Cell Phones cause blindness....?

As the cellphone technology is continuously evolving from the humble 1kg block type motorola phones to the more complicated but fantastic walastik ones like iphone halimbawa, and becoming more and more popular and their use is still increasing as we blog, so too are the cellphone-related accidents.

These accidents ranges from minor to catastrophic, to disastrous and have led to the implimentations of various laws that limit or prohibits the use of cell phones in different situations and different cases. Cell phones kasi halimbawa na lang, can easily draw a driver's attention away from the traffic around him. Tuloy nawawalan sila ng konsentrasyon resulting to tambling, balintong gulong ang kotse, in short, aksidente....

At hindi lang traffic accidents, meron naman dyan na nagkaligaw-ligaw, tuloy sa riles ng tren napunta ang kotse at muntikmuntikan pa'ng mabangga ng rumaragasang tren dahil sunod sya ng sunod sa GPS mula sa cellphone nya.... Common sense lang naman kasi ang kailangan nating pairalin dyan ano ka ba naman.... Pagsinabi ba ng GPS mo na lumiko ka sa kanan at nakita mong bangin pala yun liliko ka pa rin ba dun....?

May tinatawag din tayo na cellphone etiquette, like not talking while driving wihtout a handsfree kit, remembering to mute the ringtone sa loob ng sinehan, and wag sigaw ng sigaw na parang baliw, keep your voice down when in public places, kawawa naman yung sa kabilang line at mga katabi mo sa upuan na sa loob ng eroplano ka pa naman....

May mga nagsasalita sa loob ng toilet, pabulongbulong ka pa dyan naririnig ka naman sa labas with echo pa in the bakgrawnd, sino kausap mo dyan best pren mo downunder doon....? May turo ng turo na kala mo naman nakikita nung sa kabilang line ang mga pinagtuturo nyang dereksyon.... May mga kala mo na-engkanto't tulala at paiba-iba ang emotion sa mukha yun pala pilit lang mini-memorise ang number nung bagong ka-textmate nyang titser....

May mga nauuntog, nadudulas, nahuhulog, lilitaw-lulubog, nasusugatan, napipilayan, nasusunog, at sinunog, etc, kaya tuloy naman aking naging konklusyon ay nakakabulag nga pala itong cellphone ano, say nyo wat do yo tink....? Kung ayaw nyo naman mag tink i-text nyo na lang pwede he he....

Dito sa downunder may 26 million cellphones pala that's more than one phone to one person grabe.... Kayo meron din ba kayo cellphone related moments or accidents na nakakatawa,nakakainis o nakakabaliw to remember, share nyo naman sa amin para masaya tayong lahat.... =)

Crocodile Meat....

Nakakita na ba kayo o nakatikim ng karneng buwaya....? Ako nakatikim na at ang sarap pala....! For the very first time in my life at dito pa yan mismo sa downunder.... Actually crocodile has become a very popular meat both in Australia and overseas and is part of a developing cuisine that is uniquely Australian.

I think this picture was from a chinese market somewhere in china coz i can see a Yen sign on the price tag.... Crocodile or " hand bags " in slang australian term maybe because their skin is a good material leather for not only hand bags but also for belts, wallets, and other things, may underwear din kaya na gawa sa crocodile skin....? Croc's meat is a succulent white meat with a delicious and unique flavour. With a wider range of products and cuts, crocodile is now available to suit all culinary needs woldwide....

Crocodile meat is low in fat and high in protein and is best cooked in the same manner as lean pork, chicken, or even fish dishes.... It can be prepared into a variety of dishes using wet and dry cooking methods and is ideal in marinade or sauce.... Ako naman on the other hand just wanted to see it searing on my bbq grill.... Sarap....!

....or maybe this is just one of those many reasons why they've called crocodiles, the " hand bag " lol....fair enough.... =D

The Jiterbug Phone....

Will you swap your normal cell phone for one that's so simple even a senior citizen can use it? It's called the Jiterbug Phone, created by Marty Cooper creator of the very first portable cellular 800 MHz, and a massive 2.5 lb phone.

On April 3, 1973, standing on Sixth Avenue in New York City near the New York Hilton hotel, Cooper made a phone call from a Motorola prototype Dyna-Tac handheld cellular phone before going to a press conference upstairs in the hotel.

The phone connected Cooper with the base station on across the street from the hotel and into the AT&T land-line telephone system.

Cooper said that the mobile/cellular phones nowadays are so complicated that the instruction manual is often thicker, and heavier than the phone itself....

The Jiterbug have a should i say back to the basics of the past features, and would you believe it even have a dial tone....! How cool is that for a mobile phone....! A Retromodern Phone.... =)

Bilby....

Australia is a land of strange flora and fauna, yan ang unang napansin ko pagka-apak pa lang na pagka-apak ng mga paa ko dito.... Madami stuff toys nakasabit sa Duty Free he he.... And some of those are endangered like this cute and cuddly looking Bilby for example....

Hindi po bilbil iba naman yun hindi cute yun.... Bill-bee.... yun tamang pagbigkas nun....

Lam mo halatang nanood ka na naman ng documentary programs kanina Peng....

Para syang cross between Rabbit, Rat, and a Kangaroo ano nakakatuwa.... The bilby is a marsupial mammal which belongs to the bandicoot family and is about the size of a rabbit.

They have large ears, a silky light bluish-grey and white coat, and a long, black and white crested tail. Bilbies have a long pointed snout and a well-developed sense of smell to help them find food like makdo halimbawa....

Like all marsupials, the female bilbies have a pouch in which they carry their babies. Like the Australian koala, bilbies get most of their water from the food they eat.

The bilby populations are now isolated and scattered which means they are susceptible to ecological changes and are vulnerable to natural disasters such as disease and fire.

The bilbies in Queensland are now the most threatened and genetically distinct population in Australia, with only 600-700 specimens left in the wild.

Luckily salamat sa human interventions ang cute na Bilby po ay makikita pa ng mga future generations natin.... Example lang na civilized na tayo nung time ng mga Dinosaurs with all the moral and intellectual advancements etc., ano kayang klaseng mga interventions naman pwede nating gawin just to save them from extinction, hindi kaya tayo ang na-extinct at ginawang tsibog ng mga yun....?

Ano naman kaya kung sakali ang naging roles nila dito sa present time natin ngayon....? Hmmmm.... esep esep.... Alam mo Peng ala ka imagination talaga! Hindi ka ba nakapanood ng Flintstone....? Yan lang po.... =D

Opera House....

