Zizly

One of the most well know players in Celtic mythology, the Banshee is linked to death and mourning. The sound of her wailing is said to signify a recent death or to foretell of a forthcoming one. The name is derived from the word bean-sidhe which translates into fairy woman or spirit woman. She is generally depicted as a fair haired woman with an incorporeal appearance. Variations of the Story: In original Mythology, the story went that the banshee was a fairy woman who would appear and sing a mournful song at a funeral. Later variations of the tale say that she was not a fairy, but rather the spirit of a murdered woman who would shriek and howl a mournful note to predict an oncoming death. It is said the the banshee will walk around the outside of a house when someone inside is about to die. Most stories describe the banshee as wearing white, but some place her in garments of red or green. Also she is depicted in some variations as brushing her long hair with a silver comb. The comb i...

Shinto began in ancient times as a shamanistic practice of nature worship much like the early druids. As outside cultural and spiritual influences came to Japan, what started as a loosely formed nature cult grew into a religion that has acquired many followers and greatly impacted world culture. Shintoism is a religion that is strongly connected to teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Shinto belief borrows much from the teachings of these sister religions, but still it remains unique in its structure. Without great study of Shintoism, one could easily see the influence from Buddhist and Toaist temples by looking at a Shinto shrine. In Japan it is common to see statues of Koma-inu placed outside of Shinto shrines. Koma-inu are guardians against evil that strongly resemble the Chinese guardian lions found outside Buddhist temples. To further show the importance of Chinese Taoism in the inspiration for Shinto beliefs, the word Shinto adopts the Chinese word Tao which translate...

Fruit is good for you. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. We've all heard these before, but when it comes to health benefits, not much can compete with the papaya. This tropical fruit is popular all over the world and for good reason. The list of vitamins and nutrients in Papaya is impressive all on its own, but this super food has even more going for it than that. Papaya has been used for health purposes (and its sweet taste) for centuries. Enjoyed and utilized all around the world it stands as one of the most beneficial fruits for overall health. First let's look at what's in it. Papaya contains a huge amount of Vitamin C. A large Papaya contains about 476 mg of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid.) To put this number in perspective, one serving of orange juice (which is a great source of vitamin C) contains 97 mg. Vitamin C is a great immunity booster and essential antioxidant. The same fruit also contains 7420 International Units of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is beneficial to the ...

Strength training is important for athletes of all kinds and anyone interested in fitness and overall health. It's important to know what exercises are best for your fitness goals. Some workouts are best for burning calories others for building muscle and some are designed for adding strength and endurance. Here are some of the best exercises to increase strength. Increase Arm Strength Twenty-Ones for stronger biceps: One of the best bicep workouts, twenty-ones push your arms to their limits. Begin with dumbbells that are a challenging weight but not too heavy (you're going to have to do 21 reps.) First perform a standard curl, but stop half way and hold for a second. Lower and repeat for 7 reps. On the last rep, hold at the halfway point and then do 7 reps the rest of the way up toward your shoulders. Don't let the weights drop below the halfway point. You are doing half reps at the bottom and then the top. Next bring the weights a...

Fruit and vegetables are good for you. That's what you've always been told. The reasons for this are many. Various fruits and vegetables have been touted as key to longevity, heart health, digestive health, and even cancer prevention. When discussing the benefits of fruits such as peaches, there are many clear health points in their favor. Of course they are a good source of fiber and generally provide many vitamins and nutrients the body needs. Also, peaches have an antioxidant effect on the body. First let's look at fiber. Any nutritionist will tell you that a good amount of daily fiber is fundamental to your health. Dietary fiber is essential for the proper function of the digestive system. Peaches do provide a source of dietary fiber, however, they have a relatively small amount of Fiber when compared to leafy greens or other high fiber foods. The bigger health benefit from peaches is their antioxidant effects. Antioxidants help clean toxins from the body and may even ...

