The Original Mother’s Day Proclamation!

while countries around the world celebrate their own Mother’s Day at different times throughout the year, several countries, including the United States, Italy, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Turkey celebrate it on the second Sunday of May.

In the United States, the origins of the official holiday go back to 1870, when Julia Ward Howe – an abolitionist best remembered as the poet who wrote “Battle Hymn of the Republic” – worked to establish a Mother’s Peace Day. Howe dedicated the celebration to the eradication of war, and organized festivities in Boston for years.

In 1907, Anna Jarvis, of Philadelphia, began the campaign to have Mother’s Day officially recognized, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson did this, proclaiming it a national holiday and a “public expression of our love and reverence for all mothers.”

Today’s commercialized celebration of candy, flowers, gift certificates, and lavish meals at restaurants bears little resemblance to Howe’s original idea. There is nothing wrong with that. But here, for the record’s sake, is the proclamation she wrote in 1870, which explains, in her own impassioned words, the goals of the original holiday.

Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.

“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each learning after his own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Share with us, how did you celebrate your mothers' day?

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All You Need To Know About Halloween

Yesterday in most places around the world was marked the Halloween day, where various mascot and costumes are worn, mostly scary. Been an intuitive person that I am, I decided to ask a couple of friends what was the origin of such event. We all know that for every event celebrated there should a genesis, for instance Christmas celebrate Christmas because they believe Christ our saviour was born on that day. Also, countries celebrates their independence a because they got independent from the colonial masters, Muslim marks the Eid-el because they believe in the promise that Allah gave to prophet Ibrahim for his act of obedience when he was told to slaughter Ismail etc.

In was disappointed when finally I realised that majority of these young folks  who parades themselves in scary costumes does not in fact knows why and reason for the so called day. 

What I found was heart-aching, and i believe most African will find it very brazier. I do hope you  follow on as I I bring to you my findings of the so call Halloween day!

The next time you are wearing a scary outfit, it good you know the reason for it, like I often say "it's not always good to flow with the trend"!

Enjoy!

Halloween has a very long and storied past, rich with tradition and lore. Originally it was known as “Samhain,” a Celtic festival marking the end of the summer and the beginning of the cold months. The pagans who first celebrated the holiday believed that on Samhain the veil between the two worlds was at its thinnest, and the dead could walk the

earth. The otherworldly nature of Halloween has captured people’s imaginations for centuries, and led to many superstitions and traditions that last to this day.

10. Mocking The Devil

However, many Christians are disturbed by Halloween and consider it wrong to take part in it, seeing it as a celebration of evil. This has become such a commonplace concern that pastors find themselves asked about it yearly. In a way, the fear is perfectly understandable. According to many Christians, the devil is the enemy. So the idea of dressing up as him or any of his minions doesn’t seem like something a good person should take part in. Like many fears, this simply stems from ignorance of the history of

Halloween. 

Back in the days when Christians first co-opted Halloween as All Hallows’ Eve, they believed very literally in the devil. However, to them, one of the best ways to fight the devil was to attack his greatest weakness, the pride that led him to become a fallen angel in the first place. To this effect, they would depict him with red horns and a ridiculous tail to mock him, hoping it would cause him to flee. Intent can get lost over time, so many people have an unrealistic idea of the devil, not understanding the ridiculous caricature as the mockery that it is.

9. Jack-O’-Lantern

Irish legend has it that one day the devil himself came to take the soul of a thieving man named Jack. But Jack managed to trick the devil, making him promise to never take his soul. After eventually living a long life, Jack tried to enter the Pearly Gates, but could not, for he had lived a life of evil. He then attempted to enter Hell, but the devil kept his word, being no big fan of Jack anyway. When Jack complained of having no way to see, the devil laughed at him and threw him a glowing ember, which he fashioned into a lantern using a turnip in his pocket. He became Jack Of The Lantern, doomed to aimlessly walk the Earth with nowhere to go. 