Last saturday i went to Circular Quay in Sydney and i took this photo of the Sydney Opera House's roof in close-up, it's actually made of hundreds and hundreds of thousands,or can even easily be millions of small white and cream coloured tiles....! Can you believe that....?! Amazing isn't it....?!

Bush Tucker....

If you happen to find yourself lost amongst the towering gigantic eucalyptus trees and some strange looking wildlife, and dry red soil on the ground, you know that you're in an australian bushland....


Probably the very first thing that will come to your now slowly dehydrating brain is how are you going to survive out there, and what the hell will you eat....? So perhaps if we try to survive the aboriginis way, probably a handful of these yummy-juicy grub will sustain you with your much needed nurishments enough for you to live another day....


These days, we have 'discovered' Bush Tucker. Indigenous Australians have been eating bush tucker for 60,000 years but for a long time we steered clear of the mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, flowers, herbs and spices that are native to this country.


It didn't look nice. In fact it looked awful. It takes a fair amount of courage to munch on a lizard, and how about a large family sized moth? (You've heard about those grubs of course).


But there's also wonderful fruits, tubers, greens, seeds and nuts. Bush Tucker isn't just witchetty grubs, although Witjuti as they are commonly called by aboriginis are incredibly high in protein and free for the eating....


Bush tucker is becoming widespread, thanks to a spate of recent health studies showing that native Australian meats, especially emu and kangaroo, are lower in fat and higher in iron than other conventional meats. The fruits are also known to be healthier, with the Kakadu plum thought to be the world's highest source of Vitamin C.


Most of what European settlers believed to be inedible is now considered very much the norm on the menus of top restaurants around the country.

Peter Pan syndrome....

Nandito po ulit si ako woohooo....! Pasensya na po ulit sa pagiging tahimik ng blog ko nitong mga nakaraang linggo, tulad ng dati wala pa rin palaging oras para maga-update pero paminsan minsan pa rin namang sumisilip at nagbabasa ng mga iniwanan ninyong mga mensahe at comments.... Babawi na lang ulit ako one of these days pagsinuwerteng magkarun ulit ng break.... And just to make-up for those absences ay naghanda po ako nitong very interesting topic na to para naman kahit paano ay magkabuhay ng kunti tong naghihingalo ko nang blog-site ha-ha....!

Last week as i was browsing through the web, medyo na-bored kaya naisipan kong maghanaphanap at magmasidmasid muna ng mga topics hanggang sa mapako ako sa isang topiko tungkol sa ibat-ibang klasing syndromes.... Meron palang mga ganung tawag dun, hindi ko ini-expect at medyo nalibang tuloy ako ng pagbabasa at natawa na rin sa mga paminsanminsan ay kakaibang tawag sa iilang paticular na mga syndromes like:

TAKAYASU'S SYNDROME - Tunog hapon sya di ba....? Kapag meron ka raw nito ay wala kang pulso sa wrist (Arteritis of the Aortic Arch)....
CHINESE RESTAURANT SYNDROME: Allergic sa AJI-NOMOTO (bad body reactions to MSG in foods)....
YELLOW-NAIL SYNDROME: Extinct, tigukok, kaput na kuko (Stop growth of nails)....

at iba pa kasama na rin dun ang syndrome na specially made yata para kay Mr. Beat it na si you know who, sino pa kundi si Michael Jackson syempre.... Kaya naisipan kong ilagay dito he-he....! Wala lang, mga kamote sa kukote lang na nais kong i-share.... =D

Oi, nakarinig na ba kayo ng tinatawag na Peter Pan Syndrom (PPS) bago din sa pandinig ko kasi.... Meron palang ganun.... Peter Pan syndrome is a deep-seated belief daw that one will never, and must never ever, grow up. It is named after sa legendary childlike character ng napakalayong lugar ng panaginip na kung tawagin ay ang Neverland, sigurado ako alam nyo to kasi parepareho yata tayong dumaan ng grade one to six lahat ano pwera na lang kung nagbubulakbol ka nun ha-ha....! Okey, ayun sa story, isang place raw to where kids are immune to aging, kaya nga tinawag na Neverland di ba....? O ngayon naalala mo na ba....? Lahat ng mga bagay at pangyayari na may kinalaman sa paglaki ay never-never na nangyayari sa lugar na to.... Ibig sabihin, isa syang kakaibang mundo ng mga bonjing he-he....! Tama ba....? =D

Ah, so this is what they call Peter Pan Syndrome pala, ngayon alam ko na.... At tulad ni MJ, (short for Michael Jackson) hindi yung bata ni Spiderman na hindi maintindihan at mukhang may sayad yata ang character nya dun sa movie, lahat daw ng meron ng disorder na to ay takot pag-usapan ang tungkol sa edad, or aids este age pala sa salitang inglis.... Kaya sila walang sawang nagpapapalit at magparetoke ng ibat-ibang pyesa sa katawan manatili lang na bata por-iber en iber.... Ilong, mata, buhok, balat, kilay, buto, ngipin, gilagid, dila, nunal na pula, nunal na itim, patay na kuko, buntot, pilikmata, sungay at kung ano-ano pa....*hingal*, parang jigsaw puzzle ka na huh....! Yun ay kung kaya ng bulsa nila like MJ di ba....?

Anyways, sa palagay ko naman kapag wala tayo kahit na kakaunti nitong syndrome na to, we are still missing something vital in order to live our lives which is the inner child in us.... The happy thoughts within na lahat naman yata halos tayo ay meron in a safer level nga lang di ba....? Depende na siguro sa'yo kung hanggang sa ilang taon ka gusto mo maging di ba....? After all, as Peter Pan always said, "Fairies only exist if you believe in them".... Kaya hindi naman siguro masamang magpi-piko at magcha-chinese garter si lola paminsanminsan dyan just to keep her inner child alive he-he....!

What causes Peter Pan syndrome? Hindi ko po alam, tanungin nyo na lang si dok Aga he-he....! Seriously, they said it's a fear of failure when interacting with others that he perceived to be more capable and in control than he was. Peter Pan syndrome means an overwhelming fear of failure interacting with those perceived to be more adequate which is defended against thru avoidance.... Ano raw sabi, ken yu plis refit nga....?! A....e kayo na rin po siguro ang bahalang mag-translate nyan at medyo madugo na ang lalim ng inglis kasi di ko na kayang i-enhale yan tsong he-he....! Balitaan nyo na lang ako.... Babu....! =D

Happy Valentines Day....