Kids get to have all the fun! Here are the top ten things that suck about being an adult. #10 No Recess It all starts in Kindergarten; you spend some time coloring in books, then you play with toys for a while (except that bastard Tommy usually takes the good ones) then you color some more, and then you get a snack and it's nap time; it's a good system. Skip ahead, now you're in Grade School and things are starting to suck a little more but it's still a good system; they try to make you learn stuff for a while but then in the middle of the day you get to go play on the swings. Does it work that way for adults? No! Do you get to leave the office in the middle of the day and tell your boss "If you need me I'll be on the slide?" Hell no! It's so unfair. #9 No extras with your food Special "Prizes" in your breakfast food, happy meal toys, etc, all a part of life when you're a kid. Do we get a free bonus gift at the drive thr...

Halloween is coming up, and to get in the spirit of the season, I've compiled this list. Consider it assigned viewing. These are the ten best segments from The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials. 10. "Married To The Blob" (Treehouse of horror XVII) "The blob" is one of the all time great monster movies, and the Simpsons parody is definitely one of the best offerings of the show's last several years. Alien goop transforms Homer into a giant Springfield destroying blob creature that eats everything including Doctor Phil in a quick cameo. 9. "Send in the Clones" (treehouse of horror XIII) It's like "duplicity" except entertaining. One Homer is funny. A herd of Homer clones reeking havoc is undeniably awesome and classic. 8. "Hex and the City" (Treehouse of horror XII) This one is very underrated. Homer angers a fortune teller and falls victim to a gypsy curse. The story isn't as great ...

Online freelance writing can be pretty lucrative and provide a great opportunity to make money at home. There are several things to consider, however. There is a real science to successfully writing for the web, and learning the dos and don'ts is the best place to start. Dos Write well This sounds pretty obvious and like it should go without saying, but it is an important point. When writing for the web, it's important to create something that will attract an audience and bring them back for more. If you write exceptional articles, people will want to read more. If you publish something poorly written, readers will not even finish it, and certainly will not seek out more of your work. Remember, online writing is highly competitive, and quality is very important for any writer looking to stand out in the online market. Speak to your audience In online writing it's very important to know your audience and speak clearly and directly. If writing a "h...

10. Welcome Back Cotter Cotter was one of the best ensemble series of the 1970s and the launching point for John Travolta's career. Try watching an episode without getting the theme song stuck in your head; it can't be done. 9. The Flintstones Yaba Daba Doo! While this one did get annoying, it's a catchy tune that perfectly represents the fun spirit of the show. 8. Married With Children This song is so loved by fans that many have refused to by the DVDs in which the theme is notably absent. This classic Sinatra song is great musically, but its main charm here is the intentional irony of using Sinatra's classy "Love and Marriage" as the intro into the exploits of the not so high-class Bundy family. 7. The Jeffersons "Fish don't fry in the kitchen..." Another one of the most catchy TV themes of all time, You can't help but want to "move on up to the east side" when you hear this one. 6. Sanford and Son Completely ins...

Selma's Choice  A somewhat dark humored episode what with Homer singing 'on top of spaghetti' on the way to the funeral of Aunt Gladys, and changing it to "ding, dong, the witch is dead" after being lectured by Marge. This episode includes such great moments as Bart and Lisa's counting game in the car, a trip to duff gardens, Homer eating a month old sandwich, and Lisa on a drug trip.  Best Line : "EEECH! Back to the loch with you Nessie!" after groundskeeper Willy watches Selma's dating service video. Boy scouts 'N the Hood  After a wild Squishy bender, Bart wakes up to realize that he has joined the junior campers. This one has some great character interaction with Homer and Flanders, as well as guest voice Ernest Borgnine.  Best Line:  "mmm floor pie." Deep Space Homer  Some people tried to say this was the shark jumping episode, and it had the potential with the whole Homer in space storyline. The episode, however, became ...

Almost everyone at on time or another in life has been part of the bully cycle. We've all been bullied or bullies. It would seam that dealing with a bully is a normal part of growing up, but just because something is common or normal doesn't make it any less hurtful to the victim. It's important to understand the large scale of the bullying problem.  Statistics  indicate that 77 percent of students are bullied at school and  cyber bullying  statistics are approaching similar numbers. Furthermore, it's estimated that every seven minutes a child is bullied. These instances have a dramatic impact on the students lives as well as on society. For parents the issue is more complicated because it's something with a strong negative impact that is not easily addressed. It's difficult for parents to know what to do about bullying at school because, while it impacts the home-life, the events themselves happen outside of the home and away from the parent's direct infl...