While the legends may sound incredible, they were based on a real phenomenon. Swamp gasses that interact with decaying matter will sometimes give off a strange light that seems to vanish when you get closer. Before we had a scientific explanation, people believed these were trapped souls who could enter neither heaven nor hell and would lead you astray. Some legends say the Irish would use turnips or beets to create jack-o’-lanterns—for multiple purposes. The lanterns were sometimes used as a means of honoring those souls trapped in purgatory, but their mocking faces were also used to scare away evil spirits.

8. Realistic Decorations

Last year, a couple days after Halloween, a mail carrier was making his rounds when he saw what looked like a fairly realistic dead body on a porch. Given the time of year, he decided that it was simply been a Halloween decoration and went on his way without reporting it. He was horrified when he later discovered it was actually the body of a man that had collapsed just hours prior; the family was distraught and felt the mailman should have done something. 

While we can sympathize with their grief, it is not the first time something like this has happened. Several years ago in a small suburban neighbourhood, the neighbors noticed an extremely realistic corpse hanging from a tree. Many people drove right by it, thinking it was just a Halloween decoration. The neighbors were shocked when the police

investigated and found it to be the body of a woman who had just committed suicide. More recently, in an apartment complex in Los Angeles, the tenants ignored a very realistic dummy that looked like it had been shot in the eye. What the neighbors believed was a Halloween decoration turned out to be a corpse that was allowed to decompose for almost a week. The police ruled it a suicide.

7. Halloween Costumes

 

Halloween is the day we can be almost anything we desire, from a giant hamburger to a hockey-masked lunatic, and many workplaces or schools take part in the fun. But one thing most people don’t think about is where this grand tradition comes from. During the Celtic festival of Samhain, the dead were said to walk the Earth, so the Celts would wear costumes as a means of either blending in, or at least not being recognized by evil spirits. Sometimes the costumes were used for more proactive purposes. Villagers believed the dead would congregate around their feasts, so masked men would try to gain the attention of the spirits in an attempt to lead them away from the village.

6. Tainted Candy

One of the most common legends of Halloween is the oft-repeated warning that there might be poison or razor-blades lurking in your little one’s treats, presumably put there by some sadistic nutjob. Some people take it a step further and blame it on witches or cults, writing tracts full of lies about the origins of Halloween to malign Wiccans. Of the most enduring and widespread poisoning legends, one tells the story of a young boy named Timothy O’Brien. The boy had been out trick-or-treating with his father and, upon arriving home, ate a pixie stick that was laced with cyanide, leading to his death. However, in reality it turned out that O’Brien’s father had a life insurance policy on his young son, and he was convicted of poisoning the child himself and using the urban legends to cover it up. 

Another story tells of a five-year-old who died of a heroin overdose after eating tainted candy. As usual the media decided to start the hype machine before all of the facts were in. It turned out that the child had gotten into his uncle’s heroin stash and the candy had never been tainted in the first place. That’s not to say caution is a bad thing. Hypothetically, something could be put in your bag of treats, but there really isn’t any evidence of people trying to poison random children. 

However, there is a very real danger on Halloween night that parents should definitely watch out for. According to AAA, Halloween is the most dangerous night of the year for pedestrians. The combination of children running around in costumes, along with drunk drivers on the road, creates a perfect storm. It is suggested that parents accompany kids if possible, make sure they are visible, and coach them on road safety.

5. Trick-or-Treat

Trick-or-treating is probably the best-known part of Halloween, and most of us happily took part in this tradition as kids. However, the origins of trick-or-treating are shrouded in mystery. Many cultures had similar practices—for instance, in the UK, children would go door to door on Guy Fawkes day and ask for “a penny for the guy.” In Ireland, in the old Samhain days, it was fairly customary for orphans and widows to beg for supplies. After all, Samhain marked the beginning of the cold months and they would need all the help they could get. 