It's valentines day around the world, hindi ko alam basta naisipan ko lang na subukang i-trace ang mga iba't-ibang kaugalian at traditions sa iba't-ibang panig mundo, so i came up with these few.... Since i'm here now in downunder, i will start this with the old australian ways and custom.... This is going to be a long one, sorry guys....! =D

AUSTRALIA - During the Australian gold rush period, miners who were suddenly in possession of money from the new-found wealth of the Ballarat Mines were willing to pay a princely sum for elaborate valentines and merchants in the country would ship orders amounting to thousands of pounds at a time.... The most extravagent Australian valentines were made of a satin cushion, perfumed and decorated in an ornate manner with flowers and colored shells.... Some might even be adorned with a taxidermied humming bird or bird of paradise. This treasure, contained within a neatly decorated box, was highly valued, being both fashionable and extremely expensive....

AUSTRIA - Austria has some rather obscure courtship customs that may or may not be associated with Saint Valentine's Day.... Nonetheless, it is customary for a young man to present his beloved with a bunch of flowers on February 14....

AMERICA - In the United States of America, there have been many varieties of cards given over the course of the years, some of which have often been rude or even quite cruel in their humor.... In the times of the Civil War, cards were flagged with rich colors accompanied by patriotic and/or political motifs. Early American valentine cards were especially lithographed and hand-colored, beautiful and distinctive in design, produced with intricate lace paper and decorated with such ornaments as beads, sea shells, cones, berries and all manner of seeds.... Cards were also available decorated with seaweed or moss, in addition to dried and/or artificial flowers, all of which were attached to a string which was pulled and could then be suspended, thereby creating a three-dimensional picture.... Many early American cards were imported from abroad, given the poor quality of American paper at the time which was not particularly suitable for embossing. Today, American children usually exchange valentines with their friends and there may even be a classroom party....

BRITAIN - The poets of Britain have probably penned the majority of the best-loved romantic verses associated with Saint Valentine.... Different regions of the nation celebrate their own customs to honor this day, although the sending of cards and gifts of flowers and chocolates is standard procedure throughout the entire country.... One uniform custom is the singing of special songs by children, who then receive gifts of candy, fruit or money.... In some areas, valentine buns are baked with caraway seeds, plums or raisins....

DENMARK - The Danish valentine card is known as a "lover's card." Older versions of this greeting came in the form of a transparency which, when held up to the light, depicted the image of a lover handing his beloved a gift.... One custom in Denmark is for people to send pressed white flowers called Snowdrops to their friends. Danish men may also send a form of valentine known as a gaekkebrev (or "joking letter"). The sender of this gaekkebrev pens a rhyme but does not sign his name.... Instead, he signs the message with dots...one dot for each letter in his name.... If the lady who receives the card guesses the name of the sender, then she is rewarded with an Easter Egg later in the year....

FRANCE - In France, a custom known as "drawing for" once occurred.... Unmarried individuals, both young and not so young, would go into houses facing each other and begin calling out across from one window to another, pairing-off with the chosen partner.... If the young man failed to be particularly enthralled with his valentine, he would desert her.... As a result, a bonfire would be lit later where the ladies could burn images of the ungrateful sweetheart and verbally abuse him in a loud tone as the effigy burned.... This ritual was eventually abandoned since it left much room for nastiness, ridicule or even outright malice and the French government finally handed-down a decree officially banning the custom.... Elegant French greetings cards known as cartes d'amities, which contained tender messages, were given not totally as a Valentine but chiefly as a result of a fashion which was popular in England at the time....

GERMANY - In Germany, it has become customary for the young man of a courting couple to present his beloved with flowers on February 14.... Valentine gifts in Germany are usually in the shape of love tokens, complete with endearing messages.... However, these are not distributed solely on Valentine's Day, but on any occasion.... Even early German baptismal certificates or marriage certificates were considered at one time to have been valentines, but were more likely simply decorative and pictorial documents which contained lovely verses....

ITALY - In Italy, Valentine's Day was once celebrated as a Spring Festival, held in the open air, where young people would gather in tree arbors or ornamental gardens to listen to music and the reading of poetry.... However, over the course of the years, this custom steadily ceased and has not now been celebrated for centuries.... In Turin, it was formerly the custom for betrothed couples to announce their engagements on February 14.... For several days ahead of time, the stores would be decorated and filled with all manner of bon-bons....

JAPAN - In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated on two different dates.... February 14 and March 14. On the first date, the female gives a gift to the male and on the second date.... known as White Day and supposedly introduced by a marshmallow company in the 1960s...the male has to return the gift he received on February 14.... Thus, strictly speaking, a Japanese female has the luxury of actually choosing her own gift. Chocolate is the most popular gift in Japan.... However, since most Japanese females believe that store-bought chocolate is not a gift of true love, they tend to make the confection with their own hands....

KOREA - The traditional gift of candy takes place in Korea on February 14, but only from females to males.... There is another special day for males to give gifts to females and this is celebrated on March 14. Very similar to the custom in Japan, March 14 in Korea is known as "White Day." On "White Day," many young men confess their love for the first time to their sweethearts. For those young people who have no particular romantic partners, the Koreans have set aside yet another date.... April 14, also known as "Black Day." On that date, such individuals get together and partake of Jajang noodles, which are black in color, hence the name of the day....

SCOTLAND - In Scotland, Valentine's Day is celebrated with a festival. At this festival, there is an equal number of unmarried males and females, each of whom write their name (or a made-up name) on a piece of paper which is then folded and placed into a hat, one hat for the ladies and one for the men.... The females then draw a name from the hat containing the men's names and vice versa.... Of course, it is highly likely that the two drawn names will not match, in which event, it is usually expected that the male partner with the female who selected his name.... This rite having been completed, the company split up into couples and gifts are given to the ladies.... The females would then pin the name of their partner over their hearts or on their sleeves.... A dance often follows and, at the end of the festival, it is not unusual for marriages to take place.... According to another Scottish custom, the first young man or woman encountered by chance on the street or elsewhere will become that individual's valentine.... Valentine's Day gifts in Scotland are frequently given by both parties in the form of a love-token or true-love-knot....

SPAIN - In Spain, it is customary for courting couples to exchange gifts on Valentine's Day and for husbands to send their wives bouquets of roses....