"Sexual assault is a multi-factored behavioral phenomenon that has been identified as a leading social and criminal justice problem" ( drc.state.oh.us ) Sexual assault has affected the lives of millions of people and is a serious criminal justice and a social problem. According to a study from the department of justice surveying trends of sex crimes between 1983 and 1995, persons age 12 or older reported experiencing an estimated 260,300 attempted or completed rapes and nearly 95,000 threatened or completed sexual assaults other than rape in 1995 (usdoj). In 2004, there were 209,880 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assaults ( rain.org ). According to the 1997 Sex Offense and Offenders Study from the Department of Justice and 1999 National Crime Victimization Study (as cited on  www.rainn.org ), the following statistics illustrate the problems present for society in regard to sex crimes. Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assault...

Chinese culture has so much to offer to the world, and has had a great impact on art and world culture. Chinese mythology is rich and fascinating featuring great mythological beasts, gods, and spiritual elements. Below are some really interesting elements of Chinese mythology. Quan Yin The Goddess of Mercy With many different names and different spellings, Quan Yin is known in many parts of the world as the goddess of mercy. Many variations on the name exist including Kwan Yin, Kuan Yin, Quan Shi Yin, and other variations in different parts of the world. Whatever name is used, she remains an important figure in Chinese Buddhism. As one of the most celebrated and revered of the Chinese Bodhisattva, Quan Yin is celebrated as a giver of children, a healer of human suffering, and an immortal personifying compassion. Roughly translated, her name means one who listens to the cry of the human world, and it is this concept of hearing the cry of human suffering that is the foundation of...

Samuel Jones Tilden was born in New Lebanon, New York in 1814. He was educated at Yale University and the University of the city of New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1841. [1]  Tilden became an outstanding corporation lawyer, who mastered the complexities of reorganizing and refinancing railroads. He amassed a fortune in fees, which he augmented by shrewd  investments  in railroads, iron mines, and real estate. [2] Tilden had shown leadership ability early in his political career. An ardent Jacksonian in the 1830's, Tilden became a leader in the 1840's of the Barnburners. [3]  "The Barnburners were a radical element of the Democratic party in New York State from 1842 to 1848. The name derives from the fabled Dutchman who burned his barn to rid it of rats; by implication, the Barnburners would destroy corporations and public works to do away with the abuses they foster". [4]  This alliance illustrated Tilden's commitment to the abolition of corruption. ...

William James (1890) made an important distinction between the 'I' (the private inner self) and the 'Me' (the self as an object of self reflexive thought), and argued that the latter had material, spiritual and social aspects. He famously argued that we have as many selves as there are people about whose opinions we care, and so the self changes from one situation to another. This view was to influence the work of Cooley (1909) who spoke of the 'Looking Glass Self' - a reflection of the imagined judgments about ourselves made by other people (cf.ac.uk). For people with social phobia / social anxiety, this reflexive view of the self becomes central and distorted. That is to say that, in social situations the person with social anxiety becomes fixated on, and exaggerates the perceptions others may have. According to William James, to understand the "me," we may begin by dividing the history of it into three parts, relating respectively to-its constitue...

"Joseph  Pulitzer  was born in Mako, Hungary on April 10, 1847, the son of a wealthy grain merchant of Magyar-Jewish origin and a German mother who was a devout Roman Catholic. He was educated in Budapest. He decided to become a soldier and tried in turn to enlist in the Austrian Army, Napoleon's Foreign Legion for duty in Mexico, and the British Army for service in India. He was rebuffed because of weak eyesight and frail health, which were to plague him for the rest of his life."[1] After two other European armies declined to admit him, Pulitzer joined the American Union army. [2]  This occurred when he met a bounty recruiter in Hamburg,  Germany  and contracted to enlist as a substitute for a draftee, a procedure permitted under the Civil War draft system. "Pulitzer migrated to the United States in 1864 and served in the first New York cavalry during the American Civil War." [3] Pulitzer's claim to fame, however, is not in his military service but rathe...