However, the actual phrase “trick-or-treat” likely has much more modern origins. Some suggest that the phrase began in America in the early 20th century with the arrival of Irish immigrants who brought their mischief along with them. To combat pranks and other mischief by poor children, people suggested offering treats to them as a small bribe. For this reason, in its early days, Halloween was often known as “beggars’ night.”

4. Day Of The Dead

Some people think of the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) as a Mexican version of Halloween. With its focus on death and spooky costumes, it could easily seem that way to an outsider, but the two holidays actually boast very different perspectives. Halloween is very much based on the fear of death and spirits, but on the Day of the Dead, death is embraced and even celebrated. 

On this day, the spirits of the dead return to the Earth, guided by the strong aroma of marigolds and incense to shrines set up for them by their families, who celebrate their return. As the day comes to an end, the families may head to the cemetery to spend the rest of the night with their loved ones before they go back to the other world. While many of our Halloween traditions find skeletons to be scary, the Day of the Dead uses them

both to celebrate and laugh at death.

3. Superstitions

Imagine you’re walking home on Halloween night, coming back from a party or perhaps a successful night of trick-or-treating. Everything seems fine, but then you hear the sound of someone walking behind you. You quicken your step a bit, but they seem to match pace with yours. While you might be tempted to turn around and look to assure yourself that everything is okay, this could be a fatal mistake. According to superstition, there is a good chance on Halloween that you are being shadowed by Death himself, and if you look upon him it will be your end. 

But the parting of the veil between worlds on Halloween is cause for more than the fear of spirits and fell apparitions coming to claim you, it is also considered a very important night for divination. Many of the superstitions involving divination also have to do with love, and some are extremely specific. One tradition suggests holding a candle in one hand, a mirror in the other, and attempting to walk backward down the stairs. This will supposedly allow you to see your future spouse, although it seems more likely that you’ll end up seeing a doctor. (But is the doctor single?)

2. Haunted Houses

Many of us visit haunted houses around Halloween. It’s a great experience to have with friends, and part of the enjoyment is knowing that, despite the thrills, we will never be in any real danger. Unfortunately, even though our rational minds tell us this, our fight or flight response is still in working order. One woman recalled an experience she had while volunteering at a haunted house. She had been lying in a coffin and popping out at people, when one girl was so overwhelmed by fear she started pummeling her until she was pulled away. 

Unfortunately, there are sometimes dangers for haunted house volunteers apart from the customers. Customers at Creepyworld in St. Louis were walking through a bathroom scene drenched in fake blood when they saw a very realistic-looking corpse hanging from a noose—a little too realistic. As it turns out, something had gone horribly wrong. A teenage volunteer had somehow gotten up on the bathtub and become caught in the noose, ending up in a coma for three days. The creepiest part of the story is that, despite surviving the accident, she has no memory of how it happened or the days leading up to it. The only clues the police have are footprints on the bathtub and scuff marks on the walls.

1. Salem

Most of us can only imagine walking through a movie-style Halloween town—unless you’ve been to Salem, Massachusetts, the self-proclaimed Halloween capital of the world, that is. The city is chock-full of shops that cater to witches, with a witch museum and scores of other spooky sites. However, like any city, the thing that truly gives it the spark of life and wonder are the people. Salem on Halloween is an extraordinary experience, with people thronging the streets in every sort of costume imaginable. 

But Salem can be like walking through a dream on any ordinary day as well. Many Wiccans have taken up residence in the city and some walk around wearing traditional garb on a daily basis. The city lives and breathes the culture of witchcraft and, as Halloween approaches, the amount of people in costume steadily increases. Some people have even likened Salem to a 365-day Halloween party. It’s a place where dreams (or nightmares) come alive.

