Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Are Vampires Real?
The enormous interest in these creatures prompts the question: Are vampires real?
INTEREST IN THE vampire mythos is at an all-time high. The recent enthusiasm for this blood-sucking immortal began perhaps with the highly popular Anne Rice novel, Interview with the Vampire published in 1976, and which she followed up with several more books about the vampire world she created. Movies and television capitalized on this popularity with such offerings as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Lost Boys, Francis Ford Coppola's film version of Dracula, Underworld, and the Tom Cruise-Brad Pitt film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire.
The genre is more popular than ever thanks to TV's True Blood and Vampire Diaries, and especially the enormous success of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series of novels, which also are getting the Hollywood treatment.
When a phenomenon like this creeps into our mass consciousness - you can barely turn around without bumping into vampire-related media - some people begin to think it's real. Or they want it to be real because they so enjoy the fantasy. So what about it? Are there real vampires?
THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE
The question of whether vampires are real or not depends on the definition. If by vampire we mean the supernatural creature who is practically immortal, has fangs through which he or she can suck blood, has an aversion to sunlight, can shapeshift into other creatures, fears garlic and crosses, and can even fly... then we have to say no, such a creature does not exist. At least there's no good evidence that it exists. Such a creature is a fabrication of novels, TV shows and movies.
If we dispense with the supernatural attributes, however, there are people who call themselves vampires of one kind or another.
LIFESTYLE VAMPIRES
Largely due to the influence of vampires in the media, there is now a subculture of vampirism, the members of which seek to mimic the lifestyle of their fictional heroes (or antiheroes). There is some overlap with the Goth community, both of which seem to seek empowerment in the dark, mysterious side of things. The lifestyle vampires typically dress in black and other accouterments of the "vampire aesthetic" and favor a goth music genre. According to one website, these lifestylers take this on "not just as something to do at clubs, but as part of their total lifestyle, and who form alternative extended families modeled on the covens, clans, etc. found in some vampire fiction and role-playing games."
Lifestyle vampires make no claims of supernatural powers. And it would be unfair to dismiss them as people who just like to play at Halloween year-round. They take their lifestyle quite seriously as it fulfills for them some inner, even spiritual need.
INTEREST IN THE vampire mythos is at an all-time high. The recent enthusiasm for this blood-sucking immortal began perhaps with the highly popular Anne Rice novel, Interview with the Vampire published in 1976, and which she followed up with several more books about the vampire world she created. Movies and television capitalized on this popularity with such offerings as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Lost Boys, Francis Ford Coppola's film version of Dracula, Underworld, and the Tom Cruise-Brad Pitt film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire.
The genre is more popular than ever thanks to TV's True Blood and Vampire Diaries, and especially the enormous success of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series of novels, which also are getting the Hollywood treatment.
When a phenomenon like this creeps into our mass consciousness - you can barely turn around without bumping into vampire-related media - some people begin to think it's real. Or they want it to be real because they so enjoy the fantasy. So what about it? Are there real vampires?
THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE
The question of whether vampires are real or not depends on the definition. If by vampire we mean the supernatural creature who is practically immortal, has fangs through which he or she can suck blood, has an aversion to sunlight, can shapeshift into other creatures, fears garlic and crosses, and can even fly... then we have to say no, such a creature does not exist. At least there's no good evidence that it exists. Such a creature is a fabrication of novels, TV shows and movies.
If we dispense with the supernatural attributes, however, there are people who call themselves vampires of one kind or another.
LIFESTYLE VAMPIRES
Largely due to the influence of vampires in the media, there is now a subculture of vampirism, the members of which seek to mimic the lifestyle of their fictional heroes (or antiheroes). There is some overlap with the Goth community, both of which seem to seek empowerment in the dark, mysterious side of things. The lifestyle vampires typically dress in black and other accouterments of the "vampire aesthetic" and favor a goth music genre. According to one website, these lifestylers take this on "not just as something to do at clubs, but as part of their total lifestyle, and who form alternative extended families modeled on the covens, clans, etc. found in some vampire fiction and role-playing games."
Lifestyle vampires make no claims of supernatural powers. And it would be unfair to dismiss them as people who just like to play at Halloween year-round. They take their lifestyle quite seriously as it fulfills for them some inner, even spiritual need.