TAIWAN - Valentine's Day is celebrated in Taiwan on February 14, but there is also a special Valentine's Day on July 7 of the lunar calendar, based on an ancient Chinese folktale.... Both dates are equally as important.... Many men purchase expensive bouquets of roses and other flowers for their sweethearts on these days.... According to Taiwan tradition, the color and number of the roses holds much significance.... For example, one red rose means "an only love," eleven roses means "a favorite," ninety-nine roses means "forever," and one hundred eight roses means "marry me."

PHILIPPINES - And of course in The Philippines, valentines day (araw ng mga puso) is one of the most anticipated day of the year.... Couples may start by planning their own special ways of celebrating it days before february 14.... Like the western ways , we also give valentines cards and red roses, maybe go see a movie together, or simply watch the beautiful sunset by the bay.... In the old days, whenever there's a maiden in town, everyday is a valentines day.... Men comes at night with their guitars and a bucket-full of songs, dressed up in probably the best ever clothes and pair of pants and shoes that they could find in their father's closet to serenade (harana) a pretty maiden by her bedroom's window.... If he will be successful, then comes the asking for the girl's hand or asking the parent's permission (pamanhikan) and blessings to marry the girl.... If the parents specially the father will aggree, then the groom to be still have to undergo a month or two of hardships, serving the girls family by gathering and chopping firewoods, fetching water from the well few hundred meters away, farming, feeding the animals in the farm, and so on and so forth like some sort of an initiations for a frat membership ha-ha, isn't that exciting....! To the men, this is the best time to get to know the family and specially the girl better before the wedding proper.... And you know what comes next....! Anyways, these are just a few to give you a little insight on how they do things during valentines day in the other part of the world.... By the way, the picture inset is my latest drawing posted in my Astig Museum early today.... I call this piece Harana.... Ingatz and enjoy your valentines day....! =D

Cable talk....

If you happen to be having some problem browsing through, or worse logging in to your internet connection on your side of the world at the moment, it might be because you are affected by what i've heard in the world news today about the two underwater submarine cables carrying internet traffic under the Mediterranean Sea that were snapped-broken last wednesday, disrupting both business and households half a world away....

Finger-thin cables tie internet together, these lines that tie the globe together by carrying phone calls and internet traffic are just two-thirds of an inch thick where they lie flat and submerged deep on the ocean floor.... The foundation for a connected world seems quite fragile, an impression reinforced this week when a break in two cables in the Mediterranean Sea disrupted communications across the Middle East, India, and neighboring countries....

After watching the new, some questions just popped inside my mind, what if one day, we will totally lose our internet i mean the whole network connections, functions, etc. around the globe in some unknown and unexpected reasons, yung basta na lang itong mawawala at hindi na pwedeng ayusin....? Just imagine how dependent we are to it in almost anything in the present and how destructive, disappointing, depressing, devastating, shattering feeling it is not being able to log-in to your internet service when you really need to use it but unable to do so for even just a night....! Feel mo hindi ka halos makatulog di ba....? How much more kung worse-case scenario, tuluyan na talagang itong mawawala....!

Lalong-lalo na dun sa mga talagang na-adik na dito, yun ang mga moments na daig mo pa ang na-basted ng syota sa sobrang pagkabigo....!

Pepe: Pre, hindi ka makatulog at wala kang ganang kumain, bakit na-basted ka na naman ba....?

Juan: Hindi yun pre, nawalan kasi ako ng internet, magwa-wan week na ngayon, nakaka-depress, magbigti na lang kaya ako pre.... =(

Parang ganun he-he....! Losing the internet would probably change the shape of our lives, and it's not only about the evolution of social media, web 2.0, and microsoft playgrounds being frozen off their existence but everything in it's path that has evolved to be dependant on the web as a hub of business and commerce, source of informations, communication and education....

Masyado na natin itong niyakap at minahal sa ating buhay na halos naging isa na rin ito sa mga importante nating pang araw-araw na pangangailangan at bahagi na ng lahat halos nating ginagawa.... Sino ba sa atin ang mga adik sa texting dyan....? Di ba ang mobile phone networks ay gumagamit na rin ng mga web networks....? Well, isa na rin yan sa maaapektuhan, a lot of businesses etc, plus masa-shutdown na rin ang Bombo Radyo's Star FM na paboritong-paborito ko pa naman at palagi ko ditong pinakikinggan through the power of the internet of course kaya umaabot hanggang australia ang signal nya, at madami pang iba.... So ngayon, matanong ko naman kayo, how do you think you would live and survive in a life without the internet in it....? KAYA MO KAYA....?! Parang variety show a he-he....! TAKE THE CHALLENGE....! =D

Manigong Bagong Taon....!

Happy and blessed new year to everyone....! Alam nyo ba na ang first blast of new years eve's celebration ay magsisimula dito sa mga pacific islands sa lower southern regions ng mundo natin like the Tongan and Samoan Islands, and then susunod na ang New Zealand and Australia....? I think it has something to do with the inclination of our planet ayun dun sa alignment ng magkabilang polar regions natin, ang north and south poles.... Ibig sabihin, three hours bago ang bagong taon dyan sa pinas ay mauuna na akong mag-greet sa inyo ng happy new year mamaya according dun sa world time zones natin he-he....!

Na-miss ko tuloy yung preparations for new years eve dyan.... When i was young, we use to start buying the paputok weeks before new years day pa.... Though we couldn't afford those expensive ones dahil saving lang naman talaga from our allowances ang pinangbili namin kasi normally ay hindi agree ang mga parents natin dun sa paputok di ba....? Unless na tulak ng bawal na mga paputok ang parents mo he-he....! Of course hindi rin nawala yong kanyong kawayan, and as usual ay papasa yun sa MPRCB (Mama, Papa, Regulatory, and Censorships Board) at may one month supply ka pa ng ga-as (kerosene) as long na hindi mo susunugin ang mga kilay at buhok mo as in, Blab....! Waaaha-haaa....! Nawala ang kilay ko....! ay safe ka he-he....!