Having read this, what's your take on Halloween, will you be caught celebrating Halloween next year? Uhmmmmm

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Top 10 Interesting Abandoned Places

The Ghost City – an apocalyptic inspiration for filmmakers for as long as I can remember. There is nothing more surreal than witnessing an abandoned city, and writers through the ages have grabbed hold of this fact with both hands. Introducing us to all forms of abandonment. From the 1948 Ghost-Town-Western ‘Yellow Sky’ starring Gregory Peck, to the deserted London streets of Danny Boyle’s ’28 Days Later’. The frightful tension associated with popular 90′s video game ‘Silent Hill’, to the post-apocalyptic nothingness of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer- winning novel ‘The Road’. The theme is well- trodden, everywhere you may choose to glance. An excellent backdrop to any form of entertainment, whether it be film, literature or anything else for that matter. 

There is however some degree of foundation to this surreality. The ghost town is common among the Americas, especially in the Central and Southern states. Surveys suggest that there are around 6,000 abandoned sites of settlement in Kansas alone. But what can cause such large- scale loss of population? One of the main factors is depleting natural resources, linking to roads and railways bypassing certain places. Another more sinister cause can be disaster, whether natural or man-made. Such was the case with Patton, Missouri. After being flooded over 30 times since their town was founded in 1845, residents tired after two floods in 1993. With government help, the whole town was rebuilt three miles away, now known as New Pattonsburg, leaving the old  behind as a ghost town. 

However it happens, the topic interests me greatly. Here I list my top ten most interesting abandoned places on the planet, complete with description and pictures. Hoping to bring some essence of real life to what many consider an extremely fictional occurrence. Making film sets out of real life locations along the way. Enjoy!

10. Bodie, California

Founded in 1876, Bodie is the authentic American ghost town. It started life as a small mining settlement, though found even more fortune from nearby mines that attracted thousands. By 1880 Bodie boasted a population of almost 10,000 – such was the boom. At its peak, 65 saloons lined the town’s main street, and there was even a Chinatown with several hundred Chinese residents. 

Dwindling resources proved fatal however, and although greatly reduced in prominence, Bodie held a permanent residency through most of the 20th century. Even after a fire ravaged much of the downtown business district in 1932. Bodie is now unpopulated. The town was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, and in 1962 it became Bodie State Historic Park as the few residents left moved on. 

Today, Bodie is preserved in a state of arrested decay. Only a small part of the town survives. Visitors can walk the deserted streets of a town and interiors remain as they were left and stocked with goods. Bodie is open all year, but the long road that leads to it is usually closed in the winter due to heavy snowfall, so the most comfortable time to visit is during the summer months.

9. San Zhi, Taiwan

More of a modern choice this time. Below is an abandoned City in the North of Taiwan. In the area of ‘San Zhi’, this futuristic pod village was initially built as a luxury vacation retreat for the rich. However, after numerous fatal accidents during construction, production was halted. A combination of lack of money and lack of willingness meant that work was stopped permanently, and the alien like structures remain as if in remembrance of those lost. Indeed, rumours in the surrounding area suggest that the City is now haunted by the ghosts of those who died. 

After this the whole thing received the cover-up treatment. And the Government, who commissioned the site in the first place was keen to distance itself from the bizarre happenings. Thanks to this, there are no named architects. The project may never be restarted thanks to the growing legend, and there would be no value in re-developing the area for other purpose. Maybe simply because destroying homes of lonely spirits is a bad thing to do.

8. Varosha, Cyprus

I stay in Cyprus, but am sure not so many people are familiar with this great place. Varosha is in the Turkish occupied city of Famagusta in Cyprus. It was previously a modern tourist area, and flowered into one of the most luxurious holiday destinations. In the year of 1974 however, the Turkish invaded Cyprus and tore up the island. Citizens fled, expecting to be able to return to their homes within days. The Turkish military wrapped it in barbed wire and now controls it completely. Allowing nobody to enter to this day, aside from themselves and UN personnel. The buildings are slowly falling apart. Though on the positive side, rare sea turtles have begun nesting on the deserted beaches. 

The Annan Plan had provided for the return of Varosha to Greek Cypriot control, but after the rejection of the proposal by Greek Cypriot voters this hand-over to Greek-Cypriots has not materialised. That is not the end of the story, as the Governments are working together to plan a complete revival of Varosha to its former beauty. 

