said.
"I don't want you to go either."
"No, you don't understand." I couldn't hold it in any longer. "I can't stand the thought of living without you by my side."
She stared at me. There was a strange look in her eyes. I couldn't read it.
"I am madly in love with you, Preeti."
At this, a sound escaped her lips that sounded like a cross between a sob and a laugh. "Well, dumbo, you've picked an absolutely fabulous time to tell me about it!"
A tear escaped her eyes. It was all I could do to stop myself from wiping it off her cheeks.
"How long have you felt this way?" She seemed amused, though she was definitely crying. I didn't know what to make of it.
"From the day I found out you had baked me a cake."
She laughed. "That's all it took? Well, bozo, I guess a way to a man's heart is certainly through his stomach! Hold it. A month? You waited a month? You were the one who kept saying that if you really liked a girl you wouldn't waste a day in telling her!" She was smiling widely now. It looked funny, with her eyes all wet.
"Well, I was confused. How did I know how you'd react? In fact, I still don't understand your reaction. I thought it would change things between us. You've rejected every guy who ever proposed to you!"
"That's because I'm in love with you, you overgrown idiot!"
"What?" Somehow, I'd never expected her to say that. She was in love with me? "How long have you been in love with me?"
"Ever since the day you offered to carry my suitcase for me."
"But that was the first day I met you!"
"I guess I was always a ****er for chivalry."
"All this time you've been in love with me and you never said anything! Then you go and complain that I waited a month!"
"You guys are so bad at reading a girl's mind."
"You women are so good at keeping your thoughts a secret! Even Einstein couldn't figure you out."
"Einstein was a nerd. Casanova, on the other hand, understood us very well."
"I love you."
"I know."
That moment, my dear friends, was magic. I looked into her eyes and took her hands in mine. Physical contact for us had been limited, until then, to a punch in the arm, a slap on the back of the head, or giving each other a 'high five'.
"You realize, don't you," she said, "that this is our first date?" Leave it to her to notice the little things.
"I really don't want to go." I'd always maintained that love is a bucketful of emotions. I wasn't exactly delighted to be proved right.
"Don't worry. I'm coming there in a couple of months."
"How? On a dependent visa?"
She laughed. "For that, I'll have to wait, won't I? I've got a project in New Jersey."
I couldn't believe my ears. "What? When did that happen? You never even told me!"
"Well, I wasn't sure you'd propose before you left. And I couldn't exactly sacrifice you to those New York women, could I? I had to watch out for myself. So I went on a project-hunting spree. There is an opportunity coming up for a project in about two months. Someone is coming back to India, so I'll be taking his place. They want me there for a little less than two years." She was beaming. "I realized I had struck gold!"
"And if I'd not told you how I felt? When were you planning on telling me about it?"
"Around a month before I reached there. I had to make it look natural. Or you'd think I was desperate."
"Well, you are desperate!" This was incredible. All I'd done in the past month had been to mope around, listen to sad songs and write her letters that I never intended her to read. "You've been scheming all this while! How come you didn't lay a trap for me a year ago?"
"I tried giving you hints, dumbo, but you just wouldn't pay attention!" She was laughing. "You're the only guy I ever spent any time with. Wasn't that a big enough hint?"
That was true. She would happily join a group of boys to go to a cricket match, but I now realized, only if I was one of them.
"What if I had rejected you?" I was extremely flattered that she'd been crazy about me for a year. My ego was swelling.
"You must be kidding!" she was clearly amused. "I get proposed to every few days. You are the one who's been rejected more times in the last year than I can count on two pairs of hands!"
She really knew how to burst my bubble.
"Hey," she said softly, "don't look so dejected. I said 'Yes', didn't I?"
I grinned. "Yes, you did. And you've made me a very happy man. But you know what would make me even happier?"
"What?"
"If you learn to cook as good as you bake cakes."
So she punched me in the arm again.
"That's because I'm in love with you, you overgrown idiot!"
"What?" Somehow, I'd never expected her to say that. She was in love with me? "How long have you been in love with me?"
"Ever since the day you offered to carry my suitcase for me."
"But that was the first day I met you!"
"I guess I was always a ****er for chivalry."
"All this time you've been in love with me and you never said anything! Then you go and complain that I waited a month!"
"You guys are so bad at reading a girl's mind."
"You women are so good at keeping your thoughts a secret! Even Einstein couldn't figure you out."
"Einstein was a nerd. Casanova, on the other hand, understood us very well."
"I love you."
"I know."
That moment, my dear friends, was magic. I looked into her eyes and took her hands in mine. Physical contact for us had been limited, until then, to a punch in the arm, a slap on the back of the head, or giving each other a 'high five'.
"You realize, don't you," she said, "that this is our first date?" Leave it to her to notice the little things.
"I really don't want to go." I'd always maintained that love is a bucketful of emotions. I wasn't exactly delighted to be proved right.
"Don't worry. I'm coming there in a couple of months."
"How? On a dependent visa?"
She laughed. "For that, I'll have to wait, won't I? I've got a project in New Jersey."
I couldn't believe my ears. "What? When did that happen? You never even told me!"