And also, don't forget the ever popular na 13 fruits sa center tables nyo....! Sabi nila, dapat daw at tulad rin to nung mga rules dun sa kasalan.... Something bought, something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new, and last but not not the least, someting stolen from bakod ng may sariling bakod he-he....! I remember, few days before the new years eve ay busy na kami shopping around for those illussive fruits na napakadaling hanapin pero napakamahal naman ng presyo....! Nakakita na ba kayo ng kalamansi na sampung piso ang dalawang piraso....?! At five pesos for bubot ng papaya....! Kaya nga siguro mas-okay pa yung option na something stollen dahil wala kang kahiraphirap at kahit may kunting kaba ay sure-ball ang success he-he....! Pasimplehan mo lang naman ang mga aratiles sa may kabilang bakod at, GRRRRR....! Baw-waw-waw....! Yaiiks! May guardia sibil pala....! =D

But however way we prepare for new years eve ay guaranteed ang excitements and kasayahan nito di ba....? Even with our little simple ways.... Anyways, all i'd like to say this morning dahil medyo napahaba lang ng kunti tong daldalan natin ay, i just like to greet everyone a Happy New Year and please try to make it a safe one dahil kung hindi ay magiging very sikat rin ang mga daliri nyo dito sa downunder na kagaya nung mga lost and found fingers last year....! Pinapanood di namin dito ang mga naputukan kang bata ka dyan sa pinas ha....! Yes, we are watching those little indians waving goodbye rin po dito....! Nakakaawa ngang tingnan pero yan po ang katutuhanan sa oras na isipin mong ikaw ay si superman, babay hinliliit....! Parang tula ah he-he....! O, paano ka pa ngayon mangungulangot nyan....?! He-he....! Anyways ulit, hanggang dito na lang po for this year, and have a safe new year celebrations lang po sa lahat....! =D

Farting Community....

Pasensya na po sa mga kumakain dyan ha.... Alam nyo ba na ang mga Herring o commonly known in pinas as Tuyo ay isang kakaibang isda dahil hindi lang sila masarap ulamin, kakaiba rin ang pamamaraan nila ng pag-communicate sa isa't-isa.... The fish actually Farts (utot) a lot just to keep in touch with the whole group or school of tuyo....! Poooot! poots! poooot! (translation: o inuman daw tayo mamya!) =D

Para yung sending emails in the utot-networks he-he....! And it's not just utot the normal tunog na utot like we do....! This is like an Ultrasonic-utot na talagang napakalakas at makabasag basong pag-utot....! Study found that the noise made by the bubble coming out from the school of Herring's Wetpu (gets nyo?) has the same intensity as the noise made by fighter jets on take-off....! Ang galing huh....! Isdang umuutot....!

They believe that fish like anchovies and sprats, which have similar swim bladders, show this farting behaviour as a means of communicating at night and keeping the school together. During the day these fish use visual information, such as the pattern of light reflected off specialised mirror-like scales, to communicate.

Kung kayo kaya ay na-belong sa isang community na ang paraan ng pag-communicate sa isa't-isa ay ang pagpalabas ng napakalakas at mahalimuyak (wow, lalim nun a!) na pabango slash pabantot na rin ay kaya nyo kaya....? Sabi nga dun sa quote sa discovery channel, "how would you like to be surrounded by neighbors who does nothing the whole day but fart?" =D

Herrings and their fishy relatives release air bubbles in large quantities when attacked, but the low level farting appears to serve a different purpose.... This may seem a small addition to the sum of scientific knowledge, but it is useful.... It is the air in the Herrings' swim bladder that shows up in sonar surveys by marine biologists trying to determine the numbers and size of the fish, so information on how much air is released and when is relevant....

Kung ganun ay hindi lang pala ang tao at ang iba pang klasing mammals ang cause ng global warming dahil sa carbon emissions kundi pati na rin ang mga tuyo....! Aba'y dapat palang damihan na natin ang consumptions natin ng tuyo at ng mabawasan naman ang mga mahilig umutot dito sa mundo....! Well, kung pagkain lang naman ng tuyo ang solution sa global warming na yan ay walang problema dahil si Pepe ay number one rin na consumer ng dried tuyo....! Wow ha, dried na tuyo pa....!

Anyways, hanggang dito na lang po ako at pakiramdam ko ay nawawalan na tuloy ako ng ganang kumain pa ng tuyo dahil sa topic na to he-he....! Have a good end of the weekend all....! Ayan ha, something to think about bago kayo umutot he-he....! By the way, it's 4 o clock in the afternoon and it's hailing again today in my suburb as i blog....! Manunood muna ako ng mga yelo sa labas....! =D

Goldfish Memory....

Did yous know that a goldfish's memory can last for about 3 seconds only....?! Ang hirap naman nun a....! I don't know if this theory is confirmed true but by the time the goldfish completes a lap around his fish bowl, he will actually start to think like he's in another unknown place again....! That's probably the reason why goldfish never gets bored swimming around that small fish bowl at all....! Or maybe they simply just don't have a choice di ba he-he....! Parang yung napanood ko na movie nila sino ba yun, si Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler na 50 First Dates....! Weyt, nasan na pala ako....? Wat is may neym ba....? Basilio....! Crispin....! =D

What is OCD....?

Yesterday i've stumbled across an article about OCD commonly known as Obsessive-compulsive Disorders.... I felt strange because sometimes i tend to repeat things too, specially when you get used to it for a long time.... One of these is checking everything specially the stove's burner and the electrical plugs and a lot of hazardous things in the house before i go to work in the morning like it's some sort of a daily ritual for me....! I don't believe that it has any serious connections to OCD at all....! It's just that we'are very much aware of the dangers around us and we'are just being prepared and ahead of things all the time i guess.... In that case pala, OCD is common in everyone, ano sa palagay nyo....? Is there anything in common between OCD and being a perfectionist....? Well, i'm not a perfectionist i believe, but there's a lot of them in our society today....! Some are even bigger people, leaders and prominent figures of the world....!

Ganito ang nakasulat dun sa article kahapon:

It's normal to check over homework to be sure it's done right — in fact, it's a good idea. But when Donna does her homework or takes a test, she feels like she has to check each problem over and over. She just wants to make sure her answer is right — but as soon as she's checked once, she feels the need to check again, just to be sure. It takes her hours to do homework, and she often doesn't finish tests because she keeps going back to check previous answers.

What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)....?

OCD is a type of anxiety disorder. People with OCD become preoccupied with whether something could be harmful, dangerous, wrong, or dirty — or with thoughts about bad stuff that might happen. With OCD, upsetting or scary thoughts or images, called obsessions, pop into a person's mind and are hard to shake.

People with OCD feel strong urges to do certain things repeatedly — called rituals or compulsions — in order to banish the scary thoughts, or to try to ward off the bad thing they dread, or to make extra sure that things are safe or clean or right. By doing a ritual, someone with OCD is trying to feel absolutely certain that something bad won't happen.