Currently, three concept hotel complexes have been designed by Laxia Inc. We hope the de facto “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” will apparently open Varosha to tourism once again.

7. Gunkanjima, Japan

Hashima Island (meaning Border Island) is one among 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. It is also known as “Gunkan-Jima” or Battleship Island thanks to its high sea walls. It began in 1890 when a company called Mitsubishi bought the island and began a project to retrieve coal from the bottom of the sea. This attracted much attention, and in 1916 they were forced to build Japan’s first large concrete building on the island. A block of apartments that would both accommodate the seas of workers and protect them from hurricanes. 

In 1959, population had swelled, and boasted a density of 835 people per hectare for the whole island (1,391 per hectare for the residential district) – one of the highest population densities ever recorded worldwide. As petroleum replaced coal in Japan in the 1960′s, coal mines began shutting down all over the country, and Hashima’s mines were no exception. In 1974 Mitsubishi officially announced the closing of the mine, and today it is empty and bare, with travel currently prohibited. The island was the location for the 2003 film ‘Battle Royale II’ and inspired the final level of popular Asian videogame ‘Killer7′

6. Balestrino, Italy

Balestrino is quite a strange case in that it was extremely difficult to find any decent information on it. At least on the abandonment itself. No one is quite sure when the town was established, though records date back to before the eleventh century – when Balestrino was owned by the Benedictine abbey of San Pietro dei Monti. As you can see from the pictures, the upper part of the town consists of a Castle (of Marquis) and the lower part a parish church (of Sant’Andrea). Records of population go back to around 1860, when around 800-850 people lived there. Mainly famers who took advantage of the landscape to farm olive trees. 

In the late nineteenth century, the North-West coast of Italy was struck by numerous earthquakes. One of these in 1887 (magnitude 6.7) destroyed some villages in the area of Savona, and although no official records show Balestrino was affected it coincides with much repair work and a dip in population. Finally in 1953 the town was abandoned due to ‘geological instability’, and the remaining inhabitants (around 400) were moved to safer ground to the west. The derelict part of Balestrino that has stood untouched and inaccessible for fifty plus years is currently undergoing planning for redevelopment. Today around 500 people remain in the town’s newer area which is a good kilometre down the road.

5. Katoli World, Taiwan

I thought I would break out of the abandoned residential mould and look at something inspired by Miyazaki’s Oscar winning ‘Spirited Away’. Those who have seen it will know that the family stumbles across an old theme park at the start of the movie, one that was built in the eighties but has since lost popularity and been abandoned. Well this is a usual occurence in Asia, one can find many amusement parks that have been left to rust. Here is just one of them, though one that was forced to close for something other than financial loss. 

Katoli World is situated in the Dakeng Scenic area just outside of Taichung, Taiwan. Opened in the mid eighties, it enjoyed moderate success as one of the few theme parks on the island of Taiwan to host a roller-coaster (two). The park was closed after a massive earthquake on September 21st, 1999. Thousands of people were killed during the quake but nobody inside the park as it struck after opening hours. Large areas of the park were destroyed and it was forced to close. A place once vivid with young laughter is now slowly turning to rust.

4. Centralia, Pennsylvania

Johnathan Faust opened Bull’s Head Tavern in Centralia in 1841, and Centralia was incorporated as a borough in 1866. The anthracite coal industry was the principal employer in the community until the 1960s, when most of the companies went out of business. An exposed vein of coal ignited in 1962 thanks to weekly garbage burning, and as a result a huge underground coal fire commenced. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, and it continued to burn throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Adverse health effects were reported by several people due to the carbon monoxide produced. 