"Well, I wasn't sure you'd propose before you left. And I couldn't exactly sacrifice you to those New York women, could I? I had to watch out for myself. So I went on a project-hunting spree. There is an opportunity coming up for a project in about two months. Someone is coming back to India, so I'll be taking his place. They want me there for a little less than two years." She was beaming. "I realized I had struck gold!"
"And if I'd not told you how I felt? When were you planning on telling me about it?"
"Around a month before I reached there. I had to make it look natural. Or you'd think I was desperate."
"Well, you are desperate!" This was incredible. All I'd done in the past month had been to mope around, listen to sad songs and write her letters that I never intended her to read. "You've been scheming all this while! How come you didn't lay a trap for me a year ago?"
"I tried giving you hints, dumbo, but you just wouldn't pay attention!" She was laughing. "You're the only guy I ever spent any time with. Wasn't that a big enough hint?"
That was true. She would happily join a group of boys to go to a cricket match, but I now realized, only if I was one of them.
"What if I had rejected you?" I was extremely flattered that she'd been crazy about me for a year. My ego was swelling.
"You must be kidding!" she was clearly amused. "I get proposed to every few days. You are the one who's been rejected more times in the last year than I can count on two pairs of hands!"
She really knew how to burst my bubble.
"Hey," she said softly, "don't look so dejected. I said 'Yes', didn't I?"
I grinned. "Yes, you did. And you've made me a very happy man. But you know what would make me even happier?"
"What?"
"If you learn to cook as good as you bake cakes."
So she punched me in the arm again.
--
Best Regards,
Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
Table Manners Around the World ;)
Table Manners Around the World ;)
If you grew up in the United States and thought American table manners were tough to remember—Keep your elbows off the table! Don't talk with your mouth full! Always pass the salt and pepper together!—think again, because you don't know how good you've got it. Just try eating a "casual" group dinner in one of these other countries, where the slightest indiscretion with a pair of chopsticks or the position of your feet can land you in the doghouse with your host.
Afghanistan
- Dinner guests are treated like royalty: they're seated farthest from the door, they're offered food first and expected to eat the most, and they're always given the prime portion from each dish.
- If you drop bread on the floor while dining at a table, pick it up, kiss it, and touch it to your forehead before putting it somewhere other than the floor.
Chile
- Dishes should be served from the left and removed from the right. Guests should be served first.
- Do not answer the phone at the dinner table.
- Always chew with your mouth closed, and do not talk until it is empty.
- Eat quietly and do not slurp your food.
- Eat only one helping of food, unless the host specifically encourages you to take seconds.
- China
- Never wave chopsticks at another person, bang them like drumsticks, use them to move plates or bowls, or stab them vertically into a bowl of rice. This last gesture indicates that the food is meant for the dead.
- To serve a guest, use the blunt ends of your own chopsticks to transfer food from a communal dish to the guest's plate.
- When chopsticks are not in use, place them neatly on the table, side by side, with the ends even.
- When picking food out of a communal dish, select only food that is on the top of the pile and the closest distance to your plate. Do not rummage through the serving dish to select specific food items for yourself.
- India
- Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after eating.
- In general, eat with your right hand and use your left hand to pass communal dishes.
- You must finish everything on your plate.
- Do not leave the table until all guests have finished eating or your host asks for your help.
- Japan
- Before you commence a meal, wait for your host to tell you three times to begin eating.
- The youngest person at the table should pour alcohol for the other diners, beginning with the most senior person. A senior should then pour the server's beverage.
- Never transfer food from one pair of chopsticks to another. When women transfer food with chopsticks from a serving dish to their mouth, they should cup their hand beneath the food; men should not.
- Rubbing chopsticks together to remove splinters is a sign of disrespect to the restaurant or host.
- When eating hot noodles, you are encouraged to make a slurping noise; the Japanese believe that this inhalation of air enhances the noodles' flavor.
- Pieces of sushi should be eaten in a single bite whenever possible; if you must eat a piece in more than one bite, never place it back down on your plate between bites.
Pakistan- Before each meal, Muslim Pakistanis always recite this phrase: "Bismillah Ar-Rahman al-Rahim." ("In the name of Allah, who is most beneficial and merciful.") Afterward, they say, "Al-Hamdu-lillah." ("Thanks be to God.")
- Do not begin eating until the eldest member of the family is seated at the table.
- Always chew quietly enough that no one else can hear you.
- Always tear bread into pieces before eating it, and use only your right hand.
Philippines- Before you enter a dining room, select a seat at a table, or serve yourself food, always wait for an invitation from the host.
- Never refuse a sample of food from the host; always clean your plate.
- When you have finished eating, place your fork and spoon side by side on your plate, facing up.
- Always help your host clear the table.
- Russia
- Never stare at another person's plate or saucer.
- It is polite to leave a little bit of food on your plate at the end of a meal, as a tribute to the host's abundant hospitality.
- Always cultivate a vivacious, relaxed dining atmosphere.
- Upon leaving the table, always compliment the person who cooked your food.
- Tanzania
- Do not expose the soles of your feet if you are eating on a carpet or mat.