Sometimes the obsessions and compulsions seem to be related to each other. For example, if a person with OCD has obsessions (worry thoughts) about germs and about getting sick, these might be accompanied by compulsions (urges and behaviors) to wash a lot, clean things, or try not to touch things that might be germy.
But sometimes the compulsions don't seem to have anything to do with the fear a person is trying to banish. Someone with OCD might get the idea that if things aren't arranged just so on a desk, someone they love could get sick or die. Many times, the rituals seem odd even to the person with OCD. For this reason, many people with OCD try to hide their symptoms from others.

Although people with OCD feel a brief sense of relief when they do a compulsion, the compulsions actually strengthen the OCD thoughts, encouraging them to return. The more someone does the compulsions, the stronger the illness becomes. When OCD is severe, the fear obsessions can be extremely distressing and rituals can take up hours of a person's day. But for someone with OCD, resisting the urge to do compulsions can be very difficult.

What Causes OCD?

Experts believe OCD is related to levels of a normal chemical in the brain called serotonin (pronounced: sir-uh-toe-nin). When the proper flow of serotonin is blocked, the brain's "alarm system" overreacts and misinterprets information. Danger messages are mistakenly triggered like "false alarms." Instead of the brain filtering out these unnecessary thoughts, the mind dwells on them — and the person experiences unrealistic fear and doubt.

A doctor such as a psychologist or psychiatrist has to ask you questions about obsessions and compulsions. They will ask and discuss questions like:

* Do you have worries, thoughts, images, feelings, or ideas that bother or upset or scare you?

* Do you feel you have to check, repeat, ask, or do things over and over again?

* Do you feel you have to do things a certain number of times, or in a certain pattern?

Once a doctor has diagnosed a person with OCD, he or she can begin treating the condition. The good news is that there are treatments that really work. Lots of mental health specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors are trained in treating OCD.

Having OCD doesn't mean a person is crazy — or that he or she should just be able stop the obsessions and compulsions alone. Going to the doctor when you have flu isn't embarrassing, and neither is seeking treatment if you think you have OCD. With help, people can get relief from OCD and have more time and energy to spend doing things they enjoy.

Nakakatakot isipin ano....? I guess a diet of the mind is better than any kind therapy here.... You'll just have to ignore it everytime you felt like doing it again.... Just like telling yourself that, "it's okay, you've done enough there.... Just leave it that way 'coz everything will be fine...." Anyways, will power is the best tool here i think....! O ano, pinag-isip ko na naman kayo ha he-he....! Pasensya na sa mahabang topic....! Ingatz all....! =D

Truth about Hobbits....

Can you believe it, Hobbits really did exist some 95,000 to 120,000 years ago in an Indonesian island called Komodo....! Kung hindi nyo pa gets ang pinagdadakdak ko rito ay let me refresh your memories muna....! Kung napanood nyo na ang movie na Lord Of The Ring ay maaring sandali lang ay reminded na kayo kaagad, pero kung hindi pa kayo nakapanood nun aba'y walang epek tong refresh-refresh ko sa yo....! Kaya manood ka muna dun at bumalik ka na lang dito kung nakalimutan mo na at iri-refresh kita ulit he-he....!

Anyways, i was watching tv this afternoon about some scientific program and they were talking about the Hobbits nga.... The Hobbits stands 3 feet tall and are proven to be good hunters judging from the amount of animal bones found inside their cave-dwellings.... They can even bring down an animal twice or many times larger than they were....! Scientifically known as Homo-floresiensis, The new species of human's adult size was about that of a three-year-old modern-human child and its skull was the size of a grapefruit....! Sobrang liit....!

We all remember Hobbits as the characters in The movie Lord Of The Ring.... The leading character Frudo was one and few other guys pa na hindi ko na matandaan ang mga names dahil nakatulog yata ako habang pinapanood ko yun he-he....! Yun na nga, another informative program on tv na hindi nakakaantok panoorin....

I was just wondering, pano kaya kung imbes na nag-evolved tayo from Homo-sapiens ay sa Hobbits nanggaling ang buong humanity....? Hmmmm.... Medyo hindi maabot ng imagination ko, sobrang liit kasi he-he....! Hindi na rin siguro nauso pa ang NBA, PBA, NBL, PBL, MBA, at kung ano-ano pang BA at BL dyan diba....? Larong patangkaran, hindi paliitan....! Hindi na rin magiging popular ang Big Mac, Large Fries, at ang Jumbo Hotdog....! And the pizza will be as big as the Piyaya....! Whew, kakatakot pala....!

Buti na lang pala hindi tayo sa Hobbits nanggaling dahil ang mga tall people like me won't be called a six-footer anymore, but instead a three-footer na lang he-he....! Kayo gusto nyo bang maging Hobbit, mayrun din syang advantages budgetwise....! Good for five ang isang pirasong pritong tuyo he-he....! Good weekend to all....!

End of waiting....!

Just an update on my gigantic angels, at last the female of the pair laid around 50 translucent eggs....! Woooohoooo....! I'm sorry that i'm stuck with the fish topics for a while because i was just worried about my pair of angels.... Now the wait is over ha-ha....!

Finally i don't need to worry anymore....! I was just worried that the eggs will not be deposited properly on anything that they will decide to stick them on to.... It makes me happy and proud watching them guarding their small territory inside the tank around their new nest....

Hey, you know why my angels are gigantic....? For those who also have angels in their tanks, actually i give them an extra-boost of protein by feeding then bits of frozen minced beef once a week....! That's my cheat he-he....!

I have to move a school of Neon Tetras to another tank too because they make the mother angel nervous and restless that she sometimes turn her aggressions to the male angel mistaken him for an intruder inside their territory....

Bilib din ako sa tatay angel kasi everytime na kakagatin sya ng nanay angel ay binibigay nya ang right side ng body nya para kagatin nito....! Parang sinasabi nyang " heto and right side ko darling, dyan mo na lang ibuntong ang galit mo " ha-ha....! Tuloy ay nagka-scars ang right eye nya, pero alam ko temporary lang naman yun kasi may protective tissue naman sila na naka-coating sa mata nila....

At the moment ay 50 tiny eggs that looks more like the butterfly's eggs ang idinikit nila sa glass sa may back side ng aquarium kasi first time parent lang sila, pero later on sa next batch of laying ay baka madami na.... I'm not sure when did the laying occurred kasi hindi ko masyadong na-check kagabi, it was just today when i look for one of the little lightnings (neon tetras) that i've notice something sticking on the surface of the glass....!