In 1979, locals became aware of the scale of the problem when a gas station reported a fuel temperature of 172 degrees Fahrenheit (77.8°C). This provoked widespread attention, boosted in 1981 when a 12-year-old almost plunged to his death as a 4 foot wide, 150 foot deep sinkhole suddenly opened beneath his feet. In 1984, $42 million was spent on relocation, with most residents moving to the nearby Mount Carmel and Ashland. In 1992, Pennsylvania condemned all houses within the borough, meaning that of the 1,000+ residents in 1981 – only a handful now remain – mainly priests. The fire still rages on, and according to experts could do so for another 250 years.

3. Yashima, Japan

Yashima is an imposing plateau to the northeast of Takamatsu, the second largest city on Shikoku – which is one of Japan’s major islands. This plateau stretches out to sea, and can be seen in the fifth photo below. It is the site of a famous battle that took place on 22nd March 1185 during the Genpei War. The top of Yashima hosts the Yeshima Temple, which is a well-known Shikoku pilgrimage. This is about the only thing that does draw crowds to this strangely neglected geographical anomaly, but it wasn’t always so. 

During an upsurge in mid-eighties’ Japanese economy, the people of Takamatsu decided that the plateau was an excellent place to encourage tourism, so took to pouring money into developing this sacred land. Six hotels were built, along with many parks and trails – even an aquarium. Though somewhere along the line people realized that Yashima plateau wasn’t so such an attractive opportunity, especially with views of the nearby rock quarry. Visitor numbers then dropped as millions of Yen were lost on inflated real-estate deals. All the hotels and shops were forced to shut down, as was the cable car that at one point transported many to Yashima’s heights.

2. Pripyat, Ukraine

Pripyat is an abandoned city in the Zone of alienation in northern Ukraine, Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city population had been around 50,000 – and had been home to most of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant workers. Then the Chernobyl disaster struck in 1986 and the place was abandoned due to threat of radiation. Afterwards Pripyat acted like a museum for a long time, perfectly showing a slice of Soviet life. However at some time at the beginning of the 21st century the place was looted heavily, nothing was left behind – even toilet seats were stolen. 

The city will not be safe for human habitation for several years to come, and even then it will be a long time before people consider it healthy to develop once again. Before the power plant was built, concerns were voiced at its planned closeness to the city of Kiev. They had planned to build it only 25 km away, placing the capital at risk from pollution amongst other things. However after a long debate they decided to build Chernobyl along with Pripyat 100 km away from Kiev. A choice that would in the end prove to be a wise one.

1. Craco, Italy

Craco is located in the Region of Basilicata and the Province of Matera. About 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Taranto at the instep of the “boot” of Italy. This medieval town is typical of those in the area, built up with long undulating hills all around that allow for the farming of wheat and other crops. Craco can be dated back to 1060 when the land was in the ownership of Archbishop Arnaldo, Bishop of Tricarico. This long-standing relationship with the Church had much influence over the inhabitants throughout the ages. 

In 1891, the population of Craco stood at well over 2,000 people. Though there had been many problems, with poor agricultural conditions creating desperate times. Between 1892 and 1922 over 1,300 people moved from the town to North America. Poor farming was added to by earthquakes, landslides, and War – all of which contributed to this mass migration. Between 1959 and 1972 Craco was plagued by these landslides and quakes. In 1963 the remaining 1,800 inhabitants were transferred to a nearby valley called Craco Peschiera, and the original Craco remains in a state of crumbling decay to this day.

Oouphs... I think I have done a great write up today... I deserve my hot coffee in this cold chilly night... Hope you all find it interesting and educative!

Comments and Observation: info.posche@gmail.com

Destination Africa. Serengeti National Park Tanzania

If you ever dream about an exotic tropical weekend away from your busy schedules or an holiday or you're interested in having the beauty of nature around you,then look no further Serengeti National Park Tanzania is what you have been searching for.

Your stay in the Serengeti is definetly going to be an unforgetable experience with Giraffes walking next to you,driving through the lions’ area and having them a jump away from your car,watching the wild best migration, walking with Maasai, watching the sun set...the list is indeed endless.

And did I mention balloning in the serengeti? Its an amazing experience! 

Here are some pictures to wet your appetite...

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