- Showing up early for dinner is considered rude; aim to arrive fifteen to thirty minutes late.
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Best Regards,
Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
Wonders Never Cease! Seven Lesser-Known Marvels.
Wonders Never Cease! Seven Lesser-Known Marvels.
The world's marvels are numerous and awe-inspiring, but it's time to update the Medieval-age list of the Seven Wonders of the World with these additional seven extraordinary sites. For their beauty, ingenuity, and sheer marvel, these seven sites are listed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as sites of outstanding universal value. Will these "masterpieces of human creative genius" make it onto your bucket list, as well?
The Metéora: Monastery in the Clouds
The Metéora (Greek for "suspended in the air") is a massive complex of monasteries built on nearly inaccessible sandstone peaks at the northwestern edge of Thessaly in central Greece. Twenty-four of the monasteries were originally built under nearly impossible conditions—goods and people were hauled up the steep rock in nets—in the fifteenth century, and the complex continued to be built through the seventeenth century. Four of the monasteries are still used religiously today.
The Metéora (Greek for "suspended in the air") is a massive complex of monasteries built on nearly inaccessible sandstone peaks at the northwestern edge of Thessaly in central Greece. Twenty-four of the monasteries were originally built under nearly impossible conditions—goods and people were hauled up the steep rock in nets—in the fifteenth century, and the complex continued to be built through the seventeenth century. Four of the monasteries are still used religiously today.
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The Banaue Rice Terraces: Man and Earth in Harmony
Perhaps nowhere else in the world is the relationship between man and his environment (and with his fellow man) as seamless as at the Banaue Rice Terraces, which were carved into the high, steep mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines two thousand years ago. The terraces and the cooperative maintenance of them by indigenous rice farmers remain unchanged today. There's no reason to modernize; the rice terraces are cultivated according to very sophisticated agricultural engineering techniques.
Perhaps nowhere else in the world is the relationship between man and his environment (and with his fellow man) as seamless as at the Banaue Rice Terraces, which were carved into the high, steep mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines two thousand years ago. The terraces and the cooperative maintenance of them by indigenous rice farmers remain unchanged today. There's no reason to modernize; the rice terraces are cultivated according to very sophisticated agricultural engineering techniques.
Many legends surround the Tower of Hercules, the only lighthouse of Greco-Roman antiquity that is still somewhat structurally sound and functional. It still serves as a lighthouse and landmark at the entrance of La Coruña Harbor in Spain, and has done so since the late first century. The tower was restored in the 1700s by architect Eustaquio Giannini, and further Roman masonry was discovered in an excavation in the 1990s.
Sigiriya: The Lion Mountain
Ceylonese King Kassapa I built the ancient capital city of Sigiriya at the summit of a granite peak (called the Lion's Rock) that's surrounded on all sides by jungle. To gain access to the site, one must walk through a series of staircases that emerges from the mouth of an enormous brick-and-plaster lion.
--Ceylonese King Kassapa I built the ancient capital city of Sigiriya at the summit of a granite peak (called the Lion's Rock) that's surrounded on all sides by jungle. To gain access to the site, one must walk through a series of staircases that emerges from the mouth of an enormous brick-and-plaster lion.
Toruń, Poland: Home of Copernicus
The city of Toruń, Poland, traces its origins back to the mid-thirteenth century, when Teutonic Knights built a castle on the site as a base for the conquest and evangelization of Prussia. The city later developed a commercial role as part of the Hanseatic League, a medieval trade alliance among cities in medieval Northern Europe. Fourteenth- and fifteenth-century structures, including the house of Copernicus, remain standing throughout the city.
The city of Toruń, Poland, traces its origins back to the mid-thirteenth century, when Teutonic Knights built a castle on the site as a base for the conquest and evangelization of Prussia. The city later developed a commercial role as part of the Hanseatic League, a medieval trade alliance among cities in medieval Northern Europe. Fourteenth- and fifteenth-century structures, including the house of Copernicus, remain standing throughout the city.
The Ajanta Caves: Buddhist Masterpieces
The first Buddhist cave monuments in Ajanta, India, date from the second and first centuries BCE. Many more colorfully decorated caves, which are considered masterpieces of Buddhist art, were added during the Gupta period (the fifth and sixth centuries CE).
The first Buddhist cave monuments in Ajanta, India, date from the second and first centuries BCE. Many more colorfully decorated caves, which are considered masterpieces of Buddhist art, were added during the Gupta period (the fifth and sixth centuries CE).
The Walled City of Baku: A Living Medieval City
The Walled City of Baku, Azerbaijan, was built on a site that has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period and that bears evidence of Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian cultures. The city contains such architectural antiquities as the Inner City (Icheri Sheher), the Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy), and Shirvanshah's Palace, which range in date from the seventh century BCE to the fifteenth century CE.
The Walled City of Baku, Azerbaijan, was built on a site that has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period and that bears evidence of Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian cultures. The city contains such architectural antiquities as the Inner City (Icheri Sheher), the Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy), and Shirvanshah's Palace, which range in date from the seventh century BCE to the fifteenth century CE.
Best Regards,
Email:- jaifbindas@live.com
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