I almost jump in too much excitement when i've realised that those were eggs ha-ha....! Straight away i marked the calendar because this is actually my first experience with a breeding pair of angels so i'm thnking of taking datas of the length of hatching and the growth and feeding behaviours of the fries....

I don't know how are they going to feed their fries but if it is similar to the Discuses, they will also shed their old layers of skin and that will be eaten by their babies as food for the first 2 - 3 weeks.... Astig di ba....?!

This is what i always tell my friends about keeping a fish tank, it's actually full of fun and excitements....! Now, i'll be busy anticipating something that i haven't seen before which are baby angels ha-ha....! Isn't that exciting....?!

Anyways, i have to stop here for the time being kasi ililipat ko lang muna ang mga little lightnings sa kabilang tank at nagkakagulo na sila sa loob ngayon dahil sa over-protective nanay angel see yous later....!

Homemade Wine 101

NEXT ENTRY:
HOMEMADE WINE....
My desperate attempt to make homemade bottles of wine....! It's curiosity driven, but a very exciting experience....! I know how to do it, that's why i want to share it with you....! But not now yet, busy pa kasi sa work.... We'll get there somehow, probably in the weekend he-he....! Keep visiting....! =D

HAWAYAAH....! Good weekend all....! Hindi naman siguro masyadong nainip ang lahat sa naudlot na entry na to he-he....! Masyado lang kasi akong kinapos sa oras nitong mga nakaraang mga araw bunga ng very bad and stormy condition dito sa sydney ngayon.... I will also post that topic on my next entry....

Yep, this entry is about wine making at home.... This is not one of those BOOTLEGGED adventures (piracy) na talagang kasuklam-suklam ha-ha....! This one is just a simple " try-to-prove-case " na napilitan lang akong gawin....

Meron lang kasing nag-challenge sa'kin na ka-workmate ko tungkol dito.... I was not really going to do it since i was also busy finishing another painting for ages now.... Anyways, out of curiosity siguro ay napilitan na ako, kaya eto pinagbuti na lang ang paggawa dun he-he....!

Sa pinas is a bit not so wise idea ito kasi wala naman tayong sapat na source ng grapes at talagang table varieties lang ang ini-import natin.... Another thing is the not so affordable na presyo, lalo na sa mga imported goods tulad lang ng mga fruits halimbawa....!

If only we have a suitable area to start a vineyard dyan, okay sana....! I wish someday i can go back home and be a fruit farmer, then i will try growing this vines ha-ha....! Nananaginip....!

Back to my topic proper, i bought about 6 kilograms of the black MUSCAT variety kasi ito raw ang traditional red wine variety na commonly used by most of the wineries.... Of course any varieties naman will do....!

No wonder red wines leave such hard to remove stains, this thing is a stain-machine so you must keep it away from your clothes at all time....! Anyways, on with our wine making.... Muscat is a very juicy variety, a kilogram can squeeze-out about half a liter of juice....

Here's how to make wine at home....

STEP 1: You'll be needing at least 3 kilos of grapes to make one standard long bottle.... Crush them with your hands in a big plastic bowl, Palanggana or even use a food processor or a blender but make sure not to mince it too much....

STEP 2: Once crushed or minced including pulps, stems, seeds, and all, pour them into a big plastic container or tupperware and cover for 2 day to soften a bit.... Fermentation process starts straight after the crushing.... Commercial wineries sometimes add bacterias to speed-up the fermentation process, but the Romans didn't do that with the grapes crushed using only their feet in the first place, so why should we bother....?! Perhaps there was enough bacterias from their feet already that's why their wines are fantastic ha-ha....! But just incase you want to try adding it, those bacterias are available in every bottles of commercial wines.... It's a form of yeast that breaks down the fruit into a good consistency....

STEP 3: In the third day, pour the mashed grapes and all in a piece of cloth to strain it and squeeze that as hard as you can into a big container again.... Better if you can really squeeze the pulps dry to get those extra juices inside the skin.... It also adds a bit of deeper color and flavor to your wine....

STEP 4: Next, pour the collected juices minus the pulps, stems and seeds back to the container and cover that for another 40 days.... It will still taste fruity after that, but already good for drinking.... You can then fill it into bottles, cover with corks and dip the the head in a melted wax to seal it more tighter.... It will be ready for drinking in 6-9 months or so....

Dont get me wrong, hindi ako lasenggo ha....? 2 bottles of beer lang ay solve na ako he-he....!

So there you go....! Very simple lang di ba, no rocket science needed at all and very straight forward ang procedures nya.... One day, i will be the first vine-grower ( keep on dreaming peng....! ) and wine maker sa pinas ha-ha....! The hardest part lang talaga is growing your own vines, everything else is so simple....

That's it....! Tulog na muna ako at mukhang nalasing ako dun sa wine making natin ha-ha....! I have a big container of wine fermenting in the cup board for 4 days now.... In 40 days, i will take then to work for the taste test ha-ha....! Sana pumasa....! Good weekend....! BBQ all....!

Assassin at the park....!

WHEW....! This morning i was targeted for the first-time by an assassin dun sa may golf club where i normally cross every morning on my way to work....! Buti na lang at daplis lang pala ang tama ko he-he....!

They seldom attack people naman, normally dogs and other pets lang inaatake nila.... Pero today, why me....?! Maybe i was at the wrong place at the wrong time lang o baka akala sa akin ay animal din whaaaa....!

I was bombarded with aerial attacks twice, buti na lang at naka-baseball cap pala ako kanina....! Seriously, the council should do something about it kasi baka makabulag sila ng mata in the future....! They really must relocate them in some safer areas far away from the busy streets....

Oo nga pala, what i'm pointing-at here is a particular australian bird the MAGPIE....!

For readers who wonder what the * boink * is a Magpie, they are actually big black and white birds who are very protective of their nests during the Australian winter and spring season....

People walking past may be seen as an invader of it's territory, promting the bird to swoop-down at them and attack....! And mind you, the experience is quite alarming specially for a first-timer like me....!

Naku, kung hindi lang talaga bawal ang animal cruelty dito sa downunder ay binalikan ko nang kanina ang lokong yun at ipinalaman sa pandesal....! Anyways, yun lang naman nangyari sa akin nitong magandang monday morning na to he-he....!