Took Grandma to Heaven
Japanese Ghost
This took place November 25th, 1982, Thanksgiving night. My entire extended family was over for the holiday. I was 12. We all sat down in the dining room to eat our big dinner. My Dad had led the prayer. My Grandma started to cry and said we need to pray for Mom, meaning her mother, my Great Grandma. Her name was Bertha. She was now 100 years old and in a care home. She was about to turn 101 years old, and her quality of life was not very good. My Grandma asked God to take her, she's tired. The entire family bowed their heads and agreed.
I gobbled my dinner down and snuck away from the table to play with a toy my Grandma had given me earlier in the day. I went and sat at the top of our basement steps, while everyone continued to eat. I was sitting there when I heard this shuffling noise. I looked to the bottom of the stairs, and this elderly man with a hunch back wearing a black suit and using a cane walked up to the bottom of the stairs. I froze. He turned his head and looked at me and shuffled off, out of my view.
I jumped up and ran to tell people at the table what I just saw. I got the old Shoo! We are talking. I was scared this person was not a guest that night.
The next morning the phone rang. My Dad turned and told everyone Great Gran died this morning. I never ever forgot what I saw, but never understood who it was until 2005 when my Mom passed and I received a huge box of old family photos. I saw the old man in one of the photos. On the back it said Otto. That was Great Gran's husband. He passed well before I was born; I had never seen him. I knew then that there is definitely life after death. I saw my Great Grandpa in the basement. I think he was there for the holiday, and to take his wife Bertha to Heaven the following morning.
This took place November 25th, 1982, Thanksgiving night. My entire extended family was over for the holiday. I was 12. We all sat down in the dining room to eat our big dinner. My Dad had led the prayer. My Grandma started to cry and said we need to pray for Mom, meaning her mother, my Great Grandma. Her name was Bertha. She was now 100 years old and in a care home. She was about to turn 101 years old, and her quality of life was not very good. My Grandma asked God to take her, she's tired. The entire family bowed their heads and agreed.
I gobbled my dinner down and snuck away from the table to play with a toy my Grandma had given me earlier in the day. I went and sat at the top of our basement steps, while everyone continued to eat. I was sitting there when I heard this shuffling noise. I looked to the bottom of the stairs, and this elderly man with a hunch back wearing a black suit and using a cane walked up to the bottom of the stairs. I froze. He turned his head and looked at me and shuffled off, out of my view.
I jumped up and ran to tell people at the table what I just saw. I got the old Shoo! We are talking. I was scared this person was not a guest that night.
The next morning the phone rang. My Dad turned and told everyone Great Gran died this morning. I never ever forgot what I saw, but never understood who it was until 2005 when my Mom passed and I received a huge box of old family photos. I saw the old man in one of the photos. On the back it said Otto. That was Great Gran's husband. He passed well before I was born; I had never seen him. I knew then that there is definitely life after death. I saw my Great Grandpa in the basement. I think he was there for the holiday, and to take his wife Bertha to Heaven the following morning.
do bananas stay ripe longer in the refrigerator
When you put a banana in the refrigerator, it stops ripening; so, you don't want to chill it until it's ready to eat. Once it's in the fridge the skin will turn brown, but that doesn't hurt the fruit itself. The refrigeration process buys you 2 or 3 more days before the banana turns to mush.
Keep in mind that because the skin turns color quickly, it's more difficult to tell when the banana has become inedible. As the Fruit Pages say, "the fruit will decay from the inside" (ick!). You'll need to keep track of when you put the fruit in the fridge so you don't end up with black-skinned, liquid-filled objects previously known as bananas.
Happy eating!
Keep in mind that because the skin turns color quickly, it's more difficult to tell when the banana has become inedible. As the Fruit Pages say, "the fruit will decay from the inside" (ick!). You'll need to keep track of when you put the fruit in the fridge so you don't end up with black-skinned, liquid-filled objects previously known as bananas.
Happy eating!
Monday, March 1, 2010
India marks festival of colours
Men daubed in colours celebrate the re-enactment of a local tradition of "Lathmar Holi", also known as the festival of colours, celebrated at Nandgaon village near the northern Indian city of Mathura February 24, 2010. This tradition heralds the beginning of spring and is celebrated all over India. Picture taken February 24, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
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