Sana wag naman maulit bukas at baka hindi na'ko talaga makapagpigil at bigla ko na lang mangasab ang * boink * na ibon na yan ha-ha....! Lamang t'yan din naman yun a....!

Eto nga pala mga dramatic photos na nasilip ko sa web about magpie attacks :

Okay na....! Exit na muna ako, manghuhuli lang ng magpie for dinner he-he....!

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HEY IT'S ME....! On my office computer, updating on that magpie attack.... Today i was attaked again ha-ha....! This time i ran away na....! Well, there's no other option but to take the other side of the road i guess untill the nesting season is over....


I just felt sorry for the old man and woman taking a morning walk behind me, they walked back where the came from i reckon....! Anyways, that's me for today....! Have a wonderful day everyone....! Bye for now, but not forever....! See you later....!

250 cups too many....!

After ng tantrums ay balik muna ako sa reset point ko which is a cup of coffee lang naman.... Yesterday kasi while i was having a bad mood and was trying to wash it off with a cup of coffee, i stumble into a tv channel that was featuring the history of coffee so i reckon it would be nice to post an entry about that topic....


Well, unlike smoking or drinking liquors, coffee drinking is an addiction that make sense....! Take smoking for instance: No offense to the smoking communities ha-ha....! Peace tayo....! But then, what are you doing sitting in the corner, sucking the smoke out of that rolled-up paper with tobacco fillings inside it....? To me, that doesn't make any sense at all....! Anyways, addiction is a personal choice naman so i will respect the smokers for that reason....


Oh well, balik tayo sa cup of coffee na lang.... Coffee indulgence kasi had evolved from way back pa sa time ng mga pharaohs, and kings.... Known as Black Gold, a cup of coffee used to be enjoyed only by the royalties in Ancient Egypt, Africa, Turkey, and the Middle-Eastern countries....


It all started from a tiny red berry growing on a dense bush that a sheepherd boy in that Ethiopian dry barren land had found while herding his flocks of sheep.... The boy then discovered that the berry is sort of giving him a strange feeling of extra energy that he even felt like dancing around all day long....! That was the early effect of caffeine to human i think ha-ha....!


Imagine that when you're drinking your delightful cup of instant coffee, you're as well sharing that taste of history with all the great and famous coffee drinking figures throught-out the ages....! Astig....!


In Ethiopia, coffee is still actively a part of some native tribe's ceremonial rites.... And only the women are allowed to handle the beans from roasting to the making of the brew that the waiting mens of the tribe will later on pass around themselves and enjoy.... Mga gaano kaya katagal yun bago nila matikman ang isang tasang kape....? Isang oras....? Tagal naman....!


But as the addictions escalated around the globe, so does the freedom of making your own cups anytime, anywhere, and any way you desired.... As long as you never runs-out of instant coffee in the cupboard he-he....!


Way back then, coffee was known to have some medicinal properties, but i just don't know what it is.... Maybe it's the caffeine itself or some active ingredients that you still have to extract from it....!


Unlike the tea that leaves some annoying stains (dentist's nightmare) on your teeth when being consumed excessively, nowadays instant coffee leaves no residue at all.... But it is also known to be toxic when consumed abusively....


You know that in america, a man died because he drank 250 cups of coffee all within a day....! That's insane....! I think it's called drowning....! Hindi kaya nalunod lang talaga sya sa kape kaya namatay ha-ha....!


So anyways, kung just within 249 cups lang naman ang ma-consume mo sa isang araw ay okay ka pa ha-ha....! No need to panic kasi imbis na excessive coffee drinking ang ikamatay mo ay baka atake sa puso pa....!


This topic had relaxed me a bit, so i'll go for another round of the Black Magic pa....! Today i had 5 cups of coffee only, ano kaya ang dapat na rating dun from a scale of 0 to 250 cups per day....? Anaemic drinker....?! Ha-ha....! Okay, kape na muna ako....! Babayo....!

History of April Fool's Day....

Happy April Fool's Day sa lahat....! Kahapon ko pa sana pinublish ang entry na to kaya lang ay na distract ako nung issues dun sa last entry ko kaya hindi ko nagawang i-post to kaagad....!

Anyways, better late than never.... Normally we start the day here by giving a friend a punch on the arm first before he realise that it's April Fool's Day that day pala.... It's not like i will punch someone then he will punch me back and vice versa kasi bugbugan ang ending nun....! Kunting dampi lang.... Not too hard kung baga....

Actually, April Fool's Day is a day of playing tricks or maybe outsmarting someone with some clever antics.... You don't really have to hurt somebody but nowaday type of jokes are sometimes can get too harsh if not being observed properly....

Last friday's party, two of my workmates already had a taste of this April Fool's harshness when they drank some soy sauce served in shot glasses thinking that those were shots of rum ha-ha....!

Anyways, the day is almost over and if until now nothing had happen to you yet ay SAFE ka na pare ko....! I just wanna share to all this history of the April Fool's Day that i was reading this morning.... So sit back, relax and open your eyes wider.... This is highly educational stuff....! Pay attention kids....! 8D

The history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain. Current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to January 1.

Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1. These people were labeled "fools" by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played upon them. The butts of these pranks became known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish" because a young naive fish is easily caught. In addition, one common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke.

This harassment evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April. This tradition eventually spread elsewhere like to Britain and Scotland in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French. Because of this spread to other countries, April Fool's Day has taken on an international flavor with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way.

In Scotland, for instance, April Fool's Day is devoted to spoofs involving the buttocks and as such is called Taily Day. The butts of these jokes are known as April 'Gowk', another name for cuckoo bird. The origins of the "Kick Me" sign can be traced back to the Scottish observance.

In England, jokes are played only in the morning. Fools are called 'gobs' or 'gobby' and the victim of a joke is called a 'noodle.' It was considered back luck to play a practical joke on someone after noon.

In Rome, the holiday is known as Festival of Hilaria, celebrating the resurrection of the god Attis, is on March 25 and is also referred to as "Roman Laughing Day."

In Portugal, April Fool's Day falls on the Sunday and Monday before lent. In this celebration, many people throw flour at their friends.

The Huli Festival is celebrated on March 31 in India. People play jokes on one another and smear colors on one another celebrating the arrival of Spring.

So, no matter where you happen to be in the world on April 1, don't be surprised if April fools fall playfully upon you.

Thanks to Personal Headlines for this topic....

www.personalheadlines.com/special_days/about_...